May 2011

Alvin Stillwell's: Sun-drenched Beach Boy Meets Twee Alfalfa

Alvin Stillwell’s: Sun-drenched Beach Boy Meets Twee Alfalfa

Stylist Alvin Stillwell adds an untucked, rolled-up California ease to crisp designer suit wear.

WHY WE LOVE HIS LOOK: Fashion stylist Alvin Stillwell is paid to make starlets such as Ashley Tisdale and Jamie Alexander shine, but his personal style grabs its own spotlight—a look that’s comfy yet cultured, a sun-drenched beach boy meets twee Alfalfa. His longtime Northwest style staples, which include form-fitting designer blazers in unexpected plaids…

Three Shopping Finds for May

Three Shopping Finds for May

Cameron Levin's sassy frocks, Amy Bixby's cocktail rings, and Regina Chang's new Colubmia City shop.

Style Pick Designer Cameron Levin is a style maven by profession. The managing editor of Seattlepicks.com (she’s the quirky, charming voice behind the weekly lifestyle e-newsletter), Levin advises on all things shopping and fashion, and now that style cred extends to her Cameron Levin clothing line. Much like her writing style, the 28-year-old Belltown resident’s…

Urban Safari: Capitol Hill's 14th Avenue

Urban Safari: Capitol Hill’s 14th Avenue

The quaint horseshoe created by 14th Avenue and short spurs of Pike and Pine streets, flush with a r

EAT + DRINKAt intimate Spinasse (1531 14th Ave.; 206.251.7673; spinasse.com), award-winning chef Jason Stratton makes authentic northern Italian pastas (and his specialty, rabbit meatballs) in an open kitchen. Next month, Spinasse will expand into the adjacent storefront (formerly Whimsy Home Décor), adding more room for dining, plus a bar, Artusi, where guests can enjoy a…

Medispas: Patient Pampering at Local Hospitals

Medispas: Patient Pampering at Local Hospitals

Local spas affiliated with medical centers and clinics find the sweet spot between pampering and pr

You know where to go when things get tough: the spa. Soothing music, herbal tea, fluffy towels and a massage—your favorite pamper palace sets the mood for calm and relaxation. But more and more, those bastions of serenity are located in the last place most of us go to unwind: the hospital. Welcome to the…

Bistro Turkuaz's Must-try Dolmades

Bistro Turkuaz’s Must-try Dolmades

Chef Ugur Oskay proves not every dolma is created equal.

The loveliness of Bistro Turkuaz—small, intimate, warm—is the sort confided only to our best friends. Those of us who adore the place want to keep it to ourselves. But sometimes a taste is so marvelous, it’s impossible not to share the news. Such is the case with chef Ugur Oskay’s dolmades ($7). Others are often…

Tenor Wines Hits the Right Note

Tenor Wines Hits the Right Note

Tenor winemaker Aryn Morell is on a mission to prove that that Washington wines can stand up to the

Last fall, Tenor Wines, a new super-premium brand created by the winemaker for Woodinville’s Matthews Estate to focus on top-quality reds, set up quite a challenge. It put its very first releases—2007 Malbec, 2007 Merlot and 2007 1:1 (One of One) red blend—into a double-blind tasting against three world-class wines of similar styles. The small,…

Seattle Food Trucks Go Brick and Mortar

Seattle Food Trucks Go Brick and Mortar

Marination Mobile and Skillet open stationary restaurants in Capitol Hill.

If you plot its weekly stops on a map, you’ll notice that Marination Mobile’s food truck bypasses Capitol Hill entirely, a detour owners Kamala Saxton and Roz Edison say is no accident. Brick-and-mortar restaurants proliferate like crazy on Capitol Hill, thanks to population density and a high concentration of food enthusiasts on a budget. But…

Orcas Alchemy Takes Sweet and Salty to New Extremes

Orcas Alchemy Takes Sweet and Salty to New Extremes

We can't get enough of Orcas Alchemy's artisanal sugars and salts.

 “Please pass the salt” becomes a bit more complicated when sitting across the table from Leisha Jones and Lisa Trifiro. The owner and creator, respectively, of Orcas Alchemy (etsy.com/shop/orcasalchemy), Jones and Trifiro turn the yes-or-no query into a multiple-choice conundrum with their collection of chef-grade artisan salts, including roasted garlic, smoked serrano chile, Thai ginger…

Quiche Me: 5 Can't-miss Dishes

Quiche Me: 5 Can’t-miss Dishes

Baked eggs, custard, a buttery crust and endless possibilities for fillings give quiche its endless

Cafe BesaluIf you aren’t already a leek lover, the leeks and goat cheese quiche will surely convert you. Ever so delicate, its ingredients are of uniformly tender texture, making each leeky, cheesy bite incredibly smooth and savory without being heavy. $4.50/slice. Ballard, 5909 24th Ave. NW; 206.789.1463; cafebesalu.comLynn’s bistro Highlighting one of the Pacific Northwest’s…

1022 South: Tacoma's Hidden Jewel

1022 South: Tacoma’s Hidden Jewel

We ventured to Tacoma to sample libations from a praise-worthy bar.

The New York Times recently named 1022 South (1022 South J St.; 253.627.8588; 1022south.com) in Tacoma’s Hilltop district “home to some of the most fascinating apothecary cocktail work on the West Coast.” Given such praise, we ventured outside our usual Bar Hop range to explore the 2-year-old space, which is co-owned by Chris Keil and…

The Fleet Foxes's Crafty New Album

The Fleet Foxes’s Crafty New Album

Seattle's alt-folk faves are back with a new album and local shows this month.

Given the hype surrounding the Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut album in 2008, you might have thought the local band invented an entirely new music genre. Among the abundant accolades for the alt-folkies (led by Lake Washington High School grads Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset) was the designation “album of the year” by Billboard magazine’s Critics’…

Grey Matters: Why Seattle is an All-inclusive Base Camp

Grey Matters: Why Seattle is an All-inclusive Base Camp

Seattle is a climber’s town, but some of us prefer the comforts of base camp to the rigors of mounta

Years ago, my photograph appeared in Seattle Weekly as part of a spoof on mountain climbing. I posed in a parking lot in SoDo with an ice ax, standing in front of a building with a picture of Mount Rainier painted on the wall. Let’s just say I am not exactly the embodiment of physical…