The Scene - February 2014

scene the

Arts and entertainment for the Eastside

February 2014

The SCIENCE of

Romance p. 7

Inside scoop: lifestyle | dine | wine | arts | music | nightlife

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INSIDE STORY

Up close and personal with Macklemore

scene THE

Publisher William Shaw

Managing Editor Craig Groshart Assistant Editor Daniel Nash Contributing Writers Linda Ball Eric Degerman Rose Dennis Francesca Lyman Kelly Montgomery

Contributing Writers Brandon Macz Heija Nunn Andy Perdue

On the bright side, our accidental white linen and candlelight meal added a new approved food to Venom Pen’s repertoire — wild boar. His picky palate likes things fancy. To keep it real we had McDonald’s ice cream cones on the Monorail for dessert.

I felt trepidation as we arrived at Seattle Center. e security line was brisk HEIJA NUNN Th and efficient and before we knew it we were in line to pay nearly $50 for a T-shirt. The hipster hordes began to resemble nerdy neighbors. We climbed to our seats with a king’s ransom of loot labeled “Heist” and “Sharkface.”

Squeezing past excited 60-year-old women and families, I started to relax. Over the next few hours we danced, screamed and laughed (uncomfortably) at 10-year-old boys twerking on the Jumbotron.

I used my mom voice a few times to wrangle my sloppy seat mates. I’m certain I left a memorable impression on

loud & about

I

’ve never been much of a concertgoer. Maybe because my family was more likely to attend a free symphony or Renaissance Fair. My chaste upbringing was at direct odds with the first concert I did attend as a teen in the ‘80s — Eddie Murphy Live. I loved every swear word right up to the moment near the end when a security guard invited me to meet Mr. Murphy backstage. As if.

Since then I have only been to one or two random events including Elton John and Billy Joel. Which is why the kids were shocked when I impulsively jumped online last summer to buy tickets to the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert.

My purchase was fueled by my presumably mutual attraction to the band’s passion for thrift shops, equal rights and that bemused guilt that cloaks us when we hear children singing lyrics they couldn’t and shouldn’t understand at the top of their little lungs in the back seat.

Five months later, as the concert date loomed I began to have second thoughts: “What have I gotten myself into?” I pretended not to be nervous even as I prepared secret exit strategies for Sistafoo. I felt clever deciding to beat traffic by parking downtown, but I sort of forgot to make a dinner plan, so we foolishly sought a last-minute restaurant recommendation.

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Stone Dance Productions’ Eastside dance festival turns 7

IN GOOD CO.

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Your guide to black tie fundraisers in the next four months.

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‘HAWK DAY?

How to throw a Super Bowl party worthy of 12th Men everywhere.

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ROMANCE 101

UW sociologist Pepper Shwartz’s tips for acing Valentine’s Day.

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the teen girls who tried to fit four contemptuous attitudes into two seats. I loved it and would do it again even though I had to employ creative censoring tactics for the more vivid portions of the night.

In the days that followed, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis owned my Facebook newsfeed as the duo seemed to pop up all over town: personal friends with this person, at a surprise charity performance for that group, backstage with those kids, poking friendly fun at that team.

And then, presumably because he really wanted to meet Sistafoo, I noticed a man with a certain swagger and a sharp coat in one of my favorite stores. First we chatted with his companion as I begged Sistafoo in hissed whispers not to fanstalk this man with truly beautiful skin. We loitered as he considered and then purchased exactly the kind of thing you would expect to find in every stylish rap star’s home.

I won’t tell you exactly what Macklemore bought, but Sistafoo told him it was a “little creepy, but cool.” I just noticed how it has as much in common with Run D.M.C.’s Adidas as with Venom Pen’s new favorite meal.

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IN THE RED?

Great Northwest Wine’s picks for affordable vino.

Tickets: $25 in advance $30 day of evenT Check in: HIstoric SHe station 232 FRont Str t 6:00-9:00 pm

Pro wrestling legend Mick Foley on reinventing himself as a standup.

