West Seattle, Washington
29 Tuesday
Every weekend this month has something huge in WS — and it all kicks off this morning with the Seafair Pirates’ Landing bash at Alki. According to the Pirates’ own website (yes, even these scalawags of the sea can be found online), they’ll storm the beach around noon-ish, but fun can be had starting around 9:30 am; read full details here, including special freebies for kids. All this will also kick West Seattle Hi-Yu events into high season; check the Hi-Yu schedule here. (If you’re interested, our writeup of last year’s Pirates Landing is here. Note the part where we did NOT park near Alki. Don’t even try. Take the free Water Taxi shuttle’s Alki route, take the regular bus, walk, ride your bike, do anything but turn side streets into Attack of the Parking-Challenged.)
Alki will be wall-to-wall people in a few hours, but tonight at sunset, along the east reaches of Alki, some solitude could still be found …
We’ve had many a discussion here about the need for at least one or two more burger options here in WS. Check it out — this P-I article says the Blue Moon Burgers folks are eyeing our side of the bay. Maybe. Possibly. (We haven’t tried them; have you?)
If you lost a set of car keys on Holden in the past day or so – somebody found ’em and turned them in at the SW Precinct. (The reader/key-finder who wrote to us notes cryptically that they’re keys for a “nice car.”)
Summer sizzles on (with pirates!) … click ahead to see what’s happening:Read More
Learned a few new things while looking around for more of what WS people are up to online: A software enterprise involved in some cool concerns is located at Luna Park, and it’s got a sponsorship deal going with a charity golf tournament later this month.
Some WSB readers have mentioned hearing the next restaurant in the ex-Ovio/ex-Guppy’s/ex-pizza etc. space on the southern edge of The Junction would have something to do with oysters … now the state liquor-license application files seem to confirm that, with paperwork reported this week for “Ama Ama Oyster Bar” going into that very space.
We’ve received reports of several overnight fires blamed on fireworks around WS, but the one in the High Point vicinity was by far the biggest. News coverage includes this P-I article, an update from the Times, and a KIRO update with links to video. We’re glad to hear nobody was hurt, but honestly, this is why personal fireworks are banned in cities like ours. Fun, sure; dangerous and damaging, unquestionably, no matter how hard you try to keep it safe.
The city now says Admiral will only have to close for one full night as part of the latest phase of the repaving process: 7 pm tonight till 6 am Friday, it will be closed between Olga and 41st. More in the city’s latest project update here.
Just recently found Square One’s site; possibly of interest to our fellow WS book fans. (And on its regular site, the store is offering Harry Potter pre-sales through July 20, with a cut of the proceeds going to WestSide Baby.)
Wondering what’s up with the Alki Statue of Liberty and why it’s not back in place yet? There’s an update in this week’s WS Herald.
The big day is here! Your options include:
-Admiral Kids’ Parade, starts 10:30 am, 1100 block of 44th (more details at the end of this post).
-Burien Fourth of July parade, starts 3 pm @ 152nd SW/SW 6th.
–Fourth of Jul-Ivar’s fireworks over Elliott Bay, 10 pm-“ish,” visible from much of WS (remember, Ivar was a West Seattleite!).
-Remember the Water Taxi if you’re going downtown.
-WSB readers shared some of their Fourth of July faves here.
Have a wondrous holiday; happy 231st birthday to “us” all.
The folks at West Seattle’s own Schooner Exact Brewing Co. invite everyone to their latest release – Gallant Maiden Hefeweizen Wheat - 6 pm tonight at Beveridge Place Pub.
If you can’t wait till tomorrow night to see fireworks — catch a ferry, cross the Sound, and go to Fireworks on the Fjord in Poulsbo tonight. The fireworks follow an all-day festival, with food and music and all the classic summer stuff. (If you’re worried about parking, try the shuttle buses.)
Megawatt is looking for a part-time events coordinator to work August through mid-November, mostly coordinating its Gathering of Neighbors event. E-mail here to find out more.
Big games tonight for two teams in WS Little League, which has been hosting a regional All-Star Tournament at Bar-S Playfield (atop Alki Point): The 10-11 team moved on to the state tournament and plays in Kirkland tonight; the 9-10 team is in a double-elimination round and has a must-win match tonight (6 pm @ Bar-S). The 11-12 team has two wins under its belt too; good luck to all!
Next time you’re stuck in the bridge backup in the morning commute, or a viaduct slowdown during either commute, look over at Elliott Bay and notice … all that room atop the sea. Couldn’t we make better use of it, beyond just the seasonal Water Taxi and the current lineup of ferry routes? As mentioned here previously, King County leaders are taking a step in that direction. And they will be part of a big event tonight at Salty’s looking at the Sound-wide possibilities of waterborne transportation. (The North Kitsap Herald has this preview with a little more on what’s involved.)
The opening date is finally set for Shoofly Pie Company on the north edge of The Junction, and for all you former Easterners who have wondered aloud whether it will actually serve the regional treat known as “shoofly pie” — looks like it will — Owner Kimmy Hsieh Tomlinson sent us a cleverly worded press release, which reads in part: “Where wholesome meets hip, Shoofly Pie Company is opening its doors to serve the eponymous dessert and much more to the pie-hungry people of Seattle.” She goes on to describe the rest of the menu as including “‘anything in a crust’ … That includes sweet and savory pies, tarts, and even quiche.” Oh, and about that date? July 14. Hours: Wed-Thurs 7 am-6 pm, Fri-Sat 7 am-8 pm, Sun 8 am-4 pm, phone 938-0680.
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A reader writes with a concern she wanted to put before all of WSB-land … discuss!
I’m just wondering, is there any discussion in city hall or the DOT about updating the entrance/interchange onto the West Seattle Bridge. In particular, the dangerous exit ramp to 4th Ave. S. and the closed entrance ramp onto the bridge. Having the entrance ramp closed over the past five years has been so frustrating for commuters stuck waiting for trains to pass. Isn’t it past time for these problem areas to be fixed?
Pardon the redundancy if Beach Drive Blog is already on your list of regular stops, but BDB’s Rhonda has a must-read and a must-see on her site right now: first, her beef about bikes (we know we’ve got bicyclists in WSB-land, so we anticipate other sides to the story); second, a wonderful photo of the moon over a ferry the other night.
Until this article turned up in today’s Times, we had no idea WS is home to a champion “competitive eater.” The article mentions he’s got a blog; looks like this is it.
As of today, West Seattle Helpline joins the WS Food Bank, Megawatt, and others in the WS Community Resource Center @ 35th/Morgan. (Their old corridor in The Junction just got a little lonelier …)
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