Well, Karuna Long is nothing if not resilient. 

Since buying Oliver’s Twist, a neighborhoody Phinney Ridge cocktail spot, in 2017, he and his crew have faced a string of setbacks that would have knocked just about any other new restaurant owner out for the count. 

First, it was COVID tribulations, like everyone else in the restaurant industry, and the resultant staffing issues, like everyone. Then he got pushback from some in Phinney Ridge for his sidewalk seating, along with major grief for requiring vax cards after other restaurants had dropped the restriction. Amid long closures and inconsistent hours, he stayed in the game. 

But the biggest issue with Oliver’s Twist, since the very start, has been the kitchen. 

NEW OPENINGS

Bapshim by Wero
Wes Yoo, who bought the Ballard cocktail bar The Gerald in 2018, reconnected with his love of Korean comfort food in 2020 during the advent of the pandemic. Inspired by the food he ate growing up in Seoul, he started a popular Korean takeout pop-up, then reopened the Gerald as Wero, a spot serving modern Korean food and cocktails, last March. Now, Yoo is debuting a new concept: Bapshim by Wero, a fast-casual lunch service serving customizable Korean rice bowls. Named for a Korean word that translates to "rice power," the business offers proteins like bulgogi ribeye and spicy pork. Bapshim is now available for takeout and delivery and is slated to open for dine-in within the next month.
Ballard
Pickup, delivery

We've partnered with the Motley Zoo Animal Rescue to SAVE ALL THE DOGS! Or, at least try to help a bunch of pups find their forever homes. Every month we'll feature a new pup who's available for adoption. Learn more about what Motley Zoo does here.

This month's pup is Carole Bradshaw, a super sweet 2-year-old husky mix. (Yes, she's named after Meg Ryan's character in Top Gun!) She and her littermates were born in Mexico under a car and they were transported to Motley Zoo Animal Rescue when they were still puppies. All of her siblings have been adopted, so obviously it's time to get Carole into a good forever home, too! 

Some fun facts about Carole: 

FRIDAY

FILM

The Last of Sheila in 35mm
If you dug the Agatha Christie-esque quirks of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, check out this cinematic predecessor, which was co-written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins (yes, that one). The Last of Sheila, which Roger Ebert called "a devilishly complicated thriller of superior class," follows a gaggle of mysterious acquaintances (including siren Raquel Welch, RIP) as they chill on a yacht and try to determine which one murdered a Hollywood gossip columnist. Juicy!
(Grand Illusion, University District, $5-$11)

NPR layoffs: National Public Radio did a big round of layoffs. The tote-bag-clad, sultry-monotoned folks over at NPR haven't been able to close a $30 million budget gap. So, layoffs. The powers that be cut four shows, including (gasp) Invisibilia, Louder Than a Riot and Rough Translation, shows that appealed to younger and more-diverse audiences. In total, NPR plans to lay off over 100 staffers. This is the largest NPR layoff since 2008.

Blooms tied to economic boon: In Japan, cherry blossom tourism creates $4.7 billion in economic activity. That means a lot of pressure goes to the guy responsible for predicting when the blossoms will bloom. Predicting blooms means collecting temperature models year-round and plugging them into computer models. This is an entire job in Japan, and it's highly competitive and incredibly difficult. Tracking the peak bloom—which lasts only a week—is tricky, especially with climate change putting everything on the fritz.

Bumbershoot, Capitol Hill Block Party, Day In Day Out, Belltown Bloom... Seattle is silly with spring and summer music festivals, and each one brings with it its own impressive list of performers.

Timber! Outdoor Music Festival is different. It was started by Artist Home founder Kevin Sur in 2013, just a few years after Artist Home co-founded Doe Bay Fest, another popular, outdoor, nature-forward festival experience. While most of today’s local music festivals take place in the city—hot blacktop, little shade, lots of crowds—Timber! lives about 45 minutes outside of town in Carnation, WA. The bucolic surroundings are as much a part of the experience as the bands, which this year include Jeff Tweedy, the King Khan & BBQ Show, Black Belt Eagle Scout, and Guerilla Toss, among others.

