“Cruise on the Hill, getting food at Fou Lee.” Blue Scholars have a new song and video, “Fou Lee,” that features local stores Fou Lee and MC Foods, along with what looks like some pretty tasty cooking. (Watch the video all the way to the end and you’ll see a list of the ingredients in chicken adobo.) Release parties for their new album, Cinemetropolis, are June 17 and 18 at Neumos.
Thanks to Tyler Hill for pointing us to the video!
Feel like dancing? Kick up your heels at the Garden House at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, at an “old-time barn dance!” ROCKiT Space‘s ongoing Tuesday Folk Club series continues next week with a dance featuring the bands Scatter Creek and Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, with dance calling by Tony Mates.
No experience or partner is necessary; all are welcome. Admission is $5 at the door, and kids get in free. The Garden House is located at 2336 15th Ave. S.
If a different genre is more your style, you may want to plan ahead for the monthly swing dance night on the following Tuesday, May 3.
Stuff is happening this weekend! There’s art, music, dancing, and more happening on (or even through) the Hill today. Here are a few of the things you might want to check out.
First, get out of bed and get over to the Maple School Natural Area work party at 10 a.m. today. This is a monthly event, held every first Saturday. Volunteers will help improve the parkland, then have a community potluck. More info here.
After the hard work, it’s time to enjoy some art, music, or dance. You have several choices tonight.
NEPO Little Treats presents Trotter, an exhibition of works by Amanda Manitach. The opening is tonight, Saturday March 5, from 6 until 8 p.m. Bacon-wrapped dates will be served, and there will be a screening of Cremaster 4 at 8 p.m.
If a musical trip is more your speed, Light Rail, Dark Rail is for you. Live performers including the Beaconettes, Cafe Racer Sessions, Jordan O’ Jordan, Tahoe Jackson, and more will liven up Link Light Rail trains.
Start at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the International District/Chinatown Station for a “summoning performance” by Prawnyxx. Then at 6 p.m., enjoy a “Musical Tour Guide and Overture” on southbound trains to SeaTac. At SeaTac, you’ll deboard, then board a northbound train. One is Dark Rail, and the other is Light Rail—you don’t know which you’ll get. Head to Sodo Station for the after party at Radar Hair + Records, 2721 First Avenue South, at 7:30 p.m.
If you prefer swing dancing, stay up on top of the Hill for the Beacon Rocks! swing dancing fundraiser, from 8 until 11 p.m. tonight at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave South. There will be a live swing dancing performance and swing-dance lesson by Savoy Swing at 8:15 p.m., a live cake raffle, and more. Suggested donations start at $10.
On Sunday at 3:30 p.m., visit our neighbors in Mount Baker to see the Medieval Women’s Choir perform a short concert at Mount Baker Community Clubhouse, 2811 Mount Rainier Drive South. The choir will sing medieval music with soloist Linda Strandberg, accompanied by period instruments played by percussionist Peggy Monroe and harpist Bill McJohn.
After the weekend’s over, don’t forget the UPTUN quarterly meeting, Nightmares and Opportunities: Broadstripe and City Underserving Neighbors on Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at Beacon Lutheran Church, 1720 Forest Street South. See our earlier post for more info.
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Mmmmm, pancakes. MMMMMMMMmmm, all-you-can-eat pancakes for $5! The Cleveland High School softball team is hosting a pancake fundraiser on Saturday, January 9 from 9:00 – 11:00 am. Breakfast is served at the Cleveland cafeteria, the same building where the gym is located. Questions? Email Kyrsten at klpratt@seattleschools.org.
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We previously mentioned that Gage Academy of Art is offering free drop-in art classes for teens aged 13-18 in the Rainier Valley. We have more information about the classes now. January’s classes are “Imaginative Plaster Forms” with Katrina Wolfe, February’s are “Cut It Out” (cut paper in two and three dimensions) with Celeste Cooning, and March features “Explorations in Paint” with Jeanne Dodds.
Classes are on Saturdays at The 2100 Building, 2100 24th Avenue South. Classes will be from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. For more information, call 206-323-GAGE. Art materials and pizza will be provided.
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There is a new Yahoo group/listserv for Beacon Hill parents. Go here to join and chat with your fellow parents in the neighborhood.
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BHB contributor Joel Lee’s blog, BeHi Bonsai, was featured in The Seattle Times (BHB news partners) a few days ago:
“‘You can’t drive down a block on Beacon Hill without seeing them,’ says Joel Lee of the plant sculptures he refers to as bonsai on his popular neighborhood blog. Lee moved to the area a couple of years ago, drawn by the promise of light rail and the Jefferson Park expansion. But as soon as he started walking his dog around the neighborhood, he became fascinated by the display of sheared and shaped plants.”
