The Fremont Wine Warehouse (#) is a veritable wine-lover’s paradise that’s tucked in the old Red Apple Market space in the heart of Fremont.

Owner Michael Cawdrey, former owner of the Red Apple Market and Wine Bar, hosts weekly wine tasting events featuring wines by local vintners along with top-notch imports from around the world.

I popped in last Saturday and was warmly welcomed by Cawdrey, who had invited two importers to showcase wines imported from France and Argentina in a sort of head-to-head competition.

The space, which is sparsely decorated and brightly lit, is focused on offering quality wines at an affordable price. Cawdrey seems as passionate about bringing fine wines to the neighborhood as he does about offering them at discount prices.  No bottle is more than $25.

2006 Malbec by Henry Lagarde

I chose the 2006 Malbec by Henry Lagarde from Argentinia over one of the French wines I sampled. The Malbec was priced at $10.96 and sells for $12.99 at most other stores. It was amazing and according to Cawdry the top seller for the weekend. The six wines featured ranged in price from $7.97 to $16.

For this Saturday’s tasting Cawdry has invited Dave Marks of Cascade Trade to present wines that are new to our region from Oregon and California.

Cawdry keeps a log of customers purchases to cross reference in case you enjoyed a particular wine in the past, but forgot the name. He also sends out weekly email blasts to update customers on each week’s coming event.  Included in his emails are tasting tips that make it fun and interesting for aficionados and novices alike.

The Fremont Wine Warehouse, located at 3601 Fremont Ave. N. Ste 212, hosts wine tastings every Saturday from 3-6 p.m. For more information, call 206-632-1110.

Painters at Round #41 via our group pool [#]

Tickets cost $8-12 at the door, on a sliding scale, and doors open at 7:30, weather notwithstanding. It should be a fantastic way to start a chilly Seattle weekend at a cozy and intimate gathering of musicians and artists.

I mean, where else can you find robots dancing with princesses?

Or bands made up of skeletons?

It may just be that I’ve always wanted to be in a parade, but never had any reason to- but getting to march through the streets of Seattle with a bunch of other costumed revelers, well, like I said, I’ve never had so much fun on Halloween as an adult. So, if you’re ever in the neighborhood and looking for something to do on Halloween, I wholeheartedly recommend the Fremont Art Council’s Trolloween celebration.

As reported by FremontUniverse this afternoon (#), Archie McPhee is moving to the no-man’s land between Wallingford and Fremont, right into the spot currently occupied by the state-controlled liquor store.

Since I walk past that store almost daily, I’m pretty excited that I’ll have something other than Not A Number to amuse me on my way home. However, I am minorly concerned about where I’m going to buy my liquor on the way home if Archie’s takes over that space.

On the other hand, the combination of liquor and Archie McPhee seems like a really excellent business plan.

So… if McPhee’s moves into the liquor store, do they just get to keep the liquor license?? They already have the cocktail supplies, so perhaps they could supply the cocktails as well? My walk home is looking better and better every day!

Only two more days until Fremont’s annual Oktoberfest, once hailed by USA Today as one of the top 10 Oktoberfests in the world. Fremont has added some funky additions to the traditional celebration of beer, beer and more beer. While The Stranger’s Microbrew garden will indeed include 70+ beers, the festival will also include musical acts, a 5k run/walk (with a ‘beer-belly’ division!), and the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest, pictured above.

A list of what’s on tap includes Beck’s Oktoberfest, Late Harvest Autumn Ale from Redhook (formerly located very, very close to Oktoberfest’s current location) and Giddy Up! from New Belgium, a coffee/beer concoction. Their schedule of events includes a brand new comedy show, and the pumpkin carving contest will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are on sale now, online or offline for $15 in advance or $20 at the door.