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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
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s a musician, I find it hard to figure out what my creative mind needs. There is always something I could use to better myself, but how do I define that and make it reasonable for someone to purchase on my behalf? Whenever a gift-exchanging event takes place, I try to think of what I really want or need in my life to take the next steps. So in an effort to make it easier for folks to buy me gifts, I present this poem.
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GREATEST GIFT
For Bekah Zietz’s candle company, it’s all about community. By Julianne Bell t all started with Game of Thrones. In early 2015, when Zietz saw that her friend Zack Bolotin of Porchlight Coffee and Records had posted that he had started to make candles, she was intrigued, and asked him to teach her the craft in exchange for the unlimited use of her HBO Go account. Just six months later, she had her official business license, and was making and selling candles under the name The Dank Crystal, with a logo designed by Bolotin to boot. Every Dank Crystal candle contains a small purified crystal embedded within, which can be removed after the candle has melted. Zietz melts the wax for every candle on her stove at home, using soy wax and scents that she purchases from the University District shop Zenith. Just recently she invested in her first wax melter, which she describes as a major game-changer. She plays music while making her candles so that each one can soak in positive energy. “I believe in the power of music,” she says. (Curious read-
ers should check out the playlist of “Dank Vibes” Zietz put together for Seattle Weekly readers on Spotify.) Perhaps appropriate for a candlemaker, Zietz has a warm, effulgent presence, with a glow in her eyes when she talks about her love for Seattle’s music community. By day she works in publicity at Sub Pop, a job she dreamt of and worked toward since moving to town 13 years ago. A “connector” by vocation, Zietz is excited to now find herself a part of Seattle’s network of makers: “I feel like I’ve been part of the music community for a long time now, so to be able to see a different community and be welcomed in that has been really awesome.” She’s a member of Seattle Made, a collective of local producers, and will be showcasing her wares at the upcoming Renegade Craft Fair, December 17–18 at Magnuson Park. Zietz draws inspiration directly from her love of nature and the Pacific Northwest with fragrance names like Golden Garden, Cascadia, and In the Pines. As
evidenced by the name of her company, she’s also inspired by weed culture. Dank Crystal candles are perfect for covering up other dank scents, she says. And they frequently find their way into the hands of the many talented musicians in her orbit. “I really like the idea of a candle-sponsored band!” she says with a laugh, counting METZ, Protomartyr, and King Tuff among her roster of official “Dank Crystal-sponsored” artists. Besides being available at many local boutiques and online at dankcrystal.com, her offerings can be purchased at the Sub Pop store at SeaTac International Airport, which has brought her fan mail from visitors from locations as far-flung as Japan and Australia. With wideeyed awe, she describes how flabbergasted she is whenever someone finds and likes her products. “When someone sends me an e-mail and says, ‘I just found your candles, they smell so good!’, that to me is like the equivalent of someone telling a band, ‘Thank you so much for making this record,’ ” she says. “That’s so cool to me.”
SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
Dank Vibes
It is the gift-giving time of year, where people send praise and good cheer. In good faith I offer thee guidance when selecting gifts for me . . . Receiving the proper advice is key when beginning your Sassy shopping spree. I enjoy musical instruments from Roland and synths of the Ableton Pack persuasion. Items such as gift cards are good for holding as well as for any occasion. As I stroll through TSA, abroad or in the U.S.A., I’ll think of you and how you made my day. Pre-check & Global Entry prepare me to slay. Make me feel like Be-yon-cé. Once I get up on my flight, I’m comforted knowing my luggage is tight. Glad you took my advice last night and bought me the Swiss Gear suitcases, the right weight and correct height. I love collecting mileage while on tour. Whether Alaska or Virgin Airlines, the offering of frequent-flyer miles works for sure. If this you cannot provide, just sign me up so I can stack toward free rides. Though all these items I have listed are fun, none are as fun as the last one. Truly I am a blessed businesswoman and a performance Queen. So the best gift you could give me would be to join my team. Join me at a live show or DJ set. Come through, shake your groove thang, and sweat. Or purchase my music and share with a loved one; this way it’s twice as fun. I have one addendum to make to my ask: Please buy local and new music that kicks ass. Be unafraid to try something new, and most of all be unafraid to be the best you. Now you know what I am looking for—feel free to get me these gifts and more. Or if it feels a bore, you can hand me cash and I will hit the store. ■
AFRICANIST / OMATSEYE AJAGBAWA
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So Sassy a Gift
A holiday poem. By Catherine Harris-White (SassyBlack)
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
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PEOPLE IN GLASSHOUSES SHOULD THROW PARTIES. Ring in 2017 under Seattle’s most iconic fireworks display as Chihuly
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Garden and Glass transforms into the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration. Clover Toys’ enticing entrance. COURTESY OF JAX JOON
DECEMBER 31, 2016 | 8 PM – 1 AM Party includes:
• Dancing to the Craig Lawrence Band. • A delicious array of bites and desserts. • Party favors and a complimentary sparkling wine toast at midnight. • DJ and photo booth in Collections Café. • Entrance to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition (between 8 PM and 10 PM).
