Arts

The Queen of Neon

The Queen of Neon

Bea Haverfield’s colorful signage helped define Seattle

It all started when I randomly stumbled upon a reference to a female artist who reportedly designed some of Seattle’s most iconic signs back in the 1940s and ’50s. Nothing substantial had been written about this person, but after some preliminary detective work, I was able to contact her surviving daughter, Kathleen Wolff, who was thrilled that someone had finally taken notice of her late mother’s work.

Festive Seattle

Festive Seattle

Enjoy a sense of wonder and discovery this holiday season

For many arts organizations, holiday shows represent more than half of ticket sales for the entire season. And, as arts audiences come and go, so can the surrounding economy. Studies show that every dollar spent by patrons in the arts creates $3 of economic impact. The arts and entertainment options in and around Seattle are varied. Here are some recommendations.

The Sound of Giving

The Sound of Giving

Three nonprofit music organizations worthy of support

In the March/April issue of this magazine, I wrote an article about the problems with Seattle’s music scene and how we can fix them. There’s a lot to be desired in Seattle’s music scene — like more regular, paying gigs for musicians at local establishments and a more reasonable volume level at venues across the…

A Taste of Europe Comes to Seattle for Christmas

A Taste of Europe Comes to Seattle for Christmas

Monthlong celebration begins the day after Thanksgiving

A scene reminiscent of old Europe will be on full display at Seattle Center this holiday season when the city’s first-ever Seattle Christmas Market opens for a monthlong celebration. Inspired by historic German Christmas markets, the Seattle Christmas Market opened Nov. 24 and runs through Christmas Eve at Fisher Pavilion and South Fountain lawn at…

Author Sadie Hartmann’s Halloween Reads

Author Sadie Hartmann’s Halloween Reads

Some trusted classics and fresh finds 

In the spirit of Halloween, Tacoma resident and author of 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered, Sadie Hartmann, recommends some of her favorite scary books and stories. It’s time to let the flashlight cast eerie shadows in the dark, listen for mysterious sounds outside your window, and immerse yourself in the world of…

For Your Halloween Listening Pleasure 

For Your Halloween Listening Pleasure 

Four spine-tingling short stories that go deeper than basic scares

This collection of audio stories features four narratives suitable for a wide audience that will raise goosebumps as well as attempt to understand the depths of our human experience. From a non-fiction exploration of generational impact to a supernatural encounter with a terrifying hat, these stories provide a listening experience that will linger in your…

Tools Of The Trade

Tools Of The Trade

THE STORY OF LLOYD LOVEGREN AND THE ICONIC MOUNT BAKER TUNNEL

Long-time residents will recall driving westbound on the I-90 floating bridge and seeing those massive concrete portals just before entering the Mount Baker tunnel. The iconic façade welcomes those about to pass through the tunnel with the phrase, “City of Seattle Portal of the North Pacific,” shown prominently in the middle and three relief panels…

Nationally Touring Play ‘Cambodian Rock Band’ Uses Music As A History Lesson

Nationally Touring Play ‘Cambodian Rock Band’ Uses Music As A History Lesson

The play, by Lauren Yee, offers a glimpse of the country’s pre-Khmer Rouge music scene, with songs by Dengue Fever alongside classic Cambodian oldies

Cambodia of the 1960s and ‘70s boasted a thriving music scene. With artists combining traditional Cambodian music forms with global rock and pop influences from the United States, Europe and Latin America, they created a unique sound—which was all sadly cut short when the Khmer Rouge took over the country in 1975. Many musicians from…

Book Excerpt: A Fun Ride

Book Excerpt: A Fun Ride

Biking Uphill in the Rain explores Seattle’s robust bicycling culture

Despite Seattle’s infamous hills and seemingly constant drizzle, the city is known across the United States for its strong bicycling culture. Bicycling magazine, in fact, has named Seattle the best bike city in the country. A new book by Tom Fucoloro, the founder of the popular Seattle Bike Blog, takes a deep dive into the…

Arts: Picture Perfect

Arts: Picture Perfect

Robin Layton is nothing short of a Seattle treasure

Much like capturing the perfect moment on film, photographer Robin Layton’s life is a series of moments that are almost hard to believe. Some would call them coincidences, and others, instances of fate. Remember that iconic photo of a grinning Ken Griffey sliding across home plate (“The Smile at the Bottom of the Pile”) to…

Datebook: Fall Arts Finds

Datebook: Fall Arts Finds

A look at some of the upcoming season’s hottest works

As the long, hot days of summer melt away into cooler temps and earlier evenings, Seattleites are about to make the seasonal shift toward indoor activities. While monthly art walks and occasional museum visits are popular year-round, for those in the know, back-to-school sales also signal the start of Fall Arts: the time of year…

Blender Bender

Blender Bender

Seattle's experience research lab tells stories through artwork, installations and architecture

Back in March 2021 — just as the drab Seattle winter started to give way to lighter days and slightly higher temperatures — a storefront niche on the always-thronged corner of Capitol Hill’s Pike and Broadway intersection underwent a transformation. Formerly an easy-to-miss entryway sandwiched between a coffee shop and Neighbours Nightclub, the small, windowed…

Discovering Taylor Swift

Discovering Taylor Swift

A mosh-pit era music fan attends the Taylor Swift concert and finds a culture of kindness in Seattle

The takeover was complete. King County Council named July 18th-25th Taylor Swift Week, “for serving as a positive role model for women and girls,” the proclamation read. She would become the first artist to play Lumen Field two nights in a row. I said to myself: that’s cool, with a shrug. I was not a Taylor…

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