DECEMBER 3-9, 2014 I VOLUME 39 I NUMBER 49
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inside» December 3-9, 2014 VOLUME 39 | NUMBER 49
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news&comment 5
CHEAP FLIGHTS
BY JASON BACAJ | Behind Alaska
Airlines’ fight against upping the minimum wage. Plus: Seattle’s own Ferguson.
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GEEKS: THE NEXT GENERATION BY TERRA CLARKE OLSEN | How do
you raise a son into sci-fi and gaming while avoiding the culture’s misogyny?
food&drink
14 SPECIAL DELIVERY BY CHASON GORDON | Restaurant
meals for sedentary foodies. 14 | FOOD NEWS/THE WEEKLY DISH
arts&culture
16 COWBOYS AT THE MUSEUM
BY BRIAN MILLER | TAM accepts a
problematic gift. 16 | THE PICK LIST 18 | STAGE REVIEW | A Jane Austen
revival, and PNB’s send-off to Nutcracker. 19 | PERFORMANCE 21 | VISUAL ARTS & BOOKS
OPENING THIS WEEK | A storybook monster, a trip to the museum, and an OCD war correspondent in Libya. 24 | FILM CALENDAR
26 MUSIC
BY KELTON SEARS | Native American
rock rediscovered. 29 | THE WEEK AHEAD 30 | CD REVIEW
odds&ends 31 | CLASSIFIEDS
GIFT GUIDE #2 | Follows page 16.
»cover credits COVER ILLUSTRATION BY TIM SILBAUGH
»26 Editor-in-Chief Mark Baumgarten EDITORIAL Senior Editor Nina Shapiro Food Editor Nicole Sprinkle Arts Editor Brian Miller Music Editor Gwendolyn Elliott Editorial Operations Manager Gavin Borchert Staff Writers Ellis E. Conklin, Matt Driscoll, Kelton Sears
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
news&comment Unfriendly Skies
Last month’s high-profile protests against Alaska Airlines are just the latest in a long battle over the minimum wage.
The Superintendent Debate in Three Parts
BY JASON BACAJ
BY ELLIS E. CONKLIN
he baggage handler stubbed out a cigarette and stood up before saying that the job, at least for him, isn’t all that bad. It’s laboring in the elements. Hauling luggage to and from planes regardless of whether temperatures are warm and conducive for outdoor work or, as they were Sunday night, hovering around 30 degrees with a breeze that slowly cuts through layers of clothing until it reaches your marrow. Oversized ear protectors pushed the black knit Menzies Aviation hat low over his eyes, and he paused before looking out. “I think the management is kinda crappy,” he says. “Other than that, you know, the job is pretty solid.” The baggage handler declined to give his name, worried that speaking about Menzies, the London-based contractor that employs him, could cost his job. As it is, the job allows him to spend consecutive days with his kids while earning decent money and avoiding the graveyard shift. Workers like this one deserve more, say wage activists who have once again turned their attention to Sea-Tac International Airport. Last month police arrested four people, including Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, during protests in front of the headquarters of Alaska Airlines, one of the carriers that uses Menzies. The roughly 100-person protest focused on Alaska in part because the airline donated more than $100,000 to a group opposed to a minimum-wage referendum that passed last year in SeaTac, and also because it’s the largest carrier at the airport, said Sage Wilson, spokesman for wage-advocacy group Working Washington. “They have the power to set the standard and raise the standard for everyone [at Sea-Tac],” Wilson says of Alaska Airlines, which accounts for about 40 percent of Sea-Tac flights. Last year, voters in SeaTac, where the airport is located, approved the referendum to raise the minimum wage to $15. Alaska and others opposed to the referendum, called Proposition 1, filed a lawsuit soon after the vote. A King County judge ruled that the city of SeaTac couldn’t enforce a minimum wage at the airport, because it is operated by the Port of Seattle. The ruling was appealed to the state Supreme Court. Arguments were made in June, and now both sides are waiting for a ruling, which could be handed down any Thursday now, says Dmitri Iglitzin, one of the attorneys who argued in favor of Proposition 1. In the meantime, Alaska Airlines is receiving the brunt of public criticism aimed at airport businesses’ resistance to Prop 1.
hat’s up with the Seattle School Board? On the day before Thanksgiving, the Board very quietly added to its agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting a vote on a proposal to make Larry Nyland’s interim superintendent role permanent. The move, engineered by board president Sharon Peaslee, came two days after the board met to discuss the performance of Nyland, who has held the post since Aug. 1. But the move to make his job permanent through June 2017 did not sit well with some activists and parents. As a result, the board moved the decision back one week, to December 10. So what happened? And what will happen?
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The out-of-work handlers then directed their efforts at the Port of Seattle. When it became clear the Port wouldn’t act, Weiner says they tried unsuccessfully to introduce legislation in Olympia. Taking it directly to the voters, in the form of Prop 1, was the next step. Since then, the Port commission voted this summer to bump minimum wages for airport employees to $11.22 an hour in 2015 and to $13 in 2017. Industry group Airlines for America—on whose board of directors sits Alaska president and CEO Bradley D. Tilden—sued the Port, claiming the wage increase conflicts with state and federal law and existing labor agreements. Alaska did raise wages in April to $12 an hour for almost 1,000 workers at Sea-Tac and $10 for tipped workers, according to Alaska spokeswoman Bobbie Egan. She also notes that the airline donated $1.5 million to the nonprofit Port Jobs to expand its Airport University program. “Alaska is constantly evaluating our vendor agreements and working to ensure fair and competitive compensation,” Egan wrote. “The wage increase for our vendor employees in April was the right thing to do at the time.” For the activists, that’s still not enough. “I think [Alaska] will continue to do this until their customers or their stockholders say enough is enough,” Weiner says. Shareholders interested in returns are not likely to speak up. Alaska’s parent company raked in record profits of $508 million last year. E
news@seattleweekly.com
overheard » Protesters at the Tree Lighting Ceremony Black lives matter! We’d like to thank our sponsors, Delta and Nordstrom. Leave those kids alone. We’re going to need some police presence over here. Black lives matter! These kids are better-behaved than you people are. Let’s hear it for the kids. How about that big Seahawks win last night? Let’s get this countdown started. Black lives matter! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Black lives matter! What are they saying? What? But it’s Christmas. Booo! Black lives matter! Why is it our fault? Did you hear that he punched the cop in the face? He had demon eyes. There are always two sides of the story. What’s this about?! Mike Brown! Seahawks! Mike Brown! Seahawks! Mike Brown!
ask, is there no open search for a new schools leader and such scant public input beforehand? “Sorry folks but I call—and publicly— bullshit,” wrote Melissa Westbrook on the Seattle Schools Community Forum. The education activist and prolific blogger added, “I have NO idea what is going on, but to do this with ZERO public notice or discussion under NO emergency situation is nonsense. The Board MUST hear that this is ridiculous and they must vote no.” Notes Stephanie Jones, executive director of Community & Parents for Public Schools of Seattle: “The district does need stability, but most of us would prefer to wait and see, and give him more time as the interim.” The reason Peaslee tells Seattle Weekly that a decision must be made quickly by the board, for if by chance the seven-member body decides not to hire him, then a search would have to commence immediately. “If you want access to a good pool of candidates, you would need to move now,” says Peaslee. “We are not needlessly rushing. We are just making a decision that needs to be made.” A national search, which could cost an estimated $60,000 to $100,000, is an onerous option, adds the board president. “I’d rather not go through that process. It would destabilize the district, and the outcome is unknown. Nyland is by far the best qualified candidate we’ve seen.”
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The outcome Peaslee claims she doesn’t know whether the votes are there to hand Nyland the job. But if, for the sake of argument, the board does keep Nyland, the district will hammer together a deal and submit it to the board on Jan. 7. The likely salary is unknown, though it’s worth noting that Nyland’s predecessor, José Banda, who left to head the Sacramento City Unified School District, was paid a $270,000 salary for the 23 months that he lasted in the position. Nyland’s current contract, which expires at the end of next June, pays him $1,537 a day instead of salary and benefits. E
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
battles. The airline’s role in the debate stretches back almost a decade, says Heather Weiner, spokeswoman for Yes! For SeaTac, the laborsupported group that worked in favor of Prop 1. It began when Alaska fired its baggage handlers in 2005—all 472 of them—after the airline and the baggage handlers’ union couldn’t come to terms on a new contract. Union workers were able to make more than $20 an hour with their previous contract; the one Alaska proposed capped wages at $15 an hour. When the union rejected that contract, Alaska immediately hired Menzies to provide contract workers at about $9 an hour. Union workers clocking in for their 3 a.m. shifts were told they had been replaced. Labor is one of the biggest slices of Alaska’s costs, accounting for 42 percent of non-fuel expenses last year, financial documents show. And at the time of the lay-offs the Seattle Times reported that the move saved more than $13 million a year. The Alaska employees who were replaced by contractors tried to negotiate with various contracting firms, demonstrated, and attempted to unionize the Menzies workers, recalls Weiner, who worked with the teamsters before joining the Yes! campaign last year. The companies resisted those efforts, claiming that the contract workers would have to be unionized nationally and all at once. Weiner recalled that the companies argued that a union in a single airport would violate the Constitution’s Commerce Clause.
DISAPPROVE BY VENKATESH AIYULU, MONEY BAG, QUESTION BY BRENNAN NOVAK FROM THENOUNPROJECT.COM
Alaska is a familiar foe in the current wage
JASON BACAJ
Baggage handlers take a break at Sea-Tac.
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The complaint Why, some angrily
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
news&comment» Columbia City Police Shooting Was Our Ferguson
In other words, they killed the unarmed suspect during a raid they hoped would prove he’d actually committed a crime. Smith may be dead, but irony isn’t.
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There was another similarity to Ferguson. At an inquest into the Smith shooting held earlier ichael Brown. That name you this year, a King County jury couldn’t decide know. It was in all the papers. whether Smith was trying to surrender when He was the black teen shot to killed. But jurors gave thumbs-up to the shootdeath August 9 by white police ing anyway, as did the Missouri grand jury last officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. week after leaving unsettled the question of The officer, who was not charged with a crime Brown’s attempted surrender. and has now resigned, claimed that Brown, after No one should be surprised. Such juries—as being slightly wounded and then chased by opposed to adversarial trial juries—can be Wilson, manipulated to issue a desired verdict. In one abruptly 12-month period, for example, federal grand turned BY RICK ANDERSON juries failed to issue indictments in only 11 of and came 162,000 federal cases presented by prosecutors. unarmed toward the officer to attack him. It Likewise, some form of justifiable homicide has made no sense. been the outcome of almost every King County Russell Smith. That’s a name you likely forinquest into more than 200 police-related deaths got. It was in the papers a bit, although Seattle in 65 years of record keeping. Inquest hearings Weekly published a detailed report on his death notoriously favor police. (“Nowhere to Run,” Dec. 4, 2013). But surrendering isn’t necessarily an option, He was the unarmed black man shot to death in Seattle on March 22, 2013 by a group of white either. In Seattle in the past two decades, 31-yearold mentally disabled Filipino Antonio Dunsmore police officers from Bellevue, working with the was riddled with SPD bullets—28 entrance and Seattle Police Department. They were serving an exit wounds—after he was cornered and killed arrest warrant in Columbia City. Smith, 51, an for pointing a clear plastic water pistol; Edward ex-con wanted for armed robbery, allegedly tried to flee in his car when the Bellevue SWAT team arrived in the Officers fired morning darkness in a Bear Cat 21 rounds at Russell Smith. armored vehicle. It didn’t make much sense, either. Though the dead end street was blocked, leaving Smith nowhere to go, he took off, allegedly almost hitting officers with the vehicle. Three cops fired 21 rounds, narrowly missing other officers in a crossfire. Smith, behind the wheel, raised his hands, then put them over his face as he was hit with eight bullets at close range, one Anderson, a 28-year-old black man, was hung in the side of his head. up in a fence when a Seattle cop pointed a gun The shooting 12 inches from his Adam’s apple and shot him included elements that “accidentally”; Erdman Bascom, 42 and black, also arose in the Ferguwas killed by police raiders when they saw him son killing. None of the standing in his living room with a TV remote; and officers were charged John T. Williams, 50 and native, was using a knife with a crime, and many to carve wood when he was shot and killed four questions were left seconds after a cop stepped out of his car. unanswered—among them, whether Smith was Jittery cops, poorly led and trained and trying to surrender when shot. A similar question immunized from bad decisions, guarantee this lingers in the Brown case. will continue. There were indications that Smith—who What can be done? A few years back at the was starting his car to go to work when the Central District’s First AME Church, when a cops suddenly descended, shining flashlights crowd gathered to talk to city officials about the in his face and pointing guns—impulsively latest police shooting, I listened as a black man backed out of his driveway because he was con- stepped forward and said he’d found the solution. fused and frightened. “I’ve been stopped by the police, and they say The record also suggested there was a safer ‘Do you mind if we search you?’ ” he said. “Of way to arrest Smith. According to 428 pages of course I mind. But you’ve got the gun, you’ve got police reports, photos, and video from the scene, the power, and I want to live until tomorrow. So a Bellevue detective had stood just feet away do what you want to do.” from Smith two weeks earlier, watching him Hands up, don’t shoot, he was saying. It seemed walk into a meeting with his corrections officer. laughable. Today it’s a mantra to live by. E He was not arrested in that secure setting, police randerson@seattleweekly.com claimed, because they needed more proof. Yet Rick Anderson writes about sex, crime, money, they also still needed more proof when they and politics, which tend to be the same thing. launched their raid: The arrest warrant’s purpose His latest book is Floating Feet: Irregular was to collect more viable robbery evidence. Dispatches From the Emerald City.
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s I’m writing this, I’m eight months pregnant with my first child—it’s a boy. Huzzah! Funnily enough, I was convinced I was having a girl, and was mentally preparing to raise the most kick-ass, geeky girl imaginable. Her room would be vintage sci-fi, fixed with all the geeky baby gear I could get my hands on. I would empower her to stand up for her rights and fight the impending battles that come with being a woman. Granted, she might not take to my geekiness, and that’s OK. But that’s how I was raised, so naturally it’s going to influence my parenting style; I know no other way. Then—a few weeks after starting our planning—the ultrasound technician told my husband and me that we weren’t having a girl. All my worries about how to protect a daughter from sexism vanished. A boy? OK, well, I guess that will make things easier, and at least we didn’t need to change our nursery theme. That sense of ease did not last long. As it happens, my pregnancy has coincided with a particularly vitriolic gender war in my community. It all started with a game. In July, Hearthstone, an online card game, announced that women would not be allowed to compete in their tournaments. Online gaming tournaments have become big. Really big. Not only are the prizes impressive ($250,000 is at stake in the Hearthstone World Championship), but the audience and fandom is huge, to the point that some universities now recognize video gaming as a varsity sport. (In Seattle there has even been talk of establishing an e-sports league dedicated to gaming tournaments such as Hearthstone and League of Legends, by far the most watched e-sport). So to exclude women from these tournaments is no small matter. Hearthstone organizers cited the regulations put forth by the International e-Sports Federation, which didn’t allow women to compete with men. The reaction from fans and players alike was loud and direct; surprisingly, IeSF responded quickly, opening tournaments to all genders. You would think that would have appeased me, but I couldn’t get past all the online com-
In a world of gender-exclusive card tournaments, sexist cosplay shaming, and #Gamergate, how can a nerdy mom protect her son from becoming a misogynistic a-hole? BY TERRA CLARKE OLSEN | PHOTOS BY NATE WATTERS mentary. I read too many remarks defending IeSF’s original rule and expressing anger over its amendment, which created two types of tournament: some open to all, some for women only. For example, one commenter on the Gamespot website accused the new rule of inflicting “absolutely disgusting sexism against men. It was fine before, men and women had their own little playground but now its some sort of PC abomination.” The commentary failed to recognize that women have been tormented and alienated for so long that many women would feel unwelcome and unsafe in coed tournaments.
The arguments were dumbfounding. Is this the kind of community I am so eagerly preparing to raise my son in? A community where boys are taught that women cannot compete on an intellectual level with men? It was difficult for me to believe that all these male gamers lacked female role models or peers who could disprove their misguided beliefs. Yet there they were, blatantly defending sexism within the gaming community. As I dealt with the joys and pains of pregnancy, the discouraging news kept rolling. For example, the artist of the new Wonder Woman comic came out saying he didn’t want her to be a “feminist”; cosplayers from San
I was raised in an immensely geeky family. Board games and prolonged discussions of the writing of Isaac Asimov were just another normal night at the Clarke household. My father paved the way for my geektastic childhood, never once telling me that gaming or comic books were only for boys. He raised me and my brother to like what he liked (a tradition I’m hoping to continue). The fact that I was a girl never affected my involvement with my family’s nerdy shenanigans. (In fact, if I hadn’t been into gaming or comics, I probably would have been shunned. I’m only half-joking.) I found nerdy acceptance outside my family as well, in a seemingly unlikely place—an otherwise all-male Dungeons & Dragons group. It was an experience, I was to later learn, deliberately created by one parent. Matt Ramsey, a father and Dungeon Master, wanted to introduce his 10-year-old son to tabletop gaming, so he put out a call for players at the local gaming shop. At the same time I was on the hunt for my first gaming group to join. I found his ad and signed up. I nervously showed up at his house for our first gaming session, not sure how I would be received or what I was in for. Looking back, those fears were unfounded, as it remains the best tabletop-gaming experience I
SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
SON OF A GEEK
Diego were verbally attacked for rebuking sexual harassers by stating “cosplay does not equal consent”; and, most famously, a sexist movement called #Gamergate emerged, trying to defame women in the gaming community. The list goes on and on. It all adds up to this fact: The community I’ve always held so close to my heart is failing us. Every new story seems to highlight how far we have yet to go toward gender equality, toward respect for all our fellow geeks. I can’t help but think of the families of these offending geeks and wonder how they were raised. I’ve always been aware of the sexism and misogyny within the geek community, but my awareness stems from the fact that I am a woman, the embattled. But now, as I’m dealing with all the fears and uncertainties that await me in parenthood, I have been thinking about my arriving son and re-examining things from a more masculine perspective. A daughter would need to know how to protect herself from sexism and fight injustice. But a son does not require this protection, and his privilege allows him to ignore injustice—or think that he can ignore it. But sexism is still a threat to him, in that he could very well become a perpetrator of it. How, I’m wondering, can I protect him?
» CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 9
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Son of a Geek » FROM PAGE 9 have ever had. Not only was Ramsey an excellent DM—he transcribed every session on a website dedicated to our game, played music to match our adventures, and was patient when we had questions about the rules—but he was, and is, an excellent father and role model. He never used my character (female elven ranger) as the female trope, and he never made me feel out of place because of my gender. The experience was hugely influential in helping me find comfort in my nerd identity. But when I think back on it, I realize that something even more important was happening around that table: Ramsey was setting an important precedent for his young and impressionable son. As I branched out to further realms of the geek community, I realized that people and parents like Ramsey are not the norm. The equal treatment I received from him, my father, and my uncles may have rendered me temporarily oblivious to the idea that I might be an outcast, that I might not be welcome in the larger nerdy circle. But I would learn soon enough. By the time I reached college, I had plenty of experience being kept out. As I ventured to comic-book and gaming stores, I was met with questions and accusations from gatekeepers. “Are these comics for your boyfriend?” was by far the most popular, followed by amazement that a girl was buying comics for herself. This was the usual formula: Do you actually like (insert geeky topic here) or are you doing it for a guy? I came to realize that people like me weren’t necessarily welcome at these places. At best, I was thought of as a novelty, a unicorn. Sexism and misogyny have been part of the
Being a geek is now considered the norm, even “cool.” Children today expect their classmates to play video games—unlike their parents’ and earlier generations of geeks, many of whom endured years of bullying and torment for the same activities. For older geeks, this new “cool” factor is confusing, and at times infuriating. The men who dominated geek culture during its underground years found safety and an identity within the geek community, where they could connect with fellow nerds who understood their fandoms. Yet—in a phenomenon that has beleaguered many other subcultures as well—given the chance to open their culture to a larger, more diverse population, these geeky men have reacted with the exclusionary, abusive mind-set of those who once bullied them. As Jackson Katz, Ph.D., famed educator and founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention, explains, these men “are repeating the same abuses in their subculture against women. So they can be the victim and the perpetrator.”
particular we’ve seen some major shifts. As Stuller notes, this is partially due to women and other people on the margins of geek culture coming together via the Internet to create their own spaces where they can safely geek out together. Seattle, for its part, has been a hub of alternative geekdom for many years; 2010 in particular is viewed as a sea-change year for women, both here and beyond. Stuller remembers it as the year Wallingford’s Comics Dungeon facilitated a safe space for female patrons with a ladies-only night; Comic-Con International held its landmark “Geek Girls Exist” panel; and a call went out to start a female-focused geek convention in Seattle. In October, that convention, GeekGirlCon, celebrated its fourth anniversary with a soldout weekend at the Washington State Convention Center. Creating spaces, online and faceto-face, Stuller adds, ensures that the dominant geek culture “has to take notice because our
This victim mentality, then, has created a sense of entitlement among geek gatekeepers. Recently a friend of mine actually proclaimed, “But I used to be bullied and made fun of for liking video games.” He explained that he essentially earned the right to this culture and community, but now these other people want in because it’s suddenly cool, adding that “They didn’t have to go through the torment like me. It’s not fair.” Although I’ve heard variations of this from random people, this comment came from a friend I consider an ally, so needless to say I was surprised—but also sympathetic. Recently I was included on a panel devoted to the issue of creating inclusiveness in the geek community when an attendee brought up this rationalization, stating that he felt out of place and no longer special since geek culture has become the norm. He asked what old “gatekeepers” were supposed to do, if not try to protect their identity and community as they once knew it. I understand where this anger and confusion arises from, but I had few words of comfort. The reality is that geek culture is pop culture. And unless he stumbles upon a time machine, there is no escaping that fact. The popularization of geekdom has been occurring for years, but in the past four or five years in
numbers amplify our voices. The Internet in particular is the driving force in creating these communities, as it enables like-minded individuals who may never have otherwise had the opportunity to connect to come together.” But because of the far reach of the Internet, and human nature, those communities rarely stay self-contained. It is when their ideas inevitably bleed into larger geek culture—through adoption, activism, and generational churn— that the conflict starts. As Katz notes, every time women enter a space that has “historically been a male space, there are predictable tensions,” but as more women enter such spaces, there is also a “pushback because women are forcing a revision of what that culture is.” In response, that “first line of defense is to marginalize the people that are making the challenge”—that is, attack the feminists, like Sarkeesian and Quinn, who are challenging structures of power. Katz views Sarkeesian as an important figure, who “won’t be bullied into silence by threatened men—that’s leadership.” Sadly, hours after I got off the phone with Katz, the news broke that Sarkeesian was forced to leave her home because of increased threats. Leaders like Sarkeesian are
Who are these men who have created such a hateful and antifeminist environment? I would love to talk to their mothers. worldview? And who are these men who have created such a hateful and anti-feminist environment, and how can we change it? I would love to talk to their mothers about their behavior. Though underrepresented, women have long been a part of geek culture. As Seattle pop-cultural historian Jennifer Stuller points out, “Women have always been drivers of fandom, fan conventions, and fan communities—especially since the days of Star Trek: The Original Series—as well as organizers of geek communities.” Women also worked as illustrators and writers in the comic industry’s early years during the wartime 1940s, though they were not in charge of publishing content— that was a field dominated by men. In those days, geek culture was a subculture shunned by the nascent mainstream pop culture, its adherents mocked and ridiculed for their fandoms. From that early ridicule, the geek stereotype emerged: a white male virgin with no social skills whose obsessive nature prevented him from thriving outside his parents’ basement. It’s been perpetuated for decades—e.g., Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons. But as the entertainment industry has embraced geekdom as a vibrant profit center, that stereotype has been challenged.
SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
geek community for a long time—for example, in early comic books and sci-fi literature, women occupied a limited number of roles, mostly geared toward the sexy damsel in distress—but the current environment feels different, more scary and unnerving. The irony is that this new, depraved world is likely a result of all the progress that women have made in geekdom. As more people rightfully speak out against injustices, the forces of exclusion have battled back. Examples abound, but the most startling have come from Gamergate. For those unfamiliar, Gamergate is a movement that claims to be upholding ethics in journalism. It all started because one angry exboyfriend wrote a post claiming that his ex-girlfriend, an indie game developer, cheated on him with a video-game journalist to get a good review (which, it should be noted, never materialized). What followed was a wave of angry gamers claiming that the integrity of video-game journalism was in decay and something needed to be done. And this is when things got really ugly. Using the #Gamergate hashtag, people in the community have actually forced multiple women out of their homes via death threats, rape threats, and leaked personal information—all in the name of “ethics.” Among the victims: Zoe Quinn, the above-mentioned indie developer, who creates games handling nontraditional gaming subjects, like depression; and Anita Sarkeesian, a feminist who critically examines the role of women and sexism in video games. Quinn, Sarkeesian, and others have been actively pushing to include women’s voices in the geek community, hoping to see change. For this, they
have been called “social-justice warriors,” a term, delivered with a sneer by their detractors, meant to insinuate that the women are less interested in video games than in their own ideals. Other reactions have been much scarier. At one point, a group of trolls actually created an interactive game that allowed players to beat up Sarkeesian virtually, covering her image in bruises. Recently Sarkeesian was forced to cancel a talk at Utah State University after receiving violent threats. Ironically, the voices struggling to be heard represent a huge percentage of the community. The Entertainment Software Association has found that women make up 45 percent of all gamers, and market research found that 46 percent of the self-identified comic-book fans on Facebook are women. This past year, more than half of Emerald City Comicon attendees were women. I’m not sure if my son will end up being geeky or not, but I do know one thing—if he ventures to his local game store or comic-book shop, women will be there, right by his side, waiting their turn to buy the latest and greatest, just like every other geeky patron. This is the scenario that has been most on my mind. The fight is no longer about me and my social circles; it’s about my son’s generation. Will the self-declared gatekeepers of geekdom be there as well, indoctrinating my son with their
» CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 11
Son of a Geek » FROM PAGE 11 important, and a number of them—brave women and nerdy high-profile celebrities who have stood up to publicly fight misogyny and sexism within the community—have received the same frightening reaction as she.
angrily blaming feminism and “social-justice warriors” for ruining their world. And the silence of our would-be allies is perceived as consent— not just that sexism and misogyny in the geek community are OK, but that feminism is bad. Those who speak out can be the role models to a new generation of geeky men, including my son. But what role do we, the parents, play? It’s no longer enough to encourage our children to find positive people in geeky communities, as I did when I was younger. My family protected me from the sexism within the community, allowing a blissful and geeky childhood. But now, with the vast network of gaming, socialmedia, and Internet communities, the protection I was provided seems utterly impossible. If I were to have a daughter, I would encourage her to use this access to find an accepting, nurturing pocket of geekdom in which to thrive. But what of my son? He will be welcome everywhere in geek culture. How do I make sure he does not go to the dark side? So here is where I have arrived,
just weeks away from the miracle of birth that will force me to turn my ideas into action. Parents—geeky ones like me and non-geeky ones like, perhaps, you—need to take a more active role in making our children aware of the rights and wrongs of the geek community. Seeking advice on exactly how to do this with my own son, I asked my old Dungeon Master, Matt Ramsey, how he
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Yet we also need allies in the trenches. As my own experience has proven, there are men out there who do not want to push women out of geekdom, violently or otherwise. This might tempt some to declare “Not all geek men . . . ” and absolve themselves of responsibility. But to do this is to pass up an opportunity to take part in a virtuous battle—and what geek does not want to take part in a virtuous battle? Good men need to start fighting the injustices within the community rather than shifting that burden onto the victims. It doesn’t take much—just an acknowledgement works. As Sarkeesian told the audience at the XOXO Festival last month, “One of the most radical things you can do is to actually believe women when they talk about their experiences.” Myself, friends, colleagues, and many other women have experienced harassment, sexism, and misogyny on a firsthand basis. These are our war stories, and they are dispiriting at times. Yet we stay in the community because we are geeks—we love gaming, comic books, fantasy, sci-fi. But to stay, we need allies. I know that a lot of men don’t agree with the events of Gamergate or the general sexism within the community. So why aren’t they more vocal? Katz notes that men are “fearful they will lose status among their peers, and will be seen as less of a man. Essentially their manhood or position in the brotherhood will be undermined,” so they remain silent. All the while, Internet trolls are
“I see this age as a perfect opportunity to . . . influence his worldview. If he grows up to be an a**hole, that’s on me.” approached raising his son as a nerd. Did he do anything in particular to combat the negative aspects of the geek community? He said that he explained and challenged sexism to his son. Ramsey even cited our tabletop games as an example of fighting the “boys-only club” mentality. And it wasn’t just when I was around. He said his sons never played games that “fed into the chain-mail-bikini or damsel-in-distress tropes,” adding that “blatant sexism within our games was never tolerated.” Ramsey wholeheartedly believes that education is the key to combating “things that undermined my values as a parent.” Ramsey’s approach seems to have worked; his son is now 21 and, I have to say, a
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rad individual who is a caring soul and ally to women in the community. But, as I said, we live in a different, geekier world than the one in which Ramsey raised his son. So I spoke with parents currently navigating the nerdy terrain to get a sense of how they’re combating sexism in the community. Emilie Shimkus—tech writer, actor in the web series JourneyQuest, singer for the nerd band RockLab, and mother of a 4-year-old girl (with another on the way!)—told me that she encourages her daughter to wear anything or do anything that boys are doing, and that she wants her to be “strong . . . funny . . . brave . . . kind—words I think all genders should strive to be.” Shimkus adds that she is mindful of the violence and oversexualized image of women in pop culture and geek culture, so she filters what movies and books she exposes her daughter to. And, like Ramsey, she stresses the importance of inclusion. “I love that my daughter sees Mom and Dad put on costumes and be in shows written by and for nerds, with—when I’m lucky!—clever, complex, flawed women characters,” she says. “I love that I’m bringing my daughter up in a house where a bunch of guys play an imaginative storytelling game once a week, and that they listen when she wants to chat and ask questions or make up a rule, and sometimes roll the dice for Dad. We have great geek friends—a lot of smart, funny, kind men who are great vocal allies for the women in their lives, gamer or otherwise.” That is similar to the life I imagined for a daughter—one that was simply about creating that safe space. But what about my little boy? I asked Laurel McJannet, GeekGirlCon staffer, marketing communications specialist, and a mother of an 8-year-old boy. McJannet says she worries about violence in games, and that she monitors which games he plays—no Assassin’s Creed, for instance. But when it comes to sexism, McJannet says the issue hasn’t gotten much further than her son identifying pink as a “girl’s color,” and that she prefers to address issues as they come up. “I think at 8 years old, we have yet to go to battle,” she says. “I anticipate having more of those kinds of discussions as Aidan gets into his tweet years. Right now, the most we get is, ‘How come so and so gets to do this and not me?’ Usually, a simple ‘Because we said so’ would suffice, but as he gets older, he’s wanting to know the ‘why’ and ‘how come’ a little more.” Taking a slightly different approach, Adam Parent, father of a 5-year-old boy and all-around geeky guy, is hyper-aware of the injustices in both geek culture and the world at large. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I don’t accompany everything he sees with a disclaimer,” he says. Parent talks openly to his son, engaging him in topics that other parents might think are too mature for a child, but he insists it’s for the best. And I find myself leaning in this direction. Parenting is a big job, one I can’t even begin to understand until our little guy enters the world. But by taking an active role, I think I can influence my son, and I hope to help mold him into a good human being who will add positivity to the world and fight for equal rights—in the geek community and beyond. “I see this age as the perfect opportunity to (for better or worse) influence his worldview,” Parent told me. “That’s my job. If he grows up to be an a**hole, that’s on me. I’ve failed him.” E
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food&drink
Gourmet Chauffeurs
FoodNews BY JASON PRICE
The lowdown on five food-delivery services.
Fans of zippy, tangy ginger beer will be happy to learn that Rachel Marshall, aka the founder of Rachel’s Ginger Beer, will open a shop in the new 12th Avenue Arts building in the spring. In addition to the beer selection, customers will be treated to hand-cut fries with up to 20 dipping sauces, ginger beer-based cocktails, and ice cream for floats. Who knew ginger beer was so versatile?�
BY CHASON GORDON
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Delivery startups can be divided into those that pick up food and those that make their own. Munchery (munchery.com) delivers meals made that day by a local team of experienced chefs, including Bo Maisano of 1200 Bistro and The Tin Table and Meg Grace Larcom, owner of The Redhead in New York. (Both live in Seattle.) Online, users can browse various meals, meant to be reheated, like chicken saltimbocca, chilebraised flank steak, and duck confit with kale.
From grocery stores to restaurants, Postmates delivers from almost everywhere.
Prices are generally $8–$10 with a $2.95 delivery charge, and can be ordered ahead in specific delivery windows by the cutoff time, generally 6 p.m. for same-day delivery. I ordered ricotta-stuffed chicken with lemon spaghetti. This time the food was being delivered by Nikita, and I was informed that I’d get a text from her within 10 minutes of delivery. That’s pretty much what happened, except the delivery person was named Austin. What you notice immediately is Munchery’s packaging. Resembling a bright argyle sock, it’s certainly a clever design, and one’s tempted to put it in the refrigerator and stare at it. Labels inform me that the tray is microwave and oven-safe, and tell me how long to reheat the food. The lemon-butter sauce, it says, should be poured over the pasta during the last minute of heating. Had any more effort been required, I would have just ordered pizza. Reheating a cold meal that was delivered to you feels a bit like using the self-checkout at grocery stores. “Why am I doing this?” you wonder, before mindlessly accepting it. That aside, the ricotta-stuffed chicken was surprisingly tender and the lemon-butter spaghetti a nice pairing. It was certainly good, better than the packaged meals at Whole Foods, yet not nearly as good as the ridiculously high-quality food photography on Munchery’s site. Munchery may feel a bit odd if you regularly cook, but otherwise it’s a reasonably priced and well-executed service. I will definitely contact them if I need to hire a food photographer. I’m not trying to start a fight here, but Lish (lishfood.com) and Munchery will undoubtedly compete, as they offer similar services, the difference being that Lish recruits local chefs—like Chera Amlag of Food & Sh*t and Garrett Doherty of Kraken Congee—as inde-
pendent contractors rather than using a permanent team, and is only in Seattle at the moment. The site is easy to use, and again features magazine-quality food photography of various-sized dishes priced $12.99 and under and made that day, including pan-grilled lemongrass rockfish, venison chili, and Caribbean bean and collard empanadas with tahini kale. Delivery is $3.99, and the drivers, they say, do not accept tips. I ordered the beef moussaka by chef Prakash Niroula. Even though I scheduled the meal for the next day, I still found myself looking out the window like an idiot for the delivery guy. The meal arrived when it was supposed to, and came with a free cookie and a little piece of dark chocolate. (Munchery’s also came with a free cookie, but no chocolate; get your shit together, Munchery.) It didn’t look as good as the photo, but was hearty and delicious nonetheless, and I can see ordering it again if I ever become one of those organized people who plan meals in advance. To be honest, I’m losing track of which services do what at this point but, as I recall, BiteSquad (bitesquad.com) appears to pick up food primarily from restaurants that don’t otherwise deliver. You may have noticed their fleet of green and white Priuses on the road, and, as I did, got the impression that that’s what they use to make the deliveries. But there are only nine of those Priuses in Seattle—they’re more of a branding tool, like the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and most deliveries are made with the drivers’ personal cars. BiteSquad provides access to about 200 restaurants in Seattle (Caviar does around 50), and tracks your delivery on a map underneath a futuristic-looking progress bar that shows where your order’s at. As long as you’re within seven miles of them, they’ll probably go there, the
The FDA has recently approved new rules requiring calorie labels to be placed on all prepared foods sold by establishments with 20 or more locations. The Associated Press reports that the new regulations will also apply to convenience stores, bakeries, coffee shops, pizza delivery, amusement parks, and vending machines. In other news, the ability to enjoy eating and drinking without guilt, remorse, or long-term neurosis has suffered yet another serious blow. E morningfoodnews@seattleweekly.com
TheWeeklyDish Home-cooked Indian food. BY NICOLE SPRINKLE I consider myself a pretty adventurous home cook, yet I’d never tried my hand at authentic Indian food—relying, shamefully, on frozen premade meals from the likes of Trader Joe’s or ho-hum takeout. Inspired by Indian for Everyone: The Home Cook’s Guide to Traditional Favorites by Anupy Singla, I spent the better half of a Sunday afternoon preparing the book’s “Punjabi Chile Chicken.” But first I went all in and made her garam masala spice mix from scratch. It required buying all kinds of whole spices—from black cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks to coriander and cumin seeds. But once roasted and ground, the result was thrillingly fragrant and heady in scent. I now have 2½ cups of it, which can be used for all sorts of Indian meals. Admittedly, the dish itself was no small feat: lots of stages of puréeing onions, garlic, and ginger separately; searing the chicken; adding more freshly roasted spices (green cardamom pods); finishing the sauce in stages; fully cooking the chicken. But, again, it was worth it. The spicy sauce had a depth of flavor that’s hard to come by, and over the next week it just kept getting richer and more complex. Now that I’ve taken the plunge, I know that Indian food will become a staple in my cooking repertoire. I hope you’ll be inspired to do the same! (For more on the cookbook, see indianasapplepie.com.) E NICOLE SPRINKLE
Caviar (trycaviar.com) pulls back the iron curtain between homebodies and premium restaurants previously unavailable for delivery, including Barrio, Mamnoon, Pike Place Chowder, and Bitterroot, among plenty of others. You can even order from Mighty-O Donuts. As such, the service feels exceedingly extravagant, like you’re one of those millionaires who has New York pizza flown to Los Angeles. (I saw that in a movie.) Delivery, which takes 50 to 70 minutes, is free the first time you order and $4.99 after, added to a built-in 18 percent gratuity. You can’t expect a service called Caviar to be cheap. It becomes much more manageable, obviously, if you go in with other people. When I ordered the lasagna from Cafe Lago (I’d heard good things), I was informed that my meal would be delivered by Olga, and that I could track her progress with a little icon on a map. I stared hungrily at the icon, refreshing the screen over and over like Jesse Eisenberg at the end of The Social Network. It was fun watching it move closer to me on the map. Caviar should put in some sort of audio accompaniment, like the yodeling music from the “Cliffhanger” game on The Price is Right. The lasagna was ridiculously good, but that has nothing to do with Caviar. What matters is that it was still pretty warm when it arrived—but not as warm as it would have been in-house, of course. Like its namesake, Caviar has “special occasion” written all over it. I can see using it with drunken friends to order a mess of Tat’s cheesesteaks during the next Seahawks game.
Hemingway fans get the name, and the rest of us will likely get the food as Renee Erickson alums Rachel Johnson and Joe Sundberg are gearing up to open Manolin on Stone Way in mid-December. The restaurant will feature Northwestern-themed food with a dash of Latin inspiration. Chef Alex Barkley, also an Erickson alum as sous of The Whale Wins, will man the pass and bring us dishes from the wood-fired oven. Game on, Walling-mont!
POSTMATES
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
here was a time when all you could order for delivery were pizza, Chinese food, and 12 CDs for the price of one, and we all managed just fine. Today, countless delivery startups offer a vast selection of meals to people who don’t want to leave their house to get them, including Lish, Munchery, Caviar, BiteSquad, and Postmates. All are clearly geared toward the tech set, but they certainly also appeal to other busy and lazy people. Over one month I tried all of them, and got a little fatter because of it (that would have happened anyway). Here’s how it went down.
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delivery fee rising according to distance: “Just like a taxi,” the website tells us. Delivery fees generally range from $3.99 to $7.99. I tried Mary’s Kitchen in South Lake Union, because I was curious to see if the fried chicken would survive the trip in all its crispiness. Surprisingly, it did. Though the design of the website’s restaurant list looks a bit like it came from the movie WarGames, and though the delivery fees and occasional minimum-order amounts are a tad off-putting, BiteSquad works pretty efficiently. It’s hard to say how many of these startups will survive long-term, but BiteSquad has as good a chance as any.
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Since Postmates (postmates. com) currently functions only as an app on iPhones and Androids and not on my clearly uncool Windows phone, I used a friend’s phone. It was like that episode of Seinfeld in which Elaine had to cross the street to order the Supreme Flounder. Postmates will soon be adding Internet ordering. The app has an interesting setup, listing various restaurants and stores to order from—from Dick’s to Safeway to Ezell’s to Whole Foods. If an item isn’t listed, you can make a custom order for an unlisted item and add any specific instructions, like requesting a burger medium-rare or asking for bananas to be extra-green. You can pretty much order anything, but, as a spokesperson told me, “Postmates cannot deliver cash, prepaid cards, gift cards, or monetary collectibles (stamps, coins, and precious metals).” Darn. Postmates works a bit like Uber, finding nearby available drivers, except they deliver food instead of people. The delivery fee generally depends on distance, so if you live on Capitol Hill, and want a burger from Skillet, you should definitely order from the Skillet on Union and not the one in Ballard. It’s the difference between $5 and $10. My burger and poutine—still decently warm—were delivered within the hour by Dakota, who apparently had 736 deliveries under his belt (my God) with a perfect five-star rating. The food arrived in a bag with a label that said “Your day just got awesome,” which I thought was a little presumptuous on their part, as if the awesomeness of my day was dependent on ordering food. It was, but that’s beside the point. With a somewhat insane level of flexibility, Postmates can be as endless as your imagination (sorry), and it’ll be interesting to see where the company goes. At the moment, though, my imagination is telling me to get off my ass, go to the grocery store, and actually cook something. E
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arts&culture Tacoma Art Museum opens a new wing full of cowboy and Indian art. Is this really how we want to see the Old West today?
ThisWeek’s PickList
BY BRIAN MILLER
Seven Samurai
Wie Geht’s, Paleface?
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
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Tulalip-Swinomish photographer Matika Wilbur showed her tribal portraits taken on reservations around the country, that TAM exhibit seemed like an inoculation against the Haub bequest and wing, then nearing completion (it opened last month). You could almost imagine the nervous curators insisting, See, we totally heart Native Americans! They are so much more diverse and present in contemporary culture than those corny old Frederic Remington cowboy paintings! (Outside the museum, newly installed, the Portland-based Seneca artist Marie Watt’s bronze-cast folded-blanket arches gesture more vaguely in the same affirmative direction.)
