The fireplace in the lobby at The Inn at Gig Harbor rests amidst historic photographs provided by the Gig Harbor - Peninsula Historical Society.

Take Gig Harbor, for instance. Self-promoted as “Washington’s Maritime Village,” this area is rich in everything one could expect from a coastal town: seafood, beverage pairings, outdoor adventure, art, culture, and history. Not too long ago, your Hedonista enjoyed a media stay at The Inn at Gig Harbor. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, this property was first opened in 1997. Touted as a full-service hotel and event center – including conferences and weddings – this property features 64 rooms, some of which have with jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces. Other property amenities include an outdoor jacuzzi, in-house massage studio, and an on-site Enterprise Car Rental desk. They are also pet-friendly in all of their standard rooms on the second floor. I stayed in a Corner Jacuzzi Suite (with a room rate ranging from $149-$205/night plus tax, depending on season ans availability). It was very spacious, with a fabulous jacuzzi soaker tub with shutters that can open up to the rest of the room, so you can watch TV while soaking! Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great day to enjoy a view Mount Rainier (ah, well).

From room to table (left to right): The Narrows Room of the Heritage Restaurant served breakfasts like The Heritage Homestyle Country Breakfast ($9) and The Heritage Breakfast with pancakes ($8.50).

There’s also The Heritage Restaurant, which serves all three meals seven days a week. It’s apparently got quite a following of local patrons. I enjoyed a breakfast there, which was pure old-school comfort food. Two of their signature plates include: The Heritage Homestyle Country Breakfast ($9) which features one hand-breaded beef cutlet and baked biscuit drenched in a tasty old-style sausage gravy along with three eggs and a choice of has browns, home fries, or in-season fruit; and The Heritage Breakfast ($8.50) complete with two eggs, a choice of meat (from honey-cured thick cut bacon, smoked ham steak, or country sausage links), a choice of potato/fruit (from hash browns, home fries, or in-season fruit), a choice of bread (from toast or house made biscuit) or opt out of the potato/fruit and bread and opt for two buttermilk pancakes instead (I did).

So for a bit of old-school charm accommodation-style, this inn may be just the place.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Things like alcohol. (Duh – call it the “international social lubricant, if you will.)

And chocolate. (Known to contain phenethylamine, which provides heightened romantic and overall euphoric emotions.)

Elliott's Sous Chef Peter Ryan graciously indulged me by shucking a couple of Skookum oysters table-side. Four of his personal favs were sampled. Although all of the oysters were tasty, my personal ranking preference is (listed in reverse order, saving the best for last): Penn Cove, Skookum, Blue Pool from the local Hama Hama Oyster Company, and Totten Virginica from Taylor Shellfish Farms here in Washington.

Oysters, even. (They contain the hormone dopamine, which heightens libido, as well as zinc, which increases sperm count and testosterone production. There’s also the erotic nature of sucking one of these babies down, straight out of its shell … get my drift, dear hedonists?)

Elliott’s Oyster House is offering bitter sweet treats on Tuesday, February 14th of this year (and possibly longer if we ask nicely, beg, and/or plead).

For love (and sex) can be both bitter and sweet. In fact, each one needs the other, for each defines the other, at least in part. Both at opposite ends of the spectrum and close together (think of the two ends of a horseshoe), bitter and sweet can come together and work wonders – be it for matters of the palate or of the heart.

Last night, your Hedonista headed over to Pier 56 to get some kicks, as it were.

I was not disappointed.

The Venus ($9) is, quite simply, sparkling meets floral. A nice bitter-sweet combination. (And also matched with last night's sunset.)

First, two drinks are being offered, promoted as “Nectar of the Goddesses”: the Venus and the Persephone.

The Venus ($9) is a blend of Prosecco and broVo+RG Rose Geranium Liqueur. BroVo Spirits is “lady-made liquor” company located right here in Washington State that likes to use local ingredients.

