Pemco in the Northwest

Nothing gets those creative juices flowing like a little exercise and hundreds of free showings by renowned artists right here in the Seattle area. Yesterday, Peter and I were inspired to join fellow Art Gallery Crawlers for the First Thursday art walk in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood. Powered up on cheese plates and hors d'oeuvres, we pounded the pavement exploring every booth and gallery this thirty-year fixture in Seattle's art community has to offer.

We loved exploring the intimate workspaces of the 619 Yesler Art Building and hearing firsthand the inspirations and insights of the artists. Painting and sculpture weren't the only examples of stunning local talent on display. During our stroll we were treated to elegant tango demonstrations near Occidental Park and live performances at a former grunge hotspot, O.K. Hotel. Along the way we met Rachel, a Seattle Art Institute student and academic Art Gallery Crawler. "This is actually homework for me, but it's great getting to explore Seattle's rich art scene with my friends at the same time." We can see why they're so eager to come along, Rachel!

Here are a few of our favorite shots from the art walk:

    Nadira, Rachel and Danielle enjoy the evening of art

Little Ian finds out art can be interactive!

One of our favorite pieces of the night titled "Octofly"

Painter/Sculpter Mark Berry from Ellensburg poses next to some of his work

Art not your forte? Then be sure to check us out at the Sounders Community Shield match next Thursday at Qwest Field. See you there!

Harness, ropes and carabiners? Check.

Shoes, chalk bags and all things Gore-Tex? Check, check and check.

Oh, and let's not forget that Nalgene-filled with water. With supplies like these, you know you're in for a uniquely Northwest adventure.

On Tuesday Brad, Steven and I trekked out to Magnuson Park in Seattle to mingle with more of our NW neighbors. While there, we spotted several NW types, including:



At the park's Mountaineers Climbing Wall we met John, Sako and Graham - three adventurous Seattleites with a love for climbing and all things outdoors.

Sako, a recent graduate of UW and current nursing student, took a break from climbing to chat with us. "This is my first time here at the park, but it's a great place to train," she said.

Graham was also enjoying his first visit to the park in preparation for his latest climbing adventure. "I usually climb in California at Yellowstone, but in a few weeks I'm heading north to climb in Alaska just south of Denali," he told us.

We had a great time at Magnuson Park watching our NW Action Figure friends scale the wall, but for now we think we'll keep our feet on the ground! If you missed us on Tuesday, be sure to catch us tomorrow as we check out the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square. Take in the art, enjoy the downtown atmosphere and be sure to stop by and say hello.

Power-walking, skating, paddling, or pushing, we love the unique ways Seattleites cruise the 3.5 mile loop that circles Green Lake. This Wednesday Peter, Brad and I came up with a workout of our own – one that we hope made Green Lake a little bit greener. Brooms in hand, we set out on a curling-inspired stroll to remove stray gravel and debris from the paved walking path circling the picturesque lake.


While we took turns sweeping away the crunchy hazards, we used the opportunity to gather more than 30 pounds of trash from the lakeside! Hopefully our handiwork prevented a few scraped knees and left the loop a little greener than we found it.

Take a look at some of our odd finds of the day:

A warm day in February may be a Northwest rarity, but when the sun finally peeks out from the clouds, what better way to spend the afternoon than with a gaggle of your favorite canine playmates? On Thursday Brad, Steven and I took advantage of the sunny Seattle weather and headed out east to Marymoor Park in Redmond to mingle with NW Profile #23, the Marymoor Off-Leash Dog Lady.

Armed with dog treats, water bottles and a sense of adventure, we set off to strike another notch into our NW Road Trip belts (or leash in this case) and to meet some of our furriest Northwest neighbors. From big to small, groomed to shaggy, we caught up with some great canine companions as they enjoyed a sunny romp in the park with their owners.

Here are some of our favorite shots of the day:



One of our favorite dogs of the day was Hokulani, whose name means "Shining Star" in Hawaiian. Hokulani and her owner, Tim, met in Hawaii 10 years ago when Tim had just started work as a teacher in a school for children with special needs. Hokulani was a rescue pup from the local shelter and Tim brought the dog with him to school everyday, where she would curl up with the students as they completed their reading lessons.

According to Tim, "Hoku is the reason so many of those kids got better at reading. After a while it was like I wasn't even there. It was just them and Hoku."

One look at Hokulani and it's easy to see how such an adorable pup could make such a positive impact:

If you and your four-legged friend missed us at the park this time, don't worry. Just look for us on the next beautiful day in Marymoor - It'll be a barkin' good time!

Love 'em or leave 'em: that was the question at the 5th annual Valentine's Day Dash around Green Lake this weekend.  Peter, Steven and I arrived early Saturday morning to mingle with the hundreds of runners sporting everything from matching pink outfits to huge heart-shaped suits.  The idea behind the 5K race is to dress exactly like your Valentine's Day sweetheart, with prizes awarded for exceptional costumes.  Once the race begins, you have the choice to stay with your running partner or "leave 'em" behind.    

We spent the morning surrounded by energetic runners and cute couples who stopped to get their picture snapped and share their Valentine's story.  Many of the runners seemed eager to set personal-best times, while the couples seemed to be more fixated on finishing the race hand-in-hand with each other.  



While it wasn't quite the dog days of summer at Green Lake, we did meet some excited canines and their human companions.  Mo brought her pack of pooches, Walter, Shasta and Betty to join in on the fun.  They all raced across the finish line with impressive times, but more importantly, they finished in impressive fashion - The dogs donned matching pink bandanas in celebration of Valentine's Day.  