But now Wilbur and her Internet-era cousins have left the (old) building. Suddenly we’re back in the mythic 19th century, mostly: wagon trains and lonesome cowpokes; melancholy braves arrayed on colorful horizons; no sign of the telegraph or railroad; ancient arid landscapes untouched by the plow. I’m generalizing here: Less than half the Haub bequest is presently on view (it’ll rotate next November), and there are a few works by Native American and late 20th-century artists, some still living. It’s not all bad; and there’s nothing objectionable about landscape scenes of Mt. Rainier, Taos, the Grand Canyon, the Tetons, and Yellowstone. Yet the whole collection is promulgated by the same German Romantic cult of the American West, that strange Teutonic tendency that derives both from Goethe and the Old West adventure novels of Karl May (later a mainstay of postwar German movies and TV). Haub, born in 1932, grew up on such stuff. He spent a substantial part of his adult life in the U.S. (his three sons were born in Tacoma), and he owns considerable property in Wyoming and the Methow Valley. Like any billionaire, he is not an unsophisticated man. At a certain point this naïve collection of Jackson Hole hunting-lodge art—begun in the early ’80s—did diversify and improve. Haub and his wife Helga surely had advisors who sought to expand and offset their early acquisitions. (They later bought works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Thomas Moran, and Thomas Hart Benton.) Still, one’s dominant impression comes from nostalgic scenes like these: A Sioux chief poses in finery we know will soon be lost. A buckaroo tames his bronze bronco. A cavalryman waters his thirsty horse. Natives paddle their canoe along the Columbia we know will later
be dammed. A lone bison hesitates, in bronze, before near-extinction. Indians scout a wagon train or head out on a war party (this by Albert Bierstadt!), and again we know those missions are ultimately doomed. The white man is coming to ruin this natural idyll. Even in landscapes untracked by pioneers or natives, the sentimental spirit of the noble savage is felt—and mourned. Significantly, there is no blood on European hands. The Haub collection sides mainly with the victims, not the cowboys and settlers who took their Heimatland. There are no gory battle scenes, only a few solemn depictions of 18th-century treaty ceremonies—General So-and-So accepting the peace pipe from Chief So-and-So. The sorrowful narrative implicit here is that Indians had to surrender totally yet with dignity, surely a notion with great resonance among postwar Germans. But to contrast the wealth of present-day Germany with, say, the poverty and despair of our Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota? That is beyond the scope of the Haub collection, which shows us nothing of today’s Native Americans—in the city, on the rez, performing heart surgery, writing novels, shot by cops, or drunk in a ditch. That is a task for contemporary artists like Wilbur (or Seattle’s Aaron Huey) and museum curators. Clearly, generously, the Haubs have handed TAM an enormous challenge with their collection. Building the new Haub wing was the easy part. Providing this rosy, romantic, and problematic art with a modern context—and in some instances a firm rebuttal—will be necessary in the years ahead. E
bmiller@seattleweekly.com
TACOMA ART MUSEUM 1701 Pacific Ave., 253-272-4258, tacomaartmuseum.org. $8–$10. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sun.
One of the great pleasures in revisiting Akira Kurosawa’s action-filled 1954 masterpiece is how the seven different samurai will consider the odds and adversity against them, then simply throw back their heads and laugh. They don’t look so grim and anguished as certain latter-day action heroes, although they’re both a product of and influence upon Hollywood. Toshiro Mifune stars as Kikuchiyo, an unwashed 16th-century peasant masquerading as a samurai, only grudgingly tolerated by the six real ronin defending a village against 40 bloodthirsty bandits just “for the fun of it.” Kikuchiyo entertains the village children with his mimicry, connects with its adults with his earthy humor, and wins the audience with his insecurities and bluster. And of course he fights like “a wild dog” when the time comes. Note: The film will be introduced via Skype by New York cinema scholar Richard D. Pepperman, who just wrote a book about it, appropriately titled Everything I Know About Filmmaking I Learned Watching Seven Samurai. Northwest Film Forum, 1515
12th Ave., 267-5380, nwfilmforum.org. $6–$11. 7 p.m. BRIAN MILLER
William Mortensen
FERAL HOUSE
Though no one said so last summer, when the
Hispanic-Apache painter John Nieto’s 1996 Buffalo at Sunset.
TACOMA ART MUSEUM/HAUB FAMILY COLLECTION
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
T
he museum director’s dilemma is this: too much mediocre art in the world, not enough money. Unless you’re bidding on Picassos or beseeching the heirs of dead collectors for a Warhol donation, the big challenge today is funding the infrastructure and staff. SAM built its new tower in 2007, just in time for the recession and collapse of Washington Mutual (its partner and paying tenant). BAM started promisingly in 2001 with its new digs across from the mall, then nearly collapsed owing to mismanagement and budget woes. So now TAM, which moved often after its 1935 founding, has added a new wing to its 2003 building—thanks chiefly to the largesse of German grocery magnate Erivan Haub, who also promised some 300 works to be displayed there. It is a gift with strings: The Haub Family Galleries were built to show off a collection of Old West-themed paintings and sculpture that many visitors will be inclined to view as kitsch, at best—or at worst as the self-congratulatory, romantic tokens that mask an actual history of colonialism, genocide, and land theft. Let’s deal first and briefly with the $15.5 million expansion by Seattle architect Tom Kundig, which increases TAM’s space by a third. It’s not great, it doesn’t need to be great, but it does a much better job of meeting Pacific Avenue. The 2003 building by Antoine Predock seemed to retreat from its western exposure, hunkered and tentative. Kundig’s boxy new entrance announces itself better, though it doesn’t address the fact that most visitors will arrive by the parking lot and elevator in back. (To be fair, SAM’s garage is even less inviting, though its First Avenue frontage welcomes a lot more pedestrians.) Kundig’s big steel wheel, which manually opens and shuts the sun louvers facing Pacific, is an apt allusion to Tacoma’s rail-determined past (i.e., boxcars and sheds), but it’s also a gimmick we’ve seen before on his pricey vacation homes. The main thing is not to overshadow the art (like the Guggenheims in New York and Bilbao) or date itself fast (like Robert Venturi’s downtown misstep for SAM in 1991). Kundig’s self-effacing Haub annex allows us to focus on the art— which may or may not be a good thing.
Mortensen knew how to command the eye.
Port Townsend publisher Feral House is known for pushing the boundaries of good taste and the First Amendment. (It even printed the ravings of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.) But what its founder, Adam Parfrey, really loves are the vulgar-sexy-shocking artifacts of olden times: everything that was cheap and weird and popular before the sanitized standards of the postwar era were imposed. Hence two new volumes celebrating the L.A. photographer Mortensen (1897–1965): the biography American Grotesque and Mortensen’s reissued, newly annotated
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» FROM PAGE 16
with Ford serving as his editor to the soft end. What’s his Default Self? “The self I’d like others to understand me to be, and at heart believe myself to be”—honest, optimistic, unembellished, and nice. What Frank mutters to himself is quite different, of course, and therein lies the appeal of Ford’s book. Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth
The Command to Look. A small selection of photos, heavily processed in the darkroom by Mortensen, goes on view tonight (along with recent paintings by locals Stacy Rozich and John Brophy). Mortensen was a master of interwar sensationalism: bare-breasted white women threatened by negroid gorillas, religious persecution and torture, suggestions of horror and the occult. Nonetheless—or maybe precisely because of those tendencies—he was an in-demand portrait photographer who brought Rudolph Valentino, Lon Chaney, Fay Wray, Jean Harlow, Clara Bow, and Peter Lorre before his lurid lens. His aesthetic was the opposite of realism, and his photos essentially passed themselves off as paintings. But look at any dime novel, comic book, or movie poster of his day and you’ll see his influence. (Ends Jan. 3.)
Ave., 386-4636, spl.org. Free. 7 p.m. BRIAN MILLER
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Order & Chaos Hello, Burner in the sand.
:
GRAMMY NOMINATED
QUEENSRYCHE © MARTI
Roq La Rue Gallery, 532 First Ave. S., 374-8977, roqlarue.com. First Thursday opening reception 6–9 p.m. BRIAN MILLER
Richard Ford
THE BOB RIVERS
TWISTED CHRISTMAS SHOW
SPIKE & THE IMPALERS | JUDAH FRIEDLANDER
DEC 11 - 12 | 8PM
GRAMMY NOMINATED
WILSON PHILLIPS SUN | DEC 14 | 8PM
Kirkland Arts Center, 620 Market St., 822-7161, kirklandartscenter.org. Free. Opening reception 6–10 p.m. GAVIN BORCHERT MONDAY, DEC. 8
NEXT Dance Cinema
It started out as serendipity that Velocity Dance Center is just down the road from Northwest Film Forum, but the two organizations are making a virtue of proximity with their ongoing collaborations for NEXT Dance Cinema. This time they’ve got four separate programs, opening with a cinematic sampler featuring several local choreographers, including Dinosaurs and Sea Hawks, a poignant addition to Ezra Dickinson’s 2013 examination of mental illness and homelessness, Mother for you I made this. Later programs include work by local artists KT Niehoff and Dayna Hanson, along with a sweet lip-sync directed by Sara Jinks to “Lonesome Polecat” (from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). Other programs include a rigorous solo by Dutch performer Roxane Huilmand and an evening of film examining contemporary African dance. (Through Sat.) Northwest Film Forum, 1515
12th Ave., 267-5380, nwfilmforum.org. $6–$11. 7 p.m. SANDRA KURTZ E
GRAMMY AWARD WINNER
PATTI LABELLE SUN | DEC 21 | 8PM
TICKETS: SNOCASINO.COM OR THE SNOQUALMIE CASINO BOX OFFICE SEATTLE’S CLOSEST CASINO | I-90 E, EXIT 27
/Snocasino
SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
“I’ve always suffered fools well, which is why I sleep so soundly at night.” Ford didn’t write that—well, not directly—since the words belong to failed writer-turned-realtor Frank Bascombe, now making his fourth appearance since 1986’s The Sportswriter. Let Me Be Frank With You (Ecco, $27.99) is likely the last go-round for Frank, now 68 and retired, moved back to central Jersey, and counting his luck for having avoided Hurricane Sandy at his old beachfront home. In more than one sense, Frank is appraising the wreckage around him in these four linked stories. Guiltily, yet trying to maintain what he calls his “Default Self,” he goes to meet the unlucky guy who bought his last home—now knocked sideways on the sand, a total loss. He’s visited by a stranger with a sad tale about his present digs. He in turn visits his ex, afflicted with Parkinson’s, and an old dying buddy with secrets to share. Frank wants none of their candor; he still has the writer’s habit of keeping life experience—mostly sad, at this point in the game—at arm’s length, just as he does his adult kids. Frank doesn’t lack empathy or powers of observation (here we’re really talking about Ford). Rather, he insists on limits to his tears or engagement with the world,
ECCO
Ford at home in Maine.
If you’re a Burning Man skeptic, the photographs of one-named Frenchwoman MARTI, though beautiful, may not change your mind; here are the grand and fanciful art projects, the elaborate costuming, the nonchalant undress you’ll see in any visual record of the event. But what I love about her photos, gathered in the exhibit Order & Chaos: A Decade of Burning Man, is that she nearly always shoots the flamboyance in question against a great deal of nothing: the off-white Nevada desert floor, blue sky, maybe a dust cloud, with a palpable sense of vast distance between her subject and anything else that might incidentally be in the frame. The inclusion of all that emptiness emphasizes the improbability, and thus the surrealism, of the images; this isn’t just another Halloween night in Fremont. For me, looking at them feels like what being there feels like—the nothing is just as weird as the something. (Through Jan. 17.)
FRI | DEC 5 | 8PM
17
arts&culture» Performance CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE CLASSIC FILM
Opening Nights
PPride and Prejudice CENTER THEATRE AT THE ARMORY (SEATTLE CENTER), 216-0833, BOOK-IT.ORG. $25–$60. RUNS WED.–SUN. ENDS DEC. 28.
Taylor’s Elizabeth (left) with Rebecca Olson as sister Jane.
PNutcracker
MAKES A GREAT GIFT!
While it’s not a going-out-of-business sale, there’s a certain last-chance feeling to this year’s run of Nutcracker. Pacific Northwest Ballet premiered this production, choreographed by Kent Stowell and designed by Maurice Sendak, in 1983. PNB was just 11 years old at the time, and the goal was to create a world-class production. Thirty-one years later, I think we can say they succeeded. The Stowell/Sendak production was intended to be distinct from the candy-cane sweetness of most Nutcrackers at that time. Given Stowell’s depiction of the heroine Clara as a young girl on the brink of adolescence and Sendak’s signature touch of chaos underneath the gemütlich charm of the 19th-century drawing room, this Nut was engaging for adults as well as children. Yet it’s to be retired. This time next year we’ll see George Balanchine’s iconic choreography set to new designs by Ian Falconer (of Olivia the Pig fame).
ADAM SMITH
MCCAW HALL, 321 MERCER ST. (SEATTLE CENTER), 441-2424, $35–$136. SEE PNB.ORG FOR NEAR-DAILY SCHEDULE. ENDS DEC. 28.
Sendak’s Christmas tree makes its last appearance.
© ANGELA STERLING
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
SEE THE MOVIE
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YOU KNOW AND LOVE, COMPLETE WITH SUBTITLES SO THE WHOLE AUDIENCE CAN SING ALONG!
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What will I miss about this annual holiday production? The careful storytelling, with key elements of the drama laid out multiple times, so even the smallest audience members can follow the E.T.A. Hoffmann tale. The antique-store density of Sendak’s set design—I’ve seen it many times, and still find new things to marvel at in the details. The vintage quality of the theatrical tricks, especially the stage-within-a-stage for the trip to the Pasha’s kingdom, with its unrolling panorama and oldfashioned waves (complete with leaping dolphins on the piccolo flourishes!). And the charming way that the Pasha’s court “applauds” using ASL, waving their hands above their heads. All these elements were nicely polished for opening night’s full house, which ooohed when the curtain went up on a Christmas party, jumped in their seats when the toy soldiers fired their cannon, and giggled at those dolphins. Lesley Rausch and Jerome Tisserand were a charming adult Clara and Nutcracker prince—her gentle accents in the second-act opening solo matched the distinctive quality of the celesta. Carrie Imler made the speedy choreography for the “Waltz of the Flowers” exhilarating, while Lindsi Dec brought sustainment to the role of the Peacock. And Uko Gorter, who has been dancing the combined role of the eccentric toymaker Drosselmeier and the mysterious Pasha for many years, was totally convincing as he egged the young boys to make mischief at the family party. SANDRA KURTZ
It is a truth universally acknowledged that any staging of a Jane Austen novel is going to be a sure bet for Book-It (again), but of her canonical six, Pride and Prejudice, as the most beloved, brings challenges the others don’t— primarily competition in fans’ heads with the popular 1995 BBC miniseries, which, as much as anything, launched the Austen craze of recent decades. Richard Nguyen Sloniker, the Darcy in Book-It’s brisk and bubbling adaptation, bears the heaviest burden—not only because it’s a tricky role in itself, requiring a delicate balance of likability (so we root for him and heroine Elizabeth Bennet to fall for each other) and imperiousness (to give that inevitable attraction a plausible obstacle to overcome), but because much of the miniseries’ popularity was due to the Darcy of Colin Firth, who did his best to ruin the role for any other actor. Sloniker masters just that balance, and carries off some splendid scenes with the sharp, subtle Elizabeth of Jen Taylor (herself a frequent Austen adapter for Book-It). As their passions rise, their diction gets crisper, their consonants sparking like clashing swords. The casting is just as ideal all the way through, the 15 actors—nine of whom take more than one role—adept at weighting and coloring every laugh line to make it land and deftly avoiding caricature even where it’s most tempting, with Austen’s most acerbically satirized characters: Kimberly King’s Mrs. Bennet, John Bianchi’s Mr. Collins, Sascha Streckel’s Mary. Especially marvelous are those actresses in smaller roles who in memorableness surpass even what Austen put on the page: Jesica Avellone and Kate Sumpter become the Charlotte Lucas and Miss Bingley to beat, casting themselves in my brain-movie each time I pick up the novel from now on. Every P&P fan is going to have some quibble with director Marcus Goodwin’s script (previously mounted in 2000 and ’04), but one unanimous one, I bet, will be his inexplicable omission of one of Austen’s iconic lines, Mr. Bennet’s wry envoi after seeing three of his five daughters paired off: “If any gentlemen come for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at leisure.” It’s the victim of a coda that felt precipitate; after three hours, I don’t see the harm another five minutes could have done, just to let us savor Austen’s happiest ending. GAVIN BORCHERT E stage@seattleweekly.com
Stage OPENINGS & EVENTS
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER What happens
when bad kids take over the holiday play? Presented by Youth Theatre Northwest. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island, 232-4145, youththeatre. org. $13–$17. Opens Dec. 5. 7 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.– Sun. Ends Dec. 21.
A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES/THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER A Dylan Thomas/Thornton
Wilder double feature. Stone Soup Theatre, 4029 Stone Way N., 633-1883. $20–$25. Preview Dec. 4, opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun, plus more performances Xmas week; see stonesouptheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 24. A CHRISTMAS STORY This year instead of catching it on TBS’ 24-hour broadcast, see the musical version onstage! 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900, 5thavenue. org. $29 and up. Previews through Dec. 3, opens Thurs., Dec. 4. 7:30 p.m. Tues.–Wed., 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 1:30 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 31. CHRISTMASTOWN A new “holiday noir, ” complete with a hard-boiled gumshoe and a sexy elf, by Wayne Rawley. Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Greenlake Dr., N., 5241300. Preview Dec. 4, opens Dec. 5. Runs Fri.–Sun. plus more performances Xmas week; see seattlepublictheater. org for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 24. THE EDGE Bainbridge Island’s own improv troupe. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, theedgeimprov.com, bainbridge performingarts.org. $12–$16. 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 4. EVAN & BOBBI: A TWISTED CHRISTMAS CAROL
Bobbi Cratchit and Evan Scrooge are co-workers/ dysfunctional lovers in this Dickens subversion. Theater Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave. S., seattlestageright.org. $15–$20. Opens Dec. 4. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. plus Mon., Dec. 8. Ends Dec. 13. THE GREAT SOCIETY A look into LBJ’s life and political fall from grace—the sequel to (and running concurrently with) local playwright Robert Schenkkan’s All the Way. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222. $17–$150. Opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Tues.–Sun., plus Wed. and weekend matinees; see seattlerep.org for exact schedule. Ends Jan. 4. HAM FOR THE HOLIDAYS: FEAR THE BACON The annual holiday sketch show from Lisa Koch and Peggy Platt (aka Dos Fallopia). Another visit from the Sequim Gay Men’s Chorus is promised. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, acttheatre.org. $30–$35. Preview Dec. 4, opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.– Sun. Ends Dec. 21. THE HOURS OF LIFE Paul Lewis’ new musical fictionalizes Edgar Allan Poe’s love affair with a fellow poet. Cornish Playhouse Studio, Seattle Center, 800-838-3006, theatre22. org. $11–$22. Opens Dec. 5. 8 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.– Sun. Ends Dec. 14. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE In Theater Anonymous’ production, nobody knows who’s in the cast until performance time (everyone rehearses secretly one-on-one with the director). Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, the1448projects.org. $20–$25. 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO SHOW
Holy Grail. As you know. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, theedge improv.com, bainbridgeperformingarts.org. $19–$27. Opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., plus 3 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6 and 7:30 p.m. Mon., Dec. 15. Ends Dec. 21. SPIN THE BOTTLE The December edition of Annex Theatre’s late-night variety show includes a “mad collision of idioms,” “youthful bounce and blare,” “lurid, trashy smut ,” and much more. Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., 728-0933, annextheatre.org. $5–$10. 11 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5. TINY TIM IS DEAD In Barbara Lebow’s cheerily titled play, a group of homeless people stage A Christmas Carol. Presented by Play Factory Theatre. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., 800-838-3006, playwrights-theatre.org. Preview Dec. 4, opens Dec. 5. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 6 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 20. UPSIDE DOWNTON: THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Everyone’s fave Brit period piece gets sent up, improvstyle. Jet City Improv Theater, 5510 University Way N.E., jetcityimprov.org. $12–$15. Opens Dec. 4. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri. Ends Dec. 19. VERBALISTS: NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH Holidaythemed storytelling. Kirkland Performing Arts Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, 425-893-9900, kpcenter.org. $20. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 10.
CURRENT RUNS
• ALL THE WAY Seattle playwright Robert Schenkkan’s
broad, bustling Tony winner reframes our view of the fairness-championing Lone Star magician/politician Lyndon B. Johnson (played by the excellent Jack Willis). Historians will tell you that LBJ plied all angles and snatched unlikely votes out of cantankerous retrograde cronies in order to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 during one scant year. But how did he do it, what did it mean to work the aisle, and why isn’t that kind of thing happening now? Schenkkan packs scads of information and backstory into chorus-like powwows among various factions; it’s dizzying, but it conveys the scramble that Johnson had to navigate for civil rights. The War on Poverty and the Vietnam War will fill LBJ’s tumultuous four-year term in Schenkkan’s The Great Society, which begins alternating with All the Way this week. MARGARET FRIEDMAN Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St. (Seattle Center), 443-2222. $17–$150. 7:30 p.m. Tues.–Sun., plus Wed. and weekend matinees; see seattlerep.org for exact schedule. Ends Jan. 4. APPALACHIAN CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING Tales of three generations, with lots of live roots music, for the holidays. Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., 781-9707. $20–$40. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., plus some weekday matinees; see taproottheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 27. BOB’S HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY Comic havoc is wrought at an Iowa insurance agent’s bash. Burien Community Center Annex, 14501 Fourth Ave. S.W., Burien, 242-5180, burienactorstheatre.org. $7–$20. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 21. A CHRISTMAS CAROL He may be a miser onstage, but Scrooge’s been very generous to ACT over the years. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676. $27 and up. Runs Tues.– Sun.; see acttheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 28. DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT An orphan finds himself in the big city of London, where he meets a remarkable cat. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $20 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sat., see sct.org for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 21. THE DINA MARTINA CHRISTMAS SHOW An all-new show from the adored, tireless, must-be-seen-to-bebelieved entertaineress, with Chris Jeffries on keyboard. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St., 800-838-3006. $22–$25. Runs weekends only at first (incl. selected Sunday “Mimosa Matinees”), then practically daily starting Dec. 17; see brownpapertickets.com for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 31. DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL Based on the original animated special?
