/February

scene THE

Arts and entertainment for the Eastside

February 2011

Fall in love on the Eastside Romantic hotspots

Be Mine, Bellevue girl Valentine’s Day gifts as unique as she is

Inside scoop: dine

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2 | thebellevuescene.com | february 2011

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february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 3

the scoop

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10

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6 ARTS | Why modern dance rocks 8 OPINION |

P.S. Bellevue, I love you

6

10 COVER STORY | Where to go for romance 12 THE LOOK | Be mine, Bellevue girl 15 COMEDY | The sass of Rachel Feinstein 18 CALENDAR | Where to go, what to see

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17 ASK ROSE | How to handle a ‘social kiss’

scene

the editorial note

4 | thebellevuescene.com | february 2011

The Scene is a publication of the Bellevue Reporter.

2700 Richards Rd. Suite 201, Bellevue WA, 98005.

425.391.0363 www.thebellevuescene.com

Publisher Janet Taylor Managing Editor Craig Groshart Assistant Editor Gabrielle Nomura Contributing Writers Celeste Gracey and Heija Nunn Layout Designer Tek Chai Photographer Chad Coleman Advertising Kali Stanger, Sales Manager 425.802.7306 Advertising 425.453.4270 Advisory Board Allan Aquila, Mary Pat Byrne Rose Dennis, Jon Greenbaum

Happy Valentine’s Day, Eastside.

When I was a college sophomore, a visit from my boyfriend Casey at my apartment sometimes included him bringing me a snack of one of my all-time favorites: French fries.

I’ll take them thick, steak, wedge, round-cut, curly or waffle style; baked or fried; thin, crispy and extra-salty like from a fast-food chain, or gourmet, like what you’d get at a gastropub, with truffle salt or garlic. I like russet, sweet or yam; soggy with the skin still on, like at Dick’s Drive-In in Seattle. And extra ketchup, please.

Photo by Mark Malijan

THE

Call me a fat kid, I won’t deny it. After all, I do have a passion for the greasy and fried. But with the amount of time I spend running on treadmills and eating veggies and multi-grains, I believe I’m entitled to a single vice once in a while: and that’s definitely fries.

Now that we’ve graduated, Casey still loves to tease me about my passion for this fattening, cult-favorite food. But he’s also sympathetic of my French fry needs and strangely embraces this less-than-refined aspect of my personality. He’ll treat me to a restaurant that has some of my favorite fries (a.k.a. Red Robin), or he’ll bring me some fries to go. “I know how much you love them,” he’ll say with a little tongue-in-cheek, but with a warm smile nonetheless. Sometimes, I think he’d rather see me become a content, roly-poly gordita rather than a model-thin girl on a diet, not that I’m in danger of becoming either.

You might be wondering how my junk-food habit relates to our February issue, which suggests different local locations to fall in love or further a romance, and how to celebrate your Bellevue valentine for all her (and his) unique interests, tastes and even idiosyncrasies.

Our Valentine’s Day stories got me thinking about the ways in which I’ve experienced feeling loved for being me; including the quirky, weird or less glamorous parts about my personality; as opposed to despite them. Call me naïve, but I think that’s what love is all about.

My hope for every couple, whether married for 20 years or dating for six months, is to know, at some point, what it’s like to be loved: quirks, flaws, junk-food habit and all.

A division of

Follow us on Twitter @bellevuescene

Gabrielle Nomura, Assistant Editor gnomura@bellevuereporter.com

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february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 5

FEBRUA RY at My Funny Valentine

Broadway’s Greatest Love Songs Feb 12, 13 & 14, 2011 Sensational singers performing to a live orchestra.

Next to Normal

Feb 24-Mar 13, 2011 The Broadway smash hit starring Tony® Award-winner Alice Ripley.

An ACT Theatre/5th Avenue Co-Production

Vanities: A New Musical Feb 4-May 1, 2011

Three women. Three decades.

One remarkable friendship.

All performances take place at ACT Theatre

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6 | thebellevuescene.com | february

I

2011

Chop Shop:

BY GABRIELLE NOMURA

PHOTOS: COURTESY & CHAD COLEMAN

n the end of the modern dance performance, the heroine takes off her clothes, lays them neatly in a chair, and without fear or embarrassment, exits the stage, naked.

because of one rebellious woman, contributing choreographer and festival founder, Eva Stone.

Before this dramatic ending, “Difficult Beauty” depicts a prim-and-proper tea party. Five folding chairs face the audience, occupied by five ladies wearing long sundresses and straw hats. As the dreamy, classical music starts, the dancers’ identical bowed heads and teacups held in their right palms conceal any individualism, any uniqueness, that might be had in the high-society company.

MAKING ABSTRACT ACCESSIBLE

“What Eva’s doing with Chop Shop is very needed, because contemporary dance is still looked at as secondary in the community compared to ballet,” says Donald Byrd, whose company, Spectrum Dance Theater, will perform in the festival.

It’s not until later in the dance that the heroine becomes recognizable, as well as her idiosyncrasies. As her gossipy counterparts point their fingers and shun her, swaying their torsos and extending their limbs with balletic grace, the heroine sits in her chair the wrong way and army-crawls on the floor. She can never seem to contribute anything but awkwardness to the otherwise perfect picture.

But the dance doesn’t end with the lead wallowing in her differences. Instead, she sheds her clothing and backs away, spine straight with a dancer’s posture, breasts and nether regions exposed. The others shake their heads and look away. The dress and hat laying on the chair – the only traces left of their rebellious companion who dared to be different and free.

“Difficult Beauty,” was one of the pieces performed in the first year of Chop Shop: Bodies of Work, the Eastside’s only contemporary dance festival.

