Seattlest

Eight Things A Seattle Sports Fan Can Be Thankful For

Robert C. — 2009-11-25T15:30:00-08:00

Yes, we Seattle sports fans have spent the last couple of years in a horrible purgatory. Our once competitive cadre of teams crumbled. The city was banished from the Top 50 of municipal sport elite. There was wailing and grinding of teeth.

But Thanksgiving is always a time to reflect and, by the restorative powers of gravy, realize that no matter how much we think our life sucks, it actually doesn’t suck all that bad.

So in that spirit, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight the things a sports lover in Seattle can still be thankful for. We tried to do a Top 10, but, um, we couldn’t come up with that many.

We start with...

8. Our play-by-play announcers. Specifically the trinity of Dave Niehaus, Bob Rondeau, and Kevin Calabro. If you've ever tried to listen to announcers in other cities, you know that we are incredibly blessed. We once watched a Sounders game online, called by the other team's play-by-play guy who used the word "spiffy" at least four times. Meanwhile in the other booth, you had Calabro, who, in his Sonics days, was known to refer to a three-pointer as a "shocker -- two in the cake, and one in the pudding." Eat your heart out, Maya Angelou.

7. Sounders FC scarves. Best way to keep your neck warm when the power goes out. Again.

6. Seattle University Men’s Basketball. They're on their way back with the big boys now, playing their first full Division I schedule in almost 30 years. Seattle U is still in the five-year transition period during which it doesn't have a home conference and isn't eligible for the NCAA Tournament. But some day Dawgs vs. Redhawks on the national stage could happen. In the meantime, thanks guys for keeping the lights on at The Key.
This Friday and Saturday, 2:30pm in at the HoopTV Las Vegas Invitational, 710 ESPN.

5. The Seattle Mist. Look. If we're not going to let women in lingerie serve us coffee, then can we at least allow them to play full contact tackle football? Thank you. The Mist, if you didn't know, are Seattle's entry in the Lingerie Football League. They play in Kent. And say what you will about them, but we wouldn’t want to take the field against this group, especially in our skivvies. Well, ok maybe.
Next game this Friday against the Los Angeles Temptation.

4. Husky Basketball. The Dawgs maintain a #14 national ranking early in the season, but they're already shoring up the future, kind of. While turkey gives you a food coma this week, Turkey, as in the country, has given us Enes Kanter. That country's top basketball prospect, Kanter is 17, 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, and an absolute monster. He's also reportedly committed to play for UW in 2010. Experts say he'll probably go to the NBA after a year. For right now he's playing HS ball in Simi Valley, CA, presumably scaring the bejeezus out of freshmen in PE class.
Next game Sunday vs. Montana at Hec-Ed.

3. Cougs Football. In this weekend's Apple Cup they'll be starting, as a friend put it, "the terrifying" Kevin Lopina at QB. We know that in sports there's no such thing as a guaranteed win, but for the Dawgs, this is a guaranteed win.
Apple Cup, Husky Stadium, 3:30pm PT.

2. Solid High School Football. It was a pretty good football season around these parts, with schools like Bothell, Skyline, and perennial power Bellevue making headlines. We'll remember Friday nights more fondly than Saturdays or Sundays, at least this year.
Class 4A State Semifinals, #1 Bothell vs. #2 Skyline, Saturday 7 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome

1. The Sea Gals - because let’s face it. They’re the glue holding that whole operation together now.

Do Astronauts Eat Better Thanksgiving Dinners than You?

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-25T14:00:00-08:00

Astronauts eat freeze-dried T-rations, right? They eat half-frozen carbohydrate gruel, mystery meat, and dry, crumbly rolls coated with margarine from a toothpaste tube. Sheesh, the best part of an astronaut's meal is the freeze-dried ice cream. Right?

Nope. Fact is, they probably eat better than you, at least if this Thanksgiving message from NASA is to be believed. The crew of the International Space Station shares a "global variety of delicacies with their station crewmates from Russia, Canada, and Belgium." It's like Thanksgiving dinner on earth, if you invited a bunch of expatriates.

Check out the menu items they toss off oh-so casually:

Turkey and trimmings
Cauliflower and cheese.
Mushroom and truffle pâté. ("Very delish")
Creamed spinach.
Fruit.
Spicy green beans.

About the only thing we're not jealous of is their choice of starch--astronauts have to eat tortillas so they don't get breadcrumbs all over the ISS.

Movember Members Party in Style

Amy Mikel — 2009-11-25T12:55:47-08:00

Unless you’re capable of sprouting a 'stache by Saturday, it’s a little too late to participate in the Movember Mo-growing fundraiser to raise awareness and funding for prostate and testicular research. ("Mo" is slang for moustache). But! Stop by Twist this Saturday for the Seattle Movember Gala Parté--one of many Movember parties hosted in cities across the world--to celebrate the wrap-up of Movember and to help thank the Mo members for working to benefit the cause.

Learn more about Movember and the global Gala Partés by watching the Mo intro below.

Saturday, November 28, 9:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. // Twist, 2313 1st Ave. // Tickets $10 (Free for those who raised $100 or more for Movember)

Car Crash on Viaduct Dislodges Debris

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-25T11:14:00-08:00

A car spun out of control and hit a guardrail on the Alaskan Way Viaduct yesterday afternoon, causing debris to fall onto Yesler and Alaskan Way. This really compounds the nervousness we have leftover from the last time we checked in on the Viaduct.The promised automated closure system is looking real appealing right now.

Can't Miss It: Thanksgiving Eve

ryan — 2009-11-25T10:30:00-08:00

"Wild Turkey male displaying" courtesy of dracobotanicus

It's a slower day than usual in the Emerald City, as many of us mentally prepare ourselves for dealing with travel, family, and gluttony. So instead of our normal list of events around the city, we're presenting a list of "can't miss" opportunities to prepare for the big day tomorrow.

BRINE THE TURKEY: Whether cooking a classic roast or deep frying a turkey, a saltwater bath will yield a juicy, fully seasoned bird. After brining the turkey for about four hours, it needs to be rinsed, patted dry, and left to air dry in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. The turkey is now ready to be cooked. Those that read the post about cooking a turkey sous vide recall that breasts are fully cooked before thighs. Breasts should register 165 and thighs should register 170 on a thermometer.

MIX THE PIE DOUGH: Once pie dough is mixed, it needs to rest in the fridge for at least an hour, or up to two days. To ensure a flaky crust, large pieces of butter need to be cold in order to hold the dough apart long enough to set, creating layers within the crust. Cold dough is also easier to work with.

SIDE DISHES: Take advantage of the opportunity to make any side dishes that won't suffer from being made a day in advance. Cranberry sauce is an ideal make-ahead dish since it isn't typically served hot. If you choose to make a gravy with the turkey neck and giblets, those can be simmered with chicken broth for an hour and refrigerated. Then on Thanksgiving Day the broth can be reheated, thickened, and combined with turkey drippings to complete the gravy.

