Seattle Gay News
Coast in Hang out
Issue 12, Volume 43, March 20, 2015
Arts & Travel
discover
Downtown Anacortes features many historic buildings – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island (the most accessible island in the San Juan archipelago), and is conveniently situated halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. We are the destination point for the San Juan Islands and international ferry runs for Washington state. Whether you are planning a day trip or a vacation, Anacortes has something for everyone. Whale watching tours, kayaking excursions, sailing, boating, birding, fishing, crabbing, hiking or biking – just to name a few activities! The Waterfront Festival and Anacortes Arts festival are enjoyed by all ages. For those visitors who are over 21, the Spring Wine Festival and Bier on the Pier are events that are well attended year after year. Coast in and hang out in our vibrant Old Town. All within walking distance you’ll find casual cafes to elegant dining, quirky to sophisticated shopping, art galleries to boutique vintage shops and unique accommodations. Anacortes has a pleasantly mild climate, with daytime average temperatures in the 40s during the winter and 70s to lower 80s in the height of summer. Our island boasts 65.4 miles of saltwater shoreline, 3,091 acres of city-owned forestlands for our guests to explore, and 12 city-owned parks. Featured activities include:
First Friday Art Walk (Year Round) Spring Wine Festival (April 11) Boat Show (April 10-12 & October) Farmer’s Market (May - October) Waterfront Festival (June 6) Arts Festival (August 7-9) Oyster Run Bike Rally (September 27) – “The 34th Annual Oyster Run – The Largest Motorcycle Event in the Pacific Northwest” – www.oysterrun.org Bier on the Pier (October) SPRING WINE FESTIVAL Just around the corner, it’s almost time for Anacortes’ 7th Annual Spring Wine Festival! This year, we’re bringing 32 wineries to Fidalgo Island for a weekend of decadent wine tasting, food pairings, live music, art, shopping, and blooming tulip fields. Visitors travel from all corners of the world to behold the amazing Skagit Valley tulip fields in full bloom. Enhancing their journey to the valley, the Spring Wine Festival (Saturday, April 11, from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m.) presents the opportunity to indulge in the appreciation of red, white and blush wines from across Washington state. (www.anacortes.org/spring-wine-fest) This year’s lineup of wineries boasts delicious wines from all of Washington’s major wine regions. With a mix of returning and new wineries to the show (including Washington’s first dedicated sparkling
Ferry docked at the Anacortes ferry terminal – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
The best viewing for bald eagles in Anacortes is from mid-December to mid-February – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
wine house!), attendees can explore finishing flavors of vanilla, spice, tobacco, floral, butter and berry on the historic Anacortes pier overlooking the beautiful Guemes
flamenco, alternative folk, jazz vocals and instrumentals, and dance music as you explore the tasty drink and dinner menus of our downtown restaurants:
Cap Sante Boat Marina from the Cap Sante Park Viewpoint – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
Channel. Festival attendees’ enjoy a 10% discount on their wine purchase on the day of the festival. While at the festival, attendees not only get to taste some of the best wines in the Pacific Northwest, they will be indulged with tasty bites from local restaurants. Make it a full weekend of the festivities by staying at one of our areas many lodging options. Attend one of the Friday night winemaker dinners, featuring wines from the festival in an intimate setting with the winemaker. We’re excited to offer five different dinners this year – and one Winemaker Brunch on Sunday! Several area restaurants are also featuring wines from the festival during the month of April. Explore the full list of events in Anacortes for April and plan a weekend getaway to Fidalgo Island. AND IN THE EVENING… After the day’s festival, enjoy live music at multiple downtown venues from 5 p.m. to midnight. With the staggered start times you can stop by each venue and listen to
The Rockfish Grill (320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes) – Jennifer Kienzle Quartet from 5 to 8 p.m. Kienzle is a female vocalist with playful lyricism and a pure tone. Her bright and upbeat band creates unique interpretations from the American songbook. Frida’s Gourmet Mexican (416 Commercial Ave., Anacortes) – Amigos Nobles from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. A Euro-Flamenco instrumental trio that blends elements of blues, world beats, and jazz with a driving Latin beat. The 5th Street Bistro (419 Commercial Ave., Anacortes) – Savage Jazz Quartet from 6 to 9 p.m. Exciting and inventive instrumental jazz quartet with a playful approach to jazz standards and obscure tunes. H2O (314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes) – The Mix Party Band 7:30 p.m. to midnight Playing fun and danceable music from the ‘70s through present day. Spot-on persee anacortes page 6
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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The first major museum exhibition showcasing former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s pin collection has made its debut in the Pacific Northwest this month. Showcasing over 200 pins which Albright famously used to make poignant diplomatic statements, Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection highlights jewelry’s ability to communicate in a nonverbal yet powerfully articulate way. The works on view will span more than a century of jewelry design and include fascinating pieces from across the globe which Albright selected for their symbolic, rather than material, value. The exhibition will explore the stories behind these brooches as well as their historical and artistic significance. Albright’s pointed use of jewelry began after Saddam Hussein’s press referred to her as an “unparalleled serpent.” The then U.S ambassador to the United Nations responded by wearing a golden snake brooch to her next meeting with Iraqi officials. This symbolic act of adornment led to a career-long relationship between Albright’s diplomatic point of view and her jewelry. “I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal,” Secretary Albright
