West Seattle, Washington
21 Tuesday
From Westside Symphonette founder Toni Reineke, as the community orchestra gets ready for its new season – the rehearsal site’s just been finalized, plus there’s even bigger news:
We will be rehearsing at the newly remodeled Chief Sealth High School (2600 S.W. Thistle) this coming Tuesday, Sept. 14. The beginning strings and junior orchestra will rehearse from 5:30-6:30 and the senior/community orchestra from 6:45-8:15. Both groups will meet in the music wing at the west side of the building.
The big news: On Sept. 2, we incorporated and also registered as a nonprofit with the State of Washington. (We do not yet have federal 501(c)(3) status but that’s coming soon.)
The name of this new business entity is “West Seattle Community Orchestras.” This year, we will again operate three orchestras under that umbrella name.
You’ll see that new name on the website – along with more info – here.
Biggest events of the weekend include Alki Family Fun Day (dog parade! kids’ talent show! bluegrass! authors!) on Sunday at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, Delridge Night Market on Saturday, Holy Family’s Community Street Fair Saturday and Sunday, Fauntleroy’s big sale on Saturday-Sunday plus 1 Green Planet recycling on Sunday, and it’s the final weekend of the year (already?) for Colman Pool at Lincoln Park; the annual Holy Rosary Golf Tournament is Saturday … and lots more … 50+ West Seattle (etc.) events/activities! Just click ahead for this week’s West Seattle Weekend Lineup, brought to you by Skylark Café and Club (with weekend delights including brunch both days, live music both nights)!Read More
Love to sing and wish you had somebody to sing with? Both the Endolyne Children’s Choir and Seattle Glee Clubs (adults) 
are welcoming new members as their new seasons start this month. Endolyne’s Encore (grades 3-5) and Advanced (6th-9th) groups start rehearsals this Thursday; the Debut (grades K-2) group starts next Tuesday (9/14). Endolyne practices at St. John the Baptist Church in Admiral – e-mail info@endolynechoir.org with questions and/or check out endolynechoir.org. Meantime, the Seattle Glee Clubs’ three groups are starting their new season, looking toward a choral concert in January: Tonight, the Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club women’s chorus has a season-opening potluck supper where prospective new members are welcome to come meet returnees – for more information, e-mail musical director John Gulhaugen at the_met@seattlegleeclubs.org, or leave a message at 206-260-7393; that’s also the number you can call to find out more about the 8-part vocal-jazz ensemble The Offbeats, which start their season with a retreat next Saturday; and the no-audition, male-and-female Prelude Glee Club starts weekly rehearsals next Monday – email director Jerry Halsey at prelude@seattlegleeclubs.org. All SGC groups practice at Luna Park ActivSpace.
(August WSB photo by Jonathan Stumpf, taken during “Divine Marigolds” shoot)
Three weeks ago, we reported on the local producers trying to raise $10,000 online to produce what they hope will be the pilot for a possible TV series set in West Seattle, “The Divine Marigolds.” Tonight was their deadline to get at least $10,000 in production-funding pledges via Kickstarter – and they made it, hitting $10,011 around 5 pm, thanks to more than 50 contributors. The producers had said the money would go toward getting their pilot produced – then they still would have to shop it around before knowing whether a TV network will pick it up. By the way, as they told us at the time we covered their project last month, they’ve been shooting “character vignettes” – the one that was in progress when we took the photo atop this update, is now fully produced – here’s the clip:
You can follow the project’s progress on the “Divine Marigolds” Facebook page.
Certain to get some reaction in the neighborhood, a new “statue” has appeared on the chimney of a home at 44th & Brandon, the same location as the much-discussed “minotaur” wood carving that was unveiled back in 2008.
According to the staff at West Seattle Nursery (the home’s neighbors to the east), the statue was hoisted to the roof earlier yesterday, and people worked all day to install it. When we went to the house, a man on the roof helping with the installation described the sculpture as a “fairy” and said they were almost done with it.
From the street, it indeed appears to be a “fairy,” albeit one with very little clothing. The statue faces southwest, with her “wings” facing northeast toward California Avenue.
If you want to see the statue in all its glory (well, some of its glory): click here.
(Story and Photos by Jason Grotelueschen)
That’s the West Seattle Big Band playing their final song, as the sun set (both literally and figuratively) on the second summer of the Admiral Neighborhood Association’s popular Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series.
