Giveaway: Toast of Seattle networking event on Capitol Hill this January

Posted in Giveaways & Special Offers, Networking Events by

By Keridwyn Deller

The Toast of Seattle is back on January 17, 2020. If you’re a regular reader of Seattle Pockets blog, you know that this is my favorite networking event in town, because of the cleverly designed structure that allows you to connect comfortably and easily with at least other 20 attendees.

This time around, Toast will be at the Silver Cloud Hotel on Broadway on Capitol Hill on January 17th. You’ll get breakfast with the event along with those good feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes with effective and fun networking.

Be sure to bring at least 20 business cards with you!

Read on for your chance to get a free ticket for this wonderfully formatted networking morning event.

Why is Toast of Seattle so special? The format. You start by finding a table to sit at while you enjoy breakfast. Then, after some opening remarks, you will network in a sort-of “speed-dating” inspired way (though it doesn’t feel rushed. Each person has 2 minutes to talk about their business. At the end of the round, everyone changes tables (you open up an envelope that shows you what table to go to next, no decision making required) and starts again. They guarantee you meet over 20 people in 2 hours. The structure makes networking efficient, productive, fun, and easy. It’s introduced me to some great people and I have learned a lot about other wonderful organizations in this great city of ours.

Early-bird priced tickets are available now.

To enter to win a ticket to attend this great event follow these easy steps:

 

1) Comment on this blog post

2) Comment on my Facebook post at fb.com/seattlepockets  (tag friends and/or tell me why you’re excited to network more this month)

2)  RSVP interested or going on the Facebook event page 

That’s it! If you aren’t on Facebook, you can still enter by leaving a comment on this blog post and signing up to get emails when future posts are published.

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Giveaway ends 1/7/2020 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. All local, state, and federal rules apply.

Giveaway: Light up your nights with this perfect gift from Lumio Designs

Posted in Fashion, Giveaways & Special Offers, Kid Friendly, Miscellaneous Awesome, Shopping Pockets by

By Keridwyn Deller

It’s the perfect time for a giveaway from local Seattle business, Lumio Designs! It’s been such a joy to see this local business grow, helping to bring joy to so many. Lumio Designs owner Liz Larsen has a sparkling personality, so it seems so natural that she would create a line of reusable wearables and accessories that light up the night and encourage others to shine. While Lumio Designs are fun to wear year-round, they are extra delightful this time of year when it gets dark so early.

Read on to learn more about the company (including how they work with Refugee Artisan Initiative, helping to empower women refugees in Washington State). You’ll have the chance to enter to win one of Lumio Design’s fun light-up accessories.

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My favorite accessories from Lumio designs include:

Their light-up scarf/boa. I treated myself to one of these beauties earlier this year and it kept me warm at night at my favorite festivals. I was delighted to find out that the scarf is washable and you can put different types of lights in the scarf for different looks. One of the things I love most about Lumio Designs is that they are reuseable lighted gifts (just change out the batteries when you need to). It’s been a lot of fun to wear this warm and cute scarf around Seattle. You can imagine that people smile and make eye contact a lot more when you’re glowing! I love seeing smiles on other people’s faces as they walk by when I’m wearing this scarf.

The Lumio Designs accessory that is the most recent addition to my collection is the darling feather collar. This collar comes in white or pink. I’m going to be sporting mine this weekend at a holiday party and look forward to wearing it out dancing in the coming months as well. I think it may be a great addition to my traditional New Year’s eve outfit too.

Check out the light-up hats, scarves, gloves, cat ears, and much more on Lumio Designs website or Amazon Prime page. Use code LumioHolidays for free shipping on their website right now.  You can also visit the Lumio Designs booth at Enchant Christmas in T-Mobile Park now through December 29th, 2019.

These unique holiday gifts will be sure to delight many folks on your wish list (I fully support getting yourself something too). Not only are you supporting a local business (one that reduces waste with rechargeable battery packs), you’re also supporting the work of Refugee Artisan Initiative, a Washington State organization that creates jobs that pay a living wage.  The feather collars are specifically created by women through RAI! And I’m giving one away now!

