Ming Chen spends a lot of time on the road, traveling to different pop culture conventions as a guest and a host. In doing so, he has become familiar with many cities across the USA, getting to know the local restaurants, cafes, dive bars, and more. When he is visiting the Northwest (Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Puyallup), he has a few spots he always returns to. In this episode, Ming discusses his favorite hang outs in the region. This is Ming Chen's bars and bites guide to the NW.

(This episode includes unbleeped naughty words and discussion of mature topics)

Ming Check spoke with NW NERD at a previous Washington State Summer Con.
Theme music by The Hoot Hoots.
Cover: Ming Chen and Dyer Oxley visit Bob's Java Jive in Tacoma, Wash.

You may know Alicia Marie from comic conventions where she is often a guest, but this cosplayer is more than meets the eye. Alicia Marie lives many lives: Cosplayer, fitness expert, social media influencer, advocate for the deaf community, author, and more. With so much going on, it's no wonder that some information has been stretched online. So we set the record straight by going to the source and learning about the many lives of Alicia Marie.

Cosplayer Alicia Marie took time to chat with NW NERD at Washington State Summer Con.
Theme music by The Hoot Hoots.
Cover: Cosplayer Alicia Marie visits NW NERD's podcast lounge at Washington State Summer Con.

Beau Johnson organizes events for PlayTest NW, so game designers can test their creations. But when the pandemic struck in 2020, prompting lockdowns and social distancing, the gaming organization had to evolve overnight. How did PlayTest NW change, and what does it look like today.

Beau Johnson with PlayTest NW took time to chat with NW NERD at a previous Washington State Summer Con.
Theme music by The Hoot Hoots.