Dec 23 - Cascadia Weekly

Transcription

Fuzz Buzz, 3.ɁɁ Solstice Salutations, 3.ɁɄ Holiday Helper, 3.ɃɄ
c a s c a d i a
REPORTING FROM
THE HEART OF CASCADIA
WHATCOM
SKAGIT ISLAND COUNTIES
*{12.16.15}{#50}{V.10}{
*
FREE}
UNDER
THE TREE:
MR.
CRANKY
SEASONAL
MEDITATIONS,
P.06
A TWISTED
CHRISTMAS, P.16
SNOOP
DOGG
IT'S A RAP,
P.20
AFTER
OIL,
P.08
FOOD 34
c
a
s
c
a
d
i
a
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
A glance at this week’s
happenings
Attend a Holiday
Concert with
Pacific Northwest
powerhouses
Vicci Martinez,
Flowmotion, Danny
Barnes, and Jacob
Navarro Sat., Dec.
19 at Mount Vernon’s
Lincoln Theatre
MUSIC
Bellingham Ukulele Orchestra: 3pm, Ferndale
Library
Flowmotion, Vicci Martinez: 7pm, Lincoln Theatre
COMMUNITY
Fairhaven Holidays: 12-3pm, Fairhaven Village Inn
Deck the Old City Hall: 12-5pm, Whatcom Museum’s
Old City Hall
GET OUT
Jingle Bell Dash: 9am, Seafarers’ Memorial Park,
Anacortes
Baker Beacon Rally: 11am-2:30pm, Mt. Baker Ski Area
FOOD
Pancake Breakfast: 8-11am, Ferndale Senior Center
Community Breakfast: 8-11am, VFW Hall, Lynden
Breakfast with Santa: 9-11:30am, Christ the King
Community Meal: 10am-12pm, United Church of
Ferndale
Final Farmers Market: 10am-3pm, Depot Market
Square
Holiday Tea: 1-5pm, South Whatcom Library
CURRENTS 8
VIEWS 6
MAIL 4
DO
DO IT
IT 22
WEDNESDAY [12.16.15]
MUSIC
Celtic Christmas Celebration: 6:30pm, Port of
Anacortes Event Center
FOOD
Holiday Chocolate Lounge: Daily through Christmas
Eve, Evolve Chocolate
VISUAL ARTS
Feminomenal: 11am-7pm, Bureau of Historical
Investigation
THURSDAY [12.17.15]
VISUAL ARTS
Coast Salish Festival: 10am-5pm, Lummi Gateway
Center
Pacific Arts Market: 10am-6pm, Sunset Square
Holiday Festival of the Arts: 10am-7pm, 4145
Meridian St.
Solstice Craft Fair: 2-6pm, Boundary Bay Brewery
Celebrate
the holidays
at an annual
Snowflake Ball
taking place Fri.,
Dec. 18 at the
Bellingham Dance
Company
SUNDAY [12.20.15]
ONSTAGE
A Dickens’ Christmas Carol: 2:30pm, Whidbey
Playhouse
DANCE
Saving Christmas Town: 2pm, Bellingham High
School
The Nutcracker: 2pm, McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon
Nativity Dance: 6:30pm, Mount Baker Theatre
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#49.10
12.09.15
ONSTAGE
2
Under the Tree: 7:30pm, iDiOM Theater
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: 7:30pm,
Anacortes Community Theatre
Playhouse
Good, Bad, Ugly: 8pm, Upfront Theatre
The Project: 10pm, Upfront Theatre
DANCE
Nativity Dance: 6:30pm, Mount Baker Theatre
School
A Winter’s Tale: 7pm, Blaine Performing Arts Center
The Nutcracker: 7:30pm, McIntyre Hall, Mount
Vernon
Salsa Night: 9:30pm, Cafe Rumba
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
ThisWeek
Playhouse
Home for the Holidays: 8pm and 10pm, Upfront
Theatre
Feminomenal: 11am-7pm, Bureau of Historical
Investigation
Snowflake Ball: 8-11pm, Bellingham Dance Company
MUSIC
MUSIC
FRIDAY [12.18.15]
Winter Solstice Concert: 7:30pm, Firehouse Performing Arts Center
Bellingham Community Chorus: 3pm, St. James
Presbyterian Church
Damekor Singers: 4pm, Bellingham Public Library
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
Old City Hall
Old City Hall
VISUAL ARTS
FOOD
Meridian St.
Community Breakfast: 8-11am, American Legion
Post #43, Sedro-Woolley
ONSTAGE
DANCE
Folk Dance: 7:15-10pm, Fairhaven Library
MUSIC
Allegra Choirs: 12:30pm, Whatcom Museum
COMMUNITY
Old City Hall
I’ll Be Home for Christmas: 7pm, Lincoln Theatre,
Mount Vernon
Playhouse
Home for the Holidays: 8pm and 10pm, Upfront
Theatre
VISUAL ARTS
DANCE
Meridian St.
School
VISUAL ARTS
SATURDAY [12.19.15]
ONSTAGE
Amuze’ Christmas Cabaret: 7pm, Conway Muse
Meridian St.
Dr. Sketchy’s: 6:30pm, Temple Bar
3
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#49.10
12.09.15
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
FOOD 34
THISWEEK
FOOD 34
Editor & Publisher:
Tim Johnson
ext 260
{ editor@
cascadiaweekly.com
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
ART 18
Cascadia Weekly:
360.647.8200
Editorial
When rock icon Janis Joplin bought her drop-top 356C
Porsche in 1968, it was nothing special. This week, the
eye-catching collector’s item—which was painted by Joplin’s roadie Dave Richards with a psychedelic mural dubbed
“History of the Universe,” then painted over by her siblings
after her death, and then restored again—sold for $1.76
million. Now that’s trippy.
TOC
LETTERS
STAFF
Arts & Entertainment
Editor: Amy Kepferle
ext 204
{ calendar@
cascadiaweekly.com
Music & Film Editor:
Carey Ross
ext 203
{ music@
cascadiaweekly.com
Production
VIEWS & NEWS
4: Mailbag
6: Gristle & Rhodes
STAGE 16
mail
Contact
8: A renewable revolution
10: Last Week’s News
11: Police blotter
Art Director:
Jesse Kinsman
{ jesse@
kinsmancreative.com
Graphic Artist:
Roman Komarov
{ roman@
cascadiaweekly.com
Send all advertising materials to
GET OUT 14
[email protected]
ARTS & LIFE
12: Wild things
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
14: Solstice salutations
16: A twisted Christmas
18: New kids on the block
20: Doggystyle
22: Clubs
24: Sister act
25: King killer
26: Film Shorts
REAR END
27: Bulletin Board
28: Wellness
29: Crossword
30: Free Will Astrology
31: Advice Goddess
32: Comix
Advertising
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Stephanie Young
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Distribution
Distribution Manager:
Scott Pelton
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Whatcom: Erik Burge,
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Skagit: Linda Brown,
Barb Murdoch
Letters
Send letters to letters@
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12.16.15
Fuzz Buzz, 3.ɁɁ Solstice Salutations, 3.ɁɄ Holiday Helper, 3.ɃɄ
33: Slowpoke, Sudoku
34: Holiday helpers
c a s c a d i a
REPORTING FROM
THE HEART OF CASCADIA
WHATCOM
UNDER
THE TREE:
MR.
CRANKY
SEASONAL
MEDITATIONS,
P.06
A TWISTED
CHRISTMAS, P.16
SNOOP
DOGG
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
IT'S A RAP,
P.20
4
©2015 CASCADIA WEEKLY (ISSN 1931-3292) is published each Wednesday by
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SKAGIT ISLAND COUNTIES
*{12.16.15}{#50}{V.10}{
*
FREE}
AFTER
OIL,
P.08
WILL THE RISING
TIDE BE RED OR BLUE?
Blue states between the two coasts are becoming red. Why? Apparently, increased numbers of
hardworking citizens in other states turn their
backs on those economically below them and
vote against government-provided services for
those less fortunate.
That very scenario is being enacted by a subset
on Bellingham City Council, who are behaving as
if they have people to impress and need to beat
down all local new and old activists and Democrats, as well as the beneficiaries of Paid Sick
and Safe Leave.
That is not Bellingham. In Bellingham, folks
on the street, young, older, retired, local Democrats and union members—to name a few—are
in agreement on this issue that our values in
Bellingham necessitate we offer a hand to pull
people up and not ignore them.
From my perspective, only extreme knee-jerk
reactions on the concept of paid sick and safe
leave have taken place with no serious investigation of this issue. Why? For whatever reasons,
business everywhere has maneuvered into a position where labor is a fixed cost. Period. Full stop.
That was fine when wages afforded a middle
class life. But $9.47 an hour in several part-time
jobs does not pay the bills and a patriarchal boss
is not the same as assured benefits. Stating the
obvious, Bellingham’s prosperity is closely linked
to the Canadian dollar and, however much we
dream, Seattle businesses are not moving here.
As for local business bluster at the recent forum on this topic, their behavior mostly parallels
the NRA in shouting loudly when their territory
is being invaded, and City Council caved. Is that
how blue cities become red?
—Carole Jacobson, Bellingham
LET’S GET TO WORK
Now that the proposed jail project failed to
pass, we need to consider how we move forward.
I did not vote for the jail proposal because it
seemed too big and, in some areas, too expensive. But more importantly, the proposal lacked
sufficient funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment services—in the jail and
outside of it.
I would support a proposal for a new jail—and
I do believe we need one—if it included adequate funding for these important services. The
goal would be to divert a number of people from
jail in the first place, and lessen the total cost
for these nonviolent people.
I call on the County Council to take charge of
the process now for planning a new jail. I believe
it is time for new leadership on this issue.
—Jerry Spatz, Bellingham
PLAYBOOK ON WAR
“Naturally, the common people don’t
want war. That is understood. But after
all, it is the leaders of the country who
determine the policy and it is always a
simple matter to drag people along,
whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a parliament or a communist
dictatorship. The people can always be
brought to the bidding of the leaders. All
you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists
for lack of patriotism and exposing the
country to danger. It works the same in
any country.” —Hermann Goering, Nazi
mastermind, 1946.
“As president, I will defend this nation, but I will do it responsibly. War
must be a last resort, not the first option.” —Bernie Sanders, presidential
candidate, 2015.
Next election the choices are clear: A
page from the playbook for continuous,
never-ending war, or a path to a lasting
peace.
—Michael T. Hinojosa, via email
FOOD 34
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
EST. 2014
ROCK
AND RYE
OYSTER HOUSE
1145 NORTH STATE STREET
DINNER Tuesday - Sunday 3 - 11
BRUNCH Saturday - Sunday 10 - 2
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
all day wednesdays at rock and rye.
WORDS 12
$16 steak and beer
CURRENTS 8
wednesday steak night.
VIEWS 6
—Lane Bode, Maple Falls
BRUNCH t COCKTAILS t TACOS t OYSTERS t PATIO t DAILY HAPPY HOUR
MAIL 4
As an American of Jewish heritage, I
wonder what Adolf Hitler may have first
said concerning Jews when he came to
power? Donald Trump’s recent comments
have been met by a chilling silence
among other Republicans.
ISIS and al-Qaeda, and related organizations, are a real threat. They are
sucker-punching us in hope that we
overreact. If we start bombing mosques
and denying Muslims entry, we will help
radicalize a new generation and later
pay the price.
Since 9/11 78,500 refugees have entered America and not one has been convicted of a terrorist act. During that time
nearly half a million Americans have died
from the use of guns for murders, suicides
and accidents. Gun control works in every
other industrialized country. Australia is
a model of dramatic improvement after
gun control was enacted.
There are no simplistic solutions to
complex problems. Our most pressing
problem is that we are degrading our
environment at an alarming speed. A
handful of people are making obscene
profit with the rest of us downwind.
We’re smart enough to leap beyond fossil
fuels to more sensible alternatives. We
may have to restructure our economy.
America is a testament to change and
that technology exists.
Long-term solutions include promoting
better economic and political conditions
where refugees now flee, less dependence
on oil, gun control, and electing officials
I believe that to not allow immigration
of people who are Muslims is contrary to
the fact that our country was founded
on the principle of religious freedom
and diversity. I spent 3½ years working
as an electrician for the U.S. military on
a base in Northern Afghanistan and part
of my job was working with and training
local Afghan men as electricians.
As we were in the war zone, these
men traveled daily from their homes to
the base sometime through hostile fire.
The majority of them were Muslims and
also hardworking, honorable, upstanding
family men who took the risk of working for the United States because jobs
were scarce and their families needed
the money. Now that the base has been
closed and our soldiers moved out of the
area the Taliban has re-emerged. This has
made these men targets for retribution
for working for and helping the Americans. Some do not live with their families
as they would become targets also.
These men and their families have
spent most of their lives in a perpetual war zone and I can understand why
they would wish to emigrate and live in
peace. Yes, I believe we need to screen
and make sure that people are not coming here to harm us, but the religion
they practice should not determine
if they are allowed to emigrate to the
United States.
Our ancestors came to this country
for opportunity and religious freedoms,
which is what made America strong and a
beacon of hope around the world.
DO IT 2
AS YOU SOW,
SHALL YOU REAP
WALK IN THEIR SHOES
12.16.15
—Chris Camp, Bellingham
—Harvey Schwartz, Bellingham
#50.10
The fear that motivates so many on
the right is palpable—fear of minorities,
fear of Muslims, fear of immigrants, fear
of empowered women, the list goes on.
Behind it all, though, is a fear of change
and, conversely, that things just might
stay the same.
Many on the right are afraid that
someday they won’t be able to go to the
Post Office or the bank and do business
without being able to speak Spanish.
They’re afraid that someday they will
find themselves face down on the side
of the road with a police officer’s boot
on them under suspicion of driving while
white. Perhaps someday someone will
burn a cross in their yard for being an
“uppity Christian.” Who knows, perhaps
someday white people will be herded
into reservations or internment camps
or ghettos because they’re too much of
savages for civil society.
The fear that keeps Donald Trump and
his ilk ahead in the polls is a fear that
when white people are no longer the majority in this country that they will be
treated the same way we have treated,
and continue to treat minorities.
that look seven generations ahead.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
THE SUM OF ALL FEARS
5
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THE GRISTLE
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
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CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
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FAREWELL: At the end of their legislative year, city
6
and county councils took time to bid farewell to extraordinary departing members with whom they’ve
collaborated and (at times, and with mostly good
cheer) sparred. And as productive as they were in
collaboration, it was in the sparring where Jack Weiss
and Pete Kremen each beat legislation into a better
shape and made their communities a better place.
Both elected to retire from public office this year.
Bellingham City Council honored departing member Jack Weiss with a resolution that surveyed his
achievements, and the intelligence and candor with
which he approached issues. Most certainly, he thoroughly read the council packet and associated materials in detail—boy, did he read them—and with a
critical attention that was both granular and able to
assemble one policy with myriad others into a comprehensive whole. He did his homework and legwork.
“Jack always stuck to his core convictions,” colleagues
noted in their presentation, “and never wavered.”
Whatever advances the City of Bellingham has
made on land use strategies and neighborhood integrity, on sustainable practices, on social justice,
on bicycle and pedestrian access and safety, on
parks and greenways, on the general health of Lake
Whatcom, you would find Jack in the thick of it,
fighting hard from a standpoint of principle. He was
fierce that the public should not subsidize unfortunate outcomes.
When others on Council were bored or exhausted
with the waterfront master plan, Jack continued
to press for public benefit, transparency and accountability. Whatever public good may eventually
emerge from that plan, you can thank Jack Weiss.
Without his effort, it would not be there. In the
end, it still was not good enough for him and he
cast the lone vote against the plan. He’s never regretted that vote.
Similarly, there was a moment in 2014 where the
city’s nascent rental safety program appeared toothless and stillborn, without Council support to move
forward, and ready to again fall into a coma as it
had so many times in previous decades. Jack would
not allow that, and almost singlehandedly breathed
life into the program, kept it in balance, and eventually wrangled unanimous support for it from Council.
That’s leadership.
Rather uniquely, he would push back against the
assertions of staff, question them thoroughly and—
when appropriate—express dissatisfaction with incomplete answers. This is the very essence of why we
elect citizen representatives to balance technocratic
government.
“It is important not to be afraid to question authority,” Jack noted in an open letter to his replacement on City Council that he read aloud to his colleagues. “The Council from time to time will make
mistakes and usually it is because we did not question enough.
“Cut through the nonsense and political posturing
and focus on the facts,” he said. “If the facts aren’t
there, then question the authority of the presenter,
regardless of who it is. Some people do not like my
style or me because I push back. It is not that I
don’t like them, it is just they did not give me facts
or were insincere with their motives.”
Nearly the opposite in style but no less effec-
YOUR VIEWS
THE GRISTLE
ALAN RHODES
Mr. Cranky’s Seasonal Meditations
PSYCHOTIC SHOPPING AND STARBUCK’S HOLIDAY CUPS
HERE WE are in the holiday
season again, with Thanksgiving
behind us and Christmas looming
ahead. Thanksgiving, for shopaholics, means Black Friday, a time to
head to the mall for an oniomaniacal orgy of fevered consumerism.
The most dedicated shoppers don’t
wait until Friday itself, since Black
Friday sales are already underway
on Thanksgiving Day. When Karl
Marx coined the phrase “commodity
fetishism,” I’m sure the old boy had
no idea how deranged things were
going to get.
Not liking to shop under even
the best of circumstances, I have
no problem opting out of Black Friday. This year after our Thanksgiving dinner guests departed, instead
of an evening excursion to a store,
Mrs. Cranky and I put on our PJs and
watched a favorite dystopian sci-fi
flick, In Time, in which time itself
has become a commodity and people have to buy it to stay alive. It
seemed an appropriate Black Friday
movie selection.
And now on to Christmas. While
I’m not a religious fellow, I do like
all the festive trappings of Christmas, so we usually string up some
outdoor lighting and decorate a
Christmas tree. We were out of town
this year during my other favorite
holiday, Halloween, and weren’t
able to put up spooky decorations, so I decided to combine the
two holidays. I spray-painted our
Christmas tree black and hung little
orange plastic zombies from the
branches. I thought it was quite
dramatic and boldly original, but
I had to take it down. It was giving my wife nightmares and visitors
were looking at me oddly and backing away. It’s lonely being a vision-
ary artist ahead of one’s time.
This Christmas season a major
controversy (well, among the batty, anyway) has brewed (no pun
intended) around Starbucks. Their
holiday takeout cups are somewhat
minimalist, just a bright red background with the green Starbucks’
logo. They look festive enough for
me, but the lack of specific Christmas symbols was all it took to set
off hardcore evangelicals. The absence of little holly wreaths or mangers or whatever it was they wanted
to see on the cups sent this pious
posse into a sweaty rage against
Starbucks for its perceived War on
Christmas.
