Seattle’s Extreme Sports
Posted by Ryan in Uncategorized on December 14, 2010
Seattle’s Extreme Sports
Seattleites love their sports. Every year, the city buys plenty of Seattle Seahawks tickets and a bunch of Seattle Mariners tickets. When Seattleites aren’t rooting for their pro teams at either Qwest Field or Safeco Field they’re outside participating in a myriad of athletic activities. There’s a lot of water surrounding Seattle so rowing and boating are very popular, and due to the close proximity of the Cascades Mountains so is skiing and snowboarding. And of course Seattleites are known to be big bicyclists, joggers, and skateboarders.
What some may not realize, Seattleites also love their extreme sports. From rock climbing to skydiving, if it produces a rush of adrenaline then Seattleites are there. Below, SeattleSmarts looks at five of the top extreme sports found in and around the Emerald City. Even if your favorite movie isn’t Point Break, give these intense activities a chance. Nestled between the blood curdling feats and the death-defying stunts are some really great things to do in Seattle.
Rock Climbing
Two of the best places to rock climb in the city of Seattle are Vertical World (2123 W Elmore Street) and Stone Gardens (2839 NW Market Street). Vertical World opened in 1987 and is the first climbing gym in America. Meanwhile, Stone Gardens has over 16,000 square feet of climbing surfaces. Keep in mind that if you’ve never climbed before you’ll have to take a belay class. “Belaying” is the art of managing a rope while climbing.
If you’re looking to get away from the city, check out mountaineers.org. For a small initiation fee and annual dues, the Mountaineers offer members plenty of chances to get outdoors and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Great Northwest. If rock climbing is not your thing, the organization also offers activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, and backpacking.
Bungee Jumping
The bad news about bungee jumping in Seattle is there isn’t any. Sorry, the Space Needle is off limits to base jumping. So to get your bungee jump on, you’re going to have to drive about three hours south to the sleepy little town of Amboy, Washington. There you’ll find Bungee Masters, Incorporated. They have everything you need—knowledge, equipment, and a great safety record—for bungee jumping.
Bungee Masters have their own private bridge that’s snuggled in the beautiful and plush forests of southwest Washington. Their private overpass is 200 feet high and spans a rushing river full of piranhas (we’re just joking, the river’s not rushing). You’ll want to call in advance to make a reservation and expect to pay around $100 for a single jump. For $30 more you get two jumps, a t-shirt, and membership into the Dangerous Sports Club. Make sure you bring cash as there’s no electricity at the jump site which means no credit card machine.
Mountain Biking
A great resource for the causal or serious mountain biker is evergreenmtb.org. The Web site belongs to Washington State’s largest mountain biking advocacy group. It’s the go-to source for Seattleites looking to mountain bike. Besides promoting various mountain biking events, the site also offers visitors tons of information about local and nearby trails.
One of the best mountain biking trails that’s actually in the city of Seattle is the I-5 Colonnade bike park. As the name suggests, the trail is primarily under an elevated span of Interstate 5—western Washington’s main freeway. Other big time trails in the Emerald City include a three-mile long trek at Interlaken Park and the extremely popular 13-mile Preston Railroad/Timberline Loop.
Paintball
There are several great paintball parks located just minutes outside of Seattle. West of the city, on the Olympic Peninsula, is the Northwest Paintball Park (360-377-0398) in Bremerton and Thunder Paintball (360-710-1992, ask for Lan Taylor) in Seabeck. South of Seattle, situated in Longbranch, is the renowned Adventure Paintball Park (253-793-7000). Northward, there’s an indoor paintball arena in Everett (425-257-9800) and an outdoor paintball park in Snohomish (425-257-9771). Both facilities are operated by Dooblebug Sportz (DBS). Finally, east of Seattle, in the town of Monroe, you’ll find the Eastside Paintball Field (425-402-6042).
Most of the fields, except the indoor facility in Everett, are closed during the winter. Call for hours of operations, rates, and group reservations. Northwest Paintball Park and Adventure Paintball Park lean towards advance paintballers while the DBS’ fields and the Eastside Paintball Field are more for beginners. If you need supplies, DBS operates a paintball shop at their Everett facility. .
