White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Looking for lunch? White Center’s all-day Cambodian New Year celebration is one place to find it. WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz sent that photo and explained that it’s “Kim of Samway Market serving up a spectacular array of food for a spectacularly great price today in the open-air vendor booth on 98th. Grills are smoking and already drawing in a crowd enticed by the fragrant grilling meats. $5.00 will get a sampling of all of the following somehow loaded onto one impossibly heaping plate: grilled fresh corn on the cob, fish patties, beef skewers, chicken wings, egg rolls, fried squid, pickled fresh veggie salad, papaya salad, fried rice with fresh vegetables and stir fry noodles with, of course, fresh vegetables.”

And if you’re thirsty? Here are Sophanny and cousins at the Thai iced-tea stand (and pineapple on a stick):

The festival continues till 5.

ADDED 2:16 PM: That’s the “Blessing Dance” by the Rainier Vista Dancers, as the festival continues. Description: “A traditional classical Khmer dance … the lyrics and fine hand gestures of the Roban Choun Por describe wishes of happiness, good health, prosperity and success to guests.” Some of what’s ahead before the festival wraps up:

2:30 Traditional Games Demonstration

3:30 Live Music (Chaiya Band) with Audience Dancing encouraged

4:50 Closing Remarks

8:39 AM: Big party in downtown White Center today – Cambodian New Year, with SW 98th closed off east of 16th SW for the occasion, events are scheduled to start at 10:30 am.

11:07 AM UPDATE: From Deanie Schwarz at the celebration – we added her video of the benediction above; here’s the schedule for the next few hours:

11:30 Rappers SJ and Princy
11:50 Dance Troupes: Coconut Dance and Rice Dance
12:00 Traditional Games and Banana Eating Contest
12:30 Healthy Cooking Demos
1:00 Dance Troupe: Scarf and Karp Dance

Then tonight, it’s Roller Derby at Southgate Roller Rink! Details here.

The White Center Community Development Association published that video to YouTube today, accompanying its report on the Lunar New Year ceremony outside Café Tam Thanh in the Delridge Triangle – see photos here.

Metro’s on a “reduced-weekday” schedule for the holiday. Most government offices/facilities are closed – no school, no mail; banks are closed too. MLK Day is also a Day of Service for many, and King County United Way tells us White Center-headquartered WestSide Baby is one of those places, with volunteers helping out at its newly expanded HQ today.

Big field trip for young singers from White Center’s Holy Family School – they were at Harborview Medical Center downtown on Thursday for its 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration. Third from left in the back row, that’s Eileen Whalen, executive director of HMC. The Holy Family Youth Choir members sang during the celebration, under the direction of Anca Wilson:

Thanks to Harborview for sharing the photos!

Yes, the power that was hooked up just the other day worked perfectly tonight for the lighting of the White Center Community Christmas Tree in the Delridge Triangle. It’s only been a week since White Center Chamber of Commerce announced plans for the tree. Video/photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux was there for WCN and partner site West Seattle Blog. If you haven’t followed the backstory, the “power” to which nearby pub owner “Mac” McElroy refers in the clip is electric power – with the help of Seattle City Light, the area got connected earlier this week, which also makes lighting possible for the flag that flies over the triangle as part of a veterans’ memorial.

White Center Now contributor Deanie Schwarz sent word this afternoon that the hoped-for power has arrived in the Delridge Triangle mini-park area, in plenty of time for Wednesday’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony (7 pm): “City Light crews just completed installation of GFCI outlet and a breaker.” She also shared the photo. This is supposed to also help provide light to the flag that flies over the veterans’ memorial that’s in the same spot, as White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes had said while making the tree announcement.

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for White Center Now/West Seattle Blog)
As White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes promised during last Wednesday’s Chamber holiday luncheon (WCN coverage here), the first community Christmas tree in a very long time went up this morning in the Delridge Triangle – and a lighting ceremony is now planned for this Wednesday. White Center Now was there to get photos as lots of volunteers made it happen:

More about them, the tree, and the lighting, in this news release just sent by the WC Chamber:

The White Center Chamber of Commerce, working in partnership with many White Center businesses and families, installed the first White Center Christmas tree in decades in Seattle’s Triangle Park, on the corner of Roxbury, 16th Ave. SW, and Delridge. The Chamber will install a tree annually as a result of the positive community response to this effort.

The idea came from a Chamber discussion about encouraging White Center businesses to install Christmas lights in their windows during the holiday season. Vary Jackson, King County Sheriff Community Service Officer (CSO), suggested that a Christmas tree would look great at the park. Mac McElroy, owner of Mac’s Triangle Pub and a Chamber board member, expressed a need to secure lighting for the American flag on the park flag pole that was installed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Mac, who is also a vet, has been raising his personal American flag on the pole for several years. American flags flown at night must be lit, so Mac has been eager to solve this issue as well.

Seattle City Light and the Seattle Department of Transportation that owns the land, have been working to resolve the access to electricity issue. White Center Chamber member McLendon Hardware (Sandy Vaughn, manager) donated $250 in Christmas lights. A White Center Buddhist family (Many, Merda and Budd Chhim) donated a beautiful 22-foot Northern pine tree from their backyard “to bring good karma to White Center.” White Center attorney Dennis Pflug and resident Jimie Martin arranged to have the tree professionally cut down. Boy Scout Troop 375, with scouts from White Center, Burien and West Seattle helped install the tree with help from the King County Department of Corrections crew.

