Seattle-based singer/songwriter V. Contreras has been called the love child of Dusty Springfield and Nancy Sinatra with a splash of the Ronettes. She plays a benefit for Oso this Friday at The Triple Door and her website is musicofv.com. V. shares her songwriting process, how to create a stage persona and where she draws the line.

World-class Violinist Hilary Hahn travels the globe performing with top orchestras and conductors and has built a reputation championing contemporary music. Hilary is a two-time Grammy winner and was nominated for an Oscar. She visited Seattle to perform at the University of Washington's Meany Hall as part of the UW World Series.

Statistics phenom Nate Silver is the editor-in-chief of ESPN's FiveThirtyEight blog and a special correspondent for ABC News. His book, "The Signal and the Noise," was named by Amazon.com as the #1 best nonfiction book of 2012. Nate was in Seattle to speak at the University of Washington's Meany Hall for the Performing Arts.

Did you know that China recruited African-American jazz men to perform in Shanghai, saved thousands of Jewish lives from the Nazis and attempted to save 100,000 more Jewish lives by establishing a permanent resettlement zone for Jews next to Burma? Award-winning author Nicole Mones tells these amazing stories in her new historical novel, "Night in Shanghai."

Simon Sinek has the second most viewed TED talk of all time and is the author of the bestselling business book "Start With Why." Simon's latest book is "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't" and he came to speak at Town Hall Seattle. Simon shares how each of us can lead a happier, more fulfilled work life.

H. Keith Melton is a founding member of the Board of Directors for the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC and the author of several nonfiction spy books. Keith visited Seattle to launch the SPY: The Secret World of Espionage exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. Keith talks about modern spy tools, how and where spies are used... and whether James Bond could do his job in real life.

Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd unknowingly walked across the Iranian border, were accused of espionage and thrown into solitary confinement. Their compelling memoir is "A Sliver of Light" and they speak tonight at Town Hall Seattle. Shane, Josh and Sarah describe their ordeal, dispell myths about solitary confinement in America and offer advice for international travelers.

Internationally acclaimed writer Warren Berger explains how questions play into today's rapidly-changing economy and why children should never lose their curiosity. Warren Berger's new book is "A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas" and he speaks at Town Hall Seattle tonight.

Dr. Svante Paabo, one of the greatest biologists of our time, says modern humans mixed with Neanderthals and other hominid species much more than previously thought. Dr. Paabo's latest book is "Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes." Dr. Paabo talks about where we came from and where we are (hopefully) headed as a species. Fascinating.

Odysseo by Cavalia, the world's biggest touring show, is an amazing spectacle featuring 66 horses, 52 acrobats, a 125-foot big top covering the area of two football fields and 110 semi trucks. Learn more from Marc-Olivier Leprohon, the artistic and equestrian operations director. Odysseo by Cavalia runs in Seattle through March 16. Don't miss it!