Then in 2008, it was a struggle to fill the program. Now in its third year, the festival attracts dancers and choreographers from Spain, Turkey and Brazil, as well as big-name dancemakers and companies in the region, such as Spectrum Dance Theater.

Modern dance may be an art that’s left some puzzled and that people have struggled to define over its century of existence (no, it’s not the same as “interpretive dance”). But Stone’s festival has the power to make people embrace this abstract art form.

her experiences, as opposed to ballet, which, though very beautiful, is not grounded in reality, she says. Eventually, she pursued a career with one of the biggies: the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York City.

“Incredible joy, strong emotions, the complexity of human character and relationships, when I’m watching modern dance, I’m able to see all those things,” Cabeen says, “It makes me feel like my own life is really worth investigating and enjoying.”

It speaks to Cabeen personally because modern dance is meant to be interpreted by the individual. The choreographer can instruct her dancers to portray any kind of theme or story, but the most important thing is what the individual audience member got out if it.

Chop Shop performer/choreographer Wade Madsen, who also teaches at Cornish College of the Arts, says this individual reaction to a dance piece is what it’s all about.

“Maybe someone in the audience is a computer nerd and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I love your piece. I saw the inner-workings of the brain. I saw how a computer sends a message,”’ Madsen says. “Or someone else will say, ‘I saw [ more CHOP SHOP on page 7 ]

The different choreographers’ work creates “a modern dance buffet,” Stone says. This allows the audience to sample different types of work to see what appeals to them most.

Feb. 12 & 13, the Theatre at Meydenbauer. chopshopdance.org

But Chop Shop’s annual sold-out houses and high caliber acts haven’t happened by magic. It takes a lot of moxie and fighting spirit to make it anywhere in the dance world.

The stars of the festival are the many talented dancers and choreographers who fill the program each year. But it exists

Bodies of Work

First of all, Stone has a knack for combining some of the more accessible parts of what dance has to offer: ballet’s athletic virtuosity, the pointed feet and high leg extensions, as well ballet’s varied repertory.

Chop Shop: Bodies of Work

Artists submit videos of their work in hopes of being chosen for the festival each year. The selected choreographers and dancers are then asked to show their work during the two-day festival in February at the Theatre at Meydenbauer.

the works

Of course, the themes are more flesh-andblood, unlike ballet: different types of relationships, sexual desire, loss and grief, even addiction and gambling and the elements that make us imperfect, emotional and mortal.

Finally, Stone values the dynamic arc of all good storytelling by presenting pieces with a beginning middle and end. The dances that go into Chop Shop don’t always have a recognizable plot like “Swan Lake.” But like the piece Stone choreographed, “Difficult Beauty,” which communicates a clear theme of rebelliousness and staying true to oneself, they always take audience members on some sort of journey.

HOW TO WATCH MODERN DANCE

Catherine Cabeen is one of this year’s Chop Shop artists.

Cabeen trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet before switching to modern dance, an outlet that could actually speak to

Catherine Cabeen and Echo Gustafson perform. Photo by Paulo Tavares.

february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 7 the works Bold, rebellious, passionate modern dance to find theaters that were interested in presenting her work in the Seattle area – which frequently designates dance to one of two ends of a spectrum: Pacific Northwest Ballet or the experimental, fringe-type dance presented at On the Boards.

“I’m not pushing myself to the perimeters or working on the fringes of art, I work quite comfortably from where I am,” Stone says. “I’m not using multimedia or blending my work with yoga or hip-hop. I’m straight-up pure dance.”

Enter the Eastside: not as alternative or cutting edge as Seattle, and a powerful, up-and-coming community that loves the arts – the perfect place for Stone to make her mark, or try, at least.

“I needed a place where people could enjoy what I do,” Stone says. “There wasn’t a place for good, quality, accessible mainstreamy modern dance. That’s how Chop Shop began.”

Kelly Hui, a dancer who works with Stone and grew up in Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah, says she feels like Chop Shop has made an impact on the area.

Eva Stone’s company, Stone Dance Collective, performs ‘Stick Figures’ in a past Chop Shop performance. Photo courtesy of Eva Stone. [ CHOP SHOP from page 6 ]

how my father went into hysteria and died.’”

In other words, there are no wrong answers if someone asks, “What was that dance about?”

Being open to interpretation, constantly changed, bastardized and adapted since it’s early days in the 1900s, sometimes it really is difficult to explain what modern dance is. Stone, however, has a pretty well-formed idea.

“It’s a rebellion against what classical dance, what ballet, had determined,” Stone says. “It said to ballet, ‘I appreciate what you developed, and I can use that, but I’m going to respectfully disagree with you, too.”

AN ART OF DEFIANCE

Rebellion also describes Stone’s journey through dance.

Take a look at her resume: a Dance Magazine Scholarship to study choreography at Harvard University, studying at the State University of New York at Purchase, easily the same caliber as Julliard or Boston Conservatory and running her own dance company, first in London, now locally. And that’s not even half of it.

None of these entries allude to the fact that she never took a dance class until an unheard of 18-years-old or the fact that she, a blonde-haired woman with twinkly, expressive eyes, was not born with the requisite waif-like body type.

Stone lucked out by having two modern dance teachers at her Arizona high school. First and second positions, plus a few side reaches and swings summed up the dance technique part of class. Aside from that, Stone was taught the basic craft of choreography: cannons, juxtaposition, opposition and the basic understanding of movement.

She loved it so much, she even recruited some of her friends to help make dances.

“We had no place to rehearse but in my front yard,” Stone

says. “I would move rocks around in the dirt designing floor patterns, entrances and exits. I knew I could make dances and people do things in a way that was innovative.”