Skydiving/Paragliding
It’s probably not the most popular extreme sport in Seattle but it’s differently the most extreme. After all, what’s more extreme than jumping out of a perfectly good plane? There are three great places to go in the Seattle area if you wish to test gravity with a parachute: Seattle Skydiving (1-800-260-5653), Skydive Seattle (1-800-791-5867), and Skydive Snohomish (360-568-7703). Each of the three businesses offer training for neophytes and tandem skydives (recommended for your first skydive). Training takes several hours and you should expect to pay in excess of $200 for a single skydive.
While not as extreme as skydiving, paragliding is every bit as exhilarating. Paragliding is an aerial sport that’s a mix of hang gliding, parasailing, and skydiving. Paragliders look like a parachute that’s been attached to a harness with a seat. They can stay aloft for hours, travel hundreds of miles, and are relatively easy to launch and land. To participate in this extreme sport visit Seattle Paragliding, located in nearby Issaquah (206-387-3477).
Seahawks, Mariners: Seattle’s Top Professional Sports Teams
Posted by Ryan in Uncategorized on December 7, 2010
Seahawks, Mariners: Seattle’s Top Professional Sports Teams
Seattle is a great sports town. Sure, there are cities with more major professional sports teams. And yes, none of Seattle’s teams are perennial championship contenders. However, when a team from Seattle does well, the town supports them with a passion unsurpassed by any city in North America. A championship run, or even a winning season by a Seattle team doesn’t just involve fans it involves the entire city.
Seattle’s two main professional sports teams are the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL and the Seattle Mariners of MLB. The teams entered their respective leagues in 1976 and 1977, respectively, and both called the Kingdome home (the venue has since been torn down). In 1999, the Mariners moved into Safeco Field while the Hawks moved into Qwest Field three years later. Both state-of-the-art facilities offer fans beautiful vistas of Elliot Bay and both are located next to each other in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood.
Fans at Qwest Field are known around the NFL for their ability to produce a high volume of noise. They are so loud that they consistently cause Seahawks’ opponents to false start. To honor their boisterous fans, the Seahawks franchise has retired the number 12, as in the 12th man—a euphuism for home fans at a football game.
Neither the Seahawks nor the Mariners have won a world championship—in fact the M’s are one of only two MLB teams that have never played in the World Series (the other being the Washington Nationals). The Seahawks’ best season was 2005 when they reached Super Bowl XL. In a game marred by several controversial calls, the Seahawks fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-10. Some of the all-time great Seahawks are Steve Largent, Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, Jim Zorn, and Walter Jones.
The Mariners made an improbable run to the MLB postseason in 1995. In their first playoff appearance in franchise history the Mariners rallied from a 0-2 deficit to eliminate the New York Yankees. It was one of the most exciting five-game series in the history of Major League Baseball. The M’s thrilling playoff run not only captured the imagination of fans all over the Pacific Northwest, but it kept baseball in Seattle. The franchise was looking to relocate but the team’s success made it possible to secure public funding for a new stadium.
The M’s made history in 2001 establishing an American League record for most wins in a regular season with 116—they also tied the major league mark set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs. The Mariners have fielded some great players through the years including Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ichiro Suzuki, and Felix Hernandez.
The city of Seattle is also home to the University of Washington. The “Huskies” compete in nine men’s and ten women’s sports and they belong to the Pac-Ten Conference. The university’s football team plays at Husky Stadium while their men’s and women’s basketball teams play at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
For years the school was a football powerhouse, but in the first decade of the 21st century the Huskies found more success on the hard-court than on the gridiron. The university has produced a number of great football players such as Warren Moon, Mark Burnell, and Hugh McElhenny. On the basketball side notable alumni include Brandon Roy, Detlef Schrempf, and Nate Robinson.
The University of Washington’s women’s softball team won the national championship in 2009. They play their home games at Husky Softball Stadium. The men’s baseball team competes at Husky Ballpark. All the aforementioned venues are located on the university’s campus.
