Lifestyle
The Rise of the Experience Economy
REI brings back guided travel, betting that memories matter more than stuff.
In my household, with two young boys under the age of five, we often have to remind them to take things back. Did you really mean to tell dad that his dinner isn’t good? You might want to take that back. Did your brother deserve to be hit? Let’s rethink that one. Extreme analogies aside,…
The Artist: Shogo Ota
The designer behind some of the city’s most prominent murals—and the poster for its biggest sporting event of the year.
When artist Shogo Ota learned his design had been chosen as Seattle’s official FIFA World Cup poster, he was so surprised that he nearly had to pull his car over. “I couldn’t believe it,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve been making posters for local bands and events for over fifteen years, but this was…
The Cultural Torchbearer: Barbara Earl Thomas
The visual artist representing Seattle around the world.
“When I was a kid, I would lie in bed in the morning and have this feeling that something amazing could happen,” says artist Barbara Earl Thomas. “It didn’t always happen, but there was that feeling that it could. That’s still how it is when you’re in the studio working. It’s just crazy wonderful to…
The Mayor: Katie Wilson
The local leader who shook up the city’s political landscape.
Katie Wilson didn’t start 2025 planning to be mayor. “If you had told me at the beginning of this year that I would be the mayor-elect* right now, I would’ve been like, ‘What are you smoking?’” she says with a laugh. But the February special election changed that. Proposition 1A—a new business tax on high…
Eccentric Scents
Lucky thirteen.
Known for his devotion to beauty and patronage of the arts, King Ludwig II is the strange inspiration behind Immortal Perfumes’ newest scent. Developed by Seattle perfumer (and lover of history and literature) Jen Siems, Swanstone Reverie marks the brand’s 13th anniversary, opening “with the sparkle of champagne and ghostly violets, unfurling into a heart…
Holding the Line
Skijoring’s wild mix of skiing and horsepower is pulling new crowds across the West and giving Washington’s winter a rush of its own.
The thousand-pound horse barrels forward, muscles flickering under its winter coat as its rider leans forward, urging the animal to go faster. Snow explodes in every direction. A skier grips the 33-foot rope trailing behind, his skis skimming the surface as they surge over a 750-foot course at 40 miles an hour. “It’s the biggest…
The Design Star: Michael Bennett
The former NFL player exploring history and culture through design.
Last September, as Seattle’s summer slipped into the golden light of fall, a simple structure made from cross-laminated timber appeared at Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum. Called Night Chapel, it stood vigil in front of the historic brick building for three months as a space for contemplation, meditation, and communal gathering. Designed by former NFL…
A New Year of Influence
Seattle magazine’s Most Influential list kicks off 2026 with leaders across the city.
New year, new issue! As we kick off 2026, Seattle magazine is proud to present this year’s cohort of the Most Influential list, which showcases local leaders in politics, philanthropy, arts, hospitality, and business. Determined, creative, empathetic, humble, and bold are just a few of the words you’ll see describing them—each one has achieved great…
Welcome to the Moll House
Meet Amanda and Hana—twin University of Washington students and pole vaulting champs coming to a Wheaties box near you.
“I got this.” This simple mantra, uttered by Amanda Moll, is accompanied by a deep breath to ground herself. It sounds laughably modest, considering that Amanda’s pre-competition ritual has allowed her to do what most of us would find impossible: fly with the grace of a gazelle and the height to clear a full-grown giraffe….
The Queen of the Seattle World’s Fair
With a fur coat and gold Cadillac, Gracie Hansen struck a figure. Her business savvy and whip-smart humor made her a star.
In 1960, a group of well-attired men from the Seattle World’s Fair planning committee gathered in a downtown office. With the fair only two years away, people were starting to pitch their business ideas and on this day, some lady wanted to meet with them to do the same. At the scheduled time, the door…
A Different Way To Date
What happens when dating apps surface real-life chemistry instead of profiles.
The perils of contemporary dating—especially trying to find love, or lust, online—are widely known. Exhausting, disappointing, and in some cases dangerous, swiping on strangers has become the ubiquitous norm. Amelia Bonow, founder of the Shout Your Abortion campaign, hopped on the apps during the pandemic and soon found herself underwhelmed by the selection. “I realized…
Coasting Into Calm
After purchasing a weather-worn, ant-infested cabin on an Oregon beach, a Seattle couple hires a regional team to transform it into a stylish weekend retreat.
When architect Andrew Montgomery first pulled up to his clients’ house in Arch Cape, Oregon, there were logs in the driveway, courtesy of the sizable swells that come with the coast’s king tides. At just 28 feet above sea level and as close as you can get to the water without being on the beach,…
Little Ways to December in Seattle
A few (mostly) local things worth picking up, wandering through, or falling into as the year wraps.
December always sneaks up on me even though every year I convince myself I’m going to be organized (I’m not). So I’ve been collecting these simple outings and local spots that feel like unwrapped gifts. If you’re looking for a way to escape or lean in, here are some recommendations. A sip of history You…
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