I rarely frequent Starbucks myself,
preferring to caffeinate at local,
non-corporate espresso bars, but I’m
making an exception throughout December. I’ll be sipping all my americanos at Starbucks in solidarity with
my fellow spawns of Satan running
the place.
As I think about it, the unembellished Starbucks cup makes a lot of
sense.
Christmas isn’t the only holiday
that occurs around this time of year.
Jews observe Hanukkah, of course,
but that’s only part of what’s going
on. Muslims will celebrate the birth
of Muhammad on Milad un Nabi;
Hindus have a five-day Pancha Ganapati festival honoring Ganesha,
patron of the arts and guardian of
culture; African Americans honor
VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF CASCADIA WEEKLY
such values as community, culture
and heritage with Kwanzaa; Buddhists commemorate the enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha on Bodhi
Day; Pagans enjoy Yule festivities;
and on Dec. 25, Sir Isaac Newton’s
birthday, many atheists observe
a holiday they call Newtonmas, a
celebration of science and reason.
(Footnote: Some say Newton was
born Jan. 4, but this depends on
whether you are using the Julian
or the Gregorian calendar. I report,
you decide.)
Taking all these holiday observations into consideration, it would
seem culturally insensitive for Starbucks to put only Christian images
on their cups, and the cups would
be really cluttered if they tried to
put a symbol there for every group.
Starbucks is probably better off
having decided to just go with the
bright red color and leave it at that,
even though it makes crazy people
crazier. It’s a practical choice, too,
as any leftover cups can be used
again for Valentine’s Day.
For a lot of people the winter
holiday season comes to an end
with New Year’s Eve and New Year’s
Day frolics, although some say that
the season actually ends Jan. 8, Elvis Presley’s birthday. I stretch the
season out until Jan. 14, when I
celebrate the birthday of Hal Roach,
legendary producer of the Laurel
and Hardy movies.
Mr. and Mrs. Cranky usually stay
home on New Year’s Eve, given the
number of inebriates who turn the
streets into a bumper car track.
New Year’s Eve brings out the inner
bedlamite in many folks, as you can
see by Googling “New Year’s Eve &
Darwin Awards.”
Happy holidays, everyone.
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12.16.15
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December 19, you can pick a Snowman Bag from the
sleigh and win cash! Drawings every 30 minutes from
6pm to 10pm both nights. Winners Club Members get a
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#50.10
tive in practice is Pete Kremen, who
this month retires from 31 years of
service to the county—as a state
legislator, as chief executive of the
county administration, and from a
remarkable and productive term on
County Council. Pete understood the
balance of county politics, a progressive pragmatist who understood durable results take time.
He was elected into the very froth
and ferment of the county’s reactionary tantrum against the Growth Management Act and—difficult as it may
be to imagine today—managed to
wrangle a comprehensive plan from
the angriest and most obstreperous
council in the county’s history. Pete
had a genuine sense that the legislative branch was the primary driver of
republican government, and used his
powers as executive sparingly through
four terms and left the office in better financial shape than he’d found it.
“I wouldn’t say I was a tightwad,”
Pete joked. “I was value conscious.”
Of course, Pete’s most lasting legacy is the Lake Whatcom Reconveyance,
the transfer of nearly 9,000 steep, forested acres into county management
as a park, the single most protective
act in the long and sorry history of
that public water supply.
And while it’s pretty obvious Pete
originally ran for council office to
help shepherd the Reconveyance
to completion, he really seemed to
come into his own and shine and
County Council. Without question,
he loved being—in his words—“one
of seven.” He was balanced and versatile in the role, building productive working relationships even with
Council members with whom he’d
butted heads as Executive.
“When Pete was the Executive,
he and I did not get along,” Barbara Brenner laughed. “He so quickly,
when he got on Council, figured out
the position and the work, and I
don’t know if anyone is going to miss
him more than me.”
His long and varied service made
Pete an elder statesman and historian
of sorts on Council; and in his final
months in office, he delivered effortlessly several wise and principled
statements on the nature of democracy and public service, and his optimism
for the future of Whatcom County.
It’s not an easy matter to serve in
public office. The hours are long, and
the interactions are frequently tense.
Thanks are few. In the end, you hope
you made a difference, and made the
place you live a better place. These
men certainly did.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
THE GRISTLE
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#50.09
CASCADIA WEEKLY
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currents
NEWS
POLITICS
FUZZ BUZZ
BIG
OIL
MAKE WAY FOR BIG SOLAR
THE FUTURE BELONGS TO RENEWABLES
BY MICHAEL T. KLARE
HISTORICALLY, THE transition from one energy system to another, as from wood to coal or coal to oil, has
proven an enormously complicated process, requiring decades to complete. In similar fashion, it will undoubtedly
be many years before renewable forms of energy—wind,
solar, tidal, geothermal and others still in development—
replace fossil fuels as the world’s leading energy providers.
Nonetheless, 2015 can be viewed as the year in which the
epochal transition from one set of fuels to another took
off, with renewables making such significant strides that,
for the first time in centuries, the beginning of the end of
the Fossil Fuel Era has come into sight.
This shift will take place no matter how well or poorly
the deal just achieved at the U.N. climate summit in Paris is
carried out. Although a robust commitment by participating nations to curb future carbon emissions will certainly
help speed the transition, the necessary preconditions—
political will, investment capital and technological momentum—are already in place to drive the renewable revolution
INDEX
forward. Lending a hand to this transformation will be a sharp and continuing reduction in the cost of renewable energy,
making it increasingly competitive with
fossil fuels. According to the Paris-based
International Energy Agency (IEA), between now and 2040 global investments in
renewable power capacity will total $7 trillion, accounting for 60 percent of all power
plant investment.
Fossil fuels will not, of course, disappear.
Too much existing infrastructure—refineries, distribution networks, transportation
systems, power plants and the like—are
dependent on oil, coal, and natural gas,
which means, unfortunately, these fuels
will continue to play a prominent role for
decades. But the primary thrust of new policies, new investment and new technology
will be in the advancement of renewables.
BREAKTHROUGH INITIATIVES
Two events on the periphery of the Paris
climate summit were especially noteworthy in terms of the renewable revolution:
the announcement of an International Solar Alliance by India and France, and the
launching of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition by Bill Gates of Microsoft, Jeff Bezos
of Amazon, and a host of other billionaires.
As described by Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, the International Solar
Alliance is meant to mobilize private and
public funds for the development and installation of affordable solar systems on
a global scale, especially in developing
countries. “We intend making joint efforts
through innovative policies, projects, programs, capacity-building measures, and financial instruments to mobilize more than
$100 billion of investments that are needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of
affordable solar energy,” Modi and French
President François Hollande indicated in a
joint statement on Nov. 30
According to its sponsors, the aim of this
program is to pool financing from both
public and private sources in order to bring
down the costs of solar systems even further and speed their utilization, especially
in poor tropical countries. “The vast majority of humans are blessed with sunlight
throughout the year,” Modi explained. “We
want to bring solar energy into their lives.”
To get the alliance off the ground, the
Indian government will commit some $30
billion for the establishment of the alliance’s headquarters in New Delhi. Modi has
also pledged to increase solar power generation in India by 2,500 percent over the
next seven years, expanding output from 4
to 100 gigawatts—thereby creating a vast
new market for solar technology and devices. “This day is the sunrise of new hope,
not just for clean energy, but for villages and homes still in darkness,” he said in
Paris, adding that the solar alliance would
create “unlimited economic opportunities”
for green energy entrepreneurs.
The Breakthrough Energy Coalition,
reportedly the brainchild of Bill Gates,
will seek to channel private and public
funds into the development of advanced
green-energy technologies to speed the
transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
“Technology will help solve our energy issues,” the project’s website states. “Scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs can invent and scale the innovative technologies
that will limit the impact of climate change
while providing affordable and reliable energy to everyone.”
As Gates imagines it, the new venture
will seek to bundle funds from wealthy
investors in order to move innovative energy breakthroughs from the laboratory—
where they often languish—to full-scale
development and production. “Experience
indicates that even the most promising
ideas face daunting commercialization
challenges and a nearly impassable Valley
of Death between promising concept and
viable product,” the project notes. “This
collective failure can be addressed, in
part, by a dramatically scaled-up public
research pipeline, linked to a different
kind of private investor with a long-term
commitment to new technologies who is
willing to put truly patient flexible risk
capital to work.”
Joining Gates and Bezos in this venture are a host of super-rich investors,
including Jack Ma, founder and executive
chairman of Alibaba, the Chinese internet
giant; Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and
chairman of Facebook; George Soros, chairman of Soros Fund Management; and Ratan
Tata, chairman emeritus of India’s giant
Tata Sons conglomerate. While seeking to
speed the progress of green technology,
these investors also see a huge potential
for future profits in this field and, as the
venture claims, “will certainly be motivated partly by the possibility of making big
returns over the long-term, but also by the
criticality of an energy transition.”
While vast in their ambitions, these
two schemes are not without their critics.
Some environmentalists worry, for example, that Modi’s enthusiasm for the International Solar Alliance might actually be a
public relations device aimed at deflecting criticism from his plans for increasing
India’s reliance on coal to generate electricity. A report by Climate Action Tracker,
LONG-TERM PROSPECTS
Evidence that an accelerating shift to
renewables is already underway can also
be found in recent studies of the global
energy industry, most notably in the IEA’s
just-released annual assessment of indus-
THE DEVELOPING
WORLD GOES GREEN
In another sign of this epochal shift,
ever more countries in the developing
world—including some oil-producing
ones—are embracing renewables as their
preferred energy sources. According to
SOLAR, CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
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new nuclear power, geo-engineering technologies, and off-the-wall stuff.”
Despite such criticisms, the far-reaching implications and symbolic importance of these initiatives shouldn’t be
dismissed. By funneling billions—and in
the end undoubtedly trillions—of dollars
into the development and deployment of
green technologies, these politicians and
plutocrats are ensuring that the shift from
fossil fuels to renewables will gain further
momentum with each passing year until it
becomes unstoppable.
714 Lakeway Dr.
12.16.15
— NARENDRA MODI
Friday, December 18 TH 7 PM-9 PM
#50.09
We intend making joint
efforts through innovative
policies, projects,
programs, capacitybuilding measures, and
financial instruments to
mobilize more than $100
billion of investments
that are needed by
2030 for the massive
deployment of affordable
solar energy.”
try trends, World Energy Outlook 2015.
“There are unmistakable signs that the
much needed global energy transition is
under way,” the report noted, with “60
cents of every dollar invested in new power plants to 2040 [to be] spent on renewable energy technologies.”
The growing importance of renewables,
the IEA noted, is especially evident in the
case of electricity generation. As more
countries follow the growth patterns seen
in China and South Korea, electricity is expected to provide an ever-increasing share
of world energy requirements. Global electricity use, the report says, will grow by 46
percent between 2013 and 2040; all other
forms of energy use, by only 24 percent.
As a result, the share of total world energy provided by electricity will rise from 38
percent to 42 percent.
This shift is significant because renewables will provide a greater share of
the energy used to generate electricity.
Whereas they contributed only 12 percent
of energy to power generation in 2013, the
IEA reports, they are expected to supply
24 precent in 2040; meanwhile, the shares
provided by coal and natural gas will grow
by far smaller percentages, and that by oil
will actually shrink. While coal and gas are
still likely to dominate the power sector
in 2040, the trend lines suggest that they
will lose ever more ground to renewables
as time goes on.
Contributing to the growing reliance on
renewables, the IEA finds, is a continuing
drop in the cost of deploying these technologies. Once considered pricey compared
to fossil fuels, renewables are beginning to
win out on cost alone. In 2014, the agency noted, “about three-quarters of global
renewables-based [power] generation was
competitive with electricity from other
types of power plants without subsidies,”
with large hydropower facilities contributing much of this share.
Certainly, renewables continue to benefit from subsidies of various sorts. In 2014,
the IEA reports, governments provided
some $112 billion to underwrite renewable
power generation. While this may seem
like a significant amount, it is only about
a quarter of the $490 billion in subsidies
governments offered globally to the fossil
fuel industry. If those outsized subsidies
were eliminated and a price imposed on
the consumption of carbon, as proposed in
many of the schemes to be introduced in
the wake of the Paris climate summit, renewables would become instantly competitive without subsidies.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
an environmental watchdog group, noted,
for instance, that “the absolute growth in
[India’s] coal-powered electric generating capacity would be significantly larger
than the absolute increase in renewable/
non-fossil generation capacity” in that
country between 2013 and 2030. “Ultimately, this would lead to a greater lockin of carbon-intensive power infrastructure in India than appears necessary.”
The Gates initiative has come under
criticism for favoring still-experimental
“breakthrough” technologies over further
improvements in here-and-now devices
such as solar panels and wind turbines.
For example, Joe Romm, a climate expert
and former acting assistant secretary of
energy, recently wrote at the website Climate Progress that “Gates has generally
downplayed the amazing advances we’ve
had in the keystone clean technologies,”
such as wind and solar, while “investing in
9
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CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.09
12.16.15
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BY TIM JOHNSON
10
The Nooksack River Casino closes and will not reopen. The Nooksack Tribe’s original casino has been plagued by financial problems, prompting
long-running legal battles between the tribe and lenders seeking to collect on their loans. The Northwood Casino north of Lynden remains in operation.
12.07.15
MONDAY
Confronted by a weakened Canadian dollar and impending layoffs
at Cherry Point, Bellingham City Council won’t force local businesses to provide paid sick leave to employees. Council agrees the state
needs to take the lead on the issue, so that businesses won’t simply
relocate elsewhere to dodge the requirement. But City Council also
recognizes that the state is not likely to address the issue of paid
sick leave this year.
12.08.15
TUESDAY
Whatcom County Council extends the jail use contracts for its
cities that were set to expire at the end of this year. Their decision
yields an additional six months for the cities—notably Bellingham—
to find solutions to the Sheriff’s warning that he must reduce the
population of an overcrowded and unsafe jail. Meanwhile, Bellingham presses forward with an option to use a facilty in Yakima if
inmates cannot be safely housed in the county jail.
12.09.15
WEDNESDAY
Gov. Jay Inslee proclaims a state of emergency in Washington
following days of hazardous weather with landslides closing major
highways, high winds knocking out power to thousands, and rainfall causing widespread flooding of roadways, homes and property.
The most severe weather events have occurred in the southwestern
portion of the state, but storms cause flooding across Whatcom and
Skagit counties as rivers crest.
The state’s charter schools initiative is throwing in the towel.
The Charter School Commission votes to make final preparations
to lay off its staff and send its records to the state archives.
Closing the agency is required under a Washington Supreme Court
ruling that declared a 2012 law creating the charter schools was
unconstitutional. The high court cited issues with the way charter schools are supported with state dollars and governed by a
board that is not elected by residents. The justices said last month
they would not reconsider their decision. The state’s nine char-
ter schools are expected to stay open at least
through the end of the school year.
An internal investigation clears a Bellingham
Police officer accused of racial profiling during a
traffic stop in September. The investigation concludes that a Hispanic youth from Skagit County,
who was stopped after traveling the wrong way
down a one-way street, provided the officer with
false information that led the officer to contact
border and immigration services. U.S. Border Patrol eventually took custody of the youth to determine his identity. He was released by CBP and
later admitted that he had been untruthful about
his name and actual age of 15.
Meanwhile, the Western Washington University student accused of posting threats is charged
with malicious harassment, a hate crime.
Charging papers say the 19-year-old student told
investigators he wrote the comment in response
to something he believed the WWU Associated
Students president championed. He quickly removed the post and told investigators he didn’t
actually intend to harm anybody.
A video goes viral with millions of views online
that shows a man yelling a racial slur at a black
man during a fight in downtown Bellingham
early Saturday morning, Dec. 5. The video appears to show a man punch a woman in the face
during a struggle. The woman’s boyfriend, who
is black, is then seen exchanging swings with
two other men. One of those men yells a racial
slur multiple times. Police begin an investigation
into charges of malicious harassment.
.12.12.15
SATURDAY
Nearly 200 nations adopt the first global
pact to fight climate change, calling on the
world to collectively cut and then eliminate
greenhouse gas pollution but imposing no sanctions on countries that don’t. Some call it an
important step forward; others say it is a joke—
too little, too late.
Gov. Inslee says the Paris agreement means the
world has “pushed the go button on the fight
against climate change.” Inslee was one of three
U.S. governors who attended COP21 to participate in several events and meetings emphasizing
the importance of action at the state level.
Already battered by plunging oil prices, Alberta and British Columbia are suffering from the
fallout of a severe downturn in the global coal
market, brought on by China’s rapidly cooling industrial demand and the growing shift away from
coal-fired electricity generation. It’s troubled
times for an industry that’s long been a quietly
powerful force in the Canadian economy.
12.14.15
MONDAY
Canada’s dollar hits an 11½-year trough
against its U.S. counterpart as oil prices slide
to seven-year lows. The Canadian dollar fell 0.2
percent last week, its weakest performance since
April 2004.
Five conservation groups will sue the National Marine Fisheries Service, saying the federal agency failed to complete a recovery plan
for imperiled Puget Sound steelhead. Wild Fish
Conservancy and others say the agency has not
completed the plan, despite listing the fish as
federally threatened in 2007. Such a plan sets
out what needs to be done to prevent the species
from going extinct.
SOUTH FOR THE WINTER
On Nov. 19, Blaine Police checked on a
report that a transient was camping in
the woods near Lincoln Park. “An officer
did find and contact a traveler, who was
in the process of packing up,” police reported. “He explained he was moving to
Oregon, looking for better weather.”
SNORE UPROAR
On Dec. 11, a man told Bellingham Police
On Dec. 9, a woman was reported walking down the middle of State Street,
striking at passing cars. Bellingham Police arrived and “the woman took it upon
herself to jump on the hood of the police
car,” police reported. “She talked nonsense and in a made-up language.” She
was taken into protective custody for a
mental health examination.
On Dec. 12, Bellingham Police checked
on a report that a woman had been yelling loudly in her downtown apartment
“for an extended period, as she was
upset with her neighbors,” police explained. She was advised of the city’s
noise ordinance.
On Nov. 11, “a Blaine motel owner observed smoke coming from one of his
occupied rooms, and discovered the resident inside had started her curtains on
fire after smashing the glass out of all the
pictures on the walls,” police reported.
“Border Patrol agents responded to assist the police officer who arrived to the
owner’s call for help.” The occupant was
arrested and booked into jail for malicious
mischief, reckless burning and resisting a
public officer.