Seattleites love their soccer. The city’s MLS club, Seattle Sounders FC, joined the league in 2009. In their first two seasons at Qwest field they sold out every league match while leading all MLS teams in season ticket sales. The Sounders have also established records for average attendance.
In 2010, the Sounders became the first MLS team to win back-to-back U.S. Open Cups.
Part of the franchise’s ownership group features Paul Allen (owner of the Seahawks) and comedian Drew Carey.
Another professional sports team that calls the Emerald City home is the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. They play their home games at Key Arena.
The Storm is the city’s most successful professional sports franchise having won league titles in 2004 and 2010. Some of the team’s most notable players over the years include Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, and Swin Cash.
The franchise creates a family friendly atmosphere at home games by drawing heavily from weather-related themes inspired by the team’s nick name and Seattle’s tempestuous weather. For instance, the Storm’s mascot is called “Doppler” and the team’s theme song is AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.”
Fun Things To Do in Seattle
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on November 24, 2010
Things To Do in Seattle: Ride the Ducks, Rat City Rollergirls, Market Ghost Tours
The Space Needle is as synonymous with the city of Seattle as coffee, rain, and grunge music. Every year its observation deck attracts tens of thousands of visitors who want to take a gander at the Emerald City from a height of 520 feet.
Even if you’ve lived in Seattle all your life, the 43-second elevator trip up the Needle is a small price to pay for the breath taking vistas of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier, and Elliot Bay. However, the Space Needle isn’t the only way to see Seattle. For a truly unique view of the city you have to Ride The Ducks.
RIDE THE DUCKS
Ride the Ducks of Seattle is a tour of the city on both land and water. Using amphibious landing crafts developed in World War II, Ride the Ducks takes travelers on a ninety minute tour of Seattle (60 minutes on land and 30 minutes on water). During that time you’ll see several sites including the Seattle waterfront, Safeco Field, Pike Place Market, and Lake Union.
Each “duck” is piloted by a fun-loving captain that’s half tour guide and half standup comedian. Tours departs from two locations, 5th Avenue & Broadstreet and the Westlake Center, seven days a week. And the answer to your next question is yes. Tours run regardless of the rain (the vehicles are covered).
Is Ride the Ducks the most romantic excursion in the city? Probably not, but it’s more family friendly than most Seattle concerts and more affordable than most Seattle theatres. Bottom line, whether you’re a tourist or a lifelong resident, Ride the Ducks is one of the most entertaining ways to the see the city of Seattle.
RAT CITY ROLLERGIRLS ALL STARS
Seattle sports are greatly supported. Every year, ardent sports fans buy tens of thousands of Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners tickets. But the NFL and MLB are far from the city’s only competitive sports leagues. For a different experience you’ve got to check out the Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG). That’s Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league.
Founded in 2004, the RCRG consists of five teams—Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, Throttle Rockets, and the Rat City Rollergirls All Stars. The league competes once a month from January through July at the Key Arena. After each bout, fans and competitors meet at local bars and pubs for after-parties and victory celebrations.
Roller derby is a real sport. The women of the RCRG are fierce competitors although there is some pageantry thrown in for good measure. If you’re not down with roller derby then you can sit back and people watch. The fans in the Key Arena are almost as entertaining as the action on the track.
Attending the RCRG costs about as much as going to the movies, especially if you plan ahead and avoid buying tickets on the day of the event. Season tickets and group tickets are also offered.
MARKET GHOST TOURS
Next to the Space Needle, Pike Place Market is the landmark most associated with the Emerald City. Every time the NBA, NFL, or the WWE broadcast from Seattle they always show video of the market’s fishmongers tossing salmon to one another. Yet, there’s another side to this famous attraction, a haunted side.
Market Ghost Tours (MGT) is one of the scariest things to do in Seattle and also one of the most entertaining. Named as one of the top ghosts tours in the nation, MGT is a 60- to 75-minute guided walk through Pike Place Market that follows the area’s supernatural past.