Or the Jim Carrey vulgarization? The Paramount, 911 Pine St., 877-STG-4TIX, stgpresents.org. $25 and up. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 3–Thurs., Dec. 4; 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5; 11 a.m., 2, 5, & 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6; 1 & 6:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. FANGS The premiere of Jim Moran’s dark comedy about an anti-abortion senator. Eclectic Theater, 1214 10th Ave., eclectictheatercompany.org. $20–$25. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 6. THE HABIT 14 In a brisk 70 minutes, this comedy troupe channel-surfs through our collective, scrambled memory of childhood TV shows and movie clichés. Ryan Dobosh, John Osebold, Mark Siano, David Swidler, and Luke Thayer write their more-or-less annual show with director Jeff Schell. BRIAN MILLER Bathhouse Theater on Greenlake, 7312 W. Green Lake Dr. N., 800-838-3006. $19. Runs Fri.–Sun.; see thehabitcomedy.com for exact schedule. Ends Nov. 30.
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
Twelfth Night Productions presents Joe Landry’s Capra adaptation. Kenyon Hall, 7904 35th Ave. S.W., 800-8383006, brownpapertickets.com. $18–$20. Opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 14. A JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS Spreading holiday fear with his one-man show. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 877-784-4849, stgpresents.org. $37.50–$101.50. 8 p.m. Tues., Dec. 9. JUDY’S SCARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS In this musical fantasy, Judy invites her Hollywood friends—from Lillian Hellman to Liberace— for a holiday TV special. (If you have to ask which Judy, this show is so not for you.) ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., 938-0339, artswest. org. $17–$36.50. Opens Dec. 4. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., plus Dec. 23 & 24. Ends Dec. 28. NOW I’M FINE An experimental pop opera led by comedian/musician/storyteller Ahamefule Oluo. On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., 217-9886, ontheboards.org. $12–$25. 8 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4–Sat., Dec. 6, 5 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. RECKLESS Craig Lucas’ comedy starts on Christmas Eve with a husband’s guilty confession. Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., fantasticz.org. $10–$20. Opens Dec. 4. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. plus Tues., Dec. 9. Ends Dec. 20. SNOWGLOBED Five short new holiday-themed plays. Theater Schmeater, 2125 Third Ave., 324-5801, schmeater. org. $10–$12. Opens Dec. 5. 11 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends Dec. 20. SORRY! WRONG CHIMNEY! A department-store Santa is suspected of adultery in this holiday farce. Renton Civic Theatre, 507 S. Third St., Renton, 425-226-5529, renton civictheatre.org. Opens Dec. 5. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 20.
SPAMALOT A musical version of Monty Python and the
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Classical, Etc.
A(N IMPROVISED) CHRISTMAS CAROL Dickens,
PETER TAKACS Beethoven, Chopin, and Ravel from this
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rewritten by you. Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 587-2414, unexpected productions.org. $5–$15. 8:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 28. MARY POPPINS In this local production of the Disney/ Cameron Mackintosh Broadway musical, after little Jane and Michael Banks turn and burn a string of governesses, an Edwardian version of Super Nanny appears to transform the naughty kids and their unhappy elders with alchemy and adventure. The script by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes deepens the 1964 movie material with characters and scenes from her original books. This ambitious musical commands a considerable cast, sizable sets, and genuine magical feats. Under the decent direction of Steve Tomkins and Kathryn Van Meter, a cast of 30 delivers undeniably determined performances. In the title role, Cayman Ilika finds a Julie Andrews-esque balance of cool and compassion. ALYSSA DYKSTERHOUSE Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, 425-392-2202. $40–$72. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see villagetheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends Jan 4. (Runs at the Everett PAC Jan. 9–Feb. 8.) THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY Wilde’s tale of the wages of sin. Cabaret Theatre, Hutchinson Hall, UW campus, uwuts.org. $5–$10. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sun. Ends Dec. 7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE SEE REVIEW, PAGE 18. SPLIT SECOND IMPROV Second Story’s improv competition. SecondStory Repertory, 16587 N.E. 74th St., Redmond, 425-881-6777, secondstoryrep.org. $20. Two shows each Sat.: 7 p.m. for families, 8 p.m. could get naughtier. Ends Dec. 13. TEATRO ZINZANNI: HACIENDA HOLIDAY TZZ’s new show keeps its dinner-cabaret formula fresh as showbiz couple Vivian Beaumount and Clifton Caswell (Christine Deaver and Kevin Kent) return to a swanky hotel to renew their vows. By the end, the gender-melding is complete— Beaumount and Caswell reconcile, each adopting at least two sexes, maybe more. It’s a romantic finale as spicy as the Southwest-inspired menu. GAVIN BORCHERT Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015. $99 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sun. plus some Wed.; see zinzanni.com/seattle for exact schedule. Ends Jan. 31. THE TWILIGHT ZONE: LIVE! Three episodes from the cult TV series adapted for the stage. Theater Schmeater, 2125 Third Ave., 324-5801, schmeater.org. $18–$25. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends Dec. 20. UNCLE MIKE RUINS CHRISTMAS Relive your worst family holiday traumas in this improv show. Jet City Improv Theater, 5510 University Way N.E., jetcityimprov. org. $12–$15. 10:30 p.m. Sat. Ends Dec. 20. WONDERLAND The Can Can’s fantastical winter cabaret. The Can Can, 94 Pike St. $40–$100. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see thecancan.com for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 28.
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET: NUTCRACKER SEE
REVIEW, PAGE 18.
THE CABIRI: CARPATHIAN DAWN Aerial dance, with
the Radost Folk Ensemble providing the music. SANCA, 674 S. Orcas St., 800-838-3006, cabiri.org. $15–$25. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4–Sat., Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. NEW MOVES A showcase of Cornish College student performance and choreography. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, cornish.edu. $3–$5. 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5, 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6.
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INTERNATIONAL BALLET THEATER: NUTCRACKER
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GRAND OPENING 12/6
Packing up the sugarplums and taking their show on the road. 425-284-0444. Opens Dec. 5. Runs Fri.–Sun. plus Dec. 22 & 23; see IBTbellevue.org for exact schedule. First weekend: Kirkland Performing Arts Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland ($25–$42); remainder of the run, Meydenbauer Theater, 11100 N.E. Sixth St., Bellevue ($25–$50). Ends Dec. 23. SERENDIPITY DANCE BRIGADE Return to Me : in 3D combines choreography by Eric Aguilar, Rachael Forstrom, Kelsey Hamon, and Ingrid Porter with work by fiber artist Antonia Price. Velocity Dance Center, 1621 12th Ave., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $15. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5–Sat., Dec. 6. EMERALD BALLET THEATER: NUTCRACKER With live music from the Rainier Symphony. Northshore Performing Arts Center, 18125 92nd Ave. N.E., Bothell, 425-984-2471, emeraldballet.org. $20–$35. Opens Dec. 6. 2 p.m. Sat.–Sun. Ends Dec. 14. KALEIDOSCOPE DANCE COMPANY The annual “Gift of Dance” concert, choreographed by youth ages 7–17. Shorewood Performing Arts Center, 17300 Fremont Ave. N., Shoreline, 800-838-3006, creativedance.org. $6–$10. 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. NEXT DANCE CINEMA Dance onscreen, part of the Next Fest NW (through Dec. 14). Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., velocitydancecenter.org. $6–$11. 7 p.m. Mon., Dec. 8–Tues., Dec. 9, 2:30 & 4 p.m. Sat., Dec. 13.
Oberlin pianist. Brechemin Auditorium, UW campus, 6858384, music.washington.edu. $15. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 3. UW CAROLFEST Seasonal music from six choirs. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 3. YUJA WANG From this pianist, Schubert and Scriabin, plus Balakirev’s notoirious finger-buster Islamey. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 215-4747, seattle symphony.org. $37 and up. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 3. THE TALLIS SCHOLARS Renaissance vocal music for Advent. Blessed Sacrament Church, 5041 Ninth Ave. N.E., 323-9415, tudorchoir. org. $25–$50. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. UW BANDS Pianist Robin McCabe plays Gershwin’s Concerto in F. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music. washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. ARTS INCUBATOR Cornish College presents experimental new dance and vocal works by Stuart Dempster, Angelina Baldoz. and others. Good Shepherd Chapel, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. $5–$15. 8 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. SEATTLE SYMPHONY “Holiday Pops” with circus troupe Cirque Musica. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 2154747, seattlesymphony.org. $30 and up. 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5, 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6, 2 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. UW SYMPHONY Puccini’s comic one-act opera Gianni Schicchi in concert. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5. THE ESOTERICS Choral music by neoclassicist Irving Fine to mark his centennial, including settings of texts from Ben Jonson and The New Yorker. At St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 4805 N.E. 45th St., 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5; All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway E., 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6; and Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 4142 42nd Ave. S.W., 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. $10–$20. theesoterics.org. INVERSE OPERA A reprise of their staged, theatrical Messiah, launched last year. Isaac Studio at Taproot Theatre, 208 N. 85th St., 800-838-3006. $25–$30. Opens Dec. 5. Runs 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. plus some matinees; see theinverseopera.com for exact schedule. Ends Dec. 20. SEATTLE MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA Holiday music with soprano Julie Finch. Seattle Public Library, Ballard, 5613 22nd Ave. N.W. Free. 2 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. SEATTLE PRO MUSICA French Christmas music. At First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave., 3 (a family concert) & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6, and the Chapel at Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. N.E., Kenmore, 3 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 13. $12–$38. seattlepromusica.org. MASTER CHORUS EASTSIDE “Christmas in the Northwest” includes music by local composers. Pine Lake Covenant Church, 1715 228th Ave. S.E., Sammamish, 425392-8446, masterchoruseastside.org. $15–$20. 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6 & 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 14. SEATTLE BAROQUE ORCHESTRA A “European Christmas Potpourri” includes music by Corelli, Handel, and others. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 325-7066, early musicguild.org. $20–$45. 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. NORTHWEST BOYCHOIR APPRENTICES A nice thinking-out-of-the-box idea: Holiday choral music accompanies classic film footage. Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., nwchoirs.org. $8–$12. 1 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7, 2:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 14. NORTHWEST CHAMBER CHORUS “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” narrated by David Pichette. Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave., N., 800-838-3006, northwestchamberchorus. org. 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 13. MUSIC FROM THE WAR TO END ALL WARS Centuryold pieces written during WWI by Debussy and de Falla. Brechemin Auditorium, UW campus, 685-8384, music. washington.edu. $10. 4 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. GAMELAN PACIFICA Cornish’s Indonesian percussion orchestra. PONCHO Concert Hall, Cornish College, 710 E. Roy St., cornish.edu. $10–$22. 7 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. THE SADDEST HOLIDAY CONCERT EVER! Music for countertenor and theorbos from Handel to Judy Garland. Bring tissues. Queen Anne Christian Church, 1316 Third Ave. W. $20. 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT Elliott Smith covers and more. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 215-4747, portlandcelloproject.com. 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS Chamber music by C.P.E. Bach, arguably J.S.’s most talented son, to observe his 300th birthday. University Christian Church, 4731 15th Ave. N.E., 522-0169, candlelightseattle.org. $15–$25. 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. THE KING’S SINGERS Renaissance carols, folk songs, and more. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 215-4747, seattlesymphony.org. $35–$102. 7:30 p.m. Mon., Dec. 8.
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B Y G AV I N B O R C H E R T
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& The Quadraphonnes Music and Your Mind (12/3) Anna Mia Davidson Photography, Agriculture, and Social Change
» Visual & Literary
(12/3) University Book Store: Cary Elwes with Nicole Brodeur TOWN HALL CIVICS SCIENCE ARTS & CULTURE COMMUNITY
Openings & Events
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RACHEL DENNY Denny has made a name for herself
STACEY R. CAMPBELL Arrgh! is her new kiddie adven-
own collection, this exhibit isn’t purely devoted to Pop Art—meaning Warhol, Lichtenstein, Oldenburg, and company, who so thoroughly disrupted the art scene of the 1960s. The grabby images are up front, mixing roadside iconography (Ed Ruscha), Hollywood faces (Warhol), comic-book panels (Lichtenstein), and even familiar plates of diner food (Oldenburg’s sculptures, which haven’t aged well). They still have the power of their simple graphic clarity, their appropriation of the commercial lexicon of advertising, signage, and celebrity. Further in, we detect a growing sense of irony and criticism as we proceed through later examples of borrowed imagery, including Richard Prince’s cigarette-ad cowboys and Barbara Kruger’s framing of Warhol’s own iconic face. BRIAN MILLER Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave., 654-3121, seattleartmuseum.org. $12–$19. Weds.-Sun. Ends Jan. 11.
ture tome. University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., 634-3400, bookstore.washington.edu. 7 p.m. Weds., Dec. 3. PAM BINDER She’ll discuss Christmas in the Highlands. University Book Store (Bellevue), 990 102nd Ave. N.E., 425-462-4500, bookstore.washington.edu. 7 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. GARTH STEIN The local novelist follows the declining fortunes of a timber dynasty in A Sudden Light. University Book Store, 7 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. EDWARD O. WILSON Sorry, but this event with the esteemed author of The Meaning of Human Existence is sold out. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhallseattle.org. $5. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4. LINDA CARROLL She’ll talk about her Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., 366-3333, thirdplacebooks. com. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5. SHELLY ORIA She reads from her story collection New York 1, Tel Aviv 0. Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5. WAVERLY FITZGERALD Her canine detective story is The Chihuahua Always Sniffs Twice. Joining her is fellow local mystery writer Curtis Colbert. Elliott Bay, 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. JEREMY GREENBERG He’s written the humor guide Stink Outside the Box: Life Advice from Kitty. Third Place, 6:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. DONG-WON KIM The visiting Johns Hopkins prof gives a talk called “New Worlds of Science: The Heritage of East Asia.” Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St. (Volunteer Park), 654-3100, seattleartmuseum.org. $5-$10 9:30 a.m. Sat., Dec. 6. COPPER CANYON PRESS POETRY PARTY Several poets associated with the Port Townsend publisher will read and sign their works. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., 322-7030, hugohouse.org. 7 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. TOM KELLY & BEVERLEY WEST Their two new books are, respectively, Hovering Above a Homicide and Finding My Way Back to 1950s Paris. Eagle Harbor Books, 157 Winslow Way E. (Bainbridge Island), 8425332, eagleharborbooks.com. 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. TERRY MARTIN The Light You Find collects her latest poetry. Also appearing is poet Elissa Ball. Elliott Bay, 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. FRED POYNER IV The WSU historian talks about The First Sculptor of Seattle: The Life and Art of James A. Wehn. Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., 3864636, spl.org. 1 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. MARY RANDLETT The veteran Northwest photographer is joined by Frances McCue, who wrote the text for Mary Randlett Portraits. Seattle Central Library, 2 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. DIANE SANFILIPPO The author of Mediterranean Paleo Cooking is joined by Brittany Angell (Every Last Crumb). Third Place, 5 p.m. Sun., Dec. 7. CHRISTINA DODD Virtue Falls is her new murder mystery. Third Place, 7 p.m. Mon., Dec. 8. POETRY READING Contributors to St. Peter’s B List: Contemporary Poems Inspired by the Saints read selected works. Elliott Bay, 7 p.m. Mon., Dec. 8. FABIO VIVIANI He shares recipes from Fabio’s American Home Kitchen: More Than 125 Recipes With an Italian Accent. University Book Store, 2 p.m. Mon., Dec. 8. TIM FEDERLE He’s the author of Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist. University Book Store, 7 p.m. Tues., Dec. 9. JANA HARRIS She collects frontier-themed poetry in You Haven’t Asked About My Wedding or What I Wore. Third Place, 7 p.m. Tues., Dec. 9. JOHN MARZLUFF Everyone’s favorite local ornithologist, he shares from Welcome to Subirdia: Sharing Our Neighborhood with Wrens, Robins, Woodpeckers and Other Wildlife. Elliott Bay, 7 p.m. Tues., Dec. 9. SEATTLE POETRY SLAM Local poets share their verse and spoken-word compositions. 21 and over. Rebar, 1114 Howell St., 233-9873, rebarseattle.com. $5. 8 p.m. Tues., Dec. 9. PHILLIP MARGOLIN Woman With a Gun is his latest crime thriller. Also: Seattle Mystery Bookshop, noon, Thurs., Dec. 11. Third Place, 7 p.m. Weds., Dec. 10. SEATTLE LIT FIX Local writers Ryan Boudinot, Sonora Jha, Daemond Arrindell, and Jennifer D. Munro read at this 21-and-over event. JewelBox Theater at the Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave., 441-5823, jewelboxtheater.com. 7 p.m. Weds., Dec. 10.
B Y K E LT O N S E A R S
BY B R IA N M I LLE R
Ongoing
• POP DEPARTURES Mostly sourced from SAM’s
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(12/5) Seattle Radio Theatre ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ (12/6) Columbia Choirs: YuleFest (12/6) Seattle Baroque Orchestra: European Christmas Potpourri with Eric Milnes (12/7) LUCO presents Holiday Concert (12/8) Penny U Imagining Tomorrow’s Work (12/8) Scholar & Artist in Residence Steve Scher and Elana Jacobs Resident Findings (12/8) Irina Raicu with Berit Anderson Big Data’s Reality Trap (12/9) Women’s Funding Alliance: Breaking Stereotypes in Work, Gender, and Race TOWN HALL
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WWW.TOWNHALLSEATTLE.ORG
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**LIVE STREAM IT ONLINE!** (12/4) Edward O. Wilson ‘The Meaning of Human Existence’
Now–Dec 28
Tickets on sale now! (206) 292-7676• • acttheatre.org
SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
by crafting those big taxidermy animal heads you see hunters hanging on the wall, only there’s a twist— instead of making them out of animals, she uses materials like matches, yarn, and sequins. First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Foster/White Gallery, 220 Third Ave S., 622-2833, fosterwhite.com. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Dec. 24. HOLIDAY GROUP EXHIBITION The annual group show has a First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Gallery I|M|A, 123 S. Jackson St., 625-0055, galleryima.com. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Jan. 31. HOLIDAY SHOW AND SALE Resident artists present their ceramics for sale for the holiday season. Opening reception 6-8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6. Pottery Northwest, 226 First Ave. N., 285-4421, potterynorthwest.com. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri. Ends Dec. 20. CATHY MCCLURE Her new exhibition Revisionism imagines a future overrun with creepy mechanical plush toys. In one piece, she wires12 robotic Mickey Mouse dolls together to move in unison. First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Method Gallery, 106 Third Ave. S. (Tashiro Kaplan Building), 223-8505, methodgallery.com, Noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Ends Jan. 3. MAKING AND BREAKING In this multidisciplinary group show, Seattle artists confronted with our hyperdeveloping city respond to such so-called progress by considering the decay of what came before it. A show is called a meditation on “growth, destruction, and change.” First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Linda Hodges Gallery, 316 First Ave. S. 624-3034, lindahodgesgallery.com. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.Sat. Ends Jan. 3. THE MOMENTUM OF BEAUTY This group show from Margie Livingston, Kim Miller, Shaw Osha, Jo-ey Tang, and Kathleen Eamon examines the meaning and manifestation of beauty. First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. SOIL Gallery, 112 Third Ave. S. (Tashiro Kaplan Building), 264-8061, soilart.org. Noon-5 p.m. Thu.-Sun. Ends Dec. 27. SEATTLE ICONS This group show collects photos and paintings of famous Seattle landmarks like Discovery Park, the Pioneer Square Pergola, and Lake Union. First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Lisa Harris Gallery, 1922 Pike Place, lisaharrisgallery.com, 4433315. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Ends Dec. 28. STEPHEN STUM AND JASON HALLMAN Going under the alias “Stallman,” the Seattle duo created sculpture inspired by cellular biology. First Thursday opening reception, 5-8 p.m. Hall|Spassov Gallery, 319 Third Ave. S., 453-3244. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Dec. 31. THE TOY Gallery members created work themed around the idea of “the toy” and its importance in play and imagination. First Thursday opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Gallery 110, 110 Third Ave. S. (Tashiro Kaplan Building), 624-9336, gallery110.com. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. Ends Dec. 27. CARMI WEINGROD AND KEN BARNES Weingrod will show her drawings created during a recent residency in Turkey, while Barnes shows his stone sculptures. First Thursday opening reception, 5-8 p.m. Shift Gallery, 312 S. Washington St. (Tashiro Kaplan Building), shiftgallery.org. Noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Ends Dec. 20.
(12/4) Lawrence Kreisman and Paul Dorpat Preserving First Hill’s History
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arts&culture» Film
Opening ThisWeek
Mother and son (Davis and Wiseman) read before bedtime.