GO GREEN, YOUNG MAN
AND YOUNG WOMAN
All this is not to say that the world
will be a green-energy paradise in 2030
or 2040. Far from it. Barring the unexpected, fossil fuels will continue to
rule in many areas, especially transportation, and the resulting carbon emissions will continue to warm the planet
disastrously. By then, however, most
new investment in the energy field
will, at least, be devoted to renewables
and in most places globally there will
be rules and regulations aimed at facilitating their installation.
As a college professor, I often think
about such developments in terms of my
students. When they ask me for career
advice these days, I urge them to gear
their studies toward some field likely to
prosper in exactly this future environment: renewable energy systems, green
architecture and city planning, alternative transportation and industrial
Michael T. Klare is the Five College Professor of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College in Amherst,
Massachusetts. His newest book, The
Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources has
just recently been published.
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On Nov. 18, a Blaine patrol officer responded to a report of two adult men
arguing. “It turned out to be a father
and son,” police reported. “Dad was upset about his son’s drug use, and about
a lighter the younger man had taken the
night before and would not return. The
officer confirmed no criminal violations
had occurred and mediated the dispute,
which was resolved when the younger
man left on foot.”
MAIL 4
On Nov. 25, a car crossed the centerline
at a sharp turn in the roadway at Squalicum Parkway. “The vehicle struck another
car head-on,” Bellingham Police reported.
“There were no injuries. The male suspect
acted as if he was going to meet to exchange information in a nearby parking
lot, but he drove away.” The 35-year-old
was later identified by his license plate in
a photo lineup. He was cited by summons
for hit-and-run.
On Nov. 11, a parent called Blaine Police
to ask for help with her out-of-control
teenager who was having an emotional
outburst and throwing things inside their
home, police reported. “Officers have a
rapport with the youth from prior incidents
and their arrival calmed him enough that
he could regain some self-control,” police
explained. “Officers remained at the home
until mom was certain they would be all
right for the evening.”
the IEA, the newly industrialized
countries, spearheaded by China and
India, will spend $2.7 trillion on renewable-based power plants between
2015 and 2040, far more than the
older industrialized nations.
This embrace of renewables by the
developing world is especially significant given the way the major oil and
gas companies—led by ExxonMobil
and BP—have long argued that cheap
fossil fuels provide these countries
with the smoothest path to rapid economic development. Exxon CEO Rex
Tillerson has even claimed that there
is a “humanitarian imperative” to
providing the developing world with
cheap fossil fuels in order to save
“millions and millions of lives.”
In accordance with this self-serving
rhetoric, Exxon, BP, Royal Dutch Shell,
and other energy giants have been
madly expanding their oil and gas distribution networks in Asia, Africa, and
other developing areas.
Increasingly, however, the targets
of this push are rejecting fossil fuels
in favor of renewables. Morocco, for
example, has pledged to obtain 42 percent of its electricity from renewables
by 2020, far more than planned by the
members of the European Union. Later
this month, the country will commence
operations at the Ouarzazate solar
thermal plant, a mammoth facility capable of supplying electricity to one
million homes by relying on an array
of revolving parabolic mirrors covering
some 6,000 acres. These will concentrate the power of sunlight and use it
to produce steam for electricity-generating turbines.
systems, sustainable development and
environmental law, among others. And
more and more of my students are, in
fact, choosing such paths.
Likewise, if I were a future venture capitalist, I would follow the
lead of Gates, Bezos, and the other
tycoons in the Breakthrough Energy
Coalition by seeking out the most
innovative work in the green energy
field. It offers as close as you can
get to a guarantee against failure. As
the consumption of renewable energy explodes, the incentives for power
and money-saving technical breakthroughs are only going to grow and
the rate of discovery is sure to rise
as well, undoubtedly offering enormous payback possibilities for those
getting a piece of the action early.
Finally, if I were an aspiring politician, whether in this country or elsewhere, I would be spinning plans for
my city, state or nation to take the
lead in the green energy revolution.
Once the transition from fossil fuels
to renewables gains more momentum,
leadership in the development and
deployment of green technologies
will become a far more popular position, which means it will increase
your electability. This proposition is
already beginning to be tested. For
example, the Labor Party candidate
for mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is
now leading the way by building his
campaign around a promise to set
that city on course to be 100 percent
powered by renewables by 2050.
You’re still going to hear a lot about
fossil fuels—and for good reason—but
make no mistake about it: the future
belongs to renewables. Of course, Big
Energy, the giant utilities, and the
lobbyists and politicians in their pay,
including just about the complete
climate-change-denying
Republican
Party, will do everything in their (not
insignificant) power to perpetuate the
Fossil Fuel Era. In the process, they will
cause immeasurable harm to the planet
and to us all. They will win some battles. In the process, they will also be
committing some of the great crimes of
history. But the war they are fighting
is a losing one. Inevitably, ever more
people—especially the most dynamic and creative of the young—will be
hitching their futures to the coming of
a genuinely green civilization, ensuring
its ultimate triumph.
DO IT 2
On Dec. 11, a Bellingham man tried to
elude police by driving onto a trail but
was stopped by a large boulder blocking
the trailhead. The vehicle was reported
stolen while a family dined at a McDonald’s restaurant. Police spotted the car
and attempted to stop the driver, but
the 22-year-old tried to squeeze the car
through a narrow trailhead at Whatcom
Falls Park. The car came to a stop as it
struck the rock, and the driver attempted to flee on foot. Police caught him and
booked him into jail on suspicion of vehicle theft and eluding law enforcement.
On Dec. 10, a man was upset at his mother, who locked him out of her apartment.
He called 911 dispatch. Bellingham Police arrived, and the mother explained
her son is 32 years old and is no longer
allowed to freeload off her, so she locked
him out.
PAGE 9
12.16.15
On Dec. 11, a Bellingham man stripped
down to his boxers to avoid arrest for
multiple traffic offenses, but ended up
in jail anyway. A Bellingham Police officer attempted to make a traffic stop on
Interstate 5 near Bellis Fair Mall, but the
driver refused to comply and continued
south. The car exited at Samish Way and
continued south through Happy Valley.
Other police joined in the pursuit. Eventually, the driver pulled over and jumped
out, fleeing into a nearby apartment.
Officers knocked on an apartment door,
and a woman answered. The Bellingham
Herald reported she apparently knew the
man, 30, who was now stripped down to
his boxers. Police found clothing they’d
observed the man wearing in the apartment. He faces charges of attempting to
elude law enforcement, driving without
an ignition interlock device, driving with
a license suspended in the third degree,
and obstructing law enforcement.
CHILDHOOD’S END
SOLAR, FROM
#50.09
ROAD WARRIORS
that someone had used a rock to break
into his car that was parked near Civic
Field. They had stolen his pack, which
contained an expensive snore guard.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
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BUZZ
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BOOKS
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Wildlife of the World
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12.16.15
#50.10
CASCADIA WEEKLY
12
ing a lot about this admired agency’s work
to “preserve unimpaired” our treasured national landscapes and landmarks “for the
enjoyment, education, and inspiration of
this and future generations.” Nearly 300
million people visited NPS sites in 2014,
which include 84 million acres of land,
27,000 historic structures, 18,000 miles
of trails, 78 monuments, 25 battlefields
and 10 seashores. This new book from National Geographic does an admirable job of
rounding up many
of these diverse
resources
and
presenting them
in their best light
through photos,
maps, historical
records,
inspiring quotes and
people profiles.
From the Gates of
the Arctic to the
Everglades, Olympic to Acadia, Haleakala
to the Redwoods, it is the armchair travelers’ ticket to the best America has to offer. The book also reminds us that the NPS
stewards not only our most renowned places, but also cultural heritage sites, such
as Antietam, Pearl Harbor, Dry Tortuga,
Ebey’s Landing, and 75,000 archaeological
sites. Heacox, who won a National Outdoor
Book Award in 2015, ties it all together
with lively, celebratory prose.
SMITHSONIAN/DK
German-born photographer Florian Schulz rose to prominence with his first
book, Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam, which advocated for landscapelevel, transnational ways of understanding and managing North America’s
wild lands. He returns with an even bolder statement with The Wild Edge,
presenting a vast, holistic vision of conservation across the Pacific Coast of
North America. From the whale calving lagoons in Baja, Mexico to the birdnesting colonies of the Beaufort Sea, The Wild Edge seeks to raise awareness
and inspire preservation of migration corridors and biological hot spots along
our incomparable 6,000-mile-long coast.
way to the Yukon and southeast Alaska.
Their proximity to the Pacific Ocean means
lots of rain and snow, which in turn means
old-growth forests, glacier-clad peaks and
massive ice fields. John Baldwin and Linda
Bily have been exploring these mysterious
mountains by boot and ski for more than
40 years, taking photographs and recording stories of their discoveries. This new
large-format book shares a generous selection of both, including epic ski-trekking adventures across the Lillooet and
Homathko ice fields, explorations of the
Stikine River and Chilco Lake, encounters
with grizzly bears and wolverines, and
fresh powder turns galore. The size and
scope of the ice-covered, remote and mostly roadless wilderness to the north almost
defies comprehension, and we’re fortunate
to have Baldwin and Bily as good-natured
guides to this modern-day terra incognito.
Soul of Wilderness: Mountain Journeys in Western
BC and Alaska, by John Baldwin and Linda Bily
The National Parks: An
Illustrated History, by Kim Heacox
HARBOUR PUBLISHING
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Less than 100 miles to the north of Bellingham lie the Coast Mountains,
an extremely rugged range that stretches through British Columbia all the
Next year is the centennial of the National Park Service (NPS), and you’ll be hear-
BY CHRISTIAN MARTIN
Wild Things
GIFTS FOR PLANETARY EXPLORERS
The Wild Edge: Freedom to Roam the Pacific Coast,
photography by Florian Schulz, with Bruce Barcott and Eric
Scigliano
BRAIDED RIVER
Big, beautiful and bold, this hefty book
produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian is a virtual ark of the soaring,
squirming, slithering, swimming creatures
that populate our planet. From the Titicaca
grebes and Northern viscachas of the Andean Antiplano to the Bactrian camels and
Przewalski’s wonder
geckos of the Gobi
Desert, to the Peacock mantis shrimp
and Scalloped hammerhead sharks of
the Great Barrier
Reef, thousands of
amazing creatures
are presented in
vivid photography,
natural history briefs and habitat maps.
Every continent is explored in this virtual
safari that hones in on the richest habitats like the Sulawesi Sea, Antarctic Peninsula, Kalahari Desert, Norwegian Fjords
and North America’s own Yellowstone, Everglades, Sierra Nevada, Mojave and Arctic.
The sumptuous book is an ode to biodiversity, a celebration of the many varied forms
we share Earth with, and also a cautionary
tale of what we stand to lose as Homo sapiens continue to dominate the planet and
its resources.
FOOD 34
WWW.POETRYNIGHT.ORG
TUES., DEC. 22
BELLINGHAM READS: Discuss Hannah Kent’s Burial
Rites at a Bellingham Reads book discussion group
meeting at 6:30pm at the Bellingham Public Library,
210 Central Ave. Entry is open to all adults, and new
members are always welcome.
778-7323
ing
Tappber 18
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Dec day Bock
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Family Friendly
HoPPY Hour
Sunday-Thursday 4-6pm
DEC. 16-25
HOLIDAY PARK ING: Continuing through Fri., Dec.
25 there will be free holiday parking during the week
on the first floor of the Commercial Street Parking
Garage—also referred to as the Parkade—located at
1300 Commercial St. People will be able to park for
free for up to four hours; parking is also free after
5pm and on weekends.
William Dietrich will be
one of the authors joining
a “Gifts for Nature Lovers”
event Thurs., Dec. 17 at
Whatcom Land Trust. The
Pulitzer Prize-winner will
be joined by a variety of
writers and photographers
who will be signing their
works for gift-giving
purposes.
WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM
AUTHORS AND ART ISTS: Brett Baunton, Anita
Boyle, William Dietrich, John D’Onofrio, Andrea
Gabriel, Alan Sanders, David Tucker, Mark Turner,
Todd Warger, and Saul Weisberg will be among the
authors, poets and photographers who will be on
hand at a “Gifts for Nature Lovers” event starting at
5:30pm at the offices of the Whatcom Land Trust,
412 N. Commercial St. Each author or artist will be
available to sign volumes and prints. Free gift wrapping and refreshments will be provided.
WWW.WHATCOMLANDTRUST.ORG
FRI., DEC. 18
FAMILY STORY NIGHT: Pros from the Bellingham
Storytellers Guild will offer up an hour of coaching
and an introduction to the craft of storytelling
at 6pm at the Fairhaven Library, 1117 12th St.
At 7pm, Family Story Night will commence. Both
evens are free.
778-7188
C.S. LEWIS JOURNE Y: Nooksack Valley graduate
Ryan Pemberton shares his book Called: My Journey
GET OUT 14
WORDS 12
WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG
WWW.WCLS.ORG
CURRENTS 8
LIBRARY TOUR: View a hidden fourth floor, a
“book hospital” and much more at a “Behind the
Scenes” tour taking place from 10:30am-12pm at the
Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave. Meet at
the SkillShare space at the library; entry is free, and
no registration is required.
FRI., DEC. 18
BINGO IN BLAINE: Attend an “EZ Bingo” gathering
starting with lunch and music at 11:30am at the
Blaine Senior Center, 763 G St. Games start at 1pm.
Entry is $10 for eight games (three cards a game).
Entry is open to the public, and kids are welcome
with admission.
VIEWS 6
SAT., DEC. 19
WWW.BLAINESENIORCENTER.COM
778-7217
SUN., DEC. 20
WRIT ING GROUP: A Nonfiction & Memoir Writing
Group meets from 3:15-5:15pm at Village Books,
1200 11th St. Members bring printed copies of their
pieces for others to follow while you read aloud;
the group critiques aloud and also writes notes on
your printout, and returns the print outs to you
for you to keep. New members are asked to attend
at least two meetings before submitting their own
works for critique.
GE T LIT: Shannon Laws leads “Get Lit, “ a weekly
poetry show, at 7pm at Cafe Bouzingo, 1209 Cornwall
Ave. Local and nationally renowned touring poets
are frequent features, and each show spotlights one
of Bellingham’s many vibrant poetry organizations.
The first portion of every evening is an open mic,
so bring your own words to share. Sign-up starts at
6:30pm. Entry is $5.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CAFEBOUZINGO
MON., DEC. 21
VB READS: Andy Weir’s The Martian will be the focus
of a VB Reads...Speculative Fiction gathering at
7pm at Village Books, 1200 11th St. The aim of this
group is to enjoy reading provocative science fiction
(and occasional fantasy) stories and discussing the
SAT., DEC. 19
MAIL 4
POE TRY WRIT ING GROUP: Meet other writers who
can help you get organized, give feedback, and assist
you with your writing goals at a monthly Poetry Writing Group meeting from 5:30-7pm at Village Books,
1200 11th St. The group is open to newcomers and
drop-ins and meets the first and third Thursday of
each month.
to C.S. Lewis’ House and Back Again at 6:30pm at the
Everson Library, 104 Kirsch Dr. The tome is described
as a “heartbreaking, humorous and refreshingly honest account of learning what it means to be called.”
DECK THE OLD CIT Y HALL: The annual “Deck
the Old City Hall” continues from 12-5pm Thursdays through Sundays through Jan. 3 at Whatcom
Museum’s Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St. Visitors can
view decorated trees and nutcracker collections,
peruse goods at a pop-up shop, enter a raffle and
more. Entry is by donation.
FAIRHAVEN HOLIDAYS: As part of the Fairhaven
Holiday Festival, Santa will be visiting with families
from 12-3pm in the lobby at the Fairhaven Village
Inn, 1200 10th St. Free horse-drawn carriage rides
will be offered from the portico of the inn.
DO IT 2
778-7230
DEC. 17-20
WWW.FAIRHAVEN.COM
MON., DEC. 21
ANCESTRY GROUP: Looking to research your family
history online but don’t know where to begin? Attend
today’s Ancestry and Genealogy Group meeting from
1-2:30pm at the Ferndale Library, 2125 Main St. Attendees learn the basics of searching census, vital,
immigration, and military records using Ancestry
Library Edition and gain access to charts and forms
to help you organize your research. Entry is free.
WWW.WCLS.ORG
WINTER SOLST ICE CELEBRAT ION: The 37th
annual Winter Solstice Celebration takes place
from 7:15-9:30pm at the Bloedel Donovan Park
Community Building, 2214 Electric Ave. The all-ages
event—which celebrates the return of the light and
sets intentions for the new year—includes a guided
blend of contemplative meditation, imagination and
ecstatic dance. Suggested donation is $8-$15 (kids
14 and under free).
WWW.GRAND-DANCE.COM
12.16.15
BOOK TALK: Librarian Katie Bray leads a “Book
Talk” at 1pm at the SkillShare Space at the Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave. Participants
can share their favorite titles, make selections, get
reading ideas and hear more about great new books.
Entry is free.
WWW.DOWNTOWNBELLINGHAM.COM
Italian & German Salamis
Exotic Stocking Stuffers
Sox, Leggings, Booties
Cowichan Wool Headbands
Chukkar Cherries & Nuts
Rare Bracelets & Earrings
Pipes, Chillums, E-Juice
Your Food & Gift Oasis
360-592-2297
www.everybodys.com
Hiway 9 – Van Zandt
#50.10
THURS., DEC. 17
ChuckanutBreweryAndKitchen.com
CASCADIA WEEKLY
WOR DS
601 West Holly St. • Bellingham, WA
360-75-BEERS (752-3377)
STAGE 16
COM M U N I T Y
B-BOARD 27
POE TRYNIGHT: Those looking to share their
creative verse as part of Poetrynight can sign up at
7:45pm at the Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central
Ave. Readings start at 8pm. Entry is by donation. P.S.
Please use the back fountain entry.
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
themes they might present, in both the original
context and for us as individuals today.
CHUCKANUT BREWERY
& KITCHEN
ART 18
doit
13
FOOD 34
outside
B-BOARD 27
HIKING
RUNNING
CYCLING
GROUP RUN: All levels of experience are
welcome at a weekly Group Run beginning at
6pm in Mount Vernon at the Skagit Running
Company, 702 First St. The 3- to 6-mile run is
great for beginners or for others wanting an
easy recovery. Entry is free and no registration is required.
