West Seattle, Washington
01 Saturday
4 PM TODAY: Your editor here has been invited to discuss West Seattle this afternoon on Rain City Radio, a new audio interview “show” that the founder of popular Seattle real-estate blog Rain City Guide, Dustin Luther, recently launched. His post about it explains how to listen and/or call in to join the conversation.
7 PM TONIGHT: As reported here last week, two members of legendary rock band R.E.M. — Peter Buck and Bill Rieflin — will join West Seattle authors Corianton Hale and David Belisle for a launch party to celebrate their photography book “R.E.M.: HELLO,” 7 pm @ Easy Street in The Junction. (Party goes till 10; signing is 7-8.)
7 PM TONIGHT: The next big West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival event — the White Rose Reception — happens tonight at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) – here are details from Hi-Yu’s Danette Carufel:
West Seattle Hi-Yu cordially invites you to the 2008 White Rose Reception. This event is for women only and is a celebration of past and present Hi Yu royalty and candidates. All are invited; festivities will begin at 7 pm tonight at Fauntleroy Church (UCC), 9260 California SW. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories or to learn about our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring their sashes and memory scrapbooks. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.00. For more information please call (206) 935-6517.
Since we first published the latest West Seattle Weekend Lineup list on Friday afternoon, we’ve gotten word of a couple additions for today — including one that came in overnight, for the karaoke fans who have been lamenting the closure of the Corner Inn in Morgan Junction (first reported here June 3). Kim N e-mailed to say:
Since the Corner Inn closed down, lots of folks have been upset at the loss of being able to perform karaoke there, hosted by Christopher Mychael (of PCM Musiq).
Well, the wait is over!
Christopher Mychael will be hosting Karaoke this Saturday night (6/21) at The Rocksport! Please come out and support him. If all goes well, there will hopefully be a more permanent schedule there!
P.S. Remember The Viaduct is closed this morning, till about 11 am, for Race for the Cure; that’s where we’ll be for the next few hours.
An hour from now, it’s solstice time. Weather permitting (forecast doesn’t look too bad), most West Seattle wading pools open this weekend, too – plus there’s another of those popular “Wii for adults” events at a local library — a free soapmaking class presented by Seattle Free School — even pet adoption on Alki, and more! 42 West Seattle events ahead:Read More
OK, don’t let the kids click ahead on this one. Well – the pix are really just PG, but a nine-letter word starting with “s” comes up. Burning Hearts Burlesque brings its “Bedroom Club” show to Admiral Theater on Saturday night, and its executive producer talked with us at her West Seattle home so we could ask the obvious question:Read More
We mentioned this earlier in the middle of a multi-topic post – and clearly we erred in not making it banner news: Blayne the barista, who’s worked at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) for 2 1/2 years, made it to the popular cable-TV reality show “Project Runway” and is taping now for the season that starts next month. Now, courtesy of Hotwire boss Lora Lewis, we have pix of Blayne and his art:Read More
Now that summer vacation is in full swing — families may still be looking for ways to keep the kids busy. Two compilations of area activities — at local community centers, libraries, and other facilities in the West Seattle, White Center, and South Park areas — have just been distributed, and they are in such an easy-to-read format, we wanted to share them with you here. Here’s the list for under-12’s; here’s the list for teens. And if you have a musically inclined teen in the family – we have a separate invitation, from the All-City Band:
You’ve probably seen the group (in those distinctive green polo shirts) marching in Seattle summertime parades, including the West Seattle Grand Parade that American Legion Post 160 will be presenting exactly one month from tomorrow. The All-City Band – directed by Denny Middle School‘s renowned music director Marcus Pimpleton — has its first rehearsal tonight – just show up, no audition required. Here are the full details — including a side note about how to book the All-City Band for events, if you need a pep/marching band:Read More
First, 2 garden notes, starting with Marguerite‘s search for partners:
I am a gardener and I live in the North Admiral area (44th/Hill). I have a very wide and long parking strip I was thinking of turning into an organic veggie garden. The space is too large for me, so I am looking to see if there is interest in a pea patch sort of thing. I am thinking of 5 – 6 people that would like to have a area to grow veggies and help get the area ready for planting. I will help with the know how , each person would need to tend their own plot and contribute to water bills.
