Columbia Citizens

Live locally.

Consult your community calendar.

• Healthy & Active Rainier Valley Coalition (Wed),
• farmers market (Wed),
• "My Jim" author at the library (Wed),
• a mosaic project (Thu),
• a bilingual play group (Fri),
• a running group (Sat),
• bicycle Sunday,
• an author reading (Tue),
• a design review meeting (Tue),
• Southeast District Council (Wed),
• and Citizens post more events all the time!

In the calendar, you can click through to each event's online information. If a local event is missing, please send a Citizen's alert.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian opens Friday, 5/22.

Angels and Demons and Star Trek continue for another week. X-Men Origins: Wolverine heads out on Thursday, 5/21.

See you at the movies.

In spite of the last three weeks of unfortunate weather, the market has been going steady and shopper counts are on the rise. This week you can expect more farm fresh aparagus, carrots, lettuce, spinich, greens, eggs, pasture raised beef, sweet spring onions, honey sticks, and more! For one week only: flash frozen, wild caught Alaskan spot prawns!

So cross your fingers for sunshine, and see you Wednesday May 20, 3-7pm.

Play and Learn Friday May 22nd from 11:30am to 1pm. Grupo Bilingüe de juegos para padres y cuidadores con niños entre las edades de nacimiento hasta 5 años. / Bilingual play group for ages birth to 5.

Giờ đọc truyện tiếng Việt! (Vietnamese Story Time) Saturday May 23rd from 1:30 to 2 pm. Thư viện công cộng Seattle tổ chức giờ đọc truyện bằng tiếng việt cho trẻ em! (The Seattle Public Library is hosting Vietnamese Story Times for young children!)

Homework Help Volunteers will assist students with homework on a drop in basis on Mon-Thu, 5-7:30pm, except for school holidays.

Please support a new play area at Seward Park

Every dollar counts! SPPIF volunteers have been hard at work applying for grants and getting the word out about the new play area planned for Seward Park. We have $100K more to go before we get the go-ahead from the City and we need individuals like you to help achieve our goal of breaking ground next spring, opening in June before school gets out. You can make a secure donation online via our page at Seattle Parks Foundation's website.

Attend SPPIF Tea Party Fundraiser May 31. Children welcome!

• When: Tea Time on Sunday, May 31st, 3:00 - 5:00pm
• Where: At the home of Mariana & Fred Quarnstrom
  5767 S Oaklawn Pl
• What: Tea, wine, punch, and tea time treats

read more...

call to artists: TOUCH

The Columbia City Gallery is pleased to announce a Call to Artists for "touch", its 4th Annual Juried Exhibit. Exhibit runs from Sept 30 to Nov 15, 2009.

Jurors for the exhibit are Suzanne Beal (independent visual arts writer/curator), Lisa Harris (Director, Lisa Harris Gallery) and Jeffry Mitchell (artist). We'll award $1,000 in cash prizes to the top three submissions.

We encourage artists in all media to submit artwork completed within the past three years which reflects the theme, touch. For a $25 entry fee, applicants may enter up to 3 pieces of art for consideration. All entries must be received by July 31.

• download the full Call to Artists
• download the entry form

Questions? moc.yrellaGytiCaibmuloC|tra#moc.yrellaGytiCaibmuloC|tra or 760-9843

New Park at 46th and Juneau!

If you've walked past Juneau and 46th recently you've probably noticed the big sign announcing a new park. Wondering what kind of park will be going in? You get to choose! Join us Wednesday, June 17th at 7pm, to give your input about what kind of park you'd like as well as to meet those involved in the process. Want a playground for kids? A p-patch? A sculpture garden? A windmill? A frog pond? This is a great opportunity to make sure the park meets the needs of our community. We want to hear from you!

read more...

Southeast District Council

A forum for all neighborhood associations, business associations, and other organizations active in the valley.

Wed, May 27, 6:30 to 8:30pm
Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave S

Northwest Authors Lecture Series

David Montgomery — "Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations." Tuesday, May 26th 6-8:30pm

Please join us at the Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center for a wonderful evening with David as he traces the history of agriculture around the world and teaches us the importance of caring for and preserving the world's limited supply of soil. This event is free and open to the public and includes a catered reception, an author led talk about the book, and a signing with the author.

For more information about David and his work please read this article.

The Columbia City Gallery celebrates 10 years!

Join us on Saturday, May 30 (5-8pm) for a 10th Anniversary Celebration & Artists' Reception — Program and champagne toast at 6:30pm. This event is free and we encourage the public to attend.

read more...

Arts in Motion — 5th year anniversary

A community celebration: bring the entire family to an afternoon of free entertainment, food and arts activities. Arts in Motion will have special guest speakers: Clarence Acox, Garfield HS Jazz Program Director and Michael Killoren — Director of the Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

June 7 from 2-6pm at 3405 S Alaska

Arts in Motion — A community school of the Arts. More information call 727-3131 or email gro.loohcsmia|ofni#gro.loohcsmia|ofni

SummerSTAGE auditions (ages 11-17)

May 23 (2-4pm) & June 6 (10am-noon) @ Rainier Valley Cultural Center

Calling all area teens! Come work with awesome professional theater artists to put on an amazing stage production. Tyrone Brown, founder and Artistic Director of Brownbox Theatre, returns to direct this year's SummerSTAGE performance, produced by Maria Glanz. Rehearsals begin June 8, and performances run July 23 - August 1. To make an audition appointment, contact Maria Glanz at 276-6471 or for info visit rvytcamp.blogspot.com.

It's not just moms who need pampering

Get Dad something he could really use for Fathers Day — a bit of stress reduction. Purchase the gift of massage (for Dad or anyone you feel like spoiling) and receive a $50 credit towards your next massage booked before July 30. Perfect for Father's day — or just treating yourself over the upcoming long weekend.

Massage For Seattle -- click here for details

A festival for the Birds!

What: International Migratory Bird Day
When: Saturday, May 23rd, from 10am - 3pm
Where: Seward Park Audubon Center
Who: migrating birds and you!

Enjoy heaps of birdy activities, games, arts, and crafts — all in honor of the migrating birds that pass through Seattle on their way north! Activities include: bird walks, migration games, bird banding demos, bird wood carvings, an Eagle Watch table, bird boxes & feeders, and a whole lot more!

Walks leave on the hour, every hour, from 10am - 2pm.

Bird Banding demos are done by Seattle Audubon's BirdWatch program from 9am - 12pm.

Columbia City in the news

• A TV spot about the Seward Park playgound project.
• Asian Counseling and Referral Service calls foul on bus cuts,
• … but Metro did the deed anyway.
• Kate Quinn Organics opens an outlet shop in Hillman City.
• Restaurant reviews for Huarachitos, Kallaloo and Verve

Hillman City Posts

• MrPeterJ posted a new bike route from Hillman City to Kirkland.

• jhoole posted an update about March for Youth — a meeting they held on Monday.