(NOTE: Elliott’s and some other Seattle Restaurants are collaborating with broVo to create “50 First Dates” ­- a collection of libido-liciously love-inspiring cocktail and dessert recipes. This booklet will be available at Elliott’s on Valentines Day, while quantities last.)

On its own, the Rose Geranium Liqueur smells so floral, I want to dab some behind each of my ears. It goes down silky smooth with a warming finish. The Venus cocktail is both floral and sweet but also bitter due to the Campari. Want to try it? Can’t wait until February 14th? Well … it just so happens that the recipe is immediately below, which Elliott’s agreed to share (thanks again):

Elliott’s Oyster House Venus

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 oz broVo+RG Rose Geranium Liqueur

2 tsp Campari

1 tsp Rothman and Winter Crème de Violette

4 oz Chilled Prosecco

DIRECTIONS:

In a champagne flute, combine broVo liqueur, Campari and Crème de Violette. Top with chilled Prosecco and gently stir. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Persephone ($10): an adults-only bubble tea for V-Day. I enjoyed the mango bits at the bottom.

Next, there’s the Persephone ($10). Inspired by the Sidecar, this cocktail is also bittersweet, with both lime juice and agave syrup, as well as brandy and the fruit flavors of orange, mango, passion fruit and rhubarb in the liqueurs. At the bottom of this cocktail is mango fruit “caviar” that made the experience somewhat like a tasty adults-only bubble tea. Here’s the recipe for this concoction as well, once again courtesy of Elliott’s:

Elliott’s Oyster House Persephone

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 oz Metaxa 5 Star Brandy

3/4 oz X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 oz Aperol

1 tsp Agave Syrup

Mango Fruit Caviar (optional garnish, recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

In a chilled cocktail glass, add 1 Tbs Mango Caviar and set aside. In a shaker tin, add remaining ingredients, shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass with Mango Caviar.

Mango Fruit Caviar

In a sauce pan, combine 1 cup mango juice and 2 tsp Agar Agar. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce to a simmer and continue whisking until Agar Agar is dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and pour into a syringe or squeeze bottle. Gentle squeeze drops into about a cup of vegetable oil. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Strain out oil and gently rinse fruit caviar with apple juice.  Pour fruit caviar into about a cup of apple juice and keep chilled for up to 3 hours.

The Valentine's Day dessert special at Elliot's Oyster House: a Rose & Violet Granita with Fresh Strawberries and Bitter Chocolate Sabayon ($7). (And yes, it tastes as good as it looks.)

Finally, last but not least, there’s the dessert, which was created after the two cocktails above were finalized: a very sensual Rose & Violet Granita with Fresh Strawberries and Bitter Chocolate Sabayon ($7). Experiencing this dish was like devouring a work of art. (Literally.) The granita is refreshing and very grape-like.

“It’s the best grape you can ever have,” Sous Chef Peter Ryan assured me.

Situated in a Florentine Cup made with a bee-sting mix imported from Italy, the end product is a wafer-like receptacle for the rose and violet granita, tastes like honey, and holds the granita even as the latter melts … without the former getting soggy. The strawberries remind me of a poke, but with sugared strawberries instead of raw tuna or other fish. And, when the foamy chocolate sabayon is added to the mix, it’s like a deconstructed box of fruit-flavored chocolates.

And, if all of this bitter-sweetness is just too much, just remember: there’s always the oysters.

It is Elliott’s, after all.

Happy shucking, dear hedonists.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

So … how about tea for two … or four.

Four new flavors, that is.

As of this month (currently available at their online store and scheduled to be in stores next month) Seattle’s own Choice Organic Teas, which started in 1989 and focuses exclusively on highly-certified teas – Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified™, Kosher, non-GMO, and certified HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) – is rolling out four new teas.

They already have some 70+ varieties of tea, including tea bags, tea pyramids, and loose tea. With these new four, now they’re really closer to around 80 teas in total.

So, with so many teas, why four new ones?

