10 Year Anniversary Edition | Bellingham Alive | June

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WHO WHO WHO WHO ARE WE? ARE WE? ARE WE? ARE WE?

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N OM CD |I| |C 222 M C NAA ODD MI IIC A | 42 4 NNOOM 44

CONTENTS LIFESTYLE

HABITAT

19

Northwest Straits Foundation

20

By the Numbers

79

Featured Home Anacortes Sunset Home

21

Lasting Image

85

Remodel Fighting Shower’s Splash

23

In the Know Forest Fighters Statue

24

Game Changer Hannah Stone, Immigration Attorney

26

Community Day for Girls

27

Book Reviews

87

Little Ferraro’s Kitchen

27

Who Knew? 10-Year Anniversaries

89

Dining Guide

28

Marine Life in Anacortes

90

Interview Chef Jason Wilson

30

What’s in Our Waters?

93

Culinary Events

34

Spotlight Ruckus Art Gallery

94

Interview Chef Sabrina Tinsley

35

In the Know Fringe Shoes

97

Review The Union Tavern­ — Local 902

35

Apps We Love

98

Sip Tri-Cities and Prosser Wine Country

36

Five Faves Eating on the Water

100 Mixing Tin Red Rum’s Painkiller

DINE

101

8 Great Tastes

SHOP AGENDA 39

Meraki Boutique

42

Necessities Gifts for Dad on His Day

103

Featured Event Orcas Island Summer Solstice Parade

43

Local Find Whimsy Art Glass Studio

108

Top Picks

44

Savvy Shopper Re-Feather Your Nest

110

Out of Town

111

The Scene Whatcom Hills Waldorf School

WELLBEING NOTES 47

Take a Hike Horseshoe Bend Trail

51

Beauty Facials

8

Publisher’s Letter

52

Nutrition Is Low-Carb the Way to Go?

10

Contributors

13

Letters to the Editor

14

Meet the Staffer Jade Thurston

112

Final Word

FEATURES 54

4

Our 10th Year

BellinghamAlive.com

JUNE 2018

Cheers To

T

10

YEARS

his month, we celebrate us. When Bellingham Alive printed its inaugural issue in June 2009, the economy — locally and nationally — was in shambles. Businesspeople were skeptical that a lifestyle magazine would make it. Well, we’re still here, and we’ve grown. Now we’re monthly and we’re awardwinning. We’ve got a wildly popular contest in our annual Best of the Northwest, other publications like Couture Weddings and North Sound Life Guestbook, and even something new — Menu Seattle, a magazine with menus and content about the Seattle area culinary scene, launched in May. In this issue, celebrate with us as we take a look back, and a look ahead, to the next 10 years. — Meri-Jo Borzilleri

54 June 2018 5

NOTES On the Web

Be sure to check us out at:

BellinghamAlive.com Submit your events on our calendar!

Do you have an event that you would like our readers to know about?

BellinghamAlive.com offers an events calendar where viewers can search by day, venue, event type, or city.

Go to bellinghamalive.com/events and submit your event today. Once your event has been approved by our editorial staff, it is live.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE We continue a series of brief stories on the topic of wellness centers — therapies you can use to feel better outside of conventional medicine. Some of these therapies were considered unconventional — or even a little wacky — by the medical establishment not that long ago. But they have become more accepted as people search for ways to ease their pain or anxiety. We’ve discussed retreats and acupuncture. Our third installment: Naturopathy. Check it out by going to BellinghamAlive.com.

Join us on

NSLife Summer Recipes

6

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for:

NSLife Summer Fun

NSLife Dine

Previous digital editions now available online.

pinterest.com/northsoundlife

Wine, Spirit, & Brew

Weekend VIBRATIONS

]

Sign up for our FREE entertainment e-newsletter to get the latest on upcoming events and more!

BellinghamAlive.com

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NOTES Publisher’s Letter

Has It Really Been 10 Years?

W

hat is the adage…time flies?

Well, I am here to tell you, it does! As I sit here writing this letter, so many wonderful memories and emotions come to mind, from my cherished relationships with past and current employees and interns, to our proud accomplishments and yes, the sheer fun and challenge of creating Bellingham Alive.

It is hard to put into words the deep satisfaction that we get from providing our communities with a beautiful local publication that mirrors the very best of who we are and what we do. We are surrounded by Mother Nature at her best, and so much inspiration and talent — personalities from artists, actors, athletes, to unsung heroes — and worthy causes, that there is no end to the stories we can bring to the pages of Bellingham Alive for your enjoyment.

Had you asked me 10 years ago if I thought we would be where we are today, I probably would have said “in my dreams.” The response we get from you, our readers, is such a joy. You let us know if we fail, of course, but most typically you let us know how much the magazine enriches your life, from finding out about new business and restaurants to discovering a “new experience” that has been here for years you never knew about. Either way, you let us know — and our magazine is better for it. You are us, and we are you.

Time has been tough for print media over the past decade. We are fortunate to be in a space where local and regional magazines are flourishing.

Readers are tired of being connected all the time, bombarded by information. Instead, they want to sit down with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, pick up the magazine and feel what’s in the pages.

We don’t take this for granted. There is nothing like walking into a home or office and seeing a stack of past Bellingham Alives sitting there waiting to be re-read. It tells me that what we provide has so much value that you hold onto it. This is the best compliment that I, and we, could have — that and a coffee cup ring on your favorite articles.

In the following pages you will see a reflection and timeline of the past 10 years. As you journey back in time with us, celebrate yourselves. You made this happen. You will see all the different covers, learn how we evolved in readership, and re-experience our national award-winning feature and stories that will make you laugh, cry, think, and be proud of our community. Enjoy the journey. It is you who inspired the changes and additions to Bellingham Alive over the years.

K&L Media, my husband, Ken, and I are grateful for every single one of you, our readers, advertisers and supporters.

You are why we do this. I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Enjoy. 

LISA KARLBERG President/Publisher

8

BellinghamAlive.com

A GREAT SUMMER STARTS WITH A GREAT GRILL.

NOTES Contributors

IMAGINE YOUR AD HERE!

Lisa Crosier Lisa Crosier is a master esthetician and owner of Lisa Crosier Skincare and Beauty Boutique located in downtown Bellingham. Since launching her business in 1994, Lisa’s greatest joy has been helping her clients feel beautiful from the inside out. She and her team of estheticians are specialists in treating problem skin from acne to aging. Lisa is an energetic educator who instructs women and teens on proper care of their skin, so they can achieve maximum results. Lisa enjoys running, Crossfit, and looks for any excuse to head to Mount Baker to ski. lisaskincare.com  p. 51

HOME & REMODEL

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Cassie Elliott Cassie is a nutrition blogger and food photographer who believes that if you eat colorful food you are guaranteed it will be nutritious and definitely delicious. She is also the creator of Nutritious and Delicious Appetites by Design to help you feel your best so you can live your best. Her photos and writing can be found on Instagram @paleo_perspective and her website paleoperspective.com.  p. 52

Dan Radil

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Dan is a lifetime resident of Washington who took an interest in the state’s wine industry in the mid-1980s. A freelance wine writer and educator for the past 20 years, he and his spouse, Zacchoreli, make a habit of enjoying great food and Northwest wines both at home and on the road. His free time often centers around the yard and garden, volunteer work for the Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation, and following his beloved WSU Cougars.  p. 98

Comfy & Cozy WINTER FASHION

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WINE & CHEESE PARTY SHOPPING GUIDE HOLIDAY PARADES

Jennifer Ryan

Reach over 200,000 visitors & affluent female readers every issue! sales@bellinghamalive.com

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Jennifer is a multi-talented authority on all things beautiful, fashionable, and functional. This whirlwind of a woman has a passion for bringing style and personality to life’s most important spaces. Jennifer Ryan Design offers it all — design, planning, production, and contractor services.

From start to finish, Jennifer can help you create the surroundings you’ll enjoy for a lifetime. She was twice voted Best of the Northwest winner, taking gold in 2016 and 2017. jenniferryandesign.com  p. 85

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C A S IN O• R E S O R T

PUBLICATIONS Bellingham Alive NSL Guestbook Couture Weddings MENU Seattle

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Lisa Karlberg EDITOR IN CHIEF Meri-Jo Borzilleri ART DIRECTOR Dean Davidson STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Kate Galambos | Catherine Torres

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Babette Vickers | Kristy Gessner | Kelly Travers

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mariah Currey

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CONTRIBUTORS Kerry Butowicz | Lisa Crosier | Cassie Elliott Ken Karlberg | Laurie Mullarky | Dan Radil Jennifer Ryan

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Joshua DeJong | Melissa McCarthy | Katie Meier Kirstyn Nyswonger | Jade Thurston

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MARKETING ASSISTANT Kenji Guttorp | Maddy Stewart

CORPORATE OFFICE K&L Media, Inc. 432 W. Bakerview Road, Suite 101 Bellingham, WA 98226

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IF MOTHER AMERICA COULD SPEAK Getting Your Home Ready To Sell Real Estate Premier Homes Outdoor Sculpture Gardens

NOTES

Magazine Hits Home

Smaller Businesses Spark Curiosity

I am loving Bellingham Alive! The articles are expertly written and the pictures are beautiful. It’s wonderful to see such a quality publication focused on the spectacular area which we are so fortunate to call home. It’s no wonder I look forward to each issue!

I love how the magazine showcases smaller businesses like Carne and Lynden Dutch Bakery. Reading their articles, I am intrigued to visit them. I love the vibrant photography throughout the magazine and how welcoming it is to sit and read. I learn more and more of what Whatcom and Skagit counties have to offer. It’s a great tool for new ideas and places to visit.

LeaAnn M., Bellingham MAY 2018 DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 31 $3.99 US • $4.99 CAN

Renee K., Deming

Making Plans With Us

Bellingham Alive welcomes comments and feedback for our Letters to the Editor section. We’d love to hear what you have to say and are open to story ideas about the people, places, and happenings in the North Sound (Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan counties).

Let us know what you like, and what you’d like to see in the magazine! Contact editor Meri-Jo Borzilleri at editor@bellinghamalive.com.

Letters to the Editor

If my friends and I are looking for something to do — we just pop open the current issue of the magazine and “Viola!” lots of great ideas right there.

The day practically plans itself!

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June 2018 13

NOTES Meet the Staffer Every issue we introduce you to a staff member at Bellingham Alive.

What is your role at the magazine and how long have you been with K&L Media?

I’ve been an intern with K&L Media since January. During my time here, I’ve written and photographed a couple Spotlight stories and Savvy Shopper, pieced together the Agenda, found facts for Who Knew, prepared Five Faves, relied on my palate for 8 Great Tastes, and picked out Literary and Culinary Events.

What is your background?

Jade Thurston

I’m Bellingham, through and through. Born here, schooled here and now working here. I’m surrounded by family — grandparents, parents, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins — to this day. For that, I’m thankful. Writing, photography, and design have always lingered in the back of my mind. Once situated at Western Washington University, the visual journalism program (which I graduate from this month) encouraged me to explore and capitalize on those hobbies. I’ve been a writer and photographer for student publications including The Western Front and magazines like The Planet and Klipsun. Currently, I’m the multimedia editor at Klipsun, and I’ve freelanced a bit in the community. I hope to expand that into a fulltime career.

What is your favorite part of working for a regional lifestyle magazine?

To me, Whatcom County and the surrounding areas have always been my home, which can feel small and a bit too familiar sometimes. Writing for Bellingham Alive gives me a glimpse into someone’s life, hardship, business, hobby or passion. These are stories I don’t know yet — stories that further develop a community. Stories that let me keep exploring and appreciating my own, well-known home.

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

I’ll just get right to it: soccer. It’s in my blood. Following my brother, I’ve played since I was 5, and still do, whether that’s participating competitively in the past or recreationally today. I also enjoy coaching. In general, though, any activity outdoors gets me smiling. And believe it or not, I actually like to be out in the rain — a true Bellinghamster soaked to the core, avoiding umbrellas. 

14

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Nominate your favorite businesses in over 120 categories.

Vote for the Best

of the Northwest

Casino, Live Theatre, Art Gallery, Museum, Festival, Spa, Fitness Center, Yoga Studio, Pharmacy, Dentist, Eye Care, New Restaurant, Bakery, Steak, Happy Hour, Cocktail, Coffee Shop, Sushi, Chef, Breakfast, Wedding Venue, Golf Course, Consignment, Makeup Shop, Local Artisan, Bookstore,

Businesses from Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan Counties are eligible.

Winners announced in our October print issue and online in a special “Winners Announced” feature.

Digital feature released Oct. 15.

To vote online, go to BellinghamAlive.com Like us on Facebook for the most up-todate notifications.

Craft Store, Produce, Childcare, Baby Store, Summer Camp, Doggie Daycare, Boarding Kennel, Veterinarian, Builder, Roofing Company, Bank, Mechanic, Lodging, Florist, Photographer, Tattoo Shop, Attorney, Place to Work,

And More!

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BEST OF THE NORTH WEST 2

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Presented by:

Vote Online at BellinghamAlive.com

Vote Open

July 1–August 5

On the Cover

NOTES

How We Got the Shot Making, and Taking, the Cake WRITTEN BY MERI-JO BORZILLERI

T

he cake you see on our cover, made by Bellingham’s Pure Bliss Desserts, was a multilayer, chocolate-with-vanillabuttercream dream. What you don’t see is the many hands it took to create, and then photograph, the cake for our 10th Year issue of Bellingham Alive.

Pure Bliss manager Megan Mowry figures at least four people played a role in the project, which involved baking; cooling; applying a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting to hold in the crumbs); chilling; then applying the finishing frosting. Decorators dyed some of the white buttercream frosting to match the gold sprinkles. They made a stencil for the number 10, then carefully removed it after the sprinkles, one of the trickier stages.

“Sprinkles have a life of their own,” she said. “To keep them in formation, it’s not always the easiest.” Nervous?

Nah. “We frost a lot of wedding cakes that are real intricate, so it was right up our alley.”

Then, it was up to us not to drop it. Bellingham Alive art director Dean Davison and designer Mariah Currey drove the cake to our office for the shot, avoiding parking-lot speed bumps.

After Dean got the camera and lighting set, our challenge paled in comparison to Pure Bliss’s: Have three people ignite the candles simultaneously, then get out of the way.

Thanks to Pure Bliss owner Andi Vann, Megan and staff for their talent in helping us produce an elegant cover to celebrate our 10th year. Not only do you make the cake, you take it too.

(And yes, it was delicious.) 

June 2018 17

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©2018 Haggen 180404-08

LIFESTYLE In The Know · Spotlight Artist · Community · 5 Faves

Restoring Marine Habitat, One Crab Pot at a Time Northwest Straits Foundation WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATE GALAMBOS

B

ryan Dealing yells, “Stand by! Let it go!

Twenty-six feet!” and then, splash! The diver, with his hand gripping the weighted rope that leads into the sea below him, steps off from the back of the boat into the cloudy, dark waters of Everett’s Port Gardner.

It’s the middle of February. While not raining, the wind blows hard across the chilling water and the boat deck offers little protection. Fully covered in neoprene, the diver will repeat this routine dozens of times this day, reaching between 20 and 50 feet below the surface with one goal: the removal of derelict crab pots from North Puget Sound. … continued on page 22

LIFESTYLE By the Numbers

Civilian Conservation Corps young men who will be honored with a statue June 16 for constructing the Glacier Public Service Center building and area campgrounds, p. 23

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Years Re-Feather Your Nest manager Darli Lund-Parks has been a designer, p. 44

25

2.4

Roundtrip miles on the out-andback Horseshoe Bend Trail along the Nooksack River, p. 47

2

Times Bellingham Alive magazine has moved offices in nine years, p. 63

4,040 Square feet of the Anacortes Sunset Home, p. 79

80

Recipes in Bellingham blogger/author Samantha Ferraro’s new book “The Weekend Mediterranean Kitchen,” p. 87

20

BellinghamAlive.com

LIFESTYLE

© Kerry Butowicz

Lasting Image

“Beltane is celebrated with a maypole dance. This shot was achieved by standing in the middle of the dancers underneath the interwoven ribbons. Feeling the joy of the community surrounding me brought this festival to life in its purest form.”