MATT NETTHEIM/IFC MIDNIGHT/SUNDANCE SELECTS
PActress RUNS FRI., DEC. 5–THURS., DEC. 11 AT GRAND ILLUSION. NOT RATED. 86 MINUTES.
It doesn’t really matter if you remember Brandy Burre from The Wire or not; nor is it worth looking up her scant credits on IMDb. This recursive documentary about her increasingly discontented life as a mother and housewife in the Hudson River Valley, meanwhile trying to resume her old trade, provides a definitive role. Director Robert Greene previously followed North Carolina semi-pro wrestlers and Alabama teens (in Fake It So Real and Kati With an I, respectively, both seen here in 2012). Those young subjects were relatively unsophisticated and unformed, learning how to present themselves to the world. Burre, vaguely in her 30s, is an entirely different sort of heroine. She’s Greene’s neighbor in the resurgent commuter suburb of Beacon, New York; and she agreed—surely with some sort of publicity agenda in mind—to let him trail her through what proves an eventful period in her life. Scripted, it could be melodrama. Sensationalized, it could be one of those Real Housewives TV shows. (Then there’s Lisa Kudrow’s considerably more self-lacerating The Comeback on HBO.) Yet Greene cooly withholds judgment on Burre, quite aware she could be playing him. That’s her job, after all, as stated in the title.
impossible to dismiss her complaints. Actress raises but refuses to answer some unsettling questions. How strong is your marriage? And: How well do you know your spouse? BRIAN MILLER
How did this children’s book get into the house? Nobody seems to know. But no matter—it’s here now, and there’s no escaping it. Books are like that; you open them, and they become part of your life, for better or worse. This one—it shares its title with the movie we are watching—is called The Babadook, almost an anagram for “bad book,” and that’s the effect it has on Amelia (Essie Davis) and her 6-year-old son Sam (Noah Wiseman). They’re especially vulnerable to its dark magic. Among other issues, the death of Sam’s father some years earlier is very much in the background of the scary little tale that unfolds. Amelia reads the book with her troubled and overimaginative boy, ignoring the timeworn horror-movie warning about chanting the name of the monster. The Babadook is dark-suited and creepy-fingered, and he wears a cape and a Victorian hat, like a creature from an earlier era of horror—suggesting that what’s scary never really goes out of style. After a great deal of slow-burning buildup, the Babadook becomes real, and mother and son must wage battle (but then they have been all along). This is the debut feature of writer/director Jennifer Kent, who skillfully keeps us locked into the moment-by-moment thrills of a monster movie, but also insists that this Babadook is clearly a stand-in for the other problems that inflict the lonely household: grief, guilt, depression, an unwillingness to live life. And because Kent is Australian, there has to be an undercurrent of curious humor to this disquieting storyline—the world is already comically askew long before the Babadook makes his entrance. The two leads are excellent, and the throwback pleasures of watching an old-fashioned approach to horror are very real. If this movie isn’t quite the masterpiece some have suggested, it still hits a lot of fascinating moments while generating an impressive number of chills up the spine. And it smartly gets to the root of so many great horror stories, which brings us back to the question of how the book got into the house: because, the movie suggests, mother and son wished it there. The Babadook may be a monster, but he’s the monster they needed. ROBERT HORTON
MATT VANDYKE/POINTANDSHOOTFILM.COM
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
Much as I hate the tedious methodology of a Frederick Wiseman documentary (no narration, no graphics, no interviews, just endless fly-on-the-wall footage), it’s hard to argue with the results. On one level, this is a three-hour movie about people looking at and discussing the paintings in London’s National Gallery; and some bits are less than scintillating. On another, it’s a forced engagement with a living, breathing, budget-worrying institution that’s trying desperately to attract time-crunched visitors—people who dread a long, dreary trip the museum, just as I dread each long new Wiseman doc. The challenge for the National Gallery’s staff—never named, of course—is Wiseman’s challenge writ large: Take something we think we all know, seemingly old and dull, and force the spectator to see it anew. In every frame of National Gallery you sense his craftsman’s respect for the curators, scholars, conservators, docents, installation guys, and even the floor
RUNS FRI., DEC. 5–THURS., DEC. 11 AT SIFF FILM CENTER. NOT RATED. 93 MINUTES.
CINEMA GUILD
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RUNS FRI., DEC. 5–THURS., DEC. 11 AT NORTHWEST FILM FORUM. NOT RATED. 173 MINUTES.
PThe Babadook
Burre washes her props in the sink.
With two small children and a mostly silent boyfriend, Tim, who runs hipster restaurants, Burre now faces a familiar female dilemma. She’s got the house and family (if not the marriage); Tim seems like a decent, dependable breadwinner; yet her youthful identity is being smothered by domestic life. The next two decades are set for her in sleepy, snowy Beacon—unless she can somehow revive her career. With Tim and the kids away for the holidays, she says, “I forgot what it’s like to be free of responsibilities.” She slips down to New York for well-lubricated reunions with old theater pals, talks to an agent, and starts a makeover for new headshots and auditions. Soon she’s calling the Beacon household “playing the roles . . . playing house,” like it’s her next gig after The Wire. Putting on makeup with practiced self-regard in the mirror, performing a confident cabaret set onstage, crying on cue for Greene’s lens, Burre remains unknowable—to Greene, to us, and to the increasingly baffled, stoic Tim. She’s no tragic figure like Madame Bovary or Anna Karenina, yet her declarations to the camera often feel cribbed from the canon. Meanwhile Greene keeps feeding her more rope, even encouraging her to perform some melodramatic vignettes: artifice punctuating what increasingly seems artificial. You could call Burre extremely selfish or extremely skilled, yet it’s
PNational Gallery
talkers: staff members who give erudite, funny, engaging public tours. These are people whose mission it is to connect Leonardo and Titian and Rembrandt with modern museumgoers. Appraising Michelangelo’s famously unfinished The Entombment, a curator quips of Mary Magdalene, who seems to be studying her blank palm, “It looks like she’s checking her e-mail, doesn’t it?” Hanging a restored Renaissance triptych, a curator directs the spotlighting being minutely adjusted by a guy on a scaffold high overhead. Up, down, left, right, more, less, yes, good, no . . . craning his head high up and low, blinking between the painting and harsh lighting, he tells a colleague, “This is why I usually bring my sunglasses.” As ever with Wiseman, there’s no context. Are visits up or down? The cocktail reception for a Turner show seems to bode well (and primes us for Mike Leigh’s acclaimed biopic Mr. Turner, due January 23). But, as with the budget meetings and school tours we see, it’s unclear if the National Gallery is thriving or treading water. In earlier works like Hospital, Public Housing, and Welfare, Wiseman was more of a muckraker: His interest seemed to be institutions in crisis that were failing the citizenry. If the guy came to your door, it meant trouble. However, recent films like La danse and Crazy Horse have felt more like tributes. Wiseman is now such an eminence—an institution in his own right—that you’d be crazy to turn him away. In one scene here, a guy I presume to be the National Gallery’s director suffers a marketing woman’s suggestions with pained politeness— his mind is in a different century, no doubt. Yet letting Wiseman in the building proves to be a genius PR move. Watch the movie and you’ll want to visit. And though it’s reasonable for Seattle viewers to ask whether their three hours might be more fruitfully spent at one of our local museums, I’d argue that National Gallery will enhance your next visit. Only the paintings are fixed in time. Not so the institutions. BRIAN MILLER
VanDyke chooses sides in Libya.
sweepers. This is not glamorous work. This is, in a deeper sense, obeisance to antiquity. (The museum collection spans the 13th through 19th centuries.) In our age of Instagram, such devotion seems deeply outdated and unfashionable. Wiseman can surely relate. Unlike most of Wiseman’s 40-plus past docs (Titicut Follies, At Berkeley, etc.), National Gallery has the benefit of some paid professional
Point and Shoot OPENS FRI., DEC. 5 AT VARSITY. RATED R. 85 MINUTES.
Maybe each generation gets the Lawrence of Arabia it deserves. T.E. Lawrence was a childhood hero to Matthew VanDyke, the subject of the documentary Point and Shoot. Growing up in a sheltered existence in Baltimore, VanDyke was a big fan of the British
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The Sleepwalker
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PT 1
OPENS FRI., DEC. 5 AT SUNDANCE CINEMAS. NOT RATED. 92 MINUTES.
The infrastructure of The Sleepwalker is as carefully arranged as the brick modernist estate where all the action takes place. Above that framework, unfortunately, is a vague exercise in arty mystery and perplexing behavior. We are in the woods of Massachusetts, where this stunning getaway is home to Kaia (Gitte Witt), currently remodeling her late father’s house with the help of boyfriend Andrew (Christopher Abbott, from Girls). The extremely abrupt arrival of Kaia’s sister Christine (Stephanie Ellis, who looks like a hippie Modigliani portrait) makes for an unwanted houseguest; then Christine’s fiancé Ira (Brady Corbet) shows up in search of his errant, and pregnant, companion. Longsimmering tensions and old family secrets will now be served in the main room, along with too much alcohol. And, oh yes, Christine sleepwalks. Oddly, Christine’s nocturnal ramblings are mostly taken in stride by the other three, but then nobody seems overly concerned about her conspicuous mental unbalance. When Andrew—at first glance a salt-of-the-earth type, although he’s got a secret past, too—raises the question of how soon they can get this weirdo out of the house, he sounds a rare note of recognizable human behavior. Maybe such behavior wasn’t the goal of director Mona Fastvold (co-writer of the script, with indie stalwart Corbet), who seems more interested in the more experimental aspects of storytelling, or at least in creating an ambiguous world that Roman Polanski or David Lynch might have conjured up during a mild daydreaming session. Taken as that, The Sleepwalker does create a disquieting mood: gauzy, rife with fairy-tale disfigurement, and laced together with a disorienting score (music mixed with ominous sound) by Sondre Lerche and Kato Adlund. Fastvold, a Norwegian music-video director making her feature debut, brings this setting a northerly chill. The bluntness of the sex scenes has a European directness, and the two men get an interesting current of competitive hostility going, basically because they’re male. These impressive elements somehow don’t create a world that completely hangs together, and the problem has something to do with the people onscreen: They remain four characters in search of something beyond caricature, “types” who seem to carry symbolic weight for the filmmaker but don’t really breathe on their own. The house, though, is worth a look. ROBERT HORTON E
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
adventurer—or at least he liked the idea of Peter O’Toole riding on the back of a camel. Steeped in that image, and mixed up with video games and reruns of an outdoorsy TV series featuring a rugged Aussie swashbuckler named Alby Mangels (Google him to discover a pre-Crocodile Dundee crazy man), VanDyke decided he would find adventure himself. Socially awkward and afflicted with OCD, VanDyke nevertheless set off for Arabia with a motorcycle and a camera. His footage ended up with Oscar-nominated documentarian Marshall Curry (Street Fight), who added interviews with VanDyke and his very patient girlfriend to fill out the story. The result is intriguing: Although VanDyke initially comes across as a poster boy for a privileged Westerner inserting himself into cultures he’s utterly clueless about, his monthslong journey from Morocco to Iraq does give us glimpses into what the region looks like at ground level. Eventually he cruises into Libya, where he makes friends—the best he’s ever had—with a group of anti-Gaddafi rebels. Which is how he ends up in jail for a few months, later serving alongside the rebels—in actual street-by-street fighting—when the tide began to turn against the longtime Libyan dictator. VanDyke even powers through his obsessive-compulsive fears, nervously sharing a communal bowl of Libyan stew with his comrades. He looks queasy, but he does it. Through all the strangeness, we are constantly reminded that VanDyke is doing this for the camera—laboriously setting up shots of himself riding his chopper heroically into the frame or handing off the camera so a fellow soldier can film him firing his rifle at a Gaddafi sniper. VanDyke has no grand philosophy about any of this, or any apparent view on Middle East events; he’s just trying to get the shot and further his “crash course in manhood,” as he describes his quest. (If you’re flashing back to the ill-fated Timothy Treadwell in Grizzly Man, you’re not far off the mark.) For all that, because of Curry’s curating eye, Point and Shoot is an actual character study. Lawrence of Arabia, who had the erudition VanDyke lacks, knew how to ham it up for the camera, too. Maybe 21st-century vanity just looks less grand because of cheap video and the hero’s suburban drawl. And maybe it’s a good idea to be skeptical about guys like that these days. ROBERT HORTON
ZACHARY GALLER/IFC/SUNDANCE SELECTS
Witt (Kaia) has problems with her sister.
” HORROR MOVIES IN YEARS.
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arts&culture» Film
JAN
9 +1 0 2015
Local & Repertory • COUCH FEST This is a cute idea for adventurous
filmgoers who’d prefer to avoid the holiday shopping throngs downtown and at the malls. In over a dozen private homes ranging from the U District to Columbia City, 45 short films will be screened with a built-in discussion period for viewers to get to know one another (and their kind hosts). The locally spawned festival has now jumped to many other cities (including Stockholm, St. Petersburg, and Kathmandu!), providing a strongly social experience instead of the usual solitary trip to the multiplex. (NR) Various locations (see couchfestfilms.com for map), $10. 1-6 p.m. Sat. EXQUISITE CORPSE CINEMA This is a 90-minute exercise by 13 filmmakers from several cities (Seattle is well represented) following the old Surrealist game of story prompts and word or image suggestions. Local collaborators include Salise Hughes and Andy Spletzer; some may attend the screening. (NR) Grand Illusion, 1403 N.E. 50th St., 523-3935, grandillusioncinema.org. $5-$9. 7 p.m. Tues. THE FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL Curated by Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, now in its 10th year, this traveling compendium from the broadcast and VHS era again returns to Seattle. The oddities are generally quite amusing, excerpted from old advertising, industrial and educational movies, cooking shows, and exercise videos and product ads. The latter seemed to be in infinite supply during the ’80s. (NR) Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave., 686-6684, central-cinema. com. $12-$14. 8 p.m. Thurs. IN THE LAND OF THE HEAD HUNTERS This screening marks the centennial of Seattle photographer Edward S. Curtis’ 1914 ethnography film. It’s not a true documentary in the modern sense, but a fascinating artifact of the Salish Indian culture that still survived near Vancouver Island where Curtis filmed. The hour-long silent film, newly restored, presents a romantic yet respectful view of indigenous Americans, consonant with Curtis’ great unfinished project, The North American Indian, described in the recent book by Timothy Egan, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher. (NR) Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., 2675380, nwfilmforum.org. $6-$11. 7 p.m. Sun. KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON Unfortunately not seen by us, this jazz documentary earned the Golden Space Needle Award during SIFF this year. It profiles the veteran trumpet player Clark Terry, who performed with the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Quincy Jones. In the film, refusing to put down the horn, he also plays with a new millennial generation of musicians. (NR) SIFF Cinema Egyptian, 801 E. Pine St., 324-9996, siff.net. $7-$12. Opens Fri. LOVE ACTUALLY The 2003 directorial debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral) is a very, very bad movie. Bad, but well packaged and cast. The plot is a nightmare, with just some of these actors in overlapping roles: Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Billy Bob Thornton, Alan Rickman, Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Curtis conspires to link them all in a countdown-to-Christmas plot in which some relationships will be sealed and others sundered. It’s all about love, duh, set to carols, contrivance, and corn. A writer by trade, Curtis inexplicably surrenders the entire movie to a jukebox. Why bother writing a scene when you can simply cue up the Beatles, Joni Mitchell...and Kelly Clarkson? (R) BRIAN MILLER Central Cinema, $7-$9. 9:30 p.m. Sat.-Tues. THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL If the kids are out of school, this 1992 family tale will make for a Yuletide outing. Here the Charles Dickens story is enacted by Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the gang. With Michael Caine as Scrooge. (G) Central Cinema, $7-$9. 7 p.m. Sat.Tues. & 3 p.m. Sat. SAVING MY TOMORROW Bound for HBO, this is a kid-oriented eco doc that teaches environmental lessons, with the voices of Alan Cumming, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Susan Sarandon, and others. Additionally, local children Aji and Adonis Piper, who appear in the film, will perform music after the show. (NR) SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N., 324-9996. Free, but RSVP via siff.net. 6:30 p.m. Weds. THE STARFISH THROWERS Hunger and food deserts are among the subjects in this new documentary by Jesse Roesler. The film ranges from needy villages in India to school cafeterias in Minneapolis. (NR) SIFF Film Center (Seattle Center), 324-9996, siff.net. $7-$12. 7 p.m. Fri. 4:45 p.m. Sat. & Sun. WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL? From Japanese director Sion Sono (Cold Fish), this is apparently a violent and stylish salute both to old yakuza movies and the endangered medium of 35 mm film itself. (NR) Grand Illusion, $5-$9. 9:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat.
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RED FANG // SOL // DEEP SEA DIVER HOBOSEXUAL // AAN // PROM QUEEN B E L L A M A I N E // L E G S // S I S T E R S COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS DUDE YORK // THE BANNER DAYS P L A N E S O N P A P E R // A D D O D E
TIMBERMUSICFEST.COM
WILL FOR THE WOODS Get ready to plan your death,
with discussion following this doc about the so-called “green burials” movement, with representatives from the nonprofit Peoples Memorial Association. (NR) Keystone Church, 5019 Keystone Pl. N., 632-6021, meaningfulmovies.org. Free. 7 p.m. Fri.
Ongoing
• BIRDMAN A movie star in a career skid since he
stopped playing a masked superhero named Birdman back in the ’90s, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is preparing his big comeback in a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver stories, funded and directed by himself. Obstacles abound: Riggan’s co-star (Andrea Riseborough) announces she’s pregnant with his child; his grown daughter (Emma Stone) is his assistant, and not his biggest fan; a critic plans to destroy the play. And, in the movie’s funniest headache, Riggan must endure a popular but insufferable stage actor (Edward Norton, doing a wonderful self-parody) who’s involved with the play’s other actress (Naomi Watts). This is all going on while Riggan maintains a tenuous hold on his own sanity—he hears Birdman’s voice in his head, for one thing. To create Riggan’s world, director Alejandro González Iñárritu and Gravity cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki present the film as a continuous unbroken shot (disguised with artful digital seams). Birdman serves so many heady moments it qualifies as a bona fide happening. It has a few stumbles, but the result is truly fun to watch. (R) ROBERT HORTON Guild 45th, Pacific Place, Lincoln Square, Kirkland, Bainbridge, Cinebarre, others CITIZENFOUR Fugitive leaker Edward Snowden has invited documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras (The Oath) and The Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald into his Hong Kong hotel room. In this absorbing character study, they debate how and when to spill the information he took from his job at the National Security Agency. Clicking the SEND button carries as much weight as Bob Woodward meeting Deep Throat in All the President’s Men. This straightforward documentary may be smaller-scaled than a political thriller, but it has similar suspense: Everybody in the room realizes the stakes—and the dangers—of exposing a whistleblower to public scrutiny. One man’s whistleblower is another man’s traitor, a debate that Poitras doesn’t pause to consider, so confident is she of Snowden’s cause. Having this access to Snowden in the exact hours he went from being a nonentity with top-secret clearance to a hero/pariah is a rare chance to see a now-historical character in the moment of truth. (NR) R.H. SIFF Cinema Uptown FORCE MAJEURE On a ski vacation in the French Alps, Tomas, Ebba, and their two young kids are a sleek, modern Swedish family seemingly stepped out of an iPhone 6 ad. At lunch on a sunny balcony, the family and fellow diners are suddenly hit by a seeming avalanche. The frame goes white as we hear sounds of chaos and confusion; then everyone realizes that only a light dusting of snow has fallen on their fettuccine alfredo. After those few seconds of panic, there’s laughter all around. Thank God we’ve survived; now let’s not talk about it. Ruben Östlund’s sly, unsettling study of marital dissolution is what happens when people talk about it. Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) can’t let go of the fact that Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke) grabbed his phone and abandoned the family in the face of possible doom. Copping to his cowardice only makes him seem more pathetic to Ebba, who begins re-evaluating the whole basis of their marriage. If not for the sake of their kids (played by actual siblings), what’s the point in staying together? This isn’t a fraught drama of the old Bergmanesque variety; it’s more a dark comedy of shame. Men reveal themselves to be posturing fools here, while women sensibly wonder if they’re the only ones keeping our species alive. (R) B.R.M. Seven Gables, SIFF Cinema Uptown GONE GIRL What’s exceptional about Gillian Flynn’s adaptation of her 2012 novel, directed with acid fidelity by David Fincher, is that Gone Girl doesn’t like most of its characters. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) soon falls under suspicion of murdering his missing wife Amy (Rosamund Pike). The small-town Missouri police investigation (led by Kim Dickens) goes entirely against Nick for the first hour. He behaves like an oaf and does most everything to make himself the prime suspect, despite wise counsel from his sister (Carrie Coon) and lawyer (a surprisingly effective, enjoyable Tyler Perry). Second hour, still no body, but flashbacks turn us against the absent Amy. As we slowly investigate the Dunnes’ very flawed marriage, funny little kernels of bile begin to explode underfoot. How the hell did these two end up together? Flynn’s foundational joke answers that question with a satire of marriage. The
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SHOWTIM ES
PELICAN DREAMS From Bay Area director Judy Irving
(The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill), this is more of a personal film with a smaller flock. She describes her childhood identification with the gawky pelican, so clumsy on shore but so graceful in flight. Irving follows one sickly pelican rescued on the Golden Gate Bridge, which she dubs Gigi, and a few other stories of pelicans-on-the-mend. It’s no surprise that she finds a small community of avid pelican-philes (one even tattooed with the bird); as with Wild Parrots, she’s intent on the bond between a charismatic species and us earthbound admirers. Not an ornithologist, Irving does tend toward airy sentiment and anthropomorphism (“What does it feel like to fly?”). Still, she clearly loves the birds and their devoted protectors. (NR) B.R.M. SIFF Film Center ROSEWATER Making his debut behind the camera, Jon Stewart’s life-inspired movie is about the IranianCanadian journalist Maziar Bahari (Mexican star Gael García Bernal). In 2009 Bahari was arrested by Iranian authorities while covering the disputed elections in Tehran; included in the “evidence” against him was a Daily Show segment. We see Bahari’s home life in Toronto and his journalistic work for Newsweek in Tehran, where his mother (Shohreh Aghdashloo) still lives. Once in prison, his main tormentor (Kim Bodnia) obsesses over whether Bahari’s arthouse DVDs are actually pornography and the question of just how many Jews are running the world. Stewart relishes these absurdities, as you would expect. Rosewater too frequently has a dutiful quality, careful always to balance the negatives of the Iranian authorities with the positives of Iranian culture. The movie doesn’t announce the arrival of a born filmmaker, but it’s much better than a dilettante project—Stewart keeps a difficult storytelling subject moving right along. And there are sequences, like García Bernal’s exhilarating solo dance at a crucial point in his imprisonment, that convey a real appreciation for the human element that survives amid political horror. (R) R.H. Sundance, Meridian, Lincoln Square, Oak Tree, others ST. VINCENT Bill Murray is pretty much the sole draw for the movie, and given his unique screen presence, it’s something. St. Vincent is all about the Murray persona: a deeply sarcastic man struggling to find his way to sincerity. That struggle is why Murray looks so melancholy in so much of his work. But it’s not a good movie. Murray’s slovenly Brooklyn misanthrope is Vincent, who reluctantly agrees to babysit the 12-year-old son (Jaeden Lieberher) of his new nextdoor neighbor (Melissa McCarthy). This will take time away from drinking, gambling at the racetrack, or visiting his Russian prostitute (Naomi Watts). We are also cued to the reasons Vincent is curmudgeonly, none of which will come as much of a surprise. Writer/director Theodore Melfi tries hard to convince us that Vincent is capable of great nastiness, but even these efforts seem rigged. As much pleasure as I took from watching Murray stretch out, I didn’t believe a minute of it. But do stick around for the end credits, when Murray sings along to Bob Dylan’s “Shelter From the Storm.” It’s the movie’s one great sequence. (PG-13) R.H. Guild 45th, Meridian, Oak Tree, Cinebarre, others THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING The Stephen Hawking biopic opens with our hero (Les Miz star Eddie Redmayne) as a young nerd at university, where his geeky manner doesn’t entirely derail his ability to woo future wife Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). Hawking is diagnosed with motor neuron disease at age 21 and given a two-year prognosis for survival—one of the film’s sharpest ideas is to allow time to pass, and pass, without pointing out that Hawking is demolishing the expectations for someone with his condition. James Marsh’s movie is officially adapted from (now ex-wife) Jane Hawking’s memoir, so the love story has its share of ups and downs. This is where Theory manages to distinguish itself from the usual Oscar bait. Whether dealing with Jane’s closeness to a widowed choirmaster) who becomes part of the Hawking family, or Stephen’s chemistry with his speech therapist, the film catches a frank, worldly view of the way things happen sometimes. No special villains here—you might say it’s just the way the universe unfolds. Redmayne’s performance is a fine piece of physical acting, and does suggest some of the playfulness in Hawking’s personality. From now until Oscar night, you will not be able to get away from it. (PG-13) R.H. Harvard Exit, Sundance, Lincoln Square, Lynwood (Bainbridge), Pacific Place, Thornton Place, others
DECEMBER 5 - 11
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BEER & WINE!
