Blackened Halibut with Spring Succotash, Lemon-Herbed Rice, and Lemon Beurre Blanc | Chef Matthew’s Corner

Early spring is one of my favorite moments in the kitchen. Winter cooking starts to loosen its grip, the markets brighten up, and seafood takes center stage again. This dish brings together a Louisiana-inspired blackening technique with Pacific Northwest halibut and fresh spring vegetables. Finished simply, it’s clean and balanced. With the addition of a light…

Sipping Local Spirits: Valley …

Sipping Local Spirits: Valley Shine Distillery

Sipping Local Spirits: Valley Shine Distillery

During Prohibition, Ben Lazowski’s grandfather worked as a bootlegger for infamous gangster Al Capone. Young Ben grew up hearing stories of his grandfather’s adventures (with certainly a few misadventures) and exploring secret passageways in this grandfather’s Chicago home. It’s ironic that years of alcohol prohibition could spark a fascination with the stuff decades later. Ben teamed up with his wife Stacey to begin distilling as a hobby in 2010. The couple…

Treveri Cellars

Treveri Cellars

Treveri Cellars

Like a fine bottle of sparkling wine, Treveri Cellars, located just east of Yakima, has burst onto the Washington wine scene with style, character, and an understated air of elegance that have made it a Champagne-inspired favorite of many area wine enthusiasts who enjoy bubbles in their glass. Since opening its current, picturesque tasting room facility in 2010, the state’s only true sparkling wine house has rapidly expanded its…

Scandi Butik and Gifts

Scandi Butik and Gifts

Scandi Butik and Gifts

THE SHOP As with many stores in the Bellingham area, Scandi Butik and Gifts offers many products created by independent and small businesses. A warmly lit corner littered with assorted beachthemed gifts eases the bone-deep Bellingham chill outside, while just a few steps away is a shrine dedicated to a host of Bellingham creative types, including writer Stefanie Fields and artist Lori Hill. The island of…

Runners Fly with Style –…

Shop Article Photo

Runners Fly with Style – Oiselle

“Born and raced in Seattle” is the motto prominently announced on a wall in Oiselle’s flagship store in Seattle’s University Village. Founder and CEO Sally Bergesen launched Oiselle (pronounced wa-zell) in 2007. The flagship store opened in July 2015 just two miles away from its headquarters. This…

Pretty Simple

Pretty Simple

Pretty Simple

Located upstairs from Envy, one of the best hair salons in Mt. Vernon, you know there’s going to be something special in store for you…

Waste Not Want Not – …

Waste Not Want Not – Gleaners Pantry

Waste Not Want Not – Gleaners Pantry

As the sun starts to return to our dark Fourth Corner, gardeners get busy planting and readying for their healthy crops. But sometimes those crops pop up a bit healthier than usual, or that plum tree produces kilo after kilo of fresh, amazing, and yet, very ripe plums, or the chard goes a bit wild. This over abundance is…

Spotlight Artist: Katie …

Spotlight Artist: Katie Johnson

Spotlight Artist: Katie Johnson

Katie Johnson did not plan on becoming an artist when she started at Western Washington University. Johnson’s work was featured last year in a show at Aslan Brewing Co., but she’s known mostly for the Brewdeck, a 60-piece set of cards featuring portraits of the luminaries of the Bellingham craft beer scene. The name Brewdeck is a play on the phrase “brew deck,” which is…

Loretta’s Guide To Post-…

Lifestyle Article Photo

Loretta’s Guide To Post-Divorce Dating

Loretta shares her stud-finding secrets Dating—near as I can tell, the after-market experience is punishment before the crime, kind of like law school. Don’t get me wrong. I love men. Well, most men, anyway. At their worst, men make interesting toys and at their best, men make excellent pets even if they haven’t been properly trained. But the depth of the dating pool north of Stanwood…

Getting Primed for Primer

Getting Primed for Primer

Getting Primed for Primer

There’s a certain decor that is typical of coffee shops in the Pacific Northwest. Usually, the lights are dim, the walls are dark, and the floors are creaky or bare, lending…

Two Terriers Dog Food Company …

Two Terriers Dog Food Company Takes Its Work Seriously

Two Terriers Dog Food Company Takes Its Work Seriously

The Bellingham company is run by two women, Kellie Szirom and Katya Slater-Szirom. Now, they have spread their passion to Whole Foods, one of the premiere outlets for organic foods. In addition, the dog food is also carried at Whatcom Farmers Co-ops, the Haggen in Fairhaven, and Hohl Feed and Seed, as well as through their website. “We are dog lovers, and they are considered part of our family. We…

Neat Art, Niche Locale: The …

Neat Art, Niche Locale: The Allery

Neat Art, Niche Locale: The Allery

When Kat Houseman describes the Allery as off the beaten path, she means it. The art gallery is, as the name suggests, down an alley off of Magnolia, between Cornwall and Commercial. Just past the drive-thru exit of Peoples Bank, you’ll find the…

Wonder Woman–Mount Vernon …

Wonder Woman–Mount Vernon Mayor Jill Boudreau

Wonder Woman–Mount Vernon Mayor Jill Boudreau

It’s hard to imagine a greater sorrow for a mayor than a public shooting. Mayor Jill Boudreau has weathered two major incidents—one in neighboring Burlington at Cascade Mall, and one on December…

Whatcom Senior Tour Program …

Whatcom Senior Tour Program Cuba Trip

Whatcom Senior Tour Program Cuba Trip

Since the recent expansion of legal travel to Cuba, Americans have become fascinated by the seemingly “frozen-in-time” island. Picturesque streets full of vibrantly painted buildings, classic cars, and friendly people provide quite the draw for travelers. When…