Cascadian Edible Landscapes will help you eat your yard. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Since we’ve been having such lovely weekend weather the past few weeks (and for the weekends coming up!!), I’ve been on a HUGE farmer’s market kick. I usually try to go during the winter, but it’s so much more pleasant when I can wander around and take in the entire experience.

Therefore, I’m giving a shoutout to my local farmer’s market, the Ballard Farmers’ Market! I love you and all your flowers, fresh veggies and excellent people-watching opportunities. Whenever I get there, I always make an initial pass around the market to see who’s there. I’m keeping an eye out for the veggies I need to pick up, and what types of flowers I want for the week. The selection can change almost weekly, so I love getting a feel for what’s in season. [Take for example, there are TONS of starter veggie plants out right now. I picked up a gorgeous lettuce start just last week, and it is so, so, so happy in my garden right now. If you've ever thought about starting your own edible garden, visit your nearest farmers' market now to get going.] (more…)

I’ll be there with bells on!

Photo credit: Seattle Jingle Bell Run website

Usually a figure of speech but literally, this Sunday, December 12, I will be there with bells on. Bells on my tennis shoes that is! At the Seattle Jingle Bell Run/Walk 2010.

Starting at Westlake Center and winding through downtown, this 5K run benefits the Arthritis Foundation makes it’s 26th annual appearance to get runners, walkers, adults, kids and elves in the holiday spirit and raise money for one of the nation’s leading causes of disability. Indiviual and team enteries were encouraged to drum up donations and sponsors for the event. So far $502,803 (as of this morning)  has been raised toward a goal of $750,000! Every single runner counts, in this case.

And it’s not too late to register. While online registration is now closed, you can register on Saturday, December 11 between 10am – 4pm at North Seattle Community College in the College Center building at the Baxter Events Center, or on Sunday starting at 6:45am inside Westlake Center on the third floor.  Registration fee for adults is $30 on Saturday and increases to $40 on Sunday.

The morning is chalk full of fun pre-race events for kids and adults including a photo booth and costume contest. And, of course, for the adults the event concludes at the Widmer Brothers Holiday Cheer (beer) Garden!

Here’s the full schedule:

• 6:45 a.m. – Last Minute Registration & Will Call open
• 7:00 a.m. – On the Edge Images Photo Booth opens
• 8–8:30am – Warm 106.9 Costume Contest judging (Warm 106.9 booth)
• 8:20 a.m. – Children’s 1k Run with the Elves
• 8:30 a.m. – Meet the 2010 Honorees (stage)
• 8:45 a.m. – Last Minute Registration & Will Call close
• 8:50 a.m. – Rudolph Runners race wave (red bibs)
• 9:00 a.m. – Dasher Dashers race wave (green bibs)
• 9:10 a.m. – Santa Striders race wave (white bibs)
• 9:15 a.m. – Widmer Brothers Holiday Cheer Garden opens

For more answers to your questions see the event FAQ here.

When I wrote my very first post explaining who I was (and am), and the types of things you’d hear from me, you knew you’d be hearing about lots of movie-related items.

In the first post not devoted to myself, I covered one of my favorite theatres in Seattle – The Big Picture. I teased the fact that Big Picture is my second favorite theatre, alluding that I would eventually write about my favorite theatre. That time has come.

Seven Gables is one of the most unique theatres I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending. As they say on the Web site, most everyone just knows it as “that theatre above the Italian place” (which happens to be Mamma Melina’s, that Britt wrote about here).

It’s a small, intimate place that used to be an American Foreign Legion dance hall. It remained under their control from 1925 to 1976, when Randy Finley purchased the building, and converted it into Seven Gables Theatres’ flagship and corporate office.

Although it seats a lot less people than modern theaters, it is equipped with Dolby Digital sound and stadium seating. The movie selections trend more toward independent film or foreign language cinema, with the occasional “Hollywood” film added into the mix.

It’s just a neat little place that I love, nestled in the University District. It is very fitting that it should be the subject of my last post, as it gives me a feeling of coming full circle.

I’ve sincerely enjoyed sharing my favorite places in the city. I hope that my insight has provided you, the reader, with a few new spots to hit, and a bunch of ideas on how to get the most out of the city you call home.

