Seattlest has been in Palermo for the past week, hanging out in the ancient markets of Vucciria, Ballaro, and Capo that snake through narrow medieval streets and church-fronted piazzas. The Mediterranean island of Sicily (Palermo being its capital) has been invaded over the centuries by just about everybody: Phoenicians, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, the French (Angevines and Bourbons), the Austrians, even the Piedmontese, whom we think of today as being fellow Italians but back then were symbols of alien occupation. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that Sicily became part of modern Italy, and to this day the Sicilians speak their own language and maintain a unique set of culinary traditions. Where else but Palermo would you find market vendors serving up rolls filled with calf spleen, lung, and trachea? And we're here to tell you, it tastes tons better than stadium hot dogs. (You surely don't want to know what goes into those.) more ›

The failing state of the roads on Capitol Hill (and maybe all over Seattle, we just happen to spend most of our time cursing Capitol Hill potholes) has been getting to us the last few days. Biking around, we're spending as much time avoiding potholes that will swallow our front tire as sleep-deprived drivers on cell phones. We wanted to get a photo to illustrate what we're talking about, and the only issue was, which huge pothole would it be? more ›

The latest session of the state legislature is now in full swing and most people are watching the big-ticket items under discussion. The supplemental budget and what to do with our $1.5 billion surplus are at the top of the list. Also high on the agenda are transportation issues like a new vote on light rail and a toll on 520. But there are always niche issues under consideration. They probably won't get the limelight coverage the budget and Sound Transit will, but when we find something interesting, we'll let you know. more ›

Trader Joe's Silent Movie Mondays wrap up tonight at the Paramount -- the redoubtable Dennis James on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ -- with a trifecta of Charlie Chaplin shorts from 1917: The Cure, The Immigrant, and The Adventurer. Tickets are $12. The show starts at 7pm, but if you get there early, you can hear Freehold Theatre's George Lewis talk about Chaplin's contribution to the field of physical comedy. more ›

SILENT MOVIES: It seems like only yesterday we were announcing Silent Movie Mondays' Harold Lloyd retrospective. But all good things must come to end, and frankly it's just in time because SIFF and STIFF are cranking up. more ›

SILENT MOVIES: It's Week II of the Paramount's Harold Lloyd retrospective. Silent Movie Mondays brings you Dennis James on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ and ought to be on one of those things-to-do-before-you-die list because that's just the kind of experience it is. Of course, if you're into fast-paced comedies, it's just something-to-do-tonight and there's no reason to make a big fuss about it. Trader Joe's is the sponsor, by the way, and they're being generous with free snacks in the lobby. more ›

FACT: On August 24, 1919, film star Harold Lloyd -- while posing for publicity shots in which he was lighting a cigarette from a lit bomb -- blew the thumb and forefinger off his right hand. "Somehow," accounts explain, "a real bomb had gotten mixed in with the props." In 1923, as if to underscore learning nothing from the experience, he released one of the most famous films of all time, Safety Last! (Which you won't see at this month's retrospective of the films of Harold Lloyd because they just showed it a while ago.) more ›

Spring appears to have, er, sprung, at least temporarily, in most of the Ist-A-Verse, so naturally, we're all feeling pretty good. (Yes, we know that spring doesn't start till later this month. Just let us enjoy our weather!) And that makes us that much more eager to share all of the nifty things we're up to... more ›

Rains have stopped, mostly. Dems have won, mostly. And Whole Foods has finally opened in Allentown (Westlake & Denny). Nearly 50,000 square feet of groceries. Plenty of free samples. Three sit-down eating stations (seafood grill, Asian bistro, market café). About 200 employees. Makes Trader Joe up on Queen Anne look like a miner's shack. more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›

As lazy organic foods shoppers who don't like to walk any farther than we have to, Seattlest is perturbed by the rumors that Rainbow Natural Grocery on 15th Avenue East has a cloudy future. We've seen for ourselves that shelves aren't getting restocked, and we hear that employee paychecks sometimes don't pay out. Something ain't right. more ›

How many bags of frozen shrimp scampi must there be in the freezer of an active single who shops for food and dates at Trader Joe's? How many pounds of trail mix? Seattlest thinks they could take it a bit easier on their pantries and just become alcoholics like singles have traditionally done. more ›

Except for 2Pac (who has more posthumous recordings than Beethoven) the career trajectory of hip-hop artists generally follows this simple pattern, dubbed the Nas effect: album detailing how tough life growing up on the streets was, album describing how pimpin' they are now they are rich and can buy more Rolls Royces then you have had hot meals, and an album describing how street they are even though they are rich. more ›