Yoga for Hope
Tomorrow City of Hope presents the second annual Yoga for Hope benefit in Seattle! It’s a two-hour, outdoor yoga class at the Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center on July 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Nine of Seattle’s top yoga teachers will teach participants of all levels about the sacred number 108, including practicing 108 sun salutations underneath the Space Needle at Memorial Stadium.
FEATURED YOGA EXPERTS AND PRESENTERS
-
Amber Tande
- Brian Charlton
- Cosetta Romani
- Dora Gyarmati
- Jennifer Hill
- Jennifer Isaacson
- Jenniferlyn Chiemingo
- Laura DeFreites
- Tami Hafzalla
REGISTER
Register for $30 online or at local Lululemon Athletica stores located at Pacific Place, University Village and Bellevue stores. Yoga for Hope is sponsored by Yoga Blaze and will feature swag bags, a raffle and prizes for top fundraisers.
ABOUT CITY OF HOPE
City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a comprehensive cancer center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer and urology by U.S.News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org.
Cirque du Soleil Comes to Seattle!
I have always wanted to see Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas but every time I have been to Las Vegas and tried to get tickets for the show it has been sold out at least 2 months in advance. Last Saturday, however, I was able to skip the trek to Vegas and I hopped in my car and cruised across the bridge to see Koozå, which is playing at Marymoor Park until July 11.
The show was breathtaking, just as I expected. Cirque du Soleil has been around since 1984 and originated in Montreal, Canada and has a justified reputation for being a jaw-dropping spectacle that will amaze even the most jaded audience. I am definitely jaded, as I've seen a lot of performing arts and circus acts over the years, but nothing compares to Cirque du Soleil and I found myself gasping and clapping and cheering during the show. Cirque du Soleil has the best performers, best set, best live band, and best costumes, in my opinion.
Koozå is a touring production that premiered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in April 2007. It was tough to pick a favorite performance, but I think I'm going with the Wheel of Death. The Wheel of Death act is composed of two bad-ass dudes, one crazy giant contraption, and guts... lots of guts.
You really have to see it live. It is very impressive. Tickets are still available.
5focus: A Fun and Thorough Workout in South Lake Union
I love working out, but I am fickle. I get bored of the same old workout routine and I'm always looking for something new. Last night my friend Stacy invited me to join her at 5focus in South Lake Union for a Kinesis Class. The Kinesis Class includes the use of a kinesis machine, which is a special type of cable machine designed to give you a constant resistance weight training workout that provides less of a risk of injury than the typical weights you usually find at the gym. The kinesis machine also allows you to workout several different muscle groups at once which reduces the time needed for your workout. There are only a handful of kinesis machines in gyms in the Seattle area, and they really do give you a great workout. Mode of Fitness in Capitol Hill also has a kinesis machine.
So, the class is structured like a circuit training class and has stations, and it looks like this:
The class felt like working with a personal trainer rather than an aerobics instructor. I was sweaty and out of breath at the end of class and it was awesome and I'm going back. If you are bored of just going to the gym and running on the treadmill and lifting weights, I suggest you try this class. Your first appointment is free, but make sure you schedule an appointment because class sizes are small and they fill up.
Seattle Doesn't Stop Believin'
What is it with Seattle and the song Don't Stop Believin' by Journey? On election night 2008, the people who flooded the streets of Capitol Hill broke out into song when the results were in that Obama won the election.
Last Saturday, April 10, there was a Seattle flash mob celebrating the TV show Glee in Westlake Center. The first song was, indeed, Don't Stop Believin'. Watch the video.
Weekend Getaway: Bandon, OR
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My aunt and uncle own a rental house in Bandon, OR, so this week a couple of my friends and I decided to make the trek to the Oregon Coast and enjoy a few days on the beach. I hadn't been to the house before because I thought the trip was too far away for a quick getaway from Seattle. It takes about 7 hours to drive to Bandon from Seattle. It turned out that a 7 hour drive is not as bad as it seems, and it is well worth the effort to get to Bandon.
For one, the beach house is RIGHT on the beach. At night during high tide, we felt like the waves were crashing right next to the front deck. If you are interested in renting, you can do so on Bandon Beach Sand Castle. The beach itself is spectacular with miles and miles of sandy beaches. The weather was surprisingly warm for this time of year (65 degrees), but Bandon is pretty close to the California border so I'm guessing the weather is warmer in sourthern Oregon than the Puget Sound. I wouldn't recommend swimming in the ocean in Bandon, but maybe it's a little easier to get into the cold ocean water in the summertime..png)
Bandon is a tiny town, but it is home to the biggest golf course I have ever been to, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Bandon also offers horseback riding on the beach, ATV rentals, and it is near the Sea Lion Caves. We went to the Sea Lion Caves on our drive back to Seattle, which is what I recommend doing if you decide to visit the caves, because they are about 1.5 hours north of Bandon on Highway 101 and you don't need to spend a lot of time there, because it's pretty smelly, but definitely worth checking out.