Due to the severe rain predicted through Tuesday, December 14, the official lighting for the tree will occur at 7 pm, on Wednesday night, December 15, by White Center Chamber of Commerce members.

Note the tree’s not the only new sign of holiday cheer in the Triangle’s little park:

Meantime, more information from contributor Deanie Schwarz on the power issue, affecting both the tree and the veterans’ memorial:

Ufkes says lights will be turned on soon, hopefully only temporarily, by borrowing power,perhaps from the Triangle Pub, until the responsible agency either repairs the failed fixture on the flag pole and/or a breaker is found, or both. Normally, City light poles have identifying serial numbers located near two horizontal black bands, but somewhere along the installation process years ago, this island was not assigned an ID. Or if it was assigned some other way to track it, it ostensibly has been lost. It is not a standard streetlight, but rather a lit flagpole. Whether that is the reason no department or agency has yet found any reliable data on a city installation or its maintenance remains a bit of a mystery.

According to Mac, owner of Mac’s Triangle Pub and a Navy veteran, and Ufkes, there are few places which are even allowed to fly a flag unlit in the entire country. Beyond providing an exterior power source for the community’s future use, both are hopeful that the city repairs the flagpole power to bring it into compliance with long-standing, national, flag-displaying codes and traditions for year-round honoring of the Stars and Stripes in White Center.

Again, the tree lighting is set for Wednesday – see you there!

If you remember “Seinfeld” – or maybe even if you don’t – you know about the spoofy holiday “Festivus, for the rest of us.” This Saturday in White Center, you can join in a Festivus celebration for real – an auction, dinner, and dance, 5 pm at White Center Eagles, 10452 15th SW. See the official flyer on Facebook, where you can RSVP through the page for White Center Jubilee Days, which benefits from this Saturday’s celebration.

Coming up one week from Saturday!

Before the holiday gets too far in the rear-view mirror – that video is courtesy of IAM 751, whose members donated a half-ton candy that was delivered last Friday to the Salvation Army center for White Center/eastern West Seattle fun.

White Center’s main business district welcomed trick-or-treaters this afternoon, and WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz photographed some of the fun. She says participating businesses included Full Tilt Ice Cream, 3.14 Bakery, Uncle Mike’s Barbecue, Proletariat Pizza, Cafe Rozella, and Big Al Brewing.

MORE PHOTOS ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Just some of the costumed characters young ‘n’ old who came out this Halloween!

From the South Park Library, via the SP Yahoo! group:

South Park artist Amaranata Sandys shows us how to make sugar skulls, a traditional Day of the Dead craft, using sequins, color paint and paper flowers. A Day of the Dead altar will also be on display. For ages 5 and up.

Saturday, October 23, 12-2 p.m.
@ South Park Library

Amaranta Sandys de South Park enseñará como hacer las calaveras de azúcar, una tradición del Día de los Muertos; ultiizando lentejuelas, pintura de colores y flores de papel. Un altar de los Días de los Muertos estará en exhibición. Para niños de 5 años y más.

Sábado, 23 de octubre de 12-2 de la tarde
@ la biblioteca de South Park

8604 8th Ave. S. & S. Cloverdale St.
206-615-1688

Just announced by Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s Justin Cline via Facebook – Halloween trick-or-treating in downtown White Center. 3-5 pm Sunday, October 31st, at participating stores; here’s the Facebook events page if you’d like to RSVP and watch for more information.

TRANSIT: Metro is on a Sunday schedule. Sound Transit – per its Facebook page – will run its express buses on a Sunday schedule, but no Sounder train service. Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on a weekend schedule.

TRASH/RECYCLING: Normal schedule if you have pickup through Seattle Public Utilities

KING COUNTY LIBRARIES: Closed today

LIQUOR STORES: Open

MAIL DELIVERY: No

PARKING: If you visit an area of Seattle with parking meters/pay stations, note there’s no charge today, since Labor Day is a “parking holiday”

FOR A REGIONAL OVERVIEW: Here’s the “what’s open/closed” roundup from the Seattle Times (WSB partner).

Wishing you a safe and happy 4th of July. Till midnight, it’s legal to use fireworks within the unincorporated area – but just the type that are sold here, not the heavy-duty kind. No fireworks show in White Center itself, nor in Burien – but there’s one in Three Tree Point. Burien does have a 4th of July Parade – starts at 3 pm (more info here).

Just a quick reminder: Though fireworks have been for sale in the unincorporated area since Monday, using them is ONLY legal 9 am-midnight on Sunday. And if you are within the Seattle or Burien city limits, they are NOT legal at all.

Just a few things – No school, no mail, no government offices (with a few exceptions), no banks; trash pickup is normal; Metro is on a Sunday schedule and Sound Transit Express buses are also on a Sunday schedule; libraries are closed; state liquor stores are open.

The flash of fire, the sound of drums, all outside Pho My Loi just about an hour ago.

Tomorrow is the start of the Lunar New Year – this is the Year of the Tiger.

To celebrate New Year, the Lieu Quan Lion Dance Team (as announced by the White Center Community Development Association website) – came out to dance.

There’s a big Lunar New Year celebration under way in the International District today too – here’s coverage in the Seattle Times (WCN citywide-news partner).

You can see all 40 of our photos in this Flickr slideshow:

The White Center Community Development Association website has updated its listing for Vietnamese New Year celebrations this weekend. Now WCCDA says a lion dance is scheduled to be performed at Pho My Loi at 10 am Saturday morning – no firecrackers, though. Read more here.