To enter to win a Lumio Designs Feather Collar:

  • Post a comment on this blog post
  • To enter via Facebook, check out the giveaway post on my Seattle Pockets Facebook page at fb.com/seattlepockets.
  • To enter via Instagram, check out the giveaway post at instagram.com/keridwyn.

You can enter via Facebook or Instagram or both. If you don’t have social media, that’s ok – your comment will enter you into the giveaway.

In the meantime, the holidays are coming so be sure to buy those Lumio Designs gifts now for everyone on your list.

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Photos via Lumio Designs.

Don’t miss these makers at Seattle’s Urban Craft Uprising indie craft event this weekend

Posted in Kid Friendly, Miscellaneous Awesome, Shopping Pockets by

By Keridwyn Deller

The largest indie craft event in Seattle returns this weekend, December 6 – 8, 2019! Urban Craft Uprising “was founded in 2005 to showcase the work of independent crafters, artists and designers — to provide a unique, high quality, hand-crafted alternative to “big box” stores and mass-produced goods.”
Going to #urbancraftuprising at Seattle Center is one of my favorite holiday traditions. I always find great gifts for people on my list (and take home something extra special to keep for myself). Bring a friend or two and enjoy marveling at all the spectacular items as you pick up gifts for everyone on your list.

Admission is free ($1 suggested donation) on Saturday and Sunday (if you want to attend the preview night on Friday, it’s $10.). This truly is one of the most wonderful shopping experiences you’ll have in Seattle.

Here’s a few makers I think you will want to check out:

 

The earring maker I am most excited to check out is Light Razor Design. Gorgeous earrings and wearables handcrafted from hand-dyed leather, finished hardwoods, and engraved acrylics caught my eye online and I am looking forward to seeing them in person. Ryan (who is based in West Seattle) also crafts wall hangings and planters that would also make great gifts for those on your list who don’t wear jewelry. Check out their Instagram and Etsy shop. Ryan writes: “Every piece is custom conceptualized, designed, cut, engraved, hand-dyed, finished, & assembled by me alone. I utilize computer software and a laser as tools to create each piece, which are then crafted, finished, assembled, and handled one at a time. There is intention, focus, time and special care invested into every item I create.” Light Razor Design wearables are crafted from hand-dyed leather, a variety of acrylics, and hardwoods that Ryan sands and finishes by hands. A few photos:

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Another crafter I’m excited to see in person is an artist whose work graces one of the walls in my guest room/office at home! Collectanea, by Sarah Frost, features a collection of fiber, wood, and paper goods with a fantastic mid-century vibe. I mean, truly, how cute is this mountain wall hanging?

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I have a triangle-shaped wall hanging (also white) that adds a perfect amount of texture to its area of the room. Check out her instagram to check out more of her work.

Another booth I’m looking to check out is Saku Tea (from Bellingham, WA – my college town)! These “superfood latte blends” can be mixed with your favorite milk and served iced or hot and the flavors really intrigue me. From Ruby Cocoa (cocoa, beetroot, cinnamon, and more) to Golden Chai (with tumeric and cardamom and more) to Vanilla Maple Jade (with matcha, vanilla, and more), all these blends really intrigue me. I really enjoy finding non-alcoholic options to mark the end of a long day and I’m excited to add some of their blends to my pantry. You can find them on Instagram here.

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RSVP to the FB event page here.

Have you been to UCU in previous years? Are you going this year? What makers are YOU excited to see in person?

Check out the full vendor list here.

 

Review: “Shout Sister Shout!” is must-see theater that will leave you filled with joy and inspiration

Posted in Arts Events by

Review by Tony Bohn

Seattle Rep’s new production titled Shout Sister Shout! is a stunning portrayal and portrait of the life of “Original Soul Sister” and “Godmother of Rock and Roll,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe.  A pioneer in the music industry, she is known as the first gospel recording star and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.  Her blending of gospel, jazz, blues, R&B, and soul combined with her masterful guitar skills helped her set the foundation for rock and roll, and countless future rock stars including Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

The show takes you through her life from her years as a teenager all the way to her final days.  It touches on her complex but loving relationship with her mother, her tumultuous relationships with her husbands, and her great love affair with fellow musician, Marie Knight.  You get to see her courageous rise to stardom as she navigates her way through the exploitative music industry while also battling the stigma and shunning she received from her church and her gospel roots which considered her new mainstream sound to be “the devil’s music.”  She performs at the legendary Cotton Club in NYC, and the production features guest appearances from other big names such as Little Richard, Mahalia Jackson, Cab Calloway, and Dizzy Gillespie.

