360 December 18, 2014

Skagit Valley Herald

Thursday

December 18, 2014

TUNING UPMarket Street Dixieland Jazz Band plays the Conway Muse on Friday night PAGE 9

MOVIES Amy Adams makes “Big Eyes” one of the must-see movie bios of the year PAGE 14

MUSIC The War on Drugs, Miranda Lambert headline top 10 albums of the year PAGE 15

NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ THIS WEEKEND AT MCINTYRE HALL Page 3

E2 - Thursday, December 18, 2014 Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

YOUR ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SKAGIT COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

[email protected], [email protected] (recreation items)Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition

Phone360-416-2135

Hand-deliver1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274

Mailing addressP.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Online events calendarTo list your event on our website, visit goskagit.com and look for the Events Calendar on the home page

HAVE A STORY IDEA?w For arts and entertainment, contact Features Editor Craig Parrish at 360-416-2135 or [email protected] For recreation, contact staff writer Vince Richardson at 360-416-2181 or [email protected]

TO ADVERTISE360-424-3251

Inside

Christmas Events ............................3-4

Out & About ....................................5-6

On Stage, Tuning Up .......................8-9

Travel, At the Lincoln ...................... 10

Hot Tickets ....................................... 11

Get Involved ..................................... 12

Movies .............................................. 14

Music: Top Albums of 2014 ............. 15

“The Maze Run-ner”: Group of young captives must find a way out of a giant maze. Based on the James Dashner young-adult dystopian sci-ence fiction novels.

“The Maze Run-ner” director Wes Ball gets off to a fast start, in part by the way the movie is put together and because the story is so thin there’s no need to spend time explaining why things happen. The combina-tion of Ball’s direction and the solid perfor-mances by the young cast gives the charac-ters some depth. Ball has also done a good job creating the world, which comes across as feeling both grand and claustrophobic.

The scenes where the runners — those who daily travel through the maze to map it — deal with massive sliding doors is not for anyone who gets uncomfortable in tight con-fines. The action is the film’s main draw.

“This is Where I Leave You”: Give all the credit to Jason Bateman for making “This Is Where I Leave You” work. The former “Arrested Develop-ment” star — one of the more under-rated actors working today — gives this family dramedy the strong emotional core needed to hold together the less interesting storylines.

The problem is that the film is based on Jonathan Tropper’s novel, a place where characters can get more atten-tion. There is no way for the film to service all of the plots the same. But still, director Shawn Levy — who faced a similar glut of characters with “Cheaper By the Dozen” — finds a way, even with the short cuts taken, to give the film a sweet quality that makes it likable.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”: New York’s under attack by the sinister Shredder. It’s up to Leonardo, Donatel-lo, Raphael and Michelangelo to save the day.

The big problem is there isn’t enough Turtles and too much April O’Neil (Megan Fox) in this action film. When they make a movie called “No Longer

a Teenager Tattooed Movie Star,” then Fox can take over the film. Despite the additional focus on Fox, the Turtles are still fun-loving and rear-kicking enough to save the day.

“The Skeleton Twins”: Estranged twins get back togeth-er after near-death experiences.

“The Devil’s Hand”: One of six girls will fulfill an ancient prophecy.

“Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever”: Aubrey Plaza provides the voice for the grumpy cat.

“Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Season 2”: Journey into the past to look at familial

histories of 29 of today’s most recogniz-able names.

“Makers: Volume 2”: Tells the sto-ries of women in six spheres of influ-ence.

“Love the One You’re With”: Three sisters face major decisions about tak-ing success over love.

“Expedition to the End of the World”: Crew sets sail for the rapidly melting massifs of Northeast Green-land.

“The Device”: Two sisters learn truth about aliens on Earth.

“The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: The Final Season”: Final stories of lives and loves of the gang attending S. Peter Pryor Junior College.

“Lord of Illusions”: Clive Barker’s supernatural thriller that tears apart the boundaries between reality and magic.

“Arrested Development: Season Four”: Continuing story of the Bluth family. Jason Bateman stars.

“The Americans: Season Two”: Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star in this tale of two Russian spies living a deep undercover life in America.

“Magic in the Moonlight”: Efforts to debunk a mystic turns magical. Colin Firth stars.

“Mentor”: Documentary looks at teen suicide and bullying in America.

n Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK

Upcoming movie releases Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change:

DEC. 23The Good LieThe Trip to ItalyDominionPride

DEC. 30The EqualizerTuskLast Weekend

JAN. 6No Good DeedGet on UpBoyhoodLeft BehindAtlas Shrugged, Part 3: Who Is John Galt?The Guest

n Tribune News Service

On Stage Page 8

Weatherside Whiskey Band presents “A Bluegrass Christmas” on Dec. 21 at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com Thursday, December 18, 2014 - E3

CHRISTMAS EVENTS IN THE AREA

HOLIDAY CONCERT: Cantabile of Skagit Valley will perform at 6 p.m. today at the Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. The 20-member vocal ensemble will perform a variety of songs, including Christmas, secular and sacred works. Free. 360-336-6209 or mountvernonwa.gov/library.

YOUTH THEATER: The Would Be Players will per-form “Christmas Capers and Carols” at 7 p.m. today and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Whidbey Playhouse Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Har-bor. The youth theater group will perform Christmas plays with a twist along with tradi-tional Christmas songs and dance. $10, $5 ages 2 to 11. 360-679-2237 or whidbey playhouse.com.

SANTA’S GIFT HOUSE: Santa will read stories and kids can “shop” for gifts from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at the Sedro-Wool-ley Co-op Preschool at Clear Lake Elementary School, 23631 Lake St., Clear Lake. Kids can buy gifts for par-ents, siblings and caregivers for a suggested donation of $5. Enjoy free photos with Santa, arts and crafts, hot cider, cocoa, coffee and treats. 360-855-3814.

AN ELVIS FAMILY CHRISTMAS: 6 p.m. Friday and 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19-20, Wa-Walton Event Center, 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes. Enjoy Elvis Presley’s Christmas classics as performed by Danny Vernon. $12 adults, $5 ages 17 and younger. 888-288-8883 or swinomish casinoandlodge.com.

‘MESSIAH’ SING ALONG: Skagit Symphony will pres-ent “Sing the Legend” a “Messiah” singalong at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at St.

Paul’s Episcopal Church, 415 S. 18th St., Mount Ver-non. Music provided or bring your own. Suggested donation: $5.

HOLIDAY CONCERT: The Shelter Bay Chorus will per-form songs from “The Mes-siah” and other traditional Christmas favorites at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Shelter Bay Clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. $10 suggested donation. 360-770-7354.

PANCAKES & SANTA: 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. Includes pancake breakfast, kids’ crafts and a visit with Santa. $5. 360-629-7403.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS & LUNCH: The Haynie Opry

will host a Christmas lunch and Christmas carols at noon Saturday, Dec. 20, at 3144 Haynie Road, Blaine. Light finger foods and refreshments will be served, followed by songs of the season by Matt Audette and the Circle of Friends Band. Tickets: $15 at the door, or in advance at Cozy Corner Books and Coffee locations in Bellingham and Ferndale. 360-366-3321.

“THE INNKEEPER’S CHRISTMAS”: Taproot The-atre Touring Company will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Lincoln The-atre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. “The Innkeeper’s Christmas” re-frames the first Christmas, drawing laughter and insight from the unexpected ways God alters expectations. $20. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE: Decorated boats will parade up and down the Guemes Channel beginning about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, starting from Cap Sante Boat Haven in Anacortes. Subject to rough weather. 360-293-7911.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The annual Port of Ana-cortes Community Christ-mas Concert featuring Geoffrey Castle and his All Star Band will take place at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Event Cen-ter, 100 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. The event will include special guests Beth Quist of Cirque du Soleil, Irish tenor Connor Dun-worley, Seattle Irish Dance Company, Anacortes Town Crier Richard Riddell and a visit from Santa Claus. The Anacortes High School

Choir will perform between shows. Admission is free with a nonperishable food donation for the food bank or an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. VIP seating is available for a $25 suggested donation. 360-299-1822 or portofanacortes.com.

“NATIVITY: WE DANCED OUR BEST FOR HIM”: 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20-21, Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. Enjoy the Nativity story told through the language of dance — jazz, lyrical, modern and bal-let. $12-$15. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

HOLIDAY COOKIE DECO-RATING: “Kids” of all sizes can decorate cookies to take home from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at Potluck Kitchen Studio, 910 11th St., Anacortes. Gluten-free cookies available with advance notice. $10, includes six premade shortbread cookies and decorating materials. 360-393-2844 or potluckkitchenstudio.com.

HOLIDAY CONCERT: The Stanwood-Camano Chorale will present “Christmas Cometh Caroling” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at Stan-wood United Methodist Church, 27128 102nd Drive NW, Stanwood. A freewill offering will be accepted. 360-445-2721.

“A BLUEGRASS CHRIST-MAS”: Weatherside Whis-key Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. The four-piece, alt-country and bluegrass ensemble will offer holiday song favorites played with a little roadhouse style, and Weatherside originals. $20. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.org.

FAMILY FUN TIME: Enjoy

holiday family fun from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, at La Conner Regional Library, 614 Morris St., La Conner. Enjoy games, crafts, stories and a visit from Mrs. Claus. Free. 360-466-3352 or lclib.lib.wa.us.

YULETIDE CONCERT: “Jazzin’ with the Classics for Christmas”: with Linda Tsatsanis, soprano; Jeffrey Cohan, flute; Nate Omdal, bass; and Martin Lund, piano, clarinet and flute: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28, Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center, 27130 102nd Ave. NW, Stan-wood. Refreshments follow. $15 suggested donation, free for ages 18 and younger. 360-629-6110 or candlelight seattle.org.