Madeleine Albright was named the first Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright said. “While President George H.W. Bush had been known for saying ‘Read my lips,’ female Secretary of State in 1997 and be- Collection has been organized by the MuI began urging colleagues and reporters to came, at the time, the highest ranking wom- seum of Arts and Design, New York. Generan in the history of the U.S. government. ous support for this exhibition was provided ‘Read my pins.’” by Bren Simon and for the exhibition catalogue by St. John Knits. The local presentation of this exhibition is curated by Stefano Catalani and presented by Fred Meyer Jewelers. Bellevue Arts Museum is a leading destination in the Pacific Northwest to experience art, craft, and design. BAM engages the community through exhibitions, programs, and publications, featuring regional, national, and international artists. bellevuearts.org. Courtesy of the Bellevue Arts Museum
Designer unknown Serpent, circa 1860 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor
Iradj Moini Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil, 2000 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor Hervé Van Der Straeten Sunburst, 1987 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor
Gijs Bakker Liberty, 1997 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor
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Lea Stein Foxy Lady, circa 1970 Photo: John Bigelow Tayor
Vivian Shimoyama Breaking the Glass Ceiling, 1992 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor
Cécile Et Jeanne Peace Dove, circa 1997 Photo: John Bigelow Taylor
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formances with 3-part harmonies, and a fully polished sound. The Brown Lantern (412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes) – Three for Silver from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Americana Folk trio that blends banjo, fiddle and accordion harmonies. With a playlist that ranges from haunting traditional ballads to modern driving rhythms. ESSENTIAL INFORMATION: 7TH ANNUAL ANACORTES SPRING WINE FESTIVAL Saturday, April 11, 2015 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. Port Warehouse Event Center, 1st & Commercial
Anacortes, WA 98221 Must be 21 or older. No children or pets allowed. Advance Purchase: General Admission $40; Designated Driver $20 Day of Tickets – General Admission $45; Designated Driver $25 For additional information on activities, visit the Chamber of Commerce web site, www.anacortes.org, or phone our Visitor Center, (360) 293-3832, located at 819 Commercial Avenue. We look forward to seeing you soon! Courtesy of the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
Aerial view of Deception Pass and twin bridges connecting the Whidbey (left) and Fidalgo (right) islands. Bridges built in 1935. Deception Pass State Park includes park land on both sides of the pass: Island County and Skagit County – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
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Kayakers enjoying the day in Anacortes – courtesy of Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
Celebrating 41 Years!
Victoria, BC a convenient weekend destination for spring by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Looking for a weekend escape without having to go through long security lines at the airport and fussy boarding procedures? A destination you can get to without having to drive, a place that’s easy to navigate on foot, or bike, where hotels and restaurants are reasonably priced and centrally located? Think: Victoria, British Columbia. Situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, this Canadian city of roughly 80,000 is known for its picturesque backdrops, lovely Inner Harbour, pedestrian-friendly waterfront, historic buildings, and the second oldest Chinatown in North America. And, if staying in the city, you need not worry about car rental, as most downtown hotels are walkable from the ferry or seaport terminals. Here are tips and ideas for visiting Victoria. For additional trip planning information, go to www.tourismvictoria.com. GETTING THERE The most time efficient ways Seattleites can get to Victoria are by plane and boat. Kenmore Air (www.kenmoreair.com) flies directly into Inner Harbour from Lake Union by seaplane, or to nearby Nanaimo from Boeing Field by wheeled aircraft; each flight clocking in under an hour. By ferry, the Victoria Clipper (www.clippervacations.com) travels between the two cities year-round, from Pier 69 on the Seattle Waterfront to the Inner Harbour with daily departures at either 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. with early evening returns from Victoria, allowing for travelers to experience daytrips if
The Fairmont Empress Hotel on the Inner Harbour in Victoria BC – courtesy of www.hellobc.com not desiring to stay overnight. Additionally, from May 9 through June 25 and August 24 through September 27, a second ferry departs Seattle mid-afternoon with two return trips from Victoria. From June 26 to August 23, Victoria Clipper offers three departures and returns. Expect a three-hour trek each way with on-board cafe and comfortable seating; many of the seats are window-side to take in the scenery, and there’s an openair upper deck available to everyone, weather permitting. (Don’t forget to bring your passport or enhance driver’s license.)
