Rain

While some people find the rain inconvenient and gloomy, I find it rather refreshing sometimes. Having lived in Seattle for my whole life, you could say I am used to the rain. The weather this July has been so nice that having one day of rain isn't really that awful. It's nice to take a break from the heat, not need to water the garden and spend a night inside. There are still many things to do in Seattle when it rains such as go to a museum, see a movie or enjoy the evening at a nice restaurant. One of my favorite things to do during a storm is get in bed and just listen to it fall outside, on the windows and the roof. If you think about it, rain is very therapeutic and calming so I think everyone should learn to enjoy it! The only thing that can make it better is some thunder and lightning to go with it!

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Ohmigod!!! This trailer was FINALLY released this Tuesday live online and I am so excited! Of the five movies that have already come out, the most recent, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, has been my favorite and I am so glad David Yates has signed on to direct the remainder of the films. While Harry Potter is a fantasy series about magic, Yates takes the dark side very seriously and creates intense and almost scary films which makes them not just for the kids. By the looks of the trailer, he has kept his dark aspect and will continue running with it until the end. Only 16 weeks until the release of the movie!

Targy's

Last night a friend and I wanted to get a drink so we went to Targy's on Queen Anne. I had never been there before, but had heard about it from a few different people and I loved it! It was the perfect place to go hang out and talk. It is not a very big bar, but it was not crowded at all, it was quiet and has comfortable seating (leather couches!) and it has pool for those who want to play. The service was also great. We never had to wait for our drinks and they were reasonably cheap. House wells are only $4.00 and they use higher quality booze such as Stoli and Bacardi for their house liquors rather than Monarch that is frequently used at other bars (and definitely not as tasty). All in all, it is a great bar if you want a relaxed and laid back night that wont hurt your wallet too much!

Long Beach, Washington

This past weekend I enjoyed a quick get-away at my family's cabin in Long Beach, Washington. It is a perfect place to visit for a weekend and it never gets old. The town is full of little shops, Marsh's Free Museum, a shooting gallery and a giant frying pan. (Yes, that's right!) It's one of those places where you can walk around all day and just look at everything around you. During the summer, there is usually something going on every weekend for townies and tourists to do. This past weekend was "Sandsations" the sandcastle building competition. It is amazing to watch these artists carve real sculptures out of wet sand. While some families are there just to have fun, there are some serious competitors that spend a year planning and making models of their next sand sculpture. This years best sculptures were "Indiana's Bones", a scene of a large snake who had eaten Indiana Jones with a huge skull and parts of a broken ruin and "Sweet Dreams", a scene of a girl sleeping on a bed with monsters coming out of all areas in her room. Pictures should be up on the website soon (mine don't really do the sculptures justice!) but check them out. You'll be amazed! Long Beach is so much fun so put it on your list of places to visit!

25 Books to Read Before 25

I've always wanted to be one of those people who can say they were "well-read" so when I saw an article in our daily newspaper about a year ago for the 25 books to read before you were 25, I decided to save the list and start checking them off my list. Some I was proud to say that I had already read, but I still have a lot left on the list. All the books I have read so far have been insightful and creative, and I would definitely have put them on my list of ones to read. So here is the list of the 25, ones that I have read, am reading and are next on the list!

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemingway
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
The Stand by Stephen King
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

So there it is. Clearly I've got some reading to do. Even if you're already over 25 I would still recommend reading these books. Hopefully this will help anyone who wants to be well-read!

Pearls Before Swine

Comics aren't just for the kids anymore. A lot of times while I'm eating my breakfast (after I've done the crossword of course) I browse through the comics. Funny is a lot better way to wake up than reading all the sad real news. Anyways, one of my favorite comic strips is called "Pearl Before Swine" because it is very witty and creatively done. I enjoy the artistic aspects of how each character is drawn and the interpretation of the animals' voices. Whether it is Rat insulting Pic or the Crocs trying to kill the "Zeeba," it's always pretty entertaining and good for a laugh. Look for it in your newspaper or go here for the strips over the last 30 days.

Seafair Triathlon

Every year, Seattle hosts Seafair, the summer celebration. It goes on for about a month and each weekend there are different events around the Seattle area for everyone to participate in. Earlier this month I was able to catch the milk carton boat races at Greenlake. It was a very interesting competition and one that was full of creativity. This morning, however, I woke up at the crack of dawn and headed down to Seward Park to watch my brother compete in the Seafair Triathlon. While you only see people for a very short amount of time, it was fun to be in the crowd and spirits were high as people were cheering on all the competitors and not just people they knew. It was also very inspiring to see the different types of people that came out for the race this year from 12 years of age to 50+. My brother asked if I would do it this year, but to be honest it was a little intimidating to think about. But after watching the race, it seems like a really fun thing to do and accomplish. That being said, you can catch me training for next years race! There is still lots more Seafair coming up including the Torchlight Parade (one of the top 5 best parades in the country!) and of course the hydroplane races on Lake Washington. For a full schedule click here!

