Meet Me Here

How to stay cooler indoors this August

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:15:00 +0000

Beat the heat with these (indoor) arts and culture recommendations! KUOW's Dyer Oxley, Katie Campbell, and Jeannie Yandel share their ideas for cool things to do this summer in Seattle.

Starting August 9, you'll find Meet Me Here in a new home! This show will be the new Arts & Culture episode of Seattle Now every Sunday. Seattle Now is KUOW's daily local news podcast—and by joining forces, we'll bring Dyer, Katie, and Jeannie’s reports to more local earbuds every week. Meet us there!

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What to do this weekend: Seafair, Softball, and Spider-Man!

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Meet Me Here listeners, if you still don't have any plans for this weekend, fear not. The Weekend Warmup is here to help with a whole bunch of ideas for fun things to do around the region this weekend.

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meetnotes!

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sent love letters to the sea

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

This week, local authors, writers and artists send in their love letters to the bodies of water around the region–from Eagle Harbor to the Salish Sea.

Thank you Dana Carr, Charles Mudede, Emily Degn, Brandi Fullwood, Jeannie Yandel, and Dyer Oxley.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Support Meet Me Here today.

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BONUS: The cabin at the end of a quarter-life crisis with Patrick Hutchison

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Have you ever just wanted to take off into the woods for a simpler life? Maybe you built forts in the woods as a kid, and you want to get back to that innocence, before your friends got married and you had to pay taxes?

Tacoma author Patrick Hutchison felt that. So, he bought a $7,500 cabin as a young man with little to no knowledge about how to restore it — the how was unimportant, honestly — and he documented his experience in his memoir, Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman.

The KUOW Book Club read Patrick’s memoir in July. KUOW’s Katie Campbell sat down with him on July 16 in front of a live audience at the Seattle Central Library to talk about just how clueless he once was, and everything he learned as he restored his own piece of the world.

Join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

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An artist’s advice for anxiety: work with your hands

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

“If you really stop to notice, there’s a lot of beauty hiding in the little details."

Artist Tininha Silva walks along the ocean beach near her home in Port Townsend every day. Instead of looking at the horizon, she looks at her feet and finds those beautiful details. A shell, a piece of bull kelp, and other little treasures become inspiration for her art: large fabric and chicken wire pieces that evoke the beach at low tide, kelp forests, and as-yet-undiscovered sea creatures.

Tininha tells Meet Me Here host Jeannie Yandel about the voice that told her to pursue her creativity and work with her hands.

Tininha’s first installation piece, Between Tides, is hanging at the Seattle Art Fair at Lumen Field Events Center July 23 through 26.

Links:

Tininha Silva on Instagram
Tininha Silva website
Seattle Art Fair
A DIY lesson on how to make a cardboard loom

Support Meet Me Here and all KUOW's podcasts at kuow.org/meet

Got an arts and culture idea you'd like us to talk about? Email us! arts@kuow.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How NOT to enjoy the water with Sophie Elmhirst

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Heads up: This episode includes a graphic description of eating wild animals to survive.

This month, the Meet Me Here team has been spreading the gospel of getting out by and on the water this summer. And we stand by that! But not all adventures on the water go well.

Journalist and author Sophie Elmhirst’s book “A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck” is a testament to that, telling the story of an English couple who ended up adrift for 118 days after their sailboat sank. Sophie’s book was a hit last summer and is about to come out in paperback, so host Katie Campbell got her on the line to talk about how some of the best plans can go terribly awry on the open ocean.

Join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

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What to do with YOUR weekend: Whippy Shows, Strawberries, Lavender, and the CID Celebration!

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meetnotes!

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 'Seattle Field Guide' is your handbook by the water this summer

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

With summer in full swing, authors Maria Dolan and Kathryn True's Seattle Field Guide is the perfect tool to get outside. The book has 38 recommendations, and we're taking a closer look at a few that will get readers out by the water.

In this episode, host Katie Campbell talks to Maria and Kathryn about four of their recommendations (and a few bonus ideas to enjoy the sunny season):

The Commodore Park heron colony
Shilshole Bay and its sea lions
The ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island
Secret shorelines of the city, including the Union Bay Natural Area

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

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What to do with YOUR weekend: Neighborhood Festivals and the Bare Buns Fun Run!

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet!

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Paddle Rave brings music and people to Lake Union for a party

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

For the second summer in a row, Seattle's Lake Union is transformed into an EDM venue with DJs spinning heavy bass for thousands of ravers on the water. On today's episode, Erik Hillesheim of Seattle Paddle Rave shares the origins and delights of this free Seattle event. We've got our flamingo floatie and oversized shades, and Meet Me Here is ready to party!

Check out the Seattle Paddle Rave Instagram page or LakeUnionConcerts.com. They have tips for where to get into the water, and where to rent paddleboards, kayaks, or motorboats.

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What to do with YOUR Fourth of July Weekend, and where to watch the US vs Belgium!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

4th of July Activities!

PARADES!

Arlington — 5 p.m. (kids 4:30 p.m.)
Bainbridge Island — 1 p.m.
Bothell — 12 p.m. (kids 11:15 a.m.)
Burien — 11 a.m.
Carnation — 11:30 a.m. (kids 11 a.m.)
Dupont — 10 a.m.
Edmonds — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.)
Enumclaw — noon
Everett — 11 a.m.
Issaquah — 10 a.m.
Kingston — 12 p.m.
Kirkland — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.)
Tumwater — 11 a.m.
West Seattle — 10 a.m. kids

FIREWORKS!

Arlington — Quake Park 10 p.m.
Bellevue — Downtown Park 10:05 p.m.
Carnation — Remlinger Farms 9:45 p.m.
Everett — Port Gardner Bay 10:15 p.m.
Federal Way — Celebration Park 10:15 p.m.
Kenmore — Log Boom Park 10 p.m.
Kent — Lake Meridian Park 10 p.m.
Kingston — Mike Wallace Park 10:15 p.m.
Marysville — Ebey Waterfront Park 10 p.m.
Sammamish — Sam. Commons 10 p.m.
Seattle — Lake Union 10:15 p.m.
Snoqualmie — Community Park 9:45 p.m.
Steilacoom — offshore 10:30 p.m.
Tacoma — Ruston Way 10 p.m.
Tumwater — Tumwater Valley Golf 10:15 p.m.

EVERYTHING ELSE!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet!

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle summer hits different by the water

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Seattle is surrounded by bodies of water, and now that it's July, we can truly enjoy them. The sea planes of Lake Union, the bull kelp of Puget Sound, and fishing on the Deschutes even if you don't catch a thing all mean summer around here.

Hosts Katie Campbell, Jeannie Yandel and Dyer Oxley discuss bodies of water and the artistic works they inspire.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

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What to do with YOUR weekend: Hot Saw Unlimited!!

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Trans Pride Seattle
Seattle PrideFest
Seattle PrideFest - Capitol Hill
Seattle PrideFest - Seattle Center
Seattle Pride - Parade
Seattle Pride - Community Events
Queer/Pride Festival
World Cup - Pride Match Day 2026 Seattle
Pirates Landing - Seafair
Rusty Scupper's Pirate Daze
Gobble Up SLU
The Taste NW
Buckley Log Show
Kenmore Midsommarfest
Washington Summer Mead Festival

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet - Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to be a Seattle night owl, for one night

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

It's that victory lap you take in the wee hours after you've stayed up all night to finish a project. It's the magical way music flows differently through the night air. It's one of the best things about Seattle in the summer: nighttime!

Our Meet Me Here hosts share their most fun and cheap nighttime activities on our last Night Owl episode of the summer. We also hear from a painter and a poet about how their creativity comes out at night.

Mentioned in this episode/series:

You can check out Fantagraphics by visiting their shop in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. Here are some of the biggest names they've published over the years:

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BONUS: Ray Nayler's new novel feels made for Seattle readers

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Ray Nayler’s 2022 novel The Mountain in the Sea was a huge hit in Seattle, and now, his latest novel seems poised to surpass it in this market. Why? Well, because it’s about highly intelligent crows.