CUT YOUR OWN CHRIST-MAS TREE: Permits to cut Christmas trees in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest can be purchased through Wednesday, Dec. 24.

In Skagit County, permits are sold from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Mt. Baker Ranger Station, 810 Highway 20, Sedro-Woolley. Call ahead, 360-856-5700, ext. 515, to make sure per-mits are available.

Permits cost $10 each, one tree per permit, with a tree height limit of 12 feet. Trees taller than 12 feet require a tall tree permit for $20. The permits are nonrefundable, and may be purchased with cash, checks or credit cards. (Verlot and Glacier Public Service Centers only accept cash and checks).

Cutting areas are located within national forest lands in the eastern portions of Skagit, Snohomish, What-com, Pierce and King coun-ties. Maps and information about cutting areas are pro-vided where permits are sold at ranger stations and the Verlot and Glacier public service centers.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’Northwest Ballet Theatre will present “The Nutcracker” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20-21, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $24-$35. 360-416-7727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

Continued on Page 4


CHRISTMAS EVENTS IN THE AREA

The Forest Service also recommends that you plan to purchase a parking per-mit if your tree-cutting trip includes parking in a desig-nated Sno-Park lot.

Check ranger stations for road and weather informa-tion or visit fs.usda.gov/mbs.

SANTA AT THE MALL: Visit Santa daily during mall hours through Dec. 24 at the Cascade Mall Center Court, 201 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington.360-757-2072.

HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL: The 35th annual Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, through Dec. 24, at 4145 Meridian St., Bellingham. The festival will close at 3 p.m. on Christ-mas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24. The festival features the work of more than 100 local artisans and craftspeople offering handmade products including jewelry, paint-ings, wearable art, specialty foods, repurposed art and more. Enjoy live music, artist demos and workshops, and fun art projects for kids. 360-676-8548 or alliedarts.org.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS: Check out the historic 1891 Gaches Mansion decorated for the holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, through Dec. 28, at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Con-ner. The main rooms on the first floor highlight different decades during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), with a tree for each decade along with quilts and tex-tiles popular at the time. $7 admission, $5 students and military with ID, free for members and children ages 11 and younger. 360-466-4288 or laconnerquilts.com.

“SKAGIT CHRISTMAS: Over The River … to Grand-

mother’s House!”: Check out special exhibits show-ing how early Skagitonians celebrated the Yuletide season through Dec. 31 at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S. Fourth St., La Conner. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues-day through Sunday. $5, $4 seniors and ages 6 to 12, $10 families, free for members and ages 5 and younger. 360-466-3365 or skagitcoun-ty.net/museum.

“BOB’S YOUR ELF”: Anacortes Community The-atre will present this holiday comedy Thursdays through Sundays, through Dec. 20, at 918 M Ave., Anacortes. Ban-ished from the North Pole, an elf named Bob is ordered by Santa to learn a lesson or two about cooperating with others. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

CHRISTMAS TREES: The Mount Vernon Lions Club will offer Christmas trees in exchange for a donation through Dec. 20 at 2111 Riverside Drive. Donations will be accepted at all hours. Proceeds will be used to provide eye exams, eyeglass-es and hearing aids for those in need. 360-424-1888.

CHRISTMAS TREE SALE: The Anacortes Kiwanis Sunrisers Club is selling fresh-cut Christmas trees from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at Sebo’s Hardware & Rental, 1102 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. Regular deliveries of fresh-cut Washington trees include noble, Douglas, Nordman and Fraser firs in a wide range of sizes and prices. 360-588-8846.

LIONS CHRISTMAS TREES: The Oak Harbor Lions Club is selling Christ-mas trees from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, through Dec. 23, in the park across from the Chamber of Commerce, 32630 Highway 20, Oak

Harbor. Four- to nine-feet noble, Douglas, grand and Nordman fir trees cut in Washington. 360-675-6796.

“AN IMPROVISED CHRISTMAS CAROL”: 8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sat-urdays and 7 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 27, Unex-pected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle. “An Improvised Christmas Carol” brings Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic to the stage with a twist. The audience gives suggestions up front, and Unexpected Productions’ improvisers use the sug-gestions to tell an all new tale of how Christmas can (or can’t) change Ebenezer Scrooge’s life. $15 (student/senior/military discount available). 206-587-2414 or unexpectedproductions.org.

“HAM FOR THE HOLI-DAYS: FEAR THE BACON”: Tongueinchic Productions presents Peggy Platt and Lisa Koch through Dec. 21 at the Falls Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle. Enjoy an evening filled with social satire and musical parody. Showtimes vary. Recom-mended for ages 14 and older. Tickets start at $20. 206-292-7676 or acttheatre.org.

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL”: Seattle’s ACT Theatre pres-ents Dickens’ classic holiday tale through Dec. 28 at the Allen Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle. Showtimes vary. Tickets start at $27 children, $32 adults. 206-292-7676 or acttheatre.org.

WINTERFEST: Enjoy free and affordable activities and entertainment through Dec. 31 at Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. Visit Center House for free performances of music and comedy, jazz and dance, cul-tural celebrations, ice sculpt-ing, student showcases and

more. The Winterfest Ice Rink will be open through Jan. 4. Admission/skate rental fee applies. 206-684-7200 or seattlecenter.com/winterfest.

HORSE-DRAWN TROLLEY RIDES: Enjoy free horse-drawn trolley rides from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 20, around downtown Anacortes, starting from participating Commercial Avenue loca-tions. For information, call the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce at 360-293-7911.

INDEPENDENT WREATH-MAKING: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Dec. 24, at Christianson’s Nursery, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon. $6 for one wreath form and use of the machines. Greens are avail-able for purchase, or you may bring your own. Reser-vations required: 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: The 13th annual Quiet Light Candles Christmas Festival continues from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fri-days, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 20, at the Convent of the Meeting of the Lord, 29206 64th Ave. NW, Stanwood. Enjoy candle-making tours, home-baked cookies, the Bethlehem Nativity Cave and a variety of handmade beeswax candles and unique gifts. 360-629-0285 or quiet lightcandles.com.

THE LIGHTS OF CHRIST-MAS: More than a million Christmas lights will be displayed at the annual Lights of Christmas, from 5 to 10 p.m. daily Dec. 18-23 and Dec. 26-30 at Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. The larg-est holiday light display in the Northwest covers 15 acres and features family-oriented entertainment,

live music, theater, crafts, food, pony rides, a petting farm, Polar Express Train rides and overnight get-away options. Meet Santa Claus or talk with “Bruce the Spruce” Christmas tree. General admission: $10-$15. Pay-what-you-can nights are offered Dec. 29 and 30. Theater events are extra. 800-228-6724 or warm beachlights.com.

“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY”: Enjoy the Lights of Christ-mas Holiday Theatre at Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. Dinner theatre: Dec. 18-20, starting at $39 per person. Sunday dessert matinee: Dec. 21, starting at $24 per person. Reservations: 800-228-6724 or warmbeach lights.com.

“A CHRISTMAS STORY”: Enjoy performances of Jean Shepherd’s classic Christ-mas tale Fridays through Sundays, through Dec. 20, at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. $15-$22. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.com.

“ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT: FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT”: The Seattle Choral Company will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at St. Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E., Seattle. Enjoy clas-sical works, seasonal carols, popular songs and more. One hour before the con-cert there will be a lecture about the program, a carol sing-along for the audience and preconcert carols by The Resonance Hand Bell Choir. $25, free for children and students. 206-363-1100 or seattlechoralcompany.org.

CHRISTMAS DINNERS: The following Christmas dinners will be offered:

n The annual Anacortes Community Christmas

Dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25, at the Anacortes Lutheran Church Fellow-ship Hall, 2100 O Ave. Free. Home deliveries will be made in Anacortes. To order a home-delivered meal, call 360-293-9586 by Tuesday, Dec. 23.

n 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25, Friendship House Café, 108 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. Everyone welcome. Donations appreciated. 360-336-2135.

TREE COLLECTION PICK-UP SERVICE: Anacortes High School Key Club in cooperation with the City Parks Department, Kiwanis Sunrisers and Kiwanis Noon Club will pick up and recy-cle Christmas trees from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 10, for a suggested cash and food donation placed with the tree. All food goes to the Salvation Army Food Bank; cash helps support Key Club activities.

Troop 4100 members, Boy Scouts of America, will offer Christmas tree pick-up and disposal services to Mount Vernon residents on Sun-day, Dec. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 3. Specific information will delivered to homes on their route. Donations are appreciated and may be placed with the tree or mailed to BSA Troop 4100, 2529 N. LaVenture Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. All proceeds will help fund local Boy Scout events and activities in 2015. To inquire, call 206-743-6014 after Christmas.

The city of Sedro-Woolley will offer seasonal disposal of natural trees and wreaths for the first three weeks of January from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays at 315 Sterling St., Sedro-Woolley. Decorations must be removed.


OUT & ABOUT

ART“A FESTIVE COLLEC-

TION”: A collection of new paintings by Anne Martin McCool, McCool Gallery artists and guests will con-tinue through December at 711 Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

Participating artists include Peter Belknap and Cathy Schoenberg, paint-ings; Tracy Powell, sculp-tures; Stephen Roxborough and Bryce Mann, photog-raphy; Patsy Chamberlain, Cathy Schoenberg and Barbara Hathaway, ceram-ics; George Way and Art Learmonth, wood; Carole Cunningham and Debbie Aldrich, jewelry; Martha Tottenham, hand-woven scarves; Jane Hyde, baskets; Vicki Hampel, gourd art; and other artists. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Satur-day and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 360-293-3577 or annemartinmccool.com.