“After careful consideration and research, we determined we needed to add these four varieties to round out our product line,” stated Anne-Marie Phillips, Head of Sales and Marketing for Choice Organic Teas, in a recent press release. “Made with pure ingredients, these perfectly balanced teas are sourced from some of the most beautiful places on earth. We invite our customers to go beyond their horizons and discover the world one cup at a time. We feel confident our customers will fall in love with these flavorful new teas.”

Four new teas from Choice Organic Teas, starting from bottom to top and light to complex: Premium Korean Green, Decaffeinated Green, Rooibos Chai, and Masala Chai.

These teas – sold for around $5 a box, with 16 tea bags in each box – are “bookend” teas: literally at two different ends of the tea spectrum. While two of the teas are green teas, two are chai blends. (Your Hedonista recently received some media samples.)

The lightest of the four, in everything from color to aroma to taste, is their Premium Korean Green tea: a very light green, sweet-smelling tea with notes of chlorophyll and bright green tea, this tea is sourced from the volcanic ash-rich soil and subtropical climate of Korea’s Hawaii-like Jeju Island, known as the “Island of the Gods.” Their first (and thus far only) tea from South Korea, the tea leaves of this tea are are seamed, rolled, and dried in the way of the Sencha tradition.

The next-lightest is another green tea: their Decaffeinated Green tea a light green tea with notes of toasted brown, this Indian tea has both notes of grass and grain in it. Given that it’s decaffeinated – in a carbon dioxide process that is currently the only certified organic method available, no less – it’s a good tea to drink starting in the morning and continuing into the night.

Now to the other end of the spectrum: their new Rooibos Chai tea blends South African rooibos (a decaffeinated tea) with masala spices of clove, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper, to create a chai tea with a twist. Dark red and caramel in the cup, this tea tastes and smells very cinnamon-forward, with a spicy bite on the backend. Drink it straight-up or with milk and sweetener.

Finally, the biggest and boldest of these four newbies in terms look, scent and taste: Choice Organic Teas’ Masala Chai. This chai blends those same masala spices with an Assam black tea from India’s Brahmaputra River Valley, resulting in tasting notes of both malt and heavy spice. I enjoy this one with milk (either poured right in or frothed in my Capresso) and a sweetener, like sugar (white or natural) or honey.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

There’s a new play in town – a world premiere, in fact – that addresses these questions and, in so doing, redefines what is the Bible, what is holy.

In short, it’s family.

That’s right family – pure and simple. The Bible is filled with stories about people – people and their families. Bill Cain certainly seems to think so, for both in interviews and in the play, he comments on how the Bible is not a rule book, but rather the story of a family.

I couldn’t agree more.

Left to right: Aaron Blakeley, Tyler Pierce, Linda Gehringer, and Leo Marks star in the world premiere of Bill Cain’s How to Write a New Book for the Bible at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.co, provided by SRT and used with permission.

Right now, How to Write a New Book for the Bible is running at the Seattle Repertory Theatre (SRT) from January 13th until February 5th, 2012. (Your Hedonista attended as media last Sunday night; Snowmageddon – a word now defined by Wikipedia, by the way – caused the cancellation of the January 18th and 19th shows). Directed by Kent Nicholson and written by Bill Cain, this play portrays the playwright’s own nuclear family. Writing about what he knew – knew best, mind you – for this play was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.

It has a four-member cast, each member of which possesses impressive credentials. The cast – Aaron Blakely as the older son/brother/soldier/teacher Paul, Linda Gehringer as the mother Mary, Leo Marks as the father Pete, and Tyler Pierce as the younger son/brother/writer/priest Bill (Bill Cain, that is, who is also a Jesuit priest in real life) – really kick it up several notches. They are, quite simply, brilliant. The characters they portray are genuine. Sincere. Kind. Courageous. Self-sacrificing. Honest. Real. What true reality entertainment should be. All this, when portrayed within the intimate setting of live theatre, makes audience members feel that they are witnessing something truly sacred.

And they are.