Unfortunately, author Valerie Easton seemed a bit put off by the Hill’s topiary art.
The Times is also hosting a “map the potholes” project. There are a few Beacon Hill potholes already included, such as the “giant holes heading west on Holgate at approx 14th” (we hit that one a couple of weeks ago—ouch!), but if your most annoying tooth-rattler isn’t listed, please add it.
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There’s a yoga and EFT Workshop, “Rejuvenate your Energy in 2011,” this Saturday, January 8 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Jun Hong Kung Fu and Sports Association, 4878 Beacon Avenue South. Find out more and register for class on the event website.
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Neighbor Robert Kangas has noted some extreme water leakage along 14th Avenue South, west of Jefferson Park. The leaks caused some dangerous ice patches. He posted a series of photos here. In discussion on the Beacon Hill mailing list last week, some folks noted a history of artesian wells on the Hill, and suggested that these are the source of some of the leaks around the neighborhood. Others think it’s a leaky water main.
If you notice a potential water leak on public or private property, you can report it by calling 206-386-1800, and Seattle Public Utilities will then check it out.
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The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is hosting three free workshops to educate neighborhood groups and community organizations on the funding process and requirements for the Large Projects Fund, the matching fund that awards up to $100,000 for community projects. Next Tuesday, January 11, there’s a workshop in Southeast Seattle, at the Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Avenue South. The workshop is from 6:00-8:00 pm. More information about the Large Projects Fund and the three workshops may be found here.
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Sustainable South Seattle is hosting the third of a workshop series dedicated towards creating a climate co-op for South Seattle neighborhoods. The event is Wednesday, January 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Southside Commons, 3518 South Edmunds Street. Food, refreshments, and childcare will be provided. Please RSVP by emailing climate.coop@gmail.com.
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A new co-ed a cappella group is forming on Beacon Hill, with auditions this month according to a current post on craigslist.org:
We are looking for:
Men and women who are positive, fun and excited about performing and singing harmony. We will possibly be doing 1 to 2 gigs per month starting in the Spring.We want to be:
16 in total. (We have 10 right now) Put together performances that are tight musically, visually and are funny and entertaining to most people. You don’t have to dance or want to make a fool of yourself, but it is a bonus. Diverse in anyway possible—age, race, musical background, sexuality…
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A couple of changes to liquor licenses on the Hill occurred last month. The Station coffee house at 2533 16th Avenue South was approved for a license as a “direct shipment receiver – in WA only.” But every new beginning is some other beginning’s end: on the same day, the liquor license for the ill-fated Tasha’s Bistro Café was discontinued.
“…Back in the day, Kimball Elementary’s crossing guard was a fixture in Seattle’s explosive Jackson Street jazz scene. He played with all the legends of Seattle jazz, from Quincy Jones to Ernestine Anderson.” Danny Westneat of The Seattle Times (BHB news partners) wrote a column recently about jazz pianist Kenny Boas, a Beacon Hill neighbor whose past includes hanging out with Ray Charles, playing with famed groups the Savoy Boys and the Bumps Blackwell Band, and crossing the color line—in the reverse direction. The musicians’ unions in Seattle at the time were segregated. Boas quit the white union, and became the first non-minority member of the Negro Musicians’ Union, Local 493.
Until recently, the 85-year-old Boas worked as the crossing guard at Kimball Elementary School on 23rd Avenue South. See a video of Boas playing piano here.
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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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.
A reminder: El Centro is also selling Christmas trees until December 19.
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A business named Underground Lighthouse recently applied for a microbrewery liquor license at 2981 South Webster Street. This is not a commercial location, so unfortunately it probably won’t be a Beacon Hill brewpub, but maybe they will sell their beer to some of our local establishments. This appears to be their website.
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Stencil artist Urban Soule (Kim McCarthy) has art currently hanging at Victrola Coffee on Beacon Avenue. Here is a Facebook gallery of the show. Here is more of the artist’s work on Flickr.
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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.
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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.
And speaking of SDOT, The SDOT Blog has some pictures of the newly spiffed-up South Columbian Way.
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Andrew Matson of The Seattle Times features rapper Nacho Picasso of Beacon Hill’s Cloud Nice hip-hop collective. There is a sound clip and a link to download even more. The Cloud Nice page also has a link to a Nice Dreams trailer with some Beacon Hill-area footage.
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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.
