Now, 52 years later, Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, is “The Big Boss” of the Bruce Lee Foundation and Bruce Lee Enterprises, which manage the legacy, intellectual property, and image of her iconic father. For her work, Shannon was recognized over the weekend by the Very Asian Foundation during its third annual Sunday Funday gala held in Bellevue.

Shannon was the executive producer of the 2008 television series The Legend of Bruce Lee and the 2009 documentary How Bruce Lee Changed the World. She also co-produced the Warrior series, based on her father’s journal entries, which debuted in 2019 and ran for three seasons. 

“Shannon is an amazing part of, I think, the culture—but also Asian American culture,” says Very Asian Foundation founder Michelle Li. “She’s such a creator. She has done so many amazing things. She’s such a boss lady. She’s really a very compelling entrepreneur.”

Michelle Li, founder of the Very Asian Foundation.

Photos by Truong Nguyen Photography/Very Asian Foundation

The luncheon drew more than 200 guests to the Eastside to support the Very Asian Foundation’s May Book Project and its Creators Grant Program. 

“I am a huge fan of the Very Asian Foundation due to its authenticity, humility, and impact in a world where many are clamoring to be the loudest,” says JoySauce founder and CEO—and Seattle magazine publisher—Jonathan Sposato. “Very Asian Foundation quietly and powerfully puts their head down to champion our community and never forgets the youth, the up-and-coming, the non-famous, or the marginalized. They have a lot of receipts, which is not at all a surprise given their incredible leadership by the always lead-by-example Michelle Li.”

The foundation also recognized this year’s winners of the Creators Grant Program, which promotes artists and storytellers who amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives of AA+PI communities.

This year’s recipients are Peerbagh CEO Upasna Kakroo; filmmaker, playwright, and organizer Diana Khong; therapist and activist Rameya Shanmugavelayutham; artist and metalsmith Kim Stahl; and musician Schoua Na Yang. Each received a $1,500 grant to pursue their work advocating for AA+PI communities.

Shannon acknowledges the challenges for storytellers of color and emphasizes the value of collaboration. “Bruce Lee is a global icon. Everyone knows the name Bruce Lee,” she says. “Everyone thinks it is easy and says, ‘Of course, we should do stuff about Bruce Lee.’ Most of the key decisionmakers in Hollywood and other places are older men, typically not people of color. They’ll say, ‘Yeah, that Bruce Lee guy—is he that kung fu guy that died 50 years ago? Why is he still relevant?’ There’s a lot of that. That’s not just in Hollywood. That’s true also in the commercial world.”

Shannon also says sexism and bias continue to confine the creative process in television and film. “I run into a lot of difficulty in people taking me seriously as a creator,” she says. “They see me as a rights holder. They want Bruce Lee. They don’t want me. It is hard for me to get projects made. People want to take what I have, but they don’t want to collaborate. And so, I am always looking for the people who will collaborate, which is hard to find. And as a woman, I am not listened to a lot. You have to collaborate with life. You have to keep going.”

Sposato echoes Shannon’s call for collaboration and diverse voices in media and storytelling. “AA+PIs are 8% of the population nationally, and in some metro markets as high as over 20%. Yet the number of speaking roles for Asian Americans in movies and TV is less than 3%. We must do better, and the Very Asian Foundation is helping us all fight the good fight.”

Sunday’s fundraiser capped a weekend of Bruce Lee–centered celebrations and fundraisers. Shannon was also the guest of honor at a dim sum brunch at Diamond Bay Restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District, which raised more than $100,000 to install a bronze statue of Bruce Lee at Hing Hay Park.“Putting in a Bruce Lee statue would make it an attraction to bring people to the Chinatown-International District,” says Jerry Lee, who spearheaded the fundraising drive.

In addition, AA+PI filmmaker and Seattle Children’s Theatre trustee Mimi Gan announced that the theatre will premiere Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story this winter. The original production is written and will be directed by the multiracial artist Keiko Green.

The post Carrying the Legacy Forward appeared first on Seattle magazine.

