Seattle Fireworks, Seattle Fashion
Photo via CBS Seattle
The stars aligned this Fourth of July in Seattle. The weather was gorgeous, the sky was clear and the fireworks were AMAZING! My favorite fireworks were the gold and white Weeping Willows that lingered in the air, slowly fading, looking like glitter in the sky. *happy sigh*
In other news, I will be out of town next week in Cape Cod with the family, working on my sunburn and repeatedly answering the ever annoying question, “Does it really rain in Seattle every day?” *sad sigh* But never fear, the Tuesday Seattle Belles post will not be empty! My good friend Anna, the fashion blogger behind What Are You Wearing?, will be filling in for me with some expert Seattle Summer fashion advice. Trust me, this girl knows what she’s talking about. She is the only person I know fashionable enough to wear denim on denim AND make it look good. If that doesn’t garner some serious fashion street cred, I don’t know what will. Be sure to check in next week for her guest post!
Happy Independence Day!
And down with red-coated tyrants everywhere! (England, it’s possible that, someday, we’ll get over it. But today, Mad King George can suck it from the grave.)
So you know how I’m always going on about how important it is to support our troops overseas? And how I write letters to soldiers through the organization Soldiers’ Angels? Let me tell you something else.
Sometimes, being a letter writer is a little difficult. I mean, you (I) want them to be entertaining, and not too crazy, and give whomever is reading them a little respite from the daily grind of gunfire and sand. Hard to accomplish through just a letter, amiright? It seems that way to me. Will this Marine appreciate the story of my silly bar adventures when I know for a fact that he must be in the middle of a massive dry spell? This dude is in the infantry and can probably maim me with his pinky – is he going to be interested in the fact that I started a new workout regimen? I don’t even know if that sailor follows soccer – will he enjoy my recounting of the latest Sounders game?
So I’ll admit it: Sometimes (most times) I’ll Google-stalk their unit. I’m given a name and an address, and surely it doesn’t hurt to see if I can find my soldier’s unit, see exactly where he’s located, what he’s up to, if he’s in desperate need of socks.
Anyway, while Google-stalking one dude, I ran into this video. It’s possible that you’ve already seen this, but if not, click on it. Seriously. The incredibly talented men and women here are the Marines from the 266 Rein and the HMLA-169, and I heart them.
Best rendition of a Britney song ever.
Also hilarious:
Snow in July – The Annette Lake Trail
So, 7.5 miles doesn’t sound very far, right? It is sort of like walking Green Lake twice and I could do that. I bet I could walk Green Lake all day and be like the guy who gives Spanish lessons while walking. Or I could just slowly stroll and people watch. And 1400 feet? That certainly doesn’t sound very far. That is less than a mile in the air!
The combination of these two fine numbers can be found at the Annette Lake Trail, which is about an hour outside of Seattle on I-90. The day started earlier than most Saturdays (I don’t like 7:00 am alarms on weekends) but a group of us made it to the trailhead by 9:45 am. Not bad, right? All ready to go…and we realize we don’t have a parking permit. To the Ranger Station!
We start again sometime between 10:30 and 11:00 am and head over an adorable bridge t0 relatively flat terrain that tricks you into thinking the switchbacks won’t be too bad. And then, we start climbing. And keep climbing. I announced every so often that we must almost be there and asked a couple people on the trail “How much farther is it?” and the answer was inevitably “30 minutes.” The first reward for our toil was a stunning view of the snow remnants across the way from the trail:
- En Route to Annette Lake. We made it to the snow level!
The hike continued over some rocky terrain and ended on flat area that I imagine to be a meadow of sorts, only it was still covered in snow. It was the first time in my life I had ever wanted hiking poles. Our small hiking troupe finally made it to the lake and it was gorgeous. My photo hardly does it justice but this flickr link captures it nicely – only their photo was taken a month ago and amount of snow has drastically decreased. Beautiful day for a hike as it finally feels like summer and one of the best workouts I’ve had in quite some time!
- Lake Annette off of I-90 at Exit 47
What NOT To Do: EMP Avatar Exhibit
So, in general we try to keep things very positive here at Belles of the Sound. We try to tell you about great things in and around Seattle and why we all-around love it here. Every once in a while though, and I’m sure you know the feeling, one gets the urge to rant a little. Now, I am going to do my best to keep this short and let you get back out into today’s gorgeous sunshine where you belong.
