February 2021
30-Something and Loving It
Five wines that reflect the best of 30-something Washington vineyards
Mark Ryan 2009 Long Haul, $48This wine shows what Klipsun Vineyard fruit can do in a blend. All the fruit comes from Red Mountain, with 68 percent from Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, 24 percent from Klipsun and 8 percent from Kiona Vineyards. A Merlot-based Bordeaux-style blend, this wine (64 percent Merlot, 27 percent Cabernet Franc,…
Why 30-Year-Old Wines are the New Rock Stars
Washington vineyards in their early 30s make their names with vineyard-designated wines.
Washington winemakers are used to the spotlight; their industry’s spectacular growth over the past 30 years has gained them plenty of fame. But these days, you may be just as likely to hear the term “rock star” connected to the people who grow the grapes. Dick Boushey is one such rock star, an unassuming farmer…
Sandwiches at Café Cesura in Bellevue
From the fine espresso to decidedly uncorporate air, this is a refreshingly good lunch spot.
In a room nearly as lofty as it is deep, with polished concrete floors and light pouring in through east-facing windows, laptop jockeys and lunchers share space at a honed wood table carved out of a cross-section of a tree. Stumptown coffee is on offer, along with assorted sandwiches and salads. The best one I…
The Fat Hen is a Gem
A few brilliant items manage to find room in this tiny, bustling brunch spot.
Light, bright and cheerful, Ballard’s The Fat Hen (across the street from Delancey) is a gem of a find with a honeycomb-tile backsplash, whitewashed wainscoting and a glass case of irresistible, original treats. Open for lunch and brunch only (with a recently added Friday dinner), the short menu lists several versions of baked eggs, some…
Mezcaleria de Oaxaca is Hot!
At this Queen Anne Mexican restaurant, the food ranges from good to great.
Ten minutes into my first dinner at Mezcaleria, the Queen Anne sister restaurant to Ballard’s excellent La Carta de Oaxaca, I could no longer feel my tongue. That’s a plus in my book; spice is nice. If heat is your thing, too, Mezcaleria should be on your short list of restaurants to try. Start with…
‘Tis the Season for Tomatoes
Billy's tomatoes are dressed for a special occasion (summer!) at Walrus and the Carpenter
When summer tomatoes are at their fragrant best, their acidic edge balanced by ripe sweetness—for what seems like a hot minute between July and September—it’s best to treat them as you would your other ripest fruits, your peaches and plums: Barely gild the lily. The Walrus and the Carpenter’s tomatoes with vanilla and olive oilis this philosophy come…
Video: Book Trailer for Local Author Maria Semple’s New Novel
Arts and culture editor Brangien Davis recommends Maria Semple’s new book (along with two others from local authors) in the June issue of Seattle mag. This funny trailer, featuring local book nerds (and Tom Skerritt), is just another good reason to put Where’d You Go, Bernadette? on your summer reading list.
Schmoozing with the Stars at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
Jacques Pepin shook my hand and called me cherie. Talk about the ultimate Rocky Mountain High! I’m at the 30th annual Aspen Food & Wine Classic, where it’s perfectly possible to bump into the A-list culinary talent. The people who put the celebrity into celebrity chef. So far, I’ve seen Mario Batali hugging it out…
Shopping News: Promesse Closing Sale, the New Totokaelo, and Introducing Ligne Ballet Flats
Here’s the latest word in shopping around Seattle: In case you haven’t walked by the newest beckon glittering on the Hill, take a moment to peer at the photos of Jill Wenger’s new home for her hip fashion clothier Totokaelo. Blissful, eh? It’s just as dreamy as it appears: After seven years in Pioneer Square,…
Fall in Love with Lynn Shelton, Get Surrounded by Cellos, Celebrate Dad and Other Weekend Musts
MUST SEEYour Sister’s SisterThe latest release from local filmmaker Lynn Shelton stars Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt as sisters, and Mark Duplass (from Humpday) as Blunt’s best friend. The movie is romantic and a comedy, sure, but it has nothing in common with the rom-coms Hollywood churns out. Like all Shelton’s work, the film is…
Grand Central Bakery Looks Back to 1972
On Thursday, June 14, beloved Grand Central Bakery is offering 25 cent cinnamon rolls as part of its 40th anniversary celebration. 25 cents is the original price from 1972, when the bakery first opened. Nothing can quite top that Tom Douglas/mullet picture (above) shared on the bakery’s Facebook page, but here’s a charming portrait of…
Digging for Geoducks
Langdon Cook digs deep to suss out the wily Washington geoduck.
Like climbing Mount Rainier, fishing for steelhead or performing a microbrew pub crawl across Seattle, digging for the wily geoduck is an exercise in regional identity. Although a few of the big clams live as far south as Baja California, Puget Sound is a stronghold of abundance, and it is here where the art of…