The delightful digs of Jax Joon.
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(5209 Ballard Ave. N.W., 545-8810), where you can buy hiking shoes, tents, and sleeping bags for the intrepid traveler in your life. Down the road, you’ll see boutiques like Jax Joon (5338 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-8777), where you can purchase delightfully bright throw pillows, fish vases, and fashionable clothes. Or, nearby at Prism (5208 Ballard Ave. N.W., 402-4706), you can acquire hip necklaces and earrings for the jewelry lover in your life. Next to each other, the fanciful Lucca Great Finds (5332 Ballard Ave. N.W.) and Chameleon Design (5330 Ballard Ave. N.W., 783-7125) offer items to enliven homes both large and small. And at Clover Toys (5335 Ballard Ave. N.W., 782-0715), you can find any number of books for kids. But now you’re hungry again; that pizza has worn off. Where to? Sample barbecue at Bitterroot (5239 Ballard Ave. N.W., 5881577) or a decadently greasy plate at Hattie’s Hat (5231 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-0175). But save some energy amid that sauce-filled meal (washed down with perhaps another pint). Clean your hands, too, because our final three stops include the vintage shop Trove (2204 N.W. Market St., 297-6068) and the vinyl record havens Bop Street (2220 N.W. Market St., 297-2232) and Sonic Boom (2209 N.W. Market St., 297-2666). Go to Trove for the cute 1950s poodle skirts and hit up the record stores for the era-appropriate music. Or just go to salivate over the splendor of Ballard’s most eclectic shops. And when the day is done, get yourself a cocktail at Hazelwood (2311 N.W. Market St., 783-0478). You surely won’t forget it.
SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
uch like the mythical North Pole, Ballard is a universe unto itself: You have to cross rivers, surmount hills, and traverse valleys to get there, but once you arrive you’re amid enchantment of all kinds, from live music and an array of drinks to pristine little toy shops. The pretty fisherman’s village lights up in the wintry holiday season, providing a spark of excitement during Seattle’s oft-dreary weather. But all that wetness provides a lush supply of produce, which strollers can purchase during the year-round weekly Sunday Ballard Farmer’s Market (5345 Ballard Ave. N.W.). And between sampling the market’s homemade doughnuts or fresh apples, folks can pop into one of the cherished coffee shops Ballard has to offer: the tight-quartered Anchored Ship Coffee Bar (5306 Ballard Ave. N.W., 954-9215) or the more sprawling Caffè Umbria (5407 Ballard Ave. N.W., 420-3945) for steaming hot chocolates or spicy chai lattes. But Ballard’s pièces de résistance are all the cute shops, where you can find any number of scented soaps, artisanal toys, vinyl records, or handmade cards. Indeed, Ballard is teeming with spots to purchase the latest gift to spruce up your loved ones’ domiciles. Here’s what we suggest: Start at the southern tip of Ballard Avenue and get a slice of pizza (and maybe a pint) from Ballard Pizza Company (5107 Ballard Ave. N.W., 6596033). Proceed north. You’ll notice Dancing Brush Studio (5129 Ballard Ave. N.W., 782-2882) where you can make your own ceramic gifts for family and friends. A little down the way you’ll see Second Ascent
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Where to cast about in the charming old fishing village of Ballard. BY JACOB UITTI
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
BY T. S. FLOCK
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here has been a strong fashion and design presence in Belltown for years, but the latest addition to the neighborhood, RIZOM, may be the neighborhood’s most sophisticated boutique yet. Co-founded by fashion designer Deborah Roberts of the SILVAE clothing line and jewelry designer Faris Du Graf (of the eponymous FARIS), the boutique features both of their works alongside clothing from other independent and high-concept labels, such as PARI DESAI, AlexaStark, and Collina Strada. The space currently occupied by RIZOM (2316 Second Ave., 441-7541) has housed a number of unique retail experiences in the past, including musician Mark Pickerel’s musically inclined Damaged Goods and photographer/director Charlie Schuck’s design oasis O B J E C T. Schuck now operates in the adjacent design studio BC.AD; and when you add Peter Miller Books a few doors north, you now have one of the most design-centric blocks in the city. RIZOM hosts its own small book shop in the upper mezzanine. Curated by designer Strath Shepard, Pacific Standard Books is a carefully edited selection of vintage, out-ofprint, and newer books related to design, travel, and culture. The mood board on one wall is an inspiring view of its own, but it’s also worth