The set, costuming, and lighting are all bright and colorful exuding the celebratory quality of the show.  Carrie Compere as Sister Rosetta Tharpe is just phenomenal, and the almost entirely African American cast shines with powerful pitch-perfect vocals, energetic dancing, and endearing performances.  Perhaps the best part is the music itself.  Getting a chance to discover Sister Tharpe’s fabulous catalog of work moved me spiritually and had me swaying and bopping in my seat.

The historical and cultural importance of Sister Rosetta Tharpe as the first black female queer gospel star and her impact on the music industry is not to be understated.  Shout Sister Shout! touches on all these themes of her life and the struggles she faced.  This powerful production lands in my top ten (maybe even top five) favorite local theater productions I’ve seen in Seattle.  You must go check this out!  Shout Sister Shout! runs at Seattle Rep now until December 22, 2019.  For more information and tickets, please check out their website here.

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Photo by Bronwen Houck

2 Giveaways! Enter to win tickets to a movie AND live burlesque/drag show in Seattle!

Posted in Arts Events, Giveaways & Special Offers by

File this under: I can’t enter to win but YOU can!

First:

Swink Style Bar is giving away movie passes to see the new “Charlie’s Angels” movie at Pacific Place in downtown Seattle. You can enter via their Instagram @swinkstylebar here and via their Facebook post here.

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Second:

“Kitten N’ Lou Present CREAM! A Spanksgiving feast of decadently sickening burlesque, drag, and cabaret” at The Triple Door for two nights (four shows) in November. This show stars Love Connie of RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Atomic Bombshells. You can enter to win tickets on their Instagram post here and their Facebook post here.

Let me know in the comments which you entered: the movie, the show, or both!

 

Friends & strangers come together to get a woman and her son to safety

Posted in Charity / Benefit, Inside Pockets, Miscellaneous Awesome, Staying in by

This is a thank you letter for all of you who gave to a stranger to help her and her son find safety this year.

A couple months ago, a Facebook friend of mine messaged me. It brought a smile to my face to see her name pop up in my messages box and we began catching up. She had reached out to me because she had a feeling I could help her with the terrible situation she found herself in. We came up with a plan to raise money so that she and her son could find a permanent, safe solution and used GoFundMe as a tool to raise these much-needed funds for her.

Here’s the original post that she and I crafted together:

Please join me in helping support a wonderful woman and her son move out of her abuser’s home. Her relationship with her now-ex (not the child’s father) became physically abusive recently, having escalated from verbal, emotional, and financial abuse that had built up slowly over time. When she discovered guns in the house that were not even locked up, she immediately got her son out of the house for both of their safety. She has done a remarkable job shielding her son from being aware of the abuse that has happened. This amazing woman, who works in the wellness industry and helps others, needs to stay anonymous to protect her grade-school aged child.

The dynamic between her and her now-ex changed when she moved in with him. He coerced her to quit her job (encouraging her to embrace stay-at-home mom responsibilities to then use that against her with verbal and emotional attacks and financial dependence). She has recently gone back to work and is taking additional steps to empower herself and keep herself and her son safe. She is inspiring and needs help now. She has been connecting with local DV services to explore additional ways of getting support but her options and local resources are limited and she has no extended family to turn to. Currently, she is staying at a friend’s house on a short term basis.

Because of the abuser’s insistence that she become financially dependent on him, she’s in need of some financial support right now. She is working again but needs to remove her child and herself from the home immediately. Let’s help her and her son get safe and secure.