ART EXHIBITION: “Kinda Vital/Slightly Pre-cise” continues through Dec. 28 at Anchor Art Space, 216 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Work-ing across processes, Jean Behnke brings together materials and objects to form a work with methods of drawing, assemblage and installation. Also on display is a selection of new work by Russell Prather, Marga-ret Davidson and Sandra Westford, as well as Julia Oldham’s recent video work “Star Noise” and two earlier works. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday or by appointment. 360-755-3140 or anchorartspace.org.

FIGURATIVE PAINT-INGS: Original artworks by Camano Island artist Linda Demetre are on display through Dec. 31 in the Lin-coln Theatre Art Bar, 712

S. First St., Mount Vernon. Painted in an impression-istic style using oils and oil bars, Demetre’s paintings often feature women in solitary situations, Edward Hopper style, or couples interacting. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

JENNIFER BOWMAN: ACRYLICS: The show continues through Jan. 27 at Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. The exhibition fea-tures Bowman’s brilliantly colored floral, landscape and nautical paintings. Also showing are acrylics by Cynthia Richardson, oils and pastels by Amanda Houston, photo encaustics by Kathy Hastings, and photography by Lewis Jones, Dick Garvey and Randy Dana. The gallery is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appoint-ment. 360-293-6938 or scottmilo.com.

ONE-DAY ART SHOW/SALE: Check out treasures old and new by artists you know or knew at the $100 Art Show and Sale from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at Gallery Cygnus, 109 Commercial Ave., La Con-ner. 360-708-4787 or gallerycygnus.com.

LOCAL ARTS & CRAFTS: Eleven local artists offer a variety of works from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, through Dec. 21, at Ballenger Studio, 15502 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. The show features original creations in wood, ceramics, acrylics, jewelry, photography, fiber, leather and glass. 360-422-7030.

NEW PAINTINGS: Some 40 new works by local art-ist Sharon Eckhardt are on display through December at the Rexville Grocery,

19271 Best Road, Mount Vernon. Included are original Christmas-themed paintings, landscapes and still-lifes, as well as Christ-mas cards. 360-466-5522 or rexvillegrocery.com.

UPSTAIRS ART: Check out a selection of artwork from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, through Dec. 31, at the Upstairs Art Studios and Gallery, 1010 Fifth St., Anacortes. Participat-ing artists include Paula Anderson, Jo Anderson, Cathy Schoenberg, John DeLourme, Sylvia Griffen, Thaddeus Hink, Elizabeth Ockwell and guest art-ists Caroline Garland and Lance Ekhart. paulaander [email protected].

INVITATIONAL ART SHOW: “Objectification: 7” continues through Dec. 28 at Smith & Vallee Gal-

lery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison. Featuring more than 20 local and regional artists, the annual show focuses on functional and three-dimensional art-work — ceramics, textiles, haberdashery, housewares and furniture, as well as art objects and sculptures. Pur-chased items can be taken home immediately. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, closed on Christmas day and open from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26. 360-766-6230 or smithandvallee.com.

BRIGHT SHINY OBJECTS: “The Treasures of Winter” continues through Dec. 31 at Raven Rocks Gallery, 765 Wonn Road, Langley. Check out a wide range of handmade

creations including Bob Higbee’s hand-turned wooden vases, Roger White’s driftwood feath-ers, Lynne Adam’s kicky jewelry, Mary Jo’s treasure bowls and hand knit hats, Windwalker’s “Ravens in Love” prints and cards, stained glass mosaics by Sandy and Carl Bryant, Tim Potter’s “Escher-esque” pen and ink cre-ations, couture clothing by Teri Jo Summer, Rich Alex-ander’s handthrown pot-tery, and kiln formed glass bowls, platters and more by Dale Reiger. Information, including gallery hours and directions: 360-222-0102 or ravenrocksgallery.com.

STANWOOD POTTERY SHOW: The 14th annual Mark Eikeland Pottery Show is open by appoint-ment through December, across from 10024 270th St. NW, Stanwood. Choose from a wide range of functional and decorative handcrafted ceramics. 360-708-3209.

NEW PAINTINGS: Paint-ings by Bellingham artist Kathryn Hackney are on display at The Shop, 18623 Main St., Conway. Also on display are a variety of works by other gallery artists. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. 360-391-2691 or theshopconway.com.

PHOTO EXHIBIT: “SKY,” featuring 18 color photo-graphs by Aldo Panzieri, continues through April 25 at Ululate Gallery, 924 S. 11th St., Mount Vernon. Each image on display connects the sky to earth objects and then connects the viewer to both. Panzieri is a Los Angeles-based photographer with 50 years’ experience in free-lance, fashion, street, news and police photography.

Free admission. 360-336-3882 or ululate.org.

SMALL ARTWORKS: The 24th annual “Honey, I Shrunk The Art” small works show continues through Jan. 18 at Matzke Fine Art Gallery & Sculp-ture Park, 2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island. The show features creations by some 40 artists working in glass, ceramics, sculptures and paintings. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, weekdays by appointment. 360-387-2759 or matzke fineart.com.

ISLAND ART SHOW: “Fine Art in the Season of Light” continues through Jan. 1 at Rob Schouten Gallery, 765 Wonn Road, Greenbank. Choose from a wide range of artworks by Whidbey Island and North-west artists, including glass, jewelry, paintings, sculp-tures, encaustics, ceramics, fiber arts, woodwork, hand-made prints and books, cards and more. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. 360-222-3070 or robschoutengallery.com.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE

EXHIBIT: The La Conner Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is on display through March 1, 2015, at public locations around La Con-ner. The annual juried exhibition features work by some of the Northwest’s most accomplished artists. For information, including a map of the sculptures and works available for sale: 360-466-3125 or townof laconner.org.

AT MoNA: Two exhibits continue through Jan. 4, 2015, at the Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Conner.

AT THE QUILT MUSEUM“Hawaiian Quilting: Traditions Continue” continues through Dec. 28 at the La Conner Quilt & Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Conner. Grace Hawley first took up Hawaiian quilting in 1985, while living in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. Hawaiian quilts tradition-ally feature hand applique work with designs from nature, and the quilting lines often echo the applique design, both on and outside of the applique work.

Continued on Page 6


OUT & ABOUT

“Accreted Terrane”: Featuring work by 42 artists with ties to the Northwest, the exhibit explores pro-cesses of accumulation and erosion, dispersal and gath-ering. The passage of time is marked in a variety of ways, from layer upon layer of paint, to the archaeological exposure of 20th century artifacts, to the capture of hot-sculpted glass in the moment, to the interplay of light and shadow unfolding in a video loop.

“To Be Alone Together”: The exhibition pairs 11 contemporary Northwest artists with 11 works chosen from MoNA’s permanent collection on the basis of three ideas: light, solitude and community, which the curators find to be prevailing themes in the philosophy and process of Northwest artists. The contemporary artists were asked to respond to a piece in the collection and to cre-ate new work based on that response. The exhibition looks closely at the ways in which both the ephemeral and the tangible experiences of living in a particular place influence communities of artists.

Three new exhibits will open Saturday, Jan. 10, and continue through March 11:

“Still Life from the Per-manent Collection”: Exhi-bitions Director Lisa Young examines interiors through the historically rich tradi-tion of the still-life. Recent acquisitions are featured, along with works by Mark Tobey, Walter Isaacs, Max-ine Martell, Spencer Mose-ley and contemporary artists drawn from the museum’s permanent collection.

“A Tree is a Kind of Big Flower: Flora C. Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick”: Mace and Kirkpatrick present botanical sculptures and sensitive casein paintings that pay homage to their deep reverence for the

outside world. By capturing the essence of a flower or a tree stump, the artists invite the viewer to witness the elegance of a tiger lily or the husky texture of moss-covered bark.

“Adrianne Smits: Immer-sion Redux: Buiten (Out-side)”: Smits’ painting style invokes similarities to artists of the “Mystic painters” movement in the Northwest, such as Mark Tobey, Morris Graves and Guy Anderson.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Free admission. 360-466-4446 or monamuseum.org.

LA CONNER QUILT MUSEUM: Two special exhibits are on display through Dec. 28 at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Conner.

“Vox Stellarum”: Tex-tile artist Elin Noble has transformed the third-floor galleries into an installa-tion using itajime-dyed silk organza. Her black and white silk panels, featuring irregular horizontal and vertical geometrical shapes, are hung in sets, allowing a play of overlapping shapes and moiré patterns. Also on view are pod-like three-dimensional poetic forms.

“Hawaiian Quilting: Traditions Continue”: Grace Hawley first took up Hawaiian quilting in 1985, while living in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. Hawaiian quilts traditionally feature hand applique work with designs from nature, and the quilting lines often echo the applique design, both on and outside of the applique work.

Two new shows will open with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, and continue through March 29:

“Night Thoughts with Larkin Van Horn”: A couple years ago, Van Horn started

keeping a notebook near her bed to jot down stray ideas in the night. Some-times she’d wake up to find unintelligible scribblings that made no sense, and some ideas were just plain weird. But what did emerge were some recurring themes that turned into the short series presented in this exhibit: Shattered Circles, Labyrinths and Celtic Spi-rals, Gaia/Goddess Figures and Trees, as well as a col-lection of nonseries works on a variety of themes. Van Horn sometimes dyes or paints her own fabrics, but also uses commercial batiks. Placing design elements on top of the backgrounds — whole cloth or fused collage — she adds stitching and embellishments, often incor-porating fibers or beadwork in the finished piece.

“Freddy Moran’s Col-lage”: Artist/author Fred-erica “Freddy” Duffy Moran is known for her unbridled use of bold color and origi-nal designs. She considers red to be a neutral. Moran’s love for quiltmaking began at age 60, after she had excelled at other art forms. Her quilts have appeared in national and international publications, including mag-azines, art books, calendars, textbooks and quilt books. She is the author of “Fred-dy’s House: Brilliant Color in Quilts” and co-author of “Collaborative Quilting” with Gwen Marston.

