photo credit: Flickr user kateha

Oh yeah – grilling season officially starts this weekend. So how could you possibly miss this chance to pick up some pro tips? Head to the Interbay Whole Foods between 4:00pm and 7:00pm to see some real pros in action as they go to town on a surprise cut of meat or fish. The victorious fishmongers and butchers will go on to compete at a national competition, Feast Portland, in September.

Feeling lucky? Bring your smartphone because there will be Twitter prize giveaways. Cheer on your favorite team by tweeting @InterbayWFM using either#WFMTeamSurf or #WFMTeamTurf during the event and you could win stuff.

And on a more serious note, you can use this event to learn about the importance of sourcing quality meat and fish since this is all happening during National Animal Welfare Week.

So are you pro-pork, bully for beef or a strict pescetarian? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter or in the comment section below.

Photo credit: Flickr user Kateha

It’s no secret that I’m kind of obsessed with everything that comes out of the kitchen at sister restaurants Joule and Revel. And my fanaticism doesn’t exactly make me a culinary trailblazer- fancy restaurant critics both near and far can’t stop singing the praises of the Korean-inspired dishes at these two fabulous restaurants. So I won’t bore you with another recap of the delicious short ribs and other mouth-watering dinners that come out of these kitchens. Today I’ll tell you about something you may not be aware of yet, something very dear to my heart. I’m talking about the buffet-style brunch service that Joule is doing in their swanky new location in Fremont every Saturday and Sunday.

(Shortrib) Steak and Eggs

Dinner at Joule will make your tastebuds dance and sing (confession: I went twice in one weekend), but it’s not exactly at an “everyday” price point. But there brunch is a screaming deal. For just $17, you not only get an entree that’s unlike anything you would see on any other brunch menu in town (think Breakfast Porchetta stuffed with oatmeal, Brown Rice Congee with date molasses and charred sunchokes and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Kimchi), you get access to their delightful, ever-changing brunch buffet table. Grab your plate and fill up on pastries, pickles, salads, cheese plates and whatever else is inspiring the kitchen staff that day. That’s a lot of delicious eats for under $20.

My (first) plate from the buffet

Joule’s brunch service combines two of my great loves- brunch (best meal of the day, no question) and buffets (I like food). And this is not the crappy heat-lamp-filled buffet of your misspent youth- this is a top-quality, mouth-watering assortment of all the things in life that make me really happy.

Breakfast porchetta!

Of course, in addition to the food, they’ve got a whole bunch of marvelous cocktails as well. I mean, you can have a sober brunch if you want to, but there’s nothing quite as wonderful as a cocktail before noon. Also, the bloody mary comes with pickles, so it’s practically like eating a salad.

Things you won’t find at Joule’s brunch: oily hash browns, Bisquick-based pancakes and runny scrambled eggs. So this isn’t the place to go if you want a greasy spoon or classic breakfast fare. But if you want something a little different and a lot delicious, go there this weekend. Trust me.

Pickles!

Are you excited to try Joule’s new brunch service? Talk toast with us on Facebook, Twitter or in the comment section below.

This weekend marks the beginning of Seattle’s festival season. What does that mean? From now until October, every one of your weekends is going to be populated with some fantastic street fair, art festival or music event. Friends, you have no excuse to be boring. Here is our list of the most fantabulous things happening over the next three days.

• University District is the center of everything this weekend. First, avoid Montlake like the plague unless you’re a runner, because it will be shut down the anuual Beat The Bridge 8k.
• But after you run (or even if you don’t), you can meander over to The U-District Street Fair. Music, art, crafts, shopping, fair food and lots of tie-dye clothing for you buy.
• Oh, and if you need more carbs, the UW Night Market will have the best in Asian eats you can possibly get your hands on.
• Still hungry? The Food Truck Roundup benefitting the UDistrict Food Bank is on Sunday. Tickets are just $25 and you get 8 food tickets and 4 drink tickets. Go go go!
• Want to prepare for the next big festival? Vermillion Wine Bar and Gallery is displaying posters from Sasquatch Music Festival from across the years.
• If you’re craving something seriously artsy and a little weird, but also really beautiful, my favorite Seattle creative collective, Saint Genet, is performing Paradisical Rites at On The Boards this weekend. I saw them perform this over a year ago when they were working the kinks out (disclaimer: they’re my friends), and I must say that this combination of ballet, orchestra, modern dance, archery and really amazing use of body paint will kind of mess with your head, but in the best way possible. SEE THIS.
• Just want to chill out and get in touch with your spirit? Take a Reiki Soundscape training class in Ballard for just $12.
• Or for something a little noisier, Honk!Fest West is holding a fundraiser in Georgetown for just $15.
• Don’t forget that Seattle Beer Week lasts until 5/19. So drink up!
• Finally, SIFF has officially begun! Here are our picks for the weekend (and week) ahead:
• Populaire: a French comedy set in 1958 will make you giggle and want to watch Amelie again for the first time.
• Furever: a documentary about what happens when pets die. This is one of those laugh/cry situations, and it’s kind of cathartic if you’ve ever lost a pet.
• Stories We Tell: which appeals to me because I was a literature major and am still a sucker for complicated family dramas.
• Byzantium: a mother-daughter vampire drama. Um, this looks amazing.
• The African Cypher: I can’t dance but I love me a good dance movie. This documentary about South African street dancers is can’t miss.