checking out the rotating art displays on the walls of RIZOM itself. At the center of this shop, though, is the clothing and jewelry. Roberts’ SILVAE line, available here, made a splash when it won top honors at the Independent Designer Runway Show in 2014. She has since collaborated with artist Olivia Knapp to create custom textiles for many of her collections, which have given select pieces a graphic burst. Most of her clothes use natural textures and fibers, impeccably tailored in minimalist, on-trend silhouettes with sensuous details. They are a dreamy, urban style that nods to the natural world with great balance. The very same can be said of Faris Du Graf ’s smoothly flowing adornments. For instance, her paired Rest Rings have an organic, seemingly random fluctuation of thickness, but are designed to nest beside each other perfectly. The open-ended Tula Ring flanks your finger with two pleasing nuggets of silver or bronze, and the abstracted Bamboo Hoops turn a trend into a timeless geometric treasure. Du Graf releases her new line publicly this Thursday, so enthusiasts (and those looking for a great gift) should see her latest treasures at RIZOM. The store’s official site is yet to launch, but both FARIS and SILVAE have gorgeous websites of their own in case you want to browse virtually, too.
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Artist Natasha Marin started her site “to help, to repair.”
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Reparations connects people of color with support from those with the time, energy, and means to give the gift of greater opportunity. BY JACOB UITTI the website serves two purposes: It’s an outlet for people to donate directly to those in need and, Marin says, it centers the needs of people of color. “Many of us are feeling pretty fatigued right now,” she says, breathing heavily four days after the election. “It’s hard to get into the holiday spirit.” Right now, though, might just be the perfect time to lend a hand—or $50. In an age of open institutional racism and discrimination (see: Trump, Donald), it’s never been more imperative that those with privilege (wealth, time, energy, whiteness) leverage it to help those who don’t. And Marin’s site allows for just that. In the four months since its inception, Reparations.me has raised over $12,000 in donations and aided in numerous services. “The project launched in the middle of the summer, and since then I’ve been continually amazed,” she says before telling the story of a woman from the Virgin Islands in need of baby clothes for her soon-to-be adopted child. “And she got those clothes! People want to help.” When Reparations.me began, however, the artist envisioned it lasting only through the end of 2016. But whether or not that remains, Marin is right when she says, “There’s no time like the present to try it out.” reparations.me
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
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atasha Marin, the Seattle-based conceptual artist who created the donation website Reparations. me, which gets tens of thousands of clicks daily from all over the world, remains surprised at the number of people in need and how relatively little it takes to help. “You think you know what’s going on,” she says, Facebook notifications dinging incessantly on her computer. “Then suddenly you’re facing this portal—like, wow, there are a lot of people out there that have no choice but to take a chance on this project. There are people who are dollars away from having their lives saved short-term. That’s shocking.” The site works like this: People of color can request goods or services (a massage, groceries, a ride to Spokane, tutoring) or whatever they need to “feel better, be happier, be more productive.” And those in a more privileged position can offer to fill those needs in some way via “time, energy, substantive care, and support.” “I called it ‘Reparations’ because the word itself means to help, to repair,” Marin says. Created in mid-July amid high-profile police-brutality cases and the tragic mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando,
