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The Seattle Book of Dates

Adventures, Escapes, and Secret Spots

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Top music and book gifts for 2023 — Seattle Times

Discover the best of Seattle in a whole new way! Here are 125 secret spots, beloved locales, and unexpected destinations offer endless options for date night and weekend adventures.

From the authors of the bestselling Portland Book of Dates comes this insider's guide to the coolest spots in Seattle and Washington state. A visual delight, the illustrated book marries style and substance and the result is a curated and creative collection of more than 125 often-inexpensive outings in and around Seattle to inspire romance and adventure.

For locals and visitors alike, this is an essential resource for couples of all ages (and singles with friends) interested in learning about off-the-beaten-path things to do, see, and taste in Seattle and environs.

Outings run the gamut: 
  • Tropical Winter Date features the Volunteer Park Conservatory and a secret drink at Inside Passage
  • Get High on History includes a trip to the Klondike Gold Rush Historic Park and Smith Tower Observatory (and bar!)
  • Eat, Drink, and Be Gay offers up Capitol Hill bars that celebrate and cater to the queer community
  • Farther afield adventures include trips to Vancouver and Victoria, the San Juans and other islands, Bellingham and Skagit Vallet, Mount Rainier, Eastern Washington, and more!
Authors (and married couple) Eden Dawn and Ashod Simonian seek out the obscure and fascinating, and the date descriptions are motivating enough to prompt even the most dedicated Netflix-and-chillers to head out the door.
Top music and book gifts for 2023 — Seattle Times

"Never run out of ideas for date night. Written by spouses Eden Dawn and Ashod Simonian, this cheeky and stylish guide offers fun adventures in Seattle and Washington state, Portland, Vancouver, B.C. and more."
—Seattle Times

Praise for The Portland Book of Dates, A Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller


"We definitely recommend buying the book for yourself—there are so many more places to explore than we could possibly fit here, and the illustrations are gorgeous."
—Portland Mercury

"This book is adorable. It is so cool. It's hip, it's trendy, and what I love about it is it's not your average guidebook. The illustrations and the maps . . . make it so entertaining to read."
—X-Ray FM

"It may take on greater importance as a historical text, the same way Chuck Palahniuk's city guide Fugitives & Refugees did in 2003—a snapshot of Portland as it was just before it changed forever, again."
—Willamette Week
EDEN DAWN is the former award-winning style editor for Portland Monthly. She's a beloved personality in the community, often seen judging drag queen pageants, emceeing fundraising galas, performing at storytelling events, and hosting Fashion in Film at the historic Hollywood Theater. ASHOD SIMONIAN is a creative director and designer known for advertising campaigns and packaging projects for Focus Features, Columbia Sportswear, and Peet's Coffee, among others. He is the co-owner of Imaginary Authors, and author of Real Fun, a book of photography and stories documenting his decade spent touring the world in a variety of indie rock bands.

Together, Eden and Ashod run the activism-based nail polish company Claws Out. The Seattle Book of Dates—just like their previous best-seller, The Portland Book of Dates—is a natural extension of their adventurous, overextended lifestyle. They wrote this book from their slightly creaky 100-year-old Portland home.
Manual Stimulation
Is there anything better than taking yourself out for a leisurely solo date after a long week? Better yet, one stuffed with rejuvenating culture and entertainment to thoroughly rev you up? Start at the literary heart of the city, Elliott Bay Book Company. Opened since 1973 (but in Cap Hill since 2010), the twenty-thousand-square-foot warehouse—with its exposed trusses, towering ceilings, and that special book smell—is a place for lingering aisle wanders before you select your next paperback friend. Not sure what to get? The well-read staff recommendations on the shelves are always a good place to start. 

Next up, visit the ever-colorful Museum of Museums. With its hallmark neon sign, the mid-century building is like a nesting doll of museums with formal exhibition spaces and three additional on-site museums plus murals, rotating installations, art classes, a theater, a conceptual gift shop, and ever-changing pop-ups. The potential for what you see could be anything from a group exhibit on Afrofuturism to a magazine release party to immersive displays that’ll blow your dang mind. Be open for anything and you surely won’t be disappointed.

Reward yourself for being a culturephile by heading over to Ristorante Machiavelli. A Capitol Hill favorite for more than thirty years known as much for its gooey eggplant parmigiana and tiramisu-like Il Diplomatico as it is for their friendly staff. They don’t take reservations, so show up right when they open and try to snag a window seat for primo people watching.

Now as the evening rolls around, you’ve got some options depending on the calendar. Every other Wednesday, try hitting up one of the Sorrento Hotel’s Silent Reading Parties held in their stunning Fireside Room with its famed Rookwood tiles. Here, a cross section of Seattleites gather, from famous creatives to students, to read their favorite works quietly to themselves while resident musician Paul Matthew Moore plays a pleasant live soundtrack on the piano.

In the mood for more of a silly time? Try Central Cinema. The second-run theater lovingly built by Kevin and Kate Spitzer with cozy couches and salvaged seats from Swedish hospital’s auditorium screens everything from kung fu flicks to old classics. And by “old classics,” we mean screen gems like the truly wonderful ’90s-style/music/soul patches of Cameron Crowe’s Singles (the movie’s iconic apartment building is just a few blocks away). Make sure to drop in on one of their Movie Cat Trivia nights, where you can indulge in fun movie trivia and cats drawn into some of your favorite film scenes.