The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission: $7, $5 students and military with ID, free for members and ages 11 and younger. 360-466-4288 or laconner quilts.org.

ANACORTES IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION: “All in the Same Boat: Anacortes in the Great Depression” is on display in the Anacortes Museum’s Carnegie Gallery, 1305 Eighth St., Anacortes.

The exhibit depicts life in Anacortes after the 1929 stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depres-sion, which dragged on for 12 years. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. 360-293-1915 or museum.cityofanacortes.org.

LECTURES AND TALKS

CELEBRATE LIGHT: “PechaKucha Night,” 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Con-ner. Regional artists will speak about their work and the light that guides them through the darkest days as we celebrate the role of light in art and in our lives. Free. 360-466-4446 or mona museum.org.

NATURE PHOTOGRA-PHER: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center will host nature photographer/author Kevin Ebi at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at the Howard Miller Steelhead Park clubhouse, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport. Donations appre-ciated. 360-853-7626 or skagiteagle.org.

ARTIST TALK: 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Conner. Painter/biologist Adrianne Smits is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington. She said her painting came first and the science second. Discover how Smits balanc-es her studies in the field, and learn about her process for recapturing memory with neighbor and gallery representative Bryan Ohno of Bryan Ohno Gallery in Seattle. Free. 360-466-4446 or monamuseum.org.

ANACORTES HOUSE HIS-TORY: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan.

13, Anacortes Museum, 1305 Eighth St., Anacortes. Learn about the Anacortes House History and Plaque Pro-gram and how to research the history of your home in a presentation by the Ana-cortes Historic Preservation Board. Find out if your home might be eligible for the Anacortes Historic Reg-ister, and how you might qualify for tax breaks for your renovation project. Free. 360-293-1915 or mus eum.cityofanacortes.org.

REFERENDUMS ON INDEPENDENCE: Todd Donovan, political sci-ence professor at Western Washington University, will discuss “Referendums on Independence: Scotland, Spain and Beyond” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Whatcom Museum Lightcatcher building, 250 Flora St., Bell-ingham. Donovan’s talk will examine Scotland’s recent referendum on indepen-dence, with comparisons to other cases. In addition, Donovan will discuss the state of American politics following the midterm elec-tions. $17, $12 for WWU Alumni Association mem-bers; includes appetizers and one glass of wine. 360-650-3353.

MUSICCOMMUNITY JAM SES-

SION: The Woolley Market will host a brewers night and music gathering from 5 to 8 p.m. today at 829 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. Products from the Birds-view Brewing Company will be featured, and music is provided by the Birdsview Jam, “heavy on bluegrass, old school country, and ’60s favorites.” woolleymarket.com or 360-982-2649.

MORE FUNEAGLE WATCHING: The

Skagit River Bald Eagle

Interpretive Center hosts guided walks at 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport. The center features speakers at 1 p.m. Saturdays. During January, the center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 360-853-7626 or skagiteagle.org.

STAR PARTY: Explore the night sky and view distant galaxies, nebulas and planets beginning at dark Friday, Dec. 19, at Fort Nugent Park, 2075 SW Fort Nugent Road, Oak Harbor. Island County Astronomi-cal Society members will provide an assortment of telescopes for viewing. All ages are welcome. Free. The event will be canceled if cloudy. 360-679-7664 or icas-wa.webs.com.

WINTER SOLSTICE SOUND PRAYER: Join Rev. Elke Macartney at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Ana-cortes Center for Happiness, 619 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. Macartney will sound a prayer for world peace using crystal bowls, drum-ming and chanting. Bring a small votive candle holder and your intentions for the coming year. $10 suggested donation/$15 family. 360-464-2229 or anacortes centerforhappiness.org.

SKAGIT EAGLE FESTI-VAL: The event will take place every full weekend during January, in and around Concrete, Rockport and Marblemount. Enjoy indoor and outdoor activi-ties including eagle watch-ing, free tours, walks and educational programs, arts and crafts, wine tasting, river rafting, music, dance and more. Bring your camera and dress for unpredictable January weather. Infor-mation: 360-853-8784 or skagiteaglefestival.com.


E8 Thursday, December 18, 2014 Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com Thursday, December 18, 2014 E9

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area December 18-21 TUNING UP Playing at area venues December 18-22

Thursday.18MUSIC

Holiday Concert: Cantabile of Skagit Valley, 6 p.m., Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. Free. 360-336-6209 or mount vernonwa.gov/library.

THEATER“Bob’s Your Elf” (comedy): 7:30 p.m.,

Anacortes Community Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

“Christmas Capers and Carols”: The Would Be Players, 7 p.m., Whidbey Play-house Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. $10, $5 ages 2 to 11. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

VARIETY“An Evening of Stories & Song”:

7 p.m., Concrete Theatre, 45920 Main St., Concrete. The event will feature writers/readers Nicola Pearson Murray, Jason Miller, Robert Van Wagoner and Peter Keim; and original music by Andrea Weiser, Linda Jordan and Corina Sahlin. Admission: $5. 360-941-0403 or concrete-theatre.com.

Friday.19THEATER

“Bob’s Your Elf” (comedy): 7:30 p.m., Anacortes Community Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

Saturday.20BALLET

“The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $24-$35. 360-416-7727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER“The Innkeeper’s Christmas”:

Taproot Theatre Touring Company, 2 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $20. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.


“Christmas Capers and Carols”: The Would Be Players, 2 and 7 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. $10, $5 ages 2 to 11. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

Sunday.21BALLET

“The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 2 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $24-$35. 360-416-7727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

MUSIC“A Bluegrass Christmas”: Weather-

side Whiskey Band, 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. $20. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.org.

THURSDAY.18

SATURDAY.20

SUNDAY.21

Singer, Songwriters Open Mic Night: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Conner. 360-399-1805.

Market Street Dixieland Jazz Band: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, Bard Room, 18444 Spruce/Main, Con-way. $10. 360-445-3000.

Jimmy Wright: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411.

Mia Vermillion: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Con-ner. 360-399-1805.

3ish: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.

Lloyd Hooper and the Cascade Ramblers (classic country dance): 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Sedro-Woolley American Legion Hall, 701 Murdock St., Sedro-Woolley. 360-855-5111.

Lynn Hanson: 7 p.m., Mount Ver-non Elks, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Open to the public. 360-848-8882.

Clambake: 9 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $5. 360-778-1067.

Kevin Keineker: 7:30 p.m., Con-way Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. No cover. 360-445-3000.


Kevin Keineker: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. No cover. 360-445-3000.

Doug Cooper — “Uncle Doug” (Neil Young tribute band): 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Conner. 360-399-1805.

Social Network (top 40 dance radio pop): 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Win-ners Lounge, 5984 N. Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448.

Black Vinyl All Stars: 7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commer-cial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.


Chunky Wonder, Steven Roth, Sarah Goodin: 10 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $5. 360-778-1067.

JP Falcon: 9 p.m., Longhorn Saloon & Grill, 5754 Cains Court, Edison. 360-766-6330.

Marcia Kester (country, soft rock, pop, blues): 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. 360-445-3000.

The Fig Brothers – Billy Stapleton and Sandy Carter: 6 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Con-way. 360-445-3000.


Gary B’s Church of Blues: Jam Night, 6 to 10 p.m., Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733.

Sunday Brunch Jazz, with John Savage and Duane Melcher (’40s & ’50s American jazz): 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Bur-lington Blvd., Burl-ington. 360-707-2683.

Desperate Measures (classic rock): 6 to 10 p.m., Castle Tav-ern, 708 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. No cover. 360-855-2263.

Jenny & The TomCats: 5:30 p.m., Edison Inn, 5829 Cains Court, Edison. No cover. 360-766-6266.

Victims of Kool: 8:30 p.m., Castle Tavern, 708 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. 360-855-2263.

MONDAY.22

Craig Parrish / Skagit Valley Herald

Kevin Cobley (left) and Sam Schlobohm

FRIDAY.19MARKET STREET DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, Bard Room, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000.

SATURDAY.20BLACK VINYL ALL STARS7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.

FRIDAY.19

FRIDAY- SUNDAY.18-20“BOB’S YOUR ELF”7:30 p.m., Anacortes Com-munity Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

FRIDAY.19“A BLUEGRASS CHRISTMAS”Weatherside Whiskey Band, 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. $20. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.org.

E8 Thursday, December 18, 2014 Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com Thursday, December 18, 2014 E9

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area December 18-21 TUNING UP Playing at area venues December 18-22

Thursday.18MUSIC

Holiday Concert: Cantabile of Skagit Valley, 6 p.m., Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. Free. 360-336-6209 or mount vernonwa.gov/library.

THEATER“Bob’s Your Elf” (comedy): 7:30 p.m.,

Anacortes Community Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

“Christmas Capers and Carols”: The Would Be Players, 7 p.m., Whidbey Play-house Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. $10, $5 ages 2 to 11. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

VARIETY“An Evening of Stories & Song”:

7 p.m., Concrete Theatre, 45920 Main St., Concrete. The event will feature writers/readers Nicola Pearson Murray, Jason Miller, Robert Van Wagoner and Peter Keim; and original music by Andrea Weiser, Linda Jordan and Corina Sahlin. Admission: $5. 360-941-0403 or concrete-theatre.com.

Friday.19THEATER


Saturday.20BALLET

“The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $24-$35. 360-416-7727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER“The Innkeeper’s Christmas”:

Taproot Theatre Touring Company, 2 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $20. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.