Seattle Celebrates International Pillow Fight Day April 3
Who has two thumbs and loves a great pillow fight? This gal Everyone! OK, maybe not everyone (and maybe not people who don't have thumbs) but a lot of people in Seattle are like me and love pillow fights, so I'm anticipating a big turnout for this event. There will be a great big pillow fight at Westlake Center Plaza in Downtown Seattle on April 3 from 2pm - 3pm. April 3 is International Pillow Fight Day.
How do you participate? All you have to do is show up at Westlake Center at 2pm on April 3, bring a soft pillow, and commence pillow fighting with other people who are holding pillows. More information can be found on the Facebook event page for the International Pillow Fight Day: Seattle.
Science Fuses with Stand-Up Comedy
What does a person do after they spend years studying biology and eventually get a Ph.D in ecology and evolution? You probably are not going to guess such a person would become a stand-up comedian, but that is the case for Tim Lee. In fact, he claims his career path makes perfect sense. Lee explains:
I used to give talks in front of smart people who'd try to pick apart my logic. Now I give talks in front of drunk people who try to pick apart my jokes. The drunken audience is easier to please but more violent when disappointed.
Lee's style of comedy is accessible to both nerds and non-nerds, so anyone can enjoy his show. Meaning, you do not have to have a Ph.D. in ecology to understand his jokes. You can find a couple of videos of portions of his show on Tim Lee's YouTube channel.
Tim Lee is playing at the Jewelbox Theater April 2 and 3 at 8pm. Tickets are $20. More info and buy advanced tickets online.
Curling: Learn How to Play
I spent much of last weekend watching the Olympics, and the event that I spent the most time watching was curling. It was not the most exciting sport to me, but it was like a logic problem that I felt I needed to solve but I just couldn't figure out. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, I was wrong. I even went so far as to look up curling rules online, but I still just didn't get it. Today, Seattlest posted an informative post about curling, but I think if I'm going to attempt to learn this mysterious sport I need to actually do it. I need to put on one slippery shoe and one shoe that is not slippery, grab a hunk of granite and a funky broom and get out on the ice and go for it.
There is a place here in Seattle that offers an introduction to curling for a mere $15 ($40 max per family). The Granite Curling Club has several open houses throughout the year when an instructor will give us curling novices an introduction to curling. There will be open houses coming up this weekend:
- Saturday, Feb 27 11am - 5pm
- Sunday, Feb 28 9am -12pm
More details about the open houses from the Granite Curling Club website:
The Open House process goes something like this:
You arrive, sign a waiver and pay $15 ($40 family max).
Depending on how busy we are, you may have to go upstairs and wait for your group to be called.
We clean your shoes and fit rubber grippers on them to protect our ice surface.
Your instructors lead you through some stretches, safety guidelines, and information about the game.
A group of 8 - 20 people goes out on the ice for some curling instruction and play.
Once your lesson is done, you can visit us upstairs for snacks and to learn more about curling and our club.
We have 5 sheets of ice, so we can optimally accommodate around 40 people at any given time. If we are very busy, we may have larger groups and/or less time on the ice.
Generally you will be on the ice for 1-2 hours which includes instruction and a small game. If we are very busy, you may have to wait up to 2 hours to get on the ice.
The Granite Curling Club is located east of Aurora Ave. N on 130th St in Seattle.
And now, curling and heavy metal:
13th Annual Stanger's Valentine's Day Bash
I've said it before and I'll say it again, The Stranger's Valentine's Day Bash is the most entertaining thing to do on Valentine's Day, whether you are single or in a relationship.
This year marks the 13th Valentine's Day that Dan Savage will destroy tokens of the people of Seattle's failed relationships in front of a crowd. This year I am not bitter and I do not currently have anything I would like destroyed on stage in front of a large crowd of strangers, but I have been up on that stage in the past and I encourage you to bring something to be destroyed if you are still licking the wounds of a recent break-up. It's really really fun.
The 13th Annual Stranger's Valentine's Day Bash takes place at Neumo's in Capitol Hill on Saturday, February 13. Door's open at 8pm, show starts at 9:30pm, tickets are $6 advanced, $8 at the door. 21+
Double Dutch and Hula Hoop Fitness Workshops
NW Double Dutch and Fringe Fitness have joined forces to bring a fun day of jump rope, double dutch, and hula hoop for adults. Saturday at the Century Ball Room on Capitol Hill will be a morning of mini workshops for only $5! These are one time workshops that will give you the opportunity to try classes in a quick, fun and pressure free environment. No experience required.
10:00-10:30am Beginning Jump Rope
10:30-11:00am Beginning Hula Hoop
11:00-11:30am Beginning Double Dutch
11:30-12:00om Beg/int Hula Hoop
Register online and get all 4 workshops for $5, come on the day of and they are $5 each.
Also, the new 5 week series of Fringe Fitness and NW Double Dutch classes start on February 6th. Register online (see below for links) or in person on Saturday.
Feb 6 - Mar 6, Saturdays 10am Hula Hoop Fitness (info and online registration)
Feb 6 - Mar 6, Saturdays 9am Beginning Double Dutch (info and online registration)
Feb 6 - Mar 6, Saturdays 11am Intermediate Double Dutch (info and online registration)
