WS morning scenes
From the past few hours … first, a mysterious morning beach fire on Alki:
Next, the intrepid early-morning fishing denizens along Seacrest:
And from The Junction … the sun-dappled breakfast crowd @ Easy Street Cafe (tomorrow by the way, we plan a post asking everyone for their WS food favorites … we love ES and a few other spots but recently discovered Skylark brunch and want to dish about that too … ES and Skylark are among the places where you can even order lunch for b’fast!):
WSB Pledge Day update #2
Half the team is napping to recover from overnight Eclipse Watch (what a sight, especially when the moon turned smoky shadowy rust-red during “totality”), the other half is out gathering new pix and info to share on a stepped-up posting schedule in honor of WSB Pledge Day. Meantime, an artistically promising associate proclaimed the original “Support WSB” graphic (seen in the sidebar at right) “too dull” and cooked up the one making a cameo here:
Tonight: West Seattle’s most famous author + hometown fans
On the same day the second novel in his latest series goes on sale, West Seattle best-selling author Terry Brooks returns to Barnes & Noble @ Westwood Village, where he spoke to an SRO crowd a year ago, just after the first book in the series debuted. Earlier this summer, in an open letter on his website, he explained the link between the new series, his past work, and the real-life world of today. Before attending Brooks’ 2006 B&N-WV appearance, we had only read his Star Wars novelization, but found him so interesting, we couldn’t resist reading some of what he’s far better-known for. Tonight’s reading at B&N-WV: 6:30 pm.
Lunar eclipse, first look
2:05 am, blurry but you get the idea. Very easy to see if you look high in the SW sky:
ADDED PHOTOS, 2:40 AM: Views of the moon, pre-eclipse, taken last night by Shelby Stenson from the Kingston-Edmonds ferry, forwarded by WSB reader Jan:
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WSB Pledge Day update #1
As mentioned earlier, we’re calling today WSB Pledge Day — riffing off those public-tv pledge drives, and we’re starting early since we’re up late awaiting the lunar eclipse. Here’s what “Pledge Day” is about: For the first time since we fired this thing up more than a year and a half ago — when we had no idea it would take the thrilling turn it’s taken, becoming a forum for info and input from all of you, as well as a place to report the things we see, hear about, and check into — we’re accepting contributions. Full disclosure, we are NOT starving artists (you already probably figured out, we’re not even artists); also, we expect to eventually accept some ads — local, relevant ads, not those annoying spammy national types. Moderating WSB’s metamorphosis into a community news/info/discussion hub has taken a ton of time and an increasing amount of $, so we feel less sheepish about giving you a way to contribute, but only if you really want to — no hard feelings if you don’t.
If you click that button, which will appear on the site multiple other times today, it will take you to the page for our new PayPal $-receiving account. You do NOT have to be a PayPal member to contribute; you can give PayPal a credit card number (which will NOT EVER be seen by us). Please note that you will see the name “A Drink of Water and a Story Interactive” atop the page; that’s the name we’ve given our fledgling umbrella operation. (The first item on our wishlist for whatever this all brings in is a video camera; so much of what we see begs to be recorded on video, so we all can share the sights and sounds of WS people in good times as well as in bad … from the Hi-Yu Parade to important community meetings, and way beyond.) For all those of you who chip in, THANK YOU!!!! and let us know if it’s OK to put your name on a supporters’ page that we hope to set up, just for posterity’s sake.
Caring for the creek
Catching up from the weekend, we have another work-party report from one of West Seattle’s treasured greenspaces: Lina Rose from EarthCorps says 10 volunteers joined her and forest steward Kirsten Rohrbach to clear almost 1000 square feet of invasive weeds from the Thistle Street Greenspace along Longfellow Creek, including clearing space around young cedar trees planted along the creek trail. Lina sent photos; first one shows what it looked like before they dug in:
Next, volunteers in the middle of their work:
No “after” photo – you’ll just have to go see for yourself (Thistle Street Greenspace is one of those places we’ll admit is on our “haven’t been there but must go soon” list; it’s easy to find, just off Thistle east of Chief Sealth HS). Next work party there is September 22nd; other Longfellow Creek sites have monthly work parties, listed here (and also always included in our weekly West Seattle Weekend Lineup posted every Friday morning).
Our version of a pledge drive, sort of
You know how it’s done on public TV, big ballyhooed episodes of Dr. Who or Riverdance or a Dr. Christiane Northrup lecture or something, interrupted every five minutes by Wheedling For Dollars? Read More
Time and tide
If you share our night-owliness, you may be happy to hear the weather looks promising for tonight’s big (well, technically, tomorrow morning) lunar eclipse. (The height of the excitement, according to NASA, is between 2 and 4 am. You’ll probably see us out looking for the latest-available latte before Ladro closes at 11ish, or is anyone open later?) Since it’s a full moon as well, that brings tidal extremes; we were down by the water for some low-tide sights this morning. First photo, a starfish hugging one of the pilings at Seacrest; second, a NOAA ship passing Alki (with the help of NOAA Ship Tracker, we think it’s Miller Freeman, but aren’t 100% sure thanks to reader Frank @ NOAA for informing us it’s the Okeanus Explorer):
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Another condo conversion on the south end of Morgan Junction
At 6970 Cali, the Watermarke Apartments (photo below) are going condo. First we heard from a reader who was about to rent an apartment there – planning to move in next week, in fact – then got the news “oops, sorry, the building’s been sold, no new tenants, and the old ones have to vacate.” Then we discovered that one of those tenants just posted about it at ApartmentRatings.com. Seems to be getting to the point now where we can ask, which apartment buildings in WS are not going condo?