How the AVATAR exhibit makes me feel.
Every day I drive by this thing and every day it make me feel just a little, well, like I’d like to throw something flaming. There is an Avatar exhibit at EMP right now and that giant blue billboard stares me in the face every day as I drive past it. Now, first, I saw the movie and I enjoyed it. It was pretty cool looking. However, I refuse to believe that a movie that came out only TWO years ago already has the sort of cultural importance that is deserves it’s own exhibit. It just seems wrong. It’s not Star Wars or Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter (that exhibit I did go to) and I just can’t see that it ever will be that important. The movie just wasn’t that good.
Also, it doesn’t help that I find James Cameron sort of insufferable as I imagine him lounging around his palatial estate refusing to speak to anyone who doesn’t address him in Na’vi (his own made up language) and tossing rolls of hundred dollar bills into a giant fireplace. I’m sure that may seem a little outlandish, but he really does seem like kind of a jerk
and he definitely takes himself far too seriously.
So in conclusion I offer up short list of things you should do from now until whenever this thing closes ( I think it’s in September. I refuse to link to it.): Read more…
Hot Fun in the Summertime
They say summer in Seattle doesn’t really start until July 5th. At least that’s when the we finally get some sunshine. So that means summer starts this weekend, and there are plenty of activities in Seattle in the summer to keep you busy! Here are a few of my favorites:
Movies
- Fremont Outdoor Movies – kicks off this weekend with the Red, White and Dead zombie festival. Outdoor movies Saturday nights through July and August.
- Movies at the Mural – Head to Seattle Center to watch a movie in the shadow of the Space Needle starting on July 30.
- Redhook’s Moonlight Cinema – Head out Woodinville to catch some of the best 80’s flicks to celebrate Redhook’s 30th birthday!
- Movies at Marymoor Park – these Wednesday night viewings are especially family friendly with classics like Wizard of OZ and Up.
Music
- Zootunes – Catch some fantastic music like Brandi Carlile and the Go-Go’s at the Woodland Park Zoo, dates throughout the summer.
- Capitol Hill Block Party – July 22-24 come up to The Hill for music, fun and friends including performances by The Head and The Heart and TV on the Radio.
Food & Drinks
- Seattle International Beer Festival – July 1-3 try some of the tastiest brews from around the world at the Seattle Center
- The Bite of Seattle – Taste the best the northwest has to offer all in one place, July 15-17.
Miscellaneous
- Let’s Go Sailing – Take advantage of all the water around Seattle, grab some friends and go for a boat ride!
- Shakespeare in the Park – Get a dash of culture and watch The Bard’s classics in parks all over the city. This year The Tempest and Antony and Cleopatra will be performed, beginning July 8.
What do you like to do in the summer? Did I miss your favorite event? Let me know your favorite summer activity or event in the comments!
Fremont First Friday Art Walk
If you are a regular Fremonster, you know this is nothing new. But this Friday’s First Friday Art Walk is my first! I’ve lived in Fremont for exactly five years now and I’ve never wandered down to the Fremont storefronts th
at feature local art, nibbles and beverages EVERY first Friday of the month. It’s like free dinner and drinks while being cultured and meeting some awesome small business owners.
Tomorrow, I will be finally checking out the scene and centering a great deal of my attention on the “Hired Hands: Paintings & Photography” at the EVO Timesinfinity Art Gallery. This exhibit features photographs and paintings that not only highlight the lifestyle and sports of EVO employees but also their artistic abilities and personal interests. Should be interesting!
But there are so many fantastic other venues to visit throughout the night.
It’s Outdoor Movie Season!
Yep, it’s official. When the outdoor movie schedules start coming out, it means summer is on the way. AND, the 80-degree weather is bound to follow, right?
Below I’ve outlined three outdoor movie locations and line-ups for the coming months. If you know of another I should add, feel free to let me know in the comments, and I’ll update this post accordingly!