Berg and many long-suffering Mariners fans have much to celebrate. Last week the Mariners won the American League West and qualified for the MLB playoffs for the first time since the 2001 season (they also reached the postseason in 2022 as a wild card), the same year the Mariners tied the modern-era MLB record for most wins in a regular season with 116 victories. “Being a Seattle fan, we’ve been let down so many times,” Berg says. “You have to take it with a grain of salt. But no doubt, these are exciting times for Seattle sports fans. It makes Mariner baseball fun again and now with a chance to go to the World Series.”  

The Mariners’ success has also translated to a rise in civic pride and economic impact. “Whether you’ve been waiting since 2001 for this playoff berth or you’ve just joined the excitement of this historic season, the Mariners are the pride and joy of our region,” says King County council chair Girmay Zahilay, a 2024 Seattle magazine Most Influential honoree and candidate for King County executive. “Their success has filled our region with energy, uniting fans across backgrounds and generations and boosting our local economy as people pack into T-Mobile Park and surrounding neighborhoods to celebrate.”  

Cal Raleigh led the Mariners with a league-best 60 home runs and 125 runs batted in.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Mariners Facebook

The Mariners will host the winner of the wild card series between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians, starting this Saturday at T-Mobile Park.  

The Mariners are led by catcher Cal Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodriguez. Raleigh, a leading candidate for American League Most Valuable Player, was first in the league in home runs (60) and runs batted in (125), and finished second in runs scored (110) and walks (97). His 60 home runs shattered the records for most home runs by a catcher and most home runs by a switch hitter in MLB history. “Catcher is not the home run hitting position,” Berg says. “(Raleigh) has turned that around. It’s also the respect he commands and how he is taking care of everybody. He’s just, you know, he’s like the new folk hero. There is always a lot riding on Cal’s shoulders. He sets the tone for the team.” Raleigh does carry a lot on his shoulders and, according to former teammate Jarred Kelenic, on his backside too. That’s how he wound up with the nickname “The Big Dumper.” 

Rodriguez became the first Mariner in history to make the 30-30 club (hitting at least 30 home runs and stealing at least 30 bases) multiple seasons. The dynamic Rodriguez hit 32 home runs, stole 30 bases and drove in 95 runs. His .267 batting average is tops among Mariner regulars. Mid-season trades brought Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez, boosting an inconsistent offense hitting a pedestrian .244 for the season, ranking 20th out of 30 MLB teams. Of the post-season teams, only the Guardians are hitting for a lower team average, .226 to rank 29th during the regular season.  

Shortstop J.P. Crawford anchors the infield defense while hitting a respectable .265 with 12 home runs and 58 runs batted in. Leadoff hitter and left fielder Randy Arozarena has made the most of his .238 hitting average, leading the team in doubles (32), adding 27 home runs, stealing 31 bases, and scoring 95 runs. Designated hitter Jorge Polanco contributed a .265 average with 26 home runs and 78 runs batted in.  

Right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo (15-7 won-loss record during the regular season) leads a deep pitching staff. His 15 victories during the regular season ranks fourth in the American League, while his 2.94 earned run average ranks fifth in the league. Closer Andrés Muñoz saved 38 games during the regular season, second most in the American League.  

Much of the credit for the Mariners’ success this season goes to manager Dan Wilson and hitting coach Edgar Martinez, both former Mariners players. Wilson, a catcher, and Martinez, a third baseman and designated hitter, played on the 2001 record-setting team. They also played on the previous three Mariner playoff teams, 1995, 1997, and 2000.  

Tickets to the first two home games on Saturday and Sunday at T-Mobile Park, as well as tickets to game five at T-Mobile Park (if necessary) are available via SeatGeek, MLB’s official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace. They’re also available at Ticketmaster, VividSeats and StubHub. Should the Mariners advance to the American League Championship Series, tickets will be available on the Mariners website.  

For baseball fans looking to watch the games in the company of strangers, sports bar options around the region are plentiful. The Mariners will be hosting watch parties during away games, as well as other activities throughout the playoffs to enhance the post-season fan experience.  

So, where will you be watching?

