Is it just me, or do concerts always seem even better in the summer?

Kings of Leon just ruled over GM Place back-to-back weekend nights, lighting Vancouver’s sex on fire.
This city seems to be bands’ play-then-stay destination. We all know Vancouver is beautiful but KOL’s beauty lead, Caleb Followill, just couldn’t get over how beautiful the concert crowd was.
The same sentiment is repeated time and time again. From Motley Crue’s homage to Van hotties in Girls, Girls, Girls to Snoop Dogg arriving in town days before his show. It must be the water!
Whatever it is, I like that bands dig giggin’ in our city.
Next up, Silver Sun Pickups and Cage the Elephant play consecutive shows at the Commodore, Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Every show — whether good, great or even mediocre — starts with the question: where to chill pre-concert?

This Tuesday, it is Deuce Bungalow (980 Granville) dubbed the Spanglish Cantina.
The interior is outfitted with six stunning chandeliers – 5 of which are antique works by local artist, Caliden – displayed in massive vintage frames, moody retro wall coverings and a couple of TVs for those of you keeping score.
Think of it as that cool spot that you frequented on vacay – the one where you made friends with the entire staff and even promised to keep in touch – woops, that never did happen, did it!?

The mixture of Latin American, Carib, Spanish and North American fare produce eats that treat.
Must try drink: the strawberry and basil margarita – but really, any flavour will do! Raspberry–Lemonade – for those in need of a thirst quench.
Warning: Some appies may cause serious cravings – namely, the avocado fries with the Serrano dipping sauce…note to staff: this sauce needs to be bottled pronto!!
The ensalada de bungalow. It is where goat cheese meets the pepper – a marriage made in heaven. Same goes for the taquitos and avocado creama – wowza! Don’t even get me started on the deconstructed wild BC salmon paella. Manchego and chorizo – need I say more?
The staff – Friendly and fun – you’ll swear you went to school with them! In fact I did. Excited to find out this gem is owned by Darcy Tweedly, one of my fellow high schoolers.
The prices – totally decent for the quality cooked up by executive chef, Mario Fernandez (formerly of the Hilton Whistler) along with his team have come up with unique cutting edge food make Deuce stand out as a restaurant first and not just another bar on Granville.

The vibe, plus music, plus DJ definitely gets us geared for the show – maybe that’s just the tequila – almost to the point where we contemplate staying for another!
The show starts in 5 mins, very thankful that the Commodore is just steps away – especially with these heels!
Cage the Elephant hits the stage. Lead Matt Shultz’s spazzy energy is infectious! Second song in he took a dive into the crowd and when he returned to the stage he was richer by a couple of transformers band-aids!
Cage proved there really ain’t no rest for the wicked…why is it only Tuesday night?

Deuce Bungalow (980 Granville) 604 688 2969 – Facebook fan page under Deuce Bungalow
- Open 7 days from 5pm til midnight last call for food/drink
STEALS: 2 for 1 Mondays. Food specials will run daily from open til 7pm.
$25 gift certs with every bill over $100 before 7pm daily for groups of girls (limited time).

Water cooler thoughts:

Charis, Morning Show Skirt
Kings on Leon on Saturday was awesome. We set the night up by grabbing food and bevies at the Kingston Taphouse and Grille on Richards (not pricey and solid fare), which was a good idea because I like to pre-sauce before going to GM Place (the beer line-ups are far too long).
The show was everything I hoped it would be. A good mix of old and new songs, and the kind of energy you normally find at a club gig. From the girls up front on shoulders to the people in the nosebleeds dancing, it was a full on KOL love in.

Ryan J. Hobson, Web Designer CFOX.COM
Kings of Leon Saturday night at GM Place was a front to back an awesome arena rock show. Nothing flashy on stage, just great tunes spanning all the Kings albums! Song highlights for me were On Call, Knocked Up and Manhattan.
If you’re going to GM Place for a show you can’t get any closer or easier then Library Square. Before the show a group us made our way to Library Square, and pulled up a picnic table on their deck. Great preshow food, cold beers and Jager shots!

With only 10 weekends max in a Vancouver summer, we have to pick and choose our plans very wisely.

Between the birthdays, bbq’s, weddings, family reunions, stags or stagettes, we are left with precious lil’ time to get our sunshine-y groove on.

