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Japanese: Japanese Tea Ceremony, April 7th & 8th, free to watch or $10 to play along. Serenity now. Get your slice of tranquility by partaking in the historic custom of the Japanese tea ceremony. Gain new appreciation of the ordinary while engaging in the regular routine of tea. Here's to elevating your tea to the spiritual plane. * Also, The Changing Dynamics of U.S. - Japan Relations: Stability during Turbulent Global Economic Change, April 3rd, free. Daniel K. Inouye, the third most senior member of the U.S. Senate, discusses the developing relationship between the U.S. and Japan. * Also, Koizumi Diplomacy: Actors in Japan's National Security Policymaking, April 2nd, free, about how Japan's new Prime Minister is affecting foreign policy.

Easter Activities: Eggstravaganza by the City of Redmond, April 7th, $5. This is a bunch of family friendly activities for the good folks of Redmond, with a pancake breakfast, flashlight egg hunt, and family dance. Get your photo with Mr. Bunny and compare it to the December Mr. Santa photo. * Also, Seattle Parks has a boatload of egg hunts and Easter events, fee varies. They also have some good, non-corny Easter events for teens. * Also, the zoo has the Bunny Bounce at the zoo, April 7th, free with admission. The eggs go on a first-come, first-serve basis, so get there early. Those kids always look so cute in those bunny ears too. The animals get Easter basket treats as well. * Also, Kirkland Easter Egg Hunt, April 8th, free. The kids go after the chocolate eggs in this hunt.

Dance: Singles Black and White Ball, April 6th, $35. These balls by NW Active Singles Life are best for those who are still learning how to dance, just want to get dressed up and go out to some place nice, and perhaps meet someone new. * Also, Dance for your Health, April 4th, $5, with other April dates. Learn the swing and tango, and get that heart a-beating with either physical exertion or emotional palpitations. * Also, if you'd rather watch dance, then PNB has two packed weeks of dance events featuring some of the more progressive works of the year.

Environmental: Listening to the Birds: What Seabirds are Telling Us about Puget Sound, April 5th, $8. The way these things usually work out, they discuss how a certain animal is a marker of the overall health of the ecosystem, and if that animal is in trouble, then every other animal is probably having a rough go with it, too. * Also, Backyard Workshop Series, starting April 9th, $55. Even if you only have a little slice of land, you can still make it inviting for native plants, birds, butterflies, and creepy-crawlies. * Also, Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center starts its spring classes, including Natural Water Management for the Home, Slow is Beautiful, and Residential Solar Power: Photovoltaic Assembly for Real People.

Wine: Taste Washington Wines, April 14th, $40+. This is always the big event of the year, when over 200 Washington wineries pour their wares. You gotta know how to pace yourself at these big wine events, because it's real easy to taste a bunch of great wines and get loopy. Go and discover some no-name winery with an undiscovered charmer for your next bash.

Art: Wing Luke Asian Museum, April 5th, free. Sometimes this museum gets overlooked on first Thursday when all of the Seattle art museums are also free, but it's not too far off the Pioneer Square tour. They also have a good Family Day event on April 21st, free, of bookmaking with Mizu Sugimura.

Fundraisers: French Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, April 3rd, $60. How can you not go and swoon at those accents?  *  Also, Food As Art, April 7th, $100. Seattle's top African-American chefs demonstrate their chops at this food feast. Best to go on an empty stomach. * Also, Rites of Change, April 7th, $15, a silent auction and Brazilian dance. Actually, it's part dance, part game, and part mock-fighting.

Crafts: Bead Fair, April 6-8th, $5. You feel like a bit of a pirate with a treasure chest looking over all the colorful beads, and the imagination will start flowing. Learn how to make something eye-catching and handmade that someone will actually wear.

Volunteer: The City of Seattle kicks off its Spring Clean program. They supply the tools, and they're looking for a little elbow grease and neighborhood pride. Get ready to erase graffiti, clean up litter, or remove invasive plants. These projects work best for corporate team-building and unruly teenagers. * If you're an Eastsider, then Kirkland has its Clean Sweep Day, April 21st. That city doesn't look quaint by itself.

Organization: Washington Attention Deficit Disorders, with resources for both children and parents. How do you know if it's just a short attention span vs. an actual disorder? Anyway, learn how to deal with this issue, if natural remedies are best or R-Balls could be the way to go.

Before You Die...
It's a little passé, but here are three things every Northwesterner should do before going mort.

Climb Mount Rainier: This mountain is as iconic of our region as the Space Needle. You don't need to actually climb to the top to gain the spiritual benefits, but you should at least set foot on the soil and spend a sunny day hiking around. Two other things-bring a camera, and know how to be safe; that mountain is wickedly beautiful.

Dine at the Herb Farm: When foodies fly into Seattle, this is their number one spot. This has become a national dining destination where every dish in the nine-course meal can be rated a '10'. Some seem to shy away because of the cost, since it's not the sort of place you go to on a whim. Yet, the Herb Farm is worth the special occasion splurge and making the trip at least once, if for no other reason than to brag to your friends afterwards.

Spend the weekend on the San Juan Islands. Every Seattle refugee goes there to escape from the local rat-race for a bit. These islands have more real estate businesses than gas stations because everyone falls in love with the place and fantasizes about buying a little vacation cottage.

Cool YouTube Video: Fireworks at the Space Needle, 2006 New Year's Eve.

(If you can't see the video, here's the video link.)

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About: Seattle Spin is a weekly email newsletter highlighting the best restaurants, activities, and venues in Seattle this particular week Contact: Publisher: Gerard Wirz; Editor: Nathaniel Hollywood; Contributors:  Mike Ford and Mary Novak .