West Seattle, Washington
15 Thursday
Thanks again to beach blogger Cathy Woo for the tip about artist Thom Ross working for a while on Alki today; by the time we got down for photos at midafternoon, he was about to pack it up — reader Tim’s comment on our original post has more details on why. The figures are made from plywood, which Ross has used for other memorable displays.
First word of an amazing art project in progress on Alki comes from Cathy Woo’s Beach Walks. Cathy says the artist is Thom Ross and the creations are eventually destined for showing in San Francisco. She has pix up; we hope to be able to get some a bit later.
It’s listed in our weekend roundup but seems to be worth a standalone mention in case you happen to pass the American Legion Hall on the east end of The Junction tomorrow afternoon and wonder what’s up — tomorrow is the third and final day of the first-ever Rainfest; day 1 was at the Legion Hall too, day 2 was in Parkland. Guess you could call this the anti-Folklife, if it becomes a M-Day Weekend staple.
With so many blossoming businesses in West Seattle — West 5, Skylark, etc. — concerned about the so-called “nightlife premises legislation” that’s been making its way through the City Council, we thought you might want to know the next hearing has just been set (June 4).
Courtesy of Cathy Woo, who tells us she took this picture just before 9 this morning at 59th & Alki. (Sure looks like the work of NTG.) 10:35 PM UPDATE: Went down to check it out. This is visible from the beach side of the walkway just east of the bathhouse. We also saw another one — unfortunately peeling badly — a bit further east along the beach walkway, and yet another one on the retaining wall along the bottom of California Way where it meets Harbor Ave near Seacrest.)
Elsewhere online, blurbs just popped up announcing a Robin Williams show at the Showbox next Tuesday, saying the proceeds will benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. Nothing about it on the WSFB site (and the mention on the Showbox site doesn’t mention the benefit aspect); but we did find a mention in the WSFB newsletter archives of a big “surprise donation” from Williams and his wife three years ago, after Showbox performances. Any insiders who can clue us to the Williams/WSFB connection, we’d love to hear the story. Meantime, you can buy tickets for this show online starting @ 10 am Monday morning (here’s the direct link).
From backyard chicken-raising, to salmon-cooking, a plant sale to raise $ for pets, and way beyond, we bring you dozens of choices for the last weekend before Summer Fun officially kicks in — call it Spring Fun, The Finale (plus a few noteworthy non-entertainment events), all a click away:Read More
Yes, the weekend’s over so the sun is back; gotta love Seattle in May. Besides the simple pleasures, like beach-walking when you get home from work, here are a couple happenings of note this week:
-The Taste of West Seattle is tomorrow night, with more than a dozen WS restaurants and caterers participating. Proceeds benefit Helpline; you can buy advance tickets from the Helpline home page (look for the PayPal button on the left side) for $5 less than the cost at the door.
-ArtsWest opens its world premiere “commedia dell’arte style” adaptation of “Pinocchio” on Thursday.
In case you missed it in our weekend roundup … three particularly interesting events today/tonight worth one more shoutout: Megawatt’s WS Community Garage Sale Day till 3 pm (map/guide here), Seattle Majestics women’s football @ Sealth field @ 7 pm, and bellydancing at ArtsWest “afterhours” @ 10 pm. Have a great day, whatever you do. (And don’t forget to put out the bag o’food.)
From 130-plus yard sales in 1 day, to a wild hour to try the Water Taxi, to women’s tackle football, to bellydancing, there is so much to do this weekend, you’ll wish you could just skip sleep. Full list is one click away:Read More
–Tonight, Cafe Rozella continues its 2nd-anniversary celebration with Show Brazil performing @ 7 pm.
–Tomorrow night, the Junction Art Walk (second Thursday of each month) is back. And now it’s got its own blogsite, with a list of who and what you’ll see.
–Also tomorrow night, “Carousel” opens at West Seattle High School (7:30 Thurs-Fri-Sat this week and next; advance tickets are half-price @ Square One).
The creative proprietors of Clementine have not only beautified The Junction by their mere presence, but also have joined the Junction Association Beautification Committee, and one of its current projects is to replace those somewhat dated banners (example at right) trumpeting the shopping district’s free-parking zones. (An endangered species around the city, apparently.) And they’ve put out a call for design proposals for the new banner. Deadline is May 31. Click ahead for the full text of the Request for Design Proposal:Read More
Even without the Cinco de Mayo wildness at your favorite drinking spot, it’s a BIG West Seattle weekend. Click for the full (and “full” is an understatement) list!Read More
For the hundreds of times we have walked or driven past the Alki Bathhouse, we’ve been inside maybe once. Tonight — a good chance to wander in and be warmly welcomed — a spring reception, 5-8 pm (brochure page 14) — we found out from all these cheery postings in the bathhouse’s big side window this morning:
Two calls tonight for West Seattle artists to come forward and show their stuff. First: The new artists’ studio Ginomai is looking for more artists to display their work during upcoming Junction Art Walks. Deadline for the next one is next Monday. (EARLY THURS UPDATE: The Art Walk has its own blog now!) Second: This Friday is the deadline for artists and musicians to sign up to be part of this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest in mid-July. Go here to get an application.
