The Spinners will be performing at the Emerald Queen Casino on New Year's Eve 2011. The concert will be free, but admission will be on a first come -- first serve basis. The show will start at 8 p.m., but come early because if too many people come, you might get turned away. All guests must be over 21. For further information, contact www.EmeraldQueen.com.
Owned by the Puyallup tribe, the Emerald Queen Casino brings top entertainment to the Pacific Northwest.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
A Night of Soul and Funk
On Saturday, October 22, 2011, the legendary Commodores performed at the Emerald Queen Casino. Enormously popular in the 1970's and 1980's, the Commodores are an American soul/funk band that branched into disco. Lionel Richie is long gone, but his former band performed so well that his absense was barely noticeable.
The show opened with the rhythm of a human heart to demonstrate how excited and happy a person becomes when listening to the Commodores' music. Their sultry rendition of "Too Hot ta Trot" grabbed the audience's attention. This was followed by the soothing ballad entitled "Easy." The upbeat "You Bring Me Up when I'm Down" showcased the band's ability to dance as well as sing and play.
As the show progressed, the band played their greatest hits, including "Sail On" and "Three Times a Lady." In 1985, the Commodores received a grammy for "Nightshift," their moving tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. I enjoyed hearing the original version of "Nightshift," but I've read that they recently remade this song as a tribute to Michael Jackson. This is fitting because the Commodores first caught the public's eye when they performed as the opening act for the Jackson Five in 1971. Unfortunately, the band did not play the remake.
The entire audience rose and danced to the Commodores' finale, an energetic version of "She's a Brick House."
Owned by the Puyallup tribe, the Emerald Queen Casino is located in Fife, Washington. The casino is famous for bringing world-class entertainment to the Pacific Northwest.
The show opened with the rhythm of a human heart to demonstrate how excited and happy a person becomes when listening to the Commodores' music. Their sultry rendition of "Too Hot ta Trot" grabbed the audience's attention. This was followed by the soothing ballad entitled "Easy." The upbeat "You Bring Me Up when I'm Down" showcased the band's ability to dance as well as sing and play.
As the show progressed, the band played their greatest hits, including "Sail On" and "Three Times a Lady." In 1985, the Commodores received a grammy for "Nightshift," their moving tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. I enjoyed hearing the original version of "Nightshift," but I've read that they recently remade this song as a tribute to Michael Jackson. This is fitting because the Commodores first caught the public's eye when they performed as the opening act for the Jackson Five in 1971. Unfortunately, the band did not play the remake.
The entire audience rose and danced to the Commodores' finale, an energetic version of "She's a Brick House."
Owned by the Puyallup tribe, the Emerald Queen Casino is located in Fife, Washington. The casino is famous for bringing world-class entertainment to the Pacific Northwest.
Monday, October 3, 2011
How to Make Old-Fashioned Apple Cider
On Sunday, October 2, 2011, the Steilacoom Historical Museum hosted its annual fall festival, the Apple Squeeze.The city's main streets were closed to accommodate the crowds who come to make apple cider using twelve antique apple presses. Crates and crates of apples were purchased for this event. The Apple Squeeze has become so popular that, for the last few years, the organizers have run out of apples.
My daughters and I paid $6.75 to make one gallon of apple cider ourselves. We were assigned to Apple Press C. This antique press was built in the 1890's in Portland, Oregon. It once belonged to a Steilacoom resident known as Grandma Teevin. The press has been passed from one generation of the Teevin family to the next. Grandma Teevin's children participated in the early Apple Squeezes. Her grandsonshave been helping people make cider at the Apple Squeeze for 38 years. Twenty years ago, the Teevin family paid to replace the old press's wood to keep it in good condition.
Someone donated an old apple press to the Boy Scout Troop for Steilacoom and Dupont. For 11 years, Boy Scout Troop #71 has been making cider at the Apple Squeeze for those who can't make their own.
It is best to combine several varieties of apples when producing cider. Some apples are sweet. Others are not.The flavor and color of cider depends upon the varieties of apples used. Combine several varieties to get a blended taste. The four types of apples used at the Apple Squeeze are Granny Smith, Yellow Delicious, Red Delicious and Fuji. After pressing about 20 apples, use a bag to separate the cider from the pulp. Pour the cider into a container, such as a milk carton. To prevent it from fermenting, loosen the cap when you get home. Store the cider in the refrigerator because it is not pasteurized, but it tastes so much better than the juice you buy in stores.