WINE PAIRING: We wish all the cooks out there the best of luck and hopefully these tips will make your Turkey Day a little less stressful. But if you get nothing else done, please make sure your wine/beer/cider pairings are planned out. An abundance of alcohol will buy you time in kitchen if you're behind--and in the unlikely event that you overcook the turkey, it will make it a little easier to swallow.

Seattlest Pix 09Nov25

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-25T06:30:00-08:00

"ROY STREET COFFEE CHAIRS" by SEADEVI, from our Flickr pool

Thanksgiving Pairing Suggestion: Dessert Isn't Just a Meal

Paul Orchard — 2009-11-24T17:00:00-08:00

Image by gaijinrunner from the Seattlest flickr pool.

Filled with overeating, healthy conversation, and libations, Thanksgiving is truly an American tradition. In our final installment of beer and "the bird" we cover the second favorite entree: dessert. Besides consuming a nice lager, stout, or sour ale, one might consider contacting your local brewery for some spent grains. More will be mentioned on this, including a recipe for the real beer pancakes. Check out past entries on what to pair with turkey, and what to serve with your sides.

Apple Pie: As American as this dish is (brought from England by the colonists) it has many variations from the crust (Graham Cracker?) to the filler (Granny Smiths rock). For a twist, why not swing over to Gelatiamo for some Pike Stout Gelato to garnish.

Pumpkin Pie: Another holiday tradition with varying recipes. Besides the filling and the crust the spices in this dish include, allspice, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. What better way to enjoy this then with an Elysian Night Owl.

Chocolate Cake or Brownies: It's a little over-indulgent, but you might consider a Pike Entire (bourbon barrel aged and blended stout). For a more inexpensive option, try the Elysian Dragonstooth, Hale's Troll Porter, Baron Doppelbock, or a Ram Mocha Stout (currently on draft at Northgate).

Beer Floats: There's a common misconception that you can't make a float without soda. But beer also contains a great deal of carbonation which contributes to its aroma. Paired with the right ice cream and the right beer one can enjoy this adult dessert while your little one enjoys their soda variant. A couple of tasty beers include the Trade Route Pandan Brown (with Vanilla Ice Cream), and Elysian Night Owl (with Pumpkin or Eggnog Ice Cream). Check with a local Baskin-Robbins to see if the Egg Nog is in stock.

Spent Grain Pancakes: This is a bonus recipe. Made from grains that previously were used to produce beer, all you need to do is contact a local brewery (ie, Elysian, Maritime Pacific, Hales, Big Al, Pikes, Big Time, Fremont, Two Beers, Schooner Exact). Warning, breweries dispose of grain all the time, so call and find out the day they are brewing in order to get the freshest leftovers. The recipe will work after you have dried the grains (in the oven on low heat). You make the same way you make your garden variety pancakes.

1/4 cup natural granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)
1/4 cup real-deal, PURE, maple syrup
2 tablespoons water, 2 cups spent brewery grains
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder,
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup natural granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 1/4 cups organic buttermilk
2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheers!

]]>

Seattle to Remain Famous for Coffee and Rain

Mary Perkins — 2009-11-24T16:00:00-08:00

"Ronald Reagan crime watch" by El Gregein, from our Flickr pool.

Well, we can’t be number one at everything. Washington, DC-based CQ Press has just released its list of the most crime-ridden cities, and Seattle didn’t even crack the top 100. Seattle ranked 183rd on the list, right after fluffy-sounding Downey, CA. Our neighbor to the South, Portland, managed to top us, coming in at 173.

So who are the ~~winners~~ losers in all of this? Rounding out the top ten most dangerous cities are:

1. Camden, NJ
2. St. Louis, MO
3. Oakland, CA
4. Detroit, MI
5. Flint, MI
6. New Orleans, LA
7. Birmingham, AL
8. Cleveland, OH
9. Jackson, MS
10. Memphis, TN

Encouragingly, New Orleans lost its number one seat from last year and fell to the number six spot. Of the top ten, the only West Coast city that made the list was Oakland, CA although Compton, CA wasn’t far behind at number 12.

How does CQ arrive at these seemly arbitrary rankings? Well, almost the same way the Princeton Review does. The authors examine FBI statistics for violent crime, murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, property crime, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. They then use those numbers to calculate a numerical ranking. This ranking is published just in time to ruin the mayor of Camden, NJ's Thanksgiving holiday.

We think it’s safe to assume the reason Seattle wasn’t ranked higher was the lack of an excavator hijacking metric in calculations. Perhaps this will be remedied next year, but for now, let’s all just bask in the glow of not living in Detroit. Now there’s something to give thanks for.

]]>

Tuesdays are Muppet Days

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-24T14:18:00-08:00

Apropos of it being 2:18 on a relatively banal Tuesday, here's Bohemian Rhapsody as sung by the Muppets. (via Chicagoist).

Dishin': Steaks 'n Shrimp at Frank's Oyster House

Jay — 2009-11-24T14:00:00-08:00

For the year's final Dish-Off in City Arts before the year-end playoff issue, a steak house and an oyster house interpret Uncle Kracker's "Steaks 'n' Shrimp"--the most risque song in Dish-Off history. It was interesting to see how two chefs from traditional restaurants interpreted lyrics that end, "I'm all about today and I'm-a die that way...bitch."

Steve Cain at El Gaucho in Bellevue put together an interesting array of dishes, including one he called "Bitches and Prawns" made with Courvoisier, tarragon, and a whole lot of attitude. Meanwhile, Felix Penn at Frank's Oyster House made his own menu, including one dish that combined the two theme ingredients. Pictured here is his "Shrimp Broth-Poached Quail Egg on Truffled Steak Tartare."

The "Steaks 'n Shrimp" Dish-Off is in the November issue of City Arts, which is now available in stores and kiosks. You'll want to check out the entrees that Cain and Penn put together in tribute to Uncle Kracker's ode to livin' large.

Everybody Drinks at Rick's Clive's

Ronald — 2009-11-24T13:15:14-08:00

]]>

If you're in the know, you know the headline as the original title of Casablanca. If not, well, there's this report from Victoria, BC, with a supporting cast of ne'er-do-wells and barflies from Seattlite.

They would be Robert Hess, cocktail guru and author of the online Drinkboy directory of cocktails, and Murray Stenson, barman extraordinaire at ZigZag. Keep your eyes peeled, they're making cameo appearances in the verbiage that follows about the tight little (Vancouver) Island's interlinked bar scene.

First, a bit of history. When Clive Piercy, who loved to go hunting in the prairies of Alberta with his German pointer, Shaker, built the 19-story, 177-room Chateau Victoria in 1975, he put a gourmet restaurant (Vista18) on top and a coffee shop (Victoria Jane's) on the ground floor. If we know anything, fashion changes with the seasons, furnishings wear out over the decades, and old dogs chase their last grouse. Shaker has been gone for almost 25 years but lives on in bronze outside the Chateau's front door. Piercy's still very much alive, and the one-time coffee shop, reworked as a lounge, now bears his own name.

And now, if you would, please join us inside.