KERRY BUTOWICZ, BELLINGHAM

June 2018 21

… Today’s mission is organized by the Northwest Straits Foundation, a Bellingham-based nonprofit marine conservation group. Originally started to provide financial support to the projects of the Northwest Straits Initiative, the foundation has since developed conservation programs aimed at protecting Puget Sound.

How do these crab pots get left behind, littering the sound? Mostly for just a few reasons: Improper weighting; or a line being cut by a boat, intentionally or by accident.

“Behavior change is really hard and that is a lot of what we are trying to do,” says Jason Morgan, the foundation’s marine project manager, just as a muddy pot gets tossed onto the deck. Live crabs are still inside, waiting for a helping hand to return to their natural environment.

These “dive days” are carefully plotted ahead of time with the use of sonar. Prior to the dive day, a day is spent on the water mapping sites and finding “targets,” otherwise known as crab pots. Crab pots — generally a metal frame two or three feet in diameter and wrapped in netting or wire mesh — are recovered just a few at a time by divers and loaded onto the boat deck.

The process is slow and steady. After each dive, the boat travels for barely a few minutes before Dealing is calling commands again. As the sun rises higher, so does the stack of crab pots gently rocking on the deck. Each pot is carefully examined for clues to why it was left on the ocean floor.

Marine animals, most often crabs, are returned safely to the water as they are found. And at the end of the day, the crab pots are either recycled or returned to the correct tribe or commercial agency, usually identifiable by the type of pot, to eliminate as much waste as possible.

While deep sea diving in the waters of Puget Sound any time of year, let alone in February, holds little appeal to most people, the Northwest Straits Foundation has good cause behind the madness. Removal of derelict pots through dives is one way the organization combats the degradation of marine habitat and the loss of marine life throughout the Puget Sound.

Lost crab pots, those that are left on the ocean floor rather than brought back up by their owner, can kill up to 50 crabs before completely deteriorating, says Morgan. Many pots that are left behind trap crabs and either have poor escape hatches 22

BellinghamAlive.com

or none at all. And while fishermen are required to take precautionary measures to avoid losing their pots or to allow crabs to escape if pots are lost, these measures don’t always work and are not always adhered to. With crab season opening as soon as summer rolls around (likely July 15 this year in most of Whatcom, Skagit and the San Juans), proper potsetting methods are key to help mitigate the loss of crab pots.

Morgan carefully pulls the enormous Dungeness crabs one by one from a rescued pot and dips his hand over the boat to safely release the creatures. Since July 2016, projects have removed 4,100 pots and 5,600 derelict nets. Divers have found more than 450,000 marine animals representing 240 unique species inside crab pots and other derelict gear, according to the Northwest Straits Foundation website. The foundation works hard to remove derelict pots, but each site is visited only about once a year for removal, so much of the focus is on education.

In order to spread the word about proper crabbing techniques, the organization has used Facebook campaigns and handed out information at popular docks and retail stores. The organization plugs a “catch more crabs” message to appeal to all kinds of fishermen, from commercial to recreational to tribal, because who doesn’t want to catch more? A few tips: Use a line one-third longer than water depth; be aware of tides and currents; use weighted line and pots to avoid having line cut by boats or having pots get lost in currents.

However much outreach the foundation accomplishes, eliminating the problem comes down to removing human error, Morgan says. In addition to public outreach, the foundation has been working with manufacturers to create pots with more effective escape hatches that would allow crabs to safely exit a derelict pot. “It’ll take the human out of it. We will no longer have to change behavior,” he says.

This season, fishermen have a great opportunity to use proper methods and catch more crabs.  1155 N. State St., Bellingham 360.733.1725 | nwstraitsfoundation.org

In the Know

LIFESTYLE

Forest Fighters Depression-Era CCC Workers To Be Honored with Statue WRITTEN BY KATE GALAMBOS

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mid the economic crisis of the Great Depression, 200 young, unmarried men ages 18 to 25 labored long days to build access roads, fire lookouts, and other structures on some of Whatcom County’s most prized public lands. Eighty-five years later, the young men’s work is being recognized with a statue at the Glacier Public Service Center, a visitor center now housed in a building constructed by the young men off Mount Baker Highway.

These men arrived in the summer of 1933 as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Known as the CCC, the federal relief work program at its height employed nearly 300,000 young men nationwide.

The CCC worker statue will be dedicated at the center at 1 p.m. June 16 to honor the men’s work. The event is free and open to the public. The program will feature words from U.S. Forest Service representatives and small snacks. Boosters hope it will help educate visitors of the importance of the CCC and its workers nationwide. Other local CCC projects included developing Douglas Fir and Silver Fir campgrounds and building the Austin Pass Warming Hut. The statue design features a life-size CCC member with his shirt off, hands full of tools, and a 1930s-style hat. The statue was designed by the Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the recognition of CCC work throughout the country. The same statue stands at the 68 CCC monument sites across the country and is paid for by the members and supporters of the legacy group.

The CCC emerged during a bleak time for the U.S. economy. Twenty five percent of men ages 16 to 30 were

out of work. In March 1933 President Roosevelt approved the Emergency Conservation Work Act to put young men to work to as part of his strategy to tackle the Great Depression.

The act established the CCC, a work program designed to offer employment to young men, while improving land across the country. Companies were assigned projects by the U.S. Forest Service.

Those men were paid $5 a month directly and their families received an additional $25 a month (in today’s dollars, $100 and nearly $475, respectively).

Roosevelt believed that development of rural areas was essential to their economic prosperity. Other notable Washington state CCC projects included much of the Mount Rainier National Park, Deception Pass State Park, and countless soil reclamation projects in eastern Washington.

Roosevelt foresaw that those visitors would then spend money at nearby businesses, thereby stimulating the local economy, according to author and Whatcom County historian Janet Oakley. She and North Fork historian Mike Impero are leading the project. “I think the statue will bring more people out to Glacier. We are fulfilling FDR’s idea,” she said.

While the CCC no longer exists, the federal Youth Conservation Corps was created during the 1970s and follows a similar model to its predecessor. Today, it offers volunteer, internship, and job opportunities to young people interested in natural resource management, recreation, and land use policy.  Glacier Public Service Center 10091 Mt. Baker Highway, Glacier | ccclegacy.org June 2018 23

Community Changer LIFESTYLE Game

Attorney at Law, Humanitarian at Heart Hannah E. Stone WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MELISSA MCCARTHY

I

mmigration is a hot issue not only nationally, but locally.

And lawyer and teacher Hannah E. Stone has been at its center in Whatcom County.

Stone, 42, has worked in immigration and citizenship law in Bellingham for 11 years and has served as chair of the Whatcom County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Her clients’ countries of origin range from Canada to China. She has hundreds of cases that are ongoing at any given time from countries all over the world.

“I realize that lots of people focus on ‘Mexicans’ when they discuss our immigration laws,” Stone says. “However, we have immigrants from all over the world, even here in Whatcom County.”

Stone is one of a handful of immigration attorneys in Whatcom County, and believes she is the only one who represents clients at removal proceedings, in which an individual could face deportation. She takes on a few clients each year for free through services like Kids in Need of Defense. She also teaches immigration law at Western Washington University and hosts education clinics to inform community members about their rights.

She is passionate about her work. In an interview, her eyes welled with tears as she recalled her first asylum case.

She had represented a woman from Kenya threatened with female genital mutilation. During her immigration hearing, the woman pleaded for more than five hours with the judge in her native tongue, stopping briefly every so often to allow

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the translator to attempt to relate her gut-wrenching story.

Finally, the woman was granted asylum status and allowed to stay in the United States.

This event took place 10 years ago, but Stone recalls it like it was yesterday. She was relieved that her client was granted asylum, but in doing so, her client’s daughter was left without her mother in Kenya. But the woman had to escape because, as she told Stone, “I’m no use to my daughter if I’m dead.”

Stone is still working with this woman in an attempt to emigrate her daughter to join her mother in the U.S. Ana Cecilia Lopez, director of the Law, Diversity, and Justice Program at Western’s Fairhaven College, said Stone’s work in this community is invaluable. “Hannah spends hundreds of hours providing free information through clinics and community gatherings. This information is vital for our community to know their rights and responsibilities, especially [those] who need to interact with the immigration system,” Lopez says.

Stone said her work is gratifying but can also be frustrating. “I’m trying to not be too cynical with the current landscape of the world. There are obstacles, but it is gratifying to give options to someone who thinks they don’t have any.”

She hopes to one day go into policy-making and reform the immigration system through a more humanitarian lens.  114 W. Magnolia St., Bellingham 360.392.3920 | hannahestone.com

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LIFESTYLE Community

Days for Girls Tackles a Taboo Reusable Pads Help Change a Culture WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATHERINE TORRES

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less than one-square-foot piece of fabric is changing the lives of women worldwide as they cope with their menstrual periods in Third World countries.

And much of the help is coming from a Bellinghambased group called Days for Girls, which also has a chapter in Anacortes.

The non-profit organization was founded in 2008 by Celeste Mergens of Lynden who saw the need for feminine hygiene kits while she was working with a family foundation in Kenya. Today, the group — with a core leadership team of 20 — has volunteers in more than 100 chapters nationwide making these kits that have helped an estimated 1 million women in over 110 countries.

While in Kenya, Mergens questioned what girls did during their periods, and the answer didn’t sit well with her. Oftentimes, she learned, they sat in their rooms, using cardboard or straw to soak up the blood, and they missed days of school. Mergens wanted a way forward for the girls.

She began with disposable feminine kits, but without a proper waste management system the idea faltered.

Reusable, washable kits was the way to go.

Volunteers meet regularly to sew reusable pads that are then shipped off to countries in need. Director of the Anacortes chapter, Carol Olsen, explained they went through 28 redesigns. “One of the early designs was cut similarly to a sanitary napkin’s shape, which embarrassed the girls,” so the liners never were properly washed or dried. The current square designs look like ordinary wash cloths.

During monthly meetings, Olsen’s workspace is abuzz with activity. Volunteers form a sort of assembly line of cutting and sewing. At the heart of the kits are square-cut patterned cotton flannel liners that are thicker in the middle. They are inserted into laminate shields which are then fastened with rustproof plastic snaps. The group makes batches of each part to make the work faster, but, from cutting to finished product, it takes about eight to 10 hours to create a single kit.

A runner then picks up the kits and delivers them to another runner at the airport. On the day of my visit, 100 kits were picked up for delivery to the country of Jordan via SeaTac. The Anacortes chapter has about 75 active members, including one who drives up from Everett. Some women take sewing home, non-sewers contribute by assembling packages 26

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of fabric to be ready for sewing, like the kit’s drawstring carrying bag. Upon hearing the Days for Girls mission, the women all felt called to help build kits.

But it’s more than just the kits, said Kathy McKenzie, the chapter’s informal assistant director. “Education is just as important as kits.” Days for Girls spearheads efforts for proper women’s health education in countries where the subject has been taboo for far too long. This education is spurring a slow cultural shift towards acceptance of the female body and its functions.

In the meantime, Olsen and her team of volunteers will continue making kits. Donations are always welcome, especially dark-colored patterned quilting fabric, sewing supplies, and girls’ underwear. Each reusable kit lasts for three years.  Days for Girls 102 Ohio St., Bellingham 360.220.8393 Anacortes chapter 1419 15th St., Anacortes daysforgirls.org

Book Reviews Circe

by Madeline Miller 400 pages Little, Brown and Company Publishing

Before retiring, I taught “The Odyssey” year after year. Miller picked one of my favorite characters on which to focus her incredible storytelling skills. Circe is the witch who “imprisons” Odysseus and his men for more than a year and sends them to the House of the Dead, among other things. This gorgeous, frightening, intriguing, complicated witch finally gets her own story and it’s a doozy. And as Homer might say, as the sun wheels away, this strong woman will ensnare you in her world.

This is a gorgeously written book of a historically misunderstood woman, imperfect yet capable of growth, weak yet learns strength, unlikable at times yet wholly admirable. In other words, this woman deserves a pantsuit.

WHO KNEW? QUEEN BEY Beyoncé’s song “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and its blackand-white music video turn 10 this October. It was released with “If I Were a Boy” to illustrate distinction between Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce, her onstage alter ego. Along with three Grammys, “Single Ladies” sold 6.1 million units worldwide — one of the bestselling singles of all time.

WRITTEN BY LAURIE MULLARKY LAURIESLITPICKS.BLOGSPOT.COM

In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills

by Jennifer Haupt 384 pages Central Avenue Publishing

Evocative, lyrical, powerful...this book grabs the reader by the throat and forces one to look at the survivors of the Rwandan genocide. First, the characters — oh my, the deeply complex people who inhabit these pages: Lillian, a young girl involved in the beginnings of the civil rights movement in America, who eventually moves to Rwanda and starts an orphanage.

There’s Henry, the white man Lillian loves during a time it wasn’t allowed, a photographer, a father, a wanderer, a lost man; Chloe and Nadine, survivors of the genocide, whose life will never be the same; and most importantly, the country of Rwanda, the land of 10,000 hills, the land that needs to heal and regrow. Haupt, a Seattle journalist who gathered the stories of the Rwandan survivors and wove it into a breathtakingly beautiful book, shows great talent in her debut novel.

In the Know

LIFESTYLE

June 22–23 Chuckanut Writers Conference 2018 Whatcom Community College 237 W. Kellogg Rd., Bellingham 360.383.3000, whatcom.edu Eighth annual conference with the theme “Inspiration Into Action” offers two days of lectures, speeches, author panels, readings, and other events for writers and readers.

It includes presentations by Northwest authors Kathleen Alcala, Daemond Arrindell, Paula Becker, Jonathan Evison, and William Dietrich.

June 23, 7:30 p.m.

Seven Things I’ve Learned: An Evening with Ira Glass Mount Baker Theatre 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham 360.734.6080 mountbakertheatre.com Ira Glass, host of “This American Life” and a popular public radio personality, will be sharing and performing his life experiences. He uses a mixture of live storytelling to help audiences grasp the ideas of what his work means to him and his life.

WRITTEN BY JADE THURSTON

WHY SO SERIOUS? A slew of actors — Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, Jared Leto, etc. — have attempted to act or voice the crazed supervillain, the Joker.

“Batman” celebrates 10 years since Heath Ledger’s Joker performance took us captive in “The Dark Knight.” Ledger died that year and became the first to receive Best Actor International Award posthumously at the Australian Film Institute Awards.

BEGINNING AIRBNB Officially, Airbnb was founded 10 years ago in August, but the American company formed their idea a couple years prior. When roommates Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky were struggling to pay rent, they transformed their loft into a space for three air mattresses. Their old roommate, Nathan Blecharczyk, later joined in and became a founder.

OBAMA IN THE HOUSE Ten years have passed since Barack Obama was elected as the first African American president of the United States.

It’s also been 10 years since he won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album, “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.” Two other presidents — Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton — have received the award as well.

June 2018 27

LIFESTYLE Special Feature

Marine Life in Anacortes Women Researchers at Shannon Point Inspire Students WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATHERINE TORRES

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ot far down the road from the Anacortes ferry landing is an important marine research center that has studied everything from seaweed to ocean waves to ocean acidification since the 1970s. Once primarily a field station for Western Washington University, it now has community outreach programs along with research and study programs for students and scientists.

