Belles of the Sound

Photo via Annex Theatre

You bet it is, Shockwave! Can I call you that? Maybe Mr. Shockwave might be more appropriate. You’ll have to excuse me, I’ve never blogged about a superhero before. Totally popping my literary superhero-cherry right now. And things just got awkward…

So yeah. This Friday, April 20th the Annex Theatre is debuting a new play titled Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors, which takes a look at the dark past and less-than-perfect present of the world’s best super heroes. According to the Annex Theater website, the show promises to be a ”spandex-clad tale of media manipulation and super-heroics.” Sounds fabulous to me!

I plan to attend opening night, but if you can’t make Friday, performances will be at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday until May 19th. Plenty of time to get your superhero fix!

For tickets and additional information, visit the Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors webpage.

First, two sort of disclaimers: One: I am not really a music reviewer.  By that I mean that I love music (it’s like saying that you love breathing or sleeping), but really lack the appropriate vocabulary and vast musical knowledge to review anything with any authority.  Although the internet seems to be a place where people with no background in anything can spout their opinions as if they were fact with little to no consequences I will not do that.  It’s not that I have no opinions.  It seems to me that there is still a difference between opinion and fact and we all might be well advised to remember that.  Two: I am what you would call a casual Radiohead fan.  I also lack the broad knowledge of their catalog and prior concerts to do this any justice.

With that, I present to you my “review” of Radiohead at Key Arena last Monday night.  (more…)

In an effort to start planning ahead more often – I present to you, Arcade Lights taking place NEXT Friday, April 20 at the Pike Place Market. Arcade Lights is a celebration of local artisan foods and beverages and live music all in the name of a good cause: The Market Foundation.

What/Why:

At this fun festival of culinary delights for guests 21 and over, more than 60 local artisan food and beverage purveyors will sample a variety of sweet or savory foods, including seafood and sausage, doughnuts and ice cream—and tasty beverages including beer, wine, coffee, hard cider and sodas. Enjoy live performances of jazz, acappella gospel, folk and rock, performed by Market buskers. Ticket includes 10 tokens event-goers redeem as they choose. Proceeds benefit the Market Foundation and the preschool, senior center, food bank, and medical clinic that serve those who need a helping hand.

There will be no shortage of delightful establishments on hand. Check out the full listing of participating wineries, breweries, coffee roasters, sweet treats and big bites here.

Tickets are $25 in advance (this is where the planning ahead part comes into play) and $30 at the door. Proceeds benefit the Market Foundation and the preschool, senior center, food bank, and medical clinic that serve those who need a helping hand.

(more…)

Some of you may be like me and are mourning your busted NCAA bracket and the end of college basketball season. Or maybe you’re like Belle Kara and are relishing your mastery of picking the teams! Either way, if you’re looking for a second chance to pick a killer bracket and win some aweome prizes, you NEED to enter KJR AM’s Bigger Dance.

Going on 16 years now, local Seattle sports radio station KJR AM has been hosting the Bigger Dance, their take on the NCAA basketball brackets. And the bracket contestants? They are compiled from sexy, celebrity women both locally and around the world. Before you smirk at that, consider the prizes. The winner wins two tickets to the sporting event of their choice anywhere in the world… surfing competition in Australia anyone?? The top 30 finishers will win a host of amazing prizes, including trips, sports tickets, free pizza and more.

Here’s how it works: Each morning during the competition, there will be four lady match-ups live on the air at 8:50am, 10:50am, 1:50pm, and 4:50pm. Listeners are invited to call in during the match-up and “vote” for their favorite. Votes will be tallied for 3.5 minutes, and the lady with the most votes at the end of the time will move on. The final four match-ups are done live, in-person at a party hosted by The Parlor.

It doesn’t cost to enter, but you only have the rest of the day to do so!! The Bigger Dance kicks off tomorrow morning at 8:50am, so get your bracket in ASAP. And, best of luck to you all!

Photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adobemac/161301489/

When it comes to Easter I am such a kid at heart. I love a strategically-colored, perfect bowl of hard boiled eggs the night before (call me OCD). I love the colors of bunnies, baked goods and treasures that stocks the shelves immediately following Valentine’s day. I love myself a good Easter dinner. And I love, love LOVE myself some Easter candy – I seriously can’t get enough and have tried and love them all.

But for a lot of folks kids, Easter is about that magical race to the egg hunt. So your Belles posts this week would just not be complete without a short and snappy guide to the hunts for all kinds come this Sunday.

Don’t ask me about specifics, I just do the research.

(more…)

It’s back! What better option is there for a (predicted) rainy Saturday? None!

Saddle up to your favorite Washington wineries and restaurants for the annual two-day Taste Washington! event at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. Beginning Saturday (2pm-5pm), more than 200 Washington wineries uncork their award-winning bottles, and the region’s top restaurants dish up their world-class bites.

You thought Costco on a Saturday was the jackpot for samples and cheer? This event takes the cake as you will consume meal and wine pairings from the State’s finest institutions and wineries including Canlis, Cooperleaf Restaurant and Bar and Aqua by El Goucho.

And if you bail on Saturday, Sunday’s agenda will still knock your socks off. Wine tasting in the  Vineyard Tasting area and noshing on mouth-watering bites for four hours sounds delightful. Sunday also offers wine and food lovers the chance to meet Tom Douglas.

I don’t know about you, but the weekend can’t come fast enough, especially one flowing with wine and good bites!

Cheers!

Congrats to the Mariners! Today the team won it’s Opening Day game versus the Oakland Athletics. And get this, the first pitch was at 3 a.m. PST! Wowza. This was due to the fact that both teams traveled to Tokyo for the game. I know some of you are hardcore and were up for the game, but I still love the M’s, even if I couldn’t get myself out of bed that early! Sorry team.