NOW PLAYING Fri Dec 5 – Thu Dec 11
UPTOWN Continuing Sharp and Witty
FORCE MAJEURE Edward Snowden is
CITIZENFOUR INTERSTELLAR in 35mm FILM CENTER This Weekend Only
THE STARFISH THROWERS Dec 6-7
PELICAN DREAMS Mon Dec 8 | SIFF Education
Opens Dec 5 | SIFF Film Center, Dec 6-7 | SIFF Cinema Egyptian
FIRST DRAFT EGYPTIAN
SIFF Cinema Locations
EGYPTIAN 805 E Pine St
UPTOWN 511 Queen Anne Ave N
FILM CENTER Seattle Center
SIFF 2014 Favorite
KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON
DECEMBER 5–11
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
movie poster and tabloid-TV plot suggest a standard I-didn’t-kill-my-wife tale, but matrimony is what’s being murdered here. Amid the media circus, Nick becomes the scorned sap because of his untruths; but what really damns him in the movie’s intricate plot is his credulity—he believed in Amy too much. Gone Girl is all about manipulation—Fincher’s stock in trade, really, which helps make the film such cynical, mean-spirited fun. (R) B.R.M. Sundance, Cinebarre, others THE HOMESMAN Though ailing at the movies, the myth of the West is alive and well in American politics, currently full of gun-totin’, hog-castratin’ candidates. Yet The Homesman is so good it makes you wish director and co-star Tommy Lee Jones could somehow make a Western a year, just to keep exploring the pockets of American frontier experience that still need filling in. This one offers a series of new wrinkles, beginning with its route: The story goes from west to east, the opposite of most Westerns. During the 1850s, Nebraska “spinster” Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank, a fine and precise performance) volunteers to transport three women back to Iowa. They’ve been driven mad by the prairie and their men, or at least they have become no longer socially acceptable. Claim-jumper and full-time scalawag George Briggs (Jones) will accompany Mary on her grim, weekslong job. Their episodic adventures bring them into contact with a variety of frontier types along the way (played by Tim Blake Nelson, James Spader, Hailee Steinfeld, Barry Corbin, and no less than Meryl Streep). The setup suggests the potential for showing the West from the female characters’ perspective, which isn’t entirely the case, although the story does depict the unfairness of frontier life for women. The real subject is the West itself—the brutality of it and the price paid for settling it. (R) R.H. Sundance, Pacific Place, others INTERSTELLAR Reaching about 90 years forward from its start in a near-future dystopia, Christopher Nolan’s solemn space epic commits itself both to a father/ daughter reunion and the salvation of mankind. Matthew McConaughey’s Cooper is sent on a mission to plunge into a wormhole near Saturn because Michael Caine tells him to. And no one in a Chris Nolan movie can say no to Michael Caine, here playing a professor named Brand who also sends his scientist daughter Amelia (Anne Hathaway) with Cooper and two others. Before leaving, Cooper tells his daughter—played by three actresses at different ages—that maybe they’ll be the same age when he returns home, because of Einstein and other stuff we slept through in AP physics. The two ceremoniously synchronize their watches, sure to figure later—two hours for us, rather more for them—in the story. Cooper and company must investigate possible planets for colonization (scouted in advance by other astronauts). One is water, the other ice, and both prove quite lethal. There’s some action (though none so elegant as in the much superior Gravity), but what Nolan really wants Cooper’s team to do is discuss relativity, gravity, the fifth dimension, and quantum data (the latter requiring a visit to a black hole). With the frequent recitations of Dylan Thomas poetry and the grown Murph (Jessica Chastain) stabbing chalky equations on a blackboard, the movie feels like an undergraduate seminar in space—that’s three hours long. (PG-13) B.R.M. Pacific Science Center IMAX, SIFF Cinema Uptown, Thornton Place, Varsity, Majestic Bay, Bainbridge, Kirkland, Admiral, Cinebarre, others NIGHTCRAWLER Titled and released as if it were a Halloween horror flick, Dan Gilroy’s dark media fable has more in common with Network than Nosferatu. Lou (the politely creepy Jake Gyllenhaal) is identified as an earnest, calculating criminal in the opening minutes; he’s never less than transparent about his motives, most of which appear to have been gleaned from self-help books and inspirational Internet sites. He’s an amoral American hustler, a type descended from Dale Carnegie and Sammy Glick. A career in stolen scrap metal soon gives way to freelance videography at L.A. car wrecks and crime scenes, and Lou’s basest impulses are naturally encouraged by a ratingsstarved TV station. (Rene Russo is amusingly aroused as the station’s “vampire shift” manager—a venal Mrs. Robinson who mentors eager Lou.) Nightcrawler is more a parable of unfettered capitalism—there’s your horror—than realistic media satire. Lou’s swift progress in TMZ-land brings him a rival (Bill Paxton) and a naïve protégée (English actor Riz Ahmed), but no one here has—or needs—much depth. Lou has no history, no family, only his hollow aphorisms of success. Nightcrawler never quite settles on a satisfactory tone between squeamish laughter and a smarter, Chayefskian disgust, but Lou you remember—a creature for these craven times, prospering from our need to see the worst. (R) B.R.M. Sundance, Pacific Place, Cinebarre, others
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arts&culture» Music
The New, Old Native Sound
Light in the Attic’s new compilation highlights the forgotten rock of indigenous North Americans.
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
COURTESY OF LITA
BY KELTON SEARS
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L
Songwriter Willie Thrasher as a young man.
in the dark for a while, but luckily the music ast month, when the Seattle City wasn’t forgotten. It’s been brought to light Council officially changed the name again, and has brought back so many memoof Columbus Day to Indigenous ries about this historic time.” Peoples Day, native activists present Thrasher, now in his mid-60s, is one of the for the decree erupted with cheers, traditional many artists featured on Light in the Attic’s songs, and drumming. While the wave of new compilation, Native North America (Vol. indigenous activism sweeping the country 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966– right now in face of the Keystone XL and 1985 (out now, lightKinder Morgen pipeintheattic.net). It’s the lines, coal trains, and “The music disappeared result of a 15-yearfracking might seem long project by Kevin recent, this response in the dark for a while, Howes, a Vancouver to social and environbut luckily [it] wasn’t DJ who painstakingly mental injustice actucollected indigenous ally stretches back to forgotten. It’s been recordings after he the ’60s and ’70s, when brought to light again, and was inspired by a Wilsimilar issues loomed Dunn record he fell large in the headlines. has brought back so many lie in love with. The songs And like Neil Young tell tales of human and Crosby, Stills, & memories about rights, environmental Nash, the aboriginal this historic time.” degradation, and the community was making quest to reawaken a soundtrack to go with Native spirituality and tradition after centuries it—you probably just haven’t heard it yet. of cultural suppression. “We were young and we were wild with Howes’ quest to find the records led him long hair, and were writing this folk and over thousands of miles across North Amercountry and rock, it was the biggest feeling of ica—a journey that nearly got him arrested, our life,” songwriter Willie Thrasher tells me almost mauled by dogs, and stuck in the mud from his home in Nanaimo, an oceanside city in a rural Hutterite colony without phone on Vancouver Island. “The music disappeared
reception, where he later found a record he was searching for by chance in an old farmhouse cabinet. In one long-shot attempt to reach an artist, Howes asked a community radio station to put out a call on the airwaves in the Inuktitut language, which to his surprise actually worked. “It’s an honor to be able to share these artists’ music, give their work context, and tell their stories, just to preserve these records that were nearly extinct,” Howes says, who also authored the 120-page liner-note booklet detailing each artist’s fascinating history. “These records weren’t pressed in large numbers, and to be able to protect this history is so important. These were the trailblazers; the things they are singing about are still so relevant today.”
mainstage
dinner & show
WED/DECEMBER 3 • 7:30PM
goapele
THU/DECEMBER 4 • 8PM
roderick’s holiday rendezvous with special guests SAT/DECEMBER 6 • 8PM
abbey arts presents: the winter round SUN/DECEMBER 7 • 7PM AN ACOUSTIC HOLIDAY CONCERT
gypsy soul Native North America (Vol.1) Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985
ksears@seattleweekly.com
charlie hunter & scott amendola TUE/DECEMBER 9 • 7:30PM
a winged victory for the sullen w/ hildur gudnadottir from múm
THU/DECEMBER 11 - SAT/DECEMBER 27 • TIMES VARY
land of the sweets: the burlesque nutcraker
next • 12/28 & 29 the bobs after christmas show! • 12/30 aurelio • 12/31 leroy bell & his only friends • 1/3 cahalen and eli • 1/7 midge ure • 1/8 david lindley • 1/9 anna coogan w/ carrie akre • 1/10 elvis alive with vince mira • 1/11 korby lenker • 1/14 sean watkins • 1/15 tom paxton w/ kate power and steve einhorn • 1/16 curtis salgado • 1/17 joey jewell, a tribute to sinatra • 1/18 tomo nakayama w/ eric johnson of fruit bats • 1/22 the kingston trio • 1/31 the duhks • 2/4 lisa koch (and friends) birthday bash • 2/5 & 2/6 kris orlowski
happy hour every day • 12/3 sunshine subconscious • 12/4 johnny7 and the black crabs • 12/5 closed for a private event • 12/6 the cumbieros • 12/7 hwy 99 blues presents • 12/8 crossrhythm sessions • 12/9 the sunshine junkies • 12/10 maracujá TO ENSURE THE BEST EXPERIENCE · PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY DOORS OPEN 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO FIRST SHOW · ALL-AGES (BEFORE 9:30PM)
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
Thrasher, who has three songs included on the compilation, was sent to residential schools in his native Northwest Territories. His hair was forcibly cut, and he wasn’t allowed to follow his traditional Inuit ways. “That’s what changed my life forever. My spirit was gone, my inner child,” he says. “Then suddenly one day I went to the gym in school, and there were drums there. Then the movie A Hard Day’s Night came out, and I saw Ringo and he became my favorite Beatle. He gave me a lot of strength to carry on drumming; it kept me away from the loneliness of losing my family, from being separated from them.” His rock band, the Cordells, became wellknown in the area for playing Beatles, Rolling Stones, CCR, and Moody Blues covers, until one fateful encounter steered his life in another direction. “One night we played a show, and all of a sudden an old man came out of nowhere during our 15-minute break and sat down at our table. He said, ‘Why don’t you write music about your traditional ways? Your customs? Your way of life a long time ago?’ I’d never seen him before and I never saw him again, but he changed my life.” Thrasher began to consult elders and rediscover his past, eventually writing his breakthrough single under his own name: “Spirit Child,” about rediscovering the traditional ways taken from him as a young boy and following his dreams into the future. “Hearing that song brought back so many memories,” Thrasher says. “It was our era to write aboriginal music, but we didn’t have the ability to spread it across the world. Now people can hear this music again, and I am so thankful for that.” E
MON/DECEMBER 8 • 7:30PM
27
QN I G H T C L U B U P C O M I N G
2033 6th Avenue (206) 441-9729 jazzalley.com
E V E N T S
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WED, DEC 3
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Grammy-winning jazz, R&B and funk trumpet virtuoso
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Infectiously danceable funky soul based on the sounds of Memphis, Motown and Philadelphia
TUES, DEC 16 - WED, DEC 17
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TICKETS AVAIL ABLE AT W W W.QNIGHTCLUB.COM 1426 Broadway - Seattle, WA
SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
12/06/14 12/20/14 01/24/15
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
FRID AYS
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“A true successor to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae.” - The Boston Globe
RESERVE THE TROPHY ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT!
JOEY DEFRANCESCO TRIO
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TUES, DEC 9 - WED, DEC 10
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Join us in the Trophy Room for Happy Hour: Thursday Bartender Special 8-Close Fridays: 5-8pm
01/14/14
A BOBBY CALDWELL CHRISTMAS
THURS, DEC 18 - SUN, DEC 21
Soul-stylist and in-demand pop and R&B songwriter, blending holiday tunes and his classics!
all ages | free parking | full schedule at jazzalley.com
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arts&culture» Music
TheWeekAhead
psychedelic rock combine to give the entire record a laid-back vibe—appropriate coming from McCombs, a California native. With Meat Puppets. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 8 p.m. $16. 21 and over.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Saturday, Dec. 6
It seems silly to describe STEVIE WONDER as anything other than legendary, and even that doesn’t quite cover it. During his more-than-50-year career, which began when he was just 11, the soul singer/pianist has amassed almost 50 top-40 singles and 25 Grammy awards, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among countless other honors and awards. Wonder’s latest tour finds him adapting his iconic 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life, which includes “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” and “Another Star.” KeyArena, 305 Harrison St., 684-7200, keyarena. com. 8 p.m. $45.50 and up. All ages. Toropical Circle, the first album from DUSTIN WONG & TAKAKO MIKEKAWA, sounds as if the duo was let loose in a music store and tried to use as many instruments as possible—which, as it turns out, is a good thing. While there’s an overall math-rock feel to it, Toropical Circle features everything from a digital take on “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on “Circle Has Begun (Yorokobi Humming)” to more familiar guitar riffs from former Ponytail guitarist Wong on “Windy Prism Room” and harpsichord straight from the Renaissance faire on “Bell Tree Dancers.” Though the album is mostly instrumental, Japanese electro-rock musician Mikekawa’s ethereal voice, when it makes an appearance, adds even more whimsy. With Gabriel Mintz, Jigsaw Puzzle Glue. Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-4880, sunsettavern.com. 9 p.m. $10. 21 and over.
People who hate hearing holiday music might change their tune when they hear the tropical-tinged songs at this year’s HOLIDAY TIKI UKULELE & COCKTAIL SHINDIG. To kick off the night, the Ukadelics, an eight-piece ukulele band, will play winter-themed songs with a South Pacific flair, most recently heard on Aloha Landing; then breezy jazz-pop quintet Lushy will perform its holiday album, Snowflake Surprise, in full. Luau attire and/or ugly holiday sweaters are encouraged, with prizes for the most cringeworthy ensemble. Cafe Racer, 5828 Roosevelt Way N.E., 523-5282, caferacerseattle.com. 8 p.m. Free. 21 and over.
My Brightest Diamond
BERND PREIML
Thursday, Dec. 4
Friday, Dec. 5
There’s a lot going on in Big Wheel and Others, the latest from CASS MCCOMBS. The double album includes three audio clips from the 1969 Ralph Arlyck documentary Sean; a cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Honesty Is No Excuse”; a bit of spoken word on “Everything Has to Be Just So” (which clocks in at nearly nine minutes); and two versions of “Brighter!”, one of which finds McCombs singing over steel guitar, the other featuring vocals from Easy Rider actress Karen Black. Elements of folk, alt-country, and
» CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
Tuesday’s
Wednesday’s
El Corazon www.elcorazonseattle.com
109 Eastlake Ave East • Seattle, WA 98109 Booking and Info: 206.262.0482
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH
TAKE WARNING PRESENTS:
TAKE WARNING PRESENTS:
with FloodLove (ex-The Dangerous Summer, Encourager, Poke Da Squid, The Waywards Doors at 7:00PM / Show at 8:00 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $13 ADV / $15 DOS / $43 VIP
with Into It. Over It, District, Listen Lady Doors at 7:00PM / Show at 8:00 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $12 ADV / $15 DOS
THE ATARIS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
KURT TRAVIS
with Hotel Books, Tommy Boys, Mixtape Minus, Talles/Of/Mountains Lounge Show. Doors at 7:00PM / Show at 7:30 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $10 ADV / $12 DOS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH
THE ICARUS LINE
with Zig Zags, Zodiac Death Valley, Darkmysticwoods Doors at 7:30PM / Show at 8:00 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $8 ADV / $10 DOS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH
PAGEANTRY
with Abraham, Oranges From The President, Pure Ups Lounge Show. Doors at 8:00PM / Show at 9:00 21+. $6 ADV / $8 DOS
LEMURIA / INTO IT. OVER IT. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH
DEVILWOOD
with James Hunnicutt, Vito And The One Eyed Jacks, Centaur Midwife Lounge Show. Doors at 8:00PM / Show at 8:30 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $8 ADV / $10 DOS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH
COURAGE MY LOVE
with A Clockwork Tragedy, Something Strange, Straight Jakets, Rachael Miles Lounge Show. Doors at 7:00PM / Show at 7:30 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $10 ADV / $12 DOS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH
DANI FOUTS
with Good Men And Thorough, Darci Carlson, Plus Guests Lounge Show. Doors at 7:00PM / Show at 7:30 ALL AGES/BAR W/ID. $8 ADV / $10 DOS
JUST ANNOUNCED 12/16 - DOPE BY DESIGN 12/23 - PASCAL 1/2 - I DECLARE WAR 1/24 - POWERMAN 5000 1/26 - JAKE E. LEE’S RED DRAGON CARTEL 2/6 - THE DICKIES 5/21 - THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT (AT NEUMOS) UP & COMING 12/10 LOUNGE - COMMON LAW CABIN 12/12 LOUNGE - THE DREAD CREW OF ODDWOOD 12/13 - AURELIO VOLTAIRE 12/13 LOUNGE - SMOKE SEASON 12/14 DAY - MOURNING MARKET 12/14 - STICK TO YOUR GUNS 12/14 LOUNGE - NEW GODS 12/17 LOUNGE - CAPTAIN ALGEBRA 12/18 - NICK THOMAS (OF THE SPILL CANVAS) 12/19 & 12/20 - X / THE BLASTERS 12/21 - MOONSHINE BANDITS 12/22 LOUNGE - DANI FOUTS 12/29 - LOVE THE LOST Tickets now available at cascadetickets.com - No per order fees for online purchases. Our on-site Box Office is open 1pm-5pm weekdays in our office and all nights we are open in the club - $2 service charge per ticket Charge by Phone at 1.800.514.3849. Online at www.cascadetickets.com - Tickets are subject to service charge
The EL CORAZON VIP PROGRAM: see details at www.elcorazon.com/vip.html and for an application email us at info@elcorazonseattle.com
SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
Canadian quartet WHITE LUNG packs quite the punkrock punch into the 10 songs on its latest album, Deep Fantasy. The tunes are fast and aggressive, just like the band’s previous releases, It’s the Evil and Sorry, but the group has incorporated more melody this time. Vocalist Mish Way is known for her growl, but on songs like “Face Down” and “Wrong Star,” anthemic choruses make her powerful singing ability crystal-clear. Big melodies and choruses aside, this record shouldn’t be considered a mainstream crossover. At 22 minutes, Deep Fantasy is just long enough and combative enough to give punk fans a good buzz. With Mormon Crosses, Vexx. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8005, chopsuey.com. 8 p.m. $10 adv./$12 DOS. 21 and over. Indie-rock quartet The Quit has been dormant on Facebook since 2012, but the group is coming out strong for MUSTACHES FOR KIDS CAMP KOREY FUNDRAISER, which will benefit an organization that provides therapeutic recreation programs for children with serious medical conditions at no cost to the families. Skylark Cafe, 3803 Delridge Way S.W., 935-2111, skylarkcafe.com. 6 p.m. $10. All ages.
