March 2015

The Risky Side of Springing Forward

The Risky Side of Springing Forward

A local sleep expert examines the darkest day of daylight savings

Prepare for a bit of time travel this month: Sunday, March 8, was the day we sprang forward one hour in the name of longer, lighter evenings. But it’s not all kayaking after work and eating picnic dinners. Assistant professor Christopher Barnes of the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business has been studying the…

Your 2015 Spring Arts Guide

Your 2015 Spring Arts Guide

45 arts events--theater, music, film and more--to experience this spring

Among the many signs that spring has arrived are the wealth of excellent performances, exhibits and concerts suddenly competing for space in our calendars. Will you get to know a Lizard Boy, indulge in Splurge Land or buckle up with Chastity Belt? We recommend all three—and 42 more arts events—in our guide to the best…

New Fiction By Washington-Based Authors

New Fiction By Washington-Based Authors

These two local authors place powerful characters amid vivid landscapes

Black River by S.M. Hulse (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24) This striking debut novel by Spokane writer S.M. Hulse is a contemporary Western that has earned critical comparisons to the work of Larry McMurtry, Annie Proulx and Wallace Stegner—and deservedly so. Hulse uses spare language to craft a rich portrait of inland Northwest as a backdrop…

Inside the Workshops of Four Emerald City Comicon Cosplayers

Inside the Workshops of Four Emerald City Comicon Cosplayers

This is what it takes to prep for the annual, highly costumed affair

Scenes from the workshop of cosplayer Eric Jones, of CoregeekSometimes, when trying to replicate a villainous, power-hungry Asgardian’s wardrobe, you just have to punt. “I use a technique where I wrap the [human] subject with plastic wrap and tape—either duct or masking,” says Eric Jones, about making the form for the Loki costume (from The…

A New Book Uncovers Marine Magic in the Salish Sea

A New Book Uncovers Marine Magic in the Salish Sea

Local Scientist-Authors dive deep into the ecosystem of the Salish Sea

One of the many pleasures of beachcombing along the shores of Puget Sound is the immense variation in the colors of the stones—deep purple, jade green, burgundy, caramel, speckled or striped black and white. To wanderers, it looks like a beautiful carpet but to marine scientists the diversity tells an exciting story about the geological…

Going Inside the Geekfest that is Emerald City Comicon

Going Inside the Geekfest that is Emerald City Comicon

Behind the scenes of the high-energy, costumed celebration of comics, geek culture and superfans

If you find yourself approaching the Washington State Convention Center later this month and Thor, Wonder Woman or Geordi La Forge hold the door open for you, just smile, nod a “thank you” and step right in like you belong. You’ve arrived at Emerald City Comicon (ECCC)—ground zero for Seattle’s superhero fandom. It all happens…

The Barrel Thief Shines in Fremont

The Barrel Thief Shines in Fremont

Just blocks from the center of the center of the universe, The Barrel Thief stands out from the crow

With a name like The Barrel Thief (3417 Evanston Ave. N, No. 102; 206.402.5492), it’s no surprise the drink menu at this Fremont bar features a short list of trendy barrel-aged cocktails, with some creative takes on the genre (see: the light and surprisingly dry Sobremesa, featuring mezcal, bourbon, house cacao liqueur and orange liqueur,…

A Splash of Color and Ample Storage Freshen this Kitchen

A Splash of Color and Ample Storage Freshen this Kitchen

Innovative storage solutions help a Mount Baker couple entertain in style

For Marcus Rempel and Sandi Everlove, the expression “too many cooks in the kitchen” felt literal in the 250-square-foot kitchen of their nearly 100-year-old Mount Baker home. When the couple entertained, the space was overcrowded, suffered from limited counter space and bottlenecked at a cramped access point to the patio during the inevitable clustering around…

Randy Minkler Celebrates 25 Years of Clowning Around

Randy Minkler Celebrates 25 Years of Clowning Around

Seattle’s clown jewel turns 25 at the Moisture Festival

For the last 25 years, Seattle performer Randy Minkler has been taking the stage in the guise of a clown named Godfrey Daniels, and even he agrees with the general consensus: “Clowns can be scary.” But Minkler has a strategy for getting beyond that hard truth. “I don’t think of him as a clown,” he…

Brass and Marble Mix in the Jana Lamp

Brass and Marble Mix in the Jana Lamp

Light it up with this spectacular creation from Arteriors

With its rich gleam and sculptural quality, brass gets top marks for lending polish to home decor. Lighting fires this spring: a wide array of brass-kissed lamps available at local shops and favorite haunts, including the slick Jana lamp by Arteriors ($648; Digs showroom, Ballard, 2002 NW Market St.; 206.457.5709; digsshowroom.com), with an adjustable round…

Are Chefs Becoming Better Businesspeople?

Are Chefs Becoming Better Businesspeople?

What's behind the recent spate of chefs opening two or more restaurants in the same space

There’s an old French saying, “Jamais deux sans trois,” an adage that falls roughly between “Things come in threes” and “Third time’s a charm.” It points to fate and inevitability, or, as is sometimes said of avalanches cascading down the French Alps, doom. These days, the term applies equally well to Seattle’s restaurant scene, where…

A Hidden Mediterranean Gem in Lake City

A Hidden Mediterranean Gem in Lake City

Man'oushe Express serves up wood-fired Mediterranean flatbread

In this age of food obsession and social media, would-be best-kept food secrets are shared via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And so it is with Man’oushe Express, the lunch window hidden in the back of Goodies Mediterranean Market in Lake City, which I first discovered thanks to a scrumptious picture on the photo-sharing site. At…