A Real Estate Lifer
No wonder HGTV picked Brandon Nelson Partners’ Paulina Antczak as the real estate agent for an episode of their hit show, “Beach Hunters” last year. She’s got a big personality, a welcoming and telegenic smile, and an…
Hot Spot Sauna Club | Bellingham’s Mobile Sauna Heats Up Bloedel Donovan Park
Joe Wynne, owner and founder of the Hot Spot Sauna Club, is perhaps the most charismatic, driven, energetic person you will ever meet. Wynne guarantees that anyone who comes to his sauna will have a positive, unforgettable experience, and he makes everyone feel as welcome as family. His idea for the club began when he was borrowing his friend’s sauna trailer, a little under a decade ago. At…
Real Estate
In Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties of the North Sound, the real estate industry has grown from a decade ago. No wonder, because people are moving here at a rate not seen since 2010, the last official census. The secret’s out: The North Sound is a great place to live. We’ve got nature in abundance, the coastline, fresh water, snow-capped peaks, islands,…
Above the Boulevard, A Year-Round Beach Home Shines
Faith Ulate grew up in Whatcom County, and long dreamed of having a beach home. So, she and her family lived in Costa Rica for 11 years. But when it came time to move back, she was determined to bring beach life with her. Ulate, a realtor with a passion for turnaround projects,…
Youth Arts Academy Leader Has Theater in His Blood
Ian Bivins As executive director Ian Bivins enters the small children’s theater in downtown Bellingham, he takes a moment and looks at the old fold-up chairs, scuffed wooden floors…
Bellingham’s Drinking Scene Grows Up
Most of the watering holes in Bellingham glow with youthful exuberance and do-it-yourself charm. This is one of the things I love about the breweries in town:…
A Home Office Remodel
What may have been best described as a collective mess before our design update is now an “organized oasis.” The enhancements in this project have increased the functionality by doubling paper-related storage, adding private storage and providing an appealing place to display family favorites. Along with the added advantages of the enlarged custom desk, the lighting is now also the appropriate scale for the room and provides proper illumination to work all day if needed. Prior to the…
Why We Eat Local in Bellingham
The art of feeding ourselves, isn’t it a funny thing? From granola bars on the go, to treating ourselves to a gourmet meal, the way in which we nourish ourselves varies wildly by the day. For many of us, it can feel like…
Getting Through Tears, Sweat, Heat
As a makeup artist, one of the questions I’m most commonly asked by my clients is: “Will my makeup last all day long?”…
Making a Statement
THE SHOP Statement Apparel opened May 1, 2015, with two goals: create a women’s clothing store complementing all ages and donate to charity. The Barkley Village shop has done just that. Owner…
Paddlers’ Paradise in North Vancouver
A kayak and ski store located in a retail/industrial area in North Vancouver, B.C., Deep Cove Outdoors is something of a misnomer. Its namesake bay is five miles away, where the store has…
The Ebb & Flow of a Town
Jennifer Mann sold glue for 35 years. The Californian-born Mann worked for a Connecticut-based company that made adhesives and coatings that cured…
Empowering With Employment
While many may know The RE Store on Meridian Street for its salvaged building materials and curious odds and ends, the store makes up only one facet of the nonprofits’ impressive agenda….
Mortality Meets Coffee Klatsch
When you hear about a group called Death Café meeting in a funeral home, you may not think it would be a lively group. But, according to the founder of…
Tiny Homes, Big Voice
Before he became a homeless advocate, Jim Peterson himself lived on the streets. “I have a unique perspective,” he says. “I know what they’re going through.” Peterson, 59, spent 17 years of his life without a home. When he finally was able to find a stable living situation, he used his experience and his newfound privilege to speak on behalf of the community that had gotten him through those many…
Five Faves Outdoor Sculpture Gardens
1. WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS If you’ve ever strolled the campus situated well above downtown Bellingham, you can’t miss the intriguing, and sometimes befuddling, artwork placed between buildings. (At least one piece even has its own Twitter handle.) The university’s first sculpture was installed in 1960, and the collection has grown to include 36 “interactive” pieces, including the one pictured here—“Skyviewing Sculpture,” by Isamu Noguchi (1969), that allow people to climb on, over, through and around. Grab a…
More Than Just Coffee
At any given time, Mount Vernon’s Ristretto Coffee Lounge & Wine Bar is abuzz with activity. An entrepreneur works intently on her laptop, two students discuss a project, old friends catch up on the cafe’s plush leather couch. A patron spends a few minutes chatting with owner Jenny Daley before rushing out the door, steaming cup of coffee and fresh veggie wrap in hand….
The Mixing Tin – The Five Joaquins
This drink was named after the tale of the Five Joaquins. The Five Joaquins were, well, five guys named Joaquin. Between 1850 and 1853 it was reported that the Five Joaquins and a man they called “Three-Fingered Jack” were responsible for a majority of the robberies, murders, and cattle thefts in the Sierra Nevada. Joaquin Murrieta, the leader, was supposedly killed by the newly formed California Rangers, but who…
Lasting Image | Pat McDonnell
What is your favorite thing to take pictures of? Street Photography is my favorite thing to shoot, it’s spontaneous, gets me out, and I really get to see the town. I love shooting both film and digital. What do you do when you aren’t taking photos? I help craft micro social media content for independent businesses for Instagram, and I shoot short documentaries. What is your favorite spot to photograph? The…
Grabbing Life By the Horns
The first bite transports you to a warm, Mississippi morning. The array of spices paired with a hint of pineapple give a burst of flavor, but the carrots and walnuts provide a smooth finish. Top that all off with cream cheese frosting and a buttermilk glaze, and you’ll find yourself licking the plate…
An Aerial Photographer’s Perspective
Tore Ofteness has been a local photographer for more than 30 years. Born in Norway, Ofteness, 72, lives in Bellingham. Now all but retired, Ofteness recently published the book, “A Higher Perspective: Aerial Photography of the Pacific Northwest,” through Village Books’ Chuckanut Editions. It documents a collection of more than 100 images—almost all from film photography—he captured through open windows in small airplanes or helicopters. To craft his book, Ofteness sorted through his file cabinets,…
Hidden Gem
Bellingham Cider Company Bellingham Cider Company’s head chef Dirul Shamsid-Deen has been a chef for more than 17 years, cooking in culinary meccas like New York, L.A., and Chicago. Far from the bustle of those big cities, Shamsid-Deen is making some noise at the new Bellingham Cider Company, tucked away in a downtown location that…
Working its way into the mainstream
Acupuncture This wellness therapy has become so widespread that people are even taking their dogs in for treatment. But for people, this therapy has been around for eons. Good for helping with: chronic pain, anxiety/depression, high blood pressure, stress management, infertility, sexual dysfunction, asthma, insomnia, menopause, and a variety of other ailments. Theory behind the therapy: Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice…