May/June 2025
Ooh La La! Tahiti Is Closer Than You Think
Tahiti is a tropical paradise that combines natural beauty, rich culture, and luxurious experiences
From the Bounty to Brando, French Polynesia stirs our most primal escapism. Lush, verdant peaks teetering above gin-clear lagoons, filled with a brilliant, sapphire menagerie — it only begins to describe the allure, as does the scent of gardenias drifting through the air like a persistent opiate. With the same ancient Polynesian culture firmly rooted…
Sole Searching In San Francisco
How to enjoy the City by the Bay without a car
The streets of San Francisco might not have Karl Malden and Michael Douglas solving crimes these days, but some visitors still consider the traffic a crime. Rideshare was invented here for a reason — but you don’t need to jump in a car to enjoy the iconic “City by the Bay” experience. If time is…
Get To Know Friday Harbor’s First Friday
Arts Walk emphasizes community, showcases creativity
The Washington state Ferry Kaleetan hums as it glides through the Salish Sea, and with each passing minute San Juan Island grows on the horizon. Then Friday Harbor comes into view, nestled into the coastline like a watercolor. The First Friday Art Walk has become Friday Harbor’s newest tradition, as locals and mainlanders buzz about,…
The Art of Saying ‘I’m Sorry’
How to master the subtle nuances of a heartfelt apology
I wrote a letter of apology to my wife the last time i got drunk. I did this at the suggestion of a substance-abuse counselor I’d gone to see in Bellevue. He even provided me with a handout on how to structure an apology. Mine wound up totaling 546 words and consuming most of a…
Oregon Wine Country’s New Luxury Hub
Wine, food, and small-town charm combine in McMinnville to create a memorable experience
We’ve been coming to the Oregon Wine Country since the aughts, making the trek from Seattle to visit family near Hillsboro. Back then, McMinnville was a sleepy little town — a convenient stop for coffee or a quick bite on the way to somewhere else. Fast forward to today and it’s transformed into a destination…
Pushing for Social Change
Seattle’s Fox Whitney seeks fellowship to amplify his work
A Seattle artist is among 50 finalists in a prestigious national Dance/USA Fellowships to Artists program. Fox Whitney, a multidisciplinary artist working in dance, music, film, video, theater, writing, and visual art, is seeking to be among 25 artists who receive an award of $31,000 to use at their discretion. Sixty-one artists have received the…
Heartbeat: The Ongoing Struggle for Women’s Rights
Why resilience, advocacy, and empowerment are more important now than ever
I am old enough to have experienced several “firsts.” I was admitted to Yale graduate school before it admitted undergraduate women. I was one of the first two women hired by the University of Washington’s Department of Sociology that were eligible for “ladder positions” (the possibility of tenure). I was one of the first three…
The Great B.C. Escape
Enjoy a culinary weekend getaway just a few hours from Seattle
A memorable meal is one of the best incentives to travel. These three tempt the short drive from Seattle to British Columbia. The reward: a world-renowned Royal Thai experience; a Michelin starred Japanese/Italian fusion; and an impeccable aburi sushi bite — each paired with a complementary hotel — make for a delectable culinary weekend getaway….
Where History Repeats Itself
Populus Seattle features more than 300 original works of art
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the hotel’s new name, Populus Seattle. It appeared in print as Hotel Westland. Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic sent Pioneer Square on a downward spiral — shuttered businesses, closed restaurants, a dearth of people — things are looking up for the city’s first historic district….
Can We Be Friends? Yes We Can.
Evergreen turns to THRED to help students with disabilities form bonds
When Aaron Chasan isn’t running around Seattle wearing a bear suit giving out hugs to help quell the Seattle Freeze, he’s busy running THRED, a company that helps people develop meaningful relationships based on shared interests. Among his favorite and most important clients is the Evergreen Transition Program, a public school that provides services to…
Underground Overhaul
Going low solves couple's woes
The Seattle underground is alive and well and living in Montlake, a close-knit community in more ways than one. Dense suburban charm is what lures many families to Montlake. Dense suburban charm is also what forces many families to leave Montlake. “The lots here are very small, with setback and height restrictions,” says architectural designer…
One Year In, Lenox’s Dreams Are All Coming True
It's just like chef-owner Jhonny Reyes imagined
Jhonny Reyes used to look at the former Marco’s Supper Club and The Innkeeper space in Belltown with envy. “I’ve always had my eye on this place,” Reyes says, while telling the story of how his restaurant, Lenox, polymorphed from popup to food truck to brick-and-mortar. “I helped open The Innkeeper, actually. And then it…