Seattle Mag
Hot Button: Checks and Balance
Banks are getting out of the business of forcing overdraft protection on their customers. Will that
Checks and BalanceThanks to a particular high-volume coffee retailer and a piece of plastic that eliminates the need to fumble for cash, the morning latte that Seattle made famous has gone from luxury indulgence to routine convenience. But is that convenient indulgence worth the $35 you could end up paying for it? The “$35 latte”…
Governing: Money For Nothing
As King County contemplates a catastrophic budget shortfall, voters in November may not have to worr
Money For NothingPoliticians like to joke that people want two things from government: fewer taxes and more services. In the coming years, the joke is going to be on the people as that old saw is reversed: Government will tax more and cut back on what it provides. The Great Recession has battered tax revenues,…
Urban Safari: Denny Triangle
Whatever its name, the 'hood is home to a trove of new businesses along Westlake Avenue and a fresh
Denny Triangl The little slice of Seattle wedged between South Lake Union and downtown, anchored by Whole Foods beneath the Pan Pacific Hotel, is sometimes referred to as Denny Triangle, but has also been called the Gateway District. (We hereby declare it the South Lake Union Gateway, or SLUG.) Whatever its name, the ‘hood is…
Shopping Around: August’s 2010 Shopping Finds
This Month's Shopping Finds
AugustHoot SweetNewborns turn parents’ lives upside down, but the birth of daughter Sadie in 2008 also changed Suzy Fairchild’s design aesthetic. An experienced women’s wear designer, Fairchild added kiddie wear to her Phinney Ridge boutique Frock Shop in late 2009, launching Hoot Organic (hootorganic.com), a full line of colorful caps ($18) and sweet dresses made…
Health: Braintrust
A groundbreaking law and a commitment to top-flight concussion treatment aim to make Washington?s yo
BraintrustAs student-athletes prepare to head back to school, it’s unlikely many of them will be thinking about a young man named Zackery Lystedt. But state legislation known as the Zackery Lystedt Law might one day save their lives. Four years ago, Lystedt was playing football for Tahoma Junior High in Maple Valley when he received…
Key Ingredient: Kinako
Nutritious soybean flour lends its nutty essence to sweets and savories
KinakoWhat it is: Made from toasted and ground soybeans, kinako (KEE-nah-koh) is a nutty-tasting, tan flour whose flavor is often compared to tahini or peanut butter. How I Discovered It: I first tasted kinako on a traditional Japanese confection (wagashi) from Tokara in Phinney Ridge (6208 Phinney Ave. N; 206.784.0226). Chef Chika Tokara dusted the…
Craving: Art Of The Cobbler
In a fervent embrace of summer’s fruitful bounty, Seattle restaurants demonstrate a charming affecti
Art Of The CobblerVolunteer Park CaféCo-owner and pastry chef Heather Earnhardt bakes some surprises into her peach, blueberry, blackberry and nectarine cobblers, infusing the filling with a touch of thyme, rosemary and scented geraniums from her garden. Each serving comes with a dollop of Olympic Mountain vanilla bean ice cream. $7. Capitol Hill, 1501 17th…
Bar Hop: Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III
Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III on Capitol Hill upped its street cred in January by adding an
Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III on Capitol Hill upped its street cred in January by adding an inviting bar next door. In the space that once housed Sonic Boom Records, The Bar (516 15th Ave. E; 206.329.4500; olympiapizza3.com) brings an old-school, relaxed flavor to bustling 15th Street. The Vibe The saloon radiates charm and…
Meet The Producer: Hermosa Mexican Foods
That’s a wrap: Hermosa Mexican Foods brings Mexico to the Eastside with its authentic tamales
Hermosa Mexican FoodsAbout seven years ago, Southern California natives Karyn and Ernest Moreno sated their hankering for authentic Mexican fare by forming Hermosa Mexican Foods (425.208.2933; hermosamexicanfoods.com). After perfecting recipes from Ernest’s mother, a native of Hermosillo, Mexico, in a small commercial kitchen in the Snoqualmie Valley, they launched their tamale and tomatillo salsa creations…
Restaurant Review: Nettletown
Sitting at the four-seat counter inside petite, robin’s-egg-blue Nettletown, which opened in the old Sitka and Spruce space in March, I had the urge to cancel my entire afternoon so I could sit sipping chef/owner Christina Choi’s homemade herbal tea and work my way through everything that sounded delicious on that day’s specials menu. Like…
Food We Love: Green Giant
It’s a simple green salad at Le Pichet. And we’re simply nuts about it.
Green GiantIt is always tricky explaining how something so seemingly forgettable as, say, a green salad can be one of the most formidable menu items—and one of my favorite things to eat—in the entire city. But there you have it: I’m smitten with the salade verte ($5) at Le Pichet (Pike Place Market, 1933 First…
Kate McDermott’s Blackberry Pie Filling
Makes one 9-inch pie
Category: seattlepi.com teaser headlines Makes one 9-inch pie Kate McDermott’s Blackberry Pie FillingIngredients: 1 recipe for double pie pastryThe Pie and Pastry Bible’s recipe on Epicurious.com is a great option. Filling:6 cups fresh picked (about 1 1⁄2 lbs.) blackberries3⁄4 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp. for sprinkling on top of pieA very small grating or…

Shelter: Green Houses
Do you know your LEED from your Living Building? Deciphering local green-home certification is the f
Green HousesMost of us “green” our homes with the same scattershot methods we use to improve our diets (organic apple here, “natural” energy bar there). We buy an Energy Star dishwasher, blow in some extra insulation and build our deck with wood stamped with a logo that looked sustainable under the sallow CFLs of Home…
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