A local dance company showing interest in purchasing her piece also inspired Stone to major in dance at Arizona State University, which coincidentally, turned out to have a reputable dance program.

“Because I started so late and didn’t have the God-given body type, in hindsight, everybody was like, ‘Clearly she knows she’s not gonna make it right? But no, I didn’t know,” Stone says.

Still, she was realistic.

“I’d go see Maurice Béjart’s company and say, ‘OK, this is not me.’ Then I’d see Paul Taylor’s company and say, ‘This could be me, but it’s not. Then I saw Mark Morris, and I said, ‘Woah. This is me.”

“The Eastside is definitely changing and becoming more artsy and entertainment-friendly like Seattle, but they’re still a bit reserved and structured,” Hui says. “Having something like Chop Shop is kind of a big deal for Bellevue’s evolution.”

Stone keeps her Eastside audience’s taste and hesitancy in mind. Each year before the Chop Shop performances, she holds free lecture demonstrations and modern dance classes in an effort to explain, to a sometimes reluctant group, why one should be interested in this performing art.

Just like it’s been for her entire career, Stone continues to labor for something that’s constantly trying to shut her out.

But she can’t help herself.

“Dance just resonates with me,” Stone says. “Martha Graham called it a ‘blood memory.’ Some of us are just born indelibly connected to this art form.

Stone was possessed to do what everyone assumed would be a hobby for her. She auditioned for Disney, “Cats,” and performed in local musical theater productions and a small modern dance company in Los Angeles, whatever she could get her hands on.

DANCE ON THE EASTSIDE

Stone’s also had to be rebellious to get her work seen.

Although her choreography is contemporary, it would still be appetizing for a “So You Think Eva Stone, choreographer and founder of Chop Shop: Bodies of Work, the Eastside’s You Can Dance” fan. She struggled only contemporary dance festival. Photo by Chad Coleman.

8 | thebellevuescene.com | february

THE scene

2011

loud & about

P.S. Bellevue, I love you:

BY HEIJA NUNN

Dear Bellevue,

I can’t believe I missed our milestone celebration by nearly two years!

Please forgive me for not marking the moment I became a true Eastsider with more fanfare.

After 22 years, I have officially lived on the Eastside longer than I have lived anywhere else, more than half of my life. To celebrate, I considered getting you something hokey like a Jane Seymour “open heart.” But the Bellevue School District gift guidelines have taught me that a meaningful note is appreciated much more than silly material goods.

We’ve been together since August 1989 when we got cozy in a condo near Bridle Trails. Before that we were merely acquaintances, seeing each other on occasional visits to Bellevue Square, during my obsessive real estate dream drives, and visits as a child with my family on frequent pilgrimages to Loehmann’s, Pandora’s consignment shop, and the German deli in Lake Hills. I even remember the toll booths on 520. (Why go back to the future?)

breathtaking views of Mt. Rainier just when we think we can’t take another gray day. While we’re talking wildlife, thank you for keeping it real with a steady supply of rodents, howling coyotes, adorable bunnies, gray herons, and a billion chi-chi little lap dogs to keep the pet business thriving. How awesome is our very own council member John Chelminiak, a man who can surely survive attacks from a vocal minority after surviving a bear?

Kudos! for Bellevue College, the place to where this mom escaped for some adult conversation when her kids were very young. I adore my secret parking spot at Nordstrom Bellevue Square and my favorite chopped salad at Neiman Marcus.

Thank you for Lawrence, my favorite QFC bagger and lost Jersey Shore cast member. What would I do without I-405, a.k.a. my Target delivery system? I am forever grateful for the nice people I get to visit at City Hall whenever I pay the water bill late ... which is always.

I can’t live without your Indian buffets, Yogurt Shnoo, or Mrs. Chris the school secretary who keeps all of my secrets.

Thank you for the Bellevue Farmer’s Market and the Barnes and Noble that feels so much like home that my kids call it the “library.” But most of all thank you for Nadia and Nicole at the Downtown Gene Juarez who keep me groomed in all the right places.

Bellevue, I think I love you!

I have waited too long to say thank you for the people, places and things that make life in Bellevue pleasurable enough to numb the sting of hazing from snobby Seattle types. Thank you for convincing that majestic bald eagle to supervise our commutes from atop the 520 light poles, and for revealing

Wanna say Hiya to Heija? Follow her on Twitter (@Heija) Friend her on Facebook or relax, sit back, and silently judge her life in the flickering glow of your computer screen at her blog The Worst Mother in the World (www.Heija.com).

Downtown Bellevue Where to go • What to do • What to see • Where to be

Prior to opening Amore Chocolates on July 2003 we decided that we wanted our chocolates to be known for their freshness and taste! This meant that they could not be mass produced, pre-packaged and sitting on shelves. Therefore, we determined that our product would be made using only fresh, natural ingredients using no preservatives or artificial additives.

caramels and turtles in small batches to ensure freshness.

Each piece is then scooped, fashioned, dipped, decorated and packaged by hand. There is simply no other way to ensure quality and freshness!

flavors and let our customers decide which to add to our growing list of Favorites.

We make our various truffles, crèmes, chiffons,

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BullSh * * . . . on Bellevue drivers FEEL FREE TO VENT HERE What is it about colors that some drivers can’t understand?

Why do arrows remain a mystery?

How come those numbers on a cars’ speedometer don’t seem to matter?

Yes, I’m calling BS on you, Bellevue drivers. Bellevue has a fair number of residents who weren’t born here.

However, bad drivers are not just from overseas; locals are included in this rant as well.

