West Seattle, Washington
20 Saturday
Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Nick Parisi of Highland Park plans to open the doors to Athena’s restaurant today at 11 am.
We first told you three months ago about the plan for the newly designed Greek-themed spot (across from Fire Station 11 at 16th and Holden, in the original home of Zippy’s Giant Burgers, now in White Center) will also be the brick and mortar commissary for Athena’s food truck [reported here by WSB].
(Anemone photographed by “old desolate,” shared via the WSB Flickr group pool)
From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
DONUT TRUCK DEBUTS: As reported here on Monday, Lucky Devil Doughnut Co. – whose specialties include the Portuguese treats also famous in Hawaii, malasadas – makes its first appearance, 8 am-2 pm at the Uptown Espresso lot in The Junction (California/Edmunds).
ONE MORE CHANCE TO EXPLORE AT LOW-LOW TIDE: Today’s low tide – minus 3.3 feet at 1:11 pm – is almost as low as yesterday’s – and Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists will be out again, south of Alki Point and near Colman Pool in Lincoln Park, 10:30 am-2:30 pm.
ATHENA’S OPENS: 11 am today, the enterprise whose truck has been out in front of the ex-Zippy’s location at 16th/Holden in Highland Park for the past few months will open the sit-down café. We’ll have a preview up by 9:15 am.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS CONCERT: The Debut and Intermediate Orchestras‘ “Stepping into Spring” concert is tonight, 6:30 pm, at Chief Sealth International High School‘s auditorium (2600 SW Thistle) – details here.
DINE OUT TO SUPPORT THE FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: Part of tonight’s proceeds at Endolyne Joe’s, 5 pm to close, go to help keep the annual festival free.
ALSO IN FAUNTLEROY: 7 pm at the schoolhouse (9131 California SW), the Fauntleroy Community Association board has its monthly meeting.
IN ADMIRAL: The Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s monthly meeting happens on the second Tuesday too, 7 pm, lower-level meeting room at Admiral Congregational Church (California/Hill).
STANDUP-PADDLEBOARDING RACE: Every Tuesday night through mid-September, Alki Kayak Tours at Seacrest hosts a 7 pm race – details on the calendar.
TRIVIA THAT ROCKS: 8 pm tonight at Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW; WSB sponsor), where you can admire the new outdoor landscaping before/during/after playing trivia (with prizes!).
BABY KETTEN KARAOKE: It’s here just once a month, and tonight’s the night at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW), 9 pm.
STARLITE SONGWRITERS’ NIGHT: A weekly tradition at Shadowland in The Junction, 9 pm.
CHECKED OUT THE GARAGE SALE DAY MAP YET? This Saturday, 9 am-3 pm, it’s the 8th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (coordinated by WSB), with more than 245 sales on the map, which you can see – in a clickable, zoomable online version, AND in the printable PDF version – by going here.
(WSB photo of 2011 West Seattle Grand Parade)
Organizers of the West Seattle American Legion Grand Parade – the one that thousands watch every July as dozens of floats and bands and community groups walk and roll and march down California SW – say they’ll have to cancel it if nobody steps up to contribute $3,500 so they can cover the costs. We’ve mentioned the donation drive earlier this year; here’s the latest from parade co-coordinator Dave Vague:
We want to thank everyone in the community who has donated to help put on the West Seattle parade so far this year, however, we’re still $3,500 short of the funds needed to put the parade on this year. As you know, we now are responsible for the cost of the street barricade signs and the bid has come in at $7,000, and so far we have only been able to raise half that amount. If we are unable to raise the additional money needed by June 1 we need to cancel the parade this year.
This was to be the parade’s 79th year, and as added excitement, it includes a 5K run before the start.
We are in desperate need in finding a sponsor or donor for the remaining funds by the end of May.
If anyone would like to donate or become a parade sponsor, contact Jim Edwards (wsbigband@ureach.com) or Dave Vague (vagued@comcast.net).
You can donate online via the official parade website, too. If you’ve missed our previous coverage – this is the second year the city has required groups to pay the cost of street-closure barricades; last year, the quote was about $3,000, and this year it’s up to $7,000. The parade does not charge entry fees and changing that wouldn’t help, because then they would have to pay more to get a different type of permit. If the parade doesn’t get canceled, it’s set for July 21st.
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: Forgot to note that one of the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day sales this Saturday is a benefit for the parade – it’s sale #140 on the map, at parade-presenting American Legion Post 160, 3618 SW Alaska in The Triangle.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
It’s post-season time for high-school baseball – and both West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School played their first tournament games today, both here on the peninsula. One other thing they had in common: Both got shut out, Sealth losing to Bishop Blanchet 2-0 (photo below), WSHS losing to O’Dea 10-0 (photo above).
