May/June 2026
A Seattle-Area Writer Finds Hope in the Suburbs
Ross McMeekin’s new novel, Pepperleaf, follows a fictional neighborhood full of messy lives and unlikely bonds.
A bit more than a decade ago, writer Ross McMeekin and his family moved to a suburb just outside Seattle. “The transition was a bit rough,” McMeekin recalls, “as a lot of transitions are—new community, new culture, new grocery stores—and I soon felt inspired to write funny pieces about where I now lived, if only…
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…
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…
Summer Getaway: The Quiet Side of Jamaica
Perched above the sands of the island’s South Coast, Bluefields Bay is an idyllic destination that feels refreshingly off the beaten path.
Escape to Bluefields Bay Villas on Jamaica’s quiet South Coast. Discover an off-the-beaten-path luxury resort with private pools and personal chefs.
From Prison, With Purpose: A Podcast From the Inside
After spending nearly five years incarcerated at the Washington State Penitentiary, Vik Chopra emerged with a strengthened sense of self and the resolve to change the narrative surrounding the justice-impacted community. Now, he runs one of the few prison-produced podcasts in the country.
Meet Vik Chopra, the Seattle visionary behind "Concrete Mama," Washington’s first prison podcast. Discover his journey from incarceration to empowering justice-impacted voices through storytelling.
Powering Progress: Aina Abiodun on Climate Innovation That Serves Communities
As president and executive director of VertueLab, Abiodun is working to make climate tech more equitable, practical, and rooted in real human needs.
Meet Aina Abiodun, VertueLab’s executive director, who is championing equitable climate tech in Seattle and empowering communities to drive innovation.
Industry Entrées: New Restaurants Around the Sound
Seattle’s newest spots to eat, drink, and gather with friends.
Balandra Fremont Taking over the legendary former Art of the Table space on Stone Way—following a brief stint as Robin’s—is Balandra, a chef-driven tapas and wine bar. Named for a Spanish sailing ship, it’s the debut from first-time owner Anna Bennett, who hails from the Eastside, with veteran chef Ivan Barraza at the helm. Along…
Best in Show: Schack Art Center’s Annual Juried Exhibition Opens in Everett
This spring, Everett’s Schack Art Center opened Present Tense: 24th Annual Juried Exhibition. A longstanding tradition, the show will feature pieces from artists working in a range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, printmaking, photography, and mixed media. “We select emerging artists and those with well-established practices,” says Schack’s marketing and communications manager, Aaron…
Public Art Plays the Long Game for the World Cup in Seattle
The city is using the tournament to build a creative legacy through murals, installations, walking tours, and interactive storytelling.
On a stretch of sidewalk in downtown Seattle this summer, you might notice a small vinyl marker shaped like a drop of water. Scan it with your phone, and the street will begin to shift—plants might bloom across the pavement, animals crawl or slither, water cascades, and stories unfold. Follow the next marker, and the…
Seattle Founders Rethink the Weighted Vest
After getting into rucking, two business-minded friends grew frustrated by gear that seemed to cater to men. So they decided to create their own.
Esther Sedgwick and Cortney Bigelow’s idea for their Seattle-based fitness equipment brand, The Carry, came from a simple frustration: they couldn’t find a weighted vest that worked for them. “We fell in love with the workout,” Sedgwick explains of the duo’s experience with rucking, which is, in its simplest terms, putting some weight on your…
Seattle Pride Meets the World Cup
A star-studded video campaign celebrates the LGBTQ+ community ahead of the June 26 match at Lumen Field.
Last year, when Michi Suzuki was contacted about getting involved with Seattle’s FIFA World Cup 26 Local Organizing Committee—and specifically, the Pride+ Match Impact Council—she didn’t even have to think twice before saying yes. As a local PR firm owner, longtime soccer player, and member of the LGBTQ+ community, Suzuki saw the opportunity as a…