Steilacoom's first Apple Squeeze was held in 1971 when several residents who owned apple presses decided to get together to make cider. The Apple Squeeze became an organized event circa 1973. In the early days, people brought apples grown in their yards to be pressed. About ten years ago, the health department advised the event's organizers to purchase apples from stores. That way, the health department could trace where the apples came from if people became sick. Because the Apple Squeeze is an outdoor event, the health department requires that the presses be kept under canopies so that birds can't poop on the equipment.
At the fall festival, vendors sold everything from jewelry to candles to apple fritters. Coffee, hot cider and apple pie a la mode were served in Steilacoom Town Hall. Children enjoyed pony rides and the antiques in the Wagon Shop. The petting zoo featured turkeys, llamas, a horse and a seven day old dairy calf.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
An Evening in Morocco
Last Saturday, after we visited the Nirvana exhibit at the Experience Music Project, Kate persuaded me to take a walk with her around the Seattle's city center. Bored with our usual pit stops, she wanted to explore the quaint coffee shops and exotic eateries in Belltown. A few blocks away from the Space Needle, we discovered one of Seattle's best kept secrets -- the Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant.
Located at 2334 Second Avenue in Seattle, the Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast without spending thousands of dollars to fly to northwest Africa. The maitre de wears a red fez to greet guests at the door. To create the illusion that you are sitting under a tent, a cloth canopy is suspended from the restaurant's ceiling. Brightly colored rugs stretch across the floor. Guests sit at low tables on floor cushions. A server dressed in a long, flowing gown uses a silver urn to wash your hands.
The restaurant offers a delicious five course meal for $18.50 per person. Guests drink lentil soup from their cups and use broken bread from a basket to eat a tomato-zucchini salad. B'stilla Royale, a pastry made of phyllo dough, chicken and almonds, is served next. Guests choose their main courses from a number of authentic Moroccan dishes. I chose Tagine of Lamb M'Rouzia, a sweet entree in which onions and raisins are simmered in a light honey sauce. Kate chose CousCous Marrakesh --steamed semolina grains topped with lamb and seven vegetables. Coconut custard and mint tea complete the meal.
Although Kate and I thought the food was superb, we didn't think her younger sister would eat anything on the menu. Children can be finicky eaters. They might not like the foreign flavor or vegetables.
We thoroughly enjoyed the belly dancer's lively performance, especially when she encouraged guests to try it. Kate liked dancing with her so much that she wants to take a class in belly dancing.
Open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., the Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant has been in business since 1989. A belly dancer performs Wednesday through Sunday evenings. There is also a second restaurant located at 1201 NW 21st Avenue in Portland, Oregon.
Located at 2334 Second Avenue in Seattle, the Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast without spending thousands of dollars to fly to northwest Africa. The maitre de wears a red fez to greet guests at the door. To create the illusion that you are sitting under a tent, a cloth canopy is suspended from the restaurant's ceiling. Brightly colored rugs stretch across the floor. Guests sit at low tables on floor cushions. A server dressed in a long, flowing gown uses a silver urn to wash your hands.
The restaurant offers a delicious five course meal for $18.50 per person. Guests drink lentil soup from their cups and use broken bread from a basket to eat a tomato-zucchini salad. B'stilla Royale, a pastry made of phyllo dough, chicken and almonds, is served next. Guests choose their main courses from a number of authentic Moroccan dishes. I chose Tagine of Lamb M'Rouzia, a sweet entree in which onions and raisins are simmered in a light honey sauce. Kate chose CousCous Marrakesh --steamed semolina grains topped with lamb and seven vegetables. Coconut custard and mint tea complete the meal.
Although Kate and I thought the food was superb, we didn't think her younger sister would eat anything on the menu. Children can be finicky eaters. They might not like the foreign flavor or vegetables.
We thoroughly enjoyed the belly dancer's lively performance, especially when she encouraged guests to try it. Kate liked dancing with her so much that she wants to take a class in belly dancing.
Open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., the Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant has been in business since 1989. A belly dancer performs Wednesday through Sunday evenings. There is also a second restaurant located at 1201 NW 21st Avenue in Portland, Oregon.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Happy 20th Anniversary to Nirvana's Nevermind
On Saturday, September 24, 2011, Seattle's Experience Music Project (EMP) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of Nirvana's top-selling album, Nevermind. Featuring the popular single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana's second album knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the billboard charts in 1991.
