Just when you think the 43-year-old Earth Day is sputtering on the fumes of its hippie origins, something entirely new springs forth. Case in point: the new Bullitt Center, headquarters for the environmentally focused Bullitt Foundation, which opens to the public on Capitol Hill this month. Built to the most stringent green-building standards in the…

A full-time photographer by day, Charlie Schuck uses his so-called downtime for his favorite hobby: supporting local designers by curating his store Object (Belltown, 2316 Second Ave., by appointment only; hereisobject.com), and the new Frye Art Museum Store (First Hill, 704 Terry Ave.; 206.622.9250; fryemuseum.org/store). “The original idea behind Object was to create beautiful experimental experiences that blurred the line between…

Clockwise from top: crisply mod e-tailer Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Bellevue’s chic Veritables and Tacoma’s groovy Basic Goods Co. To tour our TOP SHOPS photo gallery, click here. RECENT ARRIVALSLast year, husband-and-wife duo Donovan and Deborah Wilson opened Basic Goods Co. (Tacoma, 1734 Pacific Ave.; 253.242.3310; basicgoodsco.com) and filled it with an appealing minimal mix, from Chabatree teak salad…

Forget leaning over the hedge, that’s so Home Improvement. Seattleites who want to borrow a rake, report a loose dog or just meet the family next door are turning to the Web as a substitute for—or a spur to—old-fashioned front-stoop chitchat. San Francisco–based Nextdoor.com, launched in 2011, connects neighbors through a sort of geographically restricted version of…

Technically, I don’t live in Madrona. I live in neighboring Denny Blaine, the tiny sliver of a ’hood whose biggest claim to fame is being where Kurt Cobain killed himself. But I strongly identify as a Madroner, because Madrona is where I walk to get coffee every morning; Madrona is where my husband and I…

After a long stint of renting in Seattle’s lively Phinneywood neighborhood, I felt like I was “taking the black” (see: Game of Thrones) when I purchased my first home in suburban Edmonds last year. But, as a first-time home buyer, I couldn’t ignore the affordable prices, practically palatial square footage, gorgeous greenery and close proximity…

Ambition and energy permeate South Lake Union. It feels hopeful, forward thinking, exciting—a place where creative and brilliant people are working, in many cases, to better the world. But amid the bevy of new apartments, bakeries, restaurants, shops, coffeehouses, event spaces and more is still plenty of old Seattle flavor—rustic warehouses and Alaska-bound fishing boats….

Given that tried-and-true Seattleites find it difficult to “cross the bridge” for anything, living on the Eastside really challenges certain attitudes. But those of us in West Bellevue know—and don’t care what others think—that the main ingredient that makes Eastside living so palatable is so very cliché: location, location, location. The top five reasons I…

From Lake Union to NW 60th Street, sturdy old houses with large, friendly evergreens stand guard against grey skies. Yards and parking strips are dotted with carefully tended gardens, where kale stalks and rose bushes live in lush harmony. While the primary business district lining N 45th Street between Stone Way N and Interstate 5…

When my husband and I were house hunting, West Seattle was so far down our list, it was barely clinging to the page. Sold on its enticing affordability, once we bought here, we discovered (much like our predecessors John Low and Lee Terry) that West Seattle is actually super-cool. From the beach culture at Alki…

Laced with Seattle history—did you know that Ravenna Park was originally part of a private estate and that a streetcar line ran along it?—Ravenna nowadays mixes the best of the urbane (coffee shops and sushi) with suburban perks such as small leafy streets replete with backyard retreats and front-yard chitchat. But the spirit of community…

Neighbors stop to catch up outside of Empire Espresso, untangling leashes as dogs sniff and weave around ankles. Saturday mornings bring lines out the door at the stellar Columbia City Bakery, and over at Bob’s Quality Meats, a staple in the heart of Columbia City that’s been open more than 100 years, baby back ribs,…

With its breathtaking lakeside setting, spectacular sunsets, miles of trails, sweet micro ’hoods, terrific indie shops, fine dining, fabulous schools, plethora of parks and community passion for nature and the arts, Kirkland is easy to love. In summer, especially. When the sun is out, light dances on the water, the sky is bluer, the trees…