In April, Gov. Jay Inslee visited the marine labs at Shannon Point Marine Center on Fidalgo Island, highlighting the state’s recent $1.3 million allocation for a new undergraduate degree program in Marine, Coastal and Watershed Sciences to be based there.

The new program hopes to include about 25 undergraduate students yearly to conduct research at the center, said Shannon Point’s interim director, Dr. Brian Bingham. “We appreciate Governor Inslee’s interest in what we do and the opportunity we have to develop an undergraduate program.”

This is a place where serious, groundbreaking research collides with instilling a passion for the marine sciences in 28

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future generations, from preschoolers all the way to graduate students. It’s also a place where women researchers are providing role models — of the center’s 17-member staff, 11 are women.

It’s a state-of-the-art facility equipped with everything a marine science researcher needs. Two tall tanks pump nearby seawater into the research lab. The water is the life blood of most of the center’s in-house experiments.

On a recent visit, I saw ecologist Shawn Arellano, who studies the larvae of marine invertebrates, fill aquarium-sized tanks of the seawater and pump various levels of carbon dioxide for her research focused on the effects of ocean acidification on larvae.

Kathy Van Alstyne, a seaweed researcher, keeps her plants hydrated in giant tubs of the seawater. Shannon Point’s critters, among them sea anemones, hermit crabs, and a big purple starfish, live in tubs filled with ocean water. Yes, the facility is located on the water’s edge, but having a system continuously pump seawater into the laboratory makes the staff’s work easier.

Shannon Point is also equipped with its own mini-library, plenty of microscopes, and lab after lab. Students can find a peaceful spot to work or gather as a team to tackle a project.

Studying at Shannon Point is an opportunity awarded to dedicated graduate and undergraduate students. Housing on the premises cuts down on commuting for Bellinghambased students working on long-term research or completing extended summer programs.

The recently approved state funding opens the doors for more Western undergraduate students to gain exposure to a researching career. For non-Western students, a National Science Foundation funded program allows eight students the opportunity to live at Shannon Point for nine weeks.

They conduct research alongside a faculty advisor.

Graduate student Mira Lutz is finishing her master’s thesis on blue carbon, carbon captured and stored in oceans and coastal ecosystems that has spawned new research. “The faculty is really supportive and the atmosphere is quiet and beautiful, making it a great place to sit and think,” says Lutz.

During her course of study, Lutz has had access to the center’s boats and was certified as a scientific diver.

Shannon Point’s mission doesn’t stop at the college level.

Through Western’s Extended Education Department, Shannon Point facilitates youth programs in Anacortes and throughout Skagit County.

On one spring day, Allison Paul, Shannon Point’s Youth Program Organizer, had just finished cutting out oversized cardboard crab legs for an upcoming Super Saturday at Anacortes Library. She explained how excited the kids are to learn about sea creatures. The free program occurs on the first Saturday of the month from March to June. Preschoolers to second-graders learn lessons pertaining to the local waters and marine science. Western students lead the classes, giving them an opportunity to fill teaching and mentoring roles.

Their reach extends beyond the Anacortes school district, throughout Skagit County to include Burlington’s Lucille Umbarger Elementary School and Evergreen Elementary School in Sedro-Woolley. There are different programs to cover myriad interests and geared towards appropriate age groups. Take, for example, the robotics-based class for fifththrough eighth-graders, where Western engineering students teach the middle-schoolers how to build a remote-controlled vehicle that operates underwater. They’ll learn about topics like buoyancy and the necessary electrical components. The class culminates with a trip to the Fidalgo pool to test out the vehicles.

The classes, outreach, and the research center itself play a major role in exposing students of all ages to careers in STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The center hopes that, in addition to learning basic STEM principles, students — especially young girls — will see many women working as researchers and gain confidence that they, too, can pursue careers in science and technology.  Shannon Point Marine Center 1900 Shannon Point Rd., Anacortes 360.293.2188 | spmc@wwu.edu

Professor Kathy Van Alstyne is studying how supercharged seaweed growth is affecting area sea life.

“Lab pets,” like this starfish and sea anemone, make guest appearances at educational seminars for kids.

June 2018 29

What’s In Our Waters?

LIFESTYLE Special Feature

WRITTEN BY JADE THURSTON AND JOSHUA DEJONG

DUNGENESS CRAB (Cancer magister) Where found: In sandy shores and eelgrass below the tidal mark.

Cool fact: Dungeness crab were named after a port in Dungeness, Washington.

CRIMSON ANEMONE (Cribrinopsis fernaldi) Where found: Close to shore to a depth of 300 meters.

Cool fact: Different species of decapods, like shrimp and crabs, often find refuge in the anemone’s tentacles.

GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS (Enteroctopus dofleini) Where found: In cold oxygen-rich water at a depth of up to 6,600 ft.

Cool fact: The record size of a giant Pacific octopus is 30 ft. across and weighing more than 600 pounds.

ORCA (ORCINUS ORCA)

WOLF EEL (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) Where found: Caves and rocky reefs in the north Pacific.

Cool fact: A male and female may pair for life, living together in the same cave for roughly 25 years.

Where found: Can be found in every ocean in the world.

Cool fact: Although commonly known as the killer whale, orcas aren’t actually whales, but are the largest species of dolphin.

PACIFIC HERRING (Clupea pallasii) Where found: In the Pacific Ocean near North America and northeast Asia.

Cool fact: Pacific herring don’t die after spawning — they can breed again in ensuing years.

DOCK SHRIMP (Pandalus danae) Where found: Shallow waters to 185 meters, and around docks.

Cool fact: One of the most commonly found shrimp in our area, fished commercially and for sport.

GEODUCK (Panopea generosa) Where found: In the coastal waters of the Puget Sound Cool fact: One of Earth’s longest-living organisms, usually living up to 140 years.

EELGRASS (Zostera marina) Where found: In muddy and sandy shores just below the tide.

Cool fact: Helps form the habitat of many marine animals. When it dies, it detaches and drifts to shore, creating a whole new environment for other species.

GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) Where found: In wetlands in near the shores of open waters.

Cool fact: As the largest North American heron, its wingspan extends 167–201 centimeters.

PACIFIC BLOOD STAR (Henricia leviuscula) STRAWBERRY ANEMONE (Corynactis californica) Where found: In water deeper than 11 feet.

Cool fact: Also known as the club-tipped anemone, because of the transparent to white tentacles with round tips.

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Where found: The intertidal zone — above water at low tide and below water at high tide.

Cool fact: It took the seastar an average time of 15.22 minutes to correct the orientation of its body when taken out of an upright position, an action known as its “righting reflex.” 

LIFESTYLE Community

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Generosity to be celebrated at PeaceHealth Foundation 2018 Gala

ives are transformed when people are given the opportunity to do good in the world. The PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation will celebrate the power of giving, and the good that follows, at its 2018 Care, Share, Inspire Gala June 9 at IMCO Construction.

This season’s gala will be dedicated to advanced diagnostic imaging needs for Cardiovascular Center (CVC) patients. The Foundation’s Diagnostic Imaging Campaign helps support Cardiac Catheterization Labs and Electrophysiology Lab imaging system improvements as well as advancements for Echocardiology and Vascular Ultrasound imaging.

The formal event will highlight the profound examples of care, share, inspire in Whatcom County and celebrate three individuals who have taken the opportunity to share in a way that transforms the lives of patients.

The Ralph H. Rinne, MD, Physician Philanthropy Leader of the Year Award will be presented to Ione Adams, MD. Dr. Adams, medical director at Sea Mar Community Health Center, is a member of the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Community Board and Community Collaboration Committee. Her commitment to ensuring the provision of excellent health care highlights the care she brings not only to her patients, but also to the community.

Amy Chan Wolsdorf will be honored with the Philanthropist of the Year Award. For almost twenty years, 32

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Amy has generously supported the Cancer Center, Palliative Care, Grabow Therapy and Wellness Center, and the Cardiovascular Center with significant gifts. In those two decades, she has shared 45 significant gifts and provided a Declaration of Intent for a legacy gift to continue her remarkable generosity.

The Inspirational Leader of the Year Award will be given to Katie Jansen for her dedication to the community and inspiring leadership. As treasurer of the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation Board, she developed an able finance committee that is engaged and inquisitive.

Her encouragement and support of the Foundation have been invaluable.

The support of these leaders, joined with other generous individuals and groups in our community, provides the opportunity for PeaceHealth to extend the gift of health to all people regardless of their ability to pay; foster innovative patient and health care services; and develop effective programming to meet the needs of our community. Committed supporters make compassionate health care possible.

The gala will be a celebration of giving and a gathering of people passionate about investing in our community.

The festivities serve as a reminder that caring, sharing and inspiring can transform lives, not only for those who receive, but also for those who give. 

EXCEPTIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR CARE CLOSE TO HOME PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center is renowned for embracing new technology, while always keeping compassionate, patientcentered care the focus. The Cardiovascular Center is the first of its kind in Washington to offer all services in one convenient location.

Each year more than 21,000 diagnostic imaging procedures are performed at the center.

The Cardiovascular Center includes:

Cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and vascular surgeons.

Board-certified physicians and staff from the nation’s leading academic medical institutions.

Electrophysiology lab and cardiac catheterization labs for leading-edge diagnostics and treatments.

Digital cardiac and vascular ultrasound for precise heart and vascular images.

Dedicated operating rooms for heart and vascular surgery.

Hybrid operating room for advanced diagnostic, interventional and surgical procedures that will be utilized by multiple cardiovascular specialists.

Patient and family education center.

Generous community support to the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation helps ensure that every patient who needs care will receive it with open arms, regardless of his/her ability to pay.

Donor-Supported Programs for Cardiovascular Care:

Cardiovascular patient emergency funds.

Patient scholarships for cardiac rehabilitation program.

Free teen heart screenings for local high school students.

Cardiovascular equipment advancements.

Help support exceptional cardiovascular care close to home. Learn more by calling the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation at 360-788-6866 or visit www. peacehealth.org/foundation/st-joseph. Naming opportunities at the Cardiovascular Center are available for gifts of $10,000 or more.

June 2018 33

LIFESTYLE Spotlight

Hoping to Shake Up Bellingham’s Art Scene Ruckus Art Gallery WRITTEN BY JOSHUA DEJONG

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Photo by Kyle Hooper

H

e created the Rocket Donuts’ rocket in downtown Bellingham and has been a contractor for 25 years designing multimillion-dollar homes in the Pacific Northwest. Now, Alexei Ford has just opened Ruckus, a downtown art gallery just a stone’s throw from the Bellingham Farmers Market.

Ruckus prides itself on combining an authenticity of the West with a modern organic appeal and rugged functionality.

A love for weathered wood, leather, rust and canvas fills the carefully curated space. A painting of a ship, or one of a man playing an accordion, can be seen next to a table made from old bridgebuilding wrenches. Another table is converted from an old wheelbarrow.

Onyx earrings, bracelets and belt buckles nestle alongside necklaces. Ford designed the space to highlight the artists, sculptors and jewelry he brought in.

“The quality of the people is a lot about what I want. I’m not interested in a real pretentious type of environment,” Ford says. “I want something that feels genuine and authentic to the majority of the people that will come in here.”

Ford said he wanted to create a space that people from all walks of life could enjoy. Whether it is an expensive piece, or something less expensive, he wants people to feel welcome here.

As a child, Ford had an eclectic upbringing. He moved all around California during the 1960s, he says, and he had the opportunity to play Frank Zappa’s drums as a toddler. He once shared dinner in a cabin with Bob Dylan. As he got older, he would hang out the window of the car with his Instamatic camera taking endless photos of architecture.

Close up of Tuscan Sunflower, Vivian Mazzola

Ford would go on to learn welding from his father and spend time woodworking and partnering with architects. He learned how to build homes from beginning to end. Ford said he finds beauty in many places, often gaining inspiration from conversations he has with other people.

“I love entropy,” he says, referring to unpredictability or a decline into distorder, and “the idea of weathered wood, rusty steel. I like seeing the history and the origin of product. It often steers me towards what I create, and I am looking for that in artists too.

I am looking for a very rich kind of authentic sense of place.”

One of Ford’s main motivations was to create a space where artists in the community can thrive and not have to be competitive. He says this is part of why he doesn’t bring in too much of his own work.

“I really wanted to give the gallery to the artists in the community and my goal is to just to participate,” he says.

Some of the canvas prints include “Tuscan Sunflower” and “Big Poppies”

by Vivian Mazzola. Lorna Libert’s oil paintings of an anchored ship, “Gloria,” and horse painting “Bart, the Boy Next Door” are near the entryway, and Lucas Walker’s “Oyster House” paintings reside behind the jewelry cases.

Ford said finding jewelry that is unique and fits the character of Ruckus was a challenge. Currently Ruckus carries jewelry by locals Frank Goss and

Sacha Bliese. He says he feels they really capture the combination of elegance and rawness that he was looking for.

He might be biased, he says, but one of his favorite pieces is one he got to work on with his father. “Cook on the Night Train” is a canvas print made by his father to which Ford added a frame made from a repurposed stainless-steel beer cooler door, lawn chair pieces, 1940s computer parts and an antique model train track.

Ruckus has also recently hosted RARE, Recycled Art and Resource Expo, where people made musical instruments, among other things, from recycled materials. Musicians performed using their instruments, and a puppet show with repurposed materials and props was held.

This is the kind of inclusive atmosphere Ford said he wants to foster. He said he is looking for events like this and he says he imagines being able to one day mesh events like a watercolor show for artists 70 and older with a vintage Harley Davidson show. In other words, Ford wants to create a ruckus. “’Ruckus’ is a name that’s inspired by what it means, a cacophony of sounds, it’s a jubilance,” Ford says.

“There’s a hootenanny going on, and ultimately I want that kind of energy going on.”  228 E. Maple St., Bellingham 360.220.4833 | ruckusartgallery.com

In the Know

LIFESTYLE

APPS WE L VE

Walking with Flair Fringe Adds Shoes

HotelTonight HotelTonight Inc

WRITTEN BY JOSHUA DEJONG The Cuff with Peridot, Sacha Bliese

Wolf Mask #1, Jason Reed Brown

Photos by Kyle Hooper

Opal and Amyethst Necklace, Frank Goss

E

arlier this year, Fringe boutique in downtown Bellingham expanded its shop so women can now assemble a head-to-toe look, with emphasis on the toe. They now have 30 different types of shoes.

Owner Rhiannon Troutman says the expansion of the woman’s clothing and accessories store was made because she wanted to fill the gap when Mi Shoes closed last summer.

“I used to manage Mi Shoes before I opened Fringe, so I had a pretty good idea of what were the things people loved the most about Mi Shoes and was able to pick up some of the best-selling lines they had like Miz Mooz, Seychelles and Blowfish,” Troutman says.

She says the addition will also be great for summer and the upcoming wedding season because she has added sandals and platforms to the line.

“I get so many people in the summer looking for dresses and outfits to wear to weddings especially,” she says, “and now they can get the dress, the jewelry, the bag, the shoes, everything all in one place.”

Troutman makes it a point to carry different brands at different prices to make sure anyone can find what they are looking for. She says she wants to supply products of high quality and value.

“My whole point with this store is to make it accessible to people, because I know I don’t want to spend $80 on a shirt. So, I try to keep my prices all really reasonable,” Troutman says.  1147 N. State St., Bellingham 360.312.4067 | wearfringe.com

This app sells hotel rooms everywhere for extremely discounted prices at the last minute. The prices get cheaper as you get closer to the booking date that you want. If you need a hotel tonight, use this app and you could end up staying in a nice hotel for a good price.

