Updated 12:20 p.m. March 3
The Seattle Seahawks gave the Pacific Northwest its first Super Bowl championship. And the region went wild. Now, how can we bottle all the community spirit and goodwill their championship season generated and pour a little — or a lot — of it into the rest of our civic life?
That's the question before our guest panel at the March 6 Civic Cocktail gathering, which will also explore another often-inspiring aspect of Northwest culture: food and its prominent place in our lives.
This week's discussion of sports and civic life features Mike Flood, vice president of community relations for the Seahawks and Seattle Sounders, Bevin Wong of United Way of King County and Seattle City Councilmember Sally Clark. Plus, restaurateur and author Tom Douglas talks about the local food scene, the growth of South Lake Union, effects of raising the minimum wage and more. Moderator Joni Balter will be ably assisted by sports columnist Art Thiel, KCTS 9 producer and host Enrique Cerna, and KUOW's Marcie Silman — and, of course, by lots of questions from the audience.
So, please join us for this lively discussion on March 6 (a Thursday — instead of our usual first Wednesday of the month) at the Palace Ballroom, 2100 Fifth Ave. Doors open at 5:30 p.m and the program begins at 6. Register here with co-host CityClub. Seattle Channel will broadcast it later; you can find all their past Civic Cocktail broadcasts here. If you don't get a chance to register, there will be tickets available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.
And, whether you attend or not, here's a quick guide to keep you well-informed on this week's two hot issues:
Seahawks, sports and civic life
"Hey, 12th Man! You're not off the hook yet": Sam Howe Verhovek on other institutions that deserve support.
"Seahawks Super Bowl parade: Why I couldn't get enough," Knute Berger, Crosscut.
"Seahawks Super Bowl parade: Why it's all too much," Eric Scigliano, Crosscut.
"Why 700.000 people braved 10-degree windchill to stand around all day," Art Thiel, Crosscut.
"Now it can be told: How the Seahawks came to hire Pete Carroll," Art Thiel, Crosscut.
Tom Douglas, food and Seattle
"Douglas' audacious, Utopian goal: Shift a whole industry": Danny Westneat of The Seattle Times on the restaurateur's personal commitment to a $15 per hour minimum wage for employees and his opposition to a city mandate.
"A Tom Douglas clubhouse," Roger Downey, Crosscut.
"What does Tom Douglas have in common with homeless women and children?" Jean Godden, Crosscut.
"South Lake Union lands Tom Douglas," Ronald Holden, Crosscut.
"Northwest cooking: The chefs' books you want," Ronald Holden, Crosscut.
"What? Seattle's restaurants are loud by design," Roger Downey, Crosscut.
We hope to see your there for a great debate, fueled by tasty snacks and drinks from Tom Douglas.
