In case you are keeping score

August 8, 2006 5:45 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle politics

Transportation votes we’re facing in November:

—Tax to fix up roads (Fauntleroy didn’t make the Dirty Dozen but would THIS smooth it out?)

—Tax for more-frequent buses

–Tunnel vs. no tunnel, unless council members decide to just be the deciders, which is what today’s P-I recommends

The first and third ones might be a nearly moot point, though, given that driving is getting less affordable by the second. Perhaps time for Councilguy Dow to propose keeping the Water Taxi in service TFN, instead of sailing on toward the usual September shutdown. (Not like Elliott Bay freezes over or anything, though the dock at Seacrest could use a little salt at times.)

Ex-AA now B-Gone

August 7, 2006 7:14 pm

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| Seen around town | Triangle

Just noticed the big banner across the closed gate of Hertz Equipment Rental, previously AA Rentals, on Fauntleroy. Marquee says it’s moved to Sodo. So what’s next for that spot? Another Huling expansion? Or perhaps … another condo/grocery combo? Nah, guess we’ve got enough of those on the way.

Starbucks in The Junction

August 7, 2006 7:07 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Seen around town | WS beverages

Hotwire, In-Out, Capers, Coffee to a Tea, Easy Street, Cupcake Royale, Bikes & Brew, Infinity, Uptown (who are we forgetting?) have a new fellow member in the Junction coffee club: Starbucks. Didn’t know the franchise-mad mermaid had swum into that zone until we took an e-mail tipster’s advice and wandered into the newly remodeled Jefferson Square Safeway — and there, we found a Starbucks kiosk, just like the ones in the Roxbury Safeway and the Westwood Village QFC (which is just steps from the standalone WV Starbucks). At the very least, this is a reminder — as more grocery stores prepare to move into The Junction — that they’re more than grocery stores these days; most include banks and coffee stands, both already in abundant supply in the neighborhood.

Blue Angels @ MOF, final day

August 6, 2006 7:18 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Blue Angels | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

We thought it was just an urban semi-legend, but no.

Like pulling teeth

August 5, 2006 11:57 pm

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| WS culture/arts

You’ve never really heard a section of a movie audience crack up till you’ve watched Steve Martin’s scenes at a showing of “Little Shop of Horrors” sponsored by dentists …

Blue Angels @ MOF, day 3

August 5, 2006 5:42 pm

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| Blue Angels | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

Just one thing marred an otherwise lovely afternoon …

TAGGING IS EVIL. How do we stop it?

August 5, 2006 9:02 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | Seen around town

A small number of our fellow human beings do horrible things sometimes. Though there are far “worse” crimes, the offense that for some reason infuriates us more than almost anything is graffiti vandalism, aka “tagging.” This morning, our blood pressure is somewhere in the stratosphere because of what we just saw in the Junction.

First, there’s the tagging on the Hi-Yu parade mural on the side of the post office. An e-mail tipster told us about this a couple weeks ago, and we didn’t get around to checking it out immediately. Looking at it this morning, with the Saturday sun blazing against the beautiful mural and the hideous black scrawl across its lower left quadrant, we fumed.

Moments later, heading back down California, we saw an even fresher example of this type of brazen, pointless vandalism — tagging on several business signs on the west side of Cali Ave, including WaMu, Radio Shack, and Be’s Restaurant.

We’ve tried to figure out why tagging pisses us off worse than some of the more newsworthy crimes that involve blood, pain, and prison time. Perhaps it’s partly because the evidence is so public and flagrant — it takes time and money to arrange to have tagging/graffiti vandalism painted over, and until/unless you get that time and money, the crime scene just sits there, smirking at you. (Outside WS, a particularly galling recent example is a huge tag that appeared this week across the side of a classic brick building that’s highly visible to thousands of drivers daily as they drive northbound on the viaduct, into the Battery Street Tunnel. That type of vandalism can’t just be painted over, without ruining the beautiful old brick. Don’t even know if sandblasting will get rid of it.)

Anyway, the fact is, this morning the Junction is uglier, because of some idiot criminal(s) who decided to sneak onto business roofs, no doubt in the middle of the night, and deface signs. It feels like they’re spitting in the faces of the business owners and all those of us who live here and will have to look at it for who knows how long. (We volunteered for graffiti paintout patrols long ago and far away; do they still exist?)

Far from the first time, and we suppose it won’t be the last time. Is security too lax? Are the laws too loose? How do we stop this? We’ll be thinking hard about it. We hope you will too.

