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A Great Independent Bookstore
A Capitol Hill institution, Bailey-Coy has been selling books for as long as I can remember. I have purchased some of my favorite books there, from the Tales of the City series to the Harry Potter...
A Capitol Hill institution, Bailey-Coy has been selling books for as long as I can remember. I have purchased some of my favorite books there, from the Tales of the City series to the Harry Potter books. It's a wee bit small, but once you start browsing the titles and get lost in the literary world, it's doubtful you'll notice. One of the things I like best about this place is the trivia board out front. It has the opening line from a book, and if you get the correct answer, you get a discount.
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The Mother of All Seattle Bookstores
It's just simply fantastic to see a large independent bookstore thriving in the middle of a city, especially when too many big box stores have taken over. There's just something very soothing...
It's just simply fantastic to see a large independent bookstore thriving in the middle of a city, especially when too many big box stores have taken over. There's just something very soothing about wandering a maze of books hoping to find something to pique your interest. While not nearly the size of Portland's Powell's Books, Elliott Bay Books does Seattle proud. Of course, what would a proud bookstore in Seattle be without a coffee shop, and EBB delivers. After purchasing the new 'it' book (or whatever tickles your literary fancy) you can peruse it whilst sipping a velvety latte. Sounds like Paradise Found to me.
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Cute L'il Bookstore
I'm a huge fan of reading. I'm an even bigger fan of little independent bookstores. I think every neighborhood should have them. Magnolia is very fortunate to have such a great local source for...
I'm a huge fan of reading. I'm an even bigger fan of little independent bookstores. I think every neighborhood should have them. Magnolia is very fortunate to have such a great local source for reading. The space is cozy (translated:small) but it is certainly not lacking of reading material. You can grab a magazine, or the hot new best seller. i have purchased a few really good cook books there, and helped a friend find some books on travel. The service has always been excellent, and it's rewarding to know that by buying a book (something I love to do) I am supporting a small business. If you are in Magnolia, this is worth checking out!
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Bowling in Ballard
If want a simple, yet fun night out, I recommend going retro by going bowling. Sunset Bowl is a blast (from the past) where you can drink, bowl, have a good time, and get in a round of Dance Dance...
If want a simple, yet fun night out, I recommend going retro by going bowling. Sunset Bowl is a blast (from the past) where you can drink, bowl, have a good time, and get in a round of Dance Dance Revolution. Located in the heart of Ballard, it's just blocks from some mighty tasty restaurants (some of which I have already reviewed) so you can make a night of it. I suggest grabbing a group of friends, have a few cocktails, and show off your prowess in the bowling alley. If nothing else, you will have a lot of laughs!
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Good Clean Fun for Everyone
I watched this movie on a trans-Atlantic flight, and even with all of the activity going on around me, I found myself lost in this movie. With lots of humor and great animation, this Disney/Pixar...
I watched this movie on a trans-Atlantic flight, and even with all of the activity going on around me, I found myself lost in this movie. With lots of humor and great animation, this Disney/Pixar creation, like its predecessors, really delivers. Even if you don't have children, I recommend seeing this movie simply for the excellent writing. And, if you have children, maybe you should watch it when they aren't present to really get an opportunity to take in the humor.
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Eye Candy That Doesn't Leave a Bitter Aftertaste
Are great hair, clothes and teeth enough to get you through life (and get you some action)? In a roundabout way, Alfie looks at this issue. In the titular role, Jude Law showcases his pretty boy...
Are great hair, clothes and teeth enough to get you through life (and get you some action)? In a roundabout way, Alfie looks at this issue. In the titular role, Jude Law showcases his pretty boy stature, dazzling New York women with his impish smile and tousled hair. The cinematography pays homage to the original version of the film (from 1967) with its retro feel and vivid colors. One thing about this movie that bothered me was that it felt like the underlying message was 'you have to be in a relationship to be happy'. I think there is a moment in the film that some of our more mature (and fantastic) ladies will appreciate when Alfie begins wooing an older woman and declares: '50 is the new 40'. The lessons I carried away from this movie were:
I really like Alfie's hair (and I have since duplicated the style).
The clothes are phenomenal. I must spend more time figuring out what to wear.
Don't destroy friendships
It's all about the hair
Did I mention the hair
As you can see, this movie is not the most intellectual offering on the table, but it has a few laugh out loud moments and is beautifully filmed. This is definitely not a 'date' movie, I would recommend seeing it with friends instead.
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Maybe Not Fantastic, But Entertaining
This is pretty much your typical comic book movie. That being said, it was a pretty good typical comic book movie. The acting was surprisingly good, with none of the characters standing out as a...
This is pretty much your typical comic book movie. That being said, it was a pretty good typical comic book movie. The acting was surprisingly good, with none of the characters standing out as a weak link. Like the rash of comic book movies in the last 5 years or so, this movie spends quite a bit of time setting up the origins of the heroes and (when necessary) explores the origin of the hero's super powers. Typically, that can be pretty boring. I have to give credit to the writers for injecting a bit of humor into this story as they main characters discover the (almost) pubescent changes they experience.
This movie is intended to be action packed and easy to digest; and it delivers. While you will not discover the meaning of life or anything watching this movie, you will receive two hours of a visually stunning, easy to swallow, piece of Hollywood blockbuster.
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Bridget's Back!
For those of you who may not have heard, Bridget's back. Based on the wildly successful book, we get another go round with love pariah Bridget Jones. I don't want to give anything away if you...
For those of you who may not have heard, Bridget's back. Based on the wildly successful book, we get another go round with love pariah Bridget Jones. I don't want to give anything away if you haven't seen the first movie or read the books (and if you haven't…shame on you!). Let's just say that even though Bridget has found true love, she is still the same Bridget. Further complicating the issue is her boyfriend's gorgeous new secretary with legs up to here, and the return of Daniel Cleaver, a total git who still has a thing for Bridget. In the words of Bridget," DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM". But, it makes for a good story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and let me tell you, my expectations were high. I loved both books and the first movie, and I was hoping that the movie would do the book justice. For those of you who have read the book, the story has changed to accommodate the return of Daniel Cleaver, but all of the best bits are still there. My favorite scenes were the ski holiday and the Thai prison. I do have to point out that this movie is not perfect; some of the jokes from the first movie were reused in typical holiday fashion. However, there were so many laugh out loud moments, that I forgave the writers. If you need a reason to escape the madness of the your life, I suggest you spend some time with my good friend Bridget. Cheers!
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Great Beginning
This is not your typical comic book movie. Fortunately, this is also not your typical Batman movie. No terrible acting from Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jim Carrey in a spandex body suit, and no...
This is not your typical comic book movie. Fortunately, this is also not your typical Batman movie. No terrible acting from Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jim Carrey in a spandex body suit, and no nipples on the Batman costume.
Now that we know what it's not, let's talk about what it is. Batman Begins is a dark tale that explores the origins of one the most well know costumed superheroes. Director Christopher Nolan (Memento) crafts a tale that seems more grounded in reality compared to most comic book movies. Not only that, but the actors were chosen not for their notoriety, but for their ability to act. (One notable exception is Katie Holmes, but I blame that on Tom Cruise.) Christian Bale is undoubtedly the best Batman to date, bringing a more youthful visage to the role, as well as a darkness that was lacking in the previous actors.
For a two and a half hour movie, it moved relatively quickly, although you don't see the bat suit for quite a long time. My one complaint, the need in action movies to have over the top destruction and mayhem. For once I would like to see a movie where the hero doesn't have to destroy the city in order to save it.
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