Seattle Living

Festive Seattle
Enjoy a sense of wonder and discovery this holiday season
For many arts organizations, holiday shows represent more than half of ticket sales for the entire season. And, as arts audiences come and go, so can the surrounding economy. Studies show that every dollar spent by patrons in the arts creates $3 of economic impact. The arts and entertainment options in and around Seattle are varied. Here are some recommendations.

The Sound of Giving
Three nonprofit music organizations worthy of support
In the March/April issue of this magazine, I wrote an article about the problems with Seattle’s music scene and how we can fix them. There’s a lot to be desired in Seattle’s music scene — like more regular, paying gigs for musicians at local establishments and a more reasonable volume level at venues across the…

Raising Funds, Making Friends | Sponsored
Friends' Pier Party builds excitement around a stunning makeover in the heart of Seattle
Joy Shigaki spent countless hours as a child exploring Seattle’s beautiful city parks. She is now a leader in the innovative and ambitious effort to completely revitalize and transform the city’s waterfront. Shigaki is president and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Seattle, the nonprofit group helping fund, program, and steward the new 20-acre Waterfront Park….

How to Trim the Tree and the Waste
Ridwell CEO: Sustainability doesn’t have to be perfect. It just requires intention.
As we kick off the holiday season, it may not surprise you to learn that the most wonderful time of the year is also the most wasteful. People in the United States create 25% more garbage between Nov. 1 and New Year’s Day, which adds a staggering 4 million to 5 million tons to the…

Black Black Friday launches in Seattle
The event is designed to boost Black-owned businesses
An initiative launched in Seattle encourages residents to spend money at Black-owned businesses, starting on Black Friday. Called Black Black Friday, the movement was organized by Laura Clise, founder and CEO of the Intentionalist, an online directory of thousands of small businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, LBGTQ+, families, and differently abled people,…

Retail Crime in Washington the Worst in U.S.
Forbes Advisor report finds that retailers here are ‘most impacted’
A few years ago, a thief brazenly used a pair of bolt cutters to snip the wires securing several high-end purses at the former Macy’s department store in downtown Seattle. He then calmly left the store. Retail theft remains a driver of numerous store closures throughout the city — Target and Bartell Drugs are two…

What’s All the Fuss About?
Let these Seattle-area restaurants take the Thanksgiving cooking reins
The countdown kicks off earlier each year. Turkey window decals peck at the heels of the skeletons. Soggy brown leaves lay scattered across roads, sidewalks, and yards. From misty blue mornings to frigid evenings, we hear you, nature. It’s time to eat, drink, and be merry. If you’re looking to remove the stress from your…

Running in a Wetsuit, Swimming in Shoes
Swimrun has become a popular endurance sport
Four friends are sitting around a bar in Sweden, sharing a few drinks and catching up. One turns to another and says, “Do you think we can swim and run 75 kilometers up the coastline of Stockholm?” After a few more drinks and perhaps a little chest puffing, a plan was set in motion. The…

A Light-Filled Oasis
Mercer Island residence embraces natural beauty by drawing it inside
When Kent and Lisa Sacia decided to put a bow on their latest remodeling triumph, they turned to a trusted collaborator, Sander Groves Landscaping President Dan Groves. He was more than happy to take on the project, a reimagining of a 1972 Northwest contemporary by a noted Mercer Island architect. “I am in a position to…

The Tinsel is No Longer in a Tangle
Seattle shoppers are ready to spend this holiday season
One iPad pro: $799. One 24” MacBook: $1,599. If those are on your holiday shopping list, chances are you’ve already busted your budget. The 2023 Deloitte Seattle Holiday Retail Survey finds that the “average” holiday spend in Seattle is $2,073, up a whopping 59% from two years ago. That’s not all. That $2,073 is 25%…

UW Launches Final Phase of Campaign to Restore Historic ASUW Shell House
Effort coincides with release of The Boys in the Boat on Christmas day
The race is on. The University of Washington has launched the final phase of an ambitious campaign to restore the historic shell house where the 1936 Gold-medal winning Olympic rowing team once trained. The “Pull Together” campaign is designed to encourage final gifts toward the renovation of the century-old ASUW Shell House on the Montlake…

The Gift of Experience
Think activities, not things
I’m reminded at this time of year to slow down and reflect on my life with gratitude. But the official Thursday of thanks ends abruptly, overshadowed by the frenzied Friday that starts the holiday shopping marathon. This is a dizzying prospect that you may also dread, so I offer an alternative: Consider the idea of…

His Own Man
Pete Carroll doesn’t always trust the analytics that have taken over sports
Socially liberal, but a football conservative. That description of Pete Carroll may come as a surprise to Seattle, which for the past 13 years has watched the coach defy the expectations of his profession. In other words, he’s not beholden to analytics. He does not use fear to motivate his players. He does not threaten…
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