Heed your hedonist when I say that this play is an absolute must-see. I laughed, I cried. Hell, I laughed while I cried. This play uses average, ordinary characters who do average, ordinary things, both with and in their lives. However, it’s within the ordinary that we find the extraordinary: the dark, the light, and the life, complete with all of its actions and emotions – both tragic and comedic, good and bad – that create what is truly holy.

A dozen performances of this show remain, including tonight. Tickets range in price from $12 to $69: $12 for those aged 25 years and under, $22 for students over 25 years of age, and a range of $20 to $69 for the general public, depending on the date, time, and location of the seats.

(Go see it.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

All Through the Night is a play written by Shirley Lauro that is currently running at ArtsWest. (Opening night was originally to be January 18th, but got pushed back a couple of nights due to our snowy skies … and streets. Thus, your Hedonista attended last Friday as media.) It’s an all-woman play (save for Director and Set Designer Christopher Zinovitch, who is ArtsWest’s Artistic Director, and Stage Manager Ryan Floresca, who’s also an actor, having performed in such past ArtsWest productions as Amy’s View, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Measure for Pleasure, and Evil Dead, The Musical).

Jillian Vashro (left) and Colleen Carey (right) depict conflict among two Nazi military women.

This play – which is a Jefferson-nominated Best New Chicago play of 2006 that originally opened on October 2, 2009 in New York City’s Marjorie S. Dean Little Theatre – is dark play with depths that reaches both the bowels as well as the ovaries of humanity. It not only serves to remind us of the horrors of WW II, but the particular suffering endured by German gentile women.

Based on actual interviews by women who suffered through – and survived – fascism under Adolph Hitler, All Through the Night offers a gut-wrenching account of getting by on the inside, so to speak. Schisms among citizens, neighbors, and family abound in this production – and once again reveal that not all of Germany was pro-Hitler during this time. However, such dissension came a at a price in the form of sacrifices and compromises. Sacrifices and compromises that were chosen to be made in the name of self-survival and the survival of one’s loved ones, often with a lifetime of guilt, remorse, and regret as a result.

The entire cast of this latest production by ArtsWest, a play written by a woman, starring all women, and really for everyone.

A cast of five women, listed here in order of appearance, make up the entire play’s cast of characters: Cindy Bradder (Ludmilla), Kate Witt (Angelika, also had her directorial début in ArtsWest’s Love Song), Colleen Carey (Frau Lehrerin/Frau Direktorn/Frau Fuhrerin/Frau Oberaufseherin), Jillian Vashro (Gretchen) and Erin Stewart (Friederike). All are strong performers, who take on challenging roles in German accents – accents which they seem to slip out of when addressing the audience directly, but then slip back into when done with such sidebars. This direct audience interaction is designed to destroy the typical illusory quality of the stage and thus force the audience to think about what they are seeing with a critically analytical mind rather than merely losing themselves in the entertainment. This style or concept of the performing arts is known as the “distancing effect” (often mistranslated as the “alienation effect” or Verfremdungseffekt in German). Originally coined by 20th century poet, playwright, and theatre director Bertolt Brecht, this method forces its audience to process a given performance more like an enlightened student than a mere playgoer.

A wise choice for this play, as lessons abound throughout.

We can afford to be such balanced, well-meaning hedonists today because of the sacrifices made by individuals throughout history. I would like to hope that we foster a future based on making people happy, self-fulfilled, and part of a community. In other words, all (balanced) hedonists.

All Through the Night is recommended for ages 13 years and older. It runs at ArtsWest from January 20th through February 12th, 2012 at ArtsWest, with Wednesday through Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. performances on Sundays. Tickets range in price from $10 (under 25 years of age) to $34.50, both group and senior discounts are also available.

NOTE: Tonight, January 23rd, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. there will be an ON STAGE “talkback” session with the cast and director. This event – which takes place the first Monday following opening night, is free and open to the general public. A Gala Event as a part of their Friday Night Event Series is also planned the evening of Friday, February 3rd at 6:00 p.m. for a special ticket price; this event includes a catered reception with delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and pre-show entertainment in addition to the regular performance of All Through the Night. (Check out their Friday Night Event Series webpage for more details.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

The restaurant: Tap Restaurant in Surrey, B.C. Located in the South Surrey Town Centre of the City of Surrey, Tap is, quite simply, fabulous. (Your Hedonista first dined there in June of 2010 at a family celebration dinner.)

