Seattlest.com... news with a twist from Seattle.
Last updated on Fri, 16 May 2008
Seattlest Pix: 08May15
"Seattle Center in Miniature" by rgeorgi This and other weird/wonderful toy versions of our world can be found in our weird/wonderful Seattlest Flickr Pool.
So There's Not a Sea Lion Killer on the Loose?
Fishing the Sound by epic Seattlest Flickr contributor Slightly North Sorry local fisherman. After the NOAA ruled out shooting as a cause of death, we know we passed the blame to your understandable anger at the gluttonous sea oafs. But the latest theory on just how six local sea lions died places the blame squarely on mother nature's shoulders. Now, according to investigators, the sea lions do not appear to have died of gunshot wounds , puncture wounds, or murderous fisher-folk, but rather heat exhaustion. The NOAA, who's obviously been wrong before about the cause of death, hopes that studying samples of the sea lions tissue will settle the mystery once and for all.
We Interview: Trevor Trifiro of All-Star Pop Culture Trivia
Seattlest has heard good things about the All-Star Pop Culture quiz at Jillian's ever since it started up. We still haven't had a chance to check it out—Tuesday's our regular trivia night, even when we're not hosting. But since the spring season kicks off tonight, we did the next best thing: interviewed Trevor Trifiro, the brains behind the quiz. Assume I've never played pub trivia before. What should I expect when I come to All-Star Pop Culture trivia? If you've never played a pub quiz before, that's the way we like it! Our quiz is extremely different from your standard variety pub quiz format imported from England. Ours is more of a game show, presented in a multimedia show on screens all around the room. Each quiz features 6 rounds of 10 questions, each round of a particular category. We also have a Half-time Multiple Choice question, and a Bonus Round Question at the end of the quiz. Each question in each round is worth 1 point each, the Half-time question is 10 points, and the Bonus round question is like Final Jeopardy, where you can wager any amount you like up to 20 points—but it's negative if you get it wrong! Each Thursday starts at 7p.m. and last about 2 hours. And it's all ages until 9p.m., so you can bring your kid for those questions you think you're too old for! Each team has a $10 entry fee each week, and the winning team of the night receives 50% of the money collected that night (usually over $100). Since All-Star Pop Culture is a league and we total each team's score week to week, the remainder of the entry fees go towards the team ranked #1 in each city at the close of the season, and also to the winner of the Championship at the end of the season. 100% of the team fees go back to the teams, and are available for any team to win. What inspired you to create a quiz focused on pop culture? Well, the real spark in creating the league came from VH1's World Series of Pop Culture , which (sadly) aired for only 2 years. Being a pub quiz fan, and a huge TV game show fan, I found a hole in the local "quiz scene"—everyone does what I like to call "textbook trivia." Don't get me wrong, I love pub quizzes and still go out to play them in the off-season. But how about all of us who don't know all the elements on the periodic table, or what is the widest river in Missouri? Some of us are experts at equally trivial things like '80s Hair Metal, or Heist Movies, or Aaron Spelling TV. I specifically sought out those folks that weren't playing pub quizzes already, but given the right material, would enjoy them. What does "pop culture" cover? Sports? Politics? Celebrity gossip? Our categories fall into 1 of 5 genres: Film, TV, Music, Personalities, or Minutia. The last one can get a little vague, but we keep it it fun and pop culture oriented. We slip in a few sports questions every once in awhile. Politics have come up in a quiz or two, but again very rarely. Celebrity gossip ... I don't like the word gossip. Gossip can create a lot of disputes from the teams since the sourcing can get unreliable, so we like to stick to Celebrity News. Do you ever slip in a highbrow round just to change things up? If you asked the teams they'd probably say yes! But I like to keep things fair and competitive for all levels. If we have a highbrow round, it will have some easy questions in it. How many teams are hardcore, seriously competing for the division title? Is it fun for a team to come and play for a week with no intention of trying to win the whole thing? I'd say that about 50% of the teams are seriously competing for the divisional title, while the rest are there to just have fun. Since we average 20-25 teams each week, the nightly prize can be worth popping in for just a week. If nothing else, the multimedia quiz is fun for everyone. All the fun of a non-league pub quiz night can still be had in our league. We've just added MORE competition and fun with the league format. How did you get involved with Jillian's? I first got involved with Jillian's through our sister company, Seattle Poker Open , which is a free poker league. We started hosting free poker tournaments at Jillian's back in 2005, and I developed a good relationship with the management and the staff. When we created All-Star Pop Culture, I approached Jillian's first about hosting it, since their existing trivia night at the time wasn't working out for them. We got 14 teams the first night, and that has been our slowest night in over a year. Jillian's has been integral in the success of the trivia league. How do you coordinate Seattle's quiz with the out-of-state divisions? Are you hosting them, or does someone else do it? Each division of the league (Seattle, San Francisco and Pasadena) plays the same exact quiz, on the same exact night, at the same exact time. Through the miracle of modern technology, we create each quiz in a digital format that each location can download and run each Thursday night. While I play Quiz Master in Seattle, each of the other locations have their own QM's. No matter what location you are playing