Baker's
Baker's luxurious "eggnog riot" is a far cry from your average carton of Darigold—it's got Urupan rum, Lustau Oloroso sherry, and Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac for a truly heady, aromatic blend. Order it by the glass at the bar, or purchase bottles (16 oz or 32 oz) to take home.
Ballard

WEDNESDAY 12/4  

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat 

(FILM) Nothing in Johan Grimonprez's superb Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat should surprise us. This is the old and very cold heart of the United States of America. This is how it has maintained power and made its super-rich needlessly richer and richer. It wasn't soft power but brute force. The documentary examines the months in 1960 that led to the assassination of Congo's first democratically elected and pro-Black unity leader, Patrice Lumumba. The CIA and President Dwight D. Eisenhower didn't even try to hide the fact that they wanted Lumumba dead and to replace him with a man who would become one of the top villains of the 20th century, Mobutu Sese Seko. The CIA used jazz, guns, money, and espionage to maintain its grip on the resource-rich African country. The doc's ending will break your heart. The great jazz singer and political activist Abbey Lincoln wails for the fallen. When will the suffering end? When will Black people finally be free? We need to see films like this to be reminded of the fact that Donald Trump did not emerge from a vacuum. America First has always and only meant American Money First. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, $14) CHARLES MUDEDE

You broke into our storage unit, you thieving asshole. You didn't bother with the rolled-up rug or furniture we couldn't fit in our cramped house, the stuff that might have some pawn value. No, you chose to steal what has value to only us. You stole our Christmas: Our decorations, our photos, our lights, even our damn Christmas tree!

But the most painful loss is the ornaments: The ones from my parents and family I've received since I was born, the ones I gave my husband over the past decade we've been together, and even my two-year-old's small collection, including a homemade one of his tiny baby handprint. You stole our family's memories, our holiday joy.

Weather: A dense fog warning from the National Weather Service is in effect until the sun breaks through around 10 am. Look both ways when you cross the street, and use low beams if you’re driving. Today, expect a high around 45 degrees, and a low of 35 degrees tonight. Thursday’s cloudy and Friday brings a 30 percent chance of rain, increasing to 80 percent in the evening ahead of a wet weekend.

🌫️ Dense fog and areas of freezing fog have developed around the Puget Sound once again this morning. Be sure to slow down, use your low beams, and give yourself plenty of time on the road. #WAwx pic.twitter.com/ftcJvlVeFM

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) December 4, 2024

Tammy Morales resigns from Seattle City Council: Morales, who defeated Tanya Woo won re-election to her seat last year, is resigning effective January 6th. Morales announced her resignation two days after Alexis Mercedes Rinck was sworn in. Morales said the "hostile" culture of this council caused her “mental and physical well-being to deteriorate." This dashes hopes for starting the year with two progressives on the Council. 

Council Member Tammy Morales has resigned from her position, citing a laundry list of incidents in which her colleagues eroded the City’s checks and balances and undermined her work as a lawmaker. She will leave the position January 6.

The 11 months she spent with the new conservative majority caused her “mental and physical well-being to deteriorate,” she said in a statement this morning. In an interview with The Stranger last week, before she shared her decision to step down, Morales said the Seattle City Council has created a “hostile,” “toxic work environment” and with a new, political minority member joining the body, it's time they face it—if not for their colleagues than for their constituents.

Columbia City resident and lawyer Rory O’Sullivan, who has spent his career fighting landlords, bankers, and the pesky bureaucrats standing between you and your unemployment benefits, announced his candidacy for Seattle City Attorney on Wednesday. O’Sullivan’s the first candidate to throw his hat in the ring for the position currently held by Republican City Attorney Ann Davison.

O’Sullivan’s worked in multiple legal aid firms in Seattle, including The Northwest Justice Project, Housing Justice Project, and he now runs his own law firm, Washington Employment Benefits Advocates, which helps people navigate unemployment insurance issues. In 2003, he founded Washington Public Campaigns, which became Fix Democracy First, an organization that helped overturn the state law preventing public funding for elections and paved the way for Seattle’s democracy voucher program. The common theme in O’Sullivan’s life seems to be evening the playing field between people who have everything and people who have nothing. He wants to bring that philosophy to the City Attorney’s Office.