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ACCOMMODATIONS Easily noticeable and walkable upon arrival at Victoria’s Inner Harbour is The Fairmont Empress (www.fairmont.com/ empress-victoria). Opened in 1908, this preserved gem has hosted everyone from world royalty to political dignitaries to popular artists. The hotel boasts 477 guest rooms, including one or two bedroom suites and junior suites, all elegantly designed with top of the line amenities, such as flatscreen TVs with cable programming and Sony Playstation, high quality linens and duvets, Keurig coffeemakers and tea kettle with regional
gourmet coffee and the hotel’s signature teas, Terry robes, and Le Labo bath essentials. For those who can splurge, the Fairmont Gold is a hotel-within a-hotel experience with personal concierge and exclusive lounge that serves complimentary breakfast, evening canapes, snacks, and refreshments daily through 10 p.m. On-premise fitness center, indoor heated pool, whirlpool, and free WiFi are also available for guests to use at their convenience. The Indianthemed Bengal Lounge, itself a visitor attraction, is a classy bar-restaurant known for its evening curry
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Rodin, Georges Seurat, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec as well as key figures in the Frye Founding Collection such as Wilhelm Leibl, Max Liebermann, Hans Thoma, and Franz von Stuck, who designed the distinctive logo and first prospectus for the journal. The creation of a truly polystylistic, polyglot, pan-European publication such as Pan was in the spirit of the Gesamtkunstwerk, or great united artwork (which is also expressed in the architectural designs presented in the concurrent exhibition “1900”). At the direction of Pan’s editors, illustrations were printed with the same care and integrity as the original works of art, in the belief that graphic arts provided access, for all, to the finest artists of the day.
1900: ADORNMENT FOR THE HOME AND BODY February 21 - May 3, 2015 Drawing on the collection of Seattle residents Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman, the Frye Art Museum is pleased to present 1900, a celebration of adornment for the home and body. With over 200 objects by artists, artisans, and architects of the fin de siècle, the exhibition presents a microcosm of the extraordinary richness of artistic production in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In his influential text The Artwork of the Future (1849), composer Richard Wagner urged artists of his day to pursue the Gesamtkunstwerk, or “great United Art-work, which must gather up each branch of art.” Wagner wrote that the artistic man and the architect should build an “artistic edifice which should answer to their art in a worthy manner.” European and American artists answered his call with their own visions of a total work of art that embraced all aspects of everyday life. In Britain, the Arts and Crafts Movement flourished between 1880 and 1910. In Germany, the artists of the Munich Secession, as well as those associated with Jugendstil and the journal Jugend, transformed the architecture, interior design, forms of dress, and jewelry of the day, as did the artists of the Vienna Secession in Austria. In France and Belgium, the natural world inspired organic designs of great beauty, and in the United States, designers sought honest and simple forms in furniture and applied arts. The exhibition also includes key paintings from the Frye Founding Collection including artists such as Hugo von Habermann and Franz von Stuck, founding members of the Munich Secession.
Pan: A Graphic Arts Time Capsule of Europe 1895–1900 is organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, in association with Denenberg Fine Arts, West Hollywood. The exhibition at the Frye Art Museum is made possible through the Frye Foundation with generous support of Frye Art Museum members and donors. Seasonal support is provided by Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, ArtsFund, and 4Culture. Media sponsorship is provided by Classical KING FM. FUTURE RUINS: RODRIGO VALENZUELA January 31 - April 26, 2015
Franz von Stuck. Cover illustration for Pan prospectus, n.d. Woodcut. 1900: Adornment for the Home and Courtesy of Landau Traveling Exhibitions and Denenberg Fine Arts, Inc. Body is organized by the Frye Art Museum and curated by Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker. dation with the generous support of Frye sonal support is provided by Seattle Office The exhibition is funded by the Frye Foun- Art Museum members and donors. Sea- of Arts & Culture, ArtsFund and 4Culture. Media sponsorship is provided by Classical KING FM.
PAN: A GRAPHIC ARTS TIME CAPSULE OF EUROPE 1895-1900 February 21 - May 3, 2015 This exhibition presents graphic works by renowned artists of the fin de siècle that were published in Pan, the journal of an eponymous Berlin-based cooperative of artists, poets, and critics. Published from 1895 to 1900, Pan served as an important document of the transformation of taste and ideas during this period. It recorded the transition from modern forms of representation in the nineteenth century to the emergence of abstraction and expressionism in the twentieth. The exhibition includes works by Aubrey Beardsley, Käthe Kollwitz, Auguste
Clockwise from top left: Art Krupp Berndorf Company, Phalzbau, Germany. Vase, ca. 1900. Ruby glass and silverplate overlay. Collection of Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman. George Karl von Reichenbach, Munich, for Benedikt von Poschinger, Bavaria. Vase, ca. 1905. Frosted glass with copper overlay and turquoise glass cabouchons. Collection of Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman. Unknown (United States). Vase, 1901. Ceramic blank manufactured by Belleek with hand-painted design. Collection of Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman. Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik (WMF), Geislingen an der Steige, Germany. Centerpiece, ca. 1905. Silverplate. Collection of Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman.