We love our corvids in Seattle, but these crows are extra special. Set in Lithuania during World War II, Nayler's The Palaces of the Crow follows four young people caught between the Nazis and the desperate remnants of the Red Army. Their survival is dependent on their own cleverness and that of the crows they befriend, crows who have their own secrets to keep. Look out, Seattle, this might be your favorite novel of 2026.

Join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do with YOUR weekend: Juneteenth, Summer Solstice, and MORE!

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

WORLD CUP - Juneteenth Match Day
Mariners vs Boston
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS
- June 19 — Seattle, Jimi Hendrix Park
- June 19 — Seattle, NW African American Museum
- June 19 — Shoreline, Shoreline City Hall
- June 19 — Tacoma, Haub Family Field
- June 19 — Tukwila, Sullivan Center
- June 20 — Kent, Morrill Meadows Park
- June 20 — Lynnwood, Martha Lake Park
- June 20/21 — Seattle, Arte Noir
Gorge Blues and Brews
Edmonds Arts Festival
Marysville Strawberry Festival
Rhubarb Days 2026
Brinnon ShrimpFest
Fremont Solstice Parade - Seattle
Fremont Fair

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle is staying out late for night markets

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:25:00 +0000

Seattle isn’t known for a raging after hours scene, but more and more people are emerging into the eventide to go to the market. On this episode of Meet Me Here, we're taking you to night markets, where Seattleites are experiencing great food and art.

We'll speak with Jason Huang, the founder of SWAE Night Market, the official night market of Lacey, Washington. We'll also meet Doc Wilson, who runs a night market in Columbia City that features Black-owned businesses. We'll tell you how to get the most out of these new and vibrant community gatherings.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do with your weekend: Radio & Soccer, Steampunk, and a Furry 5K!

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

50 years under the covers after bedtime with Fantagraphics

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Seattle's own Fantagraphics is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. That's 50 years of comics, graphic novels, and counterculture media to look back on.

To mark the occasion, we got in touch with artists, fans, and Fantagraphics staff to hear what they love most about the publisher. Plus, we spoke to Eric Reynolds, the vice president and associate publisher who identifies as the company's former "corporate shill and paid apologist." He's been with Fantagraphics for more than three decades, yet he said he doesn't feel like he's worked a day in that time.

There's not a formal RIYL this week, but you can support Fantagraphics for the next 50 years by visiting their shop in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. Check out some of the biggest names they've published over the years, including:

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

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BONUS: The joy of being a ‘one-bird birder’ with Maria Mudd Ruth

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Think of some of your favorite Pacific Northwest critters. What’s at the top of the list? Maybe some of the region’s great birds, like the bald eagle, Steller’s Jay, belted kingfisher, or the iconic tufted puffin. What about the pigeon guillemot? Probably not, right?

The pigeon guillemot is a rather common seabird around Puget Sound and all along the Pacific Coast. But they’re not super well-known, which is why Maria Mudd Ruth set out to document them in her new book.

This month, the KUOW Book Club is reading Maria’s book “The Bird with Flaming Red Feet: Seasons with an Uncommonly Common Seabird.” We're sharing this interview with Maria early in June, rather than the end of the month, to give birders plenty of time to put the book to work and see the pigeon guillemot while they’re near Puget Sound shores this summer.

Join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do with your weekend: PRIDE, Pinball, and Point Defiance!

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Small scene, big heart”: Why Seattle nightlife is special

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:50:00 +0000

On today’s episode, we’re talking with two night owls who found freedom and community in Seattle’s local nightlife.

Growing up just south of Seattle in Des Moines, music and nightlife advocate Leigh Bezezekoff felt like she saw a new world while watching Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” video on MTV. “The coolness factor of Des Moines at that time was not great”, said Bezezekoff. But the video suggested that an extremely cool local music scene was waiting for her just a few miles north.

These days, Leigh is the marketing and ticketing manager at Conor Byrne, a cooperatively owned music space and bar in Ballard. She's also a cofounder of the Washington Nightlife and Music Association, an organization that supports and champions independent music venues and artists.

DJ Emily Griffin grew up in the Los Angeles area. She was drawn to the underground rave scene. Emily and her friends called telephone hotlines to get the scoop on where the underground raves were located – often in grimy warehouses on the edge of town.

Emily said her days of clubbing in LA “opened up this whole world to me of being able to get lost in music, dance, and feeling fully self-expressed.”

Decades later, she’s still seeking that out. You can catch DJ Emily Griffin, aka GriffinGrrl, spinning regularly at late-night dance parties around the city.

On this episode of Meet Me Here, these two night owls will tell you where - and WHY - to find late-night community in Seattle.

In this episode, we mention:

Conor Byrne Pub on Instagram
Conor Byrne Co-op
Washington Nightlife and Music Association
GriffinGrrl on Soundcloud
Emily Griffin on Instagram
Monkey Loft, Dance & Nightclub
Do206

Host Jeannie Yandel recommends checking out the new Hot Rat Summer mosaic unveiling at Actualize Gallery in Pioneer Square on June 13th from 5-9 pm, and the afterparty from 9pm-midnight.

*********

Support Meet Me Here and all KUOW's podcasts at kuow.org/meet

Got an arts and culture idea you'd like us to talk about? Email us! arts@kuow.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do with YOUR weekend: Bark! Honk! Battle! And MORE!

Fri, 29 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

THE STUFF WE DIDN'T GET TO:

Brandi Carlile - Echoes Through the Canyon
14th Annual Seattle Asian American Film Festival
Trae Crowder at Emerald City Comedy Club
Seattle Mariners vs Arizona D-Backs
Stamp & Scrapbook EXPO
Seattle Spring - Renegade Craft

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's at the end of author Lily Brooks-Dalton's world

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Speculative fiction is often about society, how people think and work together. Sure, there's something decidedly out there, something not quite possible, sometimes something downright magical. But at the end of the day, the genre speculates about what might happen if... What exactly comes after the "if" depends on the writer.

Author Lily Brooks-Dalton's "what if" often includes a kind of societal collapse, and that collapse sets her latest main character, Ember, on a journey into a surprising past. Ruins is, on its face anyway, about an archaeologist who goes looking for a lost empire. But what is this lost world? What clue does Ember have of its existence? And why is the end of something so often the beginning for this author?

Lily stopped by to talk to host Katie Campbell about the allure of societal collapse in her storytelling.

If you want to stay speculative, check out Lily and Katie's Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (Honestly, Katie recommends anything by Emily St. John Mandel
For All Mankind on Apple TV

Read more about Lily Brooks-Dalton (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: The things we do for love with Sonora Jha

Sun, 24 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Finding love can be so weird these days, which is why the main character in Seattle author Sonora Jha’s new novel decides to take a big swing to find the right man for her.

She holds a swayamvar. It’s an ancient Indian custom in which suitors competed in a feat of wills and strength to win a beautiful princess’s hand in marriage. But the woman in the novel Intemperance is not a young princess looking for her first love. She’s a twice-divorced professor of feminist theory in her 50s who lives on a rad houseboat in present-day Seattle.

The KUOW Book Club read Sonora’s novel in May. KUOW’s Katie Campbell sat down with her on May 21 in front of a live audience at the Seattle Central Library to talk about love, aging, and the kinds of feats Sonora would require at her swayamvar.

Join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do with your weekend - Books, books, and more BOOKS!

Fri, 22 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Inaugural Ballard Book Crawl
Lost the Plot Mobile Books
Bremerton by the Book
Page 42 Bookstore Smut & Sips
Book Recommendations thanks to @beckybooksandbeads!
Trailhead Direct - Begins Saturday!
Whidbey Ren Faire
Festival | Northwest Folklife

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Easy ways to support your local arts organizations

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:50:00 +0000

Margo Vansynghel sometimes jokes that she’s the harbinger of doom. As the arts economy reporter for The Seattle Times, it's her job to spell out the connections between the arts and the economy here in Seattle.

She’s written about the recent layoffs of 250 local arts workers; Seattle Art Museum employees working to unionize; and the Bellevue Art Museum's sudden closure in 2024.

In this conversation from October 2025, Margo gives us a temperature check on how Seattle arts organizations are doing overall and says it's not time to freak out just yet. She also shares simple, actionable ideas for things we can all do to support Seattle artists and arts organizations.

In this episode we mention:

The Seattle Symphony and its new music director, Xian Zhang
Seattle’s 13 art walks, in neighborhoods like the Central District, Capitol Hill, Belltown and Hillman City. Along with the mothership art walk, First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square
King County’s cultural funding agency, 4Culture
The Seattle Public Library’s free museum pass program.
Discount tickets to arts organizations, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Rep and Seattle Art Museum.
Local storyteller Emmett Montgomery

Plus a shot out to one of our listener's who suggested volunteering with these groups:

MORE ON MARGO:

For more of Margo’s coverage of the arts and economy check out her articles about unexpected art experiences in Seattle and 12 ways to support the arts in Seattle.

There’s also this visual story Margo wrote that explains 15 ways you can support local arts and artists.

If you’d like to ask Margo for her arts suggestions based on your personal preferences, email: mvansynghel@seattletimes.com

**********

Support Meet Me Here and all KUOW's podcasts at kuow.org/meet

Got an arts and culture idea you'd like us to talk about? Email us! arts@kuow.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Mark Frost's FDR novel is not 'Twin Peaks' but it's own brand of weird

Sat, 16 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

"The Yankee Sphinx" may sound like a mysterious novel in line with "Twin Peaks," which author Mark Frost co-created, but it's much more normal than the famous surrealist crime drama.

Note: I said "more normal."

The novel is about President Franklin D. Roosevelt — nicknamed the Yankee Sphinx — and his presidency in the later years of World War II. There was very little that was "normal" about that period, considering the novel covers FDR's third full term and partial fourth term as president.

Then, there's the matter of the novel's source material: a clandestine diary kept by FDR's longtime staffer and friend William D. Hassett.

Frost stopped by KUOW while on tour to talk about someone who has classically dealt in the weird and uncanny came to write something so normal.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roll over, Beethoven! Why your symphony is playing video games

Wed, 13 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Symphonies have long struggled with shrinking audiences, yet some classical performances are packing concert halls with music from video games, TV shows like Game of Thrones, new and old pop charts, and blockbuster movies. You can find string quartets performing Taylor Swift, the music of TOOL, and classic hip hop. At the Seattle Symphony it's Andrew Joslyn's job to produce pop culture mashups that will get newbies through the door. He's the Symphony's associate director of popular programming, and he speaks with host Dyer Oxley about putting these shows together, and his path to Benaroya Hall from starting violin at age five.

You can support shows like Meet Me Here at https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Shelby Van Pelt’s Sentimental Cephalopod Hits Hollywood

Sun, 10 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Shelby Van Pelt is the author of the hit novel Remarkably Bright Creatures about a giant Pacific octopus who develops a relationship with the cleaning lady at the aquarium where he is held captive (that's how he's sees it anyway). The novel has been adapted by Netflix, which released the film on May 8.

The octopus, Marcellus, is kept in the fictional Sowell Bay Aquarium, which sits on Puget Sound. And he’s not happy about it. He considers the aquarium a prison, and he’s all too aware of the limited time he has left in his life.

Marcellus may not be warm and cuddly like other animal narrators before him, but he does set the audience up for tears. Shelby stopped by KUOW while on tour with the film to talk about how the octopus came to life on the page and now the screen.

And... if you need some help filing the octopus-shaped void after reading the book or watching the movie, check out Shelby and Katie's Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Read more about Shelby Van Pelt (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do this Weekend: SIFF, Flowers for Mom, and BONSAI

Fri, 08 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Worst Real Estate Nightmare with Seattle Author Kim Fu

Wed, 06 May 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Looking for a home can be overwhelming. There’s this fear that you might choose wrong. This week, Seattle author Kim Fu's new novel, The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts, brings your wildest real estate nightmares to life.

The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts unfurls quickly. The main character Eleanor’s mother has died and left her enough money for a down payment on a house. It’s not a ton of money, though, so Eleanor goes through a process that will sound pretty familiar to anyone who’s bought a house in recent years.

She makes a few offers but gets beat, or she’s just not impressed with the properties in her price range. That is until she’s shown a dream house. It’s big and stylish and is flooded with natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. As other prospective buyers approach, she moves fast to put in her offer. The problem is she waives an inspection and all the other contingencies that are there to notice, for example, that those beautiful windows will leak when it rains.

What follows is a true nightmare, built on the crummy foundation of Eleanor’s new home and of her own adulthood.

Read more about Kim Fu (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do this Weekend: May Day, Sequimming, and Mariners!

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to make a portrait of someone you never knew

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:10:00 +0000

Laura LeMoon decided to create portraits of women and girls who were victimized by the Green River killer. She was moved to begin the project when she saw pink daisies in bloom, in the parking lot of a hotel where one of the girls was last seen.

"It was almost like a glitch in the Matrix," she told KUOW’s Jeannie Yandel. "Part of the reason I felt that way was because I knew the history of the hotel I was at. I knew somebody had been working here and had disappeared and then was murdered."

How do you create a portrait of someone who's long departed and you know little about? Laura LeMoon describes her "portraits in absence" on the latest Meet Me Here.

Laura LeMoon is the resident artist of Lottie’s Lounge in Seattle. Her portraits are on display in her exhibit, "What the Earth Knows."

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here! Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Rewriting the classic fairytale script with Molly Olguín

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Part of the fun of living in this literary era is seeing how modern authors take old concepts, sometimes even cliches, and make them new again.

Seattle author and educator Molly Olguín is one of those authors. Her debut short-story collection “The Sea Gives Up the Dead” takes some classic elements of folklore and fairytales – even some biblical references – and gives them new life.

The KUOW Book Club read Molly’s collection of short stories in April. KUOW’s Katie Campbell sat down with her on April 23 in front of a live audience at the Seattle Central Library to talk about folk lore and fairytales and the power of queering old stories.

Sign up for the next talk in our Book Talks series in partnership with the Seattle Public Library at kuow.org/events. And join the KUOW Book Club at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do this weekend: Bull Riding, Indie Bookstores, and the Apple Blossom Festival!

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Seattle/King County Clinic at Seattle Center
Washington State Apple Blossom Festival
Melissa Auf der Maur: Even the Good Girls Will Cry, A '90s Rock Memoir
Professional Bull Riding - Tacoma Dome
The Pancakes & Booze Art Show
Carnival of Cocktails — Seattle Cocktail Week 2026
Seattle Independent Bookstore Day
The Tacoma Flea
Seattle Seawolves Rugby vs Chicago Hounds
Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas
Seattle Reign vs Utah Royals
Seattle Torrent vs Montreal Victoire
- Pre-game "Tailgate" will be held at the corner of 1st Ave N & Lenny Wilkins Way from 4pm until the doors open at 5:30!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From guidebooks to Tik Tok, what influences how you travel?

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:10:00 +0000

Looking for a great place to stay on the Oregon coast? Maybe you just want to find a good restaurant and a show in downtown Seattle? It's likely you turn to social media for answers. But when you're actually exploring these places, does having a phone out all the time affect your experience, and everyone else's? How have phones and social media changed the recommendations we're getting and the experiences we're having?

On the next episode of Meet Me Here, travel expert Rick Steves and Seattle content creators Two Seattle Girls discuss how phones are changing the way we travel and experience culture.

You can support shows like Meet Me Here at https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's happening this weekend: Seattle Torrent , ODDMALL, and Record Store Day!

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horror writer Stephen Graham Jones talks fear as a survival tool

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:05:00 +0000

What do we do with our fear? Fear can paralyze us, befuddle us, lead us to inexplicably run up the stairs to escape a killer when the front door is right there. But in Stephen Graham Jones’ world(s), fear can empower and be used as a tool against that which caused it. We’ll ask Jones what it means to harness terror and become the terrible.

