The trio of authors Akashic's showcasing includes the novelists Felicia Luna Lemus and Joe Meno, neither of whom we've read and therefore can't comment on. But trust us--it's worth going for Chris Abani alone. An exiled Nigerian playwright and novelist, Abani was such a thorn in the military regime's side that they even tried to assassinate him in London (prompting his move to the US, where he currently teaches at UCLA). more ›

Adios Lakisha. Did we call it, or what? more ›

Seattlest and Mrs. Seattlest have been getting take out on Friday nights at Chantanee Family Thai Restaurant in Bellevue for almost 3 years and have found no better Thai restaurant on the Eastside. From time to time, we eschew the styrofoam containers and eat our meal in the gold and purple themed interior. The service? Efficient and friendly. more ›

"Honey, fire up the crapper, we're heading out to Conconully for the races this weekend!" more ›

Late last night Seattlest caught up with the New York Times' article on Blue Nile, the Internet diamond retailer based here in Seattle. It's an interesting read even if, like us, you're not a huge diamond fan.

While Blue Nile has grown — and its stock has soared 54 percent, to $38.53 a share on Friday from $25 when it was first sold to the public in May 2004 — Main Street jewelers have seen their profit margins shrink and many of their brethren shutter their store doors. As a consequence, many retail jewelers refer to Blue Nile as the “evil empire” — or worse. more ›

MUSIC: Did you know that Frank Sinatra called George Harrison's Something "the most beautiful love song ever written"? Well he did. A bunch of local musicians [myspace] are getting together to play Harrison's songs, and if they don't have a stuffed elk head for "I've Got My Mind Set On You," they do have Alan White, who played drums on Harrison's most successful album, All Things Must Pass. The show was meant to take place on the 5-year anniversary of Harrison's death last month, but we had all that snow, so it's happening now. The whole thing is a benefit for Northwest Harvest. more ›

7 & 9pm // Grand Illusion Cinema [1403 NE 50th (Corner of University Way and 50th)] // $7 more ›

Last night, Seattlest was at the sweltering sold-out Croc for the one-two punch of La Rocca and Phoenix on the final night of their U.S. tour. For a rock show, the crowd was fairly clean-cut; like, we totally ran into a girl from pilates. Besides an overabundance of polo shirts (non-popped, thankfully) and short-sleeved button-downs on guys and a few overly made-up girls, nothing too egregious. Our companion described the audience as "the coolest kids in Kirkland." more ›

“Can you really eat that?” more ›

Seattlest had gotten way too accustomed to festival life. Seeing several films a day, taking the occasional break to eat and walk around Main Street, collecting scads of free stuff, sticking around to hear a director speak about his work...it all became the norm. Sadly, it's back to the real world. Thursday was our last day at Sundance. Even though we were downright exhausted, what with all the movies at midnight followed by early AM wake-ups, we were certainly down for a few more days of constant movie-going. It's gonna be tough to get used to not seeing a couple films back to back, leaving a theater to get back in line at that very same theater. Sigh. more ›

Sundance is a whole other world---a world in which all anyone talks about is movies; a world where you can easily make the acquaintance of a writer for the Cleveland Free Press, a biotech researcher/filmmaker from San Francisco, or an L.A.-based events planner; a world that has as many Blackberries as ski boots. We've found ourselves falling into the festival's "mountain chic" style. We've taken to wearing bright orange vinyl knee-high boots (urban galoshes, if you will), into which we refuse to tuck our jeans---that scourge on fashion be damned! Additionally, we're willingly wearing a knit cap in the winter for the first time in over fifteen years. Why the hell not? Everybody else is. more ›

Monday Nov. 28 more ›

No comments, just schedules. (Because we're lazy, that's why.) more ›

When's the last time you attended a reading by a genuine, MacArthur-certified genius? Tonight's your chance -- local author and Science Fiction Museum board member Octavia Butler will read from Fledgling, her first novel in 7 years, at 7:30 at Elliott Bay Book Co. more ›

Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken! more ›