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
DEC. 17-23
MAIL 4
DO IT 2
12.16.15
#50.10
CASCADIA WEEKLY
WED., DEC. 16
WWW.SKAGITRUNNERS.ORG
STORY AND PHOTO BY JOHN D’ONOFRIO
14
GARDENING
doit
The Wild
Man Dance
REFLECTIONS ON THE SOLSTICE
THE WINTER Solstice marks the halfway point in our journey around the
sun, a useful reminder about balancing the dark and the light, the yin and the
yang. It speaks to a balance achieved through the acquisition of perspective.
In the headlong Wild Man Dance of the holiday season, the need for this
perspective becomes especially acute—although for most of us, the Wild Man
Dance has become a yearlong endeavor.
We’re so busy and so driven by forces we perceive as external to us. Every year,
it seems the wheel turns faster, leaving us dizzy and wondering where the time
has gone. Obligations crowd our days, the struggle to “get ahead” grows ever
more fierce, and quiet moments become further and fewer between.
Often, our relationships suffer, and this is the most bitter of ironies because
it is, after all, our shared experiences that define us and help us find our place
in the world.
The antidote for this Wild Man Dance is
connectivity. We must reclaim our connections—with each other, with the natural world in which we live and, ultimately,
with ourselves.
There are some simple things that we
can do to wrest connectivity from the
maelstrom. We can recognize, for example, that our Wild Man Dance does not exist by chance. We are driven to “achieve,”
to gather together a collection of material
accoutrements
that—according to the
marketing department—
will deliver us into the
promised land.
A once-useful “fight
or flight” impulse has
been subverted to keep
ATTEND us dancing. Our society
WHAT: 37th
feeds on our frenetic
annual Winter
grasping. The dance is
Solstice
good for the economy,
Celebration
no doubt, but it’s not so
WHEN: 7:15good for us.
9:30pm Mon.,
Dec. 21
We can resist fear. Fear
WHERE: Bloedel of falling behind, fear of
Donovan, 2214
failure, fear of the “othElectric Ave.
er.” The dance is driven
COST: Sugby fears that have begested donation
is $8-$15 (kids
come so deep-seated that
14 and under
we have come to confuse
free)
them with some kind of
INFO: www.
natural state.
grand-dance.
Fear is not natural. It is
com
deliberately and expertly
sewn to distract us from how little—when
you get right down to it—we actually need.
And how much we already have.
We can reclaim our sense of community
and rediscover how we are part of a greater
whole, a realization that assuages the fear.
“Every man for himself” is the ethos of selfdestruction. The media bangs the drum, relentlessly driving a rhythm of self-interest
and an illusion of self-preservation. It is
this staccato music that gives the Wild Man
Dance its dark energy.
We can simply go for a walk, visit the sea,
watch the clouds pass overhead. When one
opens one’s eyes to the never-ending pageant of our natural surroundings, a world of
benevolent possibilities is revealed.
Stillness replaces freneticism. Contentment replaces yearning. Joy replaces fear.
This is the real world, folks, and it’s a
beautiful place to be.
THE LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS: View festive
holiday displays both outdoors and indoors
at the annual “The Lights of Christmas” event
continuing this week from 5-10pm Thursday
through Wednesday in Stanwood at the 15acre Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Dr. In
addition to the more than one million lights
that will be lit up, there will be activities for
kids, live entertainment, music, dinner theater, holiday shopping and more. Tickets are
$11-$16. The event continues Dec. 26-29.
WWW.WARMBEACHLIGHTS.COM
FRI., DEC. 18
WILD THINGS: Kids, adults and adventurers can join Holly Roger of Wild Whatcom for
a “Wild Things” Community Program from
9:30-11am Fridays in December at the Connelly
Creek Nature Area in the Happy Valley neighborhood. Suggested donation is $5.
WWW.WILDWHATCOM.ORG
SAT., DEC. 19
RIEFEL HIKE: Join members of the Mount
Baker Club for a hike at British Columbia’s
Reifel Bird Sanctuary today. Enjoy a day of
birdwatching while exploring the trails in the
850-acre managed wetlands, natural marshes
and low dykes in the heart of the Fraser River
Estuary. Meet at 8:30am at the Birch Bay
outlet stores to carpool.
WWW.MOUNTBAKERCLUB.ORG
MAKE IT, TAKE IT: All supplies will be
provided at a “Make It and Take It: Living
Christmas Ornaments” class at 9am at Garden
Spot Nursery, 900 Alabama St. The workshop
fee is $15 per ornament. Please register in
advance.
WWW.GARDEN-SPOT.COM
JINGLE BELL DASH: Help raise funds for
AAUW programs for girls in the community
at today’s “Jingle Bell Dash” 5K Run/Walk
and a “Kids Dash to Santa” starting at 9am
in Anacortes at Seafarers’ Memorial Park, 601
Seafarers Way. Entry is $25-$30; entry to the
kids event is by nonperishable food donations
for the Salvation Army Food Bank.
WWW.JINGLEBELLDASHANACORTES.NET
BAKER BEACON RALLY: Anyone who spends
time in the backcountry—from beginners to
seasoned veterans—is invited to take part in
today’s “Baker Beacon Rally” from 11am2:30pm at Heather Meadows at the Mt. Baker
Ski Area. Local avalanche pros will be on hand
to share avalanche rescue skills and promote
mountain safety, and there’ll be practice
sessions, demos, presentations and a beacon
rescue race. Entry is free; bring shovels,
probes and beacons.
WWW.MTBAKER.US
TRAIL RUN SERIES: The second Winter Trail
Run Series of the season begins at 10am at
Bellingham’s BBMX Park, 5022 Guide Meridian. The additional 5K cross country trail
runs take place Jan. 23, Feb. 27, and March
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
tomorrow
exchange
buy * sell*trade
FOOD 34
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$WȮCNQ'ZEJCPIGEQO
STILL GOING STRONG!
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE • FINE LOCAL CRAFTS • READY TO EAT FOOD
CURRENTS 8
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WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
Make like Santa when you take part in the American Association of University Women’s fundraising
“Jingle Bell Dash” Sat., Dec. 19 in Anacortes at Seafarers’ Memorial Park
DEC. 19-20
SUN., DEC. 20
EAGLE EVENTS: Guided nature walks, presentations by guest speakers, sales by artisans and
much more will be part of events taking place from
10am-4pm every Saturday and Sunday through
January at Rockport’s Skagit River Bald Eagle
Interpretive Center at Howard Miller Steelhead
Park, 52809 Rockport Park Rd. The center offers
opportunities to better understand the wildlife of
the Skagit River watershed with an emphasis on
the winter migration of bald eagles, salmon and
the vital role each play in our ecosystem. Entry is
by donation.
RABBIT RIDE: Join members of the Mount Baker
Bicycle Club for a “Rabbit Ride” starting at 8:30am
every Sunday at Fairhaven Bike, 1108 11th St.
The 32-mile route takes riders down Chuckanut
and back via Lake Samish. The group also holds
weekly rides Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays.
WWW.SKAGITEAGLE.ORG
SLEIGH RIDES & SANTA: Visits with Santa,
horse-drawn sleigh bell trolly rides, food and drink
specials, community caroling, bonfires, Christmas
tree sales and more will be part of “Sleigh Rides &
12.16.15
WWW.BELLEWOODFARMS.COM
#50.10
WWW.BBMXWINTERCROSS.COM
Santa’ events happening Saturday and Sunday at
Lynden’s BelleWood Acres, 6140 Guide Meridian.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
26. Entry is $5 for those under 18 and GBRC
members, and $10 general.
DO IT 2
Brighten up dark winter nights with visits to “The Lights of Christmas” Dec. 17-23 and Dec. 26-29 at
Stanwood’s Warm Beach Camp
WWW.MTBAKERBIKECLUB.ORG
TUES., DEC. 22
ALL-PACES RUN: Staffers and volunteers are
always on hand to guide the way at the weekly
All-Paces Run starting at 6pm every Tuesday at
Fairhaven Runners, 1209 11th St. The runs are 20
minutes out and back on two key routes-by the
water or through the woods. Entry is free. In these
dark months, a headlamp or flashlight is required.
WWW.FAIRHAVENRUNNERS.COM
15
SATURDAY, 10AM TO 3PM, THRU DECEMBER 19
DEPOT MARKET SQUARE, 1100 RAILROAD AVE, BELLINGHAM, WA
2015
BELLINGHAM FARMERS MARKET PROUDLY ACCEPTS FOOD STAMPS WIC/SFMNP ACCEPTED
FOOD 34
stage
DANCE
PROFILES
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
DO IT 2
16
PHOTO BY JULIETTE MACHADO
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
THEATER
BY AMY KEPFERLE
Under the Tree
A SPECTACLE FOR THE SEASON
FOR ME, the Christmas season isn’t so much a secular celebration as it is a
reason to cram as many weird and wonderful events into my December dayplanner as I can. Some are designed to kindle the holiday spirit, while others
remind me not to take it so damn seriously.
Last weekend was a prime example of what I’m talking about. In addition to
showing up at Bellingham’s Grand Avenue Alehouse to witness a Friday-night
smack-down of those taking part in both Santa Con and Krampus Con—a genial gathering of costumed revelers that had one Santa bemoaning “We were
outnumbered, but at least they didn’t slaughter us!”—I also hosted a holiday
brunch, did some downtown-focused Christmas shopping, watched a horsedrawn carriage carry crooning carolers past my house, and viewed Under the
Tree at the iDiOM Theater.
While the last event mentioned seems like it might also fit into the “Gee,
Kristopher Lopez
opened the production
as a Satanic narrator
questioning those who
celebrate Christmas in the
face of such darkness
that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside” category, I’m pleased to report that is
most definitely not the case.
Even before the performance started,
there were a few clues that the multime-
dia show created and performed by On the
Precipice Productions’ Ian Bivins and Angela Kiser wasn’t going to consist of the
typical holiday fare.
A large black cloth covered most of
the set, and behind it those who looked
closer could see hints of a Christmas celebration in progress, including bricks,
tinsel, a wreath and stockings hung by
the chimney with care. The rest of Under
the Tree followed the same modus operandi—glimpses of the goodness of what the
holidays can represent, overshadowed by
forces of the underlying ills of the world,
such as greed and gluttony.
Kristopher Lopez opened the production as a Satanic narrator questioning
those who celebrate Christmas in the face
of such darkness, and promising those of
us in the audience that we were about to
experience a “spectacle for the season.”
He was right. For the next hour, I marveled at the way Bivins
and Kiser had twisted
their version of the
holidays in such a delightful manner. With
help from video projectionist Juliette MachATTEND ado and sound fella
Brendan Richard LaBoWHAT: Under the
Tree
tz, as well as the dasWHEN: 7:30pm
tardly deity portrayed
Thurs.-Sat., Dec.
by Lopez, the duo took
17-19
us on a fast-paced tour
WHERE: iDiOM
of what can only be
Theater, 1418
Cornwall Ave.
described as the “antiCOST: Tickets are
Christmas.”
$10 in advance,
I’m not going to
$12 at the door
delve
too deep into the
INFO: www.
spectacles
I witnessed
idiomtheater.com
on that chilly December night, but let’s just say that if you
go see Under the Tree, you’ll never think
of a turkey the same way again. The same
goes for gift-wrapped teddy bears, egg
nog, children’s tears, Santa Claus, and
family feasts.
And because Kiser and Bivins are involved in so many aspects of the local performance scene—the real-life couple have
collaborated with Bellingham Repertory
Dance, Kuntz and Company, iDiOM Theater,
and a variety of other area artists—all of
their talents are front and center for their
first full-length production.
This means that the series of sketches,
songs and dances that are part of the
performance are much more than a merry
mashup. The show is a cohesive collection
of scenes and videos that showcase what
happens when Christmas doesn’t turn out
perfectly, and it’s all the better for i
In other words, while watching the show
isn’t going to leave you with a “goodwill
toward man” vibe, it will nevertheless entertain you.
Perhaps Satan (Santa?) said it best:
“Take the trip for yourselves, and find out
what’s under the tree.”
doit
WWW.THEDANCESTUDIO.NET
FRI., DEC. 18
SAT., DEC. 19
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: View Taproot Theatre’s
I’ll Be Home for Christmas at 7pm at Mount Vernon’s
Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St. The comedy about
forgiveness and hope is set on Christmas Eve and
focuses on a young man returning home from a
two-year trip, a spontaneous act of kindness that
leads to a sudden change of plans, and the befriending of a young runaway. Tickets are $10.
A WINTER’S TALE: Join a character named Sandro
as he takes a journey through a winter’s forest—
where he encounters animal spirits guiding him to
a long-lost uncle and friends in the North Pole—
when Day to Day Dance presents “A Winter’s Tale” at
7pm at the Blaine Performing Arts Center, 975 H St.
Entry to the all-ages show is $3-$8 at the door.
WWW.DAYTODAYDANCE.COM
WWW.LINCOLNTHEATRE.ORG
DEC. 18-19
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Find out what happens to three characters after their arrival home for
Christmas at “Home for the Holidays” shows at 8pm
and 10pm every Friday and Saturday in December
at the Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St. Tickets to
see the annual improvised holiday show are $10 in
advance and $12 at the door. Additional showings
happen at 8pm and 10pm Sat., Dec. 26.
WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM
SAT., DEC. 19
CHRISTMAS CABARE T: Attend an “Amuze’ Christmas Cabaret” at 7pm at the Conway Muse, 18444
Spruce St. The variety show will feature skits, improv, comedic rope and chair acts, music, an aerial
performance and more. Tickets are $20 for the show
only, and $35 with dinner.
WWW.CONWAYMUSE.COM
MON., DEC. 21
GUFFAWINGHAM: A weekly open mic for comedians, “Guffawingham!,” takes place at 9:30pm every
Monday at the Green Frog, 1015 N. State St. Entry
is free.
WWW.ACOUSTICTAVERN.COM
SALSA NIGHT: Join DJ Antonio Diaz as he mixes a
fabulous combination of the best Latin rhythms at
Rumba Northwest’s bimonthly “Salsa Night” taking
place from 9pm-12am on the first and third Saturdays of the month at Cafe Rumba, 1140 N. State St.
Entry to the all-ages event is $4.
FOOD 34
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
ART 18
WWW.RUMBANORTHWEST.COM
DEC. 19-20
NAT IVIT Y DANCE: View the Nativity story as told
through the language of movement when Dancing
for Joy presents “Nativity: We Danced Our Best
for Him” at 6:30pm Saturday and Sunday at the
Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Dance
styles will include jazz, lyrical, modern and ballet.
Tickets are $15.
734-6080 OR WWW.MOUNTBAKERTHEATRE.COM
THE NUTCRACKER: Northwest Ballet Theater
brings its annual production of The Nutcracker to
the stage at performances at 7:30pm Saturday
and 2pm Sunday at Mount Vernon’s McIntyre Hall,
2501 E. College Way. This production is even more
elaborate than ever before, with beautiful scenic
backdrops made in Russia, classical tutus made by
professional seamstresses in New York, exciting
set pieces and superb technical effects. Tickets are
$23-$35.
WWW.MCINT YREHALL.ORG OR WWW.
DA NCE
NORTHWESTBALLET.ORG
THURS., DEC. 17
TUES., DEC. 22
FOLK DANCE: Join the Fourth Corner Folk Dancers
to learn lively folk dances from Eastern Europe,
Greece, Turkey, and Israel from 7:15-10pm every
Thursday at the Fairhaven Library, 1117 12th St.
Suggested donation is $5; students and firsttimers are free.
SK AGIT FOLK DANCERS: Join the Skagit-Anacortes Folk Dancers for a weekly International Folk
Dancing event from 7-9:30pm at Bayview Civic Hall,
12615 C St. No partners are needed; just show up
and dance. Entry to the drop-in event is free for the
first session, $3 afterwards.
(360) 380-0456
STAGE 16
WWW.WHIDBEYPLAYHOUSE.COM
SAVING CHRISTMAS TOWN: The Dance Studio
presents its fourth annual original production,
“Saving Christmas Town,” with performances at
7pm Friday and Saturday, and 2pm Sunday at
Bellingham High School, 2020 Cornwall Ave. The
holiday dance focuses on comical elves as they
defend Christmas Town from the naughty characters
of Oogie Boogie Land. Tickets are $10 and can be
purchased in advance or at the door.
GET OUT 14
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: Experience a play within
a play when A Dickens’ Christmas Carol (A Traveling
Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts) concludes this
weekend with performances at 7:30pm Thursday
through Saturday, and 2:30pm Sunday, in Oak Harbor at the Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd.
Tickets are $10-$15.
DEC. 18-20
WORDS 12
DEC. 17-20
WWW.BELLINGHAMDANCECOMPANY.COM
CURRENTS 8
WWW.ACTTHEATRE.COM
SNOWFLAKE BALL: Get dressed up and dance to
a variety of swing, Latin, and ballroom music at a
Snowflake Ball taking place from 8-11pm at Bellingham Dance Company, 1705 N. State St. The event
will also include a dance show (or two). Entry is
$8-$10 and includes a swing dance lesson, holiday
treats and more.
WWW.SKAGITFOLKDANCERS.ORG
VIEWS 6
LION, WITCH, WARDROBE: Find out what happens when four children sent to live with their
uncle during World War I find a magical wardrobe
that takes them into a mysterious land called Narnia when The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe concludes this weekend with shows at 7:30pm Thursday
through Saturday at the Anacortes Community
Theatre, 918 M Ave. Tickets to the show are $18.
MAIL 4
DEC. 17-19
(360) 510-4711 OR WWW.KUNTZANDCO.ORG
DO IT 2
733-8855 OR WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM
12.16.15
GOOD, BAD, UGLY: Watch “The Good, the Bad and
the Ugly” at 8pm every Thursday at the Upfront
Theatre, 1208 Bay St. At 10pm, stick around for
“The Project.” Entry is $8 for the early show, $5 for
the late one.
PARK INSON’S DANCE CLASS: Kuntz and Company’s Pam Kuntz leads a dance class for people
with Parkinson’s disease and other movement
or neurological disorders for the final time this
year at 10am at Ballet Bellingham, 1405 Fraser
St., suite #103. Suggested donation is $5-$7. No
registration is necessary.
#50.10
THURS., DEC. 17
FRI., DEC. 18
CASCADIA WEEKLY
STAGE
17
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visual
GALLERIES
OPENINGS
PROFILES
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U P COM I NG E V EN TS
DEC. 16-17
FEMINOMENAL: Attend “Feminomenal:
A Gallery of Women’s Art” from 11am-7pm
Wednesday and Thursday at the Bureau of
Historical Investigation, 217 W. Holly St. The
exhibit is focused on bringing attention to local female artists and is part of a A.P. English
class project by students Emma Hartwell and
Emma Morrison. Entry is free.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVATO DESIGNS
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
WWW.THEBUREAUBELLINGHAM.COM
18
BY AMY KEPFERLE
Novato
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
TO GET to the crux of Novato Shop & Studio’s origin story, it’s necessary to
go back in time a few years.
