December 2011
Make a Holiday-Themed Trip to La Conner
Where lighted boats and prominent Northwest artists abound this holiday season.
WHERE: La Conner, Washington, for Swinomish Yacht Club’s decades-old annual Lighted Boat Parade (12/10; 6:30 p.m.; free; swinomishyachtclub.org). WHY: Stunning, hand-decorated yachts and boats illuminate the Swinomish channel for a “Christmas Island”-themed waterborne parade that travels from the La Conner Marina along the waterfront to Shelter Bay. WHILE IN TOWN: Stop in to the Museum…
Amazon’s Safer Delivery Service
Our local online retail giant pairs with 7-Eleven to deliver the goods.
The home of Slurpees, spicy hot dogs and Big Gulps is adding a new item to its shelves: whatever you just ordered from Amazon.com. The Seattle-based online retail behemoth is partnering with megachain 7-Eleven to install banks of delivery lockers inside the convenience stores with the intent of making package delivery secure and accessible for…
See Underwater Life in the Pacific Northwest
Photographer David Hall's new book uncovers what lies beneath the waves just off our coasts.
It’s widely rumored that Jacques Cousteau deemed the Pacific Northwest his second-favorite place to scuba dive. (The Red Sea was his best beloved, but we’re going to assume that was merely because the water temps there are significantly less chilly.) Cousteau’s high praise may seem surprising at first, given the cold, gray facades of local…
Charming Holiday Frocks for Girls
Why we love this Beacon Hill designer’s new line of little girls' dresses.
If a party, high tea or afternoon at The Nutcracker is on your little girl’s dance card this year, consider these fashion-forward creations from Beacon Hill designer Ana Louie’s debut Holiday 2011 collection. Inspired by Paris in the 1950s, this line started as sketches done by Ana Louie, founder Ann Marie Louie’s 8-year-old daughter. Using…
New Life in Japantown
One of Seattle's oldest neighborhoods is sprouting new galleries and shops.
It may be one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods, with roots stretching back to the late 1800s, but Japantown is quickly becoming the city’s newest art destination. The vibrant, diverse spirit of the ’hood (which is anchored by the historic Panama Hotel and runs along Fifth and Sixth Streets between S Jackson and Main) is the…
Allspice
Where to warm up with this utility player of the spice rack.
Local chefs and bartenders are looking to allspice—the utility player of the holiday spice rack—to add warmth and complexity to dishes and drinks during the cold winter months. THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER If the name doesn’t elevate your curiosity enough to order one, perhaps the ingredients will: Rising-star bartender Joe Sundberg’s Mustache Ride expertly…
Paratii Craft Bar
A new bar that transforms a little corner of Ballard into a hideaway.
Named for the Brazilian beach town Paraty (but spelled differently), Paratii Craft Bar transforms a little corner of Ballard into a hideaway. Chef and owner Sam Hassan is no stranger to serving the public, once owning joints in London and Rio de Janeiro, as well as several (now defunct) eateries in Seattle. The new digs…
Bluebird Grain Farms’ Baked Goodness
Try freshly milled flours, cereals and ancient grains from this Winthrop farm.
Husband-and-wife duo Sam and Brooke Lucy originally met while walking their dogs along the same road where their 200-acre Bluebird Grain Farms now stands in Winthrop. After making a love match, the couple decided to deepen their roots in the Methow Valley and became partners in business, too, establishing their all-organic granary in 2005 to…
How to Use Duck Fat
Lorna Yee adds a garlicky, crispy edge to holiday potatoes with a dose of duck.
What it is: Duck lard is simply the fat rendered from ducks. This rich fat is pale golden when warm or hot, and solidifies to a snowy white when cool. How I discovered it: I first came across tubs of duck fat for sale years ago at Don and Joe’s Meats in Pike Place Market,…
Sopheap Pich’s Bamboo City
A Cambodian artist builds city blocks from bamboo inside the Henry.
Imagine the skyline of a city built entirely of rattan and you’ll have an idea of what Sopheap Pich is up to at the Henry Art Gallery. The Cambodian-born sculptor augments this bendable wood with bamboo, plywood and metal wire to create stunning large-scale sculptures that appear both substantial and ready to snap. His current…
How 1962 Changed Seattle Forever
Knute Berger on two men and one book that helped shape Seattle’s opinion of itself.
This last year, I’ve spent a lot of time in 1962, as I research and write a history of the Space Needle. Every week, I appear on KUOW-FM’s Weekday news roundtable to discuss such things as the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the tunnel, marijuana and the mayor, but honestly, I’ve been more fascinated with the politics…
Best of: Readers’ Choice 2011
Seattleites have spoken. Here are the Reader's Choice winners in our Best of 2011 poll.
BEAUTY Salon for cuts and colorGARY MANUEL SALONBelltown2127 First Ave.206.728.1234garymanuel.com Blow-dry/styling barSWINK STYLE BARMultiple locations, includingUniversity Village4610 Village Court NE206.673.5070swinkstylebar.com HairstylistDERIK EGGERT, GARYMANUEL SALONBelltown2127 First Ave.206.728.1234garymanuel.com Men’s salonRUDY’S BARBERSHOPMultiple locations,including Fremont475 N 36th St.206.547.0818rudysbarbershop.com Children’s haircutsLI’L KLIPPERSWallingford (Wallingford Center)1815 N 45th St., Suite 205206.633.2158lilklippers.com Nail salonJULEP NAIL PARLORMultiple locations,including University District5001 25th Ave. NE206.985.6644myjulep.com Place…