Log in, sail out
The website for Washington State Ferries wi-fi service now says wi-fi for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is delayed yet again and now not scheduled to start until September 17th. (The same WSF page allows you to check the service status on individual ferries where it’s installed.) However, commuters driving through West Seattle on their way to the Fauntleroy dock can get a wi-fi fix at yet another stop along the way — the Corner Inn at Fauntleroy/Cali now has huge signs in its windows announcing FREE WI-FI.
2 weeks till Westwood Village tacos, burritos, etc.
An e-mail address popped up on help-wanted signs in the window of the future Taco Del Mar in Westwood Village, so we wrote to ask when it’s opening. Heard back in short order from owner Travis, a WS resident who also owns the Jefferson Square Taco Del Mar. He says they’re hoping to be open by September 8th, with hours 7 am-10 pm Monday-Friday, and are still “eagerly looking for employees (who can work during the days!!).” Here’s the address for job inquiries.
Two for today
From the Sunday events in our West Seattle weekend lineup (posted on the site every Friday morning), two today-onlies:
ARTS IN NATURE FESTIVAL, DAY 2: Its name evokes “paintings among the trees” to the uninitiated, but the schedule of events is far wilder, in more ways than one. Camp Long, 11 am-6 pm.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE, JR., FINAL PERFORMANCE: 2 pm today @ ArtsWest. The kids in this show put it together during a month of Musical Theater Adventures day camp, and we’ve heard nothing but good things. (Mentioning them one last time gives us the excuse to run this cute photo, courtesy ArtsWest.)
35th closure
Huge thanks to several WSB readers who e-mailed us at this late hour to tell us about 35th being blocked off near the High Point Library. According to LyndaB, the problem apparently has something to do with a dangerously leaning power pole she had noticed earlier in the day; City Light’s on scene as well as police.
Sights over the Sound
Two beautiful sights, both from Lowman Beach: Most recently, that’s where we happened to be when we spotted fireworks across the Sound, over Bainbridge (visible no doubt to anyone with a north- or west-facing West Seattle water view). Turns out the fireworks were part of the Town & Country Market 50th anniversary party. Earlier, here’s tonight’s sunset scene from Lowman, in a photo sent by Maria Esztergalyos (thank you!):
Beach volleyball history on Alki
Today’s beach volleyball on Alki wasn’t just any old sporting day at the beach — this was the first time the EVP Tour stopped @ Alki, and the first time Comcast taped beach volleyball for broadcast. We dropped by the women’s championship match in late afternoon; it featured local standout Bri Murray, one of the Northwest’s top-ranked beach-volleyball players:
Bri and her partner Wendy Stammer (from Tigard, OR) won the first set; we couldn’t stay to see how the whole match turned out, but expect to find it online later.
The weather was iffy, with light showers passing through early on, but the sun prevailed, gracing scenery including the Golden Princess passing by after sailaway for its Alaska cruise:
You may see some of the players around WS tonight, as an afterparty was planned at Rocksport. Video of today’s games is supposed to be available via Comcast Digital “On Demand” programming starting September 10th.
Fool on the hill
(PHOTOS ADDED BELOW @ 7:45 PM) WSB reader Venkat sends along the story of someone whose erratic drive up and down the Gatewood Hill stretch of Cali apparently didn’t go too well:
We were having coffee at Ladro when we saw a car with a flat tire driving along. Didn’t think anything of it, and about 2 minutes later saw sirens going the opposite direction. About 10 minutes later, after finishing up coffee, we saw police cars towards the Thriftway, when we took a look, sure enough it was the flat tire car, with the driver in the back of the police car (i.e., in custody).
When we were headed back home, up California (towards Thistle) we saw a sign had been knocked down. I thought I saw a wheel mark on the lawn of the sidewalk. We talked to some of the neighbors and someone drove their car around 70 mph, up the sidewalk, knocked over a street sign, crashed into a generator, and drove off down to Ladro (where we saw the car).
I think no injuries were sustained (except for the transformer, and someone’s railing and front yard) but it was an odd incident.
7:45 PM UPDATE: Finally found the spot after our second drive-by along the hill. Note in the second photo, the offending vehicle left something telltale behind.
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“Way to be!”
That’s the salute rowers got as they passed the finish buoy this morning at the Sound Rowers-sponsored Great Cross-Sound Race from Alki to Bainbridge and back. Here are the 60-plus participant boats as they lined up just before the 9 am start:
Less than 52 minutes later, the winner finished the 7 1/2-mile course. Here he is, Evan Jacobs (who with a partner finished first last year too), coming ashore:
Next to finish, the team of Todd Silver and Rainer Storb (fifth place last year). As the dozens of others continued to arrive at the finish buoy, each one got the hearty “Way to be!” and an air-horn blast from race managers at a tent by the bathhouse. Alki spectators’ side note: A few other inspirational feats of physical achievement will be making their way along Alki, on land, soon — Courtney wrote to tell us that it’s just been announced that the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk will include Alki this year, with a cheering station to be set up in the 1700 block on Sunday, September 9th, between 7:40 and 10:15 in the morning; we also heard today from organizers of One Race/One Village, a fundraiser 5K happening on Alki on October 6th.
According to both 
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