in, you'll get the same exact experience as the others. Do you write all the questions, or do you collaborate with other writers? I write most of them, but work with another couple folks who contribute every now and then. How much time does it take you to write a week's quiz? Do you work week-by-week or a season at a time? We map out the categories for each season before it begins. We plan each week, and which week will have video categories, or themes for the week, during the off-season just before we start up. Then we write the individual questions on a week-by-week basis. At one point we wrote questions for about half the season ahead of time, but found that writing them each week keeps them fresh, and allows us to put relevant current events in. From concept to playable multimedia quiz, it takes us about 25 hours of work each week. What do you think makes a good trivia question? Well, there are all kinds of question "flavors," but my favorite is the kind of question that the quizzee is sure they know ... it's in the back of their mind ... and at the last minute it comes to them. I think that is the most fun type of question for pub quizzes. That said, I think that looking at the question specifically is a little too close. If you back up to the category level, you'd get a better idea of how we write questions. We try to write questions for all levels of difficulty, so everyone can have fun. With 10 questions in each round, on average you'll see 3 easy questions that don't require much knowledge in the category, 4 or 5 that are fairly easy if you know the category, and 2 or 3 that are "stumpers," meaning you have to be an expert in the category to get it right. We really put a lot of effort into making a quiz that is, as a whole, fun for everyone, regardless of your knowledge level. Is it true you humbled Ken Jennings ? Inadvertently, yeah . He was pulled in as a secret ringer for Little Lebowski, the San Francisco team that traveled up to participate in our Championship. Unfortunately, pop culture doesn't seem to be "his thing," and they were beaten in the head-to-head finals competition. I tried to chat with him about it after, but he kind of left in a hurry once they lost! If you want in on the full-season action, get to Jillian's tonight. Sign up at 6:30, quiz at 7:00. If you can't make it, you can hear Trifiro in action every week in the Seattle Times 's weekly trivia podcast . Search for all-star pop culture on iTunes.
Can't Miss It: Thursday
HOT! SHORTS! SUNBURN! SPRING! : Or should we say "SUMMER!"? It's going to be hot and sunny and clear today. You can do something with that, or you can sit under a tree and do nothing. Just put on some shorts and a tank top while you do whatever it is you do to revel under father sky. We wanna see some skin in Cal Anderson Park today. Also, skin will likely be visible at every other park in town . Afternoon // Everywhere // Free FREE ICED COFFEE : At press time, it is not so splendid outside. Overcast, a little misty, and chilly enough to call for a hoodie on our way to coffee. Later on, though, as we said, it's supposed to get beautiful, sunny, and HOT. So, get thee to a Dunkin' Donuts for Free Iced Coffee Day , and get your one free 16 oz. iced coffee per person today. Granted, you might have to drive to the 'burbs to get it. Or, you can put the money you'd spend on gas to the 'burbs toward an iced coffee at Vivace, and call it even. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. // Dunkin' Donuts // Free! SWEDISH INDIE POP : Bouncy, ethereal El Perro del Mar and SXSW buzz-maker Lykke Li bring their preternaturally winsome and charming selves to the Triple Door tonight. Talk about dynamic range. Here's a Lykke Li lyric: "And for you I keep my legs apart / And forget about my tainted heart." Whereas El Perro's Sarah Assbring says of her new album: "Theme-wise, I was after a spiritual search for meaning and hope." We can't think of a better venue than the Triple Door—we've never seen anyone start dancing on the tables, but there's always a first. 7:30 p.m. // the Triple Door , 216 Union Street // Tickets: $17 dos THIS ONE'S FOR THE LADIES : Girl Power Hour is a monthly networking event for women, and this month's get-together is a benefit for the American Heart Association. Don your cutest red dress, red heels, red lipstick, nailpolish, whatever you can manage to make red, and head out with the girls. 6:30-8:30 p.m. // See Sound Lounge // Free: RSVP Today, Together from the Seattlest Flickr Pool, courtesy Alt-Ctrl-Tom . Thanks!
Seattle University Professor Arrested in Child Sex Sting
An associate professor of military science at Seattle University has been arrested in Colorado as part of a child sex sting . Andrew Douglas Frank was arrested in Canon City, Colo., where he had flown to meet a teenage girl he'd been communicating with online. The underage girl he'd been sharing risque communiques with was no Lolita, she was in fact, an undercover officer. Franz, who identified himself on-line as "sugardad4u33," had been chatting with the "girl" since December. During their conversations, Franz admitted that he taught at a university but, "the girls who went to the university were too old." It is believe that Franz traveled to Colorado with the sole intention of having a rendezvous with the supposed 13 year-old. A meeting was set for last Friday, where Franz promised to bring muscle relaxers and alcohol for the teen. When he was arrested, Franz had lingerie, fishnet stockings and a form of Viagra with him. Franz faces numerous charges including: attempted sexual assault, attempted solicitation for child prostitution and attempted child trafficking. Seattle University has instructed Franz not to return to campus and has sent a letter notifying students and parents of his arrest. Seattle University photo courtesy of baristahands
Seattlest Pix: 08May14
"Angular Shadows" by Ray Tracing It's entirely possible that these condos will never be more beautiful than they are in this picture. And all that beauty's on display in the Seattlest Flickr pool . Thanks for sharing!