Our day wasn't truly complete until we spotted a pair of "Green Lake Power Walkers."  Admitting that they did indeed fit the bill, Ty and Britt proudly showed off their Northwest Profile T-shirts during the run.  Unfortunately, we noticed that Britt left Ty during the race as she cruised to the finish line in under 33 minutes.  Ty showed up about 10 minutes later, and they happily reunited.  Though they may have opted for the "leave 'em" route, Ty and Britt blissfully left Green Lake together to enjoy the rest of their Valentine's Day weekend.

Though we've experienced our fair share of Northwest runs, this one was by far the sweetest. If you were at the race, drop us a note in the comments section and tell us about your favorite Valentine's Day Dash moment.  Until next time, be sure to stay on the lookout for Peter, Steven and me coming soon to a neighborhood near you!

Here in the Northwest, we like our minds clear even if the weather isn't. And what better way to lift the mental fog of the a.m. commute than with some early-morning coffee?

This Tuesday we thought Metro-bound Eastsiders deserved a little caffeine buzz to get a jump start on the morning ride. Brad, Peter and I were at the South Bellevue Park and Ride from 7-9 a.m. with fresh coffee and the WALLY1 Wi-Fi Hotspot on hand. The drizzly morning weather was no match for our wireless high-pressure system as commuters checked online schedules and prepared for the day.

Here are a few snapshots from the morning's coffee-filled commute:


Didn't get your free cup of coffee? No worries - Just keep an eye out for us on your way to work or follow us on Twitter at @PEMCO_NW for updates on when we'll be stopping by a transit hub near you!

Smiling, mud-speckled "NW Action Figures" were out in spades Saturday, pedaling their way through the Stinky Weather "Stinky Spoke" Poker Ride in Woodinville, WA. Peter and I were on the scene with the WALLY1 van and the NW Profiles Photo Program helping out with the fun, dealing cards and taking pictures of rosy-cheeked poker faces.

The weather was uncooperatively pleasant for the third annual event, which is intentionally scheduled to land on the crummiest day of the year. Light rain and sun seemed to be all Mother Nature could muster up for the "stinky" weather ride, which leads bikers between checkpoints where they gather playing cards in hopes of having a good enough hand at the end to win a prize.

Undeterred by the mild conditions, Shannon and Dave came out to ride, despite being one bike short. Fortunately, they won the auction to ride the popular "Stinky Pinky" beach cruiser. "We took turns. It was a lot of fun," Shannon said.

We snagged a few of the riders to share their favorite parts of the 16-mile race:





Wayne from Redmond couldn't help but look his best for the muddy ride. We asked him if he'd be wearing his trophy splatters to work on Monday. "No, I don't think so!" he said.

Brian and Jennifer brought their 21 month-old son, Connor, along for the ride:
Sue, Pam, Sherrie and Rhonda posed for a moment on the "Stinky Pinky" beach cruiser:


Mike, an enthusiastic Stinky Spoke participant, managed to take a whirl on the bike he's owned since he was six years old!

The Stinky Spoke winning hand was a straight flush, but we're willing to bet everyone went home feeling like a winner. Until next time, drop us a note about your favorite Stinky Spoke moment, and be sure to keep an eye out for WALLY1 and the Fiercely Northwest Wi-Fi Hotspot in your neighborhood!

Congratulations to our most recent winners of the Supercharged Seahawks Fan photo contest!

In a first for this season's Supercharged Seahawks Fan photo contest, Tim L. and his high-flying crew towered over the competition with their daring pyramid of fandom. These acrobatic antics landed them the top spot in last week's contest receiving an unprecedented 217 votes. With a record 352 total votes and a neck-and-neck race throughout most of the competition, this showdown was the most supercharged yet!

Thank you to our super-spirited finalists from last week and to those of you who commented and cast your vote! 

The Seahawks season may not have gone according to plan, but we enjoyed our incredible year with the 12th Man!  As the season came to a close, Peter, Steven and I eagerly greeted Seattle's faithful for one last hurrah.  Our photo program proved once and for all that Seahawks fans are the NFL's finest.

Game-day is always a special occasion at Qwest Field, but the Seahawks took it a step further on Sunday.  The team hosted its annual Fan Appreciation Day to finish the year on a high note.  Our PBA Team let the loyal fans know how much we appreciated their presence all season long, and everything came full circle when the first "Supercharged Seahawks" photo contest winner of the year paid us a final visit. 

Mark, a season ticket holder for 15 years, has really earned his stripes.  He had one ultimate goal to cap off the 2009-2010 season – he vowed that he would make it onto Hawk Vision during Sunday's game!  We were confident that he would make that goal a reality, considering he was decked out in a green and blue dreaded cap and referee uniform emblazoned with "Official Seahawks Fan." 


We have grown accustomed to mingling with "Supercharged Seahawks Fans" every Sunday, and we will certainly miss our experience as we head into the off-season.

Here's what we'll miss the most:

- The pre-game soundtrack of 'Hawk jams

- Seahawks superhero costumes (including Hawk Daddy, Mr. Mohawk, Mama Blue, and Sea Rooster)

- Children attending their first Seahawks game and getting a souvenir photo to prove it

- Proving that, like all of us in the Northwest, Seahawks fans are proud to say "We're a little different!"

Thank you to everyone who visited our booth throughout the season.  You made every Sunday special.  Until next time…Go Seahawks!