It’s a double-elimination tournament, though, so both will get another chance.
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
It’s the newest one, and the smallest one. A little patch of grass by a utility pole outside the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction is there for the convenience of passers-by and their pooches. It’s also one of two new features you can admire during the SEVENTY-DEGREE SUNSHINE! expected for Saturday’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, with The Feedback among the participants, putting on a Rock ‘n’ Roll Garage Sale (read more on their website) – they’ve also spruced up the spot where a tree came down last year:
Feedback general manager Bradi Jones dubbed it the “Sound Garden” in her note to us this afternoon, explaining, “Gia Griffitts [pictured], Tim Jones, and I just got done with revamping the front patch where the tree (s) had been, in front of the bar! We made it all nice and fresh! AND Rockin’! Of course!” Go have a look on Saturday while visiting what is Sale #210 on the official WSCGSD maps, now both available via this page here on WSB (including the printable 12-page PDF with the full listing of sales; also check out the WSCGSD Facebook page, where we are publishing updates and where sellers are invited to post more info and photos before Saturday, while buyers are invited to post if there’s anything special they’re looking for).
There’s been no offseason for Seal Sitters this year – which means the volunteer marine-mammal protectors/educators/admirers have been wildly busy. If you’ve thought about joining them, here’s your last chance before things get REALLY busy again. From Robin Lindsey:
Seal Sitters MMSN will hold our final new volunteer training session on Saturday, May 19th at the Alki Bathhouse (2701 Alki Ave SW next to the Statue of Liberty). There will be a lecture/AV presentation from 10am-12. Following a 30-minute break, there will be a followup on-the-beach training lasting approximately an hour. Due to time constraints as pupping season arrives, we will not be able to hold another training until after the season ends. We hope to see folks who want to help protect marine mammals attend the training – and please rsvp to reserve a spot:
blubberblog.org/files/f1e2561025a2bc8063238a9180e25086-368.html
We encourage children to get involved in this empowering experience! Shown in the photo here is new volunteer 10-year-old Casey with her mom Dana and veteran volunteer Christine, looking after a pup at Lincoln Park.
A major round of West Seattle/White Center-area Metro changes that have been under discussion for months – with some revisions along the way – is now official. The King County Council gave its approval this afternoon to the changes summarized here (with a West Seattle-specific overview here), and they’ll take effect as West Seattle RapidRide launches September 29th. Read on for the official county news release:Read More
(2011 WSB photo of ‘The Hole’)
Once Trader Joe’s opened on the northeast corner of 39th/Fauntleroy/Alaska, the “what will we all talk about NOW?” attention turned, for some, to the northwest side of the intersection, home to “The Hole,” the project known as Fauntleroy Place when it was excavated and then entangled in a court fight. That battle ended with a settlement that resulted in a foreclosure auction last October, with 3922 SW Alaska LLC as the only bidder – an entity of Madison Development. Since then, though, nary a word about what Madison – which recently completed the Element 42 apartments east of Admiral Safeway – intends to do with “The Hole.”
For quite some time, we tried to find out through the PR agency that had been speaking for Madison. They said they’d see what they could find out – but no updates ensued. Finally today, while working on various followups, we tried contacting Madison’s Tom Lee directly. His reply was short, but full of promise:
We are still working very hard on the project and hope to have an update for you soon.
As for the site’s DPD file, the only even-remotely-recent activity has been a renewal of permits in late March.
Thanks to Alice Kuder for that photo and word that the fence is finally coming down from around the big open field at what some dubbed “Denny Park” – the former Denny International Middle School site that now holds playfields and tennis courts (and is technically just an extension of nearby Southwest Athletic Complex, all Seattle Public Schools-owned). It’s been four months since the site officially opened for public use.
In case you saw/heard this from east-facing West Seattle, or South Park and vicinity: Seattle Fire had a big response to Airgas (near East Marginal/14th South) earlier this afternoon; it was at first an explosion call, then reduced to “hazmat,” and no one was hurt. We have the story on our partner site The South Park News.
(WSB photo from 2011 ‘Stamp Out Hunger,’ donation-sorting at Junction post office)
Since it coincides with West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day each year, so we always ask that you donate to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive before shopping/selling that day – your Postal Service carrier will pick up donations of nonperishable food left by your mailbox or (if you have a mail slot) door. But here’s another way to help Stamp Out Hunger this Saturday – Audrey from White Center Food Bank sends word that volunteers are needed at the Westwood Village Post Office to help with the donated food:
Help Food Lifeline and help the White Center Food Bank. White Center Food Bank gets thousands of pounds of food from this every year…..