Click here to e-mail Marguerite. Still in the garden mode: an ongoing plant sale:
More than 10 varieties of organically raised tomato plants, and other plants for your garden, are on sale at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) as an ongoing fundraiser for Furry Faces Foundation, whose ringleader Teri Ensley says, “As always, proceeds of our fundraisers fund spays/neuters and the animals whose humans are on fixed incomes.” Plants are being regularly replenished, so if there’s something you’re looking for, check with Teri, furryfaces@hotmail.com.
MOVIE & TV NOTES: While we were at Hotwire photographing the plants, we got two more bits of news to share – Hotwire proprietor Lora Lewis says the last Movies on the Wall offering has changed to “Galaxy Quest” (it was “My Dog Skip”); that’s on August 23 and we’ve made the change on our Cinema page. Lora also told us her barista Blayne has made it onto “Project Runway” and is out of town doing the show right now!
FINAL NOTE – BERRY TIME: The Rotary Club of West Seattle is taking orders now for its annual berry sale; Amy Lee Derenthal sends along this info:
By purchasing berries from the Rotary Club of West Seattle you are supporting our fundraising efforts for the programs we provide as a Service Club in our community:
– Shopping Spree where we take underprivileged children shopping at Sears on the first Saturday of December for the past 35 years.
– Community Support where money is donated to a local projects including the Senior Center & Neighborhood House “Heart of High Point†Campaign.
– Pencil Me In For Kids purchasing school supplies for grade school children.
Order your strawberries, raspberries and/or blueberries today! Berries are FRESH from beautiful Mount Vernon , WA — cleaned, hulled, & packed only in their own juices — no sugar added. Ready for pies, canning, jam or freezing for year-round enjoyment! Go to our website to download the order form: www.westseattlerotary.org
Just out of the WSB inbox – a news release sent by West Seattleite Keith Bacon announcing an event at Easy Street a week from tonight — a book launch party with two members of R.E.M. in attendance. Read on for the full details:Read More
Checked your doorstep this morning? Your home might be among those randomly chosen by a group of “art attackers” who got together late last night to create and distribute whimsical homemade recycled-items art, like what’s shown above, and to the left. If this sounds familiar – they took inspiration from “West Seattle Art Attack,” whose secret surprise missions were chronicled here last year, but it’s a whole different group of people – read on for more pix and info:Read More
The first West Seattle wading-pool opening of the season MIGHT be tomorrow @ Lincoln Park, but there’s a hitch – gotta be 70 degrees and sunny – not looking much like there’s a chance of that. (SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: We just went down to check – the pool IS filling, and it WILL be open both days this weekend no matter what.) Nonetheless, we’ll hold out a good thought, and include that possibility in the list of 40 events ahead, from bellydancing tonight to the West Seattle Moms of Tots benefit Bake Sale on Alki tomorrow morning to the WSB Forum Community Happy Hour Meet-Up tomorrow afternoon and beyond – and if you MUST leave West Seattle, there’s the first-ever Capitol Hill Community Garage Sale Day — it’s all ahead:Read More
Online and in “ballot boxes” placed at West Seattle businesses, hundreds of people offered suggestions for the Sidewalk Cinema Movies on the Wall series in The Junction coming up in July and August — now Lora Lewis, proprietor of Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor), which is next to the courtyard with the big screen you see above, confirms the slate is set — read on:Read More
That’s a quick video pan of the lively crowd tonight at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, where almost 300 people gathered for the annual ArtsWest Gala. We dropped by just in time to hear the big news – AW is “debt-free” for the first time since opening in fall 1999. And its newest capital campaign is already three-fourths of the way to its goal — “Full Speed Ahead” has received more than $460,000 from city/county/state government and foundations, and just needs $166K from the public – here’s the slide shown to the crowd:
The money will go toward capital improvements like new seats, infrastructure improvements like a full-time box office, and “artistry” endeavors — in particular, ArtsWest leaders said, “a living wage for artists.” If you want to help ArtsWest reach its goal, you can make a donation through this page on the AW website.
