Seattle Culture

The Pulse: Thawing Out
Seattle’s food scene steps up and an ugly art tradition lives on
We made it through all the snow and ice this week, and now it’s time to gear up for Valentine’s Day. We’re keeping things simple this year — just stencils, stickers, glitter, and some white cards to decorate. What are your plans? It’s been a week full of news and updates, so here’s what’s happening…

Must List: Six Things to Do This Week
Feb 06 - Feb 12
Black voices and trailblazers in comedy, dance, and film
Hey, how’s it going? My kids have been out of school for three days and they, along with the neighborhood kid crew, somehow managed to build a snowman out of less than an inch of snow — truly impressive. With temps set to drop even more tonight, be sure to stay warm out there. Over…

A Unifying Good Time with Tom Papa
The hilarious and relatable comic brings his Grateful Bread tour to Seattle on Feb. 8.
Comedian Tom Papa wants you to feel a little less alone. He knows life is full of chaos and disappointments — crappy meals, fear of the dark, and endless bad news — but instead of letting it crush you, he invites you to laugh about it. His Grateful Bread tour, much like his baking, takes…

Most Influential: Ethan Stowell
Restaurateur, Activist
Chef Ethan Stowell knows good food can change lives. You probably recognize him as the force behind more than 20 Seattle-area restaurants and cafes. Now, he’s taking on a new challenge: transforming what kids eat in public schools as a member of Eat Real’s chefs council. America’s school cafeterias serve 7 billion meals a year…

Goodbye Seattle Freeze. Hello Seattle Bear Hug
US Chamber of Connection seeks to unite newcomers to the city
Aaron Hurst is outgoing. He’s friendly. After just a brief conversation with him, it’s difficult to imagine he would have a hard time making friends. That, however, is exactly what happened when he moved to Seattle from Brooklyn about 10 years ago. His wife, Kara, had just landed her “dream job” as Amazon’s chief sustainability…

Celebrating Black Art and Culture
Ways to honor Black History Month across the city
Black art, culture, and history deserve the spotlight year-round, but February is when Seattle really steps it up during Black History Month. We’ve got everything from film festivals and discussions to art shows and candle pouring. Support Black-owned businesses while you’re at it, and use your Buy Black Card. Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) NAAM’s…

Most Influential: Uttam Mukherjee & Dr. Aakanksha Sinha
Co-founders of Spice Waala
When Spice Waala opened in 2019, husband and wife team Uttam Mukherjee and Dr. Aakanksha Sinha had two goals: bring authentic Indian street food to Seattle and give back to the community. Now, with three locations, Spice Waala is known for its flavorful chaats, kathi rolls — and its impact. Recently named King County Small…

UW Names Robert J. Jones New President
Jones replaces Ana Mari Cauce, who is retiring
The University of Washington has named Robert J. Jones its 34th president. Jones, who has spent the past nine years as chancellor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, replaces Ana Mari Cauce, who will have held the role for 10 years at the end of the academic year in June. Jones, who also previously served…

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…

Housing Growth is Happening in This City
Kent is the region’s second fastest-growing housing market
The iconic TV show Almost Live constantly poked fun at Kent (and, in fairness, most other things Seattle) 30 years ago for its blue-collar roots and lack of amenities. But if you want to buy a house, you may want to look at Kent. The South King County city is second only to Seattle in…

The Pulse: Snow on the Horizon
A new MoPOP exhibition, Memorial Stadium’s future, and Pete Carroll in dad mode
Hey there, how’s it going? It’s been a busy week at the office. We’re gearing up for the next print issue — think stunning homes and killer photos. Also, they’re calling for light snow this weekend and possibly into Monday. Any bets on if it’ll actually happen? It’s been a dry winter, so any precipitation…

Seattle Pride Revamps Giving Plan
New fund replaces grants and sponsorship program
The nonprofit organization responsible for the Seattle Pride Parade and Seattle Pride in the Park has launched a new community giving program. Seattle Pride is replacing its 7-year-old grants and sponsorship program with the Seattle Pride Impact Fund, dedicated to empowering LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and trans, queer and questioning, intersex, asexual or agender,…
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