With the home opener just over two weeks away (April 13, FTW!), it’s time to change your gears and start purchasing tickets! I already have my opening day seats (I’m going with ex-Belle Cathy), and I have blocked a few weekends throughout the summer. Pick up you tix here. Don’t forget that there will be King Felix days too…

This year, the M’s are testing out a new dynamic pricing system, as outlined in this Seattle Times article. Basically, this means that tickets in the same seats may not cost the same on different game days. Tickets will be priced according to popularity of the day, opponents, and several other factors. I love this idea! It makes the tickets much more accessible to a broader group of people, and it will encourage folks to attend the mid-week games. Afterall, is it fair for people who go to a Tuesday game to pay the same as people who go to the Saturday Yankees game?

All in all, I’m excited for another season of baseball. I love this team and I can’t wait to see how we look this year! For those of you who love the Mariners’ commercials, here is my personal favorite:

Don Quichote image via Frybooks.com

Do you like to literally DEVOUR your books? If you answer is yes, the 7th Annual Edible Book Festival in Wallingford may be for you. I was unaware of this event until I read it on the Wallyhood blog, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. Creative people think of hilarious ways to combine their favorite books into a pun and then cook it up. For example, Don Quixote was turned into a lovely quiche called Don Quichote! Ha. I love it.

There are awards for: Most Pun-derful, Most Drop-dead Gorgeous, Most Delectably Appetizing, Best Young Edible Artist (K-12), and Best in Show (voted on by attendees). And, for those of you who are wondering, you do can to eat the edible art after judging at 2pm.

The event takes place on Saturday, March 31 from 12-3pm at the Good Shepherd Center. Admission is free for entrants and $10 for all other visitors.

For more information on the event, visit Wallyhood’s post here.

The latest in our “Man on the Street” series featuring manly tips from new Seattleite Henry Fitzgerald.

Like any big metropolitan area, Seattle and its surrounding suburbs are clustered with golf courses. Seattle’s courses, however, are some of the best. There are both private and public courses, big courses and small — but they all have one thing in common: 18 holes of golfing greatness.

Before we get to the best courses in the Seattle area, it’s important to note that the weather in Seattle can turn a golf outing into quite the adventure. It’s not uncommon for the “Emerald City” to experience rain for the majority of nine months out of the year, which can potentially put a damper on golf plans.

That is, if you’re unprepared.

Water Hazards

All any hardcore golfer needs is the right gear. Make sure to bring your umbrella along with your rain gear if it’s looking a little wet outside. Perhaps most importantly, do not forget your waterproof shoes. At most golf stores or clubhouses, you will be sure to find a solid pair of waterproof golf shoes. Puma golf shoes are very reliable some of the most comfortable. As an added bonus, many come with extensive waterproof protection.

Now that all your golf apparel needs are covered let’s figure out which Seattle course you will try on. Below are a few options for golfers of all skill levels.

The Courses

Seattle Golf Club is mainly an exclusive course. If you wish to play here you must be a member or the guest of a member. However, if you do get the chance to play on this course, don’t be fooled by its beautiful appearance — it’s also quite challenging. One of Seattle’s more classy courses, the Seattle Golf Club has some of the best views in the city and not just skyscrapers.

West Seattle Golf Club is likely the best bang you will find for your buck. Moderately priced with a great urban feel not found in many other courses, the West Seattle Golf Club is one of the best affordable courses in the greater Seattle area. It lies in the heart of the West Seattle neighborhood and can get a little weather dampened at times. While it is best played during a dry spell, you can certainly bring your rain gear.

Greenlake Golf Course is on the low end for green fees. But, that’s not to say it is a low quality course. The course is definitely worth the cheap price to play. It is, however, smaller than most courses and a little out of the way if you are coming from the heart of the city. If affordability is your aim, this course won’t do you wrong.

Broadmoor Golf Club, like the Seattle Golf Club is a bit ritzy, but equally as beautiful and well maintained. It is located in the heart of Seattle with beautiful greens and fairways. If you would like to play here you do need to be a member, or invited by one. If you can manage that, then the beauty of this pristine course will be yours for 18 holes.

Don’t be afraid to brave the unpredictable Seattle elements and get your golf game going. Rain or shine, these courses are a great way to spend an afternoon.

Most of you probably think Bingo is just for the older crowd, and to that I would say you are completely WRONG! Especially when you’re playing Bingo at the Greenwood Senior Center. Yes, the senior center. On the last Friday of each month January thru October, the Greenwood Senior Center hosts themed bingo/karaoke nights. And, they are a blast!

Karaoke Bingo starts promptly at 7:30pm, so be sure to show up a little early to get a spot, beer and dauber. It costs $10 (plus a $5 on-site WA State gambling fee paid at the door), which gets you one bingo card for each of the 10 rounds. Daubers are available if you don’t have your own. You can also purchase extra cards or buy in to the “special rounds,” such as the Blackout Round, for an extra fee (usually $1-2 per card). In between each of the rounds, attendees are invited to the stage for karaoke. Young and old alike participate in karaoke, and sing-a-longs are not uncommon.

These events are extremely popular and sell out very fast. Tickets go on sale the Monday after the previous event, and you MUST reserve your spots prior to showing up. You can also reserve a table if you are bringing a large group. If you don’t, you probably won’t all be sitting together. Karaoke Bingo is also 21+, which means they have beer (and food) for purchase. The food consists of awesome comfort foods such as tater tots, mini corndogs, soft pretzels, and fresh-baked cookies!

The next Karaoke Bingo event is on Friday, March 30. Come on down and mingle with the cool kids. You never know what new friends you may meet!