Belles of the Sound

Read on for the latest in our Belles’ Man on the Street series extoling the adventures of Henry Fitzgerald as he moves from Florida to the Emerald City. 

Five months ago I moved from the Sunshine State all the way across the country to Seattle to start a new job. I had recently graduated from UCF and was looking to get out into the real world and make it on my own.  I didn’t know much about Seattle aside from the fact that it rains a lot and the SuperSonics moved from there. Still, I hired some movers, packed up my few possessions and set off to meet my future.

Once I arrived in Seattle and settled into my apartment, I figured it was time for me to get out and explore. Of course I didn’t exactly know where I should go since I had only been there briefly for an interview and I didn’t have much time to find anything.

This next part might take away from the excitement of the story, but it definitely came in handy for me. Instead of going out and just wandering around town, I decided to get on social media and see what I could find out about Seattle. I figured I could find some nice spots to eat at and different spots to check out on the weekends. I was right.

Seattle Restaurants @searestaurants

I found a Twitter account dedicated only to posting information about different places to eat in Seattle. It was love at first Tweet. I love to eat and to tryout different cuisines from various cultures. I was able to find a spot to eat that first night at a diner that was mention in a post and the food was great.

After that I decided to try this out again and see if I could learn more about the Seattle nightlife.

Seattle Places @seattle_places

The Seattle Places Twitter account posts about spots around the city that have events or parties going on. Another great thing about it is many of the posts list discounts for various places. It has something for everybody too. I saw a post with 87 percent off of a massage and another one for 55 percent off of guitar lessons. They post about various bars and clubs too. I’ve been to a couple of spots the account recommended to get some wings and watch the college football bowl games and some NBA action.

Daily to do list

I also came across a page on Facebook called 365 Things to Do in Seattle. This turned out to be another great resource for me to find different activities that are taking place here. If I have a question, I can ask right through the site and get an answer right back from other locals. I have come across some really helpful and friendly people through the Facebook page who keep me posted on different events that they hear about, which makes the service even better.

Social media has made my transition to a new state and city much easier. Not only was I able to find places to go that I enjoyed, but I also save money in the process and met some cool people. I’m not sure I could have adjusted as well to a cross-country move before the Internet and sites like Twitter and Facebook.

A Smash Putt obstacle. Photo via SmashPutt.com

Do you enjoy putt-putt, but are maybe looking for a little change of pace? If so, Smash Putt may be for you! Smash Putt is a seasonal mini golf experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. This year’s theme is “2012: The Final Apocalypse,” which sounds like an absolute blast to me. It features unbelieveable obstacles such as the golfball cannon or a new one featuring scratch and sniff technology according to the website.

Once you are done putting, feel free to stick around for cocktails. Smash Putt has an on-site lounge, as well as a viewing room so you can watch others tackle the putting elements. The also have group rooms for rent if you want to through a private Smash Putt event.

You MUST get tickets in advance. Every night sells out. The catch is that they only sell tickets for the upcoming weekend, so you have to be on top of your game. Go to this website to select your tee time and purchase tickets. Note that some times are strictly 21+. Tickets cost $12 or $15 depending on your tee time.

Smash Putt is located at 2764 6th Ave. S in SoDo. It’s open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting this weekend through the end of February!

Don’t miss out on this wacky putting adventure.

With our summer sadly winding down, there are still a few ways you can take advantage of the outdoors, while giving something back to your community. There is a wonderful volunteer opportunity for women in King County and the surrounding areas called Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run is an after school program for elementary school girls in 4th-6th grade. The girls gather together with their “team” two days a week for ten weeks to learn about being healthy, positive young women, all while getting excercise and training for the end of the year 5k!

There are still a few coaching opportunities available for women in the North Seattle area, or those who are willing to travel there. I’m actually coaching this year up in Lake Forest Park!! HOWEVER, if you are like most people, and don’t have a ton of time to give, I’d like to suggest you sign up to be a Running Buddy!

A Running Buddy’s commitment is very low. The duties simply involve being paired with one of the young participants and running (or walking in some instances) alongside them during the 5k. This is a rewarding volunteer opportunity, as you’re able to personally ensure these girls complete their goal that they’ve been working toward for the past 10 weeks, and make sure they have a great time doing it! The program has approximately 350 girls participating this season, and needs that many Running Buddies to accommodate!

If this sounds like something you are interested in, please go to the following link and sign up. And who knows, maybe you’ll just have so much fun that you’ll decide to coach in subsequent seasons.

If you have any questions, visit their website, or feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to seeing some of you at the 5k!

Read on for our semi-regular feature that follows new-Seattleite Henry Fitzgerald and his adventures in discovering our Emerald City!

I am an unconventional sports fan. I love pretty much every sport, from football, soccer, basketball and ice hockey to cycling, volleyball, swimming and baseball. I even got into curling during the Winter Olympics. And I’m a venue snob. I can’t fully enjoy a football game in Grandma’s basement on a 20-inch tube TV from the 1990′s. Sorry.

I moved to Seattle a few months ago and I’ve since found some pretty awesome places to watch my favorite sporting events. They’re a lot better than Grandma’s basement. I promise.

