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 lemon beurre blanc, it becomes a slightly…
WE ALL DREAM of building a community where everyone can belong, especially the most vulnerable among us—and Northwest Youth Services (NWYS) has been working to make that dream a reality since 1976. What began as a foster program has blossomed into a…
PERCHED ON A steep, four-acre hillside just south of Canada is a vineyard that’s both family-owned and community-minded. The Delooff and Van Wingerden families transformed what was once a dairy farm into a full-fledged winery, even renovating an old milking parlor into a tasting room—but although the property itself is picturesque, the quality of the wines is what makes Van Vino Winery truly memorable. Van Vino started as a hobby for…
I F YOU’VE BEEN shopping the local makers scene for natural skincare over the last few years, you’ve probably seen Good Graces. It was founded in 2019 by Saragrace Wyckoff, who runs her business on three tenets: education, sustainability, and collaboration. Wyckoff herself is an educator, and credits her Montessori training for giving her the tools to pursue the Good Graces journey. Montessori teaches about the heart-hand connection– something important to her, as someone who has always loved to make…
E VER NOTICED A boat full of happy people cruising around Bellingham Bay at sunset? Chances are it was a San Juan Cruises outing. Founded in 1987 by Drew Schmidt, the company started out as Gray Line Cruises, doing tours out of Semiahmoo. In 1989 they moved to the Bellingham Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven, continuing their tours to San Juan Island but also serving as a passenger ferry to Victoria. When passport laws changed in 2009, making international travel much…
THE WORD “HAVEN” brings about feelings of safety, comfort, and respite—and it’s an apt descriptor for Lopez Island’s Haven Kitchen & Bar. This tranquil, nautical-themed restaurant specializes in cuisine both comforting and gourmet, and patrons enjoy their meals alongsidean unparalleled view of the Salish Sea. Haven was established a decade ago by Owners JK and Mariah Honeywell, both of whom are deeply involved in the Lopez community as…
The Shop Blackberry Lane’s brick-and-mortar boutique has only been open since 2021, but the venture began in 2018 when Owner Stephanie Bates began selling fun and affordable clothing online. Since then, they’ve grown into a bustling business that’s always got something exciting going on, be it specials, parties, or just another chance to…
PRIDE MONTH MAY only come once a year—but the Bellingham Queer Collective (BQC) celebrates community and togetherness for the LGBTQ+ folks year-round. The social group has only recently gained nonprofit status in Washington State, and while they already serve an important role in Whatcom County, Founder Michelle Harmeier says they’re just getting started. Harmeier is a former educator, and in addition to her work with BQC, she also serves…
“WHATEVER YOU ARE thinking about right now, just do it,” was the text Izaiah Ellis got as he sat on his…
WHETHER YOU’RE KAYAKING the San Juan Islands, rafting the Skagit River, or doing yoga on a paddleboard at Lake Padden, our region’s…
Tell me about how you first began with pottery. How did you turn your art into a profession? I first started doing pottery in high school. It was required to take at least one year of fine arts credits in…
NOTHING SAYS SUMMER quite like fresh seafood, and if you’re craving the flavors of Orcas Island, give this recipe from New Leaf Cafe a go….
REMY COUTAREL, A Franco-American artist who has lived in Bellingham since 2017, believes that art can be used to open dialogues. After moving to the U.S. in 2011, exploring aspects of artistic and personal identity in Seattle and Bellingham, and experiencing the naturalization process firsthand, they are ready to…
First of all, tell us a bit about you, your background, and how Absideon Apparel came to be! s Photograph by Dani Winters Photography What does the word “absideon” mean, exactly? “We started by googling “cool words,” discovered “absideon,” and fell in love with the meaning of it. Absideon means “to banish negative thoughts.”” In just a few adjectives, how would you describe the Absideon Apparel brand? “Cozy, soft, minimal,…
10 years ago, we wrote about an up-and-coming craftsman who was breaking into the national scene for his fine furniture. In the decade since, Greg Klassen fathered a viral sensation, has…
The Chicken Ramen at Setsunai Noodle Bar on Lopez Island is some of the North Sound’s best food. Featuring local ingredients, house-made noodles, and a deeply flavorful…
Since Time Immemorial is a recurring series featuring community members whose families have been here since time immemorial. The ancestral knowledge carried by Lhaq’temish (Lummi), Nooksack, and other Coast Salish peoples is knowledge about how to live in our shared home in a good, life-sustaining way. We live in a time when we need to restore our relationship with Mother…