Ezell's Targeted by Repeat Burglaries
Photo of Ezell's by our very own Seattlest Contributor, James Ezell's Famous Chicken , a Seattle institution of deep-fried goodness, has been victim to a number of burglaries in the past six months. The most recent burglary happened this Saturday and was caught on surveillance cameras. The grainy footage shows a man breaking in through a side-window of the restaurant early Saturday morning after Ezell's closed for business. This is third burglary in six months at Ezell's flagship store on 23rd and East Jefferson in Seattle's Central District. Ezell's President Lewis Rudd said, "Within the last four months, we have been broken into more times than the entire time we have been at the corner here." In an attempt to discourage further break-ins, Ezells is installing more lighting and new security cameras. Rudd, who is well-respected and beloved in the community for his generosity, has a compassionate message for the thief. "I will give you a job. It will be better for you in the long run. I know you [he] must be down on your [his] luck."
We Need More Buses
Wednesday morning, Route 301 from Shoreline to downtown Seattle. Waiting patiently, sweating profusely, standing on an over-crowded bus yet again. It's been in the news many times this year. Ridership is up. And with gas prices as they are, we expect the number of people riding will only climb higher. Back in 2006, King County Executive Ron Sims announced a plan to deliver "up to 21 million more annual bus rides within 10 years." Transit Now , he called it. In April of 2008, the county provided an update on Transit Now, as well as information regarding its future. Now, Metro turns its attention to the needs of growing communities in East and South King County that currently have limited bus service. By the end of the year, Metro is proposing new or revised routes serving North Bend, Snoqualmie, Issaquah Highlands, Klahanie, Carnation, Maple Valley, Black Diamond, and the Kent East Hill. Specific routes will be finalized later this year following public input. Not looking good for us northern folks. To be fair, we know those areas to the south and east are currently under-served and in need of new routes. Just don't forget about the routes already on the map. It's no fun having to stand butts-to-nuts every day to and from work.
Georgetown Brewing's Bob's Brown Ale
Seattle's beloved brewer of Manny's Pale Ale (and now, the wonderful 9LB Hammer) releases Bob's Brown Ale on this day every year to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House and to honor the memory of their old friend, Bob Hirsch, who died of cancer at age 21. More than seventy bars in the Seattle area will have this 6.3% ABV ale pouring today (Bob's bday). Bob's Brown Ale is big and brown with lots of hops. They use a blend of 2-row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Munich, and Roasted Barley Malts, then add shitloads of Centennial and Crystal hops to make this a meaty brown brew. After raising more than $20K from Bob's Brown Ale last year, their goal is $30K for this year. So get off your ass and go drink some beer. We'll be stopping by Beveridge Place Pub for a pint after work. Event headquarters will be the Nickerson Street Saloon , which will have three kegs, raffle prizes and "other fun." We love other fun. Don't you? Photo thanks to butter_fry on Flickr.
What's Cookin': Ooey and Gooey Going at the Seattle Cheese Festival
The weather’s really going to warm up this weekend, which means the cheeses will be even more ooey and gooey at the Seattle Cheese Festival , now in its fourth year. We’re looking forward to the wide range of choices (word is there will be 250 or more) from local and international artisan cheesemakers, with an eye out for the most stinky delights. Sponsored by DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine , the festival is about more than just sampling. For the first time, there will be a demonstration of how to make your own mozzarella and burrata. There will be other demonstrations, seminars, and cooking classes on-site at Pike Place Market, and at nearby restaurants. We’re especially looking forward to the winning grilled cheese recipe, and might bring a thermos of tomato soup for pairing. (For those into more adult beverages, there will be a wine garden.) As part of the festivities, many area restaurants are celebrating by adding " Cheese Fest Best " dishes to their menus this month. We’ll be checking out Union Square Grill's "For the Love of Cheese" dinner, hosted by local, artisan cheesemaker Julie Steil of River Valley Ranch . From the gougères to the king crab and pepper jack ravioli to the fresh chèvre cheesecake, all five courses will feature River Valley Ranch cheeses—and wines to match. This May 22nd event should be a fun and educational experience, but if you can’t make it, you can still meet Julie and sample some of her cheeses at this afternoon’s happy hour (4-6) at Union Square Grill . Whatever you do, be sure to get out and celebrate the cheese. We’ve come a long way from Cheez Whiz and Velveeta!
Hopefully It Wasn't All in Pennies...
A Coinstar employee has been accused of stealing nearly half a million dollars from the company's coin-counting machines in three states. 39-year-old Michael R. Burns was arrested yesterday and is expected to be charged with first-degree theft. Burns, who was trained to fix the Coinstar machines and worked in the company's manufacturing department, used his knowledge of the coin kiosks to break into them while he was off-duty. Because Burns would wear a company shirt and obviously knew what he was doing, people assumed he was servicing the machines, rather than fleecing them. His clever scheme came to an end when a Lynwood Albertsons discovered over $17,000 missing from their Coinstar kiosk. The store's security camera showed Burns servicing the machine, and the police were hot on his trail. Burns took his Coinstar scam regional, flying down to California the weekend of April 26th, where he stole $250,000 from various machines. Burns made a quick stop in Oregon, where he relieved local Coinstar kiosks of over $50,000. Even with paper money, those would be pretty hefty heists, and we imagine the loot would be even more cumbersome in coins. Inquiring minds want to know: before being caught, did he try to deposit the change at his local bank or buy high-end items with it? We imagine someone saying, "Let me just count out this $60,000 in change" for a new car would send up a few red flags. Coinstar photo courtesy of Flickr Contributor DC Dan
The Streetcar Isn't a Joke, So Let up on It!
