Blue Bottle Art Gallery & Store

Friendly felt creatures, robots, two-headed plush fawns, monkeys—every quirky eyeball confection you can imagine is here at the Blue Bottle on Pine. Browse whimsical pieces by local artists on the first floor (a show in itself) then follow the spiral staircase up and you're in the the itsy-bitsy art gallery, currently hung with Tiny Portraits by Amy Hevron. Loved her work and many pieces were under $50...very shoestring. More info...

Vegan It In Georgetown: Squid & Ink

You don't need to be vegan to have a killer nosh at Squid and Ink. The mad-scientist veggie alchemists behind the scene have managed to make all kinds of traditional dishes from delicious plant-matter...calamari, chicken-fried steak, fish-n-chips and more. Don't let the slightly divey hippie vibe throw you—excellent food, friendly folks and shoestring prices. More info...

Chucky Art: The Puppet Show

When it comes to free fun, Frye Art Museum is on the Seattle short list. Took in the current exhibit of The Puppet Show and a few pieces from the Frye archives. And I gotta tell ya, not too into puppets—on the scale of Things That Make Me Uncomfortable they're right up there with mimes and compliments. But the Frye is always worth a look-see in my book, so no complaints. Save yourself the embarrassment: no photography (or be a lot stealthier than moi). More info...