Breweries and Games!

You could be forgiven for missing Whitewall Brewing. They're not all that close to any of the I-5 exits in Marysville. The building itself is an unassuming metal one. No different from the dozens that line the long road it's on. Even the sign outside is easy to miss.  Flagship: Traction Control (+3 others) Dogs: yes Kids: yes Do they brew there: yes Food: food trucks Has guest taps: yes Events: yes Outside seating: yes Wifi: no Located in Marysville Washington on a road running parallel to I-5 this brewery has a simple exterior but impresses inside. Sitting on a concrete floor is one of the coziest tap rooms I've ever been in. Inviting round tables cover most of it with a few variants for different sized groups. Along one wall several chalkboards describe the brews available while on the opposite wall hang several mugs.  The place is busy when I arrive with my girlfriend. We make our way past the dogs, children, and couples young and ...

My earliest Tomb Raider memory is my dad getting stuck on the first puzzle in Tom Raider II.  When he did get past the game presented us with a screen thanking him for playing the demo and encouraging him to buy the full game.  From these lofty beginnings did I progress to never touch another Tomb Raider title. Despite hearing from some friends how good one title or another was I had been soured.  So I played today's game without knowing what to expect. Some platforming of course and some combat sections no doubt but for the most part I had no idea. What I got was a game that's equal parts assassins creed and Indiana Jones.  The first Assassins Creed vibe I get is when the menu wants me to sign up for the square Enix version of of Uplay. Odd insistence on getting my email aside, the game gets right into then action with a tutorial level(s) that doesn't hold back.  The plot is that Lara is searching for a lost city in Siberia. Her fathers researc...

I've often alluded a sort of typical brewery style. A reused space, lots of metal and wood. With t shirts on the wall next to some awards. Not that any of this is bad. (Certainly not the awards) just the typical brewery style of 2018.  This week I was in Ballard and expecting more of the typical brewery style. What I got was a  brewery with good beer and a clear theme.  Flagship: Eniac Mosaic IPA Dogs: yes Kids: yes  Do they brew there: yes Food: snacks  Has guest taps: yes Events: yes  Outside seating: yes Wifi: yes Located in scenic east Ballard this brewery seems like any of the dozens of buildings there from its exterior shape.  Through the light rain I can see the name, Lucky Envelope Brewing, in bright red against the white of the building. There's a table and assorted fencing outside that hints at seating in nicer weather. It being a typical Seattle day I head inside.  My first thought when I enter is that...