#2 of the biggest and most expansive art pieces i have ever made have been because of this comp

[clawsandpaws-creativearchive]

Time for me to make yet another massive multi-turtle art piece! Here is our fun little collab/coloring page for our cross-cabin narrative! Each member who was able to participate will be coloring/editing in their own turtles/aus!

Both cabins thought it'd be fun to plan a friendly game of capture the flag! Unfortunately it didn't take long for the planning session to break out into chaos! ( Cabins 14 & 15 ) @tmnt-fandom-family-reunion ~ Cadoo 🐾 All included campers will be tagged under the cut:

🔥 Cabin 15: GGTH! Don: @clawsandpaws-creativearchive Sparky!AU Smokey: @belleyellsaboutturtles Move Along! Mikey Raph: @justalittleobsessed 🛸 Cabin 14: HEM Mikey Raph (and Nibbles): @languajix ICE Donnie: @leilanising GoTP Mika & Spirit: @wandering-ghost The Second Shot: @twignotstick True Colors: @v-albion Covert Au Mikhail: @chessman-protocol Fear's Embrace Marco & Donnie: @karonkar

[greysmaster]

Diablo 2 resurrected switch release date

#Diablo 2 resurrected switch release date full#

#Diablo 2 resurrected switch release date Offline#

I suspect that Blizzard had a very particular audience in mind when it decided to remaster Diablo II. The voice acting is still strong, with even bit characters like Charsi the blacksmith or Gheed the trader showing a lot of personality. The sound design, too, is a thing of beauty, with crystal-clear music that’s still memorable after all these years, and redesigned sound effects. I didn’t realize just how much of a difference the new graphics made until I saw the two side-by-side. Old-school fans need not worry, though, as you can toggle between the new and old graphics instantaneously, with a single button.

#Diablo 2 resurrected switch release date full#

Blizzard has given the game a full 3D overhaul, with high-res models and textures, 4K resolution and fast frame rates. One area where Diablo II: Resurrected absolutely excels is in its music and sound. Diablo II: Resurrected review: Visuals and sound Since Blizzard hasn’t remastered the first Diablo game, the least it could have done was give a recap. You need to know the Dark Wanderer’s identity, what happened to the town of Tristram, why it’s important to save the scholar Deckard Cain and even how Diablo himself factors into the ongoing war against Heaven and Hell. But it’s also a convoluted story, which relies heavily on the events of the first Diablo game. It’s a good story, at least once you figure out everyone’s identity and motivation. Your character pursues Marius, in the hopes of eventually stopping Diablo. The Dark Wanderer seems to command the power of Diablo, the Lord of Terror, and seeks to wage war against a heavenly deity called Tyrael. Diablo II tells the story of a traveler named Marius, who accompanies a warrior called the Dark Wanderer into the Eastern realms of Sanctuary. This also means that new players will have precisely zero context for the long, expository cutscene that plays before the game even starts.

#Diablo 2 resurrected switch release date Offline#

(Transferring items was a huge pain in the base game.) Diablo II: Resurrected gives you crystal-clear options for online and offline play, including whether you want to play with the Lord of Destruction expansion content, whether you want a hardcore (perma-death) character, or whether you want other players to jump into your game. You can now pick up gold automatically, see a full list of gear bonuses, respec high-level characters and share an inventory stash across all of your characters. It’s even odder when you consider that Diablo II: Resurrected does, indeed, have a few quality-of-life improvements. Now that games like Diablo III and Torchlight have streamlined a lot of these inconveniences, it’s odd that Diablo II wouldn’t at least have an option to follow suit. Micromanaging your inventory and making frequent trips back to town was tedious when Diablo II debuted. You’ll also have to dive in and move items around manually to max out your space, since the game’s auto-sort options are limited. As such, after 15 minutes or so of adventuring, your inventory will be packed to the brim, even if you’re fairly judicious about what you want to keep. Your inventory in this game is tiny, and nothing stacks, not even potions. Granted, most of the equipment you find is not all that useful - and this is where Diablo II starts to show its age. Defeating enemies feels rewarding, since you never know what they might drop, whether it’s a lifesaving potion, or a powerful piece of unique equipment. This has been one of Diablo’s biggest draws ever since the first game. Gathering loot is the other big part of the equation. Combat is always simple, but not always easy, thanks to a huge variety of procedurally generated enemies and levels. A Necromancer might hang back and let scads of skeletons do his dirty work, while an Assassin might disable powerful foes with martial arts while picking off weaker ones with traps. Managing huge crowds of enemies is an interesting challenge, since each class has a somewhat different approach to it. As such, the vast majority of Diablo II: Resurrected is clicking on enemies as quickly as humanly possible, occasionally retreating to quaff a health or mana potion.

[ourlittlebitofnothinguniverse]

All for the video game ask. (do I need to mention only if u r comfy w/ it at this point). Love you!!

alright u done done it now bitchhhhhhhh are u READY 4 THIS SHIT (dshfa;lkj thamk i am so pumped ur my biggest enabler) i already answered a couple of these for anon but i’ll go ahead and answer them here as well

1. First game you played obsessively?hmmmm i wanna say the legend of spyro the eternal night? i played it so much i could beat the whole game in four hours. i’ve heard lots of ppl actually hated the legend of spyro trilogy but honestly they can suck my ass i loved them

2. A game that has influenced you creatively? Writing, drawing, etc.uh besides my answer for anon of skyrim not many games have actually just straight up influenced my art style but i’ve been playing this game called Fe (not fire emblem just Fe) and i really want to draw fanart for it bc it’s super cute if that Counts as influence?

3. Who did you play with as a kid?if this is meant in terms of co-op games nobody bc we didn’t have anyif just in general, my sister for the most part. i’d watch her play things like resident evil and she’d help me with the hard parts in medievil and crash bandicoot warped (read: racing levels)

4. Who do you play with now?myself lmao i don’t rly like co-op and multiplayer games and i prefer to play most games by myself

5. Ever use cheat codes?like i told anon, no bc i don’t know how they work and i’d probably only use them for the sims anyways

6. Ever buy strategy guides?not really? once we bought the collectors edition for diablo II when i was little and it included the strategy guide which i stayed up all night to read (bc i had run out of other reading materials in the house) but like i don’t really use them idk

7. Any games you have multiple copies of?the sims three and i know you know the reason why but in case anybody else wants to know: i didn’t know they had actually completely changed the game since i had played it last probably a decade ago so i bought it @ walmart this year and then i got mad bc it apparently SUCKS ASS now so in search of a copy of the original version i bought a second one from amazon bc the Image being used WAS of the original case but it really was the new version so now i have two SHITTY SHITTY VERSIONS of a game i used to love that i will never play bc it’s shit except maybe i will bc apparently it has real life music in it just replaced with sims language which is amazing and this response is far too long for the question but i asked u if u were ready so u signed up 4 thisi also have an xbox version of it tht i got for like christmas or smth years ago and a,,,,,, ds version??? that i got last year bc somebody was selling “the original version of the game including every expansion pack” for only like $30 and it definitely said disk version but when i got it it was this Pre-owned Dirty Ds Cartridge Covered In What Looked Like Strawberry Jelly and when i tried to contact them they shut their page down so there’s that which equals four shitty shitty copies of the sims three and i will never be more mad about anything than i am about this

8. Rarest/Most expensive game in your collection?uh well back when i had a job i spent A Lot of money (to me it was a lot) to get the collectors edition of the last guardian so that would be my most expensive. other than that i would have to say one of the hardest to find (maybe not rare but not common)games i have currently is medievil for ps1 bc it took me like a week of searching to find a copy in good condition online for sale bc i rly wanted to own it again since we had to sell all my old games when we moved to oregon which sucked bc we had a Bunch of cool games (mostly early ps era)

9. Most regrettable purchase?did you see my rant about the sims three for answer 7? yeah

10. Ever go to a midnight game release or stand in line for hours?never lived in an area where that is A Thing

11. Have you ever made new friends from playing video games?i wanna make a homestuck joke here (srsly probably not like i said i don’t rly do any type of co-op or multiplayer games so)

12. Ever get picked on for liking games?not really?? is that a Thing?

13. A game you’ve never played that everyone else has?uh idk literally any COD game, basketball games, Fallout games, overwatch, anything that’s co-op, shooter games or sports related etc idk i’m a simple fellow these types of games don’t appeal to me

14. Favorite game music?idk what this means? like genre-wise??? idk abt stuff like that i just like good game music but i’ll tell you the fuck what, hiveswap music fuckin SLAPPED

15. If it was a requirement to get a game related tattoo, what would you pick?fuck shit idk man i don’t rly want a tattoo maybe uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh smth that could be vague

16. Favorite game to play with your friends IRL?idk rip lmao

17. Ever lose a friend over a game?Nah man i can’t even imagine smth as dumb as that unless they’re screaming racist or sexist slurs bc then friendship is terminated but otherwise like wtf it’s just a game,,,

18. Would you date someone that hates gaming?i mean?????? sure????????????? they don’t have to game with me??????????? unless they tell me I can’t game bc they don’t like it in which case Bye u controlling piece of shit

19. Favorite handheld console?u kno those games that used to come in sonic happy meals? yah (jk uh i don’t have much experience w/ handheld consoles besides nintendo ds-es and they’re cool)

20. Game that you know like the back of your hand?like i said i played spyro the eternal night so often i could beat it in four hours so probably that one.