PIPER FERGUSON
White Lung
“Pressure,” the opening track from MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND’s This Is My Hand, features a full marching band, group vocals, and of course front woman Shara Worden’s jazzy, operatic vocals. There’s an avantgarde aspect to Hand, her fourth album, and this song is a great starting point, letting listeners know they should expect the unexpected. Elements of classical music, disco beats, rhythmic grooves, and soaring choruses (some reminiscent of the songs of her sometime collaborator and label-mate Sufjan Stevens) carry the singer and multi-instrumentalist’s vision further into a singular future. As she sings on “Shape:” “You’ll never know what shape I might take.” With Rabbit Rabbit. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618, thecrocodile.com. 8 p.m. $18 adv. All ages. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT’s voice is so gorgeous, he makes even the most mundane lyrics sound like musical masterpieces (just search for “Rufus Wainwright Does Gum” on Funny or Die and you’ll see what I mean). The classical-pop singer (son of folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle and brother of folk-rock singer Martha) has been blowing people away with his staggering talent for years, through original songs, a tribute album to Judy Garland, an opera, and contributions to numerous films. This bestof performance will be a collection of Wainwright’s top tunes, all of which are compiled on Vibrate: The Best of Rufus Wainwright. With Danny Fingers & the Thumbs. The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 877-784-4849, stg presents.org/moore. 8 p.m. $32.50 and up. Now in its third year, SMOOCH: SEATTLE MUSICIANS FOR CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 2014 brings some of the area’s top artists together for one stellar night of music, all to support and celebrate Children’s Hospital. Emceed by KEXP’s John Richards, this year’s event features Sub Pop artists, past and present: THEESatisfaction, Shabazz Palaces, Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, and Iron & Wine, aka Sam Beam, who released his latest album, Ghost on Ghost, last year. The Showbox, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151, showbox online.com. 9 p.m. $60 and up. 21 and over. CARRIE AKRE has been a staple of the local music scene since the early ’90s as a member of Hammerbox, Goodness, and the Rockfords, a band that also featured Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. She has also released a few solo albums, most recently . . . Last the Evening in 2007. After a stint away from the Northwest, Akre is back in town and pushing a Kickstarter campaign for her Single Each Month Club. By donating, backers can sign up to receive lo-fi singles from Akre for three, six, or 12 months. Former Goodness musician Danny Newcomb is opening this show, so don’t be surprised if a few Goodness tunes make the set list. Sunset Tavern. 6 p.m. $8. 21 and over.
in This Bring T And ge n o p Cou Tizer e p p A one 2 oFF! For 1/
29
TRIBAL SEEDS
THE
SHOWBOX, MIKE THRASHER, & KISW METAL SHOP PRESENT
PUNK ROCK BUT KINDA NOT TOUR 2014
DOWN
Monday, Dec. 8 8PM
SIMPLE MOBILE SIMPLY NOTHING TOUR
SAY ANYTHING
WALE
+ SAVES THE DAY with REGGIE AND THE FULL EFFECT
with special guest DOJA CAT
1/23 7:30 PM
9PM
GUITAR IN THE SPACE AGE! TOUR
BILL FRISELL THE ROOTS
JUST ANNOUNCED
1/31
12/29
8PM
SHOWBOX AND STG PRESENT
NEW YEAR’S EVE!
REIGNWOLF with special guests
ROSE WINDOWS THUNDERPUSSY
+
12/31
10PM
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK
2/17
with WILLIAM BECKETT & BRICK + MORTAR
7:30 PM
ON SALE FRIDAY @ NOON
MONSTERS
BAYSIDE 7:30 PM
ON SALE 12/12 @ 10AM! 9PM
BIG HEAD TODD 7:30 PM
SHOWBOX SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
COMMIT THIS TO MEMORY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR
3/18
AN EVENING WITH
30
9PM
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN TOUR
DAN+SHAY with CANAAN SMITH
3/28
8PM
THIS SATURDAY!
SODO
12/6
JEEZY
9PM
STEEL PANTHER IRATION ALL YOU CAN EAT TOUR
with special guest s
1/17
9PM
MOORE THEATRE
2/20
STICK FIGURE + HOURS EASTLY
8PM
NEPTUNE THEATRE
GENESIS EXTENDED 2014 WORLD TOUR
FUNCOMFORTABLE TOUR
STEVE HACKETT CHRIS HARDWICK
12/10
YONI GOLDBERG
TO SPILL
1/15
Kina Grannis
with SENSES FAIL + MAN OVERBOARD + SEAWAY
BUILT AND THE
If the band name doesn’t draw you in, heavy-metal duo TACOS!’s blend of thundering percussion and heavy guitar riffs should. Vocalist/guitarist Don Stewart and vocalist/drummer Lupe Flores make an impressive amount of noise for just two people, most recently heard on the band’s self-titled full-length. Stewart handles rage-fueled vocal duties for most of the album, though Flores occasionally jumps in and adds her own mad-as-hell energy, especially on album opener “Wake Up.” The album and the band are rough and aggressive—definitely not for the faint of heart. With Cardiel!, Big Trughk. Chop Suey’s Dragon Lounge. 9 p.m. $5. 21 and over. After creating a YouTube account in 2007, acoustic-pop singer/songwriter KINA GRANNIS built a strong following by covering songs by everyone from Akon and Death Cab for Cutie to Fiona Apple and Rihanna, along
FIFTEEN YEAR BIRTHDAY TOUR
TWO SHOWS!
1/2 & 3
LocaLReLeases
» FROM PAGE 29
with HIRIE + LEILANI WOLFGRAMM
1/22
with special guest s ORANGE GOBLIN 7:45 12/10 + BL’AST + KING PARROT PM
12/15
arts&culture» Music
7:30 PM
1/16
8PM
SHOWBOX GIFT CERTIFICATES
CAN BE PURCHASED AT SHOWBOXPRESENTS.COM
THE SHOWBOX & SHOWBOX SODO
BOX OFFICES
with her own original tunes. A Super Bowl commercial contest win landed her a deal with Interscope, but she eventually left the label to self-release her material, a move that has yet to fail her. Elements, Grannis’ fifth studio album, is her most focused yet. Her sweet, airy voice is grounded by richer guitar tones, and her lyrics are still both intimate and universal, proving that Grannis’ talent transcends computer screens. The Crocodile. 7 p.m. $20 adv. All ages. English singer/guitarist JOHNNY MARR is rock royalty. A founding member of influential alt-rock quartet the Smiths, Marr went on to perform or record with the likes of the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Modest Mouse, the Cribs, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, Beck, and more. Just a year after releasing his first solo album, The Messenger, Marr is back with Playland, which combines the singing, songwriting, and guitar skills he’s honed over the years. His voice is engaging, and the grooves are tight. At only 51, Marr has a lot more up his musical sleeve. Neumos. 8 p.m. $27 adv. 21 and over.
Tuesday, Dec. 9
This year’s 107.7 THE END’S DECK THE HALL BALL is a veritable who’s-who of alt-rock all-stars and upand-comers. England’s Royal Blood, which toured with the Pixies earlier this year, will open, followed by Australia’s Vance Joy, who recorded his debut album, Dream Your Life Away, at Woodinville’s Bear Creek Studio. South African quartet KONGOS follows, then TV on the Radio will play songs from its latest, Seeds, before Mind over Matter rockers Young the Giant perform. Cage the Elephant is next, followed by Weezer, the enduring geek-rock group that recently released Everything Will Be Alright in the End. Imagine Dragons, whose 2012 song “Radioactive” is still ruling the airwaves, will close. KeyArena. 3 p.m. $50 and up. All ages. BY A Z AR IA C . P O D P LE S K Y
Send events to music@seattleweekly.com. See seattleweekly.com for more listings.
Hungry Cloud Darkening, Glossy Recall (out now, Off Tempo Records, offtempo.bandcamp.com) I don’t know what it is about Anacortes, but the wealth of music coming from that sleepy ferry town is spiritually centering. Hungry Cloud Darkening, the touring band for Anacortes’ premiere woodland priest, Phil Elverum, is responsible for the latest LP, Glossy Recall, in this legacy of philosophical zen-rock. With the unmistakable bass tone from the Twin Peaks theme song and the hushed atmosphere of a Catholic church (the album was actually recorded inside of one), Hungry Cloud Darkening’s languid hymnals wrap the listener in a wool blanket in the middle of a foggy rainstorm. The songs are elegant and never hurried— instead they skirt along, calmly buoyed by warm organ lines and lilting, waltzy rhythms that let up from time to time for monkish dirges on “You Look Around” and “Hidden and No Trace.” The album’s warmth and introspection manages to avoid feeling contrived or cloying among the sea of beardy pastoral balladeers that plague the Pacific Northwest. “The void of bright days lets me be/Clearly seen,” lead vocalist Nicholas Wilbur sighs on the gorgeous lead track “Clearly Seen,” before co-vocalist Allyson Foster’s breezy voice flutters in and out, hoping to “Find a balance between you and me/And make progress to branch out feelings.” When it gets cold in the PNW, we hermitlike residents tend to bunker down indoors in a sort of self-imposed social hibernation. It can be easy to succumb to S.A.D.-ness when the days get darker, but Glossy Recall seems to be about reclaiming a sense of connection amid all that isolation. “I want you to show me how to talk to you,” sings Foster in “Talk About Something.” Anyone who’s lived through a winter here can relate to a muddled emotion or two, and in a way, the album is a poem about reconciling our seasonal survival needs—staying warm and dry—but also seeking communion with others. The fight to be seen and present is a motif that runs throughout the album: in “I Am Seen” and the final track “Inhibited Window,” which finds Wilbur peering out the window of his home, anxiously waiting for “winter’s bone” to finally retreat, making room for summer again. Hungry Cloud Darkening’s wintery lamentations are peppered with bewitching moments of transcendence. By writing so deftly about silence and the sometimes-difficult struggle to communicate, the band has managed to craft an album with the ability to connect deeply with listeners. In a true act of alchemy, Hungry Cloud Darkening transmutes that darkness into light, and that magic trick makes for an incredible album. E
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TECHNOLOGY Adobe Systems, Inc. seeks applicants for the following F/T positions at its Seattle, WA worksite: Sr. Experience Designer Lead (Job Code: 33314): Design compelling interactive prototypes of new products & services; help envision the future of digital design and publishing. Ed or exp background must include: Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign & Photoshop; Fireworks & Flash, HTML, CSS, & HTML5 user interface; etc. Reqs: BS or Equiv & 1 yr exp. DPS, Services Operations Lead (Job Code: 33316): Drive the DPS Ops Strategy Meetings. Shift the roadmap focus to DevOps, automation & fault tolerance. Ed or exp background must include: EC2, S3, & CloudFormation; security & access control, load balancers, IP & domain configuration, service connectivity & transport reliability; etc. Reqs: MS or Equiv & 3 yrs exp OR BS or Equiv & 5 yrs exp. To apply, applications must indicate Job Code and mail resume and cover letter to: Adobe Systems, Inc., Attn: Arlene Batten, 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95110. Principals only. EOE.
Employment General DONT SETTLE FOR SEASONAL WORK YEAR-ROUND We are looking for motivated, independent, individuals who don’t mind talking to people. No sales involved just short conversations face to face with home owners. Work outdoors around your own schedule. Earn $500-$750 per week/ top reps make $1200+ Allowances for Cell phone, travel, medical compensation can be earned Company provides all market areas, apparel & training. Vehicle, DL, Cell phone & Internet access req. Email resume to recruiting@evergreentlc.com or apply online at www.tlc4homesnw.com
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Appliances AMANA RANGE Deluxe 30” Glasstop Range self clean, auto clock & timer ExtraLarge oven & storage *UNDER WARRANTY* Over $800. new. Pay off balance of $193 or make payments of $14 per month. Credit Dept. 206-244-6966
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%206-244-6966% Firewood, Fuel & Stoves
NOTICE Washington State law requires wood sellers to provide an invoice (receipt) that shows the seller’s and buyer’s name and address and the date delivered. The invoice should also state the price, the quantity delivered and the quantity upon which the price is based. There should be a statement on the type and quality of the wood. When you buy firewood write the seller’s phone number and the license plate number of the delivery vehicle. The legal measure for firewood in Washington is the cord or a fraction of a cord. Estimate a cord by visualizing a four-foot by eight-foot space filled with wood to a height of four feet. Most long bed pickup trucks have beds that are close to the four-foot by 8-foot dimension. To make a firewood complaint, call 360-9021857. agr.wa.gov/inspection/ WeightsMeasures/Fire woodinformation.aspx agr.wa.gov/inspection/WeightsMeasures/Firewoodinformation.aspx
Employment Social Services
Flea Market
VISITING ANGELS Certified Caregivers needed. Minimum 3 years experience. Must live in Seattle area. Weekend & live-in positions available. Call 206-439-2458 • 877-271-2601
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SEATTLE WE EKLY • DE CEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
U-DISTRICT $450-$550 All Utilities Included! Call Peir for more info (206) 458-0169
Employment Computer/Technology
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31
Flea Market
Auto Events/ Auctions
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ABANDONED VEHICLE AUCTION Saturday 12/06/14 Preview 8:00 AM Auction 9:00 AM A-Seattle Towing, LLC 13226 1st Ave S. Burien 206-856-1388 www.towseattle.com
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • DECEMBER 3 — 9, 2014
men & women
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SE ATTLE WEEKLY’ S 2014 HOLI DAY GIFT GUI DE • PA RT TWO
BELLEVUE SQUARE
2 CHAMPS-LRA-SeattleWeekly-11-14.indd 2
12/2/14 2:29 PM
The Bastyr Dispensary
Holiday Sale
December 1-6
THE GREATEST GIFT ... 4 Daniel Carrillo’s portraits are a little dangerous, yes, but also timeless.
WISH LIST ... 4 The proprietor of Pie School tells
us what she wants, including affordable housing and potato chips.
BUY LOCAL ...6 When the holiday bustle is
too much, another, saner world awaits in West Seattle.
BUY NEARBY ... 7 Navigating the weird, tax-free
shops and wholesome-ish holiday attractions of Portland.
fancy foods, and superhero capes.
4 9 COVER ILLUSTRATION AND LETTERING BY CHRISTINE HERRIN
BLACK FRIDAY WAS A DARK DAY this year. With sales down 11 percent by some estimates, holiday cheer turned to holiday fear. So it was when Robert Reich took to Facebook and laid down some unconventional wisdom about the lagging sales. “The biggest losers from slack holiday sales are small businesses—especially independent ‘mom and pop’ operations—as giant big-box retailers and online sales take a growing portion,” the noted economist wrote. “That’s bad for our communities, and further reduces the countervailing power of small businesses against giant corporations.” It gets pretty political from there, so—in the interest of keeping this gift guide non-partisan—we will stick with his primary point: Small businesses need a lift. This sentiment falls in line with Seattle Weekly’s Holiday Gift Guides. We believe in supporting local business, but not just because it’s better for the community. The fact is that it’s good for the gifter too. When you spend your hard-earned money on local shops and makers this season, you are really doubling your gifting power, goosing your goodwill. Yes, you are buying a delicious jar of coral pink plum jam for Aunt Sandy, but you are also assuring greater cheer for the Ayako Family, who hand-jarred that jam. Yes, your son will likely never stop wearing the superhero cape and mask you get him, but your purchase will also assure that the folks at World of Whimm will keep kids in capes for years to come. And yes, your niece will love that chunky knit snood, but local designer Suk Chai will also love the money you spent on it and will use it to fuel a spring line. Seattle will glow merry with your largesse, and you will be deemed twice as nice. This double-gifting effect is especially prevalent in the world of art—to which we have devoted an entire section of Gift Picks this week, as well as our Greatest Gift. Investing in art is not about scoring some early work by a future star that will someday be worth millions; it’s about investing in that artist so he or she can have a future. When you give the gift of art, you’re giving an artist a morale boost and providing him or her with funds to keep going. Your sister or brother or father or mother will receive a dazzling, thought-provoking original work to hang on the wall. When guests ask where it came from, you will be mentioned, as will the artist, and maybe some update on what the artist is doing now. Guests will be impressed; perhaps they will become customers—and the gift will keep giving and giving and giving.
Mark Baumgarten Editor-in-Chief
• 20% off sale on all jewelry, gifts, body care, books, candles and more December 1-6! • Free Living Naturally talk on “Winter Gifts: Making Herbal Products at Home” Learn how to make your own infused oils, muscle rub and lip balm 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, December 6 • Health and Beauty Products Fair Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, December 6 Events.BastyrCenter.com 3670 Stone Way N. Seattle 206.834.4100
SEATTLE WE EKLY’ S 2014 HO LIDAY GI FT GU IDE • PART TWO
GIFT PICKS ... 9 Presents for all, including local art,
GIVING DOUBLE
3
HEATHER MALCOM
MIRROR, MIRROR
KATE LEBO
Daniel Carrillo’s daguerreotypes capture the essence of their subject, the true power of photography, and the spirit of the season.
Poet, teacher, maker of amazing pies. A Bolt Bus From Seattle to Spokane
According to my favorite Spokanite, it takes four hours to drive to Seattle. Seattle friends say six hours to get to Spokane. When I drive, it’s five hours, all of which would be more pleasantly spent reading a book or dozing or catching up with an interesting acquaintance who happened to take the same bus. Why white-knuckle Snoqualmie Pass on a snow day when you could put your life in the hands of a Bolt Bus driver?
BY T.S. FLOCK
4
rapidly reproducible—what with smart phones and Instagram—that part of the magic of the image has been lost. Returning it to its place as a fine craft that results in a unique physical object might seem stubbornly retrograde, but the work of Daniel Carrillo proves that the slow, methodical process of early photography may in fact still be the most beautiful. Carrillo rightly says that daguerreotypes are like “polished jewels.” They glint and glitter with shadowy images, each a unique object with weight, presence, and fragility. Victorian art critic Lady Eastlake referred to such early photography as “the mirror with a memory,” but, true to some superstitions, these images have more than a memory; they seem to have a soul of their own, and their haunting beauty transfixes in a way that standard portraiture rarely does. The artist’s fascination with this particular form of photography began at a workshop in Rochester, N.Y., the birthplace of Kodak. There he learned the ins and outs of wet-plate photo-processing, which requires a great deal of preparation, polishing, and chemistry—as well as 10 seconds of stillness from the model. Some of the equipment is now quite rare, so he created his own. These challenges alone might deter would-be enthusiasts of the medium, but the addition of corrosive and poisonous chemicals makes the process particularly “elusive,” as Carrillo puts it. The danger is real, even though damage to one’s body and nervous system can take time to manifest. Carrillo himself was cavalier about these dangers at first, but art legend Kiki Smith put the fear of God in him when, at a portrait sitting, she scolded him for not taking proper precautions for himself. The lesson seems to have stuck, so hopefully he will be at his craft for many years to come. It’s a unique craft, to say the least—one that a perfectionist like Carrillo will always be honing, though he is already one of the most sought-after artists in his genre. His portraits of local and international art luminaries reside in many permanent collections, including that of noted photography collector Elton John. One could select from his existing pieces, but as a gift of art, a commissioned portrait could be a lasting memento and heirloom that stands
A Haircut From Sheli Kersten Every day with Sheli is a good hair day. I can walk into her Red X Salon (1121 Pike St., 340-1177) with a vague idea about bangs and big hair. She’ll translate that into “Loretta Lynn with a Stevie Nicks rising sign” and take care of the rest. She won’t talk your ear off and she won’t judge your love life, but she will give you a beehive if you ask for it.
COURTESY DANIEL CARRILLO
SE ATTLE WEEKLY’ S 2014 HOLI DAY GIFT GUI DE • PA RT TWO
Photography has become so ubiquitous and
Tim’s Cascade Jalapeño Chips Everywhere
Top: Untitled half-plate daguerreotype. Right: Portrait of Chauney Peck and Chris Engman.
the tests of time and trends. Ambrotypes range greatly in size, though larger sizes can only be shot in studio, while smaller plates can be shot elsewhere. The preparation of daguerreotype plates takes two weeks, so if you want to give one as a gift, it’s best to act sooner than later. The medium is unwieldy and unpredictable in less-capable hands, but Carrillo’s expertise consistently renders ethereal images with a power and presence unlike any other. Whether you are giving your own image or gifting a session to someone else, the result will be enjoyed by all timelessly. E See daniel-carrillo.com for fee schedule and contact info for commissions.