The post Mariners Back in the Playoffs appeared first on Seattle magazine.

A pluralist cohort of hundreds of journalists from around the world gathered in Seattle this week for the AAJA convention, at a time when both pluralism and journalism are being attacked domestically. It’s the first time in more than a quarter-century that Seattle has hosted the convention. GeekWire, JoySauce, and Seattle magazine chairman Jonathan Sposato is among the change agents who addressed attendees.

In a twist on Back to the Future, this year’s convention is recognizing much of the AAJA history and foundation with a keen focus on the future of journalism and diversity.  

Seminal regional and national journalists Janice Gin, Curtiss Kim, and Lloyd La Cuesta were recognized during a ceremony Thursday night at The Edgewater Hotel. At the same time, local legends Lori Matsukawa, Ron Chew, and Frank Abe were feted at the Wing Luke Museum for founding the Seattle AAJA chapter 40 years ago and for their contributions to journalism and diversity.

Seattle magazine chairman Jonathan Sposato with ABC News journalist Juju Chang at the 2025 AAJA national convention in Seattle.

Photo by Emma Smith

Looking ahead to the future of media and communications, Sposato delivered his ambitious vision for JoySauce, the first all-Asian television network. Sposato aims to dismiss the myths and stereotypes of American Asian culture.  

He pointed to neglected Asian and Asian American consumers, saying there are currently no channels offering exclusively English-language, pan-Asian content for a potential audience with $2.2 trillion in spending power. For comparison, there are 28 channels with content catering to Black audiences and 41 for Latino audiences.  

“There is a way that we can exude our persona as Asian Americans that is a little bit more provocative, edgier, make some trouble, proudly embrace how amazingly different we are, how beautiful we are, how talented we are,” Sposato says, addressing the audience on Thursday night. “And so we actually spotlight — we purposely spotlight — a lot of these round pegs in the square holes.”

Sposato emphasized the importance of a diverse newsroom.

“For us Asian Americans who perhaps were born here or were at least raised here, to have something that we can look at that raises our visibility and that changes the conversation about us, because we’re owning the conversation, we are defining who we are. We’re defining what our story should be, and not having somebody else make those decisions.”

Sposato envisions JoySauce as the next Black Entertainment Television (BET), which sold to what is now Paramount for $3 billion in 2001.

“BET was a thing. And you would look at that and be like, wow, that’s so cool,” Sposato says. “So I want JoySauce to be that for some 12- or 13-year-old living here in the United States, to have someone, to have something that inspired you and say to yourself, ‘OK, that is what I want to be.’”

Journalist and activist Helen Zia shares Sposato’s vision for lifting Asian and Asian American voices through media. Zia, who has been advocating for social justice for more than four decades, concedes that change takes time.

“Social change is a gradual process,” Zia says. “It’s like a marathon, where rapid advancement is unsustainable and true progress unfolds over time.”

The post Back to the Future, Forward for AAJA appeared first on Seattle magazine.

Edison and Saxton’s restaurants are among nearly 100 eateries, cafes and hospitality businesses owned by proprietors identifying as LGBTQ+ on Intentionalist.com, giving plentiful options for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to celebrate Pride this weekend, culminating with PrideFest on Saturday on Capitol Hill and the Pride Parade down Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle to the Seattle Center on Sunday.

Seattleites are great at supporting their businesses of all flavors, LGBTQ included,” Edison says. “In the hospitality industry and in Seattle, it is value-added to be a small business operated by owners who identify as LGBTQ. Here in Seattle, it is not going to hurt you.”

Laura Clise, founder and CEO of Intentionalist.com, says allyship by heterosexual consumers is critical.

“Being an ally is about three things: awareness, education, and action,” says Clise, who identifies as lesbian. “Are you aware of the historical and present ways in which the community has been and is still the target of violence and discrimination? Are you intentional and proactive about staying informed? What are you doing to make a difference?”

