This year’s mayor’s race has attracted a large group of challengers; at least eight candidates want to replace Mayor Mike McGinn, who is running for reelection. That number reflects a sense that McGinn is vulnerable, and that should come as no surprise. He began the campaign with low approval ratings. And, historically, Seattleites have shown…

1. Avoid artisanal ice cream.It’s a challenge to keep the taste buds of the creative class from getting bored. Seattle ice cream makers offer up all kinds of exotic flavors for foodies: lavender, beet, bacon, squid ink. I’m sure the kids are just begging for a double scoop of purple yam ripple! My advice—whether you…

MUST CHEERSeattle Storm Season OpenerAmid all the hullabaloo about whether Seattle will get a Sonics team or not, people seem to forget that we already have a supersonic basketball team in our town. Support the multiple–title-winning Seattle Storm as they kick off women’s basketball season with a matchup against the Phoenix Mercury at KeyArena. 6/2,…

Back in January, we wrote a story about Dr. Mary-Claire King, the pioneering Seattle geneticist who discovered the breast cancer gene, a groundbreaking finding that garnered some serious Hollywood attention. King is the subject of the new movie, Decoding Annie Parker, a Steven Bernstein film starring actress Helen Hunt as King and Samantha Morton as…

Must DrinkRevelry on Red MountainHead east for a wine-drinking adventure at the Col Solare Winery atop Red Mountain. This fifth annual tasting event will feature the latest wine releases from 24 Washington winemakers, plus bites and spectacular panoramic views of the valley below the winery. Must DineCozy, All-Weather Patio DiningTut, tut, it looks like wet…

If you’ve always dreamed of starring in a reality TV show, you’ll be in good company at the city’s first-ever Vlogger Fair. Hosted by local digital media geek Chris Pirillo, the conference brings together established vloggers to discuss how and why they vlog, and to reveal how video diaries can earn hundreds of thousands of…

By the time this magazine makes its way into your hands, we still may be slogging through the last of the rainy season (although as I write this, we are experiencing one of those hope-inspiring strings of sunny days in April). But sooner or later, summer will arrive and with it all the warm-weather rituals…

Seattle Sketch Comedy Month 5/31–6/29Founded in 1999 under the direction of monologue master Mike Daisey, the SketchFest comedy festival each fall is packed with local performers and laughs aplenty. This new, summer showcase of short-form scripted comedy bits (think: Saturday Night Live but, hopefully, better) includes local groups Charles, Ubiquitous They, and Drop the Root…

COFFEE DATE: Award winning cartoonist Jim Woodring, whose new graphic novel, Fran (a “bizarre romance”), comes out from Fantagraphics this month.SCENE: Café Racer, a Wednesday morning in March.JIM’S ORDER: Coffee, black. Nancy Guppy: Describe the world through Jim Woodring’s eyes.Jim Woodring: Hmm. Well, the world has never quite jelled for me. It’s an endlessly strange,…

When you think about it, Western fashion, with its focus on conforming to the predictable curves of the human body, designs itself into a box, as it were. With the exception of the audacious Alexander McQueen, most designers base their work on a woman’s hourglass shape (or often, a stick-straight version of it) and the…

It’s become a common sight in sun-drenched Seattle parks: outdoorsy types balancing on what looks like a wide, flat tightrope strung between two carefully padded trees. It’s called “slacklining,” and Adam Burtle, 32, is Seattle’s authority on the sport, which originated with rock climbers in Yosemite in the 1980s and is gaining fans and practitioners…

Must SupportDrink for a Good CauseThrough May 31 — Several local restaurants, including Elliott’s Oyster House, Ray’s Boathouse, Ivar’s, Toulouse Petit and Ba Bar, have partnered with broVo Spirits to serve up classic cocktails throughout May in honor of National Brain Tumor Awareness Month. A portion of the proceeds for each cocktail ordered goes to…

Every summer has a soundtrack, and if you live in Seattle the track listing is especially vibrant. Our thriving local music scene is more diverse than ever, with an ear-opening variety of sounds including neo-folk, indie rock, psychedelic, dream-pop, hip-hop and retro soul. To give you an earful, arts and culture editor Brangien Davis handpicked…