West Seattle artist Oleana Perry shared this photo and explained what the bags are all about:
Yesterday I spent the day making decorative harvest-leaf bags out of burlap coffee bags. My leaves are out of control in my yard and I don’t like the big plastic pumpkin bags (plastic is forever), so I solved the problem. The decorative burlap bag will break down and compost the leaves over the winter season. Then I will mix the leaves in my garden soil and use the bag as weed block or for my garden path. The West Seattle Nursery liked them as well, so I had to make about 25 of them in my front yard yesterday. People walking by kept buying them as I was making them, it was pretty hilarious. It amazes me that all of these burlap coffee bags come from all over the world and a huge majority of them go into landfills. I think this is a resource we should all be thinking about.
(Kelly Lyles, center, photo by Dina Lydia Johnson)
When we photographed Highland Park artist Kelly Lyles at theTwilight Artist Collective show during West Seattle Art Walk last Thursday, little did we know she had been feted the night before, receiving a grant as lively as her work: The Conductive Garboil Grant. Another Highland Park artist (and dancer, and photographer), Dina Lydia Johnson, shares the news, plus the photo of Kelly and this video of her lightheartedly accepting the award:
The Conductive Garboil (that last word is a very old term for a disrupter) is a $3,000 grant given by organizations including 4Culture. Dina says Kelly declared, “”I’m thrilled to be the grantee; it means a lot, the peer recognition as much as the financial reward.” Dina has more photos on Flickr here, including the splashy outfit she wore to honor Kelly. She and her work – including her well-known “art car” – are online at kellyspot.com.
The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (WSB sponsor) is back at West Seattle’s historic Admiral Theater this Thursday and Friday – the full Admiral schedule is here – and organizers are providing tickets for giveaways – so we’re starting right now. First person to e-mail us at westseattleblog@yahoo.com gets two tickets to “The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls.” It’s an award-winning documentary coming back to Seattle after its previous appearance at SIFF, and it’s described as “the must-see yodeling lesbian twins movie of the year.” After the 7:30 pm Thursday screening, there’s a reception at SLGFF sponsor Heartland Café just steps from The Admiral. Make sure your e-mail has TOPP TWINS GIVEAWAY in the subject line, and includes the name in which you would want the tickets held at the box office. As soon as they’re given away (which could be a while given the hour!), we’ll add a note here. We’ll have giveaways tomorrow and Wednesday night too (earlier!) and then Thursday and Friday, the festival’s on. 12:47 AM UPDATE: Tonight’s tickets are gone.
P.S. Not in West Seattle, but part of the festival, and free: SLGFF is joining with Safe Schools Coalition to screen the documentary “Bullied” at 6 pm Wednesday, Broadway Performance Hall, with a panel discussion afterward, including three youth speakers.
We mentioned Avalon Glassworks‘ pumpkin-making event earlier – seems there’s another patch of glass pumpkins in West Seattle today: WSB contributing photographer Ellen Cedergreen happened onto this show/sale that Tacoma Glassblowing Studio is presenting till 4 pm at Alki Bathhouse. Above, that’s studio co-owner Jeannine Sigafoos; part of today’s proceeds are going toward an orphanage in Romania and a Puget Sound charity (explained here, along with other venues that’ll be hosting the event in the weeks ahead).
(First 6 photos in this story are by Ellen Cedergreen [Alki, ArtsWest, The Kenney])
Steps from the beach, Alki Bathhouse celebrated the exhibit “Beach Structures” last night during the October edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, 41 venues this time around, and we made it to eight of them last night. At the Bathhouse, David W. Simpson is the artist:
He’s also known for cyanotype prints (the image behind him is a print of the same structure), and he’s teaching a class in that medium at the Bathhouse Studio on October 30th, 10:30 am, call 206-684-7430 to register. Another of last night’s most unusual shows, WTF?! Guys and Dolls and Zombies at ArtsWest– here’s artist Kate Vrijmoet attacked by her zombie children tonight in front of her giant zombie paintings:
Click ahead for another unusual sight at ArtsWest – plus more stops around the Art Walk map:
(Photos courtesy Stir It Up Productions; above, Francine at left, Laurel at right) By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
West Seattle filmmaker Francine Strickwerda and her business partner Laurel Spellman Smith are freelance filmmakers focusing on social and environmental issues. Their latest work-in-progress is “Oil and Water,” focusing on two young men fighting the presence of oil companies in the Amazon rainforest, with a screening planned this Thursday at the Duwamish Longhouse in West Seattle.