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The Frye Art Museum is pleased to present the first solo museum exhibition of multi-award-winning Seattle artist Rodrigo Valenzuela, who has created a significant body of work since his first exhibition in the United States a mere four years ago; his video productions and photographic works have attracted increasing national attention. For the present exhibition, the Frye Art Museum commissioned “Hedonic Reversal,” a large-scale installation, and “El Sisifo,” a three-channel video projection. These new works move beyond the autobiographical focus of Valenzuela’s earlier projects to encompass broad discussions on class, racism, and labor. “My story,” he explains, “is essentially one of coming from a blue collar family, a family of workers. As a worker myself, I want to make a larger statement about everyday life.” Valenzuela’s work is in part a response to the recent transformation of Seattle as the city assumes its destiny as a capital of global wealth and philanthropy. Inexpensive apartments, workers’ cottages, and unpretentious manufacturing buildings are being replaced by the glittering citadels of the technological elite. While commentators speak of the familiar specter of a boom and bust economy and ruminate on present displacement and future ruins, Valenzuela muses on “the aesthetic of ruins without the social or economic failures that accompany them.” Occupying uncertain territory between docu-
Hugo Sachs. Plate 45, Ornamentik der Gegenwart, 1905–6. Published by Verlag Christian Stoll, Plauen, Germany. Collection of Wayne Dodge and Lawrence Kreisman.
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Rodrigo Valenzuela. Hedonic Reversal (installation view), 2015. Inkjet print. Commissioned by the Frye Art Museum and funded by the Frye Foundation. Photo: Mark Woods
mentary and fiction, he lays bare hedonic reversal, a pleasure in pain that is foreign to him, a pleasure in social and cultural ruins: “I have been looking at how to construct ruins that don’t carry this pain. Are there ruins beyond decay?” Above all, Valenzuela’s gaze is directed at those who construct, clean, and maintain the palaces of illusion: the workers whom he names the 13th Man. Hidden from view, often under the cover of darkness, it is they who remove the debris left behind by the much vaunted 12th Man after passionate celebrations of the city’s athletes. As Valenzuela notes, his labor – his work – is to bring visibility to the 13th Man and to honor her and him through the construction of a counternarrative for and about the working class.
Future Ruins: Rodrigo Valenzuela is organized by the Frye Art Museum and curated by Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker. The exhibition is funded by the Frye Foundation with the generous support of the Raynier Institute & Foundation through the Frye Art Museum | Artist Trust Consortium, and Frye Art Museum members and donors. Seasonal support is provided by Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and ArtsFund. Media sponsorship is provided by The Stranger. The Frye Art Museum is located at 704 Terry Ave. The museum is open Tues-Sun 11-5; Thurs 11-7; closed Mondays. Free admission and free parking. For more information, call 206-622-9250 or visit www. fryemuseum.org.
Rodrigo Valenzuela. Hedonic Reversal #1, 2015. Inkjet print. Commissioned by the Frye Art Museum and funded by the Frye Foundation.
Courtesy of the Frye Art Museum
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voted one of the ten best cities for antiques your special dinner out tonight. The selection in the country in USA Today! There are lit- of restaurants in Centralia is truly a foodies erally treasures behind every storefront as dream. With everything from award-winning you make your way along the Avenue. homemade Mexican fare at La Tarasca to the Getting hungry? Stop into Dawn’s Delec- trusted menu of McMenamins’ Olympic Club, tables for delicious lunch items and incredible you have enough options to fill a month of weekbaked goods. Just next door, taste some of our ends. When you make it back to Tower and Lolocally crafted wines at Heymann Whinery cust you will see The Historic Fox Theatre with and cross the street for fabulous gifts and home its newly restored art deco marquee. The Fox is décor at Fruffels. With locations in Cannon your stop for entertainment with happenings Beach and Centralia, Fruffels is your number most every weekend. While the building is still one stop for home décor, men’s and women’s being restored, it is still a marvelous 1,000-seat accessories and more! Also look for fantastic venue that is perfect for film, theatre, comedy, bath items at The Bath Depot – just around the live music and more. Check out centraliafoxtheatre.com for what is now showing! corner on cobblestone paved Pine St. While you are at the Fox, have an afternoon Continue walking north where you will find treat at Holley’s Place Frozen Yogurt and check Centralia’s most unique shop! HUBBUB is best out the neighbors on this bustling corner: Debdescribed as a bright spot of color and whimsy bie’s Boutique, Brownstone Coffee, Yenney on Centralia’s north end. And if the handmade Music, Primrose Primitives, and more. Actually wonders inside the shop aren’t enough, owner there are so many amazing restaurants, shops, Rebecca Staebler has transformed the adjacent hotels and other services downtown that we parking lot into a sculpture and art park for evCentralia Street – courtesy of Historic Fox Theater Restorations eryone to enjoy. Walk five minutes more and could not possibly list them all. Most importantthe Cascade mountains, Centralia is truly the warm up with some homegrown moonshine at ly Centralia is a welcoming and friendly place Hub City! Arrive by car or on one of 10 Am- Blind Pig Spirits. You are now ready to make for all people and we just can’t wait to show you trak trains that make daily stops right in the the journey back down Tower Ave. around! You are always welcome in Centralia! middle of Centralia’s Historic Downtown. Stop in at Boccata or Tiki Tap House to plan The new Centralia Square Hotel & Grand Ballroom is a great place for your weekend headquarters. With meticulously