February 2021
Restaurant Roundup: Classy Tailgating and a Champagne Cave
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
Look, we know the weather lately is a huge bummer for anyone looking to shred the slopes, but it has also been an all-time sunny run for early-in-the-year outdoor dining. We know we don’t need to tell you to enjoy it while you can, but seriously, bundle up and go grab a bite or beer…
The Wanderer’s Guide to Portland’s Pearl District
Expect the unexpected in this consistently rewarding urban art oasis.
The first sound we hear at ILY2 gallery is not reverent silence, but astonished, contagious laughter. As we enter the room, a giggling couple bends down to grab a fish from a basket and load it into a giant cannon. The (rubber) salmon rockets through the gallery, thuds loudly against the opposite wall, and drops…
The Industry Expander: Jamila Conley
This former tech executive champions diversity in the wine industry.
In 2023, Jamila Conley attended a winemaker’s dinner in Seattle, and as the night commenced, she was surprised that out of the nine winemakers in attendance, only two were familiar to her. “It was a celebration of Black women and wine,” she recalls. “I’m someone who loves wine and has a strong passion for diversity,…
Tax on Short-Term Rentals like Airbnb Again Under Discussion
In Washington, the legislation would allow cities and counties to tax the rentals to fund affordable housing.
The Washington Legislature is again considering empowering local governments to tax short-term housing rentals, much to the irritation of homeowners who rent out their properties on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. House Bill 2559 would allow cities and counties, starting in April 2027, to impose a tax up to 4% on short-term rentals to raise…
The Boys of Summer: The Mariners
The team that united the city.
Eight outs. That’s what stood between the 2025 Seattle Mariners and the franchise’s first World Series appearance. Eight outs to end a 48-year wait. We all know what happened next, and while that Game 7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays is going to sting for a while, that’s only because of the way this…
We’re in a Pickle
Kings of the court.
Unlike some trends, the popularity of pickleball has only increased with time. Here in Washington, the birthplace of the game, we’ve seen a recent wave of new facilities dedicated to the state’s official sport. Last October, Sideout Tsunami Pickleball Center opened in Mt. Baker with 26 state-of-the-art courts that offer instant video replays sent straight…
The Positive Influence: Michelle Merriweather
A community builder inspired to lead a legacy organization.
Urban league of Metropolitan Seattle (ULMS) CEO Michelle Merriweather traces her commitment to civic work back to her high school history class in suburban Los Angeles. Over 30 years removed from Moorpark High School, she continues to refer to her history teacher by the formal Mr. Jones (first name Larry), in reverence to her mentor…
The Hip-Hop Kid: Yonny
The 25-year-old artist looking to lead the Northwest scene.
Yonny laughs when he admits he hadn’t been to he Crocodile, Neumos, or Barboza until after he’d already started performing. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he says. “But I never really went to any shows. The Seattle scene was something I only really discovered in 2022.” That same year, he met producer Evan George,…
Restaurant Roundup: Game-Day Brunch and Last Calls
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
January is a month of reinvention and fresh starts—and Autumn Seattle in Phinney Ridge is taking that idea and running with it. The restaurant’s last day of service will be tomorrow (Jan. 17), but in the first week of February, it will reopen as GH Pasta & Pizza. Executive chef and restaurateur Brian Clevenger wants…
How Hosting Is Changing in 2026
Seattle event planner Reneille Velez on the end of champagne escort walls and the return of thoughtful hosting.
Reneille Velez spends her days thinking about how people arrive in a room. Not just where they hang their coats or grab a drink, but how those first moments feel—the lighting, the sound, the sense that someone thought carefully about what it would be like to walk through the door. As the founder of GIAN,…
The Restaurateur: Lily Wu
The food-forward entrepreneur with a heart for community.
There has never been a grand, overarching plan guiding Lily Wu’s life. Indeed, from her childhood in a small village in northeast China to her standing as one of Seattle’s rising-star restaurant owners, everything has unfolded step by step, but whenever a chance came along, she never hesitated to take it. “I come from a…
Nordic Pop Comes to the Nordic Museum
An afternoon concert brings Seattle singers, strings, and percussion together for a dreamy midwinter dance party.
January in Seattle is a mood. The light is thin all day, and by midafternoon it starts to collapse into night. It’s the time of year when any plan that involves leaving the house has to earn its keep. This is where Nordic Pop comes in. On Sunday afternoon, January 18, Seattle musician and producer…