“Christmas Capers and Carols”: The Would Be Players, 2 and 7 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. $10, $5 ages 2 to 11. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

Sunday.21BALLET

“The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 2 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $24-$35. 360-416-7727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

MUSIC“A Bluegrass Christmas”: Weather-

side Whiskey Band, 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. $20. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.org.

THURSDAY.18

SATURDAY.20

SUNDAY.21

Singer, Songwriters Open Mic Night: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Conner. 360-399-1805.

Market Street Dixieland Jazz Band: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, Bard Room, 18444 Spruce/Main, Con-way. $10. 360-445-3000.


Mia Vermillion: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Con-ner. 360-399-1805.

3ish: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.


Lynn Hanson: 7 p.m., Mount Ver-non Elks, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Open to the public. 360-848-8882.

Clambake: 9 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $5. 360-778-1067.

Kevin Keineker: 7:30 p.m., Con-way Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. No cover. 360-445-3000.


Kevin Keineker: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. No cover. 360-445-3000.

Doug Cooper — “Uncle Doug” (Neil Young tribute band): 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 S. First St., La Conner. 360-399-1805.


Black Vinyl All Stars: 7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commer-cial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.


Chunky Wonder, Steven Roth, Sarah Goodin: 10 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $5. 360-778-1067.

JP Falcon: 9 p.m., Longhorn Saloon & Grill, 5754 Cains Court, Edison. 360-766-6330.

Marcia Kester (country, soft rock, pop, blues): 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. 360-445-3000.

The Fig Brothers – Billy Stapleton and Sandy Carter: 6 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Con-way. 360-445-3000.


Gary B’s Church of Blues: Jam Night, 6 to 10 p.m., Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733.

Sunday Brunch Jazz, with John Savage and Duane Melcher (’40s & ’50s American jazz): 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Bur-lington Blvd., Burl-ington. 360-707-2683.

Desperate Measures (classic rock): 6 to 10 p.m., Castle Tav-ern, 708 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. No cover. 360-855-2263.

Jenny & The TomCats: 5:30 p.m., Edison Inn, 5829 Cains Court, Edison. No cover. 360-766-6266.

Victims of Kool: 8:30 p.m., Castle Tavern, 708 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. 360-855-2263.

MONDAY.22

Craig Parrish / Skagit Valley Herald

Kevin Cobley (left) and Sam Schlobohm

FRIDAY.19MARKET STREET DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, Bard Room, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000.

SATURDAY.20BLACK VINYL ALL STARS7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.

FRIDAY.19

FRIDAY- SUNDAY.18-20“BOB’S YOUR ELF”7:30 p.m., Anacortes Com-munity Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $18. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

FRIDAY.19“A BLUEGRASS CHRISTMAS”Weatherside Whiskey Band, 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Ave., Langley. $20. 800-638-7631 or wicaonline.org.


TRAVEL AT THE LINCOLN THEATRE

712 S. First St., Mount Vernon360-336-8955 n www.lincolntheatre.org

‘Birdman’7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 206:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 217:30 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 22-23

“Birdman” is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) — famous for portraying an iconic super-hero — who struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career and himself.

Stars Michael Keaton, Amy Ryan, Andrea Rise-borough, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis.

$10 general; $9 seniors, students and active military; $8 members; $7 children 12 and under. Bargain matinee prices (all shows before 6 p.m.): $8 general, $6 members, $5 children 12 and under.

Sunday bargain prices: $8 general; $6 members; $5 for children 12 and under.

Taproot Theatre’s ‘The Inkeeper’s Christmas’2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20

By Anne Kennedy Brady, directed by Nathan Jeffrey. Presented by the Skagit Valley Lutheran Cluster.

As innkeepers Jacob

and Miriam whiz about accommodating strange requests and stranger guests with their trade-mark humor and wit, a desperate plea to use their stable makes them pause; if this is the advent of God’s Child, what kind of family is He creat-ing? “The Innkeeper’s Christmas” re-frames the first Christmas, drawing laughter and insight from the unexpected ways God alters expectations.

Taproot Theatre Com-pany seeks to “creates theatrical experiences to brighten the spirit, engage the mind and deepen the understanding of the world around us while inspiring imagination, con-versation and hope.”

Advance tickets: $20.

The MET Live in HD – ‘Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg’Noon Sunday, Dec. 21

James Levine returns to one of his signature Wagner works conducting this epic comedy about a group of Renaissance “master singers” whose song contest unites a city. Johan Reuter, Johan Botha, and Annette Dasch lead the international cast.

$23 adults, $19 seniors, $16 students; $2 off for Lincoln members.

By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYESThe Dallas Morning News

With winter on the hori-zon, perhaps it’s time to plan a warm-weather family getaway. Here are five des-tinations to consider:

1. Board a big ship. From now until May 2015, family travelers can board the newly launched, 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas in Bayonne, N.J., for travel to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. On board, innovative options include a sky-diving simulator; the Seaplex sports complex, where bumper cars and basketball reign; and the Northstar experience, which enables the curious to sample a 360-degree, ship-and-sea view from a glass capsule that extends above the ship. The tech-savvy Dynamic Dining concept allows guests to choose from 18 eateries that range from food-truck style menus to more formal dining experi-ences presented by celebrity chefs. royalcarribean.com

2. Make pink sand cas-tles. Visit the island gem of Bermuda for sunny skies, historic attractions and

the legendary tinted-sand beaches. Visit the snorkel park for water sports. See one of the world’s largest shell collections, learn about the Bermuda Triangle and step into a virtual shark cage at the Underwater Exploration Institute. The Rosewood Tucker’s Point resort offers a family pack-age called Tiny the Treefrog. rosewoodhotels.com; goto bermuda.com

3. Make memories in Maui. Watch whales breaching from the long stretches of beach on Maui, considered Hawaii’s magic isle. Learn to surf, or check out the Maui Ocean Center. Explore the rain forest and hike to a volcano. Take the windy and scenic road to Hana for a day of jaw-drop-ping scenery. Ask about the Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’anapali family packages that include free midsize car rentals and complimentary stays for children 17 and under. gohawaii.com/maui; westinmaui.com

4. Channel Cochise and Geronimo. Located in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, in the heart of Chiricahua country, the

Sierra Grande Lodge serves as a home base for explor-ing the region’s rich Ameri-can Indian history. Acquired by Ted Turner in 2013, the historic lodge is popular for its mineral hot springs, as well as easy access to hiking, fishing and birding in the Gila Wilderness. The town is also home to the developing Virgin Galactic Spaceport. sierragrandelodge.com

5. Book a rain forest retreat. Starwood Carib-bean Hotels & Resorts has packaged stays in island destinations intended to lure families away from chilly climes. For example, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, located at the foot of Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest, combines top-notch golf, nature expe-riences and quiet beach time for an extraordinary winter holiday. The on-site Iguana Children’s Club offers turtle feeding, rain-forest walks and other education-based adventures for children ages 4 through 12. stregisbahiabeach.com

n Lynn O’Rourke Hayes is the editor of FamilyTravel.com. Email: lohayes@family travel.com.

Web buzz Name: TrailWallet Available: iOS Cost: Free; $4.99 for unlimited accessWhat it does: Helps you log and track your expenses. Set a budget and manage goals before plotting your next escape. Accepts amounts in local currencies for 218 countries. What’s hot: Say goodbye to loose receipts jammed into pants pockets or overstuffed purses. Add what you spend and watch your daily total grow. You can compare your spending with your “Daily Budget” and your “Daily Average” as well

as your “Total for the Trip.” If you’re not paying attention, TrailWallet might send you a little message, such as “Going a little crazy, are we?” What’s not: This is not so much a com-plaint as a request: I would like to see a weeklong, sample trip budget archived on the app. It would be helpful when plan-ning a travel budget to see examples of how much people spend on food, hotels, etc. Or how about sample budgets for a backpacker on a monthlong European trip, a family on a weeklong resort vacation or a business traveler on a short trip?

n Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times

FAMILY TRAVEL FIVE

Leave the cold behindLocal travel CRUISE SEMINAR: Enjoy a free presen-tation from Holland America Line at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at AAA Trav-el and Cruise, 1600 E. College Way, Suite A, Mount Vernon. RSVP: 360-848-2090.

STATE VISITOR CALL CENTER: The Washington Tourism Alliance’s Experi-enceWA Call Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Thanks-giving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 1-800-544-1800 or tourisminfo@watour ismalliance.com. Staff members assist travelers who have questions, refer them to spe-cific destination mar-keting organizations and other travel resources across the state for more detailed informa-tion, and take orders for the Washington State Visitors Guide.

PASSPORT APPLI-CATIONS: Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes, accepts passport applications from noon to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Passport forms and information on fees and how to apply are available at travel.state.gov, or pick up an appli-cation and passport guide at the library. Oak Harbor Senior Center, 51 SE Jerome St., Oak Har-bor, accepts pass-port applications, by appointment, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 360-279-4580.

Michael Keaton stars in “Birdman.”


EXPLORE it allA T S W I N O M I S H C A S I N O & L O D G E

NEW YEARS EVE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

december 31dRAWINgS ALL dAY

fROM 10AM - 1AMWin your share of over

$15,000

13MOONS

SwinomishCasinoandLodge.com 1.888.288.8883

EXPLORE ourRewards!

*Management reserves all rights

Call to book your holiday reservations today!

(360) 588-3800

now - december 25LAST WEEKENd TO WIN!

Pick a gift & win up to $3,000!6pm, 8pm, 10pm & midnight

December 24-25

13MOONS

A BOBBY CALDWELL CHRISTMAS: Dec. 18-21, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

THE SENATE: Dec. 22-23, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

THE ROOTS: Dec. 29, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

IN THIS MOMENT: Dec. 30, Moore The-atre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or livenation.com.