The U-District’s StreetFair kicks off the un-official “season” of neighborhood street fairs that lead up to SeaFair at the end of July. There will be crafts, food and more food. What did you expect? Music, too? Well, yes there will be plenty of music—several stages with varying genres to please everyone. They’ve been putting on this event since 1970, so they kinda have it nailed.

Photo from StreetFair Facebook page

StreetFair is happening Saturday, May 18 from 10:00am-7:00pm and Sunday, May 19 from 10:00am-6:00pm and is all along The Ave (University Way NE). Q: Why is it called, “The Ave” when it is on University Way? A: Because, in the olden days University Way was called Columbus Ave. Then in the not so olden days of the 1890s, it was renamed 14^th Ave. In 1919, a contest was held to rename the street calling it, “University Way.” But the nickname, “The Ave” remained.* The event is FREE and open to the public.

There is also a UW Night Market event this Saturday. This one caught our eye with its, well, eye-catching posters and really adorable marketing efforts, see their teaser vid. Put on by the UW’s Taiwanese Overseas Student Association (TOSA), this cultural/food fest is all about home from the food to the entertainment. If you haven’t had your fill from StreetFair, we suggest moseying over to campus to get a taste of Taiwan for dinner. Food and games are only $2-$5 a pop.

Image from Night Market Facebook page

The Nostalgic Taiwan Night Market is at UW’s Red Square, Saturday, May 18 from 5:30-10:30pm. It is FREE and open to the public. Check out their Facebook page for the most up-to-date information on the event.

If you plan on making a day of it on Saturday, you might as well stop by the University District Farmers Market, too. It runs every Saturday from 9:00am-2:00pm all year round.

*Most thankful props to Wikipedia.

What Seattle neighborhood are you planning on hitting up this weekend? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or the comment section below.

The only thing we like more than bikes is FREE! Well, and carbs. And beer. But these Seattle bicycle enthusiasts must know their audience, because you can get all those things, and more, for FREE on Friday, May 17. Commuter stations will be set up all over the city offering free coffee, snacks and more. Here’s the official map of all the Bike Stops offering you free coffee, swag, snacks and more. No matter where you work, there will be a tent passing out caffienated beverages, free water bottles and more.

Local businesses are getting in on the action too. Starbucks is giving out free coffee all day if you flash bike gear, like your helmet, and Grand Central Bakery will give you a free baguette at any of their locations.

The official party starts at 4:30 and takes place at Via6, the most bike-friendly condo you’ve ever seen. Located at 6th and Lenora, right where Velo Bike Shop is located, they’ll be giving bikers free food from Tom Douglas and free beer from Schooner Exact Brewing Company. Oh, and KEXP will be playing live.

So pump your tires and prepare for the best bike ride of your life on Friday, May 17. Are you participating in Bike to Work Day? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter or the comment section below.

This is real folks, and it sounds pretty amazing. Your $25 ticket gets you food from Barking Frog Mobile Kitchen, Skillet Street Food, Street Treats, Veraci Pizza, Chopstix, Contigo, Hallava Falafel, Crisp Creperie and Seattle Biscuit Company, as well as sips from Oola and Golden distilleries, Sozo Wines and Fremont Brewing Company, and live music by The Blackberry Bushes, Washover Fans and Ali Marcus. That’s pretty much everything I want to eat and drink all the time.

And your gluttony goes to a good cause. The University District Food Bank, serving 1100 area families each week, is celebrating 30 years in Seattle this year. Got a warm fuzzy feeling just reading that? If you’ve got a little extra money burning a hole in your pocket, pad your donation by $100 and you’ll receive the food bank’s new Community Cookbook with recipes from Tilth, Tavolata, Agrodolce, Crush, LloydMartin, Cafe Flora and many other local favorites. Too expensive for your taste? That’s okay. Just go buy your tickets NOW!