The Dark Knight

This movie was incredible. This is no longer Batman as a comic book hero. This is Batman for real. This movie is not for the kids and is not for the weak-stomached. It kept me on the edge of my seat from minute one until the very end. It was the perfect thriller just like it promised. Heath Ledger's final performance as The Joker was as amazing as you can think. He played a character more twisted and creepy than I could have imagined and surprised us with moments so shocking it had the theater jumping out of their seats. Not only was he terrifyingly disturbed, but supplied the movie with some comedic relief, a task that would be difficult with such a dark character. How often do you see audiences laughing along with the villain? The movie is long, and there are a lot of plot points to follow, but if you can "endure" as Alfred so wisely recommends, all the pieces fall into place and you wont believe how well it comes together and how many twists there actually are. Even if you have never been a fan of Batman, you would still enjoy this movie. My only question at the end was, "When do they start production on the next one?"

Burke Gilman Trail

If you are in Seattle, I recommend checking out the Burke Gilman Trail for a nice walk or bike ride. On the trail, you get to travel through several different neighborhoods and see the different areas of Seattle. The trail features some great spots for resting, including a couple parks and some awesome views of the lakes and the University of Washington. The trail begins in the Ballard/Fremont neighborhood and continues all the way to Kenmore. It is relatively flat the entire way so it it not a difficult ride. On a hot day, it's fun to take the ride and stop off at Matthew's Beach and jump in the water. It makes for a very refreshing break. However, my favorite spot would have to be the quiet sitting area underneath the Aurora Bridge. It has a great view of the entrance to Lake Union and a few floating homes. This location is a great place to watch boats go by and admire the architecture of Aurora. All in all, a great way to get outside, get some exercise and see the city. For more information, click here. Enjoy!

Say Anything

Even 19 years after it was made, this movie is still amazing. If you're looking for that perfect date night movie, this would definitely be my recommendation. It is a very cute film about a average-joe boy asks out the overachieving valedictorian of their graduating class. I don't want to give away the plot, but it has a little bit of everything. It's funny, it's sad and it's touching. But of course, nothing beats the romance of that famous moment when John Cusack holds up the radio over his head while it plays "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. In the end, this movie will leave you feeling good and hopeful that happy endings can really happen!

Fremont Outdoor Movies

Every Saturday night in the center of the universe, otherwise known as Fremont, the Fremont Chamber features an outdoor movie. The movies are projected on the side of a building and it is a great way to enjoy those hot summer nights. Everyone gathers in the parking lot with their folding chairs and sets up to enjoy the night's film. They show everything from comedies to horrors to family films. As well as showing recent big films, once every month they feature what they call "Twisted Flicks" where they play an old movie on mute and the cast of Jet City Improv will improvise the dialogue and sound effects right there! I went this previous weekend to watch the movie Project Moonbase.

Now ordinarily this probably wouldn't be a movie that one would be inclined to go see, however with Jet City Improv dubbing over all the lines, the whole experience was HILARIOUS! The improv team managed to do very well with the character assignments from the crowd and the sound effects were great! Some of us sat there wondering what the actual plot of the movie was afterwards, but whatever it was, it probably wasn't as good as the one that was created by Jet City. The whole atmosphere of the crowd and the set-up in artsy Fremont makes this outdoor theater a cool treat. It does not cost a thing, however they do ask for donations to keep the tradition alive. I definitely recommend checking it out. To see the schedule for the rest of Summer `08 and more details, check out their website!

New York Times Crosswords

Warning: Crossword puzzles can be very addicting. It is a healthy habit though! Crosswords are a great way to relax, have fun and feel smart all at the same time. They can seem intimidating at first, but I recommend just giving them a shot. New York Times has the best crosswords by Will Shortz. They get more and more challenging as the week goes on, so start with a Monday puzzle and see how you do. The NY Times puzzles are usually featured in all major newspapers and there is a new one each day. And if you don't get the newspaper, you can do them online here! However, if you're like me and need to do more than one a day (my addiction has become quite serious), they have books of them as well. I own 4 and they are all compiled together by difficulty so you can pick whatever level you want. The answers are also given in the back so if you're stuck you can peek and get a hint. Crosswords are actually a great way to learn facts and words and once you have completed your first puzzle all by yourself, you will get a great feeling of accomplishment!