For over 70 years Champion Party Supply has been the definitive source for Seattle party goers and givers.

Halloween is an especially busy time of year, with costumer rentals for both kids and adults.  Youll find a large selection of theatrical and fantasy makeup, and a wig collection thats to die for!  Lots of colors and styles for men, women, and children.

Whats popular for Halloween this year? 

For adults youll find costumes covering every category from movie and television characters to scary creatures to costumes a little on the sexy and naught side.  You can find an adult Tinkerbelle, Captain Jack Sparrow, or Harry Potter. 

For kids youll find the traditional, as well as an assortment of super heroes and movie characters.

Location:  124 Denny Way (between 1st & 2nd Avenue), Lower Queen Anne (map it)

Hours:  Daily, with expanded hours during the Halloween season

But costumes are not just for Halloween! 

Champion is a popular choice for theme parties and kids birthday parties.  You can rent helium tanks for filling balloons, palm trees, and lots of decorative items to give your party a real feel.  And dont forget Santa suits and Easter Bunny outfits.

Orders can be taken online (you can see a partial list of costumes available), but your costume is not considered reserved until its paid for.

Photo credit:  SXC

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If your taste in Halloween treats run a little more gourmet than caramel apples, gummy worms, and candy bars, Chateau Ste. Michelle offers an All Hallows Eve Dinner in its historic Manor House.  The Ste. Michelle dinners are part of its special events calendars and are always popular with Seattle area foodies.

Incorporated into the gourmet meal and wine pairings will be the stories about the legends and history of the Chateau Ste. Michelle property.  Could the manor house be haunted?  Will there be an uninvited guest or two at the dinner?

Location:  Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14111 NE 145th Street, Woodinville (map it)

Date & Time:  October 31st, 7 pm

Tickets:  $150 per person, plus tax.  Space is limited, and reservations required.  Purchase dinner tickets online.

Guests are sure to enjoy both the tricks and the treats of the evening.

Photo credit:  SXC

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Every city has  statues honoring its founders, heroes, and other special citizens of the city.  In Seattle, one of those special citizens, and a hero to many, is Chris Wedes, known to most of us as J.P. Patches.

For those of us growing up in Seattle, especially during the 60s, J.P. Patches was The Man.  I remember watching him every afternoon!  He lived in the city dump, and had crazy friends like best pal Gertrude and Ketchikan the Animal Man, Sheriff Shot Badly, and Boris S. Wort (the world’s second-meanest man).  J.P.  had an I-C-U-2 TV set, and wanted me to be a member of the Clean Plate Club.  Everyone in my neighborhood wanted to be a Patches Pal. 

The show (which aired from 1958-1981) was one of the first non-news shows to be non-scripted.

As I got older, I would see J.P. at special events SeaFair activities, parades, and grand openings, as well as visiting area hospitals.  I came to learn that their was a person behind that makeup.  A person with a big heart who loved children.

Although the show has been off the air for over 25 years, J.P. and Gertrude have continued to make public appearances and raise money for childrens charities.

This past summer a statue was erected in Fremont to honor J.P. and Gertrude (Bob Newman) in Fremont.  A fitting tribute for two special Seattle heroes.

Location:  Solstice Plaza at North 34th, Fremont (map it)

Note:  Who remembers what J.P. stood for? 

Answer after the jump.

J.P. stood for Julius Pierpont.

Photo credit:  Both from flick, statue; real life

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Details:  The Pioneer Building is located in Seattles historic Pioneer Square at the corner of First Avenue and James Street.  I was completed in 1891, after the Great Seattle Fire (1889). 

The building is made of stone, red brick, terra cotta and cast iron.  The exterior walls are made of Bellingham Bay gray sandstone for the basement and first floor, and then red brick on the upper five floors.  Ornamental elements are terra cotta, and the three projecting bays are of cast iron.

The Pioneer Building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is just of the fabulous architectural stops on any tour of the city.  If you enjoy architecture, you may enjoy my post on Seattle Architecture.

Photo credit:  flickr

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If youre looking for a special gift for a special someone, or maybe even for yourself, Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts has an impressive selection of gifts that are lovingly created by American Crafts Artists.

Open since 1986, Crackerjack chooses items for its shop that are unique and reflective of the artist.  Youll find a selection of works from various medium, including jewelry, glass, ceramics, fabric, paper, and metal representing the works of over 200 local, regional, national and international artists.  I love finding items made by Seattle-area artists like the Bella Luz Luminettes or the Susanna Prince fused glass.

Located in Wallingford Center (in photo), a refurbished 1916 schoolhouse turned into neighborhood shopping space. Crackerjack offers all this selection in one location.  Nor more hopping from one artist stall to another when you can find everything in one location!   Or, order from the online catalog, full of best-selling favorites.

Location:  1815 North 45th Street, #212, in Wallingford Center (map it)

Hours:  Monday Friday, 10 am 8 pm; Saturday, 10 am 6 pm; Sunday 11 am 5 pm.

Image credit:  flickr

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