Photos

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About

Top music and book gifts for 2023 — Seattle Times

Discover the best of Seattle in a whole new way! Here are 125 secret spots, beloved locales, and unexpected destinations offer endless options for date night and weekend adventures.

From the authors of the bestselling Portland Book of Dates comes this insider's guide to the coolest spots in Seattle and Washington state. A visual delight, the illustrated book marries style and substance and the result is a curated and creative collection of more than 125 often-inexpensive outings in and around Seattle to inspire romance and adventure.

For locals and visitors alike, this is an essential resource for couples of all ages (and singles with friends) interested in learning about off-the-beaten-path things to do, see, and taste in Seattle and environs.

Outings run the gamut: 
  • Tropical Winter Date features the Volunteer Park Conservatory and a secret drink at Inside Passage
  • Get High on History includes a trip to the Klondike Gold Rush Historic Park and Smith Tower Observatory (and bar!)
  • Eat, Drink, and Be Gay offers up Capitol Hill bars that celebrate and cater to the queer community
  • Farther afield adventures include trips to Vancouver and Victoria, the San Juans and other islands, Bellingham and Skagit Vallet, Mount Rainier, Eastern Washington, and more!
Authors (and married couple) Eden Dawn and Ashod Simonian seek out the obscure and fascinating, and the date descriptions are motivating enough to prompt even the most dedicated Netflix-and-chillers to head out the door.

Praise

Top music and book gifts for 2023 — Seattle Times

"Never run out of ideas for date night. Written by spouses Eden Dawn and Ashod Simonian, this cheeky and stylish guide offers fun adventures in Seattle and Washington state, Portland, Vancouver, B.C. and more."
—Seattle Times

Praise for The Portland Book of Dates, A Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller


"We definitely recommend buying the book for yourself—there are so many more places to explore than we could possibly fit here, and the illustrations are gorgeous."
—Portland Mercury

"This book is adorable. It is so cool. It's hip, it's trendy, and what I love about it is it's not your average guidebook. The illustrations and the maps . . . make it so entertaining to read."
—X-Ray FM

"It may take on greater importance as a historical text, the same way Chuck Palahniuk's city guide Fugitives & Refugees did in 2003—a snapshot of Portland as it was just before it changed forever, again."
—Willamette Week

Author

EDEN DAWN is the former award-winning style editor for Portland Monthly. She's a beloved personality in the community, often seen judging drag queen pageants, emceeing fundraising galas, performing at storytelling events, and hosting Fashion in Film at the historic Hollywood Theater. ASHOD SIMONIAN is a creative director and designer known for advertising campaigns and packaging projects for Focus Features, Columbia Sportswear, and Peet's Coffee, among others. He is the co-owner of Imaginary Authors, and author of Real Fun, a book of photography and stories documenting his decade spent touring the world in a variety of indie rock bands.

Together, Eden and Ashod run the activism-based nail polish company Claws Out. The Seattle Book of Dates—just like their previous best-seller, The Portland Book of Dates—is a natural extension of their adventurous, overextended lifestyle. They wrote this book from their slightly creaky 100-year-old Portland home.

Excerpt

Manual Stimulation
Is there anything better than taking yourself out for a leisurely solo date after a long week? Better yet, one stuffed with rejuvenating culture and entertainment to thoroughly rev you up? Start at the literary heart of the city, Elliott Bay Book Company. Opened since 1973 (but in Cap Hill since 2010), the twenty-thousand-square-foot warehouse—with its exposed trusses, towering ceilings, and that special book smell—is a place for lingering aisle wanders before you select your next paperback friend. Not sure what to get? The well-read staff recommendations on the shelves are always a good place to start. 

Next up, visit the ever-colorful Museum of Museums. With its hallmark neon sign, the mid-century building is like a nesting doll of museums with formal exhibition spaces and three additional on-site museums plus murals, rotating installations, art classes, a theater, a conceptual gift shop, and ever-changing pop-ups. The potential for what you see could be anything from a group exhibit on Afrofuturism to a magazine release party to immersive displays that’ll blow your dang mind. Be open for anything and you surely won’t be disappointed.

Reward yourself for being a culturephile by heading over to Ristorante Machiavelli. A Capitol Hill favorite for more than thirty years known as much for its gooey eggplant parmigiana and tiramisu-like Il Diplomatico as it is for their friendly staff. They don’t take reservations, so show up right when they open and try to snag a window seat for primo people watching.

Now as the evening rolls around, you’ve got some options depending on the calendar. Every other Wednesday, try hitting up one of the Sorrento Hotel’s Silent Reading Parties held in their stunning Fireside Room with its famed Rookwood tiles. Here, a cross section of Seattleites gather, from famous creatives to students, to read their favorite works quietly to themselves while resident musician Paul Matthew Moore plays a pleasant live soundtrack on the piano.

In the mood for more of a silly time? Try Central Cinema. The second-run theater lovingly built by Kevin and Kate Spitzer with cozy couches and salvaged seats from Swedish hospital’s auditorium screens everything from kung fu flicks to old classics. And by “old classics,” we mean screen gems like the truly wonderful ’90s-style/music/soul patches of Cameron Crowe’s Singles (the movie’s iconic apartment building is just a few blocks away). Make sure to drop in on one of their Movie Cat Trivia nights, where you can indulge in fun movie trivia and cats drawn into some of your favorite film scenes.

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