The Seattle Arts and Lectures series has a spectacular lineup this year. I may be buying a couple season tickets!

Quoted: Seattle Arts & Lectures has begun selling series tickets to its 2007-2008 season, headlined by Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish writer who won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Sarah Vowell will be performing at The Moore tomorrow night (3/31/2007) at 8PM. Cheap seats are $30 if you get them at the box office, otherwise, you'll pay nearly 10 bones, and I do mean bones, in additional ticketmaster fees.

I'll be there with a friend. Is anybody else going? Wanna grab a drink before or after?

Quoted: From wikipedia: Sarah Jane Vowell (born December 27, 1969) is an American author, journalist, humorist, and commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer", Vowell has authored several books and is a regular contributor to the radio program This American Life on Public Radio International. She was also the voice of Violet in the animated film The Incredibles.

Ross and I are thinking of running this 5k on New Year's Day, 2007 at 10:30AM. If anyone else is interested in joining, let me know.

Quoted: Flat 5K run/walk with optional trip-n-drip polar bear dive into Lake Washington at the mile 3 mark. Finish line indoors with beer garden, food, and fun.

My friend Sung and I went to check out the new Fantagraphics store last week. It was great! I definitely want to try and make their grand opening.

December 2nd, on a Saturday. Should be fun. If anyone wants to check it out, let me know and we'll hook it up.

Quoted: A weblog about pop culture

Is anyone interested in going to see The Decemberists, Friday, November 17th, 8:00 PM at the Paramount?

Quoted: Colin Meloy leads the Decemberists, a five-piece outfit whose pop sound has listeners comparing the band with the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel and Belle & Sebastian. Meloy, who hails from Missoula, Montana, is the main songwriter for the group. Rounding out the lineup are Ezra Holbrook on drums, Nate Query on upright bass, Jenny Conlee on accordion, and Chris Funk on theremin and pedal steel guitar. Frontman Meloy previously devoted some time to an alternative country group before breaking off to pursue his craft as a singer/songwriter in the city of Portland, a period that eventually led to the Decemberists' formation. He also holds a degree in creative writing. In addition to her duties on the accordion, Conlee also plays piano. Funk is the band's newest member. Before Hush Records released the Decemberists' first album in 2002, the group put out an EP of five tracks. Their full-length debut, Castaways and Cutouts was re-released that same year on the Kill Rock Stars label, and the band began to accumulate a serious fan base. 2003 saw the release of Her Majesty, another fine collection of theatrical indie pop with british folk sensibilities that further cemented their growing reputation as a band to watch. The following year they released the five-part epic EP The Tain, based on the 8th century Irish poem of the same name, followed by their third full-length Picaresque in 2005.

(Update: I have made two separate purchases of tickets for this event. If you want to come, buy them and let me know and we'll meet up).

The Banff Film Festival is coming back the Mountaineers Club House this month. I have one extra ticket for November 29th, a Wednesday (Ross and his son are going). The cost is $15. Let me know if you want it! This is something I look forward to every year...

Quoted: During the first weekend in November, The Banff Centre in Canada hosts a juried international film festival with the broad theme of "mountain culture." Each year, the festival receives more than 300 films for the competition. The films come from more than 35 countries and range from productions created by high school students to professional crews working with companies like the BBC and National Geographic.

Quoted: Once the festival is over, the organizers pack up a cross-section of the submissions and send them on a tour of North America. The Mountaineers are proud to be one of the first stops on the tour, an honor we've held for over ten years. For more information about the festival, visit the Banff Centre's website.

Quoted: The films range from funny to thoughtful, seat-gripping to heart wrenching. Pst films have included rock-climbing dogs, international soccer matches in the Himalayas, solo treks across Australia, and extreme challenges in a variety of sports.

Quoted: This is one of our most popular annual events, and shows will sell out.

Quoted: Seattle: Nov. 29, 30 + Dec. 1 at The Mountaineers Building (300 Third Ave W.) Same films each night.
Tickets: $10/15 (members/general). Available through The Mountaineers, 206-284-6310.

Fantagraphics, purveyor and creator of fine comics, is opening a storefront in Seattle this weekend. Does anyone want to go check it out? I'm thinking Sung Park might be talked into it...

Quoted: The Fantagraphics Blog

Ghostland Observatory is playing the Croc on October 19th. I've heard their shows are not to be missed. Anyone want to go?

Ah man! I really wanted to go see this and I have Mariner's tix that night (against Boston)! Anyone with a literary bone in their bodies should go see this event at McCaw this Friday though. You'll be able to see David Eggers, Sarah Vowell, Lemony Snicket, Stephen Merritt, John Hodgman from the Daily Show, and more... And it all goes to a great cause as well.

Quoted: Find and buy Bumbershoot Presents People Talking and Singing-An 826 Seattle Benefit tickets McCaw Hall Seattle, WA at Ticketmaster.com