Two more Halloween-season events just sent in for the WSB West Seattle Events calendar … Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in Admiral is having a costume contest October 29th, 3-6 pm. (That happens to coincide with the Admiral Treats and Treasures trick-or-treating event.) Meantime, a new twist on West Seattle’s artsiest pumpkins:
That photo is courtesy Shannon Felix at Avalon Glassworks, who shares this announcement:
Design your own glass pumpkin and watch it being made at Avalon Glassworks on Sunday, October 17, 2010. You choose the color, shape, and stem type and see your unique piece being created. A limited number of time slots are available for purchase on our web site, www.avalonglassworks.com/designyourown.aspx at $60 (plus tax) each. We will also accommodate as many drop-ins as possible, first-come, first-served.
Our Halloween page is almost ready to go so if you have a Halloween/harvest-themed festival ahead in the next few weeks, please let us know!
(Promotional video for TEDxRainier – nothing about the speakers, but lots of scenery!)
Heard of the TED talks? Tomorrow, there’s an independently organized Seattle version called TEDxRainier, described by organizers as featuring “Seattle’s guiding lights in global health, environmentalism, high tech, literary arts, and culture, delivering brief lectures about their remarkable work.” TEDxRainier is happening in Benaroya Hall downtown, 10 am-6 pm, but because that only holds about 500 people (admission: $50), organizers arranged for a few locations around the region to stream the conference live. One of them is Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), 4410 California SW, specifically sought out by TEDxRainier organizers. You’re welcome to drop by, according to Hotwire’s Lora Lewis – she’ll have it set up on one of the Hotwire computers. You can see the schedule of speakers (though it’s not broken down minute-by-minute) in the official program here.
(June 2010 photo by Christopher Boffoli)
It only happens once a quarter – and today we have the date for the next opening of West Seattle’s Art Lending Library at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center: Tuesday (corrected), October 19th, one night only, 6-9 pm. Read on for the details (including how it works), just shared by Seth Damm:Read More
(YouTube photo montage of Bacon Kevin Bacon – substituted for previous video clip, which seems to be broken)
In recent months, you might have seen the What Do Bacon Do? folks around West Seattle — at the WS Art Walk last April, street festivals, etc., with their festive felt Bacon People. Right now, they’re gaining new attention for their role in a fundraiser – and they’ll even be on KING 5‘s “New Day Northwest” at 11 this morning, we just found out. The photo above is the reason why – they were part of the making of a bust of actor Kevin Bacon, crafted from, what else, bacon. West Seattleite Wendy Watkins is on the WDBD team and explains it’s being auctioned on eBay – three days to go, and the bidding’s past $4,000! – to raise money for Ashley’s Team, a foundation to help families dealing with childhood cancer (Ashley is a leukemia patient who is also the daughter of the owner of J&D Foods, a partner in the BKB endeavor and best known for Bacon Salt). Sorry, though, BKB is not edible – as the eBay description notes, it’s been “well-lacquered.” (Bid here!)
Out of the WSB inbox tonight, two events for this weekend:
TWELFTH NIGHT PRODUCTIONS CABARET AND AUCTION: It’s the event that yields much of the funding for community-theater troupe Twelth Night Productions, and it starts at 6 this Friday night at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center – dinner, drinks, appetizers, silent/live auction (items including a Leavenworth getaway and “instant wine cellar”), and entertainment, $55/person, tickets available online through Thursday.
AT COVE PARK, HELP OUT, AND LOOK AHEAD: A work party this Saturday at the mini-beach park north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock will be followed up by a chance to talk about what’s ahead for the park, according to this note from Mardi:
Saturday, October 9th, Tom Jay, lead artist, and Kirk Hackler, lead landscape architect, will be at Cove Park to talk to any interested community members about ideas for the restoration of the space after the Barton Street Pump Station is expanded and restored. All are welcome to help maintain the park from 10 to 1, and then meet with Tom and Kirk at 1 pm.