It's a comfortable room (fireplace, traditional leather, contemporary glass); what's unexpected is the bar manager, Shawn Soole, a lively bloke from Brisbane, with both Aussie informality (spiky hair) and a serious focus.

Mixologists, of course, don't just "tend bar;" they combine the elements of a cocktail with the skill and understanding of ingredients you'd expect of a creative chef. Hence this unusual Negroni, with Amaro Ninino substituting for Campari. (By coincidence, this very morning, Eric Asimov's column this morning in the New York Times covers the range of Italian amari.)

Some folks find Campari too bitter, according to Shawn, though it falls into the same general category as Jäeger, dude. Add shots of Punt è Mes and Beefeater 24 and you've got yourself a Negroni on steroids, flavorwise. He also makes a sort of Negroni Light, with a Campari-flavored egg-white foam, which Seattlest found singularly unappetizing.

One of the bar toys at Clive's is an absinthe fountain, which Shawn put to good use with a Canadian absinthe, Taboo, distilled in the Okanagan. Flavors of star anise, hyssop and fennel here, rather than licorice. There's an extensive post in our archives about absinthe, part of our review last year of the Arctic Club Hotel's Polar Bar, which is worth rereading. It quotes cocktail authority Robert Hess, who is also reverently cited in Clive's menu as the savior of the Trident cocktail.

In his spare time, Shawn is associate editor of Chilled Magazine and runs a company called The Liquid Revolution, which sells a professional-quality, 12-inch muddler of his own design. Among the muddler's most enthusiastic supporters are Shawn's cross-town competitor, Solomon Siegel (who runs Solomon's, another serious cocktail bar, sorry we missed you this time around) and Kevin Brauch, aka The Thirsty Traveler, whose show is seen on Food Network in Canada and Fine Living Network in the US.

Sorry, too, that we were a couple of weeks too late to attend the Art of the Cocktail, a two-day fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival, which drew dozens of star mixologists from BC, Washington and Oregon. Named best mixologist of the Pacific Northwest was Vancouver's luminary David Wolowidnyk, bar manager at South Granville's West. Solomon Siegel finished third. Among the judges, Seattle's Murray Stenson.

We warned you: everything is connected. Six degrees of alcohol, no doubt.

Clive's Classic Lounge, 740 Burdett Ave (ground floor, Chateau Victoria), Victoria BC, 250-361-5684

Presented By:

2009-11-24T13:15:14-08:00

Can't Miss It: Tuesday

Jen — 2009-11-24T10:00:00-08:00

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC: Screw New Moon, Fantastic Mr. Fox is finally here and that's enough to make us completely forget about all of this crazy vampire nonsense. As Wes Anderson's first attempt in animation--and stop-motion animation at that--Fantastic Mr. Fox, written by the fantastic Roald Dahl, was our all-time favorite book circa sixth grade, and we couldn't be more excited about it being on the big screen. Expect to hear all of your favorite Anderson castmates, such as Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, ~~the blonde one~~ Owen Wilson, and new additions such as Jarvis Cocker (whoa!), George Clooney, and Meryl Streep, along with Anderson, himself, voicing a weasel. Wow. We only go to the movies about once or twice a year, but after watching the trailer back in September, we've been anticipating this week for quite some time. So instead of waiting in the long vampire lines (you know they won't have sex), come see adorable foxes, weasels, and badgers fight against the mean farmers for those tasty chickens and their fantastic lives.

12:01 a.m. // Regal Meridian 16, 1501 7th Ave. // Tickets: $7.50-10.50

GET YOUR READ ON: Experimental rock duo The Books are here tonight and we have no doubt that this will be one great show. Known for their thoughtful mixes in electronica, folk, and acoustic music, The Books are experimental yet accessible, and we're positive that there will be a little bit of everything most likely including different samples of fun and interesting sounds, music, and speech. You've probably heard them more than you realize in any bookstore or coffee shop, but if you haven't, once you see their awesome website, it's hard not to fall in love. With great song titles such as, "Smells Like Content," "Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again," and "S is for Everysing," The Books are truly unique in all of their albums, and we are definitely looking forward to seeing that translation on stage.

7 (all ages), 9:30 p.m. (21+) // The Triple Door, 216 Union Street // Tickets: $15

IF YOU NEED SOME HOLIDAY CHEER: Brass Band Northwest will be playing tonight in Phinney Ridge for free! Great for all ages, and a fitting family outing for the season, we're sure you'll get a head start on hearing all of your favorite holiday classics, plus many of the band's own favorites. And really, who can resist a free brass band?

7:30 p.m. // St. John Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave N. // FREE

Mayor-To-Be Schedules Town Halls for Input and Companionship

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-24T09:00:00-08:00

Welcome to Seattle by Forrest P from the Seattlest flickr pool.

Did you really think casting your vote had fulfilled your civic duty? Oh, no! No no no! You've got some town halls to attend! Mike McGinn's planning three town halls before stepping into the Mayor's office as a decision maker in January. The focus will be on the three central questions the McGinn team sent out to community leaders earlier this month:

How do we build the strongest possible team to achieve the policy objectives and values set forth by the campaign (grass roots community involvement, transparency, and neighborhood focus)?

How do we build public trust in the new administration?

What do you view as the incoming administration and the city’s greatest challenge—what should the new administration do first out of the gate?

After running a campaign staffed entirely by volunteers, it's good to see that McGinn will be continuing to engage members of the public as he takes the reins from Nickels. McGinn has said he plans to "open source" his transition. We're happy he's getting input from the public, and frankly relieved he's doing so using the internet in addition to traditional media. But judging from a quote McGinn gave the Stranger, this might be more about the wintertime blues. The transition's been a little forlorn:

"The first day we showed up..it felt a little lonely," McGinn says. "The office was always packed with people and had a lot of energy end excitement, and then it was just me and a few transition staff heading up to a rather sterile office space."

Sounds like somebody's got the post-election blues! (The post-election blues present the same symptoms as the post-vacation blues, but without a tan.) After coming down from the excitement of winning a long, challenging campaign, it's no wonder he's feeling a little lonely. The nights are long and the days are gloomy. Mike, we don't blame you if you just need some company to get you through the drearier months.

~~Two~~ All three town halls are confirmed:
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday, November 30 // Northgate Community Center, 10510 5th Avenue NE
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 1 // Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Avenue S
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m, Wednesday, December 2 // Paul Robeson Performing Arts Center at Rainier Beach High School, 8815 Seward Park Ave S

Seattlest Pix 09Nov24

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-24T06:30:00-08:00

"DAY 41: OUCHIE" by DANNY NGAN, from our Flickr pool

Dance Dance Party Party Back in Session

Amy Mikel — 2009-11-23T15:00:28-08:00

Newsflash: the DDPP Seattle Chapter has not been disbanded, just put on hold while loverly "den momma" Kelly Wiggins ran off to get married! Now she is back, and has her things in order, and the first re-installment of the girls-only, no-holds-barred dance workout class is scheduled for tomorrow night at Fremont Abbey Arts Center. The rules of the class are simple--"No boys, no booze, no judgment"--and what’s left over is a 90-minute open-floor dance class (of sorts) with the DJ spinning and the lights turned low.

