I recently visited Shop by Porter in Seattle, and it quickly became one of my favorite places in…read morethe city. From the moment I walked in, I noticed the beautiful, thoughtfully designed atmosphere with plenty of places to sit and work or relax. It's both modern and cozy, making it a place to leave, because I want to stay all day! The coffee is absolutely outstanding! In fact, it's become my favorite coffee in Seattle. Every cup rich in flavor, consistently excellent and with a fun design on top! One of the standout features of Shop by Porter is its meeting spaces! They are comfortable, amazingly designed. I've never found a coffee shop like this. It's the kind of spot I will find yourself returning to again and again.

Overall great working space. Lot's of tables available with comfortable seating. Great ambiance to…read morework in or to meet with someone and grab a coffee. Drink was on the pricier side in comparison to other Seattle coffee shops, but because the place was really cute, clean, and great ambiance and working space, I looked past the price. Initially, I loved the space when I visited the first time and definitely planned to come back. The second time I came in, I sat in one of the "reserved" office spaces. It wasn't clear that you "had to" reserve; I thought there was simply an "option" to reserve. It was 8:30am on a Saturday and basically no one was there. Honest mistake on my part, as I didn't know, but the lady who came in to tell me the info was a bit rude and had an attitude. Bad morning, I guess? This left me on a bad note and a little turned off from the place, so I wouldn't recommend at all anymore or come back unfortunately.

Full circle: I was…read moregraciously invited to a networking meeting for entrepreneurs that was being held at YCAC and when I looked up the name on Google Earth, I got quite a surprise. Turns out, the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center building used to be the old elementary school I attended from 1965-69 called Frank B. Cooper School and located about eight blocks from where I was raised. The meeting was held in one of my old classrooms that had an old piano which if memory serves, I played for my 5th grade teacher. A few other memories I recalled were things like watching a solar eclipse, playing Silent Night in a Christmas show on an auto-harp, my first crushes and the mouthwatering smell of food wafting through the school from the kitchen located near the auditorium. I remember one of the classrooms had a coat closet and when you entered it, there was another door and beyond that, a stairway that led up to the attic where all the duct-work and storage was. A great place to get lost for a bit. Long story short, the last time I was in that building was in 1969 and it is fitting that in a building where the original function was to introduce values, knowledge and the basic skills to successfully interact with American society and culture, I would end up in a networking meeting for entrepreneurs. Talk about full circle! That being said, it was also really cool to combine 3-D visuals with my childhood memories of the place. +1 to the other distinguished Yelpers who reviewed this place and for myself, I left there believing that YCAC is a worthwhile organization for not only renting out my old classrooms, auditorium, or gymnasium, but more importantly, for the education, artistic support, and future of Seattle's teens and potentially, its future entrepreneurs and leaders. Check out their website and if you can, visit the facility when you are in the area because it can certainly use some positive support to keep it going.

I came here for a NIA class. First I missed the turn for the parking lot. Then I was struck by how…read moresmall it was. Not an auspicious beginning... things changed. It is one of those older schools which has been renovated into a community arts, culture and meeting center. In the front doorway are many flyers about interesting art and cultural events. The halls are alive with art and invitations to be involved. Our class used a very lovely high ceiling gym with a good floor for dance and wonderful mirrors.

The Guitar Gallery at the MoPop is a music lover's dream…read more There's a ton to do and see at the MoPop (Museum of Pop Culture), but the music aspect of the pop culture on display is fascinating. The Guitar Gallery at MoPop houses guitars from some of the greats like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Brandi Carlisle, and more - as well as a giant guitar art installment that stretches up from the floor to the sky high ceiling. Very impressive. When we went, there was an entire Pearl Jam exhibit as well as a Nirvana exhibit. The Nirvana exhibit was so full of info - in fact it's the world's most extensive Nirvana exhibition! So if you're a big fan of theirs, this is a destination for you. You can see guitars of Kurt Cobain's, a drum kit from Dave Grohl, and more. And Pearl Jam's exhibit was a recreation of their recording studio, with a few artifacts of theirs too like lots of guitars, set lists, and Jeff Ament's smashed bass. This one isn't there anymore, but just to show you the type of things you can see at the MoPop/Guitar Gallery. So if you're in Seattle and want to see a little about the Grunge music scene or just music in general, definitely visit the Guitar Gallery at MoPop - and while you're there, check out the rest of MoPop in general!