If you’re an unbeliever, don’t worry. The tour is just as much for the followers of history as it is for the believers in the paranormal. You’ll also get a unique experience of the Market that’s quite a departure from just meandering through the vendors—the tour is more of a celebration of Pike Place Market than anything else.
Still, it’s not called a “ghost tour” for nothing. Visitors will see the city’s first mortuary, an old graveyard, and a spooky brothel. Will you see a ghost? Who knows, but you will be entertained with some great ghost stories.
Market Ghost Tours advises that you come dressed for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. You are also encouraged to bring your camera. While kids generally enjoy the tour, guides do cover adult material and some of the ghost stories are pretty scary. Finally, it should be noted that Market Ghost Tours is not a ghost hunt. It is a bona fide walking tour.
CONCLUSION
Ride the Ducks, Rat City Rollergirls, and the Market Ghost Tours are Seattle events that have the rare combination of being entertaining and out of the ordinary while still capturing the essence of the city. The three aforementioned events are atypical activities that are typically Seattle.
Seattle’s Theater Scene
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on October 15, 2010
Seattle has a thriving theater community. The city is home to dozens of theaters with even more located in the surrounding metropolitan areas. These venues and companies showcase a variety of productions from mainstream Broadway musicals and dramas to avant-garde and experimental theater. If you have a favorite type of theater, or you’re hankering for a particular genre, chances are good you’ll find it in Seattle.
The 5th Avenue Theatre
1308 5th Avenue
206-695-1900
http://www.5thavenue.org
Having opened in 1926, the 5th Avenue Theatre is a Seattle landmark and the largest theater employer in the Puget Sound area. This theater is a proving ground for future Broadway musicals. Hits that started at the 5th Avenue Theatre include “Hairspray,” “Jekyll & Hyde,” and “The Wedding Singer.”
Apart from being a great place to catch a top touring production or a future Broadway smash hit, the 5th Avenue Theater is also one of the most beautiful venues in the city. The theater’s ornate interior was modeled after Imperial Chinese architecture.
ACT – A Contemporary Theatre
700 Union Street
206-292-7676
http://www.acttheatre.org
ACT Theatre has been committed to presenting the best in contemporary theater since it was founded in 1965. The theater has hosted numerous dramas ranging from modern classics to contemporary works. ACT has commissioned several new plays and presented almost 30 world premieres.
ACT performs at the historic Kreielsheimer Place which is located in the heart of downtown Seattle. There are actually two main theaters at the site—a 381-seat thrust stage and a 387-seat theater-in-the-round. The building underwent a $35.5 million renovation in the mid 1990’s.
Seattle Repertory Theatre
155 Mercer Street
206-443-2222
http://www.seattlerep.org
Seattle Repertory Theatre was founded in 1963 and dubbed the city’s “flagship theatre” by the New York Times. Seattle Rep delights its audience with a mix of classics plays, current Broadway hits, and innovated new works. It has premiered plays by such luminaries as Neil Simon, August Wilson, and Sarah Ruhl.
The Seattle Repertory Theatre is located in the northwest corner of the Seattle Center. Several fine dining establishments are located in the area and many offer discounts to Seattle Rep subscribers. The theater has a full bar in its lobby which opens one hour before each performance.
Seattle Shakespeare Company
305 Harrison Street
206-733-8222
http://www.seattleshakespeare.org
The Seattle Shakespeare Company’s mission is “to open doors to classical plays for audiences of all ages through intimate, daring productions.” The company, which coalesced in 1991, present classical plays year around. In the summer, the company performs free of charge in area parks.
Obviously the Seattle Shakespeare Company performs works by the Bard, but they also produce plays by other authors. For example, the company has performed Sophocles’ “Electra,” Carlo Caoldoni’s “The Servant of Two Masters,” and Robert Currier’s “The Miser.”
Book-It Repertory Theatre
305 Harrison Street
206-256-9666
http://www.book-it.org
Book-It Repertory Theatre is one of the most unique theaters in the city. This non-profit organization transforms great literature into great theater with the hopes of inspiring its audience to read. Some of the novels Book-It has performed include “Moby-Dick,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” and “Don Quixote.” Book-It Repertory Theatre performs at the Center House which is located at the Seattle Center.
