South Lake Union Block Party

Who says Jeff Bezos never did anything nice? Not only has the notoriously stingy, Ayn Rand-worshipping retail magnate put money behind the cause of marriage equality, but Amazon is now sponsoring this year’s South Lake Union Block Party. And well the company should, since it’s utterly transformed SLU with its office towers and legions of hungry workers. The neighborhood is booming, a true bright spot downtown. Today, activities begin with—what else?—a yoga class ($5-$10) on the lawn, since all those Amazonians need to learn how to relax. Following are children’s activities and all manner of food from over a dozen vendors including Top Pot, Skillet, and Tutta Bella. (Also, try the $5 sampling ticket for a little bit of everything). The Brave Horse Tavern is organizing a beer garden featuring several Northwest breweries. A burger grilling competition from 4-7 p.m. will feature chefs from Blue Moon Burgers and other red-meat eateries, and you can sample slider-size portions of their entries. Since Amazon is famously pet-friendly, the Seattle Humane Society’s MaxMobile will be showing dogs and cats available for adoption. And the party concludes at 9 p.m. with an outdoor screening of Richard Linklater’s 1993 pot-hazed high-school confidential, Dazed and Confused, featuring a memorably skeezy young Matthew McConaughey (currently even more wonderfully skeezy in Magic Mike). Like the movie? You can buy on Amazon! T. BONILLA

Fri., Aug. 10, 12-11 p.m., 2012