Weekend events

Lots of general and holiday happenings in the ‘hood this weekend. Here’s a sample; check out our events calendar for more.
The monthly Greenwood-Phinney Art Up Artwalk is from 6-9 p.m. Friday, along Phinney/Greenwood avenues from North 60th to North 87th streets. Dozens of businesses will host artists from various mediums, some restaurants and shops will have specials, and several places have author book signings. Check out the full list on the artwalk website.
The Olive and Grape Mediterranean restaurant at 8516 Greenwood Ave. N. will have “nostalgic Turkish music” at 8 p.m. Friday from Kane Mathis, Jane Hall and Nursen Demiroz. On Saturday night, the Tarantellas will play “legendary favorite songs of Italy.”
826 Seattle, a free writing and tutoring program at 8414 Greenwood Ave. N., is having a book launch party from 6-9 p.m. Friday for “I Live Real Close to Where You Used to Live: Kids’ Letters to Michelle Obama (and Sasha, Malia and Bo).” Several 826 students’ work is featured in the book.
Hank Payne and Claire Favro from the Pacific NW Folklore Society perform at Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono, 8310 Greenwood Ave. N., from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday.
Neptune Coffee at 8415 Greenwood Ave. N. has “Arrested Development” Trivia at 8 p.m. Friday.
Empty Sea Studios at 6300 Phinney Ave. N. will record guitarist David Jacobs-Strain live in concert at 8 p.m. Friday.
The Eco-Chic Holiday Expo is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N.
The Shop Agora at 6417-A Phinney Ave. N. celebrates its third birthday with a special food and wine tasting event from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Marco from Odom Wines will sample the following wines: Gosset Champagne (France); Santa Rita Carmenere (Chile); Badiola Super Tuscan (Italy); El Portillo Chardonnay (Argentina); Bouchard Pinot Noir (France).
Phinney Ridge author Bill Thorness will sign his two books from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday at Santoro’s Books, 7405 Greenwood Ave. N. His books are “Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden” (Skipstone Press, 2009) and “Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans.” (Mountaineers Books, 2007).
He’ll also be giving away free heirloom vegetable seeds. “It’s not just for people who buy the book,” Thorness tells us. “I’ll be giving away Painted Lady Heirloom Runner Beans, a relative of the Scarlet Runner that is a bit more unique with pink, red and white flowers. It was named after Queen Elizabeth I, who was called the Painted Lady because she would appear in public in makeup, which was not common at the time.”
Bells of the Sound handbell ensemble performs Christmas favorites from 4-6 p.m. Sunday at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N. 70 St.