21. Game that you didn’t like or understand as a kid but love now?the only games i didn’t like as a kid i p much still don’t like now

22. Do you wear game related clothing/accessories?i am Poor

23. The game that you’ve logged the most hours into?currently skyrim or stardew valley

24. First Pokemon game?I didn’t get to play any pokemon games until this year actually but i got myself pokemon y and ultra sun so those are my first two! although you Could technically say pokemon go bc i played that for the first time like One month before i got y and ultra sun but like idk if tht counts so *shrug emoji*

25. Were you ever an arcade game player?i never lived where arcades were a thing tbh

26. Ever form any gaming rivalries?Why

27. Game that makes you rage?there’s this absolutely adorable and INFURIATING game called so many me that’s a puzzle platformer but the controls are so ridiculously precise that it’s absolutely the WORST to play bc unless you do it just right at just the right millisecond you will die over and over and over

28. Ever play in a tournament?nah

29. What is your gaming set up?the livingroom tv and my mom’s xbox one or my bedroom with my ps4 i got for my birthday and my xbox 360 that i got like 7 years ago

30. How many consoles do you own?alright so If ds-es count i own,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, roughly seven? i have my new ps4 i got for my birthday last year, my 7 year old xbox 360, another xbox 360 i bought from a kid @ school, a ps1 i bought last year for the Nostalgia that’s in rly good condition, a rly old ds lite a rly old 3ds and my new pokeball 2dsxl. i would also say that the ps3 my aunt left when she died is mine bc my mom never used it and she had bought most of the games For Me and Her to play together anyways so the idea that she left it to my mom is,,,, Weird but my mom claims it was left to her so Shrug emoji

31. Does the 3DS and/or Virtual Boy hurt your eyes or give you headaches?“virtual boy” i love it omg. uh not really i don’t use my ds-es that often bc i don’t have a just wild amount of games but when i do use them it doesn’t rly mess w/ my brain or eyes too much

32. Did you ever play a game based on your favorite show/cartoon/movie/comic?probably not?

33. Did you ever have any bootleg games or plug-n-play games?i don’t think so tbh

34. Do either of your parents play video games?my mom does but she really only plays like three games (the newest assassins creed, skyrim, and stardew valley)

35. Ever work in a game store? Or do you have a favorite game shop?nope

36. Have you ever shed actual blood, sweat or tears over a game?man have u ever heard of brotherhood a tale of two sons? mom told me abt it and she didn’t warn me abt how it ended and i had to leave the room and cry bc it broke my heart

37. Have you played E.T. for the Atari 2600? Do you think that’s the worst game ever, or do you have another nomination?i didn’t know that was a thing

38. A game you’re ashamed to admit that you like?i can’t think of any tbh. oh wait i take that back sonic unleashed it’s terrible but i love it

39. A sequel that you would die for them to make?maybe not a sequel but they rly need to come out with another stardew valley type thing or maybe expansions or smth so that you can talk to and befriend more ppl and stuff

40. What to you think of virtual reality headsets or motion controls?never been able to try them but they look super fun and i can’t wait to see how they improve the technology

41. A genre that you just can’t get into?multi-player games period. also first person shooters and sports games. there’s more but i can’t remember the title of the game bc i don’t know what genre it would be lmao

42. Maybe it wasn’t your first game, but what was the game that started you on your path to nerdiness?i assume this means game related nerdiness not just my inherent nerdiness in general so probably the very first spyro game

43. Ever play games when you really should have been concentrating on something else?all the time my dude

44. Arcade machine that has consumed the most of your quarters?none

45. How are you at Mario Kart?probably shit i’m not good @ steering in games

46. Do you like relaxing games like Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon?i love them! i have like 100+ hours logged into stardew valley and i only got it in like november of last year

47. Do you like competitive games?not really

48. How long does it take your to customize your player character?so long. i either have to make them gorgeous or beautifully hideous

49. In games where you can pick your class, do you always tend to go for the same type of character?yah tbh lmao. i have like eight thief stone khajits in skyrim rn

50. If you were a game designer, what masterpiece would you create?i have a Lot of ideas and not all of them are good

51. Have you ever played a game for so long that you forgot to eat or sleep?forgetting to sleep, yes. forgetting to eat? no 

52. A game that you begged your parents for as a kid?i was a very sheltered kid i didn’t know about new games coming out when i was little bc we didn’t have any way for me to find out About Them. i’m making up for it by begging as an adult for ni-no-kuni II and the new spyro trilogy remastered

53. What’s your opinion on DLC these days?depends on the game tbh some of it is good and a lot of ppl who make mods are rly talented but sometimes the big companies just make dlc to make more money so it can be rly shitty so it’s kinda a 50/50

54. Do you give in to Steam sales?heck yes rn i’m waiting for house flipper to go on sale bc i’ve been waiting for it to come out since i found out abt it

55. Did you ever make someone you hated in the Sims and did mean stuff to them?no my style of playing the sims was more along the lines of make a hundred houses that are all P Much The Same House and making a hundred familys and never playing literally any of them hadflskja;sdfjdslkhja i just liked building stuff and that’s why i’m pissed abt how much they changed the sims three bc it used to be Way Better

56. Did you ever play Roller Coaster Tycoon and kill off your guests?we didn’t have it but i did have zoo tycoon and i’d release the dinosaurs sometimes

57. Did you ever play a game to 100% or get all of the achievements?legend of spyro the eternal night

58. If you can only play 3 games for the rest of your life, which ones do you pick?uh!!! that’s too much pressure and i would get so bored playing them for the rest of my life even if i loved them so i will not choose

59. Do you play any cell phone games?sort of? i’m big into abyssrium and i like viridi if those Count?

60. Do you know the Konami Code???????????????????????? guess not

61. Do you trade in your games or keep them forever?keep them forever!

62. Ever buy a console specifically to play one game?i got the last guardian before getting the ps4 does that answer ur question? (jk that is not the only reason i wanted and got the ps4 but it was One big reason)

63. Ever go to a gaming convention or tournament? nah

64. Ever make a TV or monitor purchase based on what would be best for gaming?not really? i just use whatever i currently have bc i am lame

65. Ever have a Game Genie, Game Shark or Action Replay? Did it ever mess up your game’s save file?nope

66. Did you ever have have an old Nokia with Snake on it?not a nokia but we had this one handheld thing that had a bunch of games in it that included snake i just can’t remember what it was it had like letters and numbers and it needed like regular batteries and you could only play the games that came programmed on it 

67. Do you have a happy gaming-related childhood memory you want to share?i cannot think of any right off the top of my head even though i know i played a lot of video games and loved them when i was little. hm it might not count as like a gaming-related childhood memory and more of just a memory of a game but we did have one really interesting little game that i absolutely loved i think we only rented it but u were a scientist who could turn into a mouse and it was absolutely amazing i loved it i have no idea what it was called hm

68. Ever save up a ton of tickets in an arcade to get something cool?not really we didn’t have arcades around where i grew up

69. In your opinion, best game ever made? there are a lot of rly good ones i can’t choose a best game

70. Very first game you ever beat? like i told anon i’m p sure it was crash bandicoot warped

WHEW this was rly fun thank u for enabling me it took me like two hours to answer this i’m so happy. ilu 2 man hope ur day has been rad!

[scrawnydutchman]

O.K.K.O: Let’s Be Heroes! Series Review

Now HERE’S a show I’ve wanted to get a chance to sit down and watch forever. O.K.K.O: Let’s Be Heroes! is the rare show that comes along every once in a while that immediately sparks my interest upon seeing some previews. The show is just everything I love as a person. It’s back to good ol’ hand drawn frame by frame, it’s got both fun physical AND well written humor, and it features some of my favorite people in the industry around like members of the animation team behind the also fantastic Steven Universe and the guys behind some of the most phenomenal animation on the web, Studio Yotta, which fans may know created most of the music videos for the band Starbomb.  As if the show was literally made for me it also premiered on my birthday no less. It’s centered around one of the coolest concepts ever . . . FIGHTING. Yeah, I know that recently we’ve been getting pretty tired of violence in the real world and for good reason. The controversial shit is really getting to a lot of people. But there’s two types of fighting: that which is propelled by maliciousness and hatred, and that which is for sportsmanship, adrenaline and honest to God fun. This show is the latter type of fighting through and through, and it is AWESOME. Naturally this show did not disappoint me. I binge watched a whole bunch of it to get caught up and had a big ass grin on my face the whole time.

