October 2015
5 of the Most Amazing Homes in the Pacific Northwest
Inspiring ideas for every style and every room
From modern masterpieces to 5-Star Built Green homes, we’ve rounded up the Pacific Northwest’s most beautiful houses and how to get the look in your own home. 1. Modern RetreatAn award-winning Winthrop home by famed local architect Tom Kundig balances big valley views with intimate spacesBy Sheila Cain; Photographed by Ed SozinhoThe home’s materials of…
This Former Hacker Wants to Make the Internet a Better Place
Why is no one listening to the Seattle ex-spammer trying to shed light on the Web's vulnerabilities
In The Sky Lounge bar of Tokyo’s Prince Park Tower, Rick Seely is winding down the day with a beer and some conversation. A longtime American expat nearing retirement age, Seely looks out at the megacity at dusk, the lights of nearby skyscrapers flickering on, Japan’s Eiffel Tower replica glowing orange. Rick is discussing the…
Seattleites Who Have Gotten Cooler with Age
Why do people in Seattle wear their age so well?
Maybe it’s our fantastic arts and culture scene, or all the top-flight health care, or simply the coffee, but the Emerald City is a great place to rock your 70s, 80s and 90s. 1. Patti WarashinaArtist Patti Warashina is having too good a time to focus on aging The garden in front of the Eastlake…
Vitamin-enhanced Water: Healthy or Hype?
Dr. Erik Suh weighs in on companies that claim added benefits
Plain water is passé—at least, that’s what the sellers of multitudes of fizzy, nutrient-enhanced or flavored (sometimes all in one) waters lining grocery store shelves would have you believe. Dr. Erik Suh of Eastside Primary Care and Wellness explains what can quench—and what can derail your good health intentions. Suh, a triathlete in his spare…
New Album from Shaprece out this Month
Seattle songstress Shaprece on her new album, musical idols and her ideal dinner-party guests
Shaprece, the mononymous singer born and raised in Seattle, has gained acclaim for original songs that blend soul, electronica, strings and trip-hop with gorgeous vocals. Her new album, Coals, comes out this month, and she’s celebrating with a humdinger of a release party—playing the record in its entirety with backup by the Seattle Symphony at…
What to See at the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival celebrates 20 years of insubordinate cinema
In 1996, a month prior to the first-ever Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law, codifying marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Two decades later, we are celebrating both the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of same-sex marriage and the 20th…
Innovative Therapies for Autistic and Deaf Youths
Local therapies tackle new demands of adulthood through life skills and mental health support
For Carrie, a Kenmore resident with severe autism, it’s all about the car ride. The 18-year-old loves the journey, says her mom, Lynn Vigo, but once they arrive at their destination, particularly if it is new, it can be quite an ordeal for the 5-foot-tall Vigo to get Carrie—who has a good 8 inches on…
Pat Graney’s ‘Girl Gods’ Explores Suppressed Rage Through Dance
Choreographer Pat Graney unpacks generations of suppressed female anger
Define rage. Have you ever experienced pure rage? How did you express it? How was anger expressed in your family? These are the questions longtime local choreographer Pat Graney is asking five female dancers to explore in her new piece, Girl Gods. Even more daringly, she’s requesting that they ask the same questions of their…
Must Try: Wakefield Bar in Belltown
Downtown bar offers a comfortable vibe, a relaxing outdoor deck and more
To my way of thinking, a neighborhood can rarely have too many bars. Even Belltown, home to a number of luminous lounges and more, can always happily fit another. Enter Wakefield (2318 Second Ave.; 206.770.7824; wakefieldbar.com), which delivers a comfortable vibe for downtown denizens looking to watch the game on one of the two big…
Where to Trick or Treat this Halloween
It takes a village (to scare you to death)
Stumbling across neighborhoods that collectively celebrate Halloween is a bit like admiring holiday displays of luminaria—only with the bonus of skeletons, dug-up graves, strobe lights and Vincent Price recordings. Here are a few spirited ’hoods inspired by the terror and the treats of the season. “Trick or Treat Street” in Montlake (aka “Hauntlake”) is known…
The Voice Behind Cortana, Halo’s Dr. Halsey
Local actress Jen Taylor discusses what it's like to voice the iconic character
Jen Taylor isn’t famous. Cortana, the purple hologram sidekick whom she voices in the Halo franchise, on the other hand, is one of the most recognizable and beloved characters in video game history. It’s an important distinction for Taylor. In the real world, Cortana’s celebrity “is not something I have to deal with,” she says….
The Pantry in Ballard is Doubling in Size
Ballard’s beloved Pantry cooks up more classes in a bigger space
In four short years, The Pantry has become one of the most beloved gathering places for food makers and home cooks in Seattle. Every quarter, the Ballard cooking school offers 45 accessible, technique-heavy classes, and many (hello, Russian dumplings) fill up within hours. Taking a cue from fans, owner Brandi Henderson, former executive pastry chef…