Chinese New Year's

The 2007 Chinese New Year day is on February 18th, 2007, which is on Sunday. If you know anyone having a party you should definitely take the opportunity to enjoy some great Asian food. The Chinese restaraunts will be packed this weekend so make reservations before going anywhere.

There are also tons of events in the International District over the weekend. If you have never seen the dragon dancers before this is a great chance to watch an amazing show in the streets.

Enjoy the Year of the Pig!

Mardi Gras Parties

February 20, 2007 is Mardi Gras. There are plenty of parties around town. Make sure to get some party attire for this event. You can find beads at your local party store and pick up some new threads at the local trendy clothes store or thrift store.

Going to a live music event or where they give out beads is the perfect way to enjoy the night. If you forget to bring some beads with you, make sure you try to earn them from some cool people along the way.

I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans the year before Katrina. It is not about crazy drunk people in case that is what you are thinking. The parades are fun family events where everyone comes together as a community to have a great time. After Katrina, Mardi Gras means even more then it used to. Meet some new people at Mardi Gras and make some memories...

Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is a day to spend time with your special someone. Consider doing something more creative than going out for dinner. Go to a play, cook dinner together, go to a nice dessert place...

The week before Valentine's Day is packed with single's parties. If you are single, These are fun and you should go enjoy them. This year, I asked someone from one of these parites to go out with me on Valentine's day. I do not recommend having a first date on Valentine's day. We went out to dinner at a nice place. It sounds romantic but was not stress free. We hardly knew each other and should have just went out for drinks.

Valentine's day is meant to be spent with someone special or hanging out with your friends. Make sure to have fun and don't take this day seriously. If you are single on this day, be proud!

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Parties are a great place to hang out and meet new people. If you don't know of any parties going on just go to the nearest sports bar or even to one of the more fancy ones like Fox Sports and Grill. The energy is high and it is fun to watch with people around.

Sit next to someone you don't know and bond over the game. If you don't watch football, it is a great time to ask someone how the game works. Make a new friend. People are always ready to explain the game so you can enjoy it too. If you are adventurous make a small bet with your neighbor so you can get more into the game and the excitement.

It is a great time to be a smart ass. Everyone loves to comment on the plays and the commercials!!! This year the bud light commercials were amazing. There were even some commercials that were fan submissions. Enjoy the commercials. They spend tons of time and money to make some of these.

This year's game was ridiculously entertaining because of the rain. There were 4 turnovers in the first quarter. My friend said that it looked as if KY was sponsoring since the ball kept slipping out of everyone's hand. Next year I expect KY to have an ad...

First Thursday of the Month - Art Walk in Pioneer Square

The art walk in Pioneer Square on the first Thursday of the month is a social event. I have run into some old friends here. It is a great place to meet new people who are interested in Art and creativity.

The commercial galleries are nice but there are some Artist Studios where the real party is. The best studios are around the block from the famous toy store Magic Mouse Toys. 619 Western Ave is a 5 story building is the best place to go for the artwalk. If you go early, there is also wine and snacks usually at many places. Everything is free but support the community and tip the tip jar when you get that cheap 2 buck chuck.

http://www.pioneersquare.org/first_thursday.html

Olympic Sculpture Park Opens

If you haven't heard about the $85 million dollar Olympic Sculpture Park that has just opened then downtown then you should really check it out (it's free). This is a great new open space on the waterfront. It is a amazing addition to the city. This park is a fun place to take friends or family on a sunny day and have a picnic. It is also a nice place to run into new people or to make art happen...

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=137180

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003524511_sculpturepark140.html

http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/OSP/AboutOSP/default.asp has more info about the park.

New To Seattle - Seattle Neighborhoods

Have you been in Seattle for a few days, weeks, or months? Are you bored and want to know what to do to get out of the house and away from the computer? Where can you go to hang out with some new people? First, you want to make sure you learn the neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has its own style. When you choose to live somewhere, you are likely to meet people who enjoy a particular lifestyle based on where the neighborhood is located, how densely populated it is, how expensive it is, and just the general vibe.