If there's one thing we're sick of, it's the ignorant attitude every pseudo-populist commentator in Seattle has taken on regarding the SLUT. (And yes, we've had more than our fair share of fun at its expense, replete with lame puns, etc.) But Aimee Curl's report in this week's Seattle Weekly on the City Council's discussions for SLUT expansion leaves us just a little ticked. After characterizing service expansion as "daydreams," Curl gives plenty of space to skeptics like Tom Rasmussen, who says: "Streetcars are nice; I like riding them. But we don't have a streetcar system, we have a bus system." This is the sort of ignorance we've come to expect from "liberal" Seattle: ghettoizing public transportation as something only poor people need because it's the only option they can afford. With this mindset, the definition of success is purely utilitarian: more service equals better, and comfort or quality be damned. Add to that narrow-minded focus all the tinkering driven by stupid college students, enviro-tards and other road-to-hell pavers, whose electric buses are a constant irritation for no apparent environmental benefit (electricity comes from somewhere, too; just 'cause you can't see where doesn't mean it's clean), and you have the idiotic morass we're in today. The reality is that there are plenty of us who use the bus yet could afford not to, who view public transit as more convenient, cheaper and greener than driving, and we want something better than over-crowded, decrepit pieces of crap where you're stuck sitting next to a bum reeking of urine and it takes a half-hour-plus to get from Capitol Hill to anywhere. Cities like Portland have found that people like riding trolleys, blowing their ridership predictions. Trolleys add character to neighborhoods that buses don't. As a short-trip service, they allow us to focus buses and light-rail on long routes with fewer stops. And for all those penny-pinching taxpayers out there: Shit ain't free. We either pay today or pay more tomorrow. So make all the jokes you want, just stop ghettoizing public transportation. " HELLO SEATTLE " by Seattlest Flickr group Übermensch scarequotes .
Can't Miss It: Wednesday
POLAR BEAR APPRECIATION: If you’ve heard about global warming affecting the polar bears , you’ll want to head down to the Point Defiance Zoo for Bear Awareness Week. Learn more about the plight of the polar bear and watch the resident polar bears, Blizzard, Glacier, Kenneth and Boris, frolic. 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. // Point Defiance Zoo // $11 (adults) HUNGRY: In the not-so-starved neighborhood of Ravenna, author Mark Winne reads from his book, Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty. Considering how high food prices are getting, we want to hear from the man advocates policy that will feed the hungry, support local farmers and promote community democracy. 7 p.m. // Ravenna Third Place Books // Free BOOBS FOR CHARITY : David Schmader's live commentary on the awful(ly good) movie Showgirls is critically acclaimed and yet, some people have still not seen it. Tonight’s your chance to redeem yourself. David Schmader and Showgirls plays at the Triple Door. Even better, it’s a fundraiser for Urban Rest Stop, which provides free and safe washing-up facilities for the homeless. Laugh your socks off and feel good about it. 7:30 p.m. // Triple Door // $12 Bear photo by Seattlest Flickr user Jeff Blucher
Atmosphere Painted Seattle Gold Last Night, Kind Of
DJ Rare Groove spins for the crowd before Atmosphere's set. Slug's tidy ponytail gleams, silhouetted against changing red, green and aqua lights. He moves his body like he's got something to clarify . "Oh, you know this one too?" he asks the deliriously excited crowd, and of course the answer is yes. In Seattle, Atmosphere 's emcee Slug--dark, emotionally tortured, pensive Lothario Slug--is a god. We seem to prefer our rockstars on the brooding but safe side, thank you very much; the show was a Huge, Glittering Success, despite Seattlest's sense of something lacking from the actual music. It's hard to pin down what, precisely, is the draw to Atmosphere's music. When all's said and done, Slug's live rap isn't exactly aggressive, though it's calculated. His smooth-cornered, growly lyrics work best for stirring headier emotions, rather than fire and blood. If you're not paying close attention to the words, most of Atmosphere's songs aren't that memorable (and they even had live guitar, keyboard and vocal accompaniment, which didn't add much). Yet Slug and producer Ant can sell out the Showbox SoDo, reap thousands of dollars in merchandise, and inspire rabid fandom. Is it a cult of personality? Slug is entrancing, indeed. Before Abstract Rude 's set, DJ Rare Groove (pictured above) and Slug himself hosted a truly fun-to-watch impromptu karaoke session with several fans, a couple of whom exhibited remarkable rapping prowess. One particularly enthused, attention-grabbing fangirl (not one of the talented amateurs) sidled up to Slug early in the game and refused to leave until the emcee bodily pushed her to the other side of the stage. He handled her lunacy with grace, though, even defending her against the crowd's boos. ("She's funny ." Whatever. She's crazy.) Ab Rude is laidback, reggae-inspired, and happy; he easily rhymes "enthusiasm" with "orgasm", advising us to "never argue with a woman, 'cuz she's always right." We had forgotten that we saw him open for Brother Ali earlier this year until he broke into an upbeat rendition of "Mike, Aaron, and Eddie"--one of only a few songs that stuck out in a sea of wordy celebrations of the marijuana plant and other such Cali feel-good fare. All in all, though we'll never be as excited about Slug & Co as some of our friends and neighbors obviously are, we heard a couple great beats and felt the thrill of the Enormous Concert experience last night. The karaoke was a brilliant touch, the psycho fangirl brought significant spice, and there was a lovely minute or two of beautiful singing from Mankwe Ndosi (accompanying vocalist); otherwise, it wasn't a terribly inspiring show for us. Were you there? What did you think?
