The former Pegasus Pizza at 2758 Alki Avenue S.W. is set to be torn down in the next 7 to 10 days to be replaced by a new single story brick building, similar in character to the building adjacent, now occupied by Starbucks. The project will start in the middle of August and be finished within 75 days.

Owner Tom Karvouniaris said he will be seeking restaurants or other suitable tenants. Why single story when the area is zoned for a higher structure? "I can't afford it," he said laughing.

The new building will be just over 3600 square feet, room enough for two to three tenants. Karvouniaris said he will refinish the parking area
behind the building and will have room for 11 vehicles.

CBI Contractors, who have done other structures in West Seattle is handling the work.

The Alki Art Fair, which took place over the weekend of July 24 and 25 got outstanding weather with virtually cloudless days and temperatures in the 80s.

While many people were there for the beach alone, thousands took the time to stroll through the art on display by more than 70 artists.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT.

The Seattle Parks Department wants you to know about Lego. Not just about the engineering toy itself but how it relates to the real world of engineering. To that end they are promoting their Lego Camps coming up in August that will help children build what they imagine with the help of an experienced instructor. If your child has mechanical aptitude or you think learning about engineering, physics, and architecture would be good for them, these classes might be just the ticket.

Here are the class listings from Seattle Parks:

Have a budding engineer at home? Get her going with Lego camps, where campers work with more than 100,000 Lego pieces and instruction from an experienced Play-Well Engineering instructor.

Pre-Engineering  read more »

Duwamish Peninsula artists will accomplish a weekend “art take-over” of the historic Log House Museum in West Seattle July 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The airy museum porch and surrounding patio and gardens will host several artists from all mediums – watercolor, block print, oil, photography, sculpture, glass – some of them able to work onsite.

There is no charge for this event.

A 30 minute Alki history tour will be available on Sunday at 2pm and 4pm.
The art festival is located at the Log House Museum 3003 61st Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116 one block off of Alki Beach.

This 106 year old log building shares the history of the Duwamish Peninsula from 1851 to yesterday. The museum is served by bus, water taxi and free street parking is available. The museum is ADA accessible.

For more information about the this and upcoming events, please visit www.loghousemuseum.info

In the annual kickoff for Seafair the Seafair Pirates will storm Alki Beach (near the bathhouse) today "around 11 AM" (though likely a bit later) so get there early because the crowds for this event are always large.

On the beach ready for the event, local band "Shelley and the Curves" will be ready to play on the "Car Toys AFTERSHOCK stage". A variety of merchants selling beads, dubloons and other merchandise will be in booths beachside and new this year is a Dunk Tank sponsored by CitiLights Electric.

Also on hand for kids are the inflatable rides from Clown's Unlimited.

The first 500 kids (starting @ 10:30 am) will get a free toy pirate kit. Kids are encouraged to dress the part and visit the West Seattle Kiwanis tent to get a free sample of root beer brewed by the local Ellersick Brewing Co. As part of the festivities kids can dress up in pirate garb to join in a "Pirate look-a-like" contest. Prizes are sponsored by the West Seattle Kiwanis.

You're invited to stop by FM Radio Sponsors 102.5 KZOK FM - 96.5 Jack FM who will have some giveaways, and AM 1090 will have bumper stickers.

The Seafair Pirates burried treasure on Alki Beach was in jeopardy of being stolen by King Neptune’s minions. Just when all hope seemed lost, a young pirate's apprentice by the name of Joseph Rackham of Ellensburg, Washington arrived on the beach accompanied by a Seattle Police motorcycle escort amid sirens and horns.

CLICK THE PHOTO TO SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THE EVENT

His skill as a swordsman was put to the test, and in an historic battle he defeated the blue clad army of King Neptune and saved the treasure.

For his bravery and courage he was awarded the highest honor that can be bestowed by the great Seafair Pirates….To be made a ship mate, a brethren of the high seas, A Pirate!