Dance Dance Party Party originated in 2006 with two New York City girls: Glennis McMurray and Marcy Girt. The idea was to extract the fun and feverish cardio of dancing out at a club from the annoyance of cover charges, creepy guys, hurty shoes, and too-tight pants. (We do that last one to ourselves, ladies). So Dance Dance Party Party is simply that, a place where women can gather, blast music, and just dance. Since its inception, DDPP chapters have cropped up all over the place and we are very happy to see that it’s being reinstated here in Seattle. Moving? Traveling? Check out the main DDPP site for a listing of the dozen-plus chapters internationally and in the States.

Let’s dance! See you there.

Tuesday 11/24, 6:30-8 p.m. // Fremont Abbey, 4272 Fremont Ave. N, lower level // $5

Thanksgiving Pairing Suggestion: Sides with a Pint

Paul Orchard — 2009-11-23T14:00:00-08:00

Image by gaijinrunner from the Seattlest flickr pool.

In terms of food, Thanksgiving is all about the bird. Side dishes are nothing more than filler, but they still stand up by themselves when one uses the right "brew." This week, we continue looking at the theme of beer with a helping of thanks.

Potatoes (ref. Mashed, Scalloped, Baked) & Dinner Rolls. When it comes to quality pairings, the common denominator is a beer that produces a "biscuit-like" sensation when it's consumed. Local examples of "bready" beer are Elysian ESB, former-Seattleite Trade Route Pandan Brown Ale, Big Al Local Hero #5 Mild Mannered Brown, Hales Cream Ale, or a Pike Tandem Brown Ale.

Candied Yams. This is a dish that some people can live without. Between the butter, marshmallows, and spices in this dish, it can be consumed with a Hale's Cream Ale or an Elysian Night Owl. You could also add some Baron Maibock to the sauce for an interesting kick.

Black Olives (see The Ultimate Finger Food). A Mediterranean import like this that produces a salty, slightly acidic flavor would be best served against a bitter or sour beer. Big Time Scarlett Fire, Universal Pale Ale, Pikes Pale Ale, Georgetown Manny's Pale Ale, or an Elliott Bay Red Von Borrian come to mind.

More options are coming, including Pumpkin or Apple Pies served with a nice spiced or sweet beer!

Cheers.

Can't Miss It: Monday

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-23T11:00:00-08:00

HIDDEN CAMERAS: Toronto group Hidden Cameras play a sort of unpredictable lovely folk-pop. Catch them at the Triple Door tonight if you're into yelps and violins. With Gentleman Reg. All ages.

7:30 p.m. // Triple Door, 216 Union Street // Tickets: $18

AN OAK TREE: Local critics have called Tim Crouch's An Oak Tree An Actor's Worst Nightmare Realized. The theatrical experiment is written for one rehearsed actor and one unrehearsed actor. Sounds fascinating and excruciating. Writhe in discomfort at intentionally unrehearsed drama tonight at Theater Shmeater.

8:00 p.m. // Theater Shmeater, 1500 Summit Avenue // Tickets: $12-$15

ZZ TOP: And finally, if you're a traditionalist or just really dig on beards, ZZ TOP plays the Everett Comcast Arena tonight. Like so many bands whom we're slightly nostalgic for, ZZ Top's appeal is best explained in video form.

8:00 p.m. // Comcast Arena, 2000 Hewitt Ave # 200, Everett // Tickets: $37--$57

Seattlest Pix 09Nov23

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-23T06:30:00-08:00

"CHUCK IN THE YARD" by PHOTOCOYOTE, from our Flickr pool

Around The -Ists This Week

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-22T13:00:00-08:00

Gothamist was saddened after seeing why Sad Panda is so so sad.
DCist caught up with the dapper gents and ladies who took to the streets in high style for the D.C. Tweed Ride.
Torontoist Googled its city. Googled it hard.
Seattlest sputtered in disbelief at a grassroots campaign in favor of a proposal to dig the world's largest open-pit mine.
LAist wondered if the city's drivers are ready to go Dutch--as in be taxed based on miles driven instead of the current taxes levied on roads and new car purchases.
Bostonist interviewed Russell Ferguson of So You Think You Can Dance.
Shanghaiist rounded up all the news you'd ever need to read about Obama's town hall in their fair city.
Phillyist wondered if all the fun was on its way out of town.
Chicagoist focused on Oprah Winfrey's announcement that she plans on ending her show in 2011--which resulted in Mayor Daley blaming the media--causing Chicagoist to reflect on the Oprah of yesteryear.
SFist yearned for a McRib sandwich comeback.
Londonist mapped every London location that Sherlock Holmes visited. So now you know.

Manifold Motion's Miscellenea II Wraps Up Tonight

Amy Mikel — 2009-11-22T12:32:10-08:00

Tonight is the last chance to catch Manifold Motion's Miscellenea II program, presented at the Canoe Social Club in the International District. To sum up: Manifold Motion is a company - helmed by Artistic Director Keely Isaak Meehan - that produces work by collaborating interdisciplinary artists. The Miscellanea programs are an extension of Manifold Motion's normal productions, an opportunity for Manifold to further support their collaborators by giving them additional exposure and a platform to present new work.

The whole thing is a recipe for success. Let's look at how everything fits together. Canoe Social Club is a membership driven artists' club, established in January 2009. The club provides a social gathering spot for artists as well as an space to exhibit, rehearse and perform work. So in turn, with support from Canoe Social Club (Meehan is a member) and direction from Manifold, Miscellanea II's lead artists are provided assistance with production, marketing, a space to rehearse and a stipend for their efforts. And as Meehan has collaborated with these artists before, trusts and respects them, they are granted much artistic license, with the main limitation being that each Miscellanea program piece must clock in at less than ten minutes.

This backstory is important because it shows how all these elements combine to make it possible for the community to see what its performance artists have to offer, and indeed, Miscellenea is really an avenue for sharing. Without going into too much detail about each piece in the program, it can generally be said that this really is a group of young, talented performers - some happen to be professionals, others not - and that Meehan has assembled an eclectic program of imaginative proportions.

Highlights include Bridget Gunning on the aerial silks, accompanied by bassist Evan Flory-Barnes, a powerful poem written and read by Linden Ontjes, the beautifully played harp+vocal solo by Monica Schley and pre-recorded video work overlaid with Memmi Ochi's live marimba solo. Not to exclude every other performer, truly, but the important thing to establish is that the entire program is an excellent presentation of alternate art forms, or a welding together of independent disciplines to make pieces that are new and different and interesting.

