An Artisan Woodworker with an …

An Artisan Woodworker with an Eye for Geometric Magic | Geometric Forest

“I’ve been a professional woodworker for almost 25 years, and I’ve done all sorts of different things,” says Andy Thorp, the craftsman who hand-made all of the serving boards and end grain cutting boards we used in our “Boards: Beyond the Cheese” feature. He began his custom board business, Geometric Forest, about four years ago. Thorp grew up in Whatcom County, near Ferndale. His custom woodworking career has primarily focused on cabinetry, with explorations into furniture building, timber framing,…

Find Your Own Piece of the …

Find Your Own Piece of the Seaside Lifestyle | Salt + Shore

Just south of Blaine between Birch Point and Point Whitehorn is a community of people united by the love of seaside living. Here the outdoors reign supreme. Situated adjacent to Birch Bay State Park, the warm, shallow waters of the bay are great for swimming, windsurfing and late summer crabbing. “Fourth of July is amazing here,” Amy Schnackenberg, an employee of Salt + Shore, says with…

Inspired by Travel, Rooted in …

Inspired by Travel, Rooted in Seattle | Axiom Design Build

Inspired by the views of Seattle’s Elliott Bay, Architect John Cashman and Creative Director/Designer Heather Cashman envisioned an industrial modern home with an ode to Seattle’s shipping and industrial history. The partners, who designed…

Food Insecurity and the …

Food Insecurity and the Search for a Brighter Future | GeoGardenClub

Jenna Deane, co-founder of the community-oriented gardening app GeoGardenClub, is passionate about local food sustainability. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in environmental education, Deane ran a school garden program in California for seven years. She also helped to manage 24 school gardens with Common Threads, a Bellingham-based non-profit that…

Wine Pick of the Month | …

Wine Pick of the Month | Ameztoi’s Rubentis Rosé

So rarely does flavor erupt from a glass as with Ameztoi’s Rubentis rosé, a 50/50 blend of Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza. These…

Going to Battle for the Best …

Going to Battle for the Best Cajun Food in the PNW | Battle’s Kitchen

From the outside, Battle’s Kitchen looks different than one may expect. It comprises a pick-up window, with some public seating in the form of picnic tables arranged outside. There isn’t even a sign, although Ernest Battle, the founder and owner of Battle’s Kitchen, plans to get one soon. Despite the apparent lack of advertising, this place is booming. “Word of mouth is the best thing…we get a lot of people from Canada, and that aspect makes me…

The Boat Behind the Barnacle |…

The Boat Behind the Barnacle | Barnacles Surf Ski Group

Rolling in on the Saturday morning tides onto the shore of Marine Park, rain or shine—and even sometimes snow—you are likely to find members of the surf ski group who have named themselves The Barnacles. Their group is well known by fellow surf skiers on the water. If you find yourself in conversation with someone about the group, it’ll spark curiosity to learn more about them….

8 Great Tastes | Summer 2025

1. Looking for something lightly sweet to complement your latte? Caffe Adagio’s famously good coffee pairs perfectly with their Marionberry Scone. 2. With…

Seared Sockeye Salmon with …

Seared Sockeye Salmon with Rosemary Fingerlings, Summer Squash & Strawberry-Cucumber Arugula Salad | Chef Matthew’s Corner

June & July in the Pacific Northwest is a time when long days and warm evenings inspire colorful, laid-back meals made from ingredients grown right here in the North Sound. This dish brings together everything I love about a summer dinner in Bellingham: wild sockeye salmon, tender fingerling potatoes, sweet summer squash, and a fresh, unexpected salad made with local strawberries, cucumber, and arugula. It’s the kind…

An Education in Flight with …

An Education in Flight with the PT Aero Museum | Port Townsend Aero Museum

Nestled in the northeastern-most expanse of the Olympic Peninsula, located at the Jefferson County International Airport, is the Port Townsend Aero Museum. One of just nine aviation…

Sustainable Growth Mindset | …

Sustainable Growth Mindset | Goose Creek Flowers

Over the past decade, Anaïs Forster has been growing into a life as a PNW farmer. From working on a small family farm on Lummi to running her half-acre Everson flower farm, Goose Creek Flowers, her journey is one of finding community, embracing opportunities, and harvesting joy where it grows. Anaïs moved to the U.S. in her early 20s, “straight from Germany to Lummi Island,” where she lived next door to Full Bloom…

Playing Around With Summer’…

Playing Around With Summer’s Favorite Drink | Lemonade Tips & Tricks

Recipe for Simple Perfection Before we talk about anything else, let’s start with the basics: what’s the recipe for lemonade?…

Boards Beyond the Cheese

Listen, everyone loves a cheese board, but sometimes you just want to break the mold! Boards are a great way to feed a crowd without having to do a ton of cooking; they can also be a beautiful centerpiece for an event and provide an activity for gatherings as people cluster around, assessing their options. And while nobody we know would ever turn their nose…