A reporter-estimated crowd of 300 enjoyed the show, on a pleasant but increasingly chilly Thursday night as the wind picked up and the sun went down. The WSBB concert was the sixth and final concert of the 2010 Hiawatha season, and ANA president Katy Walum said it was a terrific summer. Here’s Katy introducing WSBB and thanking the sponsors, volunteers, and musicians who made it all possible:
Here’s the crowd spreading across Hiawatha’s east field:
And here’s the band in full swing:
We’ll update this post later with more comments from Katy Walum, and perhaps a video from WSBB’s performance.
SEPTEMBER 4 UPDATE: We’ve added a short video below of WSBB’s performance.
There will be a lot to celebrate at tomorrow’s FiaFia! event at the Jerry Brockey Student Center at South Seattle Community College, co-presented by West Seattle’s Southwest Youth and Family Services.
Here’s the info, from our Events page:
SEPTEMBER 3: You are invited to FiaFia! co-presented by Southwest Youth and Family Services
Friday Sept 3rd 5-7pm @ SSCC JMB APlease join our youth in celebrating their accomplishments this year!
· Pacific Islander Senior Banquet: SPY Connections youth organized a senior banquet to honor their high school brothers and sisters who successfully completed high school and are moving on to college or vocation.
· Washington Strongest School Competition: SPY Connections youth took second place this year in the 1st annual competition that focuses on fitness and strength.
· Pacific Dance: SPY Connections youth has performed cultural dance at 20 different venues this year.
· PI Social Studies Class: SPY Connections youth has successfully completed a social studies class for high school credit.
· YUIR Community Forum: SPY Connections youth helped organize a successful forum to address the recent injustices with the police and the youth community.
Information about this event and dozens of other local events is always available on our Events page.
All good things must come to an end, and so it is with the Admiral Neighborhood Association’s successful Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series, which wraps up its 2010 season with local favorites the West Seattle Big Band tomorrow night. WSBB played at Hiawatha earlier this summer prior to the “official” start of the concert series (video clip below), and tomorrow is your chance to enjoy them again.
As usual, start time is 6:30 pm and admission is free – bring a blanket, some food & drink, and the whole family.
SEPTEMBER 2 UPDATE: Thanks to ANA president Katy Walum for letting us know that “Admiral apparel” will be on sale at a discount tonight: $10 kids’ shirts, $15 adults’ shirts, and $40 track jackets. The PCC truck with food samples for the kids will also be there, and likely the “Icecycle” folks with Full Tilt ice cream and treats in tow.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Best-selling West Seattle author Terry Brooks, a big name in the fantasy-fiction literature world, drew a crowd of more than 60 fans for his annual appearance to read and sign books at Barnes and Noble in Westwood Village today.
Brooks is promoting his latest book, Legends of Shannara: Bearers of the Black Staff. From his website:
Terry has finished writing both books in the Legends of Shannara duology, which take place five hundred years after the events in The Gypsy Morph. Bearers of the Black Staff, Book One, will be published August 24, 2010!
The book follows on the success of his previous novel, A Princess of Landover (which was “a continuation of the Landover series after the events in Witches’ Brew,” according to his website).
Brooks’ appearance at B&N is an annual tradition that his fans clearly appreciate, and is one of the few local events that we’ve covered five consecutive years since WSB’s launch in 2005. (Read our coverage of his 2009 appearance here). According to B&N assistant manager Sonja, who has also organized Brooks’ readings in recent years, today’s crowd is “one of the biggest we’ve had” for the author, who is “one of the few authors we do these events for. He’s local, and shops here all the time!”
Brooks read excerpts of his work, shared stories, and treated his fans to a free bookmark with a list of his suggested reading order for his various books, which he joked have been “written out of order and confusing to everyone — but this should help.”
In addition to working on some continuations of his previous books, he promised fans “something new” in the next few years — “I’m getting burned out on Shannara and need to put some time into something different.”
When asked about the possibility of film adaptations of his work in the future, Brooks lamented the stop-and-go nature of past negotiations he’s been through. “Everyone talks a good game, but nothing happens,” he sighed. He joked that “my kids always say ‘look what happened to Tolkien!'” in reference to the famous Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, whose works made theatrical millions long after his passing in 1973.
Brooks thanked those in attendance for their dedication, and sat down afterward to sign books and meet with his fans.