That’s when Logan McQuaig was planning a destination wedding with his
girlfriend—now his wife—Kourtnei. They were heading to Mexico for the big
event, and Logan knew he didn’t want to wear shiny dress shoes on the beach.
He also didn’t want to go barefoot.
As a creative alternative, he’d been talking to friend and painter Toby Stanger
about custom-painting artwork onto Vans shoes for him and his groomsmen;
but a conversation he had with his mom and his fiance convinced him he could
do the honors himself.
“I did 12 pairs for the wedding with a Day of the Dead theme,” Logan says.
“Soon, everything was pushing me toward trying to do it for a living.”
Although he’d been drawing with pens and pencils since high school, Logan
hadn’t worked much with paint until he started creating the custom-made Vans.
But after that, in addition to accepting numerous commissions for the fancy footwork, he was also summoning into being large-scale works such as “Date Night”
(an acrylic painting of King Kong and his ladylove overlaid on a photograph of
New York City at dusk) and “The Gathering”
(featuring an Insanse Clown Posse-painted
Jack Nicholson from The Shining).
Fast-forward to last Christmas, when Logan and his brother-in-law spent a night
drinking whiskey and solidifying plans
for Logan and Kourtnei to open a shop in
downtown Bellingham that would double
as a work space for the artist and enable
him to sell shoes and art-focused apparel,
as well as the creations of other artists.
Five weeks later, they found the perfect
place on Chestnut Street, and not long after that, Novato—Spanish for newcomer,
newbie or rookie—was born.
“An ”art-flavored retail store with a tiny
gallery’ is how we explain it,” Logan says,
adding that the nights he used to spend
working feverishly at the kitchen table after
until 4am are no longer.
“Now I can actually
talk to you when you’re
at home,” Kourtnei says
with a laugh.
Although
Kourtnei
still holds down a fullATTEND time job and Logan barWHAT: A Very
tends at the Copper Hog
Novato Xmas
three nights a week,
WHEN: 6-10pm
Novato has become a
Tues., Dec. 22
creative hub for both
WHERE: Novato
Shop & Studio,
of them, as well as for
115 W. Chestnut
the scores of local and
St.
regional artists whose
INFO: www.
work they sell—leather
novatoshop.com
accessories from Sown
Designs, stained glass by Erin Crosby, jewelry by Logan’s sister Jessica Russell of
Wenatchee’s Tumbleweed Bead Co., and
many more.
Additionally, every month they’re able
to feature a local artist in the small gallery
space at Novato. This month focuses on
the big talents of painter Michelle Schutte,
January will highlight Melissa Broersma’s
prints and paintings, and February’s collaborative exhibit will be on interpretations of the theme “Heart.”
When asked if the artists are glad for extra exposure provided to them by Novato
Shop & Studio, both Logan and Kourtnei
are adamant that they’re the ones who are
grateful for what the artists provide.
“All we’ve gotten is help since we started,” Logan says. “They’re helping us as
much as we’re helping them.”
DEC. 16-24
FEST IVAL OF THE ARTS: More than 100 local
artisans and craftspeople will show and sell
their creative wares as part of Allied Arts’ 36th
annual “Holiday Festival of the Arts” from
10am-7pm daily through Dec. 23, and 10am3pm Christmas Eve, at 4145 Meridian St. (next
to Burlington Coat Factory). Live music, artist
demos and workshops and family art projects
will also be part of the festive fun.
WWW.ALLIEDARTS.ORG
DEC. 18-20
PACIFIC ARTS MARKE T: More than 30 artists
will display and sell their creative, handcrafted
wares—including jewelry, paintings, pottery,
3-D art, photography, textiles, fiber creations,
book and paper art and much more—at the 19th
annual Pacific Arts Market taking place for the
final weekend from 10am-6pm Friday through
Sunday at Sunset Square (next to JoAnne’s
Fabrics). Entry is free.
WWW.PACIFICARTSMARKET.COM
SAT., DEC. 19
SOLST ICE CRAF T FAIR: Peruse and purchase
a variety of handmade goods at a Solstice
Craft Fair taking place from 2-6pm at Boundary
Bay Brewery, 1107 Railroad Ave. Visitors can
also hang out with the Claus family, sip on
mulled beverages and listen to carolers. Entry
to the all-ages event is free.
WWW.BBAYBREWERY.COM
COAST SALISH FEST IVAL: Artists will be on
hand to answer any questions about their work
as you shop for one-of-a-kind gifts crafted
by Lummi community members at the annual
Coast Salish Winter Festival happening from
10am-5pm at Ferndale’s Lummi Gateway Center,
4920 Rural Ave. Entry is free.
WWW.LUMMIGATEWAYCENTER.COM
GALLERY TOUR: Sarah Clark-Langager, the
former director of the Western Gallery at Western Washington University, leads a bimonthly
Gallery Tour from 1-2:30pm at Lynden’s Jansen
Art Center, 321 Front St. Come explore and
learn about regional artists and their work.
Entry is free and open to all.
WWW.JANSENARTCENTER.ORG
SUN., DEC. 20
DR. SKE TCHY’S: The monthly “Dr. Sketchy’s
Anti-Art School” begins at 6:30pm at Bellingham’s Temple Bar, 306 W. Champion St. Entry
is $10; bring sketchbook or paper, drawing
implements, and your creativity and humor.
Prizes will be awarded throughout the night.
(P.S. Tonight’s focus is on Krampus.)
WWW.TEMPLEBARBELLINGHAM.COM
ONGOI NG E X H I BI TS
ALLIED ARTS: “International Year of Light”
doit
DEMING LIBRARY: “The East Whatcom Photovoice Project” will be on display through Jan. 4
at the Deming Library, 5044 Mt. Baker Hwy. The
exhibit features the work of four local photographers who, over five months, captured images
that represent community issues and personal
experiences with hunger.
(360) 305-3600
FISHBOY GALLERY: Check out the contemporary
folk art of RR Clark from 1:30-5pm every Mon.-Fri.
at the FishBoy Gallery, 617 Virginia St.
WWW.MOUNTBAKERVINEYARDS.COM
QUILT MUSUEM: “Best of the Festival,””Illusions
and Shadows,” and “Great Lakes Seaway: War of
1812 International Challenge” are currently on
display at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum,
703 S. Second St.
WWW.LACONNERQUILTS.ORG
RAGFINERY: A variety of textile-related workshops happen on a regular basis at Ragfinery,
1421 N. Forest St. See more details and register
online.
WWW.RAGFINERY.COM
714-0815 OR WWW.FISHBOYGALLERY.COM
FOURTH CORNER FRAMES: Peruse “In Monet’s
Footsteps” until Dec. 31 at Fourth Corner Frames
& Gallery, 311 W. Holly St. The paintings and
photography in the exhibit were created after a
group of artists visited Monet’s stomping grounds
in France last spring.
WWW.FOURTHCORNERFRAMES.COM
GALLERY C YGNUS: View Camano Island-based
painter Michelle Bear’s work through Dec. 24 in
La Conner at Gallery Cygnus, 109 Commercial St.
Bear’s paintings are described as a “poignant
expression of loss.”
WWW.GALLERYCYGNUS.COM
GOOD EARTH: Clay artist Carrie Selting’s “Future
Heirlooms” will be featured through December at
Good Earth Pottery, 1000 Harris Ave.
WWW.GOODEARTHPOTS.COM
I.E. GALLERY: View the singular power of Lummi
Mountain and how its presence plays out in the
art of Northwest painters at a “Lummi Invitational” exhibit showing through Dec. 27 in Edison
at i.e. Gallery, 5800 Cains Court.
(360) 488-3458 OR WWW.IEEDISON.COM
SCOT T MILO GALLERY: Jennifer Bowman’s
latest acrylic paintings will be featured through
December in Anacortes at the Scott Milo Gallery,
420 Commercial Ave.
119 NORTH COMMERCIAL ST. SUITE #1420 • OFFICE: (360) 746-2642
www.ransom-lawfirm.com
Business Hours Happy Hour
Sun - Thurs 11:30am - 10pm
Fri & Sat 11:30am - 10:30pm
Everyday
11:30am - 5:30pm
FOOD 34
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
WWW.SCOTTMILO.COM
WORDS 12
WWW.CHUCKANUTBREWERYANDKITCHEN.COM
SCULPTURE NW: “Forging Reflection: Luminosity Meets Metal Work” can be seen through Feb.
20 at Sculpture Northwest Gallery, 203 Prospect
St. Jason Brown, Paul Rand, and Wayne Kangas
are among the artists that are highlighted in the
exhibit.
CURRENTS 8
CHUCK ANUT BREWERY: Paintings by Evan
Whitehead are currently on display at Chuckanut
Brewery, 601 W. Holly St.
Compassionate to You,
Relentless to the Prosecution.
Highly Rated Trial Attorney
Defending Your Rights.
WWW.SCULPTURENORTHWEST.ORG
SK AGIT MUSEUM: “Eight Stories that Changed
the World” is showing through Dec. 31 at La
Conner’s Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S.
Fourth St. During the holidays, the museum will
also features “Skagit Christmas.”
WWW.SKAGITCOUNT Y.NET/MUSEUM
SMITH & VALLEE: Functional and threedimensional artwork will be highlighted and sold
through Dec. 31 as part of the “Objectification
8” exhibit at Edison’s Smith & Vallee Gallery,
5742 Gilkey Ave. The show will be reworked and
replenished as art is sold.
Prime Rib Thursday Nights Starting @ 5pm
3004 Cinema Pl. Bellingham | 360.306.8676
Next to Regal Cinemas!
VIEWS 6
WWW.ARTWOODGALLERY.COM
MOUNT BAKER VINE YARDS: View works
by David Campiche, Agnes Field, and Patricia
Clark-Finley—three Northwest artists in the
mature phase of their careers—at a “Gathering
of Friends” exhibit showing through Dec. 20 at
the Vineyard Loft Studio at Everson’s Mount Baker
Vineyards, 4298 Mt. Baker Hwy
MUSIC 20
WWW.MONAMUSEUM.ORG
ART WOOD: “Gifts for the Holidays” will be
featured through December at Artwood Gallery,
1000 Harris Ave.
ART 18
Law Offices of
m
Alexander F. Ransom
STAGE 16
MONA: “Not Vanishing: Contemporary Expressions in Indigenous Art” shows through Jan. 3 at
La Conner’s Museum of Northwest Art, Museum of
Northwest Art, 121 S. First St.
GET OUT 14
WWW.MATZKEFINEART.COM
MAIL 4
WWW.ALLIEDARTS.ORG
ture Park, 2345 Blanche Way.
DO IT 2
shows through Dec. 18 at Allied Arts, 1418 Cornwall Ave. The collaboration between Allied Arts
and SPIE features works by Christopher Morrison,
Kenni Merritt, Bonnie Abbasi, Jennifer and Tom
Dolese, Pat Wickline, Carole McNeese, Ellen Clark,
and Eric Brown.
WWW.WESTERNGALLERY.WWU.EDU
#50.10
WESTERN GALLERY: Claude Zervas’ “Glacier
Time” shows from Dec. 4-Jan. 16 at the Western
Gallery on the Western Washington University
campus. Entry is free and open to the public.
12.16.15
WWW.SMITHANDVALLEE.COM
JANSEN ART CENTER: Sixty-four works by 24
artists can be seen at a “Winter Juried Exhibit”
through Jan. 29 at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center,
321 Front St. Visitors can also peruse “Northwest
Art: From the Private Collection of Chuck & Dee
Robinson” and the “J Teachers Exhibit.”
LUCIA DOUGLAS: An exhibit featuring the
work of regional artists working in a variety of
mediums—including Cathy Schoenberg, Michael
Clough, Mary Moore Bailey, Janel Bragg, Chloe
French, Margaret Van Patten, Sheryl Funkhauser
and more—shows through Dec. 19 at Lucia Douglas Gallery, 1415 13th St.
WWW.LUCIADOUGLAS.COM
MATZKE GALLERY: The 25th annual “Honey, I
Shrunk the Art” exhibit shows through Jan. 10 at
Camano Island’s Matzke Fine Art Gallery & Sculp-
WHATCOM ART MARKE T: From 10am-6pm every
Thursday through Monday, stop by the Whatcom
Art Guild’s Art Market at Fairhaven’s Waldron
Building, 1314 12th St.
WWW.WHATCOMARTGUILD.ORG
WHATCOM MUSEUM: “Unhinged: Book Art on
the Cutting Edge” and “Chipping the Block, Painting the Silk: The Color Prints of Norma Bassett
Hall,” and “Back at the Park: Vintage Views from
the Photo Archives” can currently be viewed on
the Whatcom Museum campus.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
WWW.JANSENARTCENTER.ORG
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music
RUMOR HAS IT
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
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MAIL 4
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CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC
20
MUSIC 20
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SHOW PREVIEWS
20
BY CAREY ROSS
Snoop Dogg
DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT
I HAVE a confession to make: When Wild Buffalo owner Craig Jewell divulged that he might have the opportunity to book Snoop Dogg for a Dec.
21 show—with the caveat that the concert coup would come with a $75
ticket price, and he’d need the show to sell out to make it pencil—I was a
little worried he’d finally bitten off more then he could chew.
After all, Bellingham is the home of the $5 cover charge, a price that
has stood since the dawn of time—or at least the dawn of my lifetime
here, which has spanned a couple of decades at this point.
In short, while we’re all willing to attend shows of any kind, anywhere,
at seemingly anytime, we’re not always as good about wanting to invest
more than a five-spot to do so. Some reasons for this are sound and some
sound like excuses, but whatever the rationale, wanting people to pay for
what they’re getting is an ongoing struggle for everyone trying to earn a
living from the music business in this town.
Leave it to Snoop Dogg to shatter that particular glass ceiling.
Of course, no one would expect a ticket to see Doggfather to cost the
same as a latte—and when it comes to big-name acts around these parts,
people have proven willing to shell out larger sums—but taking a chance
on a $75 cover with no room for any error in judgment seemed dicey even
for a business that is predicated on such risk.
But Jewell is a guy who seems to assess risk
by rolling the dice, and saying yes to Snoop
was just his kind of gamble. He believed Bellingham would ante up and so decided to hazard a chance on the legendary rapper.
Per usual, he knew what he was doing.
Mere hours after announcing the Dec. 21
show—with surprisingly little fanfare, considering—the Wild Buffalo announced it
had sold out. The biggest, most expensive
event ever booked at the venue had also
sold the quickest, with all the tickets gone
before many people even knew the show
was happening.
There might indeed be drama aplenty in
the LBC, but when it comes to Bellingham,
it’s pretty easy being Snoop D-O-double-G.
When it comes to iconic rappers, few loom
larger than Calvin Broadus Jr., better known
to most all of us as Snoop Dogg.
With a lifestyle, lyrics and musical peer
group rooted squarely in gangsta rap and a
laconic drawl that sounds like liquid California sunshine, Snoop turned standing out by
being laid back into hit songs, Grammy nominations and widespread critical acclaim. First
unleashed on an unsuspecting world via Dr.
Dre’s massive solo debut, 1992’s The Chronic,
rumor has it
LIFE IS a strange puzzle, but sometimes the pieces of it snap together so perfectly a person could
almost believe order does arise from the chaos.
Such was the case when Anacortes’ the Business announced that it would be vacating its
Commercial Avenue spot, which is rife with the
music-minded small town’s rich cultural history,
and moving two blocks north—to a space that
houses its own fair share of the city’s musical
past and present. The space in question is at 216
Commercial St., home to the Anacortes Music
Channel and its founder and local music luminary,
Karl Blau. Although Blau was set to give up his
multipurpose physical location at the end of December to make way for the Business, the Anacortes Music Channel would live on, becoming a
mobile entity, what it lost in stability being made
up for in increased nimbleness.
It’s the kind of honoring the past while looking
forward to the future at
which the Anacortes
music scene particularly
excels.
Sometimes, just when
life snaps into place and
everything looks like it
makes sense, something
BY CAREY ROSS
senseless happens.
On Tues., Dec. 8, 216 Commercial St., current
home of the Anacortes Music Channel and future
home of the Business, caught fire and was, in
Blau’s words, “terribly burned,” a description that
was borne out by photos of the once-homey but
now-charred space. In the short time it took the
fire to spread, the outlook for both entities went
from bright to bleak.
But Blau is someone known not just for his many,
many contributions to his local music community
and beyond, but also for his extraordinary kindness
and generosity. And so the small town that has been
the recipient of so much of his hard work and dedication has shown up to do the dedicated hard work
of helping him clean up the mess in all its physical,
emotional and existential forms.
Blau’s crew of friends and supporters extends
far and wide, and when erstwhile Bellinghamster and constant wonder Clyde Peterson of Your
Heart Breaks heard about the fire, he did what
Clyde does—he sprang into action. The day after
the fire, Peterson created a crowd-funding campaign with a goal of raising $20,000 to help his
longtime friend and musical cohort, and just two
days later, that goal had been met. Currently, the
amount donated sits just shy of $25,000, a total arrived at via hundreds of donations, most no
more than $20-$25. Blau has made a life of sowing goodwill, both personally and musically, and
he’s now reaping the fruit of that labor of love.
This trial by fire isn’t all heartwarming humanity
leading to a happy ending—or at least it isn’t just
yet. The damage at 216 Commercial is still being assessed and the space’s viability is still being sorted
out. But one thing seems certain: it will take a giant
amount of hard work and possibly a small miracle before the Business can move in—now a piece without
a puzzle to call home.
WWW.WJMAC.ORG
ALLEGRA CHOIRS: Enjoy holiday-themed music
presented by Allegra Choirs of Bellingham Sings, a
choral art community founded and directed by Ann
MacDonald, at a Brown Bag concert at 12:30pm at
Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St.
Suggested donation is $3.
UKULELE HOLIDAY: Usher in the season with
harmonious tunes from the Bellingham Ukulele Orchestra at a Holiday Concert at 3pm at the Ferndale
Library, 2125 Main St. Entry to the all-ages show
is free.
SOLST ICE CONCERT: Hear unusual arrangements
of seasonal songs not heard at other holiday shows
when Stanley Greenthal and SeaMuse present a
Winter Solstice Concert at 7:30pm at the Firehouse
Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Ave. Tickets
to the show—which will also include poetry—are
$6-$15.
WWW.STANLEYGREENTHAL.COM
DAMEKOR SINGERS: Hear songs in English,
Norwegian, Icelandic, and Swedish when the Bellingham Damekor Singers perform at a free “Music in
the Library” series at 4pm at the Bellingham Public
Library, 210 Central Ave.