PLOT SYNOPSIS:

 K.O is a spunky, ambitious and good hearted little kid (Think Steven Universe and Goku from DBZ mashed together, and a bit of Ryu from Street Fighter) who wants to become a hero like the people around who inspire him, such as the towering musclebound badass of a plaza boss Mr. Gar. To do this, he ends up getting employed at Lakewood Plaza Turbo and works alongside Radicles, the pompous macho alien man with the levitation beam who’s secretly hiding a sensitive side (think Lars from Steven Universe but more endearing and less of a pain in the ass), and Enid, the snarky, sarcastic ninja who gives no fucks. They go on some misadventures, learn some lessons about themselves, occasionally Lord Boxman and his goons cause some trouble but they’re never threatening, and once in a while we get some clues into Mr. Gar’s past and how it’s tied to K.O’s mom Carol.

STORYTELLING:

I’ve gone on record before in saying that the best show premises are the ones just broad enough to go in all sorts of different directions with creative storytelling, and this show is thankfully no different. It’s got a great memorable setting with an expansive likable cast, great recurring jokes and a refreshingly fun tone about it. You can definitely tell the Steven Universe team worked on it because that and O.K.K.O have very distinct similarities, especially early season one of SU. The main difference to me though is the level of drama and the quality of humour. It’s a relatively new show that promises to introduce some drama down the line so comparing that to SU doesn’t feel fair at this point in time, but I’m very confident in saying O.K.K.O is funnier. SU has decent jokes, don’t get me wrong, but something about O.K.K.O just got me to laugh more consistently at it’s ultra bizarre humor. My favorite jokes tend to be the ones about Enid hating having to deal with entitled customers, but my favorite joke in the whole show thus far involves a certain coffee pun making mughead named Joe Cuppa. It’s a reveal that is so surreal and so bewildering that I can’t spoil the surprise, but damn if it isn’t funny.

In terms of both storytelling and animation, despite being an action show first and foremost, O.K.K.O’s greatest attribute is it’s humor. The wild faces, the great comedic timing in the cuts, the bizarre movement of the characters at times, plus the combination of both surreal and poignant lines make for a consistently clever ride. There’s one particular episode that I think really captures the harsh reality of fandoms that’s relevant to an eerie extent, and it can all be summed up by this one line by Radicles.

“Who knew people could be so dumb about art they love so much?”

ANIMATION:

Now, being an animator myself, one of the biggest attractions to this show for me was the fact that it was a return to classic Hand Drawn 2D animation. In a time where the vast majority of television programming is either passable but uninteresting character rigging or bland, texture lacking 3d animation, a return to what is in my opinion the most organic, spontaneous and therefore the most consistently interesting animation style is always welcome. The show even references it’s animation style at 24 FPS in one of the lyrics sung by Rebecca Sugar in the credits, which I adore.

“Every second that you see is 24 connected pieces. Thank you for coming. Thank you for staying. Thank you for watching the show.” - Rebecca Sugar.

Really, that lyric should be a pretty good indication about the kind of passion put into this show. When this show gets going, it’s got some of the most consistently satisfying and creative animation I’ve seen in a long time. The characters feel unbound by typical design conventions which allows for more flexibility in their expressions and their poses, and it makes for both very effective comedy and some of the most dynamic and well choreographed action scenes you can find on TV right now. A large contribution to the studio being able to pull this off is the simplistic art style. Every character is often times sketched pretty roughly with some proportions being askew at times, hands turning into little spheres, backgrounds lacking big details and so on. But what the art lacks in consistency it more then makes up for in fluidity and spontaneity. I’m actually glad they don’t care as much about the little details because it gives them the freedom to put more time into creating the kind of epic grand scale fighting we like to see. It really does feel like they put a lot of heart and soul into how this show looks. The intro and outro alone are hype as hell to watch.

Now that said, the animation isn’t without it’s problems. Sometimes it’s really obvious where they put in minimal effort to save time, especially in large cheering crowd scenes, and I’ve noticed more then a few awkward cuts and transitions unfortunately when I could easily think of something that would have looked better and could be done in the same amount of time. But you can’t win everything I guess. All in all, I dig the way this show works and it has it’s priorities in check.

Acting

This show has a great cast that really fits each character. K.O. has a voice that’s kiddish and endearing, but it never gets annoying or grading, which is a flaw a lot of child characters have the unfortunate tendency of having. Chalk this up as another way in which K.O. is better then Steven Universe btw. Enid has a great voice for articulating a snarky give-no-fucks attitude but it’s also always great whenever she needs to be genuine. Radicles is the macho alien man so naturally he has a great voice that’s a combination of every surfer dude and college fratboy you ever heard of. He’s a pompous egotistical jerk certainly but he’s several times more endearing then characters of his archetype because he’s shown to not be completely heartless or needlessly cruel to people close to him. Mr. Gar is great and more often then not gets the funniest lines in the show. Carol is the sweetest most charismatic badass mom in all of cartoon history and I gush whenever she and K.O interact. All the supporting characters do great, there isn’t a single voice in the show I find unbearable. Also this show consistently gets awesome celebrity voices like Keith David, and, more notably, the dude who says “INCONCEIVABLE!” in The Princess Bride.

Sound Design

Not a whole lot to say here other then it’s definitely serviceable. They sneak in some appropriate cartoon sound effects in there. The sound effects for the fight scenes like the crashing and exploding are pretty good. The intro song is fucking amazing. Like literally, I can watch the intro to this show over and over and be consistently entertained, it’s great. That’s the true sign of a promising show; when you can always sit through the intro and not get tired of it.

Art Design

I’ve already touched upon this point in the animation section, but as I mentioned before the art style is very minimal at times. But that’s totally fine. It acts in the shows favor more often then not because it gives the animators freedom to put their best work in the places that matter. Plus the character designs are great and memorable, they cover the bases for character design 101. You can tell who each character is in silhouette. Their inspirations are pretty plain to see like K.O. is so obviously modeled after headband clad fighting dudes like Street Fighter or Double Dragon. Enid is so obviously a Naruto inspired character. Radicles is probably some alien marvel character, idk. Point being, everyone is distinct and they communicate their personalities through how they look. You know everything you need to know about K.O. through a single picture of him.

*fun fact: K.O’s character design was the inspiration for the design of Ruby in Steven Universe.

Conclusion:

O.K.K.O: Let’s Be Heroes is everything I hoped it would be. It’s got a lot of heart, great surreal humor, intense and well choreographed action, great memorable characters and overall just leaves me with a simultaneously light/pumped up heart and a smile. The only thing I can really think of that’s wrong with it is it’s weird editing choices and select moments where cutting corners in animation was obvious, but that’s pretty small fry issues. I can’t wait to watch more.

STORYTELLING: 2/2

ANIMATION: 1.5/2

ACTING: 2/2

SOUND DESIGN: 1.5/2

ART DESIGN: 1.5/2

OVERALL RATING: 8.5/10

[tamboradventure]

10 Things to See and Do in Girona, Spain

Posted: 04/20/20 | April 20th, 2020

From lively Barcelona to island paradises like Mallorca and the Grand Canaries to the historic cities of Andalusia, Spain is awesome. It’s one of my favorite countries in the world and one of the most budget friendly in Europe.

But there is one city that captures my love of the country the most: Girona.

Home to just over 100,000 people and only 45 minutes from Barcelona, Girona is home to a well-preserved Jewish quarter, ancient winding streets, and a walkable medieval city wall. Throw in lots of green space, colorful buildings, and perfect weather, Girona is one of my favorite places in Spain.

Girona is more famous today thanks to Game of Thrones being filmed there but this tiny city only 30 minutes from Barcelona remains somewhat off the beaten track and free of the crowds that make Barcelona unbearable sometimes. There’s good food, lots to do, and lovely people. I can’t sing the city’s praises enough.

To help you make the most of your trip, here are my top things to see and do in Girona:

1. Explore the Old Quarter

Girona’s Old Quarter (Barri Vell) sits beside the River Onyar. This neighborhood is home to some of Girona’s most popular and well-preserved historical sites. Filled with medieval architecture, colorful old homes, and picturesque bridges but without the crowds of Barcelona, this is my favorite area to wander around.

You can explore it yourself and enjoy getting lost, but before also check out the tours Girona Walks offers, so you can learn more about this section of town and how it has evolved over the centuries.  