Home “Stadiums”

Watching games at home comes with substantial perks. No belligerent drunks, overpriced food, traffic, expensive tickets, crying babies or big-headed families blocking your view.

That being said, I recently transformed my living room into the ultimate home stadium. My dad, disgusted with my 32-inch flat screen, bought me a huge LED for Christmas last year. With that under my belt, I called a local Seattle electrician recommended to me by a friend. He came out and installed a legit home theater system, good for movies, sports and the occasional dance party.

Whenever I host a viewing party, I put my sofa up on cinder blocks to make it sit higher, trot out some camping chairs and put a few blankets down on the floor. Stadium seating made easy.

Real Stadiums

If I have money to spend, I love seeing a game (or two) live and in person, at a local stadium.

I’ve seen the Sounders once at CenturyLink Field and plan on seeing the Seahawks there. CenturyLink is amazing. It’s clean, well maintained, easy to access and navigate, has great seating and good parking. I saw the Mariners play at Safeco Field and loved it. Baseball is my favorite sport, and the stadium was phenomenal. The roof opened up, and the hot dogs – and sushi! – were delicious. I’ve also seen a horse race at the Emerald Downs, got invited to a Disney-on-Ice production at the KeyArena and caught part of a field hockey game at the Starfire Sports & Entertainment Complex. I would suggest not spending money on Disney on Ice, but everything else is a go.

Sports Bars

I find sports bars to be the happy medium between hauling in the cinder blocks in order to build my home stadium or shelling out money and effort to head out to a real stadium.

Auto Battery is my favorite sports bar. It’s totally awesome–cheap drinks and food, pool, skeeball, laid back atmosphere, and great specials. But, it gets crowded. If you plan on catching a Seahawks game on Sunday afternoon, get there Sunday morning. But hey, that’s part of the fun – being around all the fans give the bar a stadium-like feel.

The Victory Lounge is a close second. Its food and drinks are even cheaper than Auto Battery and the bartenders are more attentive. I like it because it’s cleaner, and there’s a wide selection of beer and liquor, games and a sweet patio. It’s a little less crowded on game days, too. Plus, it’s called the Victory Lounge: automatic indicator of good times.

Tickets and Tips

I usually try to save money on buying tickets. I’ve found some good deals on Craig’s List, StubHub and TicketLuck. I also suggest buying tickets in groups, since most sites offer discounts for multiple ticket sales.

I’d advise that you show up early to beat both car and foot traffic. Bring cash so you don’t end up losing track of things and accidentally charging $150 on your debit card. And, if you’re hosting viewing parties at home, encourage others to bring snacks, so you don’t end up pulling the weight all the time. It adds up.

Happy trails, sports fans!

That’s right folks, it’s going to be 80 degrees + this coming Labor Day Weekend and if you’re not one of the groupies heading to the Gorge or Bumbershoot you may be looking for a nice beach, body of water and people watching to enjoy.

This last Sunday I did some park hopping on the Eastside to check out the digs around Lake Sammamish and was impressed with Idylwood Beach Park (3650 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE) for two reasons: excellent parking options in the overflow lot across the street and rent-able water activities including canoes, standup paddle boards and kayaks. And that rental desk was busy! Also, standup paddle board instruction was offered later in the evening to a group of about 10. Here is one outfit that offers lessons out of the park.

Photo courtesy of Redmond Parks and Recreation

If you can handle the people watching, and I say this because it will without a doubt be at it’s best, you cand handle Idylwood Beach Park.

Just one more place to dip your toes this weekend and cool off.

Take it easy and have a great holiday weekend!

K

The game may have ended 1-1, but make no mistake that we’re still the best.

More can be read about the game, and the epic fan support, here.  As for myself – shoot, guys, do throat lozenges work?  My voice started breaking about thirty minutes into the game, and I thought I’d be fine since I had a voice yesterday…nope.

What can I do to get my voice back?!  I can’t even order coffee at Starbucks, for goodness’ sake!

I have to admit, that when I planned that I’d be voiceless on Monday, the scenario of standing in line at Starbucks and having to pantomime and point did NOT occur to me.

Despite the score of last weekend’s Mariner’s home opener, the festitivies went off without a hitch. The evening began with a sweet Make-a-Wish boy running the bases – running the bases is a tradition at Safeco! He stopped and waved enthusiastically to the crowd from each base. Then after both teams were announced, Franklin Gutierrez and Ichiro received their well-deserved Golden Glove awards, and King Felix received his Cy Young Award. Finally, Macklemore was invited out on the field to perform his tribute song to Dave Niehuas. After which, Marilyn Niehaus, accompanied by her family, threw out the first pitch.

While I know some people didn’t think that a rap song was the best way to memorialize the greatest voice to ever grace this city, I felt that the song was perfect. It was complete with sound bites from the infamous 1995 game, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the stadium – that includes the HUGE biker guy standing next to me. It was that touching. I can prove that Dave loved it too, becuase the sun shined through the entire afternoon/evening.

