October 17, 2018

Central to Culture: Vibrant Venues and Attractions in the Central District

The Central District is unduly overlooked in a lot of conversations about arts and culture in Seattle. Lower Queen Anne has Seattle Center and McCaw Hall. Pioneer Square has  a majority of fine art galleries. Capitol Hill has venues and arts galore. These neighborhoods are all denser than the Central District, which is still quite residential. However, there is a lot to see and do. Quite frankly, the arts in the Central District have been wowing us some dynamic shows of late. Here are some of the venues, organizations, and cultural highlights of Seattle’s vibrant and historic Central District. The Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas The CD Forum just kicked off its 20th anniversary season last month. This season is being curated by one of our favorite local performers, Dani Tirrell. We were already wowed by the season opener, Showing Out, featuring stellar local choreographer-dancers. In addition to… Read More »

September 26, 2018

Autumn With A Twist: 6 Central Seattle Cocktail Spots to Usher in Fall

Seattle played a huge part in the craft cocktail revival nationwide in recent decades. Destinations like Zig Zag Cafe in Downtown not only brought in tourists but trained elite mixologists. Many have gone on to start their own bars and trained new bartenders to these high standards. Having a creative bar program is now requisite for serious restaurants, especially in trendy nightlife centers like Belltown, Ballard and Capitol Hill. We love those neighborhoods, but we also like dining out in places that lie just a little further out. Just a few blocks south and east of Capitol Hill, in the First Hill, Squire Park, and Central District neighborhoods, you’ll find incredible restaurants and bars. (The designated driver will also have better luck parking, in case you aren’t taking a car.) With perfect, autumnal cocktails in mind, here are six centrally located restaurants and bars to ring in the new season. Canon… Read More »

September 12, 2018

Last Chances and First Looks: Cultural Events on Capitol Hill This Weekend

With new gallery shows and exhibitions, there is a lot of visual art to see in Capitol Hill this weekend. Those are just some of the highlights, though. Check out these unique opportunities to shop, watch, and have a mystical start to your fall. The Swimmer at Northwest Film Forum Over the last month, Northwest Film Forum has presented a film series, 1968: Expressions of a Flame. Programmed by Austin McCann, the featured films have examined various aspects of resistance, activism, revolutionary movements, and the culture fifty years ago. It concludes with the 1968 film adaptation of John Cheever’s short story The Swimmer. Starring Burt Lancaster as the eponymous swimmer, the story compresses time to show one man’s decline through alcoholism—an afternoon that actually spans years. It was a prescient film for America, too, as the country’s reputation entered decline with Vietnam. Read more. Belfry Pop-Up at Creatura House Last… Read More »

September 11, 2018

Sunny Days, Cool Nights: Some of Our Faves in The Central District

There is so much to love about Seattle’s Central District: great food, important history, fun shops. Here’s an itinerary for a full day or a little outing to one of Seattle’s most beloved neighborhoods. Morning Jaunt Some of us like a light breakfast (or a fast one) to start the day. Others need something hardy to get started. Take in some fresh air first, and then get some fresh doughnuts at Raised Doughnuts. If that is too much of a sugar rush, stop by Fat’s Chicken & Waffles (a fav spot for the Diva Posse) instead for a hearty soul food brunch. You can never go wrong with fried chicken and waffles. Midmorning Reverie As the sun streams over the hills to the east, it’s a nice time to find a little inner peace. The carefully edited book selection at Unity on Union offers many guides to meditation and personal magic. If… Read More »

June 13, 2018

Friends, Family and Feels: Remington’s Guide to a Cheerful Pride

What is Pride to you? Pride is a time to celebrate all the people who make up the LGBTQ community. It is a time to get together with your close friends and allies and show the world your true self. To me, pride weekend is about enjoying inclusive events and recognizing that those that paved the way before us are the reason we are able to celebrate equality for our community. Seattle Pride now has some extra, personal significance for you, doesn’t it? I was fortunate enough to meet my partner, Tom, before the parade three years ago. We were both in line at the cuff at 9 AM, and he was standing right in front of me. We made eye contact several times, then started chatting. I asked for his number and we went on a date 2 weeks later! You never know who you may meet at Pride!… Read More »