2. Marvel at the Cathedral of Girona

Built between the 11th and 13th centuries, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Girona towers over the city. It’s the second widest church in the world, almost 23m (75 feet) across — only St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican is wider. (It was also featured in Game of Thrones!)

The interior isn’t particularly ornate and has a bit of an austere feel to it, but it’s peaceful, and there’s a lot of information and a good audio guide available.

Plaça de la Catedral, +34 972 42 71 89, catedraldegirona.cat. Open 10am–6:30pm, April–June; 10am–7:30pm, July–August; 10am–6:30pm, September–October; 10am–5:30pm, November–March. Admission is 7 EUR ($7.70 USD). Dress respectfully, as it is a place of worship.  

3. Tour the Arab Baths

These preserved public baths were built in 1194. Their Romanesque style was inspired by similar Roman and Arab baths and was built in response to ancient Girona’s growing population and the need to improve hygiene.

While you can’t actually use the baths, you can take a self-guided tour to see what bathing was like in the Middle Ages. The building is covered by a large vaulted ceiling and includes a cold-water bath, a hot-water bath, and changing rooms.

Carrer del Rei Ferran el Catòlic, +34 972 21 32 62, banysarabs.org. Open Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm and Sundays 10am–2pm. Admission is 2 EUR ($2.20 USD).  

4. Stroll Along the Eiffel Bridge

The Palanques Vermelles Bridge, also known as the Eiffel Bridge, was built in 1827 by Gustave Eiffel just before the construction of his most famous work, the Eiffel Tower. Located over the Onyar River, it’s a great place to get some pics of the Old Town’s colorful buildings. I try to cross this bridge often, simply because the view is so nice!

5. Learn Something New at One of Girona’s Many Museums

For a small city, Girona is home to quite a few museums and art galleries. Here some I think you shouldn’t miss:

The Jewish History Museum – The museum is made up of 11 exhibitions that explore the history and culture of the region’s Jewish community, which was one of the biggest in the area. Admission is 4 EUR ($4.40 USD).

Girona’s Art Museum – This has the region’s largest collection of Romanesque and Gothic art (over 8,000 items). It’s huge! Admission is 6 EUR ($6.60 USD).

The Cinema Museum – This museum covers the history of cinema and is filled with old posters, films, and movie equipment. It also hosts regular events and movie screenings. A must for movie buffs! Admission is 5 EUR ($5.50 USD).

The Girona Archaeology Museum – This is one of the oldest museums in the region and boasts a collection of archeological finds from pre-history all the way to the Middle Ages. Though small, it goes into some good detail about the area. Admission is 6 EUR ($6.60 USD).

  6. Tour the Basilica de Sant Feliu

This historic Gothic cathedral is eye-catching and hard to miss. It almost looks like a castle. Its bell tower is visible from most spots around Girona, so it’s never far from view.

It was the first cathedral in Girona and remained the only one until the 10th century. Beyond the impressive architecture, the cathedral is home to historic works of art, including a 14th-century sculpture of Christ, as well as Christian and non-Christian sarcophagi that date back to the fourth century.

Plaça de la Catedral, +34 972 427 189, catedraldegirona.org. Open Monday–Saturday 10am–5:30pm, Sunday and holidays 1pm–5:30pm. Admission is 7 EUR ($7.70 USD).  

7. Visit the Monastery of Saint Daniel

Founded in the 11th century, this monastery located on the outskirts of town was created with the intention of establishing a nunnery in the region. While the abbey is no longer in use, you can still visit the church and the cloister. Inside, you’ll find Saint Daniel’s sepulcher, rumored to house the remains of the saint himself. The architecture is a mix of Romanesque and Gothic, with additions from the 12th and 15th centuries.

The monastery is surrounded by the Valley of Sant Daniel, a lush green space with lots of shade and picturesque natural springs.  

8. Walk Atop Girona’s Ancient City Wall

Dating to Girona’s medieval past, these ancient walls were partially destroyed in the 1800s to make way for city expansion. Fortunately, many of the missing pieces have been recovered or reconstructed in recent times. Taking a stroll atop them offers an unbeatable view of both the city and the countryside’s rolling hills. Plus, they’re free!  

9. Stroll La Rambla de la Llibertat

Lined by gorgeous neoclassical, baroque, and Gothic buildings, this is the main pedestrian street in town. The street dates back to 1885 and is full of shops, cafés, and restaurants. There’s also a flower market on Saturdays.  

10. Indulge at Rocambolesc

This is one of the best gelaterias I’ve ever been to! Owned by world-class chef Jordi Roca, it’s a great spot to (over)indulge in delicious ice cream and gelato topped with berries, cotton candy, fruits, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, fudge, and so much more. I go there every time I visit (usually multiple times). It’s amazing and worth every euro!

50 Carrer de Santa Clara, +34 972 41 66 67, rocambolesc.com. Open Sunday-Tuesday from 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday from 11am-10:30pm.

***

Girona’s long history, a unique and rich culture, so much delicious food, and stunning architecture. A lot of people make it a day trip from Barcelona but I’d recommend spending at least one night here. There’s plenty to keep you busy. I first visited here in 2012 and have been back a total of four times. I love Girona. Most people do. Make it part of your next trip to Spain.

P.S. – We’ve launched a new Patreon where you can get stories and tips I don’t share on this blog, a private Facebook group, phone calls with me and the team, live Q&As, postcards from the road, signed copies of my books, and much more! Click here to get access!

Book Your Trip to Girona: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation To find the best budget accommodation, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory. My favorite place to stay in Girona is:

Can Cocollona – This is the best hostel in the city. It’s social, includes free breakfast, and the beds are super comfy!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

If you want to do a bike tour, check out Fat Tire Tours. They offer tours that are fun and informative. They’re my favorite company to go with. They even have some food-themed tours too.

Looking For More Information on Visiting Spain? Check out my in-depth destination guide to Spain with more tips on what to see, do, costs, ways to save, and much, much more!

Photo Credit: 3 – Doronenko, 4 – Toni Verdú Carbó, 5 – Teresa Grau Ros, 6 – stefano Merli, 7 – Josep Maria Viñolas Esteva, 8 – Montse Poch, 9 – rivigan, 10 – Joan, 11 – Jordi Sanchez

The post 10 Things to See and Do in Girona, Spain appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://ift.tt/2Kjnk9t via IFTTT

[polyrolemodels]

Kate Jack Ferenczi

1. How long have you been polyamorous or been practicing polyamory?

For me, polyamory is a part of who I am, not a choice I consciously made. When I was in preschool, I had my boyfriend, Tommy, and my girlfriend, Michelle. My biggest consternation wasn’t that I had two relationships, my worry was because they were different genders and I thought I was either gay or straight. It wasn’t until I was 13 and learned I had another option that my concern was erased. I’ve lived a polyamorous life for only as long as I have been alive.

2. What does your relationship dynamic look like?

I have a very expansive constellation. I have several connections locally and several that are long distance (between 50 to 2000 miles from me). I have dear people in my life whom I have no sexual relationship with. I have dear people in my life whom I have a sexual relationship with but no romantic relationship. I have others who I only have a romantic, sexual, and friendship connection with. I have metamours who have as big of a place in my heart as my hunnys and others whom I have never met (and never will). I have comets who come in and out of my life at different times and people who have been by my side nearly constantly for decades. There are many pieces of my heart that are all over the world, and most of them know it.

3. What aspect of polyamory do you excel at?

I am really good at accepting people as they are and meeting them where they are. I am flexible with my needs because I have such a vast constellation so I try very hard to make very few expectations and demands of those who I connect with. Many people feel at ease talking to me about a plethora of things that they wouldn’t normally discuss with other people and I find this comfort and vulnerability is very beneficial when navigating the complexities of polyamory.

I am also very good at having those hard conversations. Typically if something comes up for me, I will take some time to process it for myself, sometimes I will take it to a neutral party (either a person or a discussion group I am in) and work it through a bit, and then I take it directly to the person it involves. Because of my many years in a career that required strict confidentiality, I am very good at talking around things without specifically outing people or exact details. This means I am good at getting processing out without rumor mongering, which truly is an art! I find that the people in my life are refreshed with my form of interface that I couch the discussion “I am having a problem with something and would like to bring my side of it to you with hopes that you can bring me your side and I can find a solution that works.” Then I bring my side. Normally I try to remove as much of my own emotional baggage from it, but I know there often is plenty of it there from time to time. After I am done presenting my side, I know some people need to chew on it and process it for a time so I allow them to do so. Others I know need to verbally process it all in that exact moment so I plan the time I have available accordingly. I have been told that my process of discussing some of these really hard topics, where I show my true vulnerability and strip away my defenses to really come to a solution for us both, is really welcoming to earnest discussion. It also leads to my loves being more earnest and honest with me and showing me more vulnerability. It normally greatly strengthens our bond.