The EMP is currently featuring an exhibit entitled Nirvana: Bringing Punk to the Masses. Several of Kurt Cobain's guitars as well Krist Novoselic's bass and Dave Grohl's drums are on display. This large collection of Nirvana memorabilia includes demos of Kurt's first songs that were made with his aunt's eight track player. Visitors can see art work that Kurt created during his senior year at Aberdeen High School. The exhibit includes stage prop mannequins known as the "In Utero Angels" from the tour promoting Nirvana's third and final album, In Utero.
Grunge rock is a form of alternative rock that became popular in Washington State in the mid eighties. Known as the "Seattle sound," grunge rock is characterized by distorted electric guitars and angst-filled lyrics. The release of Nirvana's Nevermind album and Pearl Jam's Ten album helped grunge rock attract a mainstream audience in the early nineties. The exhibit at the EMP features the music of other grunge rockers that Nirvana knew and liked. Visitors can listen to Pearl Jam, Mia Zapata and the Gits, Bikini Kill, Alice in Chains, and more.
On Nevermind's 20th anniversary, a video of Nirvana performing at the Paramount Theatre was shown in the EMP's Sky Church.
The EMP is currently featuring an exhibit entitled Nirvana: Bringing Punk to the Masses. Several of Kurt Cobain's guitars as well Krist Novoselic's bass and Dave Grohl's drums are on display. This large collection of Nirvana memorabilia includes demos of Kurt's first songs that were made with his aunt's eight track player. Visitors can see art work that Kurt created during his senior year at Aberdeen High School. The exhibit includes stage prop mannequins known as the "In Utero Angels" from the tour promoting Nirvana's third and final album, In Utero.
Grunge rock is a form of alternative rock that became popular in Washington State in the mid eighties. Known as the "Seattle sound," grunge rock is characterized by distorted electric guitars and angst-filled lyrics. The release of Nirvana's Nevermind album and Pearl Jam's Ten album helped grunge rock attract a mainstream audience in the early nineties. The exhibit at the EMP features the music of other grunge rockers that Nirvana knew and liked. Visitors can listen to Pearl Jam, Mia Zapata and the Gits, Bikini Kill, Alice in Chains, and more.
On Nevermind's 20th anniversary, a video of Nirvana performing at the Paramount Theatre was shown in the EMP's Sky Church.
The sculpture above can be seen at the EMP. It was made of 700
guitars to symbolize the roots and branches of American pop music.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Day of Remembrance
Today is Sunday, September 11th, 2011. It is the tenth anniversary of the bombings of the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.
On this day, I am remembering the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives because of religious fanaticism.
In June 2003, my daughter and I traveled to New York City. We visited the site where the World Trade Center once stood. To my surprise, it looked like an ordinary construction site. I didn't realize that we were there until I noticed the flowers, sympathy cards and other greetings that other visitors left. This simple memorial site was fitting because the men and women who died there were ordinary citizens who hadn't done anything wrong. They had merely gone to work.
Today I am remembering the firefighters who bravely entered the blazing towers and tried to put out the fires. How heartsick I felt when I saw the buildings collapse on national television! Later, someone modestly said that those brave men were only doing their jobs. That's because firefighters risk their lives every day to protect us from fire and its destruction.
Let's remember the police officers, the paramedics and the good Samaritans who risked their lives to help the victims.
Let's remember the doctors, nurses, grief counselors, social workers and others who worked tirelessly to help the victims and their families.
I have often said that if I had been one of the victims, I would not want to know what was happening. I would prefer to die quickly, without living the last few minutes of my life in absolute terror. My husband disagrees. He says that he would prefer to know what was taking place around him. But my husband is a trained warrior, having retired after 21 years in the U.S. Army. I'm quite certain that if he had been aboard one of the hijacked airliners, he would have attempted to retake it, like the heroes who died in Pennsylvania on Flight 93.
Today is a day to remember our heroes. When we Americans pull together and work for the common good, nothing and no one can defeat us.
On this day, I am remembering the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives because of religious fanaticism.
In June 2003, my daughter and I traveled to New York City. We visited the site where the World Trade Center once stood. To my surprise, it looked like an ordinary construction site. I didn't realize that we were there until I noticed the flowers, sympathy cards and other greetings that other visitors left. This simple memorial site was fitting because the men and women who died there were ordinary citizens who hadn't done anything wrong. They had merely gone to work.
