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😠 GTFO, smokestorm
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😠 GTFO, smokestorm

UNWINED. “Not only are the wines terrific, people friendly and the grounds beautiful...but you are greeted by the absolute sweetest dog in Chelan,” reader Amanda Thornton-Dewitt wrote on Instagram about her trip to Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards.

VINO YOU WANT (TO GEEK OUT ABOUT) WINE

A LITTLE HISTORY: Washington’s first wine grapes were planted near the Fort Vancouver trading post in the 1820s. Some of our state’s earliest wine pioneers were immigrants from — you guessed it — Italy, France, and Germany. When Prohibition hit in 1920, home winemakers helped keep wine grape producers in business.

WHY’S IT IMPORTANT? Our state’s wine industry is the second largest premium wine producer in the country, sprawls across more than 55,000 acres, and has a $5 billion economic impact on our state every year. In 1985, Washington wine grape growers produced around 17,000 tons of grapes. In 2017, they grew around 229,000 tons, according to the Washington State Wine Commission.

FUN FACT: One of our state’s oldest grapevines was planted by Confederate soldier Lambert Evans on Stretch Island in 1872 — “17 years before statehood,” The Seattle Times reports. 😮 It was still producing grapes as of 2015.

TRY A SIP: Here are some places to get started…

 

  • If you want to make a weekend of it: Make the trek out to Yakima Valley to spend the weekend city- and winery-hopping.
  • If you want to really impress out-of-towners: Drive 270 miles southeast to Walla Walla, where there’s around 2,800 acres of wine grapes. There, take your self-described sommelier friend to explore some (or all — no judgement! [wink emoji]) of the 120 wineries around the area.

 

AND THE #WASHINGTONWINE INSTA-GRAMMY GOES TO… This swooping aerial shot from Kevin Cruff (@kcwinepics on Instagram). It was closely followed by this swirly pic from @morellmeredith. Evergrey storytelling producer Ana Sofia Knauf usually manages to spill a little when she tries to be fancy and swirl her glass. Clearly, she needs more practice. 😉

Planning a trip out to a Washington winery? Be sure to tag #theevergrey in your pics on Instagram. Go ahead – make us jealous!

NOW HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CITY

Enough (cough, cough) already. The wildfire smoke that’s been coming and going for weeks now is back, and it’s bad. Our air quality’s “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy,” flights got delayed over the weekend ‘cause pilots couldn’t see, and the earliest this haze could clear up is Thursday. In the meantime, don’t do a lot of running around outside, leave the vacuum in the closet (really), trust your body’s defenses, and hope. “You have heard of rainstorms, snowstorms, and windstorms,” local weather guru Cliff Mass wrote on Sunday. “It is time to create another one: the smokestorm.” (The Seattle Times, Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

How Seattle feels right now. If you’ve lived here a while, you know this city’s had a reputation for being pretty chill — in a casual, it’s-all-good kind of way. Can we still claim that vibe now? Columnist Knute Berger, a born-and-raised Seattleites, doesn’t think so. He wrote this impressive and heartfelt reflection to explain why, and managed to weave in most every issue we’re facing. Fallen in love with this place, chill vibe or no? This is a good, provocative read. (Crosscut)

We just wanted to punt out… that Jon Ryan is leaving the Seahawks next year. Our punter is a proud “red headed Canadian,” has been a ‘Hawk longer than anyone on the team (10 years), and once competed on “American Ninja Warrior.” Why’s he flying out? Partly because a new punter — 5th-round draft pick Michael Dickson — is swooping in. (KING 5)

Storm surge. While we’re getting sporty, our Seattle Storm is heading to the WNBA playoffs as the No. 1 seed and star player Breanna Stewart just broke the team’s single-season scoring record. Switching from the orange ball to the black-and-white one, our Seattle Sounders are on a six-game winning streak. 🙌 (The Seattle Times, ESPN)

