New Sipping Grounds for This Beach Cat | Beach Cat Brewing

Beach Cat Brewing’s first location opened in 2020 after Jake Gobeille, owner and director of operations, unexpectedly fell in love with the craft. Now he’s opening a second location at 1010 C Street on Bellingham’s Downtown Waterfront. Gobeille is hoping to open this spring, but curating the right culture and environment is crucial: “We have to make sure that when…

Beloved Bakery Adds Savory to Their Sweets | Barb’s Pies and Pastries

When strolling down Main Street in Ferndale, you might spot a powder-blue bakery sign promising scrumptious treats. Once you step inside, you’ll likely find…

Offering Brightness and Joy in Dark Times | Soul*drift’s Valentine’s Love Cabaret at Amendment 21

February can be a hard month. All the joy and brightness of the holiday season has passed, and the excitement of the new year is starting to wane (as is your dedication to resolutions, if you’re like most people). Sure, there’s a heart-filled holiday in there, but not everyone wants to spend too much money eating a set menu alongside every other couple in town.  Enter: The Valentine’s Cabaret at Amendment 21, an unconventional celebration of love that…

How to Be a Good Caregiver

New to caregiving? Here are some tips from Bellingham counselor and author Miriam Drake.

Bow Wow & Woofs Launches Pet Pantry for Pets in Need

Bow Wow & Woofs offers a pet pantry for owners struggling to feed their pets during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Embracing the Chaos

Editorial/Marketing Coordinator Anelyse Morris shares her experience growing up as a military child, and how it led her to journalism.

Red roses are a classic Valentine’s Day gift, but they come at a cost.

Roses are red, violets are blue. But as a Valentine, you may want to try something new.

Eat, Drink, Read, Repeat with Life Between the Pages

Life Between the Pages—A collaborative book club between Evolve, Village Books, and local bars creates an immersive literary experience.

Big Rock Garden Park

This month’s online exclusive is all about Big Rock Garden Park, an easy, local outing that offers accessible trails and plenty to see.

Private School Breakdown

With schools back in session, we took a closer look at private school options in Whatcom, San Juan, and Skagit counties—from Christian and Catholic schools to non-denominational academies.

Patriotic Parties

Still wondering where to go for the Fourth? In this month’s online exclusive, we highlight the best places around the Sound to watch the fireworks boom.

Orcas Island, To Go 

Orcas Island was listed on the New York Times’ Best Destinations for 2019. Celebrities are taking notice, including Oprah, who owns a house on Orcas Island.

Wholesale Seafood in the North Sound

Our online exclusive this month showcases companies that provide local, fresh wholesale seafood from Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan counties, and Alaska.

‘Thrill of the Hunt,’ But Also Danger

Kara Nelson describes what it’s like to be married to a commercial fisherman. Her husband, Laeth, is gone for extended periods of time for much of the year.

Oh, Christmas Tree

As you are preparing for the holidays, here is a list of local, U-cut Christmas tree farms around Whatcom and Skagit counties.

Deception Distilling

In this web exclusive, you can take an inside look into the family-run business in Anacortes, Deception Distilling and get the recipe for Lavender and Lace.

On The Street

Local residents share their thoughts, views, and concerns about Bellingham’s waterfront development project at Waypoint Park.

Wellness Centers

In recent years, health and wellness centers are catering to clients who want far more than feel-good country spas and or challenging exercise adventures. Centers today offer approaches once considered unconventional, but now more mainstream, like acupuncture, natural medicines, and hypnosis. This is the…

One-on-one Interview with Paula Poundstone

For a standup comedian, Paula Poundstone asks a lot of questions. She is quirky, inquisitive, and brilliant, all traits evident during her September show at Bellingham’s Mount Baker Theatre. She keeps a punishing touring schedule – she is booked for 35 shows in the first half of 2018 alone – and her routine is only partly one – about a third of what she does…

Let Phoenix Desert and Sun Heat Up Your Winter

Escape the gray and head to sunny Arizona. Nestled in the urban core of the Grand Canyon state discover the bustling city of Greater Phoenix boasting more than 300 days of sunshine annually. And there’s no better time than now to come play in this Sonoran playground. Take a day to soak in the sun and explore the desert landscape. Exhilarate yourself and soar up, up and away in a hot air balloon. Float nearly 3,000 feet…

