Behind the Scenes of Our July Issue: Is There a Doctor in the House?

Know this feeling? You’re minding your own business, getting ready for work, washing that PopTart down with a delicious second cup of coffee, when suddenly Steve Inskeep pops into your kitchen (via KUOW) with this news: Coffee will kill you.

And you think, “Didn’t I just hear somewhere that coffee will make me live longer?”

You probably did. Probably, there’s some consumption tipping point you should know about. Or maybe it’s different for men, or older people, or maybe there’s a problem with decaf. Or maybe if you just take calcium supplements….

The truth is, unraveling medical fact from fiction takes careful attention (drink that coffee!). And who has time? Here’s one solution: Get a really excellent doctor—one you can trust—and let her figure it out. We’ve got your really excellent doctor right here! Our Top Docs list is different from other “best of” lists—on accounta Scientific Research. Every year, we hire a super-uber medical research firm and let them ask thousands of board-certified doctors in our area this question: Who would you trust with YOUR loved one’s care. You can bet they don’t take it lightly.

This year, we got 6,500 nominations—our biggest response yet—and this month we bring you the mother of all Top Docs lists. Hope you never need it!

Other things I love this month: Ali Scheff’s guide to great eats on local islands…the profile of local Shakespeare maven George Mount (think: Shakespeare in the Park! Starting next week!)…Cayla Lambier’s story about bartering (is there a goldmine in that garage?)….photographer Hayley Young has outdone herself with her portrait of PNB dancer Lucien Postlewaite….and I just can’t shake the image of food forager Lang Cook grabbing a pissed-off Dungeness crab bare-handed. He makes eating an extreme sport.

I’ll be standing by with the names of a few good hand doctors…