Award winning wines featured in “Red, White & Brew” event on July 22

Posted in Food & Drink by Seattle Pockets

A firecracker of a wine event returns July 22! Seattle Magazine’s Red, White & Brew offers great sips from local wineries, breweries, and restaurants!

This event, now in its fifth year, honors the winning wineries featured in Seattle Magazine’s Washington Wine Awards (selected by a panel of top local sommeliers and wine professionals).

You’ll enjoy sips from over 40 local wineries and breweries while enjoying bites from great local restaurants. Enjoy the sunshine and view of the Space Needle & International Fountain.

For a full list of wineries, breweries, and restaurants that are participating, click here.

This event is likely to sell out, so buy your tickets in advance.

A portion of the proceeds from Red, White and Brew benefit Northwest Harvest.

Northwest Harvest is Washington’s own statewide hunger relief agency. Their mission is to provide nutritious food to hungry people statewide in a manner that respects their dignity while fighting to eliminate hunger. Their vision is that ample nutritious food is available to everyone in Washington State. This is an awesome Seattle organization!

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Use hashtag #RWBSea on social media.

Facebook event page here.

Hope to see you there!

4Dec2015

Homo for the Holidays Giveaway

Posted in Arts Events, Giveaways & Special Offers by Seattle Pockets

A bawdy, non-traditional tradition returns to Seattle December 10 – 27: “Homo for the Holidays!”

Burlesque, drag, and cabaret, this is a star studded feast of a holiday show. You probably remember the gorgeous and puntastic BenDeLaCreme from RuPaul’s Drag Race. This delicious creature hosts “Homo for the Holidays,” now in its 7th year. She’ll be joined by the Seattle favorites Kitten LaRue (vavavoom!), Lou Henry Hoover (adorbs!), Cherdonna Shinatra (what-the-heck-was-that-in-the-best-way), The One The Only Inga (enchanting), Faggedy Randy (yum!), The Luminous Pariah (intoxicating), Waxie Moon (comedy-swoon!), and more. Yes, I fangirl crush this cast BIG time.

This show sold out last year and is likely to again. There’s a reason The Stranger calls this the “premiere event of the true gay yuletided season.”

Get your tickets now. Show runs December 10 – 27.

Oh yeah, there’s a GIVEAWAY too! You can enter the giveaway to win a pair of ticket (OR get a Homo for the Holidays prize pack, if you already have tickets).

5Oct2015

Black Cat Bash on October 24: Great DJs, Venue, and Cause!

Posted in Charity / Benefit, Miscellaneous Awesome by Seattle Pockets

It’s true, I attend costume parties throughout the year (the occasional themed house party and Burning Man camp fundraisers), so it’s no surprise that October is one of my favorite party months, with so many Halloween parties to attend. Why wait until October 31 to dress up and get down on the dance floor?

I’m excited to start my Halloween festivities early this year by attending the Black Cat Bash on Saturday, October 24th!

Join me!

Facebook event page.

This second annual fundraiser for the Seattle Humane Society is a dance party that is not to be missed. One of my favorite DJs, KEXP’s DJ Michele Myers (also a burner), will be spinning from 10pm – midnight, with the fab DJ Baby Van Beezly before and after. For those of us who enjoy a break from the electronic music scene, this is the party for you: music from the 80s to today, including pop hits, soul, and guilty pleasures. The dance music was awesome last year and I know we are in for the same again this year. You can even tweet your music requests to @blackcatbash before the party!

KEXP DJ Michele Myers

DJ Baby Van Beezly

The venue is Studio Seven in SODO, which offers seating and room to chat upstairs with a spacious dance floor downstairs. Food trucks “No Bones About It” (vegan and SO tasty!) and “Dante’s Inferno Dogs” will be outside for late night nosh needs

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100% of the net proceeds from the event will go to the Seattle Humane Society.

Tickets, here.

Click here to tweet about this.

Party hosted by Kitty Valentine (aka my pal Kate Jiggins), Shindig Events (so awesome), and Pioneer Pet Feed & Supply.

Photo from last year’s Black Cat Bash

13Jul2015

A 12 year old and her Oma review the musical “Wicked”

Posted in Arts Events by Seattle Pockets

My 12 year old niece and my mom saw Wicked for the first time last week and loved it (of course)! Here are their delightful reviews. Wicked plays The Paramount Theatre in downtown Seattle now through August 2nd.