How hard can it be to drive correctly, especially when most people have to study a driving manual, maybe take driving lessons from an instructor, and then pass a driving test at the department of licensing?

Apparently, pretty hard.

Some cases in point.

When you are in a left-turn lane and the signal changes from red to a green arrow, it means, duh, that you can – you know – TURN. That means go forward.

Now. In an opposite vein, when a signal changes from green to yellow, it means slow down and prepare to stop, not put the metal to the pedal and blast through the intersection at 50 mph. You may think it’s hard to slow down from 30 mph to zero when you’re within, say, 200 feet of the intersection. But trust us, modern-day brakes work really well. It’s unlikely you’ll go into a spin and flip your car like in “The Fast and the Furious.”

Here’s another. Numbers are pretty universal. So, if you see a sign that says the speed limit is 35 mph, you can rest assured that number means the same as the 35 on your speedometer. You shouldn’t go over that speed, but don’t go 25 down Bel-Red. Legal? Sure.

Aggravating to other drivers? Better believe it.

Finally, what is it about four-way stops that makes some drivers freeze in fear? Here’s a clue: when two cars move through the intersection across your lane, it means that you and the driver opposite you get to go next. Try it sometime, maybe, hopefully, the next time.

Art in Bellevue

It’s not just Chocolate ... It’s Amore

We call

Wen Zhenfei Thru Mar. 6th

Anyone can contribute to this anonymous column by telling us what irks you.

E-mail assistant editor at gnomura@bellevuereporter.com.

THE scene

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2011

Where to fall head-over F

BY GABRIELLE NOMURA | PHOTOS BY CHAD COLEMAN

rom the fashionista-heartbreaker in Bellevue Square to the devoted IT husband at Expedia, lovers of all sorts recognize our glittering skyline as home. And it makes sense. What could be more romantic than living in the city that means “beautiful view” in French? When you need a place to get you in the mood, wine, dine, entertain and excite you on Valentine’s Day (or any day, for that matter), remember that you’re already in the right place. This February, fall in love for the first time or all over again with your valentine. And with our city.

Hang with your college sweetheart

Bellevue College: 3000 Landerholm Cir. S.E. You might be in your mid-‘20s, but that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to some of the sophomoric flirting from your high school days. Hit up the BC coffee shop or espresso cart with your lady of interest between class or head over to Crossroads for some delicious eats perfect for a starving-college-student budget. With 38,000 students per year, the second largest institution of higher education in Washington behind the Huskies, you’ve got plenty to choose from as a Bellevue Bulldog.

Hold hands on a stroll

Downtown Park: 10201 N.E. 4th St. It’s the emerald heart of the city, a contrast against downtown’s concrete mini-metropolis, removed from the hustle and bustle of the mall; quiet, but not devoid of life: Downtown Park, of course. This 20-acre oasis, complete with 240-foot-wide waterfall and pond is the perfect choice for a walk post-dinner date. Bundle up in a scarf and mittens and bring your sweetie for lattes on the lawn.

Who knows? The skyline and Mt. Rainier for a backdrop might even inspire a kiss (or maybe several kisses).

Photo courtesy of Schwartz Brothers Restaurants

Hunt for something tasty

Daniel’s Broiler: 10500 N.E. 8th St. There are a lot more reasons to come to the 21st floor of the Bank of America Building than for the teriyaki filet mignon strips and happy hour. At Daniel’s Broiler, the spectacular views of the Cascade Mountains and Lake Washington available from every table help will “wow” you, as well as the bill that accompanies an all USDAcertified, only-the-best type restaurant. But for single, suit-clad Microsoftees and cougars clutching LouisVuittons, this is hunting territory – not quite like “Sex and the City,” more like Sex and the Suburbia.

Whatever you find on the 21st floor at Daniel’s Broiler, may it be mouthwatering and delicious.

Get crafty together

Bellevue Art Museum: 510 Bellevue Way N.E. Small, bright splashes of color, washes of light, modern and angular but not sterile – Bellevue Arts Museum puts the “urban” in our suburban city. But with free first-Friday of-the-month entry, programs for students and arts and crafts activities, the museum is not only for the rich or elite. Take a look at the museum’s website, bellevuearts. org to choose from a variety of exhibits and offerings.

Let’s be honest, not everyone wants to be around booze and questionable dress hemlines when they go out on the town. Learn how to make trivets or coasters out of wood.

Learn figurative sculpting. Just make sure you’re sitting next to someone creative and maybe even cute.

Trouver l’amour

Belle Pastry: 10246 Main St. Who needs corporate coffee shops or cupcake chains from Seattle when we have our very own quaint Belle Pastry – c’est magnifique! Impress your lady friend by bringing her here for a little people-watching in downtown Bellevue, espresso and an overwhelmingly wonderful variety of croissants (butter, almond, pain au chocolat, raspberry cream cheese, ham and cheese, and pain aux raisins). You’ll get the warm-fuzzies from your lovely date and from supporting one of Bellevue’s indie business owners, French-born Jean-Claude Ferré, who’s been in the trade for more than four decades.

Take 520 to Northwest heaven

Marymoor Park: 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E. In our region, with urbanites and outdoorsies all living under one roof so-to-speak, it’s not always easy to find a location that will satisfy both types of northwesterner.