Restaurants Celebrating Pride

• Brandon Barnatto, owner of Bar Cotto on Capitol Hill and Cotto Belltown, is bracing for a busy Pride Weekend. His Capitol Hill location, opening daily at 4 p.m., is mere blocks from Pride Fest activities on Broadway on Saturday and the Queer Pride Festival on Friday through Sunday on 11^th Avenue East between East Pike and East Pine streets. Tickets to the Queer Pride Festival range from $81.01 for single day general admission to $335.04 for three-day VIP passes.  Cotto Belltown, also open daily at 4 p.m., is two blocks off of Sunday’s Pride Parade route. It serves Sunday brunch starting at 10 a.m.
• The W Seattle, in the heart of the Pride Parade on Fourth Avenue, is hosting a parade pre-party from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. June. Tickets are $12.51 pm. An optional pride-themed brunch buffet is available for $44.52.
• Entrepreneur Kimfer Flanery-Rye, who identifies as queer, will open the second sports bar in Seattle specializing in women’s sports, Pitch the Baby, as late as next week. Rough & Tumble in Ballard, opened in December of 2022, is the first women’s sports-centric bar in Seattle.
• Danielle and Natasha Moser, partners in life and in the Eastlake special event space Imperia Lake Union, have been married since 2016. They bought the former Lake Union Cafe space in 2020 and have been hosting parties and events after a remodel in December of 2020, often two events a day. Imperia can cater seated dinners for up to 30 guests.

Natasha says that nearly 70 weddings are already booked this summer — about 20% of those weddings are couples identifying as LGBTQ+. Imperia is the only special events space in the Seattle area wholly owned by proprietors identifying as LGBTQ+ and certified by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

The Intentionalist is also featuring a drawing for tickets to sporting events for shoppers and diners spending money at LGBTQ+-owned businesses. To enter the drawing submit proof of purchase on the Intentionalist website. Among the recommended businesses is kombucha producer Seeking Ferments owned by Jeanette and Lyz Macias, partners in business and in life.

Raising Money

Many LGBTQ-owned businesses are also leveraging the Pride Month rush to fundraise for local organizations.

• Marination is dedicating proceeds from sales of popsicles to the Gender Justice League. The three flavors are inspired by the colors of the trans pride flag: pink (guava lemonade), blue (tropical blue raspberry) and white (coconut-lychee).
• At all five Tutta Bella locations serving alcohol, proceeds from the sale of their special French 75 in June will fund the GSBA Scholarship and Education Fund.
• Cafe Flora, The Flora Bakehouse and Floret at Sea-Tac International Airport are dedicating all proceeds from the sale of slices of their vegan rainbow layer cake and $1 from each cinnamon roll sold in June to Queer the Land, the GSBA Scholarship Fund and the Trans Justice Funding Project.
• Aluel Cellars donates proceeds from sales year-around of “The Scholar” Red wine ($25 a bottle) to the Greater Seattle Business Association Scholarship and Education Fund supporting “rising LGBTQ+ and allied leaders in Washington State.” The wine is available at all three Aluel tasting rooms on Capitol Hill, Queen Anne and Ballard.
• Every Ethan Stowell Restaurant features pride cocktails, with a portion of the proceeds dedicated to Gay City in Western Washington, Spectrum Center Spokane, and The Community Center in Boise.

The post The Flavors of Pride Across Seattle appeared first on Seattle magazine.

Asparagus is low in sugar and high in fiber, Vitamins A, C and K, and antioxidants, says Washington Asparagus Commission Executive Director and Pasco farmer Alan Schreiber.

“It is generally one of the most healthy things you can eat,” Schreiber says emphatically.

Washington is the largest grower of asparagus in the country. Furthermore, local chefs and farmers contend that locally grown asparagus is some of the best, if not the best, in the world, particularly at this time of the year. Asparagus harvest runs from late March through June. Some farmers pick asparagus as late as August.

Daniel Mallahan, chef and owner of Driftwood on Alki Beach, obsesses over sourcing local ingredients, in his case asparagus from Canales Produce, a tiny 15-acre farm in Concrete, Wash., owned by Mannie Canales.

