Belles of the Sound

I’m a musical theatre nerd. I remember seeing my very first roadshow of Cats in Portland when I was just a wee little kitten. I fell in love with Les Miserables before I was old enough to understand all the historical situations and adult plot lines. When I was in college, I participated in an open call audition for a Broadway show in New York. I was vastly underprepared, but I certainly had heart and a never-ending love for musical theatre.

In Seattle, I’ve had the opportunity to see several shows at the 5^th Avenue Theatre. I’ve been impressed with every show I’ve seen there. I’ve wanted to do season tickets for years, but my wallet doesn’t always agree. If you are like me and love musicals, but don’t have a thick pocketbook, I have the deal for you!

5^th Avenue Theatre is doing a 3 for $99 promotion for the rest of January. For only $99 you get a ticket to three upcoming musicals; Oklahoma!, Damn Yankees and Rent. And these aren’t the cheap seats in the back. All the tickets are the best available orchestra seats! My sister and I decided to do this deal and I got our tickets in the mail yesterday. Our seats range from the third to eight row. That’s pretty awesome considering we got all three tickets for not much more than the cost of one single ticket would cost!

Below are the full details from the website. If you’re a musical theatre fan, this is a don’t miss! So call today!

My fellow Belle, Jeanine, already wrote about the Seattle Geek Roast happening tonight, but I want to give you 10 reasons why YOU should attend!

The Seattle Geek Roast is TONIGHT!

My Spring Creek Group co-worker, Griffin Bennett, and I have been working hard to spread the news of this interesting and inspirational event for a couple weeks now. In fact, ALL of the planning for this event has happened in LESS than two weeks! I’m so humbled to be part of such an amazing and compassionate community in Seattle! I love our geeks!!!

Here is a list 10 reasons you should come to the Geek Roast tonight – From me and Griffin:

1. Bid at the chance to win over 130 AWESOME auction items! Tickets are $10 each or 20 tickets for $100!
2. The love of your life might be in attendance. I mean, who doesn’t love a geek?!
3. Show off your sick dance moves to the live music at the after party! Rock on!
4. Let’s be honest, you’re not doing anything better tonight anyway.
5. Griffin says playing Skyrim, Call of Duty or Battlefield is not a good excuse, get your geeky butt to the roast!
6. Make new friends. Cooler, geekier friends!
7. Ever wanted to roast Seattle’s “famous” geeks? Now is your chance to possibly roast Chris Pirillo, Shauna Causey, Kevin Urie, Brian Westbrook, Jenni Hogan, Jeremiah Andrick or Andru Edwards!
8. It’s basically happy hour for a cause. Who doesn’t like happy hour?!
9. Help support your community. We’re all in this together!
10. YOU can help save the life of an awesome dude named Nick. What more reason do you need?

Are you looking for a way to meet new people?

Want to thaw the so-called Seattle Freeze?

Do you want to learn about a variety of nonprofits in the Seattle area?

Do you like to have fun?

Do you like beer?

If you said “YES!” to any of my questions, you want to check out Seattle Works! I’ve been volunteering with Seattle Works for nearly 6 years now, and getting involved with them was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I first joined a Team Works team because I wanted to get involved and make new friends. I was new to the Seattle area, so I wanted to learn more about the community and build more connections. I’ve continued to be involved with Seattle Works for so long because I’ve met a large circle of intelligent, passionate, engaged and incredible people!

Why should you join Seattle Works?

Get Involved in the Community

Seattle Works has connections will all different kinds of nonprofits in Seattle. When you get involved with Seattle Works, you will learn about the challenges each nonprofit is working to solve in our community. You’ll give back and get all the warm fuzzies of doing good!

Meet New People

Volunteering with Seattle Works is a fantastic way to meet new people. I never really felt the Seattle Freeze because I joined a Team Works team and suddenly my calendar was packed with events with really cool people. Heck, I even know quite a few married couples that met through Seattle Works! Whether you’re new to town or just want to expand your social circle, Seattle Works is a great way to make new friends!

Have fun!

Seattle Works’ target demographic is young professionals in their 20s and 30s. But there are plenty of people involved in Seattle Works that fall outside that demographic – so you’re never too old! J The vibe of Seattle Works is very fun and social. It’s all about rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty to help the community, then going for beers with the team after the project. Mmmm…beer!

My Very First Team Works Project

How can you get involved in Seattle Works?