Faking Cancer to Get Off Work-Not Only Uncool, Illegal Too
We've all called in hooky and faked a cough or cold to get out of a day of work. Sometimes the daily grind just seems unbearable...we understand. But we sincerely hope that karmic justice comes fast and furious at Sandra Dee Martinez, a 40 year-old woman who faked brain cancer to get out of work. Martinez received over $21,000 of paid time-off from her job at the Department of Social and Health Services in Arlington, Wash., by faking letters from doctors saying she had malignant brain tumors. Concerned co-workers even donated their paid sick days to Martinez, so she could attend to getting well. Martinez's ruse was discovered when a neighbor found one of her fake doctor's letters after Martinez had used her printer. Martinez, who has left Washington State, is refusing to cooperate with investigators; unluckily for her, karma doesn't seem to have a jurisdiction. "Karma Goes Both Ways" by Flickr Contributor LexnGer
Tacoma Court Debates Does Pig = Hog?
((((Burp)))) courtesy of Flickr photographer RSKT Only in Tacoma... The Tacoma Municipal Court is scheduled to have a hearing today to decide if Judson Morris can keep his pet pot-bellied pig or if it violates a 1912 city statute banning hogs . On one side is the city of Tacoma, who contends that Morris' pet "Pig-Pig" is a hog and is thus banned from living within city limits. On the other side is Morris and his veterinarian, who claim that "Pig-Pig" is a female sow, while the proper definition of a hog is a castrated male pig. According to King 5, Tacoma's City Attorney does not appear moved by the Morris and his vet's semantic defense; saying that "the word 'hog' and 'pig' are interchangeable terms and a reasonable person should agree." Seattlest believes Judson should take the stand with this bullet-proof defense: "Her name is Pig-Pig, not Hog-Hog." How could a jury not be swayed? Plus, as long as she doesn't wander onto any school playfields , the city of Tacoma should have nothing to worry about.
Seattlest Pix: 08May13
"late night revision" by ChrisB in SEA Seattlest Flickr pool contributer ChrisB in SEA wonders if anyone else ever wanted to do marquee duty as a kid. Or an adult. Seattlest, for one, would still volunteer for the job. Anyone else?
The Scourge is Back
Last night's show at Chop Suey was solid. Sure, they threw an extra band on the bill (meaning that it was doors 8, show 8:30), but both Ra Ra Riot and The Little Ones delivered with tight sets. And yet, there was something troubling in the air. What was it? Two words: Nag Champa . We have discussed this before: venues burning incense at a show is a no-no. Look, our seasonal allergies have been acting up something fierce the past few days, and the last thing we want to be around in a closed environment is smoke of any kind. So no more incense. Just like we don't want to end up smelling like cigarettes after a night out, we also don't want to leave a bar smelling like a goddamn hippie. And while you're at, please update the wall slideshow. It's May 12th, so we don't need advertisements for shows from May 1-11. If the slides aren't ready for the June shows, just add a couple more Ernest Hemingway alcohol quotes into the mix. There, problem(s) solved. Photo (captioned appropriately enough "adding a little incense to the drum circle") care of Seattlest Flickr pool user pdgibson .
Pesto Manifesto
Everybody's got a stereotype, and Italians are no different: wildly passionate one moment, indifferent the next. Political corruption? Cynical indifference. Matters of the heart? Passionate but fickle. Matters of the table? Ah, passionate to the core. Seattlest's Italian restaurant friends get particularly incensed when American chefs misappropriate Italian culinary language and apply a name like "carpaccio" to a plate of sliced raw meat or "pesto" to any old green sauce. So let's be clear: the word "pesto" comes from the Latin and means "crushed." Not chopped to smithereens by a whirling blade. We're not trying to stand in the way of progress here, but running parsley through the Cuisinart produces an industrial sludge that you might as well call Milk of Magnesia or Castor Oil; pesto genovese it ain't. The distinction may seem trivial or irrelevant, but not for a few True Believers, purists, conservators, Keepers of the Flame. In this particular case, Italian cooks from Italy. With theological intensity, they argue that if you call something pesto, it has to be pesto. Not some metaphorical version of pesto, but the real thing, what Italians of all regions understand to be the genuine, traditional Ligurian recipe for pesto: the small leaves of Genovese basil, crushed by hand in a pestle, with garlic and olive oil, just before serving. Pine nuts optional. Unfortunately, there's no legal protection for pesto or carpaccio or amatriciana, the way there is, say, for Chianti Classico--made from San Giovese grapes grown in a specific zone between Florence and Siena. (Notwithstanding that California's Gallo winery actually won a trademark infringement action against a Chianti Classico consortium for using the traditional logo of a black rooster, the emblematic gallo nero .) The Italians' point is, don't call a parsley-walnut sauce made in a blender "pesto." All too often, Seattle dumbs it down. We compromise, we fudge, we dilute. In the end, we pretend it doesn't matter, we're left with a shiny surface. Looks like chicken, tastes like dogfood. Beware.