“(He) grows some of the most consistent product that I’ve ever gotten,” Mallahan says. “At the beginning of the season, they are going to be young and tender. As you move into the season, that’s when you are going to have the accumulation of sugars and flavor.”

Mallahan grills it and serves it with goat’s milk, Chèvre spuma, fermented green garlic, pickled asparagus relish and Coppa made from the fatty Mangalitsa pig ($22). He is now working with Canales to grow white asparagus (green asparagus that is buried to retain a pale color) by next year.

Asparagus is versatile and can be served as a starter, an accompaniment to an entree, as a garnish on drinks and even as a dessert.

“When asparagus is ready, we put it on everything,” Pike Place Market’s Cafe Campagne chef and owner Daisley Gordon told Washington Grown (a program that promotes the state’s food and agricultural industry) in 2019. Gordon will feature an asparagus ice cream starting this week.

Schreiber recommends an asparagus cake made in the style of carrot cake, substituting asparagus for the carrots.

All locations of Duke’s Seafood serve its Famous Bloody Mary’s with two jumbo prawns and an asparagus garnish. The refreshing and hearty drink is made with Dimitri’s Bloody Mary mix.

For more traditional applications, restaurants such as Spinasse, helmed by chef Stuart Lane, serves sauteed asparagus with pea vines and basil pesto as a side dish. At its adjacent cocktail bar, Artusi, Lane serves cavatelli with asparagus, garlic & bacon as one of the pasta options.

Nathan Lockwood, chef and owner of Altura and Carrello (both on Broadway on Capitol Hill), grows two kinds of asparagus at his home garden in Shoreline. At Altura, Lockwood serves a white asparagus panna cotta with caviar as a starter, and also serves asparagus on the side of a rack of lamb entree. The asparagus ravioli is a favorite of regulars at Carrello.

“(Asparagus) is one of the first things that comes up after the winter time,” Lockwood says of the anticipation of the harvest. “We’ve been waiting for four or five months for something green to come.”

At the casual but no less gourmet and elegant Sunny Hill in Crown Hill — specializing in Detroit-style pizzas — asparagus is prepared with chickpea, pimento and preserved lemon as a shared starter.

Mutsuko Soma at Kamonegi in Wallingford gives asparagus a Japanese treatment, perfecting a crispy, toothsome, salty and delicious asparagus tempura that is served with saltwater eel, seaweed vinaigrette and seaweed salt that awakens the senses.

For home cooks, Schreiber recommends shopping for asparagus with thicker stalks and deep colors, green or purple. Chefs including Lane and Lockwood prefer the local asparagus for its quality and freshness. Many of the asparagus grown out of state and out of the country take a month to arrive in Washington after being harvested, losing moisture and flavor.

“The stuff we grow looks better and tastes better,” Schreiber says. “What we do know is that the closer to the time it has been picked to when it is consumed, the more nutritious it is. It is not rocket science that the fresher it is, the better it is.”

Asparagus is notoriously difficult to pair with wine. Wine professionals such as Advanced Sommelier Christopher Chan, executive director of the Washington Wine Guild and founder of the Seattle Wine Awards and the Oregon Wine Awards, recommends some local wines to pair with asparagus.

In particular, he touts the minerally and dry 2024 W.T. Vintners Underwood Mountain Grüner Veltliner or the bright and juicy 2024 Walla Walla Vintners Les Collines Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. For red wine drinkers, Chan recommends the 2020 Savage Grace Copeland Vineyard Cabernet Franc.

The post Stalk Market appeared first on Seattle magazine.

It was unique, however, in one distinct manner. After a search that stretched nationally to New York and internationally as far away as Sri Lanka, Canlis promoted from within to appoint their newest head chef.

James Huffman, until recently the restaurant’s executive sous chef (interim head chef during the search), was promoted to head chef last week, the storied restaurant announced on Wednesday. Huffman, who grew up in Lake Forest Park, says he intends to focus on local ingredients in leading the Canlis kitchen, celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year.

The search drew more than 60 finalists who were narrowed to about a dozen by early spring, says Mark Canlis, the third-generation leader of the Queen Anne restaurant.