Untappd Untappd Inc Untappd helps you discover and share great beers and breweries with your friends. You can earn badges for exploring new breweries and different styles of beers. Keep track of what you like and get notifications when your favorite brewery adds new beers on tap.

HQ-Live Trivia Game Show Intermedia Labs Inc. Have you ever wished you could be on one of those TV game shows like “Jeopardy” and win money? Now you can participate right from your phone. Game sessions are live-streamed every day at specific times. Thousands of players compete in a 12-question trivia game to win prize money. All you have to do is download the free app and create an account.

Rover A Place For Rover Inc. The top-ranked petsitting and dogwalking app helps animal owners find someone to watch or walk their pet. Find and contact sitters in your area to watch your animal. Pay the sitter directly from the app. Check for availability when you need a sitter again.

— Maddy Stewart

Sparkle Earrings, Frank Goss

June 2018 35

LIFESTYLE Five Faves

1

KEENAN’S AT THE PIER One of the best views in Bellingham — a full, panoramic display of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands — is a sight both locals and tourists admire. Keenan’s at the Pier is a place to witness (and savor) that. While your eyes take in the view, fill your core with fresh, local, Northwest-style cuisine. Dinner dishes, such as the sea scallops, featuring a Southwest corn and black bean succotash, crispy shallots, and chipotle aioli, taste even better while gazing toward a glowing sunset on the water.

804 10th St., Bellingham 360.392.5510 | thechrysalisinn.com

WRITTEN BY JADE THURSTON

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© Pat McDonnell

EATING ON FIVE THE WATER FAVES

2

CHRISTOPHER’S ON WHIDBEY “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Virginia Woolf’s quote on this eatery’s website complements a place with more than 30 years’ experience. Daily specials are influenced by local products, so make a reservation. It’s worth it.

103 NW Coveland St., Coupeville 360.678.5480 christophersonwhidbey.com

3

LA CONNER WATERFRONT CAFÉ

128 S. 1st St., La Conner 360.466.1579 waterfrontcafelaconner.com

4

DOWNRIGGERS Their tagline — food, views, drinks — is wonderfully simple and accurate, emphasis on views. On the water at Friday Harbor, see ferries, wildlife, and spectacular sunsets while enjoying the return of a restaurant that reopened two years ago following a massive 2013 fire.

Caring For Cars.

3709 Bennett Drive • Bellingham, WA 98225 • (360) 733-3043

Your Financial Future: Will You Be Ready?

Susan Rice Financial Planning Specialist Financial Advisor 2200 Rimland Drive, Suite 105 Bellingham, WA 98226 360-788-7005 • 800-247-2884 susan.e.rice@morganstanley.com

NY CS 7790428 BC006 01/14 GP10-01505P-N06/10

Place yourself in La Conner’s best waterfront view. Choose a casual meal (clam strips, a lightly seasoned handful of surfer clams, with fries or slaw, are a local favorite), use the banquet room, or rent the entire place. Whatever you do, that priceless view is yours.

Serving People.

© 2014 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

MECH

JOB INFORMATION 7790428/602858172

PROJ. NO.: JOB NAME:

TRIM SIZE:

Retail Byrnes Susan Rice Ad

FINISHED SIZE: BLEED:

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INK:

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LAST MODIFIED: January 15, 2014 1:13 PM

10 Front St., Friday Harbor 360.378.2700 downriggerssanjuan.com

5

THE LATITUDE KITCHEN AND BAR Also known as The Loft at Latitude Forty Eight Five, a name change doesn’t mean a change in setting at their Squalicum Marina location. Indoor and outdoor seating includes a deck that hangs over the bay. Enjoy daily bar happy hour deals and fresh, seasonal dishes. It’s a sweet place to experience just-caught seafood.

Historic Hospitality Hospitality Historic

1801 Roeder Ave., Bellingham 360.306.5668 | theloftbellingham.com

June 2018 37

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SHOP

Savvy Shopper · Necessities · Local Find

Bring the Beauty Home with You Meraki Boutique WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MELISSA MCCARTHY

V

ictoria, B.C. is a much-loved destination for us western Washingtonians. Just a hop, skip, and jump across the San Juan Islands on the other side of the Salish Sea is this picturesque, Victorian city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

Known for its scenic architecture, gardens, and hikes, Victoria offers a great deal of beauty to those who visit it. But how does one take that beauty with them when they go? Well, by adorning themselves with it, of course.

Meraki Boutique, a local shop located at the base of the clock tower in Victoria’s Uptown Shopping Centre, is the perfect place to shop for locally crafted goods and high quality fashions.

Its trendy but unique assortment of goods is something you just can’t find stateside.

Windowed walls encompass the space, giving window shoppers the temptation to do more … continued on next page

… than just ogle. Upon entering, the high industrial-style ceilings and minimalist décor make the clothes and accessories stand out all the more.

“Our style is classic and timeless, but at the same time unique,” said owner Kylee Weber. “We work with a lot of independent artisans to bring something new and different to our community.”

Meraki carries everything from heels to halters, from pendants to purses, jumpsuits, denim, watches, and more.

With an array of brands like Wolf Circus, a women-led jewelry line based in Vancouver, and L’intervalle shoes from Spain, you’ll get the best of both local and international goods here.

“Our best sellers are probably denim and outerwear,” Weber said. “But people love the accessories hand-crafted by locals as well.”

This store is Weber’s passion, and named for that fact. In Greek, Meraki means to do something with all of your heart, to put yourself into what you’re doing. It is synonymous with soul, devotion, and meaning. Weber has been in the retail industry for more than 15 years, and Meraki is the culmination of that experience. Her dedication is translated into the beauty of the space and quality of the goods carried here.

Meraki has had a storefront in Uptown since September, 2015. But up until about six months ago, it occupied the space as a pop-up shop, or temporary retail space. This year, Weber finally secured a permanent tenancy for Meraki.

Uptown Shopping Centre is about 15 minutes from downtown Victoria. Strolling through the streets and exploring the shops is a perfect way to spend a June afternoon, after touring Butchart Gardens or exploring Craigdarroch Castle. To get to Victoria, one can take a ferry from either Anacortes or Tsawwassen, just north of the Peace Arch border crossing.

Next time you tour this charming city, try departing from the typical tourist attractions and explore the racks of Meraki.  109-3671 Uptown Blvd., Victoria, B.C. 778.265.0509 | merakiboutique.ca 40

BellinghamAlive.com

228 N. Samish Way

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SHOP Necessities

1

Monogrammed Growler

2

Shutterfly.com, starting at $44.99

Monogrammed Williams-Sonoma 2-Piece Carving Set Williams-sonoma.com, $69.49

3

For Dad, On His Day Dads deserve badges of honor. They always know just the right thing to say, easily manage to disperse the monsters from under the bed, and can be counted on for a ride from anywhere at any time, like from that party back in high school. Let Dad know you appreciate him this Father’s Day with a personalized gift. You can inscribe a quick “I love you, Dad” or a word or two from an inside joke. (Perhaps a “Thanks for not telling mom” message will absolve you from that late-night party pick-up.) — Catherine Torres

Ebony Theo Blue Wooden Watch Treehut.co, $139

4 Customized Wooden Tablet Cover Toastmade.com, starting at $69

5 Customized Wooden Gaming Console Cover Toastmade.com, starting at $79

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Local Find

SHOP

Fusing Glass in Custer Whimsy Art Glass Studio WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATE GALAMBOS

J

enny Reich started experimenting with stained glass in the 1970s in Atlanta as a creative outlet. Today, you can find her with her dogs Lola and Salem in northern Whatcom County amid her colorful glass creations of all kinds. Just off Interstate 5 in the small town of Custer, she opened Whimsy Art Glass Studio seven years ago, where she now has her studio, a retail shop, and teaches classes.

Her pieces in the store include small plates, dishes, and chests, large decorative hanging pieces, and decorative lamps and tables.

For years, Reich perfected the techniques of stained glass as way of artistic relaxation. “I’ve always had a bench or small work space since I began,” she said. While radio was her “real” job, glass filled an important and growing artistic space in her life.

Soon she moved to California and then Washington. She retired from radio and made glass art her full-time passion.

However, the move introduced her to an entirely new glass technique, fused glass. Rather than using lead to hold pieces of glass together, fused glass uses the heat of a kiln to fuse two or more pieces of glass together. For Reich, the appeal of fused glass was the ability to highlight delicate glass cuts and pieces, which would be otherwise hidden by lead in stained glass. “I’ve always been good at cutting and when I found out about the kiln, I thought ‘This is it, this is for me,’” she said. The fused glass method requires precise control of the kiln to bring pieces of glass together without shrinking or muddling them.

Reich’s projects can take from as little as a half-hour to as long as a few days to complete, depending on the kiln and the

size and detail of the project. Each project starts with a few pieces of glass from Bullseye Glass Co. in Portland. Reich’s shop is lined with hundreds of sheet-like pieces of glass. “I like to pick each piece out myself. They all have their own personalities,” she said.

While Reich is open to working on customized projects for clients, her creativity comes first. If the project is something that excites her, she is glad to say yes. If not, she is comfortable saying no. Her favorite pieces are those that she has created under the full moon. She specializes in a full-moon motif created by the interaction of heated glass with silver-leaf inlay. The result are unique pieces, each with its own moonlit, cloudy-night image. Another unique group of pieces hang from the ceiling of her store and may go unnoticed. A white t-shirt, a bra, and a pair of socks, all created with glass, hang from their clothes line in a corner of her shop. “When I went to Europe, I noticed that they still hang their laundry. So I came home and had to create my own too,” she said.

Price ranges vary due to the huge variety of items. Pieces start at about $15 for her whimsical nightlights and go up.

“I can usually find something for most everyone if they want to experience glass,” she said. Customers can find her art on her website, on Facebook, and in the shop. For those looking to learn the trade rather than just purchase, Reich teaches classes on a case-by-case basis to glass artists of all skill levels.  2911 Main St., Custer 360.510.3256 | whimsyglass.campcuster.com June 2018 43

SHOP Savvy Shopper

Finishing Touches Re-Feather Your Nest WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATHERINE TORRES

121-A Freeway Dr., Mount Vernon 360.755.3126 | re-featheryournest.com 44

BellinghamAlive.com

THE SHOP

WHAT YOU’LL FIND

Whether your home’s style is farmhouse, nautical or Paris chic, Mount Vernon’s Re-Feather Your Nest has the perfect finishing touches for any well-designed room.

In addition to decor accessories and wall hangings, it has one-of-a-kind, reclaimed furniture and reupholstered seating.

Re-Feather Your Nest has both consigned and new items. It is the place to go for that finishing touch your decor is missing. It has items suitable for most styles. In the nautical display, check out the oyster shell chandelier and wooden boats. Farmhouse decor includes rustic signs and colorful paintings of livestock. You can also pick up clothing like super-soft tees and ultra-soft, ultradurable vintage flannel shirts. Garden lovers can buy a new birdhouse or potting table. If you’re looking for a gift, pick up a La Vela Candle and an accompanying card with a witty saying. There’s also an assortment of vintage silverware in case you’re hosting a large dinner party.

THE ATMOSPHERE The airy space bathes in natural light from oversized skylights. It’s the kind of store made for ambling along the well-worn wooden floors, admiring all the pretty objects styled in the store’s many vignettes.

KEY PEOPLE Linda Freed opened Re-Feather Your Nest seven years ago. She also owns the area’s three Calico Cupboard Cafe & Bakery locations and Seeds Bistro and Bar in La Conner. Freed is a busy woman, leaving merchandise manager Darli Lund-Parks to run the store. Lund-Parks hunts for inventory at trade shows and checks out local artists for unique finds. A designer for 25 years, she’s encountered most decorating challenges and is ready to assist customers.

STAFF FAVORITE Lund-Park can’t resist the sheep portrait paintings and the oversized wall clock.

She also loves their collection of signs with warm, snappy sayings like “Make Yourself at Home” and “We Should Probably Cuddle.” The signs are a topselling item, possibly because customers feel the same way Lund-Park does. “I love them. They’re just happy.” 

June 2018 45

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WELLBEING Nutrition · Take a Hike · Spa Review · Beauty

Walking With the Nooksack River Horseshoe Bend Trail WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JADE THURSTON

J

ust under two miles past the town of Glacier, after crossing the North Fork of the Nooksack River, a gravel lot sits to the right of Mount Baker Highway. Here, directly across Douglas Fir Campground, is the start of a must-do trail: Horseshoe Bend. … continued on next page

… Shadowing the Nooksack, Horseshoe Bend is an easy to moderate trail that’s both family- and dog-friendly. With an elevation gain of just 220 feet, the most difficult obstacles are tangles of tree roots and the possibility of mud. For those who like to meander off the path (as we all do), be aware of an occasional drop-off when the trail stands higher than the river. Otherwise, the wellmaintained path includes sturdy, wooden bridges, stairs, and a bench.

When you’re roughly 20 to 30 feet from the rushing river (for nearly the entire hike), stop and observe the water’s strength. Besides the consistent, calming rumble, rapids duck and twist among sturdy boulders and smoothed stones. Fallen trees lay scattered and stacked like collapsed Lincoln Logs along the water’s edges.

Turn your gaze from the mesmerizing waters and the Nooksack’s surroundings remain impressive. Rich, bright moss weighs down tree branches and anchors onto tree trunks and rocks, merging with ferns and other vegetation. From the tip of the trees to the old-growth forest floor, you’re immersed in shades of green.

Whether you do the entire hike (less than three miles round trip) or turn around early, Horseshoe Bend is a satisfying trek. I mean, where else can you easily creep amid the Nooksack’s wrath?

Just be sure to do your part and pay for parking – your money supports necessities like trail crews, bridge maintenance, and sign replacements.

This trail requires a Northwest Forest Pass and can be purchased at National Forest Offices or online. The Glacier Public Service Center, only 1.8 miles south of the trailhead, has an ATM set up specifically for passes. (It’s also a good place for a public restroom as there are none at Horseshoe Bend).

Day passes are $5 per car and annual passes are $30. You can print out day passes ahead of time at home and simply write the date you use it before placing it on your dash. It’s that easy. Horseshoe Bend is passable yearround. What are you waiting for? 

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BellinghamAlive.com

Quick Stats Degree of difficulty: Easy Length: 2.4 miles (round trip) Pass/fee: Northwest Forest Pass ($5 daily, $30 annual) Trail surface: Dirt

Eric Subong, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship trained retina specialist. Hailing from Baltimore, MD, he received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland.

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He received his BS in Chemistry from Villanova University and MD from Howard University College of Medicine, completing his internship in Medicine at Sinai Hospital/Johns Hopkins.

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For the latest from Bellingham Alive Magazine. Look for local events, news, contests, giveways and more!

COMING SOON! North Whatcom Health Center

Unity Care NW is expanding to meet the growing need for affordable and accessible health care services. Our new health center, located off of I-5 on Portal Way in Ferndale, will provide integrated primary medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to 9,500 north Whatcom County residents.

Learn more about the capital campaign and how you can help at unitycarenw.org/north-whatcom-health-center or (360) 788-2628

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WELLBEING

Esthetician to the Rescue How Regular Facials Help WRITTEN BY LISA CROSIER

M

any people wonder what exactly an esthetician does or how regular facials can help their skin. I am passionate about changing skin through proper education, treatment and most of all, addressing the misconceptions you may have about your own skin.

I have been a master esthetician for more than 20 years and watched as the industry changed significantly.

In the past, an esthetician mainly performed relaxation and pampering spa treatments. Today, estheticians are licensed skin care specialists who provide skin analysis and treat facial and body issues that can dramatically improve your skin’s appearance.