Somehow, however, we seemed to luck out with Marymoor Park, a 640-acre chunk of Northwest heaven that will get even the most reluctant city slicker outside, not just for outdoor activity dates, like climbing the 35-foot free standing structure, getting ice cream sold at the park or playing baseball or cricket, but also outdoor movies and concerts like Death Cab for Cutie. Plus, there is no better way for single dog-lovers to sniff each other out. With an unparalleled off-leash area, Marymoor makes for blissfully happy pooches and their people. Just bring a few bucks for parking.

cover

er-heels in love Get on the same page

Bellevue Regional Library: 1111 110th Ave. N.E. It’s where the aloof Mr. Darcy and star-crossed lovers live; where tall-dark-and-handsome confederates will frankly, never give a damn and where Bella will always be properly tortured as macho werewolves and angst-ridden vampires fight for her hand. Books: where the great love stories live. Without risking sounding like a total nerd, what’s more special than a library? Thank goodness we’ve got a good one at the Bellevue Regional Library downtown.

Be magic with a “Xanadu” date

Skate King: 2301 140th Ave. N.E. Think feathered hair and exposed shoulders. If you can look past a little grime and must from decades of children’s birthday parties, give in to the nostalgia of a time when roller skating was glamorous and disco was king, whether you were the bell-of-the-ball then or not even born yet. Of course, if you’re just inspired after seeing the badass moves of the Rat City Roller Girls, that’s cool too. Adult night (17 and older) is Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30-11 p.m., where admission is two for the price of one: $6 entry and either $1.50 to rent roller skates and $4 for inlines. It’s good, clean, cheap fun.

Get lucky

Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge: 700 Bellevue Way N.E. For some, it’s a too-cool-for-school version of a 21-and-over Chuckie Cheese’s. For others, it’s a Hollywood-esque night on the town. However you see it, Lucky Strike certainly mixes up the dating scene with it’s upscale bowling, gaming and bar experience. And yes, Kardashians, Rihanna and

february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 11

Drake have been spotted bowling at Lucky Strike in New York and Los Angeles. There is a dress code, mind you (No homie-g rapper or motorcycle gang attire) but in return for meeting their rules, you get shoes that aren’t smelly and a stylish, a hip setting for mingling and meeting with the rather attractive folks who seem to frequent the place.

Make your own getaway

Bellevue Botanical Garden: 12001 Main St. On certain days, when the sun is shining and it’s raining, you just might get to see it. Not a rainbow – a fox wedding. In Japanese mythology, foxes are often portrayed as lovers. But they’re not cuddly; they’re seductive white beasts who walk upright and wear the kimono of humans. They’re beautiful, but powerful trickster characters who can do as much harm as good.

Visit the authentic Japanese tea house in Bellevue Botanical Garden with your date for an escape that will seemingly transport you to a distant land of chery blossoms and taiko drums. And don’t be too afraid of the fox. You’ll have your man (or woman) to protect you.

Find your perfect backdrop

The Golf Club at Newcastle: 15500 Six Penny Ln. You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the jaw-dropping panoramic views of Mt. Rainier, the Olympic and Cascade mountains and the Bellevue and Seattle skylines. But if you have the means, the 350 acres, two 18-hole public courses, extensive practice facilities and 44,000-squarefoot clubhouse at The Golf Club at Newcastle make for a refined outing for two. Many couples choose to have their weddings with Newcastle’s dream-come-true views as their backdrop. Regardless, going to Newcastle should

be on every Eastsider’s to-do list at some point, even if it’s just to hold hands and marvel at how exquisite this place we call home is.

Assistant Editor Gabrielle Nomura can be reached at 425-391-0363.

Photo courtesy of Oki Golf

12 | thebellevuescene.com | february

the look

2011

Be mine, Bellevue girl: What to get her that’s as unique as she is

BY GABRIELLE NOMURA | COURTESY PHOTOS

M

yth: Valentine’s Day gifts equal roses, red, hearts, lace, lingerie and dinner dates. Fact: No woman or love is cookie cutter. Perhaps Tiffany’s makes her heart go pitterpatter, or maybe tattoos.

Here’s a variety of gift ideas for your particular Eastside valentine.

LINGERIE FOR ANY WOMAN

Try French brand Simone Perele for princessy girls who like romantic or vintage items with ruffles or lace and Italian brand, La Perla, for femme fatales who like a little va-va-voom: such as thongs and g-strings, says Stephanie Percy, owner of La Bijou in Old Bellevue. A sexy alternative to the thong is the boyshort or tanga, a cheeky version of a normal panty, with a little less coverage in the back.

It’s important to get the right fit. Do a little detective work and write down her size or borrow some of her intimates that she won’t miss. Take them with you when you go to purchase the gift. When in doubt, you can always get her a short, flirty baby doll nightdress as well.

Color-wise, get away from red, Percy says. Color will be big in lingerie this spring, so go for bright greens, blues or yellows. For a girl who likes earth-tones, purple and plums, and navy, as opposed to black.

A GIRLY-GIRL’s EXPERIENCE GIFT

Glittering tulle, pointe shoes, fairies – in reality, we girls never really outgrow these things, and you gentlemen

should take note. Pacific Northwest’s “Cinderella” is Feb. 4–13, so plan for an early valentine’s outing across the water at McCaw Hall.

PNB loves young people too, by the way, and includes reduced tickets for people from 13 to 19, as well as tickets for age 25 and younger.

Drawn from the original French fairy tale by Charles Perrault, PNB’s ballet captures the spirit of the story by focusing on its romantic and tender themes, a narrative of “love lost, and love found.” With more than 100 elaborately detailed costumes and vast, painted backdrops to transport Cinderella from her softly-illuminated memories, through misty, magical landscapes to, at last, a royal palace adorned with Rococo frescos and crystal chandeliers.

Here, in the midst of a swirling, scarlet-clad ballroom, Cinderella and her prince flash like precious diamonds.