Pardon the tardiness — here are the West Seattle weekend highlights, 43 of them:Read More
As we reported yesterday, the “new” operator of the Admiral Theater – who’s also one of its “old” operators – spoke with WSB and provided information we’re writing up in two reports. The first one yesterday focused on the fate of the donations solicited by the historic theater’s former manager (read that story here); this morning, our second report has the details on what the new operator plans to do next – including a relatively quick timetable for a key decision on the Admiral’s future:Read More
You’ve probably seen “under new mgmt” on its marquee – or a different look on its website – or you read this thread or this thread on WSB. Now, we have details on the Admiral Theater‘s management change, after talking by phone today with its new operator – who is also one of its old operators. We’re going to write this up in two parts – the first part is the shorter one, but it’s got the answer to the question several WSB’ers asked in comments here – what about the $40 donations for new seats?Read More
In Saturday coverage of Delridge Day @ Youngstown Arts Center, as well as in this report from the last Delridge District Council meeting, we talked about a new Youngstown feature making its debut — an Art Lending Library for the community. For the video clip above, we asked Seth Damm to explain — and show — more about how it works, and he had a few new details – including the delivery/pickup aspect! Drop by or contact Youngstown (website here) to find out how to “check art out” in this new way.
Daily through June 23, you can visit The Mount to see its annual Intergenerational Art Show, with works on display (and offered for sale) in the first-floor hallway. The artists are not only the kids of The Mount’s Intergenerational Learning Center, but also some of the facility’s residents too. Meantime, students at two West Seattle schools showed off their artistic talents last night — we’ve got a few photos ahead:Read More
Thanks to Friends of Ercolini Park for that photo from last weekend’s fun in the sun at the new park – though it hasn’t had an official “grand opening” event yet (still in the works), it is now truly open (west of The Junction, 48th and Alaska). This is also the second weekend of preseason operations for Colman Pool (see our coverage from last weekend here), and lots more going on, including the big Gatewood Elementary centennial, Delridge Day, and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Biz Expo events tomorrow — 45 listings in all, straight ahead:Read More
AWARD: Congratulations to Clay Eals, honored in the IPPY (Independent Publisher) Awards with a “silver” award for the biography category (see #28 in the list here) on the first anniversary of his acclaimed book “Steve Goodman: Facing the Music.” The awards will be presented tomorrow in Los Angeles.
READING: Longtime South Seattle Community College instructor Arleen Williams has published “The Thirty-Ninth Victim: A Memoir,” about what her family went through in connection with her sister having been one of the Green River serial-murder victims. She will read from the book during an event June 6th at SSCC’s Cascade Courtyard and Wine Tasting Room. The event runs 4-6 pm and includes a preview of two SSCC wines to be released in the fall; Williams’ reading will start at 4:30 pm.
“ANNIE’S FIRST DATES” GETS THE GRAND PRIZE: We showed you the short, then told you it made the winners’ list. Now comes word from Jenny Hawes @ Penny Dreadfuls Productions that “Annie’s First Dates,” their entry into the “3-Minute Masterpieces” competition, won the Grand Prize. We asked Jenny what they got for winning; she replied, “Our co-directors, Mike Gaston and Brooke Montgomery, won 2 all-access passes to SIFF and classes from the Seattle Film Institute. Pretty sweet – we were all psyched.”
“DOCUMENTARY CHALLENGE” WINNER FEATURES WEST SEATTLEITE: This article (linked off the More page) led us to news that an 8-minute short featuring Cory Calhoun, who identifies himself online as a West Seattle resident, had won the “International Documentary Challenge” at a Canadian film festival. The article describes Calhoun as one of the world’s best anagrammers. The short will be featured in July on PBS and at the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle; you can watch it online here.
Quiet week for public meetings since it’s the end of the month (except for tomorrow night’s Design Review meeting on the Conner Homes Junction project) — but there’s an author event tonight, and we don’t get a lot of those on this side of the bay: Bill Press, radio host, is at Barnes and Noble in Westwood Village at 6:30 pm on behalf of his book Train Wreck: The End of the Conservative Revolution, and Not a Minute Too Soon. More West Seattle happenings for the days, weeks, and months ahead are on the WSB Events list (added about a dozen just last night).
You sent in your suggestion(s) via our special page here on WSB or via ballot boxes in local businesses — now organizer Lora Lewis from Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) has unveiled the list of finalists from which the “Movies on the Wall” outdoor-film lineup in July and August will be chosen. Read on, then leave a comment about which ones you’d most like to see:Read More
For those who e-mailed us, worried because it had gone to a “parking page” for a few days – the Admiral’s site is back, with current movies (plus details on the upcoming John Keawe concert), at admiral-theater.com.
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