4. What aspect of polyamory do you struggle with?

I struggle with my own abandonment issues, co-dependency, and enmeshment the most. I have a history of abuse that I also struggle to not let color my perspectives of what is really happening between me and another person. I used to have huge struggles with interpersonal connection et al but that has vastly lessened over the years.

5. How do you address and/or overcome those struggles?

I find being unabashedly vulnerable really makes a difference with all of my struggles. I try very hard to be direct when I’m not sure and to tell people ahead of time that these are my issues and ask for their assistance. Something along the lines of “I often feel that I am a burden on others and that the only way that I am of value in a relationship is x or y. If I come to you for help or something that is definitely not x or y, can you just let me know that you don’t see me as a burden somewhere in there?” is often met with great support.

Another way I work on them is to try to adhere more to the Four Agreements. If I try my best to be my authentic self, don’t make inflexible demands and expectations for others, and accept that there are a million different reasons for someone to make a choice that actually has absolutely nothing to do with me, I am much happier and less likely to struggle.

I also go to therapy regularly to help me to overcome the mental illness that I live with on a daily basis because of my history of abuse. I have an amazing therapist who has been very supportive of the type of life I live. I suspect she’s left many of our sessions with questions and plumbing of herself to do and has grown because of it!

6. In terms of risk-aware/safer sex, what do you and your partners do to protect one another?

I am a very sex positive person and engage in swinging as well as having connections with other people that are mostly sexual in nature. I am also HSV+ and am aware of the stigma surrounding it. I make sure to have the HSV conversation up front with anyone I think I may have a sexual connection, am aware of my body, and take daily preventatives.

I am tested every 4-6 months for the standard screening and also syphilis (because it’s pretty rampant in my local area). It is a big pain to have my tests printed (because the system is not set up to do that easily where I go for testing) so I will disclose to those who ask.

I use barriers for many of my sexual partners, especially many of my PIV connections but am also barrier-free with some of my connections at different times. Sometimes barriers feel necessary out of feelings of security for me or for my partner. Sometimes they seem ridiculous because of all of the fluids that we share on a pretty regular basis. I have some sex partners who are also HSV+ and some who are HSV-. I try to give everyone the most amount of information so they can make the best educated choice for themselves.

If I have been made aware of a possible contact with an STI, I contact my partners whom I had contact with since exposure. I have been known to do group field trips to testing centers and I have always offered to go with partners who would benefit from having someone support them when they’re tested. The local county testing center that I use the most often has been in awe of my ease in talking about STI exposures and dealing with them as they come. I have never had them call a person I’ve had sexual contact with because I feel it is my responsibility to do so. I also tend to weed out a lot of the people who stigmatize STIs before I even have sex with them, so that eases a lot of the problems.

My biggest safer sex awareness is around consent. There have been big questions of consent in my sexual past and so now I make sure there is a lot of exuberant consent during any sexual contact. I want to make sure that the person or persons I’m with and I are ready and raring to go with all sexual contact that happens. I find telling someone what I want to do and getting their consent is actually super sexy and I have gotten such wonderful feedback from people with whom I do this!

7. What is the worst mistake you’ve ever made in your polyamorous history and how did you rebound from that?

I used to believe polyamory had to look a specific way (a main couple and a third who is a woman) and while I had other connections, I didn’t recognize them for the relationships they were. I used to think that romantic relationships had to have a sexual component and that I had to have those righteous icky feelings (like rage and jealousy) for a relationship to be real. I also used to think that I was responsible for other’s feelings and if they didn’t feel as expected, it was bad and I was bad.

I have since stepped away from the triading and unicorning and instead look at each connection as a separate entity, not as a person who comes to fulfill the sushi menu of relationshippy things I want that I have ticked off the boxes for. I have since taken onus for my own love. I am welcome to love another person in any way that I want and they need not accept or reciprocate that love. I allow myself to feel my own love and don’t pressure myself to feel it in a way that is “socially acceptable” or how the media so unhealthily portrays love. I see it as an honor to love another person. What they do with my proffering of love is up to them and it’s not my responsibility. I am only responsible for my own feelings and what I do with them. After that, it’s not my business. This has led to a lot more freedom in my connections with people and has allowed me to really plumb my own heart without fear overwhelming me.  

It isn’t easy. I have to actively work on it regularly. I have people who know that I work on this who check on me from time to time (because I have asked them to). I also have several mantras I use when I start to spiral into these unhealthy spaces, such as “It’s not about me” and “It’s an honor to love X.” These help me to get over the bulk of the big humps.

8. What self-identities are important to you? How do you feel like being polyamorous intersects with or affects these identities?

Being polyamorous is a big identity for me, though I identify more as a relational anarchist than someone who is strictly polyamorous. I am also genderqueer and queer. I am sex-positive as well as someone who lives as a solo polyamorous person. All of these identities really intersect a lot and normally, within the communities, there are assumptions made about me, who I am and how I behave, that don’t often match up with the truth. I find when I am more out-loud about my identities, more people get upset with me because I don’t fall into their expectations. More often than not, I just live my life according to my own terms and as people come to question me, I clarify with explanations rather than identifying terms. Most people pick it up quickly when they spend time with me or read the brain drippings I put out there. Those who do not understand or who do not agree are not the type to stick around long. Luckily, I have found amazingly supportive communities that thrive on the different views I bring to the table. If they don’t, I just leave the table.

---

Support Inclusive Polyamorous Representation at  https://www.patreon.com/PolyRoleModels

[supercultshow]

Howdy all you Supercultists out there on the interwebz! I’m Bad Movie Professor Cameron Coker (BS in “Bat Nipples” with a minor in “Ice Puns”) and I’ll be posting my hype-tacular speeches every week along with some long lost speeches from past Supercult Shows!

This week winter has come at last to Supercult in the form of one of the greatest cinematic blunders in all of history: Batman and Robin!

Batman and Robin are back in the fourth film in the Batman superhero series and the second film in the series directed by Joel Schumacher. George Clooney stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman while Chris O’Donnell and Michael Gough return as Dick Grayson/Robin and Alfred Pennyworth, respectively. The dynamic duo are back to protect Gotham City from villainy, but when the cold-hearted Mr. Freeze and the enticingly toxic Poison Ivy attack tensions rise between the two heroes. Can the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder resolve their differences and save the city from certain destruction? Strength Now. Courage Always. Family, Above All. Batman & Robin!

As of 2019, this is the first and only appearance of Batgirl in a live-action Batman feature film.

According to a makeup artist, Arnold had potentially deadly costume effects. The battery for the LED lights in his mouth would start to dissolve in his saliva and leak battery acid into his mouth.

“Curses!” -an actual line from this already silly film.

Michael Gough: one of the only person to survive all 4 original Batman films (the other being Pat Hingle who played Commissioner Gordon). What a bad ass.

Someone please tell me how all these diamonds somehow combine into a fuel source for a freeze laser.

George Clooney and his stunt doubles went through 50 rubber Batsuits.

After the film’s negative reception, plans for Tim Burton’s “Superman Lives” have been shut down. The movie would’ve been a first attempt to have a shared universe between Batman and Superman, with George Clooney reprising his role as Batman, and with Nicolas Cage as Superman.

Is this a miniature? Is this an overly indulgent set? Does the audience care?? Do the ACTORS??

You want to have plants take over the earth and I want to freeze the planet. Sounds like we should work together!

Two Words: Bat Nips.

This gang is apparently called the Golums, but we all know they’re really called the ‘We Love Neon and Blacklight Club’.

The Batman costume was a 50 lbs. (22.6 kg.) rubber body suit with a 40 lb. rubber cape attached to the headpiece. Batgirl’s and Robin’s costumes weighed 50 lbs each. Mr. Freeze’s weighed 75 lbs.

Oh Bane…it would take 15 years before films did you justice.

I mean, yeah, this movie is bad. But Arnold looks pretty snazzy in his polar bear slippers.

Did we mention that Coolio is in this film? Well…he is. It doesn’t make the film any better or worse. It’s just…a thing that is.