1. What’s the sexiest holiday food to eat off someone’s body?

While food can be sensuous, you don’t eat food off someone’s body unless you’re fucking or about to fuck… and fucking on a full stomach is uncomfortable, which is why I’m always urging people to #FuckFirst” on Valentine’s Day (and their wedding days, birthdays, anniversaries), and fucking on a slowly filling stomach really isn’t much better.

Like many people, I made the mistake of incorporating food into foreplay when I first became sexually active. Putting whipped cream on our tits made me and my first boyfriend feel like we were doing something naughty and sophisticated without either of us having to make ourselves vulnerable, e.g., without either of us having to open up about our actual kinks. And as we both quickly learned, whipped cream quickly liquifies as it rises to body temperature, and then you look and smell like an infant barfed all over you — which is not something anyone you wanna fuck could find sexy.

It only takes one bite of Shikorina Bakeshop’s berbere caramel cookie to realize you’ve stumbled upon something truly special. The shop’s baker and owner, Hana Yohannes, employs the Ethiopian spice blend berbere, a feisty, smoky mix that varies from recipe to recipe but commonly includes chili, fenugreek, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and other ingredients to make for a slightly bitter, earthy flavor that’s the perfect foil for the fudgy ribbons of caramel encased in a chewy cookie. 

Dense fog continues: People will deal with pockets of fog between 8 am and 10 am, which can be especially dangerous for drivers and the National Weather Service recommends delaying travel where possible. Pedestrians, I know it shouldn't be your responsibility to look out for multi-ton metal vehicles, but maybe take extra precaution crossing the street in this weather. Otherwise, go enjoy the horror movie vibes out there today everyone! High of 44 degrees later today, and the fog should burn off by mid-morning.

Rejected Rankin recall: On Monday, a King County Superior Court Judge threw out an attempt to recall Seattle Public School Board President Liza Ranking, ruling the recall "lacks legal and factual sufficiency," according to the Seattle Times. The recall effort spearheaded by five parents, in part, tried to hold Rankin solely responsible for the district not meeting its academic goals. The judge called this out as dangerous, especially blaming a single director for a broad failure "without citing specific acts of misfeasance, malfeasance, or a violation of the oath of office." It feels good to read that because literally every time I argue with some of the recall backers, I feel like pulling out my hair trying to make them stick to factual examples—it always feels like their arguments are, in actuality, very petty, targeted dislikes of Rankin personally. 

On Black Friday, a group of 30 to 40 activists staged a disruptive protest at the University Village Apple Store, targeting Apple’s relationship to human rights abuses in Gaza and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Organized by Apples Against Apartheid, the protest aimed to disrupt one of the busiest shopping days of the year and confront Apple over its supply chain practices and business ties.

“We're targeting it because it's the largest Apple Store in the city and it is a flagship, and we hope to shut down business as usual,” said Tariq Raouf, a lead organizer. “Apple has ignored both the Palestinian and Congolese communities when they have begged them to acknowledge their suffering, so we are bringing their suffering to Apple's front step.”

The demonstration unfolded in stages: first, activists outside unfurled a banner and began chanting while “customers” inside revealed themselves as activists, and laid on the ground, covering themselves with “bloody” sheets. Then three activists, including Raouf, locked themselves together around a table. 

In response, Apple employees demanded photographers cease taking photos and customers were asked to leave. Shortly after, the store’s employees also exited. Even the approximately 30 Seattle Police who were called in to monitor the scene eventually left. The final three activists, who had locked themselves together, simply stood up and walked out. The Apple store was closed for the rest of the day—on the biggest shopping day of the year.

The demonstration’s focus was twofold: the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Raouf pointed to reports that Apple’s supply chain in Congo benefits from exploitative practices like child and slave labor. 

Apple’s role in Israel’s occupation of Gaza was also a focus. Employees have alleged that through their employee donation match program, Apple has given money to Friends of the IDF and far-right settler organizations. 

Raouf, a Palestinian American, expressed deep frustration. “I have tried, for months, to plead with Apple to recognize my family's suffering. I have emailed executives, requested meetings with them, sent them messages on Slack, had community meetings where we were all telling them what we needed, and still Apple has done nothing. “

Flowers, a media representative for the group, stressed the importance of collective action. “We’re not okay with people who fund genocide. We’re not okay with people who fund child labor. We want to show over and over again that at the end of the day, people have the ability to stand up and say no to these big corporations.”

