White Center Now: The blog about White Center

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More live music tonight in White Center – this video shows just a bit of the beautiful acoustic sounds provided by members of Children of the Revolution, tonight at Cafe Rozella. (Next Friday night at the cafe, it’s Eduardo Mendonca.) After this 7 pm performance, live music by Centaur Hearts was scheduled over at Full Tilt Ice Cream, and our video crew is over there right now – stand by for that clip, or better yet, get out and enjoy the show on this pleasant late-summer night.

Last Friday, we showed you scenes (like the one above) from the Back-to-School Block Party on 12th SW … today, we have an update from executive director Pat Thompson at the YES Foundation of White Center, who says ALMOST A THOUSAND KIDS – 950, to be precise – got backpacks filled with school supplies, as a result! She also wants to thank World Vision and its partner Washington Mutual for generously supporting White Center kids by providing the backpacks. (First day of school – 13 days away!)

Children of the Revolution

Cafe Rozella continues its summer music series with Children of the Revolution’s acoustic trio.  COTR are always a big draw so plan on getting there early for their performance which begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 22nd.  Show will be outdoors barring inclement weather.

Happened onto this while chasing something else: The Technology Access Foundation‘s annual Geocache Cup — described by TAF as a “high-tech treasure hunt” — will start at White Center’s Lakewood Park. The Geocache Cup is set for 1-6 pm Sept. 27; registration is open NOW for participants and sponsors – here’s the place to start. If you’re not familiar with TAF, its mission includes “prepar(ing) underserved children of color for higher education and professional success.”

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That’s Alma Villegas, live Friday night on the patio outside Cafe Rozella. More music is ahead for the White Center venues of two other WCN team members – the Rozella schedule is here, the Full Tilt schedule is here. (Any others for us to add to the WCN Events Calendar? Send the info to whitecenternow@gmail.com!)

Till 7 tonight, 12th SW is shut down between Mount View Elementary and Mount View Presbyterian for the Back-to-School Block Party we told you about earlier this week. We stopped by around 4 o’clock to see how it was going; more photos ahead: Read the rest of this entry »

So I went down and tried Al’s beers when everything was quiet. At the moment he has two offerings, an Irish Red, and an Abbey Wheat. Both are non-traditional styles, and it is nice to see something different from a Northwest brewer.

The Abbey Wheat; This is not a pale ale. I think it is awesome that someone is brewing something a little different. Personally, I love Abbey beers and I found this one very light and drinkable. By that I mean I could see drinking a lot of them on a hot day.

The Irish Red; I don’t know a lot about this style. It is very malty and seems more like a brown ale to me, but the only other Irish Red that I have had was a crappy Busch version of the style, and the only thing red about that was the label. Al’s beer is big but not over powering. That is a hard line to walk and he seems to have done it just fine.

The outside is pretty much the same as the old Pac Rim. Not that it’s a bad thing. I loved the Rim, and missed having a patio that I drink on. Inside, it is still a little sparse, but I am sure that will change. The lovely wine accent paper is gone. I wished I could have salvaged it before it went into the dumpster.

So all in all I give Big Al a big Thumbs up. He is having his first tap night at Beveridge Place in West Seattle tonight. Go down and ask him when he is going to make an IPA.

Beveridge Place Pub – Brewer’s Night

big al and the crew will be at Beveridge starting at 7 pm tonight, 8/14/2008. This is Big Al Brewing’s first event outside the brewery, and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ll have both of our beers on tap and there will be raffles for big al give aways.

Location : Beveridge Place Pub map
When : 7 pm until Big Al can’t take any more!

From Youngstown, a benefit for after-school programs on August 21, 2008.
SKIFFLE: A BENEFIT FOR YOUNGSTOWN’S ALL ACCESS PROGRAM
August 21
Doors open at 6 PM; show at 7 PM
$25 suggested donation

What’s a skiffle? Skiffle, an antiquated slang term for “rent party,” is derived from the fringe American art form comparable to jug band music. “Skiffle” music was developed during the early 1900s in New Orleans. Here in Seattle in 2008, Skiffle means an opportunity for local artists to come together, jam out and present collaborative visual art and musical performances to raise money for Youngstown All-Access, our after school programming in partnership with Rock School, Arts Corps and the Service Board.

During the day, eight teams comprised of community members, local artists and bands will create a work of art out of a blank canvas including guitars and basses. These masterpieces will be auctioned off the same night and accompany performances from The Boogilistics, Camille Bloom & Recovery, Scribes, and very special guests Bison, featuring members from Pearl Jam, The Presidents of the United States of America, Guns N’ Roses, and the Dusty 45’s, as well as artists and students from Arts Corps, Rock School and the Service Board.

Presenting agency Blank Canvas seeks to inspire self-expression and impact communities through art and collaboration, producing “Artist Throwdown” events to bring communities together to create spontaneous and collaborative paintings all in one day, in one place, in the service of charity.

The White Center Library Guild’s inviting you to an evening of “family fun” tonight at the Summer Readers’ Party. Snacks ‘n’ prizes! 7 pm in the library meeting room; more info here.

In reply to some of the comments regarding my post on the search for the Great Burrito, here is my reply.  Sam, as far as Vegetarian fare goes, almost all Mexican restaurants usually have some nice dishes that fully fill the nutrition bill.  Guaymas has some excellent veggie dishes and also serves whole black beans so that would be my first choice for Veggie food, although you will find some good tortas at La Fondita (taco trailer).   I agree that some of the other restaurants have excellent food as well but I was really interested in the “grab & go” variety.  Given that the burrito is perfect for this purpose, and that I love them, I focussed on them but there are other Latin American restaurants that serve great fare, most prominently  the Salvadorean Bakery. No disrespect meant for those not mentioned.

In my next search I will explore the Vietnamese cousin of the burrito:  the Vietnamese Sandwich (that which feeds those of us with quarters snatched from the sofa cushions).   I invite your observations on the best Vietnamese Sandwich in WC.   Let the games begin!

We just got a note from Roxanne announcing a Back-to-School Block Party this Friday, 3-7 pm at Mt. View Elementary and Mt. View Presbyterian Church, on 12th SW between SW 108th and 110th. Families are invited to come enjoy the party and get school supplies, with a limited number of backpacks available too, courtesy of these community organizations: Yes Foundation of White Center, World Vision, Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, Child Care Resources, White Center Community Development Association, Family Connection, Mount View PTA, North Highline Fire Department, Mt. View Presbyterian Church.