‘How do homeless families with young children do it?’ That’s a question local mom Hannah Lidman asked ParentMap, and reporter Kari O’Driscoll talked with homeless parents to hear their answer. Among their struggles? Planning for school when you don’t know where you’re going to be, serving good meals when you don’t have a kitchen, and making sure your toddler gets enough sleep when you have to take her from a day shelter to an emergency night shelter and back, every day. This story is part of a collaborative project we helped lead along with several other local media partners. Stay tuned for more of our answers to your questions about homelessness this week. (ParentMap)

PARTNER EVENTS

🖋  TOMORROW: Get tips to take charge of your content strategy at this Impact Hub Lunch + Learn (Pioneer Square)

🍺  TOMORROW: How do you make gluten free beer? Watch and learn at Ghostfish Brewing — and make new friends in the process — at this fun Foundation event (SoDo)

🍸  TOMORROW: Check in with the local sharing economy at this Share Seattle Happy Hour (Capitol Hill) 🆕

📅  Wednesday, August 29: Learn to master your calendar — and master your business — at this Impact Hub Lunch + Learn (Pioneer Square) 🆕

AROUND TOWN

TODAY

🎟  Hit the dance floor for Dancing Til Dusk’s last event of the summer (Downtown)
💡  Test your Harry Potter knowledge magical trivia over beers (Capitol Hill)
🎨  Peek behind the scenes of Seattle Design Fest (Downtown)


TOMORROW

👋  Meet neighbors and learn how gluten-free beer gets made at this Evergrey partner event (SoDo)
👋  Learn how gluten-free beer gets made at this Evergrey partner event (SoDo)
💪  Hear what’s up with Seattle’s sharing economy at this Evergrey partner event (Capitol Hill)
💪  Up your content strategy at this Evergrey partner event (Pioneer Square)


THURSDAY

🎟  Get a babysitter so you can hang out with aquarium critters (Downtown)
🎨  Celebrate indigenous healing and survival through poetry and music (University District)
💡  Listen to your neighbors’ ‘stories of saying goodbye’ (Capitol Hill)
🎶  Sway to “passionate tango” and “sultry bossa nova” by Alma y Azucar (Shoreline)


FRIDAY

🎟  Watch a drag tribute to your favorite Pixar films (Belltown)
🎟  Celebrate Mexico’s traditions and folklore for the Paramount Theatre’s 90th b-day (Downtown)
🍿  Dress your best (or don’t) to watch The Devil Wears Prada in the park (Capitol Hill)
🎶  Jam out to local artists The Moondoggies and The Black Tones at the Mural Amphitheatre (Queen Anne)
🍺  Sip beers and hand-crafted cocktails at West Seattle Beer & Music Fest — through Aug. 26 (West Seattle)


SATURDAY

🎟  Get wowed by aerial and burlesque artists (Ballard)
🎈  Take your little ones to KidChella to dance to Caspar Babypants (Sand Point)
👋  Meet your neighbors and celebrate a brand new park (Yesler Terrace)
🎟  Fulfill your Great Gatsby dreams on a 1920s-themed cruise (South Lake Union)
🎨  Hear gospel music and listen to poetry among the trees — through Aug. 26 (West Seattle)


SUNDAY

🎈  Take the kids to see critters and eat funnel cakes at the fair — through Sept. 3 (Monroe)
🍴  Celebrate “all things rolled” with performances and a pho eating contest (International District)
🎈  Take su familia to celebrate Central American foods, art, and music (South Park)


Going to one of these? Take us with you! Email a pic to [email protected] or tag #theevergrey on Instagram. See more upcoming events on our events page, and add your own events with an Evergrey membership. Is an event sold out? Hit reply to let us know and we’ll update the listing in tomorrow’s newsletter.

HIGH, HOW ARE YOU?

It’s a little too perfect: The Stranger’s Lester Black went to Seattle’s Hempfest — the largest pot festival in North America — asked people, “How high are you?” and dutifully reported back their answers.

You’re welcome. 🌬 — The Evergrey

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