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📉 Is Seattle’s growth spurt sputtering?
SPARK SOMETHING. Our Seattle Catalysts have all kinds of good stories about what it takes to get this city moving.
(📸: Eric Keto)
LET’S GET TO WORK
Some of our neighbors push so much and so hard at the way things are done around here, they end up inspiring everyone else to follow suit.
That’s the spirit we’ll be raising a glass to next month at our big Seattle Catalysts event presented with Vulcan and WeWork. With mini art workshops, lightning talks on big issues, and networking with some seriously impactful locals, this is a free event you don’t want to miss.
We’ve worked up video profiles of seven standout locals in our Seattle Catalysts series so far — Angela Stowell of FareStart, Vu Le of Rainier Valley Corps, Patricia Lopez of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, Eric Liu of Citizen University, Quinton Morris of The Key to Change, Heather Redman of Flying Fish Partners, and Julie Pham of The Washington Technology Industry Association.
Want to meet some of them? Join us April 4 to hear their stories, celebrate their impact, and get inspired to make a difference your way in this brilliant city we call home.
RSVP here, and we’ll see you there!
And don’t miss…
- In one hand, delicious mouth-watering chocolate. In the other, a glass of fine crafted bourbon. Life is good. Kick back with us at Chocolate and Bourbon Night this Friday.
- We spotlighted South Lake Union last month, and our neighborhood adventures there aren’t over yet. Join us at MOHAI March 30 for our private behind-the-scenes look at the history of South Lake Union with Mark Gleason and Executive Director Leonard Garfield. You’ll also get admission to MOHAI. Get your tix before they sell out!
WHO WANTS CHOCOLATE?
We're playing a little Seattle trivia with our members. One member who correctly answers this week's question about a classic Seattle building by noon on Thursday will win a $20 gift certificate from Seattle Chocolate. Wanna play? Join us! For $10 a month, our members help us make The Evergrey you know and love possible. Members get special perks like free and discounted event tickets, a kit of member gear, and we have a little extra fun with them too. 😉SEATTLE’S UPS AND DOWNS
Seattle’s been on a roller coaster lately. We’re the fastest-growing U.S. city of the decade, thanks to a boom that’s taken our population way up. We’re struggling a bit to figure out how best to get around the city, now that our 66-year-old waterfront highway’s coming down.
But peaks and valleys have to stop somewhere, and some new figures — plus a new neighborhood — has us making u-turns.
First: Our growth spurt might be sputtering. That’s how The Seattle Times’ Gene Balk sees it after crunching numbers that tell us how many newcomers are moving in: not as many as before. The number of new licenses handed out last year to people moving here from somewhere else was down about 14 percent from the number we gave out two years ago. And that lines up with some other stats that point to 2016 as the peak of Seattle growth.
Second: A whole new part of the city is growing where the old Alaskan Way Viaduct is getting (slowly) cut down, and some big money is trading hands to reshape our waterfront. Which makes sense: How often does a whole new neighborhood pop up in a major city next to downtown and the city’s best views? Look for new towers and waterfront property values to go way, way up in the next couple years. And try not to get nauseous. 🎢
In other news…
Seattle’s only black-owned bookstore needs help to stick around — specifically: $14,000 for back rent, $36,000 for its next year of rent, and $25,000 to upgrade its space and add a cozy coworking hub. (GoFundMe, Crosscut)
Maybe it was coincidence, but when a Boeing 787 MAX 8 crashed in Ethiopia this weekend just months after another one crashed in October, dozens of airlines are grounding the company’s blockbuster jet, and Boeing’s scrambling to figure out what’s next. (The Seattle Times)
Everything’s pricy around here… except for the pot. Turns out that Washington’s cannabis goodies cost half of what they go for in California. We even beat bud prices in Colorado. (The Stranger)
And listen up foodies: Here’s a quick list of big restaurant openings this spring, including the chunky pizzas at Windy City Pie in Phinney Ridge and some “delicate” pastas at Il Nido in West Seattle. (Eater Seattle)
OUR PARTNER EVENTS
😂 Today: Learn how to laugh at yourself at the Evergrey’s “super-chill-don’t-be-intimidated” improv comedy class. (Pioneer Square)
👭 Tomorrow: Thaw your way through the “Seattle Freeze” at The Evergrey’s first speed-friending event. (Belltown) — just a few spots left!