THE ELUSIVE EDGY EASTSIDE GIRL

As Bellevue continues to rise in prominence and trendiness, it will surely continue to embrace the glamorous art of tattoos. Even Winston Churchill’s mother had a stylish serpent inked around her wrist, a fashionable thing for a woman of high society. For a more current example, celebs such as Rihanna, Angelina Jolie and Hayden Panettiere to name a few, sport indelible art. Your girl might like a classy Sailor Jerry sparrow, a traditional design from her ancestral background (whether it’s a Japanese family crest or a Scottish coat of arms) or a meaningful, custom-designed piece at Bellevue’s best: Easy Choppers and Tattoos on Northeast 8th Street. And yes, they do gift certificates.

Don’t be fooled by the slightly higher price at Easy Choppers. At $150 an hour, you’re paying for artists with 10 or more years of experience.

When it comes to a piece of art that will indelibly be marked on her body forever, it’s time to go hunting for the best quality, not bargainshopping.

BLING FOR YOUR OWN AUDREY

It’s true what they say about Tiffany & Co. Blue – just the light turquoise box and white ribbon alone are thrilling enough. But when you present it to her, knowing that there’s a shiny, new, perfect something in the box for her will send her over the edge. In a good way.

Pacific Northwest’s “Cinderella” makes for a romantic outing.

It doesn’t have to be a diamond,

La Bijou intimates shop is a great resource for Valentine’s Day. either. The jewelry-store legend offers heart-shaped and vintage locks pendant necklaces, as well as sterling silver “Notes rings” inscribed with, “I love you,” for about $100. For a little extra, you can even have some of the items engraved with her initials.

SWEETS FOR DIFFERENT TASTEBUDS

First, life is too short to diet. Second, Valentine’s Day is a great time to spoil your hard-working lady with all the glorious butter, sugar and chocolate that her heart desires. We love the rich, velvety, handmade craftsmanship of Fran’s Chocolates, especially their gray salt or smoked caramels, and their gold bars with chocolate almonds or macadamia. Just remember that presentation counts, so when you present your gift, it better be in something-heart shaped or topped with a satin bow.

An alternative to chocolate for someone who prefers fruit are tarts with strawberry or raspberry inside or petit fours, delicious bite-sized sweets such as minieclairs, tarts and iced cakes.

NO GIRL FITS A MOLD

Remember that thoughtfulness often goes farther than anything that comes in a box. Also, not all females are material girls. Some ladies may be more impressed if you left romantic Post-it notes around her apartment or brought her pancakes and bacon in bed. Key in on her personality. If she loves the outdoors more than anything, get her a gift certificate to Gregg’s Bellevue Cycle instead of a silver bracelet. Maybe she’s more into pink and white peonies than a dozen-long-stemmed roses. Show her how much you pay attention to the complexities, idiosyncrasies, quirks and preferences that make her the woman you love.

Sex & Health

february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 13

Self-love sex for one

L

ucky for women, there’s a part of our bodies whose only function is to create pleasure.

Indulging in that part of the body, that’s

image and increased self-esteem; relief for migraines, premenstrual cramps and back pain; increased resistance to yeast infections Lelo Yva and better 18K gold-plated sleep at night as a natural luxury vibrator. $1,500 sedative, according to sociologist Pepper Schwartz, a professor at the University of Washington who’s appeared on “Opera” for her expertise on sex, love and relationships.

composed not only of the glans, but extends beneath the surface to include thousands of We-Vibe II nerve endings, As seen in Opera’s O Magazine! $99 is natural, even good for you in obvious ways (i.e. a better sexlife), but it also has positive effects on health too: better body

Health Care Corner Coping with neck and back pain

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Another local expert includes Rachel Venning, who Hitachi Magic Wand and cofounded Gee Whiz Attachment Babeland One of the most popular toys. sex store $84 with locations in Seattle and Manhattan. Venning wanted to create a place for women to go where they could feel comfortable exploring their sexuality.

persons work and overall lifestyle.

In 1992, a new non-surgical therapy called Spinal Decompression was discovered to help heal a herniated disc. Spinal Decompression uses a new technology to create a negative pressure inside the spinal disc, allowing the nucleus of the disc to be gently restored to its original position in the center of the disc, thus relieving the pain.

Spinal Decompression Therapy can: • Reduce pain in the neck and back • Reduce pain or numbness in the legs, arms or hands.

• Increase ability to move freely.

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Editorial provided by Dr. Paul Gamman, a chiropractor at Bellevue Spinal Decompression Center. He uses Spinal Decompression Therapy. For more information, please call 425-455-3636.

“The man is trying to get the sex, and the women is setting the limits, that’s how our society is set up to believe and what we watch on sitcoms,” Venning says. “But in my experience, in real, grown-up relationships, women really do enjoy sex, sometimes even more than men.”

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laughs

february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 15

The fine side of Feinstein:

A comedienne rated five Stars ... of David, that is

BY GABRIELLE NOMURA | PHOTO COURTESY OF PARADIGMCOMEDY.COM

T

here’s a picture of Rachel Feinstein on her website with a caption that reads “Someone told me that this looks like an ad for Jewish Singles Monthly.” Another photo of hers has a caption that reads, “Even my rabbi teased me about my rack.” As one of Comedy Central’s comedians, Feinstein spends most of her time impersonating the loud, sassy Semitic women that she grew up with. But we have a theory that she’s turning into one herself. And thank goodness for us, laughter-wise. In addition to her half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents Rachel Feinstein, she was a finalist on Season Seven of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” has voiced various characters on Adult Swim’s “Venture Brothers,” and has also appeared on VH1’s, “Jewtastic.” Feinstein, who was raised outside of Washington D.C. and now lives in Brooklyn, talks about the keen eye she’s developed for the absurd and unjust as the daughter of a civil rights lawyer and a blues musician, and confesses that all she really wants to do is listen to some real grimy, ghetto rap music.

scene: Describe your standup in one word.