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4 THE scene FEBRUARY 2014

COMING UP

Bodies at work

BY DANIEL NASH

D

Pour me another brew

People sometimes get the blues when February rolls around. Now they can take the “brews” to combat those feelings.

The second annual Beat the Brews Festival will return to Gilman Village in Issaquah on Feb. 28.

From 5:30-8:30 p.m. people can sample a variety of local breweries, pouring a diverse assortment of beer. On hand will be Mac & Jacks, Georgetown Brewing Co., Rogue Brewery, Hale’s Ale and many more.

For those more into “wining” about the

weather there’s hope, too, with offerings from a number of wineries, including Fivash Cellars, ICON and Echo Ridge Cellars.

There’s also a Scotch and Cigar lounge to help help people’s spirits.

And speaking of blues, there will be some of the musical kind on hand.

Tickets for the adults-only event are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Souvenir glasses will available while they last.

Tickets and information are available at battlewinterbrews.com or 425-392-0661.

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ance director Eva Stone’s mission to expose the Eastside to modern dance is entering its seventh year. This year, contemporary dance festival Chop Shop: Bodies of Work will feature the Pacific Northwest premiere of Michigan’s Grand Rapids Ballet, led by Artistic Director Patricia Barker.

“Patricia Barker is a bit of a legend in the ballet world,” Stone said. Barker is the former principal dancer for the Pacific Northwest Ballet and an accomplished international performer many times over; when the ballet company partnered with Hyperion in 1986 to produce “Nutcracker: The Motion Picture,” Barker was their Clara.

The Grand Rapids Ballet’s presence is a nod to a classical art form in a dance festival devoted to the modern style. The creation of that style is “the greatest story ever told,” Stone said.

“Ballet has been around for about 300 or 400 years and, for a long time, it was the sole way dance was performed,” she said.

“Then, in the 19th century, the dancer Isadora Duncan broke away from all that. She took off the shoes, took off the corset, and said ‘this is how we’re supposed to move.’

From there, dance began to abstract itself.”

The result was a continuing period of great innovation in dance, but also an evolution so rapid it could be hard for audiences to keep up. Stone wanted to create an Eastside destination where people with little understanding of dance could find their 101 course.

Chop Shop was established in 2008 by Stone Dance Productions. The festival offers both performances and classes. Community classes open to novices were held in partnership with the city of Bellevue Parks and Community Services Department in

the latter half of January. Master classes in improvisation, ballet, contemporary style and its creative development are available to intermediate and advanced dancers during the festival.

Visiting performers include Bryn Cohn and Artists of New York, Adam Barruch Dance of New York, Gerard Regot of Spain and the eponymous Ballet Arkansas. Seattle performers will include Spectrum Dance Theater, Anna Conner + CO, Pocket Inc and Price Suddarth.

“I call it a modern dance buffet,” Stone said. “There’s a sampling of everything.

“I say this to my students a lot: In the greater scheme of things, dance doesn’t matter. But a lot of things in life distract us from joy. As human beings, we have to watch other human beings do something miraculous. Watching a human being in motion doesn’t have to be something tricky, it should be something that gives you a way to be connected to other humans.”

Chop Shop: Bodies of Work will be held at The Theatre at Meydenbauer on Feb. 15 and 16. Performance times, tickets and master class reservation information are available at chopshopdance.org.

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FOOTBALL favorite. Make sure to have the proper dipping sauces to accompany them. Another great option is crock pot recipes—you can put them in the night before and have them ready to go at game time. Can’t cook, or just don’t want to? Put in an order at your local bar or pub and pick up some favorites before the game. This way people have their bar food favorites but can still watch the game in a comfortable, warm and friendly environment. If you don’t want to use your personal dishes, grab some party packs in your teams colors.

Seahawk party kits can be found online here: http://www.partycity.com/product/ seattle+seahawks+party+supplies.do.