David Schmader Explains Showgirls for You
We seem to be covering the benefit beat lately--Wednesday night David Schmader takes over the Triple Door to "annotate" Paul Verhoeven's "film" Showgirls . It's to raise money for the the Urban Rest Stop , a "hygiene center" downtown. We're for a free place for people to freshen up, don't get us wrong. It's just funny to have the Showgirls tie-in, in that the one and only time we watched it we had to take a long hot shower afterwards. Here's a representative quote from a review of Showgirls : “A film of thunderous oafishness" (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times , who went on to say: "the filmmakers' incessant talk about vision, artistry and honest self-expression lead one to expect a sexually explicit biopic about the Dalai Lama"). Schmader's take is "part art-appreciation lecture, part sit-down comedy routine, [set] against the backdrop of Verhoeven’s peerlessly offensive, flesh-drenched disaster." And he gets much better reviews than the movie: What Schmader does is crystallize the consistency of the movie's badness. He brings an organization to your viewing, a recognition that even seemingly innocuous moments are part of an intricate pattern of badness that affects every aspect of the film.. Marvelous.” (Hollywood Reporter) Who doesn't want to get themselves some of that? Plus, it's at the Triple Door, so you can drink your way through the soul-destroying parts.
No More Stabbings, Please
Seattlest may be more attuned to these reports, since we spend the greater portion of our day browsing local news sites...but what is going on with the spate of stabbings in Western Washington? Every time we refresh the local news sites, it seems they are reporting a new fatal or near-fatal stabbing. A quick perusal of Komo 4's local news site found the following recent headlines: Roadside Argument Leads to Deadly Stabbing Auburn Teen Dead After Stabbing at Small Park Two Found Stabbed and Bleeding in Seattle Teen Slashed in Face at Renton Park There were twice as many headlines about stabbings than shootings on Komo, which has us wondering--is knife crime on the rise, while gun crime is on the decline in Seattle? We haven't heard the police say as much, but the ever-increasing number of local news reports of stabbings seem to indicate yes. "Knife Surrender Bin" courtesy of Flickr Photographer Sara Wood
Can't Miss It: Tuesday
DARK, CRAZY MEMORIES : Augusten Burroughs has a new memoir out— A Wolf at the Table . We don't have it yet, but a friend who does says it's exquisite. He'll be hitting Town Hall tonight to read from it. The Town Hall site sums up the story quite well: "Burrough’s dark story follows the radical pendulum swing between love and hate—stunning psychological cruelty, and ultimately, the redemptive power of hope." 7:30 p.m. // Town Hall // Free tickets required, available at University Book Store ONLINE GAMES/GEEK SQUADDING : The ION Game Conference kicks off tonight at the Seattle Waterfront Marriott. This Seattlest really knows nothing about the allure of online gaming, much less the scientific fascination, but we figure some of you probably do. This is the 2nd Annual ION Game Conference, and it runs tonight through Thursday. Unfortunately, online registration closed last week. 8 p.m. // Seattle Marriott Waterfront // Registration Closed THE BAND, THE MOVIE, THE BRILLIANCE : It's kind of drizzly out there, which makes it the perfect night to curl up with a bag of popcorn and a latte at SIFF Cinema and watch some folk music on the screen. The Last Waltz is showing tonight only. It's a concert film wherein The Band welcomed Dylan, Clapton, Muddy Waters, Emmylou, and a slew of other notables to perform with them. 7:30 p.m. // SIFF Cinema // $10 gen., $8 seniors/students, $5 supporters Concert at Town Hall photo by Seattlest Flickr user B.K. Dewey
The Cleanest Patch of Pavement to be Found in Downtown Seattle
It's raining and crappy out today, which means it's a work day for the guy who hangs out on the skybridge walkway between 1st Ave and Colman Dock Downtown. He's always up there, but when it rains he makes sure that all of the drains are unclogged and no one has to dance around the huge lakes that form on the walkway en route to the ferries. We're not sure why he does this, but he's up there right now doing it. He's obviously not a city or WSF employee; maybe he's just into public service, maybe he's hoping someone will tip him a buck or two for the puddle he eradicated. Who knows. We know where to find him if we need to express gratitude for his hard work, though. Another guy who must have been emulating skybridge-walkway-sweeper-guy was hard at work on a random nearby sidewalk late last week. He spent hours hunched over the large grates alone, and he must have been out there all day clearing debris from this short stretch of seemingly insignificant pavement with a half of a broom. It's a damn clean patch of sidewalk now, though, easily as clean as the skybridge to the ferry's ever been. Walking over it yesterday, Seattlest had a thought that if we needed to lie down on the ground Downtown we'd feel ok about doing in on that patch of sidewalk. The guy needs to do some follow-through, though. He's nowhere to be found after his full day of work. In an office, a manager would explain to him the benefits of calling attention to his accomplishments and making sure they trickle up. Take credit for your work, man! Skybridge-walkway-sweeper-guy is up there rain or shine leaning on his broom and smiling! Anyway, Random-nearby-sidewalk-sweeper-guy, wherever you are now, we noticed, and before it rained it was a damn clean patch of sidewalk.
