Skin Deep Dance troupe is performing tribal-style belly dance at Inay’s Asian Pacific Cuisine on Saturday December 11 and again on December 18. Shows are at 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and waiter Louie will also appear in drag. There’s no cover, but bring cash for tips. Inay’s is located at 2503 Beacon Avenue South.
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Photo by emdot via Creative Commons.Neighbor Lily sent this report a week or so ago: “I just wanted to report that I believe I’ve heard coyotes howling a lot this morning near Dearborn Park.” We at the BHB have actually seen Beacon Hill coyotes within the last couple of years, crossing the street near 17th and Walker. It’s definitely not a new problem. Please keep your pets safe.
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El Centro is hosting a tree lighting ceremony later this month. Las Posadas, “A Neighborhood Celebration of the Holidays,” is from 4:30-6:00 pm on Monday, December 20 at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Avenue South.
Besides lighting the Christmas tree, the event will feature caroling by the Beaconettes, a visit from Santa, holiday treats, and more.
Beacon Hill’s own a cappella group, The Beaconettes, recently took the People’s Choice award at the Great Figgy Pudding Street-Corner Caroling Competition for the second year in a row, singing Seattle-centric versions of carols including “My Favorite Things” and “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
The event, a fundraiser for the Pike Market Senior Center and Downtown Food Bank, was held last Friday, December 3 at Westlake Center. 35 choirs competed in front of a large and cheerful crowd. Here are a couple of videos of the Beaconettes’ performance.
Caspar Babypants (Chris Ballew) will perform at the Wellspring Family Services open house on Saturday.‘Tis the season for sharing good cheer! Here are some ideas to get into the spirit of giving.
Don’t miss the Wellspring Family Services open house on Saturday, December 4, at 1900 Rainier Avenue South. The event features a free performance by Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew of the Presidents of The United States of America) and other musicians. The open house is free and for all ages, but please bring a new unwrapped toy to support the holiday drive. Â You can donate your child’s outgrown clothes and gear (car seats, high chairs, etc.) now and all year-round. Why not start a new tradition and ask your child to make room in the toy box for new things?
Clean your pantry and/or pick up extra items for a Beacon Hill food bank. South Beacon Hill neighbors can donate to Beacon Avenue Food Bank, located at 6230 Beacon Avenue South.  North Beacon folks can donate to El Centro’s food bank. Mid-Beacon neighbors can flip a coin—or donate to both!
The Alleycat Acres urban farming collective relies on donations and volunteers to keep their community-run farming efforts going.
The silent auction is sold out, but you should still make a donation to Open Arms Perinatal Services, a nonprofit agency helping pregnant women.
Can you identify this landmark? If so, you should enter our contest. Photo by Wendi.You can still win a NAMSAYIN #36 bus t-shirt and a $50 gift card to The Station coffee shop (and, folks, that’s a lot of potential caffeine!) if you’re the first person to identify the 16 locations pictured in our contest post from earlier this week. Better work fast, though — we already have some guessers who are very close to getting all of them.
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The Seattle Department of Transportation wants to know “what you think about transit in Seattle and how it could be better.” You can tell them by taking their survey. It’s fairly short.
You might have noticed sheep baa-ing somewhere on Beacon Hill lately.
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Dylan Ahearn mentioned it the other day, but here’s a reminder: Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Walk & Bike Beacon Hill Neighborhood Transportation Summit. It’s a neighborhood meeting to discuss ways to improve safety and mobility while walking and biking on Beacon Hill. The event is from 10:00 am to noon at Beacon Hill International School, 2025 14th Avenue South. Activities will include designing safe walking and biking routes, learning about bike safety for children, and more. Refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome. For more information, please contact Frederica Merrell, frmerrel@seattleschools.org.
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If you’re already thinking ahead to Christmas, you might want to get your Christmas tree right here in the neighborhood. No, don’t chop one down in the Cheasty Greenbelt, please. Instead, you can get one from El Centro de la Raza. Trees will be available at their lot Wednesday through Sunday, starting November 26 and running through December 19. Order before the 26th and there will be a discount. There will be 2′-7′ Grand and Noble Firs, live trees, and 20″ and 30″ wreaths. Purchases will support El Centro’s many programs. El Centro is located at 2524 16th Avenue South.
We know it’s summer… finally! But we need your valuable input on a potential winter fundraising idea!
Do you buy a Christmas tree during the holiday season? If so, would you be interested in buying one from El Centro de la Raza, meaning your purchase would directly support El Centro’s 30 important programs?
We’re considering selling Christmas trees this year, but we want to know if our community thinks it would be a good idea.
The folks at El Centro have posted a survey for community members to give their opinions on the Christmas tree question. Follow this link to fill it out.
Three Brothers Cleaners will close soon. Photo by Wendi.We hear that Three Brothers Cleaners, located at 3210 Beacon Avenue South, will be closing at the end of this month, and the gift shop located in the same space will close too. If you have any clothes that need to be picked up, or any gift shopping that needs to be done, better get in there soon.
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Rebuilding Together Seattle (RTS), a nonprofit organization, is currently accepting applications from homeowners in need. RTS provides free home repair services for low-income homeowners through the support of sponsors and community volunteers. To qualify for the program, homeowners must be low-income and unable to complete the work independently. RTS also assists non-profit or community organizations in need of facility repairs. For more information or to apply, see the website.
