Seeking: a downtown date, a floating sauna, & a pickleball league
+ something new next week
Every week I try not to go overboard with the recs… And then I do 🙃 There are so many things I want to feature that it’s hard for me to rein it in!
But next week you’ll be hearing from someone else who has the pulse on a slice of Seattle in our first Seattle Snapshot interview series: Judy Lee of We Belong Seattle, a local portrait artist & storyteller who is very in the know about the local art scene.
I’ve already read through Judy’s answers and trust me — you are in for a treat! I’m excited to expand on this series and feature other locals who represent the many scenes of Seattle, so if that’s you or you have someone to recommend — please reach out 🤗
And if you’re still in need of plans for Valentine’s Day next week, you can check out the guide I wrote last week:
Alright, let’s get into it!
*This post is a little long, so don’t forget to expand if it gets cut off in your email!
💎 Local gems
Donna’s | Capitol Hill
I finally went to Donna’s! And it lived up to the hype I had created in my head. As you can see, it was DARK in there (that’s why I took zero pictures of the food lol), but it was bustling on a Tuesday night with a very cool Capitol Hill crowd. It would be a fun date spot as there were several intimate seating arrangements (even one under the stairs, Harry Potter style).
So the vibe was right, but how about the food + drinks? Also excellent! We got the Fried Wonton Dippers (genius meatball-filled wonton wrappers), the Mama Lil’s Caesar (a spicy unique spin!), the Mafaldine pasta (star-of-the-show bolognese), and the Black Pepper Fettuccine (it was fine, would try something else next time). For drinks, we got the Lostma Cowboy (refreshing, but a little too sweet / fruity for me) and the Man O’ War (mezcal with a black pepper tincture that was REALLY good).
Looking forward to going for HH next time to score $10 pastas.
FXRY | Various Locations
I have been desperately looking for a tailor and last week I mentioned that I had found one in FXRY — a new digital-first tailoring and alterations start-up with a mission to make tailoring “as easy as getting a ride to the airport.” I picked up my altered items this past weekend and was beyond pleased with their work! I’ve been burned by tailors before, but my items turned out exactly how I wanted them to look. My jeans now fit me in the waist and my grandmother’s wool coat no longer overwhelms my frame with its aggressive 80’s shoulder pads.
The grand opening of their business model will launch in April/May with three easy ways to use FXRY: 1. Home pick-up & drop-off, 2. Local boutique drop-off & pick-up, or 3. Mail-in options. In the meantime, you can catch them at the Market Warehouse on 2/24 (more on that below).
Lula Coffee Co. | SODO + West Seattle
I’ve been to both locations and they’re both good spots for getting some work done or catching up with a friend (they also both have drive-throughs!). The decor is dopamine-boosting and the drinks are creative (although I do find it strange that they don’t list their prices anywhere). I was boring and got an Americano, but I did add chaga to it and it gave my drink a more nutty flavor without much added sweetness — I recommend it. I heard the West Seattle location recently got some renovations so I’m interested in checking it out — it has multiple themed rooms while the SODO location is just one large open space.
Michou Deli + Calder Exhibit at the SAM | Downtown
Here’s a cute little downtown date for you. First, you’ll grab a sandwich at Michou in Pike Place. Is it the best sandwich I’ve ever had? No, but it’s a solid sando that you can get panini pressed, and at $9.07 (or $4.76 for half) it’s gotta be one of the best deals in the market.
After munching your sandwich, head to the SAM to check out the Calder Exhibit which is in place until August 2024. Calder is most known for his primary-colored mobiles, but I enjoyed his other art pieces as well. Also worth checking out are the mesmerizing Papunya Tula paintings. They’ve been on display since 2022 but will be wrapping up in April 2024, so see them before they’re gone! We took advantage of First Thursday to get free entry to the museum but you can also rent passes from the library (FYI - you usually have to plan a few weeks ahead).
👀 On my radar
Von Sauna | Kirkland
Over the weekend I read an article about how a floating sauna rescued some people from their sinking car in Norway, and the only thing I could think about was how much I wished we had floating saunas here in Seattle. And then my dream came true when I was browsing The Nudge and I found out that WE DO.
Von Sauna is a new floating sauna + cold plunge spot on Carillon Point in Kirkland where you get to jump into the lake instead of an ice tub. It fits 10-12 people and you can book out the whole thing for $600/hr, or join the social sauna session for $40/hr. They have a sunrise hour at 7am (brave), but otherwise the sessions run from 8:30am - 5:30pm. Since our Scandinavian friends also deal with the big dark every year, it’s nice that we finally seem to be taking some cues from them by adopting sauna culture.
