Labels: Real Events

Why not kick off the Holiday Season with a parade, star lighting, tree lighting and a carousel? All of these are a Seattle Tradition. This will be the 51st year for the lighting of the Macy's Star. The festivities begin with the Macy's Holiday Parade Friday, November 28th at 8:45 am in Downtown Seattle. The parade begins on 7th Avenue, heads west down Pine Street, turns south onto Fifth Avenue to University Street, west to 4th Avenue and north on 4th to Macy's doorstep! Presented by The Seattle Times & KING 5 TV; co-sponsored by STAR 101.5. If you can't be at the parade, watch the live broadcast on KING 5 TV at 9:00 am.

The Macy's Holiday Star Lighting is at 5:00 pm, followed by a spectacular fireworks display off the top of the Macy's building in downtown Seattle. Gather at Westlake Park for the best view. The annual lighting of the Seattle Christmas Tree will also be taking place as well as the lighting of the Westlake park Holiday Carousel.

Labels: Local Events, Mark's Corner

The Plot: In her new town of Forks, Washington, misfit teenager Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) falls for her alluring and mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). As it turns out, Edward belongs to a lineage of vampires, although he doesn't fit the typical vampire mold. As their passion reaches dizzying heights, can Edward resist his natural urges, and will he be able to defend Bella from his family members who have come for her? Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...




The Plot: A comedy about a married couple (Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn) from two divorced families who are tasked with attending four Christmas Day celebrations.


The Plot: Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man (Hugh Jackman) in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand. Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...



The Plot: Aliens land on Earth with an important message for its citizens. A remake of the classic 1951 sci-fi film directed by Robert Wise.


The Plot: A professional man (Will Smith) who is close to suicide for his role in an auto accident that claimed the lives of seven people finds a reason to live, and to atone, when he falls for a woman (Rosario Dawson) who wants to help him deal with his grief. Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...




The Plot: What happens when you agree with everyone and say "yes" to everything? Carl (Jim Carrey) is about to find out when he chooses to become overly agreeable for an entire year. Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...




The Plot: A young couple (Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio) raising a family in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s look to break free from their frustratingly mediocre lives.


The Plot: Near the end of WWII, Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) leads to group of fellow German army colonels in an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler; the event would later be called the July 20 Plot of 1944.


The Plot: An impossibly cute, but impossible-to-live-with yellow Labrador retriever named Marley teaches his newlywed owners (Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson) a thing or two about patience and parenthood.


The Plot: During a weekend in which Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) travels to London for his daughter's wedding, her first learns that he's lost his job back in New York, then he discovers he won't be the man giving away the bride at the ceremony. The one good thing that happens -- his meeting Kate (Emma Thompson), a prickly but nevertheless enchanting Londoner -- might be the beginning of some much-needed change in Harvey's life. Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...




The Plot: Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) was born under unusual circumstances. As everyone around him grew older, he aged backwards, making the challenges of life such as creating friendships, finding a job and falling in love all the more difficult and heartbreaking. Our Pick!

Watch the trailer...

Labels: Activities, Industry Alerts, Local Events

You've heard it said many times, but what is a carbon-footprint? Any ideas? Well now is your chance to find out. Take the quiz at myfootprint.org and find out what your personal carbon footprint is.

The Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates the area of land and ocean required to support your consumption of food, goods, services, housing, and energy and assimilate your wastes. Your ecological footprint is expressed in "global hectares" or "global acres", which are standardized units that take into account the differences in biological productivity of various ecosystems impacted by your consumption activities. Your footprint is broken down into four consumption categories: carbon (home energy use and transportation), food, housing, and goods and services.

Click here to take the quiz.

Labels: Going Green

Rainier Brewing Company (1884 - 1999) was a Seattle, Washington, company that brewed Rainier Beer, a popular brand in the Pacific Northwest. Although Rainier was founded in 1884, the Seattle site had been brewing beer since 1878. While the beer enjoys near iconic status, it is no longer brewed in Seattle, nor is the company owned locally. In the late 1990s, the company was sold to Stroh's, then to Pabst, though Miller contract brews most of Pabst's beers. The brewery was closed by Pabst in 1999 and sold.