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GIFT TRIP
Island Time
Festivities and priceless presents await in Langley on Whidbey Island. BY T.S. FLOCK
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BALLARD: 2232 NW Market St. • 206-297-5920 U-DISTRICT: 4530 University Way BELLINGHAM: 1209 N. State St. NE • 206-545-0175 • 360-676-1375 BUFFALOEXCHANGE.COM •
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
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etting to Whidbey Island is easier than it seems, and those who enjoy scenic drives and ferry rides will find the trip itself a delight, even before discovering all the charming attractions that await visitors. Whidbey’s narrow length stretches from near Mukilteo, north of Seattle, all the way to Deception Pass, where it connects to Fidalgo Island via a bridge. One can drive onto the ferry in Mukilteo, disembark in Clinton, and drive all the way up to Deception Pass in a few hours, enjoying pristine views of Puget Sound and forests all the way. This is a particularly great way to spend a long summer day. However, when daylight is limited, it’s nice to know you can still enjoy the island and not have to drive a long way back in darkness. That’s why for holiday merrymakers, exploring Langley on the southern end of Whidbey Island is a perfect trek. This picturesque town makes a point to sparkle brightly in December, and this Saturday, December 3, is an especially festive start to the month. The monthly First Saturday Art Walk in Langley is preceded by the Holiday Parade and Shop & Stroll starting at 11 a.m. Businesses often close on the early side on the islands, but for this occasion participating shops will stay open into the evening. Even if you come another night, I recommend staying until it gets dark so you can fully appreciate the creative decorations and lighting put up by the town and local merchants. For one-of-a-kind womenswear and accessories, make sure you check out Fair Trade
Outfitters (112 Anthes Ave., 360-221-1696) downtown. The selections come from around the world, but exclusively from designers and individual artisans who support fair labor practices and sustainable sourcing. Design lovers should check out edit. (306 First St. #101, 360-381-0045), the retail and gallery space of designer and artist David Price. The space is aptly named: It offers a beautifully edited selection of home goods in a bright, elegant setting. Chocoholics and anthophiles alike have to check out the Chocolate Flower Farm (5040 Saratoga Rd., 360-221-2464), not far from the town center. The specialized nursery focuses on dark-colored flowers (hence the name) as well as plants with complementary foliage and blooms and edible flowers, too. Naturally, they also have a range of chocolate products that make great gifts, including their decadent chocolate-raspberry jam and chocolate-scented, hand-poured candles. If you need a pick-me-up but don’t want to stop shopping, get thee to Kalakala Co. Mercantile (138 Second St., 360-2210161). It’s a cafe, curio shop, and animation studio rolled into one. The evolving inventory of American-made goods includes chic pottery by N.Y.-based ceramicist Eric Bonnin, beauty products from Seattle’s Herbivore Botanicals, and screen-printed goods by Kalakala founder Drew Christie. Check out regular screenings of Christie’s animations during the art walk and maybe pick up a sweet Animation Kit at the shop for the budding artists/entrepreneurs in your life.
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TONY & ILANA
January 10, 2017
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SEATTLE WEEKLY DUE MON 1PM
WED 11/30
Reading Through It A Post-Election Book Club
SUGGESTED GIFTS
The Seattle Review of Books, Seattle Weekly, and Third Place Books are teaming up for a monthly book club exploring who we are as Americans, the path we are on, and how to fix it.
BY JACOB UITTI
In December, we will discuss Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance.
Ideas for the impossible-to-buy-for teenager on your list.