The great thing about Miscellenea is that, unlike programs like On The Boards 12 Minutes Max, it brings together independent artists to work together as a group; the program is presented as a whole instead of isolated segments of individual expression. You can somehow sense this throughout, but its cemented with the final piece of the program, an ensemble jazzercise with silly choreography and gold and black spandex outfits, an artistic way of telling the audience: we enjoyed putting this all together for you, and we hope you had fun.

tonight, 7 p.m. // Canoe Social Club, 409 7th Avenue South // $15-30

]]>

Seattlest Pix 09Nov22

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-22T06:30:00-08:00

"FALL DROPS" by MIKE FIECHTNER, from our Flickr pool

Touch Me, I'm Sick

Ian Chant — 2009-11-21T14:00:00-08:00

poster for MDM

A caveat - unless you've been living in a cave, on Mars, with your fingers in your ears and refusing to check your RSS feed, you are probably, like any right thinking person, thoroughly sick of listening to the health care debate. That's entirely understandable. But being tired of hearing about it doesn't make the issue any less pressing, and as health care reform gets closer and closer to law, we've all got to pay attention, just for a little while longer. If only paying attention to was more compelling. Is there no prescription for our health care fatigue?

Enter Money Driven Medicine, playing Sunday night at the Northwest Film Forum. Producer Alex Gibney has a gift for taking the headlines of the day and turning them into carefully crafted, eminently watchable documentaries like his 2007 Academy Award winner Taxi to the Dark Side. If there is any way to make talking about the American health care system seem novel and fresh again, Gibney is about the best candidate to do so.

Seattlest Pix 09Nov21

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-21T06:30:00-08:00

"091031 TRICK" by RYAN CUNNINGHAM, from our Flickr pool

Rainy Dawg Radio gets a local

TysonLynn — 2009-11-20T14:00:01-08:00

Rainy Dawg Radio, the University of Washington student-run radio station, presents its third annual local music showcase tonight with Phil Elvrum of Mount Eerie, Portlanders Cars + Trains, Naomi Punk, and Secret Colors (aka Matt Lawson).

The show is happening in the HUB North Den at 7pm and it's $4 with UW I.D. or $8 without. The first hundred people to arrive at the show will receive a copy of Rainy Dawg Radio’s second “Live @” compilation, featuring Born Ruffians, Pica Beats, Nurses, White Rainbow and Tiny Vipers. Everyone else will receive a small, itching feeling of inferiority.

For more information, directions, and need to know contact ST. A Map to HUB and The North Husky Den is available here.

Friendly Folk-Pop for the Kids: Hey Marseilles at Vera This Saturday

Matt Whiting — 2009-11-20T12:53:00-08:00

Before the seasons changed and our rain-induced pseudo-hibernations began, we were able to gather up many fond musical memories during festival season. During one such venture we were able to talk to Hey Marseilles and Fences as part of our Better Know a CHBP Band series. As luck has it the two bands will be playing the Vera Project this Saturday. (Tickets $10, all ages, 7:30 PM)

We were able to catch up with HM frontman Matt Bishop. For you, our dear readers, we've included the highlights of our exchange below.

What have you all been up to since we last spoke before your CHBP performance?

Block Party and Bumbershoot exceeded expectations; the crowds had great energy and were larger than we anticipated considering how early our sets were. (That was especially humbling at Bumbershoot, where it poured the morning of our performance, yet the Broad Street lawn fill out pretty completely). We’ve been on a sort of hiatus since then; my professional obligations take me out of town for a couple of months each fall and I’ve just returned. In the meanwhile, we’ve been preparing to remix, remaster, and rerelease To Travels & Trunks nationally, and we’ve been writing new songs, one or two of which we hope to debut on Saturday.

When we saw you at two of your summer festival performances, CHBP and Bumbershoot, you all were able to elicit a very favorable response from the audiences. What calibrations do you all make when prepping to play more intimate settings, where presumably the vast majority of those in attendance are there to see you?

Whether we’re performing for a crowd who’s come to see us or not, our primary focus is to make our live performance an engaging and unique experience separate from our record. If it’s a more intimate setting, we’re lucky to have the flexibility that at an extreme means we can unplug our amps and pull out our patch cables and play acoustically. In larger settings, we might rehearse with an additional instrument corps or find other ways to engage the crowd in a compelling way.

Vera holds a very special place in the hearts of many around these parts. How do you compare the experience of playing Vera to other venues?

We are excited to find out for the first time what it will be like to play at Vera; to play there has been on our list of aspirations since we started. And we’re looking forward to continuing to set up more all ages shows, into the immediate future and beyond. We are hopeful that inherent youthful exuberance will replace the energy frequently provided by drink.

The Give album is one of the best benefit compilation's we've heard in quite a while. How did you all get involved with the project and what's your pitch on why our reader's should check it out?

Michael Hebb of Caffe Vita asked us to participate and we were pretty humbled to be a part of such a reputable lineup. Your readers should check it out because it embodies two important Seattle values: supporting issues of social import and excellent local music.

What's next for HM during the upcoming holiday season and beyond?

We’re looking forward to our first official tour—a short West Coast jaunt in early January—and we’re going to be on a Starbucks compilation that’s to be released nationally that same month. And the Holidays themselves usually mean heavy doses of egg nog while recording Christmas tunes in Jacob’s loft.

]]>

UW Women's Cross Country to Defend National Title

Amy Mikel — 2009-11-20T12:30:23-08:00

University of Washington’s cross country teams head down to Terre Haute, Indiana this weekend for the NCAA National Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championship races, which take place on Monday morning. Should be interesting, it’s no big deal--the women are only returning as defending National Champions since they clinched the very first NCAA Championship in program history last year.

It’s been 11 years since a UW program has successfully defended a National Championship. (Women’s Crew won back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998.) But as the No. 1-ranked women’s team is so far undefeated this year, with eleven straight wins dating back to last season, let’s just hope nothing goes horribly, horribly wrong.

The women have been consistently strong all year, ranked No. 1 since the preseason, while the men’s team has rallied to tiptoe up the charts, ranked 24th nationally preseason and entering the NCAA Championships ranked as 17th. The men’s team placed 18th at Nationals last year.

UW is hosting a live viewing of the race Monday morning at the Ram Restaurant in the University Village Mall. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. The race will be also streamed on CBS college sports and NCAA.com. VERSUS (formally Outdoor Life Network) will be televising the meet as well. Or, keep tabs via UW’s track & field twitter feed. Men’s race begins at 9:08 a.m. PST, Women's at 9:58 a.m.

Give Back: Girls Rock! Seattle

Amy Mikel — 2009-11-20T11:41:00-08:00

Tonight Girls Rock! Seattle will host a "50 Shows in 50 States" fundraiser at The High Dive, featuring performances by Goodness, The Redwood Plan, Eighteen Individual Eyes, and Alicia Dara. The fundraiser is part of a nationwide effort to raise money and awareness for Girls Rock! Seattle and the Girls Rock Camp Alliance (GRCA), an international coalition unifying girls’ rock camps and girls’ music projects around the world. The goal of the fundraiser is to hold 50 shows in 50 states on the same day to benefit the cause.