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Fun uper Bowl Sunday is Thankfully, a Super Bowl party is probcoming Feb. 2 but, follow- ably the least stressful gathering you can ing the Seahawks’ 23-17 host. It’s a relaxed environment where win in the NFC Chameveryone has the same objective: watch pionship, Washingtonians may the game and have fun. Remember this well rename it “Second Christin your planning/hosting—whether it’s mas.” portrayed in your decorations, food or Too much food. Too much general demeanor, have a good time with beer. Great friends. An epic it. sporting event where emotional Food rivalries take over.

One of the best parts about the Super And every football fan worth Bowl is the food. But that doesn’t mean their muster will want a great you need to get stressed out and bake all place to watch it. So if you’re day.

Buy chips, dips, meat/cheese trays, thinking about throwing a Suvegetable trays and frozen pizzas—these perbowl party, or your friends options are easy and please most everyone. unanimously voted you as this However, if you can cook and have the year’s host, here are some helptime, barbeque wings are always a crowd ful tips and tricks:

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Super Bowl Sunday isn’t the same without refreshments. And we all know what kind of refreshments I’m talking about. In order to throw a great gathering, make sure you have a lot of options for your guests.

This includes a variety of beer, cider, wine, hard alcohol, soda and juice. If you don’t want to go all out and spend a lot of money, tell people to bring whatever they would like to drink. Chances are they would have anyway and then you won’t have to stress out about pleasing every single person’s drink desires. That being said, make sure you have plenty of plastic cups.

Comfort

One of the most important aspects of hosting a Super Bowl party is making sure you have enough room for everyone to sit comfortably with a good view of the TV. Whether this means bringing in extra chairs or moving furniture around, it’s key. I personally know that the most frustrating thing is being at a Super Bowl party and not being able to see the screen.

If there isn’t enough space, don’t invite as many people.

Responsibility

Remember that if you host a party where people are drinking, you are responsible for their safety. Be aware of how many drinks certain people have had and if they’re trying to drive home. Be prepared with the number of a local taxi service or a couch where someone can sleep it off.

All in all, remember that this day comes but only once a year and it’s been eight years since the Seattle Seahawks appeared in Super Bowl XL (and we all know how that one ended...definitely still some underlying bitterness). So if you end up hosting a Super Bowl party, do it the right way, have fun and don’t take the day for granted.

6 the scene February 2014

coming up

Not-so-secret garden The Northwest Flower and Garden Show

By Linda Ball Gardeners are getting excited about the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, where green thumbs come from all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond to learn about the latest trends in gardening.

“Seattle is our go-to big (event),” said Cindy Walker an Advanced Master Gardener from Anchorage, Alaska. “We can learn about new gardening trends, the vendors are fabulous, there’s garden art and small plants for purchase that we can’t get in Alaska.”

Walker said the big gardening trend now is growing food. She said the Master Gardener program would like to see more young people get involved and the food trend could be the ticket.

The number one trending plant for 2014 is hemp seed, mainly from the fabric angle. In the past few years kale was the trending vegetable, but she said now anything you can cook with is popular.

The Show offers several seminars each day, many of them about growing food such as “From Farm to Table Year Round,” and “Growing, Cooking and Sharing Edibles for the Common Good.”

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show runs from Thursday Feb. 5 until Sunday Feb. 9 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Show hours are Wednesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

You can buy tickets at the Convention Center any day of the event. An adult single day ticket purchased at the Convention Center is $22 for an adult.

Save $5 by purchasing your tickets in advance online at www.gardenshow. com/tickets/purchase/.

This discount ends at 11:55 p.m. Feb. 4.

You can also order tickets by phone at 1-800-343-6973. Phone orders have a flat $2 shipping/handling fee per order.

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he party scene kicks into gear starting this month as groups and organizations raise money for worthy causes on both sides of the lake. Events vary from black tie, cocktail, business, and business casual. Be sure to mark your calendars to attend these worthwhile fundraising galas and parties.