Wicked review by Nara Deller, age 12:

Before Dorothy, before Toto, when the tin man and the scarecrow were still human…

Wicked is the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good came to be. It’s about the witches of Oz, an unlikely friendship, and different paths you choose in life. The curtain draws you in with an amazing map of Oz. The amazing sets, brilliant costumes, and powerful music (songs like Popular, Defying Gravity, and For Good) set the stage for all the talented performers! Glinda (Alyssa Fox) was very funny, she got everyone laughing, and Elphaba (Carrie St. Louis) was outstanding in her emerald role.

Great cast. Powerful music. Loud. Amazing sets. Hilarious Dialogue.

Wicked review by Jeanne Deller, Nara’s Oma:

Venturing about town on our way to Wicked at the Paramount Theatre, my granddaughter and I discovered multitudes of like-minded musical theatre aficionados thrilled to be welcoming this rollicking show back to Seattle.

This avant-garde, heart-warming portrayal of hard-won, most-unlikely friendships takes us to the Land of Oz, pre-Dorothy, with familiar characters peppered throughout. Stephen Schwartz’s music and lyrics bring wickedly funny and daring escapades to light in introducing villains and heroes alike.

Elphaba (Alyssa Fox) and Glinda (Carrie St.Louis) are outstanding in their respective roles as bad witch and good witch. Glinda’s over-the-top self-absorption keeps the crowd laughing – her character even more lively and animated than when the show began its blockbuster Broadway run 12 years ago.

Brilliant casting, superb staging, incredible costuming – all intermingled with high-flying monkeys and more. Wicked continues to impact audiences around the world in the most positive way – forever changing lives “For Good!” Grab your friends, significant other, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews (recommended for ages 8 and up) and join all those Seattleites out there who are basking in Wicked’s glow. Choral numbers “Popular” and “For Good” are alone worth the price of admission. You have through August 2nd to catch this dynamite show and join in the rousing, standing ovation with the drop of the curtain on the final act.

Buy your tickets to Wicked now (or learn about their day-of $25 ticket lottery).

Photos by Joan Marcus.

31Dec2014

Looking back at 2014

Posted in Inside Pockets, Travel Pockets by Seattle Pockets

Expressing gratitude on a daily basis has been a big theme for me this year. Looking back on all that’s happened, it’s clear I have a lot to be grateful for. I am most thankful for my incredibly supportive family and friends and the wonderful man I get to spend my life and everyday with. Many thanks to everyone who has been a part of my life this year!

Brandon and I rang in the new year at a unique apartment party (three friends who live in the same building each opened up their homes) surrounded by many close friends, including Molly & Ryan S who were in town visiting from New York! A few days later, we celebrated my oldest niece’s 11th birthday with a trip to the ice skating rink with the family.

Silly pose with silly friends

In February, I celebrated my 34th birthday with a low key pajama party with a few friends. This year I definitely became more in touch with my introverted side and enjoying smaller group settings than in previous years.

In March, Brandon, Paul and Erin and I went to Napa to visit Morgan and Brian (who live in SF) for a relaxing weekend of wine tasting. It was so great to catch up with friends, eat delicious food and taste some remarkable wines in such a beautiful part of our country. We had the most fun in wineries in Sonoma – definitely want to go back.

With Brandon, Morgan, Brian, Erin and Paul in Napa

Later that month, I took the bus to Portland to visit my sweetheart of a friend Billie P who was finishing up her Masters program. We got to visit some of my favorite used clothing shops and eat at some awesome Andy Ricker restaurants with Heather and Andrew.

Two muppets in Portland

In April, Brandon and I took our first overseas vacation together to visit Molly F in Spain! We had an incredible two weeks with Molly and Julio. First stop was Madrid, then we had a perfect beach vacation in Nerja and a few days at the end of the trip in Granada. So much food and wine!

The coast in Nerja, Spain

In Granada, Spain with the Alhambra behind us

In June, I headed to Eastern Washington to meet up with Molly S (visiting from NY) and her sister Meg. More wine tasting and a little horseback riding!

In July we went to “Summer Camp” with a gaggle of friends and made many new ones. Go Team Red!

Summer Camp!