And… if you need some help filling the horror shaped void, here’s Stephen Graham Jones' and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

Cliffhanger (1993)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Read more about Stephen Graham Jones (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

You can support shows like Meet Me Here at https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What You Could Be Doing This Weekend: Spring Fair, D&D, and the Mariners!

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Symphony music director got her big break when her mentor called in sick

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:10:00 +0000

Xian Zhang says she never wanted to be a conductor. Instead, she says, “conducting chose me.”

Zhang is in her first season as Seattle Symphony’s music director. On this episode of “Meet Me Here,” she explains how her conducting teacher threw her into deep waters as a 20-year-old conservatory student in Beijing.

She also shares how she gets ready for conducting (“I prepare 300% mentally”), and advice for anyone who hasn’t experienced a symphony performance at Benaroya Hall.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here! Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Terry Tempest Williams on her epic documentation of the Glorians

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:15:00 +0000

Environmental author Terry Tempest Williams captures not just the physical beauty of the natural world but she also invites the reader to deepen their spiritual understanding and connection with the environment.

In her new book The Glorians, Visitations from the Holy Ordinary, Terry seeks to understand the obscure meaning of moments in her life. From the personal to the universal. A way to reveal the joy in being present.

Sign up for the next talk in our Book Talks series in partnership with the Seattle Public Library at kuow.org/events. And sign up for the KUOW Book Club newsletter at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What You Could Be Doing This Weekend: Daffodil Fest, SakuraCon, and Local Stand-up

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle music festivals you won’t want to miss

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:05:00 +0000

This week hosts Katie Campbell, Dyer Oxley, and Jeannie Yandel discuss which music festivals in Seattle are worth checking out this summer. And we get recommendations from our arts friends in the region, KEXP and the Seattle Times music desk.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: What it means to be a ‘language warrior’ with Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:15:00 +0000

Seattle’s punk scene in the ‘90s left a big impression on Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe.

Bands like Bikini Kill were angry about sexual violence and oppression like she was, and they yelled about it, made music about it. But the punk scene was also very white, like a lot of the spaces around Sasha. And as a Coast Salish punk, she wanted a space to be her – all of her.

The KUOW Book Club read Sasha’s latest book “Thunder Song” in March. KUOW’s Katie Campbell sat down with her in front of a live audience at the Seattle Central Library to talk about being a punk, reconnecting to salmon, and following in the footsteps of her iconic great grandmother, Vi taqʷšəblu Hilbert.

Sign up for the next talk in our Book Talks series in partnership with the Seattle Public Library at kuow.org/events. And sign up for the KUOW Book Club newsletter at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Mar 27-Apr 1

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Project Hail Mary:' Is the book always better than the movie?

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:10:00 +0000

Do you cringe when your favorite novel is adapted for the big screen? Or are you first in line for tickets?

This week, "Project Hail Mary" kicks off our books vs. movies debate: How do you know when the movie will be better? Which titles should have never hit the screen, and which should have just been movies in the first place?

Send us your hot take! Email us at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for March 20-22

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Art of the Art Walk

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Western Washington is dotted with towns and neighborhoods that, once a month, transform their streetscapes into galleries. Seattle claims the oldest and longest-running art walk in the U.S., and this episode of Meet Me Here is your virtual guide to art walks in Bellingham, Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square.

We reprise our 2025 conversation with artist Tommy Gregory, and we tag along with our producer Kyle Norris.

Art walks featured in this episode:

Seattle art walks:

Ballard Art Walk, 2nd Saturday
Belltown Art Walk, 2nd Friday
Central District Art Walk, First Friday
Columbia City Art Walk, Last Thursday
Downtown Art Walk, 4th Friday
Fremont Art Walk, First Friday
Georgetown’s ART ATTACK 2nd Saturday
Lake City Community Art Walk, 3rd Thursday
PhinneyWood Art Walk, Aug 14-15, 2026
U District Art Walk, 3rd Friday
Uptown Art Walk, 3rd Thursdays
West Seattle Art Walk, 2nd Thursday

Washington art walks:

Edmonds Third Thursday
Art Walk
Olympia Art Walk, April 25-26, 2026
Tacoma Third Thursday Art Walk
Bainbridge Island First Friday Art Walk
First Friday in Spokane
Rat City Art Walk in White Center, 3rd Thursday
Langley First Saturday Art Walk
Art Walk Sequim, 1st Friday
Port Townsend Art Walk, 1st Saturday
Anacortes Art Walk, First Friday
Everett Art Walk, 3rd Thursday

Places mentioned in this episode:

Bellingham:

Pioneer Square:

Capitol Hill:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Mar 13-15

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:01:00 +0000

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Also, let us know - where do you fall in the Quilters vs Golfers venn diagram? AND where is your favorite pie in the region?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has Star Trek jumped the shark?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:15:00 +0000

You've heard “Beam me up,” “Resistance is futile,” and “Live long and prosper.” You live in a world with automatic doors and you can talk to your handheld computer. Star Trek has been influencing our culture for the past six decades with a unifying view of humanity, inspiring generations to create a better future. But recent series like "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Starfleet Academy" have many fans wondering if Star Trek has boldly gone off the rails. Will future generations be talking about today's Star Trek like we talk about the series from the 1990s and 1960s? Or has Star Trek finally jumped the targ?

Meet Me Here beams in fellow journalists / Star Trek fans (Libby Denkmann and Essex Porter) to debate if Star Trek is still the cultural force that it once was. Or, is something else going on?

Check out Star Trek meet up groups in Western Washington:

Have you gone to an event you heard about on Meet Me Here? Tell us how it went! Email us at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Mar 3-5

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Art of Judging Book Covers

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:05:00 +0000

Artists who design book covers want you to judge the covers. The goal of the cover is to make you look twice...and, hopefully, pick the book up, open it, and walk it over to the cash register. Host Katie Campbell talks to Elisha Zepeda, a book cover designer based on the Northwest, about what it takes to make a cover, and why you should consider the cover art of your next read.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: How shipwrecks transformed the PNW with Coll Thrush

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:05:00 +0000

When you think about shipwrecks in the Northwest, what comes to mind? Bad weather? Old English paintings? Maybe a Kraken?

What about settler colonialism? That may not be one of the first things exactly, but author and historian Coll Thrush wants to change that.

The KUOW Book Club read Coll’s latest book “Wrecked: Unsettling Histories of the Graveyard of the Pacific” in February, and KUOW’s Katie Campbell sat down with him in front of a live audience at the Seattle Central Library to talk about how shipwrecks brought settlers and Indigenous peoples suddenly, violently together — and how we’ve made sense of time and space through the wreckage.

Sign up for the next talk in our Book Talks series in partnership with the Seattle Public Library at kuow.org/events.

Plus, help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Feb 27 - Mar 01

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artist Barbara Earl Thomas holds hands with the past and the future

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The artist Barbara Earl Thomas has made a promise: to keep the artistic legacy of her mentor Jacob Lawrence alive and growing.

Barbara met the Black modernist painter Jacob Lawrence as his student at the University of Washington in the 1970s. As her career and artistry developed, so did her friendship with Jacob and his wife Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence, who’ve now both died.

Last fall Barbara contributed four of her own portraits of Jacob to accompany his debut in the Netherlands–his first solo show in Europe. The exhibit, and being there at the opening, were part of her promise. Barbara enlisted the help of her friend, the arts journalist and cultural strategist Leilani Lewis–to go on the trip, and to be part of stewarding Jacob and Gwendolyn’s artistic legacies. In this episode of Meet Me Here, Leilani and Barbara are in conversation about their trip, friendship, and art.

Barbara Earl Thomas’ website

Leilani Lewis’ article: The Barbara Earl Thomas’s High-Frequency Art Method

Leilani Lewis’ article: As the US Slides Into Tyranny, Europe Champions Black American Artists

Jacob and Gwen Knight Lawrence Information Center

MoMA profile of Jacob Lawrence

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Feb 20-22

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hot tips for Emerald City Comic Con and other events in March

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:15:00 +0000

We look ahead to March and the awesome arts and culture coming up, and we convince each other to go check out one new thing.