RF: Ridiculous.

scene: How does your eccentric family inspire

your standup?

RF: My parents are definitely characters. My mom wants to be black and she’s very sassy.

My dad is a musician. He does a lot of public running stretches but he never runs. There’s a lot to say about both of them. I have to figure out how to tell so many more stories.

scene: You do very funny (but not necessarily

flattering) impersonations of your mom and grandma. For example, you impersonate your outraged grandma saying that in today’s dating scene, when a guy likes a girl, he “takes her to the pool and pours alcohol all over her.”

Have either of them ever gotten mad at you?

RF: I thought I’d get in more trouble for the stuff I say but most people are just happy to be mentioned on television even if I’m actively mocking them.

scene: Who is Ice Cold Rhoda?

RF: Ice Cold Rhoda is a character that I do. She is an 80-year-old Jewish lady who reviews hip-hop based on a Star-of-David ratings system. She’s the world’s oldest player-hater. In fact, she’s stepping her game up right now. She’s about to interview some of hip-hop’s top guys. It will be all be on comedycentral.com.

scene: From your Kim Kardashian and Amy Winehouse

impersonations to your big, thuggin,’ “Baby-how-you-doin’?” voice you’re able to do, part of your comedic talent is character acting.

Is there an impersonation that you have the most fun doing?

RF: I enjoy impersonating men. There’s this one joke that I do about how my mom wants to be one of those white women in the movies that saves a black school and I do an impression of her sassy, controversial relationship with her student, Tre. It’s my impression of the pivotal scene in the movie and it keeps getting longer and more ridiculous because I have so much fun doing it.

scene: How did you develop your character-driven style of standup?

RF: I started telling stories from my life that I would already tell to friends and I would try to find the punch lines in them. I kept running them until they got tighter. Some things will bomb for a year and then you suddenly figure out what it needs to work. I wish I had a better work ethic. I’m trying. I write things down on weird things and then I lose them. It’s not effective.

scene: Who are your heroes?

RF: Growing up, I loved Tracey Ullman. I’ve always loved Louis C.K., Dave Attell and Maria Bamford. There are so many funny women working right now that inspire me too, like Marina Franklin, Veronica Mosey, Kelly Price, April Macie, Julia Lillis, Jessica Kirson, Chelsea Peretti, Morgan Murphy, Amy Schumer, Julie Goldman, Becky Donohue, Laurie Kilmartin, Carie Karavas, Sarah Sweet, Jodie Wasserman etcetera, etcetera ...

scene: What are your guilty pleasures?

RF: I enjoy really nasty hip-hop. The real grizzly songs about oiled bitches. I think they’re hilarious. I also like cake.

scene: Ever been to the Seattle area before?

RF: I went on a trip with my friend and her boyfriend when we were 19. We went into a local hot springs.

scene: What is one T.V. show you would kill to be on today?

RF: I’d love to be on the BET Awards as Ice Cold Rhoda.

scene: If you weren’t in the entertainment industry,

what do you think you’d be doing today?

RF: Maybe something with kids? I love kids but I really don’t have any desire to do anything else. There are aspects of the business that I don’t like, but I don’t even like to think about doing any other job.

Rachel Feinstein will perform at the Parlor Live Comedy Club Feb. 24-26.

For tickets, go to parlorlive.com. For more information on the comedian, go to rachel-feinstein.com.

THE scene

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the voice

february 2011 | thebellevuescene.com | 17

Words of wisdom, etiquette and advice for the Eastside scenester

Ask Rose Dear Rose,

What are some suggestions of items that I can bring to my office that will bring a smile to my co-workers faces this Valentine’s Day?

Dear Rose, More and more often when I am greeted by my friends, I am met with a social kiss that is on one cheek, both cheeks, a slight brush on the cheek or what appears to be an air kiss. What is the proper way to greet a friend with a social kiss? – Confused in Bellevue Dear Confused , A lady and a gentleman both know that a social kiss is not an erotic

experience, and means little more than a handshake. A social kiss expresses the mildest form of affection. It should happen quickly. A social kiss is shared among people who are already friends; and it should never be offered in a business situation. A gentleman should wait for a lady to initiate a social kiss. (I have personally noticed that men that I have known socially for quite some time, now feel comfortable greeting me with a social kiss, which is OK with both my husband and me). When a lady leans toward a man or woman, the recipients should turn their cheeks towards her lips, where they will then grace them with a light, brushing kiss or lightly touch cheeks. One does not linger when giving a kiss, and neither does one dawdle in accepting it. It is OK to place one hand on the other’s shoulder. If a lipstick smudge is left on the recipients face, a lady or gentleman will offer to remove it with his or her own clean handkerchief. ................................................................................................................

Dear Rose, Could you please provide some Valentine’s Day gift suggestions for this coming holiday?

– The Perfect Gift

Dear Perfect, For anyone: Cards are always appropriate. For a lady friend: May I suggest flowers; dinner at a favorite restaurant or a gift card to a favorite store, spa or beauty salon.

Even a picture frame or a new bestseller will do. For a gentleman friend any of the following would work: a good bottle of his favorite beverage, tickets to an upcoming sporting event, dinner at a favorite sports bar or restaurant or a bestselling CD. Ideas for your fiancée include: flowers, her favorite fragrance, a piece of jewelry (a heirloom is always nice), a framed photograph of the two of you or a candlelight dinner that’s either homemade or at your favorite restaurant. For your wife or husband: breakfast in bed or dinner at a fine restaurant or his or her favorite fragrances or fine jewelry. Only choose lingerie if you are confident that you know her size and favorite colors. Good taste and thoughtfulness will always be appreciated by the recipient.