We Stand Corrected
Seattlest relies on local news sources and the AP for the vast majority of our news stories and information. Of course, the AP and other local news sources are not infallible and mistakes are made. As a responsible news source that we hope you trust, we want to make sure that if an article we post proves to be inaccurate, the corrections are duly noted. While using the best information we had at the time, Seattlest inaccurately posted regarding the tragic death of Timothy Garon . The AP has issued a correction regarding Garon's death and we have talked with the University of Washington Medical Center about the issues surrounding Garon's transplant. The UWMC sent us the following statement to share with you: We can't speak specifically about this patient's case due to patient privacy laws. I can tell you that although medical marijuana may be an issue in rare cases, it is never the sole determinant in arriving at medical decisions about candidates for organ transplants, and whether a patient is listed. UW Medical Center follows an extensive evaluation process to determine whether organ transplant candidates should be listed. Patients with a reasonable chance of survival and a good outcome, given a variety of factors, are listed. Currently, in a given year, there are approximately 98,000 patients waiting for organs in the U.S. and only 6,000 donors available. Because of this scarcity of organs, the listing process is often rigorous. Those patients who have done -- and continue to do --everything they need to ensure a healthy lifestyle pre-and post-transplant will have the best chance of a good outcome. The Liver Transplant Committee looks at all health care issues to comprehensively evaluate the patient from a medical and psychosocial standpoint. In addition, the committee looks at a number of other issues, including behavioral concerns such as a history of substance abuse or dependency. If such a history exists, then the Committee looks at the period of abstinence the candidate has demonstrated to date, efforts made to maintain this abstinence, and the potential to abuse again. The Committee also factors in the patient's long-term history of social stability and ongoing medical compliance, as these are the best predictors to maintain graft survival following transplant. Again, our apologies for our inaccurate coverage of the story. photo courtesy Grundlepuck
Seahawks Pro-Bowler Arrested for DUI
Lofa Tatupu, the Seahawks three-time Pro-Bowl linebacker , was arrested this weekend in Kirkland for driving under the influence. Tatupu was pulled over for speeding and changing lanes without signaling. The officer on the scene reported that Tatupu smelled of alcohol though he claimed he hadn't been drinking. Tatupu refused a portable Blood Alcohol test after failing field sobriety tests. His car was impounded and he was brought into police custody where he submitted to a BAC test. Tatupu blew .155 and .158 on his tests, which is nearly double the legal limit in Washington State. How much alcohol does a 6'0'', 242 pound linebacker have to drink to be that drunk? We imagine it takes a lot. Luckily no one was hurt by Tatupu while he was intoxicated behind the wheel. The Seattle Seahawks have yet to make a statement about the incident. Lofa Tatupu photo courtesy of the AP
Tough Day? Walk it Out, Seattle
We bring you installment number one of Seattlest's Midnight Movies. No, that's not Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, and Casey Wilson. That's real life. That's Bob Fosse. This has nothing to do with Seattle. But, if you're sitting awake in the middle of the night, feelin' blue from the rainy and dreary day that's past, perhaps this'll cheer you up. Enjoy!
Abandoned Minivan a Disgrace to Nirvana
Some asshole’s broken-down Dodge Caravan is making Nirvana look bad. The decrepit piece of shit has been rusting like a cheap can in front of a hotel on Bell Street for the better part of two months, the lone Nirvana sticker on the back window convincing tourists only poor people and scumbags listen to Nirvana around here anymore. Normally we’d expect a Megadeth sticker from this type of vehicle, but to soil Nirvana’s good name in Seattle is unholy. It’s an affront to the marriage of music and regional greatness that solidifies Seattle’s status as the true home of Rock 'N' Roll . (Cleveland claims an increasingly outdated 1980s-looking spaceship that calls itself the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame but we all know better.) The emos (posers) don't keep moving here for the suicides and shitty traffic, they move here hoping that something in the water will make their shit edgier than the next guys. Unfortunately, some of these clowns end up turning their backs on Nirvana and let their flakiness rub off obnoxiously on the rest of us in the form broken Dodge Caravans. What was once a proud party-mobile screaming, "Look at me, I love Nirvana," is now a sad funeral of rust, soiling the good name of our proud sons and polluting the concrete beauty of downtown.
Seattlest Pix 08May12
This jumble of modern infrastructure masquerading as an Escher drawing was added to the Seattlest Flickr Pool by frequent contributor Slightlynorth .
