White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Dig these cool binister designs by Kim McCarthy.

Kim at work

Once again, it is time for the
White Center for the Arts Open Studio Tour

This coming Saturday, May 16th, 2009 5 PM until 10 PM

Please join us as we present eight artists’ new work.
A wine and cheese event.

White Center for the Arts Building
9639 16th Ave SW
White Center, WA

206-306-6230 for additional information

www.whitecenterforthearts.org

We’re at the 34th District Democrats’ meeting tonight on behalf of White Center Now and partner site West Seattle Blog. Most WC-specific item so far – members have voted unanimously for a resolution opposing the county’s plan to shut down Evergreen Pool. (We’ll be checking with King County Council Chair Dow Constantine‘s office for the closure plan’s status.)

Just our day for pictures.  The stalls, which house, the SPD horses are actually just east of White Center.  But it’s rare that they do patrols around White Center.  This one’s a beauty.

SPD patrol on horse

SPD horse on patrol in front of Cafe Rozella

Ok, so yesterday, it was two mallards nesting in the middle of an alley.  Today, it’s a young racoon running across the front of Cafe Rozella and climbing next to one of the maples next to the cafe.  Gives a new connotation to “wildlife in White Center.”

scared racoon in maple next to Cafe Rozella

Too early to disclose but we have it on good authority that something really great is happening with the former skating rink in White Center.  Details to follow, but it is great news for White Center and for the building.

Trio Lucero Del Norte

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Cafe Rozella

Cafe Rozella will host a very special Cinco de Mayo celebration with the music of Trio Lucero del Norte, specializing in Son Huasteca.  The celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5th.  Come listen to some authentic Mexican music tinged with an indigenous feel.

Huasteca Region

The region is composed of six Mexican states: Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz.

The land known as la Huasteca derives its name from the people that inhabited the area at the time of the conquest, the Huaxtecos. La Huasteca is a multi state region focused at the mouth of the Pánuco River. The region is bounded to the north by the river Soto la Marina in Tamaulipas, to the south by the Cazones River in Veracruz, to the east by the Gulf of Mexico and to the west by the Sierra Madre Oriental crossing through the states of Hidalgo, Puebla and Querétaro in the west.

The distinctive feature of the huasteca region is the music, a style known as huapango or son Huasteco. The terms son huasteco and huapango can be used interchangeably to denote the music of the region, though huapango is the term most popularly used in Mexico.

The huapango is a style of music that is distinguished by the presence of the Trío Huasteco, and the use of the falsetto voice in singing. The Trío Huasteco is made up of three instruments (thus the term trio) – the European derived violin and two guitar variants of local origin – the large guitarra quinta or huapanguera and smaller jarana huasteca.

May 29th, (Friday) 6pm

Devil’s Dance Parade in White Center

followed by concert at Café Rozella

7pm

9434 Delridge Way SW

Seattle, WA 98106 (206) 763-5805

Cafe Rozella brings the hottest trend in Latin Music to White Center

Afro-Peruvian Dance and Music:  El Son De Los Diablos

NPR States:   “Afro-Peruvian music has complex, sensual rhythms. Its instrumentation is spare, originally just nylon-string guitar, bass and a wooden box called cajon. When it started getting outside attention in the mid-’90s, it felt new. The music’s lean architecture and introspective mood differentiated it from the likes of salsa and merengue.”

“Enslaved Africans had to make two long passages to reach Peru, first across the Atlantic, and then over the landmass of South America. The people of the so-called Black Pacific were so far removed from their African origins that the creators of Afro-Peruvian music couldn’t rely much on cultural memory. So they created instruments, rhythms and a compelling musical aesthetic that was largely a product of their imaginations. The pride of Afro-Peruvian music is the lando, an elegant dance with intertwined rhythms and a seductive undertow.”

El Son De Los Diablos will feature the musicians behind Grammy Award Winner Susana Baca.  Truly a unique experience of a hot new trend in Latin American Music.

White Center has an amazing melange of cultures.  Every weekend, you can step back to the Rio Grande Valley and enjoy authentic Tejano music.  This weekend featured the bands La Cima and Banda Kachay.  Pictures courtesy of Greg McCorkle (local artist).

Cafe Rozella will host a very special Cinco de Mayo celebration with the music of Trio Lucero del Norte, specializing in Son Huasteca.  The celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5th.  Come listen to some authentice Mexican music tinged with an indigenous feel.

Huasteca Region

The region is composed of six Mexican states: Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz.

The land known as la Huasteca derives its name from the people that inhabited the area at the time of the conquest, the Huaxtecos. La Huasteca is a multi state region focused at the mouth of the Pánuco River. The region is bounded to the north by the river Soto la Marina in Tamaulipas, to the south by the Cazones River in Veracruz, to the east by the Gulf of Mexico and to the west by the Sierra Madre Oriental crossing through the states of Hidalgo, Puebla and Querétaro in the west.

The distinctive feature of the huasteca region is the music, a style known as huapango or son Huasteco. The terms son huasteco and huapango can be used interchangeably to denote the music of the region, though huapango is the term most popularly used in Mexico.

The huapango is a style of music that is distinguished by the presence of the Trío Huasteco, and the use of the falsetto voice in singing. The Trío Huasteco is made up of three instruments (thus the term trio) – the European derived violin and two guitar variants of local origin – the large guitarra quinta or huapanguera and smaller jarana huasteca.

Come and meet PI Journalist and social media maven, Monica Guzman and other members of the BigBlog to discuss the state of journalism at Cafe Rozella this Wednesday (April 22nd) at 5:30 p.m.  Event is free.  We are located at 9434 Delridge Way S.W.  (just north of Roxbury – next to Center Tool Rental).  Meet some great people and journalists.

One of our cafe patrons was driving to the cafe when he saw an approaching car hit a child who was sumersaulted by the blow.  As the child was crawling away, her head bleeding, the driver, a young man kept repeating, “it’s ok” to his companion.  They got into the car and were about to drive away when our patron pulled his car in front of theirs and told them, “you aren’t going anywhere.”  A restaurant next to the scene emptied out and people surrounded the car while somebody called the police.  Aid units and police arrived.  No word on the condition of the child.

One of the best things about White Center is the abundance of great food.  The restaurants offer some of the tastiest array of food from around the world.  What many may have missed are the wonderful Asian markets brimming with fresh fish, tasty meats, exotic fruits, vegetables and sauces.  You can wonder around them for hours and pack away enough fresh ingredients for the choicest of meals.  So, I will be posting a listing and review of Asian markets.  If you have a favorite or a question, send it in and I will try and include it.  Bon appetit!

Typical fare in our wonderful White Center markets