Lovely day by the lake

August 4, 2006 8:38 pm

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| Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

Seafair is the only time we retract our statement, “Why do all those rich people choose to live on Lake Washington — if we had that many bucks, we’d buy a shoreline mansion on Beach Drive.” We spent about four hours today executing our annual plan to enjoy the Seafair Free Friday events — the Blue Angels, the “not Blue Angels” airshow, and hydro qualifying. Got our best waterfront “seat” yet …

Weekend options

August 4, 2006 8:48 am

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| WS culture/arts

You don’t have to join us Seafair nuts in oohing and aahing over what’s on the water and what’s in the sky … here’s just a few of the kazillion weekend options in and around West Seattle:

-Another Sidewalk Cinema movie tomorrow night. “Little Shop of Horrors” this time. We had such a great time at Sidewalk Cinema (next to Hotwire Coffee) two weeks ago, we might go to this one even though we’re kind of meh on the movie.

-Take the Fauntleroy ferry over to Vashon for Earthfair.

-See what’s new at the Farmers’ Market 10 am-2 pm Sunday. (I recommend the lettuce from the produce booth close to the northwest corner … just a couple booths up from where Eats Market Cafe usually sets up.)

-Check out “Cabaret” at ArtsWest.

-Enjoy Colman Pool (and the view) … only one month left in the season (where DID the summer go?).

Our daily bread

August 3, 2006 11:42 pm

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| West Seattle restaurants

If you wanted to get bread daily from Great Harvest in The Junction, you’d have to skip Sundays — till now. Just passing thru a few hours ago, spotted a giant banner outside the store: OPEN SUNDAY. Funny they didn’t make the move sooner, given the size of the crowd that moves through the area for the Sunday Farmers’ Markets, for starters.

“Makes your tummy tickle, doesn’t it?”

August 3, 2006 11:23 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Blue Angels | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

So said a mom to a small child, watching (and feeling) four of the Blue Angels take off from Boeing Field/Museum of Flight for this morning’s practice. For those not interested in the BAs, we’ll jump the rest to another page …Read More

Overheard at Home Depot

August 3, 2006 7:12 am

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| Delridge | WS miscellaneous

Regarding the display of grill equipment in front of the Delridge store behind an imposing fence: “Oh look, it’s a petting zoo for barbecues.”

Don’t send in the reinforcements

August 2, 2006 10:26 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Transportation

Yet another viaduct report is out. This one apparently says, reinforcing the existing viaduct doesn’t seem to be the solution.

Seems like every viaduct report has the same theme. “Give me tunnel, or give me (death?).”

Reminds me of the ’90s animated series “Dinosaurs” — the Baby Dinosaur character kept rejecting the Dad Dinosaur by referring to him, in a high shrieky little voice, as “NOT the mama! NOT the mama! NOT the mama!” I imagine Mayor Nickels throwing similar tantrums, looking at each and every viaduct option (other than his oft-voiced preference) and shriekingly describing them as “NOT the tunnel! NOT the tunnel! NOT the tunnel!”

Sorry, wrong number

August 2, 2006 7:05 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Triangle | WS miscellaneous

The Blue Angels have arrived and all’s right with the world … Oh wait, there’s a little something wrong. A tipster sent us a link to the Whole Foods Market webpage mentioning the upcoming West Seattle store … just one little problem … the address isn’t quite right, unless Fauntleroy Place is moving way far away from Fauntleroy!

Party on the overpass?

August 2, 2006 5:50 am

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| WS miscellaneous

The banners on the Fauntleroy walkover are getting livelier. Spotted one the other night that simply read TOGA, TOGA, TOGA. On the other side, somebody declared his love for his wife on the occasion of “30 HOT YEARS OF MARRIAGE.” One of these days, we’re going to get somebody in the WSB Posse to sneak up in the dead of night and hang something like WESTSEATTLEBLOG.COM LOVES YOU. (Because of course we do.)

1 down, 6 to go

August 1, 2006 6:22 pm

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| Blue Angels | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

I have already warned you that I am a bigtime Blue Angels fan. On the offhand chance you are too, let me be among the first to tell you that the first jet has arrived at the Museum of Flight — the West Seattle Blogger Posse (minus me) happened to be there late this morning, quite coincidentally, when it happened. They learned that the other six are coming in tomorrow. If you missed my earlier post, I’ll mention my two favorite “Blue Angels/Seafair semi-secrets” once again — (a) the Friday show over Lake Washington is considered a practice run (even though it’s the full official show), so you don’t have to pay a cent to go sit along the shore down near Genesee Park and watch the Angels (along with hydro practice runs); (b) also free, the Angels’ takeoffs and landings (and flybys) at the Museum of Flight and its end of Boeing Field. (Within the half-hour before the takeoff, it’s also cool to watch the synchronized ground maneuvers of the maintenance crew and the Angel pilots’ “walkdown.”