February 8: The 17th annual Evening of Hope gala will take place at the Fairmount Hotel in downtown Seattle with a ’20s-’30s attire theme; Black tie is optional. The evening, which benefits the Seattle Police Foundation and the Seattle Police Department’s domestic violence program, includes an elegant multi-course dinner created by the hotel’s Executive Chef Gavin Stephenson, followed by a live auction. seattlehotel association.com March 8: The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Seattle Guild’s 25th Anniversary Dream Gala at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel will together more than 900 prominent members of the Seattle community for a sparkling evening of fine dining, prestigious local wines, stellar entertainment. The black-tie event includes an elegant auction that raises a large amount of money towards funding research to prevent, treat and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes. seattleguild.jdrf.org March 13: Camp Korey’s sixth annual Prescription Laughter Luncheon at the Bellevue Hilton Hotel will raise money for its summer camp programs for children living with serious and life-altering medical conditions, at no cost to them or their families. Each camper experiences fun and laughter in a safe, friendly, medically sound environment, creating a lifetime of memories of being a kid. campkorey.org March 20: SAMA (The Science and Management of Addictions) Knowledge is Power annual luncheon at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel shares valuable prevention and treatment information and resources about the disease of youth and adolescent substance addiction. samafoundation.org March 29: Overlake Hospital’s Bandage Ball is one of the Eastside’s premier social events, attracting more than 800 affluent and influential community leaders. This blacktie event will raise funds for a new Cancer Care Center at Overlake. After almost 40 years providing leading cancer care, Overlake is expanding and enhancing its services, creating what will be the most advanced, comprehensive Cancer Center on the Eastside.

The ball will take place at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. bandageball.org April 25: Assistance League of the Eastside Tablescapes 2014 – Top It Off In Style is a new fundraising luncheon event that will take place at the Bellevue Westin. The event includes a celebrity speaker and displays of inspiring tablescapes. Funds from the silent auction will be used to continue to make a positive difference in the lives of children and adults touched by hardship or violence. eastside.assistanceleague.org April 25: Successful Youth, Inc. Reach for the Stars! gala dinner and auction will raise funds to help provide children from low-income households with the tools necessary to graduate on time and become college ready. The black-tie event, at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle and be hosted by Pat Cashman of the weekly local comedy sketch show, “the 206,” includes a wine reception, silent, live and dessert auctions, and a scrumptious dinner from award winning Sorrento chefs. dannakjohnston.org May 20: The 17th annual Gilda’s Club Seattle Surviving with Style Fashion Show and Luncheon at the Seattle Westin will provide help provide funds for free support, education and resources on-site, to those who have been impacted by cancer. Eastside state Sen. Andy Hill, R-45, a cancer survivor, along with his wife, Molly, will co-chair this year’s event. All of the models are cancer survivors and their extraordinary stories will be shared by the emcees. gildasclubseattle.org Rose Dennis writes about events in Bellevue and the Greater Seattle area.

She lives in Bellevue.

COVER STORY

The Science of Romance

FEBRUARY 2014 THE scene 7

A University of Washington professor’s guide to acing Valentine’s Day.

P

epper Schwartz is a University of Washington sociologist, ambassador for the AARP and a national love and relationships expert — she has authored or contributed to 16 books on the latter subject. She is currently working on her latest book, “Perfect Places for Passion at Any Age.” Before you jumpstart this romantic holiday, see where Schwartz weighs in. Schwartz answers our questions about navigating the commercialization of Valentine’s Day and getting to the romantic point of this holiday of love.

Facing the pressure

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be stressful.

Sure there’s a push to come up with a grand, romantic gesture, but just doing something is meaningful.

“I think for some couples the pressure is bothersome,” says Schwartz. “… On the other hand, it gets a lot of people off their butts that wouldn’t be doing anything at all.”

It doesn’t have to be dinner in Paris, but doing nothing for the sake of fighting the holiday system could send a poor message about the state of your relationship.