🍫Friday: Chocolate and bourbon — what more do you need in life? Join The Evergrey for a special tasting experience at Pike Place Market. (Downtown)
☕ Wednesday, March 20: Get steeped in the ins and outs of tea with tea-maker Steven Smith at this Evergrey workshop. (Downtown) 🆕 — just a few tickets left!
❤️ Thursday, March 21: Help match up some brave Seattle singles at The Evergrey’s live Modern Love dating show. (South Lake Union) 🆕
👏 Thursday, April 4: Celebrate an amazing group of local innovators and toast to the creative ways we’re shaping our city at our big Seattle Catalysts event, produced with Vulcan. (Downtown)
Want to see your event listed here? Hit reply or email [email protected] to chat about a promotional partnership. Want to unlock big discounts at Evergrey events? Support The Evergrey with a membership.
AROUND TOWN
TODAY
😂 Let loose in good company at our improv comedy class (Pioneer Square)
👋 Talk about the deep down stuff with neighbors who want to connect (Belltown)
⚡️ Meet new creative folk at this monthly mixer (Downtown)
TOMORROW
👋 Say hi — a lot! — at our first speed-friending event (Belltown)
🍷 Sip wine and learn how your brain keeps track of your body (South Lake Union)
🗻 Hear from the only American who’s summited K2 twice (Capitol Hill)
THURSDAY
🍿 Close out a film festival of animated shorts (Queen Anne)
👽 Get geeky at Emerald City Comic Con (Downtown)
🏙 Play board games for good from the top of Columbia Tower (Downtown)
FRIDAY
🎨 Do a deep dive on how young people see arts and culture — through Sunday (Whidbey Island)
🎷 Hear jazz masters from our own high schools at the Paramount (Downtown)
🎪 Step right up to the Moisture Festival, our city’s big top variety show — through April 7 (All over)
🍀 Watch a Seattle re-enactment of St. Patrick’s landing in Ireland, with pirates (South Lake Union)
🍫 Spice it up at our chocolate and bourbon tasting with Indi Chocolate (Downtown)
SATURDAY
📚 Browse 100,000+ titles at this ginormous book fair — through Sunday (Seattle Center)
🗣 Chat with neighbors about how to make Columbia City more awesome (Columbia City)
📖 Raise a glass to literature at King County Library’s annual gala (Bellevue)
🍻 Wear green for the LepreCon bar crawl (Downtown)
🎈 Get the kiddos to a St. Patrick’s Day parade (Downtown)
SUNDAY
🍺 Try not to completely ruin your Monday at this St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl (Belltown)
🗣 Check in on some big issues at the Urban Poverty Forum (Capitol Hill)
🍀 Get your Irish spirit on at the Irish Festival in Seattle Center (Queen Anne)
MONDAY
🎨 Paint a succulent at Pyramid Alehouse (SoDo) 🆕
🎨 … Or a Pike Place Market flower stall at Ballard Pizza Co. (Ballard) 🆕
🗺️ Check out a new exhibit on our city’s history of racist housing rules at the Wing Luke Museum (International District) 🆕
Going to one of these? Take us with you! Email a pic to [email protected] or tag #theevergrey on Instagram.
Is an event sold out? Hit reply to let us know and we’ll update the listing in tomorrow’s newsletter.
EVER MAKE IT UP AS YOU GO ALONG?
We sure do. 🙃 But hey: There’s nothing like risk, spontaneity, and a little foolishness to get you to loosen up and get creative, and that’s why we’re hosting our first-ever improv comedy workshop tonight.
Think it’d be fun? Take the plunge and join us. There’s absolutely no theatrical ability required. Already signed up? Our events curator Jordan Lyon can’t wait to see you there.
Have a good one, all.
— The Evergrey