Salt & Vine
A Charcuterie Lover’s Paradise When a new artisan cheese, wine and charcuterie shop opens in your neighborhood, you say “Yes!”…
History, Fantasy, and Everything in Between at Skagit Valley’s New Renaissance Faire | Faire du Well
Clashing swords, roasting turkey legs, magical creatures, and royals holding court. Where can you find all these things in the 21st century? At a renaissance faire, of course! Earlier this summer, Skagit County hosted its first full-weekend renaissance faire, a novel event called Faire du Well. Organized by the Washington Shakespearean Festival (WSF), it took over Skagit County Fairgrounds from June 13–14, much to the excitement of local ren faire fans. The faire featured a large…
The Mixing Tin: The Black Cat
Sangria in the Rain INGREDIENTS Clear Creek Pear Brandy, Rene Barbier Catalunya Red Blend, lime, orange, pineapple, Sierra Mist, $8 Perhaps the most appealing part of choosing The Black Cat (or Le Chat Noir if you’re feeling French) for an after work drink or two is the view from upstairs. Set of the second floor of the historic Sycamore Square building in…
Looking Beyond Just Flavor: Farm to Table in Fairhaven
Lovitt Restaurant The atmosphere of the Lovitt restaurant welcomes you with dim lighting, large farm style furniture, and the smells of fresh sourdough, herbs and spices. Kristen and Norman Six opened the restaurant in March with a commitment to bringing farm-to-table eats to Fairhaven. “We feel like there has been a farm-to-table movement but it hasn’t been accessible. It is good for people and American farms. We are trying to get people to crave”…
Back at Home
Western’s Carver Gym Renovation a Sight to See for Fans After undergoing an extensive and much-needed renovation costing $70 million and spanning two years, Sam Carver Gym at Western Washington University will re-open its doors — just in time for fall sports. Your first chance to watch a Western team play in the new gym will be on September 19, when Western women’s volleyball…
San Juan Log Cabin Retreat
This striking home in the San Juan Islands started as a log cabin. A full overhaul, led by Bellingham interior designer Lisa Staton and client Kristina Gladstein, transformed it to a lighter, brighter vacation getaway that fits the quiet elegance of its surroundings, just off Roche Harbor. The original logs, whitewashed to create a freshness inside and out, help maintain the home’s historic charm. An addition, built in the back, provides room…
Pro Sports Feature
This set of feature stories appeared in the September 2017 issue of Bellingham Alive Magazine.
B.C. Wine Tour Feature
This set of feature stories appeared in the September 2017 issue of Bellingham Alive Magazine.
Maximum View, Minimal Incline
Ptarmigan Ridge Don’t let the distance of this hike intimidate you. The best part of the Ptarmigan Ridge at Mount Baker is the fact that, no matter how far you hike, the views are spectacular. Due to…
Butter Chicken Smooths, Soothes Transition to Autumn
With the days getting shorter and the temperatures cooler, this familiar Indian dish will bring just enough heat to take the chill off. It’s also sure to satisfy your palate and leave…
Tips to Make Your Wine Tour Fashionable (and Comfortable)
Anyone who knows me knows I love wine. There’s something about wine-tasting and visiting vineyards that transports me to another place and time. Even if I’m only at a winery 10 minutes up the road, I find myself temporarily in Napa, or Tuscany, or the Columbia Gorge — I’m on a mental vacation from my…
Not Just a Bakery, Not Just a Boutique
Pies & Such It’s not every day you walk into a shop and find clothing, jewelry, and art alongside decadent desserts. But Pies & Such has done just that in La Conner, and co-owners Jeneé Geoghegan and Mo Jensen couldn’t be happier. Together…
Family Farm Since 1910
3 Sisters Farm and Market For some of us, knowing where our food comes from is a family tradition. For…
Fun on Your Feet
ModSock Socks of all shapes and sizes adorn the surfaces of ModSock, including more than 50 cat socks alone. When asked what it’s like to run a successful business selling niche items, owner Urania Shaklee said socks aren’t a niche, they’re a need. ModSock thrives selling solely socks because anyone can be a potential customer, Shaklee said. The value of socks comes from their utilitarianism as well as their creative patterns….
Living Intentionally and Collaboratively
Bellingham Cohousing Coffee hour starts at 10 a.m. each morning. Residents sit quietly in the common house and drink their coffee while catching up with neighbors. Six acres of land was bought in 1997 and three years later, the…
An Artful Approach to Storytelling
Chris Moench It all started with a lump of clay. While Chris Moench hasn’t always been a professional potter, art has always been a strong force in his life and now occupies him as a full-time career. Moench has made a name for himself with his handcrafted Axis of Hope Prayer Wheels. The ornate pieces of art act as storytelling devices, Moench said. For many people, a wheel can bring them peace, harmony, and healing. Moench often creates his Axis…
Quirky Play About The Pig War Comes to Life
Only some people are aware of the major dispute between Great Britain and the United States over who had rightful ownership of the San Juan Islands, referred to as The Pig War. The mid-1800s conflict never actually resulted in physical combat, but was instead resolved diplomatically. It is quite likely that just a handful of people know that in the 1960s…
The Wilderness in Our Backyard
North Cascades Institute While pursuing his graduate degree in biology at Western Washington University Saul Weisberg worked as a climbing ranger in the North Cascades National Park. As a…
Celebrating the Sea
Bellingham SeaFeast Festival After a successful maiden voyage in 2016, SeaFeast is returning to Bellingham September 22 and 23 for two days of games, live music, and of course, good eats. The festival celebrates the history and tastes of the Salish Sea, and admission is free….
Wonder Woman
Kathie Wilson When Bellingham’s Childlife Montessori School opens the doors to its final year this month, Kathie Wilson will begin her 41st year of teaching. Her career in education has come full circle, beginning and ending in Bellingham. After attending Western Washington University, she moved to Seattle and discovered…
Bellingham Technical College Turns 60
With career-oriented courses and connections to local industries, Bellingham Technical College has established a considerable foothold among Bellingham’s institutions of higher learning that include Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College. This year, BTC has even more to celebrate: its 60th anniversary, and a reputation for helping students land employment after graduation — no small task in an economy where debt-ridden college graduates can languish for years before finding a job in their field of study, if…
More Than You Can Chew
Did you have breakfast today? How about lunch? Maybe a little snack before dinner? For as long as I can remember, the expectation has always been that you have to eat a “hearty breakfast” to start your day, followed by a light lunch and then dinner. Some have even gone so far as to suggest we should eat five to six small meals throughout the day. We aren’t ruminants, so do we…