For those of you who were not lucky enough to get tickets to the game, I took a video of the Macklemore performance. Hopefully MLB doesn’t make me pull it down. Video after the break… (more…)

So we are inching our way through springtime and signs of warmer weather are popping up around us.  There are cherry blossoms on the sidewalks, a lack of motivation at work, and of course the start of baseball season.  It is a glorious time where even the Mariners get a clean slate and fans have a chance to have a little hope for a good year.  (This year I am hoping we make .500)  However if the Mariners do start to tank it’s good to remember that we do have some other options.  Sure, you can watch other teams play on TV, but if you’re looking for some live baseball that doesn’t carry quite the price tag of a trip to Safeco Field try a little trip down south to Tacoma and see the Tacoma Rainiers.  For $25, which wouldn’t even get you a seat in the upper decks at Safeco you can get nice and close to the boys in Tacoma.  Also, the Rainiers are the reigning champions of the Pacific Coast League so that’s some quality there. (more…)

That’s right, people.  Like I was going to talk about anything else.  The Sounders FC will kick off the 2011 MLS season TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 15th at 6:30PM in Qwest Field, and I believe that you can still purchase tickets here.  And, either way, don’t be surprised tomorrow when your coworkers, your friends, and many, many random people on the street are proudly dressed in green and blue, complete with soccer scarves, hats, and jackets.

If, like me, you’ve already secured your tickets, then you are aware our first kick is near.  Let me tell you a few somethings.

First, try and bring cash with you to the game to donate to the Red Cross.  Proceeds will go to that organization as they struggle to right the damage in Japan, and you can drop your donations with them as you walk through the gates.

Second:  Whether it’s your first game or your fiftieth, remember that we have traditions.

As rbjdbkilla mentioned previously, the ECS will be leading the march to the match.  Meet at Occidental Park at 5:15PM and you’ll be on your way to the stadium by 5:30PM.  If you want to get an ECS membership, if you want to talk and hang with other supporters, if you want to share in the anticipation, prefunk at Fuel, McCoy’s Firehouse, or Temple’s Billiards.  March alongside your fellow supporters in joy and cameraderie and don’t be shy – we’re all friends when it comes to our Sounders.

Once we take our seats, join Manumerda and the rest of the ECS in a two-part ritual meant to fan the confidence of our Sounders into a raging inferno while simultaneously turning our opponents into quivering, fearful masses of jelly:

1. When it comes time for the Qwest announcer to proclaim the (hated) names of the Galaxy players, turn your back to the stadium and scream, as loud as you can, “Who?!” as their names are said.  Can you imagine?  The power of 36,000+ fans shouting their defiance of the Galaxy in fierce and menacing unison? I wouldn’t be surprised if prettyboy Beckham runs for the airport, his pretty hair waving behind him.
2. When it comes time for our players’ names to be announced, face forward, raise your scarves, and scream, as loud as you can, the last name of the Sounder as it’s being said.  And if this is your first game, please don’t worry – the names of the players do appear on the big screen.  You will not necessarily need to study before the game, although you can if you want to.

No mercy.  We are Sounders supporters and it’s the first game of 2011, people.  Let’s show the rest of the world we mean business.

P.S.  Post-game celebration at Suite 410?  I think SO.

Sounders training in sunny Florida last week. Photo courtesy of soundersfc.com

But surely you knew that.  That excited thrumming in the air that’s recently washed over the city of Seattle, the increase in the number of thick-knit soccer scarves on your fellow passersby, the sudden rise in menace whenever the cities of Portland or Vancouver are mentioned in idle conversation – these are the signs.  So if you haven’t started stocking up on your green clothing, if you haven’t had a chance to start planning the next nine months around the 2011 MLS schedule, here is the whole of the 2011 MLS schedule (as it pertains to the Sounders, who are, after all, the only team that it’s necessary to follow).

If you’d rather not click on the linky-link, then here is a quick rundown of Sounders games and events for the NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS (yeah, that’s how close it is!):

March 4 – March 6:  Cascadia Summit at Starfire.  Starting this Friday, the Sounders will host the first MLS Cascadia Summit, against the newly minted PortScum Timbers and the Wankouver Whitecaps.  I believe that the Seattle office is out of tickets to the games because Seattle is Soccer City, USA.  It is possible to find tickets on Craigslist, however.  Or you could possibly mug a Portland or Vancouvers fan for them when the weekend comes. 

March 9th, 7pm at Qwest:  Community Shield Match against Colorado Rapids.  Another preseason match to whet your appetite, and proceeds for the match will be donated to local charities.  Tickets are only $10 for adults and I suggest that you go to Qwest on the day of and buy your tickets from the box office directly, as (and I’m told this is true) purchasing tickets from Ticketmaster and paying their extra ticketing fees is akin to paying Ticketmaster to rape you.

March 15, 6:30PM at Qwest:  First Match of the Season against the LA Galaxy.  If you’re not a season ticketholder, by all means, purchase a single-game ticket to this one!  Here.  It’s going to be absolutely wild, and I’m extremely eager to see the Sounders finally, finally knock the snot out of the LA Galaxy.  You know what they say:  The bigger they are, the more satisfying it is to beat them to death.