We use a variety of techniques including peels and what is known as microdermabrasion. These treatments create a smoother, brighter appearance by removing the outer layer of skin to reveal the healthy complexion hiding underneath. A diamond-tipped facial wand gently polishes while the vacuum suctions away dead skin cells. This painless procedure may be followed with customized serums to deeply penetrate, smooth, and moisturize, resulting in soft, beautiful skin with no down time.

Chemical peels use an acid solution to remove dead and damaged upper skin layers. You may feel slight tingling while the peel is applied. Glycolic, lactic, salicylic, and retinol are active

ingredients used to improve acne scars and skin texture while reducing the effects of sun damage. Light peels have few side effects with little down time. Medium depth peels may have mild irritation or redness that can last up to a few days. Your esthetician will help you decide which is the best choice for you.

Estheticians know skin. It is our job to know skin types, ingredients and what that means for your skin. An esthetician gathers a detailed history to obtain a thorough understanding of your challenges and what you have tried in the past. That includes any recent changes that could be affecting your skin.

Education is a big part of creating positive changes and improvements with your skin. Stress, hormones, and diet can all contribute to problems.

With the vast information available to consumers, today we find that there is often confusion with how to properly treat your skin.

Knowing what to avoid can be just as helpful as knowing what to use. Experimenting with different products is not only costly, but it can exacerbate the problem. Licensed estheticians have access to clinicalgrade skincare products that have higher percentages of active ingredients such as glycolic acid for acne, and antiaging ingredients such as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and peptides.

Clinical skin care can be more effective than over-the-counter or department-store brands for clearing up acne, lessening fine lines, reducing redness and minimizing pigmentation or sun spots. People who have visited an esthetician often remark that they feel more confident or wear less makeup once they start an effective skin care and facial regimen.

Whether you want to keep your skin’s youthful glow or get it back, seeing an esthetician regularly can give you more benefits than you are able to achieve at home. Regular facials improve vibrancy by removing dead skin and impurities while boosting collagen production, cell renewal and blood circulation. A specialized treatment plan for teenagers can successfully control and decrease acne blemishes.

I feel very fortunate to be working in a career that I love. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and helping others look and feel better about themselves. To me, being an esthetician isn’t only about giving facial treatments and selling skin care products, it’s about helping create positive change that empowers women and transforms lives — one face at a time.  Lisa Crosier is a licensed master esthetician and owner of Lisa Crosier Skincare in Bellingham.

See lisaskincare.com.

June 2018 51

WELLBEING Nutrition

The most important thing to remember when it comes to deciding which “diet” you should follow is this: it should be made up of whole foods including vegetables, meat and seafood, healthy fats and oils, nuts and seeds, fruits and fullfat dairy if you can tolerate it.

Stir Fry

I like to make this when I have leftover tri-tip or roast beef in the refrigerator. If you don’t have leftovers, buy a thinner cut of sirloin steak to reduce the cooking time. If you don’t have avocado oil on hand, use coconut oil, which will work well with the flavors in this dish. A food processor also helps to speed the preparation along. If you don’t have one, you should.

Is Low-Carb the Way to Go? Proteins, Fats Give Energy Too WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAHED BY CASSIE ELLIOTT

T

hese days it seems that every other news story is talking about the merits (or pitfalls) of the low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet, also commonly referred to as the Keto Diet.

So what is it and should you follow it? In a nutshell, the majority of the calories you consume in a day are primarily from foods that are low in carbohydrates, historically thought to be the main fuel (energy) source required by humans to keep our motors running throughout the day. Research is now showing that we are able to derive more than enough energy from protein, fat and other low-carb food sources like fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The benefits of eating a low-carbohydrate diet are many, including weight loss thanks to burning stored body fat, stabilizing blood sugar (no more getting “hangry”), decreased inflammation (arthritis), improved sleep, decreased hunger (it’s remarkable how little food I actually eat any more), and consistent energy all day long.

Sounds fantastic, but it is important to keep in mind that, like anything health-related, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Personally, I need to make sure that I am deriving a certain amount of my calories from foods that have a good amount of fibre and resistant starch, which I do strictly from vegetables. That’s why it’s important to do your research or consult with someone who has.

So, is a low-carb, high-fat or Keto diet for you? Probably.

Unless you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have been diagnosed with a HPTA axis dysregulation (Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Thyroid, Adrenal) condition it might not be. I recommend that you consult with a functional medicine practitioner to figure out how to make it work for you or to find another solution.

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BellinghamAlive.com

THAI SAUCE 2 T. Gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos 1 T. Almond butter 1 T. Sambal olek • Combine the above ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside.

STIR FRY ½ bunch cilantro 2 stalks green onion 1 Thai pepper with seeds* 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger 4 oz. thinly sliced cooked beef ½ each red and orange bell peppers 1 stalk of green onion

12 oz. bag of bean sprouts 3 oz. bag of Snow Peas 8 oz. oyster mushrooms 2 cloves crushed garlic ½ cup chopped cashews Juice of ½ a lime

*This is spicy so if you prefer a little less heat use half a Thai pepper.

• Add the first four ingredients to a food processor and chop until fine. Set aside.

• Thinly slice the bell peppers.

• In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over high temperature.

• Add mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside.

• Add 2 tablespoons avocado oil to wok and heat until smoking. Throw in the vegetables from food processor and stir to cook.

• Add 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic and continue to stir until fragrant.

• Add peppers, snow peas, half the bean sprouts to pan and cook for another 2–3 minutes.

• Add beef and 2/3 of cashews. Reserve remainder of nuts for garnish.

• Add the Thai sauce and cook until heated through.

• Squeeze the juice of half a lime over all.

• Remove from heat. Put remaining bean sprouts in bowls and top with stirfry. Garnish with sliced green onions and remaining cashews. 

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Cheers To

10

O

YEARS

By Meri-Jo Borzilleri

n paper, starting a Bellingham lifestyle magazine in 2009 looked like a crazy business idea.

Like the rest of the country, Bellingham was suffering from a recession. In the fall of 2008, just months earlier, a historic financial meltdown threatened to crash worldwide markets. In early 2009, as fears lingered and the recession stifled local businesses, Lisa Karlberg was undeterred as she started to pitch her idea of a regional lifestyle magazine. ‌continued on next page

Unemployment was up, business was down, foreclosures and short sales dotted the real estate market. … Things were rather grim in Bellingham: Unemployment was up, business was down, foreclosures and short sales dotted the real estate market. The number of real estate agents, a key advertising group for a fledgling lifestyle magazine, had plummeted from more than 1,000 before the downturn to about 400, recalls Joe Hoppis, owner of Hoppis Real Estate, one of Bellingham Alive’s first advertisers. “2009 was probably the bottom of the barrel, really,” he says. “That was the darkest of windows.”

Karlberg chose not to look. “I totally ignored it, and people thought I was crazy,” she says. “It didn’t even come to the front of my mind that it would fail.”

Karlberg’s willful ignorance, coupled with relentless optimism and a sharp eye for what people want, paid off. This month, Bellingham Alive is celebrating its 10th year, with Karlberg the engine.

Today, Bellingham Alive remains the area’s only subscriptionbased, editorial lifestyle magazine, covering three North Puget Sound counties — Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan. It has grown to occupy a lasting foothold in the region’s media market.

The magazine is a publication of K&L Media, named for Karlberg and her husband, Ken, a local attorney and regular contributing writer who was the magazine’s first editor. Produced for residents and visitors, it’s available in professional waiting rooms, in rooms at area hotels, on Amtrak-Cascade train routes from Eugene, Ore.

56 BellinghamAlive.com

to Vancouver, B.C. and for sale in places like Woods Coffee, Haggen, Fred Meyer, and most grocery stores from north Seattle to the Canadian border.

Bellingham Alive has grown into what Karlberg envisioned in 2009: readers describe it as a stylish, beautiful publication with an emphasis on local events, people, and places.

Last year, circulation was listed as 31,984 with a readership base of 218,535. The magazine gained national recognition by winning a 2016 Maggie Award from the Western Publishing Association for best editorial layout (see story, p. 69), and earning finalist nominations for Best City/Metropolitan magazine and Best Visitors Guide (for the K&L Media-produced North Sound Life Guest Book).

“From the very beginning, it was just, ‘If I produce something good and what the community wants and needs, it will strive and it will move forward,’ ” says Karlberg, 53. Bellingham and the North Sound did not have a lifestyle magazine. It needed one. End of story.

Also, the start of one.

Armed with a binder showing a mockup of the new publication, in February of 2009 Karlberg floated the idea of a lifestyle magazine

to city mayors, Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen, and other area stakeholders. “I literally just picked up the phone and started calling,” she says.

Says Kremen: “My initial thought was, ‘Good luck, and I think it’s great and I hope it works out.” Kremen, a former radio man before his political career, had worked in media markets from South Dakota to Seattle. Even when times were good, newspapers like the Bellingham Herald, Cascadia Weekly, and others in Ferndale, Blaine and Lynden, along with business publications and broadcast stations, were competing for advertising dollars. Would a magazine like this work? Privately, Kremen said, “I had my doubts.”

Karlberg grew up in the Seattle area but did not know many people in Bellingham. They didn’t know her, either. But she “got street cred,” she says, from the Karlberg name (she and Ken married in 2008). Ken is a Bellingham High graduate. His father, Gary Karlberg; mother, Pat Karlberg; stepfather, Bob Keller; and brother, Doug Karlberg, have deep roots here into the 1950s.

Still, the first two years were difficult. The major businesses in town were tough sells initially, says Karlberg, who only later found out that a couple other lifestyle magazines had failed previously. But with earlier retail ownership and publishing experience in the Gig Harbor area, Karlberg offered a new perspective:

I “ t didn’t even come to the front of my mind that it would fail.”

© Shannon Finn

A photo shoot for our May 2017 “Inner Beauty” story starred prominent North Sound women who received makeovers before a fashion shoot. They are pictured here at our Squalicum Lofts office, along with some area retailers who helped it come together. Upper row (l to r): Hannah Kahovec, Apricot Lane boutique; Germaine Kornegay, Sedro-Woolley city councilwoman; Rose Lathrop, architect and city planner; Jeni Cottrell, artist; Emily O’Connor, Lydia Place executive director; Michelle Bouma, Mi Shoes shop. Bottom (l to r): Morgan Paris Lanza, Bellingham Girls Rock camp; Katheryn Moran of Katheryn Moran Photography; Suzanne Smith, Betty Be Good boutique.

that of a small business owner herself.

She could relate to businesses and their struggles. It was her experience as a business owner and in advertising sales at the Seattle Times and later Seattle Met magazine, however, that caused her to dream the “big dream,” she says.

Karlberg met skepticism with promises that this magazine would be different, including the bold concept that the magazine would be subscription-based. “A lot of people did not like that,” she says. “We got a lot of, ‘Oh, I see what you’re doing now.’ I was like, ‘Yes, I’m creating jobs, paying employees and I’m putting out a highly reputable publication that I hope people will enjoy. And making all that happen costs money.”

As a paid-for publication, she was determined to uphold certain editorial standards. “We’re very careful not to mix advertising with editorial. We don’t do a pay-to-play. You don’t get an article written about you just because you’re advertising with us.

If we want to cover something, we’re going to cover it whether you’re spending money with us or not.”

But would the magazine succeed?

It went from concept to reality in four months, with the debut issue printed

in June 2009. But after a complete redesign, the Karlbergs got a glimpse of their future when the magazine paid for itself by the second issue in August/September. “We had to keep our costs down to ensure that we would make it.”

Staying lean was the mindset from the beginning. The company’s first office, on Coho Way in Squalicum Marina, was a third-floor, 1,200-square-foot space that held as many as eight people. “We were on top of each other,” Karlberg says. The graphic design table was also a pingpong table, a good way to pass the time while waiting for the all-clear on pages sent to the printer.

At the time, Ken and Lisa were running the magazine while commuting from Issaquah — Lisa had promised her teenage son they wouldn’t move until after he finished high school. For two years, either one or both made the nearly two-hour drive. Unbeknownst to staffers, they didn’t always drive home during the week. On print nights, and sometimes a few others each production cycle, Lisa and Ken slept on an air mattress stashed in Lisa’s small office closet.

“I would be up until one or two in the morning getting files in to the

printer, and we would take out the air mattress and we would blow it up and we would sleep on it,” says Lisa, laughing. “We were deathly afraid we’d still be asleep when the employees came in at 9 o’clock.” When they did make the drive, Lisa changed into her PJs before climbing into the car to save time once they got home.

A work history steeped in startfrom-scratch, independent ownership helped Karlberg get where she is now.

She was one of eight children whose father and mother ran a shipping company in Washington and for a time, in Alaska, where she worked at McDonald’s starting at age 14, hosting kids birthday parties and absorbing the culture of roll-up-your sleeves labor (McDonald’s motto: “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.”).

From a young age, she learned about administration and sales from her family. “Knowing what it takes to run your own business, we grew up in that. It’s hard work. You hit the ground running and you stay running.”

The Karlbergs eventually found a home in Whatcom County, ditching the air mattress and settling in Semiahmoo. Now, the office commute takes about 25 minutes. Karlberg has brought more than her varied …

June 2018 57

… experience to the magazine. She has brought furniture too. Furnishings for Bellingham Alive’s Best of the Northwest annual party are holdovers from her days as owner of a party rental store — tables, chairs, couches, decorations — that are now stashed in a Bellingham storage unit. (Lisa designs the party venue herself, and she and Ken set up and break it down the next day.)

A decade later, the party continues.

So does the magazine, though with less uncertainty. In addition to Lisa and Ken, K&L Media’s staff includes 10 full, part-time and contract employees. Local experts also contribute stories, and the magazine has a longstanding, healthy internship program with Western Washington University’s journalism and PR and design departments.

In the meantime, some of those early businesses that took a chance in 2009 are happy they did. Many of them have stayed with the program through today.

“I remember wondering…how are people going to want to advertise in this kind of climate?” said Christopher Mathews of Northstar Medical Specialists, a first-issue advertiser who continues today. “Ken had a faith in Lisa and Lisa had a faith in what their vision was. I never saw them falter in it. That made me secure in coming back year after year.”

Hoppis, the real estate business owner, sees Bellingham Alive as helping centralize information, a change from the dozen or so smaller publications that existed in 2009. It’s more visible now and represents how great Bellingham is, he says. “And I love the shelf-life of it too. It does sit around on coffee tables and in offices. Other (publications) are pretty easy to throw away. Bellingham Alive is not something that people toss.” In its 10th year, the magazine has proven staying power.

“Now I feel like the distribution is everywhere. You guys have established it as one of the cornerstones of media in the town.” — MJB 58 BellinghamAlive.com

A First Issue, then a Big Change mong the few similarities between Bellingham Alive’s first issue in June/July 2009 and the one today are 1. The name; and 2. The singlecopy price ($3.99). The magazine’s debut was rocky.

“I remember it not looking like anything I thought it would,” says Lisa Karlberg, publisher and president.

Shortly after, she hired a graphic designer to overhaul the entire magazine. The second issue is more familiar, with the trademark logo. The designer threw in an exclamation point that lives on. “I’m not quite sure why he added that, to be honest with you,” Karlberg says.

“I sort of liked it so I left it. It’s there because it’s fun.”

The emphasis has always been on what’s local, but the first cover story emphasized what you could visit within a 180-mile radius of Bellingham. (Money was tight during the recession, and the thinking was to stay close to home.) Other stories included a look

A

at the city’s homeless and how to help; a feature on the history of Bellingham Golf & Country Club and other courses in Whatcom and Skagit counties, written by Karlberg’s husband, Ken, an attorney and golfer who remains a regular contributor; a festival celebrating the french fry, and a story about the new KuruKuru Sushi restaurant near the Bellwether; the relatively new The Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park; consignment stores; lemon and lime cocktails.