Today I am remembering the firefighters who bravely entered the blazing towers and tried to put out the fires. How heartsick I felt when I saw the buildings collapse on national television! Later, someone modestly said that those brave men were only doing their jobs. That's because firefighters risk their lives every day to protect us from fire and its destruction.
Let's remember the police officers, the paramedics and the good Samaritans who risked their lives to help the victims.
Let's remember the doctors, nurses, grief counselors, social workers and others who worked tirelessly to help the victims and their families.
I have often said that if I had been one of the victims, I would not want to know what was happening. I would prefer to die quickly, without living the last few minutes of my life in absolute terror. My husband disagrees. He says that he would prefer to know what was taking place around him. But my husband is a trained warrior, having retired after 21 years in the U.S. Army. I'm quite certain that if he had been aboard one of the hijacked airliners, he would have attempted to retake it, like the heroes who died in Pennsylvania on Flight 93.
Today is a day to remember our heroes. When we Americans pull together and work for the common good, nothing and no one can defeat us.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Hike Safely in Bear Country
A grizzly bear that killed a Michigan hiker in Yellowstone National Park will most likely be put to death. Wildlife rangers have set traps and plan to kill the bear if DNA taken from hair samples proves that it was the one that mauled the hiker.
According to the Jackson Hole News & Guide, the body of John Wallace, 59, was discovered on August 26, 2011 along the Mary Mountain Trail. Located in a remote area, this trail is known for its large population of grizzlies. The trail is closed from March to June to allow bears to eat the carcasses of bison that died over the winter without being disturbed by humans.
An autopsy has confirmed that Wallace died of injuries consistent of a bear attack. He was not carrying bear spray. Nothing indicates that bear cubs were in the area when Wallace was attacked.
This was the second time a bear has attacked and killed a man in the national park this summer. On July 7, 2011, Brian Matayoshi of California was killed on Yellowstone's Watipi Trail after he and his wife, Marylynn, surprised a grizzly sow and her two cubs. The Watipi Trail is located about eight miles from the Mary Mountain Trail. Like Wallace, the Matayoshis were not carrying bear spray. Wildlife rangers ruled that the mother bear should not be put to death because it was defending its cubs.
I'm amazed that a female bear is called a "sow." When I hear the word "sow," I think of a pig or a hog. Not a bear!
I don't claim to be an expert about bears. Or about hiking or camping for that matter. But the Pacific Northwest is bear country. My family and I spent a week at Yellowstone National Park last June. This is what I learned there.
Before entering the national park, I recommend visiting the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. (The locals simply refer to this small town as "West.") This museum offers educational exhibits about the wildlife found in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Because bears normally avoid contact with humans, the only bears that I saw during our week at Yellowstone were the animals at the Discovery Center. Other visitors told me they saw bears in Grand Tetons National Park, but not at Yellowstone.
At the Discovery Center, we watched a grizzly uproot the pine trees in its enclosure. After the staff removed the bears from the enclosure, children were permitted inside the enclosure to set out food for the grizzlies. This was a wonderful learning opportunity.
The Discovery Center also offers tips on how to hike and camp safely in bear country. The staff puts on daily demonstrations on the proper use of bear spray. Bear spray contains a chemical found in hot peppers, which makes the solution irritating to the nose, eyes, mouth and lungs. The solution can temporarily disable a bear, but it does not cause permanent damage. Do not spray it on backpacks, clothing or other items because it does not work like a bug repellent. Use it like Mace. Bear spray costs forty to fifty dollars per can, but it is well worth the price. If you are threatened by a bear, a can of this pepper spray could save your life. Work with the wind and spray the solution into an attacking bear's face until the animal retreats.
When hiking in the national park, stay on the park's trails. Hike in groups of three or more. Be aware of paw prints and scat (bear droppings.) Hikers should whistle, hum or make noise to let the animals know they are in the area. The last thing you want to do want to do is startle a grizzly. Carry bear spray.
If a bear crosses your path, walk away slowly in the opposite direction. Don't take a photo of the animal or try to get a better view. Don't turn your back on the bear. Watch the bear until you can no longer see it and it can no longer see you.
Do not run from a threatening bear. Grizzlies can run up to 35 miles per hour. A bear can be on you in seconds.