restored rooms and luxurious in-room amenities, you will feel rested and ready to explore! Start off your day with a hearty breakfast downstairs at Berryfields and a cup of locally roasted coffee at Santa Lucia Coffee Roasters at Locust and Tower Avenues. Santa Lucia is the place to get your bearings and meet new friends. The friendly staff and patrons will be only too happy to give the best recommendations for your time in by Scott White Centralia, while also serving you one of the The Historic Fox Theatre best cups of coffee you have ever had. Special to the SGN Now that you are caffeinated and feel like If you haven’t made the trip down I-5 to you have new friends for life, begin your Centralia lately, then you are in store for a stroll north down the tree-lined blocks of welcome surprise! Centralia is the perfect Tower Ave. Stop in at Embody Movement weekend destination in the Northwest as Studio & Lifestyle Boutique and check out she is perfectly situated in the center of ev- their array of classes and hand-selected erything. Halfway between Seattle and Port- products. Duck into any one of a number The Historic Fox Theatre – courtesy of Historic Fox Theatre Restorations land, and equidistant to the Pacific coast and of antiques shops as Centralia was recently
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Georgia O’Keeffe (1887−1986), Yellow Cactus, 1929. Oil on canvas, 30 × 42 inches. Dallas Museum of Art, Texas. Patsy Lacy Griffith Collection, Bequest of Patsy Lacy Griffith. 1998.217. (O’Keeffe 675) © 2015 Georgia O’Keeffe Museum / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy International Arts ®.
Tacoma Art Museum presents the tional works by her New Mexico contem- Mexico, on view March 1 through June 7, rare opportunity to view 22 of Georgia poraries in the exhibition Eloquent Objects: 2015. TAM is the only West Coast venue for O’Keeffe’s paintings alongside 42 addi- Georgia O’Keeffe and Still-Life Art in New this major nationally-touring exhibition. “Eloquent Objects takes a different look at the American Southwest through stilllife paintings. If asked to describe an image that symbolized New Mexico, most people would likely talk about a landscape or the vibrant cultures of the area,” says Margaret Bullock, TAM’s Curator of Collections and Special Exhibitions. “The paintings in this exhibition instead focus on objects. They ask us to pause and think about how the things that interest us or surround us in our daily lives reveal something about us and the place and time we live in. These are deeply personal images.” Visitors will sense the compelling appeal of New Mexico for painters during a time when many of these artists sought to refine their individual versions of modern art. Still lifes composed of sun-bleached bones, adobe architecture, starkly beautiful landscapes, blossoms, foods, and cultural and religious objects reveal these artists’ impressions of the region from the 1920s to the 1950s. Along with O’Keeffe, visitors will see works by important modernists Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley and artists from each of the major art centers in New Mexico, including Gustave Baumann, Catherine Critcher, Eliseo Rodriguez and more. TAM has an additional O’Keeffe painting, Piñons with Cedar, on view in Art of the American West: The Haub Family Collection, along with other Taos Society works. “It has been a decade since the Pacific Northwest has seen so many O’Keeffe paintings under one roof, and this is the first exhibition to focus on the role of the still Alexandre Hogue (1898−1994), Studio Corner-Taos, 1927. Oil on canvas, mounted on wood, 36 × 34 inches. life as a means for exploring New Mexico’s Philbrook Museum of Art, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma. culture and diversity,” says TAM’s DirecGift of Mrs. Joan Calder-Malouf in memory of Leroy “Skip” Malouf. 2001.10. tor, Stephanie Stebich. “O’Keeffe is widely © Olivia Hogue Mariño & Amalia Mariño. acknowledged as one of the greatest artists Courtesy International Arts ®. of the 20th century, consequently her works
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are in high demand. It is exceedingly difficult to borrow so many. It is a privilege to bring this exhibition to the Northwest.” O’Keeffe lived for almost a century, developing and expressing remarkable skill as a painter and artist and leaving an indelible mark on American art. She spent the first half of her career living and working in New York. For O’Keeffe, New Mexico inspired a wholly new form of expression. Enchanted with the light, forms, and mix of cultures in New Mexico during her first visit in 1917, it became a second home for her, and at the age of 62, she made a permanent move to Abiquiu. The area became the primary subject of her art, and she conveyed her love of the region through form and color. Special events include: “Santos Carvings and Kachina Dolls” – A free lecture by Linda Williams, author and Associate Professor and Chair, Art and Art History at the University of Puget Sound, April 16, 6-8 p.m. Agapita Judy Lopez presents her New York Times bestselling book Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Houses: Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu, April 25, 2-4 p.m. Tickets: $10. The Still Life Tradition in the Northwest: A companion exhibition of Northwest still lifes curated from TAM’s collection will be on view along with Eloquent Objects, March 1 through June 7, 2015. The Tacoma Art Museum is located at 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. The museum is open Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (March-June 2015), and FREE third Thursdays 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Admission: free for members, $14 adults, $12 students/military/seniors 65+. 253-2724258 or visit www.tacomaartmuseum.org. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum
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Georgia O’Keeffe (1887−1986), Deer Horns, 1938. Oil on canvas, 36 × 16 inches. Collection of Louis Bacon. (O’Keeffe 941) Photography by Christie’s Images. © 2015 Georgia O’Keeffe Museum/ ArtistsRights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy International Arts ®.