K&L Media, which publishes Bellingham Alive, also produces the annual North Sound Life Guestbook, a hardcover book placed in hotel rooms in Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties, and Couture Weddings, a wedding publication.

Another magazine, Menu Seattle, with menus and features on the Seattle culinary scene, made its debut in May. — MJB

June 2009

B

ellingham Alive magazine debuts as a subscriptionbased, editorial bi-monthly publication of K&L Media, covering North Sound’s Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties. Lisa Karlberg, with husband Ken, are among eight staffers who produce the first edition of the magazine, which weighs in at 66 pages.

Magazine’s website launches at the same time. Circulation is approximately 15,000 and readership an estimated 56,095. The magazine is available in-room at area hotels, professional waiting rooms and is on sale at Woods Coffee, Haggen and The Markets newsstands.

August 2009 Second issue is printed.

Exclamation point in Bellingham Alive logo makes its appearance as part of a design overhaul of the magazine.

January 2010 Debut of Couture Weddings Magazine.

60 BellinghamAlive.com

October 2010

May 2012 First Best of the Northwest contest swells issue to 114 pages. Contest draws more than 4,600 votes in 110 categories.

North End Metro Magazine launches to penetrate and focus on Snohomish and Island County.

October 2011

June 2012

North Sound Life replaces Bellingham Alive cover in Skagit and San Juan counties.

K&L Media operations moves from Squalicum Marina’s Coho Way to Squalicum Lofts.

June 2018 Bellingham Alive magazine celebrates 10th year.

April 2018 MENU-Seattle launches, providing residents and visitors a twice-yearly culinary magazine with local menus, features, and area events listings.

October 2017 K&L Media moves magazine operations to Bakerview Square.

October 2017 Best of the Northwest contest draws record 522,217 total votes in third year after moving to online voting at BellinghamAlive.com.

January 2017 Circulation reaches 31,984 with a readership base of 218,535.

December 2016

January 2014

March 2016 Re-design of the magazine to its current format.

April 2014 Bellingham Alive circulation reaches 24,658, with a readership estimated at 168,047.

Bellingham Alive wins 2016 Maggie Award for “Best Editorial Layout” for the Sea to Storefront article.

Earned three finalist honors, including 2014 Best Feature, “Making Out With Maggie.” (See p. 69 for awardwinning layout.)

Bellingham Alive begins publishing monthly, North End Metro magazine closes.

Bellingham Alive’s expanded distribution includes most grocery stores from North Seattle to the Canadian border.

June 2016 North Sound Life hardbound Guestbook launches. Placed in rooms at hotels throughout Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan County.

June 2018

61

10

th YEAR

By the Numbers

Inaugural issue published June-July

65

2009

1

Ph.D (in philosophy) possessed by Sip beer columnist and Western Washington University prof Neal Tognazzini

66 // 112 pages in first issue // pages in this issue

26 // 48

advertisers in inaugural issue //advertisers in this issue

4 62

Editors-in-Chief since 2009

BellinghamAlive.com

Bellingham Alives since then, now published monthly

29

8

Magazine’s annual Best of the Northwest contests

Interns from Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College who worked at the magazine since Bellingham Alive went monthly in January 2017

10

10% Off ALL COOLA Products!

Featured homes typically in our annual Home & Remodel issue

3

Office locations occupied by K&L Media since 2009

COOLA’S Eco-Lux size organic Sport SPF 50 Continuous Sunscreen Sprays have your back! All organic, packed with antioxidants & nourishing ingredients that absorb fast with no greasy feel and no slippery residue!.

That SLays!

4

The Spray

Full-time and contract staffers

Offer Valid June 1st-30th, 2018 only.

804 10th St Bellingham WA

thechrysalisinn.com

360.392.5515

When it gets too bright...Take the heat off.

3

Finalist nominations for Maggie Awards for magazine excellence

36

Books reviewed by contributor Laurie Mullarky through June 2018

HABITAT SCREENÂŽ 873 Hinotes Ct.; Bldg A2, Lynden, WA Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm

RussellsWindowCoverings.com

O. 360.656.6579 C. 360.961.4918

RussellsWindowCoverings@gmail.com

June 2018 63

© Lydia Love

Of The

© Lydia Love

Best

© Pat McDonnell

Northwest

BEST

BEST

NORTH WEST WINNER

NORTH WEST

WINNER

ellingham Alive’s Best of the Northwest is both our biggest magazine issue and biggest shindig of year.

The Best of the Northwest (BONW) contest, now in its ninth year, has readers vote for their favorites for everything from best bookstore to best yoga instructor. Top three businesses in each of more than 125 categories get a certificate to hang on their store’s wall, and it has become a badge of honor to have one.

After all the votes are counted and results published, we have a party. A big one. About 400 people attended the BONW bash last year, and it has become one of the hottest tickets in town. But the contest reverberations don’t end there.

“Businesses who win get a huge push in their sales typically over the next six months,” says Lisa Karlberg, Bellingham Alive president, who started the contest.

As for the misconception that we, the magazine, chose winners? Fake news.

Just ask office manager Jenn Bachtel, who holes up for days in August tallying and categorizing thousands of votes. “We do a huge survey and we put it out to our readers, and they’re the ones who choose who the best are in the community,” says Karlberg. (One person wrote “Anywhere but my house,” as a vote for Best Kids’ Birthday Party last year. Another answered “My neighbor’s free WiFi” for Best IT Service Provider. You think we could make that stuff up?)

Thanks to social media and improved online voting, last year, a total 522,217 votes were received from more than 45,419 individual voters, a record and a big jump from the year before.

“It was crazy,” says Karlberg. “It was huge, and it just continues to grow every single year. The more the businesses share it on social media, the more they share it with their customers, the bigger it’s getting. It’s a ton of fun to watch.”

This year’s 2018 voting begins July 1 on BellinghamAlive.com. — MJB

© Pat McDonnell

© Lydia Love

B

NORTH

© Lydia Love

© Pat McDonnell

WEST

WEST

of the

WEST

of the

2018

BEST

NORTH

of the

2017

BEST

NORTH

of the

2016

BEST

NORTH

2015

BEST

WEST

2009 // 2016 The

North Sound THEN & NOW

BUSINESSES

(U.S. Census Bureau)

6,281 // 6,550 Whatcom

3,485 // 3,457 ince a lifestyle magazine should be a reflection of the area it covers, we wanted to see how much, and in what ways, the North Sound has changed since Bellingham Alive’s debut in 2009. What we found is an area that is growing and transforming in ways both welcome and not. Here’s a slice-of-life comparison between 2009 and the North Sound of today.

S

Skagit

1,007 // 1,019 San Juan County

HOTELS & RESTAURANTS (U.S. Census Bureau)

504 // 537 Whatcom

Data compiled by Melissa McCarthy, Jade Thurston, and Joshua DeJong

336 // 352 Skagit

105 // 108 San Juan County

2009 // 2017 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (U.S. Census Bureau)

ESTIMATED POPULATION

(U.S. Census Bureau)

199,865 // 221,404 Whatcom

116,557 // 125,619 Skagit

15,714 // 16,715 San Juan County

79,383 // 86,720 Bellingham

66 BellinghamAlive.com

$52,006 // $57,291 Bellingham

EMPLOYEES IN ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES (U.S. Census Bureau)

7,020 // 7,882 Whatcom

BELLINGHAM CRUISE TERMINAL (Port of Bellingham)

23,344 // 16,464 Passengers from Alaska Marine Highway

HOMELESS POPULATION

3,479 // 3,859

(Whatcom County government)

873 // 1,001

Bellingham

Skagit

San Juan County

708 // 742

2009 // 2018

BREW PUBS

LOGOS/FAITHLIFE

(TapTrail.com)

(Prominent downtown Bellingham business)

2 // 11

174 // 331

Bellingham

MT. BAKER SKI AREA

$46 // $62

Total Employees

Daily Weekend Lift Ticket

$670 // $790 Season’s Pass

MEDIAN HOME PRICE (Zillow)

CANADIAN EXCHANGE RATE

$286,000 // $386,000*

$0.89 CAD // $0.78 CAD

*2018 Forecast

To $1 USD

STOCK MARKET

UNEMPLOYMENT

8,076 // 24,262

8.7% // 5.2%

(Dow Jones Industrial Average)

Points

ENROLLMENT

(U.S. Dept. of Labor)

13,470 // 14,460

Bellingham

Western Washington University

Bellingham International Airport (Port of Bellingham)

SIZE

(square feet)

27,000 // 105,000 2009 // 2018

NUMBER OF GATES

TOTAL PASSENGERS

4 // 8

649,886 // 753,953

2009 // 2018

2009 // 2017

June 2018 67

Seafood Story Earns Award MAGAZINE WON 2016 ‘MAGGIE’ FOR ‘BEST EDITORIAL LAYOUT’

I

t’s always great to hear when our readers in the North Sound like what we’re doing here at Bellingham Alive, and other publications like Couture Weddings and NSL Guestbook.

It’s also nice to get a pat on the back from people who don’t know us. That’s what happened in March 2016 when it was announced we won the 2016 Maggie Award for “Best Editorial Layout” in the under-75,000 circulation consumer magazine category. The winning layout was for the June 2015 “Sea to Storefront” spread. (Check it out on p. 69.)

It was a nice feather in our cap, because the Maggies have been around awhile. They’ve been awarded annually for the past 66 years by the Western Publishing Association, which services the 24 Western states. The contest receives more than 1,200 entries in multiple categories each year.

It was the first time that K&L Media publications had won. We have been named one of six finalists in three other categories: 2016’s “Best City & Metropolitan Consumer Publication,” and “Best Visitor’s Guide” for North Sound Life GuestBook; and 2014’s “Best Feature Article” for a Ken Karlberg story. As we celebrate our 10th year, we hope there will be more awards to come in the next 10. — MJB

68 BellinghamAlive.com

Sea

to

Store front Written by Frances Badgett Photographed by Kristoffer Arestol

Catch

Grill it, smoke it, eat it raw — fish is one of the great delicacies, and preparing and eating fresh-caught wild fish is a whole new order of seafood dining. If you enjoy the outdoors, the water, and the connection of nature to your plate, here are some great ways to harvest one of the healthiest entrees around.

Angling for Salmon The two main questions most people heading out to fish for the first time ask: when and where? The Department of Fish and Wildlife takes samples of salmon from Squalicum Marina in Whatcom County and Washington Park launch ramp in Skagit. From these samples, the DFW issues a report that indicates how many salmon are running at any given time. This information is most useful for predicting the best time to catch salmon if viewed over a two or three –year trend (and all those records are available), rather than up-to-theminute reporting. Some of the reports are more than a week old, which means you may miss the peak if you’re getting old information. The sampling areas aren’t the recommended areas for angling. The DFW offers maps, upto-date information about regulations, areas that may be closed to fishing, and licensing. The DFW also has maps and information about areas that may be closed for management purposes or for the season.

Chartering a Boat

Harvesting Shellfish

Crabbing

Searching for the right spot to fish on the right day in the right weather can be a challenge. An experienced captain with a good boat can take you to favorite spots, and he will know the best times to go. Whether you are learning how to fish, determining your level of commitment to the sea, or an expert without a boat, grab some friends and spend an afternoon or a weekend reeling in the sea’s bounty. Four charters — R&R Charters, Highliner Charters, Jolly Mon, and Catchmore Charters — run out of Anacortes.

Our nearshore waters are often closed for shellfish harvesting in the summer, but not always. Birch Bay, Chuckanut Bay, Semiahmoo, Drayton Harbor, Larrabee State Park, Point Roberts, and South Birch Point are all public oyster and clam beaches. There will be big signs warning you if the beaches are closed. You’ll see the buoys for crab pots scattered around Fairhaven in Bellingham, down south in Skagit, and up in Semiahmoo and Birch Bay. Birch Bay State Park’s clam band is a great place to dig. From the gravel to the low dirt line, you can harvest littleneck and Manila clams. In the sandy upper intertidal, you can find butter clams, cockles, and horse clams. Oysters can be harvested on the north end of the beach as well. Patos Island has clam-digging and oyster harvesting year-round.

If getting out on the water and tossing around lines and nets is too much like work for you, crab might be more your speed. No, not the scary crabbing of Deadliest Catch; we’re talking about an afternoon of baiting traps, setting pots, and waiting. Go out at high tide, cut your motor, bait the trap (turkey leg seems to be de riguer for crabbers) and drop the pot. Have a beer, go for a swim, read a few chapters of a good book, and your dinner comes to you. Just be aware that crab can strip that bait (typically a turkey leg) very quickly, so don’t leave it out too long.

Bear in mind that you have to measure your crab and not overfish, which is true about almost every form of fishing.

• randrfishingcharters.com, highlinercharters.com, jollymonanacortes.com, catchmorecharters.com

As of printing, the Whatcom County Health Department issued the following statement:

Unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) biotoxin have been detected in molluscan shellfish on beaches in Drayton Harbor. As a result, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed recreational harvest for all species of molluscan shellfish on beaches from Birch Point north to the Canadian border. Molluscun are defined as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.

June 2018

71

buy

Perhaps you’re less of a harvest-your-own type, but you like to keep a short distance between your food and your dinner plate. Perhaps you want the freshest, highest quality seafood from a reliable local source. Maybe you just like shopping from a pre-selected display with lots of variety or you like giving amazing gifts like whole salmon to lucky friends and family.

These shops and purveyors will fill your plate, gift basket, or shopping cart with plenty of delicious options.

Taylor Shellfish Farm The largest producer of farmed shellfish in the U.S., the Taylors have built their business to nearly 500 employees and 11,000 acres of tidelands. They offer clams, geoduck, mussels, and several varieties of oysters. Their farm store is beautifully situated along Chuckanut Drive, and they welcome visitors. For generations this family has provided our area (and now the world) with fresh shellfish. • 2182 Chuckanut Dr., Bellingham, taylorsamish.com

Black Rock Seafood in Anacortes Fish and Anacortes are practically synonymous, as Anacortes is the gateway to the San Juans. With fishing boats galore, it’s great that there’s a place to buy some of that bounty. Black Rock gets high marks for its crab, but don’t overlook their other offerings. Even prepared fish like the pickled herring are highly prized by locals.

• 8991 Stevenson Rd., Anacortes

Blau Oyster Company on Samish Bay Specializing in the hardy and tender Pacific Oyster, Blau Oyster grows all their stock from seed and harvests onsite. Blau also offers crab, clams, and mussels in addition to oysters. When oysters reach maturity, Blau processes them for distributors, stores, and restaurants, keeping some of their stock live for raw consumption and barbecuing. By the pint or pound, half-dozen or full, the oysters at Blau are delicious and carefully harvested.

• 11321 Blue Heron Rd., Bow, blauoyster.com

Bornstein Seafoods in Bellingham Myer Bornstein started this little seafood company in Bellingham in 1934, and through the stewardship of his descendants, it is still going strong.

Though most of their products are for wholesale distribution, they have a robust online presence featuring premium canned albacore and salmon.

Bornstein Seafoods works closely with the Marine Stewardship Council to ensure their sources are sustainable.

Shigokus

• 1001 Hilton Ave., Bellingham, bornstein.com

Skagit’s Own Fish Market Owned and operated by Tana and Eric Skaugrud, the Skagit Fish Market is a great place to explore new kinds of fish or pick up favorite standbys. Clean, comfortable, and well-stocked, the shopping experience at the market is unparalleled. They specialize in crab, but offer all kinds of fish. They can identify the finest products and offer lots of advice on preparation. A great place to dive into seafood if you’re at all hesitant.