(Photos and Video by Christopher Boffoli)
The Providence Mount St. Vincent outdoor-concert series is a wrap for this year – after The Haggis Brothers‘ performance at The Mount tonight. A few people in the audience were bundled up against the breezy late-summer evening. But the band’s Bluegrass and Western Swing music (and a barbecue dinner) definitely warmed up the crowd.
This is one of two major outdoor-music series in West Seattle – the other, the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (co-sponsored by WSB), concludes next Thursday, with the hometown favorite West Seattle Big Band playing on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center at 6:30 pm. (In the meantime, there’s a bonus concert – The Board of Education, half of a crowd-delighting Hiawatha double bill Tuesday before last, will perform at Alki Playfield Tuesday night at 6.)
As summer sails closer to its sunset, it’s the return of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, topped by the West Seattle Outdoor Movies finale showing of rainout-rescheduled “Star Trek,” at dusk Saturday night in the Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) courtyard … There’s a summer finale tonight too, the last of the Outdoor Concerts at The Mount, with The Haggis Brothers, (optional) dinner at 5, (free) concert at 6 … But the weekend’s biggest event is Sunday morning on Alki, with Northwest Hope and Healing benefiting from the Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run (online signup deadline 11 am today!) … Even more going on – like Seattle Parks’ “Big Day of Play” on Saturday, with free shuttles from West Seattle – just click ahead for this week’s West Seattle Weekend Lineup, brought to you by Skylark Café and Club (with weekend delights including brunch both days, live music both nights)!Read More
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)
If you drove through The Junction tonight and spotted the huge crowd spilling into the street from Easy Street Records – big night for music fans. The store hosted – free! – the public debut of Fistful of Mercy, a new group with three names you might recognize: Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison. Hundreds showed up for a glimpse and a listen:
Fistful of Mercy is based in Venice, California. They’ve got a website – but it looks like you’ll find out about them right now on the band’s Facebook page. ADDED 10:17 PM: From comments, here’s video shot and uploaded to YouTube by “k”:
And Christopher’s clip from the crowd-in-the-street perspective:
A onetime Junction eyesore is getting a big dose of beautification. We told you two weeks ago about the High Point Community Center-supervised mural-creation project, making paintings that would be put up in the passageway on the west side of California SW in The Junction, near Northwest Art & Frame and Puerto Vallarta – now, they’re up, after some hard work by volunteers on Wednesday.
Among those putting up the murals were Marc Patnode, daughter Annie, Liz Schroeder from the West Seattle Junction Association staff, and High Point CC’s new Small Scholars Academy early-education program teacher Roxanne Brown.
A dedication plaque will go up soon, and the walkway path itself will be repainted too, to complete the facelift, which should be done sometime next month.
With 13 Seattle communities having regular art walks, including West Seattle, even devoted art lovers might have trouble keeping track. That’s why City Councilmember Nick Licata‘s office just launched a new website spotlighting them all – click the neighborhood name and you’ll get more information on its art walk. See the new site here. (The next West Seattle Art Walk, by the way, is just two weeks from tonight, on Sept. 9th.)
(Photo courtesy Toni Reineke, Westside Symphonette)
Westside Symphonette “welcomes all musicians – beginning to advanced, young to antique.” So writes its founder/co-conductor Toni Reineke in her announcement of its new season, which starts September 14th. If you’re interested in being part of this community orchestra, it’s registering musicians now. Read on for the full announcement:Read More
If you saw our “tour new Fire Station 37” story in the first few hours after we published it, you haven’t seen the postscript – one day after our tour, artist Pete Beeman – commissioned three years ago to create a sculpture for the site, under the city’s 1% for Art program – installed his work outside the station, along 35th SW. (Thanks yet again to Michael Oxman for sending a photo last night – we went back for our own a little while ago.) There’s little information about the sculpture online, so we e-mailed Beeman today to ask about its name, its inspiration, and even – as asked by a commenter – whether it has moving parts. He replied:
It is called “Lifter.” It has a crank at the bottom, which raises and lowers the polished arms.
There are a few concrete references to fire fighting equipment in the piece. The tower borrows its form from the “jaws of life” tool FFs use to open crunched car doors; the 5-sided nut shape around each shaft is borrowed from the 5-sided nut on fire hydrants.
Below is something I wrote about it when I was proposing the project. It is an abstract project, and I hope that people will bring their own visual vocabulary to it, project their own references onto it, but below are a few of the images that it kicks up for me.