Jefferson Community Center will have a Halloween Howl and Carnival on Friday, October 22 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, with games, goodies, prizes, a haunted house, and more. Costumes are optional, but encouraged, and the event is for children of all ages. Admission is free but carnival tickets are 25 cents each. The JCC is also holding a Toddler Trick-or-Treat day on Thursday, October 21 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. The little ones can dress up, play games, then enjoy “tot time” in the gym. The toddler event is $2 per child. For more information, call 206-684-7481. Jefferson Community Center is located at 3801 Beacon Avenue South.
Van Asselt Community Center is hosting a Fall Harvest Festival for kids up to age 12 on Friday, October 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. They tell us it’s a “safe evening of games and goodies.” Kids can celebrate by wearing costumes and bringing a goodie bag or basket (optional). There is no fee for the event. Van Asselt Community Center is located at 2820 South Myrtle Street. For more information, call 206-386-1921.
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Live and local music is coming to Tasha’s Bistro Café on Friday nights, organized by Beacon Music (the folks behind this summer’s Beacon Rocks! music series).
Performances are every Friday night at 7:30 pm. Families are welcome. There is no cover charge. The first performance is October 22, with Jack LeNoir and Betty Jean playing jazz standards, eclectic rock and original music.
Performers who would like to perform at Tasha’s should contact Betty Jean at beaconrocks@gmail.com. Tasha’s Bistro Café is located at 2524 Beacon Avenue South.
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Sustainable South Seattle (S3) is hosting a Climate Co-op Workshop to share ideas about how we can work together as a community to save money, improve our neighborhood and do our part to take care of the planet for our children. Guest Speakers at the workshop include Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith, Brooks Kolb, Michael Murphy, and others.
The forum is on Wednesday, October 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Southside Commons, 3518 South Edmunds Street in Columbia City, just a block and a half away from Columbia City Station. Please RSVP to climate.coop@gmail.com. If you need language assistance please say which language within the email. Childcare will be available.
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The NAMSAYIN Beacon Hill shirts sold out on Sunday at Deli. You can see some of the happy buyers here, including BHB‘s own Jason. Stay tuned to the blog for some shirt giveaways, once we come up with a good contest idea or two!
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Laura Feinstein writes,
I’m hoping you will post a request to our south end neighbors to consider applying for a position on one of the citizen advisory committees that that city hosts. I am a member of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and I am the only member from the south end of Seattle (south of I-90). Our part of the city is very under-represented. This is a way to weigh-in on key city decisions.
Application information is here and if you miss the October 15 deadline, send your application anyway… they will likely consider late applications.
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Speaking of civic responsibility, ballots for the General Election should be arriving in your mailbox any day now. Please vote thoughtfully, and don’t forget to mail the ballot in before it’s too late!
As always, the event is free to all (we suggest bringing chairs or blankets to sit on, maybe umbrellas, sunscreen, etc.).
The performers at this weekend’s show include:
YAAMBA Marimba: YAAMBA Marimba are a group of musicians who enjoy playing Zimbabwean music and other music driven by a rhythmic beat on marimba and mbira. They’ve been playing together since the 1980s.
Glenn Bell Band: Glenn Bell is a Seattle musician who hails from Philly. His self-released debut LP, Slide, is a dose of all-American story telling in the context of rock/pop melodies, in the mold of Springsteen and James McMurtry.
Splinter Dance Company: Splinter Dance Company’s repertoire ranges in styles from hip-hop and breakdance, to lyrical, salsa, and jazz.
The Colour Project: The Colour Project is a Seattle-based electronic rock duo, formed in 2010 by Jessie McKenna and Mark Chrisman. They combine drum beats, guitar, synthesizer, textured loops and melody.
Jessie McKenna: Original melodic pop/rock.
Red Heart Alarm: Red Heart Alarm is a “Gruntry” band hailing from Seattle, WA. They’ve coined the term for their sound, which marries their native city’s Grunge legacy with the melodic twang of classic Americana/Roots music. The result of this experimentation is their recently released debut album White Elephants.
The Second Annual Rizal Park Music and Arts Fest is this Sunday, August 15, 12:00 noon, at Dr. Jose Rizal Park on the north tip of Beacon Hill. The festival’s website describes the event as “a community event organized to bring awareness to the Dr. Jose Rizal Park and Bridge (the first bridge in the Nation to be named after a Filipino National Hero). This is a day event that will showcase local talent in music and fine arts.”
Performers include Bob Antolin/Killerbees, Grooveline Hawaii, Shannon Lei, D&M, Josh Kain, Paul Cabrera, Salsa Praise/Gospel Jazz w/ HL Stein, Browned Out Band, Klyntel Band, Tony Mamon and Ray Baldwin, and Bottomline. There will also be food vendors specializing in ethnic cuisine from the Pacific Islands.
Volunteers are still needed for the event. If you would like to volunteer, please contact: Tess at 206-819-TESS (8377).