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Dorothy Morang (1906−1994), Garden of Eden, 1937. Oil on plywood, 28 × 24 inches. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum,Canyon, Texas. By exchange. © DorothyMorang. Courtesy International Arts ®.
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Exterior view of the fairly new Residence Inn by Marriott in Downtown Portland – courtesy of Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Pearl District
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer If you’re headed to Portland for the Madonna show in October, or headed to Portland anytime soon just because, you need to hear about a new hotel that puts you within walking distance of downtown and one streetcar stop away from the Moda Center, where the pop icon will land her “Rebel Heart Tour” this fall. The Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Pearl District opened in April 2014 at 1150 NW 9th Avenue, a few blocks from Union Station, for those who wish to visit Portland by train, and footsteps from restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retail stores, and stops for light rail, bus, and streetcar. It’s not only convenient, if you’re concentrating some or all of your Portland itinerary in the metro area, but it’s time and costefficient as well, because you don’t have
to drive, and if you do, you need only park once for the duration of your stay. Because the Residence Inn is an extended stay property, all rooms are equipped with modern appliances, cookware, dishes, silverware, drinking glasses, and kitchen utensils. This allows guests to dine-in, if on a strict diet or preferring to prepare their own meals, or to enjoy take-out meals, even frozen dinners, to save time and money. Also great about this hotel is daily complimentary breakfasts, included with your stay. Not a lazy spread of fresh fruit, bagels, and yogurt. We’re talking scrambled eggs, biscuits n’ gravy, sausage, pancakes, cereal, toast with butter and jams, oatmeal, orange juice, milk, and freshly brewed coffee – a full-on buffet to get your day started on a full stomach. Items are subject to change, but you’re guaranteed a good selection. Flatscreen cable TVs with remote control, living room/sitting area, work desks,
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kitchen counter seating, and high-speed WiFi service are just a few of the in-room amenities. The Studio guest room I stayed in was ample in size and was furnished with a king size bed, sofa, eating tray, drawers, alarm clock, citrus-scented soaps and lotions, personal coffeemaker with coffee and teas, and all the amenities previously mentioned. On-site amenities include indoor swimming pool, fitness center, restaurant and bar, lobby area, and a tiny Market for snacks, cold drinks, and other grab-and-go items, all located on the main floor. Parking is valet service only and is an extra charge, $32 per car, per day. There are 223 guest rooms on six floors, Studio, and 1 and 2 Bedroom Suites with either single or double beds. Guests are treated to urban views, some facing nearby apartment buildings in the trendy Pearl District, one of the most hipster-friendly neighborhoods in the country. Downtown begins
just across Burnside from the Pearl District, where food trucks, restaurants, clubs and lounges, live theater and music venues, cinemas, major department stores, and independent boutiques are located. Specifically, for anyone going to the Madonna concert (October 17), the Portland Streetcar stop at NW Lovejoy and 9th is two blocks from the Residence Inn and will take you directly to the Rose Quarter, home of the Moda Center. Cost is $1.00 each way, and from my recollection it must be purchased by debit/credit card only. I really liked my guest room and the friendly staff at the Residence Inn, but most importantly the hotel was extremely convenient during my visit, when I attended another concert at the Moda Center, Fleetwood Mac, last November. It was so easy to get there and back, not to mention affordable and hassle-free. For reservations and more information, visit www.marriott.com/pdxpd.