“At times the sculpture looks a bit like a tree or an umbrella, metaphors for the sheltering, protective role the Fire Fighters play in a community. Other times it seems to be a bird form, a metaphor for the rising soaring hope that Fire Fighters provide a community in a crisis, whether it is helping maintain fire and health safety in daily life, or dealing with health and fire crises. It is heavy and mechanical, like much of the equipment standard to fire fighting, the moving tubes similar to a (unreachable) ladder at one point in their cycle. Finally, the image of the phoenix rising from the ashes of a fire comes to mind in its rising form, as its tubes are cranked all the way up. This is a perfect image or metaphor for the firefighters work, it is their work that breaks the crisis and allows people to recover, to move on.”
Closer look:
You can see more of Pete Beeman’s work here.
Once again this year, the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival plans screenings in West Seattle – Oct. 21-22 (updated dates from organizers) at Admiral Theater, during the final days of the Oct. 15-24 festival. This’ll be the festival’s third year with WS dates. We got first word from the festival’s volunteer coordinator Kevin Fansler, who also sent word they’re looking for volunteer help, with an orientation coming up Sept. 26 – read on for more on what kind of help they need:Read More
11 days after the first word of the many ways you – and/or your kid(s) – can participate in Alki Family Fun Day on Sunday, September 12, a whimsical new video has just been made as another way to get the word out that they’ve still got spots for youth talent-show participants (as well as sponsors, vendors, and community groups). Early signup is especially vital for the talent show because they’re planning on one or two rehearsals. (Antonio Fernandez, who stars in the video with Izzy Krainick, is the talent show’s emcee and director.) The talent show will be part of a day also including a dog parade and concert. If you are interested in participating, e-mail Libby ASAP at libby@carrbiz.com – or call her at 206-938-8721.
SO much going on! In order of start time, some of the highlights:
BIG BONANZA: Just look for the red bandanas and balloons at dozens of stores in The Junction to see who’s part of today’s Big Bonanza end-of-summer sale organized by the West Seattle Junction Association (WSB sponsor) – and check this list before you go. Stop by Big Bonanza HQ in front of KeyBank at Walk-All-Ways to pick up coupons (like these) you can use at many of the participating businesses – or to be part of the water showdown at high noon! Sale starts at 10 am and runs till 5 pm.
ART FAIR AT LIFE CARE CENTER: Visitors of all ages are welcome 10 am-2 pm at Life Care Center (4700 SW Admiral) for art displays, a free barbecue lunch, kids’ activities, and more, all detailed on the official flyer.
REGISTRATION EVENT FOR ALKI BEACH 5K: With the walk/run benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing coming up a week from tomorrow, West Seattle Runner (California/Charlestown) is hosting a registration party today, 10 am-2 pm – come sign up for the Alki Beach 5K and enjoy refreshments, a raffle, plus a discount if you’re buying something from WSR while you’re there signing up for the 5K.
ARTS IN NATURE FESTIVAL: The Nature Consortium‘s annual Camp Long extravaganza (5200 35th SW) runs 11 am-9 pm today and 11 am-6 pm Sunday. You will find interactive art in the woods, music in the (newly renovated) lodge, aerial dance by The Cabiri (shown in Catherine Anstett‘s photo at left) in the meadow, among many other things. Find the schedule here.
PICNIC AT THE PRECINCT: It’s really more like a street festival, with SW Webster closed west of Delridge (map) for booths and displays that also fill the Southwest Precinct‘s parking lot in a celebration/information event put on by West Seattle’s own police HQ. 1-4 pm today, come meet not only local police, but also community volunteers from a variety of local organizations. And you never know what you’ll see – SPD usually brings out everything from Mounted Patrol horses to a remote-controlled robot.
HAMS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE: A couple weeks ago, the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club shared the story of “activating” Alki Lighthouse as part of a worldwide event – but they had to do it from a tent at Alki Beach Park. Today, they will actually be set up AT the lighthouse, and are inviting everyone to come by and get a firsthand look and listen. 1-4 pm (also one of your last chances to tour the lighthouse this summer).
FUNDRAISER FOR SAILOR’S FAMILY: 5-10 pm tonight at Alki Crab and Fish (Seacrest Pier), proceeds from beer/wine sales and raffles go to the family of Petty Officer Jarod Newlove, the West Seattle sailor killed recently in Afghanistan.
