Technically it’s still fall, but we got one of those overpriced red cup beverages at Starbucks yesterday, so we say it’s time to talk about the winter. The Winter Beer Festival is coming to Seattle in just a few weeks on December 4 and 5. The beer may be cold, but after a few samples, you’ll be feeling nice and toasty.

Things will take place at Hale’s Palladium within Hale’s Ales Brewery, and the tasting is open on Friday evening from 5 to 10pm and on Saturday afternoon from 1 to 10pm. Tickets are $25—save $2 for getting them in advance—and they’ll get you a tasting glass along with six 5.5 ounce samples. That’s a lot more than the usual beer festival offering, so be sure to pace yourself and savor the flavors. ]]> kjb 2009-11-13T11:24:26-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/12/141845/29

Even when the grand prize eludes them, Top Chef alums often find a way to get the maximum mileage out of their fifteen minutes. Take, for example, Robin Leventhal, who didn't earn many popularity points with her fellow cast mates, but did manage to land an Executive Chef gig at Seattle's See Sound Lounge in early October. A simple panna cotta proved to be Leventhal's Achilles' heel on the show, so it's a good thing that there aren't many desserts on See Sound's menu, aside from a couple ice cream sandwiches and the silly inclusion of candied orange peel.

See Sound talks up their new chef's pseudo-celebrity stature on their website, declaring with pride, "The show is extremely popular. Take heed, watching it makes you hungry!" However, it's going to take more than a paltry self-endorsement to convince us of the restaurant's culinary cred. In our experience, the focus of restaurant/lounges tend to be promoting a cool, sexy atmosphere, not quality dishes. Pre-judging? Maybe, but let's take a closer look at what's on the menu for more. ]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-11-12T14:29:26-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/5/8182/61673

Pumpkin season is upon us. Most places are now filled with orange displays, the convenience store is pushing their pumpkin cappuccino things, and of course there’s plenty of candy. We’re all about celebrating Halloween even if it is still an entire month until the big day, especially if it involves some special holiday beverages. One brewery in Seattle knows that there’s only one way to truly get the season underway, and that is with a pumpkin beer festival.

The Elysian Brewing Company is putting the final preparations in place for The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival. Things will be taking place this weekend, October 10 and 11, at the brewery’s Capitol Hill location. There will be plenty of pumpkin beers to help lager lovers get their fix and celebrate the season. The brewery will be honoring nine of their own beers, including The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Hansel and Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner, and Night Owl. There will be concoctions from other breweries as well including Southern Tier, Rock Bottom, and Dogfish Head. ]]> kjb 2009-10-05T14:43:54-05:00 47.6140330 -122.31571 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/25/143536/094

Amtrak's Northwest Corridor, already busy in anticipation of the 2010 Olympics, just got a little bit busier. As of August 19th, the train company has added a second daily train to the Seattle-Vancouver portion of their Cascades route, a network of rails that bind Portland to Vancouver and back. The new train means that travelers now have direct daily round-trip service starting all the way at the bottom of the route and all the way till the end.

Amtrak Cascades connects Portland to Seattle with four daily round-trips, and then travelers are routed to their final destinations accordingly. They're celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, with the expanded Seattle-Vancouver route being a part of that. For the rest of the celebrations, which include promotions and events, there's even a dedicated 10th anniversary page.]]> Omri 2009-09-25T16:58:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/23/121432/269

AirTran has gotten a lot of press out of their branding pact with their hometown Atlanta Falcons, and now Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is trying a similar deal. Instead of going with the local football team however, they're going with, um, Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno.

Apolo wants you to know that this sponsorship deal, even though it's functionally with an enormous and mostly anonymous LCC, is a watershed moment that represents the culmination and meaning of his life. Or something. He gives mad props to his "hometown airline" in the full deal details: ]]> Omri 2009-09-23T15:23:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/18/82111/9731

Get out your tissues ladies. Love Happens, a new romantic dramedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart, opens in theaters today. The movie isn't getting the best reviews from critics but we give its setting, Seattle, four stars.

Where to Stay:
In the beginning of the movie, Aaron Eckhart walks from Pike Place to the Hyatt Regency, in the rain of course. But the Hyatt in the movie is actually in Vancouver, where most of the movie was made. Seattle does have their own Hyatt though, the Grand Hyatt, located downtown at 721 Pine St. Keeping with the Love Happens theme, the Grand Hyatt Seattle offers an Amour Package that includes accommodations, in-room breakfast for two, champagne, chocolates, bath salts and a 3 pm check out. And just like in life, all of that love comes at a price, the package starts around $385 a night. ]]> cmb 2009-09-18T09:18:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/27/81018/2003

If hot air balloons and chuck wagons aren’t in your plans for Labor Day, there’s still plenty of other ideas for you to waste away your holiday weekend.

One of the best festivals of the year is Bumbershoot 2009, and it’s conveniently taking place at Seattle Center from September 5-7. Film, theatre, arts, and of course music, will all be yours to enjoy. So grab a triple venti something or other and hit the festival running. ]]> kjb 2009-08-27T15:49:41-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/