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The 2nd Annual Beacon Hill Photowalk will take place on Sunday, July 24 between 12 noon and 1:30 pm. Organizer Amanda writes, “Last year, we explored the Jefferson Park and Golf course for an hour on a lovely Saturday afternoon. This year, I want to explore the Beacon Ave commercial district, starting at Firehouse 13 (at the corner of Beacon Ave S and S Spokane), following Beacon Ave north past the library and down to the new linklight rail station! I would love to include some local businesses in our walk, so if you have a local business and would allow us to stop by, please let me know! For more info and to sign up for the walk, please follow the link.”
Last but definitely not least, Tamara Dyer, Piñata Party planner, sends this reminder:
This is just a quick reminder that the Piñata Party is this Saturday, July 17 from 12 noon – 3:00 pm.  Hope you can make it—because you are the party!!
It’s in its usual location in the center of Triangle Park (Stevens Place Park — Ed.) across from the Beacon Library on Beacon Avenue. This year we’re doing it potluck style so pack a blanket and if the spirit moves you—maybe something to share. But, no worries if you just wander over with your fabulous selves.  We’ll have piñatas, snow cones, fun drinks, snacks, a Lion Dance, traditional Oaxacan music and a performance by our much loved Lushy.
We’re excited.  Hope to see you Saturday and bring your neighbors!
Still got some forlorn holiday foliage? Take it to the transfer station. Photo by wetwebwork.Still got your old dead Christmas tree? You can still recycle it for free, if you hurry. If you subscribe to curbside food and yard waste collection, and yours hasn’t already been picked up this week, you can put your tree out on your regular collection day at no extra charge until January 10. Trees should be cut into sections of six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet. Sections should be bundled with string or twine.
Trees with flocking or tinsel, or ones that are plastic, aren’t recyclable. They have to go in the trash, cut into three-foot pieces, and each piece will be charged as extra garbage.
If you missed the yard waste pickup, there’s one other option. You can drop off your tree for free until January 10 at the South Recycling and Disposal Station, located at Second Avenue South and South Kenyon Street, and the North Recycling and Disposal Station in Wallingford. The stations are both open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Trees brought to the recycling stations must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees without flocking or decoration may be disposed of free of charge.
Aged red door on Beacon Hill. Photo by Moxie Sinclair.Photo of the Pac Med building by Erick Mota.Street art posted outside the library on Beacon Avenue South. Photo by Wendi.Photo of Christmas lights on 13th Avenue South by Jason.The Beaconettes wished us all happy holidays. Photo by go-team.
The Beaconettes performing at the Lander Festival Street ribbon-cutting celebration on Saturday. Photo by Jason.The Beaconettes singing group had a busy week. Before performing at the opening of the Lander Festival Street on Saturday, they won two awards at the Figgy Pudding caroling competition on Friday night: “Most Creative,” and “Peoples’ Choice.” Beaconette Betty Jean Williamson reports “We also had the pleasure of singing our ‘Good Mayor Nickels’ for the Mayor himself—our parody chronicling his rise and fall, all to the tune of ‘Good King Wenceslas.’ Greg Nickels was a great sport and seemed to enjoy it all.”
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The Beaconettes will perform next at the 11th District Democrats Holiday Dinner and award event tomorrow, December 8 at Carpenter’s Hall, 231 Burnett Avenue North in Renton. Here’s the Facebook page for the event, and the Beaconettes’ own Facebook page.
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Beacon Hill’s own Helladopewere just featured in the latest issue of The Stranger. Charles Mudede writes that the album Return to Planet Rock is “…yet another contender for the best local hiphop recording of the year.”
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Shelly Bates writes about a new student savings program:
“Our local bank, Washington Federal Savings, has started a new ‘Save at School’ program.
“The student opens the account with a minimum $5 deposit and the bank will add another $5 to each student that enrolls. Â This is a great opportunity to replace the WaMu School Savings program which Chase discontinued. Â What’s even better is it works with an adult volunteer who collects the deposits for children each week at school and then makes the trip to the bank. Â Withdrawals do have to be made in person, no ATM access, but you do earn interest and there are no fees or minimum balance required.
“If you’re interested in getting it set up at your own school, contact Laitim Wong, Branch Manager, Beacon Hill Branch (206)324-1884.”
Thanks, Shelly!
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Rita Harris has chartered a bus to go to the Christmas Lighting Festival in Leavenworth on Saturday, December 12. There are still seats available for this all day trip that will depart early Saturday morning from the parking lot in front of Jefferson Park Recreation Center. Seats are $35 per adult, and there are children’s rates as well. For more info, see this Craigslist page.
We hope the buses are able to get us where we need to go today, but yesterday that was frequently a problem. (Metro’s Ice and Snow Transit Service Status page will tell you if your bus is still cancelled or rerouted.) If you can’t get off the Hill to do your Christmas shopping, don’t forget our recent post about holiday shopping right here on Beacon Hill. It might give you some ideas for ways to get your holiday shopping done here in our neighborhood — no gasoline, tire chains, or fender-benders necessary. (The comments on that post include some other suggested places to shop on the Hill, so check those out too.)