Event Recommendations:

Emerald City Comic Con - March 5-8 at the Seattle Convention Center
KUOW Book Talks with Author Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe - March 23 at Seattle Central Library
Frye Parlor x Jayme Yen - Until January 2027 at Frye Art Museum

Have you gone to an event you heard about on Meet Me Here? Tell us how it went! Email us at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Feb 13-15

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do Heated Rivalry and Sasquatch have in common?

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:15:00 +0000

Seattle readers are loving romance books. From heated hockey players to… yes, Bigfoot romance. Seattle bookstores can't keep them on the shelves. Katie Campbell chats with Ashley Adair, an owner of Beguiled Books, about why Seattle readers have caught the love bug for romance books. Hint: It’s rough out here.

And… if you need some help filling that book shaped void, here’s Ashley’s and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

Beguiled Books
Squatch Out! A Bigfoot Shifter Rom-com by Deysi O'Donal
The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura
Like in Love with You by Emma R. Alban
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The Possession of Alba Diaz
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Book Bedazzling
Ink Drinker

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:

Thomas Mallon w/ Katie Campbell - The Wyncote NW Forum at Town Hall Seattle, Feb 20

Do you have a favorite romance novel? Tell us about your favorite steamy reads at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Feb 6-8

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 years later, is "Infinite Jest" the best or the worst?

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

We made our hosts read (some of) Infinite Jest, the thousand-page novel by David Foster Wallace that turns 30 this month, to answer the question once and for all: Do we have to read this book?

The publishing world hailed Wallace as a genius voice of his generation when Infinite Jest became a bestseller in 1996. Interest in the book has spiked many times since then: with Wallace’ death by suicide in 2008; again after accusations in 2012 that he had abused and stalked women; and again now that Infinite Jest is 30. If you want to check it out from the Seattle Public Library, you'll have to get in line. But there’s no hold time for this episode of Meet Me Here.

This episode discusses sexual assault and stalking. Please take care while listening.

Guest: KUOW producer Will James

Book recommendations:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Lit by Mary Karr
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:
Merlantis at Base Camp Studios in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, through March 27

My Circus Valentine at the Bellingham Circus Guild, Feb. 12-14, 20 & 21

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Jan 30-Feb 1

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dungeons and Drag Queens and Drag Race, Oh My!

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The Seattle-area drag scene has grown into the national spotlight. Two local queens, Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme, have won the franchised competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race. Other locals have passed through the show, like Bosco, Irene the Alien, and, currently on the 18th season, Jane Don’t.

Seattle drag shows operate in a DIY, underground way, thriving off an engaged fanbase and a regional circuit of clubs. When an art form blows up on the national scene, like grunge did in the '90s, can it lose what made it special in the first place?

Diving into this question and revealing the big picture of Seattle's drag queen scene are our guests: Journalist Adam Willems with Chum News and Miss Texas 1988.

Read Adam's coverage of Seattle's drag scene here: Can Seattle drag afford to stay weird?

Also, a visit to a live performance of Seattle's Dungeons & Drag Queens Live, featuring Kylie Mooncakes, Ma'amShe, and Irene the Alien. You haven't experienced anything like this.

Have you gone to an event you heard about on Meet Me Here? Tell us how it went! Email us at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Jan 23-25

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Edible Books — Shorelake Arts
GameSymphonic with Eímear Noone | Seattle Symphony
Pacific NW Reptile & Exotic Animal Show
Jet City Roller Derby 20th Anniversary Season Game 1
5th Annual Viking Beard Competition
Anaheim Ducks at Seattle Kraken - Fri 1/23 - 7pm
New Jersey Devils at Seattle Kraken - Sun 1/25 - 12pm
Seattle Torrent vs Vancouver Goldeneyes - Sun 1/25 - 3pm IN DENVER
Seahawks NFC Championship Game - Seahawks vs LA Rams - Sun 1/25 - 3:30

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Book Bestie’s Best Books of 2025

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:05:00 +0000

This week we are hitting the books with our book bestie Spencer Ruchti, the events manager at Third Place Books. We dig through the Seattle reads that skyrocketed to the top of so many TBR lists in 2025 and... why hardcover books are the Porsche of books. Plus, we give you some tips for setting book-ish goals for reading more in 2026.

And… if you need some help filling that book shaped void after listening to the episode, here’s Spencer and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

On the Calculations of Volume by Solvej Balle
You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue
Third Place Book Events
Third Place Top 10 of 2025: https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/our-top-ten-books-2025
Explore the Seattle Room at the Seattle Public Library
KUOW Book Club https://www.kuow.org/series/books
Crux by Gabriel Tallent

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:
Broadview Branch 50th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, January 24, 2026

Got a book rec? Tell us about your favorite books of 2025 or the ones you can’t wait to read in 2026 meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Jan 16-19

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS vs San Francisco 49ers - Saturday 5pm
Seattle Torrent vs Boston Fleet - Sun 7pm
Seattle Kraken vs Pittsburgh Penguins - Mon 2pm
Seattle Retro Fest
Monster Jam | Tacoma Dome
Fat Con
Kidstock! 2026 | Edmonds Center for the Arts
Follow the Yellow Brick Road: An Oz Film Festival
2026 Winterhop Brewfest

MLK Day Events:

Annual Community Celebration of MLK | Seattle Colleges - Fri 1/16
2026 MLK Day March & Celebration on January 17 - Parkways - Sat 1/17
26th Annual Expansions MLK Unity Party and Live Broadcast - Sun 1/18
MLK Celebration 2026 - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art - Sunday 1/18
Events | SCBHC - Everett, WA Sun 1/18 - Celebration + Mon 1/19 - March & Rally
MLK Day — Seattle MLK Jr Organizing Coalition - Mon 1/19
NAAM | Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2026 - Mon 1/19

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 6 best reasons to leave your house in February

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

February is blah season. The weather is cold and wet and the fun of the holiday season is long gone. But never fear! Meet Me Here hosts Katie Campbell, Jeannie Yandel, and Dyer Oxley are here with their top picks for February arts and culture events to get us through. Their recommendations include:

A surrealist blues poet known for her breathtaking Tiny Desk Concert. An anime convention featuring some of the hottest voice actors of our time. And a modern opera about a gay love story set in the McCarthy era.

Anime Washington - Washington State Fair and Events Center, Feb 6-8
KUOW Book Talks with Author Coll Thrush - Seattle Public Library - Central Library, Feb 26
Camille Trautman Exhibit - The Frye Museum, through April 12
Death Stranding: Strands of Harmony - Paramount Theatre, Feb 4
Elden Ring: Symphonic Adventure w/Seattle Symphony - Benaroya Hall, Feb 25 & 26
Aja Monet w/Seattle Arts & Lectures - Town Hall Seattle, Feb 5
Fellow Travelers w/Seattle Opera - McCaw Hall, Feb 21- March 1
Thomas Mallon w/Katie Campbell - The Wyncote NW Forum at Town Hall Seattle, Feb 20

Bonus links:

Voice over artist May Hong

Voice over artist Jen Taylor

Aja Monet’s Tiny Desk Concert

Have you gone to an event you heard about on Meet Me Here? Tell us how it went! Email us at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Jan 8-11

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour - Northwest Film Forum
David Horsey | Elliott Bay Book Company
OrcaCon Tabletop Games Convention
Seattle Travel and Adventure Show
Great Train Show 2026 - Ridgefield, WA
Seattle Bach Festival
Jules Maes Saloon - Prohibition Party
Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost
- Official Watch Party at Rough & Tumble Ballard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The best superhero flicks in 2026!

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:39:58 +0000

Superhero movies are important reflections of our cultural moment. In 2026 we have some big hitters coming from Marvel and DC, and a potential power shift in super cinematic glory. Local film reviewer Tim Hall walks us through DC’s renewal, previews the big movie Marvel is saving for the holidays, and gives a sneak peek at the streaming show you won’t want to miss–even if you think you don’t like comic books.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ending your reading rut in the new year

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Whether you devour 50 books a year or haven’t picked one up in months, we all get into reading ruts. So, let’s fix that.