“James was surrounded by great candidates, far more than we’ve ever had before,” Canlis says. “It just came down to having a local guy who knows our guests and our team. James gets Canlis, he gets Seattle. Not only did he grow up in this region, he grew up in this restaurant.”

Huffman has hit the ground running, installing a seasonal menu while the restaurant was searching for its new culinary leader. Huffman created six of the nine dishes on the current $180-per-person, three-course menu.

Huffman was initially hired by then head chef Brady Williams — one of Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential people in 2023 — nine years ago, and steadily rose through the ranks through the tenure of Williams’ successor, Aisha Ibrahim. Prior to Canlis, Huffman worked at Cafe Juanita in Kirkland and Purple Cafe, also in Kirkland. His first restaurant job was at Kidd Valley when he was 16.

“He was trained by a few of the best chefs in the business,” Mark Canlis says. “(Cafe Juanita chef and owner) Holly (Smith) is a legend. Brady and Aisha were champions for us. He’s more than ready. It felt time to let him shine.”

Earlier this week, the Canlis team bid farewell to Brian Canlis, part of the third generation to run the restaurant. Mark is now joined by his wife, Anne Marie Canlis, on the executive team. The couple are raising three children in addition to running the restaurant.

“She’s been a secret weapon for me for years,” Mark says of Anne Marie. “Now Canlis gets to see why our kids turned out so well.”

The post New Canlis Head Chef Comes From Within appeared first on Seattle magazine.

Panda Fest, one of the largest Asian food festivals in the country, is coming to Seattle for the first time from June 6-8 at Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion. The weekend-long festivities will feature more than 70 food vendors and more than 15 merchandise booths and live performers.

Panda Fest Seattle is on its fourth stop of a five-city tour with more destinations to come. Previous stops were in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Boston. The festival is coming to Minneapolis in July.

The Panda Fest tour was born out of Dragon Fest in New York, founded by Biubiu Xu in 2024. Dragon Fest was created to celebrate Chinese culture. Panda Fest has expanded to promote pan Asian culture. Many of the featured food vendors are from Florida and New York, where Xu is currently based.

Timed-entry tickets are available for Friday, June 6 (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.), Saturday, June 7 (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday, June 8 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) General admission and VIP tickets are $17.87 and $40.08, respectively. VIP guests will have access to private areas, special bars and bathrooms. Cost for food and drinks is additional and range between $8 and $25, according to organizers. A whole grilled squid on a stick for $25 has been a popular item at previous Panda Fest stops.

Mr. Okonomiyaki will serve its namesake dish, a traditional Japanese savory pancake made with wheat flour, cabbage and scallions. Dumpling King from New York will serve five types of dumplings (beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, vegetarian) in their iconic colorful shells. Karl’s Balls, also from New York, will serve its seminal and signature Takoyaki — traditional Japanese flour balls usually served with octopus.

For traditional Sichuan noodles, All Dat Dumpling is preparing its spicy Dan Dan Noodles with its signature sauce.

Another New York vendor, East Village confectionary Hello, Yam!, will feature its famous sweet potato dish that promotes heart health and is low on the glycemic index. For more desserts, the traditional fruit coated in sugar dessert snack on a stick — Tanghulu, made by Chan Bai Mei — finishes with a mouth-watering tang that keeps guests with a sweet tooth craving more.

New York-based Soft Bite made soufflé pancakes famous in the United States (or, is it the other way around?) and will be available at Panda Fest. Similar pancakes are available year-round at Setsuko Pastry in Phinney Ridge or Hiroki in Wallingford.

For a more local flavor, Sumner- based Mila will serve a variety of dumplings. If you can’t make it to Panda Fest, a variety of Mila’s dumplings are available to order online or at select Metropolitan Markets, QFC, Fred Meyer, Whole Foods, Safeway and Town & Country Ballard.

The post It’s Pandamonium as Panda Fest Hits Seattle appeared first on Seattle magazine.

Consider that Harbor City closed in February after 37 years in business. Shanghai Garden, opened in 1990, will close at the end of May. Late night hangout Ho Ho Seafood, opened in 1987, closed last October.