WWW.BELLINGHAMPUBLICLIBRARY.ORG
WWW.WCLS.ORG
WED., DEC. 23
WWW.BELLINGHAMPUBLICLIBRARY.ORG
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See Vox Antiqua present “O Antiphons” on Wed.,
Dec. 23 at the First Congregational Church
SAT., DEC. 19
UKULELE CONCERT: As part of a “Music in the
Library” series, the Bellingham Ukulele Orchestra
will perform at a free concert from 5-6pm at the
Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave.
FILM 24
$11-5
THURS., DEC. 17
FRI., DEC. 18
MUSIC
20
MUSIC 20
Join us for these Free Events at
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CVXCTFairhaven
Village Books #
in ITG
Historic
WWW.GEOFFREYCASTLE.COM
DOUBLE JAZZ CONCERT: Whatcom Jazz Music
Art Center hosts a Double Concert starting at 7pm
at the Majestic, 1027 N. Forest St. Student Isaac
DeVange will perform with the Julian MacDonough
Trio, and there’ll also be a “Christmas Explosion!”
with the Vancouver, BC-based Chris David Quartet.
Tickets are $5-$10.
FLOWMOT ION HOLIDAY SHOW: Perennially
popular Seattle-based band Flowmotion will join
powerhouse vocalist Vicci Martinez for a special
Holiday Show at 7pm at Mount Vernon’s Lincoln
Theatre, 712 S. First St. Danny Barnes and Jacob
Navarro will open the show. Tickets are $17.
WWW.LINCOLNTHEATRE.ORG
SUN., DEC. 20
COMMUNIT Y CHORUS: Help the Bellingham
Community Chorus celebrate its 25th season at a
Holiday Concert at 3pm at St. James Presbyterian
Church, 910 14th St. Seasonal selections will
include “Masters in This Hall”, “Huron Carol,” “Noel
Nouvelet,” “African Noel,” “Hanukkah Traditions”
and more. Entry is by donation.
(360) 595-0934
CHORAL CONCERT: The vocal ensemble Vox
Antiqua presents “O Antiphons!”, an intimate
choral concert and Vesper service celebrating the
Advent season, at 7:30pm at the First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave. Part meditation
and part performance, audience members will be
invited to join in congregational carol singing and
Taizé during portions of the musical service. The
event is free and all are welcome.
WWW.FCCB.NET
JAZZ CONCERT: Whatcom Jazz Music Art Center
presents a concert by artist in residence Steve
Kaldestad at 7pm at the Majestic, 1027 N. Forest
St. Tickets to hear the saxophonist are $5 for
students, $10 general.
WWW.WJMAC.ORG
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GET OUT 14
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CASTLE’S CELT IC CHRISTMAS: Geoffrey Castle
and his All Star Band—along with the Seattle Irish
Dance Company, special vocal guests and Town
Crier Richard Riddel—perform at the fifth annual
“Celtic Christmas Celebration at 6:30pm at the Port
of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center, 100 Commercial Ave. Santa will also make an appearance.
Entry is free with the donation of a new toy or
nonperishable food item, VIP seating is $25.
VIEWS 6
WED., DEC. 16
MAIL 4
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which has been well-received by critics
and audiences alike. And he’s been able
to keep his ideas and output fresh by
working with other artists as noted for
their forward-thinking style as he was
when Dre introduced him to the masses.
One of his most fruitful collaborations
has been with the Neptunes in general
and Pharrell in particular, a pairing of
two effortlessly, endlessly cool artists
that has resulted in two of the biggest
hits of Snoop’s two-decade-long career,
“Beautiful” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”
Currently, the rapper is a Grammy nominee—for the 17th time—for his work on
To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar,
gangsta rap’s heir apparent.
Those lucky enough to have scored
tickets to Snoop Dogg at the Buff will
witness not only an unforgettable concert, but also an unprecedented culmination to an unprecedented year for the
music venue. Which raises the question:
What wonders will 2016 bring?
12.16.15
the Long Beach rapper was barely out of
his teens when he dropped verses on such
songs as “Let Me Ride” and Nuthin’ But a G
Thang.” Anticipation was high for Snoop’s
own debut, and when Doggystyle came out
a short time later, it did not disappoint.
Quite the contrary, in fact—it generally
ranks right alongside The Chronic in the
annals of landmark ’90s hip-hop releases,
and featured such chart-topping songs as
“Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” and “Gin
and Juice.” So ubiquitous was the rapper’s
dominance of all things hip-hop at the
time that a group of my girlfriends baked
a “Hoes Up, Gz Down” cake (top layer pink,
bottom layer blue) for a Snoop-loving
friend’s birthday. I recall eating it while
dancing to “Gin and Juice” in her basement, which is kind of embarrassing, now
that I think about it.
Much like his musical contemporaries,
Snoop drew inspiration from his lyrics
directly from his offstage experiences, but
few rappers’ art imitated their lives quite
as closely as did his.
He was charged with
first-degree murder in
ATTEND 1993 for his role in a
WHO: Snoop
drive-by shooting, and
Dogg
managed to dodge poWHEN: 8pm
lice just long enough
Mon., Dec. 21
WHERE: Wild
to present a Moonman
Buffalo, 208 W.
at the MTV Video Music
Holly St.
Awards. He turned himCOST: Doesn’t
self in shortly thereafmatter; it’s sold
ter. A year later, while
out
INFO: www.
awaiting trail, he perwildbuffalo.net
formed his song “Murder Was the Case” on the same stage. He
was later acquitted of the charges.
But Snoop Dogg’s musical reach has
not been limited to just the era in which
he first became famous. He has continued to record and release work, much of
#50.10
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CASCADIA WEEKLY
SNOOP, FROM
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musicvenues
See below for venue
addresses and phone
numbers
12.16.15
WENDNESDAY
FILM 24
MUSIC
20
MUSIC 20
ART 18
STAGE 16
GET OUT 14
12.19.15
Open Mic
The Summit of Two
Prozac Mountain Boys
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Aaron Guest
12.20.15
12.21.15
12.22.15
Irish & Folk Night w/
Mike and Nakos Marker
Paul Klein
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Winter Solstice Celebration
Brown Lantern Ale
House
TUESDAY
Open Mic
Commodore Ballroom
Blues for Christmas w/
Jim Byrnes, David Gogo
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
Conway Muse
Hilary Scott & AJ Gennaro
Corner Pub
Scott Pemberton Band
Edison Inn
Glow Nightclub
Gray Matter
DJ J-Will
Green Frog
The Funk Hunters, Moontricks, Exmag
Amuze Cabaret
Ugly Sweater Party/
Dec. 19/Glow Nightclub
Knut Bell and the 360s
Blues Union
Whiskey Fever
DJ J-Will
Ugly Sweater Party w/DJ
Boombox Kid
Patchy Sanders, Steep Ravine
Scott Pemberton Trio
The Atlantics' Holiday
Show
Cuban Salsa Night
Slow Jam (early), Rabbit
Wilde (early & late)
Open Mic (early), Guffawingham (late)
Robert Blake (early),
Terrible Tuesday Soul
Explosion (late)
Anelias Kitchen & Stage 511 Morris St, La Conner, WA • (360) 466-4778 | Bellewood Acres 6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden • (360) 318-7720 | Bobby Lee’s Pub & Eatery 108 W Main St, Everson • 966-8838 | Boundary Bay
Brewing Co. 1107 Railroad Ave • 647-5593 | Brown Lantern Ale House 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 293-2544 | The Business 402 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 293-9788 | Cabin Tavern 307 W. Holly
St. • 733-9685 | Chuckanut Brewery 601 W Holly St. • 752-3377 | Commodore Ballroom 868 Granville St., Vancouver • (604) 739-4550 | Conway Muse 18444 Spruce/Main St., Conway (360) 445-3000 | Corner Pub
14565 Allen West Road, Burlington
interActing
MBT Staff’s Insider Gift Guide
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
12.18.15
THURSDAY
Anelia's Kitchen &
Stage
Boundary Bay Brewery
12.17.15
VIEWS 6
WITH MOUNT BAKER THEATRE
Taking the Stage
COMMUNITY EVENTS
DANCING FOR JOY:
Nativity: We Danced
Our Best for Him
A Fiddler's Feast
22
FFEB
For:
JAN
27
“As a huge ffan
an of all things Celti
Celtic,
I can’t wait!”
-Cindi, Executive Assistant
FEB
27
12-28
“Feel the energy of professional dancers
doing what they love for an audience.”
For:
Mu
Ent sic
husi
ast
s
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
DEC. 19 - 20
-Maureen, MBT Volunteer
“...funny beyond reason...Who doesn’t
love to laugh and laugh hard?!”
For:
S
Dan ong &
ce L
over
s
-Corey, Director of The Nerd
FRI. JAN. 29
THE DANCE STUDIO:
BE in the Show
SAT. JAN. 30
LMG CONCERTS PRESENTS:
Sm
See ile
ker
s
Matt Maher: The
Saints & Sinners Tour
THU. FEB. 11
LIVE NATION:
APR
12
APR
A
FEB
14
14
“Take a cultural vacation without
having to pack a bag.”
“Bell bottoms and leisure suits--we
can’t wait to shake our booty!”
“,t’ll be a fun laugh-¿lled
Valentine’s date night.”
-John, Corporate Development
-Stephanie, Assistant Ticketing Manager
-Beth, Graphic Design Manager
FOR TICKETS: Call
360.255.7891 or visit MountBakerTheatre.com
|
Brian Regan Live
Comedy Tour
THU. FEB. 13
WHATCOM SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA:
The Magic of Motown
SEASON
Mount Baker Theatre is a 501c3 non-SroÀt dedicated to the Serforming arts. SPONSOR:
H2O
Honey Moon
Open Mic
Write Riot Poetry Slam
KC's Bar and Grill
Kulshan Brewing Co.
12.18.15
12.19.15
12.20.15
DJ Clint Westwood
Rod Cook and Toast
Karaoke
Honeydripper's Tales
Marcel's Bluegrass Night
Karaoke
Karaoke
FRIDAY
Jaime Reynolds
SATURDAY
Chuck & Carr
Main St. Bar and Grill
12.21.15
MONDAY
12.22.15
TUESDAY
Introverts Book Bar
The Devilly Brothers
Willie B Blues Band
ART 18
Sucker Punch
SUNDAY
B-BOARD 27
12.17.15
THURSDAY
FILM 24
12.16.15
WEDNESDAY
MUSIC
20
MUSIC 20
See below for venue
addresses and phone
numbers
FOOD 34
musicvenues
Old World Deli
The Shakedown
DJ Robby Clark
Fetish Night
The Grizzled Mighty, Prom
Queen, Guillotine Eyes
Ashes of Existence, Defenestrator, more
A Very Clambake Christmas
Ben Von Wildenhaus,
Cherry Blossom Family
Delivery, more
Buckaroo Blues
Buckaroo Blues
Telefonic
Nuages
Hexengeist, The Vaticxnts, A
Collection of Cyclops Skulls
Rocky Champagne, Illogicians, Greece
Michelle Taylor Band
Michelle Taylor Band
DJ B-Mello
DJ B-Mello
Karaoke
Karaoke
Karaoke
Jam Night
Karaoke
Jingle Bell Ball w/Woodshed, Pawnbroker, more
Elvis Freshley, Boombox Kid
Skagit Valley Casino
Skylark's
Walt Burkett & Vocals
Swillery Whiskey Bar
Swinomish Casino and
Lodge
An Elvis Family Christmas/
Dec. 20/Swinomish Casino
The Underground
Via Cafe and Bistro
Karaoke
The Village Inn
Wild Buffalo
’90s Night
GET OUT 14
Roman Kandle, SWRV, Seth
Nuckolls
WORDS 12
Throwback Thursday
Karaoke w/Zach
Aireeoke
CURRENTS 8
Panty Hoes Drag Queen
Show
Kurt Lindsay
VIEWS 6
Rumors Cabaret
15th Anniversary Party w/
Wayne Hayton
Courtney Andrews
MAIL 4
Royal
Robin Bessier Trio
Open Mic w/Chuck D
An Elvis Family Christmas
DO IT 2
Stilly River Band
Patchy Sanders/Dec.
18/Green Frog
DJ Little
12.16.15
Rockfish Grill
The Sirens
Karaoke
#50.10
Bailey Martinet
Feel the Bern ’80s Dance
Party
Snoop Dog, Kokane,
more
The Green Frog 1015 N. State St. • www.acoustictavern.com | Edison Inn 5829 Cains Ct., Edison • (360) 766-6266 | The Fairhaven 1114 Harris Ave • 778-3400 | Glow 202 E. Holly St. • 734-3305 | Graham’s
Restaurant 9989 Mount Baker Hwy., Glacier • (360) 599-3663 | H20, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 755-3956 | Honey Moon 1053 N State St. • 734-0728 | KC’s Bar and Grill 108 W. Main St.,
Everson • (360) 966-8838 | Kulshan Brewery 2238 James St. • 389-5348 | Make.Shift Art Space 306 Flora St. • 389-3569 | Main Street Bar & Grill 2004 Main St., Ferndale • (360) 384-2982 | McKay’s
Taphouse 1118 E. Maple St. • (360) 647-3600 | Nooksack River Casino 5048 Mt. Baker Hwy., Deming • (360) 354-7428 | Poppe’s 714 Lakeway Dr. • 671-1011 | Paso Del Norte 758 Peace Portal Dr. Blaine •
(360) 332-4045 | The Redlight 1017 N State St. • www.redlightwineandcoffee.com | Rockfish Grill 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 588-1720 | The Royal 208 E. Holly St. • 738-3701 | Rumors Cabaret
1119 Railroad Ave. • 671-1849 | The Shakedown 1212 N. State St. • www.shakedownbellingham.com | Silver Reef Casino 4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale • (360) 383-0777 | Skagit Valley Casino Resort 5984 N.
Darrk Lane, Bow • (360) 724-7777 | Skylark’s Hidden Cafe 1300 11th St. • 715-3642 | Star Club 311 E Holly St. • www.starclubbellingham.com | Swillery Whiskey Bar 118 W. Holly St. | Swinomish Casino
12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes • (888) 288-8883 |Temple Bar 306 W. Champion St. • 676-8660 | The Underground 211 E. Chestnut St. • 738-3701 | Underground Coffeehouse Viking Union 3rd Floor, WWU | Via
Cafe 7829 Birch Bay Dr., Blaine • (360) 778-2570 | Village Inn Pub 3020 Northwest Ave. • 734-2490 | Vinostrology 120 W. Holly St. • 656-6817 | Wild Buffalo 208 W. Holly St. • www.wildbuffalo.net | To get your
live music listings included, send info to [email protected]. Deadlines are always at 5pm Friday.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
Poppe's 360
STAGE 16
Live Music
23
FOOD 34
film
FILM SHORTS
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
MOVIE REVIEWS
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
Poehler is oddly touching
as a lifelong wallflower
finally trying on the
debauchery she denied
herself in her teens;
meanwhile, it’s a treat to
see Fey, so practiced in
flustered type-A mode
hang loose as a sorely
overgrown adolescent
being overtaken by her
own daughter
VIEWS 6
MAIL 4
DO IT 2
12.16.15
#50.10
CASCADIA WEEKLY
24
their childhood memorabilia before the
new owners move in, their aggrieved
daughters are sent into a sulky tailspin.
In a fit of pique and misdirected nostalgia, they hit on the least logical course
of revenge imaginable: Jointly throw the
house party to end all house parties, or
at least to halt one house sale.
From that rather basic premise, the
ill-conceived bash builds comic momentum via its haphazard invitees, mostly
consisting of Maura and Kate’s old highschool classmates—among them John
Leguizamo’s skeevy alcoholic, Bobby
Moynihan’s desperately clowning perma-
REVIEWED BY GUY LODGE
Sisters
ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES
A CERTAIN sketch-driven shapelessness is a common weakness of many Saturday Night
Live reunion films. So the smartest thing—of many smart, simultaneously silly things—
Sisters does is to build in a central set-piece in which manic mugging and scattershot filth
are positively de rigueur: the overextended, wildly over-intoxicated house party. Even
outside the catastrophe-laden soiree, however, a generally festive spirit runs through
writer Paula Pell’s raucous feminization of Step Brothers, finally giving the irrepressible
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey a big-screen vehicle that feels tailored to their comic gifts.
If Pitch Perfect helmer Jason Moore contributes little in the way of cinematic ingenuity,
perhaps he was loath to get in the way of his inspired players. When the laughs flow this
freely, a filmmaker’s first responsibility is to keep the camera steady.
Opening on Dec. 18, Sisters brashly targets the demographic for whom Stars Wars: The
Force Awakens may not necessarily be the most anticipated event of the year. For Poehler,
in particular, the film represents an exciting test of her movie-headliner capability. It’s
an exam she aces, gamely carrying on her perfectly synced double act with Fey—a partnership far better served here than it was in 2008’s modestly amusing Baby Mama.
Where that film positioned Poehler as the goofball to Fey’s more tightly wound protagonist, Sisters puts its leading ladies on a more equal footing, with several narra-
tive reversals cannily shifting the script’s
zanier comic demands between them. As
the script’s opening beats introduce Atlanta-based chalk-and-cheese siblings Maura
(Poehler) and Kate (Fey), it might appear
that Poehler has been put on straightwoman duty opposite Fey’s hot mess. A
responsible career woman and recent divorcee, Maura is first seen earnestly trying
to provide aid to the homeless; that she
can’t tell the difference between a hobo
and a construction worker, however, hints
at farcical reserves of social ineptitude to
come. Jobless beautician and single mom
Kate, on the other hand, has more immediate problems: Broke, evicted and regarded
with weary contempt by her college-age
daughter, Haley (Madison Davenport),
she resolves to move in with her parents
Deanna (Dianne Wiest) and Bucky (James
Brolin) in Orlando until her luck picks up.
There’s just one snag: Without warning,
Deanna and Bucky have sold the family
home in exchange for a compact retirement condo. Charged with clearing out
nerd and (by force rather than invitation), Maya Rudolph’s hilariously snotty
ice queen. As the guest list spirals out
of control, so, inevitably, does the event.
Needless to say, whatever can go wrong,
does. Moore cranks up the chaos to a breaking point, affording an amped-up ensemble
ample room for full-bore hysteria and more
incidental moments of comic bliss.