Seattle Readers, it’s time to get into that reading groove and we’ve got you covered with tips, tricks, and a whole bunch of empathy. Seattle Public Library’s Stesha Brandon joins us for some literary hot takes, tips for getting out of a reading rut, and she explains why walking your cat is a perfect time to listen to audiobooks.

And… if you need even more help filling that book-shaped void, here’s Stesha and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL): getting into your reading groove

The River Has Roots Amal El-Mohtar
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Jane Austen (anything)
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Mapping the Interior Stephen Graham Jones
Hell Is A World Without You by Jason Kirk
Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele
Your Next Five via The Seattle Public Library
Welcome to Night Vale, a podcast

This episode originally ran in August 2025.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet the local lei makers nurturing a Native Hawaiian tradition

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

More and more Native Hawaiians are moving to the Pacific Northwest. In fact, Washington state has the third largest number of Kanaka Maoli, or Native Hawaiians, outside of Hawaii and California.

As they move here, people are bringing their beloved customs and traditions with them. Like the artform of making lei, which are garlands made using all kinds of materials including flowers, nuts, clay and feathers.

Seattle Times business reporter Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton belongs to this community and was curious about how cultural traditions and customs have evolved in the Seattle area. Her article, Hawaiian lei makers blossom in Seattle area, but challenges grow, dives into this issue.

Boyanton spoke with Meet Me Here host Jeannie Yandel about what she learned from local lei-makers for this story, and about the history of lei in Hawaii.

This interview originally ran on KUOW's daily news podcast, Seattle Now.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Dec 19-21

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

The 29th Annual Model Train Festival - Washington State Historical Society
- Opens Fri 12/19 - runs through Jan 1, 2026
2025 Winter Beer Fest – WA Brewers Guild
- Fri/Sat - 12/19-20
Hell’s Belles at the Croc
- Sat 12/20
United Indians Native Art Market » United Indians of All Tribes Foundation - Daybreak Star
- Sat/Sun - 12/20-21
Seattle Torrent vs Boston Fleet
- Sun 12/21 - 2pm

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why you're the VIP at art museums

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

When you visit an art museum, you are the VIP. At least according to art curator and Schmidt Ocean Institute artist-at-sea-manager, Haley Ha.

She says the people who work behind the scenes at art museums care enormously about visitors and their experiences.

One result from all that work? Haley says art museums are places where you slow down, enjoy yourself, and connect with yourself or with friends.

Haley also gives us the inside scoop about three of her favorite pieces at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, where she previously worked.

They include a deeply moving sculpture in SAAM's entryway by Kondo Takahiro, Park Young-sook's Moon Jar (which counts among its superfans a member of the K-Pop boy band BTS), and Ai Weiwei's Water Lilies, a 50-foot-long mural made entirely of Legos.

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Weekend Warmup for Dec 12-14

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

SPORTS!
- Seahawks vs Indianapolis Colts - Sun 1:25pm
- Buffalo Sabres at Seattle Kraken - Sun 5pm
- Seattle Torrent vs Ottawa Charge - Wed 7pm
WildLanterns: Night Owls (21+) - Fri 12/12
Mozart & Mutts: Annual Holiday Concert - Fri 12/12
Jurassic Quest | Washington State Fairgrounds
The Naughty Novel Social Club: Krampus Edition
DEAF SANTA CLAUS - Sun 12/14

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Official Seattle Holiday Book Gift Guide

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:05:00 +0000

Books are the best gift you can give. And this holiday season, our book besties are recommending their favorites of this year and more. Host Katie Campbell opens the mail bag with KUOW producer Brandi Fullwood to find out which books you'll want to give this year… and maybe a few you’ll want to keep for yourself.

Here's a list of some the books our book besties recommend this year:

To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I'll Make a Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston
Hild by Nicola Griffith
Horsefly by Mireille Gagné
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder

Looking for even more recommendations? Check out Katie Campbell's write up on KUOW.org: https://www.kuow.org/stories/holiday-gift-guide-books-ditch-gift-cards-gimmicks-seattle-readers

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Dec 4-8

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christmas movie throw down: Bill Radke and Dyer Oxley debate 'Die Hard'

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The holiday season means trees, cookies, family, spirituality, or presents to many. For Meet Me Here's Dyer Oxley, it means it's time to watch his favorite Christmas movie — "Die Hard." This 1988 action flick staring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman has become a Christmas tradition for many, including the actors behind "A Very Die Hard Christmas," a holiday musical performed at Seattle's Green Lake Bathhouse Theatre each year.

But not everyone agrees that "Die Hard" can be a Christmas tradition. Week in Review host Bill Radke is in that camp. He challenges Dyer's "Die Hard" opinion in a special holiday throw down. Bill and Dyer debate a modern holiday question: Is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie?

EVENT RECOMENDATION:Seattle Krampus: Go see Krampus at various holiday events in December. Krampus will show up at the Seattle Christmas Market at Seattle Center on Dec. 12-13.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Help support the local stories you love! Give now at https://www.kuow.org//donate/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to fake a sports conversation this holiday season

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:45:00 +0000

Are you meeting up with family or friends over the holidays? Someone will likely be roasting meat and veggies, maybe mashing potatoes and someone else will likely be watching a loud football game on TV. Sports seem almost inevitable this time of year. But what if you’re not a fan? This week, we will give you all the tips and tricks you need to fake your way through a sports conversation this holiday season. No need to fumble that conversation with your uncle.

Event Recommendation:

Holiday Magic Cabaret - Dec 14 and 20

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Nov 20-23 and 28-30

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

THIS WEEK:

NEXT WEEK:

SPORTS
- PWHL Home Opener! Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost - Fri 11/28
- UW Men’s Football vs Oregon Ducks - Sat 11/29
- Kraken vs Edmonton - Sat 11/29
- Seahawks vs Vikings - Sun 11/30
- Seattle Marathon - Sun 11/30
GeekCraft Expo
NOVEMBER ART MARKET — Duwamish Tribe

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Books Men Actually Want To Read

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:05:00 +0000

Men are reading less. Reading less than women, not reading as much as before. But Author Daniel James Brown has got the key.

This week we’re getting lit with Author Daniel James Brown and tackling the ~discourse~ to find out how authors like him are writing authentic men, complex men. Plus we give you a ton of recommendations of books and authors that will make anybody want to read.

If you need some help filling that book shaped void, here’s Daniel James Brown and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides
Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Tim Egan

Ok, your turn! Tell us what to do after ugly-crying over The Boys in The Boat. Send us your picks--books, movies, exhibits, events whatever fills that space. Email meetmehere@kuow.org.

What we read about when we talk about men not reading:

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:
Livewire with Luke Burbank: Mohanad Elshieky, R. Eric Thomas, and The Brudi Brothers at Benaroya Hall on December 5th

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Writer Susan Orlean's 'Joyride' revved up in the PNW

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Before the bestsellers, before one of her bestsellers became a movie, before Meryl Streep (!) played her in that movie...author Susan Orlean started her career in Portland, writing for the Willamette Week and the now-defunct Paper Rose. Orlean writes about her love of the PNW (among other things) in her new memoir Joyride.

Orlean talks with Katie Campbell about finding mentorship as a writer, the changing landscape of long-form journalism, and more in this bonus episode of Meet Me Here.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Nov 13-16

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

SIFF Cinema Italian Style 2025
Sew, Quilt, Needlework, Craft, Expo & Festival in Puyallup
Gobble Up Northwest! - Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle International Auto Show
The 2025 DB Cooper Conference
Seattle Kraken vs San Jose Sharks
Gilman Village 2025 Winter Fest
Grit City Comic Show
UW Huskies Men’s Football vs Purdue
Death and Music | Town Hall Seattle

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How a kids’ game inspired an innovative Seattle art exhibit

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

“There’s no right or wrong way to look at art,” according to arts writer Jas Keimig. Which is good news because there’s a lot of art at the Telephone exhibit at both locations of Base Camp Studios in Belltown.

