Happy Pride: Seattle, This Is What I’m Most Grateful For

Happy pride month, peopleeeee!

I’ve lived in Seattle three-and-a-half years now, the longest my adult self has ever lived in a place. I’m grateful for the mountain ranges dotting the horizon every which way I look. I’m grateful for the smell of pine trees in urban parks. I’m grateful for the abundance of bike lanes (and less grateful for the abundance of hills).

But what I’m most grateful for is how Seattle has taught me to be more open-minded than I thought I was.

I grew up in small white suburbia, and, perhaps due to my love of the Spanish language and dreams of the Amazon rainforest, nurtured a taste for culture and landscapes outside my sheltered bubble. In all my travels, I have witnessed poverty first-hand, lived in developing countries, and experienced religious ceremonies vastly different from my Catholic upbringing.

I thought that my eyes had been opened enough to accept and love people for all that they are–poor or rich, black or white, gay or straight, overweight or skinny, liberal or conservative. I thought that I saw people for their personalities, not for what they looked like or how they aligned their beliefs or orientations.

Then I moved to Seattle.

Seattle is the first place (other than a brief unplanned viewing of a drag show in Cardiff, Wales), that I met a trans person–many trans people. Seattle is the first place where I walked into a restroom marked “all genders”–and pretty much do on a daily basis when I’m out and about the city. It’s the first place I learned to ask people their preferred pronoun and a place where I use “they” instead of “he/she” frequently for people I meet.

One of my best friends out here is covered in tattoos, wears all black, and has a half shaved head. She identifies as pansexual. She is someone I honestly probably would not have felt comfortable approaching all those moons ago when I thought I was open-minded but really had a great deal to learn. I’m ashamed to admit that but you all know how I feel about being real and true, and it shows that growth is always attainable. This friend has taught me so much about the queer community, one that she is so open about and so actively supporting. And for her guidance and patience and friendship, I’m forever grateful.

I still make mistakes. I sometimes slip up because my mind sees a non-binary individual as outwardly female and I subconsciously associate this person with the “she” pronoun. But when I make mistakes, I am so often corrected with love and respect and understanding.

I’m still learning. I’m learning what it means to be anything other than cisgendered or my straight ally identity. As in literally, I’ve had to educate myself on the ever-evolving LGBTQIA acronym. (We all should, really.)

But most of all, what I’m learning is that we are all human, and instead of festering hate and disrespect, we should embrace the uniqueness of the evolution of humanity. We should actually start living by that Pride motto that’s hashtagged so often but perhaps not fully understood by people like my 18-year-old sheltered self: Love is (like really is) love.

 

Not a Method Actor…

I’m going unplugged for a week. I might have service where I’m going, but I might not. I won’t be looking at my phone. I won’t be bringing my computer.

I’m going to dive into the life of Alice Godwin, a woman who is haunted, lost and searching for answers and closure from the past. A poet whose ups and downs are controlled by stimulants and depressants. A role for which I googled “how to take shots” and watched videos titled things like “adults drunk for the first time,” then rehearsed in a mirror with a shot glass full of water that I somehow happened to have and nearly threw my neck out over-exaggerating my portrayal of the art of drinking tequila. A character who is in some ways like me but, clearly, unlike me in so many others.

I am going to tell Alice’s story, along with the story of three other female writers and the unsolved murder of the family that came before them. Beware “The Unspoken”—it’s as haunting as it is empowering.

Dance Your Heart Out In Hard Times

Yesterday, I went through the five stages of grief in record time. On my walk home from work, I was hustling at record speed, trying to escape the depression and anxiety setting in, when I came to a bench overlooking the mountains and Puget Sound. I stopped for a moment and was about to start up again when I decided against it. Instead, I sat on that bench and had a talk with myself.

Mother Nature is a very good teacher. The Olympics stood before me, proud, powerful and beautiful, reaching for the sky. They were happy and uninhibited. I went home and decided to spend the rest of my day being like those snow-capped mountains. I went home and danced my heart out.

Do what you have to do to take care of yourself. Once you do that, then you can be the change you wish to see in the world. Never stop fighting for good. Love with every ounce you’ve got. And always, always dance your heart out.

I will dance like a fool every day if it will help you get to tomorrow. (And yes, I do take requests.)

#makeamericalaughagain

Seattle Women’s March: Peaceful, United, Powerful

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPjSORQBWCx/?taken-by=staceyvenzel

There is a good and right side of history. Today, millions of people across the globe showed they are on this side.