An onlooker who asked not to be named, but described herself as an Israeli Jewish woman, witnessed the protest and expressed shock. “I actually stopped by because I was shocked a brand like Apple is allowing this,” she said. “Law enforcement actually is there, I saw maybe 20 of them, and they are not doing anything to stop this.”

As the activists left the store without incident, Raouf’s final words echoed the group’s resolve. “They have to recognize there is a consequence,” Raouf said as the group left the store. “If no one else was going to do it, it is up to us.”

Every day, I sift through the hundreds of tracks that bombard my inbox. On a biweekly basis, I tell you about the two artists whose music most impressed me. This time it's Anglo-Japanese surf-rock alchemists the Routes and earthy and airy Seattle synth-pop trio Mt Fog.

The Routes, "She's Lost Control" (Topsy-Turvy Records)

The Routes have this one special trick, and it works pretty well. The Anglo-Japanese band cover songs by cult-favorite bands in a surf-rock style—with no vocals and mucho twang. So far in this series of tubular homages, they've pulled off interesting renovations of well-known tunes by German electronic-music pioneers Kraftwerk (2022's The Twang Machine) and British pop-punk deities the Buzzcocks (2023's Reverberation Addict). Spoiler alert: the rendition of "The Robots" sounds anything but robotic; the repaved "Autobahn" motors down the same lane that Chuck Berry and early Beach Boys once did. 

The Buzzcocks stunt didn’t come off as well as the Kraftwerk release, because the British punks' music isn't different enough to lend the Routes' revamps the advantage of surprise. But what the Routes did excel at is boldfacing these songs' melodic strength through their vocal-free, stripped-down interpretations. 

Birthday Cake

Lowrider Baking Company

I would never typically choose to eat a sugar cookie rolled in rainbow sprinkles (I am more of a salted chocolate chip cookie type of girl) but Lowrider’s Birthday Cake cookie has me questioning my identity. The rainbow-speckled sugar cookie—which is about the size and thickness of a hockey puck—doesn’t taste like the saccharine Funfetti monstrosity at a child’s birthday party. Rather it’s rich, buttery, and doughy, with a hint of almond extract. If you grew up eating Pillsbury Shape Sugar Cookies, consider Lowrider’s Birthday Cake flavor an upscale version. The cookies themselves are also pretty enough to stick a birthday candle in and make a wish. I wish for more cookies.

The first week of the last month of the year is starting out strong, with top-notch events from Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour to Robin Pecknold from Fleet Foxes and from The Stranger's Holiday Drink Week to Urban Craft Uprising's Winter Show. For a look at the month ahead, check out our December events guide.

MONDAY

READINGS & TALKS

Author Talk and Demo with Pim Pauline Overgaard for Aebleskiver
If you're not already familiar with æbleskiver, allow me to introduce you—these delightfully buttery, puffy, roly-poly pancake balls are a prized Danish delicacy, cooked in a special cast-iron pan and often served at special gatherings. Half-Swedish, half-Norwegian author Pim Pauline Overgaard is here to give the traditional treat a modern twist in her new cookbook, which presents over 70 varieties, from savory (ricotta salata with grilled corn) to sweet (white chocolate hazelnut with sweet beet ice cream and candied beet chips). Pim will drop by Book Larder to do a cooking demo, Q&A, and book signing, so you too can become an æbleskiver aficionado. JULIANNE BELL
(Book Larder, Fremont)

Five missing in capsized vessel: On Sunday, the US Coast Guard received a mayday call from the Wind Walker, a fishing vessel off the southwest coast of Juneau, Alaska. The ship reportedly capsized due to rough weather with five people on board. Rescue crews faced "heavy snow, winds up to 60 mph and 6-foot seas." 

He's running: King County Council (KCC) Member Girmay Zahilay officially launched his campaign for King County Executive. Zahilay has served on the KCC since 2020 and says he wants to make the county safer and more affordable. Zahilay is the third candidate to join the horse race for the executive office. His colleague, Council Member Claudia Balducci is also running, as is County Assessor John Wilson. You can read all about his campaign plans in Ashley’s piece this morning. His pet issue, if elected, will be "his commitment to supporting workers and labor rights in Seattle." He is also open to progressive taxation such as a payroll tax.