The big event is this Sunday, May 19, from 3:00-7:00pm. Go buy your tickets! But if you’re feeling lucky, enter the contest below to win one of two FREE tickets! Then grab a friend to go get fat with you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wine Tea Chocolate is much more than your typical Seattle coffeehouse. They do serve coffee — damn good coffee at that, brewed any way you want it — but they also carry a ridiculous selection of the three beverages in their name. (Beverages? Yes- in addition to chocolate bars, they also serve some ridiculously good, strong drinking chocolate.)

Just before the holidays, on a cold rainy night, I met up with a friend to give their happy hour a whirl. Wine Tea Chocolate proved to be the perfect place to gab for hours and enjoy a glass (or two) of wine (only $5 during happy hour for their rotating house selections), share a pot of tea (their house tea runs $3 a pot during happy hour, and other selections from their extensive menu run from $4 to $7 a pot) and indulge in a slice of their flourless chocolate cake.

If you’re on the hunt for a low-key happy hour that will remedy a long day and satisfy a sweet tooth, definitely give their happy hour a spin. It runs 5:00-7:00pm daily and all day Monday. In addition, they have an impressive calendar of events, including live music, trivia nights, beer tastings, crafting meetups, tango nights and more. And in true Yay-Today-approved fashion, most events are FREE or super cheap. Their stupendous-sounding, two-hour long Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Pairing classes run a bit cheaper, at $50 a person, but if you have the cash, why not indulge a little in the good stuff?

I’m totally smitten with Wine Tea Chocolate. Let us know if this place sounds like your cup of tea (couldn’t resist) on Facebook, Twitter or the comment section below.

• It’s Seattle Beer Week. Now through May 19th, you have an excuse to drink every day. Yay! This weekend, treat mom to a “Mom-osa” at Redhook or attend one of about thirty other delicious beer festivities.
• Get on a boat! Head to Bell Harbor Marina for the world’s largest tugboat races this Saturday during the Seattle Maritime Festival.
• You need flowers for Mother’s Day? Then look no further than Pike Place Market. The Fifth Annual Flower Festival happens all weekend long, so you’re guaranteed the biggest selection of beautiful flowers from over three dozen local flower farmers to make your mom’s day.
• Want extra bonus points from mom? Then take her to Ladywell Vitality Spa. Moms get FREE entrance!
• Whether you’re a mom or not, you’ll love Pierogi Fest. $16 buys you all the Polish dumplings you can eat. Relax in the beer garden and listen to some live musicians while you digest.
• Learn how to forage wisely at Mushroom Maynia at The Burke Museum.
• Do the grocery shopping and pick up some do-gooding gifts for your mom (or anybody else) at Whole Foods. Today (5/10) through Sunday (5/12), Whole Foods Market will be featuring a sale of several fair trade certified products in celebration of World Fair Trade Day on May 11^th. Coffee, chocolate, bath products… lots of good stuff on sale!
• In case you haven’t noticed a trend yet, Sunday is Mother’s Day. That means that brunch is going to be bananas. So enjoy a boozy Saturday brunch instead at Canon. This review on TastyFeast made us all kinds of hungry. And thirsty. Because, obviously.

Photo courtesy of flickr user Billy Wirawan

In case you weren’t familiar, a pierogi is the Polish take on the dumpling. Take some delicious dough, stuff it with the filling of your choice (potatoes are the classic, but you can go with meat, veggies, sauerkraut, fruit or whatever else your heart desires), boil it, fry it in some butter, and you’ve got yourself quite the treat. This Saturday, May 11, the humble pierogi takes center stage at it’s namesake festival. Just head to to The Polish Cultural Center at 1714 18th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 in Capitol Hill, and enjoy all-you-can-eat pierogi madness from 11:30am to 4:00pm. For just $16 you can get an entire day’s worth of carbs via all the pierogis you can swallow.

If you need a break from the dumpling madness, don’t fret. Live musicians will play throughout the day, a bar will be serving soft drinks, beer and wine, and if you need a little more variety (crazy), vendors will also be slinging potato pancakes, kielbasa and other delicious Polish specialties.

Be a dear and eat some dumplings this Saturday. Tell us your favorite filling on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comment section below!

Photo from ladywellspa.com

It’s usually $36 for all-day access to the spa—they open at 11:00am and stay open late, until 11:00pm—but this week, if you’re a mom, it’s only $18 this week. You do have to break out official proof of being a momma though—bring a family photo of you and your younglings (to prove you NEED this) and you’ll get ½ off admission. If you bring your mom with you, she’ll get in FREE (and love you even more than she already does)!

Photo from ladywellspa.com

Spa access includes:

• stainless steel hot whirlpool
• cold plunge
• warm soaking tub
• dry cedar sauna
• herbal steam bath
• heated pink salt room
• relaxation and stretching lounge
• showers
• lockers
• tea & filtered water

Does this sound like the perfect way to show your mom you love her? Tell us how you’re celebrating Mother’s Day on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comment section below!