King’s Hardware (5225 Ballard Ave NW) hosts outdoor movies every Monday beginning at approximately 9 p.m. They will serve free popcorn and 28-cent hot wings, as well as film-appropriate food and drink specials. Follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook to get updates
Here is the line-up:
- July 11th- Roadhouse
- July 18th- Red Dawn
- July 25th- Point Break
- August 1st- Office Space
- August 8th- Super Mario Bros.
- August 15th-What About Bob?
- August 22nd- Dumb & Dumber
- August 29th- The Notebook
Fremont Studios (155 N 35th) hosts outdoor movies every Saturday night. They also serve drinks and food for a small fee.
Here is the line-up:
- July 9 – Anchorman
- July 16 – Twiligt
- July 23 – Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
- July 30 – Princess Bride
- August 5 (Friday) – Clockwork Orange
- August 6 – Pulp Fiction
- August 13 – Tron
- August 27 – The Big Lebowski
Here is the line-up:
- July 14 – Strange Brew, All-ages
- July 21 – Revenge of the Nerds, 21 and over
- July 28 – Predator, All-ages
- August 4 – Stripes, All-ages
- August 11 – The Fighter, 21 and over
- August 18 – The Blues Brothers, All-ages
Spiders Are, Too, Scary
Spiders, despite their insect-like appearance are actually not insects. Did you know that? They’re arthropods (i.e., related to insects, but also to crustaceans and to myriapods [centipedes and millipedes]), they breathe air, and they can be found almost anywhere on Earth except Antarctica. They have also not colonized either air or sea, thank God.
Yeah, I know that spiders aren’t unique to Seattle. But one of them is in my bathroom, and seeing as how my thoughts at the moment are entirely consumed with paralyzing fear, that is what you get to hear about today. It’s 6:52AM. I can’t wash my face. I can’t brush my teeth. I can’t put in my contacts. I don’t have to pee, thank goodness, but if I did, you can rest assured I’d have quite a serious problem.
The worst part of it is, intellectually, I understand that spiders are not the evil-minded, eight-legged, fangs of fury that I imagine them to be. They eat insects, which is great. I support that. Sure. They’re an important part of the ecosystem. And just because they are crawling towards me, surely that doesn’t mean that they are doing so with ill intentions.
But my id, well, it says different. After all, there are few good reasons why a spider would approach me. I’m bigger (thank God), I don’t resemble one of their natural food sources, and I’m not inanimate. Therefore, the only reason one could be moving towards me is because it means to attack.
And if it’s moving away from me, that is a clear indication that it must have sneaky, nefarious intentions, and plans to do something just as awful as attack.
So…I believe I’ll sign off now, because I have to muster up the courage to check the bathroom to see if it’s still there so that I can get ready for work.
(I was going to insert a picture of a spider here, but have you ever googled the word “spider”? Have you seen the number of images that come up? I can’t handle it, so you just imagine one here. Okay? Okay.)
Give BIG Today!
Today is the day to Give BIG to Seattle area non profits. And it’s really simple to do.
Make a donation to any of your favorite King County non profits through The Seattle Foundation’s own Giving Center and The Foundation will stretch your contribution, and everyone elses by $500,000. I don’t know about you but I’m aware of some fantastic non-profits that could use this extra cash.
If you can’t make up your mind – or aren’t familiar with the non-profits on the list, you can direct your donation to a special fund that will allow The Foundation President & CEO, Norman B. Rice, and our Grants Committee make the decision for you.
Also, throughout Give BIG, donors will be chosen at random to have additional funds given to the charity that received their donation. We will be giving away one Golden Ticket every hour worth $1,000, and one extra special Golden Ticket worth $5,000!
You have just over 12 hours left in the day to get out there and Give BIG!
Are you sick of hearing about the Rock and Roll Marathon yet? For those of you living under a rock, it takes place this Saturday, June 25 in South Seattle-SODO. I personally know four people participating in either the marathon or half-marathon, and have been eagering watching them train and prepare for the big day! In fact, for one of my friends, this will be her first longer-than-a-5k distance race (GO JENN!). Me, on the other hand, am not really built for running long distances… think built for comfort rather than speed.
If you’re like me and not running in the race, NEVER FEAR! You can still take in the fun and entertainment of the day. Running a marathon or half-marathon is a great accomplishment, and the more people down there encouraging the participants the better. Plus, how often do you get to see Everclear play for free (they play at 11 a.m. on the Qwest Field North Lot)? Not to mention the other 20+ concerts happening along the race route.
