West Seattle, Washington
12 Wednesday
That’s a photo by Ann Summa, whose “Punk Los Angeles” exhibition opens at Skylark with a reception at 4 pm this Sunday – one of 47 events ahead on the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, including two WSB-related events: Please drop in to say hi during the West Seattle Community Recognition Awards informal get-together tonight @ Capers in The Junction, 7-8 pm, all three of us will be there as will members of the WSB Forum Community; then tomorrow is the night for the Forum Community’s big get-together/fundraiser on behalf of Puget Sound Key and Lock, 6-9 pm Saturday @ Admiral Pub. Now, the full lineup:Read More
We are putting together the West Seattle Weekend Lineup right now for publication by 2 pm and just remembered, we wanted to tell you about this separately — One of the C & P Coffee Company regular live-music guests, Bobcat Bob, will be putting on a special performance tonight. Here’s the e-mail, forwarded by C & P’s Cameron Moores, explaining why:
dear friends, almost 3 weeks ago our bass player dave lucas and his wife kenna lost their only child jessica in a car accident back in the midwest. my brother dave and i are dedicating the c and p performance on april 18th to dave, kenna, jessica’s husband and her 2 children. they need our help spiritually and financially. please come to this performance in a show of support for this sweet family. dave will be in his position on bass and we hope to see you all there. thank you. most sincerely, bob.
They’re playing C & P 6-8 pm tonight. (Drop in early, then pop down California SW to Capers and make a cameo appearance at our West Seattle Community Recognition Awards get-together 7-8 pm!)
Last June, the subject of that unusually colored crow came up in the comments on this post, back when we were still anonymous, so we never let on that it lived practically outside our front door. But now it’s making news again, sort of, as one of the birds mentioned in the upcoming book that made a West Seattle author a finalist for a prestigious prize. Lyanda Lynn Haupt has been honored as a finalist for a 2008 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Prize, on behalf of “Crow Planet” — which one judge said “promises to be a fascinating and original book” giving us a window into the lives of these ubiquitous, yet mysterious, birds. Read the full citation here; more about the author at her website here. Now, as for the particular crow, known at WSB HQ as “the golden crow” (now spending time further east), she says:
Partially albinistic or leucistic crows — birds with white or light patches of feathers — are somewhat common. In albinism, all pigment is lacking; in leucism, some pigment is lacking (feathers are normally colored with layers of pigment, so if one of the color layers is missing, the feathers will be lighter or differently colored). But a fully leucistic crow like “Leucy,” as my 9-year-old daughter calls it, is quite rare. Notice that even the “bare parts” as they are called — the bill, feet, etc. are also light. Very cool bird.
PARKS: Is the city Parks Department on the right track after the first draft of its “strategic business plan” following meetings around the city last fall? Tonight’s the second of seven West Seattle meetings where you can have a say. 6:30 pm, Hiawatha Community Center; other meetings are listed here.
PETS: Though Seattle Animal Shelter handles pet matters within the city limits, pet advocates from West Seattle as well as the rest of the county are expected at the King County Council‘s Town Hall meeting on county Animal Control policies and changes. 6:30 pm, Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, preceded by an adoption fair that starts at 5:30 pm (and an advocates’ rally at 6). Read more here.
KIDS & BOOKS: The next step in “West Seattle Reads” — which started with this event at Sanislo Elementary three weeks ago offering free books to kids from around WS — happens tonight at the Delridge Library, 7 pm (and 7 pm tomorrow at Southwest Library). Read the backstory here.
More events for today, tonight, and the weeks and months ahead, can be found here.
A citywide program with strong West Seattle ties is making progress in its recently launched quest to expand music education for kids in all Seattle Public Schools. 
It’s called Rotary Music4Life, and its creative team includes two West Seattleites, former school-board member Irene Stewart, and SirenSong Productions‘ Bronwyn Edwards Cryer. Stewart tells WSB that many of the photos on the Rotary Music4Life site (see it here) feature Roxhill Elementary and Arbor Heights Elementary students, as well as Westside Symphonette musicians. At the heart of this program’s work is the search for donations of “gently used” — or new! — instruments needed so that kids who can’t afford to buy or rent instruments can still join in music programs. One of the city’s two drop-off spots for instrument donations is C and P Coffee in West Seattle. Rotary Music4Life intends to get 1,200 instruments for kids who need them; so far, their website shows 28 acquired (here’s the list of what’s needed; here’s how to donate).
The full list of West Seattle weekend events for today and tomorrow is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup list we publish every Friday; find the latest one here (and if you’re ever looking for it, just go to the right sidebar list of WSB Categories and click on the last link – the newest one will be on top of the archive page that comes up). Highlights:
PARKS PLAN MEETING: Remember the round of meetings to gather input for the city Parks Department Strategic Business Plan? As we mentioned last month, the draft plan is out, and a new round of meetings is under way. The first of 6 in West Seattle is at 3 pm today, Alki Community Center. (Read the plan here; see the full list of meetings here – next one is Monday night at Hiawatha Community Center – you can also comment on the plan online.)
HEALTHY KIDS DAY: It’s one of the biggest events of the year at the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor); tons of fun, with full info here. 10 am-1 pm today.