And so it was on July 9th 2010, Joseph Rackham became Happy Jack the Pirate with many thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation, The City of Seattle, in recognition of his derring do declared July 9th "Happy Jack Rackham Day."

So impressed with Happy Jack’s bravery even the defeated minions cheered his triumphant ascension.  read more »

Make-A-Wish working with the people at Pathfinder K-8 School staff will be at Alki Beach in West Seattle on Friday, July 9th from 7:15-8:00pm to welcome to the Seafair Pirates' crew Joseph Rackham, 13, who has wished to be a Pirate for a day.

In a note sent out to members of the Yahoo group for Pathfinder they say:
"He will insure the Legend of Seafair continues in our city and will defeat Royal soldiers who are trying to claim the Seafair Pirate's buried treasure on Alki! Because of his heroic efforts, the Pirates will do a special presentation for Joseph and he'll be named "Happy Joe Rackham" and be invited to storm the beach with the Pirates on July 10. "

How can you participate?

1. Bring friends and family to Alki Beach in West Seattle around 7:15pm on July 9 to "cheer on" our heroic pirate.

2. Dress up in your pirate-best, look like "townsfolk"

3. Joseph wished to find treasure he can keep, so if any of you have unique "treasure" to include in that chest, bring it along!!  read more »

By Patrick Robinson and Greg McCorkle

In an event on July 4 sponsored by the Alki Loghouse Museum and Southwest Historical Society "This Place Matters" brought together politicians, and preservationists joined by community members to highlight the historic significance of the Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge, a building that has been the subject of some controversy as to its operation and potential rescue over the past few years.

The building, located at 2717 61st SW, was built between 1903-1904, and is constructed of Douglas Fir logs and was originally named the Fir Lodge.
A brief history of the building can be found at HistoryLink.org.

The building became a restaurant in 1950 when it was purchased by Swend Neilson and Fred Fredricksen , who dubbed it the Alki Homestead. Walter E. and Adele Foote purchased the business in 1955 and sold it to Doris P. Nelson in 1960. It was Nelson who created created the atmosphere and theme for the Homestead that was decorated with antiques, serving family style cooking. It became famous for fried chicken dinners.  read more »

Tom Lin, owner of the historic Alki Homestead at 2717 61st Avenue Southwest is making a uniquely structured offer to area historic preservation groups. He will sell them the fire ravaged building for $2 million and in the bargain provide a $500,000 endowment to help preserve it.

The West Seattle Herald was offered an exclusive tour of the building on Friday, July 2, during which Lin pointed out specific areas of fire damage.

"My wish is to preserve the Alki Homestead Restaurant, so I'm offering it for sale and providing an endowment to make that happen," Lin said. "Ideally I"d like them to take over the project. My biggest hope is that we keep Alki Homestead Restaurant and we have the building one way or the other, almost identical, with all the safety that we need today, with access where old people with wheelchairs can go in there, without going through the kitchen," Lin explained. "Ideally I'd like to have a building that's going to last another 100 to 200 years."

Lin has owned the restaurant since July of 2005, though it took a year to close the deal, purchasing it from the estate of Doris Nelson.  read more »

An event to protest offshore drilling, 'Hands Across the Sand' will see potentially hundreds of people come to Alki Beach to join hands at noon on Saturday June 26. The event co-sponsored by political organization Moveon.org will begin at 11am near the Alki Bathhouse. The organizers have a form for those who wish to participate here.. At noon, participants will join hands, forming a line on the beach for 15 minutes.

This protest is not new or formed specifically to protest the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. It began in 2009 when Florida restaurant owner Dave Rauschkolb formed the Hands Across The Sand organization. In February, 2010 he organized a statewide gathering in his state to protest offshore drilling. That successful effort has now grown to be international in scope. According to Rauschkolb there are 852 total events organized with 757 events organized in the U.S., in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. There are events organized in 518 different U.S. cities. 87 cities outside the U.S. will be staging events as well.  read more »