Although beer is no longer brewed there, the brewery itself is still a fixture in the south end of town, adjacent to I-5 just north of the Spokane Street Viaduct. In fact, as our business sits in the heart of West Seattle, we pass by the building each morning. The plant is now used by Tully's Coffee to roast beans. The trademark red neon R that sat atop the building has been replaced with a green T for the new occupant. But if you are ever feeling a little nostalgic, the neon R is now in the collection of Seattle's Museum of History and Industry.

Labels: Local Events

Labels: Going Green, Mark's Corner

If you are looking to build morale within your own company consider looking toward your employees for inspiration. A local company out of Seattle called Noetix is doing just that. Noetix has taken life size images of the people that work there and created an employee wall of fame. Photos where taken at a company event and posted on one of the hallways at the company. Now when employees arrive, they are reminded how important they are to the company each and every day.

Labels: Activities, Inspiration Corner, Smart Solutions

Labels: Going Green, Mark's Corner

Fabulous home-cooked feasts are a traditional part of Thanksgiving. They can also be a lot of work and a lot of stress. If you'd rather devote your energy to quality time with friends and family, dining out on Thanksgiving Day is a perfectly fine alternative. Since this has become a popular option, reservations are usually required. These resources will help you find out which Puget Sound area restaurants will be serving dinner on Thanksgiving.

• Open Table - this online restaurant reservation services has a special section devoted to restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving
• The Seattle Times - lists menu items, restaurant hours, and price range
• CitySearch Seattle - in addition to listing open restaurants, this site lists Thanksgiving catering and takeout options
• Gayot.com - this restaurant review web site provides a list of Thanksgiving dining options as well as links for reservations

Local Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner...

0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar
Bellevue, WA
Chef Dan is offering a Thanksgiving buffet of traditional fare as well as fresh local seafood.
Cost: $38.95/adult, $16.95/child 5-12, free for children under 5 w/ an adult
Time: Noon to 7 p.m.
Reservations highly recommended

Andaluca
Seattle in the Mayflower Park Hotel
Offering the regular menu.
Time: 3-9 p.m.
Reservation recommended.

Brasserie Margaux
Belltown
A Thanksgiving Day buffet.
Time: 1-8 p.m.
Cost: $39/adult, $14.95/child under 12). Included validated parking.

Chandler's Crabhouse
Lake Union
Offering a 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey, herb roasted prime rib, or fresh seafood delicacies.
Cost: $44.95
Reservations Recommended

Clinkerdagger
Spokane, WA
Offering our regular dinner menu along with a featured Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.
Time: 3:30-8 p.m.
Reservations Recommended

Cutter's Bayhouse
Seattle, WA
Offering a large variety of our most popular items as well as traditional Thanksgiving Day dinners.
Time: Noon - 8 p.m.
Reservations Recommended

Daniel's Broiler
Lake Union, Bellevue Place and Leschi Marina
Offer a delicious, 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey or USDA Prime beef.
Cost: $49.95

Maggiano's Little Italy
Bellevue
Celebrate Thanksgiving with your family & friends! Their special menu includes roast turkey, country style ham, garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin praline cheesecake, & more!
Cost: $34.95 per person (adults) and $16.95 per child.
Carry out and home delivery also available.

McCormick & Schmick's
Offering a limited menu, incl. a traditional turkey dinner, prime rib, salmon, crab, and lamb chops.
Reservations Recommended

Ponti Seafood Grill
Seattle, WA
Join us for a traditional 3-course menu featuring grilled salmon, prime rib, and turkey.
Cost: $39/adult, $15/child
Time: 1-8 p.m.