Jas explains how the exhibit was inspired by the kid’s game telephone, that game where you tell someone something and then they tell the next person and so on. When the final person has been told, that person says what they heard and everyone compares how the message changed as it was passed along. Jas says the game of telephone exists in different ways all around the world.

Since the exhibit spans two different locations, Jas suggests how to approach it. One tip: if Telephone seems overwhelming, think about memes and how often you alter them and send them in the group chat, and how memes can communicate everything from a simple response to more complex feelings. Then, think of the pieces of art in the exhibit as if they were memes.

In other words: whether you realize it or not, you’re playing a version of the game telephone pretty regularly. And the exhibit Telephone is a fun, clever, artist-imagined way of demonstrating how we’re all riffing off each other, all the time.

Also recommended in this episode:

Drag performer Dina Martina has been doing her Seattle holiday show for 25 years. Meet Me Here host Jeannie Yandel is a huge fan and says, “Her shows are surreal and hilarious and some of the best, weirdest theater I've ever seen.” The Dina Martina Christmas Show runs from December 5-24 at Union Arts Center.

If you love Meet Me Here and KUOW's other local shows, help us make them! Donate at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Nov 7-10

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Break the spell of the Big Dark with these PNW events

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:35:00 +0000

There’s no getting around it. It’s here … the big dark. Every year, Northwesterners battle with shorter and shorter days, and longer and longer nights. It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s dark. It’s kind of a bummer. But it doesn’t have to be!

All three Meet Me Here co-hosts join forces to share suggestions for defeating the Big Dark by getting out and immersing yourself in some great local arts and culture events.

The Geometry of Light - Seattle Asian Art Museum
Netse Mot: One Heart, One Mind Gathering - The Paramount, Nov 18
A Evening with David Sedaris - Benaroya Hall, Nov 16
Yume Kitasei w/ Katie Campbell on Saltcrop, - Elliot Bay Books, Dec 7
"Holidaze" Black Night Market - Tacoma Armory, Dec 1 and Dec 6
Julefest - Poulsbo, Dec 6

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Oct 31-Nov 4

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Seattle Short King Contest
Seattle Kraken vs NY Rangers - Sat 11/1
Short Run Comix Festival
Seattle Opera - The Pirates of Penzance
Brewallup 2025
Washington State Toy Show
Sea-Meow Convention
2025 MLS Cup Playoffs - Seattle vs Minnesota - Mon 11/3
Seattle Kraken vs Chicago Blackhawks - Mon 11/3
Seattle Welcome Day - Tues 11/4

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS:

Nov. 1 — El Centro de la Raza
Nov. 1 — Phinney Center
Nov. 1 — Shoreline Recreation Center
Nov. 1 & 2 — Seattle Center
Nov. 1 & 2 — Town Hall Seattle (ticketed event)
Nov. 2 — Tacoma Art Museum

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horror Beyond the King (Stephen King)

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:05:00 +0000

There’s more to horror than Stephen King and it’s about time we all started reading it.

This week we’re hitting the books with Roxanne Guiney, owner of Haunted Burrow Books in Seattle, and local author Sadie Hartmann, aka Mother Horror, about the new era of horror authors and how they're revolutionizing the genre. Plus, we tell you about the book you’ll definitely want to add to your nightstand.

And… if you need some help filling that book shaped void, here’s Roxanne, Sadie and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
What Hunger by Catherine Dang
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Full Brutal by Kristopher Triana
The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya
101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann
Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women by Sadie Hartmann
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

And of course, go to Haunted Burrow Books for Roxanne’s recommendations https://www.instagram.com/hauntedburrowbooks and follow Sadie’s IG for even more recommendations (from, like, a real person…) https://www.instagram.com/mother.horror/

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:

Author Susan Orlean, with Claire Dederer on Friday, November 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM

https://ticketing.townhallseattle.org/events/019861e7-ffac-fb24-c69a-e94753846e32

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: A graphic memoir about time, trees, and purpose

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In time, people can be like sequoia trees.

That's the premise of the new graphic memoir by artist and writer Jeremy Collins.

The memoir is called Eventually A Sequoia: Stories of Art, Adventure and the Wisdom of Giants.

In this bonus episode, Jeannie Yandel talks with Jeremy about how ten years of travel became this graphic memoir, and the role time played in his travels and the making of the book.

And yes, actual sequoias -the largest trees on earth - show up in the book too. Jeremy even climbs one.

Jeremy will be in town on Monday October 27th to bring audience members into his process of writing and artmaking with an evening of performance art and cinematic visuals. That's followed by a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning graphic memoirist Tessa Hulls. It starts at 6:30 pm at the Mountaineers Program Center in Seattle.

Eventually A Sequoia with Jeremy Collins and Tessa Hulls, October 27 from 6:30-8:30 pm

Eventually A Sequoia: Stories of Art, Adventure, and the Wisdom of Giants

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Oct 24-27

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

SPOOKY STUFF:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/meet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to support the arts in Seattle when you're not a millionaire

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Margo Vansynghel sometimes jokes that she’s the harbinger of doom. As the arts economy reporter for The Seattle Times, it's her job is to spell out the connections between the arts and the economy here in Seattle.

She’s written about the Bellevue Art Museum's sudden closure last year. Along with SIFF’s recent announcement that it’s leaving the historic Egyptian theater on Capitol Hill.

In this episode, Margo gives us a temperature check on how Seattle arts organizations are doing overall and says it's not time to freak out just yet. She also shares simple, actionable ideas for things we can all do to support Seattle artists and arts organizations.

In this episode we mention:

The Seattle Symphony and its new music director, Xian Zhang
Seattle’s 13 art walks, in neighborhoods like the Central District, Capitol Hill, Belltown and Hillman City. Along with the mothership art walk, First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square
King County’s cultural funding agency, 4Culture
The Seattle Public Library’s free museum pass program.
Discount tickets to arts organizations, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Rep and Seattle Art Museum.
Local storyteller Emmett Montgomery
The classic silent horror film Häxan (1922) at The National Nordic Museum.

MORE ON MARGO:

For more of Margo’s coverage of the arts and economy check out her articles about unexpected art experiences in Seattle and 12 ways to support the arts in Seattle.

There’s also this visual story Margo wrote that explains 15 ways you can support local arts and artists.

If you’d like to ask Margo for her arts suggestions based on your personal preferences, email: mvansynghel@seattletimes.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Oct 17-20

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

SPORTS!!
- Mariners!! - Thurs/Fri at home, (Sun/Mon in Toronto if needed)
- Reign vs Utah Royals FC
- Seahawks vs Houston - MNF!
SIFF DocFest - starts Thurs 10/16, ends 10/23
Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
Seattle Oddities & Curiosities Expo 2025
Slack Key Seattle Festival
Seattle No Kings - Oct 18
No Kings - FULL MAP
Seattle Opera - The Pirates of Penzance
Northwest Record Show

SPOOKY STUFF:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why your favorite Seattle movie probably wasn't filmed there

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Seen any good local movies lately? Take “M3GAN” and “The Boys in the Boat” for example. Two very different movies, very popular, which are set in Seattle, but they were not filmed in Seattle. That happens a lot. In fact, the film industry is largely absent from Washington state.

So what can be done to get more local productions off the ground? Well, we’ve got a few film experts on the show today to dive into this issue.