One of the best defenses in a bear attack is to stop, drop and play dead. Sometimes a bear will walk away if it thinks the threat has been eliminated. Remain motionless until the bear is gone. If it sees or hears you move, it may attack again.
Very rarely, a black bear may think of a human as food. If a bear continues to bite you long after you have stopped, dropped and played dead, assume that it wants to eat you. Fight for your life!
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that Kevin and Julie Boyer survived a bear attack while hiking in Yellowstone's Hayden Valley on July 2, 2011. The Montana couple ventured off the park's trail when they were attacked by a grizzly sow defending its cub. Fortunately, the Boyers were carrying bear spray.
They attribute their survivial to bear spray.
According to the Jackson Hole News & Guide, the body of John Wallace, 59, was discovered on August 26, 2011 along the Mary Mountain Trail. Located in a remote area, this trail is known for its large population of grizzlies. The trail is closed from March to June to allow bears to eat the carcasses of bison that died over the winter without being disturbed by humans.
An autopsy has confirmed that Wallace died of injuries consistent of a bear attack. He was not carrying bear spray. Nothing indicates that bear cubs were in the area when Wallace was attacked.
This was the second time a bear has attacked and killed a man in the national park this summer. On July 7, 2011, Brian Matayoshi of California was killed on Yellowstone's Watipi Trail after he and his wife, Marylynn, surprised a grizzly sow and her two cubs. The Watipi Trail is located about eight miles from the Mary Mountain Trail. Like Wallace, the Matayoshis were not carrying bear spray. Wildlife rangers ruled that the mother bear should not be put to death because it was defending its cubs.
I'm amazed that a female bear is called a "sow." When I hear the word "sow," I think of a pig or a hog. Not a bear!
I don't claim to be an expert about bears. Or about hiking or camping for that matter. But the Pacific Northwest is bear country. My family and I spent a week at Yellowstone National Park last June. This is what I learned there.
Before entering the national park, I recommend visiting the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. (The locals simply refer to this small town as "West.") This museum offers educational exhibits about the wildlife found in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Because bears normally avoid contact with humans, the only bears that I saw during our week at Yellowstone were the animals at the Discovery Center. Other visitors told me they saw bears in Grand Tetons National Park, but not at Yellowstone.
At the Discovery Center, we watched a grizzly uproot the pine trees in its enclosure. After the staff removed the bears from the enclosure, children were permitted inside the enclosure to set out food for the grizzlies. This was a wonderful learning opportunity.
The Discovery Center also offers tips on how to hike and camp safely in bear country. The staff puts on daily demonstrations on the proper use of bear spray. Bear spray contains a chemical found in hot peppers, which makes the solution irritating to the nose, eyes, mouth and lungs. The solution can temporarily disable a bear, but it does not cause permanent damage. Do not spray it on backpacks, clothing or other items because it does not work like a bug repellent. Use it like Mace. Bear spray costs forty to fifty dollars per can, but it is well worth the price. If you are threatened by a bear, a can of this pepper spray could save your life. Work with the wind and spray the solution into an attacking bear's face until the animal retreats.
When hiking in the national park, stay on the park's trails. Hike in groups of three or more. Be aware of paw prints and scat (bear droppings.) Hikers should whistle, hum or make noise to let the animals know they are in the area. The last thing you want to do want to do is startle a grizzly. Carry bear spray.
If a bear crosses your path, walk away slowly in the opposite direction. Don't take a photo of the animal or try to get a better view. Don't turn your back on the bear. Watch the bear until you can no longer see it and it can no longer see you.
Do not run from a threatening bear. Grizzlies can run up to 35 miles per hour. A bear can be on you in seconds.
One of the best defenses in a bear attack is to stop, drop and play dead. Sometimes a bear will walk away if it thinks the threat has been eliminated. Remain motionless until the bear is gone. If it sees or hears you move, it may attack again.
Very rarely, a black bear may think of a human as food. If a bear continues to bite you long after you have stopped, dropped and played dead, assume that it wants to eat you. Fight for your life!
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that Kevin and Julie Boyer survived a bear attack while hiking in Yellowstone's Hayden Valley on July 2, 2011. The Montana couple ventured off the park's trail when they were attacked by a grizzly sow defending its cub. Fortunately, the Boyers were carrying bear spray.
They attribute their survivial to bear spray.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)