Girls Rock! Seattle, formed this year, is the newest addition to the GRCA coalition, with a mission to "build positive self-esteem in girls, and encourage creative expression through music." In August, Girls Rock! Seattle held its first annual week-long summer camp for 39 girls, ages 9-16, where the girls received instruction in guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, wrote original songs, formed bands, rehearsed the whole shebang, and performed live at the end of the week at The Vera Project.

Currently Girls Rock! Seattle is entirely managed and supported by volunteers, receiving bookkeeping, PR, and legal support from independent contractors. The program hopes to eventually see enough growth to support a full-time staff and a year-round schedule of programs.

Doors open @ 8:00 p.m. // The High Dive , 513 N 36th St. # G // tickets $10, all proceeds benefit the Girls Rock Camp Alliance and Girls Rock! Seattle

Presented By:

2009-11-20T11:41:00-08:00

Little Big Band Talks Respect, Honor, and Action

ASM — 2009-11-20T11:30:00-08:00

Meet Gene Tagaban, storyteller, musician, motivational speaker, life trainer, and the emcee for a wonderful event tonight presented by The Burke Museum called Tribute to the Spirit: Little Big Band. The event, which features representatives from seven different First Nations on one stage, is "an unprecedented gathering of Native American performers." Tagaban is a member of the music collective Little Big Band, a group created by bassist and glass artist Preston Singletary. The band includes eight artists who play a blend of funk, soul, jazz, blues, and rock, and Tagaban says he brings “much of the traditional aspects of the bands performance with storytelling, Native American flute, drumming, singing, and dance.” Read on after the jump for our interview.

When Seattlest got in touch with Tagaban on Wednesday, he was fresh from the recording studio.

Tagaban: I’m recording a CD of Native American Flute music, my goal is to have it available for Christmas.

With the event coming soon, what are you working on now to prepare for it?

LBB has been rehearsing the last couple weeks. Star Nayea the lead singer has a couple new songs that are in the works for this Friday. Along with myself, James Luna, Preston Singletary of the Tlingit Nation, Swil Kanim, a classical violinist of the Lummi Nation, Nicholas Galanin of the Tlingit/Aleut nations, and Philip Charette of the Yupik nation will be performing as well.

The Tribute to the Spirit: Little Big Band concert commemorates the end of the 100th anniversary year of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Along with the A-Y-P symposium tomorrow, it complements The Burke Museum’s A-Y-P: Indigenous Voices Reply exhibit. One hundred years ago, Northwest natives were exploited and used for entertainment at the world’s fair. The exhibit, set along side 1909 objects and photographs, "explore[s] how the representation and understanding of indigenous people and cultures has changed or not changed over 100 years." Tonight’s event continues the exhibit’s responses and features many of the exhibit’s artists.

How would you describe your response and the responses of some of the other performers?

I’d just like to say we’ve come a long way, yet we have much more to learn about respect and honor not just for Native people but for all People. I hope those who attend the event Friday night will walk out with the feeling that we are all in this together.

What motivated you to become a motivational speaker?

Awesome parents, grandparents, family and teachers. They loved and Honored me which allowed me to love and Honor myself. I was given a gift to teach, it’s my responsibility to share this gift in a world where so many are suffering, especially the children. If we really want to see change in the world we need to be the change. Share the Love, Spirit and Honor.

You seem to be a tremendously busy man. What do you have in store for 2010, whether for yourself or any other collaborative efforts?

Keep an eye out for each of the artists involved with the event Friday. We all have projects in the works in our own way. What I enjoy about these individuals is that they are taking action. Instead of complaining and talking they are doing. Come and share the experience, and walk out experienced.

]]>

Can't Miss It: Weekend Edition Nov 20-22

TysonLynn — 2009-11-20T11:00:00-08:00

"Fingers" courtesy of Seattlest Flickr pool member aaronbrethorst

BALLARD JAZZ WALK: Over the past six years, the Ballard Jazz Festival has moved from a community event into a nationally recognized festival before deciding that being a neighborhood party with international cred is a rather sweet niche. You know, creamy big band with a hard bop nougat. The Walk starts at 7 p.m. and offers 18 bands spread over 12 venues. Schedule here [pdf]. Come walk around the candy store.

7:00 p.m. // Various Ballard Locations // Tickets: $25

THE BEST ROCK AND ROLL SHOW EVER: Look, we know everyone’s tastes are varied and unique, making "best ever" statements subjective at best, disingenuous at worst. However, we feel comfortable declaring Saturday night’s pairing of King Khan and Those Darlins inspired, quite possibly medicinally. If not the alignment of stars, then something that looks a lot like it. Try not to stare too hard.

9:00 p.m. // Chop Suey // Tickets: $12

HEY MARSEILLES: What can we say? We think Hey Marseilles is one of the best bands in Seattle these days. They’re a seven piece orchestral-folk outfit who marry catchy melodies to polyrhythmic workouts, something both exciting AND legal (Thanks Ref. 71!). And we’re not afraid to say we get all swoony at their wistful lyricism and muscular arrangements. If that wasn’t enough, it’s an all-ages show with lovely locals Fences. Don’t say no.

Saturday 7:30 p.m. // Vera // Tickets: $10 ($9 w. club card)

BLOWN GLASS: Totally Blown Glassworks’ Annual Holiday Sale sparkles this weekend, with hundreds of ornaments, centerpieces, and translucent baubles of all stripes. Located in historic Georgetown, Totally Blown features the work of a dozen local artists. This year, why not begin the holiday shopping early?

10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday // Totally Blown (5607 Corson Ave So., Seattle, WA 98108) // FREE

Excavator Rampage in Stanwood

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-20T10:02:00-08:00

The weapon of choice of Stanwood rampagers.

Whew! What a week for weird crimes. So far we've had self-styled ninjas wounding themselves, crossbow-wielding attackers, an underage drunk driver turning herself in and a miraculously harmless 8-story fall. (Okay, that last one isn't a "crime," but you get what we're saying. It's been a weird week for violence.) Now, to cap it off this Friday: a construction equipment rampage in Stanwood.

KIRO reports that a Stanwood man hijacked an excavator in an attempt to destroy buildings at a local business. The as-yet unnamed man destroyed a construction trailer and a couple of water tanks before rolling the excavator.

The driver of the excavator was taken in with minor injuries and will be charged upon release from the hospital. Besides him, no one was hurt. Frustratingly, there is as yet no indicator of what his motives were, although police say it wasn't an act of ecoterrorism.

What's going on with Washington criminals? Did something snap last week, and now guns and knives and stolen cars aren't enough for them? We're hoping things don't escalate to Killdozer-caliber levels.

Seattlest Pix 09Nov20

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-20T06:30:00-08:00

"UNTITLED" by PHOTOBYNANI, from our Flickr pool

More Reasons to Love the Sounders, Soccer

Robert C. — 2009-11-19T17:00:00-08:00

Aside from on-field accomplishments, one of the shining successes of the Sounders FC organization was its connection to fans and the community at large. Today, as part of festivities leading up to Sunday's MLS Cup at Qwest Field, a few Sounders are chipping in to build an entire elementary school playground. In one day.