REIGNWOLF: Dec. 31, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

COMMON KINGS: Dec. 31, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

BUILT TO SPILL: Jan. 2-3, 2015, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

MARK HUMMEL’S BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT: Jan. 8-11, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS: Jan. 15, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

CHRIS HARDWICK: Jan. 16, The Nep-tune Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or Livenation.com.

STEEL PANTHER: Jan. 17, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

E-40: Jan. 18, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles: Jan. 20, Mt. Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

TRIBAL SEEDS: Jan. 22, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

WALE: Jan. 23, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

PIERCE THE VEIL, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS: Jan. 28, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE: with Matt Costa: Jan. 30, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

“ROMEO & JULIET, THE MUSICAL”: Jan. 30-Feb. 15, Lincoln Theatre, Mount Ver-non. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

BILL FRISELL: Jan. 31, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

KIP MOORE: Jan. 31, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

LOGIC: Feb. 5, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

“RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CAR-OUSEL”: Feb. 5-March 1, 2015, The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle. 888-584-4849 or 5thavenue.org.

DR. DOG: Feb. 10, The Showbox, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

RU PAUL’S DRAG RACE: Feb. 11, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

BILLY IDOL: Feb. 13, Paramount The-

atre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or livenation.com.

MIRANDA LAMBERT: Feb. 13, Tacoma Dome. 800-745-3000 or Livenation.com.

AUGUST BURNS RED: Feb. 16, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK: Feb. 17, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

NETTWORK: Feb. 19-22, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

COLD WAR KIDS: Feb. 20, The Show-box, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxon line.com.

IRATION: Feb. 20, Showbox SoDo, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

BORGORE: Feb. 21, Showbox SoDo, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

3 REDNECK TENORS: “From Rags to Rednecks”: Feb. 21, Mt. Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or mountbaker theatre.com.

LOTUS: Feb. 22, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

BO BURNHAM: Feb. 25, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or Livenation.com.

GALACTIC: Feb. 27, The Showbox, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT: Feb. 28, Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

JOSHUA RADIN: March 1, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

CARIBOU: March 4, The Showbox, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: March 5, 2015, Mount Baker Theatre, Belling-ham. 360-734-6080 or mountbaker theatre.com.

KELLER WILLIAMS, THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS: March 6, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

“JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL & LIVING IN PARIS”: March 7-May 17, 2015, The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle. 888-584-4849 or 5thavenue.org.

COAL CHAMBER: March 11, The Show-box, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxon line.com.

DANA FUCHS: March 17-18, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazz alley.com.

HOT TICKETSTOWER OF POWERJan. 22-25, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.


AUDITIONS“I HATE HAMLET”: 2:30

p.m. Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10-11, Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. Parts are available for three women and three men. Actors should read the play in advance and be ready to read sides from the script, which is avail-able at the playhouse for

review. The comedy will run April 3-19. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

DANCEFOLK DANCING: Skagit-

Anacortes Folkdancers meet at 7 p.m. most Tues-days at Bayview Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Bay View. Learn to folkdance to a variety of international music. Instruction begins at 7 p.m. followed by review and request dances until 9:30. The first session is free, $3 thereafter. All are welcome. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 360-766-6866.

THURSDAY DANCE: Dance to The Skippers from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thurs-days at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. For information, contact Gisela at 360-424-5696.

MUSICTIME FOR FIDDLERS:

The Washington Old Time Fiddlers play acoustic old-time music at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Fridays of each month at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland. St. Free; donations accepted. 360-630-9494.

SECOND FRIDAY DRUM CIRCLE: 7 to 9 p.m. Friday,

Jan. 9, Unity Church, 704 W. Division St., Mount Ver-non. Shake off the energy of the week through drum-ming, songs, chants. Free-will donation. [email protected].

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: Practices are held from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. every Thursday at the Shelter Bay Club-house in La Conner. New members welcome. No need to be a Shelter Bay resident. 360-466-3805.

LOVE TO SING? Join the women of Harmony North-west Chorus from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Monday at the Mount Vernon Senior Cen-ter, 1401 Cleveland Ave. Seeking women who like to sing a cappella music. All skill levels welcome.

ANACORTES OPEN MIC: 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. 360-293-2544.

OPEN MIC: Jam Night, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Thurs-days, Conway Pub & Eat-ery, 18611 Main St., Con-way. 360-445-4733.

RECREATIONGUIDED INTERPRETIVE WALKS:

n Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park

Road, Rockport. Join the Forest Service and trained naturalists for a guided eagle ecology walk near the Skagit River at 11 a.m. Sat-urdays and Sundays, Dec. 20-Jan. 31. The center also offers guest speakers each weekend. Free.

n Rockport State Park, 51095 Highway 20, Rock-port. Join trained natural-ists for a guided hike to learn about old growth forests, eagle habitat and more, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, through Feb. 15. Visit the Discovery Center for crafts activities. Discover Pass required.

n Marblemount Fish Hatchery, 8319 Fish Hatch-ery Road, Marblemount. Tour the fish hatchery with Skagit Fisheries Enhance-ment Group volunteers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Feb. 1. Learn about the salmon life cycle, hatchery operations, habi-tat needs of salmon and other local wildlife, includ-ing bald eagles. Self-guided tours are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Free.

THEATERFREE ADULT ACTING

CLASSES: Anacortes Com-munity Theatre offers free acting classes for adults from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday each month at 918 M Ave., Anacortes. Hosted by Nello Bottari, classes include theme monologues, scripted scenes, improv games and more, with a different topic each month. Each class is independent, so you don’t have to commit to every

session. 360-840-0089 or acttheatre.com.

WORKSHOPSPROFESSIONAL EDIT-

ING COURSES: Western Washington University’s Extended Education pro-gram will offer two profes-sional editing courses this winter on its Bellingham campus:

Editing Visual Com-ponents: The nine-week course will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, begin-ning Jan. 8. Participants will learn how to implement visual design in their work, including the incorporation of photographs, illustra-tions, infographics and typography.

Grammar for Editors: The nine-week course will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 13. Participants will receive an intensive review of the most common grammati-cal errors found in writing, while learning how to cor-rect the work of authors and other writers.

Enrollment is open to faculty, staff, students and community members. 360-650-3308, [email protected] or wwu.edu/ forwriters.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS-ES: Skagit Valley profes-sional photographer Andy Porter will present a series of digital photography classes at the Burlington Parks and Recreation Cen-ter, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave., Burlington. Porter’s photos have appeared in many national magazines and travel guides. Classes will include lots of hands-on experience and answers to

your photo questions. For ages 12 and older. Bring your digital SLR camera and instruction manual. Preregister at least one week before class date: 360-755-9649 or burlington wa.gov.

“Take Better Pictures with Your Digital DSLR Camera”: In this one-day class, you’ll learn how to shoot in manual mode, and how to set aperture, shutter speed and ISO to get the best shots. The class will also cover how to bracket your exposure, use of polarizers, benefits of cap-turing images in the RAW format and more. $40.

Next up:n Wednesday, Jan. 14: 6

to 8:30 p.m.n Saturday, Jan. 17: 10

a.m. to 12:30 p.m.n Saturday, Jan. 31: 10

a.m. to 12:30 p.m.n Tuesday, Feb. 10: 6 to

8:30 p.m.“Photography Composi-

tion and Basic Editing”: In this two-day class you’ll first learn about image composition, including sub-ject placement, use of the horizon, reflections, leading lines, the Rule of Thirds, framing and more. You’ll then receive a photo assign-ment to complete before the second session, where you’ll learn how to edit your images on the comput-er, including cropping, color adjustment, filters and ways to make your images pop. Participants must have basic knowledge of how to use their DSLR camera. $80.

Next up:n Wednesdays, Jan. 21

and 28: 6 to 9 p.m.n Saturdays, Feb. 21 and

28: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

GET INVOLVED

The Port of Anacortes

Afternoon Matinee Evening Performance

seating available with a suggested donation of . To purchase tickets visit PortofAnacortes.com • 360-299-1822 • 100 Commercial Ave. Anacortes

360.416.7727mcintyrehall.org

The NutcrackerNorthwest Ballet

TheaterDecember 20 & 21

Happy Holidays!

Family ConcertSkagit Symphony

January 25 Las Cafeteras

McIntyre Hall PresentsFebruary 6

Continue the cycle – please recycle this newspaper


360-299-1400majesticinnandspa.com419 Commercial Ave., Anacortes

Featuring Joachim NordenssonNEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER

5−9pmSpecial Five Course Menu

Featured Entrees:Fillet Oscar • Chilean Sea Bass

Duck Breast a l’Orange • Gorgonzola GnocchiLive Music 7pm-9pm Call for Reservations

Live Music

KITTY HAWK CAFÉ15426 Airport Drive, Suite B

Burlington, WA 98233360.707.0348

Book your holiday party with us!Now serving Prime Rib Saturday Night.

Join us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dinner

Taking reservations now

Holiday greetings from Anelia’s Kitchen

& Stage!

Music, info, & events:Call today or check at

aneliaskitchenandstage.com513 S 1st Street, La Conner

360.399.1805

Join us for New Year’s Eve dinner Four courses with wine and

cocktail pairings • $50 per person Reservations available 5:30-7:30 Music on stage at 6:00 pm by

Crazy Like a Fox (Ben & Mia Starner)

Fri 12/19 & Sat 12/20 Jimmy Wright is BACK!

Only minutes from Mount Vernon!

422-641118247 State Route 9

Mount Vernon

THURS NIGHTS: PRAWNSReservations Required

FRIDAY SPECIALSSATURDAY PRIME RIB

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES!

NEW YEARS EVE PARTYReservations Required

Conway Pub & EatErybreakfast

9 aM

KARAOKE Fri/Sat • Blues sunHave your parties Here!!

