It happens in the lobby of the Sorrento Hotel, seen here in 1909.
It happens in the lobby of the Sorrento Hotel, seen here in 1909. Courtesy of Sorrento Hotel

Did you forget? I almost forgot. But the calendar is pretty clear: Today's the first Wednesday of the month, which means the silent-reading party is tonight!!

You know what it's like at the reading party, right? You've heard how relaxing the silent-reading party is, right? You may have even heard how other cities are copying the idea. Most notably, Brooklyn. Most recently, San Francisco. Most distantly, Dundee, Scotland. Up next? Maybe Phoenix, according to a letter of interest in my inbox.

Anyway, we did it here in Seattle first, and we do it best. Paul Matthew Moore is on piano from 6 pm to 8 pm. For the uninitiated: You sit and read whatever you feel like reading (silently, to yourself), while live music plays and waiters bring you things. This is what I'm bringing tonight:

And you? What are you reading?
And you? What are you reading?

The reading party happens here, it's all ages, and it's free.