Came here with my kids, they absolutely loved all the exhibitions, guitar rooms, sci-fi and horror…read morerooms, sound lab, etc Parking is free on Sunday

This is my favorite art gallery in town! They are always super friendly, helpful and informative…read more But most importantly they consistently have stellar shows. I usually go during First Thursday/Art Walk because it is a convenient time (they are open late for it, of course) but I also enjoy quieter weekend visits. It is a large space and I just don't think you can go wrong with their three distinct galleries. The basement (Gallery III) is where they keep a lot of pieces from various artists they represent. It is usually a hodge podge of interesting pieces and gives you the chance to sample the works of many of their artists. I have purchased a couple of pieces from them and the interactions were really positive. The last time I bought a sculpture and the director opened early for us and had the pieces we were interested in all setup for us to check out. They also gave us lots of information about the collection and the artist. Great gallery, great people.

WOW! My experience was the exact opposite of the other…read morereviewer...which causes me to wonder if it isn't something fabricated to make this "Gallery" appear to be something special. It's not. I predict it will fail quickly and be forgotten. "IMA what?" My visit included being treated in a cold and condescending manner. When I answered the questions I was asked..."qualifiers"...my answers were regarded with skepticism...by a young guy who looked like he would rather go downstairs and curl-up to take a nap. Great! I felt so welcome. What is this behavior...a shallow form of intimidation designed to inspire one to run for the door? Uhhhh, I have a question for YOU..."Where's the EXIT?" Condescension is always a fantastic way to make someone feel welcome and to, ultimately, feel pleased to open his or her wallet. "D'OH!" Success...? i don't foresee it for this insignificant, and below average, gallery...conveniently located way off the beaten path. Desperation is what I sensed. It didn't smell like "Teen Spirit...more like...fear founded in insecurity and the inevitability of losing a business; one without an effective business model. I'll be returning on the 12th Thursday of Neverary. Bon chance, Gallery MIA. Soon to be."Missing in Action".

It is free admissions to this small art gallery. They have a beautiful whale skeleton with an…read moreautomated tail. There was a nice volunteer there that gave us a short story about the whale. She also taught us more about whales with fun facts and let us hold a real whale bone too. It was much lighter than anticipated and I believe our first time holding a real whale bone. They had a nice gallery of local artists' works for sale. There were beautifully crafted hand baskets, pottery, and repurposed aluminum can artworks on sale when we were there.

Beautiful venue! They also were serving beer and wine. We…read moresaw Ricki Lee Jones and the sound couldn't have been better. I wish I could see every show here as it accommodates just enough, people for it not to be too crowded. Super comfortable!

The Old Rainier Brewery (ORB) located in the SoDo district of Seattle holds some awesome art walks…read more The people in the building are laid back and the guests they had (artist's and visitors) were probably some of the coolest people to hang out with, talk to, and buy art from. This building is full of amazing artisans; painters, photographers, sculptors, fire dancers, belly dancers, burlesque, capoeira Brazilian dancers, designers, musicians, stone workers, metal smiths and many more. Like our page to stay in tune with what is happening in this historic building! https://www.facebook.com/ORBarts They have five art walks happening this year: ORB ART WALK CALENDAR: 01-14-2012 04-14-2012 06-09-2012 08-11-2012 10-13-2012

This review is for the rooftop terrace, available to the public…read more The Bell Harbor Int'l Conf Center has a secret that is not widely known or not widely visited. Its rooftop terrace is available to the public whenever the center is not reserved, which is fairly often. Currently, there is construction along the steps and other parts, so it is unlikely to be rented. This is good for the peasants like us (insert cheesy grin). On a recent sunny Saturday, we ventured out to the Seattle waterfront to enjoy it before the cruise ship tourist season starts. Bell Harbor was one of the places that I want to finally visit. I was happy to see a sandwich board sign on the street indicating the terrace is open via the elevator. Despite the plentiful visitors along the rest of the waterfront, few seem to walk the extra steps northward to reach here. The labels in the elevator clearly marks level 5 to be the terrace. What a beautiful view! The entire terrace is very well maintained. The free mounted binoculars are fully functional. It is so clear that we can see the numbered flags hanging in Lumen Field. (See photo) West facing ones give clear views of West Seattle. Mount Rainier was hidden behind clouds. We are very satisfied with this free viewpoint. (See photo) Highly recommend for locals and visitors.

First time visiting. Very nice conference center with a large ball room overlooking Puget Sound, a…read morebeautiful auditorium with stadium seating. Plenty of parking across a sky bridge.

The art the exhibit were amazing love this place. The service the ambience was just so warm and…read moreinviting.

New gallery, Arte Noir, recently had their grand opening in the Central District. An amazing…read morecreative space that highlights Black artists and creators. There are two parts of the gallery. On one end we got paintings and murals. A collective of Black artists sharing their story and voice. On the other end we have a makers market. Displaying jewelry, art, clothing, apothecary and souvenirs that highlight the gallery, Black owned businesses and artists. Y'all best go support the community and Black artists! The staff is amazing and the space is really welcoming! Check their website or Instagram for upcoming events. Street parking available.