“As commercial as it is, it’s still kind of odd not to do something,” Schwartz says, “and it may be determined to be something more than it is.”

Hitting the reset button Even if you don’t think your relationship is in a rut, Valentine’s Day can be a friendly reminder that it’s been a while since you last stoked the romantic flames.

“I think, in fact, these things remind you maybe you’re not taking care of the relationship,” Schwartz says. “Yes, it can be a reset button. … The whole idea is you’re going to pay attention to each other in a way that you haven’t in a while.”

Love shouldn’t break the bank For those flush enough to buy the jewelry and fancy dinners, Valentine’s Day might seem easy. But more than expensive gifts, Schwartz says couples should see Valentine’s Day as a fun challenge to do something different. She recommends finding a sexy and romantic book to read together, a scavenger hunt or mak-

ing a photo album of your great times spent together.

“There’s no reason you have to spend anything, but there is a good impetus to let people know you thought of them and took some time to do something.”

Focus on the good Schwartz warns Valentine’s Day is a great time to wow your significant other with affection and gifts, but it is not the time to bring up issues in the relationship that need correcting.

If your loved one has a bad habit or is faltering in some way, don’t let it ruin your romantic day.

“It’s supposed to be romantic,” Schwartz says. “Do it some other time. Give it a rest. It’s like, ‘Let’s take our anniversary and discuss what’s wrong with us.’ ”

Skipping the crowds If you’re worried about crowded restaurants and movie theaters killing the intimacy of your date, you can still stay home and bring all of the amenities that come with a night out on the

town inside the abode.

Schwartz recommends putting out the wine, candles, flowers and good silverware in the dining room, dressing up and dialing in a catered meal couples can enjoy without the stress of preparing it themselves.

“All of those things would say these aren’t about saving money, it’s about being romantic in a different way,” says Schwartz.

First dates and impressions Thinking of asking out someone special out on Valentine’s Day? Tread lightly — maybe not at all. You may not want to be alone while everyone is gifting and making smoochy faces on Feb. 14, but you also don’t want to confuse a crush with an invite out on the most romantic of holidays.

“I think Valentine’s Day is not a good time for a first date,” Schwartz says. “I think it does kind of set up an expectation of some sort. … I wouldn’t go further than a drink, personally.”

—STORY BY BRANDON MACZ

8 THE scene FEBRUARY 2014

WINE

The hunt for affordable reds If your resolutions for a better 2014 include saving money and drinking more wine, then read on.

A

BY ERIC DEGERMAN AND ANDY PERDUE

s Washington grows and solidifies its position as the country’s No. 2 wine-producing state while increasing quality, more of the value-priced red wines keep providing incredible quality.

The only problem might be finding those values, as growing grapes and making wine are becoming more expensive. Fortunately, we can rely on several wineries to offer red wines in that “best buy” sweet spot of $15 and below.

Here are a few examples we have tasted in the past couple of months that will leave more money in your bank account without having to sacrifice quality: Vino La Monarcha 2010 Merlot, Wahluke Slope, $15: Victor Palencia returned to his college town of Walla Walla to open his new boutique winery in the incubator buildings near the airport, and this Merlot he’s pouring there comes off the Wahluke Slope, an area he continues to source as head winemaker for Jones of Washington. It opens with youthful aromas of dusty Bing cherry, plum, blueberry, vanilla and freshly cut cedar. That theme of purple and blue fruit carries to the palate, which features modest frontal tannins, pomegranate acidity and dried herbs in the finish.

Victor Palencia with a bottle of Vino La Monarcha at his Walla Walla winery. Credit: Great Northwest Wine

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Columbia Crest 2011 H3 Les Chevaux Red Blend, Horse Heaven Hills, $15: This Syrah-dominated red blend from one of Washington’s largest wineries opens with aromas of dark plum, cherry and chocolate, backed by crushed walnut and dried oregano.

On the pour, it’s a big, bold and focused drink of cherries and chocolate. The structure of moderate tannins and nice acidity should make this a tasty complement to pepper steak, lamb dishes, paté and assertive cheeses.