Underdog Softcore Pickleball League | Northgate + Bitter Lake
For my picklers: registration for Underdog’s spring pickleball leagues opens up on February 13th and I imagine spots will go FAST. I’m trying to put together a team for the indoor league that plays at North Seattle College on Sundays starting on March 17th. The 6-week season costs $120/person and it’s softcore, so it’s for beginner and intermediate players! I’d call myself an experienced beginner and welcome ALL levels, so if you want to join my team just reply to this email and let me know. You can also join as an alternate if you can’t commit to every week. I’ll be brainstorming team names in the meantime… 🙃
Warehouse Market | Belltown
All my favorite people (Hoste, FXRY, and their friends) in one place! This warehouse market on 2/24 will include vintage, art, modern, shoes, handmade, and accessories, with FXRY on-site to do on-the-spot mending/alterations or drop-offs for things you’ve brought from home.
Black History Month | Various locations
No matter what you’re into, there are a variety of cool ways to celebrate Black History Month this year. Crosscut and Axios both have good round-ups, but here are a few things that stood out to me:
Public Opening: Hank Willis Thomas @ The Henry | U District | 2/23 | Stunning interdisciplinary art that examines American culture, with a particular focus on perceptions of race and gender. Free drinks provided at the opening!
BE Great Celebration at Occidental Square | Pioneer Square | 2/24 - 2/25 | Every event I’ve attended at the square has been a hit, so this two-day festival that celebrates Black culture with a night market, live music, art, and food should be no exception.
Call to Conscience Black History Month Museum | Columbia City | 2/8 - 2/29 | The Columbia City Theater has been converted into a Black history museum that includes exhibits and installations from various Black PNW locals.
The Life & Times of Malcolm X Opera | Uptown | 2/24 - 3/9 | This one was unexpected, but I listened to a little bit of the music and it sounds like a unique way to take in the legacy of Malcolm X.
📆 This weekend’s events
Plotter Party: Robots that Draw | Thursday, 2/8 | Capitol Hill | Free
Ilana Glazer | Thursday, 2/8 | Downtown | $55.50
Dark Star Orchestra | Friday, 2/9 | Downtown | $38.50
Intimate Concert on a Historic Steamship | Friday, 2/9 | SLU | $30-40
Ijeoma Oluo | Friday, 2/9 | Downtown | $10-50 sliding scale
The Temptations & The Four Tops | Saturday, 2/10 | Downtown | $45
Lunar New Year Kick-Off | Saturday, 2/10 | Ballard | Free
Brazilian Carnaval / Mardi Gras | Saturday, 2/10 | Belltown | $30-40
Women’s Barrio Marketplace | Sunday, 2/11 | SLU | Free
Tourist & Amtrac | Sunday, 2/11 | Downtown | $27.50-30
My Better Half Marathon 2024 | Sunday, 2/11 | Seward Park | $62-93
Multi-day:
Swan Lake | 2/8 - 2/11 | Uptown | $54-220 | I went last weekend and it was SO good!
Once More, Just For You | 2/8 - 2/25 | Green Lake | $10-100 sliding scale
Madame Mars’ Mystic Society: A Mardi Gras Spectacular | 2/9 - 2/10 | SODO | $65-109
What’s next:
2/24 | Celebrate Lunar New Year in the ID with a food walk, dance performances, music, and vendors.
4/13 | Catch funny ladies Tina Fey & Amy Poehler at WaMu Theater
5/16 - 5/19 | Tickets just went on sale for LCD Soundsystem’s 4-night residency at The Paramount
7/4 - 7/6 | Odesza is coming to The Gorge for their final (they mean it) run of their Last Goodbye tour (which I recently learned is just the name of their album/tour, not the end of their music career).
🚨 ICYMI
Coastal Kitchen is closing at the end of the month (last chance to try their $2.50 Tuesdays rosé + oyster deal). Musubai Kai will be opening next to Japonessa downtown. For all the parents out there, someone put together a site that tracks all the local summer camps.
🧰️ Seattle Toolkit
A few of my favorite resources to stay tuned in to what’s happening around the city:
What Do - Seattle’s aggregated event list
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 ⬇️
Hey Hannah! I’m keen to join your pickle ball team ☺️