We live in the North Seattle neighbourhood. Ok, its not a neighbourhood – its a few sprawling hills of overpriced real-estate with organic vegetarian bakeries, mini-strips of chinese take-out, designer pizza, yoga-studios and dry-cleaners wafting that lovely soapy smell that will probably kill you. Its not all renovated – there are still lots of houses with collapsing fences and peeling paint, old junipers planted in the ’50′s; rows of identical ranch-style homes, retirement homes that always have the fire department carrying away bodies. We like it.

Anyway, as I walked home pushing the tractor-tricycle tonight it was particularly picaresque. The streets were gloomy and golden and I could see families in relief against the living room lights and flickering televisions. Umi was eating Japanese-style with her family sitting down at a low table, our neighbors carrying boxes into a car stuffed with – well – stuff, some teenagers hanging Halloween decorations in the front window. An older woman down the road gave us some seashells we admired (and I nearly stood on a dog poop as I walked closer to receive the gift).

And I didn’t even mind being almost run down by motorists going the wrong way around the roundabouts. I mean, what is it about roundabouts Seattle drivers don’t understand? Is it a form of middle-class rebellion, like “dammit, I will pay taxes and smile at the mailman but I will go whichever way I like around this circular impediment?”…

I recently discovered the monthly Third Thursday event in Tacoma. It’s much like First Thursday of Seattle. You get free admission from 5:00pm – 8:00pm to the Tacaoma Art Museum, The Museum of Glass, Washington State History Museum, and Union Station.

This month Third Thursday will fall on October 21st. The Tacoma Art Museum has an excellent exhibit of Hudson River School Artists going on. It’s a must see, and it’s free.

Also, there are many galleries and shops open late on Third Thursday. Be sure to check out Rampart gallery. The will be having a Halloween party from 5:30 – 8:30, with free food, drinks, and several bands. You can also check out some of my work at the gallery.

** Indicates what I think might be terribly cool…
Fright Factory Haunted House — Buckley, WA
http://www.frightfactory.net/

Fright Fest — Wild Waves and Enchanted Village in Federal Way http://www.sixflags.com/parks/enchantedvillage/

Halloween Masquerade Party — Stimson-Green Mansion, (1204 Minor Ave.)
http://www.cityofseattle.net/COMMNTY/HISTSEA/events/ **

Maris’ Farms Haunted Woods — Buckley, WA http://www.marisfarms.com/hauntedwoods.asp **

Masters of the Web: The New Spider Exhibit — Woodland Park Zoo

Comeback – Hella Gay Dance Mashup — Chop Suey (1325 E. Madison) (I have no idea what this is.)

Remlinger Farms Pumpkin Harvest Festival — Carnation, WA http://www.remlingerfarms.com/ **

Halloween Salsa Cruise — Argosy Cruise Lines www.argosycruises.com (This is on Oct. 30, 11pm – 1:30 am)**

(And as a note to you 21 and ups…the Elysian Brewing Co. @ 1221 E. Pike St. is rumored to have fantastic pumpkin beer…get it while its still in season!!)

Suggestions? Comments? Actually been to one of these events? I’d love to hear about it!

After our recent fieldtrip East of the cascades, its official. The heavy rains in September have made this a Good Year For Mushrooms. For those not mycologically inclined, Seattle is one of the fungal capitals of the world and this year mushrooms both edible, lethal and inspiring have been popping up everywhere.

This (Oct 16th) weekend is a mushroom tourist’s mecca. There’s the Wild Mushroom Exhibit, Fungii with a Fun Guy or quick run down to Wholefoods Market where they have chanterelles at the low (but not rockbottom) price of $7.99 a pound, hedgehog mushrooms, fresh porcini and even Matsutakes – that delicacy that has some people crawling around in dripping forests sniffing fungi and hiding their trails.

For myself, I’ll be heading out the the PSMS Exhibit. The whole mycological scene is as fun as the fungi. You can take your pick among home-schooled kids, students of the psychotropic, russian immigrants, chinese families and a good selection of pot-hunters (no, they’re not hunting pot, just for the pot).

Its late. Its tea-time. I’m getting into green tea but that’s another story….