Chateau Ste Michelle 2011 Syrah, Columbia Valley, $14: The Wahluke Slope has become a sweet spot in Washington for Syrah, and winemaker Bob Bertheau’s team relied heavily on this appellation for this affordable red. The fruit-filled nose features blackberry, blueberry, cola, vanilla, alder smoke and moist tobacco. It’s stunning in the mouth with dark purple fruit amid a texture so dense it’s almost syrupy. And yet there’s ripe blueberry acidity and rewarding tannins for balance.

Canoe Ridge Vineyard 2012 The Expedition Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $15: This Walla Walla brand celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

This offers aromas of black cherry, plums, cinnamon toast and dark chocolate. The fruit turns darker and more dense on the palate, where the medium body shows the influence of Syrah, making it a delicious, drink-now offering.

Waterbrook Winery 2011 Syrah, Columbia Valley, $15: Here is an opulent offering that opens with aromas of dark chocolate, boysenberry, black cherry, black pepper and sweet herbs. Lovely richness awaits on the palate with sweet Damson plum, black cherry and chocolate. On the midpalate, pomegranate and pie cherry acidity creates pleasing balance, backed by a finish of toffee.

Hogue Cellars 2012 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $10: An early look at the beautiful 2012 vintage reveals aromas of blueberry jam on toast, Marionberry and black cherry, dark chocolate and black pepper. The rich yet lively Cab-like drink carries abundant acidity, a pinch of crushed herbs for complexity and fine-grained tannins.

Sagelands Vineyard 2011 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $13: This lighter-structured Merlot features aromas of Rainier cherry, raspberry and cranberry jelly with notes of oregano, bell pepper and fresh cedar. It’s clean and smooth on the entry with flavors of blueberry, cherry and grape jelly, supported by mild tannin and acidity.

Washington Hills 2012 Merlot, Washington, $12: This is a food-friendly and consumer-minded Merlot that’s easy to like. There’s a core of dark purple fruit aromas along with white pepper and cedar. Inside, it’s rich and dark with black cherry, plum and black currant flavors amid a full mouth feel.

Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue run Great Northwest Wine, a news and information company. Learn more about wine at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

RAW RAW

Sunday night CC

LAUGHS

INTERVIEW BY DANIEL NASH

actus Jack. Dude Love. And, perhaps the best known character of all, Mankind. All were played by Mick Foley, one of the most compelling performers in the world of professional wrestling. His showmanship and willingness to take brutal punishment inside the ring made him a star, but his accomplishments outside it gave him staying power.

He wrote the first WWE autobiography without the aid of a ghost writer and, in his retirement from active competition, went on to pen three more memoirs, four children’s books and two novels.

Most recently, Foley has taken the stage as a stand up comedian, recounting well-known stories from his wrestling career that transition into vignettes about his family and everyday life. Mick Foley’s World Tour will make a stop for one performance only at Parlor Live Feb. 16.

SCENE: So how did you decide to go into stand up? I

think the earliest video I was able to find of one of your performances was about two years ago at Just For Laughs in Montreal.

MICK FOLEY: Well, that wasn’t my first time on stage. Just

For Laughs is the biggest comedy festival in the world. So I didn’t just start out in Montreal.

SCENE: Yeah, you had to work your way up.

FOLEY: Exactly. I had been doing it for a few years at that

point … and when I started I didn’t have any wrestling material. If I did comedy I wanted it to be separate. But after a while I realized I had something people wanted to hear. Now I use wrestling as a jumping off point. It’s not a curse but a [way to connect with audiences].

SCENE: Do you remember your first time on stage?

FOLEY: It was 2009 or 2010 and I had a chance to perform

at the Improv in Los Angeles. The material I used was leftover from when I would speak at colleges. I quickly found out I was mistaken in my belief that it would be easy.