It’s heartening to see energetic supporting players accommodated so generously
in a vehicle otherwise decisively steered
by its two smashing leads, whose pingponging chemistry doesn’t drop for a minute. Poehler is oddly touching as a lifelong
wallflower finally trying on the debauchery
she denied herself in her teens; meanwhile,
it’s a treat to see Fey, so practiced in flustered type-A mode, hang loose as a sorely
overgrown adolescent being overtaken by
her own daughter. Beneath the film’s crude
hijinks, there are actual human stakes
here, as the two sisters recognize in each
other the growing up they themselves need
to do. In a multiplex landscape cluttered
with manchild-oriented bromances, it’s all
too rare to see belated female coming-ofage given such snappy treatment.
FOOD 34
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
ART 18
STAGE 16
VIEWS 6
CURRENTS 8
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
If you're on Railroad
you're on the right track.
MAIL 4
Bring a bag of bagels
home this holiday
season so you only
have to cook
one meal.
DO IT 2
FOR YEARS, movie Macbeths have
been a tale told by the director, full of
sound and fury, signifying—something.
For Orson Welles, in 1948, it was a
chance to get back to his roots in classic drama—his “voodoo Macbeth,” set
in Haiti, had been a ’30s sensation onstage—and to prove he could work on a
small budget.
For Roman Polanski in 1971, it was perhaps an opportunity, in his bloody staging of the slaughter at Macduff’s home, to
exorcise some of the horror the Manson
Family had wreaked on his.
Director Justin Kurzel’s objectives are
less clear, which robs his new version of
Macbeth of a strong point of view. Still,
he captures one good performance, and
one great one.
Michael Fassbender is Macbeth, a Scottish noble beloved of the king, who has
been told by three witches he will one
day be crowned; Marion Cotillard is his
wife, an ambitious woman who urges
him to hurry the prophesy along, by any
means necessary.
And so Macbeth kills the king and ascends to the throne. But taking a crown
is easier than keeping it, and soon the
bodies—and the ghosts, and the guilt—
begin to mount.
The naturally regal Fassbender is physically striking as Macbeth, and imposing
in battle, but he rushes a bit through
his monologues, and his voice has little
musicality; his Macbeth may be a man of
action, yet you wish there were more of
Shakespeare’s poetry in this warrior.
12.16.15
SOMETHING WICKED THIS
WAY COMES
#50.10
Macbeth
Better, though, is Cotillard as Lady
Macbeth. That character has, of course,
always been the best in the play; frustrated by her own limited role as a woman
(“Unsex me here!”) she puts her thwarted
ambitions into her husband, and fatally
urges him onward.
She’s colder than he is, and smarter too,
but in the end it’s her own intelligence
that destroys her; good soldier that he
is, he keeps stubbornly marching forward,
even as his luck changes (the witches’
prophesy had a catch, it seems). Once she
begins to truly think about what they’ve
done, though, she shatters.
No one does huge, tremulous, wideeyed emotion better than Cotillard, and
she’s thrilling in the part, her own strong
performance smartly underlined by some
changes made by Kurzel and the adaptation by Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie,
and Todd Louiso.
For example, the film (departing from
Shakespeare) first shows Lady Macbeth at
the funeral of her only child; this gives
her grief and rage that sets us up for
what’s to come. And in an even more startling change, she makes her speech pushing her husband into murder as they’re in
an empty church—and he’s making love
to her on top of the altar.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many other
touches as fresh or shocking as those. The
film stays faithfully in Scotland, and in
the Dark Ages; the text itself has been
sharply abridged (so trimmed that the
Macbeths’ descent seems to happen overnight) but not particularly rethought.
Still, Kurzel gets some striking pictorial effects here—crimson skies, muddy
battlefields, “villages” that seem to be
little more than tents and lean-tos. He
makes you feel the grime and grit and
depths of that muddy, bloody era.
And every so often his stars—particularly Cotillard—make you feel its
heights as well.
CASCADIA WEEKLY
REVIEWED BY STEPHEN WHITTY
25
Mon - Fri 7am - 4:00pm • Sat 7:30am - 4pm • Sun 8am - 3pm • 1319 Railroad • 676-5288
WORDS 12
GET OUT 14
STAGE 16
ART 18
MUSIC 20
FILM 24
B-BOARD 27
FOOD 34
film ›› showing this week
BY CAREY ROSS
FILM SHORTS
Alv in and the Chimpmunks: The Road Chip: The
movie for everyone who can’t get a ticket to a showing of Star Wars. ++ (PG • 1 hr. 26 min.)
Brooklyn: Saoirse Ronan, future Academy Award
winner, anchors this (bitter)sweetly romantic drama
about an Irish girl navigating her way through 1950s
Brooklyn. Of course, there’s a boy (or two), but this
is a story of a woman coming into her own as her
adopted country does the same. Written by Nick
Hornby and acclaimed by critics far and wide, this one
has Oscar written all over it. +++++ (PG-13 • 1 hr.
51 min.)
Creed: As far as I can tell, in the seventh installment
of this film franchise that has spanned four decades,
Rocky is now Mickey, Adonis Johnson (son of Apollo
Creed, #neverforget) is Rocky and the whole thing
should be a mess, but is saved by the capable direction of Ryan Coogler (also responsible for the incredible and criminally underwatched Fruitvale Station)
and a fist-in-the-air formula that just won’t quit. Yo,
Adrian! ++++ (PG-13 • 1 hr. 35 min.)
The Good Dinosaur: Pixar’s second release of 2015
imagines a scenario in which dinosaurs are spared extinction and coexist with humans. Though the movie
features Pixar’s trademark breathtaking animation
and an abundance of heart, it’s not the groundbreaker
that Inside Out was—but your dino-obsessed kiddies
are not likely to care about that. ++++ (PG • 1 hr.
40 min.)
CURRENTS 8
In the Hear t of the Sea: Director Ron Howard has
made some decent movies (Frost/Nixon, Apollo 13) and
some real dogs (The Da Vinci Code, Far and Away), but
most of his career is marked by mediocrity. This film,
about the source material for Moby Dick, isn’t going
to be the one to elevate his rep. ++ (PG-13 • 2 hrs.
2 min.)
CASCADIA WEEKLY
#50.10
12.16.15
DO IT 2
MAIL 4
VIEWS 6
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2: It’s
Jennifer Lawrence’s world, we’re all just living in it
and that’s perfectly fine with me. J-Law for president
2016. ++++ (PG-13 • 2 hrs. 16 min.)
Krampus: It was only a matter of time before
Krampus got the Hollywood treatment. I don’t even
care how bad this movie might be, it stars Adam
Scott, Toni Collette, and David Koechner, and involves
“beloved holiday icons” taking on a “monstrous life
of their own.” Sign me up. +++ (PG-13 • 1 hr. 38
min.)
Love the Coopers: Like it or not (I like it), Christmas is coming, and with it come Christmas movies (I
also like that), this one a multigenerational ensemble
comedy starring Olivia Wilde, John Goodman, Marisa
Tomei, Diane Keaton, and more. Possibly mediocre,
probably terrible, so manage your expectations accordingly. + (PG-13 • 1 hr. 46 min.)
Macbeth: See review previous page. All hail King Fassbender! ++++ (Unrated • 1 hr. 52 min.)
Spectre: Apologies to all Sean Connery fans, but
Daniel Craig is the best James Bond of all time and
I will have Daniel Craig fight anyone who does not
agree with me on the subject of Daniel Craig. +++
(PG-13 • 2 hrs. 30 min.)
The Night Before: This is the same old story of
man-babies gathering for one last night of debauchery before reluctantly being thrust into adulthood—except this time it comes with ugly Christmas
sweaters and stars Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, and
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the man-babies in question.
+++ (R • 1 hr. 41 min.)
Spotlight: An important story (abuse allegations
in the Catholic church as reported in blockbuster,
Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion by the staff of the
Boston Globe), a top-notch cast (Mark Ruffalo, Michael
Keaton, Rachel McAdams, more) and an excellent director (Tom McCarthy)—praise science, Oscar season
is finally here. +++++ (R • 2 hrs. 7 min.)
The Peanuts Mov ie: Although I’m not opposed to
the big-screen resurrection of the Peanuts gang, I
am, on principle, thoroughly opposed to trusting
Hollywood with anything precious from my childhood.
+++ (G • 1 hr. 32 min.)
Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens:
OMFG, IT’S FINALLY HERE. ONE MILLION STARS. (Don’t
screw this up for me, J.J. Abrams. I can’t deal with
another Phantom Menace-level disappointment.) (PG13 • 2 hrs. 16 min.)
99%+ FOSSIL FUEL-FREE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
BellinghamFinancialPlanners.com
COLSON FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Fee-Only Financial Planning | Fee-Based Investment Management
26
Ronald Scott Colson
CFP®, MBA, President
Sisters: See review previous page. +++++ R • 1 hr.
58 min.)
(Direct) 303.986.9977
(Toll Free) 800.530.3884
4740 Austin Court
Bellingham WA 98229-2659
Showtimes
Regal and AMC theaters, please see
www.fandango.com.
Pickford Film Center and
PFC’s Limelight Cinema, please see
www.pickfordfilmcenter.com
PEP PER
SISTERS
COOKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
Open Nightly Except Monday
1055 N State St
SINCE 1988
B’ham 671-3414
Sunday, December 20
Community HU Song
10 am - 10:30 am
Spiritual
Discussion Topic:
“Are You Seeking The
Highest Truth From
Your Spiritual Guides?”
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Fairhaven Public Library
Fireplace Room
Bellingham Spiritual
Experiences on MeetUp.com
for more details
Come relax and meet other
breastfeeding mothers in a
warm, inviting and respectful environment at a Breastfeeding Cafe from 9am-12pm
every Tuesday at the Bellingham Center for Healthy Motherhood, 1012 Dupont Street.
An IBCLC will be on hand
to help with weight checks,
answer questions, and other
support. Entry is free. More
info: www.centerforhealthymotherhood.com
Bellingham
Evening
Toastmasters meet from
7-8:30pm Tuesdays at the
Fun, sensual bodyslide
gigs. Training provided.
Healthy, happy women
seek your next adventure
goddessgallerycom
@gmail.com
Cerise Noah
REALTOR ®
Professional,
knowledgeable,
fun & friendly
to work with.
Windermere Real Estate Whatcom, Inc.
(360) 393-5826
[email protected]
BUY YOUR
OWN HOME!
More than 100
families just like
yours have
purchased
affordable,
high-quality
homes in our
community!
It’s easier than
you think. Let us
show you how.
360-671-5600, x2
[email protected]
www.KulshanCLT.org
Laura Abernathy, founder
and teacher of the Tree of Life
Sanctuary, hosts a Winter Solstice Celebration from 10am1pm Sat., Dec. 19 at Wise
Awakening, 314 E. Holly St. An
opening meditation will honor
winter’s arrival and there’ll
also be a year-end review,
warm drinks, door prizes and
connection with kindred spirits. Entry is free. More info:
www.wiseawakening.com
Attend a Winter Solstice
Service at 7pm Mon., Dec.
21 at Bellingham’s Center
for Spiritual Living, 2224
Yew Street Rd. Celebrate the
return of the light through
music, poetry, ceremony and
more. Entry is free. More info:
www.csl-bellingham.org
Co-Dependents Anonymous meets from 7-8:30pm
Mondays at PeaceHealth St.
Joseph’s Community Health
Education Center, 3333 Squalicum Pkwy, conference room
B. More info: (360) 676-8588
A Grief Support Group
meets at 7pm Tuesdays at the
St. Luke’s Community Health
Center,
3333
Squalicum
Pkwy. More info: 733-5877
B-BOARD 27
FILM 24
MUSIC 20
ART 18
Sex Addicts Anonymous
(SAA) meets at 7pm Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9am
Saturdays at the Bellingham
Unitarian Fellowship, 1207
Ellsworth St. More info: (360)
420-8311 or www.pugetsoundsaa.org
Dec 18 - 24
SPOTLIGHT (R) 128m
"A great story exceedingly well told,
through characters whose fingers
are perpetually stained with ink."
Miami Herald
Fri: (3:20), 6:15, 9:00
Sat: (1:00), 6:15, 9:00
Sun: (12:00), 5:15, 8:00
Mon: (3:20), 6:15, 8:00
Tue & Wed: (3:20), 6:15, 9:00
Thu: (3:20), 6:15
BROOKLYN (PG-13) 111m
"An authentic examination of the
mid-20th century immigrant
experience, and an intimate
exploration of one woman's attempt
to understand who she is and where
she wants to belong."
Village Voice
Fri: (4:00), 6:30, 9:05
Sat: 4:00, 6:30, 9:05
Sun: (3:00), 5:30, 8:05
Mon: (3:00), 5:30, 9:05
Tue: (3:00), 7:45
Wed: (3:30), 9:05
Thu: (4:00), 6:30
LOVE ACTUALLY (R) 132m
All proceeds will be donated to a
local non-profit! All of London is
in love – or longing to be – in the
ultimate holiday romantic comedy
with a fabulous ensemble cast.
Sat: (3:15); Sun: (2:15)
Wed: 6:00
OLIVER! (1968) 153m
GREAT ADAPTATIONS: MOVIES
FROM YOUR FAVORITE
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
"A treasure of a movie." Roger Ebert
Sat: (Noon)
THE NUTCRACKER (NR) 110m
BOLSHOI BALLET
The Bolshoi’s version has a unique
and beautiful sense of romance
and philosophy.
Sun: 11:00
AUTISM IN LOVE (NR) 132m
INDIE LENS POP-UP - Free!
Follow four adults with autism
spectrum disorders as they search
for and manage romantic relationships.
Tue: 5:30
STAGE 16
Let my warm, soothing
touch entice you.
(360)982-1342
today for a
sensual adventure.
“Take Control of Your
Heart Health” will be the focus of a presentation by Certified Nutritionist Jim Ehmke
from 6:30-8:30pm Wed., Dec.
16 at the Cordata Community
Food Co-op, 315 Westerly Rd.
Jean Christensen, LMP,
focuses on “Craniosacral
Therapy” at a presentation
at 6:30pm Thurs., Dec. 17 in
Mount Vernon at the Skagit
Valley Food Co-op, 212 S.
First St. She will discuss how
the cranial bones and sacrum
move in relationship to one
another and why dysfunction
in this system and surrounding structures can have profound effects throughout the
body. Entry is free; register
in advance. More info: www.
skagitfoodcoop.com
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WORDS 12
Abby Staten leads “Yoga
for Multiple Sclerosis” class-
Festival Square Condominium
Clubhouse, 5040 Festival
Blvd. The group invites you
to test your extemporaneous
speaking skills, or sit back
and enjoy an evening of entertaining speeches. Entry is
free. More info: 756-0217 or
www.447.toastmastersclubs.
org
CURRENTS 8
A “Yoga for Daily Living”
class takes place from 6:307:45pm Wednesdays at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center, 321
Front St. The class consists
of breathing practices, physical exercises, and mental
focus. No experience is necessary. Entry to the ongoing
event is $60 for six classes.
More info: www.jansenart
center.com
es from 10-11am Tuesdays
and 11am-12pm Fridays at
Christ the Servant Lutheran
Church, 2600 Lakeway Dr. The
weekly events are free for
people with MS, and no registration is required. Please
bring a blanket or yoga mat.
More info: abbyoga@msn.
com
VIEWS 6
Attend a Healing Hour from
5:30-6:30pm every Wednesday at Simply Spirit Reading &
Healing Center, 1304 Meador
Ave. Drop in anytime during
the hour to receive an aura/
chakra healing. Entry is $5.
More info: www.simplyspiritcenter.com
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1 Canadian wool cap
2 Catalogued musical works
3 Stones’
companions
4 “___ Eyes” (1975
Eagles hit)
5 Air purifier emis-
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Last Week’s Puzzle
STAGE 16
45 Denominational
offshoot
47 Town square centerpiece, maybe
49 “Billy ___”
(2000 movie)
50 Lampoons
52 His and her
55 Break of day
57 “Young Frankenstein” heroine
58 “Sho ___!”
59 “Vaya con ___”
60 Bar assoc.
member
61 To and ___
WORDS 12
34 Singer-songwriter Redding
36 Reticent
37 WWII naval
cruiser named for
a Hawaiian city
40 Night wear, for
short
42 ___ Kong International Airport
43 Congressional
assent
44 Feels sorrow over
46 They’re known
for 10s and 20s,
sions
6 Waiting for the
London Underground, perhaps
7 Take hold of
8 Restaurant request
9 One of four in an
EGOT
10 Dessert made
with espresso
11 Steadfast
12 Actress Cattrall
14 1300, to civilians
19 Equipment
21 Dictator
25 Astronomer’s
view
27 OR personnel
28 Pageant adornment
30 Like a mechanic’s
rag
33 Yell that puts
the brakes on
35 Wintertime bird
treat
37 Password accompanier
38 Not one minute
later
39 Chinese philosopher ___-tzu
40 Tense beginning?
41 As they say, go
for it!
©2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords
MAIL 4
1 How-___ (instructional books)
4 Kind of bar lic.
7 “Today” rival,
initially
10 Chiding sound
13 “Not my call”
15 FF’s opposite, on
a VCR
16 “That’s ___
quit!”
17 Malaria medicine
18 Canniest, for
instance
20 Group that keeps
count from AK to
WY
22 “A garter snake!”
23 DDE’s command
in WWII
24 Denounces
strongly
26 Armenia and
Georgia, once
29 James Bond’s
first foe
31 Former Texas
governor Perry
32 “Don’t reckon so”
but not 30s
48 Slipper tips
51 “Snowy” heron
53 Sombrero, for
one
54 Audio
collectibles
56 1929 Luis
Bunuel/Salvador
Dali surrealist
short film
61 One side of a
drill bit, e.g.
62 What student
loans cover for
63 Namath, in 1977
64 “May ___ now?”
65 Palindromic 1992
album from Bela
Fleck and the
Flecktones
66 Bauxite, e.g.
67 Maze runner
68 Gees’ predecessors
69 1/6 of a fl. oz.
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FREE WILL
ASTROLOGY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Neanderthals
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were a different human species that co-existed with
our ancestors, homo sapiens, for at least 5,000
years. But they eventually died out while our people
thrived. Why? One reason, says science writer Marcus
Chown, is that we alone invented sewing needles. Our
newborn babies had well-made clothes to keep them
warm and healthy through frigid winters. Neanderthal
infants, covered with ill-fitting animal skins, had a
lower survival rate. Chown suggests that although
this provided us with a mere one percent survival
advantage, that turned out to be significant. I think
you’re ready to find and use a small yet ultimately
crucial edge like that over your competitors, Aries.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Artist Robert Barry
created “30 Pieces,” an installation that consisted of
pieces of paper on which he had typed the following
statement: “Something which is very near in place
and time, but not yet known to me.” According to
my reading of the astrological omens, this theme
captures the spirit of the phase you’re now entering.
