Unfortunately, it appears that everyone wants to spend the weekend drinking eggnog (probably with rum), rather than planning events. So the calendar is a bit sparse this week.
Nonetheless, there are a few unique, fun things going on. Excluding the Jay-Z and Kanye West performance at the Tacoma Dome, that is.
Paula Becker, Alan J. Stein: Seattle as we know it today was the product of the game-changing World’s Fair in 1962. That’s when the Space Needle was built, yes, but also when Seattle was recognized by the world as a world class city, and not just some outback logging town. Here to talk about this event are authors Paula Becker and Alan J. Stein, who recently published The 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and its Legacy, a beautiful book detailing how exactly the World’s Fair purposefully transformed this place. It should be an informative discussion.
If you go: Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Museum, 319 Second Ave S, Dec. 17, 2 pm, Free
Repossessed: The folks at Western Bridge, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting rising artists, say they wanted to look back at their beginning – as they prepare to close this summer – when they featured their very first exhibition, “Possessed.” “Repossessed” features 113 vintage dolls, evenly spaced, all staring at you with vacant eyes. Looking at them, the feeling at first is unsettling, but one should note the variety of dolls, the sizes and colors (and for some, the lack of clothes), and see in them an odd, human quality. In addition to again exploring the theme of possession, Western Bridge is also taking stock of their journey and exploring how their understanding of art has developed throughout the years. The last day to see this exhibit is Saturday.
If you go: Western Bridge, 3412 Fourth Ave S, through Dec. 17, Free, more info
Short Stories Live! A Rogue’s Christmas: Sunday’s town hall event features professional local actors performing various Christmas themed short stories. On the list of stories are Damon Runyan’s Dancing Dan’s Christmas, John Mortimer’s Rumpole and Father Christmas, John Cheever’s Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor, and P.G. Wodehouse’s Another Christmas Carol. These are some good stories, and the event should be, at the very least, entertaining. Moreover, though, the narrative should also be more in-depth, the characters more real, than holiday flicks like Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation.
If you go: Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave W, Dec. 18, 4pm-6pm, $10-15, more info
Visit your family: Let’s face it, what you should really be doing is visiting with family and friends. Whether you last saw them in November or last decade, loved ones are important, even when they bring all sorts of extra baggage (Trust me, I've got plenty of personal experience in that field). This is a time to come together, not necessarily for the “holiday spirit,” but to remind yourself that there are people who care about you, even if at times you feel the complete opposite is true. That being said, here is a nice essay posted on Crosscut about Christmas.