‘UP’ AT WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Second-to-last WSOM show of the summer! Come get carried away with the animated hit – AND enjoy a free barbecue courtesy of West Seattle Christian Church/Preschool (6:30 pm till the food runs out). Movie’s free, at dusk. Bring your own chair/blanket – and also consider money for tonight’s raffle to benefit Family Promise of Seattle (which helps homeless families but, as first reported here, has had to shut down because of $ shortage).
WALK ON, JAYME! The amazing story of Jayme Miller‘s sudden paralysis and fight to walk again has made news all over Western Washington, because of her friends’ decision to plan a fundraiser to help with her massive medical bills. That event is tonight at Rocksport in The Junction, starting at 7:30 pm – centered on a silent auction for which they’ve collected some terrific donations. Here’s the Facebook event page.
Even more on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar!
(P.S. And just outside of West Seattle – South Park is throwing a party at Duwamish Waterway Park 11 am-3 pm, community garage sale and free barbecue, to raise money for Wi-Fi – details on FB.)
Earlier this week, Elvis Presley fans remembered “The King” on the 33rd anniversary of his death – and tonight, Danny Vernon is re-creating “The Illusion of Elvis” for Providence Mount St. Vincent‘s summer outdoor-concert series.
Missed him? Here’s his calendar of future performances. The Mount’s series wraps up next Friday with the bluegrass/Western swing/Celtic sounds of The Haggis Brothers.
In addition to tonight’s outdoor concert at The Mount (previewed at the end of this story), three more big events on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
YOUNGSTOWN SHOWCASE: Young artists’ work is showcased during “Youth Out Loud” 6-8 pm tonight at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – free! The preview promises film, music, photography, and more.
Meantime, young actors will be on stage in The Junction all weekend:
(Photo courtesy Edgar Riebe of Captive Eye Media)
‘THE BIRDS’ AT ARTSWEST: Young actors who’ve spent much of the summer in classes and rehearsals at ArtsWest are now performing Aristophanes’ “The Birds,” the contemporary adaptation of a 2,400-year-old story rife with social and political commentary as well as comedy, with shows scheduled tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 3 pm.
(Photo courtesy Twelfth Night Productions)
‘HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING,’ FINAL WEEKEND: Catch this one yet? Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) performers tell the musical tale of climbing the corporate ladder, with three more performances at West Seattle High School Theater – 7:30 pm tonight and tomorrow, 3 pm Sunday.
Wide-eyed wonder and all-out jumping for joy were alternating behaviors for the hundreds of young showgoers in Thursday night’s record-breaking crowd for the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series. This time it was a double-bill of kids-music specialists, beginning with West Seattle’s own Caspar Babypants, who as usual mixed storytelling with song – and audience participation, as you’ll see and hear in our video clip:
After watching all that jumping and bouncing from the stage, Caspar Babypants’ Chris Ballew took a leap himself:
Afterward – the rock-star-turned-kids’-music-icon sold CDs and granted autograph requests at one of the lawn-ringing tables:
By the way, if you enjoy Ballew’s other work – with the Presidents of the United States of America – you can watch him sing a selection of POTUSA songs at a benefit concert at Camp Long at 5 pm Sunday, during this weekend’s Arts-in-Nature Festival at Camp Long ($25 concert tickets available here) – and earlier Sunday, as part of the festival, it’s a Caspar Babypants performance at Camp Long Lodge. Meantime, we spotted another local luminary offstage at Thursday night’s concert:
Radio-to-web personality Marty Riemer was there with his entire family entourage. Back toward the stage, the intermission between acts featured ballroom-dancing lessons for elegant young dancers:
Then back to the rock ‘n’ roll. You gotta love a band that sings “when 8 takes a nap it’s infinity”:
That’s the Board of Education with at least one West Seattleite in their ranks. One more note about the night – WestSide Baby was there, collecting diapers:
ANA provided free face painters and popsicles as special treats. Next Thursday night, it’s Camille Bloom – same time (6:30 pm), same price (free). And there’s more outdoor music in West Seattle tomorrow night – the third of this summer’s four Outdoor Concerts at The Mount at Providence Mount St. Vincent – Danny Vernon’s Illusion of Elvis. Concert’s at 6, and free; come early and buy dinner starting at 5, if you want – fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs will be available. (And for kids – a clown and face-painter.)
Thanks to Pamela from Nico and Zoe Toys and Machel from Spence Photography for sharing photos from the arts/crafts fair under way right now at C & P Coffee – it’s on till 3 pm, another great place to get out of the heat! (It’s an indoor/outdoor event.)
5612 California SW, by the way.
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