From the opening frames of this film you know it’s going to be a treat. The foam latex laden suit-up scene seems to linger just a bit too long on expertly modeled bird buttocks, bat nipples, and caped crusader cod pieces. The opening would fit just as well in a high-budget Batman burlesque show. Oh, how optimistic the 90s were. The original Batman directed by Tim Burton seemed like such a long shot and paid off spectacularly. Burton discarded the camp of the 1960s Adam West TV series and adapted the atmospheric gothic noir of the 1940s…which is apparently an era when Batman couldn’t turn his head and has no problem with just straight up murdering people. Tim Burton’s version of batman was so iconic that it defined the tone, color, music, and even dialogue choices for the entire character for the next 2 decades. The next three sequels, Batman Returns and Batman Forever, stuck to the formula of the 1989 original for the most part. In each the level of camp was slowly cranked up:

Batman Returns: Let’s take up half the Warner Brothers lot with expansive water-filled Gotham City sets! Let’s focus even more on the villains and really hammer home the tragedy and the childhood pain festering into megalomania! Not only that, let’s have TWO villains instead of just one! Let’s get a combination of real penguins, actors in fiberglass penguin suits, and puppets for the villain’s evil missile-toting penguin army! DID I MENTION THE PENGUIN ARMY??

Batman Forever: They liked the two-villain thing, so let’s do that again. We’ll get another two actors at the top of their game to play ridiculous, over-the-top, gothic cartoon characters! Let’s go with Tommy Lee Jones, still riding off the high of his starring role in the Fugitive, and then Jim Carrey at his comedic height just a year after the release of not one but three of his most iconic films: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber! Oh yeah and let’s swap out the director, the lead, the love interest, and paint the whole film in neon. These things aren’t meant to be dark, gritty, adult films! They’re comic book films for god’s sakes! We gotta sell toys to kids!

But here’s the thing Supercultists: If you’re going to be this campy you have to be either funny or endearing. Carrey carried Batman Forever and killed it as a genuinely funny and threatening adaptation of the Riddler. Danny DeVito, in his own gruesome way, made us feel for a Batman villain in a way that the batman animated series later sought to emulate with their reimagining of Mr. Freeze and the creation of Harley Quinn.

So, what happened? Was it overindulgence? Sure, scenes are campier and there are now not 2 but 3 villains: Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and a neutered version of Bane who serves as a glorified mook for Ivy. Perhaps the concept of pushing the art style even further strained the bounds of reality? Sure, Gotham was larger than life in 19889, but the 1997 version has gigantic futurist statues holding up the buildings as if Gotham was constructed on the corpses of a race of colossi. Perhaps the film lost some of the comedic charm of its predecessors. At last count Mr. Freeze utters something like 27 ice puns throughout the film and at times it can be difficult to discern whether or not the film is being ridiculous on purpose. The opening fight scene looks like Batman on Ice with the heroes literally clicking their heels together to activate ice skate boots.

Perhaps the problem is higher up than that… Was it the studio pressure to make the film more “toyetic”? The film’s design seems catered to the toy market with every character having a wacky light-up vehicle, set piece, or gadget that could function as an action figure. Batman’s new car features a transparent hood so that audiences can see the colorful spinning bat-engine as if hypnotizing children and adults alike into emptying their wallets at the nearest department store this Christmas. For crying out loud Poison Ivy even has a line “I’m a lover, not a fighter That’s why every Poison Ivy action figure comes complete with him!” *points to Bane* Perhaps it was simply cost? In their bid to get even more top-billed Hollywood names for the latest and greatest (read: only, unless you count things like Spawn) comic book film, Arnold Schwarzenegger was reputed to have earned $25 million for his approximate 25 minute on-screen role as Mr. Freeze, basically a million a minute. Not to mention Uma Thurman, the poster girl for Pulp Fiction, and the, at the time, up and coming George Clooney.

The whole film cost an estimated $125 million and was a modest commercial success but was a spectacular critical flop. With a 3.7 on IMDB and an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s no surprise that the film killed the batman film series and nearly killed the entire superhero film genre. The film was voted #1 in Empire magazine’s “50 Worst Movies Ever”, #5 in Entertainment Weekly’s Top 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made, and won a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl (as well as 10 other Razzie nominations for everything from Worst Picture and Worst Director to Worst Screen Couple and Worst Original Song). Not Joel Schumacher or George Clooney defend the film anymore. When filming was over, George Clooney reportedly quipped, “I think we just killed the series.” He’s even been known to refund people who saw the film and has called the film a “waste of money” in spite of his admittance that it was the biggest break he ever had as a then TV star making the jump to Hollywood.

But we here at Supercult know it’s not the worst film (we’ve seen A LOT worse). At the very least it’s entertaining at times, hilarious at others, and always a feast for the eyes. Even now we can see the 90s superhero film influence on modern pop culture. The next few superhero films such as Sam Rami’s Spider-Man series still attempted to recreate the earnest wackiness of Tim Burton’s series while attempting to avoid the cautionary tale of Batman and Robin. Grittier remakes of batman still pay homage to Tim Burton’s Batman in their aesthetics, their music, and their tone.

Batman and Robin may be the worst batman film ever, but that makes it the best Supercult Batman film ever, bat nipples and all.

This is why Superman works alone! The Supercult show is proud to present Batman and Robin!

    Batman & Robin Howdy all you Supercultists out there on the interwebz! I’m Bad Movie Professor Cameron Coker (BS in “Bat Nipples” with a minor in “Ice Puns”) and I’ll be posting my hype-tacular speeches every week along with some long lost speeches from past Supercult Shows!

[saltandlimes]

Author meme!!!! 1., 2., 10. and 40!

1. things that inspire youI’d be totally wrong if I didn’t say that one of my main inspirations is my conversations with other people about ships. I really enjoy bouncing ideas off other people, and hearing how they see ships. I also tend to be super inspired by fanart. I have a list of something like 10 pieces of art I want to write for if I ever get the chance. Last but not least, the weather. I know that sounds bizarre, but often a really beautiful day, or a really rainy day will spark an idea in my head that I absolutely can’t get over.

2. things that motivate youI genuinely enjoy the process of writing, so the pleasure I get out of the actual moments of creation is one of my biggest motivations. But, like everyone else, I am motivated by reactions to my writing. Someone (I think it was @kyluxtrashcompactor, but it could have been @thecopperriver, or even someone else entirely) mentioned something about addressing each fic to a particular person, and I realized that in a lot of ways, I do that. In a way, I think about pleasing one person, or a small group of people with my fics, and that really motivates me to keep working.

10. how do you do your researches?EMBARRASSMENT TIME. I am obsessive about researching my fics. For SW, I spend SO MUCH TIME on wookiepedia. But I also end up on everything from ebscohost to jstor to do research, depending on the fic. I once got lost in an endless cycle of learning about forensic anthropology, because I desperately needed to know the decay process of a corpse if left in the open with no parasitic interference. I could probably footnote my fics if I wanted to.

40. which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series?Answered here! But I’d also really like to see a fic I’m in the process of writing made into a rom com. The fic is called it was your dark and stormy day, its a galennic modern au and i think it would work well as a film with a little expansion.

[writer ask meme]

[mixtapekings]

Listen Review of Westside Gunn’s ‘Pray For Paris’ Album by dj.booth.net

“In the age of streaming and playlists, ‘Pray For Paris’ further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist.”

Griselda’s ascension to hip-hop royalty over the past four years has been astounding. By embracing a reliable formula mixing grit and grace, the trio of Buffalo rappers made up of Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher has flipped grassroots fandom into major-label success. While each member has made gains in his own right, Westside Gunn remains the group’s nominal figurehead, the sun around which every brick and pair of Off-White sneakers orbits.

Gunn’s ever-growing discography is giving prolific stalwart Curren$y a run for his money. He fits comfortably into the roles of the rapper, the executive producer, the curator, and the art/wrestling fan, sometimes on the same album.

In Gunn’s world, wrestling acts like The Steiner Brothers and Randy Savage describe tag-team street efforts and memories of uzi shells and street corners long past. Gunn’s imagination knows no bounds. Pray For Paris, his latest self-released project, out today, is shaping up to be his most ambitious work yet. Will Gunn reach his next level of opulence? Let’s find out.

In usual 1-Listen fashion, the rules are the same: no rewinds, pauses, or skips. A straight shot through followed by my gut reactions. DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOT DOOOOOOO.

1. “400 Million Plus Tax”

We begin with a sample from an auction. A piece of art just sold for $400 million. I respect how highly Gunn thinks of himself.

2. “No Vacancy” [prod. DJ Muggs]

Some pretty keys. Gunn saying “I’ll blow your brains out in broad daylight” over fancy foyer music is a wild moment to experience. “No Vacancy” is the most beautiful DJ Muggs beat I’ve ever heard in my life. “My shooters shot five niggas in a row / BINGO.” Westside Gunn has entered the chat. These are the raps I’d expect of a man who faced coronavirus and lived to tell the tale. Hell of an intro.