Team Works

With Team Works you join a group of about 10-15 people who volunteer once a month for four months with a variety of nonprofit organizations in Seattle. Each project focuses on a different community issue. The winter round of Team Works starts next week, so sign up now! (My team is Geeks for Good! J)

Hot Projects

Hot Projects are one-off projects and great for people with busy schedules. No long term commitment needed here. You can just pick a project from Seattle Works’ calendar that fits your schedule and piques your interest!

The Bridge

If you’ve ever wanted to serve on a nonprofit or government service board, The Bridge training program is PERFECT for you! In this course you’ll learn everything you need to be on a board and they’ll even help you find a placement on a board! For me, this program was life changing! I learned so much about myself, my professional interests and what drives me. The next Bridge session starts November 12.

If you’re ready to take on a bigger commitment and challenge, check out the HandsOn Leadership program or become a Volunteer Leader for Hot Projects or Team Works!

However you choose to get involved, trust me, you will feel good about yourself, you’ll meet amazing people and you’ll have a blast!

What are you waiting for? Sign up and do something TODAY!

I don’t know about you, but many of the people I know don’t make plans until the last minute. Especially when it comes to Halloween. Maybe they want to see what are the best events… or they don’t like to commit. Whatever the case, I’ve got you covered! Here are 13 activities this weekend to thrill, scare and entertain you!

1.  Fright Fest at Wild Waves

• “Wild Waves Theme Park morphs into a shadow land of ghosts of ghouls. Giant Creatures inhabit the roller coasters. And scares await you at every turn.”
• Wild Waves Theme Park, Federal Way
• Friday and Saturday from 6-11pm, Sunday 5-9pm
• $24.99 plus tax

2. BUMP! Heaven + Hell

• The self-proclaimed “Northwest’s hottest Halloween party” features heavenly music, decadent performers, the luscious chill lounge, and a $1000 costume contest!
• Showbox at the Market
• Friday 9pm – Saturday 2am
• $40

3. Halloween Spooky Soiree

• A fabulous costume party with an 80s dance floor and a martini lounge benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 5% of the sales and an optional $10 donation will go to cancer research.
• Alibi Room
• Friday 2pm – Saturday 2am
• Suggested $10 donation

4. Halloween Pub Crawl

• Massive costumed pub crawl from Pioneer Square to Belltown! Check the Facebook invite for the schedule or follow @SeaPubCrawl on Twitter.
• Various locations throughout downtown Seattle
• Saturday 12-8pm
• No cover charges, Happy hour deals at many locations

5. Seattle Erotic Art Festival – SEDUCTION

• Seattle Erotic Art Festival’s first ever Halloween Party!
• Fremont Studios
• Saturday 8pm – Sunday 2am
• $42.50

6. Belltown Pub 2^nd Annual Halloween Costume Party

• Dance party complete with Jell-o shots and a chance to win a trip to Vegas! Don’t forget your costume!
• Belltown Pub
• Saturday 9pm – Sunday 2am
• No cover

7. The Ultimate Halloween Bash

• “With over 1000 guests dressed in their most elaborate, creative and sexy guises, your eyes will be titillated, tantalized and entertained!”
• Showbox at the Market
• Saturday 8pm
• $45

8. Masquerade Costume Ball

• The 4^th annual Bonza Bash Halloween Masquerade Costume Ball.
• EMP
• Saturday 8:30pm
• $40

9. KUBE 93 FM Haunted House

• Get your scare on at the old Georgetown Morgue!
• Georgetown Morgue, south of downtown near the First Ave. Bridge
• Friday and Saturday from 6pm-midnight, Sunday from 6-10pm
• $16

10. 106.1 KISS FM House of Terror

• The hair-raising House of Terror! Be afraid!
• 19802 Hwy 99, Lynnwood
• Friday and Saturday from 6pm-midnight, Sunday from 6-10pm
• $16

11. Stalker Farms Haunted Attraction

• Check out the Field of Screams haunted corn maze, hunt for the missing Dr. McFalin and there’s even a nonscary maze for the faint of heart!
• Stalker Farms – 8705 Marsh Rd., Snohomish
• Friday – Sunday from 7-10pm
• $20 for all attractions (less if you only pick one)

12. Corn Maze-Apocalypse

• Huge game of Zombie vs. Survivor in a corn maze!
• Stalker Farms – 8705 Marsh Rd., Snohomish
• Monday 7-10pm
• $10

13. Halloween Double Feature – The Lost Boys & Tremors

• Watch two classics while you enjoy a beer and some food
• Central Cinema
• Friday – Sunday at 7pm (The Lost Boys) and 9:30 (Tremors)
• Each movie costs $6 advance, $8 day of show

Looking for something fun and fashionable to do with your Friday night? You should check out the Bellevue Club Fashion Show! The show will feature local boutiques and designers showing off the latest styles from bikinis to ball gowns.