Volunteer at the 2012 Stamp Out Hunger food drive! Stamp Out Hunger is the county’s largest one day food drive. With the help of the National Association of Letter Carriers, we at Food Lifeline are striving to collect over 500,000 pounds of non-perishable food in the greater Seattle Area.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Watch for the blue bag in your mailbox for the nation’s largest one-day food drive, Stamp Out Hunger on Saturday, May 12th. Fill your bag with healthy non-perishable food and leave it by your mailbox so your letter carrier, Food Lifeline and White Center Food Bank can make sure it reaches hungry people in your community.
Food Lifeline is recruiting 170 volunteers to serve at 17 postal stations around Seattle, Bellevue and Mercer Island. We’d love to encourage White Center folks to lend a hand at the Westwood Post Office – of all the remaining stations, Westwood is in need of the most volunteers – 14 spots!
Encourage your friends, family and colleagues to volunteer this May 12th (especially at Westwood Post Office) to help end hunger in Western Washington!
Food Lifeline told us last week that the Junction Post Office already has all the volunteers it needs. If you can help at Westwood – find out how by going here.
Under the pilings alongside Cove Park, the pocket beach north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, we were “seeing stars” at the tide’s lowest point about an hour and a half ago. We went to Cove Park because soon it will be off-limits for two years of pump-station work. Our favorite sight: The tracks made by a small sun star:
If you watched the star itself, you could barely tell it was moving, but the tracks in the wet sand showed its progress added up (a handy thought for those projects that seem to take forever). Tomorrow afternoon’s low tide will be almost as low as today.
Two more food trucks on the West Seattle scene:
LUCKY DEVIL DOUGHNUT CO. DEBUTS TOMORROW: This one makes its first West Seattle appearance tomorrow at the “pod” in the Uptown Espresso parking lot in The Junction, 8 am-2 pm. Lucky Devil is not just about doughnuts as you know them – the signature dish for this truck, according to the news release we received, is the malasada, a fried and sugar-dusted Portuguese creation that is wildly popular in Hawaii, where Lucky Devil’s owner/founder, chef Josh Goldman, lived for 10 years. According to the news release we received from Lucky Devil, they’ll sell you a malasada for a buck. They will also have rotating selections from the rest of their donut menu, which includes everything from a POG (orange-filled donut with guava and passion frosting, also Hawaii-inspired) to Babe the Blu Ox (maple bar with bacon) to the namesake Lucky Devil (chocolate cake dipped in ghost chili-chocolate glaze, with cherry-red drizzle). You can buy donuts in singles, half-dozen, or dozen. By the way, you can track the Uptown food-truck pod at wseattleeats.com (though we notice Lucky Devil’s not there yet – Hallava Falafel has been added for Thursdays, though!). Lucky Devil, meantime, is on Facebook, here.
NEW TACO TRUCK ON ALKI: You might already have spotted the La Playita truck at the beach, since it’s been there about a week:
La Playita is set up in the Alki Auto Repair lot. Jeff shared the photo (THANKS!) and reports that “the tacos are very good.” (No web or FB page for this truck that we can find.)
More movie news: Just reported by our friends at Beach Drive Blog: “Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas,” partly shot in West Seattle last year (remember the palm trees on Alki, standing in for Florida?), will be screened during this year’s SIFF. BDB has the dates and other links. (As reported here on Sunday, the SIFF lineup also includes a short film by West Seattle photographer Bob Venezia.)
(WSB photo from August 2011)
On this sunny day with the temperature headed for the 70s, it’s a perfect time to dream of summer … a time for getting out of the house as much as possible, even on those summer nights, which six times a year bring the much-awaited West Seattle Outdoor Movies to the big screen in the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) – fun FREE events with food, music, and benefit raffles throughout the season, too, with community co-sponsors including WSB. Movie time is a little over two months away, and planning has begun, so movie mastermind and Hotwire proprietor Lora Swift wants to hear which movies you would like to see this summer. Keep in mind that the movies need to be family-friendly – doesn’t mean just “kid stuff,” but nothing TOO adult – and you might want to take a minute to consult the lists from previous years before offering your suggestion:
2011’s movie lineup: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Airplane, Despicable Me, Jurassic Park (1), Toy Story 3
2010’s movie lineup: Mamma Mia, War Games, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wayne’s World, Up, Star Trek
Any further back, and it’s probably fair game to come around again if there’s a demand for it, so suggest away, by posting a comment here!