The fire pit, one of the many luxuries at the Residence Inn by Marriott – courtesy of Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Pearl District
March 20, 2015
Seattle Gay News 19
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer It’s a beast, but somebody’s got to tackle it. Los Angeles is a huge city and often passed over for West Hollywood, which has one of the most active Gay scenes in the country. But instead of beelining to WeHo from LAX, consider anchoring your stay in downtown Los Angeles, where an intertwining of cultures, lifestyles and entertainment, plus a serious redevelopment effort with new restaurants and hotels, has gradually transformed it into an attraction itself. Close proximity to Silverlake, a trendy neighborhood with some LGBT activity, and the USC campus, both about 10 to 15 minutes away, and affordable public transportation with direct access to Hollywood, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, and other destinations just outside the city, makes downtown LA a convenient spot to base your visit. The city is obviously too big and spread out to conquer in one trip, but you’d be amazed what you can see and do on a long weekend. Just two hours by plane, a trip to Los Angeles rewards you with a sunny, urban getaway and opportunities nearby to lay out on a beach and still party in WeHo. For travel assistance, log onto www.discoverlosangeles.com. From my recent trip to LA, here are some suggestions:
Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles – photo Albert Rodriguez
ACCOMMODATIONS Everyone knows that the first Ace Hotel opened in Seattle’s Belltown district, right? Since then, sister properties have sprung up in Palm Springs, Portland, New York, London, Panama City, and in Los Angeles. Now a year-old, the LA hotel (www.acehotel.com/losangeles) is conveniently nestled on Broadway, between 9th Street and Olympic Boulevard, less than a 10-minute taxi ride from Union Station (Amtrak, regional commuter trains), and a 5-minute walk to the nearest Metro Rail station (city subway). This is the heart of the city, the gritty and antiquated Historic Core, where vintage theaters, Mexican taco stands, independent coffee shops, modern apartment buildings, fine arts college students, and local hipsters collide. With 182 guest rooms on 13 floors, inside the nostalgic United Artists Building that was built in 1927 and formerly co-owned by legendary actress Mary Pickford, this Ace Hotel is bigger than the Seattle and Portland properties combined. On the 14th floor is a pub-style bar, terrace lounge and small square-shaped pool with deck that provides a social spot for night owls with incredible lookout points to the city. If you’ve ever stayed at an Ace Hotel, you’ll know that rooms are a bit snug, but think of them as cozy studio apartments with contemporary amenities, from flatscreen TVs to complimentary WiFi, and practical items, like work desks and drawers, shelves and closets for your personal belongings. Local architecture and design firm Commune decorated the interior of the hotel, from the main floor restaurant to its guest rooms, and creatively restored it without going overboard. Exposed walls and ceilings, pull-up windows and push button light switches, all original features, in my Medium room gave it an old school feel, and it was nicely furnished with Pendleton blankets, Rudy’s (Barbershop) toiletries, and retro-cool lamps. It surprisingly felt homey and inviting. The popular LA Chapter restaurant and coffee counter, across the foyer from check-in, draws a steady clientele that mingle over steamed mussels, chopped kale salad, and lamb pho dip
inside a bistro-style setting with patio. For music fans, the Theatre at The Ace Hotel is a handsomely restored venue once used for major film premieres back in the day, and years later for worship services by the Los Angeles University Cathedral. Today, artists from Belle and Sebastian to Spiritualized have performed inside this Spanish gothic-themed, tri-level, 1,600-seat theater complete with stained glass-like ceiling and red cushion chairs. For concert listings, click on the “Menu” and “Events Calendar” tabs on the hotel’s main page.
20 Seattle Gay News
March 20, 2015
ATTRACTIONS Being in downtown Los Angeles gives you an advantage of exploring some of the major sites on foot, such as LA Live (www. lalive.com). The 5,600,000 square foot entertainment complex is home to the Staples Center, where both the LA Lakers and LA Clippers men’s basketball teams play, as well as the LA Kings hockey and LA Sparks women’s basketball franchises. It’s also where the GRAMMY Awards are televised annually, and where funeral services for Michael Jackson were held. Aside from sporting events, Staples Center also hosts concerts by top artists like Elton John, Katy
Exterior view of The Hollywood Museum – courtesy of The Hollywood Museum
Perry, Taylor Swift, Bette Midler, and more. Footsteps away is the 7,100-seat Nokia Theatre, another live events space that hosts the Emmy Awards, Espys, AMAs, People’s Choice Awards, and performances by rising artists, such as an early Lady GaGa. A short stroll lands you at Club Nokia, a smaller venue that can accommodate up to 2,300 guests on a general admission open floor, with bar counters at the back, and balcony seating for an additional 900. The GRAMMY Museum (www.grammymuseum.org) is also located at LA Live, where over 400 authentic music-related artifacts are on display that include musical instruments and authentic clothing once worn by major recording artists, plus permanent and temporary exhibits highlighting the careers of specific genres of music, or entertainers, such as Donna Summer, Taylor Swift, Tupac Shakur, and Pepe Aguilar, all currently displayed. A good variety of restaurants, Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels, Lucky Strike bowling alley with lounge, and a Starbucks are also part of LA Live, at the corner of Olympic and Figueroa. For celebrity followers, The TMZ Hollywood Tour (www.tmz.com/tour) is a terrific way to kill two hours in the sunshine. The website-turned-TV show that became famous overnight around the world, when it broke the news of Michael Jackson’s death, now conducts tours in LA aboard windowless shuttles that zigzag through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and neighborhoods in between. TMZ tour guides provide fun dialogue, mixed with video footage of famous people, as you drive around in pursuit of stars out and about. You’re not guaranteed to see anyone, but tour groups have encountered several A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Rihanna, Samuel L. Jackson, and Lady GaGa while having lunch, shopping, or just walking along Rodeo Drive. If you take the subway from downtown, at the 7th Street/Metro Center station, to Hollywood & Vine (Red Line, $1.75 oneway + $1.00 TAP card), it places you directly across the street from the Pantages Theatre and within blocks of the Dolby Theatre (Oscars), El Capitan Theatre (Jimmy Kimmel! Live), TCL Chinese Theatre, and numerous shops and eateries, all fronted by the star-embedded sidewalks of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the vicinity, as well, is the Hollywood Museum (www.thehollywoodmuseum.com). Formerly the historic Max Factor Building, this museum has a bit of everything to suit film and TV fans, or anybody remotely interested in entertainment. The building itself is iconic; this is where Max Factor magically transformed low-brow actresses into international starlets, such as Lucille Ball, Elizabeth Taylor and Jean Harlow, with his signature line of cosmetics and a dab of hair color. There’s so much to see here, such as “The Dungeon of Doom” in the basement level featuring dozens of props from horror movies and television series, from True Blood to The Exorcist to The Walking Dead, and even the jail cell designed for The Silence of the Lambs that was relocated to the Hollywood Museum and is displayed exactly as it was in the Best Picture-winning classic. Another exhibit is called “Reel to Real: Portrayals and Perceptions of Gays in Hollywood,” an ode to LGBT icons and industry professionals including James Whale, Dustin Lance Black, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Lopez, and Hal King, who served as Lucille Ball’s makeup assistant for 33 years. A tuxedo worn by Michael Douglas in Behind the Candelabra, the leather jacket Al Pacino donned in Cruisin’, a costume Nathan Lane paraded around in The Birdcage,
Celebrating 41 Years!