If a gas station has Tim’s Cascade, I’m likely within same-day distance from Seattle. As great as it is to have this sign that I am close to home, I’d like it even more if, everywhere I drove, in all small towns, Tim’s Cascade chips were everywhere, salting me up and crunching me out for another couple hundred miles. Affordable Housing Confession: I haven’t had
a Seattle address since May 2013, when the rent on my Ballard one-bedroom spiked by 50 percent and I decided the smartest decision as a working artist was to struggle elsewhere. The gypsy life has its perks, and couch-surfing in Seattle can be quite comfortable, but I’m bummed about leaving. Affordable housing close to the action—that’s what I want.
The Delridge Grocery Cooperative West
Seattle’s Delridge neighborhood, with no nearby traditional grocery stores and limited access to fresh groceries by public transit, has been called a food desert. The Delridge Grocery Co-op will change that landscape when they open their retail location on Delridge Way. Build-out begins in 2015, and they need more members to make it happen. Let’s make it happen! E Lebo’s Pie School is currently enrolling students. Get more info at pie-school.com. You can also purchase her cookbook, Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter, at booksellers everywhere.
We carry ugly Christmas sweaters, costumes and accessories for santarchy, decor
for every
Mon-Fri: 9am-7pm Saturday: 9am-6pm Sunday: 12pm-5pm
holiday party, and unique gifts everyone will enjoy.
Seattle’s Original Party Store Since 1936
124 Denny Way (206) 284-1980 www.championparty.com
SEATTLE WE EKLY’ S 2014 HO LIDAY GI FT GU IDE • PART TWO
5
Give and you shall receive!
SE ATTLE WEEKLY’ S 2014 HOLI DAY GIFT GUI DE • PA RT TWO
Holiday shopping in the city of Seattle can be
something of a nightmare. Downtown is chaos, and you’d be delusional to think you could find a space your first go around a mall parking lot. When you can no longer count the number of salespeople who’ve told you the item you’re searching for is sold out, and need to get in a different headspace to plan that big midwinter soirée, know to head for the West Seattle Bridge. Once there, start at the Junction and stay at the Junction. You needn’t go anyplace else. Because most of the population will be driving the opposite direction, it’s fair to assume the commute will be smooth. As your holiday stress subsides slightly, you might begin to notice your hunger pangs. Shopping-induced fatigue is real. In this case, Fiddlehead Fine Foods & Cafe (4310 S.W. Oregon St., 708-7891), best known for its brunch, is a must. Be warned that the establishment is rather untraditional; customers order at the counter and coffee is self-serve. Never mind that you have failed to materialize any gifts on your list yet—let alone made any progress on that party for your in-laws. Enjoy the pork hash and the ambience. Emptied spice jars filled with flowers sit atop refurbished doors-turned-tabletops, which, coupled with turquoise accents, create an atmosphere comfortably and colorfully eclectic. Having finished your meal, stay on California Avenue and find Fleurt (4536 California Ave. S.W., 937-1103). The shop retails fresh flower arrangements and gifts, including cards, jewelry, and a great collection of home goods. Stock up on stocking stuffers as well as season’s greetings. Fleurt’s flower bar may very well inspire you to step up your table -etting game. With the help of floral designers, create a bouquet sure to wow guests. Feed the inspiration sparked there at Terra
Chad Knight, cuts up cubes of stew meat for a customer. Hot pastrami at Terra Cole.
Cole Butchery (4541 California Ave. S.W.,
258-2475) to further party planning. Terra Cole offers only sustainably sourced products, so no matter what cut your party prefers, you’ll be serving quality. The store specializes in meat, though most prepared sides fit alternative diets, as do the specialty spices and sauces available. After making a serious dent in that infernal get-together, retrain your mind on gifts. Easy Street Records (4559 California Ave. S.W., 938-3279) is a must-hit for vinyl new and old. Need help finding the right sound? Don’t be afraid to ask the supremely knowledgeable staff. And for the bibliophile on your list, try Merryweather Books (4537 California Ave. S.W., 935-7325) and the Pegasus Book Exchange (4553 California Ave. S.W., 937-5410). Before you leave, venture outside the Junction to Locöl (7902 35th Ave. S.W., 708-7725). The restaurant and beer/wine bar offers several vegetarian options, and with its wood walls and gas fireplace, it’s the ideal setting to wait out rush hour. E
Fleurt
neighborhoodgrills.com COURTESY FLEURT
6
BY ABBY SEARIGHT
KYU HAN
For every $50 you spend on gift cards, get a $10 bonus certificate.
Get away from the bustle and find gifts and goods in West Seattle. KYU HAN
GIFT CARDS! The perfect gift.
PARTY OVER THERE
WEIRDER, CHEAPER, CHARMING Yes, Seattle is still better, but Portland is worth a visit for the holidays. BY JEANNY RHEE
Canoe
Welcome Sights JOSH PARTEE
Most notable for being Seattle’s weirder—and
A HARDWARE STORE ON CAPITOL HILL
206-322-1717
COURTESY BETSY & IYA
HAPPY HOUR BAR MEZZANINE OPEN
In the Southwest, visit Canoe (1136 S.W. Alder St., 503-889-8545), a retail shop special-
SEATTLE WE EKLY’ S 2014 HO LIDAY GI FT GU IDE • PART TWO
betsy & iya jewelry
izing in timeless and functional objects for everyday use, such as Eena’s specialty craft canvas bags and Flint & Lars pet toys. This is the perfect spot to find something for the sophisticated and perhaps high-maintenance individual on your list. The newly developed Union Way ShopBlue skies in December. ping Arcade (1022 W. Burnside St.), which connects downtown Portland’s West End with A hardware store on Capitol Hill. the Pearl District, is a long, intimate corridor 206-322-1717 you could mistake for 1417 12th Avenue a Eurowww.pacsupply.com pean-style apartment 1417 12TH AVENUE building. (BETWEEN PIKE Stop by AND UNION) Quin to find goodWWW.PACSUPPLY.COM ies for Oaxacan Messenger Bag by stockingWill Leather Goods. stuffers: The candy shop features rich caramels, handmade lollipops, and other classics made with topnotch ingredients. For the burly man-friend on your list, there are two perfect arcade shops to hit before heading home: Danner, Portland’s American-made leather boot company, and Will Leather Goods, a lifestyle brand offering high-end, buttery-smooth leather goods. If the timing of your trip is right, check out some of the city’s most popular holiday attractions, including the 2014 Holiday Ale Festival pm (Dec. 3–7, holidayale.com) held at Pioneer Mon-Fri: 3pm-6pm • Sat-Sun: 12pm-6 Courthouse Square (701 S.W. Sixth Ave.), promoted as the “premier winter beer-tasting venue on the West Coast,” with more than 50 specially For private parties up to 40 people, brewed winter ales to keep you toasty (and cheeremail alibiroom@outlook.com ful) for the holidays. And if you’re into crafts or k Kitchen Open Until 1am | 7 Nights a Wee know someone on your gift list who is, make sure to attend the Super Colossal Holiday Sale From Crafty Wonderland (Dec. 13–14, crafty wonderland.com) at the Oregon Convention Center (777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd,, Open Mon-Fri: 3pm-1am • Sat-Sun:12pm-1am 503-235-7575). It’s a bonanza of more than 250 10406 HOLMAN RD NW • SEATTLE, WA 98133 www.greenwoodalibi.com local vendors selling handmade goods and crafty gifts you can get only in Portland. E COURTESY WILL LEATHER
arguably cooler—vegan sibling, Portland is the ultimate (and tax-free!) shopping destination for folks wanting to channel their inner oddness during this year’s gift-giving season. To take in all the quirky gift shops and toys, handcrafted jewelry with cult followings, and specially made goods available exclusively in Portland, make this trip an overnighter (or an all-weekender). Portland’s public transportation system undeniably beats Seattle’s, so you can leave your car behind and take Amtrak instead. To spare yourself getting lost in the city, make sure to find out about Portland’s TriMet system, which integrates the city’s buses, MAX Light Rail, and streetcars. You’ll also want to study the map of Portland on your ride down, as it’s separated into four quadrants. Starting from the Alphabet District in Northwest Portland, head to betsy & iya (2403 N.W. Thurman St., 503-227-5482) to find miraculously affordable handcrafted jewelry, plus clothing, bags, accessories, and more. Each piece is perfectly balanced with thoughtful asymmetry for a boho-chic feel. You can mosey on through to the back of the store to find their onsite studio and see where all the metal magic happens.
7
The Perfect Gift For the one you love...
Isadoras Antique Jewelry Est. 1973
SANTA PHOTOS WITH YOUR DOG!!
Sunday, December 7th - 4 to 7pm $10 sitting fee Access to all digital photos!
Happy 4-7pm Every Day Hour 10am - 2pm Sat & Sun
TRIVIA Thursdays 8pm!
1601 First Ave.
isadoras.com
206.441.7711
206-547-1417 • 460 N 36th St in the Heart of Fremont
MILAGROS FINE MEXICAN FOLK ART
THE BEST OF MEXICO IS HERE!
SE ATTLE WEEKLY’ S 2014 HOLI DAY GIFT GUI DE • PA RT TWO
GIVE A UNIQUE GIFT! • Oaxacan carvings • Religious artwork • Talavera pottery • Huichol artwork • & more
8
PIKE PLACE MARKET Post Alley (just off Pine St) 1409 1ST AVE (2nd location) between Pike & Union 206.464.0490 www.MilagrosSeattle.com
Give the gift of comfort.
4303 University Wy NE Seattle 98105 • 206-632-3254 And remember we always validate parking for all UDPA parking lots.
LOOK LIST
Women’s wear, from boots to snoods. SKIF International Knit Poncho
Small boutiques often carry both local designers and international ones, and are the perfect place to find original gifts. My Dressing Room owner Bea McCammon carries carefully chosen lines as well as clothing designed and sewn for her own label, BEATA. The SKIF International Poncho featured in the shop is a cool on-trend piece with the look of couture but not the price tag. Made from natural fabrics and yarn, the chunky knit and asymmetrical rough fringe edge make this a statement piece. LISA COLE $300. skifo.com. Available at My Dressing Room, 1817 Queen Anne Ave. N., 695-2725.
COURTESY MY DRESSING ROOM
UNFORGETTABLE EDIBLES Presents you can plate.
2
1
Comalapa Short Boot
5. Ayako & Family Jams
Sarsen Rider Coat
4 5
2. Truffle Salt
I love truffles. I don’t love the idea of paying hundreds of dollars for them. Fortunately, La Buona Tavola in Pike Place Market offers a wide range of delicious and versatile products imported from Italy and made with world-class truffles. While the oils and creams are nice, I go straight for the truffle salt, which has a longer shelf life, is super-easy to use (just sprinkle it on to finish a dish), and, combined with popcorn, makes the perfect accompaniment for an
ACTION & ADVENTURE
Obsessions and identities for kids 6 to 11. L’Explorateur Kit
Perfect for the curious mind, this kit provides everything an
evening of binge-watching. ZACH GEBALLE Truffle Trio Gift Package, $29.95. trufflecafe.com. 3. Boat Street Pickled Figs
Of all of Renee Erickson’s pickles, I’d choose these every time. Black Mission figs are soaked in a syrup of red wine, sugar, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and sea salt. The result is a beautifully balanced sweet/sour combination that’s incredibly rare in a pickle. I was skeptical that they’d pair well poured over vanilla ice cream—until I tried it. While cooked figs can become too treacly, these manage to retain their original fresh flavor, possibly due to the addition of the savory ingredients. NICOLE SPRINKLE $10.99 for 9 ounces. Available in Renee Erickson restaurants as well as specialty shops throughout Seattle, including Metropolitan Markets and PCC. 4. AgLocal Meat
A gift box filled with bacon, lamb legs, rib-eyes, and shortribs will woo your favorite carnivore. Better yet, AgLocal, the CSA for meat, delivers adventurer needs to discover the mysteries of the world: a briefcase (complete with travel patches), compass, water bottle, binoculars, field notebook, pencil, canvas adventure sack, strings, and a set of cards with instructions on how to tie knots. Kids can keep their field tools in the canvas bag while filling the briefcase with recent artifacts from their latest adventure. $80. clovertoys.com. Animation Studio
Tired of your kids playing on their iPod? Have them put those shiny things to more creative use. Using a mobile device or camera, this kit will help guide your child to create his or her very own stop-motion movie. The
Maybe the best thing about living in the Pacific Northwest—other than legalized same-sex marriage, legal weed, and amazing music—is the lovely nature that surrounds us, from hiking trails to delicious farm-fresh food. Another fine example: Ayako & Family jams. From a farm in Yakima, these tart, hand-jarred jams—including China red plum, coral pink plum, and apricot—go great with biscuits, yogurt, or cheese. Each is well-balanced and not overly sweet, and keeps the essence of the fruit intact. JACOB UITTI $12 for 8 ounces. ayakoandfamily.com. E
Designer Heather Blanchard’s Sarsen Fall 2014 Collection debuted at the 2013 Bellevue Collection Independent Designer Runway Show, where she wowed the audience with her edgy, modern pieces. The
kit includes a mini-stage set, pressout props, a press-out puppet monster, storyboard samples, and a helpful handbook to instruct would-be movie makers on the skills of crafting their very own animated story. $20. clovertoys.com.
colors, ensuring that your child’s unique personality shines through while keeping his or her hero identity top-secret. The masks’ simple design and the capes’ large buttons and loops ensure easy adornment without assistance. Check out World of Whimm’s other superhero items, including cuffs, to complete the look. $32. etsy.com/shop/ worldofwhimm. E
Super Hero Cape and Mask
Help your child discover his or her inner superhero! Locally made by World of Whimm, these capes and masks come in a variety of designs and
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Citrus can come in winter—for Japanophiles, at least, who will thoroughly enjoy this sampler. Yuzu is a unique, highly fragrant citrus originating in East Asia and popular in Japanese cuisine. This large sampler includes many ways to enjoy it: as a juice for cocktails and spritzers, in marmalade for jam and tea, and as a ponzu base made with bonito and kombu that’s great for sushi and fish. TIFFANY RAN Whole flight, $60. Marx Foods, 144 Western Ave. W., 447-1818, marxfoods.com.
O MIY ASHIR
1. Yuzu Sampler
MARL
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SEATTLE WE EKLY’ S 2014 HO LIDAY GI FT GU IDE • PART TWO
healthy and responsibly raised meats from familyowned farms on the West Coast once a month. Choose from Family Style (7 or 14 pounds), Grill Master (5 or 10 pounds), Fit and Lean (5 or 10 pounds), or the Farmer’s Pick (7 or 14 pounds) for adventurous meat-eaters. Those stumped or in a rut can consult aglocal.com, which provides recipes and gift options for those looking for a one-time deal. TR From $85. aglocal.com.
Uxibal (pronounced oo-she-bal) is fashion with a mission, founded by Seattleite Britini Port, whose business model supports female artisans in central America, where work options for women are extremely limited and life can be a struggle. The Comalapa short boot in black features a suede and denim lining inside a sleek form, plus stitched details on the front and a signature motif handwoven by artisan Lidia of Comalapa, El Salvador. The responsible sourcing makes it a thoughtful gift that feels as good as it looks. T.S. FLOCK $215. uxibal.com. Available at Moorea Seal, 2523 Third Ave., mooreaseal.com.
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Look List » FROM PAGE 9 rider coat was a standout, a modern-day version of Little Red Riding Hood—with an edge. This 100 percent melton wool lined and fitted coat with an oversized hood has a hi-low hem and an off-center zipper. It’s a gorgeous pop of color in the sea of gray and black on Seattle streets. LC $279. shopsarsen.com. Available at Momo, 600 S. Jackson St., 329-4736. Lunatic Leggings
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The locally designed and made clothes by Actual Pain have made a splash nationally with their fine construction and motifs inspired by black metal. Items are made responsibly in small batches, so they frequently sell out, but a perennial favorite has been some of the leggings, whose monochrome designs include baroque, Goetic sigils, and crazed marble patterns. For the moonchild in your life, Lunatic Leggings are bold and cool, but accessible with their line of moons in different phases. TSF $52. actualpain. myshopify.com. Available from Craft and Culture, craftandculture.com.
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This chunky knit snood from local designer Suk Chai will make an amazing gift because it’s perfect in both form and function—and it’s just plain gorgeous. Manufactured by a German knitting manufacturer in a supersoft Italian alpaca blend, this beautiful piece is unisex, and would be fabulous pulled over your head or down around your shoulders to keep cozy and chic. LC $280. schaischai.com.
JESSICA CARTER
SE ATTLE WEEKLY’ S 2014 HOLI DAY GIFT GUI DE • PA RT TWO
SCHAI Vita Snood
CON Hoodie by Reverie
Seattle-based clothing line Reverie has a savvy peculiar to the region—street, pop, and glitch art, topped with a logo that the similarly savvy will recognize as inspired by the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. This informed vision produces easy-to-wear clothes with clever details. The hand-dyed CON Hoodie’s palette of blue and green is at home in the Pacific Northwest, tagged in the back with a lo-tech decal of a flat, digital, commoditized world. Besides looking hip, it’s a smart statement that one doesn’t see coming. TSF $65. reverieseattle.com. Available at Trichome, 618 S. Jackson St., 905-9884, trichomeseattle.com. E
DECK THE WALLS Local artwork at the right price. 1. Violet’s Highway by Alex Achaval
Neon signage, rodeo culture, pop, and fashion merge in the vivid, lurid, and layered portraits by painter Alex Achaval. A female figure rises from a wreck of architecture and cattle skulls. A chieftain stares en face, half-erased by swaths of color. Achaval grants his subjects totemic power, even as they are swallowed by encroaching forces. The work is provocative and visually striking, demanding more than attention— rather a conversation. $975. alexachaval.com. 2. Linestrider Tarot: Two of Swords by Siolo Thompson
The tarot has been an inspiration for many artists, but few complete their own deck of 78 symbolically dense cards. Thompson is methodically producing her Linestrider Tarot, whose intricately drawn animals and spirits against white are a beautifully contemporary approach to the centuries-old system. Originals $210, prints $40. siolothompson.com. 3. Memento Mori Prints by Joey Bates
Bates’ delicate cut-paper art is really a form of sculpture, though it is almost flat against the wall when hung. Faces and flowers emerge from a white surface, lined only by fine shadows. Skulls gape in a field of soft blue, pressed flat but still full of depth. His flower prints are also quite marvelous. $80. Inquire at Ghost Gallery, 504 E Denny Way, ghostgalleryart.com. 4. Untitled (Catalogue Number AA_09_03) by Arturo Artorez
Artorez’s life has been colorful, to say the least, in no small part due to his own adventurous spirit. Even the mundane remnants of passing days—timecards, ephemera, losing lottery tickets—become small surfaces on which to depict mysterious scenes, spirits, Buddhas, beasts, and beauties. Sifting through them is a journey in its own right. Enjoy it. $250. vermillionseattle.com. 5. Sketchbook Watercolor: Busy Site by William G. Hook
Architect and artist William G. Hook’s sketchbook overflows with lush watercolors. His eye for structure is matched by his sense of color and light; using the medium to its fullest he captures scenes of transition around Seattle, beautifying the chaos of construction and the dampness of our climate. $350. Inquire at Alki Arts, 1124 First Ave., 432-9936, alkiarts.com. 6. Left for Dead by Robert Hardgrave
Hardgrave’s works are almost always immediately recognizable, though his style continues to vary from series to series. The seemingly shifting geometric patterns, layers, and undulating shapes create a multitude of forms that are universally appealing, and have provided ample opportunity for collaboration. $800. cullomgallery.com. See Beth Cullom and Hardgrave present the new works at a pop-up gallery event, Dec. 6.
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10 7. March Box Set: Immaterial from LxWxH
9. Wolf-Girl by Don Fritz
Each limited-edition box set from LxWxH Gallery contains works by two artists and a writer. Immaterial, which addresses philosophical tangibility, is a brilliant blend of conceptual work for the more abstract art lover. The set includes a 20-page art book by Dylan Neuwirth, wrapped prints from Jeff Gerber’s series Potential Dust, and Greg Lundgren’s short story The Dominus Interviews. $225. lengthbywidthbyheight.com.
The ceramic books of Don Fritz are enigmatic objects—dark, textured, un-open-able, with the heft of a tome or treatise yet decorated with cartoonish figures. This enigma verges on piquant satire with Fritz’s dash of voyeurism: Two figures on opposite sides of the book seem to see each other, but we cannot see between them or within. $900. Inquire through Gallery IMA, 123 S. Jackson St., 625-0055, galleryima.com.
8. Wind-Up Bees by Braden Duncan
10. Hide and Go Seek: Photolith by Heidi Kirpatrick
These small portraits of birds and bees sell like hotcakes. Each one is irresistibly charming—perfect for a kid’s room or that small patch of wall or empty cubby that needs a little something to cheer it up. They are very affordable, so consider purchasing a set to bring the birds and the bees into a special someone’s home well before spring has them buzzing about outside. $60. Inquire at Ghost Gallery, 504 E. Denny Way, ghostgalleryart.com.
Kirkpatrick makes photography into something more sculptural, warm yet fragile, much like the bodies she photographs. The timeless moment of the photo becomes layered as it is fixed in resin with other objects and within objects, such as worn books and patinated tins. These pensive, sensitive works are sure to touch just the right person. $450. Inquire through G. Gibson Gallery, 300 S. Washington St., 587-4033, ggibsongallery.com. E
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