The Seattle Women’s March expected 30,000-50,000 people. Over 130,000 are estimated to have attended, stretching through the streets of downtown as far as the eye could see from a bird’s eye view.

This protest was peaceful.

This protest was joyful.

This protest was powerful.

It was led by indigenous women.

The reverse side of my sign read: “Dignity + Equality for All.”

The time is now. Let’s live our lives standing for love, unity, dignity, diversity, equality, freedom, and democracy.

Creating Unity @ Seattle Gum Wall

My junior year at university, I held a campus-wide project for religious tolerance in which students and university staff were asked to “express their faith” on a piece of fabric. I later pieced the patches together to create a unity quilt that hung in the student union. “I love the Church of Baseball” was next to “God is my rock” and above “I am Jewish” and below “I believe in humanity.” It showed that our differences can unite us.

Now more than ever, this country, this world, needs acts of love. We could all use a break from politics.

Let’s express some togetherness next week. Join me on Sunday, Nov. 20 @ 1 PM to Create Unity at the Seattle Gum Wall.

This is not a protest. This is a showcase of the good of humanity.

All you need is yourself, some packs of chewing gum, able mandibles, and an open heart.

I’ll be wearing a bright yellow “hi I’m a tourist” poncho so that you can spot me. Bring friends. Bring strangers. If you can’t attend at this time and date, I encourage you to leave your mark of love and unity anytime on the Gum Wall, or to do a random act of kindness at 1 PM next Sunday (and every day).

The Broccoli Apocalypse

Yes, that’s right. I co-wrote a play called “The Broccoli Apocalypse.” And co-directed. And I’ll be co-starring in it, too!

This short futuristic comedy celebrates Fringe Month (experimental theatre!). It’s part of The Libertinis’ Matchmaker Showcase which paired together strangers to create a mini masterpiece in 4 weeks.

“The Broccoli Apocalypse” was the result of brainstorming with my partner-turned-friend. It follows the human connection between bohemian graphic designer Tula (me!) and corporate guru Joan (Sunny Monroe), who is living the American Dream. The duo interact in the bathroom of the frozen food company they work for during times of a crumbling economy, climate change, global food shortages, and spiraling international trade relations.

And it’s a comedy, you say? Yes, of course. Because Tula has an Etsy store that sells hats for cats, so she might make it out of this thing alive.

If you’re in Seattle, come check it out at the Pocket Theater on Oct. 29 @ 8:30 PM.

Henry Art Hunt

“Henry” has been dubbed “Seattle’s most prolific muralist.” In 2008, he started painting on building facades and indoor walls, cars and garages, quickly becoming in high demand. The majority of his artwork can be found in the Ballard neighborhood, both in plain sight and tucked away, initiating a “Henry” scavenger hunt.

On my walks around Seattle, I always have my eyes peeled for Henry art. But unlike my Banksy art hunt in London, I don’t have a map to follow to suggested spots where the welcomed graffiti art might be. Instead, I come upon it my happenstance. Sometimes that’s the most rewarding art around.

Henry’s familiar characters include a walrus and Sasquatch, among other large, goofy looking creatures. His designs are easily recognizable by a consistent style. However, if you’re not sure it’s Henry art you’re looking at, check the bottom corner for a white oval with “henry” written in block letters. That’s his signature!

The Seattle Gum Wall

The name implies it all. Tucked away in an alley under the Emerald City’s famed Pike Place Market is a brick facade covered in used chewing gum.

Last November, workers cleared the Post Alley edifice of masticated debris for the first time in 20 years. A high-pressured steam clean removed 2,350 pounds of gum. According to the Seattle Times, the task took 130 hours, filling 94 buckets with a rainbow assortment of used Wrigley’s, Bazooka and Juicy Fruit.

Where did one ton of second-hand gum go? Straight to the dumpster. (Unfortunately, gum is not compostable.)

The Gum Wall was once ranked No. 2 on Trip Advisor’s list of Germiest Global Tourist Attractions. It’s not the most rewarding accolade, but Seattle will take it. Not that this great city needs any more gold stars. (It’s already known for its coffee, beer, dog life, cyclist-friendliness and pro-environmentalism, among a lengthy list of other unique quirks.)

The decision to remove the gum was made by the city in an effort to preserve the building’s integrity. Admittedly, 2,350 pounds hanging on the edge of a wall could make the structure teeter.