Toscano
Bellevue Offering a delicious Thanksgiving buffet with over 100 items!
Cost:$39/adult, $20/child 6-12

Labels: Food and Beverage, Local Events, Real Events, Smart Solutions

Get ready for a day of turkey day gorging with the annual Turkey Trot fun walk. Proceeds from the Turkey Trot held November 16, will not only benefit your waistline, but also the Hopelink organization that provides emergency services for low-income families in east and north King County during the winter months when they faces added pressures such as higher home heating costs and additional food needs. Hopelink anticipates an increase by 20% of those visiting food banks this year, and the money raised through the Turkey Trot will go toward providing those in need with the resources they need.

Registration for the fun walk begins at Noon on the 16th at Carillon Point in Kirkland. The walk starts at 1 pm. You may also pre-register to receive a $5 discount.

Click here for more information about the Turkey Trot.

Labels: Activities, Local Events, Real Events

Our holiday inspiration boards continue with this easy to re-create and ultra spectacular Thanksgiving board. Planning an entertaining and family-friendly turkey day has never been easy.

Theme: Giving Thanks, duh!
Colors: Stick to pale oranges, cranberry reds and sage green

Click image below to enlarge.

Top Row: Oak leave cornucopia from Martha Stewart; Leave outdoor lanterns from Martha Stewart; Fall urn from Martha Stewart
Second Row: Fall leave piecrust cutters from Williams-Sonoma; Decorative straw turkey from Williams-Sonoma; Textured Pillar Candles Cardamom Cedar from Restoration Hardware; Vintage Monopoly game from Restoration Hardware
Third Row: Miracle on 34th Street; Fully-cooked smoked turkey from Honeybaked Ham; Homemade cranberry sauce; Sweet cinnamon pumpkin soap caddy from Bath & Body Works
Bottom Row: Pumpkin home fragrance oil from Bath & Body Works; Caterer plates at Pottery Barn; Della Robbia Topiary from Ballard Designs; Nutty Pecan martini from Rachael Ray; Giving Thanks book by M.J. Ryan



Create the look:

The Decor: We like choosing simple decor items that can also carry you into the Christmas season. So stick with fruits and vegetables and dark greens as your design backdrop.

The Food: When it comes to planning a meal for a large group, don't try to do everything yourself. Ask your guests to bring a side dish, and don't feel like you are backing out of the responsibilities by asking others to help out with the meal. Remember, it is Thanksgiving after all, so let your friends give. Of course, there is always the main staple, the infamous turkey. If you are a Tom Douglas mini-me, go ahead and try to make your own frozen/thawed turkey with all the dressings. But if you are like us, consider a catered turkey or a pre-cooked turkey from Honeybaked Ham. Add your own garnishes, and be sure to throw away any evidence of a "store bought" bird so your guests will never know. And, if nothing else, ditch the canned cranberry sauce for the real thing. It's pretty simple to make and you can gloat that you made it from scratch all night long.


The Entertainment: How often do you have all your friends and family together? Not that often right, so make the most of it. Pull out some "family fun" games and stick Miracle on 34th Street in the dvd player. (Yes, we realize this is a "Christmas" movie, but the movie starts out depicting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, so work with us here).

The Mood: From the moment your guests step inside your welcoming home, make sure they are bombarded (that's right, we said bombarded) with the scent of the holidays. Our pick is the lovely scent of spiced pumpkin, which can also carry you right into the Christmas season. Create the scent with burning oil, candles and room sprays and add extra touches with scented soaps and lotions in the bathroom.

The Booze: Be adventurous and try out a new fall-themed cocktail like spiked hot cider, pecan martini or pomegranate mint mojito. What other time of year can you try something so festive?

Labels: Activities, Food and Beverage, Inspiration Corner, Real Events, Trends

Labels: Mark's Corner

When it comes to event planners, we are often on the go, go, go, so reading the next great novel isn't always an easy task. Until now. It's already been endorsed by Oprah as her new favorite thing, and we must admit, the new Amazon Kindle is worth all the buzz.

Utilizing a new high-resolution display technology called electronic paper, Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white screen that resembles the appearance and readability of printed paper. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. It reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting, eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a result, Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room.The screen never gets hot so you can comfortably read as long as you like.

The Amazon Kindle retails for $359.

Labels: Activities, Smart Solutions, Something New