Below is a list of neighborhoods worth checking out and my personal descriptions:

University District - older run down housing for high prices, densely populated, young people, cheap eats on the University Ave. (aka. UD, U-District)

Green Lake - neighborhood of houses, great family atmosphere, very chill and suburban, many people share a house here

Ravenna - in between the University District and Green Lake vibe, more students than GreenLake and a lot of house sharing as well

Fremont - Yuppie vibe due to the good bar scene, Good location to get into the city, Still has remnants of its Hippie days around

Wallingford - Suburban feel, yet close to the city. A lot of nice old homes and a few condos/apts close to the water. GasWorks is a plus for this hood.

Phinney Ridge - in between Wallingford and Ballard. pretty suburban but a nice place to live since it is so close to Fremont and Ballard. The zoo is close by also.

Ballard - great prices for rent and a growing area. The restaraunts, night life and vibe is increasing in energy in this up and coming neighborhood

Capitol Hill - a place where you will see lots of alternative dress. this neighborhood has an artsy vibe and some great restaraunts. there is a lot of energy here which is alive even late into the night. Capitol Hill tends to bring in a lots of non-locals or open minded people. There is a large gay community on the hill as well. Neighborhood to be seen in.

Madison Park - Pretty mellow place. Has a small beach front park on the lake that is packed in the summer.

Downtown - Reasonable priced housing can be found downown suprisingly. It is very industrial feeling yet a great location to be in.

Belltown - Very Yuppie. Most of the New York and L.A. transplants end up here. The housing is expensive, there is little parking, and there are tons of swanky bars. This neighborhood gives Seattle a taste of the mega city life. Be warned, people can get rowdy on a Friday or Saturday night on these streets.

Eastlake - great location, not much to do but close to everything in the city

South Lake Union - closer to downtown than Eastlake but again, little to do in this urban neighborhood

Westlake - quiet, chill neighborhood full of young professionals who want to be close to the city but not smack in the middle of it all. tons of apartments and condos are located on Westlake and Dexter. Be careful about living on the backside of Queen Anne, the traffic can get bad sometimes. there is little to do on Westlake as well.

Georgetown - up an coming Artsy neighborhood. warehouses and cheap rent. vibe that Capitol Hill used to have before it was discovered by the masses.

Pioneer Square - loud at night, crowded, does not feel safe

Magnolia - a bit farther from the city but a nice neighborhood with a vibe of upper Queen Anne

Ranier Valley - less expensive rent and bit less safe feel to it

Northgate - suburban and has a small yet busy mall

First Hill - just south of Capitol Hill and slightly less expensive rent. this neighborhood feels a little darker and mellower than capitol hill but has similar overall vibe

Alki Beach - some of the best views of the city. this strip of food spots and sand can not beat in
the summer when you want to get to a beach quickly.

I need help with the following Neighborhoods so please post comments with your info:
Seward Park
Greenwood
Lake City
Columbia City
International District
Montlake
Leschi
Central District
Madrona
Beacon Hill
West Seattle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_neighborhoods
http://www.10best.com/Seattle,WA/Know_Before_You_Go_(SM)/Neighborhoods/index.html

Melting the Seattle Freeze!

Anyone looking to meet people or new to Seattle has heard of the Seattle Chill. Why is it so difficult to meet new people and make new friends in Seattle? I moved to Seattle 4 years ago. Being a young professional, I thought it would be a piece a cake to make new friends. It turns out that it took time and effort. I have many good friends now. They agree that it is a tough place to meet new people. After spending a few years here, I have discovered there are some reliable resources for like minded people to find each other. This blog is to help new and old Seattlites alike.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0213/cover.html
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=singles26&date=20010426
http://forums.thestranger.com/showthread.php?t=4840