Last but not least … if the only thing Seafair weekend and the Blue Angels mean to you is “damn, the I-90 bridge is going to be shut down a few times for all that noise,” here’s the info link with days and times.

Another festival for your calendar

August 1, 2006 6:21 am

| Comments Off on Another festival for your calendar

| WS culture/arts | WS miscellaneous

The arrival of August is bittersweet because it’s both the best part of summer (the nicest weather) and the worst part of summer (most of the big festivals and celebrations are over). However, the fine folks of Morgan Junction are going to stretch out the season with a community festival in mid-September. If you live on the other side of WS, come down this way sometime and check it out — the “big” Junction gets more attention, but things are hopping on the south end too. Have a Caffe Ladro latte and try their espresso cheesecake; check out the fiery-sweet General Tso’s Chicken at New Teriyaki & Wok; then head west to our “south West Seattle” beaches (Lincoln Park & Lowman) or take a ferry ride to Vashon and Southworth. Lots of teardowns-to-townhomes on this end too, so things won’t be quiet for long.

Be a crimefighter

July 31, 2006 6:37 am

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| Crime | WS miscellaneous

If your neighborhood doesn’t already have something planned, it might not be too late … tomorrow night is the annual “National Night Out” show of citizen anti-crime solidarity. Here’s the Seattle PD page about it.

Unbottled updates

July 30, 2006 2:53 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| WS beverages

I try to avoid prattling about the mechanics of keeping a blog, but it’s worth noting that one aspect of tracking incoming blog traffic allows you to see how people find you — certain search terms, for example. One search that brought somebody here today reminded me it’s time to check on some of the “in-the-works” businesses headed to WS, such as the ex-storefront north of the Junction that applied for a liquor license as “Divina Cantina.” My own subsequent search turned up this online entry that seems to suggest the Cantina will be a “Uruguayan wine bar” with live music, opening in late August. There’s something fresh! Also in the wine-bar realm, we noted on a semi-recent stroll that a wine bar was in the works next to West Seattle Cellars. Its website now says a 2007 opening is in the works – and offers a mailing-list link if you want to stay updated.

West Seattleites in the (cable TV) spotlight

July 30, 2006 9:56 am

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| Gardening

E-mail tip says this week’s edition of “Landscapers’ Challenge” on HGTV features a West Seattle family. I haven’t seen this show before but the premise sounds awesome … now THAT’S a makeover I’d be interested in. (HGTV is channel 68 on Comcast.)

WS woman hurt in downtown shootings

July 29, 2006 10:29 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

The Seattle Times says one of the five women who survived getting shot at the Jewish Federation downtown on Friday night is from West Seattle. According to the Times, Cheryl Stumbo is in serious condition.

On a related note, a few anomalies we noticed at the Seafair Torchlight Parade tonight might have been related to the shootings: Mayor Nickels, Police Chief Kerlikowske, and County Executive Sims did not appear in the parade. They’re part of it every year, but not this time. (Security concerns? Was there an evening briefing or other event related to the shootings? Or just coincidence?) Also, the Lake City Western Vigilantes (the guys with the bouncing truck) did a do-si-do for their street routine instead of the usual faux gunbattle.

Before we leave the computer …

July 29, 2006 12:13 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| WS miscellaneous

for the rest of the day & night, just a reminder about some of what’s up around West Seattle:

—Alki Art Fair today & tomorrow.

–“Jumanji” tonight at Sidewalk Cinema next to Hotwire Coffee, north of The Junction.

–May be too late by now, but I just found a notice about outrigger-canoe racing that was happening relatively early today off Alki. I haven’t seen outriggers since Hawaii.

–Tangentially WS-related: If you’re going to tonight’s Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown (wouldn’t miss it; fun to applaud the runners before the parade, too), remember the brand-new Miss Seafair is from West Seattle! So you can cheer her on the Seafair float as well as the delegation on the Hi-Yu float.

After tonight, it’s on to wondering exactly when the Blue Angels will arrive at the Museum of Flight in advance of next week’s excitement … Monday? Tuesday? The MOF site only lists the public Thurs-Sun activities, but I believe at least a few of them arrive earlier in the week. Might just have to wander over tomorrow in person to inquire.

What’s in store

July 29, 2006 10:36 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

This morning’s P-I sort of jumps into the “will we get a Trader Joe’s or won’t we” question … with a few slightly odd side trips, including grousing about what kind of materials will be used to build the Admiral project rumored to be TJ’s potential home. The other oddity about the P-I story is its inference that QFC is not already in West Seattle; the Westwood store’s been open for more than a decade.

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