and a photo wall of actors either Gay, or that have played Gay characters, like Hilary Swank, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Felicity Huffman, and Annette Bening, can also be viewed at the Hollywood Museum. If you watched the Academy Awards, the Dolby Theatre (www.dolbytheatre. com) is walking distance from the Hollywood Museum, part of a shopping center, and worth a quick stop to snap a selfie in
trict, an industrial neighborhood currently being revitalized with remodeled lofts, upscale dining options, and young urbanites as new tenants. The menu is simple: handmade pastas and sauces, pizzas, salads, house-cured meats, and grilled or braised entrees. My dinner companion and I loved everything we ordered – kale salad and chicken liver crostina for antipasti, margherita pizza and tagliatelle for our mains,
Bunker Hill representing Asian, Latin, European, and American cuisine, aside from two produce stands, jewelry booth, candy concession, discount store, molé vendors, and a trusted local coffee shop. Since 1917, this market has gone through various phases, and in 2013 underwent a redevelopment effort that brought in new tenants, such as Sticky Rice, a Thai eatery that uses organic, free-range and local ingredients for
from SoCal favorite McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream. Other vendors include Wexler’s Deli, Tacos Tumbras A Tomas, Berlin Currywurst, Sarita’s Papuseria, Roast to Go, and The Oyster Gourmet. All of the eateries at Grand Central Market are laid back, casual, and indoors, except for Horse Thief BBQ, which has a large outdoor patio and daily Happy Hour. Before leaving the market, refuel your caffeine tank at G&B Cof-
Grand Central Public Market – images taken from www.jewishjournal.com, untappedcities.com, asymptotia.com, frequency.com, golosangeles.about.com, www.wheeladventure.com
front of it. There are tours available for the general public that allow you access into the venue, although the steep price ($19) and strict ban on photos or videos is a disappointment for the 25 to 30 minute peek inside. EAT / DRINK Los Angeles has an amazing food scene and the downtown area has received considerable buzz in recent years for its growing list of reputable restaurants. One of the busiest is Bestia (www.bestiala.com), a superb and lively Italian joint in the Arts Dis-
and we shared the signature “Coffee and Doughnuts” for dessert. Everything was flavorful and decadent, but what I enjoyed most was the ambiance, the atmosphere was really upbeat and it was packed with friendly and outgoing locals, plus the brick interior with artsy lighting, coupled with a long bar counter and outside deck, bolstered its attractive appearance. Definitely take a cab from downtown (10 minutes); it’s not the easiest place to find. I’m a converted fan of Grand Central Market (www.grandcentralmarket.com), an enclosed market of food stalls at the base of
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its combo plates. All of the restaurants at Grand Central Market are LA-based; there are no national chains here, so the food is fresh and a reflection of the diverse communities within the city. China Cafe, a resident since the 1950s, is one of the hottest seats in the house, as is Belcampo Meat Co., known for its delicious burgers and sandwiches, and Eggslut, which features a small yet exciting menu of egg dishes. Save room for dessert, either a molé brownie from Valerie at GMC, aka Valerie’s Confections, or a double scoop of Turkish coffee ice cream
fee, a national award winner for its lattes. And, for more dining options, over at LA Live you have a choice of over 20 restaurants and bars to eat and drink at, including The Farm of Beverly Hills, a trendy spot that serves a mean BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, besides signature salads, soups and main dishes. Katsuya, for madeto-order sushi, Rock’n Fish for seafood, Smashburger for handcrafted burgers, Glance Lobby Bar for innovative cocktails, and even a Yard House for brewskies and game-watching, are open daily.
March 20, 2015
Seattle Gay News 21
22 Seattle Gay News
March 20, 2015
Celebrating 41 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
March 20, 2015
Seattle Gay News 23
24 Seattle Gay News
March 20, 2015
Celebrating 41 Years!