Please join me in donating to her cause. The funds will be used for first-month rent, last-month rent, and a security deposit on a two-bedroom one-bath apartment in Seattle so her son can stay in his same school. The funds would also be used towards a moving service to help get her things out efficiently and safely.  If she raises more money than she needs for these specific costs, she will pay it forward and donate to another family with a similar need or a Local Domestic Violence Program.

Trust me in this, she is a kind, generous, and hard-working woman who gives back to her community and is taking all the steps she needs to empower herself and keep her and her son safe and protected. She is worthy of your love and support. If you can donate and share this with others, it would be so appreciated. We are so grateful for your support.

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Today is a day we get to celebrate together! I received this update from her and shared it on the GoFundMe Page:

 “Thank you friends and strangers alike! By the generosity of all of you donors, as well as a multitude of private donations, I was able to successfully flee the situation. Between community resources and the kind words and donations, I nearly reached my goal and was able to get to a safe living arrangement for me and my son. I feel like the second I got the keys to my new place that my entire life changed. For the first time in a year, I felt hopeful and alive. Good fortune has come my way and I’m excited about this new chapter of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping this to happen. I have already began donating time to a few of the organizations that were essential in helping me get back on my feet. I will never forget this experience and am overwhelmed at the kindness and generosity that still exists in this world. I will do my best daily to pay it forward in every way I am able. Thank you!!”

So thank you, friends, for all your generosity to help this wonderful woman and her son find a safe living arrangement. We are so grateful to all of you.

And to this woman, and all people out there reaching out for support to find safety for themselves and their children, I am so inspired by you. You are worthy of love and safety and support. Thank you, friend, for being brave enough to ask for support. We are so glad that you are now safe.

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Giveaway: Live Stand-Up Comedy in Seattle this November

Posted in Arts Events, Giveaways & Special Offers, Miscellaneous Awesome by

by Keridwyn Deller

Wow! This week I posted on my Facebook page asking what friends wanted to join me for live stand-up shows this fall and the response was astounding! So, let’s do a giveaway!

I love live comedy and have started making it a yearly tradition to add more live comedy into my social life as the days grow shorter and colder. (Even the Mayo Clinic agrees laughter is truly good for us – not only does it act as a quick mood lifter but it also can help us improve our immune system, relieve pain, and make it easier to cope with difficult situations, among other benefits.)

So let’s add a bit more self-care into our November!

My friends at Unexpected Productions have given me a pair of tickets to give away for one of their upcoming nights of stand-up comedy! The Seattle International Comedy Competition returns to Seattle this November and Unexpected Productions (the fab little Seattle theatre in Pike Place Market next to the gum wall) is hosting two nights of the competition on November 7 and 14. The winner of this giveaway gets their choice of what night they want to attend.

Each night at Unexpected Productions will feature different comedians, so if you attend both nights, you’ll see ALL the comedians competing in this year’s competition. If I could attend both nights, I would (the very funny Bo Johnson will be hosting the event on the 7th – he was a hit at a recent Don’t Tell Comedy event).  I’ll be attending with a friend on November 14, 2019. All are welcome!

SO, ready to enter to win 2 tickets to Seattle International Comedy Competition at Unexpected Productions in Seattle? Here’s how

1:  Sign up to receive SeattlePockets.com emails. See the “Sign Up for Blog Emails” box – on the right at seattlepockets.com on a computer or after scrolling down past this post on your mobile device. (If it says “Thanks for Following” you’ve already signed up to get emails. Just make sure the emails aren’t going to your spam folder.)

2: Comment on my Facebook post here and tag a friend.

3:  RSVP interested or going on the Facebook event page.   That’s it!

—

Ready to get tickets now? Buy your tickets here.  

(you can gift your extra tickets if you win)

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More about Seattle International Comedy Competition in their own words:

“Laugh your night away at the real Last Comic Standing, the 40th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition! UP Improv hosts America’s biggest touring comedy festival, the Seattle International Comedy Competition.

33 comedians from the U.S., Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, and Africa compete for top honors and a shot at over $15,000 in cash prizes.” 26 days with 22 Shows at 18 venues across Washington from Tacoma to Bellingham.