I-5 Exit 221360-445-4733

1/2 PoundstEakburgErs

siMPly thE

bEstPan friEdoystErs

360.466.4411LaConner Whitney Rd. & Hwy. 20

OPENCHRISTMASChristmas BuffetOR Limited Menu8:00AM-7:00PM

Innovative Food • Craft Cocktails24 Draft Handles • Live Music

314 Commercial • 360-755-3956

BRUNCH MENU & BLOODY MARY BAR EVERY SAT & SUN

Black Vinyl All StarsDecember 20 @ 7:30pm

614 S. First, La Conner

Early Dinners4 Courses $20

Every Day 3-6pmReservations: 466-4014Not Valid with Coupons or other SpecialsFull menu details at: laconnerseafood.com

Macadamia Nut Halibut is back!

13 TIME WINNERBEST OF ANACORTES

320 Commercial Ave360.588.1720

www.anacortesrockfish.com

ROCKFISH GRILLLocal Food, Local Beer, Made Here

Follow the Fish

Rock�sh Grill : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rock�sh-Grill-Anacortes-Brewery/164550669515

1/2” 3/4” 1” 1 1/4” 1 1/2”

7”FRI. DEC. 19

6PM3-ISH


MINI-REVIEWSCompiled from news services.Ratings are one to four stars.

“Big Hero 6” — Disney’s animated story about a teen-ager befriending a health-care robot is a big, gorgeous adventure with wonderful voice performances, some dark undertones that give the story more depth, an uplifting message and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. Animation action comedy, PG, 108 minutes. HHH

1⁄2 “Exodus: Gods and Kings” — Director Ridley Scott’s borderline-lunatic, bold, gar-gantuan and visually stun-ning epic is in some ways more reminiscent of his “Gladiator” than “The Ten Commandments.” Playing an intense, sword-wielding, tormented, visionary Moses, Christian Bale human-izes one of the most iconic figures of all time. Action adventure, PG-13, 142 min-utes. HHHH “Foxcatcher” — Disturbing and memorable, “Foxcatch-er” is based on a bizarre true story, and even if you know exactly what happens, when it does happen, it’s shocking. Steve Carell nails the role of a rich eccentric, with Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo revelatory as the wrestlers he mentors. Sports drama, R, 134 min-utes. HHH

1⁄2 “Interstellar” — What a beautiful and epic film is “Interstellar,” filled with great performances, tingling our senses with masterful special effects, daring to be openly sentimental, asking gigantic questions about the meaning of life and leaving us drained and grateful for the experience. Adventure/mystery/sci-fi, PG-13, 169 minutes. HHHH “Nightcrawler” — As a freelance vulture who records video of crime and crash scenes for TV news, Jake Gyllenhaal plays one of the most disturbing movie characters of the year. But the film veers from dark satire to tense crime thriller before the tires come off near the end, leaving the entire vehicle just short of worth recommending. Crime thriller, R, 117 minutes. HH

1⁄2

“Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” — Sit-ting through the thoroughly tiresome final chapter in this trilogy, I wondered: Did any-body involved in the making of this movie actually believe it was a quality effort? Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson are among the terrific actors sinking in the cinematic quicksand. Comedy adventure, PG, 97 minutes. H1⁄2 “The Hunger Games: Mock-ingjay -- Part 1” — The latest Katniss Everdeen adventure is a rousing yet often bleak and downbeat film that focus-es a lot more on tragedies and setbacks than applause-generating heroics. Ultimately

it serves as a solid if unspec-tacular first lap around the track of a two-lap race. Fan-tasy adventure, PG-13, 123 minutes. HHH “The Theory of Every-thing” — Playing the young Stephen Hawking from reck-less Cambridge student to brilliant physicist, Eddie Redmayne undergoes a remarkable transformation. But it’s a memorable perfor-mance in a rather ordinary love story about his romance with future wife, Jane (Felic-ity Jones). Biography, PG-13, 123 minutes. HH

1⁄2 “Top Five” — Chris Rock writes, directs and stars in a seriously funny, semi-autobi-ographical film that might be

the most accomplished work he’s ever done for the big screen. Even when the dia-logue and the visual humor are hardcore vulgar, even when his character hits rock bottom, there’s a real sense of joy about this film. Com-edy, R, 101 minutes. HHH

1⁄2 “Wild” — The more time we spend with former heroin addict Cheryl Strayed, the more we feel the change in this young woman’s heart and spirit as she hikes 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail by herself. It’s a raw, beautiful performance by Reese Witherspoon, and Laura Dern is warm and won-derful as her mother. Drama, R, 115 minutes. HHH

1⁄2

AT AREA THEATERS

ANACORTES CINEMASDec. 19-25 Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker: Sunday: 12:55 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: Friday-Saturday: 1:00, 3:20, 6:25, 8:45; Sunday: 1:00, 4:10, 6:25, 8:45; Monday-Tuesday: 1:00, 3:20, 6:25, 8:45; Wednesday: 1:00, 3:20; Thursday: 3:20, 6:25, 8:45 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (PG-13): Friday-Tuesday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Wednesday: 12:45, 3:45; Thursday: 3:30, 6:35, 9:30 Exodus: Gods and Kings (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:35, 9:30; Sun-day: 3:30, 6:35, 9:30; Monday-Tuesday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:35, 9:30; Wednesday: 12:30, 3:30 Unbroken (PG-13): Thursday: 3:45, 6:45, 9:45 360-293-6620

CASCADE MALL THEATRESBurlington For listings: 888-AMC-4FUN (888-262-4386).

BLUE FOX DRIVE-INOak HarborDec. 19-21 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (PG) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (PG-13). First movie starts at 6 p.m. 360-675-5667

CONCRETE THEATREDec. 19-21 The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies (PG-13): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (3D); Sunday: 4 and 7:30 p.m. 360-941-0403

OAK HARBOR CINEMASDec. 19-25 Annie (PG): Friday: 12:55, 3:25, 6:25, 8:55; Saturday-Sunday: 9:55, 12:55, 3:25, 6:25, 8:55; Monday-Tuesday: 12:55, 3:25, 6:25, 8:55; Wednesday: 12:55, 3:25; Thursday: 3:25, 6:25, 8:55 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (PG): Thursday: 3:15, 6:45, 8:45 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (PG-13): Friday: 12:35, 3:35, 6:35, 9:35; Saturday-Sunday: 9:35, 12:35, 3:35, 6:35, 9:35; Monday-Tuesday: 12:35, 3:35, 6:35, 9:35; Wednesday: 12:35, 3:35; Thursday: 3:35, 6:35, 9:35 Exodus: Gods and Kings (PG-13): Fri-day: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Saturday-Sunday: 9:45, 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Monday-Tuesday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Wednesday: 12:45, 3:45 360-279-2226

STANWOOD CINEMASDec. 19-25 Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker: Sunday: 12:55 Annie (PG): Friday-Tuesday: 12:50, 3:20, 6:20, 8:50; Wednesday: 12:50, 3:20; Thursday: 3:20, 6:20, 8:50 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:00, 3:10, 6:45, 8:55; Sunday: 1:00, 4:25, 6:45, 8:55; Monday-Tuesday: 1:00, 3:10, 6:45, 8:55; Wednesday: 1:00, 3:10; Thursday: 3:10, 6:45, 8:55 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:40, 2:00, 3:35, 5:00, 6:35, 8:00, 9:35; Sun-day: 2:00, 3:35, 5:00, 6:35, 8:00, 9:35; Monday-Tuesday: 12:40, 2:00, 3:35, 5:00, 6:35, 8:00, 9:35; Wednesday: 12:40, 2:00, 3:35, 5:00; Thursday: 3:35, 6:30, 9:25 Exodus: Gods and Kings (PG-13): Friday-Tuesday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30; Wednesday: 12:30, 3:30; Wild (R): Thurs-day: 3:35, 7:00, 9:30 Unbroken (PG-13): Thursday: 3:20, 6:50, 9:40 360-629-0514

NEW THIS WEEK

Casting Amy Adams to star in “BIG EYES” is one of the great no-brainers in Hollywood history. Yes, the movie’s about Margaret Keane, the secret painter behind those “big-eyed waif” paintings and posters that domi-nated pop art of the pre-Andy Warhol ’60s. But mention that titular phrase and the first face that comes to mind is Adams.

And it’s no eye-opener that she is stunning in the part, a demure Southerner who marries a San Francisco hus-tler who transforms her art into a kitsch phenomenon in a sort of Golden Age of Kitsch. Adams’ big eyes invite us into the hurt she feels when her husband starts taking credit for her waifs, the sad resignation that sets in as she goes along with the lies and the soul-crushing pain that comes with the withering reactions of the art establish-ment — critics included.

But Christoph Waltz and Tim Burton may be the real revelations here. Waltz, a two-time Oscar winner, makes Walter Keane a beguiler, a back-slapping teller of tall-tales. We can see what the newly separated (with a young daughter) Margaret falls for. He is delightful, and if his stories of life in Paris, his Bohemian lifestyle choices and all the rest are suspect, his rash realization that Margaret is the one for him and that she needs him feels without guile. And since we know it isn’t, there’s the brilliance of the performance.

“Big Eyes” lovingly re-creates the late ’50s-early’60s San Francisco scene, where cool jazz, beat poets and pre-tentious art were all the rage. Keane couldn’t crack into galleries with his “Pissarro-influenced” Montmartre street scenes. But then he sees the puzzled, yet still dismissive reaction of one gallery owner (Jason Schwartzman) to his new wife’s big-eyed portraits. In quick, tried-and-true brushstrokes, we see Keane glad-hand his way to showing their art at the ultra-hip Hungry I jazz club. Keane has an eye for the main chance, and so does the story’s droll, cynical narrator (Danny Huston), a newspaper columnist who creates the notoriety that turns Margaret’s paintings into must-have art.