I am going to dearly miss this bustling metropolis that feels like a plethora of small tight-knit communities, as opposed to a large, scary city. I’ll be moving to a Lilliputian town in Southern Arizona, but if you want to keep track of me, follow me on Twitter (@FilmScoreAddict) or check out my movie blog (Cinematic Fanatic).

It has been a pleasure. Don’t get too comfortable, Emerald City; you never know when I’ll be back!

Are you looking for a way to add glitz and glamour into your movie-going experience? Would you like to feel as if you have the best home theater on the planet, without spending a ton of money on fancy equipment? If you don’t mind heading across the pond, I have just the place for you.

Gold Class Cinemas in Redmond Town Center offers a stylish venue, an exquisite menu and a luxurious movie experience.

Belly up to the bar in the lobby for some beer or wine, or perhaps a delicious cocktail, and try an awesome appetizer fit for a fine restaurant. The Bleu Cheese Potato Chips are especially fantastic, but with other appies like Maine Lobster Rolls and Calamari, it’s a difficult decision to make.

Before your movie begins, head into the intimate cinema (that has 40 seats or less, in a theater that could potentially seat up to 150 people), and sink in to a plush chair with a dimly lit table for food and drink.

Your seat is also equipped with a call button, so you can call for food or drink, blanket or pillow without having to get up from your fully-reclining seat. The silent but efficient wait staff will bring anything you request directly to you.

The last movie I watched there was Sex and the City 2 and believe me, I wouldn’t have seen it at any other venue. Everyone was dressed up, ordering Cosmos, and generally feeding on the excitement building in the bar (others’ excitement – I was more excited about the food and the experience, not the movie).

It’s sometimes difficult for me to sit through movies in the theater, because I have really bad knees. Not a problem in the least bit at Gold Class, though. I was relaxed and got up after the movie feeling refreshed.

Gold Class offers the chance to combine a lot of my favorite activities – watching movies, drinking cocktails, eating (ambrosial) food and meeting friends – into one intense night out.

If you’re a fan of even one of the activities listed above, I highly recommend spending your next special occasion, or night out with the girls (or guys) at the Gold Class in Redmond Town Center.

You want a chance at the best seafood in Seattle? It’s hard, I know.  Seattle is a veritable font of amazing seafood.

But, in my esteemed opinion, if you want the best of the best, in the chowder category, you head to Duke’s Chowder House.

Not only is the place award winning, but there are six convenient locations to try. Personally, Green Lake Duke’s is my favorite. I love being able to sit outside on a nice day. Those days are so few and far between, that it’s great to appreciate them fully. It’s right across from the wading pool, so if it rained during the day, but cleared up in time for dinner, you can see all the kiddies and dogs playing around.

While I have tried other items on the menu (and they were good), the chowder is the reason for heading over there. They make five different kinds, and if you’ve never been, I highly recommend the sampler so you can try them all at once.  While a couple of them turned out to be beyond my liking, it was great to try something different.

Two of the chowders – the Lobster Pernod and the Award Winning – are simply the best. The lobster is sweet, and I didn’t think I liked it after the first bite, but each bite I took made it more and more addicting. The Award Winning chowder is undefeated in the Seattle chowder cook-off. It’s more than simply addicting. It’s a revelation. Get it in a bread bowl, and I promise you’ll never want to order another thing on the menu.

If you’re in the mood for a place to enjoy an interesting cocktail (or “Duketail”), Duke’s has you covered there, too. Either of the lemon drops are fantastic, but I love the Pom Kazi, and have heard good things about the cucumber mojito. A local favorite also includes an Alki Julep.

Whether you’d like a cocktail out on the deck, or chowder so amazing you’ll never forget it (and always be comparing it to other, lesser chowders), head over to any of Duke’s locations (but you should hit up my preferred restaurant) and prepare to enjoy yourself immensely.

The abundance of crazy movie theaters with interesting histories in this town pretty much astounds me. Landmark Theatres, the company that owns (in my opinion) the best and the brightest around the city, purchases architectural gems throughout the Emerald City, and turns them into pieces of (different) history.

In particular, The Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill takes the cake as one of the most unique places in Seattle to experience film.

Independent film, foreign language, documentary and oft-forgotten classics are the bread and butter of this one-of-a-kind movie house. The building is strait out of the 1910s (built in 1915), and has been operated by Landmark since the late 80s. In the early 80s, it became one of the sites that played host to the Seattle International Film Festival, and hasn’t changed its festival ways since.