T
he Bitter Barista Give your favorite teen the gift of seeing their near future. The service industry is the route many will take while they figure out what to do for the rest of their lives, so why not let them in on the trade secrets? Learn about awful coffee orders, tipping issues, and the art of snark from behind the counter. For example, “You can either order an egg-nog latte, or you can be treated like an adult,” writes the Bitter Barista (aka Seattle’s Matt Spek Watson). bitterbarista.com Easy Street Records Gift Certificate The best gifts are really experiences, right? So take your favorite teen to West Seattle, treat them to a breakfast in Easy Street’s cafe, then give them a gift certificate and point them to the store’s local music sections. Seattle is rich with rock, rap, jazz, and more rock history—from Nirvana and Sir Mix-A-Lot to DoNormaal and Tacocat. Educate the youth about the city in which they live. It’s beautiful. easystreet online.com Rachel’s Ginger Beer A famous elixir made right here in town, RGB is delicious. Dee. Lish. Us. And it goes with everything. Since our teens aren’t allowed to drink alco-
hol, they might as well have something they can enjoy while unparching their lips. RGB comes in an array of flavors, from Blood Orange to White Peach, and Rachel has shops on Capitol Hill (1610 12th Ave.) and in Pike Place Market. rachelsgingerbeer.com The Films of Lynn Shelton and/or Meagan Griffiths From Humpday and Lucky Them to Eden and Your Sister’s Sister, these two badass Emerald City women create silly, heartfelt, moving, epic, funny films. It can be difficult to make mainstream movies in Seattle, but these two directors outwit the system and inspire young Seattle moviemakers. Collect their work at Amazon.com or rent them individually for your favorite teens at the glorious Scarecrow Video (5030 Roosevelt Way N.E.) blog. scarecrow.com Storm Tickets It’s been a long time since the Seattle Supersonics laced it up, but the WNBA’s Seattle Storm has been rockin’ the hardwood long enough to get its drivers license. Treat your favorite teen to one of the city’s favorite teams and show them some good old-fashioned professional basketball. Keep an extra close eye on twotime WNBA champion Sue Bird—she’s amazing. storm.wnba.com
Participants can receive a 20 percent discount on the book at Third Place Books Seward Park. All are welcome, no purchase required. (circle one:) Artist: 7, December 7 p.m., Emmett Heather Free Ronnie Steve Third Place Books Confirmation #: Seward Park 5041 Wilson Ave., 206-474-2200
AE: (circle one:) Carrie Jane Maria
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ART APPROVED AE APPROVED CLIENT APPROVED
SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
Youth of Seattle
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Sounds of the Season
The right records for your local music fan.
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
BY KELTON SEARS
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1. Authentic Living by Nail Polish Nail Polish’s songs sound like they’re barely held together—tin cans and broken glass strung up with metal wire. The local punk band subverts expected form and structure by working against what the listener thinks is going to happen next, zigzagging and stumbling all over itself in an exhilarating, nervy mess that’ll make your friends grin with its crushing calculation. The cassette comes with a fold-out risograph-printed insert from the band’s vocalist/bassist and part-time comic artist, Aidan Fitzgerald. $5, nailpolishseattle. bandcamp.com 2. Leavings by Tay Sean Leavings cements Tay Sean’s place as one of Seattle’s most thoughtful artists—one who hasn’t forgotten that music, at its core, is a sacred act. Over impeccably self-produced cosmic funk and hip-hop, inventive rhythms, and extrasolar synths, Leavings asserts its own cosmology, informed equally by Carl Jung, Carl Sagan, ancient esoteric texts, and physics—or as Tay Sean says in the glistening, hand-drum-driven lead track “Australopithecus,” some “natural mystic shit.” Available on white vinyl or in a spendy deluxe version with a hand-engraved prayer-bead necklace. $25/$175, taysean.com 3. Fleuve by Ô Paon A singular Northwest artist, Anacortes’ Geneviève Castrée tragically passed away in July at 35 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She left behind an amazing body of comic art and music, including her last album, 2015’s Fleuve,
