This morning, I awoke to the news that one of my favorite authors walked beyond the veil on February 9. Tom Robbins, a prolific novelist, was born in North Carolina in 1932, then relocated to Washington State in the 1960s. He wrote with a bohemian playfulness and humor that often belied his philosophical style and was once most accurately dubbed “The Northwest’s Master of Zen-Punk” by Seattle Weekly writer Roger Downey in 2006.

As they wrapped up the speeches and braced for the ribbon cutting, Savanna Boles was invited to sing. During her rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, it began to snow. At first it was a magical dusting, but as the music swelled, so did the weather. We followed the singer as everyone was ushered inside and out of the cold. A few joked that the ancestors were saying, "Get on with it, it's cold!" Inside the music switched to a vocal accompaniment to “Glory,” and the ribbon was cut. With that, the Washington State Black Legacy Institute was officially open.

It’s no secret that the housing problem facing the city of Seattle has already reached emergency levels, and we absolutely cannot delay action any longer. Data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau's 2009 and 2019 American Community Surveys shows that Seattle rent prices have increased nearly 92% since 2010.  Gone are the days of thinking we can continue with the status quo and hope to achieve a different outcome.

3 weeks, 12 venues, 100+ performances. The San Francisco Sketch Festival (SF SketchFest) is renowned as the largest festival dedicated to stand-up, improv, sketch, and all comedic art forms. The 2025 world-class lineup includes Bill Murray, Kathryn Hahn, Tim Curry, the casts of Futurama and Children’s Hospital, and an anniversary staged reading of Airplane!

After John Oliver’s aggressive campaign for the Puteketeke to become New Zealand’s Bird of the Century, it seemed only right that I follow in his footsteps to elect my own Pacific Northwest Bird of the Century. I may not go so far as to don a giant bird-suit on live television (like John Oliver did on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show), but I’ll happily offer up my own strong opinions of the little flying creatures we see around the Sound. So buckle up for the Top 10 Birds of the PNW, culminating in my pick for the PNW’s Bird of the Century.

I feel fear. I know what it is like to have every aspect of your identity under threat. To realize every day you live that the world you know was specifically designed against your best interest—against the interest of most with the exception of the few in power. Hate is not sustainable, but it’s easier to turn fear into hate rather than love. It’s challenging to see this all take place and not be overwhelmed with fear. 

To keep a level head, it is important to be prepared. We don’t know what the future has in store, but there are basic things that you can do to increase the safety of your loved ones.

Finally! Another Seattle drag queen becomes an official RuGirl!

Arrietty, a local Seattle drag queen, is one of the fortunate queens to make it to the newest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 17). Having premiered on January 3, 2025, this season is sure to be a refuge in a time when queer people need it the most.

The Beacon is located at the very edge of Columbia City, nestled in a wall of ivy and wedged between nail salons and a neon-illuminated funeral home. The single-screen cinema opened its doors in 2019, boasting an eclectic mix of curated films. Amidst the popularity of Robert Eggers’ new film, it’s only logical for a place like The Beacon to showcase one of its predecessors: Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu: The Vampyre. 

So we have a youthful, impetuous character on our hands. The brash invasion into the city from the forest differentiates him from his fellow Way of the Bird King kin. His stance—crushing a bench under his foot with two open, ready-for-action hands at his hips—seems to invite a challenge. Yet his demeanor is not overtly hostile and resembles more of a teenager's defiance. He seems possessive of the National Nordic Museum, posted at the entrance like a guard.

Roller derby is a sport built on grit, strength, and feminism. These qualities distinguish it from most mainstream sports, which are dominated by men athletes and administrators. Even where women’s leagues exist, the structures that support them are often still dictated by men-dominated decision-making. Roller derby stands out because its foundation has been shaped by women. It is one of the few sports where women aren’t just participants, but are the driving force behind every aspect of the game.

I found them in the middle of their half-workspace, half-gallery corner of flea market paradise. They were surrounded by their signature beso bears and clutching a black marker with a corgi sock as a custom grip. A 6x4’ painting with three bears appearing to pounce in place in a meadow with a stream hung overhead. A few sculptures—conglomerations of various scavenged items—were placed at the edges of this scene to delineate the creative zone.

Bruun Idun, your ancestors saw the glacial ice as it covered the world. They watched as it receded and carved this land. The retreating ice dug deeply for water to seep and swell, rising to fill basins. The water created islands, inlets, bays, coves, straits, and peninsulas. It teemed with life birthing new species and giving a home to others. The whales ruled near the surface and the octopuses kept their kingdom below the murky depths. The water blossomed as the land called to new creatures.

We the Trolls of the Sound

Wish for you to gather ‘round

As we tell our tale of all our deeds,

Our arrival here, our sowing seeds….

“Long ago,” Theo said, “this land was ruled by beings of another world. Sprites and hidden folk. Nymphs and animal spirits. But the largest of all were the trolls.” He gestured to the giant ahead, and Thomas took in the vast, wooden creature, awestruck. “They tended to the land, caught fish in the rivers, and planted trees. Then one day, Man came to the forest. With axes brandished, they felled the trees that had been planted. They tore up the land and declared it their own.

“A moot was held in the forest between all who lived within it. The rodents cried out, filled with terror, ‘What do we do?’

i.

my heart splits into six fragments.

and the king is the first to rise.

ii.

he gazes out at all the birds that

comprise his myth and his monarchy.

iii.

feathers descend like snowflakes while whales

salute and serenade with blowhole trumpets.

NB: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, Mr. Kraken. I think a lot of people were confused when the Seattle Kraken’s mascot turned out to be…not a Kraken. Can you give us the inside scoop?

BK: Call me Brodie. Mr. Kraken is my dad and he's a huge bummer. I’m so stoked to get a chance to set the record straight, man. It’s been heavy since that little troll weirdo got picked over me.

I had last been to the Punk Rock Flea Market (PRFM) in July, while they were hosting the Seattle Zine Fest. The legendary market is currently hosted at 416 15th Ave E—the retail space of an old QFC. Capitol Hill Seattle Blog's Justin Carder chronicled the PRFM's journey, saying it has filled voids in the community by occupying the retail spaces of at least four shuttered storefronts.

One of the great American seafood sins of our times pertains to albacore tuna, specifically that we view this truly beautiful and delicious fish as essentially canned cat food. Shockingly few Pacific Northwest denizens are even aware that the waters off our coast are a notable seasonal albacore fishery, one rated Best Choice by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List no less. Sometimes you just need to hit the docks of Fishermen’s Terminal to learn the truth. Enter Joe Malley, captain and owner of 95’ fishing vessel St. Jude.

So obviously, when I saw that Daft Punk was re-releasing their 2003 animated film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem and that it would be playing at Seattle’s SIFF Uptown theater, I got a ticket. The animated film sets the 2001 album Discovery to a story about an extraterrestrial band who’s kidnapped and brought to Earth by a power-hungry music executive who makes them massively popular and exploits their talent.

The cineplexes have suffered, yes, but it’s the neighborhood theaters and the art houses that are facing the brunt of the downturn. If people choose to see a film, they are more inclined to see it in a theater that provides an experience. It is not enough to be with strangers staring at a large screen. Now that screen has to be so big you have to turn your head, or the seats have to recline, or there needs to be a meal service and alcohol. People are searching for the nouveau riche instead of the walkable and homey.