The first thing you notice about the Egyptian is its plain and unassuming exterior. If you happen upon the theatre on the night of a particularly popular midnight movie, though, it is anything but plain.

You may wonder what all the fuss is about. You might head home from a night of clubbing downtown or on Capitol Hill and think to yourself, “Why is there such a line? It’s LATE for goodness sake.” Well, I’ve been one of those late-night people, and it’s an experience to say the least.

My first late-night screening was (stop judging me) for a Buffy musical episode Sing-A-Long. They gave out favors to use to each patron, and it was a truly memorable night.

It seems like a normal theater when you purchase your ticket, but when you step into the auditorium, you realize the difference. The inside is decorated and painted like the inside of an Egyptian tomb (hence the name), with ankhs and hieroglyphs throughout.

Whether you’re catching the latest cool independent film, or re-watching a memorable oldie like Jurassic Park, you can’t deny the charm of this Seattle classic.

I know that I wrote one of my first pieces on just how amazing Umi Sake House is, but there are other sushi places in Seattle that are worth mentioning. Umi focuses on the rolls themselves, and also on coming up with new and inventive things so it can remain a standout among sushi restaurants.

I have eaten quite a bit of sushi in Seattle because my Arizona upbringing wasn’t really conducive to raw fish. I have sung the praises of Umi (and rightfully so), but there are other sushi joints in Seattle, so I present to the masses Shiro’s.

If Umi focuses mostly on rolls (as I previously mentioned), Shiro’s focuses on traditional sashimi. Where sushi can consist of anything containing fish and rice, sashimi is just the fish itself. If a bit of fish is draped over a block of rice, it’s called “nigiri sushi,” rolls are called “maki sushi,” but rolls with rice on the outside are called “yukiwa-maki.” If your chef is creating a hand roll, which are usually larger, and not put together with the aid of bamboo (coincidentally, great at Shiro’s), it’s called “temaki sushi.”

It’s a relatively small place that feels like a local neighborhood joint. Even if you don’t sit at the sushi bar, you still feel like you’re a part of the process. The chefs are nice enough to explain everything you’d ever want to know about what they are preparing (and things they aren’t).

The last time I was a happy patron, the chefs were polite and wonderful and more than willing to talk me through the different dishes they were preparing. I was still too much of a scaredy cat to try the eel, but my aunt waxed poetic about how perfectly it was prepared.

I may love me some Umi, but when I’m feeling more traditional, I’ll head over to Shiro’s, which is much quieter, and only a few blocks away from Umi. While there, I enjoy food prepared by a two-time James Beard nominee, who trained with the finest chefs in Japan. It’s a stroke of luck that Master Chef Shiro decided to settle in Seattle, so you’d be wise to try his amazing preparations.

Admittedly, I’m probably the most grumpy morning person you’ve ever had the misfortune of hearing from (aside from rock stars, or possibly astronomers). Thus, breakfast is not often a part of my daily plan.

Brunch, perhaps (if I’m feeling spritely); lunch, for sure; dinner, a must; and occasionally that interesting late-night sensation Taco Bell calls Fourth Meal. Luckily, there are places worth periodically waking up for, or (even better) some that serve wonderfully greasy breakfasts all day!

I first heard of Beth’s Café on an episode of Man vs. Food (a delightful show on the Travel Channel). The host, Adam Richman, was taking on the Southwestern Exposure – a 12-egg omelette with chili, salsa, sour cream and cheddar cheese. The meal also included hash browns and toast, and was served on what looked like a large pizza tray. Sadly, Adam got within a couple of bites of finishing, then threw in the towel.

It was enough to make me want to check out the place. Open 24-hours a day, serving delicious breakfasts, Beth’s is the perfect place to go when you’ve had quite the night and need a respite, when you aren’t a morning person but love a good breaking of the fast, or when you want a local experience in a place with history.

In its 56^th year, Beth’s has remained a Seattle institution since 1954. Patrons of every shape and size, age, credo and background can leave their own artistic mark on the café by making a crayon drawing and posting it on the wall.

Sports team support, popular culture remarks and just plain strange imaginings are the most common sorts of visuals. The ever-changing décor does nothing to authenticate the history of the place, but it does provide a personal connection to the locals and visitors who call Beth’s home (if only for one meal).

