Seattle Twist

Couch Fest Films: Drama from couch fest films on Vimeo.

Couch Fest Films is a cozy shorts film fest hosted in people’s houses. During Couch Fest Films, lovers of film can sit shoulder to shoulder watching short films while stuffing their faces with the snacks they thought they had to sneak in.

On Saturday, September 27th, 2008, each Couch Fest Films house will have its own genre of short movies that play on rotation all day. Starting every hour, each inviting house will have its own unique 30 minute program of short films. You, early adopter and a lover of film, may visit the houses with themes that interest you. The houses will be comfortably located near each other so you can stroll, meander or bike with excitement and anticipation to your next selected house. There will be a short intermission during each individual program where you and your couch neighbors can gripe or praise the films you are watching. Ultimately, the hope is that you might interact, share and discover fellow lovers of film.

Of course you want to attend Couch Fest Films! Maybe you love film. Maybe you like the idea of sitting on your rump all over Seattle. Well, that’s kind of what we like too. So was born the idea of Couch Fest Films.

Tease-O-Rama’s annual official event is America’s first convention dedicated to the foxy, fabulous and all-around over-the-top world of burlesque takes it on the road! SEE performances from 200+ contemporary pinup queens, TAKE classes in everything from tassel-twirling to burlesque fan dance techniques and MEET the legends of days gone by. Tease-O-Rama will take place this September 26th - October 5th in Seattle, Portland, Ashland and San Francisco USA!  Featuring the fabulous Devil-ettes!

It’s Gals and Gags Galore!  Old Fashioned burlesque as YOU like it!  Ooh La La!

 Want to improve your own burlesque skills?  Tassel-twirling, carnival dance techniques and fan-dancing with Dirty Martini all week at the Tease-o-Rama Burlesque Convention.

Parking spaces near SAM on University Street, between First and Second avenues, are miraculously transformed into parks today — complete with sod, performances and gardening demos. Developed by Rebar, PARK(ing) Day is a one-day global event in which artists, activists and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., visitors can take part in pastel drawing activities. Urban gardening demos with Seattle Tilth, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Musical performance, noon-1:30 p.m. Urban Wilderness Project poetry reading, 1:30-4 p.m.

Date: 09/19/2008
Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle | Map It
Ages: All ages   Cost: Free
Event Info: 206-654-3100 | Web site

Worth going to Portland for, eh?  One of my favorite bands is playing Jesus Presley

Yes, there really is a holiday called “Stay Away from Seattle” Day.

The official holiday on September 16th (according to Chase’s Calendar of Events) was championed by Tom Roy, in response to Emmett Watson’s founding of “Lesser Seattle” a sort of faux anti-Chamber of Commerce organization.  Watson’s Lesser Seattle campaign slogan: “Keep the bastards out” served as a tongue-in-cheek response to too much tourism, too much development, and too many transplants relocating to the area.

Sadly, according to Knute Berger, Lesser Seattle is dead, killed by a sense of self-importance fueled by an out-of-control power hungry mayor. 

In the civic arena, Lesser Seattle is barely a memory. The big ideas of Paul Schell are being replaced by the broad-shouldered, developer-friendly mania of the Greg Nickels years, when no project shall go unfunded. Bury the viaduct? A fleet of new trolleys? Light rail? Bust the cap and build more skyscrapers? New sports complexes? A rebuilt South Lake Union? Nickels’ city is the billionaires’ best friend. Condos, multiuse developments, public-private partnerships, mass transit: For these dreams, no price tag is too high.

So, let’s celebrate Stay Away from Seattle Day by taking back the Pike Place Market, picketing the new Hard Rock Cafe coming to downtown and boycotting every national chain invading our neighborhoods (except homegrown Starbucks.) Attend the meeting on the proposed rules to curb the sizes of larger “megahomes” in Seattle’s single family zones on Sept. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. Join Historic Seattle and rally to save vintage homes in your neighborhood by identifying those that may be threatened by development. Support local institutions such as Town Hall and History Link and Crosscut and the Museum of History and Industry. SHOP LOCAL. Support the small businesses in your community instead of driving to Target or Walmart to buy your crap.

We can reclaim our home town. Vote.  Attend community meetings, potlucks and any bake sales your local school or church has.  Organize neighborhood yard sales, help build a pocket park, pick up litter, buy Girl Scout Cookies or whatever the neighborhood kids are selling.  SUBSCRIBE TO THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER OR THE SEATTLE TIMES!  Don’t let our local newspapers die.  And while you’re at it, subscribe to your local neighborhood paper too.  Listen to local radio, watch local television, weed your garden and sweep the sidewalk in front of your home.

It will take some effort, it may cost a bit more or be less convenient, but it’s a matter of our quality of life here in Seattle.

Happy Stay Away from Seattle Day.  And welcome home.