– Cupid

.............................................................................................................................

Dear Rose, I am 25-years-old and want to ask a neighbor out on a date in the very near future, but I do not know how to go about asking her. We have a “waving” acquaintance. What are your suggestions in making this request so she will say yes and we can have a great time? – Dateless Mike in Bellevue Dear Dateless Mike, Asking can often be painful for both a man and a woman because of shyness

or concern that the person of interest will say no. Some people are so shy that they would rather live permanently in a cave than submit to the agony of asking someone out and then suffer being rejected. First, prepare yourself for rejection to your invitation.

She might already be in a relationship or even be working so hard on a work project that she does not have the time. She may also simply not want to go out with you, too. Just remember: This is not a serious kind It is nice of you to want to share your of rejection. This happens to everyone, not just you. Your goal is to find the person who would like to go out with you. kindness with all of your co-workers.

Be creative and make plans she will really be excited about and will I suggest special treats from your kitchen, make it hard for her to resist. Maybe you can get tickets to a concert like homemade healthy muffins with or get an invitation to an arts event, a new restaurant or to the ballet or symphony. It does not have to be expensive. In fact, first dates fresh orange juice, or valentine’s cupcakes should be fairly simple and straightforward. If you are uncomfortable or cookies. You might bring bagels with asking in person, I recommend asking her for a date in a letter or cream cheese, a nice fruit plate, have pizza e-mail (not a text) carefully wording your invitation to sound exciting and enticing, which may come across awkward over the telephone, delivered at lunch time, and if it is in where it would be very easy for her to quickly turn you down. your budget, a single red rose You might send a quality piece of handwritten stationary through the for each of the ladies. mail or under her door, describing the evening activity that you have arranged. I believe she will be persuaded to join you by saying yes.

Rose Dennis has Try a handwritten note like this: 15 years experience as a Dear Alicia, tenured college professor at Edmonds Someone told me that you are a contemporary classical music fan.

Community College, teaching classes in Fashion, Retail, Well, so am I – and I have two tickets to a concert on Feb. 15 at 8 p.m.

The Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra will play a program of all new works.

Marketing and Business Management. (Photo courtesy of Team Photogenic) I hope you will join me.

Please call me at my office. 000-0000 or just let me know . . .

Want to Ask Rose? Send your questions to askrose@live.com Sincerely, Mike

Dear Cupid,

out & about

18 | thebellevuescene.com | february 2011

February

An Eastsider’s guide Feb. 1-27

Be thrilled at ‘Sleuth’

When wealthy mystery novelist Andrew Wyke invites Milo Tindle to his elegant, isolated country house to settle a bit of unpleasant business, what begins as a bizarre game of cat-and-mouse spirals into a complex duel of wits and deception. Go to villagetheatre.org or call the box office at (425) 392-2202.

choreographed by Kent Stowell, is a sweet and tender story of love lost and found. In sustaining this romantic focus throughout the ballet, Stowell has departed meaningfully from earlier modern versions of “Cinderella,” that focused more on the tragic aspects of the story and the comic aspects, such as the ugly stepsisters. Go to pnb.org or call the box (206) 441-2424 for tickets. Location: Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle.

raphy over a two-day period, including Spectrum Dance Theater, Catherine Cabeen formerly of the Martha Graham Dance Company and the Stone Dance Collective, which originated in London.

Go to chopshopdance.org for ticket information.

Location: The Theatre at Meydenbauer, 11100 NE 6th St.

Feb. 12

Get ready to boogy at Wintergrass music festival

Get dolled up for Overlake’s centennial gala

Into jewelry? This is your lucky month. The Bellevue Arts Museum is hosting “Indulge,” a collection of dramatic wearable art from 25 leading independent designers. If you want first pick, show up at the preview launch party at 6 p.m. Feb. 4. More details at 425-519-0770 or info@bellevuearts.org. Location: 510 Bellevue Way NE.

This year marks a momentous achievement of the Overlake Service League: 100 years of bringing help and hope to the Bellevue community. To celebrate the centennial and future direction of the nonprofit, an elegant gala will be held at the Hyatt Regency, to which the public is invited. The dinner and dance takes guests on a fantastic journey through a century of local history with live music and a captivating visual program. Festive dress is encouraged and ranges from cocktail dresses, to history themed costumes representing a favorite 20th century evening style, to blacktie optional (emphasis on “optional”). The cost is $150 per person. For reservations and further information, visit overlakesrviceleague.org or call 425-451-1175.

Feb. 4-13

Feb. 12-13

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of “Cinderella,”

Ten modern dance companies present choreog-

Feb. 4-6

Art you can wear comes to BAM

Sweep your princess off her feet at “Cinderella”

The Eastside’s only contemporary dance festival

Feb. 24-27

Get your bluegrass on at Bellevue’s very own familyfriendly music festival. You’ll hear plenty of other styles of acoustic music as well, including Gypsy jazz, Celtic music, old-timey, Swedish polskas and many more types of acoustic string music. Don’t leave home without your instrument. The festival maintains a convenient instrument check room so that you can safely stash your instrument while you enjoy shows.

More information at acousticsound.org. Location: Hyatt Regency 900 Bellevue Way NE.

Feb. 26-27

Evergreen City Ballet presents family-fun

Mom, dad and kids are all welcome to attend the joint performance of “Fancy Nancy: Bonjour, Butterfly” and “Peter and the Wolf.” Go to evergreencityballet.org or call 425-228-6800 for tickets.

Location: The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center, 11100 NE 6th St.

THE scene

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