An Oasis in the Desert of Downtown

I often find myself in a veritable wasteland of restaurants when I am out and about downtown, this is probably a direct result of my going to great lengths to avoid obvious chain restaurants. On top of that I have little need for the “upscale” experience of Morton’s et al. Thus, I often find myself at a loss for good eats when tooling around downtown. Now, let me be clear, should you find yourself in the Pike Place Market neighborhood, you can hardly throw a stone without hitting some interesting little hole in the wall, or should you venture further North into Belltown you will again be in the vicinity of plenty of Foodie hotspots. However, if you are a movie fiend like me or are perhaps going to a play in the area around the convention center; all of the sudden you are in the middle of a food Bermuda Triangle. Where are the restaurants to support all of this cultured nightlife, I ask?

To solve this little dilemma for myself, I am slowly developing a list of restaurants that guarantee a happy little meal without either breaking the bank or the spirit (read: Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that deems it necessary to hand out pagers to waiting clientele). To date I have but a couple of restaurants that fit this description within one or two blocks of Pacific Place (My favored movie house in the downtown district) or the Convention Center (marking a balance between the Paramount, ACT Theater, and the 5th Avenue Theater). As I find new restaurant oases in the desert of downtown I will share them with you (and for goodness sake PLEASE supply me with other downtown dining gems should you have them), for today I will but mention my favorite:

Bambuza: This restaurant never fails to bring a smile to my lips. First and foremost, I love saying the name: Bam.booooz.ahhhh. Just delightful. This little posh Vietnamese restaurant is conveniently located just up the street from the Meridian 16 Theater (and incidentally, the Cheesecake Factory. Really, one should not be surprised to be shuffled in and out of some cavernous dining hall (however, cleverly disguised) when the word “factory” is included in the name...but I have already harped on this subject). I have often pulled Bambuza out of the air when meeting friends before a show and saved the culinary day (in my mind if none other). Bambuza is a small restaurant decorated in that particular fusion of Asian and Northwestern styles which is sure to please me: airy, with the presence of wood and vibrant colors. This in my opinion sets the tone nicely for the modern take on Vietnamese fare that graces elegantly simple dishware and accompanies your martini drink of choice; I can personally vouch for the Mad Mango and the Pom Pom Tini. On the menu, I’ve tried a number of items and found everything to be executed with a light hand and quite flavorful indeed – try the Saigon Grill Hand Roll platter. However, the thing that will always return me to their door is the Honey Glazed Walnut Prawn appetizer – sweet heaven on a plate! I consider this little ditty to be the best prawn dish in town.

So, next time you are wandering aimless and in a low blood sugar haze before or after your show, pop on over, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

When Blockbusters Attack

We have officially entered blockbuster movie season, which depending on your perspective, is either a vast wasteland of sequels or the mother load of entertainment-packed film going. If you, like me, harbor a secret and self-depreciating love of large scale action films of a certain caliber the only place to see Superman (or similar large scale cult film – like say Pirates of the Caribbean) would be the Cinerama Theater . There you will join equally enthusiastic filmgoers in watching your movie of choice unfold on the huge 90 foot-long screen while surrounded by an impressive audio system. All of this state-of-the-art moviegoing splendor is to be found in Paul Allen's recently renovated theater that still honors it 1967 origins. The one detractor from this Theater's perfection is the lack of stadium seating, although, the sparkly, star-like ceiling does assuage the offense to some degree. Thus, my other preferred theater for blockbusters of this ilk is the Boeing I-Max Theater . There you descend into an underground theater nestled like a half-buried spaceship in the heart of the Pacific Science Center. The I-Max offers a satisfyingly unobstructed view of its immense screen with my preferred stadium seating, which in this case, balances out the somewhat corporate atmosphere of the theater as a whole. If ever you get the chance, go see a movie offering at the I-Max in 3-D; it will return you with delight to your wonderstruck childhood - and you get to wear cool goggles.

Forth of July Fireworks for Crowd-Lovers and Otherwise

Ah, 4th of July, the time of terrific fireworks and horrific traffic jams, is upon us once again. One thing I know for certain, Seattle denizens enjoy setting off fireworks displays. So much do we enjoy this ritual that every year at least three shows compete for our attention in the July sky. Last year, from a rooftop party in Magnolia I was able to catch the Gas Works Park display, the Elliot Bay display and the unofficial, but certainly equally prolific, West Seattle display.

If you are of courageous spirit and wish to make the 4th a full day celebration of sun worshipping (though, remember Seattle Summer does not officially begin till July 5th) picnicking and surreptitious beer guzzling, well then my friend, high tail it on down to Gas Works Park. Be sure to arrive early to carve out your territory, as you will be in the fine company of your many fellow enthusiasts and every patch of lawn will eventually be claimed as Gas Works is transformed into one large family-friendly party.

But, perhaps crowds are likely to send you into terror-induced coma? Not to worry, there are options for you as well. There are a number of local cruise lines that offer day-trips with fine views of landlubbers’ festivities. Victoria Clipper, and Argosy are two fine examples. Though some resourceful Seattleites even utilize our Washington Ferries to catch a glimpse.

Visit this handy site for a full listing of many of the Seattle area’s Independence Day festivities. If all else fails, I recommend simply crashing your neighbors BBQ, they are certain to welcome you if you go bearing cold drinks!

Wine in the Wilderness

Wednesday, I was introduced to A Contemporary Theater. The name has been familiar to me for quite some time in it’s acronym form: ACT. I had often driven by and made note of their sign on that handsome old building that one passes directly after taking the Union Exit off of I-5 and into the heart of downtown. Finally, Wednesday became the day to stop the car, jump out and go and see a play there. And boy did we luck out with the production we found playing: Wine in the Wilderness.

Wine is a part of the ACT Theater’s Hansberry Project through which the folks at ACT are making a commitment to provide Seattle with a productions series in collaboration with African American playwrights, actors and directors. The ACT Theater is a delightful old theater (Hendrix used to play there) that was renovated and now offers four theater spaces within its walls. Wine finds its home in the Allen Theater space, which offers a wonderful example of theater-in-the-round. This style is especially appropriate for this intimate and inviting play set in the Harlem in during the 1964 riots. The audience are introduced to a small cast of 6 as they work through, with wonderful lilting humor, the assumptions they have made about one another as well as the larger stereotypes that are playing out all around them. I would highly recommend this play and the ACT Theater. Should you like to step out on the town and take a deep drink of this full-bodied production, Wine in the Wilderness is playing through July 9th.