Sounders FC Captain Kasey Keller, along with Peter Vagenas, Fredy Montero and James Riley, joined other MLS players, Home Depot associates, and Seattle Schools volunteers in the day-long project at Van Asselt Elementary, just across I-5 from Boeing Field. After today, the school's 600 students will have a shiny, brand-new place for recess.

The Home Depot and Seattle Public Schools funded today's undertaking, also co-organized by MLS W.O.R.K.S.--the league's community outreach initiative--and a nonprofit group that constructs play areas across the country called KaBOOM! (Not to be confused with the household cleaner sold in infomercials).

But wait, there's more! On Saturday, Sounders FC players, city officials, and other volunteers will plant trees and pick up litter around Qwest Field as part of "Clean and Green Seattle"--another MLS W.O.R.K.S. project in conjunction with the City of Seattle. Also, it's just good form to clean up before thousands of guests arrive.

As if that weren't enough, MLS, as part of its environmental platform GREENER GOALS, will distribute reusable bags and eco-tip wallet guides to fans attending Sunday's game, AND purchase carbon offsets to offset all the electricity used at the stadium that day. Yay, soccer!

On Twilight Cocktails

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-19T14:18:00-08:00

"The Temptation of Edward Cullen"

Seems like cashing in on the Twilight craze with a "vampire inspired" drink is a popular thing to do this week. A microtrend? Sorrento has something called the "Bella Edward," which uses a balsamic vinegar reduction to color a vodka martini bloody. Canlis is now serving something called "The Temptation of Edward Cullen," which was created by Canlis' head barman to "create a biting crisp taste, just hinting of a forest, and visually feeling like a vampire," to echo the feeling of being a vampire in Forks, Washington. The drink contains gin, Zirbenz pine liqueur, absinthe, Champagne, and wine, served over crushed ice, garnished with "lemon fangs."

Now, excuse us, but neither of those sounds like a vampire drink. They sound like drinks that a nine-year-old girl would order had the National Minimum Drinking Age Act gone very, very wrong. But that's to be expected--the drinks are built on a poor foundation. We don't blame either restaurant! These cocktails are accurate to the spirit of Twilight. Far be it from us to say that the Twilight franchise of books and movies is bad--they're super-entertaining and enjoyable. We just think Twilight is wrong about two things: Forks, Washington, and vampires.

Forks is a timber town and a fishing town, and if we know anything about the residents of timber-and-fish towns, it's that they like their liquor simple and strong. Beer and cheap brown liquors are what you drink in tiny working class towns, not absinthe over crushed ice.

And, call us kneejerk-subtextual, but romantic, sexy vampires leave kind of a bad taste in our mouth. We always thought vampires were scary because they remind us that even the most outwardly civilized person can contain a bloodthirsty beast. The "vegetarian vampires" of Twilight are castrated, pallid shades of truly scary film vampires.

If you're not into the Twilight thing, may we suggest you crack open a can of the cheapest beer you can find (get a six, you'll need it) and queue up Near Dark, one of the most underrated (and most brutal) vampire films we have ever seen. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow of recent Hurt Locker fame, Near Dark is that rarest of things: a vampire western.

Adrian Pasdar (now of Heroes) stars as a ranch kid who meets a pretty li'l thing at a local saloon and finds out too late she's one of the undead. He's kidnapped by her family, nomads who traverse the American West in a Winnebago with blacked out windows and a pile of guns to accompany their fangs. This "family" isn't a clan of noble creatures who avoid killing as in Twilight, they're a less-Beatles-focused Manson family. Pasdar's understandably reticent to join them, given that becoming one of the family means slaughtering drunks and itinerants, and setting fire to farmhouses along the way. What follows is one of the most grisly major-release vampire stories we've ever seen, filled with unalloyed brutality, including a particularly stressful setpiece in which the vampire clan takes a small town roadhouse apart person by person.The film plays out like a combination of Terence Malick's Badlands and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. These aren't romantic vampires like Edward Cullen. It's animalistic, senseless murder. They're killers, plain and simple. Check it out for a gory, weirdly dreamy alternative to Twilight.

The Ninja Warriors Among Us

Mary Perkins — 2009-11-19T14:00:00-08:00

"Not Really Sure if I Believe This Guy" by Chip Py, from our Flickr pool

If Seattle is going to make national news, it might as well be for ninjas. A lone man was found by Seattle Police on Monday night screaming atop a 5 foot fence post. He claimed he wasn’t being chased, and merely "overestimated his own ninja skills." This overestimation led to impalement atop said fence post and a trip to Harborview Medical Center. Apparently, the man found himself on the fence post after fleeing a fight outside of a sports bar. Police believe alcohol may have played a (very significant) role.

If inept ninjas weren’t enough for Seattle, today brings the news that a local man was shot with a crossbow Wednesday evening. The attacker apparently hid and waited outside the victim’s home. The victim is reportedly is in stable condition after also being taken to Harborview Medical Center. The attacker remains at large, presumably still in possession of a crossbow with one less arrow in its quiver.

Together, these reports raise some very serious questions. Is the change in seasons ushering in a new era of creative weaponry? Where are the pirates in all of this? And, is it just a coincidence that the new Warner Bros. movie Ninja Assassin comes out next week? We ponder the answers to these questions and hope that the next wave of ninja news isn’t quite so gruesome.

We Pronounce Blogsgiving 2009 a Success

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-19T11:25:49-08:00

A hungry horde of local bloggers descended upon Central Cinema, bearing offerings of canned food and five dollar bills and baying for mulled wine, caramel apples, and camaraderie. On hand were bloggers and readers from CHS, CDNews, Seattle Metblogs, the SunBreak, the PI...the list goes on. Thanks to Neighborlogs for sponsoring it and to Central Cinema for hosting. That pizza was la bamba.

We hear from the SunBreak that we raised $447 in cash and packed up a large box of food to go to Northwest Harvest.

Big thanks to those of you who showed up. We'll catch you next time if you missed last night.

Hugo House Presents Visiting Hours

Jen — 2009-11-19T11:00:00-08:00

Hugo House will be hosting Visiting Hours this Friday at 7:30 p.m., featuring Northwest favorites such as Benjamin Parzybok, Elizabeth Austen, Matt Smith, and Molly Rose. Tickets range from $15-25.

What does the term "visiting hours" make you think of? Jail time? Psych wards? Supervised visits with the children? Plexiglass? Though the term "visiting hours" usually makes us think of less-than-happy events or times, the idea of a visiting hour can also be seen loosely as exactly what it means--all notions aside--as a time to visit with someone. Unwarranted visits with old friends, ex-flames, or maybe even Sunday visits with grandma.

Hugo House presents this open-ended theme through poetry, song, fiction, and acting Friday night, and we're assuming there won't be any plexiglass or women with clipboards tapping their feet with their eye on the clock. We're also assuming that the stories presented will push the limits of this topic and lead to much more interesting perspectives than what we would normally think of with the term "visiting hours."

