When was the last time you had an authentic Galician meal?

The Rías Baixas, located on Spain’s Costa de Mariscos in the southern part of the Galicia region, is a kindred geographical spirit to the Pacific Northwest. Which is to say, it rains there — a lot. Luckily, the resilient, en vogue Mediterranean variety of Albariño handles the dampness quite nicely. The grape has no trouble growing — or even flourishing — in the misty, cool coastal terrain that is much like our own.

Prior to the big play-off match, grab happy hour at one of these nearby haunts.

On Wednesday, Nov. 2, your Seattle Sounders will face the Real Salt Lake at CenturyLink Field, during the second leg of the MLS Western Conference Semifinal. Tickets are selling at a rapid rate, but there are still plenty available — so act fast if you want to bundle up in blue and green and cheer the Sounders from the stands.

Don’t believe the hype — this lakeside locale is more than just a ritzy part of town.

Over the years, Madison Park has developed a reputation as an upscale settlement of Spanish villas, sprawling cottages and brick Tudors — a place where dad works downtown, mom drives the kids to soccer practice and each lawn is perfectly manicured. Don’t be mistaken.  Despite its fussy, froo-froo image, Madison Park is a surprisingly laid back neighborhood with the feel of a quaint beach town.

The Green Seattle Partnership hopes to keep our city’s emerald status.

According to the Green Seattle Partnership, our beautiful city is at risk of losing as much as 70 percent of its lush, evergreen forests in the next 20 years. Inspired by this staggering statistic, the partnership has teamed up with EarthCorps to give eco-conscious Seattleites the chance to change the tides — and get a little dirty along the way.

Pacific Northwest Ballet honors five classic love scenes in one sweeping collection.

The 2011-12 season at Pacific Northwest Ballet takes a turn for the romantic with “Love Stories,”  a stunning collection of vignettes that showcases the many tempers of the heart. The show is scheduled to premiere Friday, Nov. 4, and will run until Sunday, Nov. 13. Tickets ($28–168) are available online.

The controversial comedienne will perform two shows in Seattle this weekend.

Love her or hate her, no one puts on a live show quite like Kathy Griffin — and this weekend, Seattleites get two opportunities to experience her fiery presence firsthand. The award-winning comic, actress, author and star of the hit reality show “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” is scheduled to perform at