The exterior of Tap Restaurant. This place is located in South Surrey's Morgan Creek/Rosemary Heights area.

With a lunch menu that ranges $5 to $25 in price to a dinner menu that ranges price-wise about the same – $5 to $35 – this fine dining is affordable. Tap also has decent wine list that is truly global in scope, complete with a healthy selection of B.C. wines. Says Executive Chef and co-owner Alistair Veen: “I like banging the B.C. drum as much as possible.” But there  are also wines from Australia, Chile, Italy, France, Oregon, and California. There’s even an ‘08 Chardonnay from Tasmania currently on the wine list, at $240 a bottle. Wines by the glass ($8-$10), as well as half bottles ($30) and full bottles ($40-$800) are all available. Their wine philosophy over at Tap: “Wine should not be intimidating.” (I couldn’t agree more.)

Executive Chef Alistair Veen definitely knows what he's doing.

Tap Restaurant seats 42 inside its rustic-chic yellow and red interior that’s bedecked with local artwork that changes up every few months or so and another 30 on the patio when the weather is good. Approximately 6 years old, it opened in early 2006, around March or so.

Another six months later, in August of 2006, Alistair Veen – today the Executive Chef and co-owner with Les Pereira – joined Tap. When I first met him back in the summer of 2010, he’d informed me that he was “General Manager, Head Chef, and Janitor.” For the past two to three years, he’s also been a partner in this business. His background? Chemical engineering, which dovetailed into the culinary arts with ease. He’s also had sommelier training. On top of that, he’s been cooking since the age of 15 years, and paid his way through school by working at Earls. Alistair worked in Vancouver’s culinary scene for a dozen years before calling Tap home.

Originally planned to be  tapas-style bar, Tap’s reason for being is simple – contemporary cuisine; fine dining; food without pretentiousness. They do all the locavore-lovin’: use local growers, heirloom potatoes and tomatoes, conduct the produce shopping by hand, and use locally-based partners as much as possible.

Some of Tap's delectable offerings, from left to right: Halibut with beet and goat cheese salad, hazelnuts, and roasted vinaigrette; rabbit cannelloni (my fav; I fell in love with rabbit all over again with this special of the day); and rib eye with broccoli. Main course dishes like these run between $25 and $35; for example, the halibut dish was $26.

The food and wine pairings were well done (we went with our server’s suggestions): with the rabbit cannelloni was paired a Black Widow 2008 Oasis, which is a blend of Schönburger, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris from B.C.’s Naramata Bench; with the rib eye, a 2007 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon from California.

Their chocolate crunch bar: peanut butter, chocolate ganache, and hazelnut and praline topped with candied cherries and salt and drizzled with chocolate and butterscotch (the latter of which they make in-house with real scotch). Pure bliss.

Tap Restaurant is open Tuesdays through Saturdays for lunch and dinner, from 11:30 a.m. until close. Reservations are recommended; they even offer gift cards.

So heed this hedonist and try Tap the next time you’re in Surrey. For, as Alistair informed me, “You don’t have to go downtown for good food.”

As far as Tap Restaurant is concerned, I couldn’t agree more.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

And, if you’re truly house-/apartment-/condo-bound, with the local hot beverage places either closed or seemingly not worth the trek outside to get to, one appliance comes to mind.

My mind, at least.

As of only a few short days ago, that is.

The Capresso froth PRO - here frothing what was left of my holiday egg nog, with which I made egg nog lattes.

The Capresso froth PRO.

What is it, you ask?

Well, to be honest, it was a product I received to test. A product which I initially had my reservations about, given that my humble kitchen – though well-equipped – is rather small. That means that space is at a premium and larger-ish appliances – appliances like coffee machines, slow cookers, and stand mixers – are stored down in the basement, rather than on the main floor with/in the kitchen. Smaller-ish/everyday appliances like the toaster, electric tea kettle, French press and moka pots/stove-top espresso makers stay in the kitchen, either on the counter, in the pantry, or neatly tucked away in one of the cupboards.