Two citywide events this morning of West Seattle interest: South Seattle Community College is in the spotlight, along with its sibling campuses around the city, as they connect via satellite this morning to the first-ever White House Community Colleges Summit … The City Council Budget Committee continues its closeup look at Mayor McGinn‘s proposed budget. Today’s agenda starts with public comment at 9:30 am and the Department of Neighborhoods‘ presentation at 9:45 am, including the Neighborhood Matching Fund (responsible for many projects in areas like ours, and proposed for a $700,000 cut). The agenda’s here. … Fire Station 37 moves from old to new today, as reported here yesterday … Music notes: It’s Rock Trivia night at Feedback Lounge (8 pm) and Open Turntables night at Skylark Café and Club (6 pm) – both WSB sponsors – plus weekly rehearsal for West Seattle Community Orchestras at Chief Sealth International High School (details here).
VOTING NOTE #1: Time to start banging the drum for the November 2nd statewide election, four weeks from Tuesday. If you are not yet registered – TOMORROW (Monday 10/4) is your deadline to sign up online. You can do it right now by going here. That’s also the deadline to change your address. If you’re not currently registered in Washington, you can do it in person till 8 days pre-election, but why push it? By the way, we’ll spotlight election issues/races daily starting tomorrow – ballots will be mailed in ten days. Now, voting note #2:
(Photo courtesy Krispijn Larrison)
That’s Krispijn Larrison, Easy Street Records‘ visual artist – the guy behind the displays you see in The Junction (and also at ESR-Queen Anne). He is one of five finalists, from among 1,500 applicants, in a contest with an unusual prize: Live inside the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry for a month. This is one of those “vote for the winner” contests, and tomorrow is also the deadline to vote for Krispijn to win. He says you can vote once every 12 hours, so, assuming the contest runs through the end of Monday, you can vote for him three times between now and tomorrow night – here’s where to go to vote (you can see his official entry video on that page, too).
If you hear about “Friday night hoops,” a basketball court might come to mind. During Family Fun Night tonight at Seattle Civic Dance Theatre‘s headquarters in Fauntleroy, it meant hula hoops – for kids (above) and parents (below):
STAR 101.5 DJ Paul Thompson played the tunes and announced the action – the hula hoops were part of a “sock hop” at the event. There was a mini-basketball hoop in the hallway, too, one of several carnival-style games … and face-painting too:
Admission for tonight’s event was free, but visitors had the option of buying refreshments and/or bidding in a silent auction to raise money for the Seattle Civic Concert Dancers, whose fall performance schedule includes the upcoming Fauntleroy Fall Festival on October 17th. Other festival participants will include SCDT’s neighbors in the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, such as new WSB sponsor Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes Catering.
West Seattle writer Georgie Bright Kunkel doesn’t just have a way with words online and on paper – she’s a stand-up comedian, too, one decade short of a full century on Earth. Never seen a 90-year-old comedian? This Sunday’s your chance, during “Tea With Georgie” at the Admiral Theater. Georgie tells us she’s also thrilled to be able to show a big-screen clip during the event – from her appearance on “Oprah” in 1989 with husband Norman Kunkel (who died a year and a half ago), to whom she’s dedicating her Sunday show, calling him her “muse.” All seats in The Admiral are just $10 for the show (buy tickets online here), and she notes, “There will also be a surprise bit with a young improv comic friend of mine.” 2 pm this Sunday. (Photo courtesy Georgie Bright Kunkel)
SOUNDGARDEN CD RELEASE PARTY TONIGHT AT FEEDBACK LOUNGE: Our photo shows part of the Soundgardenmemorabilia you can see at The Feedback (WSB sponsor) – but tonight’s about looking ahead more than looking back – looking ahead, once the party starts at 10 pm, to album sales at midnight, for the new Soundgarden retrospective Telephantasm. The Seattle-based stars themselves won’t be on hand, per the Feedback Lounge’s website, which says they’re “needed elsewhere to save the world from crappy rock ‘n’ roll,” but guess who will – the event’s happening in conjunction with Easy Street Records, whose website has even more here. And speaking of Easy Street …
EASY STREET IS TOPS (THOUGH YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT): The West Seattle-founded music emporium has just been featured by Rolling Stone as being among the 25 Best Record Stores in the USA. The feature (see it here) gives the nod to Easy Street for both locations, but as you’ll see with the click, the photo shows the sun-splashed, flag-topped classic West Seattle storefront.