Learn more about Unexpected Productions here.

Giveaway ends 11/1/19 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Winner will be messaged directly. All local, federal, and state rules apply.

Review: The world premiere of “The Great Moment” at Seattle Rep is touching, clever, relatable, and enchanting (now through Nov 17)

Posted in Arts Events by

Review by Keridwyn Deller

Get yourself to the Seattle Rep again for the world premiere of the play “The Great Moment.” Successfully breaking the fourth wall with sincerity and clever writing, this was the kind of play that made me want to pick up the script to read through the passages again and let them sink in even more.

A reflection on family, love, life, expected loss, and the peculiarity of our relationship with time, “The Great Moment” blends moments of sweetness, sadness, nostalgia, delight, and humor to create a delightful evening of theatre. Just seeing actor Eugene Lee play a small child is worth the ticket price.

I love a play that is two hours or less and this play is perfectly timed at one hour and fifteen minutes with no intermission. You’ll leave feeling satisfied, awakened to the desire to enjoy the present moment with loved ones in the weeks to come – perfect as we head into the busy holiday season. Seattle Rep is kind enough to offer a variety of pay-what-you-will nights for those on a tight budget, making art more accessible to our community.

About the show in their own words: “As Sarah’s grandfather is nearing the end of his life, her precocious young son Evan is at the beginning of his. Written by Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51), this world premiere play is a funny and poetic meditation on beginnings and endings, birth and age, and the moments of transition that mark our passage from life to death.”

“The Great Moment” plays Seattle Rep at Seattle Center now through November 17, 2019 in the Leo K. Theatre. Tickets here.

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Photo via Seattle Rep’s Facebook page

Free: Self-Care Quickies Guide for busy days

Posted in Giveaways & Special Offers, Kid Friendly, Miscellaneous Awesome, Staying in by

By Keridwyn Deller

I often hear from friends and clients that it’s tricky to include self-care into their busy lives, so I was inspired to create this “7 Self-Care Quickies” guide as a free gift for everyone! This PDF guide shares 7 self-care “quickies” that can be done by even the busiest of people on the busiest of days.

The guide is short (just like you need it to be!) and many of the tips may surprise you! Discover how easily and naturally you can add some self-care into your busy day.

Get the free guide here.

Which tips are your favorites? What self-care quick tips do you have to add? Share in the comments on this post or in my Facebook group!

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Giveaway: Tickets to Seattle Networking event in November

Posted in Giveaways & Special Offers, Networking Events by

Toast of Seattle (my all-time favorite Seattle networking event) returns November 8 at Hilton Seattle on 6th Avenue in downtown Seattle. You’ll get breakfast and will get to experience their well designed networking structure so that you’ll leave having met at least 20 other people who attend.

Read on for your chance to get a free ticket for this wonderfully formatted networking morning event.

Why is Toast of Seattle so special? The format. You start by finding a table to sit at while you enjoy breakfast. Then, after some opening remarks, you will network in a sort-of “speed-dating” inspired way: each person has 2 minutes to talk about their business. At the end of the round, everyone changes tables (you open up an envelope that shows you what table to go to next, no decision making required) and starts again. They guarantee you meet over 20 people in 2 hours. The structure makes networking efficient, productive, fun, and easy. It’s introduced me to some great people and I have learned a lot about other wonderful organizations in this great city of ours.

Early-bird priced tickets are available now through October 31 here.

To enter to win a ticket to attend this great event follow these three steps

1:  Make sure you’re signed up to receive SeattlePockets.com emails. See the “Sign Up for Blog Emails” box  – on the right at seattlepockets.com on a computer or after scrolling down past this post on your mobile device. (If it says “Thanks for Following” you’ve already signed up to get emails. Just make sure they aren’t going to your spam folder.)

2: Comment on this blog post and let me know the first and last name on Facebook OR comment on my Facebook post here.

3:  RSVP interested or going on the Facebook event page.   That’s it!

I look forward to seeing you there!

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Photo via Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce website.

Giveaway ends 11:59pm Pacific Time 10/25/19.