I’m afraid that nowadays most people know Laiback only from the rathergood marching kittens, but they were one of the first industrial bands I ever heard. I still enjoy listening to them when I’m in that certain I-love-a-man-in-a-uniform kinda mood. I’ve never had the chance to see them live so I’m quite excited that they’re going to be at Neumo’s on Saturday, November 20th. The show is part of a State of Art — The New Slovene Avant Garde festival sponsored by the Northwest Film Forum and Scala House Press (November 18-24). Perhaps because it’s part of a festival lineup, the show is scheduled to start “promptly” (?!) at 7:00, with opening act Bonfire Madigan.

Aside from Laibach, the State of Art festival sounds fairly interesting in its own right — I don’t know much about Slovenian film, but there’s going to be quite a lot of it showing at the Northwest Film Forum during the week before Thanksgiving.

(This is my first metroblog post. Greetings all!)

Apparently there is some type of sporting event grand finale in progress other than the MLB playoffs. Tonight, Seattle’s own WNBA team could very well win the championship. Fear not, fair-weather fans — according to Seattle Times columnist Nicole Brodeur [st], you’re welcome to partake in the fun, along with the die-hards (with a vengance!).

If you want to see it live and in person, tickets are still available at a range of prices [ticketmaster, evil]. If you’re content to watch at home, ESPN2 (and AM-950) will broadcast the Storm vs. the Sun (from team name perspective, could this be a more appropriate matchup?) at 6:00 tonight.

I’m just waiting for the victory parade.

Ladies and gentlemen, I was just informed of the existence of something truly amazing. Have a seat. It’s called the Washington State Corn Maze. Hold on — it get’s better (and better and better!). It is not just any corn maze, but the state’s largest. It is twelve acres and contains four and a half miles of actual roads with “towns” and “cities” and “landmarks.” I kid you not.

From the website alone, I’m willing to pronounce this the must see attraction for the month of October (which happens to be Great Pumpkin Month — did you think I was kidding about the “better and better” part? I was not. ). I think it’s impossible for me to properly convey the excitement of this attraction; so point your browser to The Farm in Snohomish and start planning your trip immediately.

Expect a full report after this weekend, when I plan to see it all with my own eyes.

update: Even in the rain, it exceeded expectations. Plus, there’s a petting zoo, a hay maze, a pumpkin patch, and tons of autumn-related good things to eat!

Looking to make a few new friends? Those who are interested should join me and the gang next Saturday night (October 16) for the midnight showing of Donnie Darko at the Neptune on 45th and 12th. I like it because well its a rad movie. Secondly its near my apartment. Third because I can have Mongolian food right before. Fourth because I’m just so sure that this movie is going to spur a riot like Rocky Horror and well, I want to be in on the joke. Heh! Anyway, if you would like to join me Seattle…feel free!

I have decided to continue writing about some of the cool daytrips from Seattle that I venture out on. Sometimes its nice to get out of the city, isn’t it? Sunday, some friends and myself ventured out to Mt. Baker. Beautiful scenery as you drive along the river and notice the changing of the leaves. No traffic to speak of and the roads are fairly good most of the way. I think it took us a little over 2,2.5 hours to get there. However, note that once you reach a certain point, gas stations cease to exist…so if you think you might have found the last one, its probably time to fill up. *laughs* It was so peaceful out there. We took a hike to Ross Dam and that was really kind of cool. I’d never seen a dam all up close like that. In the background you can see the snowcovered peaks. It was truly majestic. So basically for a tank of gas you can drive north and have a fantastic day just being in nature. Just bring your sweater though, it got rather chilly along the dam. If you go the wrong way home, you can drive through the city of Concrete…but that’s another story.

During the summer when I’m frequently irritable from the heat, the last thing I want to do is go hang out in a hot, humid place. Once fall starts to arrive and the weather begins to cool, however, one of my favorite places to be is at The Hothouse Spa on Capitol Hill.

The Hothouse is a women’s only bathhouse featuring a hot tub, a cold plunge shower, a quiet meditation/relaxation area, a sauna, and a steam room, all in a low-key, soothing environment. Bathing attire is acceptable for the shy but most women prefer to be nude so the very shy might be a little uncomfortable at first. I’m all for nudity myself–I’m actually on the hunt for Naturalist events I can attend.

The physical benefits of the spa are impressive–hair and skin are soft, lush and super-clean after a session, aches and pains are reduced or eliminated (an optional massage for an additional charge can also help with these issues)–but the mental/emotional benefits are important, too. No matter how stressed or depressed I am when I go in, I invariably leave feeling calmer and more at ease with myself.