December 7, 2017

Seattle is a City of Literature: 12 Local Bookstores We Love

Independent bookstores abound in Seattle. Some are quite unique. To mark this occasion we have to give some love to some of our favorites in some of the most vibrant and picturesque Seattle neighborhoods. Pioneer Square The heart of the art gallery scene is also home to some of the most exquisite book shops in town. It may have lost Elliott Bay Books a few years ago (we’ll get to them), but it has some truly incredible shops to fill your shelves. Arundel Books Arundel Books has that classic bookstore look: wheeled ladders, shelves towering overhead. In addition to rare books, it also sells limited edition broadsides of poetry, fit to be framed. It has its own press, too, which has produced a few art books, including one devoted to the art of Jane Richlovsky (which is always by the coffee table in the Divas’ living room). We are in… Read More »

November 1, 2017

Get Out and Explore Magnolia

You Really Can’t Beat Magnolia Village Just three short blocks from our newest listing is the heart of Magnolia Village. With a walk score of 75, leave your car at home and enjoy a stroll around this quaint area full of established local businesses and services. Grab a morning coffee at Uptown Espresso or stop in at Petit Pierre Bakery for a pain au chocolat and a latte made by the owner. You can find practically everything you would need here. Groceries, hair salon, post office, healthcare, home, and garden products. All of this and so much more! Dine out at Serendipity Cafe, Rogo’s, El Ranchon, or Mondello Ristorante. Just to name a few. You will get to know how community-centered Magnolia and the Village are while you run errands. Like getting that small town vibe while still living in a major metropolitan city. Parks, Playfields and the Community Center… Read More »

October 11, 2017

Get Out and Explore Alaska Junction

The Best Offerings in Alaska Junction are Blocks Away Looking for a neighborhood with its own year-round farmers market? You’ll find it here! Every Sunday, like on Capitol Hill, you can shop for your needed essentials at the fabulous West Seattle Farmer’s Market located at California Ave SW & SW Alaska. In the heart of the junction. Are you a music buff who enjoys a good brunch? We have just the place for you! Start your day with a delicious breakfast and hang out perusing the CDs and vinyl available at Easy Street Records. Two birds, one stone! Feel the burn and center yourself at Crossfit Loft and Bikram Yoga of West Seattle. Drink and or dine like a Diva at Raccolto, Shadowland, West 5 or The Matador. Alaska Junction really has everything you need and it’s within steps if not blocks.   Play Bingo with Sylvia O’Stayformore, DonnaTella Howe,… Read More »

October 4, 2017

Get Outside and Explore Capitol Hill

Urban Living at its Best We highly recommend that you get out and explore Capitol Hill. Broadway, the Pike/Pine corridor, E. Olive Way, and both 12th and 15th Avenues. They have a variety of businesses and unique shops offering local goods and clothing. Broadway Market is nearly a one-stop shop all to itself. If you can’t find it there, you will close by! When the weather is nicer, many of the restaurants and bars such as Witness, Bait Shop, and Rom Mai Thai pour out onto the street with sidewalk seating to enjoy the diverse fare and passers-by. Grab your morning coffee on the way to work at the Vivace, Analog or Top Pot. Enjoy weekend brunch and a stroll thru the year-round Capitol Hill Farmers Market. There is no shortage of outdoor space. The larger Volunteer and Cal Anderson parks allow for a green escape in the city. Find… Read More »

August 2, 2017

Visit Seattle Art Fair Like An Art World Insider: Tips from a Critic

The Seattle Art Fair gives visitors the opportunity to check out thousands of artworks from around the world. Local galleries put some of their strongest work on display, while international galleries find new audiences for their artists. It can be a little overwhelming if you try to do it all…and that is just the main fair! There are lots of other big exhibitions and gallery shows happening around the fair, too. Our pal T.s. Flock is an art critic who writes for Seattle Weekly and Vanguard Seattle. He answers some questions for all you Divaland art devotees who want to check out the fair, but need a little guidance. What is the best day to go? If you can go on Friday, do it. It’s the first full day of the fair, so everyone will be a little fresher, and if you are interested in buying work, you’ll get ahead… Read More »