August 2016

  • Bumbershoot: A Brief History

    Bumbershoot is the ultimate end of summer arts festival and has featured local and national acts such as Mudhoney and Bob Dylan. Along with music there are art shows and galleries, as well as, author readings, dance performances, street performers, and a variety of acts to tickle the mind. In it’s 46th year it will feature… Continue reading

  • Libraries Where You Least Expect Them: Library Stations of the 1920s

    2016 marks the 125th anniversary of The Seattle Public Library. After it was adopted as a department of the city in 1890, the Library opened its first reading room in Pioneer Square on April 8, 1891. To honor this milestone, we will be posting a series of articles here about the Library’s history and life in… Continue reading

  • Bus Reads for August

                Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert was along the same vein as Morgenstern’s The Night Circus with a bit of Baum’s Wizard of Oz thrown in. It takes place in 1898 and tells a love story in the midst of the fictional Omaha World’s Fair. In the beginning though before… Continue reading

  • Get Outside: Comfort

    I long to have a backyard of my own someday, I envision hammocks and a fire pit and string lights and planters and of course an epic BBQ for my boyfriend and I to entertain guests. As we look for houses I’m searching for the yard that can bring that vision to life. In the… Continue reading

  • Flaked Soundtrack Appreciation

    We don’t have a cable television home, but the boyfriend and I do have Apple TV, so we like to occasionally choose a new show to watch together. He binge watches CSI when I work my late nights and I binge watch Shameless on my days off, but it’s nice to have something to enjoy together… Continue reading

  • Get Outside: Forage

    Growing up there was always this one alley nearby that had that largest raspberry bush and it produced the most wonderful raspberries in summertime. My friend and I would grab plastic bags from home and fill them to the brim. After washing them we’d eat them raw, make a simple jam out of them, or… Continue reading

  • South West Stories: Ken Workman

    “This we know; The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.  This we know, all things are connected like the blood which unites one family.  All things are connected” –Chief Si’ahl, Namesake of the City of Seattle On Sunday, Aug 21, 2 p.m., Delridge Library hosts Ken Workman, member of Duwamish… Continue reading

  • Must-read Contemporary Essays

    While perusing The New Yorker website a while ago, I came across a piece on the nature of the American essay by Vinson Cunningham. Cunningham argues that what makes an essay uniquely American is its sermonizing nature – the way there is always an argument being put forth for the reader to consider and be… Continue reading

  • Summer Fun and Washington Facts

    Summer is the best time to enjoy all Seattle and Washington has to offer! Check out this list of books to help you explore your recreation options. If you check out any of these (or other) great books, you are not alone. The Seattle Public Library system has the highest percentage of library card-holders per… Continue reading

  • The Wondrous World of the Central Library

    Emily Winfield Martin is the writer of the blog The Black Apple that I have been following for eons it seems. She has also written a few children’s books that are beautiful, delightful, and available from the library; one being Oddfellow’s Orphanage. That particular story tells us about Delia, a silent albino girl, who discovers… Continue reading

  • DIY: Hand-Lettering

    The beautiful, hand-lettered chalk-board signs popping up everywhere have helped start a hand-lettering craze, with how-to and inspiration books in abundance. While creating a unique typographic style may seem daunting at first, the following books will help those new to hand-lettering overcome the idea that creating beautiful letters are only for professionals with fancy design… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo: Collection of Poetry

    Join The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts & Lectures for our 2nd annual Summer Book Bingo for adults! Follow us throughout the summer for reading suggestions based on each category. Our guest blogger today is Rebecca Hoogs, Associate Director of Seattle Arts & Lectures. Rebecca curates and manages the Literary Arts Series, Poetry Series, Hinge, and SAL Presents. She is the… Continue reading

  • Art Books in Nature

    West Seattle’s Camp Long will be hosting another fabulous event Aug 20-21. Visit the park to walk in the woods, witness musical performances across diverse genres, or participate in art activities, writing workshops and open mics, juggling, costumed hikes through the forest, and naturalist events. The festival also features the “Museum of Sound” where artists… Continue reading

  • Rio Reads

    Today begins the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Watching televised coverage of the Games, you will surely see glimpses of life in Rio in the background. If you want to round out your sports viewing with a more robust and nuanced view of life in Rio and in the rest of Brazil,… Continue reading

  • Anime Appreciation: Giants of Anime

    I’m going to assume, for the sake of convenience and my ego, that you all read my last post, ‘Anime Appreciation’ and now are craving more. If so, do I have good news for you! If you watch the three anime below you should satisfy your craving and gain the groundwork to hold a discussion… Continue reading

  • Going Veg.

    Two months ago, I made the change to a plant-based diet, largely eliminating my consumption of meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. While I’ve certainly had my share of challenges since then, going meatless has also allowed me to appreciate food in new ways. Many people choose to be vegetarian or vegan for ethical reasons; others… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo: Out of Your Comfort Zone

    Join The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts & Lectures for our 2nd annual Summer Book Bingo for adults! Follow us throughout the summer for reading suggestions based on each category. Finding a book that is “Out of Your Comfort Zone” might not be the most… comfortable of books to choose; but, let me toss out a few recommendations. We might be… Continue reading

  • Mosquitoes—They Suck!

    Mosquitoes actually have some good points—they are a food source for many animals, they pollinate flowers, and they even have the capacity to learn. But mostly, as any of us who have been bitten can attest, THEY SUCK (at least, the females do). August 20 is World Mosquito Day, and we welcome you to come… Continue reading