It appears the last Groucho left in the greenery along the Delridge-side approach to The Bridge is gone. Riding shotgun along that stretch of concrete this morning, we were able to confirm the reader tip that first told us so. With the Grouchos gone, WS seems a little less whimsical. For now. (We’ll just have to go back to squinting at the Fauntleroy overpass banners.)
On this busy spring Sunday, perhaps between your Farmers’ Market stop and your Water Taxi trip, take a little time to help ponder the future of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. A community open house is happening there 11 am-2 pm to facilitate and inspire that pondering. And there’s urgency — the school district still owns this 90-year-old treasure (the child-care center, events hall, and others based there are tenants) but is indicating it’s time to sell off this and other “surplus property.” If you have only driven by, perhaps heading to or from the nearby ferry dock, you may not realize how large the schoolhouse property is; as a result, as one reader wrote to us, “there are developers who are hovering over the property.” Will it be the next townhouse cluster — or will the community rally to preserve it? Drop by today to offer ideas … or absorb them … a rare chance to do something before it’s too late.
The Water Taxi and Farmers’ Market, both returning on Sunday … Easy Street’s new “afterhours” shows continuing tonight … your chance to help shape a West Seattle landmark’s future … all part of the weekend preview roundup, a click away:
This is one mystery we slightly, wistfully wish could have stayed unsolved … but the genie’s out of the bottle. Dan from Seattlest dropped in, two posts down, earlier this morning, to say the bear, the owl (the Grouchos too? they don’t seem to fit the theme), and much more, are the work of “No Touching Ground.” Watch the video linked to the name; there’s no doubt. The video doesn’t match a real-life name to the artist but a little rummaging around the web comes up with it. (And he’s got a show up at a Pioneer Square coffeehouse right now.)
Some of what’s happening in WS this week, before we get anywhere near the next fun-filled (Water Taxi! Farmers’ Market! Hall @ Fauntleroy open house!) weekend:
–Tonight (Monday): Celebrate National Poetry Month (and Shakespeare’s birthday!) with a Poetry Read-Around @ the gorgeously renovated Southwest Library (35th & Henderson).
–Tuesday: Have dinner tonight @ Endolyne Joe’s and part of the proceeds will go to the Fauntleroy Fall Festival.
–Wednesday: This is your last-chance deadline to register a yard sale as part of Megawatt’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale on May 12.
–Thursday: Dine Out for Life to fight AIDS. West Seattle participants are Abbondanza (dinner), Angelina’s Trattoria (lunch & dinner), Blackbird Bistro (lunch & dinner), Buddha Ruksa (dinner), Eats Market Cafe (breakfast/lunch/dinner), Mission (dinner), Ovio (dinner), Skylark (lunch & dinner). Also: After an early dinner or before a late one, check out WS-based Adventure Associates‘ free slideshow “Adventures in Mexico: Copper Canyon,” 6:30 pm @ C & P Coffee.
As we hinted a few times already, SO MUCH happening in West Seattle this weekend, you might as well not bother going anywhere else. World-class shows (like the members of COTR appearing at Cafe Rozella), free swimming, Earth Day celebrations galore, and … how can you pass up the first-ever Pet Rodeo and Snooty Walk? Full list with links, a click away:
We like to include pictures with our posts now and then but would never consider ourselves true photographers. Here are three noteworthy examples of new work from people who do merit that label:
-When we posted about the doomed “Mission Revival”-style building at 6053 California, we hoped aloud that someone with photographic talent would get pictures that truly do it justice before it’s gone. That’s what Christopher Boffoli just did.
-A routine blogsearch turned up this item with a beautiful little slide show about a bus stop in The Junction.
-There’s a nice image from this past weekend’s YMCA Healthy Kids Day on this new site launched by former Herald photojournalist Matt Durham.
–Tomorrow night, ArtsWest presents Ladies Night Out, featuring not only that night’s performance of “On the Verge,” but also drinks, snacks, door prizes, and trendy clothing/shoe displays from local boutiques. Call ArtsWest for ticket info.
-Also tomorrow night, maybe not quite that much fun but potentially life-saving, a Disaster Preparedness Workshop @ High Point Community Center. Did you feel unprepared when the windstorm hit? This is a great way to figure out how to be ready NEXT time.
-And a sneak weekend preview — Friday night‘s bound to be incredible at Cafe Rozella as it celebrates its second anniversary — with a free 7:30 pm flamenco performance by Eric and Encarnacion from the spectacular local group Children of the Revolution.
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