The show will also feature an up-and-coming local designer, chosen with the help of members and friends of the Bellevue Club.

• Mary Kelsay’s MEKA Clothing
• Kathy Sabin’s Kreati Ka

As an added bonus, you’ll be helping out a good cause! A portion of all ticket sales will benefit Overlake Hospital Medical Center’s Ensuring Excellence fund.

If you are on Twitter, you can follow the tweets and connect with other fashionistas by using the #BCFS hashtag.

This year’s event features:

• ADICORA Swim: Native Venezuelan Niveen Heaton blends South American and American styles in premium fabrics for bright, beautiful swimwear.
• La Bijou: This Bellevue boutique carries the finest in women’s lingerie and men’s briefs, La Bijou aims to make all women feel beautiful and feminine.
• VINCE: Located in Bellevue Square, this boutique offers luxurious casual staples.
• David Lawrence: From casual to evening, David Lawrence (located at The Shops at The Bravern in Bellevue) has had the men and women of Seattle fashionably covered for two decades.
• Built for Man: This local designer creates practical, comfortable and stylish men’s wear from the finest yarns woven by communities in Peru that participate in The Loom Project.
• Hendricks Park: These clothing style experts show off the latest in a variety of men’s looks.
• La Belle Reve: One of the premier bridal boutiques in Bellevue, La Belle Reve also has a fabulous selection of evening wear for women of all ages.

Tickets:

You can still buy tickets at the door!

Prices are:

• VIP tickets: $120
• General: $75
• Third Tier: $45

Location:

The Bellevue Club
11200 Southeast Sixth Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
United States

A week or so ago, Keridwyn Deller held a contest to win tickets for the opening weekend of The 5^th Avenue’s new production, Saving Aimee. I love theatre and especially musicals, so I was thrilled when I won! I’ve seen several productions at the 5^th Avenue Theatre and they have all been entertaining and well done.

I knew nothing of the story and I’d never heard of Aimee Semple McPherson. All I had was the short bio on the promotional postcard from the 5^th Avenue: “Before Bakker, before Swaggart, before Robertson, there was Aimee Semple McPherson, the first media superstar evangelist. Her spectacular fall from grace is a real-life story tangled with scandalous love affairs and a tabloid-frenzied trial.” That was enough to pique my interest.

I found the story fascinating. I enjoy learning about history and this musical is based on a true story set in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I’ve always been a fan of the music and culture of the 1920s, so it was fun to see this era in Saving Aimee. The musical told the story of Aimee Semple McPherson, through flashbacks during her grand jury trial in 1926. Aimee was missing for five weeks and claimed she was kidnapped. The prosecutor alleged she had run away with a married lover. The play tells her story and lets the audience decide if Aimee was innocent or guilty.

The story reminded me a lot of Evita, another tale of a woman in history who did both good and bad things. I think the play wants us to decide if Aimee is a bad woman doing good things or a good woman doing bad things, but I’m not sure the story is balanced enough. To me it seemed like they led us down the path that she was a fake for most of the production, and it wasn’t until the end that they highlight all the good Aimee did during her life. I would’ve liked to see more balance during the story, not just at the end.

The cast was fantastic! Carolee Carmello was outstanding as Aimee. She was able to show the various emotions and stages throughout her character’s life. Her voice was incredible! Ed Watts played Aimee’s first husband, Robert Semple, and her third husband, David Hutton. Watts was a skilled performer and definitely not bad to look at! He played both an Irish preacher and a smarmy LA actor with ease. But for me, Roz Ryan stole the show! Ryan played Emma Jo, a reformed madame turned Aimee’s right hand. She has an incredible voice and perfect comedic timing.

It isn’t very often that I go see a musical and I don’t already know all the songs by heart. I enjoyed the music, however many of the songs sounded too similar for me. Why Can’t I was a great song and reminded me some of Dorothy’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow. My favorite song of the production was A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do in the brothel, but it didn’t seem to fit the rest of the score. But I’d love to do that song at karaoke!