Other events:

SIFF Downtown screening of Train Dreams - Oct 29th
Seattle Film Critics Society PNW Awards - Oct 29 - Nov 23
Oddmall Emporium of the Weird - Nov 8-9

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Oct 9-12

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

Tasveer Film Festival
SPORTS!
- Mariners vs Tigers - Game 5 - Fri 10/10 5:08p
- Seattle Reign - Fri 10/10 vs Bay FC
- UW Husky Men’s Football - Fri 10/10 vs Rutgers
- Seattle Sounders - Sat 10/11 vs Real Salt Lake
- Seattle Kraken - Sat 10/11 vs LV Golden Knights
Love Letters writing workshop
Roller Boogie at Pier 66
2025 Cascadia Poetry Festival 9
Cider 'n' Gold
HAUNTED - Tacoma Art Museum
Seattle Meowtropolitan - Pumpkin Carving
Halloween Train

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Banned Book of One's Own

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:05:00 +0000

This week we’re hitting the books with Charlie Hunts, the owner of Charlie’s Queer Books. We’re catching up with this local bookselling bestie smack dab in the middle of banned books week. So, we’ll find out what readers at the store are vibing with and what the stakes are for booksellers during Banned Books Week. Plus, we’ve got banned book themed recommendations galore for you to get through it all.

Book’s that Charlie and readers at Charlie’s Queer Books are loving:

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte
Cubs and Campfires by Dylan Drakes

And… if you need some help filling that book shaped void, here’s Charlie and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL) : getting through Band Books week at Charlie's queer books.

Matilda (1996)
The books of George M. Johnson
Beloved by Tony Morrison
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Visit and support your local bookstores and libraries

Event recommendations from this week’s episode:

The Bainbridge Book Festival on October 10th and 11th, Local authors making an appearance include David Gutterson, Moira Macdonald, Sonora Jha, Ijeoma Oluo, Daniel Tam-Claiborne, and Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum. Get more information at bainbridgebookfestival.org

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Got an arts idea you want to pitch KUOW? Email us at arts@kuow.org

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Warmup for Oct 3-5

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Hosted by KUOW's Jason Megatron Burrows.

LINKS:

HAUNTED HOUSES:

Haunted Forest of Maple Valley
Nile Nightmares Haunted House - Mountlake Terrace
Georgetown Morgue - SoDo
My Haunted Forest - Kitsap
Stalker Farms - Snohomish
Maris Farms Haunted Woods | Haunted Adventure in Buckley, WA

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Night Puppets: visiting Seattle's new waterfront park after dark

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The City of Seattle has invested a massive effort in rebuilding the city’s central waterfront, after removing the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Part of the city’s investment in the waterfront has gone towards public art.

We talk with Brangien Davis, arts editor at Cascade PBS, and the host of the Cascade PBS show Art by Northwest. She highlights a few of her favorite art pieces along the new waterfront - and explains why night time is the right time to visit those pieces.

That includes an art installation by artist Ann Hamilton, called “Guests.” It features 42 large scale puppets, suspended from the underside of the pedestrian bridge between the Pike Place Market garage and the screen wall on the new Elliott Way. Brangien calls these new guests “the night puppets” in her excellent newsletter about the waterfront park.

Brangien also tells us about three carved cedar sculptures, titled “Family,” created by artist Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson.

Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson is a Coast Salish artist and a member of the Puyallup Tribe who works in wood, glass, metal, and digital media.

Brangien says, “This is a family and represents families that have been in this region for thousands of years.” The trio represents a mother, father and child and the figures stand between 10 and 12 feet tall, not including their bases. The figures face the water and are brilliantly illuminated at night.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Roller Boogie at Pier 66, October 10 from 6-10pm; free, all-ages

Xian Zhang is the new music director of the Seattle Symphony. She is also the first woman and the first person of color to direct the Symphony in its more than 120-year history. “Xian Conducts Rachmaninov” on October 2, 4 and 5, at Benaroya Hall.

You can hear an interview with Xian Zhang on this episode of Seattle Now.

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Bonus: Take a walk among old-growth trees with Lynda Mapes

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 07:05:00 +0000

This summer, the KUOW Book Club read Seattle author and environmental journalist Lynda V. Mapes' love letter to old-growth trees, "The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests."

Mapes traveled across the country, visiting some of the oldest trees we know about and the people who study and protect them. The result was a book that intricately depicts the importance of old trees, the historic harm humans have done to them, and what's being done to reverse that pattern of destruction. Mapes sat down with KUOW Book Club curator Katie Campbell on August 27 in front of a live audience at the Seattle Public Library. They talked about her love for old-growth forests, the people working to save them, and how you - yes, you - can help.

This is the third and final conversation the KUOW Book Club hosted in partnership with the Seattle Public Library this summer. Ijeoma Oluo and Kim Fu also participated, and you can find their interviews in the feed.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Leave us a message at 206-221-6100. Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

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Become a KUOW member today.

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Weekend Warmup for Sept 26-29

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:01:00 +0000

LINKS:

SPORTS!!
- Mariners vs Dodgers - Final games of the season! Fri/Sat/Sun
- UW Huskies vs The Ohio State Buckeyes Sat 12:30p
- Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps Sat 7:30pm
- Reign vs NC Courage Sun 5pm
- Kraken vs Calgary Flames - Preseason Game #2 MON 7pm
Prosser Balloon Rally
Festa Italiana Seattle
Northwest Tea Festival
Enumclaw BBQ, Brews, & Brats
Bellingham SeaFeast
Seattle Opera - Costume Sale
Musical Migration - Crossings
Danny Elfman's Music From the Films of Tim Burton with the Seattle Symphony
Hitchcock Hotel 2025 — Can Can Culinary Cabaret
Unicorn: Burn Relief Fundraiser | Neumos
- Unicorn Staff Fire Relief Fund

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/meet

Meet Me Here is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The best arts, pop culture, and book events to attend in October

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are a lot of events over October 2025, but a few stand out to our Meet Me Here hosts. Dyer, Jeannie, and Katie share happenings they think are worthy of your attention.

Jeannie suggests: “Refract: The Seattle Glass Art Experience,” Oct. 16-19, across the Seattle region. It features more than 70 glass artists at more than 60 events. The opening night kickoff party on Oct.16 is at Chihuly Garden and Glass at the Seattle Center and there will be glassblowing demonstrations, tours of the gardens, and more. You can also do a self-guided walking tour of glass art in downtown Everett. Or catch the Luminosity group show at Stonington Gallery and Kelsey Fernkopf’s neon sculpture show at Foster / White Gallery.

Also, Seattle Art Museum’s REMIX on Oct. 31 (aka Halloween night). SAM Remix is a rare but wonderful event that takes over the whole building. Think of it as a combo of an after-hours party with DJs and performances, and a chance to see the museum’s art in a new way.

Katie is looking forward to: An author talk with Cory Doctorow about his book called Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. Doctorow will be at the Seattle Public Library on Oct. 22. The conversation will feature moderator/creative Whitney Beltrán, as well as Ed Zitron, host of the podcast Better Offline. The guests will discuss “how we can build a new, good internet that will serve as the nervous system for a 21st century as we are confronting genocide, environmental collapse, and fascism.”

Katie also suggests an Oct. 30 conversation with local author Sonora Jha. She’ll discuss her new novel Intemperance with Claire Dederer at Third Place Books in Ravenna. It’s about a middle-aged woman who holds a contest, based on an ancient Indian ritual, in which men must compete to win her love and attention.

Dyer is stoked about: Shonen Knife — the band that your favorite bands love — which is currently on its Everyone Happy tour of the USA. Catch them at Star Theater in Portland on Oct. 24; at The Tractor Tavern in Seattle on Oct. 25 for two shows; and at Tacoma’s McMenamin’s Elks Lodge on Oct. 26. Shonen Knife has a serendipitous story that goes back to 1981 in Osaka, Japan, yet has a strong connection to the NW music scene (a connection that led to touring with Nirvana twice).

Dyer also wants to point you to Washington State Horror Con, presented by Elvira, on Oct. 24-26 at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup. This is among a suite of pop culture events that have sprung up at the fairgrounds in recent years, all of which have proved quite popular. This event showcases all your favorite actors and artists from horror history spanning “IT” to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” masked monsters and more.

Bonus November recommendation:

The SeaMeow convention is Nov. 1-2 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. This is Seattle’s cat convention, featuring a range of cat influencers, cat cosplayers, and even a cat rapper, named MoShow. It’s a great place to adopt a cat, too.

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