Seeking: date inspiration, a sunny breakfast spot, and a roller derby
+ where to find the oldest hotel in Washington
Apologies for the late letter today! My week was a little wonky because I went to Eugene, OR to celebrate Passover with my boyfriend’s family and then suddenly started a fun part-time gig this week (more on that next week).
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
*This post is a little long, so don’t forget to expand if it gets cut off in your email!
💎 Local gems
Basecamp Cafe and Bar | Capitol Hill
I was vaguely aware of Gearhouse, an outdoor gear rental library and adventure club, but their new community space + coffee house is new to me — and it’s really cool. I got to experience it at an event I attended this week, but I’m looking forward to coming back for a coworking day or happy hour meetup (3-7 pm). It’s 4 minutes from the Capitol Hill light rail station, has tons of seating options, and the coffee + food is an excellent price for the area ($3.50 for an americano, $7 for a breakfast sandwich).
If I was more outdoorsy, I’d consider their all-access monthly membership program for $95 which includes unlimited access to their gear library, free coffee + tea at the cafe, access to all their events, and discounts on their courses (there’s also a $30 community membership with more limited offerings). It’s a good local alternative to REI’s gear rental program and would be a great place to find/make friends if you’re looking for an outdoor community!
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The Birdhouse | West Seattle
When I came here on a sunny morning a few weekends ago, this place felt like a mini block party. They had a bubble machine going, friendly people milling about (someone complimented my sweater), and every few minutes a cheerful employee would pop their head out of the window with someone’s order. There are a few tables onsite, but I recommend taking your order to nearby Lincoln Park to enjoy it by the water. I’ve had both the breakfast bowl and breakfast sandwiches — both are great, very customizable, and reasonably priced.
I recently picked up a copy of this book from the library and it’s been fun to flip through for inspiration! It’s organized by neighborhood and has very cute illustrations throughout. I was a little skeptical of the Portland-based authors featuring restaurants and activities in our ever-changing landscape, but the recs seem pretty solid and evergreen. There wasn’t a ton of new information or ideas for me in there, but I’m considering buying it to have on hand for those days when I don’t want to go down an internet rabbit hole. Would be a great gift for any new friends who move to the city!
👀 On my radar
Elliott Bay Sauna & Hot Tub Co. | Federal Way
So I love the idea of a rentable hot tub in theory, but since this is a private place that can be rented by the hour… it’s not hard to guess what some customers might be getting up to behind closed doors. But the reviews are great and there have been no complaints about cleanliness! It costs $24.50-28.50 per hour, per person, and you get your own private suite that includes a hot tub, rest area, dry sauna, TV, and a shower. If I muster up the courage to check it out, I’ll let you know.
Rat City Roller Derby Championship Bout | Magnuson
Attending a Rat City Roller Derby has been on my Seattle bucket list for a while now, so I was stoked when they reached out to me about their championship bout happening on May 4th! In addition to the three bouts (including an alumni exhibition), the street band Neon Brass Party will be playing and there will be food trucks and a beer garden on site. Tickets are $30 and the event runs from about 3:45 - 8:30 pm. I’m excited to round up some friends to go see this, but I also want an excuse to get some Rat City merch.
Seattle Storm Home Games | Climate Pledge Arena
Another thing that has been on my list for far too long is to see a Seattle Storm game. The WNBA has been making waves recently (thanks to Caitlin Clark), which has reminded me that I really need to see and support our home team.
Tokeland is a little peninsula town on the coast about 3 hours from Seattle and 1.5 hours from Long Beach. I’d never heard of it until I came across this IG video — and now I’d love to plan a little day trip or weekend away here. According to the video, the Tokeland Hotel is the oldest hotel in Washington and there’s great clamming at Grayland Beach (which has campsites and yurts you can rent). It’s also close to some other coastal towns so it would make for a good pitstop on a coastal road trip or a home base to explore from.
📆 This weekend’s events
Seattle Erotic Art Festival | Friday, 4/26 | Uptown | $18-350
Central District Poetry Night | Friday, 4/26 | Central District | $0-12
ABBA Night | Friday, 4/26 | Westlake | $65-105
DAYBREAKER SEA // PEACE TOUR | Saturday, 4/27 | Magnolia | $35-55
White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival | Saturday, 4/27 | White Center | Free
REI Presents: S’mores on the Shore | Saturday, 4/27 | Downtown | Free
Dee's Nuts: A Live Comedy Talk Show | Saturday, 4/27 | Capitol Hill | $20
Seattle Independent Bookstore Day | Saturday, 4/27 | Various locations | Free
Seattle Boba Fest | Saturday, 4/27 | U District | Free
Fremont Bridge Night Bazaar | Saturday, 4/27 | Fremont | Free
Diva Ranch: A Country Drag Show | Sunday, 4/28 | Ballard | $17
Free Boating Day | Sunday, 4/28 | SLU | Free
((( o ))) | Sunday, 4/28 | Capitol Hill | $22.50-25
Multi-day:
Upper Left Comedy Festival | 4/25 - 4/27 | Belltown | $15-250
Cadence Video Poetry Festival | 4/25 - 4/28 | Capitol Hill | $40-85
Creative Works Pop-Up Market + Flatstock 94 | 4/26 - 4/27 | Uptown | Free
The Rootin' Tootin' Queer Cowboy Cabaret | 4/26 - 4/27 | C-ID | $25-40
Native Art Market | 4/27 - 4/28 | West Seattle | Free
What’s next:
5/2 | The opening reception for Judy Lee’s My Name Story exhibition is next Thursday during the Pioneer Square Art Walk.
5/4 | Rat City Roller Derby is celebrating their 20-year anniversary with a home team championship bout.
6/5 | Jon Batiste just got added to the Chateau Ste. Michelle lineup.
8/9 - 8/11 | Early bird tickets are now available for Taste Edmonds
9/16 | Esther Perel is coming to The Paramount to talk about the future of relationships, love, and desire (only a handful of tickets remain!)
10/29 | Maggie Rogers is taking her new album to the Climate Pledge this fall (tickets go on sale today)
🚨 ICYMI
Renee Erickson is putting THREE new restaurants in Pioneer Square. Dough Joy, a vegan doughnut shop, is opening a third location in Ballard. Araya’s Place closed its Madison Valley location which is being replaced by a different Thai restaurant. A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) released their lineup for the 2024/25 season.
🧰️ Seattle Toolkit
A few of my favorite resources to stay tuned in to what’s happening around the city:
Everout - Events & things to do
SEAToday - Daily Seattle newsletter
The Nudge Seattle - Text-based event planner
The Intentionalist - Discover + support local small businesses
Your turn!
What are you seeking this week? What do you already have planned? Share it with us in the comments ⬇️