Hometown Pot Shop

Big cities in Washington have seen a boom of new marijuana stores in the last few years. New shops can be found all over Seattle and even Bellingham. But not every store’s goal is to make it big in the big city. Smuggler Brothers in Sedro-Woolley is maintaining a small-town identity in the growing world of marijuana sales. Purchasing Manager Olas Yoho said one of the most unexpected aspects…

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 really need to be grazing all day long? There…

No Dairy? No Problem

One of the greatest tragedies of being lactose intolerant is the inability to enjoy one of the best go-to foods there are—pizza. You can, of course, make your own recipes at home, but there’s nothing that quite compares with going out with friends, ordering a pitcher of beer and a large pie. But thankfully, there are options out there. Sometimes all it takes is asking your server if you can order a pizza…

The Ins and Outs of the Top Knot

One of the biggest-trending hair styles I see these days is the “high bun,” popularly known known as the “top knot.” This hairstyle is so quick and simple, you can apply it before you cook breakfast, and it’ll translate throughout the day as you drop off the kids,…

Overcoming Hearing Loss

Student finds community at Western Johanna Urbach isn’t sure when she lost the ability to hear in her right ear. One possible explanation is when she was 15 months old and received shots, she couldn’t sit up straight afterwards and got an ear infection. While this could explain Urbach’s hearing loss, it…

Sipping Chocolate Fits to a Tea

Evolve’s Chaicolate good for Easter, Mother’s Day The first rule of comparing sipping chocolate to hot chocolate is…don’t. “It’s incomparable to hot…

Ten Good Places to Watch March Madness

Sure, you could watch the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments from the comfort of your own sofa, but what’s the fun in screaming your fool head off in a quiet house? Go find your tribe – or at least some…

Ways to Spend Time With Your Love This February

February is chock-full of events in our neck of the woods. They serve as a great opportunity for both familiar and new experiences. Take advantage of the fun and spend some extra time with your love…or best friends. 1. Chuckanut Bay Distillery hosts tours and complimentary tastings every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Guests will…

The Accidental Bucketlist

Without guys like Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and the guys along the defensive line, there would be no Legion of Boom, because it all starts up front. Those guys don’t get nearly the credit they deserve. —Richard Sherman Half of what I know about football I learned in second grade, when I told my class that my cousin Leta was a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. It made sense—she had long, blond hair, great Frye boots,…

DIY Gurus of Youtube

I remember watching This Old House on lazy weekends, idly plucking at a bowl of popcorn while Bob Vila tears apart the plaster wall of a Victorian with glee. These days, homeowners get most of their renovation know­how in the great how­to library of YouTube. But not all home remodel videos are created equal—some of them are too complicated, some skip important steps, and some are just downright silly. But the best of them are so helpful, they deserve a special mention. One of the superstars of YouTube DIY is Matt Risinger of Austin, Texas. Now, not all of the advice he dispenses works in our cooler, wetter climate, but he does some beautiful work and explains it all very well. Another favorite is Craig Heffernan. Craig specializes in deck­building for beginners. More enthusiast than teacher, Kirsten Dirksen takes you through eco­houses and tiny houses loaded with features and information. She’s a great person to turn to for inspiration and ideas, Dirksen’s passion shines through. Going with a contractor is usually a good idea for most large remodel and construction projects. But if you feel like rolling up your sleeves and framing your own tiny house, these folks can help you get started. Or at least get you into enough trouble to keep it interesting. Links: Matt Risinger Craig Heffernan Kirsten Dirksen

Barn Raising

Dreaming of a new outbuilding for your property? Find inspiration in the gorgeous equestrian barns constructed by DC Builders in Snohomish County and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Stephanie Meyer is an equine veterinarian at Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital. DC Builders constructed…

Household Know-How

We’ve rounded up our favorite how-to videos that demonstrate helpful tips and tricks for accomplishing household cleaning and organizing tasks.