Essays

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THE LAND OF RIP CITY

Tuesday, October 1, 2019 15:10 — 0 Comments

Below is a story that appeared in Alaska Beyond magazine in October 2019 If you’ve ever walked through downtown Portland, Oregon, and wondered about the origin and meaning of the “Rip City” signs and banners, the answer is rooted in the city’s professional basketball team, the Portland Trailblazers. The term was reportedly coined by local broadcasting legend Bill Schonely during the team’s inaugural 1970-71 season. The Blazers, founded by sports promoter Harry Glickman, were down more than 25 points during a home game against the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers, led by legends Wilt Chamberlin and Jerry West, when Portland mounted a major comeback, […]

Visual Arts

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ESPN’s Kenny Mayne On RunFreely.org, Playing Quarterback and Colin Kaepernick

Monday, September 16, 2019 16:57 — 1 Comment

For any sports fan or ESPN aficionado, the name Kenny Mayne is more than familiar. Mayne, of course, is the sardonic, sarcastic personality who often hosts the station’s flagship program, SportsCenter. Mayne, who has also hosted shows like ESPN’s Widler World of Sports, grew up an athlete and played quarterback at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he broke his leg in 1980. Ever since the break, Mayne has suffered ankle pains – so much so that he once considered amputation. More recently, however, he found relief with intricate rehab and special braces. This relief has translated into a […]

Visual Arts

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns answers questions about his new documentary Country Music, an eight-part, 16-hour look at the history of the music genre, during a press conference at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

Chronicles of Country Music

Tuesday, September 3, 2019 16:56 — 0 Comments

Below is a story that appeared in Alaska Beyond magazine in September 2019 Ken Burns remembers sitting in a tiny editing room, sobbing, as he put together his latest documentary, Country Music. In fact, the acclaimed filmmaker says, there are often a half-dozen boxes of tissues in the office for him and his staff to use as they pore through old photographs and emotional testimonials—content they choose from to tell intimate stories about impactful time periods, iconic structures and significant cultural movements in American history. Burns, whose first documentary, Brooklyn Bridge (1981), earned him an Oscar nomination, has a long list of acclaimed titles […]

Music

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Steve Earle Talks Death, The Wire, Guitars And Leaving Home

Tuesday, August 6, 2019 15:54 — 0 Comments

American singer-songwriter, Steve Earle, is a living legend. Between his decades touring the country, playing his jangly-heavy guitar for audiences thirsty for stories of the road and dust kicked up, and his years acting on hit television shows like HBO’s The Wire and Treme, Earle is known for his folk wisdom and sharp tongue. He’s a veteran of the Texas, New Orleans and Nashville music circuits and he’s a staple for those combing through the decades of Americana music greatness. I caught up with Earle to ask him about the first time he picked up a guitar, what it was […]

Visual Arts

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Your Last Supper

Thursday, August 1, 2019 15:55 — 0 Comments

Below is a story that appeared in Amtrak’s OnTrak magazine in Summer/Fall 2019 KIRO RADIO’S RACHEL BELLE loves food. A decade ago, the intrepid reporter stumbled upon a list of last meals requested by Texas inmates. She wondered—what would her own last meal be, and what if she turned this curiosity into a podcast series featuring celebrities such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Guillermo Del Toro and Alicia Silverstone? Just like that, the podcast Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle was born. Ultimately, what interests you about food? I’ve been enthusiastic about food since I was a tiny girl, trying chicken feet for the […]

Music

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Valerie June On Brad Pitt, Banana Candy, Etherial Portals And Time

Monday, July 29, 2019 11:09 — 0 Comments

Valerie June finally has free time. After a life working odd jobs and steeling moments to write songs, the lilting, butterfly-voiced Americana singer has room to make her art, unfettered by traditional responsibilities. And, she says, this is the best thing she could have hoped for. June talked about this newfound resource and the freedom it offers her ever-evolving creativity. She also talked about the time she met Brad Pitt (and nearly passed out), what her favorite candy was as a kid and how she grew up singing gospel music with family and friends all around her. Do you remember […]

The answer isn't poetry, but rather language

- Richard Kenney

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Book Release and Reading Feb. 6

January 6th, 2016

Hello fellow readers, travelers and Monarchians! Our first book, Traveling Light, written by Seattle author, Jim Brantingham, is now for sale! And we will be throwing a release party for it Feb. 6 at 6pm in Ravenna Third Place Books (on the corner of 65th and 20th NE). Jim will be reading from the book and there will be guest readers accompanying him. Space is limited, so we suggest you come early. Books can be bought through this link here or at Ravenna Third Place Books (which just ordered it’s second wave of books). We are super excited for this release and […]