Book-It utilizes a unique style of theater where the narrative text of a novel is spoken as dialogue by characters in the productions. The technique has been developed over the past 20 years and is trademarked.
Eclectic Theatre Company
1214 10th Avenue
206-679-3271
http://eclectictheatercompany.org
The Eclectic Theatre Company is the resident company at the Odd Duck Studio. The company produces original, new, and re-envisioned classics. In the past, the Eclectic Theatre Company has performed works by Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, and Shelagh Delaney.
The Eclectic Theatre Company has been around since 2006, but they can trace their origins all the way back to 2000. They originally began as The Green Theatre Project at the Cornish College of The Arts. That group quickly became Green Theatre Production which produced Eco-friendly plays at local venues.
New Century Theatre Company
1122 E Pike Street #598
http://www.newcenturytheatrecompany.org
New Century Theatre Company strives to reinvigorate Seattle’s reputation as a force for cutting-edge, professional theater. They believe the “story is king” and their productions aim to stir the imagination. They are adamant about not thinking for their audience.
Past New Century shows include “The Adding Machine” by Elmer Rice, “Orange Flower Water” by Craig Wright, and “On the Nature of Dust” by Stephanie Timm.
Seattle Theatre Group
911 Pine Street
206-467-5510
http://www.stgpresents.org
Seattle Theatre Group (STG) is a non-profit organization that operates Seattle’s historic Paramount and Moore Theatres. STG presents more than 370 shows a year. These shows not only include top quality theater productions but music concerts, dance recitals, and films.
The Moore Theatre was built in 1907 and is the oldest theater in Seattle. The Paramount Theatre opened in 1928. Both theaters have been renovated to their original glory and splendor. You don’t need to see a show to see the insides of these glorious buildings. STG offers free tours of each venue.
Seattle Children’s Theatre
201 Thomas Street
206-441-3322
http://www.sct.org/Index.aspx
Since its debut in 1975, the Seattle Children’s Theatre has presented over 200 plays to more than four million children. The troupe performs top quality works designed to capture the imagination of young audiences. Their season runs from September through June and the company performs in the Charlotte Martin and Eve Alvord Theatres at the Seattle Center.
Most of Seattle Children’s Theatre’s shows are for kids four-years and older. However, the company welcomes infants as both the Charlotte Martin and Eve Alvord Theatres have quiet rooms.
Young Americans’ Theatre Company
3612 SW Othello Street
206-245-7024
http://www.youngamericanstheatreco.org
Since its inception in March of 2008, the Young Americans’ Theatre Company (YATC) has won the Seattle Times 2008 award for Best New Troupe and the Teen Tix award for Best Show of 2008. Not bad for a young theater company operated by young actors that aims to provide opportunities for young artists.
As you might imagine, the YATC main season is in summer but the troupe does tackle a few projects during the school year.
Other Seattle Theaters
Annex Theatre
PMB 1440
1122 E Pike Street
206-728-0933
http://www.annextheatre.org
Ear To The Ground
1118 East John Street
206-390-7207
http://www.eartothegroundtheatre.org
Edge Theatre Ensemble
1620 1/2 20th Avenue
http://www.edgetheatre.org
Next Stage
1634 Eleventh Avenue
206-322-7030
http://www.nextstage.org
On The Boards
P.O. Box 19515
206-217-9886
http://www.ontheboards.org
One Lump Or Two Productions
410 29th Avenue E
206-226-9774
http://1lumpor2productions.com
Our American Theater Company
4143 20th Avenue SW
206-937-0205
http://www.ouramericantheater.org
Stone Soup Theatre
4035 Stone Way N
206-633-1883
http://www.stonesouptheatre.org
Taproot Theatre Company
PO Box 20946
206-781-9705
http://www.taproottheatre.org
Welcome to the New SeattleSmarts Blog
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on October 15, 2010
Another blog on the Internet? What’s so great about this one? Well, if you want the scoop on stuff to do in and around the Seattle area, bookmark this blog.