SIFF Goes Full Boots

Last night, I covered the SIFF opening night red carpet for the first time, and it was as fun as I hoped. The festival opened at Paramount Theatre with I Love Boosters, Boots Riley’s new bonkers comedy about a group of professional shoplifters taking on a cold-blooded fashion girl boss. Keke Palmer is fantastic in all her colorful clothes, hair, and makeup, and Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Poppy Liu make the crew feel like friends you would absolutely follow into bad decisions for all the right reasons. Demi Moore is perfection as a villain who makes ruthless ambition look glamorous and completely absurd. LaKeith Stanfield shows up in a role that fully understands his charm (Pinky Ring Guy), and yes, he is impossible not to crush on.

Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Keke Palmer in I Love Boosters.

Courtesy of NEON

Before the movie, Riley talked about playing Seattle shows with his band The Coup and said it was after a show at The Crocodile in 2014 that he announced he would start making films. That eventually led to Sorry to Bother You, which was SIFF’s centerpiece film in 2018. I Love Boosters is hilarious and wild, with real things to say about capitalism, the fashion industry, and who gets called a criminal. It made me remember how good it feels to sit in a theater full of people ready to follow a story wherever it goes. Not a bad start to SIFF’s 52nd year.

I Love Boosters opens in theaters May 22. Go see it.

The Plunge Report

I was invited to try contrast therapy at City Sweats in Wallingford, which means I spent an hour moving between an infrared sauna and a cold plunge while trying to act like a normal person. Nikki at City Sweats told me to listen to my body, which was excellent advice, because my body had many opinions. The cold plunge (after the sauna) brought up a very specific kind of panic, though I managed three rounds of each and pushed a little farther every time. Afterward, I felt wiped out, like I had spent the day swimming outside under a hot sun, and I slept great that night. The vibe at City Sweats made the whole thing feel calm and comfortable, with a turmeric tonic before the session, Bluetooth and adjustable lighting in the sauna, and iced tea in the sand room after, where I sat with my feet in the sand and felt very proud of my small cold-water courage.

Pioneer Square Gets Its Due

Pioneer Square has always been one of Seattle’s most creative spots, and now the state has made it official. This week, the historic neighborhood was recognized as a Certified Washington State Creative District by the Washington State Arts Commission. The designation comes with access to state resources, technical assistance, and broader visibility. Pioneer Square is home to galleries, studios, performance spaces, beautiful old buildings, and the nation’s longest-running monthly Art Walk, which began in 1981. “Through arts and culture, [Pioneer Square] continues to shape that legacy into a place people are drawn to, not just a neighborhood, but a cultural destination,” says Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson. Cheers to that!

Cinder + Salt Before Sunset

Last week, I got a first taste of Cinder + Salt, the new restaurant at The Charter Hotel on Second Avenue. The menu centers on wood-fired cooking and seafood, with a raw shellfish bar and lots of local ingredients, including Taylor Shellfish mussels, Ellenos yogurt, and steaks from Flint Creek. I’m still thinking about the Maine lobster roll with tarragon-buttermilk aioli, and the chocolate and coffee pot de crème with vanilla cream was the best dessert I’ve had in a while. Afterward, my friend and I walked down to the new Waterfront Park. We made it just in time for sunset, with prom kids taking photos and people speaking all kinds of languages. It felt open and alive—a truly international destination. I first fell for Seattle 24 years ago after visiting Pike Place Market on a road trip, so standing there all these years later, watching the city show off a little, was a full-circle moment.

Cinder + Salt is open daily for breakfast and dinner, with weekend brunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m., oyster bar hours from 3 to 9 p.m., and a Top Pot coffee bar from 6 to 10 a.m.