December 2013

This weekend there is a deluge of activity happening downtown that will affect many routes.

SDOT released a traffic advisory report that lists all the events and closures, and advises motorists to be aware and anticipate traffic delays in the downtown area.

Here are a few that will be drawing crowds:

Friday, Dec. 6 the annual Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition will take place at Westlake Plaza area in downtown Seattle and according to SDOT, draws at least 9,000 people. Also, Seattle Center is hosting Pearl Jam’s Nails Concert, which should pull 10,000 fans to the Key Arena. Moreover, the Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker performances and the Urban Craft Uprising, as well as numerous Winterfest events will be happening at the Armory Stage and South Court of the Seattle Center.

Sunday Dec. 8, the Annual Jingle Bell Run and Walk for Arthritis will close I-5 Express Lanes and streets in downtown Seattle. The event starts and ends on Pine Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues and 12,000 participants will be in attendance. SDOT forecasted the event's two routes:

If the phrase Happy Holidays seems to have little meaning, you probably need an injection of some laughter into your life. You will get just that on Dec. 18 at the Feedback Lounge as they present the Just Laugh it Off Comedy Series Hawaiian Holiday Hysterics show.

The show stars Kermet Apio, a professional comic who regularly tours the country and entertains audiences of all ages.

The complete show lineup includes Matt Eriksen, Eden Nault, Jeffrey Robert, Aisha Farhoud and Danielle Radford

West Seattle's housewares and more store J.F. Henry just on the north west side of the Junction will have a very special guest this Saturday, December, 7th from 10am to 1pm. Bring the little ones and say hello to Santa and
have your picture snapped, too Bring your own camera and pose with Santa for free or have your personal photo taken by Santa’s Elf for just $5.

Saturday, Nov. 30 celebrated Small Business Saturday with the addition of poet and novelist Sherman Alexie’s newly founded Indies First Day.

The day is the book-selling community’s response to Small Business Saturday, focused on bringing attention to independent bookstores and publishers after the flurry of Black Friday.

Alexie made the announcement on Twitter, asking for “gorgeous book nerds” to pitch in and help sell books with local stores. According to NPR, he received over 1000 responses, which translates to employees, volunteers, shoppers and authors coming out to show their support.

The campaign happened all over Seattle, with Alexie stopping into five Seattle book stores, one being Secret Garden in Ballard.

Christy MacDonald, owner of Secret Garden Books, said that they got on the list of five because Suzanne Perry, Secret Garden’s Event’s Coordinator, acted quickly on Twitter.

To share in the campaign and book sale; Ballard authors, Jaime Temairik and Kim Baker, spoke with readers and picked out some of their own favorite books.

Last Friday, Nov. 29 was Black Friday, and while many corporate businesses all over the nation were reaping profits en masse, Ballard businesses were tucking way portions of their sales for local non-profits.

Christy MacDonald, owner of Secret Garden Books, said she will be donating portions of her Black Friday sales to Page Ahead Children's Literacy, a non-profit that has provided books and literacy services to more than 650 thousand at-risk children in Washington since 1990.

According to the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, when shoppers buy locally, three times the revenue remains in your community and non-profit organizations receive an average of 250 percent more support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

Something like the Give Black program started last year with Market Street Shoes giving a portion of Black Friday sales to a local non-profit. The campaign now has spread to 18 merchants participating.

Here is a list of all the non-profits receiving funds from Ballard Gives Black:

December 5, University of Washington's tight end, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, spoke to over 500 students at the Ballard High School auditorium about the problems of driving while under the influence.

Earlier this year Seferian-Jenkins was arrested in the Ravenna area after being involved in a single car accident. He plead guilty to a drunk driving charge later, and was fined $695 and sentenced to 5 years probation.

“I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think it was going to make an impact. …This whole thing has opened my eyes and given me a bigger perspective,” said Seferian-Jenkins.

Other speakers joined Seferian-Jenkins, two of which were directly involved in his DUI case: Bill Hicks, Seferian-Jenkin’s attorney; and SPD’s Eric Michl, who was Seferian-Jenkins’ arresting officer.

Kelly Jone’s also spoke to students. Jones is mother to deceased, Kellen Jones, who was killed in an alcohol related car accident near the Ballard Locks in 2010.

The message all the speakers had for students was clear, “Do not drive under the influence -- ever.”

UPDATE Dec. 6
Firefly Creperie asked the Herald to announce that they were seeking a family to "adopt" for the holiday season, meaning they would focus gift giving on a certain family in need through their own contributions and that of their in store "giving tree and as it turned out, it only took one day.

Owner Charell Estby writes, "We have not only found a family to "adopt" this Christmas, we've found a partner in our next door neighbor, Pavlovich Dental to help us make this happen!

With your help, we'll provide an amazing Christmas for a single mother with five children as well as a Christmas Eve feast for them! Please see our website (www.fireflycafe-ws.com) for a detailed description of what the family needs are."

Deadline for donations: Friday, December 20th.

Original Post Dec. 5
Firefly Creperie, the West Seattle restaurant/coffee house that just celebrated its one year anniversary is grateful for the community support. But they also recognized through the year that there are people in need and this holiday season they want to give back.

Andrea H. Reay has been selected as the Executive Director of Discover Burien.

“The board worked extremely hard to find someone knowledgeable and passionate about Burien” said John White, Discover Burien Board President. “We found a perfect fit in Andrea.”
Upon accepting the position, Ms Reay said, “Continuing to expand our membership, and the educational and development opportunities we offer members as they advance in their careers and their business, will truly create a powerful force for economic development in Burien.”

Ms Reay received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, and has been an active member of the Burien community since moving to the city with her family in 2007. “I am honored to be part of an organization and group of individuals as dedicated to the Burien community as I am. I look forward to expanding our partnerships and creating opportunities that will improve the lives of Burien residents and business owners now and in the future.”

The sixth annual Grab a Tag Hotwire Pet Giving Tree is back for the holiday season and it's the dynamic duo of Hotwire online coffee and Furry Face Foundation who ask you to help them out with a "gift of food and warmth" through Dec. 31.

Hotwire owner Lora Swift said, "Just stop by Hotwire now through the end of December and pick a tag. Bring the item back to Hotwire for distribution (via Furry Faces Foundation) to the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks."

Hotwire Online Coffeehouse is located right next to the West Seattle Post Office at 4410 California Ave. S.W. (and they will not be open Christmas Day).

Opera singer, José Iñiguez, is set to perform for the holidays in West Seattle at the Seattle Parks Dakota Place on December 28 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. It will be a catered by Grazie Restourante.

Iñiguez has launched a state-wide tour and just arrived from his first international performances in Europe. His latest tour started in Vienna, Austria and continues in Seattle, Washington. Jose has recently performed for WSU in Pullman, WA and to a sold out crowd at the Tagaris Winery in Tri- Cities, José Iñiguez will be performing in Spokane, Yakima, Wenatchee, and Seattle.

Iñiguez, who began his career performing for public service events and State Dignitaries, has a profound love for two different styles of music (genres) classical opera and Mariachi.

“Jose’s voice has been trained to fill the largest auditoriums to the most intimate of settings. José will deliver a spine tingling voice that people will remember”, said retired Classical Opera Performer Jerry Hasley.

Specializing in Italian Arias such as those heard in Turandot, Martha, Tosca, among others.