Rachel Gallaher
The Design Star: Michael Bennett
The former NFL player exploring history and culture through design.
Last September, as Seattle’s summer slipped into the golden light of fall, a simple structure made from cross-laminated timber appeared at Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum. Called Night Chapel, it stood vigil in front of the historic brick building for three months as a space for contemplation, meditation, and communal gathering. Designed by former NFL…
Future Thinking
Leaning into lessons from her past, including the embrace of new technologies, Ava Van Snow launched her full-service PR firm with the goal of helping others tell their stories.
Public Relations specialist Ava Van Snow has always had big ambitions. Despite a series of challenges during her childhood in Renton—a father who walked out when she was young, being raised by her immigrant grandparents who fled Vietnam during the war, and depending on government assistance to survive—she set her sights on pursuing a career…
Something’s Brewing
Downtown Seattle is now a micro-hub for taprooms.
When Reuben’s Brews opened its newest location this summer—front-and-center on First Avenue—it joined a small but mighty cohort of taprooms taking up real estate downtown. With the continued influx of people to the neighborhood (tourists over the summer, workers returning to offices, and locals coming to check out the renovated waterfront), these breweries and cideries…
I’ve Completely Slept on Shibuya HiFi
The Japanese-style listening bar is an absolute must-visit for music lovers.
Every once in a while, I stumble upon something in Seattle that I either didn’t know about or knew about but didn’t experience for months (or years), and become completely, can’t-stop-telling-people obsessed with it. Some examples include the Lonely Siren bar, Kraken games, and Lagree Pilates. My latest discovery is Shibuya HiFi, the Japanese-style listening bar…
Le Petit Chef Makes a Big Splash in Seattle
The immersive, whimsical dining experience debuts at the Kimpton Palladian Hotel.
At a recent dinner, I sat across from a friend, smiling as a tiny orange-and-black butterfly landed on my empty plate. Just inches away, a small figure in chef whites and red boots strolled out of a greenhouse with a rake perched over his shoulder. He then proceeded to work a patch of dirt, plant…
Queen City Continues its Legacy in Belltown
After five years sitting vacant at the corner of 1st and Blanchard, the neighborhood mainstay returns under the direction of industry veteran Jessica Gifford.
Jessica Gifford got her first taste of Belltown in her late teens, hanging out at classic spots like Queen City Grill, Belltown Billiards, and the Frontier Room. “I started going to Queen City when I was 19 or 20 years old,” she recalls. “I was in awe of everything happening in the neighborhood; I thought…
The Little Whiskey Brand with Big Ambitions
Embracing experimental blending, the team behind Doc Swinson’s believes that everyone—not just aficionados—should enjoy whiskey.
Last week, I found myself doing something I hadn’t done in a very long time: taking a pickleback shot with a group of strangers in Ballard. For the uninitiated—or those who didn’t frequent the bars in the 2010s—a pickleback shot is pretty much what it sounds like; a shot of whiskey followed by a shot…
Bernardus Lodge & Spa is a Relaxing Base for Exploring the California Coast
Whether you’re ready for adventure, or looking for hours of sun-soaked repose, this picturesque resort has the best of both worlds.
Less than four hours after signing off on Seattle magazine’s November/December issue, I was soaking in a large copper bathtub at the Bernardus Lodge & Spa, a lemongrass-scented bath bomb fizzing away the stress of press week. In a poetic wrapping-up of the issue, I’d sent the email approval of the final page proofs just as the light…
Collaborating Cultures
Looking to build a home to welcome family and friends, one Kirkland couple turns to a sister to design a modern house with influences from the wife’s Thai heritage.
For many years, when homeowners planned to build or remodel, architects and designers advised them to think first and foremost about resale value. From the number of bedrooms to the materials, appliances, and finishes in the kitchens and bathrooms, homes were often treated solely as an investment, with an eye to future sales. In recent…
Resistance Turned to Resilience
The Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority is celebrating 50 years of lifting up a neighborhood besieged by challenges from all sides.
On November 2, 1972—after a steady overnight rain cleared to leave a construction site near the King Street Station thick with mud—about 200 people gathered for the official groundbreaking of the Kingdome. A project that had seen its funding rejected several times by voters, the Kingdome was finally on its way, with the hopes that…
1 Hotel is a Hidden Gem in South Lake Union
Tucked into a strip of businesses above Whole Foods, the new lodging offers contemporary, Scandinavian-inspired rooms, a unique wellness program, and one of the city’s best new restaurants.
A little over a decade ago, I was in a wedding at the Pan Pacific Hotel. I don’t remember much about it (the hotel, that is), except that it felt very formal, if not a touch dated, with that general “upscale hotel in any city” kind of vibe. The wedding was fun, but I didn’t…
Gone Glamping
Exploring Under Canvas, Washington’s newest luxury outdoor resort.
I am what could be considered an “indoor cat.” Aside from skiing—and the occasional summer hike—much of my favored activity happens inside. But, as luck would have it, a few years ago, one of my friend groups started camping regularly. Maybe it was COVID-related boredom, or an abundance of free time, but there we were,…
Seattle’s WALK DONT RUN Festival is a Major Success for Downtown
Featuring more than 100 local artists, the 2-mile route drew thousands throughout the day.
Last week, Seattle’s streets were abuzz with creativity during the inaugural WALK DON’T RUN art marathon. Inspired by NEPO 5K—an art event organized by local artist Klara Glosova in Chinatown International District and Beacon Hill—WALK, DONT RUN wound through the heart of the city, with dozens of installations, performances, pop-ups, open galleries, and merriment along…
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