September 2011

Saturday night, Sept. 10th, I witnessed one of the most amazing theatrical performances I've ever seen - AND right here in the middle of Burien!

It was wonderful not only for the quality of the show, but also its uniqueness and the fact that it was a complete surprise.

For those not among the hundreds enjoying the spectacular scene, here is what you missed.

Billed as "Lullaby for Dottie Harper Park", the event followed the Arts-A-Glow lantern procession. The hundreds of people were led by a giant white owl puppet into the park's forest where we saw the glade in the middle outlined in lights. The forest floor's stage area glowed with a golden star pattern. Large white star lanterns hung from the branches and dozens of white balloons with light on them floated high up in the trees like tiny stars.

This spectacular sight could have been enough, but we became aware of classical music surrounding us, coming from an almost invisible orchestra seated somewhere among the trees.

A mysterious and beautiful voice began telling the story of the fairy tale which unfolded before us.

It was the clash of the volleyball unbeaten! OK, so they are only 2 games into the season, but they were both unbeaten and neither had lost a single game this season. Of course that would have to change, only one would come out on top. Chief Sealth would be banking on its youth and enthusiasm and West Seattle, on its experience. West Seattle additionally has a target on its back this year due to last year’s strong finish and becoming Metro League Sound Division champions; they are now the team to beat.

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Playing on their home court, on Sept. 12, West Seattle would take control early but Chief Sealth, being the confident team they are, wouldn’t go away. Chief Sealth would string together some points before West Seattle would take a time out, regroup, and try and stop Chief Sealth's momentum. Chief Sealth would keep the pressure on but West Seattle's experience would prevail.

Seattle’s Mobile Chowdown is headed to the Junction.

This Sunday, Oct. 2, 23 mobile food trucks from the streets of Seattle, and one from Walla Walla, will gather in West Seattle for the sixth installment of the collective feast.

Trucks will set up in the middle of California Ave. S.W. between S.W. Oregon and S.W. Edmunds from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for six potential hours of food truck nirvana. Admission is free.

Event organizer Michi Suzuki said they have brought tables and chairs to prior events, but things will be different this time around.

“Because we’re going to line the trucks down the middle of the street, we thought we would just let people roam the streets and they can always grab a table in the beer garden (provided by sponsor Pyramid Breweries) or sit down on the curb to eat,” Suzuki said.

For those uninitiated in Chowdown 101, Suzuki said vendors usually offer smaller portions than normal, so attendees can sample a wide variety of cuisine before maxing out the belly.

Suzuki is also working with Google Places to develop a contest of some sort, so there may be an opportunity to vote for your favorites.

Mike Gain, CEO of Prudential Northwest Realty Associates, is reporting that the pending sales of homes are picking up in Highline and West Seattle.
Prudential Northwest has offices in Olde Burien and West Seattle.

The Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) has noted that August's pending sales volume was at the highest number of mutually accepted offers since April 2010 when the homebuyer tax incentive expired. MWMLS reported a sales gain of 26 percent for August 2011 as compared to August 2011.

However, at the two Prudential Northwest offices, the pending sales gain was 40 percent, according to Gain.

The NWMLS also reported a year to date increase for pending sales of 6 percent compared to last year's number. At Prudential Northwest, year to date pending sales increased by 20 percent.

Closed sales for the year are up 1.6 percent while Prudential Northwest's year to date closings are up 16 percent, Gain noted.

"The biggest problem we have in the marketplace today is not enough inventory," Gain declared. "Our number of homes on the market in the NWMLS has dropped 16 percent compared to a year ago. We really need some well-priced inventory in all areas.

Press release:
This free summer time family/friendly event featuring sailing fun, great food and valuable prizes, was also a great success as a fundraiser! Participant donations totaled over $6,000 for Hospitality House and over $1,400 for the Des Moines Food Bank.

