New Flexible Event Space Highlights Lynden’s Historic Charm | Rübus Events + Gatherings, Inn at Lynden

Last November, the  Inn at Lynden unveiled its three newly renovated gathering spaces: the Waples Room, the Edson Room, and Rübus. Situated on the Inn’s lower level, Rübus is now the Inn’s largest meeting space, perfect for special events and memory-making of all sorts. The Inn at Lynden opened in 2015 after Owners Jeff and Deb McClure and Matt and Teri Treat hired…

Roundabout is Fair Play

Ken takes a Sunday drive back to his future Once upon a time—back when the wheel had just been invented but not yet patented—I used to worry only about the rare road rage incident with a local farmer and his John Deere tractor when I drove in our local counties. Life was simpler then. We…

The Mixing Tin: Bayou on Bay

The Refresher INGREDIENTS Choice of housemade infusion, muddled citrus, Sierra Mist and club soda, $9 The bar at Bayou on Bay has the comforting feel of a neighborhood tavern, but one located in a bustling intersection of downtown Bellingham. Step inside and settle in. Twinkling lights hang inside and romantic art scatters the walls. This makes the perfect place to sit with friends for drinks while watching the world whirl by from…

A Scratch Kitchen Playing With Flavors

Third Street Cafe Earlier this summer, chef Maryna Frederiksen took over the kitchen at Mount Vernon’s Third Street Cafe. The Skagit Co-op off-shoot eatery has flourished under Frederiksen’s leadership and it doesn’t take more than a few bites of any dish to understand why. The locally procured, seasonal menu requires a bit of inspiration and imagination to keep fresh. Frederiksen feeds this inspiration with weekly trips to the farmers market and relies heavily on…

Husband and Wife Team Up at Winery

Structure Cellars Owning and operating your own winery might seem like a pretty cool occupation, but behind-the-scenes challenges requiring time, money, and sweat equity can make getting there…

A Picture-Perfect Refuge

Private Gardens Design Susan Harrison, owner of Private Gardens Design, is no stranger to awards. She won our own Best of the Northwest for Best…

Halloween Makeup, DIY-Style

Doe, Queen of Hearts Make for Sweet or Sinister Look If you’re looking for quick and cute costume makeup ideas to apply on yourself, your friends or your kids, I’ve chosen two of my favorite and most popular looks to teach you! The doe is super-cute, innocent, easy and…

Give Glad Dreams

Bunnies By The Bay THE SHOP At the end of La Conner’s 1st Street, a narrow storefront beckons family members, and expectant mothers in search of baby toys meant to be…

Goorin Bros.

A Unique Hatting Experience Little warms hearts like a family business, and nothing warms heads like a good hat. Goorin Bros. is a fourth-generation family hat shop with more than 30 locations nationwide, including downtown Seattle and Vancouver B.C. Goorin Bros. founder, Cassel Goorin, hit the streets…

More Local Art? Step Right Up

Fairhaven Fourth Friday Art Work Fairhaven is Washington’s best-kept secret, according to artist and shop owner Scott Ward, who moved north from Seattle a year ago. The exposed brick buildings, the boardwalk, the historic architecture, and the cozy shops combine to create a storybook-like experience, perfect for afternoon strolls and romantic evening walks. To Ward, the Fairhaven Fourth Friday Art Walk felt like the perfect event to showcase both what the town has to offer, and the work of local…

Whimsical Driftwood Sculptures

Joe Treat If you drive down Worline Road in Bow you’ll pass a house guarded by life-sized driftwood statues. A massive rhino stares down all…

Small Brewery, Large Taste

Atwood Ales With a yank, the doors of the old barn are pulled open, revealing a network of interconnected piping, flashing lights and chromed steel woven between ancient boards. With only two barrels of small-batch brew coming from the century-old barn turned brew-station, Atwood Ales’ beer is too compelling to overlook, even in the North Sound’s suds-saturated craft beer market. Trading quantity for quality and larger…

Helping Kids in Need

Ray and Keely Deck, Skookum House Upstairs are rooms bathed in natural light from the windows, complete with colorfully quilted beds and bins…

Farms Tour: Cows. Alpacas. Sea Urchins?

Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms If you’ve ever wondered just how does that food get from farm to table, or if…

Cable Show Highlights Community Doers

For the last 2 ½ years, Marie Marchand has done her part to raise up voices from the greater Bellingham community. As host and co-producer of BTV’s Bellingham Voices, a show aired on the city’s public-access station, Marchand’s mission is to grow her audience’s appreciation for Bellingham local government, nonprofits, and community leadership. While Marchand envisioned the show to spotlight city council members…