But I think it will evolve in the coming weeks. First
it’ll be “Something which is very near in place and
time, and is becoming known to me.” By mid-January
it could turn into “Something which is very near and
dear, and has become known to me.”
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “There is in every
one of us, even those who seem to be most moderate,
a type of desire that is uncanny, wild, and lawless.”
Greek philosopher Plato wrote that in his book The
Republic, and I’m bringing it to your attention just
in time for your Season of Awakening and Deepening
Desire. The coming days will be a time when you can,
if you choose, more fully tune in to the uncanny,
wild, and lawless aspects of your primal yearnings.
But wait a minute! I’m not suggesting you should
immediately take action to gratify them. For now,
just feel them and observe them. Find out what they
have to teach you. Wait until the new year before you
consider the possibility of expressing them.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Congratulations! You
have broken all your previous records for doing boring
tasks that are good for you. In behalf of the other
11 signs, I thank you for your heroic, if unexciting,
campaign of self-improvement. You have not only purified your emotional resources and cleared out some
breathing room for yourself, but you have also made
it easier for people to help you and feel close to you.
Your duty has not yet been completed, however. There
are a few more details to take care of before the gods
of healthy tedium will be finished with you. But start
looking for signs of your big chance to make a break
for freedom. They’ll arrive soon.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The English word “fluke”
means “lucky stroke.” It was originally used in the
game of billiards when a player made a good shot
that he or she wasn’t even trying to accomplish. Later
its definition expanded to include any fortuitous
event that happens by chance rather than because of
skill: good fortune generated accidentally. I suspect
that you are about to be the beneficiary of what may
seem to be a series of flukes, Leo. In at least one
case, though, your lucky break will have been earned
by the steady work you’ve done without any fanfare.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may not have to
30
use a literal crowbar in the coming weeks, but this
rough tool will serve you well as a metaphor. Wherever you go, imagine that you’ve got one with you.
Why? It’s time to jimmy open glued-shut portals...
to pry loose mental blocks...to coax unyielding influences to budge...to nudge intransigent people free
of their fixations. Anything that is stuck or jammed
needs to get unstuck or unjammed through the power
of your willful intervention.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The coming weeks
will be a favorable time for you to consort with hidden depths and unknown riches. In every way you can
imagine, I urge you to go deeper down and further in.
Cultivate a more conscious connection with the core
resources you sometimes take for granted. This is one
time when delving into the darkness can lead you to
pleasure and treasure. As you explore, keep in mind
this advice from author T. Harv Eker: “In every forest,
on every farm, in every orchard on earth, what’s
under the ground creates what’s above the ground.
That’s why placing your attention on the fruits you
have already grown is futile. You can’t change the
fruits that are already hanging on the tree. But you
can change tomorrow’s fruits. To do so, you will have
to dig below the ground and strengthen the roots.”
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the coming
weeks, the pursuit of pleasure could drain your
creative powers, diminish your collaborative possibilities, and wear you out. But it’s also possible that the
pursuit of pleasure will enhance your creative powers,
synergize your alliances, and lead you to new opportunities. Which way will you go? It all depends on
the kinds of pleasures you pursue. The dumb, numbing, mediocre type will shrink your soul. The smart,
intriguing, invigorating variety will expand your mind.
Got all that? Say “hell, no” to trivializing decadence
so you can say “wow, yes” to uplifting bliss.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Garnets are
considered less valuable than diamonds. But out in the
wild, there’s an intimate connection between these
two gemstones. Wherever you find garnets near the
surface of the earth, you can be reasonably sure that
diamonds are buried deeper down in the same location.
Let’s use this relationship as a metaphor for your life,
Sagittarius. I suspect you have recently chanced upon
a metaphorical version of garnets, or will do so soon.
Maybe you should make plans to search for the bigger
treasure towards which they point the way.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ready for the
Cool Anger Contest? You can earn maximum points by
expressing your dissatisfaction in ways that generate
the most constructive transformations. Bonus points will
be awarded for your ability to tactfully articulate complicated feelings, as well as for your emotionally intelligent
analyses that inspire people to respond empathetically
rather than defensively. What are the prizes? First prize
is a breakthrough in your relationship with an ally who
could be crucial to your expansion in 2016. Second prize
is a liberation from one of your limiting beliefs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A fourth-century
monk named Martin was a pioneer wine-maker in
France. He founded the Marmoutier Abbey and planted
vineyards on the surrounding land. According to
legend, Martin’s donkey had a crucial role in lifting
viticulture out of its primitive state. Midway through
one growing season, the beast escaped its tether
and nibbled on a lot of the grapevines. All the monks
freaked out, fearing that the crop was wrecked. But
ultimately the grapes grew better than they had in
previous years, and the wine they produced was fabulous. Thus was born the practice of pruning, which
became de rigueur for all grape-growers. What’s your
equivalent of Martin’s donkey, Aquarius? I bet it’ll
exert its influence very soon.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “The deepest urge
in human nature is the desire to be important,” said
educator John Dewey. If that’s true, Pisces, you are
on the verge of having your deepest urge fulfilled
more than it has in a long time. The astrological
alignments suggest that you are reaching the peak of
your value to other people. You’re unusually likely to
be seen and appreciated and acknowledged for who
you really are. If you have been underestimating your
worth, I doubt you will be able to continue doing so.
Here’s your homework: Take a realistic inventory of
the ways your life has had a positive impact on the
lives of people you have known.
It can be a little touchy for all involved when everybody’s answer to
“Where have you been all my life?” is
“Having sex with your friend.”
But perhaps you missed the news.
They passed an amendment against
owning people. In, uh, 1865. So, assuming your girlfriend isn’t in a fetal
position behind her couch sobbing
over the boss guy, you should feel free
to go out with him. But considering
how often first dates end up being
last dates, it’s best to avoid putting
out a press release about your plans.
If dating the guy does take a relationshippy turn, that’s when you give your
girlfriend a little heads-up: “Hey, just
wanted to let you know, I was rummaging through your trash and I found this
fabulous old chair, along with your exboyfriend.” Stay classy—that is, avoid
any temptation to go gloaty: “They
both are, like, so comfy and are really
perking up the bedroom!”
FOOD 34
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To quote the Facebook relationship status,
“It’s complicated.” I went out with this
man a few times and slept with him once.
It didn’t work out, and now his sexy guy
friend, who’s also his boss, has asked me
out. However, the boss guy used to date
one of my female friends. We are all in
the same social circle. What’s the protocol
here? Do I need to ask permission or give
anybody a heads-up about my going out
with the boss guy?
—Messy Picture
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Getting married is supposed to be
something you do when you find the
right person, not whichever person
happens to be right next to you when
the clock above your ovaries strikes
“HolyshitWe’re30!”
Sure, there comes a point in a woman’s life when conceiving and carrying a
baby to term is miraculous to the point
where unicorns should be pawing at the
delivery room door. But keep in mind
that even good marriages get strained
by the addition of children, thanks to
the poo-splosions, sleep deprivation (a
form of torture violating the Geneva
Conventions), and mystery rashes that
look just like Ebola when you Google
them at 3:03am.
It’s also seriously unfair to bring
kids into a marriage that’s tanking.
Sociologist Paul Amato calls children
“the innocent victims of their parents’
inability to maintain harmonious and
stable homes.” Reviewing the research
on divorce’s effects on children, Amato
explains that “compared with children
with continuously married parents,
children with divorced parents...score
significantly lower on measures of
academic achievement, conduct, psychological adjustment, self-concept,
and social relations.” This isn’t to say
enemy combatant parents who stay
together are doing right by their kids.
Amato notes that some studies show
that children in “high-conflict households...are worse off than children with
divorced parents.”
Obviously, staying together “for
the children” is a particularly bad
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I’m an unhappily married 30-year-old
woman. I’ve been with my husband for
10 years, but we only got married seven
months ago. We argue almost daily, and he
spends all of his time working. Because we
fight so much, the thought of him touching
me has become repulsive, so we are rarely
intimate. Though these problems long
proceeded our marriage, I felt I needed
to move forward in life (marry, have kids,
etc.), so I went through with the wedding.
I recently got sexually involved with a coworker, and I think I’m falling in love with
him. We have all the loving passion I don’t
with my husband. However, I want to have
children before I’m 35. My husband can
afford to raise a family, and my coworker
cannot. I can’t go on like this much longer,
and I don’t know what to do. —Miserable
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idea when you and the husband you
despise don’t even have the little
buggers yet. So why did you make
this “repulsive” guy your husband instead of your ex-boyfriend? It probably has something to do with our
tendency to engage in ego-protecting
“self-justification.” Psychologist Elliot Aronson finds that we are prone
to refuse to acknowledge our mistakes—even when they’re banging us
over the head with a leftover wedding
centerpiece. Our denial allows us to
keep seeing ourselves as smart people
who make good choices. Which keeps
us mired in our bad choices.
There is a way out, and it’s gritting
our teeth and admitting mistakes instead of marrying them and making
little bundles of stressjoy with them.
For you, admitting that you screwed up
by marrying this guy—the first step in
unmarrying him—would take accepting the potential cost: You might not
find a suitable candidate for daddyhood
in time (or ever). Yes, that would be
rough—but so would the possible alternative: having an adorable pair of twins
who go to Harvard—because it’s a great
place to mug dazed freshmen so they
can feed their staggering meth habit.
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Arrange the digits 1-9 so that each digit occurs once in each row, once in
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RECIPES
bubbling pool of flavor, pan sauce is born.
Ideally, your deglazing liquid will be determined by what you are cooking, or reheating, in that pan. If it’s leftover turkey,
you can get away with using either red or
white wine.
The deglazing fluid doesn’t have to be
alcoholic. Apple juice works well if you’re
cooking a pork chop, for example. Vinegar
can work great, but must be chosen carefully and used sparingly, perhaps mixed
with some water. Some of the most versatile and user-friendly deglazing fluids are
fortified wines such as sherry, Madeira or
Marsala. Whatever you use, it takes at least
a half-cup of deglazing fluid for a typical
pan. There is no penalty for using more.
When ready to deglaze, remove the food
from the pan and put it on a plate or serving dish. After the liquid has been poured
and fond has been scraped into the bubbling
sauce, turn the heat to a manageable level
and stir obsessively, as the liquid evaporates away, carefully reducing in volume.
The next step is called the “building”
phase, where the sauce is customized to
your particular dish. Minced shallots, garlic, stock, butter, fruit, flour, cream, herbs,
and many other ingredients can be used to
bring the sauce into proper harmony with
the food.
After the building phase, the sauce will
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Part of the beauty of
refried leftovers with pan
sauce is that it is different
every time
34
BY ARI LEVAUX
Holiday Helper
LEFTOVERS MANAGEMENT SEASON
The lights and festivities of the holiday season have always been a response
to the rude levels of cold and darkness with which we must contend around the
winter solstice.
Given the coping mechanisms we come up with, this time of year could just as
easily also be called drinking season, or gluttony season, or leftovers management
season. But whichever way you run with it, all of these seasonal roads will eventually lead you to the same place: a glazed situation on the morning after. This is a
story about how to deglaze those greasy leftovers with heat and booze, and do it
again through New Year’s Eve and beyond.
It is the nature of these leftovers—stuffed birds in greasy pans, trays of roasted
roots, vessels of sauce, not to mention all the half-drunk bottles of booze on the
counter—that all conspire to make this an especially good time of year to build a
pan sauce with which to drench the reheated beast.
Part of the beauty of refried leftovers with pan sauce is that it is different every
time. Each rendition incorporates and combines the browned bits of various dishes
from the nights before. After cutting your teeth on these techniques during left-
overs management season, you will soon
find yourself in a position to pull glorious
sauces out of numerous pans year ‘round.
The making of a good pan sauce hinges
on the simple, crucial act of deglazing
the pan. To do so requires a hot pan, the
contents of which are about to burn, and
some liquid to pour into the pan in order to avert that disaster. The liquid not
only prevents burning, but loosens the
browned bits of goodness from the bottom of the pan. This caramelized leftovers
residue stuck on the pan contains the
remnants of the feast—the turkey skin,
buttered mashed potatoes, glazed parsnips and whatnot. And it has a name in
French. Fond, which also means “base” or
“foundation,” is indeed the base or foundation of the flavor of your pan sauce.
In order to develop proper fond, the pan
should not be of the nonstick variety. You
want a full-stick pan, like cast iron.
The act of scraping off the fond is deglazing. As the cook mixes fond into the
have bulked up in volume, and some of the
ingredients, like fruit, stock and onions,
will have contributed moisture to the pan.
So the sauce needs to be reduced again.
Sometimes it reduces too fast and becomes
dangerously low in moisture and must be
deglazed, again. As long as nothing burns,
you can do this all day. When ready to
serve, season with salt and pepper, and
pour it on those leftovers.
This sequence—deglaze, reduce, build,
reduce and finish—can be used in almost
any context, not just leftovers. All you need
is a pan that’s about to burn. And it doesn’t
even need to contain meat. I like to sauté
mushrooms with shallots and butter, and a
pinch of nutmeg, and deglaze with sherry,
followed by a shot of cream.
New Years Eve, the climax of the holiday
season, is also a time of personal deglazing. We pour down those penetrating fluids, in hopes that something will unstick
and leave us a little cleaner. And if they
ask why you’re drinking so much, tell them
it’s because you’re so fond of it.
doit
WED., DEC. 16
Entry is free and open to all.
SEMIAHMOO COOK ING: Attend a “Cooking
Class with Chef Bruno Feldeisen” from 5-8pm at
Blaine’s Semiahmoo Resort, 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy.
Feldeisen will offer his personalized talents and
insight, with each class including instruction in a
three-course holiday meal with recipes, a glass of
wine, and a Semiahmoo apron. Entry is $75; please
register in advance.
HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE LOUNGE: Evolve Chocolate
hosts its first Holiday “Pop-Up” Chocolate Lounge
from 4-9pm Mondays through Saturdays, and 12-5pm
Sundays through Christmas Eve at 1313 N. State
St. All evenings will feature a variety of live music
paired with chocolate and art for sampling and
purchasing. There’ll also be daily chocolate specials,
gift collections and more.
HOLIDAY TEA: Nibble on delicious treats while
chatting with community members and library staff
at a Holiday Tea taking place from 1-5pm at Sudden
Valley’s South Whatcom Library, 10 Barn View Court.
Entry to the all-ages event is free.
WWW.WCLS.ORG
SUN., DEC. 20
SEDRO BREAKFAST: Attend a Community Breakfast
from 8-11am at Sedro-Woolley’s American Legion Post
#43, 701 Murdock St. The meal consists of made-toorder eggs, bacon, sausage links or ham, biscuits and
gravy, French toast and more. Entry is $5-$7.
WWW.EVOLVETRUFFLES.COM
SAT., DEC. 19
Stock up on locally sourced food for your holiday feast at the final Bellingham
Farmers Market of the season Sat., Dec. 19 at the Depot Market Square
VWW BREAKFAST: Dine on a meal of pancakes,
French toast, eggs, sausage and more at a monthly
VFW Breakfast happening from 8-11am at Lynden’s
VFW Hall, 7011 Hannegan Rd. Entry is $6 (kids 5 and
under are free).
318-2028 OR WWW.SEMIAHMOO.COM
THURS., DEC. 24
PASTA FEED: Make reservations now for the annual
Christmas Eve Pasta Feed happening from 5-8pm at
Boundary Bay Brewery, 1107 Railroad Ave. Entry to
the all-you-can-eat pasta buffet is $12 for kids and
$22 for adults (free for kids under 6).
WWW.LYNDEN.ORG
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Children’s House
International will host a “Breakfast with Santa”
from 9-11:30am at Christ the King, 4173 Meridian St.
In addition to the meal, kids can get photos with
Santa, Elsa, Anna, and Olaf and take part in other
fun activities. Entry is $8-$15.
A “Gingerbread Cookie Decorating for Kids” event takes place
Mon., Dec. 21 at Blaine’s Semiahmoo Resort
GI T P U B
S
KA
10
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CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER: Enjoy a “distinctly
Northwest” prix fixe menu when Chef Bruno Feldeisen
offers a Christmas Eve Dinner from 5-9pm at the
Pierside Kitchen at Blaine’s Semiahmoo Resort, 9565
Semiahmoo Pkwy. Entry is $20 for children, $39 for
adults. Please reserve a seat in advance.
CURRENTS 8
647-5593 OR WWW.BBAYBREWERY.COM
WWW.CHILDRENSHOUSEINTERNATIONAL.COM
COMMUNIT Y MEAL: Are are welcome at a bimonthly Community Meal from 10am-12pm at the
United Church of Ferndale, 2034 Washington St.
Glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, mixed veggies,
bread and Christmas cookies will be on the menu.
GET OUT 14
COOK IE DECORAT ING: Families can decorate and
take home up to 12 cookies at a “Gingerbread Cookie
Decorating for Kids” event from 3-5pm in the Seaview
Lobby at Blaine’s Semiahmoo Resort, 9565 Semiahmoo
Pkwy. Entry is $19 (childcare not provided).
(360) 384-6244
WORDS 12
MON., DEC. 21
STAGE 16
WWW.SEDRO-WOOLLEY.COM
CASCADIA WEEKLY
PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Pancakes, French toast,
biscuits and gravy, eggs, ham and sausage and more
will be on the menu at a monthly Pancake Breakfast
taking place from 8-11am at the Ferndale Senior
Center, 1999 Cherry St. Entry is $2.50 for kids, $6
for adults.
FILM 24
WWW.BELLINGHAMFARMERS.ORG
DEC. 16-24
MUSIC 20
ART 18
FINAL FARMERS MARKE T: Peruse and purchase
a plethora of locally grown produce, ready-to-eat
foods, crafts and more at the final Bellingham Farmers Market of the season from 10am-3pm at the Depot
Market Square, 1100 Railroad Ave. Additional Winter
Markets happen Jan. 16, Feb. 20 and March 19 before
the food hub reopens on a weekly basis in April.
FOOD
FOOD 34
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714-9029
*Offer valid 7 days a week (holidays excluded) For additional offers visit www.granaio.com
CALL FOR RESERVATIONS
Lunch hours
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11am–3pm
(360) 527-8774
3pm–10pm
Dinner hours
360.419.0674
WWW.GRANAIO.COM
[email protected]
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JOIN THE PARTY!
DECEMBER 17
2 - 7 PM: $1,000
Every 15 Minutes
8 PM GRAND PRIZES:
$20,000 X2!
$5,000
6 pm • Winners Lounge
Owned by Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
theskagit.com • On I-5 at Exit 236 • 877-275-2448
CW
Must be 21 or older with valid ID. Details at Rewards Club Center. Management reserves all rights.

Dec 23 - Cascadia Weekly

Transcription

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