Cant Miss It: Monday
READING: We love to eat fish, but have been struggling with the morality of it since A) we don't eat other meat and B) we know commercial fishing is often environmentally unsound. In our research to discover if any fish is okay for a tree-hugging, animal anthropomorphizer to eat, we found Taras Grescoe and his book Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood which Salon says tells readers to ask the right questions to "make it possible to enjoy seafood for years to come." Roscoe ( Updated: Duh. We totally misspelled his name. It's Grescoe. Not sure where we got Roscoe. Sorry.) is at Elliot Bay tonight and we hope to have a tuna melt with his new book afterwards. 7:30 p.m. // Elliott Bay Books, 101 S. Main St. // Free MUSIC OF REMEMBRANCE: All things change. It's a truth that we live by because it gives us hope. Even the worst things imaginable come to an end. But that doesn't mean they should be forgotten. 63 years ago this month, Allied troops started liberating Nazi concentration camps. Ever since then, people have been working hard to make sure no one ever forgets the horrors that took place in an effort to keep them from happening again. Tonight, Music of Remembrance presents an annual performance to commemorate the Holocaust's victims and honor their lives. Tonight's performance includes a world premiere of a composition by Paul Schoenfield called Ghetto Songs . The Northwest Boychoir will also sing Yiddish choral music originally performed in Terezin, a concentration camp for Jewish artists. Music of Remembrance // 7:30 p.m. // Benaroya Hall, 3rd and Union // $36 DON'T COUNT HER OUT: Tomorrow is yet another primary and, regardless of the last week of news, Hillary is still expected to win in West Virginia. The math may say it's done, but she sure ain't. Hillary could be taking a lesson from Richard Nixon, who defied the odds and came back from a defeat at the hands of JFK which most people believed would be the end of his political aspirations. Of course, now we know better. How'd he do it? According to Rick Perlstein in his book Nixonland , he "harvested the bitterness and resentment" from the Vietnam War and created the ideological divide we all know so well today. Perlstein is speaking tonight at Town Hall. Rick Perlstein // 7:30 p.m.// Town Hall, 8th and Seneca // $5 at the door.
Starbucks Goes to the Dogs
What? What'd we say? We just heard that Starbucks has chosen a book by Seattle novelist Garth Stein to distribute wherever its grande americanos are sold. Titled The Art of Racing in the Rain , the novel has also won the hearts and minds of U.S. independent booksellers, who have made it their No. 1 Booksense recommendation for June. See, the story's narrator is a dog named Enzo (an idea Stein lifted from a Billy Collins poem ), who suspects he's a man who was reincarnated as a dog. Old and infirm and startlingly insightful, he looks back on his life with Denny Swift, who wants to be a racecar driver. More importantly to Seattlest, as this Seattle Times review points out, is that "Stein, who lives in Mount Baker, sets his story in Seattle and its environs. A tiny Craftsman house in the Central District where Enzo worries about the bees in a bush that could sting Zoe. Mercer Island with its Lake Washington views. The Bauhaus cafe on Capitol Hill. The fertile Cascades during a summer hike." If you don't want to trek all the way over to Mount Baker to camp outside Stein's home and tell him about how you've often noticed your dog looks like he's thinking--and believe us, this is precisely the kind of thing Stein would like to hear about--he's going to be showing up tomorrow in the Madison Park Starbucks (4000 East Madison Ave), for a 7 p.m. Q&A with Warren Etheredge. On May 14, he appears at the University Village Barnes and Noble for a 7:30 p.m. reading. He'll do more readings in June, so we'll keep you posted if like us, you'd rather read first and hear him talk later. (We have not read the book yet but we're going to, partly on the strength of a blurb from Temple Grandin , of all people.)
"An Ardent Admirer"
On our way down to Portland this weekend, we stopped at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington. The grounds were nice, the lilacs pretty, but it was the history found within the old farmhouse we found most interesting. Specifically, a yearbook we believe belonged to Hulda's daughter. We're not sure we were supposed to touch it, much less thumb through it, but we couldn't help ourselves. When we came upon this message (above photo), we smiled, felt that nice warm feeling spread through our chest and shoulders. For those who can't make it out, it reads, "Here's to the one thing you have the most of. Beauty. An ardent admirer, Don Keith."
Dishin’: Pizza Pilgrimage to Snohomish
For years, we’ve heard that the best New York-style pizza in Seattle is actually in Snohomish. Snohomish? Who goes to Snohomish? We did. With New York in our blood, and not quite satisfied with Seattle options, it was time to test the waters. (According to some, it’s the water that makes New York’s pizza the best.) #1 New York Pizza is an odd place. Our GPS couldn’t find it, but go straight on Route 9 and it’s just past the intersection with 180th. Tony and Delita, retired runaways from New York, run the tiny shack of a shop set back from the road. Inside are all kinds of tchotchkes, including animal figurines Delita designs, along with a multitude of signs full of rules: don’t put your feet on the seats, don’t bring your own drinks, and don’t pay by credit card. Based on our experience, we’ve got a few “rules” should you choose to visit: 1. Ignore the sign that says slices are 15 cents, as that was in 1965. 2. If you see something stringy in your slice, don’t assume it’s mozzarella. We found hair. 3. If you don’t see a tray of pizza fresh from the oven, order a whole pie. Our meat slices came first. As you can see from the photos, the toppings were thrown on after cooking, and the slices were reheats from who-knows-when. Deeply disappointed, we considered abandoning our plans for plain cheese—and were glad we didn’t. After the hair affair, we got out-of-the-oven slices that were much better. Positive: cheese and tomato coagulation resulting in the right oil drippage (a two-plate requirement) upon folding (yes, that’s how New Yorkers eat pizza) and holding upright. Negative: no air bubbles, and no crack in the crust when folding. Verdict: not bad, and maybe better than Seattle’s. Upon leaving, we noted the sign saying: “You have a choice: if the food is not to your liking you need not come back!” Well, we might take a peek next time we’re in Snohomish. There is an image gallery to this entry which you can view at Seattlest