Sidewalk seating may be the bane of dog-walkers and jerks who ride their bikes on the sidewalk, but if there's one thing that drunk Seattleites love, it's getting to sit outside. And during those precious 2 weeks each year when that's not a rain-soaked impossibility, the few patios around town tend to reach maximum capacity right quick. more ›

It appears that all other alcoholic energy drinks are going the way of Tilt, Rockstar 21 and Sparks. Citing "public health and safety concerns," the Washington State Liquor Control Board finally took down their archenemy du jour, Four Loko, this morning with a 120-day ban on alcoholic energy drinks starting November 18. Don't get too excited or start marking your March 2011 calendar with the exact day you can once more drink your sweet, sweet Joose (it's 120 days from November 17, if you're counting)--the WSLCB will spend that 120 days figuring out how to ban it altogether. more ›

The liquor business is booming, despite--or perhaps because of--the recession impacting every other sector of Washington's economy. Gregoire's '09-'11 budget attempts to capitalize on the boom, using Washington's convenient state-run liquor store set-up by requesting that ten more liquor stores open across the state. In theory, this would mean more cash for a state government under such a financial squeeze that social and health care programs are being slashed right and left. But, as the P-I points out, the budget specifications are dredging up the old debate about the state's involvement in liquor sales. Here we go, again. More information for you while you make up your mind: more ›