I’ve now added the Capresso froth PRO to my list of “upstairs appliances” – small in size, it’s none other than a milk frother. That’s right; with this gadget, one can froth plain, chocolate, even soy milk to create deliciously decadent beverages. The gizmo even has cold-warm-hot settings.

I tried it for the first time a couple of days ago, when 1) I was really jonesin’ for hot beverages and 2) I rediscovered what was left of one-half of a gallon of holiday eggnog in the fridge. So I made an eggnog latte by frothing the eggnog in the Capresso, on the “hot froth” setting.

Mmmm ... eggnog lattes. These days, it's like Christmas all over again - only this time, a white Christmas.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It didn’t suck. On the contrary, it was good. Real good.

Since that first day earlier on this week, I’m pretty much using it every day that I crave hot beverages – which, as of snowy late, has been daily.

With this machine, home-made lattes are relatively painless; simply make your coffee/espresso and top with the froth generated by the Capresso froth PRO. In addition to eggnog and plain lattes, I’ve also made frothy hot chocolates by frothing plain milk, stirring in chocolate powder, and adding wither whip or marshmallows (and usually both).

This glorious gadget is available online for around $60; $59.99 on the Capresso website (not including any shipping and/or handling) or $59.95 at Metropolitan Market.

Just in case you need more barista-like gadgets in your kitchens, dear hedonists.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Canadian bass-baritone John Relyea from Toronto, Ontario as Attila (left) and bass-baritone Michael Devlin from Chicago, Illinois as Leone (right). Photo by © Elise Bakketun, provided by Seattle Opera, and used with permission.

For Attila – whichever way you choose to pronounce it – is currently enjoying its première at the Seattle Opera (which, incidentally, is closed today, with the following in white lettering on a blood-red banner across the top of their homepage: “Due to inclement weather the ticket office will be closed today. Tickets and subscription packages for Attila can still be purchased online.”) Your Hedonista attended opening night as media on Saturday, January 14th.

Attila was the leader of the Hunnic Empire and ruler over the Huns, who were Eurasian nomads. Known as Attila the Hun, this barbarian leader ruled from 434 CE until his death in 453 CE (allegedly from a nosebleed, of all things). Although he and his warriors on horseback ravaged Italy’s northern regions, he failed to take Rome before his death.

Attila is a bel canto opera by one of the most influential composers of the 19th century, Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813-1901). This, Verdi’s number 9 out of a total of 28 operas he composed in his lifetime, is set to an Italian libretto penned by Temistocle Solera, which in turn is based on an early 19th century play by Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner entitled, Attila, König der Hunnen (Attila, King of the Huns). Its original première took place on March 17, 1846.

Soprano Ana Lucrecia García from Coro, Venezuela as Odabella, all decked out in her Salvation-Army-uniform-meets-Smurf costume. Photo by © Elise Bakketun, provided by Seattle Opera, and used with permission.

Overall, Saturday’s performance was brilliant from an aural perspective. The most difficult role – one that demands endless stamina, seemingly boundless range, competition with a very loud orchestra, and significant colorature agility – is that of the warrior-heroine Odabella. This role was sung most impressively by Ana Lucrecia García. And Canadian John Relyea’s booming voice was as battle-like as his character Attila. But unfortunately I found much of the stage presence of the cast to be somewhat stiff and lacking in the passion and animation that are warranted in such times, places, and struggles.

The costumes and set reminded me of my recent attendance at the Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Coriolanus; again, that minimalist, modern-day warfare theme for both settings and costumes seems downright ubiquitous, these days. I did enjoy the projector screen, which in mere moments could transform the set from the war-tone Italian city of Aquileia (located near Venice) to Venice and its lagoon, to a secluded, silent fort at night.

