Age: 53 Occupation: Freelance journalist and author Destined for occupation since: I started writing my byline all over my Pee Chee back in high school. Neighborhood: Queen Anne Orientation: Straight Children: No kids, but I’m a red-hot aunt Grew up: On a strawberry farm in Skagit Valley Personal mission: After being diagnosed with breast cancer…

Age: 37 Occupation: Actor, musician, member of the band “Awesome” (awesomeinquotes.com) Destined for occupation since: Elementary school, when they sent us home with a worksheet with pictures of musical instruments on it. I pointed at the trumpet. Then theater extroverted me in high school, and I’ve been discovering new occupations ever since.  Neighborhood: Fremont Orientation:…

No matter what side you’re on during this year’s election, let’s hope we can agree on two things: First, that an election night party just isn’t the same without a good cocktail (that fits both a winning and a losing mood). And second, that the following drinks are better than any other election night cocktails….

MUST HEARKnute Berger at the Space needleThursday (11/1) — Seattle magazine editor-at-large Knute Berger is presenting MOHAI’s esteemed Denny Lecture tomorrow night at the Space Needle. The topic du jour? Why, the Space Needle, of course. Learn all about the truly quirkly origins of the Needle, as recounted in Berger’s new book, Space Needle: The…

What may strike you about the restaurants we included in the November Best New Restaurants issue (on newsstands now) is just how specialized and unique each of the restaurants is. Little Uncle (pictured above), Blind Pig, and especially Crumble & Flake and Hot Cakes: these are not restaurants that are catering to a wide range…

“Something for everyone” is ideal at small-town diners. In tiny towns with few options, restaurants need to please as many people as possible. But as Seattle blooms into a world-class food town, our restaurants are boldly going in the opposite direction, getting quirkier, more specialized and increasingly more expressive of the passion of the cooks…

Seattle is home to such an array of delicious food that choosing a place to eat can be more than a little overwhelming. It’s about to become even harder to make a dining decision as we introduce a handful of new talent into our Northwest culinary club. This year’s lineup has a little bit of…

Barbecue Done RightBarbecue has long been branded as a summer food, but we think it tastes just as good on a chilly November evening, with sauce coating your fingers and steam rising from your plate to envelop you in a savory glow. This year, the Southern staple found a home in Seattle, with a quartet…

The ritual is the same, 365 days a year. Rain or shine, at 4:45 p.m., the faithful, the curious, the famous and even the jaded make their way to a sleepy side street in Vancouver’s tony South Granville neighborhood, hoping to secure a seat at a culinary icon. The doors won’t open until 5:30, but…

When you walk into Glass Distillery (SoDo, 1712 First Ave. S; glassdistillery.com), it’s easy to see that its founder, painter, entrepreneur and philanthropist Ian MacNeil, has connections in the art community; glass art, paintings and stylish recycled wood are here in abundance. But, look farther into the distilling area, and you’ll see he has a…

While it opened a little more than a year ago, in September 2011, Canon: Whiskey and Bitters Emporium is still fresh on the Seattle cocktail scene. In fact, we’ve spoken with several local cocktail devotees who admit they haven’t yet been. Which is a mistake, because if you revere cocktails made with care, precision and…

Crisp CreperieRoving; crispseattle.comJust how good can a crêpe be, you ask? Ham and cheese, Nutella and banana: Aren’t they all sort of the same? They’re not, and Crisp Creperie’s delicious, inventive crêpes are proof. Take the roasted turkey version with jalapeño-artichoke spread, roasted peppers and spinach ($10). It’s savory and creamy with a kick, and…

Food snobs will tell you that Seattle simply does not have good bagels, good Indian food (see page 116), a real Jewish deli or good barbecue. If you, like us, want to challenge these assertions, give Ballard’s newcomer Bitterroot a try. Owner Grant Carter, who owns the place with his wife, Hannah, cooks his ribs…