Portland-based Benjamin Parzybok is the creator of Gumball Poetry (now defunct), and recently came out with his first novel, Couch, which was published by Small Beer Press and was a 2009 Indie Next List suggestion. We must admit, we had to submit a poem for a creative writing class in college, and we submitted it to Gumball Poetry and they took it! We nearly cried with joy, considering we're not a poet and we had no business submitting, but forever after had an eternal love for Gumball Poetry. And really, who can hate on a gumball machine filled with candy and poetry?! Regardless, a close friend of ours also recently read Couch, and had nothing but great things to say about it, so we're already pretty impressed with Parzybok.

We had a great time meeting Elizabeth Austen at last year's Port Townsend Writers' Conference, and she is amazing! Austen was the 2007 Washington "roadshow" poet, where she was able to give readings and workshops in rural parts of the state under the Washington State Arts Commission. Besides teaching and reading at Hugo House regularly, Austen as well has a weekly spot on KUOW where she interviews authors and records local readings.

Matt Smith is an actor best known for his solo performances including "My Last Year With the Nuns," "Helium," and "Beyond Kindness: A Childcare Guide." In 1988 Smith founded the famous Stark/Raving Theatre with Edward Sampson, and his acting credits include Sleepless in Seattle, Spiderman, and Northern Exposure, among many others.

Molly Rose is a Seattle-based singer/songwriter who recently released her first full-length album Clandenstine this past year. Originally from Fresno, CA, Rose's sun-soaked foothills and orange blossoms have influenced her music, which can also be heard on her 2007 debut EP, My Skin, Your Bones.

We're excited to see what these four will have in store for us on Friday at Visiting Hours. We have no doubt that this open-ended theme will be as entertaining as this group's varied work, and can't wait to hear their new individual works and what the term "visiting hours" means to them.

]]>

Can't Miss It: Thursday

ASM — 2009-11-19T10:30:22-08:00

Some Things Last A Long Time by Alex Crick, from the Seattlest Flickr pool.

NEW ITALY: Few countries do art and design (and wine) better than Italy. And Italian cinema has always been among the best, which is why SIFF is presenting The New Italian Film Festival, a series of 8 Euro festival movies selected by a jury and sent to Seattle. Tonight’s two showings are Different From Whom?, the satirical story of a gay man who runs for mayor in a right-wing town, and The House in the Clouds, a drama in which disparate brothers deal with their self-absorbed father.

7:00 & 9:30 p.m. // SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer Street, McCaw Hall // $10 each

BUILT TO THRILL: Boise band Built to Spill may have been the first to define the Northwest indie rock sound. With 7 LPs since ’92, they’re one of the longest running indie rock groups, having influenced about half of your iTunes library. There Is No Enemy is one of the best releases of 2009, which makes us all feel a little more at home in this world. The boys are back in town for two days.

8:00 p.m. // Showbox, 1426 1st Ave // $25 dos

ELGIN BAYLOR DAY: Mayor Nickels has proclaimed today Elgin Baylor Day in Seattle. Elgin Baylor got the day off. To commemorate Baylor, Hall of Famer, 11 time All-Star, former Seattle University standout, and one of the greatest forwards to ever play the game of basketball, the court at tonight’s Elgin Baylor Classic game (SU vs. Fresno State) will be dedicated "Elgin Baylor Court." Happy Elgin Baylor Day everyone!

7:10 p.m. // Key Arena Seattle Center // $5-$80

Today in Incredible Selfishness: Rainier Valley Food Bank Burgled

Regis Lacher — 2009-11-19T10:02:00-08:00

The Rainer Valley Food Bank was burgled. You can go ahead and let your face fall into a rictus of unspeakable shock and anger now; this is a textbook "justifiable rage" moment.

Thieves broke the lock on the food bank's storage locker and took around 30 crates of potatoes, onions, canned food, peanut butter, and other items--around $1500-$2000 worth of food earmarked to be given to needy families over the weekend as part of the food bank's Thanksgiving distribution. The Rainer Valley Food Bank provides food to around 10,000 people per month, up from about half that this time last year.

We can only imagine what goes through someone's mind as they steal 30 goddamn crates of food from a food bank--a place where, if they'd asked, they'd have been given food for free.

But speaking of textbook moments, if there was ever an opportune time to give, this is it! You can bring your donations to the Rainier Valley Food Bank, 4205 Rainier Avenue South, Tuesday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The food bank takes healthy nonperishables like canned soup, vegetables, fruit, tuna, and chicken, and boxed dinners. You can also donate online.

Update! Group Health says it will help restock the stolen food. PCC is also donating $1,000 worth of food. And if you're still interested in donating, check this list out. Hat tip to Monica Guzman at the PI.

Isabella Rossellini Brings Green Porno to Benaroya

Jay — 2009-11-19T09:30:00-08:00

Squid have three hearts, while anchovies have orgies of sorts.

This was part of the message that actress, model, and author Isabella Rosselini brought to Benaroya Hall last night, where she spoke in support of Green Porno, her two-year-old short film series on the sex lives of insects for the Sundance Channel. The event was part of Seattle Arts & Lectures' calendar of events.

Rossellini called herself an entertainer, but said that if anyone learns anything from her work, she's happy with that as well. And, would you believe, she's into the "porn" more for the animal behavior than for the sex?

She sat on the stage with confidence, intertwining photographs and videos in telling part of her life story. Up next for Rossellini: a "courtship" project for Sundance, and a show about animals that live in Manhattan for Discover. Meanwhile, everyone seemed to get a chuckle out of the Green Porno series, including this "Earthworm" clip:

John Oliver Makes No Apologies

TysonLynn — 2009-11-19T09:00:18-08:00

"Snoqualmie Casino 40/365" courtesy of Seattlest Flickr pool member dcroake

John Oliver is a funny Englishman. To his credit, he’s very upfront about it. A longtime stand-up and current correspondent for The Daily Show, Oliver has perfected a wry, incisive voice, one deeply informed by history, which develops subversive undertones when placed in contrast to his surroundings. Like, say, when he’s doing an impression of a foul-mouthed New Jersey squirrel in the back corner of a tribal casino.

"Snockle-may," as Oliver pronounced it in his charming accent, welcomed him to the stage with rousing cheers. It was, he claimed, his first casino gig and he had them all wrong. What he pictured as 15 visored gamblers turned out to be a packed room of full-on fans. His palpable surprise at that fact soon gave way to discussing reasons why America is awesome (we invented Oreo pie and hold the world record for most live rattlesnakes held in the mouth—10, in case you’re curious), an unexpectedly intense back and forth on the fine points of grammar, and a hilariously uncomfortable digression about how much of your father’s anatomy you have personally seen.

Oliver was onstage for 90 minutes, and with mostly new material. We laughed for about 85, and maybe possibly learned something. Then we streamed out into the "snogglemay" casino, where we listened to the death rattle of craps games as we awkwardly smoked—seriously, smoking indoors nowadays feels like you’re continually fouling a giant pair of pants—before leaving. There seems to be little reason to visit the venue, if not for the talent. So come back, John Oliver, but next time come to Seattle proper.