3. “George Bondo” feat. Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine [prod. Daringer]

We’ve gone from beautiful to grimy. Word to Daringer, man. I heard a Benny grunt. “Just shot a nigga on an anklet.” House arrest don’t stop shit in a Gunn song. These piano keys are dripping with cavity juice. God, this shit nasty. And there goes Conway! “George Bondo” sounds like it would’ve fit perfectly on WWCD, and I mean that as a compliment. “Get nigga clipped while I’m with celebrities hanging.” Conway deserves a Netflix documentary. Benny came in swinging. “When you ain’t leave the house unless your gat match your sneakers.” Black Air Force 1 activity. “George Bondo” is a heater. Smoking gun left at the scene. Strong start.

4. “327” feat. Billie Esco, Joey Bada$$, & Tyler, The Creator [prod. Camoflague Monk]

Fuzzy and elegant, this beat is my kinda vibe. Gunn is skating across this joint. A steady groove so far. Joey Bada$$, I haven’t heard that name in a while. “Niggas don’t want smoke, they want marijuana.” He’s back in his 1999 bag right now. Perfect rainy day music. Joey’s verse was better than his entire last album. OH, IT’S TYLER! There’s something incredible about hearing Tyler say, “Glitter on my neck match the glitter on my fingernails” on an album like this. “This car came with a driver / I’m in the back playin’ ‘Frontin’.” Gunn got loosie Tyler rapping rapping on this one. “327” is my favorite song so far.

5. “French Toast” feat. Joyce Wrice & Wale [prod. Camouflage Monk]

This is the second time Gunn has started a song with “Bonjour.” Where’s the “doot doot doot dooo?” Is “French Toast” Gunn’s attempt at a love song? “V on your chest, that’s for Valentino.” Paris is giving us a different side of Gunn. I wonder what happened on the catwalk? Wale found an excellent pocket in this beat. Camouflage Monk has styled on these last two beats, by the way. “My SBs is old, your SBs is wack.” Always here for sneaker shit talk. “French Toast” is an interesting atmosphere for a Gunn song. Some of these beats are cleaner than we’ve come to expect from Griselda. I appreciate the risk-taking. I’ll be back. But it wouldn’t be a Westside Gunn album without some wrestling interludes…

6. “Euro Step” [prod. Conductor Williams]

I love this beat. Gunn is switching flows more than he switches trenchcoats. “Euro Step” is right; this makes me wanna skip down the street. I wish this were longer.

7. “Allah Sent Me” feat. Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine [prod. Daringer]

We’re back in the mud with Daringer, Machine, and The Butcher. “I need 100 right now.” I’d also love $100 right now. Where’s my stimulus check at? Conway and Gunn are on their Hall & Nash call-and-response shit. Oh, shit, Benny’s tapping in, too. Nice wind chimes to counteract these damp drums. “Feds ain’t find the work but found a bag full of soft rappers.” They didn’t come to play. These three were born to rap together. They sound like they could rap forever. “Allah sent me here to be a king” is right. The sequencing on Pray For Paris is crazy. Sliding between the gritty and the graceful has never felt as punchy as it does right now. I don’t know what to expect next, and I’m not mad. Bro, you’d better give that man his fuckin belt with all the diamonds. Okay, this clip could’ve been cut by like 20 seconds.

8. “$500 Ounces” feat. Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano [prod. Alchemist]

Alchemist with a bopper. Freddie Gibbs starting things off strong. He’s spinning a story here. “Got skeletons in my closet next to my Balenciagas.” A deadly pocket. Gunn is ceding the beginning of the song to his guests like he did on Supreme Blientele. Here comes Roc Marciano! He’s sliding. “Living comfortably off of gut instinct.” Gunn came right in to cap this song off nicely. I like “$500 Ounces,” but the beat is stealing the show for me.

9. “Versace” [prod. Jay Versace]

A Jay Versace beat, huh? He picked a beautiful vocal loop. Okay, here are the “doot doot dooo”’s I’ve been waiting for. I guess he saved them all for this song, holy shit. Gunn sounds great without drums. One of the most delightful surprises on the album so far. They need a whole project together.

10. “Caliborne Kick” feat. Boldy James [prod. Alchemist]

More Alchemist work incoming. Gunn’s voice is chopped and screwed, another big surprise. It matches the ghostly aura of the beat nicely. A wild Boldy James appears through the fog. Boldy James is a natural fit for Griselda. I’m glad they signed him. Boldy’s language is beautiful. “Russian cut my bezel / Caesar salad with the Russian dressing.” I love “Caliborne Kick.” Another highlight.

11. “Shawn vs. Flair” [prod. DJ Premier]

Coming in with a Prodigy sample. Bless the dead. A breakbeat and some synths? Interesting. Oh, of course, this is a DJ Premier song. It sounds crisp and clean with just a touch of grit. I can’t exactly call “Shawn vs. Flair” a favorite; it feels like this song is missing a verse. The beat is cool, though.

12. “Party Wit Pop Smoke” feat. Keisha Plum [prod. Tyler, The Creator]

Bless Pop Smoke and his family. Man. The beat is a reminder that Tyler knows his way around a MEAN sample flip. Why does Gunn say “mannequin” like that? I laugh every time. Keisha Plum outros are so soothing and vicious. “I kissed his cheek while I drove the ice pick in his eye.” Step on my neck. Unlike “Shawn vs. Flair,” “Party Wit Pop Smoke” sounds finished, but I want more. I was hoping we’d hear from Pootie. Talk your shit, queen! “And y’all still broke!”

13. “LE Djoliba” feat. Cartier Williams

Gunn’s trip to Paris has been an eclectic one. This Stevie Wonder sample is giving me life. “The way my neck look, they think I sold my soul.” Is this tap-dancing from the Paris Fashion Week show clip that was meme’d to hell and back? I’m laughing, and I shouldn’t be right now. “LE Djoliba” wasn’t necessary. I wish Pray For Paris ended with “Party with Pop Smoke” instead. Not exactly a sour note to end on, but Gunn could have cut this one.

Final (First Listen) Thoughts on Westside Gunn’s Pray For Paris

In the age of streaming and playlists, Pray For Paris further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist. He knows how to craft experiences from start to finish, what beats sound best next to each other, which features will yield the wildest results. Paris features some of his biggest gets yet: Tyler, The Creator has both a feature (“327”) and a production credit (“Party wit Pop Smoke”) while Wale makes his Griselda Records debut on “French Toast.” Names like theirs give Paris a lofty air even by Griselda standards.

Paris is also the most experimental Gunn project to date. Many of the beats—particularly “No Vacancy” and “French Toast”—are clean and expansive breaks in between the usual muddiness. Gunn tries on new flows (“Euro Step”) and even takes a stab at a love song. His ear has always been eclectic, but there’s newfound adventurousness to Paris you won’t find on the Hitler Wears Hermes tapes.

Unfortunately, some of the album’s surest bets don’t pan out. Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, and Roc Marciano’s solid but unremarkable work on “$500 Ounces” is overshadowed by Alchemist’s mesmerizing beat. “Shawn vs. Flair,” a jumpy DJ Premier production, feels unfinished, and “LE Djoliba” undermines the strong ending of “Pary Wit Pop Smoke,” giving the album a tacked-on post-credits ending sequence. 

These rare lapses in Gunn’s sharp sequential judgment keep Pray For Paris from ascending to Supreme Blientele levels, but they aren’t dealbreakers. Westside Gunn’s world is still one of excitement and redemption. Pray For Paris is another reason to always bet on the FlyGod.

Stream Pray For Paris, the new album from Westside Gunn, on Audiomack

from Listen Review of Westside Gunn’s ‘Pray For Paris’ Album by dj.booth.net

[camerasieunhovn]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon��this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[localwebmgmt]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[thanhtuandoan89]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[gamebazu]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[ductrungnguyen87]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[lakelandseo]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

[xaydungtruonggia]

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Seattle This MozCon

Posted by Kirsten_Barkved

So, you’ve been debating for years about whether to attend MozCon and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger. Or, maybe you’re still not sure if MozCon is right for you and you’re wondering what the big deal is (a fair and reasonable thought).

Whether you’re still on the fence or looking to get hyped, here’s the spiel for why you should attend this year's MozCon. And if, after seeing our awesome agenda, you're in need more than our stellar line-up and amazing donuts to convince you, then look no further than this post.

We're less than four weeks away from MozCon, so we thought we'd dust off the old "things to do while in Seattle" list. So, if you’re attending or still doing research to see if the juice is worth the squeeze (how responsible of you!), here’s a sampling of the places you'll go whilst in Seattle for MozCon this July 15–17. 

Get your tickets before they're gone!

We asked our Mozzers where to go

Not only do our Mozzers have their fingers on the pulse of the city itself, but they’ve also got a few MozCons under their belt, so they know exactly what you need after a day's worth of information-absorbing and networking.