But the gum removal didn’t stop tourists from visiting the wall and leaving their mark. Post Alley is and will forever be home to the Gum Wall.

 

Creative Community Quirks That Define Seattle

When I told people I was moving to the Emerald City, anyone who hadn’t been to Seattle said, “Oh, I hope you like rain.” But everyone who had lived in or visited the city said, “OHMYGOD I LOVE SEATTLE!” And, as I’m finding out, rightly so.

Myself a creative guru (much preferred over the term “starving artist”), I have an absurd attention to detail and equal appreciation for originality and imagination. I walk, bike or bus around town, and this sort of relaxed mobility has allowed me to fully take in my surroundings.

Whether I’m turning down new streets or passing through the same route repeatedly, creativity is constantly catching my eye. The carefree artistic talents here are interactive, encouraging a sense of community and, ultimately, making Seattle a destination location for budding professionals and beyond.

I’ve been tallying the uniqueness as it comes about. Here’s a (incomplete) list of reasons why, in addition to the gorgeous scenery and plethora of opportunities, I can’t help falling in love with Seattle.

• Mailbox full of communal love poems. From sticky notes to crumpled looseleaf, there’s a decorative neighborhood mailbox filled with take-one, leave-one poems.
• Little Free Libraries. These community birdhouses for books sit along sidewalks all around the city. Take a book, leave a book in any of the book huts. Genres abound and the novels always rotate.

• Henry art. Found especially in the Ballard and Fremont neighborhoods, this local artists paints murals of cartoon animals on buildings and garages, as per the owner’s request. It’s a fun scavenger hunt trying to find all the Henry art, reminiscent of my art-inspired scavenger hunts in London.
• Fire hydrant faces. Someone went around town and stuck giant googly eyes on a handful of fire hydrants. Another fun scavenger hunt idea!
• The Gum Wall. It is exactly what it sounds like. A wall in an alley by the famed Pike Place Market is covered in gum. The brick facade was recently scraped of all its sticky chewed art to maintain the “structural integrity” of the building, but gum adorned the wall immediately thereafter.

• Spring equinox community tree. The trunk and branches were wrapped in rainbow ribbon during the spring, with a note encouraging passers-by to attach an object to the dangling clothespins.
• Lost and found yard art. Little kids lose shoes; dogs lose toys. Some homes have made displays out of the objects they have found left behind in their lawns. Parks even decoratively pin up lost and found articles on a cork board.

• The Fremont Troll. This iconic concrete sculpture was part of Seattle’s beautification project under the Aurora bridge. An actual junkyard VW Beetle is in the troll’s hands, though many don’t recognize the car is not made of cement. The troll is not only popular with tourists; many events are held at the troll each year, including holiday affairs in which the creature gets decorated.

 

• Recycled lawn ornaments. Urban gardens are booming in Seattle. Plates, mirrors and bathtubs are no stranger to garden decor in the Emerald City.
• Cabbage gardens. The leafy vegetable isn’t just a source of food. Temperate-weather folks plant cabbage in pots outside storefronts and in street medians.

• Film festivals. Indie film fests abound here, along with the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), one of the world’s largest. The Seattle Jewish Film Festival is a big deal, too.
• Culture fests. From the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (hailed as one of the best in the nation) and Chinese New Year celebration to the Summer Solstice parade and Norwegian Festival, Seattle is an international bubble of culture and entertainment.

 

Green with Nature: Celebrating St. Patty’s Day in the Emerald City

If you can’t be in Ireland, what better way to be green for St. Patrick’s Day than celebrate in Seattle, the “go green” Emerald City of the U.S.?

Since I won’t be dousing my sanity with pints of Guinness today, and admittedly–abashedly–forgot to wear a green shirt today, I celebrated this holiday whose-existence-no-one-really-understands in my own way–a forest hike!

Seattle’s temperate climate and misty rain keep the city colors popping with vibrant wildflowers, moss and Evergreens; hence its nickname as the Emerald City. My hike through Carkeek Park took me along gravel and unmaintained trails under the forest canopy, following salmon-spawning streams, over a railroad track and spit me out on Puget Sound. With clear skies, I had a coveted view of the Olympic mountain range poking up along the horizon. I also had some coveted solo time for appreciation of the world around me, taking in the lush scenery with babbling brooks and chirping birds. And a crow who stole my raisin.

In the end, even without a green shirt, my St. Patty’s Day was filled with green!