The Angle Lake light-rail station in SeaTac is no stranger to public art. Since opening in 2016, it has welcomed visitors with colorful floating discs, an undulating colonnade of blue aluminum planks, and a vortex of boomerang shapes escorting riders to the parking garage. And now riders will hear guitar strums, drumbeats, and vocal flourishes coming from a new performance space.
The Roadhouse, which opened Oct. 29, is an all-ages, live music venue at the station. Look for it near the parking garage, under a forthcoming neon sign. In addition to producing music shows, the venue (occupancy 145) will be rentable for special events, rehearsals, workshops and classes. It’s part of STart, Sound Transit’s public art program (funded by 1 percent of construction budgets for the regional mass-transit agency).

The venue will be managed by musician and arts educator Eduardo Mendonça, owner of Show Brazil Productions, an educational arts organization based in Kent, where he lives. After one year, stakeholders will determine whether The Roadhouse experiment is worth continuing.

“The Roadhouse will fill a gap of opportunities,” said Mendonça, who has performed guitar and percussion for luminaries from Nelson Mandela to former Brazil president Joao Baptista Figueiredo. “People need to go to Seattle to do things that are related to music and culture. We do have events and opportunities that happen in south King County, but The Roadhouse for sure will be a very good addition in a different way to having our community here.” 

Mendonça said his production company is planning approximately 20 events in the space over the next year, all free to the public. They include a series called “The Sounds of Roadhouse,” aimed at adults and teens and featuring local performers of anything from pop to Latin music.

The venue will also be open to community organizations to host their own events and increase their visibility. 

Source: Crosscut.com, a Pacific Northwest, non-profit news site that’s part of Cascade Public Media.

Pleasant dreams during menopause

Menopause, which typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55 and can last as long as 14 years, affects every woman differently, but many report having trouble sleeping. Experts have some tips for getting a good night’s sleep when experiencing night sweats from menopause.

  • Get into a routine.

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time for the best sleep quality. Avoid napping if you can. Hot flushes and menopause can make sufferers feel more tired during the day, but napping can make it even harder to fall asleep at night.

Maxine Brady, a blogger and interior stylist, said she uses a Fitbit to help her stay on a regular schedule for going to bed.

  •  Keep your room ventilated and cool.

Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert and author of “How to Sleep Well,” said the ideal temperature for the bedroom is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, “although this is a matter of personal preference.”

Not all of us have air conditioning at home, and heating bills are on the rise which means it can be difficult to get any room to remain at this temperature throughout the night. However, there are ways to prevent a sleepless night of tossing and turning. Leave your bedroom window open a crack, especially during the spring and summer months. Having a flow of fresh air will help keep you cool and the gentle breeze can help relax you. During the winter months, or if you live on a noisy street, consider investing in a quiet fan to circulate the air around your room. You might also want to leave the bedroom door ajar to prevent the room from feeling stuffy.

  •  Try linen bed sheets.

To get the best sleep, we must keep our bodies comfortable, cool and dry. During the REM sleep stage, we’re not very good at keeping our body temperature constant. Menopause only makes this trickier. Linen achieves the highest airflow through the fabric in comparison to other regularly used bedding materials. 

  • Sleep in the dark.

This one may sound obvious, but keeping your room dark is essential. Consider investing in black-out blinds or curtains. Alternatively, a classic eye mask will do the trick to keep the light out of your eyes in the morning and throughout the night.

  • Wear good-quality pajamas.

We don’t sleep well if our skin feels wet from sweat. Breathable sleepwear, like linen pajamas, is great for moisture management and wicking. 

  • Hydrate before bed.

It’s important to drink enough water throughout the day to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep and alleviate some symptoms of menopause, including dryness. But avoid drinking large amounts of water just before you head to bed, as you don’t want to end up running to the bathroom all night. Also avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee or cola for a few hours before you go to bed. And alcohol should be limited or avoided as much as possible.

  •  Put your phone to bed.

Scrolling endlessly on your phone before bed is a bad idea at any age, but if you’re already struggling with sleep quality, it’s definitely something to avoid. Your phone screen emits blue light, which signals to your brain that it’s still daytime, knocking your body clock out of sync.

EFFECTS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE ARE UNPREDICTABLE

According to the National Institutes of Health, menopause affects each woman uniquely and in various ways. Their bodies use energy differently, fat cells change, and they gain weight, among other physical changes.

Because they may be caused by changing hormone levels, the frequency and severity of symptoms is unpredictable. Signs and symptoms at various stages of menopause include:

  • Hot flashes. A sudden feeling of heat in the upper body, lasting between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. Face and neck flushed, red blotches on chest, back and arms. Can continue for many years.
  • Loss of bladder control–incontinence. Sleep. Around midlife, some women start having trouble getting a good night’s sleep.
  • Poor sleep. Can’t fall asleep easily, wake too early, night sweats.
  • Vaginal pain during sexual intercourse, due to dryness.
  • Moodier or more irritable.
  • Bodily changes such as thinner skin, stiff and achy joints and muscles. Headaches, and heart palpitations are also possible.

Consulting with a doctor is recommended for treatment of menopausal symptoms. More information on the subject is available from the North American Menopause Society (menopause.org, 440-442-7550) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (acog.org, 800-673-8444.

’Tis the season to turn your home into a candy cane kingdom, gingerbread castle, or winter wonderland — with or without the snow.

With the holiday season upon us, LawnStarter just released its 2023 Holiday Decor Trends report. They surveyed U.S. adults about their plans for decking the halls (and yard), including holiday budgets and Christmas tree preferences.

Here are some key stats from the survey results, along with demographic insights such as age, income, and gender:
Christmas (88.3 percent) is the most popular winter holiday for celebrants this year, followed by New Year (65 percent ) and Winter Solstice (19 percent). The living room (71 percent) is the most popular area of the home to decorate for the holidays, followed by the home exterior (65 percent) and front yard (54 percent). 36 percent of respondents say it’s too early to start decorating before Halloween — yet 17 percent admit to doing so. When decorating for the holidays, 37 percent of respondents pick out their Christmas tree at a local tree farm, while 25 percent opt to order it online.   
Demographics: Women are nearly twice as likely as men to air their grievances on Dec. 23 for Festivus. Adults between 25 and 34 are most likely to splurge on decorations, with 9 percent budgeting over $500. Among those aged 55 to 64, wreaths are over five times more popular than outdoor displays like inflatable snowmen or carved wooden characters. Among all groups, Democrats are the most likely at nearly 55 percent to prefer artificial trees. 20 percent of respondents aged 55 to 64 have an artificial tree that is older than 10 years old.
Navy ship will bear Billy Frank’s name

A new addition to the Navy’s fleet will be named for a Pacific Northwest leader of Native Americans.

Navy officials announced the USNS Billy Frank Jr. will be a Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship when it’s built. The name selection follows the tradition of naming such ships in honor of prominent Native Americans or Native American tribes

Frank was a Nisqually tribal member and an iconic Native American environmental leader and treaty rights activist before his death in 2014. His promoted cooperative management of natural resources while dedicating his life to activism. He served as chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for more than 30 years.

“I am honored for the opportunity to name a naval ship after a man who was a proponent and leader for Native American rights,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro . “Billy Frank Jr. spent his life serving others, and his namesake ship will do the same as it travels around the world enabling humanitarian assistance and the maintenance of freedom.”