January 2008
So Long Havana Social Club
The Capitol Hill nightlife staple will close with one final Pride weekend.
A little over 20 years ago, Quentin Ertel walked into the space that would become his bar, Havana Social Club. It was near Tenth and Pike, a former auto showroom that had been taken over by REI, before REI moved out of Capitol Hill. “Part of it was falling down,” Ertel remembers, but there were…
Uncorking Good Ethics at Offset Bottle Shop
The new Seattle shop pairs small-producer wines with responsible farming, labor practices, and a social justice mission.
When it comes to wine, most people don’t think much further beyond what it costs and how it tastes But, just like any agricultural product, there is a whole system behind every glass you pour, and it doesn’t always put workers’ safety, health, and humanity at the forefront—especially during the labor-demanding harvest season. At Offset…
Bloom Thai: Turning Tables into Friends
This hidden Thai food gem started as a pandemic pop-up. Now, in its permanent home in Lakewood, the restaurant has quietly amassed a following thanks to its fusion of flavors and gregarious chef.
For months before I went to Bloom Thai, I was regaled by Instagram reels about the tiny Lakewood restaurant. “The owner is so nice!” people exclaimed. “She came out and sat with us,” one influencer said, while another announced that “Auntie gave us free Thai tea!” and so on. The food looked legendary, too, and…
Rearview Mirror: French Fashion Returns, Centennial Park Opens, and a Parfumerie Finds its Home
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
MAKING SCENTS For nearly 10 years, Atelier Madrona has offered Seattle bespoke scents crafted from high-quality raw materials. Founder Chelsey Owen is a Paris-trained master perfumer who believes in the power of storytelling through scent and its ability to tap into our memories and emotions. In June, the brand opened a fragrance boutique featuring the city’s first…
Restaurant Roundup: Benihana’s Back and Fantastic Frites
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
One of these days we will write about the glory of Seattle’s James Beard Award winners… but alas, today is not that day. The city struck out yet again at the Oscars of the culinary world, which isn’t exactly a shock, considering there were only two local finalists in Johnny Courtney of Atoma and Aaron…
How to Let People Offend You
For most of human history, offensive speech was equal to violence, and saying the wrong thing could get your tongue chopped off. Today, we aim to use words instead of violence. But what do you do when those words really hurt? This week on A Braver Way, Moni sits down with Greg Lukianoff, who she…
Studio Sessions: Eirik Johnson
In a residency hosted by Foster/White Gallery, local photographer Eirik Johnson observes the collision between nature and humanity, and the longing by the latter to leave a mark in place and time.
Most people view the advent of summer as a signal to slow down and relax, but for artist Eirik Johnson, this year’s warming months are a time to ramp up as he prepares to debut two creative projects. Born and raised in Seattle, Johnson, whose deeply emotional photography covers a range of subjects, will release a…
Fremont’s Naked Bike Parade Turns 35
What began with four nude cyclists in 1989 has grown into one of Seattle’s most joyful summer traditions.
The summer solstice is celebrated across the Northern Hemisphere. The longest day of the year brings warmer days, late sunsets, and plenty of excuses to spend as much time outside as possible—especially in our environmentally blessed corner of the world. In Sweden, Midsummer is celebrated with flower crowns, maypoles, folk dances, and eating pickled herring….
The Digital Resurrection of Place: Walking the Future Arts Way
In the heart of Seattle, where glass towers rise above historic streets and the pace of technological change continues to accelerate, a new kind of public infrastructure is taking shape, one built not from concrete, but from augmented reality, digital storytelling, and ancestral memory. Launching with a public opening ceremony at Pacific Science Center’s newly free…
Whitefish Has Range
James Beard-caliber dining, a thriving literary journal, and a bike ride along Glacier’s famous Going-to-the-Sun Road make this old Western Montana railroad town feel bigger than expected.
The first thing we notice at Herb & Omni is the room itself. Dark-beamed ceilings. Gilded mirrors clustered salon-style across the walls. Pendant lights that belong in a Milanese townhouse. The space feels warm, ornate, and transportive. Even the cocktail menu suggests expectations are about to be rearranged. Then the food arrives. A potato chip…
Cascade Bicycle Studio Built a Business Around the Perfect Fit
For 20 years, the Fremont shop has offered a highly customized—and client-retaining—consumer experience.
Walking into Cascade Bicycle Studio feels more like stepping into a showroom than a bike shop. In the background are the usual inner workings of a craft-based space: mechanics cranking away, adjusting shafts and stems, tinkering with bicycle parts, and getting their hands good and greasy. On a recent visit, however, when I entered the…