It wasn’t. Now I have hundreds of hours of performances under my belt. What I love about it is it offers the same creative gratification wrestling did. Only now I’m creating without the injuries.

SCENE: Have you had any times on stage when you’ve

bombed really badly? I mean, of course you do, everyone does.

FOLEY: Everyone does and it’s painful, but you survive. An Australian comedian I know, Brendon Burns, taught me the difference between a funny guy and a comic is a funny guy will bomb and decide he won’t go up on stage again. When a comic bombs, he puts on a different hat, gets back on stage and jokes with the audience about how bad that last comic was. Everybody’s had those experiences, and how you deal with them determines whether you’re a comic.

[One difference for me from a lot of comics is] I tend not to get hecklers. I tend to get over-exuberant wrestling fans.

Fans who don’t always understand that they shouldn’t shout out the endings to my stories. Because, if they’re fans, they already know how the stories end. Those people enjoy it, but it’s frustrating they don’t let me finish the stories. Fortunately, I’m experienced entertaining on Friday

and Saturday nights, when some people are drunker than usual. But if that happens, I just stand back and let the club handle it.

I don’t fear a heckler. I don’t take pride in shredding them apart, but I’m not afraid either. We’re supposed to be having laughs … I take honor in the act of entertaining people who laid down their money.

SCENE: How do the other comics you work with feel about performing for wrestling fans?

FOLEY: They love it. Some of them are a little worried at first, but I tell them, you know, they’re not a different species. Usually you hear (the audience during a performance) and the comic comes back and says, “They’re ready.”

I’ve been to 200 book signings with wrestling fans and there’s never been a problem.

SCENE: I’m glad you brought up your books because you’ve been published 10 times. So you’re a former wrestler, an author several times over, now you’re a comedian… has anyone ever called you a Renaissance man?

FOLEY: (Laughs) Yeah, but I’m uncomfortable with big

words, so let’s just call me “guy who does a lot of different things.”

SCENE: So right now you’re on your World Tour…

FOLEY: It’s the “world tour,” but I’m only visiting the United

States and Canada. We changed the name to Mick Foley’s World Tour (because it’s reminiscent of a wrestling event).

Before it was called “Tales from Wrestling Past.”

SCENE: You’re on your tour and you’ve been doing comedy for several years now. Can fans expect a special in the near future?

FOLEY: Yeah, yeah. I believe this is the year WWE is rolling out their TV network. WWE gets this option on a special from me and, if they decide they don’t want it, then I can take it elsewhere. But fans can expect a special with an hour of my material relatively soon. And I’ll be happy about that too, because then I can stop going on the air and saying, “Trust me.”

FEBRUARY 2014 THE scene 9

10 THE scene FEBRUARY 2014

HOME

LUXE LIFE Evoke Modern’s new home offerings combine luxury with greener design, and indoor-outdoor, open plans

BY FRANCESCA LYMAN

A

new brand of homes being built on the Eastside may be redefining the homeowner experience of green design, mixing sustainability with the high ceilings, glass and cement that marks industrial chic while achieving some enviable cost and energy savings.

Evoke Modern homes, a new offering from Bellevue-based Quadrant Homes, embrace the outdoorsy lifestyle of the Puget Sound, cool and rugged, but with an unmistakable urbanity, achieved through high design, using natural materials like hardwood and stone that warm up interiors.

Quadrant Homes, known more for production homes in master-planned subdivisions on the sprawling edges of suburbia, is now focused on building these high-design homes in closer-in, ‘infill’ locations that offer walkability and proximity to services.

“We think that this is the niche we can fill,” says Bonnie Geers, vice president for community development at Quadrant.

What’s different in this offering, says Geers, is a revival of the Northwest contemporary style, after building many Northwest Craftsman homes. There’s a return to the clean, sleek lines of contemporary design, leaving out moldings and cornices — hallmarks of earlier styles like Craftsman or prairie. All of the homes feature 10-foot ceilings, a huge departure.