All in all, I found Saving Aimee to be well-done and entertaining. The 5^th Avenue Theatre often modifies and alters productions as they go, so I would be interested to see how the production evolves over the run. Saving Aimee runs until October 29, and if you like musicals and history, I recommend you check it out.

Check out the Saving Aimee Montage to get a taste of the play.

Have you seen Saving Aimee? What did you think?

I’ve lived in Seattle for 6 years now. But before I moved north, I called Portland home. While I love Seattle, Portland will always hold a special place in my heart as well. I have several friends making the trip down I-5 this weekend, so I thought I’d share a few of my recommendations for a fun-filled Portland weekend!

How to Get There:

1. Plane – You can fly to PDX for just over $150 round-trip and the flight is only an hour. Certainly the fastest way to get to Portland. Well, as long as security doesn’t take too long.
2. Train – Amtrak is a pretty easy and inexpensive way to get down to Portland. You can purchase your trip for as little as $62 round-trip. The trip takes about 3 ½ hours, which is much faster than dealing with the traffic on I-5 during rush hour. And you get to move around, read, work, watch a movie, eat and even have a drink. If you take the Amtrak Cascades train you even get Wi-Fi. It isn’t the fastest connection ever, but it’s free!
3. Automobile – The cost of driving will depend on how high gas prices are at that moment, and how much your car likes to guzzle gas. How long the trip takes will also vary, depending on traffic. I’ve done this drive a million times and it bores me. One thing I do like about the drive is stopping at the Burgerville in Centralia. Yum!

Where to Stay:

1. McMenamins – I’ll admit right now, I’m a McMenamins fan girl. I freakin’ love this business! Anyway, their hotels are my favorite! There are a bunch of them in the Portland area, but my top three are Crystal Hotel, Kennedy School and White Eagle. I mean, who wouldn’t want to stay in an old elementary school? If you’re looking for value, White Eagle is the best!
2. Inn at Northrup Station – It’s located in the fun and trendy NW 23^rd/Nobhill neighborhood, and is just up from the Pearl District. It’s right on the streetcar line so it’s easy to get around. The suites have kitchenettes so you can have breakfast, snacks, drinks, etc. in the room. I love the design and decorations at the Inn at Northrup Station. It’s got a funky, retro vibe.
3. The Jupiter Hotel – A cool, trendy boutique hotel on the eastside of Portland. The restaurant/bar that is connected with the hotel is the Doug Fir Lounge, another one of my Portland favorites. I also find it hilarious that they have an “After Midnight at the Jupiter” deal!

Where to Eat Breakfast/Brunch:

1. Brasserie Montmartre – Best eggs benedict! They have an awesome brunch and tasty mimosas!
2. Mother’s Bistro – Even if you get a late start to your day, you can get yummy breakfast from Mother’s until 2:30! So good this place has their own cookbook!
3. Urban Farmer – Tasty breakfast and brunch items with an emphasis on tastes of the Northwest.

Where to Eat Lunch:

1. McMenamins – Hey, I warned you I’m a fan girl! But seriously, they have awesome burgers, sandwiches, salads and tater tots! There are almost as many McMenamins pubs in Portland as there are Starbucks in Seattle, so it’s hard to tell you my favorite ones. I used to go to Blue Moon the most because it was blocks away from my apartment, but any of them will be great!
2. Food Carts – Portland has quite a reputation for outstanding food carts. And they’re EVERYWHERE!
3. Deschutes Brewery – I’m from Bend, where it all began for Deschutes Brewery, so of course I’m a fan! But hometown-bias aside, their food is awesome!

Where to Eat Dinner – Casual:

1. Montage – Montage has a terrific menu with a variety of Cajun dishes, but they are best known for their mac and cheese!
2. Pastini Pastaria – I really miss this place! Yummy pasta dishes of all kinds, but my favorite is the tortellini gorgonzola!
3. Henry’s 12^th Street Tavern – This place is especially great if you have a group and people that have lots of different tastes because the menu has a huge variety. They also have a fantastic happy hour, and it runs all day on Sundays!

Where to Eat Dinner – Fancy:

1. Jake’s Grill – Jake’s is a Portland institution and is now part of the McCormick & Schmick’s family. There is also Jake’s Famous Crawfish a couple blocks away. Both are awesome!
2. RingSide Steakhouse – This place is THE place to get steak in Portland. It’s been open since 1944 and has won many awards. You want meat? Go here! (Note: at the time when I published, the website was down. Not sure why.)
3. Urban Fondue – Who doesn’t love fondue, right? I love this cute little restaurant up in the northwest neighborhood! Mmmm, cheese!

