Puppets singing about politics, racism, and life in the city. It’s an improbable combination, but somehow it works. I’ve seen Avenue Q twice and listened to the cast album countless more times, but I still can’t get enough of this infectious musical comedy. It’s the type of show that charms even people say they don’t like musicals.

Seattle’s Paramount Theatre will present Avenue Q June 10-22, and I highly recommend checking it out. The story centers on Princeton, an eager graduate with a “BA in English” and no career prospects, Kate Monster, the adorable monster next door, and their neighbors (a lovable cast of monsters, people, and puppets). Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
~John Ruskin

If you’re planning a trip to Seattle, WA during Labor Day weekend, then you’ll definitely want to check out Bumbershoot, which is an annual music and arts festival that attracts over 125,000 visitors to Seattle Center each year.

Running August 30 to September 1, 2008, this year’s Bumbershoot will feature performances by Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Ingrid Michaelson, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, and other bands and solo artists to be announced. The festival will also feature literary programs, visual art, dance performances, and a film festival curated by the Seattle International Film Festival.

While at Bumbershoot, you might check out other popular Seattle attractions like the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and the Experience Music Project (EMP). All are within the Seattle Center area.

Looking for something special to spruce up your wardrobe or home? Look no further than the IHR (I Heart Rummage) urban craft show and sale on Sunday, April 6th!

Featuring over 40 of “the Northwest’s most innovative indie designers,” it’s held on the first Sunday of every month at Chop Suey. In addition to the multitudes of eclectic handmade wares, there’s a live DJ and admission is always free.

For more information, visit their website at www.iheartindie.com and be sure to check out the photo gallery of the fair!

This coming weekend of April 5th and 6th marks the arrival of the Taste Washington: The Ultimate Wine Experience at Qwest Field!

Seminars with top wine experts kick off the festival with their broad knowledge of Washington’s wines, covering topics from the shape of wine glasses and usage of oak along with an ode to David Lake and wines of the world. These great learning experiences will be followed by a food and wine pairing lunch by none other than Ilan Hall, the Season 2 winner of Bravo’s Top Chef and master sommelier Evan Goldstein.

Visitors can not only taste the best of Washington’s wines at the QFC Farmer’s Market, but can also enjoy live jazz at the Caffe Vita Lounge or sample some delicious beef at the Washington Beef Commission Beef Bar. Tickets are on sale now as the festival is approaching quickly, so be sure and get yours today!

If you’re overwhelmed by all the great things to do in the city of Seattle, the visitors bureau has put together a list of the Top Things You Must See and Do in Seattle to help out those visiting the city.

Among the attractions, we’re proud to say that our Go Seattle Card includes the Space Needle, Underground Tour, and special 50% off savings for the Tillicum Village Salmon Bake Cruise and Show.

For more help planning your visit, check out our itineraries for suggested plans for your days!

This March and April, why not take a specialty tour of Seattle with your Go Seattle Card?

The Undergound Tour is certainly unique, as it gives guests a “a humorous stroll through intriguing subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889.”

Or perhaps the Argosy Harbor Cruise is more your style, offering fabulous views of the city from the beautiful Elliott Bay. There’s also the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour for those who love to learn about aircraft, or the Quest Field Tour for sports fans who’d love to see firsthand the fields where the football and soccer teams play.

For even more tours, check out this great list from Seattle’s Convention Center and Visitors Bureau!

The current exhibit at the Frye Art Museum is a must-see for all comic lovers! Entitled R. Crumb’s Undergorund, the show pays tribute to R. Crumb, a pioneer in the world of underground comics.

As comic lovers may already know, R. Crumb is responsible for bringing comics into an adult literary form, with the founding of Zap Comix and his willingness to tackle controversial American topics that lurk underneath a shiny exterior. His characters, mainly based on American archetypes, “testify to the complexities of the human condition and to the spiritual and social searches we all undertake.”

This exhibit is the most comprehensive American exhibition of R. Crumb’s work to ever be displayed, so it’s certainly something to check out!

Attention foodies! If you’re a traveler who not only wants to experience all the great sightseeing that Seattle has to offer, but also wants to experience the culinary atmosphere of the city, this post is just for you!

Fremont is known to its citizens as “the center of the universe,” and who are we to disagree? Featuring a statue of Lenin and an 18-foot-public-art sculpture of a troll lurking under the Aurora bridge, this neighborhood is anything but ordinary.

Recently, GOOD magazine named Fremont Avenue North to their list of The Tastiest Streets in America. Boasting diversity and culinary skills to boot, this street is a must visit for hungry travelers. GOOD recommends stopping by Jai Thai for their famed yellow curry, family-style Costas Opa, home of the best Greek cuisine in town, Blue C Sushi for conveyor-belt sushi priced for the frugal, and Paseo for delicious pressed sandwiches from an unlikely hole-in-the-wall.

Bon appetit!

After a busy day of jetting around town with your Go Seattle Card, it’s time to relax with a delicious glass of wine.

If you’re downtown, check out 13 Coins in the Pike Place Market with their extensive wine menu to accompany their special 24 hour menu! There’s also Purple Cafe and Wine Bar, serving a special “tasting” menu including food and wine starting at 3 pm daily.

If you’re in the Ballard area, there’s Volterra for fine Italian food paired with wonderful wine or Portalis Wine Shop & Wine Bar, featuring 400 wines from around the world.

In the Queen Anne area, be sure and stop by The Sitting Room, which was inspired by cafes and bars in France where food and wine are inseparable. With a motto of “In vino veritas…” ( in wine there is truth…Plato), Bricco della Regina is another great spot that knows the value of a fantastic wine.

Smashwine in Greenlake proclaims their motto, “where food and wine collide,” proudly. They offer fabulous entrees and snacks along with flight and glass pours for their patrons. The Twisted Cork wine bar in Bellevue, a 2007 Wine Spectator award winner, is known for their 300 bottle wine cellar, 50 wines by-the-glass, and a 20 by-the-glass Champagne and sparkling wine list.

Wherever strikes your fancy, be sure and have a toast to your time in Seattle!