12 things to do in the Seattle area this weekend

Welcome to the weekend! Whether you’re staying in or going out, check out our roundup of things you can do in the coming days.

Eats and Drinks

• Our food writer asks readers to pace themselves, out of respect for the locals, when they check out this hidden treasure of bar on Mercer Island.
• If you’re looking for a museum cafe that goes beyond the typical coffee, cookies and sandwich-fare, look no further. Because these places are good in their own right.
• Take a crack at these Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies from Mimi Council’s new cookbook, “Effortless Eggless Baking,” which shares substitutions that aren’t difficult to find, complicated to construct or universally expensive.
• Fat Tuesday right around the corner on Feb. 21. Get in the Mardi Gras spirit with a muffuletta, an Italian sandwich with a Creole olive relish.

Movies and TV

• Here’s a look at this week’s top shows and movies coming out on various streaming services. It includes “Star Trek: Picard” on Paramount+ and “Sharper” on Apple TV+, which critic Moira Macdonald writes is mostly as good as it needs to be, though it often feels like a book you’ve read before.
• Looking for a new movie to see in Seattle-area theaters this week? Here are four to choose from, including “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” and “Of an Age.”

Books

• “Academia is a rich, rich place for writing satire,” said Seattle U professor Sonora Jha, whose latest novel, “The Laughter,” came out Feb. 14.
• If you haven’t already, now’s your chance to read “Lessons in Chemistry,” which spent 39 weeks on the bestseller list and is being adapted into an Apple TV+ series, before author Bonnie Garmus comes to Seattle on Feb. 23.

Arts and community events

• The curtain was lifted on the 2023 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival on the morning of Feb. 15. Visitors will be treated to dazzling blooms and birdsong through Feb. 19.
• Check out some of the museums included in our 2023 Museum Guide, whether you want to explore pop culture, art, history, the PNW’s diverse cultures, transportation or museums off the beaten path in Western Washington.

Outdoors and travel

• Though spring is inching ever closer, it’s not too late for a winter adventure this year. Check out six guided activities from Seattle-area outfitters like Mountain Madness and REI.

Lifestyle

• Know an uplifting Pacific Northwest story? The Seattle Times wants to hear it. Submit a story and it may be featured in The Times.