 Saturday, September 6th, 10am till 6pm at 600 Main Street in Edmonds

For seven centuries in the Spanish town of Pamplona, the Festival of San Fermin has been celebrated by an annual running of the bulls.

Today, with balls rather than bulls, the tradition comes to Edmonds in the northwest corner of the United States of America .

The festival honors a 3rd century Roman guy named Fermin, the son of a senator, who converted to Christianity. For lack of a better saint, we’ll honor Fermin too.

In Pamplona , the running of the bulls is 800 yards and 3 minutes of exciting mayhem. Hemmingway wrote about the ritual in his novel “The Sun Also Rises” in 1926. Since then about 14 people have been killed and over 200 injured. You gotta be crazy to be doing this.

Before running, the young people of Pamplona always say, “We ask St. Fermin, as our patron, to guide us through the Bull Run and give us his blessing.” Today our young people too call on St. Fermin to be with them as they run with the balls.

As in Pamplona , the running of the balls is open to all…amateur nut cases and daredevils from around the planet. Today we have an inspirational assortment of courageous young people, who for the financial well-being of their local SnoKing Youth Club, risk almost nothing to help out.

As Edmonds has absolutely no experience in this tradition, I hereby bring you–from Pamplona –some bull running rules and tips.

• Injuries are common. Being trampled or even gored by a wild ball is no fun.
• Hooves grip the cobbles poorly…if Edmonds had cobbles it would be even worse.
• If you do fall, don’t stand up. Stay down with hands over your head till the balls pass.
• You must treat the balls with respect.
• There will be absolutely no pulling the tail of a ball…those who do are disqualified.

The runners of Pamplona have learned over the centuries that as long as bulls stay in the herd they continue to run. If separated from the herd they just stop. As this is our first year with balls rather than bulls, we don’t know how the lonely ball will run.

Viewers normally stand behind a wooden barricade. There are none today…so it’s particularly dangerous. Don’t lean out.

When balls approach, it’s traditional to yell Ahi Va ! (There it goes). In English we can yell “Balls! The balls are coming!”

And now Edmonds celebrates with the first annual Running of the Balls.
We thank you for your support and that’s absolutely no bull.
Now…may the best ball win. Let’s go.

EVENT INFO

Hannah Levin wrote a great article about Rick Klu moving to Los Angeles, with lots of interesting background on our fella.

Klu’s going-away party is this Thursday, August 28, at Slim’s Last Chance.  We wish him luck in all of his new endeavors.

The most feared instrument in the world is being demonstrated by four of its most notorious practitioners throughout the Western United States this Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center. Four gently wheezing dynamos will converge at “Monsters of Accordion,” a typhoon of free-reed aerophone madness. . Accordionists Mark Growden, Amy Denio, and Duckmandu will be joining Seattleite Jason Webley and variety of special guests for ten nights of squeezebox mayhem from Los Angeles to Seattle.

“I meet so many amazing accordion players in my travels, and I thought it would be really fun to bring some of the best together,” explains Webley, who organized the tour.

The result is a tour-de-force featuring some of the most entertaining solo accordion performers currently working in North America. But don’t expect a night of polkas, because these aren’t your grandmother’s accordion monsters. Instead Webley and company will be delivering five evenings of squeezebox-fueled drinking songs, punk rock covers, experimental pop, dark tangos and sultry dirges.

Monsters of Accordion

SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 23
Monsters of Accordion
7:30 p.m. $10
Fremont Abbey
4272 Fremont Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: 206-297-6221

Gourmet chocolatier Theo Chocolates will be firing up a grill on the sidewalk outside their factory in Fremont and serving s’mores August 21st through the 23rd from 3 to 6 p.m. These s’mores feature marshmallows and graham crackers made by Theo and customers can choose their own chocolate from among Theo offerings.

Mmmm-mmm good!

When: Thursday 8/21, Friday 8/22, Saturday 8/23 - 3 to 6 p.m.
Where: Theo Chocolate, 3400 Phinney Ave N - in Fremont

October 2008 is the 25th Anniversary of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video.

Seattle locals at Seattle Thrillers are getting together to learn how to perform The Thriller Dance! On October 25th, Thrill the World 2008 will be putting on a world-wide Thriller event and Seattle WILL be represented! See Seattle Thrillers  meet-up site for more info.

Practice starts today, Sunday, August 17th from 6-8pm.
7537 31st Ave SW (West Seattle)
206.724.2963 (call if you need directions)

Here’s a video from last years Thriller dance at Westlake Center:

In an annual migration of epic proportions, Susan Robb’s Toobs return to Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill.

This Friday, August 15, 11:00am - 5:00pm at Volunteer Park on Capitol HIll on 15th Ave. East and E. Prospect.

This is the second performance of Warmth, Giant Black Toobs at Volunteer Park since their appearance last year in 2007.

Cabaret Cruises on Lake Union.  Lounge in luxury whilst sipping delicious cocktails and enjoying award-winning cabaret.

 www.TheCanCan.com