While the builder has offered buyers

some customization (adding a window, moving a wall), the Evoke brand takes this a step further, enabling buyers to plan their home in a way that’s most conducive to their lifestyle, putting, for example, the master bedroom downstairs or upstairs, moving halls, doorways, and other design features around. People with several children might opt for a so called “Jack and Jill” bedroom design, with a bath situated in between. Older people often choose to have their bedrooms built downstairs.

Since kitchens are rooms people gravitate toward, particularly “foodie” Pacific Northwesters, these form the centerpiece of these homes. People in this region are particularly interested in outdoor entertaining, with new sorts of spaces for grilling or serving food. “A desire for people who live in the Northwest is to really be outdoors, relaxing in multi-use spaces,” says Geers.

According to Jennifer Kim, Quadrant’s house architect, “People live in more open ways, with parents sitting around reading, drinking coffee and working at home, in places where they can also watch their kids, or visit with friends. A lot of action happens together around a family room, and spaces between kitchens and dining room, as well as outdoor spaces.”

Indeed, the Pacific Northwest architectural style was born out of the natural qualities of the environment. Lush forests

COURTESY PHOTO. Evoke Modern Homes by Quadrant.

COURTESY PHOTO. Evoke Modern Homes by Quadrant.

HERS rating of 63, the Grand a 64, which and long rainy seasons allow for year are thus 37 and 36 percent more energy efround evergreen gardens and landscaping ficient than average new American home, spawned a style that author Anne Wall (which is about 100), says Geers.

Frank, author of Northwest Style, calls On one of the smaller models, the “informal, organic, and above all eclectic.”

The Evoke Modern offered by Quadrant “Luxe,” there’s an accordion-fold patio adds to the design kit of tools in the North- door in the kitchen, giving it the feel of a Mediterranean restaurant. Upstairs, a west contemporary style, by adding some child’s room has a of the industrial barn door sliding feel pioneered by “Sustainability, and energy across the top of architects like Tom the room opening.

Kundig, featuring efficiency, are among those And a family room industrial materifeatures that people ... have features a mechanials like cement, come to expect.” cal shade, with says Kim. On these hallways sporting homes, the exterior -Bonnie Geers marine lighting. siding consist of On the larger flat, fiber cement model, the “Grand,” the kitchen features panels that are painted, as well as prea smaller island, as well as niches for stained, fiber cement lap siding. home desks, workspace countertops, and Kim says that a lot of the energy effioverhead beams. Floor to ceiling windows ciency is gained through the way windows are situated, with rooms facing courtyards, or half-wall windows look out onto lush Pacific Northwest forest. looking south or west to capture natural With the new level of customization light. Smaller windows in bedrooms, available to them, what are some of the situated high, insure privacy and keep out unusual features home buyers asking for? noise, but also save energy.

“People are redesigning their homes for According to Geers, these homes are their cats and dogs,” she says, adding that more efficient than most new constructwo people whom she designed for just tion by a factor of a third. They feature enhanced insulation products and sealants, added new closets to the house, complete with cat-friendly flooring, kitty closets, tight window treatments, and a mini-split heat pump system for heating and cooling, and kitty doors specially tailored for those nocturnal creatures. Felines have been she says, where comfort in climate “zones” trending this “indoor-outdoor” feature for can be controlled by remote as well. Other centuries. green features include Energy Star-rated For the moment, Evoke has a few homes appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, of $700,000 and up under construction in dual-flush toilets, and rain gardens.

“Sustainability, and energy efficiency, are several locations in Redmond and Kirkamong those features that people, especial- land, since it was launched by Quadrant ly luxury home buyers, have more come to last summer, but none of the homes is in the finishing stages. The company will also, expect than ask for it,” says Geers. for the first time in its history, “build on According to Geers, the Evoke models your lot,” too. achieve impressive energy-efficiency by Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Francesca Lyman is an independent standards. The Luxe model achieves a journalist based in Kirkland.

FEBRUARY 2014 THE scene 11

TheEastsideScene.com

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