Promotion from United Way of King County

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 You Can Help Families in Need

We'll train you to help families get all the tax credits they're entitled to. It's one of the most powerful anti-poverty tools in our region

Get started now

🍤 Eat your heart out at 12 of Seattle’s hottest new restaurants

Plus, we want to know what’s on your 2022 bucket list!

By Hannah Myrick

You made it! It’s Friday!

To start you off - we have a question for you:

Are you buying tickets to an OL Reign game? Finally paying off your University of Washington debt? Seeing a show at the new Crocodile? Never missing the Capitol Hill Block Party again? Making your way through the list of Washington Trails Association hikes? Just surviving is an answer too. 🙃

Don’t hold back — tell us what big plans you have for the year ahead, We want to know! Reply to this email with anything and everything you’re hoping to do in the city in 2022 and we’ll put all your answers together and share them in the newsletter at the beginning of next year!

But before you get started on all those must-dos, let’s cross today’s headlines off your list.

This lil' snow person is sending us into the weekend with a matching smile. You can check out more images like this at Parklane Gallery’s Winter Show of Small Works and Miniatures happening now through Jan. 2. | Tag @the_evergrey or use #theevergrey to be featured in our Instagram of the Day. (📸: @daysandclouds)

What Seattle is talking about

🚆 Sound Transit is searching for equitable fare enforcement solutions after recent internal data showed Black and low-income riders were more likely to be cited and punished for failing to pay on trains. The organization stopped issuing tickets in September in an effort to shift away from fare enforcement officers and move to “fare ambassadors,” who educate riders and offer subsidized options. This is part of a pilot program that will operate through mid-2022. (South Seattle Emerald)

🐟 Let’s talk about seafood in Sea-town. You probably know the classics” Ivar’s, flying fish at Pike Place Market, and maybe even oysters from Taylor Shellfish. But there are so many other great local seafood spots to check out. You can eat everything from crab cakes and fish and chips to black cod sandwiches and a bloody mary with shrimp. (Seattle Met)

📰 Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new plan to address homelessness this week. The plan includes about $815 million of funds, with more than two-thirds coming from the federal coronavirus funding Washington received. The legislature would need to approve the funding which would go towards helping with unpaid utility bills to prevent evictions; building permanent supportive housing, affordable housing units, and tiny homes; expanding support for behavioral health crises; increasing access to supportive housing and employment; and more. (AP News)

🗳️ The Metropolitan King County Council voted to acquire City Hall Park this week, as part of the city’s unclear plan to address crime and homelessness in the downtown area. The park was under the city of Seattle's control but that control will be transferred as a part of a land swap deal, although it’s unclear what the future plans for the park would be after this new acquisition. The Seattle City Council must still approve the deal and will likely consider it early next year. (The Seattle Times)

🍣 Take a break from the busy holiday season and treat yourself to a nice meal at one of Seattle’s newest restaurants. Take in dinner and a show at the Kraken Community Iceplex’s 32 Bar & Grill, snag some of Seattle’s freshest fried chicken at Cookie’s Country Chicken, cozy up with a warm plate of dumplings at Myung In Dumplings, or go wild with an order of Jell-O shots and tasty street food at Taku. (Eater)

📅 We planned your weekend!

We really did plan your weekend.

It’s a perk usually reserved only for our Evergrey Extra members but it’s the giving season, and well, we think you’d really enjoy this lineup of fun activities too.

Every Friday we round up ideas of what to do in the weekend ahead and share them exclusively with our Evergrey Extra members. Thanks for supporting us through your membership. It allows us to keep sharing what makes Seattle special with so many people and for that, we are so grateful!

In today’s guide, we have holiday events galore (in case you missed any), both free and ticketed, a new podcast about Indigenous peoples and practices around the world, a dance party hosted by Queens, and much more.

And with that, we introduce you to….the weekend.

🎧 Listen: Seedcast is a story-centered podcast about nurturing and rooting stories of the Indigenous experience, hosted by Nia Tero in partnership with South Seattle Emerald. Her podcast covers the stories of Indigenous peoples around the world. You can read more about her story as a gardener, community member, and more here.

👑 Dance: The Sunset in Ballard is holding a Queens of Pop Dance Party this Saturday at 9 p.m. Groove with your best moves to Britney, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kesha, Miley, and all your favorite musical divas. You can buy tickets in advance for $10 or purchase at the door for $13.

🛍 Shop: The SODO Flea Market is back for the second time this month, but this go-round it’s in Georgetown. There will be over 70 vendors selling everything from antiques and vintage clothing to paintings and knitwear. It’s happening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall. Check out this post for tips on where to park.

⛸️ Skate (and drink): Make our holiday bucket list dreams come true and go ice skating as the Kraken’s do! The Kraken Community Iceplex offers public skating sessions over lunch hours, weekends, and evenings. It’s $15 a session and $5 for skate rentals. The night owls can go skating after 8:30 p.m. on Fridays (and enjoy hot cocktails from a full bar).

✨ Holiday Event Bonuses:

🎶 White Christmas Sing-Along is happening both days this weekend at the SIFF Cinema. The event comes with free jingle bells.

🎅 Take photos with Santa at Urban Family Brewing in Ballard this Saturday. Bring yourself, your dog, and/or your child for pictures and delicious Lao food.

🎆 You’re going to want to bookmark this list of light displays to see around town. Check out the free light shows around the different neighborhoods and read the ticketed events sections for more information.

Want a curated itinerary every Friday? We'd be happy to make you one. Just head here to become an Evergrey Extra member. You can spend either $8/month or $80 for the year. Hey, it’d make for a great Christmas present too — hint, hint. 😉

Things to do

Submit your events to our calendar.

Today

🍻 Indulge in the dark days of winter by drinking over 30 different brews at the Dark Beer Fest at Flying Lion, all weekend long Friday thru Sunday (Rainier Valley)

🎅 Drink away the cold at the second weekend of the Winter Solstice Beer Festival, hosted by the Seattle Farmers Market Association. Ugly sweaters and Santa costumes encouraged (Magnuson)

🍿Watch Seattle's wildly popular holiday date night "Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker" now available on-demand thru Dec. 31 (Online)

Tomorrow

🎅 Put on your best Santa costume and paint the town red and white on day two of this year's Seattle SantaCon (Downtown)

🍸 Make spirits bright with a Holiday Cocktail Class at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle(Downtown)

🎶 Listen to some holiday tunes played by local musicians Pearl Django and vocalist Gail Pettis, hosted by KNKX (Downtown)

🌟 Find your own pictures in the Winter Solstice night sky at Cosmic Connections (Online)

Sunday

🐶 Drink pints for pups at the annual donation drive benefitting Seattle Animal Shelter(Ballard)

🎁 Eat oysters, enjoy a wine flight, and shop for holiday gifts from local artisans at The Local 104 Holiday Market (Lake Forest Park)

🍻 Drink a pint for pups at this donation drive benefitting Seattle Animal Shelter (Ballard)

One last thing before you go….

Thanks for tuning in for another week! Before we go, here’s what I’ve been tuning into this week:

🎧 Listening: The Shrink Next Door — It’s a captivating true story about a psychiatrist who ends up manipulating his patient’s life until he’s deeply enmeshed within it.

🍴 Eating: These perfect homemade buttermilk biscuits. Try making them yourself because we all know December is the season to bust out your best baking.

📚 Reading: Every Night is Pizza Night. It’s a sweet children's book by local legend Kenji Lopez-Alt about a young girl trying to determine if there’s any food better than pizza.