!–paging_filter–pSome of Seattle’s most spectacular architecture can be found in local churches, but those among us who go to church—perhaps only at this time of year—rarely explore beyond the familiar. A new book makes clear what a shame this is by showcasing the tremendous diversity found in church design. emInspired: Churches of Seattle/em, by Rick…

!–paging_filter–pstrongMust Head East/strongbrstronga href=” http://bit.ly/1hZW5i4” target=”_blank”Isabelle de Borchgrave Works Paper Magic/a/strongbr(11/21 to 2/16/14, times vary) — In A World of Paper, A World of Fashion, Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave crafts stunning, life-size replicas of prominent historical gowns—entirely out of paper./ppstrongMust Go to the Moviesa href=”http://bit.ly/1bAjTSi” target=”_blank”brNebraska Opening Night/a/strongbrFriday (11/22, times vary) — Almost Live…

!–paging_filter–pGiven the tendency of bars and restaurants to rely on Pandora Internet radio or iPod playlists to provide background music, it’s a rare and genuine thrill to walk into a joint and discover someone tickling the ivories on a real piano. That’s especially the case when you encounter one of Seattle’s longstanding piano-bar pros, such…

!–paging_filter–pspan style=”color: #ff0000;”span style=”font-size: medium;”strongDowntown Bellevue/strong/span/spanbr‘Tis the season at Bellevue Square’s ever-popular strongSnowflake Lane/strong, where live toy soldiers march alongside toy soldiers to festive music, a dazzling light show brightens the dark sky and snowflakes fall nightly. 11/29-12/31; 7 p.m.; Bellevue Square, sidewalks of Bellevue Way NE 8supth/sup at The Bellevue Collection; a href=”http://bellevuecollection.com/SnowflakeLane/“bellevuecollection.com/snowflakelane/a/ppbrStrap on…

!–paging_filter–pSeattle sketch comedy group The Habit is back with a new live show (em11/15–12/1. 8 p.m. $19. The Bathhouse Theater at Green Lake, 7312 West Greenlake Drive N; a href=”http://www.thehabitcomedy.com” target=”_blank”thehabitcomedy.com/a/em). We asked Habit cast member John Osebold (second from right) for a few tips on upping our own comedic ante this season. brbrstrongQ:/strong What…

!–paging_filter–pMultidisciplinary performer Dayna Hanson is known for making stage work that is very smart, very funny and very strange. Her new show at On the Boards, The Clay Duke (12/5–12/8; $20; ontheboards.org), delivers on that reputation. brstrongCOFFEE SHOP:/strong Macrina Bakery in SoDobrstrongDAYNA’S ORDER:/strong A glass of water and a slice of quiche. (No actual coffee…

!–paging_filter–pSeattle-based photographer Eirik Johnson is captivated by the most modest of dwellings: makeshift hunting shacks, remote forest campsites, animal burrows. In his show Barrow Cabins, he reveals such structures in stark relief, pairing twin shots—one taken in winter, one taken in summer—of slapdash shanties at the northernmost edge of our continent. Built by members of…

!–paging_filter–pSeattle has topped a variety of lists lately, including (and not surprisingly) Flavorwire’s a href=”http://flavorwire.com/416836/20-great-american-cities-for-writers-that-a…“20 Great American Cities for Writers That Aren’t New York/a. That fun factoid combined with this month’s a href=”http://nanowrimo.org/about“National Novel Writing Month/a, in which an endless stream of writers challenge themselves to complete a 500,000 word novel by November 30, means…

!–paging_filter–pstrongMust See/stronga href=”http://bit.ly/1ghPwFK” target=”_blank”strongbrTodd Jannausch at Method Gallery/strong/abr(11/15 to 12/21, times vary) — Seattle sculptor Todd Jannausch—known for bringing local artists together for collaborative, renegade public art projects—brings his inspired eye to a solo show, Callus, focused on the tools of his trade./ppstrongMust Laugha href=”http://bit.ly/1882AJq” target=”_blank”brWorld Premiere of The Hound of Baskervilles/a/strongbr(11/15 to 12/15, times…

!–paging_filter–pSeasoned Nutcracker fans know exactly when to watch for it: at the top of the second act. That’s when an “Easter egg” of sorts appears in the background of the set illustrator Maurice Sendak designed specifically for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Nutcracker. All but hidden, the sneaky little Wild Thing gets a glimpse of…

!–paging_filter–pDear Mayor Murray,strongbr/strongI hate to-do lists—my mother was always thrusting them in my teenage face—but that doesn’t mean I can’t make myself obnoxious by offering you one now that the election is over. The coming four years are big ones for Seattle, with numerous huge projects coming online and posing challenges. So, here’s my modest…

!–paging_filter–pstrongMust Get Ticketsa href=” http://bit.ly/1bFM2vR” target=”_blank”brTickets Still on Sale for BREW Seattle/a/strongbrSnap up your $40 pass to Seattle magazine’s inaugural BREW Seattle, a beer tasting festival on November 14 with oodles of brews on tap. Your ticket earns you six tasting tokens, each one good for a five-ounce pour (in your own special BREW Seattle…