Where to Eat Dessert:

1. Saint Cupcake – I really love this place! Best. Cupcakes. EVER! Get the dots so you can try plenty of the tasty flavors!
2. Papa Haydn – For as long as I can remember, this was the best place for dessert in Portland. They are like pieces of art!
3. Moonstruck Chocolatier – Need your chocolate fix, this is the place! Adorable, beautiful and, most importantly, tasty little chocolates for your pleasure!

Where to Catch a Concert:

1. Crystal Ballroom – Suspended ceiling makes for a bouncy floor, need I say more? (Yes, it’s another McMenamins.)
2. Roseland Theater – A smaller venue with lots of room to dance and seats in the balcony when your feet need a break.
3. Doug Fir Lounge – Awesome little venue where you can get really close to your favorite bands!

How to Get Around Town:

1. The MAX – Portland has about a 20-year head start over Seattle when it comes to the light rail. The MAX is a stellar way to get around town. Fast, easy, clean and inexpensive.
2. Portland Streetcar – Just like The MAX, it’s easy to use, fast, clean, etc.
3. Walk – Portland is a very walkable city. Unlike Seattle, Portland is pretty flat. So go for a walk!

Portland Institutions (AKA – Don’t miss these places!):

1. Powell’s Books – The best bookstore you’ll ever visit! If they don’t have it, it isn’t in print.
2. Voodoo Doughnut – How can you NOT visit a place when the tagline is, “the magic is in the hole!” Get the bacon maple bar. Trust me!
3. International Rose Test Garden – Portland is the city of roses, after all! This park is beautiful and peaceful. There are some amazing views of the city up here, too. Take a camera!

What to Do:

1. Drink Beer – Portland is known for being a microbrewery capitol of the northwest. There are plenty of options including Bridgeport, Widmer and Deschutes breweries.
2. Movies – I know it seems like a silly thing to do on a weekend away, but I love the movie theaters in Portland. There are a bunch of them where you can get a burger and beer while you enjoy your movie. Most of them are McMenamins theaters, but there is also the Laurelhurst Theater.
3. Saturday Market – Don’t let the name fool you, it’s actually on Sundays, too! There are all kinds of crafts and cool items for sale. There is also tasty food to snack on.

So now you know how to have an outstanding trip to our neighbor city to the south. Go plan your trip!

What are your favorite places in Portland?

I’ve always been pretty impulsive with my hair. I like to make drastic changes, and I want to do them right away. About 2 ½ years ago I had long, blonde hair when I decided I wanted to chop it off and go brunette. And I wanted to do it RIGHT THEN. In Seattle, it can be difficult to find a salon that you trust and can get in right away. Many of my friends had recommended the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute, so I thought I’d check it out.

Before

My first experience was FANTASTIC! I can’t remember my students name anymore, but she has long since graduated anyway. The process didn’t take too long, just a couple hours. At the end I loved the deep, chestnut brown color.

After

I loved my darker hair for more than two years, but the upkeep got to be a bit much for me. I wanted to go back to my natural color. Of course that is much easier said than done!

Anyone who’s had to do any color correction knows how difficult this process can be. Sometimes they need to bleach your hair and strip it of all color. Of course this can damage your hair. I really didn’t want to do this so I thought I would just do a full foil and keep lightening it until it was back to my natural color.

The thing is, I’m not a licensed beautician or colorist. I don’t really know what’s best. While it is students that work on you at the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute, all treatments are monitored and overseen by experienced instructors. I mean, you don’t even get that in a salon.

My student was Nadia and her instructor was Sydney. Together they discussed all the options with me, highlighting the benefits and downfalls of each method. They gave me all the information I needed and answered my questions so I fully understood. We decided to do a color wash, then a full foil and all over color. I felt confident in the decision and their ability to make my hair look good.

After the color wash my hair was pretty brassy and was a not-so-lovely orange color. From there Nadia and Sydney alternated between highlights and a dark blonde/light brown color all over my hair. One drawback about going a beauty school is the time it takes. Color correction is usually a lengthy process anyway, so my appointment took almost 7 hours. At the end of my appointment my hair was still too warm and brassy, but Sydney told me it would take a while for my hair to get back to its natural color.

