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 more elegant plate while still letting the ingredients lead. BLACKENED HALIBUT WITH SPRING SUCCOTASH, LEMON-HERBED RICE, AND…
Magic can be found in the unlikeliest of places. A slate-gray blob of clay, a blank white canvas, rich brown wood, or even soft beeswax. These materials carry endless potential and can be made into statues of animals, culturally significant totems, and beautiful, bright landscape paintings. Here are just some of the Northwest’s local artists who’ve unlocked the magic within. Yvonne Buijs-Mancuso Encaustic painting…
MULLED WINE ‘Tis the season for steaming drinks in front of a fire with your favorite people with a pot of fragrant, cheerful mulled wine a la Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol!” Originating in ancient cultures, this hot boozy beverage was probably…
In pretty much any Northwest Washington town, you’ll often find yourself near local art. Below, you can find just a few of the galleries that showcase the creative work of our area. Allied Arts of Whatcom County In the heart of downtown Bellingham, we’re surrounded by the creative endeavors of the folks who make the town what it is….
THE SHOP Just off I-5 exit 270 in Birch Bay Square, this shop sells select women’s apparel featuring classic on-trend styles—most for under $75. The clothes are modern yet distinctive; many pieces would be just as appropriate at church as they would be on the green at an open-air film festival or even the county…
1. Fuel up for a big day with the Barnyard Benedict at Sweet Bay Cafe. The poached eggs are served with bacon or ham on an English muffin, covered in country gravy, with hollandaise and hash browns to boot! 2. MOTO…
Looking for some fun winter cocktails to brighten the season? These recipes are easy to shake up at home with just a few simple ingredients. A quick grocery run covers the basics, while many garnishes can be found right in the pantry—perfect for adding a personal…
David Wight, the world’s premier glass wave sculptor, almost drowned at age 11. “My dad was floating down a little offshoot of water from the main river. I really wanted to do it…my mom really didn’t want me to but I convinced her,” says Wight. As he arrived at the mouth of the river, he realized that there were powerful whirlpools that started to pull him under. “They made me feel like…
Bellingham’s Cosmic Games is gearing up for a huge expansion! They’re moving from their 4,500-square-foot location on the Guide Meridian to a 12,000-square-foot space at Bellis Fair Mall. Cosmic Games is a staple for local gamers and collectors, thanks to their packed inventory and expertise with trading card games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon, video games across platforms, roleplaying and table top games, and related toys, apparel, and accessories. This upcoming expansion could help them become a…
The Bellingham Technical College (BTC) Foundation recently announced a new endowment that will support Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences students for generations to come. The college is incredibly grateful for this generous bequest, which totaled more than…
Winter is a season of contrasts: it’s the darkest, coldest season, representing quiet, solitude, and endings, and it’s also when we come together for festivities around joy, connection, and light. Many winter celebrations pay homage to the struggles of the season while reveling in the human capacity to endure, survive, and counteract them—here are some holidays, traditions, and events that celebrate everything there is to love about winter. Lucia Dec. 13…
Between family gatherings, office celebrations, and last-minute gift runs, the holiday season often demands a look that’s both festive and flexible. For women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, the key isn’t chasing trends—it’s embracing looks that feel polished, timeless, and tailored to your features. This season, beauty is less about reinvention and more about refinement. The right products—and a few thoughtful touches—can help you feel like…
Nothing says “I love you” during the holidays quite like Green Bean Casserole served alongside a Bourbon Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie. Both dishes carry a sense of nostalgia and comfort, and every time I make them, holiday or not, it feels like a…
Elk St. Tavern is the new kid on the block and sibling restaurant to Bellingham’s beloved Redlight Kitchen & Bar. We talked to Elk St.’s head chef, Karla Burcham, to bring you an inside look at this new eatery. “The food at Elk St. is inspired by tavern classics, but updated,” says Burcham, who worked with Redlight’s former kitchen manager and chef, Noah Burns, to develop the dishes, and Redlight’s…
Our home is a bounty of rich, flavorful ingredients. This holiday season, elevate your table with these signature recipes that showcase some of the best locally-sourced ingredients in our region. Whether you enjoy sweet or savory, or something in between, we hope you find your new…
Haircutting is a delicate craft. It takes a person who can connect with their client—someone who knows just how important a fresh cut can be. That’s where Aminah Roe fits into the picture. She’s been cutting hair for more than 10 years, and these days her clippers lie inside the Fit Evo gym on Iowa Street. Despite the unconventional location…
I first met Indira Rouw through my local Buy Nothing group—she’d put out a call for sturdy grocery bags, and my cupboard was overflowing, so I popped over to her downtown Mount Vernon office with my arms full. I…
Sofie Hynes has been an independent jeweler in Bellingham for around three decades, and her business, Sofie’s Goldmine, operated in a repurposed gas station on State Street for the last 19 years. In late August, Sofie’s moved to a bottom-floor storefront in the Hotel Leo building on Cornwall Avenue. “I felt like it was time to take this opportunity,” says Hynes, whose previous space was scheduled for demolition. “Everyone at the Hotel Leo is very nice … I…
In May, Bellingham staple Old World Deli re-opened its doors after a month-long renovation. While it may be the same business inside the same building, Owner Chris Adams is determined to bring a new, more refined approach to the shop. After visiting delis across New York, Los Angeles, and even Japan, he decided it was time to make…
Bellingham’s poetry scene has been quietly brewing for decades, with writers’ groups, kitchen table readings, open mics, and acclaimed poets making an occasional splash. This Nov. 7–9, the inaugural Salish Sea Poetry Festival hopes to bring poetry front-and-center. The festival is the newest program from the…
Since Time Immemorial is a recurring series featuring community members whose families have been here since time immemorial. The ancestral…
The Buy Nothing Project first began in Bainbridge Island with two friends, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark. After venturing through the Kitsap Peninsula, they were unhappy with the amount of waste they saw polluting the beach and decided to take action. Determined to make a change, they spent years collecting and identifying plastics they found in their community, eventually discovering that much of the waste comes from everyday products. In an effort to reduce plastic waste in their…