PHOENECIA SOUNDS BETTER THAN EVER: It’s gained fame for its food (read their Seattle Times review here), but Alki’s reborn Phoenecia also has live music on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month by WSB contributor Jason Grotelueschen (Facebook page here), who tells us the restaurant’s just made some acoustic changes, in response to what they say is the main customer complaint since they reopened – not just during music nights – noise. According to Jason, Phoenecia’s Sonya Khazaal says customers will notice the difference and that the change is like “night and day” since they installed new acoustic paneling and draperies. (He’s looking forward to checking it out during his next performance on October 6th.)
That’s photographer Tim Aguero, snapped via the WSB BlackBerry between mini-photo sessions at Avalon Glassworks on Saturday afternoon, during “Head Shots at the Hot Shop” – a chance to get a new photo for your online profiles (or whatever), with a suggested $40 donation going to the White Center Food Bank. We stopped by toward the end, but it was too soon for the final tally, which Avalon Glassworks’ Shannon Felix has posted on their Facebook page (along with shots of some of the participants) – $745. AG’s FB page is also a good place to learn a little more about art-glass creation – which we caught in action while covering the fundraiser:
That’s Sean with the torch. You can watch the creative process at the shop four days a week!)
REHEARSALS: West Seattle Community Orchestras (formerly the Westside Symphonette) has just learned that it has been granted permission by Seattle Public Schools to rehearse at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle). Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings — beginning Strings and Symphonette from 5:30 to 6:30, Symphony from 6:45-8:15.
MORE MUSICIANS NEEDED! We kicked off the season last Tuesday with a nice core of musicians in each orchestra, but we’d love to have more folks join us. There are spots in every group. In the Symphony, our top group, we especially need another BASSOON and another OBOE, a STRING BASS or two, and perhaps a FRENCH HORN. In all groups we can use all the VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS, and BASSES that would like to join. All instrumentalists are welcome–even beginners!
WSCO had been allowed to practice at Sealth last week, Toni explains, but they didn’t know until today that they’d be allowed to make it a permanent site. Meantime, she also notes that student musicians do not have to pay anything for participation; for adults, there’s a $65 fee for the fall session.
(Photo copyright Mark Gardiner)
Upside down on the left, that’s Cathy. She’s hoping you can help her find the custom-made trapeze boots – and other gear – stolen out of her car in Seaview. Her friend John shares this photo of the boots – with the unmistakable red stars:
Cathy says it happened Monday night along 44th between Findlay and Juneau (map). The thief/thieves stole a black lululemon bag with “all my trapeze clothes in it as well as 2 pairs of custom-made leather boots that go with my new act. … They have no heel or toe as they are specially made for trapeze and fit my foot exactly.” Any info, call police – she’s reported the theft.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Transportation issues and community involvement took center stage at Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting at the Admiral Church, as the group also celebrated a busy summer of activities and looked ahead to the future.
(Our first Alki Family Fun Day report, including the dog parade, can be seen here)
Seattle bluegrass band Dysfunction Junction closed out the first-ever Alki Family Fun Day with a concert this evening at Statue of Liberty Plaza. The free afternoon/evening slate of activities and entertainment began with a dog parade (video’s in our first Family Fun Day report) and continued almost nonstop for 7 hours. At mid-afternoon, the plaza filled with people watching the children’s talent show – with participants including 10-year-old Lafayette Elementary Schoolstudent Mackenzie, a showstopper with her a cappella rendition of “Reviewing the Situation“:
The talent show was produced and emceed by Antonio Fernandez, who got to show off his own special skills – including the no-tech sound-effects production known as beatboxing:
There was a magic show, too – all of this free, thanks to the Alki Community Council. ACC’s presentation of Family Fun Day was led by organizers Libby Carr and Paul Carr, who we interviewed briefly toward day’s end:
The Carrs led the campaign to raise money for Liberty Plaza, which was dedicated two years ago this month. Will there be a second annual Alki Family Fun Day? That’s likely to be among the topics when the ACC has its next monthly meeting – everyone welcome – this Thursday at 7 pm, Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds).
West Seattle writer Georgie Bright Kunkel doesn’t just have a way with words online and on paper – she’s a stand-up comedian, too, one decade short of a full century on Earth. Never seen a 90-year-old comedian? This Sunday’s your chance, during “Tea With Georgie” at the 
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