Need some cool stuff to do in the Seattle area? We have you covered. Check back every Thursday at noon, PST for stellar events that fit the interests of locals and tourists alike.

Friday, December 28 | Woody Allen in the ’70s – A series of five classic Woody Allen films at Grand Illusion Cinema, all on glorious 35mm film! First up is one of this blogger’s favorites: ANNIE HALL.

Sunday, December 30 | ROCK-A-RAISE – A dance party benefit for Hurricane Sandy victims! DJ Mike Steve and DJ Chrispy are going to deliver your soul on the dance floor with the most infectious tunes from your favorite New York/Jersey bands, plus a performance by Gams Galore, “That Glamorous Gal with the Golden Gullet!”

100% of the proceeds go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Hurricane Sandy Relief and Rebuild Fund. There are awesome raffle prizes to win, and one attendee will win (2) free nights for two at the newly restored Villa Verde in Merida, Mexico. More surprises in store, so don’t be late! (more…)

We have been so happy to see our producers plan events with Superstorm Sandy in mind! Relief efforts are not over and there IS still time for you to make a difference. Many places continue to rebuild and recover from the damage. As a way to support their efforts, we have created a Sandy Relief Efforts page that lists all events in one convenient location, along with current news and ways to help you prepare your family in the event of another natural disaster.

Live in Brooklyn? On December 15th the Vinegar Hill Sound is hosting a holiday dinner by i was really, very hungry. Your support will help serve 200 residents of Far Rockaway just a week after the event with a warm meal and some holiday cheer.

If you need more enticement, your own warm meal will be absolutely decadent. Warm your hands on a wassail cocktail while snacking on a cheese log and house made charcuterie with house-made crackers. Dinner is a full, holiday spread: oyster pie, peas and carrots and rolls and duck butter; goose roulade with red cabbage choucroute; poppyseed yorkshire pudding; and brussel sprouts with currants and pecans. Top it off with rum cake and poached pears.

No better way to celebrate the holidays then helping those in need. Check out more about how you can get involved.

Here is a chocolate chip cookie recipe I have been using for years. It’s near and dear to me so I would like to share it with you! Even during these sweltering summer months, there is nothing like a chocolate chip cookie. Try eating them with some vanilla ice cream at your next summer barbecue. (more…)

Photo by Jessica Merz on Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

As February winds to a close, it’s time to plan for the most wonderful time of the year: ice cream season. Unlike the winter months, where the only advantage to eating ice cream is that it is delicious (which is really the main draw, let’s be real), springtime seems perfectly suited to the frozen delicacy. Not too hot, so it doesn’t melt all over you, and not too cold, so it doesn’t make your teeth hurt. Ice cream is the best. To celebrate the glory that is ice cream, here is a list of events all across the USA to get your sweet tooth satisfied. BOO-YUM!

Friday, March 2 | Deadly Dessert | Philadelphia, PA

ICE CRIME! This dinner theater production in Philly needs you to solve a mystery surrounding Len & Terry’s Ice Cream. “But wait,” you say, “I want to eat ice cream, not just talk about it! YOU TRICKED ME.” No, I did not. This is DINNER THEATER, and Bistro Romano, as part of its full menu, has a fine selection of gelato and sorbetto to satisfy that craving. This is an all-immersive ice cream experience. (more…)

We’re ticketing a couple great shows of some truly unique performers this coming weekend and I wanted to give you all a heads up so that, if you’re in the area, you can check out something a little out of the ordinary.

The first of these unique performers is Marc Ribot. Ribot is an American guitarist and composer that is probably best known for the work he’s done for other performers. It’s a pretty impressive and eclectic list: Tom Waits, John Zorn, Wilson Pickett, Elvis Costello, Foetus, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, The Black Keys, Elton John, Madeline Peyroux, Marianne Faithful and more. He’s probably best known for his work with Tom Waits since he was a key factor in helping Tom develop his new musical direction on the ground breaking 1985 album Rain Dogs. This was some of his earliest session work and he would continue to offer a unique sound to all the artists that he worked with henceforth. (more…)

Every Friday at noon, EST, Brown Paper Tickets posts upcoming events happening in the New York area. Here are hot tickets for events coming up. Check back for stellar events that fit the interests of locals and tourists alike.

TONIGHT, November 11 | 11-11-11 | Who better to spend 11/11/11 with than No. 11 Productions? An evening of wine, hors d’oeuvres and cabaret performances as they celebrate their fourth year as a company! Includes an open bar (wine and beer), a silent auction, song, dance, comedy, puppetry, and highlights from No.11 Productions’ hit interactive musical comedy, THE OREGON TRAIL: QUEST FOR THE WEST!

Saturday, November 12 | Zero Film Festival: Zero Film Festival, everyone’s favorite artisan hand-crafted, ultra creative festival for self-financed filmmakers, has returned to their home in Brooklyn! Get a day pass for come and go entry. Doors open at 2 p.m. with complimentary PBR until the first feature at 3 pm — then films, music and fun go until late!

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Halloween is upon us! It’s on a Monday this year so there’s a bunch of events going on this weekend. Although, if you’re a true lover of Halloween, you’ll be out on Halloween proper.

Halloween has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain which means roughly, the end of summer. It’s also the name of Glenn Danzig‘s band after The Misfits, for all you lovers of horror-rock out there (see video below). Samhain usually lasted several days and had elements of other festivals’ for the dead. People and their livestock would walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual and cast the bones of slaughtered livestock into the flames. The first day of Samhain was October 31st and many of the traditions associated with Halloween come from both the secular Gaelic celebration of Samhain and the Catholic holiday All Saints Day. For example, trick-or-treating bears similarities to the medieval practice of souling, where peasants would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls’ Day (November 2). Similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. In Mexican tradition, the Day of the Dead or Dia De Los Muertos (November 1) also shares similarities to Samhain and All Saints Day. (more…)

Do you love New York? Me too!

A few weekends ago, I was fortunate enough to visit the Big Apple for the New York Worlds Maker Faire. Everything about the city was exciting; from dodging people at Grand Central Station, to strolling through the neighborhoods at  midnight. I loved listening to the variety of languages being spoken on the subways and savoring different culinary flavors on every block. Being surrounded by so much energy and life was revitalizing, to say the least. (more…)

Every Friday at noon, EST, Brown Paper Tickets posts upcoming events happening in the New York area. Here are hot tickets for events coming up. Check back for stellar events that fit the interests of locals and tourists alike.

TONIGHT! AZTEC TWO-STEP 40th Anniversary Tour ~ CD Release Party! Aztec Two-Step’s debut album was named one of the top five classic folk albums by Real Simple magazine in ’07, joining work by Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Tom Rush and Phil Ochs; also “…surpassing Simon and Garfunkel for exquisite harmonies, musicianship and emotion.” Their music was a staple of progressive FM and college radio, helping to bring the music of the 1960s into the ’70s. Aztec Two-Step continues to impress audiences with their shimmering, intricately textured twin guitar sound, as well as their intelligent songwriting ~vintage & brand new~ and their inspiring harmonies. (more…)