recorded under her alias, Ô Paon. Sung in her native Québécois French, the album is a haunting hymnal to winter set to eldritch drone folk. Another thing she left behind— her husband, Phil Elverum, and their newborn baby, who this record’s sales will directly benefit. $15, pwelverumandsun.com 4. Post Romanticism by Trowa Barton In April, Seattle’s Trowa Barton put out one of the year’s most underrated hip-hop records, his dusky, magickal Post Romanticism. “Revolution,” the standout track, is a glimmering, hypnagogic trap-tune that floats along languidly like a contented, levitating ghost and inspires repeat listens. “Ashes Out the Window” is similarly swirling, gently riding a subtle snare-and-hat rhythm over cavernous church-choir reverberations. There’s a lacy, wraithlike warmth to the record, tinting its gruff darkness with a shade of pink that’s hard to place and utterly unique. Digital only, name your price; inderworlddustfunk.bandcamp.com 5. Afterthought EP by Ings “Afterthought,” the single on Seattle songwriter Inge Chiles’ newest EP, takes the Zen-like minimalism of her style to its logical conclusion—a pop song that doubles as meditation. “I will not be your afterthought/I will not/You gotta go/You gotta go now,” she repeats over and over, slowly adding layers of her own vocal harmonies onto each carefully uttered syllable. Listening to the song feels like going through a Japanese tea ceremony. If you need a mind bath, Ings’ art will take care of you. $5, ings.bandcamp.com
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Bar Back
Must-haves for the home bartender in your life. BY ZACH GEBALLE
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our solid 12-ounce rocks glasses. One of the most fundamental questions a home bartender has to ask is: What am I gonna serve drinks in? While some would consider their bar incomplete without a sizable collection of glassware, four sturdy rocks glasses will do the trick for almost any libation you’d care to serve. Anything over ice will work well, and even strained drinks or spirits served neat can be enjoyed from such a vessel. They’re also much less breakable than martini glasses and vastly more versatile. Amaro, by Brad Thomas Parsons. The defining concept of the vast majority of modern cocktails is the judicious application of some bittering agent, and the broad category of amari has been central to this endeavor. Parsons’ book thoroughly and diligently covers the wide range of styles available on the market today, and, even better, discusses how they can and should be applied to a host of drinks. A glass citrus reamer. Look, citrus is a pain in the ass in a home bar. You’re not likely to need enough to buy a full-on juicer, but fresh juice makes a huge difference in the quality of a drink. That’s why I tend to split the difference, not splurging on ex-
pensive machinery but ensuring that when it’s margarita season, I’m mixing mine with fresh lime juice. A cocktail tray. OK, this might seem like a dated approach, but there’s something about serving a few cocktails on a tray that just feels stylish. Unless you’re a restaurant professional, carrying more than two glasses at a time is awkward at best and dangerous at worst, so the right tray can work wonders in larger groups. I like a rectangular shape with handles, maybe made out of a darker wood. Plus, if your guests want something to eat, I guess you could put it on there. Though, really, just give them another drink instead. A hand-held fine strainer. The home bartender in your life should already have a classic Boston strainer; if they don’t, stop reading and make fun of them. A fine strainer isn’t really necessary for many simple drinks, but it makes a world of difference when texture is truly important. It will keep pulp out of all those drinks you make with your fresh citrus; it’ll make your egg-white cocktails feel silkier; and it’ll strain ice chips out of your thoroughly shaken summer drinks. Plus, you feel like a pro when you double-strain. Trust me.
ROBERTA GAMBARINI
WED, NOV 30
“Gambarini is a true successor to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae.” - Boston Globe
ROY HARGROVE QUINTET
THU, DEC 1 - SUN, DEC 4
Acclaimed jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader delivers jazz bliss
PETRA HADEN & JESSE HARRIS
MON, DEC 5
$10
A virtuoso musician, vocalist, composer and interpreter of song with one of this generation’s greatest songwriters and producers on tour in support of their new recording Seemed Like A Good Idea – Petra Haden Sings Jesse Harris.
CHARLIE HUNTER QUARTET
TUE, DEC 6 - WED, DEC 7
Guitarist Charlie Hunter returns in support of his new release Everybody Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth, recorded 100% live in studio.
AVERAGE WHITE BAND
THU, DEC 8 - SUN, DEC 11
Widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music. Though perhaps best known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit ‘Pick Up the Pieces’.
all ages | free parking | full schedule at jazzalley.com
SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
The Cambridge Collection Serving Tray from Sur La Table.
JAZZ ALLEY IS A SUPPER CLUB
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S P O N S O R E D BY P I K E P L AC E MA R K ET F OU N DAT I O N
THE PEOPLE OF PIKE PLACE MARKET
Caroling for a Cause
As one of the main forces behind the Annual Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition, Zoë Freeman brings Seattle some cheer and helps the Pike Place Market Senior Center & Food Bank save lives. ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROSEMARY DAI ROSS/POSTHEADSHOTS
Zoë Freeman with the Pike Place Market fish managers.
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SEATTLE WEEKLY • HOLIDAY GIVING GUIDE 2016 • PART TWO
t 9:30 a.m. every morning, Zoë Freeman walks from her small office at the Pike Market Senior Center up the staircase and down the hall to the DeLaurenti coffee shop, where she grabs a hot beverage to go. Along the way she greets the rowdy mongers at Pike Place Fish Market, the sweet vendors at Sunny Honey Company, and the cheerful bakers at Daily Dozen Doughnut Company. Each person takes a quick break from their bustling routine to return her friendly welcome. At age 73, Freeman is a permanent fixture in the Market community, where for 25 years she has worked with colleagues at the Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank to provide food and housing for thousands of Seattle residents. Freeman takes pride in forming personal connections with the people of the Market, even now during the busy holiday season, as she makes final preparations for the 30th Annual Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition on December 2—a festive event that raises awareness and funds to support the Senior Center and Food Bank. Every December, the highly anticipated caroling competition attracts nearly 10,000 12 attendees, filling the heart of downtown
Seattle. People from the local arts scene, businesses, churches, schools, and established singing groups form caroling teams and collect sponsored donations. On the big night, 30 to 40 teams participate in sing-off competitions for the “Figlanthropy” Award and the coveted People’s Choice Award. Additionally, the team that gathers the most onsite donations receives the “Get Figgy With It” accolade. The success of Figgy Pudding hinges on the community’s tremendous support and the tireless planning by Freeman, who in 2006 was appointed the “Head Figlet.” “I named myself,” Freeman says, laughing. “ ‘Event manager’ sounds kind of stuffy.” Despite the fun, zany, and festive atmosphere of this popular holiday event, the real purpose of Figgy Pudding is to raise funds for programs and services. “The human services in the Market are not always obvious to people,” explains Freeman. She has met countless Seattle natives who have no idea that the Market is anything more than a tourist attraction. In reality, the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank are community hubs that support those in need. The Senior Center’s meal program serves its members two nutritious meals a day, seven days a week. Through
its activity program, the Senior Center offers exercise classes, book exchanges, documentary film screenings, and craft hours. The Senior Center also provides social-service assistance and assistance accessing and maintaining housing for its 1,400 members—half of whom are homeless. With three dedicated social workers, the organization helps members deal with housing placement, health concerns, immigration issues, rental rights, and child support. The Senior Center helps people like Alfredo, who, like many of Seattle’s homeless, found himself in a tough spot a few years ago—feeling hopeless and forgotten. After living on the street for four years, Alfredo met the Senior Center’s Spanish-speaking social worker, Mark Lally. He became Alfredo’s advocate, helped him secure long-term housing, and built a support system that allowed Alfredo to move forward. “It’s been a complete 180,” Lally says. “A lot of the issues he had before are no longer involved in his life.” Alfredo has lived in subsidized housing in the Market for the past two years, he’s taking English-language classes, and he routinely visits his friends at the Senior Center. Essentially, the Senior Center offered Alfredo another chance at life—and helped empower him to take it.
The Pike Market Food Bank is located only a few blocks north of the Senior Center. “I’ve always thought of [the Senior Center and Food Bank] as two arms that wrap themselves around the downtown community, but part of the same body,” Freeman explains. Every year the Food Bank provides more than 500,000 pounds of food to low-income families, seniors, and other individuals in the Pike Place Market and downtown neighborhood. Currently open for distribution twice a week, the Food Bank receives supplies from organizations such as Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline, through food drives at local schools and companies and from gleaning efforts at Pike Place Market. The Food Bank team is constantly evolving its “storefront” to be more welcoming, accessible, and efficient, and to eliminate the stigma often associated with donated food. Market patrons may catch Freeman dashing through Pike Place on any given morning. Figgy Pudding attendees may glimpse her running the Caroling Competition. But one thing is for certain: Through her work, Freeman has made a lasting impact on a population often overlooked. “The Market community is very special. It’s so wonderful and so connected.
Alfredo and Mark Lally in Post Alley.
As big as it is and as crowded as it is, it’s also intimate. People really care about one another,” Freeman explains. “Just being part of the Market community is exciting and rewarding and it’s very much my community. . . . There were a couple of times I thought I should leave and go do something else. I looked around and interviewed a few times, and then I just couldn’t. I found that my heart was here.” Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank is made possible by the support of the Pike Place Market Foundation, the City of Seattle, and the community. By helping our neighbors who work, learn, and live in and around the Market, the Foundation helps the Market you love remain a thriving, caring community. Learn more and donate at pikeplacemarket foundation.org.