Mussels

Pacifics

• 18042 WA 20, Burlington, skagitfish.com

Virginica

Clams

Kumamotos

June 2018 73

Fishing History: Reef Net Fishing

Desire Fish Company in Bellingham If you’ve driven down Holly Street in Bellingham, you’ve seen the signs for salmon. Desire Fish Company sells their wild caught salmon and halibut right at the dock, offering the freshest and most exciting retail experience in town. Because they are coming right off the ocean, their quantities and species vary, but they always seem to keep salmon in stock. For those who like to shorten the distance between the source and their dinner plates, Desire Fish is a great option. Fish are typically sold to processors and distributors, and go through many changes of hands before landing on your plate.

Not so at Desire, where you get it right off the boat. Bob Gudmundson and Melinda Sweet have made Desire a family affair, and work hard to provide the freshest fish they can.

• Squalicum Harbor Gate 7, desirefish.com

Vis Seafoods Bellingham Nestled among cottages along James Street is one of the best seafood stores in the area. The Vis family operates their own fleet, and it shows in the freshness of their offerings. Salmon is king here at Vis, but they also keep halibut, prawns, lingcod, live crab, and much more on regular rotation. The family is so knowledgeable that you can walk in off the street, pick out some fish, and they can offer tips for preparation and recipes.

They stand by their seafood with a money-back guarantee.

• 2208 James St., Bellingham, visseafood.com

Barlean’s Fishery Bellingham Specializing in a traditional fishing style called reef net fishing, Barlean’s has been in operation in Bellingham since 1972. They offer all fish preparation services. Their salmon is their most popular item, but they also have other varieties of fish as well.

• barleansfishery.com

74 BellinghamAlive.com

Beyond the shore, there on the sparkling waters of Legoe Bay, you can see the nets, webbed and glinting in the sun like spider webs spun between boats. If you look closely, among the aluminum-hulled vessels you can find a few traditional wooden canoes. Today, only the materials of reef netting have changed slightly — otherwise, the historic practice has returned to our waters unchanged from its centuriesold roots. Reef netting is unique to our area, and a very special component of tribal identity.

At the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, the tribes who signed were granted “The right of taking fish at usual and accustomed grounds and stations is further secured to said Indians in common with all citizens of the Territory.” The Lummi Nation, signatories to the treaty, have held those treaty rights ever since. They were affirmed by the 1974 Bolt Decision. Reef netting was halted in the Puget Sound for several years. In recent years, reef-netting has returned, and with it a return to Lummi roots.

The benefits of reef net fishing are many. For one, the fish (and typically salmon) haven’t entered the rivers yet, making it exceptionally tender.

The reef net allows for a high level of selection, as fish aren’t bound together in a bundle. And third, it is easiest on aquatic ecology, as the nets don’t drag on the ocean floor, but float along in the current. For fishermen, it is an efficient tool — according to the Whatcom Land Trust, an 1881 newspaper reported that three reef nets caught 10,000 salmon in six hours.

eat

An area with this much available seafood can’t help but have great seafood restaurants. From individual dishes to whole restaurants with a seafood emphasis, we’ll guide you through the maze of inferior and farmed fish to get you to the best places for fresh and wild seafood.

The Oyster Bar Set along the dizzying cliffs of Chuckanut Bay, The Oyster Bar is an unassuming wooden building that would be easy to overlook. But what lies inside is not only a beautiful restaurant with a cleverly tiered interior, but expansive views of Chuckanut Bay. The dishes are fresh and beautifully prepared, and the oysters are absolutely divine.

• 2578 Chuckanut Dr., Bellingham, theoysterbar.net

Rock-n-Rye Oyster House The newcomer in the seafood scene here in Bellingham, Rock-n-Rye specializes in oysters. They have a full menu, but oysters are their focus. The oyster stew, oyster tacos, and raw shooters are all very well prepared and delicious. The exposed brick and dark varnished wood add to the cozy oyster house ambiance.

• 1145 N. State St., Bellingham rockrye.com

Oyster Bar

June 2018 75

Packers Oyster Bar and Pierside Kitchen With Drayton Harbor Oyster Farm just over the railing, you really can’t go wrong with the oysters at Packers and the fish dishes next door at Pierside.

Fresh halibut, salmon, ahi, and more are served delicately seared to perfection with sauces that complement but don’t overwhelm. With all of that sparkling water surrounding Semiahmoo, it’s a perfect place for an oceaninspired dinner.

Packers

• 9565 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine, semiahmoo.com

Secret Cove in Anacortes With a brand-new patio overlooking the water, this seaside retreat is pure pleasure. They offer fresh shellfish (oyster, crab, mussels) in an elegant, yet casual dining room. They are perfectly located on the water for the absolute utmost in freshness.

• 209 T Ave., Anacortes, secretcoveanacortes.com

Oyster Bar

Coho Restaurant in Friday Harbor Though seafood isn’t their only menu offering, it certainly is the focus of this Northwest gem. Located in a Craftsman bungalow a few blocks from the ferry terminal, Coho is a cozy, welcoming spot. Mussels, octopus, trout, halibut, and more grace their menu, all prepared with a Mediterranean influence. The owners are committed to offering locally sourced ingredients, and the art on the walls is all local as well. Westcott Bay Seafood supplies Coho with fresh fish, ensuring Coho’s commitment to fresh, local, and sustainable seafood.  • 120 Nichols St., Friday Harbor, cohorestaurant.com

Rock and Rye

The Next 10 Years ‘MENU,” AND STILL ALIVE! s Bellingham grows, so do we. In the next decade, challenges remain — both new and old — for Bellingham Alive and K&L Media. One is identity — to this day, people have the misconception the magazine is owned by or affiliated with The Bellingham Herald. It is not, we are a local Bellingham company. Company president Lisa Karlberg envisions extending the company beyond the Pacific Northwest with the launch of a new line of culinary magazines, starting with Menu Seattle, which launched in May 2018.

Menu Seattle is complimentary, publishing three times a year with menus, images and stories from the Seattle-area culinary scene. It is direct mailed to locals and distributed in hotels, restaurants and in corporations like Amazon and Microsoft. Karlberg started in Seattle because K&L Media has some name recognition there but is looking to expand. “Even though now K&L Media is a national award-winning company for both editorial and design, it’s still an unknown quantity for people out of the area,” she says.

“We’ve been in the Seattle market space enough that it’s not as hard as it would be to launch in Phoenix right off the bat.”

Still, the first Menu Seattle has not been an easy sell. Many loved the idea but wanted to see the first product go to print before they bought in. Not that Karlberg isn’t used to that.

(Ken Karlberg, the “K” of K&L Media, describes his wife’s business mind as a gearshift with no reverse. Explains Lisa: “Everything’s forward.

There’s never a time when I think something’s not going to work.”)

“Our next step will be to launch Menu Phoenix by the middle of next year, and then depending on how that goes, I’ve already secured Las Vegas and other major cities, as we have trademarked the magazine and are designing a franchise model across the United Stated and into Canada,” says Lisa.

A

Since 2009, other K&L Media publications and digital platforms include the North Sound Life Guestbook, a hardcover tourism guidebook distributed into thousands of North Sound hotel rooms; Couture Weddings, a bridal magazine with ideas and advice; and websites BellinghamAlive.com, CoutureWeddings.com and MenuSeattle.com.

Bellingham Alive went monthly in January 2017 in a move that has been a success. Making the way for that was the closing of North End Metro magazine, serving northern Snohomish County. It closed in December 2016 after a series of break-even years, alternating months with Bellingham Alive. The company also dropped the North Sound Life cover, which had Bellingham Alive content but a cover localized to Skagit and the San Juans to gain subscribers. That proved confusing to distributors, who didn’t realize Bellingham Alive and North Sound Life were virtually the same publications, sometimes placing the two magazines side-by-side on grocery racks.

“When we went monthly, I made the business decision to going back to Bellingham Alive across the board,” Karlberg says. “Everyone now knows we cover all three counties, so it’s actually been a good thing to do that. We thought about changing (the name) to North Sound Life, but we did a survey with readers and everyone said no.

It’ll stay Bellingham Alive.”

Exclamation point. — MJB

WITH OVER 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE, I WORK TO ENSURE MY CLIENTS SUCCESS. WWW.KARENTIMMER.COM

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HABITAT Home Remodel Tips and Tricks · Featured Home

An Anacortes Home for the Sunset Years WRITTEN BY MERI-JO BORZILLERI

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he couple that owns this spectacular Anacortes home built it with the intention of filling it with people — namely their large, extended family. Vertical, raised skylights give the home dimension and light, as does the whimsical door glass that welcomes visitors with cheery color. The low-maintenance, standing seam metal roof and one-story design means easier living as the owners, who are retired, enter their golden years in the company of close relatives and stunning sunsets.  Contractor | Kreider Construction Designer | Sykora Home Design Landscaper | Everett Chu, Azusa Nursery Photographer | C9 Photography … continued on next page

HABITAT Featured Home

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A spacious and open floor plan, from entry to dining room to kitchen, gives the home an airy feel. A large piece of stone on the kitchen island is backlit, providing a striking centerpiece to the room.

Tall windows accentuate the sprawling home’s panoramic water view, encompassing Cypress Island and the Anacortes ferry landing. The windows bring the outside in and help the grand room live up to its name.

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HABITAT Featured Home

The master bath has all the amenities of a luxury spa: open shower, whirlpool bath, and a sauna, along with a killer view while you soak.

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BEST PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET This month: Something magical about these homes!

One of the really great things about living in Whatcom County is the deversity of our housing choices. Whether you are a championship equestrian looking for a well-designed horse facility or a retiring Tech Guru from Seattle looking for a little peace and quiet — we have something for everyone. Properties showcased this month, are some of the finest available in the current market. Each home is high quality craftsmanship and represents a great value. At the same time, each of these truly unique and different properties offer some hidden surprises.

Give us a call to go see. I think you’ll agree, Whatcom County is a wonderful place to call home!

1.  Custer Unique park like acreage home in the country! Just minutes from I-5. This home boasts vaulted ceilings with wood beams. Beautiful kitchen remodel with granite counter tops. Two master bedrooms, either upstairs or downstairs, you decide! Great shop/barn with plenty of room to expand. The home has an amazingly large deck for all of your outdoor entertaining. A gentle slope brings you down to another level area with chicken coop and serene creek. $569,000 3207 Behme Rd., Custer 3 Beds, 2.25 Baths, 2,418 SqFt, MLS# 12883228 Vancouver Blaine | Semiahmoo

Bellingham

2.  SEMIAHMOO Exquisite Semiahmoo home in waterfront neighborhood. Amazing home boasts 9’ ceilings on the main level, radiant floor heat, Heart Pine wide plank flooring, furniture grade cabinets. There are 3 master suites with 2 more bedroom/bonus rooms. You can cozy up to one of 3 indoor fireplaces or enjoy the covered patio & outdoor fire place.

Upstairs is a spacious room for entertaining with inviting deck that captures the view. $889,000 9056 Shearwater Rd., Semiahmoo 4 Beds, 4 Baths, 5,338 SqFt, MLS# 1253493

3.  FERNDALE This IMMACULATE 9.85 equestrian acres is turn key and a hobby farmers dream! Fully manicured acreage is fully fenced and cross fenced.

Very nicely maintained 3 bedroom 2.25 bath farm home with covered walk around porch. Four stall barn with insulated tack room, timed lighting, hot water heater, and more. The outdoor arena is 100’x120’ surrounded by a split rail fence. Covered storage shed is great for equipment. Also, included is an additional utility/small animal building with hay loft. $689,000 7438 Ham Rd., Ferndale 3 Beds, 2.25 Baths, 1,960 SqFt, MLS# 1259043

KATHY STAUFFER

Whatcom County...Even when it rains, I shine!

Managing Broker 360-815-4718 kathystauffer.com 84

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Remodel

HABITAT

Fighting Bathroom Splash A Designer’s Soapy Challenge WRITTEN BY JENNIFER RYAN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY DEBBIE SCHWAB PHOTOGRAPHY

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he challenge: Designing and remodeling a bathroom that involved a rotting floor due to water splashing from the shower curtain enclosure. The first question was “How do we keep the water in the tub?” My clients wanted to keep the large bathtub, so swapping it out for a shower was not an option.

I am always looking for inspiration when I travel and remembered a trip to Asia not long ago. The hotel room where I was staying had a “wet” bathroom, essentially meaning everything could get wet. The whole bathroom was tiled and there was no shower door or enclosure. There was a drain in the middle of the room.

So why not take a lesson from our friends across the pond? Problem solved, almost. I just had to figure out how to

make this happen in an existing room without going below the floor joists.

After in-depth conversations with my tile installers, we concluded that if we sloped the floor at a very small grade on all four sides of the bathtub and put in four hidden linear drains, any water that made it out of the tub while showering would drain from the floor. I also had a hinged glass panel installed on the outside of the bathtub to help with the worst of the spray.

The walls are tiled to the ceiling in the shower area and four feet up around the rest of the room. The floor prep was treated just as if it were a shower pan so there is a protective membrane covering the whole floor and up the walls. We used a white marble instead of traditional subway tile, with marble and stone penny tile on the floor.

We needed to add some kind of storage because there is no vanity. By building a false wall at one end of the bathtub, it created just enough space for a custom cabinet for towels, blow dryer, etc. And it’s around the corner from the shower head, so stays dry.

I am continually faced with challenges when I am asked to redesign a room. I am required to think outside the box, to find the missing puzzle piece, to make the space attractive and inviting, as well as functional. This was a space where, when finished, everyone — the client, my subs, and I — felt like we had achieved the ultimate goal…to splash away!  Regular contributor Jennifer Ryan is the owner of Jennifer Ryan Design in Bellingham.

See jenniferryandesign.com

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DINE

8 Great Tastes · Dining Guide · Mixing Tin · Sip

A Taste of the Mediterranean Recipes From a Bellingham Kitchen WRITTEN BY KATE GALAMBOS PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATHERYN MORAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND SAMANTHA FERRARO

F

rom her stove in Bellingham, Samantha Ferraro has cooked up a gourmet selection of Mediterranean dishes highlighting world cuisine and cultural flavors. Her recipes have found their way to her widely followed food blog, and now to a new cookbook coming in July.

From Brooklyn to Hawaii to Southern California to Bellingham in 2016, she has tasted flavors from across the country. She draws inspiration from her travels and from her cultural heritage of both Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish roots. With her diverse background, Ferraro has … continued on next page

… developed a passion for blending cuisines of all different cultures to create new, fresh recipes.

That passion led her to begin writing her food blog, “The Little Ferraro Kitchen,” in 2011, and on July 24 her first book debuts, “The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen: 80 Authentic, Healthy Recipes Made Quick and Easy for Everyday Cooking.”

Ferraro’s travels came about, not through big career changes or other uncontrolled circumstances, but from a desire to explore. After spending most of her childhood in Brooklyn, she and her mother moved to Hawaii. “She just kind of asked me, ‘Do you want to move to Hawaii?’”

Ferraro recalled. And so they did. After meeting her husband in Hawaii years later, he asked her if she’d like to move to Southern California. And so they did. Ten years later, their move Bellingham was much more purposeful. They wanted to get out of the big-city lifestyle, escape the constant sun, and find a local-friendly economy and community. Bellingham became their home in April 2016.

Long before the book, the blog, and the travel, Ferraro grew up eating foods most kids would push away. Her mother showed her how to make stuffed grape leaves, a classic food of Sephardic Jewish culture. For her sweet tooth, she was given rugelach cookies, which are crescentlike cookies constructed around a filling. “I took all these memories and put my own twist on them,” she says.

