All week, we've been bringing you interviews with some of the writers and performers that will be on stage, sharing all-new works of fiction, non-fiction, and music at Richard Hugo House, one of Seattle's most valuable non-profits for writers. And if they haven't piqued your interest yet, here's a rundown of what we know is coming: more ›

A line of crowd-control stanchions snakes down the hallway leading to Din Tai Fung, the kind you see at the airport or a movie theater when the new Harry Potter movie is coming out. As we mentioned earlier this week, the wait times for a table at this newly opened outpost of the popular Taiwan-based dumpling chain have been crazy long. This Seattlest made it over for lunch on Wednesday and was thrilled to have some hot xiao long bao to ward off the nasty weather. more ›

Saturday brought an incredible night of talented musicians, comedians, and committed philanthropists to the Paramount Theatre. As we posted yesterday, it was a night that we'll remember for a long time to come and hopefully the MONA foundation will continue to succeed in their worthy cause. Luckily we were able to capture some fantastic moments throughout the night and share them with you here. For more shots from the night, check out the entire flickr set. more ›

That’s why God invented video games, to provide an outlet for these itchy trigger fingers. The Almighty really broke the mold when Big Buck Hunter was brought down from on high, because it is quite possibly the best bar room game in the history of bar room games, and yes, I am factoring in Erotic Photo Hunt. What’s not to love about blasting wild turkeys out of the sky while your friends spill beer all over you and cheer you on? Or even better, getting a 10-pointer and shaming your enemies with your incredible prowess. more ›

LET THEM EAT CAKE: Essential Baking Company is celebrating their 15th birthday, which means a taste of their signature chocolate hazelnut birthday cake is on the house today--for every customer making a purchase and while supplies last, of course--at both the Wallingford and Madison locations. After the free cake has run dry, both locations will be selling $1.50 cupcakes until October 14 in honor of the occasion. Considering the amount of Seattle boutique cupcake shops, we have obviously proven our love for cake and would recommend showing up early before the free cake disappears into everyone else's mouths. more ›

GENUINELY COOL, ARTSY FARTSY NIGHT: Go to the Filter release party at the Richard Hugo House tonight for readings, hobnob opps with writerly folks, and performances by Awesome!. The literary magazine celebrates the release of its second issue, and if you haven't seen this work of art yet, you may not know: this is a beautiful and well-crafted literary magazine, not only in content but in construction. more ›

THE LO DON'T STOP: Camp Lo is two emcees out of the Bronx--Geechi Suede and Sonny Cheeba--who deliver consistently fly, catchy tracks to the masses. Their latest single is called "Lumdi" (listen here), which means something approximating "sexually attractive female." Gonna be a packed show, and a perfect choice if you want to dance and kick off your weekend with some superlative hiphop. more ›

On Monday Bumbershoot was a smoldering guyville. And we have the photos to prove it. Who knows why the festival was so testosterone heavy, but if boys were your thing, you had a grab bag to choose from. more ›

"HISTORY IS ABOUT TO CRACK OPEN": Angels in America may be one of the most moving plays we've ever seen, and it's being reprised in Seattle for the second weekend in a row, before ending its run next week. The performance of the play's first part, "Millenium Approaches," is being performed by Absurd Reality Theatre at the Bagley Wright, in the small theater. May we suggest you head out to the theater and catch a showing? When you're done with Part One, you can always head to ReAct's production of Part Two: "Perestroika." more ›

Tonight, if you're not already at a SIFF film or checking out "Awesome" with side projects Jose Bold and the Half Brothers at the Sunset, head to the Comet to see local Mazzy Star-on-psychedelics Half Light. They're touring off their new album Sleep More, Take More Drugs, Do Whatever We Want. more ›

With two years' experience at the Northwest New Works Festival at On the Boards under our belts as of this weekend, we're seeing a pattern emerge: The really exciting work happens down in the studio, and the mainstage performances are more or less skippable unless you're really into that sort of thing. more ›

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If you've been monitoring the lives of "Awesome" lately as we have, you know these things: more ›

If you're awesome, you don't get SAD, we see. You get BOLD! Awesome's John Osebold [MySpace] is filled with the spirit of the season:

Hello! Happy December. I love this month. I wish I could give you all something this holiday season but I'm not very good with cards or throwing parties.