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In the beginning, the word was carved on tablets. Eventually, gospels were inscribed on parchment, then newsprint, then pixellated onto the screens of iPhones. Now the medium is the gunney sack and Starbucks is firing back. more ›

We've been mourning the loss of Seattle Semi-Pro wrestling for a few weeks now, and the Wall Street Journal has finally joined us. In their online article, "Fake Wrestlers Pinned Down By State's Department of Licensing," the WSJ focuses on the theater-versus-real-sport debate and features a humorless quote from a McDonald's rep about SSP wrestler Ronald McFondle. WaMu and SSP: month by month Seattle will get our day in the national news media sun. Seattlest has been alerted to an SSP benefit show taking place at Club Motor on April 1st, so supporters should plan on attending what would be a recommendable event even if it weren't for such a good cause. more ›

Seattlest looked up at a snow-covered skylight and wondered whether anyone would catch their bus. Sure enough, some are running late. Good thing we went to REI on December 26 and scored some of these. more ›

Last week, Starbucks announced that same store sales had dropped 9 percent in their U.S. shops. That news is followed today by McDonald's getting all braggy about their sales increasing 7.7 percent, leading us to wonder whether the other 1.3% just threw in the towel and switched to the hard stuff. more ›

Showstopper of Seattle's long-running cabaret Angry Housewives was, you may recall, a number titled "Eat Your F***ing Cornflakes!" (What, you don't remember? Brain cells degraded by poor nutrition, no doubt.) Anyway, Starbucks is now seeking to recapture the breakfast market by offering freshly zapped oatmeal with a choice of fruit, brown sugar, or mixed nuts. more ›

Even though some of us around the Seattlest newsroom like to beat up on little ol’ Starbucks whenever the opportunity arises, today’s news that Starbucks' stock dropped like a hockey puck of used espresso knocked out of a porta-filter didn’t put a spring in the steps of all us Seattlests. more ›

Attention, Seattle caffeine addicts....wait, let's rephrase that. Seattle, what a week it's been for free coffee! more ›

It cannot be easy, being green, shade-grown and responsible. It cannot be easy, being the butt of endless Dunkin Donuts commercials. It cannot be easy, watching McDonalds roll out espresso machines. It cannot be easy, being Starbucks. more ›

Howard Schultz is shaking things up. According to the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks is testing a $1 cup of drip coffee in some Seattle-area stores.

The eight-ounce short size isn't on Starbucks's menu but has long been ordered by in-the-know patrons. Typically, a short, brewed coffee would sell for around $1.50, although that can vary by several cents depending on the store. Starbucks is also testing the offer of free refills for traditional-brewed coffee in the Seattle area. more ›

And then there was Downloading Nancy. Whether you loved it or had serious issues with it (we fell into the latter camp), everyone agreed that the film is beyond "difficult" to watch. Deliberately so: loosely based on a true story, the topic is a wretched woman (Maria Bello, fearless as always), full of pain and desperate for a way out of her current situation. The film delves into Nancy's mental illness and the tenuous relationship that comes to exist between her husband (Rufus Sewell) and the new man in her life (Jason Patric). Downloading Nancy is provocative, and the violent images of cutting and other self-inflicted sadism caused quite a few audience members to walk out, some in tears. The entire film is bruised--master cinematographer Christopher Doyle provided sallow tones of yellow and blue. Sure, it's well-made, but with its dark tone and subject matter (and shades of misogyny), how exactly do you market such a downer? more ›

Schultz is back! In the year since Uncle Howie stepped aside from his day job (running Starbucks) to spend time on sexy stuff like movies and music and yogurt, the company's stock price dropped by half. Not good for an outfit that claims to be the world's most popular retailer. Worse, customers started complaining. more ›

First things first: Where the shit does one get something to eat in Downtown Tacoma? Seattlest spent yesterday evening wandering around the "Theater District" looking for a place to fill our bellies. We must've walked about a mile in all directions, only to find a McDonald's, a Pita Hut, a pizza-by-the-slice place, a couple sketchy pubs, lots of boarded-up storefronts, and approximately nine million coffeeshops. It was only when we got back in the car that we were able to find a half-block stretch of downtown with a few places that didn't look so bad. We settled on Meconi's for dinner and then Tacoma's version of Matador for dessert and drinks. When you don't have a row of restaurants, bars, and bistros catering to your captive audience of theater patrons, that's a problem. more ›

People make a lot of excuses when it comes to deep frying. “I don’t have a deep fryer.” “It’s bad for you.” “I’m still missing a patch of hair on my arm where I burned myself with hot oil in 1985.” more ›

MOVIES: There are two kinds of people in this world: those who are attracted to a film program called Monument Recall: Public Memory and Public Spaces, and those who are repelled. If you're the former? Tonight's your night. more ›

Washington Husky running back Michael Houston is off the team and, presumably, not going to get a pickup from Orange Cab anytime soon after some Saturday night hijinks involving a taxi, a McDonalds, and--it goes without saying--a strip club. more ›

Torontoist visits the site of a new Frank Gehry structure, stalks "the elusive Bahamas streetcar", and watches Tom Green get surgery. more ›

Complaining about Starbucks has been a favorite Seattle activity since they blew up on the international scene and became almost synonymous with espresso around the country. Their roasts are too bitter, their drinks are too sweet and fattening, their baristas too mechanical. We'd complain about Microsoft more, but we just don't know enough about software to really care that much. Coffee we know. It's too damn sweet/bitter/milky/ expensive/small-coffee- farmer-unfriendly. more ›

Seattlest James isn't the only one with car trubs this week. Doug McDonald failed his eye exam thrice in a row and the State Department of Transportation says it just can't license drivers who can't see. This is fitting or ironic or hilarious because Doug McDonald is the Washington State Secretary of Transportation. Doug suffers from a diabetic condition that has been degrading his eyesight over the course of the last few years. more ›

The State 3A hoops tournament started yesterday. All the favored teams won their first round games, setting up some interesting quarterfinal matchups. more ›

This month at the Screenwriters Salon, it's noted local filmmaker Brian McDonald at the mic. Seattlest has this freaking eterna-cold that's going around now, so we're still deciding whether or not to infect the goings on with our presence. It's a tough call, because McDonald's take on story structure in film is particularly insightful and grounded. more ›

You like movies, right? And I know you like bars. Therefore, you should also like the combination of the two---that's called logic, son. Luckily over the next few days, there's three chances to engage in such a delightful admixture, à la chocolate and peanut butter. more ›

According to population statistics, Seattle is the 23rd largest city in the United States. Yet our fair city gets mentioned far more often than other cities higher on the list when food is mentioned. Seattlest rarely hears about the food scene in Indianapolis (12th) or even Detriot (10th). Why do you suppose that is? more ›

Who said TV shows weren't educational? Who? Cause last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy taught us viewers some very important lessons about east coast transplants (a bit slow on the uptake), bribing your boss (generally not a good idea) and to top it off, even came through on that promise for some anatomy (um, eww?). more ›

To all you aspiring hip-hop MC's out there. Advertising Age and the Daily News are reporting that McDonald's is offering between one and five dollars everytime a song that plugs their signature sandwich is played on the radio. more ›

Belltown nightlife tends to fall into two categories: happy hour and beyond. We're committed to happy hour, mostly because we work in the neighborhood. After 7 or 8 we'd rather be anywhere than doing the First Avenue crawl. Herewith, our latest findings... more ›