Billboard-charting rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie will stop in Seattle to support his latest album Me Vs. Myself. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier will take you to church on his Unreal Unearth tour this coming fall. This summer in Auburn, The Offspring will team up with Simple Plan and Sum 41 for a nostalgic punk show to remember. Plus, Bumbershoot is back after a three-year hiatus with headliners including Sleater-Kinney, Sunny Day Real Estate, Phantogram, and Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 24

MUSIC

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie: Me Vs. Myself Tour
WaMu Theater (Fri June 9)

An Evening With Steve Hackett
Moore Theatre (Thurs Nov 9)

Bryson Tiller
Showbox SoDo (June 13-14)

“I think it’s almost too meta to cry in H Mart now,” said Michelle Zauner, author of memoir Crying in H Mart and lead vocalist of indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. 

Released in April 2021, Crying in H Mart tells the story of Zauner growing up in Eugene with a Korean immigrant mother whose love manifested in unyielding expectations, knife-like criticism, and the most delicious and attentively-prepared meals. In her mother’s final months with pancreatic cancer, Zauner once again used food to show love and process grief. 

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

SCW Kickoff Party: Mountaineering Club x Hey Love PDX
Enjoy drinks from Portland's stylish '70s-inspired lounge Hey Love—minus the road trip. The award-winning tropical cocktail bar will take over the Mountaineering Club to sling "Illegal Mezcal-laced delights," while its resident DJ Hanukkah Miracle will spin and the plant shop Glasswing will shroud the scene in a verdant "disco plantscape." Bonus: You'll get to feast your eyes on the sunset from the vantage point of the Mountaineering Club's lofty rooftop.
Mountaineering Club, 6-10 pm

Milk Bar has finally come to Washington!

For years, brilliant dessert maker Christina Tosi has been scattering her Cereal Milk-soft-serve-serving Milk Bars across North America. It started as a small, innovative dessert shop next to David Chang's Momofuku in New York City and has expanded to include more than eight New York locations with shops in Washington DC, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, too.

Seattle would get teased with the occasional pop-up, but that just made the longing grow stronger. Finally, Tosi has responded to our butterfat signals—today is the grand opening of Milk Bar's dessert counter in Nordstrom at the Bellevue Square Mall. Is it weird to walk through Nordstrom's dress department to get some top-notch soft-serve? Yup! You should do it anyway.

At a public hearing on Tuesday, criminal justice advocates urged the King County Council to vote ‘no’ on a measure to send county inmates to a regional jail in Des Moines, WA. 

The council postponed consideration of the bill until its next meeting. If approved, the County could send at least 50 people to the regional South Correctional Entity, also known as SCORE. However, the council mentioned that King County Executive Dow Constantine said he may want to send as many as 150 people to the Des Moines jail. 

You've probably never heard of them: Bumbershoot is trying to recapture its roots in its 2023 lineup, and they kind of nailed it, according to The Stranger's Megan Seling. Sleater-Kinney, Brittany Howard, and Band of Horses rank among the "Oh, thems." The Screaming Females and Bomba Estéreo fall into the "who?" category for me. I got a parking ticket yesterday, and a single-day pass to Bumbershoot now is only about $20 more than the ticket. In this time of customizable Dick's cheeseburgers and $44 parking tickets, honestly, the new "affordable" Bumbershoot is welcome.  

Washington hospitals lose another $500 million in 2022: But most importantly, Washington hospitals get 60% to 80% of their funding from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, according to an article in the Seattle Times. Keep that tidbit handy the next time someone argues about Medicare for all. We. Are. Already. SPENDING. THE. MONEY. 

Bumbershoot's music lineup is here! With a good mix of long-beloved headliners and local up-and-coming acts, it definitely tracks with organizers' hope to celebrate Pacific Northwest art while delivering a little something for everyone.

Headliners include some of the original Olympia riot grrls Sleater-Kinney, electronic producer Zhu, '90s Bay Area punks Jawbreaker, goth punks AFI, Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard, dance DJ pioneer Fatboy Slim, emo-leaning indie rockers Sunny Day Real Estate, electro-leaning rockers Phantogram, and New Orleans eight-piece roots rock band the Revivalists (I am unfamiliar, I saw suspenders in a promo photo, but I'll keep an open mind).

Chocolati
The Greenwood location of the local cafe chain is taking advantage of the moment with "The Latte of Us," an eight-ounce latte with maple syrup, almond syrup, cordyceps powder, and eye-catching edible glitter, served with a chocolate "breakfast truffle." (Breakfast truffles should be a more widespread phenomenon, if you ask us.) The special will be available through the end of March, but don't dilly-dally: The business warns that the limited-time offering may turn "into a clicky boi" at the end of its run.
Greenwood
Pickup, dine-in