You should certainly check out this self-appointed “greasy spoon,” and be sure to leave a bit of your own fleeting history while enjoying a wonderful meal.

As everyone knows by now, I’m a huge fan of film, the Seattle International Film Festival, and anything that supports SIFF.

I posted about the festival a couple of weeks ago, but before things come to a close, I’d like to extend the invitation once again. There’s one more week jam-packed with awesome movies from all over the world, and cool events that cater to cinematic fanatics.

If you’re a fan of glitz and glamour, there are still two big parties to attend. The first is the Gay-La on June 9th, a presentation of the film Violet Tendencies at 7pm at the Egyptian Theatre. The film is a comedy about a lady who acts as a sort of “queen mother” to her gay friends, and the director and one of the actors are scheduled to attend. The movie is followed by a dance party at Re-bar, where DJ Queen Lucky will be spinning 70s hits.

The final party is the Closing Night Gala on June 13^th, which will feature the film Get Low. Get Low boasts an all-star cast that includes Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek. A recluse comes into town with a shotgun and a lot of cash to arrange a “living funeral,” and the story that follows is a comedic “tale of forgiveness and redemption.” The night begins with the film at Cinerama at 6:30pm, and then moves to the Pan Pacific Hotel for live music, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and complimentary cocktails.

A couple of other interesting goings-on include movies in IMAX and 3-D, as well as a sing-along. The Wildest Dream is the story of George Mallory, the first man to attempt Mount Everest, and Conrad Anker, who found Mallory’s remains 75 years later. The movie is showing in IMAX at Pacific Science Center on Friday and Saturday, and Anker is scheduled to attend. “There are worse things I could do…” …than go to the Grease sing-along at SIFF Cinema next Saturday at 3:45pm (Dinah Manoff, who played Marty, is expected to attend!). Tickets for all the events can be found here.

Need any more incentive to go to the festival? How do a couple of free tickets sound? If you’re one of the first people to come and find me when I’m working one of my volunteer shifts either today or tomorrow (in the afternoon, at SIFF Cinema), I’ll give you two vouchers.

You can trade the vouchers for tickets to festival films, or save them to use throughout the year at SIFF Cinema (they’re good until next May). Ask for Tracy, and then say you knew to come because of the Seattle Belles. If you’re one of the first few, you’ll get tickets! Hope to see you soon – “Go Inside Film, Get Outside Yourself.”

What happens when you combine a guitar-playing hobbit, a regenerating beard, an unassuming bumblebee, a fashionable charmer, a little girl, a time-keeping robot, the unintentionally funny one, and the mature teacher? You get a damn fine mix of people and instruments that make up Seattle’s-own Exohxo.

An eight-piece pop/rock band, Exohxo is comprised of Danny on vocals and guitar, Jasen on vocals and guitar, Jason on bass and vocals, Kyle on keyboards and vocals, Johnny on drums, Hiromi on violin, Elizabeth on viola, and Benjamin on violin.

The band is the brainchild of members of the group Speaker Speaker. Toward the end of 2008, Danny and Jasen wrote and recorded songs for Exohxo’s first album, Other Ghosts. Live performances around the Emerald City, and airplay on The End (107.7), as well as articles in online magazines, The Stranger and Seattle Weekly have given the band a certain amount of local fame.

The Internet played a big part in getting the band together, with some members responding to craigslist want ads, and another who answered a request on Twitter. The original plan was to have an always-changing succession of members, but once everyone started playing together, it worked so well that they’ve been together ever since.

A month ago, Exohxo recorded an EP with Conrad Uno (of The Presidents of the United States of America, Mudhoney and the Posies), and created a five-song EP called The Pitfalls, the Possibilities, the Peril and the Promise. The album varies stylistically and includes everything from ballads to driving rock, and features nearly 30 people when you include a ten-piece choir, a string quartet and a thirteen-piece orchestra.

After their very first live show, The Stranger’s Megan Seling had this to say, “it was as promising and charming as any first show should be for a band that has existed only about two months.” Others have compared Exohxo with the Hold Steady and Arcade Fire.

Check out their music on MySpace or Facebook, and the songs from the new EP here. Not enough Exohxo for you? Go see them in person on June 3^rd at Neumos at 8pm, and get ready for something different.