Environment, News, Science

Are Gray Whales Making Sea-Hay While the Climate-Change Sun Shines?

Due to increased sunlight penetration and water temperatures, the nutrient base that nourishes ocean-floor life (such as the amphipods that gray whales hoover up) has been shifting over the past two decades, and the gray whales have expanded their range from the Chukchi Basin to the Beaufort Sea. Presumably they’re chasing their food, but in fact “we don’t have very good data on the abundance of food” across their feeding area, says Weller. Continue reading Are Gray Whales Making Sea-Hay While the Climate-Change Sun Shines?

Food, Restaurant

A Slimy Meal at Maneki with Bizarre Foods’ Andrew Zimmern

Last night, I had a chance to meet Zimmern at Maneki, chosen partly due to its heritage of being over 100 years old. Owner Jean Nakayama consulted with me about the menu and decided to do “neba neba” foods, thinking she’d slime Zimmern. He ate at the bar, with Nakayama playing co-star with her usual grace and gift of gab. Continue reading A Slimy Meal at Maneki with Bizarre Foods’ Andrew Zimmern

News, Sports

Rick “The Peanut Guy” Kaminski, Proof There Are No Small Roles, Only Small Actors

Rick (it was always “Rick”) developed the ability to throw bags of peanuts behind his back with incredible speed and accuracy. “Hands up,” he’d always call to first-timers, who otherwise would misjudge Rick’s throws and end up with a face full of exploding peanut bag. Continue reading Rick “The Peanut Guy” Kaminski, Proof There Are No Small Roles, Only Small Actors

Arts & Entertainment, Music

The Sirens of August: Sade, Adele, and Imelda May

August 14, Sade arrives at Key Arena (tickets $60-$175). You will not believe this–no one can–but the British-Nigerian singer is 52. You want to read something into her being the daughter of a lecturer in economics and a nurse, as her drawing-room soul repertoire consistently explores the wounds of romantic losses, or gains foregone. Continue reading The Sirens of August: Sade, Adele, and Imelda May

News, Travel

A Tour of the Smith Tower’s Chinese Room (Slideshow)

In summer, a common stop for visitors to Seattle is the Smith Tower (506 Second Avenue), which offers a panoramic observation deck on the 35th floor, wrapping around the Chinese Room. The room’s hand-carved wood ceiling, Blackwood furniture, and 17th-century art panels (encased in glare-producing, photography-resistant plastic) were gifts to tycoon Lyman Cornelius Smith from the Empress of China, just a year before her death in 1908. Continue reading A Tour of the Smith Tower’s Chinese Room (Slideshow)

Arabian Lights: Disney’s <em>Aladdin</em> at the 5th Avenue Theatre

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Arabian Lights: Disney’s Aladdin at the 5th Avenue Theatre

But the no-contest, don’t-even-bother-to-pan-over-the-faces-of-the-other-nominees award for scene stealing goes to James Monroe Iglehart for his performance of Genie. This actor is a one-man big production number. He had a lot to live up to, given Robin Williams’ performance in the film. Iglehart brings his own voice to the character, while still following the fast-talking, accent-switching, pop culture reference-dropping example of Williams. Continue reading Arabian Lights: Disney’s Aladdin at the 5th Avenue Theatre

News, Sports

Sounders Begin/Have Begun Champions League Play Tonight

One of the fun things about soccer is all the competitions outside of the regular league season. For us Mariners fans, it’s World Series or bust (aka, bust). But even if the MLS season goes south, we Sounders fans can still look for potential glory elsewhere. One of these opportunities begins tonight.

Our rave green fellers are in Panama, where they will play San Francisco FC in a 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League preliminary stage game. Continue reading Sounders Begin/Have Begun Champions League Play Tonight