Except that the super-salesman Walter is taking credit — accidentally, at first, and then with a vengeance. Mar-garet is caught up in the “fraud,” bullied into producing more work by his “If you tell anyone, this whole empire collapses.”

What sells the giddy fun of Walter’s empire-building chutzpah and the sorrow of Margaret’s invisible fame is the reason the movie could be made — Adams. From the first time we saw her on the screen, we knew what she was feeling and thinking, just from staring into those huge, hopeful and sometimes hurt eyes. Her big eyes make this “Big Eyes” one of the best pictures of the year.

Running time: 1:45. Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language. HHH

1⁄2

n Roger Moore, Tribune News Service

MOVIES

Amy Adams stars in “Big Eyes.”The Weinstein Company via AP


*Residential offers, available for new customers only. Offers expire 1/15/14. Cable TV rates subject to change based on programming cost increases. Equipment, Universal Service Fund, E911, taxes and other fees apply. Offer(s) valid with 12 month Promotional Discount. High Speed 55 Value Triple-Play regularly $104.95/month, and includes High Speed 55, Local Broadcast TV, and Unlimited WavePhone™. $2/month Interactive Equipment Fee on first digital or HD receiver. TiVo DVR is $20/month and requires Wave high-speed internet service. Money-Back Guarantee good for new product/services only and credited on a pro-rated basis up to the first 30 days. Serviceable areas only. TiVo DVR from Wave includes TiVo service at no additional charge, a $14.99/month savings over regular TiVo service retail rate. TiVo and the TiVo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries. The PCMag logo is a trade-mark of Ziff Davis, Inc. Used under license. Reprinted with permission. © 2014 Ziff Davis, LLC. All Rights Reserved. STARZ® , ENCORE® and MOVIEPLEX® included at no extra charge with Bundle Perks (with Triple-Play). High Speed 55 regularly $49.95/month with cable or phone, $59.95/month without and includes 300GB data transfer usage per month. Usage beyond total allotment subject to additional charges; allotment upgrades available. Minimum computer system requirements apply. Speed is not guaranteed and is affected by user’s computer, sites accessed and number of devices connected. Cable modem required. Multimedia modem required when internet and phone service is combined. After 3 months, Wireless Home Networking regularly $8/month and includes multimedia modem. Local Broadcast TV regularly $25.95/month. Cable and internet installation is $29.95 for one or both and good for 2 TVs and 1 computer, or 3 devices with Wireless Home Networking. Phone installation is $29.95 for 4 existing pre-wired outlets. Money-Back Guarantee good for new product/services only and credited on a pro-rated basis up to the first 30 days. Serviceable areas only. Prices subject to change. Not valid with other offers. Certain restrictions and additional fees may apply. Call for complete details. WASHINGTON RESIDENTS: The base rates listed are subject to a 2% Regulatory Recovery Fee, which added together determines the total price.

No Contracts | 30-Day Money Back Guarantee | Easy Installation

Voted Fastest ISP!We’ve got the fastest speeds! Wave was recognized by PC Magazine for being the Fastest Internet Service Provider.

September 4, 2014

Get faster internet today.1-866-WAVE-123 | wavebroadband.com

$ 9579/monthfor 12 months*

Order Wave’s Triple-Play plus TiVo® DVR for just

• High Speed 55 Internet• Local Broadcast TV• Unlimited WavePhone• TiVo DVR & ServiceBONUS: Free WiFi for 3 mos.*

BONUS: STARZ®, ENCORE® & MOVIEPLEX® at no extra charge*

You’ll be all smiles when you connect with Wave this season.

Record & Watch

Connect Online

Catch Up With Friends

MUSIC

The top 10 albums of 2014By DAN DELUCAThe Philadelphia Inquirer

1. The War On Drugs, “Lost in the Dream.” The year saw no better argument than this for the power and potential of the album as a musically cohesive piece of work. Adam Granduciel’s ebbing and flow-ing tour de force expertly moves from inte-rior turmoil to the adrenaline release of the open road, drawing equally on classic-rock touchstones such as Dylan and Dire Straits and the trancey motorik beat of German bands like Kraftwerk and Neu!

2. Miranda Lambert, “Platinum.” Six-teen songs deep, Miranda Lambert’s fifth studio album doesn’t quit, from the back-yard boasts of “Platinum” and “Little Red Wagon” to the western swing of “All That’s Left” to the unsentimental nostalgia of “Smokin’ and Drinkin’ ” to the unforgiv-ing look in the mirror of “Bathroom Sink.” “Platinum” is the best country album of 2014 and “Lost in the Dream’s” closest competition for overall No. 1.

3. Angel Olsen, “Burn Your Fire for No Witness.” “I’m so lonesome I could cry,” Angel Olsen sings, not idly quoting Hank Williams on “Hi-Fire,” one of the 11 emo-tionally riveting songs on the smoldering album, which leaves folkie minimalism behind for a full-bodied, rocked-out sound. Olsen specializes in writing searing songs of not-so-fragile beauty that don’t let go.

4. Run the Jewels, “RTJ 2.” On their urgent follow-up to their 2013 debut, the interracial duo of Michael “Killer Mike” Render and Jaime “El-P” Meline beat out Azealia Banks’ “Broke With Expensive Taste” for rap album of the year. El-P’s grimy, dynamic production is alternately spooky and slamming, and Mike’s combative rhymes, in particular, are keenly intelligent, no surprise to anyone who has heard him emerge as a voice of reasoned indignation in the wake of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.

5. Sun Kil Moon, “Benji.” Mark Kozolek has been a sad-core sad sack for decades now, recording under his own name and as Red House Painters, as well as using the Sun Kil Moon rubric. But he has never turned in work of such transfixing beauty. A deeply felt album about love and sex and death named after a cute dog in a series of hit 1970s movies.

6. Lykke Li, “I Never Learn.” Dressed in black and singing “power ballads for the

broken,” Swedish singer Lykke Li’s third album seems born of an Ingmar Bergman binge. In fact, it’s steeped in ’60s girl-group pop and sustains a sad, stately heartache vibe, from “No Rest for the Wicked” to “Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone.” For extra credit, Li also dueted with Bono on “The Troubles,” the best thing on U2’s “Songs of Innocence.”

7. Parquet Courts, “Sunbathing Ani-mal.” Parquet Courts are heirs to the inde-pendent spirit of 1980s post-punk. Front men Austin Brown and Andrew Savage have gone to school on Velvet Underground guitar churn and Lou Reed half-sung vocals. They continue to grow musically at an impressive rate, apparent on both this early 2014 release and “Content Nausea,” the almost-as-good album that came out this month with a slightly different lineup, amus-ingly credited to Parkay Quarts.

8. St. Vincent, “St. Vincent.” Annie Clark, a.k.a. the guitarist who performs as St. Vincent, honed her robot moves on her 2013 tour with her “Love This Giant” col-laborator David Byrne. On her self-titled fourth album, she fashions herself a silver-haired, note-shredding android on the look-out for the soul in the machine, command-ing her digital witnesses to put down the Twitter and only connect, face to face.

9. Flying Lotus, “You’re Dead!” The mind-blowing head trip of the year. Impending mortality is the unifying concept of the fifth album by Los Angeles DJ/pro-ducer Stephen Ellison. He connects with his lineage (he’s the grandnephew of Alice Col-trane) by melding free jazz with electronic beats and hip-hop, rhyming funnily under the name Captain Murphy. and putting funk bassist Thundercat and rappers Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar to excellent use.

10. Taylor Swift, “1989.” What Taylor Swift wants, Taylor Swift gets, and one doesn’t get to be a world-dominating “global superstar” by limiting yourself to a “country” audience. So “1989,” naturally, made the transition to pure, unabashed pop seamlessly while moving product like it really was “1989.” It earns its way on this list with a surfeit of all-but-irresistible hooks — “Wildest Dreams,” “Blank Space,” “How You Get the Girl” — that don’t sacrifice a smidgen of Swift’s Everygirl identity.

Honorable mention: Aphex Twin, “Syro”; Azealia Banks, “Broke With Expensive Taste”; Leonard Cohen, “Popular Prob-lems”; Lana Del Rey, “Ultraviolence”; Steve Gunn, “Way Out Weather”; Sturgill Simpson, “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music”; Spoon, “They Want My Soul”; Sha-ron Van Etten, “Are We There”; Lucinda Williams, “Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone”; Wussy, “Attica!”

BHTFSVH-AE

SKAGIT VALLEY CASINOSKAGIT VALLEY CASINOSKAGIT VALLEY CASINOTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLVALLVALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLVALLVALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALLALL

Final Day! ThursDay, December 18Casino opens at 9 am daily. Must be 21 or older with valid ID. *Must be a Rewards Club Member. Visit Rewards Club Center for details. Management reserves all rights.

Y CACCCCCCCCAAAAAAASSSSSSININININININOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININININOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On I-5 at Exit 236 • theskagit.com • 877-275-2448

Get Some Play Time!

Use Your Skagit Player-Bucks For: • Gaming Offers • Hotel Stays • Fuel Cards • Dining & More!Keep Your Points For Cash-Back… Use Your Player-Bucks For All The Rest!

Playing your favorite slots earns you Cash-Back Points PLUS Skagit Player-Bucks!

$$$$$$202020202020,,,000000000000000000GranD Prize!

2 – 8 pm

Final Cash & Prize

Drawings:

earn Points – get Prizes!Receive a gift for every 100 Slot Points earned on drawing days. See Rewards Club Center for details.

Documents

360 December 18, 2014