Later that month, Brandon flew his Mom, Gerry, out from Philly to visit us. We were happy to have such a remarkably warm summer and I took advantage of hitting Madison Park beach with a few friends quite a bit. Tom and Jill took us tubing down Cedar river and we went back again with our moms while Gerry was in town.

In August, Erin and I hosted Alida’s bachelorette party, which was filled with laughs. Molly F came to stay with us for a bit while she was in town for a few weeks before she went back to Spain for another year of teaching english. At the end of the month, Brandon and I went to Burning Man for my 6th, his 7th, year and camped with fabulous friends.

Watching the Man burn

In September, Brandon and I were in Alida and Will’s wedding party – one of the most fun days of the year! It was a wonderful ceremony – a perfect blend of sincerity and hilarity.

Alida and Will and their wedding party

A day full of laughter and smiles

Later that month, Erin and Justin came to visit from the midwest and I got to introduce them to some of my favorite restaurants! We celebrated Brandon’s 37th birthday with a rooftop party on the last nice day of the summer, complete with a screening of Never Ending Story and sleepover on the roof. Brandon and I hopped on a plane to Florida at the end of the month, to spend a week of DisneyWorld and Universal Studios fun to celebrate his mom’s birthday with her and some of her gal friends and cousins.

Disneyworld!

Brandon and his wonderful mom

In October, I achieved a dream of going to Disneyland with my nieces. My brother and sister in law and my parents also joined me and Brandon on this truly magical trip. Memories from those days are such a treasure!

The niece’s first trip to Disneyland

My youngest niece celebrated her 8th birthday in October (delightfully choosing a “EAT COBB – Cobb Salad party” as her friend party theme).

Brandon and I ended our very-Disney-fall by dressing up as Disney characters with many friends for Halloween. Brandon and I celebrated out 7th year together as Princess Jasmine and Abu from Disney’s Aladdin.

In November, Kathryn and I were judges for the Seattle International Comedy Competition and had a hilarious evening, as always. For thanksgiving, Brandon and my mom and dad reconnected with some of my cousins who I haven’t seen in years. It was great to visit with them after so long.

In December, Brian flew up to visit for a co-ed bachelor party weekend. We celebrated with good food, Santarchy, and putting down some tracks in a recording studio.

“He sees you when you’re sleeping…”

Laying down a few songs at a recording studio

For Christmas, Brandon and I flew back east to visit his family in Philly and Jersey and got to meet his 8 month old twin cousins for the first time.

Business is great. I love running my own company and working with my fantastic clients and account managers. I celebrated 5 years (4 years full time) this year – time flies!

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Other highlights from the year include: reading more (28 books this year!) burner costume parties, celebrating friends’ birthdays, girls nights, pj parties, dinner parties with planned topics, staycations at great Seattle area hotels, attending fun shows including The Atomic Bombshells, Teatro Zinzanni, Unexpected Productions and Beauty and the Beast (with the nieces just before our Disney trip), game nights, discovering the joy that is a sherpa blanket, bootie mashups, and house parties.

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What I want to do more of in 2015: Take more photos (and learn how to take better photos on my iphone). Take more alone time to reflect, relax and grow. Spend more time with close friends in smaller groups or one on one. Continue to travel. Eat less, workout more (so cliche). Find new passions. Volunteer. Write more. Enjoy more game nights. Start working on a (for-secret-for-now) personal project. Continue to discover great books, travel and express gratitude every day.

23Sep2014

5th Avenue’s dynamic production of “A Chorus Line” closes September 28th

Posted in Arts Events by Seattle Pockets

Review from guest blogger, Jeanne Deller:

For those of you who have yet to experience “A Chorus Line” live, up close, and very personal , be sure to catch The 5th Avenue Theatre’s dynamic, often poignant, performance.

This cleverly cast and brilliantly directed production is a must see. This is your chance to catch an inside, in-depth sneak-peak into the highly-charged world of actors’ minds, hearts, and auditions – well beyond the glitz and glamour of actual performances. So true-to-life for those who dedicate their lives to the art of theatre and entertainment.

The company of A Chorus Line at The 5th Avenue Theatre.
Photo Credit Mark Kitaoka

The 5th Avenue Theatre’s gifted orchestra complements this fabulous chorus line in every beloved musical number throughout. Fabulous orchestration, song, and dance! Don’t miss it – you only have until September 28th to see the show.