Nadia told me what the cost would be, but she felt bad because I had only planned to pay for a full foil so she gave me a 50% coupon she had. The total cost would’ve been $144, but I only paid $72 thanks to Nadia’s generosity. Although, for color correction, a full foil and a haircut the full price is MUCH more affordable than most salons!

I went back yesterday to continue the process. This time Gibby was my student and Lee was the instructor. Gibby did a partial foil and toner all over. The process only took a couple hours and my hair is back to my natural color. The cost for a partial foil, toner process and eyebrow wax was only $65.

Final Hair

I’m a big fan of the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute! I’ve been happy every time I’ve gone there, and I trust them to handle challenging treatments like color correction. The students are friendly, helpful and talented. The instructors are knowledgeable and will make sure you get exactly what you want. All of this at a terrific price!

I recommend you check them out!

Okay. I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to shoes. I have two closets packed with shoes, and that’s AFTER I got rid of a bunch of them during my move last year. I can’t help it, I see a cute wedge or a sexy little peep-toe and I fall in love! So I got super excited when I heard that Cole Haan is giving away a pair of shoes every month for a year to a lucky winner at Fashion’s Night Out at UVillage next Thursday!

On Thursday, September 8, University Village is hosting Fashion’s Night Out as part of the global initiative to celebrate and support the fashion and retail industry. Cole Haan isn’t the only store that will have a giveaway that night, merchants will offer fashion demonstrations, giveaways, gifts with purchases, discounts and other in-store events. Events, giveaways and deals will run from 3-9pm. You can find the whole list of events and store promotions on the Fashion’s Night Out website. U Village is even giving away 200 swag bags to the first 200 shoppers!

It’s a perfect night to grab your girlfriends for a night out of shopping! This is a fantastic event for every fashionista out there, however there will be events for everyone. There will even be a “Man Cave Destination” at Sony with sports and PlayStation for the guys who need a shopping break.

Not only can you score some great deals for yourself, but you can also give back to a child in need. U Village will be hosting a children’s coat drive for Wellspring Family Services. Wellspring helps homeless families in King County get back on their feet. If you donate a new or slightly used coat, you will be entered to win a $500 U Village Shopping Spree.

You can RSVP and invite your friends on Facebook and on Twtvite. You can also follow U Village on Facebook and Twitter. U Village is making Fashion’s Night Out social by using the #UVFNO hashtag.

I can’t wait to go and check out the shoes and the other deals! Hope to see you there!

Leave me a comment and tell me which promotion or deal is most interesting to you.

I planned to write a review of Adele’s recent Seattle show at the Paramount for my post this week, but sadly, it was not to be. After getting dressed up in my cute little dress then waiting in line for over an hour for the general admission, sold out show I was told my tickets were fake and we were asked to leave.

Are you freaking kidding me?!

I got the tickets as a birthday present from my pseudo-ex who bought them from a friend who bought them from Craigslist. (Follow that?) In the break-up I got custody of both tickets, which I was pretty excited about. I LOVE Adele and I was thrilled to get to see her again. Disappointed doesn’t even begin to describe how I was feeling.

My friend who bought the tickets has filed a police report on the scammer who sold the fake tickets, but in an effort to keep others from the disappointment I felt, here are some tips for Craigslist.

5 Tips to Protect from Scammers on Craigslist:

• Meet the seller in person. Don’t do deals through the mail. Don’t give out your bank info. And when you do meet them, make sure it’s in a public place. Also, it’s a good idea to not go alone.
• Hard tickets only. While the printable tickets are convenient because you can print a new copy if you lose it, what is to keep a scammer from making 1000 copies? Also, it is so easy to fake a PDF that looks just like the real tickets. (That’s what happened to us.)
• Get a phone number. If the seller will only give out their email account, it’s a red flag. It’s really easy to get a fake email, but it’s a bit harder to get a fake number.
• Check the email address. If it looks fake or is something like Adelefan2011@gmail, it’s probably new and could’ve been created for the scam. If it includes the sellers name, like JaneSmith@gmail, that give you more information. Check the email for any red flags.
• Google the seller. Just like you might before a first date, check out what is online about the seller. Search by his/her name and email address. If there are any negative comments, don’t buy from him/her.

If you want a foolproof plan, buy directly from the source. If that isn’t an option, just watch out for red flags and trust your instincts! Don’t be afraid to walk away if it doesn’t feel right.

Any other tips you would add to keep people from getting scammed on Craigslist?