There is nothing like waking up on a Sunday morning, walking over to your complimentary hotel breakfast, pouring yourself a bowl of granola and a mug of Stumptown coffee to find that some kind soul has left behind their barely read Sunday  New York Times. Of course, my little piece of heaven was slightly perturbed by a mother clad in sweats allowing her supremely loud cell phone to ring endlessly playing a pop-tart version of “Do ya think I’m Sexy?” But whatever.

Anyways, here is a breakdown of some of the gems I found in the Times, this fine Seattle morning.

• Indie Rock Embraces an African Invasion. Though this is not exactly a new trend, this article provides interesting historical background on this movement and some bands/sites I had never heard of. 
• Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above. Did you know that one in seven new marriages are interracial? Neither did I, but I find it pretty encouraging.
• Messages from the Wilderness, via Satellite.  This article covers all the new technology that is making it so people like me never find ourselves in 127 Hours sort of situation. Using satellites it’s now increasingly possible to communicate SOS messages from the middle of nowhere. Thank goodness.

• The Man Behind the Ace Empire. Maybe it’s because I’m staying at the Ace in Seattle currently, but I thought this article was interesting as it followed the guttural instincts that created an “Empire” of cool. One of the things I found most fascinating was the discussed differences between the New York Ace and the West Coast Ace hotels—because honestly the experience is night and day.

Okay, that’s it for now. Time to wander the streets of Seattle!