West Seattle, Washington
08 Sunday
First: Two notes about art. There’s an artists’ reception and sale this Thursday night at the Alki Bathhouse 5-8 pm; then, next Thursday night (Valentine’s Day), the West Seattle Art Walk in The Junction makes history with a record 20 venues participating. We just received the flyer; check it out here. (Or read more on the official Art Walk blog.)
Now, the beauty of nature. First photo is by Eilene Hutchinson (thank you!), who spotted this bird – believed to be a Cooper’s Hawk – on a wire over Spud’s:
And this is a shot we caught from Constellation Park at sunset tonight:
Happy 50th birthday, Mike, whoever you are; one of the few people to brave the “banner police” in the past few months has put up this banner on the Fauntleroy walkover bridge in honor of your birthday. (Caveat, yes, as has been discussed here many a time, these signs are illegal, and a sign by the overpass entrance says so.)
Kristen snapped that late today (thanks for sharing!) at the 16th/Roxbury Walgreen’s.
Seen along Admiral (between the Hanford and City View signs on the east side of the street). Thanks to Jerry from JetCityOrange for the photo.
Freedom Church (35th/Roxbury), midday today, the funeral of teenage shooting victim DeChe Morrison; photo e-mailed (thank you!) by Patrick:
As mentioned previously, police had a significant presence around the church, for reasons including the fact no one’s been arrested yet. The Southwest Precinct reports all was quiet; in the late morning, we noted groups of officers a close, but discreet, distance from the church, including these motorcycle officers at 35th/Barton:
Switching gears, we have two shots from this morning’s nearly simultaneous sunrise/moonset. The southeastward view is from Bill “at the top of Southern”:
And here’s the westward view, from Robert Stever:
Thanks to Bill and Robert for those photos … any time you have one to share, from the sunrise to the sunset to the fender-bender down the block, send it our way.
On the heels of the spectacular Sunday sunset, this early-morning scene, courtesy of Shannon in Fauntleroy (thank you!):
From the unofficial viewpoint where 41st and 42nd meet (map) in Upper Fauntleroy:
And thanks to Cleat for this photo from Luna (Anchor) Park:
Five beautiful photos from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, capturing the rare sighting of the sun. First – driftwood and surf along Beach Drive:
A freighter heads north, with the snowy Olympics peeking through the clouds in the distance:
Heathers in bloom on Beach Drive:
A cormorant keeping watch atop a piling:
And the troubled (but lovely, we think) steel-electric ferry Quinault, one of the 80-year-old ferries that the state is ready to scrap because of their hull problems:
Forecast suggests this may be the last we see of the sun till sometime Sunday.
Look closely just past the white sheeting in this photo – you’ll see the rootball of a toppled tree that we noticed is drawing some doubletakes as it rests precariously on the slope where California Way meets Harbor near Seacrest (map).
First: While out checking on the Seacrest diver rescue (see report below this one) and West Seattle bridge accident (second report below this one), we also drove along Alki and happened onto this amazing scene: Dozens of people crossing over to the beach at Pepperdock (first photo) around 2 pm, carrying red balloons, which after what looked like a moment of reflection (second photo), they released (third photo). Since we were in our car, we couldn’t ask who or what it was for – please post a comment if you know. 10:20 PM UPDATE: Finally found confirmation; a memorial gathering for a young woman who died.
Second: West Seattle’s Rainbow Girls braved the blusteriness at midday to collect Christmas trees outside the Masonic Hall in The Junction for the treecycling fundraiser we mentioned here on WSB. If you missed it, our other treecycling info is here.
What a New Year’s Day along the West Seattle shore. First the Polar Bear Swim (see below), then the Seattle HOG (Harley Owners’ Group) taking off from Don Armeni on their annual “Chilly Buns Run” to Federal Way:
The cheering section outside the Alki Tavern was a nice touch.
It’s the first goat sighting in West Seattle since Kids for Kids @ Gatewood Elementary in October (our report with video here) — we received two tips about goats at work now in north West Seattle, including this from Eric Bell of fridgefoto.biz, who also sent the photos above and below:
While on one of my regular walkabouts (Sunday) afternoon, I happened upon an increasingly familiar Seattle occurrence… a herd of goats ridding a hillside of unwanted foliage. These free-range ruminants. aptly named goattrimmers.com, were clearing brush from a couple of overgrown properties on Ferry Avenue, a sidewalk-deprived backroad that connects the Admiral District to Harbor Avenue. After conversing with the “shepherd” – who actually wore a floppy hat and carried some sort of shepherd-like device, I discovered his gang of goats will be around for about a week. This was literally a traffic-stopping event, while taking photos (and shooting some video), at least five cars pulled over to witness this pastoral event.
Our other tip came from “Garybert & Garybert’s Lady,” who e-mailed:
In travels (Sunday) am spotted ruminants ruminating on the hillside northside of Ferry by Victoria SW. Goat herder advised they would be there another week and then move across the street to another hillside. Just look for the bright orange (and electrified fence).
In case you’re not familiar with that area, here’s a map.
Thanks to Bill for e-mailing us with news this sign had gone up in the window at the future Spring Hill restaurant (the sign says “restaurant & bar”) next to Seattle Fish Company on the north edge of The Junction; we subsequently snagged this photo while Christmas shopping (very busy in The Junction, watch out for crazy drivers like the 3 who almost ran us down). We have been following the progress of Spring Hill for more than a year now, since first word of its impending arrival came in the form of a liquor-license application; most recently, we noted a building permit last month, five months after the architects’ sign went up in the corner of the window.
Just up on the future store’s door in the past 24 hours or so. The fine print is an e-mail address at the domain “seattleurbanmarket.com.” The website at that address doesn’t mention the Alki location right now but lists 9 others around the area and describes the parent company as “a company dedicated to the development of ‘high end’ delicatessen stores in the Seattle & Eastside Metropolitan Areas to serve the particular neighborhood they are located in with high quality products and services. Utilizing well known quality products such as Boar Head meats and cheeses, Appasionato Coffees, quality groceries, health foods and fine Washington Wines.”
Moments ago, the sunset from Fauntleroy:
Earlier, Dawson sent this panorama (thank you!) of the Olympics making their appearance this morning:
And we checked back on the Admiral Way median tree-planting progress a little while ago – about half were planted when we went by – here’s one:
Those Fairmount Springs folks have done it again – decorating their traffic island along Fauntleroy (which sported Halloween spirit earlier this fall) – augmenting the year-round candy-cane striping of the stop-sign poles. And this time they’ve included a little sign taking credit (closeup below); their website, by the way, is among the neighborhood-group sites we’ve just collected for a new list you’ll find on the right WSB sidebar.
Sorry for the subpar drive-by photography but in this case, it’s the spirit that counts – we were stopped at walk-all-ways in The Junction, headed back home from the latest Christmas-light photography (tonight’s update is minutes away), when we saw and heard this group doing a raucous rendition of “Feliz Navidad” right outside the professional offices south of JaK’s Grill. Much whooping and clapping ensued, from the spectators as well as the performers. Fun times.
Bill Barna (disclosure: WSB sponsor) sent the photo (thanks!) with word that a big tree-planting project is under way on a number of streets in Seaview – this photo is from 49th south of Alaska.
From WSB contributing photographer Matt Durham: A vintage Schwinn decorates the front yard of an Alki home a few blocks from the beach. The exact location is omitted to deter joyriders. (Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
From WSB contributing photographer Matt Durham: Cody Blue of West Seattle waits for a tow truck to pull his Chevy from its precarious position at 5916 Beach Dr. this afternoon. “I was visiting a friend and misjudged the curve to the driveway,” Cody explained. “I was blinded by the hood of my truck as I climbed over the hump and didn’t realize the roadway narrowed.” Cody’s truck suffered little damage and didn’t cause any property damage. (Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
Seen outside the ex-Gee/ex-Huling showroom on the north side of Fauntleroy this morning (note everything that’s in the photo while you concoct your verbiage):
The local meteorologists with the National Weather Service usually update it in the wee hours – here’s the latest. We’ll of course be on intensive snow patrol if those flakes really start to fall. Meantime, in the calm before the expected storm, let’s start the day with a great photo by WSB contributing photographer Matt Durham:
Matt’s caption: Kite designer Gregory S. Kono tests a “Rockaway Bikini” kite he built from scratch. The maiden flight was successful Thursday morning as cold winds whipped across Alki Beach. Gregory Kono, owner of West Seattle’s “Kono Design,” has been teaching kite-making workshops since 2002. Classes and more information can be found at Gregory’s website at www.konodesign.com.
(Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
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