ADOPT A CAT: Last time Kitty Harbor (profiled on WSB here) had an adoptathon, the person who runs KH, Delyn Kosbab, said folks lined up outside before the doors opened. She’s doing it again this weekend — 11 am to 7 pm today (KH is just south of ActivSpace on Harbor Ave).
SPECIAL BOOK/MUSIC EVENT WITH WEST SEATTLE AUTHOR: Clay Eals has received widespread acclaim for his biography “Steve Goodman: Facing the Music.” A few weeks ago, 200 people attended a presentation he gave about it, with eight musicians playing Goodman’s music, in Lake Forest Park (see photos from that event on this page), and tonight you can hear about Goodman’s life and times from Eals, with music by singer/guitarist Tom Colwell, accompanied by bassist Bruce Hanson, and Mark Myers on dobro and harmonica, 7 pm at Admiral UCC (California/Hill), free of charge. (Read more about Clay Eals and the book here.)
Lots of fun indoors and out this weekend – “Sin Fronteras” (left) playing South American music at SSCC, jazz at Cafe Rozella, the kickoff for new “Family Night” get-togethers tonight, a school carnival and Yacht Club open house (you don’t have to have a boat!) also tonight, the Lions’ plant sale tonight and tomorrow, “Healthy Kids Day” tomorrow at the Y, a movie tomorrow night at West Seattle Christian Church for a great cause – and more, 44 events in all, listed ahead:Read More
Two live theater productions, one big political caucus, lots of cool cleanups that need your help (including Alki Playfield/Playground till 3 pm today – they’re out there working right now!) – the benefit barbecue at Thriftway tomorrow, the WSHS Grad Night fundraising car wash tomorrow (caucusing? get your car washed while you’re there), another chance to help plan the WSB Forum Community fundraiser for the local business fighting back from arson, a soccer-season kickoff, 39 events listed ahead:Read More
WANT TO RENOVATE WITH CAMERAS ROLLING? The new show “My Big Amazing Renovation” on HGTV is looking for prospects, for shooting in Seattle, and inviting West Seattleites to apply. Read the whole pitch they sent to the Admiral Neighborhood Association mailing list.
LOCAL BAND IN IT TO WIN IT: Josh writes to say that Westerly, an “alt-country” band with West Seattle ties, is in the Famecast.com online talent competition and hoping for your vote – check out their video here (click the “in contest” link to vote).
GAME TIME IN SUNRISE HEIGHTS: Saturday night, the Sunrise Heights Neighborhood Association invites you to its annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Night at the OLG School hall; but call today to let ’em know you’ll be there: 206-932-2949 or 206-938-8760.
FREE BASEBALL: We mentioned this the other day – now game time is hours away — West Seattle High School plays Kennedy HS at Safeco Field tonight in the annual High School Baseball Classic, 7 pm, admission free. (And WSHS is selling half-price tickets to a June M’s game as part of its participation, with its baseball program benefiting from part of the proceeds; go here to find out how to buy those tickets.)
Just spotted in the bluffside greenery north of the incline on the eastbound side of The Bridge — the Grouchos are back. The photo above is from last year; they’re in the same spot (April is also when they appeared last year; by early May ’07 they were gone.)
3:30 pm today, 40th floor of the Municipal Tower downtown, it could be Charlestown Court’s last stand when the city Landmarks Preservation Board considers landmark status for the exterior architecture of the 81-year-old brick fourplex at 3811 California, a process we’ve been reporting on since last October (most recent coverage here). It’s open to public comment if you want to speak; we’ll be there to cover the meeting and will let you know ASAP what happens. A few hours later, at an Alki meeting, the question will be – what will happen west of this end of the Alki Ave sidewalk?
The city’s presenting alternatives tonight, after a previous concept sparked an uproar among neighbors and some additional city brainstorming, and there’s a public meeting at Alki Community Center starting at 6:30 tonight. Also tonight at 6:30, traffic-calming issues in North Delridge are on the agenda for the North Delridge Neighborhood Council at Delridge Library, with Luke Korpi, SDOT Traffic Management Division Senior Civil Engineer, on hand; also at Delridge Library, right before that, the High Point Neighborhood Association’s Pedestrian Safety Committee meets at 5 pm. And last but not least, if you are in the mood for entertainment:
… it’s opening night for “The Dead Guy” at ArtsWest. In this photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham, reality TV cameraman Dougie (Bill Badgley) startles store clerk Virgil (Paul Bergman). Read all about the production here; get ticket info here. “The Dead Guy” runs through April 20.
Seems there was some intricate viral-marketing stunt in selected cities today to promote the upcoming “Batman” movie (“Dark Knight“), involving bowling balls and phones placed in locations revealed on a website … and the Seattle bowling alley where one was secretly placed for a fan to find was (much to one writer’s surprise) West Seattle Bowl. Diehard fans are discussing it in this forum (but the fan who found it here isn’t a member, according to a post about 163 pages in from someone who reported being the also-ran).