So when you finally spot that sweet blank calendar space on your next weekend, Seattle is a MUST-do trip.

I made the trek last weekend. Down the I 5 – downtown Van to downtown Seattle will run you about 2 hrs give or take. Best to leave early to beat the border rush.

First stop:

Seattle Premium Outlet (10600 Quil Ceda Blvd Tulalip)
If you are into savings on top of savings, make sure you download a VIP coupon at www.premiumoutlets.com/vip before you hit the road. Everything from BCBG to Nike – we are talking mega deals galore.

Now that we have tackled the mainstream must-do, it’s up to Capitol Hill (Broadway, Pike/Pine) – the birthplace of grunge, for finds like no other. Everything from fashion to furnishings, retro to future focused – this strip is a real shoppers delight … not to mention the dining and nightlife. My personal fav: Knee High (1356 E. Olive Way) just make sure you don’t miss the unmarked door on the bottom of the steeple shaped apartment building.

Après shopping high, we get back on the road b/c there is so much more to do.

Next stop:
Mariners afternoon game
Game time 1:30pm just enough time to hit the box office and grab some tix (unless you already did so at http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/)
With the cheapest seat in the house running you about $7 US – this is a must-do afternoon activity and helps justify the spending spree I just went on. Walking into Safeco is much like joining a parade…from babies to blue hairs everyone is sporting team colours.
Excitement builds and there is really not a bad seat in the house, add over 300 thousand volts lighting up the field and it is almost as surreal as being on a movie set. If your seats are way up there and you wanna mingle, head down to the bar right by the batting cages, you will swear you are in a BUD LIGHT commercial….could be a good or bad thing – depending on what you are into.
A barbwire fence literally separates us from Ichiro and the rest of Seattle’s best – there is no better way to enjoy the game.

OK, now time to hit the hotel and change, get ready and bounce out to dinner:

The Red Fin (612 Stewart St.) adjoining the Max hotel.
I have always been a big fan of RF’s sister restaurant, Wasabi Bistro in Belltown, but the Red Fin is most def the older, sophisticated, classy sister that your guy friends wish they were introduced to!
The well-travelled, tatt’d staff know their stuff and the crowd is a friendly, fun mix of people that you would actually want to have a conversation with. The waiter suggests the shiitake mushroom dumplings, seared sea scallops, albacore tuna tataki – melt in your mouth….ponzu, shiso aïoli, garlic chips and yummy roll…yummy literally – are all must trys.
Now, we are ready to work off that dinner so we head to Belltown (up 2nd Ave around Cedar) – to hit the hotspots: there is a whole block of clubs/lounges/cocktail lounges – one to check out if you don’t mind being a human pinball is Amber (2214 1st Ave). You may even spot one of the players you just saw on the field earlier today. Warning: Seattle bartenders seem to be big fans of the ‘free-pour’ – a couple drinks will definitely do!

After you catch a few needed zzzs, there is no better place to reminisce about last night’s festivities/shenanigans than over breakfast at:
Lola’s (2000 4th Ave # B) www.tomdouglas.com
When the mini powdered morning donuts hit the table, the conversation may be put on hold…how can something be so delish – no, seriously, how!?

Here are some of my co-workers’ choices:
Captain Scotty
Morning Show Gigolo 99.3 The Fox
The Triangle Pub. Kitty corner to Safeco & Qwest Field, on the outskirts of Pioneer Square at 553 1st Ave South.
The ultimate hole-in-the-wall dump of a bar that’s only the size of a phone booth, in a building that’s 100 years old, where the peanuts are free and dumping the shells on the floor is appreciated, it’s jam packed on game days for the M’s & ‘Hawks, where litre-sized “Man Cans” of beer are only 4 bucks, and the place smells like pee…but I never miss a trip to the Triangle on my escapades in the Emerald City.

Rob Ford,
Creative Writer 99.3 The Fox
I try to make it down to Seattle at least once a year for a Mariners game.
Even if you’re not a baseball fan, you’ll love the atmosphere of Safeco Field where your nose will lead you to the closest garlic fries stand. After the game, head across the street to the Pyramid Alehouse (1201 First Avenue South) for some great pub food and house brewed beer at pretty decent prices.

Listen to Todd and Karen weekdays 3 to 6 p.m. only on 99.3 The FOX … The FOX Rocks!