Keeping up with Fremont, Bellevue now has a Beyer ; Keeping up with Fremont Bellevue now has a Beyer

Good receptionists are hard to find, said David Griffiths, owner of the new Salon Tewl in downtown Bellevue.

So he commissioned the perfect greeter: a statue by artist Richard Beyer.

Kirkland has two Beyer statues and Mercer Island has one, but this is the first one in downtown Bellevue. The artist is probably most noted for "Waiting for the Interurban," his sculpture in Seattle's Fremont district.

The Bellevue sculpture sits on a sidewalk outside the hair salon on 110th Avenue Northeast and waves in welcome. It was installed yesterday.

Griffiths has more invested than the fee.

Griffiths' family and Beyer have been longtime friends. So Griffiths and his wife, Miwa, went to Beyer's studio in Eastern Washington and helped make the artwork.

"He carves the statue in a big piece of Styrofoam (and a casing) and then pours in aluminum," Griffiths said. "We worked with him and hollowed out the Styrofoam so the aluminum could be poured into it." Kid stuff: Meghan Welch, 18 months, got superlative breakfast service Wednesday at the Overlake-area Coco's Restaurant.

Waitress Kim Lile held the toddler and another server brought a highchair while Meghan's father, Joe Welch, was taking off his coat.

Lile helped Meghan take off her coat, then showed the child the service area as Dad looked over the menu. As soon as she was settled into the highchair, Lile handed her a muffin and fruit.

Meghan, who breakfasts there most Wednesdays, happily accepted all the attention. Lile is her mother.

Green stuff: If you think the weeds in your yard grow fast, scan the budding and blossoming that starts tomorrow at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle.

Although the Northwest Garden Show doesn't open until Wednesday, the 27 display gardens will be installed over the next three days. A Web camera - tune in at www.gardenshow.com - will update the rooting process every 60 seconds.

Local salute: Don't miss "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Sunday's Super Bowl.

The music portion was recorded at Music Works' Xtreme Studios in Bellevue this week.

Not a sports fan? Then stay tuned for the upcoming CBS Television's "Memoirs of Sally Hemmings" sometime next month. Xtreme Studios also recorded the music for that special.

Quilting with attitude: The Sammamish Sew Whats, a quilting group, may have cut off more than members can stitch together, says spokeswoman Nan Slaughter.

The 17 women will hold a benefit quilt show from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow in Redmond's Happy Valley Grange building.

"Usually quilting groups with 100 to 150 women put on the shows," Slaughter said. "We've got more attitude than anything."

They've also got more heart.

The Sew Whats are raising money to help cover medical expenses of 14-month-old Madeline Murakami of West Seattle. The girl, born with a degenerative liver disease, received part of her mother's liver in a transplant last month.

Although parents Rich and Karen Murakami have medical insurance, Madeline's numerous surgeries and hospitalizations exceeded the $200,000 lifetime cap, Slaughter said.

"I heard about Madeline from her cousin's family here on the Sammamish Plateau," she said. "Her cousin is one of my piano students."

The show will feature more than 150 quilts plus three that will be raffled. Happy Valley Grange, 19720 N.E. 50th St., is near the Gray Barn Nursery on Redmond-Fall City Road. Admission to the show is $3.

Sherry Grindeland's phone message number is 206-515-5633. Her e-mail address is sgrindeland@seattletimes.co.