May 2011

Revel: Genius Food In a Silvery Sleek Space

Revel: Genius Food In a Silvery Sleek Space

Allison Austin Scheff gives nod to another spectacular winner from Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi.

Sometimes, it’s easy to fall into “other city” envy. What’s not to like about Portland’s utopian indie scene, Vancouver’s dim sum and Japanese food, Chicago’s thrilling modern cooking, New York’s delis, bagels—everything? But when a restaurant like Revel comes along right here at home, it’s one more notch in our belt, and the competitive food…

Has the FDA's Crackdown on Local Farms Gone Too Far?

Has the FDA’s Crackdown on Local Farms Gone Too Far?

Rebekah Denn looks at the debate over what “safe” means when it comes to artisan products.

Contamination-related shutdowns at two beloved local cheese makers sparked outrage last year—but maybe not for the reasons you’d think. The most vocal protests weren’t about the reports of contamination—listeria at the Estrella Family Creamery and E. coli at Sally Jackson Cheeses—but about what some see as a draconian federal crackdown on small, local businesses. “Contact…

Sustainable seafood expert Becky Selengut's new cookbook

Sustainable seafood expert Becky Selengut’s new cookbook

Local chef’s new cookbook makes sustainable seafood accessible and delectable.

NAME: Becky Selengut OCCUPATION: Private chef, cooking teacher, author ON BEING ALLERGIC TO GARLIC: “I love garlic…it just hates me!” FAVORITE RECIPE IN THE NEW BOOK: “The scallop crudo, because of its simplicity and restraint. Made with scallop, orange, mint, good olive oil and good sea salt—it’s creamy and delicious.” BOOK BONUS: Every recipe includes…

The Ultimate Guide to Washington's Mountains

The Ultimate Guide to Washington’s Mountains

They’re massive. Magical. Magnificent. Mountains inevitably put us in our place, and in Seattle, it’

We’ve all asked (and answered) the classic vacation question: The mountains or the shore? As it happens, we feel strongly both ways. But after publishing our Ultimate Coast Guide three years ago, we knew we had created an obvious imperative. And so we present our paean to Washington’s magnificent mountains. Why? Well, to paraphrase the…

Goods from the Woods: A Local Forest to Table Movement

Goods from the Woods: A Local Forest to Table Movement

We’ve seen the farm-to-table movement open up a whole new way of eating well while supporting local

On a damp spring day, Seattle floral designer Katherine Anderson climbs a tree in some woods south of Duvall. She clips and collects delicate fronds of licorice fern—which she’ll use as bouquet greenery at her Capitol Hill flower shop Marigold and Mint—then shinnies back down to the ground. Just 30 miles east of Seattle, Anderson’s…

Rachel Hart's Mountain High

Rachel Hart’s Mountain High

Our fearless leader talks mountains, chocolate cake and Seattle's soul.

That whole thing about climbing a mountain because it is there? Yeah, I’ve never quite understood that philosophy—unless it’s a metaphor that applies to something like a big piece of chocolate cake that happens to be in my line of vision. Many years ago, my husband and I were hiking Mount Rainier—this was pre-kids, so…

May Trends for the Stylish Seattle Child

May Trends for the Stylish Seattle Child

Repurposed duds from Ricicli, volunteering made easy and statement making blanket.

Downsizing, UpcyclingWhen Christina Collins-Pezzner looks at a pile of discarded clothes, she sees beautiful bits of opportunity. Her Ballard-based design business Ricicli (pronounced ree-chee-clee; riciclikids.com), turns gently used adult apparel into stylish, one-of-a-kind duds for boys and girls. After many years on the local fashion scene, including working with Nordstrom’s buying team, Collins-Pezzner realized her…

REI’s In-Store Shoe Specialist Helps Seattle Hikers Find the Perfect Boots

REI’s In-Store Shoe Specialist Helps Seattle Hikers Find the Perfect Boots

Seattle’s Pete Smith has been fitting hikers with boots for the last 24 years.

NAME: Pete Smith OCCUPATION: Footwear sales specialist at REI CHILDHOOD DREAM JOB: Forest ranger ON CURIOUS CUSTOMERS: “A year after a customer has bought a pair of boots, they’ll come back saying, ‘I’ve been hiking for a year, and I just realized that I’ve had two left boots.’ It’s happened more than once.” FUN FOOT…

Seattle’s IndieFlix Offers Short Films in a Sweet Format

Seattle’s IndieFlix Offers Short Films in a Sweet Format

Vote for your indie picks with the Film Festival in a Box.

We love SIFF, but sometimes the hugeness of our local film fest can be a tad overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be cool to attend a film festival where you didn’t have to stand in line or scramble for good seats? Say, a film festival in your living room? Enter FILM FESTIVAL IN A BOX, an interactive…

DIY Nick Cave 'Soundsuits"

DIY Nick Cave ‘Soundsuits”

Meet Nick Cave at the center of the earth with a Value Village-sourced soundsuit.

If you’ve been to Meet Me at the Center of the Earth, Seattle Art Museum’s show of sculptor/dancer/designer Nick Cave’s stunning “soundsuits” (through 6/5), you know it’s impossible not to be inspired by the artist’s ingeniously crafted costumes. Part of the beauty of the suits is that they’re constructed from everyday materials—in fact, a recent…

Get Scenic at the Columbia River Gorge

Get Scenic at the Columbia River Gorge

Take an artsy road trip to the first annual Columbia Gorge Arts & Culture Discovery Month.

WHERE: The Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area. WHY: For the first annual Columbia Gorge Arts & Culture Discovery Month (columbiagorgeartsandculture.com), wherein 19 arts organizations spanning the Gorge celebrate local art, music and culture. Events include the Columbia Gorge Fiddle Contest (May 6-8 in Hood River, OR; columbiagorgefiddlecontest.com), featuring the best fiddlers in the west, plus…

Local Salons Take Portlandia’s “Put a Bird on It” Mantra to Heart

Local Salons Take Portlandia’s “Put a Bird on It” Mantra to Heart

A new hippie-chic twist on the clip-on extension: feather extensions.

Local salons are taking Portlandia’s “Put a Bird on It” mantra to heart (or rather, to hair) with a new, hippie-chic twist on the clip-on extension: feather extensions. Made from rooster feathers, the extensions come in many colors, range in size from subtle to Big Bird, and take about ten minutes to attach, using a…