The Underground Tour — “It’s strange and very Seattle specific.” — Rob Lisy

Fremont Brewery — “Great beer and outdoor seating with a view of lake union and the city.” — Kelley Manuel

Cinerama — “Movie theatre with the best chocolate popcorn in the world.” — Tyler Taggart

Canon — “I have to advocate for Canon. Best chicharron I’ve ever had and incredible cocktails, obviously.” —Kavi Kardos

Pacific Inn — “Best fish and chips.” —David Joslin

Rachel’s Ginger Beer — “I like to get something from anywhere and then eat it here — hint: they will put booze in your ginger beer if you ask nicely. And pay more.” — David Pierce

Michou — “A good choice for a quick grab-and-go sandwich.” — David Pierce Museum of Flight — “They have the Apollo 11 spacecraft on display. First time the National Air and Space Museum has shown it outside of DC!” — Chris Lowe

Alki Beach — “Water taxi to West Seattle to walk along the beach and soak up some sun!” — Katarina Anderson

Intrigued? We're just easing you in.

Iconic stops

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a few “of course” stops in our post — there’s a reason these make it to every “30 things to do in Seattle” blog post. Cross a few of these iconic Seattle stops off your bucket list this July.

The Space Needle 

Picturesque views of Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor make this spot a must for the ‘gram.

Seattle Great Wheel

Want to see Seattle from 157 ft above? Unless you’re afraid of heights, of course, you do! Tip: Stop by at sunset to see the sun dip behind the Olympic mountain range.

Gas Works Park

Beautiful, expansive views of downtown Seattle. Unwind after a day of being constantly “on” and enjoy the sun and the Pacific Northwest air. 

Insider Mozzer tip from David Pierce: “Get a sandwich from Paseo on Fremont and then go down the hill to eat it at Gasworks Park.”

Fremont Troll

For obvious reasons.

Fun fact: The film crew behind the show, Once Upon a Time, filmed the Fremont Troll scenes right outside our Vancouver office. It was fun to watch them turn an underpass into the troll. But the magic quickly waned — ask our YVR Mozzers how much fun it was to not be able to park (or walk, or talk) outside the office during filming for a week or two.

Weird stops

Sometimes, you have to go off the beaten path to really get an idea of the soul of a city. And Seattle certainly has some soul. Here’s just a sprinkling of some of the weird things you can do in Seattle.

Hat n’ Boots

It’s exactly how it sounds. Originally a gas station, this 1954 must-see “soul of Georgetown” has been billed the largest hat and boots in North America, and we truly don't know how you could live with yourself if you make it to 80 and didn't see the largest hat and boots in North America. 

Official Bad Art Museum 

One man's trash is another man's treasure at the "OBAMA." Enjoy a cup of coffee or a pint as you peruse the uniquely curated selection of bad art at Cafe Racer. 

Twin Peaks Cafe 

If you 1) have a car, or know someone who would carpool, and, 2) more importantly, are an uber fan of Twin Peaks, the greatest show to ever live, then it is definitely worth the 40 min drive up to Snoqualmie Falls to visit the actual town and cafe (Twede's Cafe) where the series was filmed in. Bring us back a piece of cherry pie, please.

Go and see this house that looks like it’s from the movie Up

Every few years, rumors swirl that the house that Edith Macefield refused to sell to developers is finally being sold. But while the outside may have changed, this little hold out home isn't going anywhere anytime soon and is symbolic to changing Seattle. You can find Edith's home here — it's hard to miss. Bonus points if you bring a balloon and know a dog named Doug.

Meowtropolitan Cat Café 

Okay, this one isn’t really all that weird — it’s plain freakin' adorable! This cat café focuses on placing rescue cats and kitten into loving homes, but if you aren't able to house a kitty or two, that's perfectly fine! Cats need to be socialized and told they are very pretty and have nice whiskers. If you go, take a pic or it didn't happen. Just think of the conversation starters at our birds of a feather you’d have if you went. Tuesday or Thursdays are for Cat Yoga. Just saying. 

Outdoor stops

We know that the reason people move to Seattle is because of all the tech jobs. But a close second? The great outdoors. Seattle has SO much to do in its own backyard — hikes, bike paths, beaches, lakes. And enjoying nature is always free. So stretch your legs and get out to any one of these stellar spots our locals haunt.

Kerry Park

If you’re a camera buff, this is a must-see, especially at sunset. You get a full view of the city, the water, the Space Needle, all with the glorious backdrop of Mount Rainier. Be prepared for a crowd, though — this spot gets pretty popular. Insider tip from Mozzer, Marcin Narozny: “Take postcard photos from Queen Anne.”

Golden Gardens Park

People don’t really equate sandy beaches to Seattle, but we have them in spades! Golden Gardens is a popular destination for strolls along the seawall. There’s also a designated dog park if you’re in the mood for dog spotting (which, like, is our favorite game).

Waterfall Garden Park

Want something a little more urban that doesn’t require a ton of travel? This hidden retreat is one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets in the heart of Pioneer Square. You can find it behind Occidental Square Park on 2nd Ave. Plus? It marks the birthplace of UPS!

Myrtle Edwards Park 

Birkenstocks are optional. Dog pats are non-negotiable. 

Booze-y stops

We're barely scratching the surface here with the best bars and pubs of Seattle, but for the sake of time, we had to keep it short and sweet. If there's something you didn't see on our list and feel strongly that it should have made it, don't be afraid to @ us in the comments.

Rock Box

For obvious reasons, this karaoke bar is top of the list for post-MozCon-feels — it's the perfect afterpart to let all that pent up conference energy out. Bring your best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart for some all night, much-needed crooning.

Bathtub Gin Co.

Don't go if you don't like gin. We can't be more transparent than that.

Needle & Thread

In the mood for something a little more low-key? Scope out this speakeasy, hidden above Tavern Law. There’s no official drink menu, but they take their cocktails seriously — just tell the barkeep your poison of choice and they’ll concoct something just for you.

Shultzy’s 

We do love our beer in the Pacific Northwest, and this little German bar is home to some of Germany’s best brews. Plus: sausages.  

Unicorn & Narwhal 

Whimsical food and drink options galore, complete with an arcade, claw machine, and photo booth. Go on Sunday for their Mimosas Cabaret!

Coffee stops

The best coffee in Seattle isn’t in a Starbucks cup. It’s also not Seattle’s Best (is anyone shocked?). Because we take our coffee as seriously as we do our SEO, we updated this list and curated the top 5 best coffee places in Seattle.

Bedlam 

For a taste of old Seattle, go to Bedlam. It has that pre-boom feel of old Belltown. Plus, real good espresso, comfy seating, toast and pie, and private meeting rooms to go and ponder over all the SEO magic you absorbed.

Victrola Coffee 

There’s a reason locals haunt this cafe. Besides having one of the best pour-over cuppas in town, this cafe is also one of the quieter spaces, with ample seating and plenty of outdoor space should you want to bask in the sun. Bonus: There’s a roastery on site, so if it ain’t too busy, ask for a tour!

Espresso Vivace 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in the city, look no further. Their scientific attention to detail and flavor is legendary, so much so that they'll even offer you advice on how best to actually drink your coffee in order to achieve the fullest experience.

Sound & Fog

We’re cheating a little with this one because it’s not just a cafe — it’s also a wine bar, offering beer on tap and rotating coffee roasters.

Tougo Coffee Co. 

We can’t not have Tougo on the list. As one of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, it also has some of the most down-to-earth, passionate baristas who are happy to answer all your brewing and roasting questions.

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

If you're looking for more things to do and you're staying in our neck of the woods for longer than three days, we have tons more you can busy yourself with! 

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers

The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

More of a baseball fan? Stop by to catch a Mariner’s game.

In town until the 21st? You better be now: July 21st is Bark at the Park. Tickets also include a postgame walk around the bases, so bring your goodest boy or girl. 

In the mood for a festival?

The Capitol Hill Block Party is where it’s at. Local music, great food, art (both good and bad), people watching. 

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

45th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Friday and Saturday, July 12th and 13th

Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th

West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 12-14th

Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 13th

Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 14th

Seattle International Beerfest, Saturday, July 12-14

Bremerton Summer BrewFest, July 19-20

The Bite of Seattle, Friday through Sunday, July 19-21st.

Not convinced yet? Take a peek at why conferences like MozCon belong on your resume and how you can convince your boss to send you there.

Grab your ticket!

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of what Seattle has to offer. If you’re a returning visitor, we’d love to know what you got up to during your post-MozCon hours — any suggestions to new Seattle-goers?

Don't forget to buy your ticket to MozCon! We're 80 percent sold out and you don't want to miss this one.

Grab my MozCon ticket now!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!