Hospitality House is a unique program of rehabilitation for homeless single women and includes job training, counseling and housing assistance. The Des Moines Food Bank has seen demand rise and does its best to provide for the most needy among us.

The sailing social was held on six Thursday evenings, beginning July 7, and included a low-key race, conducted by The Three Tree Point Yacht Club, which was followed by a social hour with food, beverages, and generous prizes donated by local merchants.

This is an annual event, so if you missed it this year, join us next year on the first Thursday after the 4th of July.

For further information contact the Des Moines Marina at 206-824-5700 or Debra Valpey at 206-243-5566.

On Saturday, September 17, musicians all around the world will celebrate the first annual Playing for Change Day, a global day of action to raise money to bring music into the lives of young people.

In Ballard, Robin Moxey, a professional musician and one of the creators of Playing for Change, will host an "evening of music, wine, appetizers and fundraising" at Domanico Cellars to raise funds for local music programs as well as international programs through Playing for Change.

Started by Mark Johnson, Playing for Change began as a film about street performers and has since grown into a global multimedia movement to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music and arts education.

Today, Playing for Change is a foundation and movement that has gained support by the United Nations and celebrity musicians (like Bono and Yoko Ono) alike.

Press release from Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Chamber of Commerce

Calling all Veterans! All veterans are invited. Wear part of your uniform if possible.

There will be a Re-dedication of the White Center Triangle Veterans Park, scheduled for Sunday, September 18 at 4 pm. Veterans and the entire community are invited. We have invited Medal of Honor Recipient Joe M. Jackson from Kent to help us install a new American flag and re-dedicate the park.

The park is located at the corner of Roxbury, Delridge and 16th Ave. SW. in White Center. Light refreshments will be served.

A new plaque will be installed, and we will acknowledge the installation of lighting to allow the Chamber to fly the flag legally 24 hours per day. The plaque will read;

Re-Dedication
Triangle Veterans Park
To all who have served
our American Flag

press release
Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation plan to grind and pave in the block of California Avenue SW between Erskine Way SW and SW Hudson Street on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 20 and 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. One lane of traffic will remain open for each direction and bicycles will merge with general traffic. There will be a police officer at the intersection of California & Erskine/Edmonds to assist traffic. All sidewalks and crosswalks will remain open.

Even as you read this column there may be people you know spending their Saturday inside recording stories. Over the last two years a group of volunteers through the Nordic Heritage Museum have interviewed over 150 people about their experiences in Scandinavia during World War II or as immigrants united by livelihood. If you are Gordon Strand or one of the Steering Committee members it’s not just Saturdays spent with narrators; it’s some part of the project almost every day of the week.

Ten years ago the Nordic Heritage Museum and Ballard Historical Society had funding for an oral history project that became a book, a video and an exhibit, “Voices of Ballard.” That effort, likewise conducted by volunteers, but coordinated by a professional historian created an even greater demand to record the stories of those who experienced what we now call history. The current effort has even greater scope, very little funding, but has become a consuming passion for everyone involved.

Mari-Ann Kind Jackson calls it, “the most rewarding time I have spent on anything in years.” She speaks as

Even as you read this column there may be people you know spending their Saturday inside recording stories. Over the last two years a group of volunteers through the Nordic Heritage Museum have interviewed over 150 people about their experiences in Scandinavia during World War II or as immigrants united by livelihood. If you are Gordon Strand or one of the Steering Committee members it’s not just Saturdays spent with narrators; it’s some part of the project almost every day of the week.

Ten years ago the Nordic Heritage Museum and Ballard Historical Society had funding for an oral history project that became a book, a video and an exhibit, “Voices of Ballard.” That effort, likewise conducted by volunteers, but coordinated by a professional historian created an even greater demand to record the stories of those who experienced what we now call history. The current effort has even greater scope, very little funding, but has become a consuming passion for everyone involved.

Mari-Ann Kind Jackson calls it, “the most rewarding time I have spent on anything in years.” She speaks as