Here are some of the other groups playing during the race (pulled directly from the website):
| 1 | 7:00 – 8:00 am | Cody Beebe and The Crooks | Roots/Rock/Americana |
| 2 | 7:05 – 8:25 am | Hot Bodies in Motion | Soul/Rock/R&B |
| 3 | 7:05 – 8:35 am | Curtains For You | Rock/Pop |
| 4 | 7:10 – 9:00 am | Eternal Fair | Rock/Americana/Blues |
| 5 | 7:15 – 9:10 am | Polecat | Bluegrass/Rock |
| 6 | 7:20 – 8:25 am | Bucket of Honey | Soul/Acoustic |
| 8:35 – 9:45am | Kris Orlowski | Rock/Pop/Alternative | |
| 7 | 7:25 – 9:55am | James Germain and the Grey Gray Days | Folk/Indie |
| 8 | 7:30 – 10:20am | Navy Band Northwest | Cover/Rock/Classic |
| 9 | 7:35 – 8:55am | Parzival | Alternative/Rock/Indie |
| 9:10 – 10:40am | SEACATS | Indie/Pop/Rock | |
| 10 | 7:40 – 9:15am | Eighteen Individual Eyes | Rock/Indie |
| 9:30 – 11:05am | Red Jacket Mine | Rock/Pop/Soul | |
| 11 | 7:50 – 10:45am | (Recorded Music) | N/A |
| 12 | 7:45 – 11:30am | DJ Vodka Twist | DJ |
| 13 | 7:50 – 10:00am | Lions Ambition | Hip-Hop/Rock |
| 10:15 – 12:15pm | Kore Ionz | Reggae/Rock | |
| 14 | 7:55 – 10:15am | Noddy | Electro Pop |
| 10:30 – 12:30pm | The Horde and the Harem | Indie/Rock/Folk | |
| 15 | 8:15 – 10:15am | James Apollo | Roots/Rock |
| 10:30 – 12:10pm | Horace Pickett | Folk/Rock | |
| 16 | 8:20 – 10:30am | 20 Riverside | Funk/Jazz/Hip-hop |
| 10:45 – 12:25pm | Stereo Sons | Indie/Rock | |
| 17 | 8:25 – 10:30am | In Cahoots | Rock/Pop |
| 10:45 – 12:45pm | Furniture Girls | Alternative/Rock/Electronic | |
| 18 | 8:30 – 10:30am | Verlee for Ransom | Indie/Alternative/Pop |
| 10:45 – 1:00pm | Exohxo | Rock/Pop | |
| 19 | 8:35 – 10:45am | The Purrs | Psychedelic/Pop/Rock |
| 11:00 – 1:15pm | The Redwood Plan | Dance/Rock/Punk | |
| 20 | 8:45 – 11:00am | Perry Acker | Rock/Pop |
| 11:15 – 1:35pm | Late Night Transit | Rock/Pop | |
| 21 | 9:30 – 11:30am | Fox and the Law | Garage/Rock/Psychedelic |
| 12:00 – 1:55pm | Coyotes | Rock/Alternative | |
| 22 | 8:50 – 12:00pm | School of Rock | Cover/Rock |
| 12:15 – 3:10pm | Creme Tangerine | Beatles Cover/Rock | |
| 23 | 8:55 – 11:45am | Sideways Reign | Rock/Alternative |
| 12:00 – 2:45pm | Soul Senate | Soul/Funk/Jazz | |
| 24 | 8:50 – 3:10pm | (Recorded Music) | N/A |
| 25 | 9:05 – 12:00pm | SweetKiss Momma | Rock/Blues |
| 12:15 – 3:15pm | The RoadDogz | Blues/Rock | |
| 26 | 8:00 – 10:15am | The Royal Bear | Rock/Indie/Pop |
| 10:30 – 12:45pm | Madison Drive | Rock/Pop | |
| FL | 1:00 – 2:00pm | SHIM |
So, get on out there. Cheer on your friends. Take in some free music. And enjoy the predicted sunshine!
Seattle Belles of the Sound 