This past weekend I ushered in Fall with a three day paddle trip in the San Juan Islands with Discovery Sea Kayak, the premiere kayak outfitter on San Juan Island. Our guide Jason Gunter brought his seven years of leading multi-day trips in the San Juans to bear by showing us the best the islands…

Looking to get a little reading in during your lunch break? Seattle Public Library is organizing a flash mob Friday, October 1 at Westlake Center. Details here.  

Last summer, Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton was tapped to direct an episode of Mad Men. (Typing “squee!!” here would be an understatement.) Acclaimed for writing and directing the small and lovely—not to mention award-winning—films We Go Way Back, My Effortless Brilliance and Humpday, Shelton is also known for her improvisational techniques. (Her scripts are usually fairly…

I had a whirlwind weekend at the 11th annual Port Townsend Film Festival and it renewed my love for the area. If you need some time away, I recommend a trip to Port Townsend. Visitors can enjoy anything from a world-class film festival to simply taking a stroll along the waterfront. Below are a few…

The Port Townsend Film Festival (PTFF) concluded its second day and I’m trying to keep pace with the locals. Today I saw two feature films, seven shorts and attended a presentation with featured guest Dyan Cannon. Nonetheless, my schedule pales in comparison to diehard PTFF fans. I overheard someone proclaim that he saw six films…

The Port Townsend Film Festival (PTFF) began its 11th season bright and early this morning, when I quickly realized that I’m amidst truly dedicated film fans. By 8:00 a.m., the PTFF welcome center was abuzz and people were already headed to early-morning screenings. Most impressively, they were fully awake and even cheerful. It’s a Harry…

Today is the first day of fall. The weather is turning colder and rainier and sweater season is upon us. (Okay, I admit that I was bundled in a sweater for most of  “summer,” but that’s not the point!) I’m actually thrilled for autumn’s arrival because there are so many wonderful arts events scheduled. I’m…

Must DanceSeattle Dance Project: OrpheusThursday-Sunday (Through 9/25) • A side project of current and former members of the Pacific Northwest Ballet (including Julie Tobiason and Timothy Lynch), Seattle Dance Project (SDP) has been building an audience over the past couple years—one that appreciates the marriage of rigorous dance training combined with modern choreography. In this…

Are either of these guys the Great American Novelist?  Perhaps the more interesting question is, why is the “Great American Novelist” always presumed to be a guy? If you haven’t already, take a moment to read the contentious discussion of exactly this question at Slate (Can a Woman Be a Great American Novelist?) and The New…

Just because summer has officially ended doesn’t mean you can’t get outdoors and enjoy the early Fall before it gets too cold and rainy. The North Cascades Institute has scheduled more “off-season” programs than ever this year. Some upcoming highlights include: Autumn Beauty: A Watercolor Feast with watercolor painter and teacher Molly Hashimoto (Oct. 1-3…

Happy almost weekend shoppers! It has been a busy week between Seattle Shopping Week Out and a truly amazing Fashion First show last night, which raised a record-breaking $50K for Rise n’ Shine kids. Naturally, the partying and shopping (plus holy cats, some serious rain) this week has done a number on my hair. Thankfully,…

Must ListenThe French projectThursday-Saturday (9/16-9/18) – Seattle’s neo-French music group, The French Project, bring their live performance to the Northwest Film Forum. The Collective will combine film and music that ranges from Saint-Saens and Debussy to Francoise Hard and ZZ Top. All of this from a band of people who can barely speak French or…