Happy Food gained popular and critical acclaim when it opened last year but it closed in January in Little Saigon.

“We believe that safeguarding, celebrating and spending money in support of small businesses around Chinatown, Japantown and Little Saigon, is everyone’s responsibility, not just the local business owners’,” says Clise, a 2020 Seattle Magazine “Most Influential” selection. “In recognition of the unique place they occupy culturally in the city, we need to be more intentional about supporting and promoting these businesses.”

Clise is the founder and CEO of Intentionalist, the website that promotes local small businesses of diverse ownership. With Amplify, Clise is looking to sustainably support small businesses by providing promotional and marketing support, including professional photography and other marketing assets.

“It is hard to amplify CID businesses without access to good images and information,” Clise says. “Digital marketing and communication has really become essential. It’s more important than ever. For a number of reasons many CID businesses don’t have the bandwidth, the resources to build those muscles. They are in survival mode.”

Starting May 17, the AMPLIFY: Chinatown-International District Small Business Pass, presented by the Asian American Foundation, will feature special offers and discounts at participating businesses that is subsidized by the Asian American Foundation. To register go to the Amplify page.

Intentionalist collaborated with the Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Association and Friends of Little Saigon to select the featured 35 small businesses throughout the neighborhood.

“This isn’t just another ‘shop local’ campaign,” Intentionalist said in a statement. “We’re seeding relationships and providing tangible resources.”

The post Support Local, Savor Global Right Here in Seattle appeared first on Seattle magazine.

The festival kicked off Thursday night at The Paramount Theatre with a gala party and screening of Four Mothers, a comedy about a gay young adult novelist who looks after four aging women. The film is co-produced by Celine Haddad and Niamh Fagan, along with Philip Prettejohn.

SIFF runs through Sunday, May 25 at several locations, including AMC Pacific Place, SIFF Cinema Downtown (formerly Cinerama), SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Film Center, Shoreline Community College, the Museum of History & Industry and online at watch.siff.net. Single tickets, six-ticket packs, full festival passes and special event tickets are for sale online.

The festival is truly international. Altogether, SIFF will feature 245 films from 74 countries and regions around the world in 63 languages. They include 83 features, 122 short films, 35 documentaries, three archival features and two secret films. Of the total, 19 are world premieres and 27 are North American premieres. Sixty percent of the feature films are from first- or second-time filmmakers, and 73% of films don’t currently have U.S. distribution.

“The 51st Festival is really focused on the international and independent films that are true discoveries, films that may not come back through Seattle on the big screen,” says Beth Barrett, SIFF artistic director. “These stories deserve to be seen in community, and speak to how film makes lives better.”

SIFF Executive Director Tom Mara emphasized the importance of bringing the world of film to Seattle.

“Now more than ever it’s important to come together and witness the films from international filmmakers,” Mara says. “Experiencing their stories can lead to greater understanding and empathy.”

By Design starring Juliette Lewis, will screen at SIFF Cinema Downtown May 20 and 21. A self-described “man-loving feminist,” Lewis has advocated for women and girls for decades.

“I want girls to start thinking about what they have to say, what do they have to contribute to their families, to other people, to society,” Lewis told The Guardian in 2008.

Local women also make their mark in the festival. Of the 18 festival programmers selecting the films, 11 are women, led by Barrett who in 2017 became the first female artistic director at SIFF and is one of only a handful of women to lead a major film festival in the country.

Other programmers include Tracy Rector, who since 2006 has led what today is known as cINeDIGENOUS, a series of films by indigenous filmmakers from around the world. Megan Leonard, Justine Barda and Hebe Tabachnik are senior programmers who each have more than a decade of experience selecting films for the festival.

Shelly’s Leg, a film from Mercer Island resident Eliza Flug, is among the films featured at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Courtesy of SIFF

Local women filmmakers also play a leading role. Mercer Island’s Eliza Flug’s film Shelly’s Leg (narrated by Kathleen Turner) and View from the Floor (directed by Megan Griffiths and narrated by Mindie Lind) will be featured during the Sound Visions screening May 22 at SIFF Cinema Uptown. For more local filmmaking, go to Northwest connections.