Filled with political intrigue, pro-Italy sentiments, divided interests, and a love triangle, this opera ends with one of the shortest death scenes in the opera world: Odabella gets to kill Attila with the sword of her father, the king of Aquileia, whom Attila’s men kill in the opera’s prologue. This opera may be all about Attila, but really it’s more about his not-really-true-to-history dramatic downfall and demise.

Attila runs for only six performances from January 14th until the 28th, with five performances remaining, including the next performance to be held on the 18th and a single matinée on the 22nd. Tickets range in price from $25 to $213, depending on the section and performance date.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

That said, sometimes folks just need a “fresh start” – a deadline/dateline that prompts one to get off one’s hedonistic hiney and (to quote the Nike motto): “Just do it.”

So here you Hedonista stands – well, actually, as I write this, sits – with her own health improvement: the social betterment of Heed the Hedonist.

How, you ask?

At last! Your Hedonista (and Heed the Hedonist) can now finally "connect and share" with all you fellow hedonists out there! Whoo-hoo!

Why, by finally creating that Heed the Hedonist Facebook (FB) page (http://www.facebook.com/heedthehedonist) that I confess I’ve been meaning to set up – OK, more like dreading to set up – since I began this blog in late 2009. Not that there’s anything fancy about it right now, mind you. In fact, it’s pretty bare (I’m currently working on my Jacqueline Pruner (Hedonista) page: http://www.facebook.com/jacquelineprunerhedonista). (NOTE: I also have a Twitter page – https://twitter.com/heedthehedonist – and handle: @heedthehedonist).

Granted, I realize that, although I am typically striving to be on the cutting edge, only just now I joined the some 800 million active FB users (the FB stats are quite interesting, if you care to have a look-see.) I’m even using bitly now – whoo-hoo!

However, I’m just thrilled I’ve gotten this far (with the help of a friend or two, to whom I am eternally grateful), so please feel free to reach out/”friend”/”like” whatever you crazy FB hedonists out there are doing these days. Also, any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated also, please just be patient as I evolve with this latest e-medium.

As for me, I promise to keep at it … and, with great satisfaction, cross one of my New Year’s Resolutions off of my 2012 list.

Enjoy the snow days while they last, dear hedonists … and be safe out there.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Winter $16 Plates Menu gets an update: Roasted Red Pepper Soup (left) and Roasted Root Vegetables with a Wagyu Cheeseburger, complete with a fried egg, crisp onions, and Swiss cheese (right).

The same goes for restaurants; for example, starting this past Monday, January 9th, 2012, The Capital Grille has switched out a soup, sandwich, and side from its Winter $16 Plates Menu.(Your Hedonista tried both the new menu as well as other items from the Capital Grill lunch menu this week.)

First, the soup: their porcini-based soup has been replaced with a Roasted Red Pepper Soup – thick like tomato soup, but with a sweet-but-roasted red pepper taste (think of those tiny red peppers) that’s complemented by the celeriac toppings.

Next, their sandwich: their BLT was traded for their Wagyu (think American Kobe here) cheeseburger. Loaded on a fab brioche bun, this burger has a real hedonistic steak-n-eggs quality. (Hint: eat it with the steak knife they give you; you’ll thank me later.)

Liquid Lunch: Capital Grille's Fresh Squeezed Mint Lemonade (left) and Housemade Grapefruit Soda (right).

Finally, the Roasted Root Vegetables: replacing their butternut squash, these veggies are a blend of root veggies that include heirloom spuds, like the ones that are purple all the way through. Pure seasonal winter fare in these parts, plain and simple.

I also sampled a couple of their non-alcoholic lunchtime refreshments, both priced at $350 a piece: their Fresh Squeezed Mint Lemonade and their elderflower-infused Housemade Grapefruit Soda. Both are lovely; the former is sweet but light, while the latter is grapefruity-floral with fizzy balance.

In sum, although their $6 Happy Hour is reason enough to drop in, now there are some new items on the lunch menu as well.

(Just in case you hedonists out there wish to change things up a bit this year.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.