So you remember the whole thing about the Dyan Cannon lookalike contest before opening night of Twelfth Night Productions‘ “Deathtrap” at Youngstown Arts Center Friday night? We got there in hopes of covering the big announcement … and learned they had no entrants. TNP did let us stay for the show, however (photo above features cast members Trish Loyd as Myra and Dave Clelland as Sidney); this year marks the play’s 30th anniversary, but aside from a couple period references (mentions of the late Merv Griffin, plus the ancient phrase “women’s lib”), it feels fresh and in spots, fun, especially whenever Jane Taylor as over-the-top psychic Helga (love the beaded fringe and sequins!) is onstage. Director Todd Downing paces his cast well through the many plot twists, which keep things though this is a one-setting, five-character play. Twelfth Night — a nonprofit West Seattle-based theater group (backstory here) — performs a matinee of “Deathtrap” at 3 pm today; then it plays again next Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun (full showtimes and ticket info here).
A (good audio, bad video) clip has surfaced on YouTube from one of Eddie Vedder‘s semi-secret Kenyon Hall shows this week.
First – the “found it elsewhere” event listing of the week: see it here. (Added it to our calendar here too, of course.) Just one of 33 West Seattle events from this afternoon through Sunday night; the list starts here:Read More
Thanks to Greg for pointing out the Pearl Jam message board thread on this. Not like we travel in rock ‘n’ roll circles or anything, so it’s news to us and maybe to you too: West Seattle’s Most Famous Musician, Eddie Vedder, played Kenyon Hall (35th just south of Kenyon) the last two nights. The fans are particularly abuzz about the limited-edition poster (you can see it here; also, somebody’s already selling one on eBay).
We first told you one month ago about the West Seattle Walking Trails project, as the map was made public for comment — now, Chas Redmond e-mails to say it’s time for the next step, development of wayfinding kiosks — and today, there’s a call for artists. Read on:Read More
First: C & P Coffee is hosting an April Fool’s talent show – no foolin’! – 6-8 pm 4/1, to support Gatewood Elementary. Families welcome; sign up at C & P or click to e-mail. Second: Twelfth Night Productions is kicking off opening night of its next play, “Deathtrap,” with a Dyan Cannon lookalike contest. (The former West Seattleite turned movie star, previously known as Diane Friesen (Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu 1955!), starred in the movie version in the early ’80s. From that same era – since we couldn’t find a free-use photo of her, we found this early ’80s YouTube clip (a tiny bit risque’) of Cannon with TV legend Johnny Carson:
Back to the lookalike contest – it’s planned for 7:15 pm Friday, “Deathtrap” opening night @ Youngstown Arts Center. How to enter, you ask? From the Twelfth Night announcement:
To enter the contest, please e-mail a photo of you as Dyan Cannon, as well as your name, age, phone number and e-mail address to Twelfth Night Productions, janeatay (at) msn.com. Both men and women are encouraged to apply.
The contest winner will be awarded the title “Miss West Seattle of 1955 of 2008.”
Just happened onto it while working on the delayed edition of our West Seattle Weekend Lineup (out within an hour or so) – ArtsWest fans can check it out here. (Next AW production is “The Dead Guy,” opening April 2.)
Sanislo Elementary – tucked into a wooded corner along Myrtle a few blocks east of Delridge – bills itself as “the small school with big ideas.” Tonight was the night their librarian Maryann Horsley‘s big idea for “West Seattle Reads” (previous coverage here) took flight as kids picked up free books – with a kite theme – and watched a kite expert show them some fun creations:
The goal is to get as many West Seattle kids as possible reading these two books (“The Emperor and the Kite†by Jane Yolen and Ed Young for younger kids, “The Kite Fighters†by Linda Sue Park and Eung Won Park for older kids) and then joining in two discussions at local libraries in a few weeks:
The discussions are April 14 at Delridge Library and April 15 at Southwest Library. Then “West Seattle Reads” wraps up with a kite celebration at Sanislo on April 27. And if you couldn’t go last night – you can still get the free books and join in “West Seattle Reads” — e-mail Maryann Horsley (click here).
Yes, we know, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for all day: The arrival of last year’s “American Idol” finalist Chris Richardson at Roxbury Safeway this afternoon to promote ice cream and sign autographs. Our video clip captures the full magic of his SUV arrival, entry into the store, and initial autograph-signing, in a compact 1:15 of video goodness. (A few dozen fans were there to greet him, in case you were wondering; he’s supposed to be there till 5:30.) If you prefer YouTube video, we put this clip there too.
That’s Pat Wright of the Total Experience Gospel Choir on stage tonight at West Seattle’s Kenyon Hall, accompanied by KH proprietor Lou Magor in an impromptu-by-audience-request performance of “Amazing Grace.” This was the first of four amazing nights of Wright and her choir visiting KH somewhat as artists-in-residence, as they get ready for a major journey:Read More
Two local productions — “The Exile Project” at the West Seattle High School Theater and “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor; more on TSSIB here) — are in their final weekend. As we mentioned when it opened, “Exile Project” is the creation of a team led by West Seattle’s Holly Eckert; its subject is so curiosity-piquing that we talked with her this week to find out more — and her comments are as thought-provoking as the subject:Read More
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