“SIFF is a really independent festival,” Flug says. “It is free from politics. It is free from ‘my best buddy has this and my best friend has this.’ It is not commercial. It is about the artist. They dig deeper. Seattle and Seattleites love their books, their coffee and their movies.”

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That includes Hotel 1000 Director of Food and Beverage Victoria Fox, mother of a 5-year-old boy, who will work on Mother’s Day this Sunday to ensure other mothers rejoice on their special day.

“Mother’s Day is intended to be for the mom. It is an opportunity for moms to see their accomplishments,” Fox says. “They get to see their family in a Christmas-type of holiday. You get to see your kids when they are dressed their best and they are in their best behavior.”

Mother’s Day is the second-busiest dining out day, second only to Valentine’s Day. This year, hospitality professionals around downtown Seattle will tackle the trifecta of Mother’s Day, cruise ship visitors and a Seattle Mariners home game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hotel 1000 is an urban oasis, and is within walking distance to tourist attractions including Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Westlake Park and Pioneer Square, as well as numerous museums and theaters. The property features a craft cocktail bar (Rosebay), a restaurant (All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar), a full-service spa, fitness center, seven event spaces (including a boardroom and an all-weather greenhouse terrace) and a golf simulator.

The Spa at Hotel 1000 is offering several Mother’s Day specials, as well as pet-friendly services.  Hotel 1000 is one of only three properties in the Seattle area to receive a Michelin Key, the hotel equivalent of the Michelin restaurant guide. The amenities translate to the quintessential staycation to pamper mom.  The Lotte Hotel and The Lodge at St. Edwards Park are the others.

There are many other options to celebrate moms. Here are some of our favorites:

• Walla Walla Steak Co. in Woodinville.
• Various Ethan Stowell Restaurants.
• Ray’s.
• The Sorrento Hotel.
• Cafe Flora.
• Duke’s.
• Six Seven Restaurant at the Edgewater Hotel.
• Elliott’s Oyster House on Pier 56.
• The Restaurant at Salish Lodge & Spa.
• Centrally located in Woodinville wine country, Willows Lodge offers multiple dining options. For couples looking to splurge on nine courses of haute cuisine, The Herbfarm is steps away, offering the finest of fine dining in the Seattle area.
• The Woodmark in Kirkland offers four dining options on its Carillon Point campus: Carillon Kitchen, El Encanto, Le Grand Bistro and Como. Each is distinct. The Woodmark is also offering a “Celebrate Mom” package throughout May.
• Goldfinch at the Four Seasons in downtown Seattle will serve a three-course Mother’s Day brunch, including an appetizer buffet, a dessert buffet and choice of an entrée. The Four Seasons spa is also offering a Mother’s Day special all month long on an exfoliating treatment, and also features a floral arrangement seminar for moms and families, Mommy and Me Floral Workshop with Leah Erickson on Saturday, May 10.
• The Fairmont Olympic is offering 20% off accommodations for staycationers through the end of the year, and is also promoting the “Romance in the Emerald City” package offering a 10% discount on accommodations, sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries on arrival, a $50 credit toward a spa treatment, complimentary valet parking and late checkout.
• The Inn at the Market offers special packages year-round, several which are fitting for moms on Mother’s Day. Most include dining credits at a neighboring restaurant, including Café Campagne and Bacco Café. Sushi Kashibais also conveniently across the courtyard from the Inn.
• Stoneburner, in the lobby of the Hotel Ballard, features full brunch service from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Hotel guests have privileges to the Olympic Athletic Club across the street from the Old Ballard boutique hotel. Guests can also book appointments at the affiliated Olympic Spafor) at an additional cost.
• Before or after brunch shop the stalls at the Sunday Ballard Farmers Market (one of the city’s most popular) right outside Hotel Ballard from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn is serving Mother’s Day brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Its not-quite-1-year-old Labcebut Spa offers a full complement of spa services.

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