Five Great Family Fun Stops | …

Five Great Family Fun Stops | Five Faves

Summer is the time of year to create long-lasting family memories. Not sure where to go? Consider checking out these five amazing locations that are fit for all ages! Plan a day, or a full weekend filled with sun and excitement, and don’t hesitate! 1. Boulevard Park Featuring the Bellingham Boardwalk over the water, this location is perfect…

Sweet Relief | Local Ice …

Sweet Relief | Local Ice Cream Spots

As the summer heat kicks in, we all need a little sweet relief. Thankfully for us, the Puget Sound area knows how to do ice cream. From Blaine to La Conner, here are some of our favorite ice cream shops that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Love from London Downtown Bellingham’s newest ice cream shop is bringing a bit of Londoner love to the city of Subdued Excitement. If you’re in…

The Beauty of Pastry Making …

The Beauty of Pastry Making With Passion | Lamination Station LLC

The art of pastry making is the purest form of self expression for Tobey Layne, owner of Lamination Station LLC. After baking for more than 30 years, he finally started his own business. His…

Get Linked at The Little …

Get Linked at The Little Refinery

Since before recorded history began, human beings have celebrated their relationships with beautiful adornments. From wedding rings to friendship bracelets, gifts of customized jewelry can add an additional layer of meaning. Megan Nuqul knows this well. Tired of paying for low-quality merchandise that didn’t last, Nuqul undertook the challenge of creating high-quality, simply beautiful jewelry—including permanent jewelry. Permanent jewelry is made with a custom-fit chain that is welded…

The Outdoors for All: …

The Outdoors for All: Accessible Hikes for Summer!

The Pacific Northwest is home to an abundance of ecological and wildlife diversity: the expansive and lush forests of the Olympic Peninsula, the mountainous regions of the North Cascades, and ports, bays, and islands…

Fantastical Artwork at Artist�…

Fantastical Artwork at Artist’s Fairhaven Gallery | Echo Chernik Gallery

Inside Fairhaven’s historic Sycamore Square building is the studio, gallery, and gift shop of Echo Chernik, a commercial artist known internationally for her powerful Art Nouveau style and over 30 years of work. If you haven’t visited yet, you’re missing out! Echo Chernik Gallery opened after Chernik and her family moved to Washington in 2020. In the back is a studio area, where Chernik works and records her podcast,…

The Mixing Tin | Tom Collins

TOM COLLINS Matthew’s Honest Cocktails: $11.50 Ingredients: 2 ounces gin, ¾ ounces lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup, and 2 ounces club soda From rickety lemonade stands to hitting the town, some things never change, including our love for a sweet and sour citrus beverage. The Tom Collins is what I like to think of as grown-up lemonade. A mix of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda, this drink has all the tart, bubble,…

The Sun is Rising on a New …

The Sun is Rising on a New Location | Children of the Setting Sun Productions

Children of the Setting Sun Productions (CSSP) is chock-full of kind, educated, friendly individuals who have made it their life mission to advocate for the environment, human rights, and Native history. One of the company’s main goals is to fight for Native communities by working to educate the public. “We’re constantly fighting erasure, there’s no easy way to say…

Little Squalicum Pier Open to …

Little Squalicum Pier Open to the Public

Little Squalicum Pier is open to the public for the first time in its history. Stretching 1,248 feet over Bellingham Bay, the pier offers a new perspective for people to view this gorgeous expanse of dark…

Farm, Garden, U-Pick Guide | …

Farm, Garden, U-Pick Guide | 2025

Introducing our 2025 Farm, Garden, U-Pick Guide; the perfect resource to help you plan your summer activities! Take advantage of the sun and warm weather this season by spending an afternoon supporting a local farm or garden. Don’t forget to tell them Bellingham Alive sent you!

Whatcom Home & Lifestyle …

Whatcom Home & Lifestyle Show

This year’s Whatcom County Home & Lifestyle Show was even more exciting than usual, thanks to special guests like gardening guru Ciscoe Morris and the twin stars of HGTV’s “Unsellable Houses”—and, of course, we were there too, meeting readers and handing out free magazines! The crowds were full of couples across all age ranges, families with little kids (their tiny hands stuffed with balloons, candy, and branded swag), and industry professionals, all…

The Protector

A traditional Lhaq’temish woman raises her hands in thanks and looks out over waters that were once thick with salmon and reef net gear. She blesses the water and wishes protection upon all those who travel past her. Salmon swim at her feet. She is not Salmon Woman,…

That’s Theatre, Darling

Beach days and sun rays are all fun and games until the temperatures really start to kick up. This summer, if you’re looking for a place to escape the heat and enjoy some lovely, live entertainment, look no further than your nearest theatre. Bellingham’s theatre scene has a variety of showings for every taste and type, so get out there, support your neighbors, and enjoy the show!…

So You’re an Artist… Do …

So You’re an Artist… Do You Need New York?

“One great thing about living in the Pacific Northwest,” a local writer said at a recent First Friday, “is that I can visit just about every gallery and studio here. In New York, or other bigger cities, it’s impossible to see everything.”   That raises an interesting question—do…

8 Great Tastes | Winter 2025