(Thanks to David Hutchinson for the goose-and-gosling photo; click it for larger view)
Happy sunny Monday! Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
WESTBOUND SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT OVERNIGHT CLOSURE, BUT NOT AT THE USUAL SPOT: SDOT is NOT closing the ENTIRE westbound Spokane Street Viaduct – just a short section right at 99 – but that still means, if you are taking the westbound West Seattle Bridge from I-5 or Beacon Hill, you cannot take it all the way to West Seattle; you will be detoured down the Harbor Island ramp and will have to take the “low bridge” the rest of the way. Again, this is a late-night/early-morning closure scheduled to start at 9 pm each of the next four nights (as announced by the city last week).
LOWEST TIDE OF THE MONTH: If you can get out on the beach, today’s low tide, just before 12:30 pm per our favorite chart provider, is -3.4 feet, just before 12:30 pm. The Seattle Aquarium‘s volunteer beach naturalists will be out south of Alki Point and on the Lincoln Park beach near Colman Pool, 10 am-2 pm.
WSHS, SEALTH IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS: The Metro League‘s postseason tournament starts this afternoon and West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School are both playing today (thanks to Chris for the tip) – WSHS vs. O’Dea at 3:45 pm at Hiawatha, Sealth vs. Blanchet at 6 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex.
WEST SEATTLE COOKING CLUB: The WSCC‘s 3 pm meeting at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) is themed “fruits and vegetables” – make something and bring it to share!
ADMIRAL DISTRICT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: The semi-new organization for Admiral businesses meets at 4 pm at the Heartland Café‘s Benbow Room (4210 SW Admiral Way).
DESC PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The advisory committee for DESC‘s 66-unit Delridge Supportive Housing project at 5444 Delridge Way SW meets again tonight, and this time they will get an update from the project’s architects; the agenda is here, and the public is welcome = 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW).
ORIGINAL 7:07 AM REPORT: It’s on the 911 log and WSDOT confirms it via Twitter – “part of the N/B I-5 on-ramp from the W. Seattle (Bridge) is partially blocked due to a collision.” We’ll monitor that (and any other traffic challenges ahead) with updates as we get them.
7:30 AM UPDATE: Added the “live” image from the WSDOT camera pointed that way. The truck’s still there but the fire/medic crews have cleared out.
7:39 AM UPDATE: WSDOT says the scene is now completely clear. However, residual backups take a while to clear, especially in peak traffic, so your commute might still take extra time at this point.
If you don’t know her already – that’s Martha Mallett. She’s the Highland Park resident who along with her son survived a fire at their home last Tuesday (WSB coverage here). On Saturday, she stopped by to see neighbors Lisa and Randy Leininger, who organized a benefit to sell hot dogs and lemonade:
Tonight Lisa shared these photos along with an update on the community’s outpouring:
We had an amazing turnout for our fundraiser on Saturday. It was great to see so many of you come out to show your support for Martha and Brian. Even some of the guys from Fire Station 11 showed up! Because of all your generosity, we were able to raise $1,452 the day of and have received two more donations since then bringing the total to $2000! I know the family is overwhelmed and so grateful, as are we. I feel so fortunate to live in a community that really supports one another. Thank you and big hugs to everyone who donated.
Here’s some of Martha’s family and friends:
We had mentioned on Saturday night that Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual “Wine for Our Times” fundraiser was planning to donate raffle proceeds to Martha and Brian, since she has been their longtime “raffle queen.” One other donation – look again at the top photo – Lisa says Nicole from HPIC gave Martha the corsage to let them know they were thinking of her though she couldn’t make it to this year’s event!
Mike shared that view from the Lincoln Park waterfront path tonight, as a beautiful weekend came to a close. Not everyone got to spend the weekend lazing around in the sun … dozens of volunteers worked hard on a variety of fundraisers. We’ve already reported on the ones for White Center Jubilee Days, for West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor), and for the Highland Park Improvement Club (and a family near and dear to their hearts) … here are shoutouts for a few more.
FIGHTING HUNGER: Keri DeTore and Ron Angeles were part of a full house of volunteers and supporters of the West Seattle Food Bank on Friday night at The Hall at Fauntleroy. The “Instruments of Change” dinner/auction was a hit once again, with the night including a keynote speech by former County Executive Ron Sims.
Saturday night, sports was in the spotlight at two fundraising dinners:
SEATTLE LUTHERAN FOOTBALL FUNDRAISER: In the kitchen at Seattle Lutheran High School on Saturday night, Julia, Shawne, Kerri and Holly worked to help make sure everybody got fed at the benefit dinner raising money for the football program. Two guest speakers were scheduled, as noted in our preview earlier in the week – Nesby Glasgow and Deacon Demetrius Duke Devers. P.S. The Saints have reason to be excited about baseball too – their undefeated team is off to postseason play.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL DINNER: This all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner, also on Saturday night, included lots of donations – check out the dessert dash lineup:
Thanks to co-chair Kim Gearon (right) for sharing news about this event:
(added) The team’s postseason play starts Monday. Meantime, lots of other great events on the calendar as spring continues, of course!
(Photos by Preston Poythress)
Thanks to Astrid Klopsch, a Westside School (WSB sponsor) parent who along with fellow parent Carmel Schimmel led a Bike Month workshop at the school today, for sharing this report on how it went:
Today from 10 am – 12:00 pm, Westside School, with the support of the Cascade Bicycle Club, hosted a Bike Month Kick-off where children of all ages received assistance with bike adjustments, practiced skills and rode through obstacle courses.
More than 35 students participated – everyone showed improvements and one student even was able to get rid of their training wheels. It was a big success and everyone is looking forward to more great biking.
Bike Month includes Bike to Work Day, coming up on May 18th, a week from Friday; once again this year, there’ll be a commute station by the west end of the “low bridge,” co-sponsored by Alki Bike and Board (here’s a list of the commute stations around the region).
(Photo courtesy Stroller Strides)
Good thing the forecast says the sunshine is sticking around – tomorrow morning, a crowd is expected for Stroller Strides‘ 3-year anniversary class on Alki. It’s been a bigger-than-ever year for franchisee Athena Frederick, who received the company’s Franchise of the Year award last December. The program is a workout for moms that allows them to bring their little ones along (dads are welcome too); if you want to participate tomorrow, Athena says the first class is always free and they’re offering free classes all week as part of the celebration. They’re also offering “numerous raffle prizes for moms; free running shoes, baby items, and many more from our numerous sponsors” – goodie bags for all, too. The celebratory class is planned for 9:30 am tomorrow (Monday) by the Alki Bathhouse.
Thanks to Greg for sharing photos from south of Alki during this morning’s low tide (even lower the next two afternoons). Above, his daughter Lillie carefully checks out a purple sea star. Next, a great blue heron snags a snack:
And of course, Lillie, Greg, and the heron did not exactly have the beach to themselves:
While the very low (and very high!) tides continue for the next few days, the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar will have information about both the tides and opportunities to talk with beach naturalists. We also have tide information on the WSB Weather page year-round.
(Photo copyright Bob Venezia – Puyallup Fair, 2011)
The schedule is out for the Seattle International Film Festival, and it includes an award-winning short film by West Seattle photographer Bob Venezia, who shares this announcement:
“Animated Amusements,” a short film by West Seattle photographer Bob Venezia, is an official selection of the Seattle International Film Festival. It will be shown on May 26th at 9:30 pm at the SIFF Cinema at the Uptown as part of the program, “Animation for Adults.”
Scenes of carnival rides at night are set to the music of the late Rebo Flordigan. Shot in time-lapse and moving at hundreds of times their normal speed, the rides take on a life of their own and display brilliant patterns in colored lights.
Tickets for the program are now on sale.
Originally shot in 3D, this movie won the Artistic Achievement Award at the 2011 convention of the National Stereoscopic Association. SIFF will be presenting the 2D version.
Read more about the movie here.
Bob Venezia is a stereoscopic (3D) photographer and Photoshop expert. His love of 3D photography started in childhood with his first ViewMaster but it wasn’t until 1995 that he began creating these images on his own. Bob has been listed in the “Who’s Who” of the Photographic Society of America every year since 2006 and has a 4 Star rating with the PSA. He has had more than 220 acceptances in PSA recognized Exhibitions since 2003, and has won numerous awards, including a dozen Gold medals.
In 2009 Bob was the top exhibitor worldwide of digital stereoscopic photography according to the PSA. In 2010 he ranked number two worldwide in two categories (digital and slides). His long exposure of the Brooklyn Bridge took first place in the Electronic section of the Stereo Photo of the Year Competition for 2009 and his image of gondolas at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas was named Stereo Photo of the Year for 2010.
SIFF side note – though several films were scheduled at the Admiral Theater in the past few years, the festival is not coming to West Seattle this time around.
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