Chris S. Nishiwaki

Preston Singletary: The Harmonic Alchemist
Multi-talented Seattle artist fuses sound, cinema and glass artistry
In Tlingit lore the raven is a supernatural being who steals the moon, sun, and stars from a powerful man. Seattle artist Preston Singletary can be forgiven if he is confused for the modern-day manifestation of the raven, also described as a shapeshifter in mythology. Singletary has been enlightening audiences the world over for decades with his…

Most Influential: Hamdi Mohamed
Seattle Port Commissioner
Hamdi Mohamed arrived 30 years ago with her family, refugees fleeing war-torn Somalia. In 2024, the 34-year-old port commissioner became the first Black woman to chair the Seattle Port Commission, the public authority that manages Sea-Tac Airport and the Port of Seattle. Mohamed was not quite a year old when she fled Somalia with her…

Rain and Red Lanterns
A guide to Lunar New Year events across the city
Midori in Japanese translates to “green.” Though born “green,” violinist virtuoso Midori Goto matured quickly into one of the most coveted soloists in the globe. Now 53 and referred to simply by a single name (achieving the status reserved for megastars like Madonna, Beyoncé, Adele, Prince, Shakira, Usher, Cher and others), Midori headlines at the Seattle Symphony performing Brahms Violin Concerto Jan. through Monday at Benaroya Hall. Midori will be…

Most Influential: David Baker
Scientist
David Baker grew up on Capitol Hill with scientist parents. His father, Marshall Baker, was a physicist. His mother, Marcia Bourgin Baker, was a geophysicist. Both were faculty at the University of Washington. But as an undergraduate at Harvard, the younger Baker initially eschewed his famous parents’ paths and focused on the humanities, majoring in…

The Largest Seattle Restaurant Week Ever Begins Oct. 27
Popular event launched in 2010 in response to the recession
Seattle Restaurant Week was born in 2010 when a group of local chefs collectively known as the Seattle Restaurant Cooperative make plans to spur the restaurant business out of the recession sparked by the 2008 financial crisis…

Seattle Restaurants Fuel Philanthropy
Several upcoming events raise needed funds for charities
The Seattle area is consistently among the most charitable cities in the country. And in this charitable region, many non-profit organizations depend on the kindness of chefs, restaurateurs, wineries, breweries, farms, and food vendors to raise funds to help deliver services…

Political Parties Like No Other
Local activities are putting the “party” in politics
Dubbed Dine4Democracy, the group led by former U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and ex-Microsoft executive Suzi LeVine, and designer and community builder Gemma Daggatt, is organizing a series of 47 parties through mid-October ranging from casual barbecues to multi-course dinners featuring celebrities from the culinary world, music, acting and politics. Costs range from $47 per couple to $4,700 per guest…

The Auction of Washington Wines Has Grown With The Wine Industry
Last year, the auction drew more than 1,000 guests and raised $4 million
Victor de la Luz was once a beneficiary of Seattle Children’s. Now, nearly two decades later, he has come full circle and is a benefactor to the pediatric care institution. De la Luz will be among dozens of Washington winemakers donating their time and wine to the Auction of Washington Wines during a three-day affair…

New and Classic Wineries Collide at Taste Washington
The event, now in its third decade, showcases more than 200 Washington wineries
Brian Carter has been participating in Taste Washington since its inception in 1998, when it was held at the historic Paramount Theatre. At the time he was teaming up with Harry Alhadeff to craft wines under the Apex Cellars, Washington Hills, and W.B. Bridgeman labels…
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