Her blog, “The Little Ferraro Kitchen,” features dishes for every occasion that are inspired by the places she has lived and her Jewish heritage. Many of the recipes readers will find online are the result of a weeknight dinner she recently cooked. “Last night we had goat cheese and sundried, tomato-stuffed chicken breast,” she says. Beyond weeknight meal ideas, Ferraro’s blog caters to seasonal foods and upcoming holidays. One of her biggest lessons from moving to the Pacific Northwest was how to cook seasonally, which she admits she is still figuring out. Now, much of her blog cooking relies on the farmers market to keep her ingredients fresh, local, and seasonal.

Her work can be found online at littleferrarokitchen.com and, and in her paperback book published by Page Street Publishing Co. She also teaches cooking classes at downtown Bellingham’s Community Food Co-op in the Connections Building.

Her new book features recipes inspired by her heritage, like saffron cauliflower soup with paprika oil. Also included are chopped salad with farro, and shakshuka with lamb and spices.

Ferraro perfected each over this past summer. She invited friends and family to taste and test them, and she spent the long Pacific Northwest summer days in the kitchen finalizing each of the 80 recipes. Ferraro says her goal is to introduce readers to exotic flavors. “I want them to as excited as I am to try something new and not to get intimidated.”  littleferrarokitchen.com

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DINING KEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to $9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10–19 . . . . . . . . . . . . $20–29 . . . . . . . . $30 or greater . . . . . . . . . . . . Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dinner . . . . . . . . . Family-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . Takeout . . . . . . . . Outdoor Seating . . . . . . . . . . Reservations . . . . . . . . . . Happy Hour . . . . . . . . . New Review Menu items and prices are subject to change, so check before you go.

See all our restaurant reviews on our Eat and Drink tab at BellinghamAlive.com

WHATCOM

B-TOWN KITCHEN AND RAW BAR

Dining Guide

Seafood, American

714 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham 360.671.1101, fourpointsbellingham.com If fresh shellfish is your gastronomic highlight, you’re in the right place at B-Town Kitchen, in the former Poppe’s 360 space. The Seafood Tower for Two offers plenty to sample; items from the Small Plates menu, like thick handsliced strips of Calamari Steak, make terrific appetizers or adult beverage-worthy snacks.

For an entrée, the Double R Ranch Ribeye Steak, is sauced with Oyster Mushroom demiglace, and served with sides of fresh seasonal vegetables and togarashi red potato mash.

DINE

CIAO THYME ON THE SIDE CAFE Lunch 207 Unity St., Bellingham 360.733.1267, ciaothyme.com For those who have experienced Ciao Thyme’s gourmet dinners and cooking classes, the new Ciao Thyme on the Side Café is a welcome addition to the delicious work of Jessica and Mataio Gillis, owners of Ciao Thyme catering. As with everything Ciao Thyme does, ­ingredients are fresh, local, and in season.

Choose soups, salads, and sandwiches a la carte, or create a plate with a selection of all three for a hearty and satisfying lunch.

BAYOU ON BAY Cajun/Creole 1300 Bay St., Bellingham 360.752.2968, bayouonbay.com

FAIRHAVEN POKE Hawaiian

Bayou On Bay serves a wide variety of classic Cajun/Creole dishes, such as gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boy sandwiches, and hush puppies, to name a few. A house-made remoulade, which accompanies many of the dishes, is worth the trip alone. The bar offers an extensive list of drink options. Bayou on Bay is a must for foodies as well as people just looking for a satisfying meal.

1102 Harris Ave., Fairhaven 360.922.7494 Take a personal trip to the islands when you bite into Fairhaven Poke’s concoction called a poke bowl. The iconic raw fish, doused in a unique blend of sauces, is piled onto a bed of homemade sushi rice. Despite the simplicity of the entrée, customers can garnish their bowls with additional condiments such as furikake, a Japanese nori seasoning. Stop by for a taste of aloha.

BLUE FIN SUSHI Japanese ANTHONY’S HEARTHFIRE GRILL Steak/Seafood 7 Bellwether Way, Bellingham 360.527.3473, anthonys.com Anthony’s Hearthfire Grill serves the same quality food we’ve come to expect and love from Anthony’s other restaurants. The Hearthfire menu speaks to the everyday eater, not just the special occasion treat of Anthony’s.

Seasonal items, like peaches or huckleberries in the summer, complement salads, entrees, and drinks. Steaks, seafood, and items on the Woodfire rotisserie round out the selections.

102 S. Samish Way, Bellingham 360.752.2583, bluefinbellingham.com

JAKE’S WESTERN GRILL Southern

At Blue Fin Sushi, fresh sushi is used to create a variety of tasty options like the Tekka roll, which is seaweed, rice, and tuna. The waitstaff is friendly and it’s always entertaining to watch the chefs at work. Blue Fin also offers a full menu of non-sushi food items. Its version of fish and chips, for example, is a must-try: tempura fried salmon pieces served with sweet potato fries with a creamy wasabi sauce for dipping. Blue Fin Sushi also serves a variety of teriyaki, orange chicken, and bento boxes.

In addition to outstanding barbecue, Jake’s also features a full line of fresh-cut salads, burgers, Southern sandwiches, and a full-service bar. At Jake’s the cornbread and sweet potato fries are a must! If you’re a true lover of Southern barbecue, you owe it to yourself to head north and give Jake’s Western Grill in Lynden a try.

8114 Guide Meridian Rd., Lynden 360.354.5588, jakeswesterngrill.com

LITTLE CHEERFUL American

AVENUE BREAD Deli Downtown Cafe: 1313 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, 1135 11th St., Bellingham 2301 James St., Bellingham 444 Front St., Lynden 360.715.3354, avenuebread.com With several convenient locations in Bellingham and a location in Lynden, Avenue is one of Bellingham’s favorite lunch spots.

Fresh ingredients make these sandwiches unusually good — the bread is made inhouse, and the vegetables and meat are all of the highest quality. Avenue also offers one of the freshest, best breakfast sandwiches around — the Eggenue.

133 E. Holly St., Bellingham 360.738.8824

CAMBER COFFEE Coffeehouse, American 221 W. Holly St., Bellingham 360.656.5343, cambercoffee.com Camber is more than a coffee shop. Customers can decide to order at the counter for a quicker bite, or enjoy table service for a more traditional restaurant experience. Throughout the day customers will find a full menu for breakfast (or brunch depending on your wake up time), lunch, and dinner. The food is best described as “new American comfort.”

Breakfast items include hearty favorites that are given an upscale facelift, like buttermilk waffles made with whole grains and served with European butter — richer than the American version. The lunch and dinner menu features a half-roasted chicken with summer squash and fennel.

Little Cheerful is a bustling breakfast spot.

This popular restaurant is a place where customers can enjoy a mouthwatering meal over conversation or the newspaper. Located on a corner in the middle of downtown Bellingham, the cafe has maintained its popularity through the growth of breakfast cafes in the area. Little Cheerful has something on the menu for everyone, even the picky eater: gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and omnivore. A specialty for which Little Cheerful is well-known is its eggs benedicts — specifically, its Crab Cake Benedict. The dish contains two perfectly browned crab cakes atop toasted whole wheat English muffins served with poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce, and avocado slices and the cafe’s famous potato hash on the side. If you are craving eggs benedict, Little Cheerful is for you. Side note: cash only, no cards allowed.

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DINE Interview We wanted to give you a taste of our newest publication: Menu Seattle, a magazine with menus and features of the Seattle culinary scene. The following interviews with Seattle-area chefs Jason Wilson and Sabrina Tinsley (p. 94) appear in the debut issue. Check out the entire magazine at MenuSeattle.com

Chef With Sense of Place Jason Wilson Savors Local Produce (and PB&Js) WRITTEN BY MELISSA MCCARTHY | PHOTOS COURTESY OF FIRE & VINE HOSPITALITY

C

hef Jason Wilson is renowned in the Seattle area. His three local restaurants, Miller’s Guild, The Lakehouse, and Civility & Unrest, keep the locals satisfied and the tourists coming back for more. He will soon be adding another restaurant to his everexpanding Seattle presence with a Pike Place Market addition, with a menu inspired by the market itself.

Wilson took some time out of his hectic schedule to chat with us about cooking, business, family, and more. (Answers have been edited for space.)

What drew you to cooking and what made you stay with it?

I fell in love with cooking when I was 18 or 19 years old, living in Maui between high school and college. I was working in restaurants and earning enough money to support surf boards and rent, and live the Hawaiian lifestyle for a while. I lived with two other chefs in a small apartment. They both said that I needed to learn how to cook because my cooking skills were horrible. And I tried it out a couple of times in the restaurant industry and I really enjoyed it. I had this day when the three of us chipped in $50 and bought a really large tuna off of one of the commercial boats. The subsequent experiences that happened from that one fish just kind of got me into this and made me say “This is something I should follow in my life.” So I came back from Hawaii and I realized if I was going to do this, I need to know how to run a business and how to cook. So I did college for a couple of years, and then dropped out and went 90

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to culinary school. I haven’t looked back since.

How would you describe your cooking style?

I think it’s personality-driven. I tend to believe I cook to a sense of place.

I’ve cooked in France and Iceland and Singapore, throughout Southeast Asia.

I professionally cook in the Seattle area predominantly. So I find the pinnacle ingredient and then I find the best technique to highlight that ingredient.

And then I add some personality to either how it’s presented or how it’s finished.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your cooking ideology?

I’ve always engaged with this idea that a pinnacle ingredient is as much about how it looks and tastes as how it’s reared and where it comes from and, in some cases, how it’s harvested or killed. So if we take a second look at that and look at sustainability, I think that produce kind of leads the way as the most sustainable ingredient. That pinnacle piece of produce needs to come from a fantastic source. So I’ve engaged farmers from Walla Walla to as immediate as Redmond or Woodinville to grow for our restaurants. We commit to that farm-fresh produce.

What advice would you give to people pursuing success in the culinary field?

You know, it’s changed a lot since I started. In today’s world, I think you have to be ready for a strong level of commitment to succeed. And I think it’s important to think big. That doesn’t always have to be big restaurants

or great success, but to think big in the sense that dreams can become a reality. But it takes perseverance and sacrifice. That’s a very true reality. I think many folks get involved in this industry and think that if they win “Top Chef” or “Chopped,” they can retire shortly afterwards and sip brandy at the bar. That’s never the case. The restaurant industry changes as fast as the technology industry.

Have you always been an entrepreneur?

No. Not at all. That was never my forte. I’ve been with my wife for 18 years and she’s the one that spurred this on me — she’s the one that really drove it. Nicole is the impetus behind our first restaurant, CRUSH. She was the one who helped put the deal together at Miller’s Guild. She did the design work there and pushed it. With The Lakehouse, she was really the one who said let’s talk about how we assign a vision to it and unfold it. By then, I was resigned to the fact that I would always be an entrepreneur, but I was not always like that at all. It was my wife who really ignited that passion to work for myself. And ultimately, it’s not working for myself. It’s working for my family.

Are you originally from Seattle?

No, I’m a transplant of 20 years this year. I came here via Singapore, and before that the San Francisco Bay area.

I came here to be chef de cuisine [at a restaurant] in Seattle and then I fell in love with my wife. While the fallingin-love part fades, she and I grew a life together and subsequently grew restaurants together as well.

Where do you spend your days outside of the kitchen?

In the winter I snowboard. When it rains here, it’s snowing in the mountains. In the summer, I’ll hike or fly fish or paddle board. But I like to get to a place where it’s quiet, because the majority of my time and life isn’t quiet.

What’s your guilty-pleasure snack?

Peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches.  June 2018 91

MUTO RAMEN AND IZAKAYA Japanese

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WEEKEND Vibrations

105 E. Chestnut St., Bellingham 360.647.3530 19505 44th Ave. W. Ste. K, Lynnwood 425.322.7599, mutoramen.com Muto Ramen and Izakaya does not disappoint for those looking for both atmosphere and flavor at a reasonable price. From crowd pleasers like chicken teriyaki and katsu to udon noodles and yakitori (Japanese skewers) to long lists of different ramen, sushi rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. Guests can look forward to many visits to explore the wide selection of Japanese dishes.

NORTH FORK BREWERY Brewpub

NORTH

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BEST

6186 Mount Baker Hwy., Deming 360.599.2337, northforkbrewery.com

WEST

GOLD

VOTED BEST FISH & CHIPS

Mount Baker Highway is home to a plethora of dining options, but at the North Fork Brewery you can get beer, pizza, tie the knot, and visit the beer shrine all under the same roof. The brewery produces relatively small batches of beer, 109 gallons, keeping the beer fresh and the options changing. Their staple is the India Pale Ale. The opening taste is a strong citrus flavor, but is quickly dissolved by the aggressive bitterness, making it a quite enjoyable beer to accompany a slice of their homemade pizza. The pizza crust is made fresh daily with a hint of beer. The sauce is well-balanced with tomatoes and spices. Made with fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses, there is nothing not to like about this brewpub.

TORRE CAFFE Italian 119 N. Commercial St., Ste. 130, Bellingham 360.734.0029 If you want an excellent early morning espresso or a taste of old Italy for lunch or just a mid-afternoon break, Torre Caffe is the place to go. It’s authentic, right down to their takehome lasagne. Traditional Italian lunch fare (soups, salads, paninis, and lunch-sized entrees) are made daily with the freshest ingredients.

Go early, go often. Your tastebuds will thank you.

THE VAULT Bistro 277 G St., Blaine 360.392.0955, thevaultwine.com

Nickis Bar and Grill on the waterfront in Bellingham serving award winning, hand dipped, tempura style fish & chips. Build your own burger featuring our handcrafted USDA chuck patties and fresh baked buns.

2615 South Harbor Loop Drive, Bellingham 360.332.2505 | nickisbellamarina.com

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This is the type of exceptional restaurant that Julia Child would arrive for late lunch and stay through dinner, and then remain for a night cap. Incredibly fresh ingredients make this wine-centric restaurant, located in a former bank building, a treat for the senses. Teller cages and desks have been replaced with a sleek marble bar top and custom-made tables.

Sinfully delicious is the Washington Mac & Cheese. Béchamel bourbon cheese sauce that includes local cheeses from Gothberg, Ferndale Farmstead and Twin Sisters, is topped with bourbon and truffle oil. The Seafood Chowder, made with bay shrimp and fresh Dungeness crab, is a sensually smooth and creamy rich

Dining Guide

DINE

CULINARY EVENTS

soup that arouses one’s desire for more. A talented kitchen also produces flatbread style pizza that is served on thick, hand-crafted wooden trays, which helps keep the pie hot.

SKAGIT

3rd Annual Northwest Wine Encounter

13MOONS AT SWINOMISH CASINO & LODGE Seafood/Steak

June 1–3, various times

12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes 360.588.3800, swinomishcasinoandlodge.com

The third annual Northwest Wine Encounter will be a weekend of wine tastings guided by expert winemakers, four interactive presentations about wine, and a gala dinner prepared by Whatcom County chefs. The dinner is a five-course meal that includes local roasted lamb loin, lavender-spiced duck breast and spiced rumpoached pear for dessert.

Located within the casino, 13moons is sure to catch your attention.

Situated on the waterfront, 13moons has a warm and inviting lodge atmosphere. The menu offers a wide variety including first plates, entree salads, seafood, and steaks. We started our meal with generous pours of wine, then moved on to the filet mignon, which was cooked to perfection and mouth-watering. The same could be said for their Marsala Mushroom Pork Chop. The Kobe Burger, made with Wagyu beef, brioche, Cambozola cheese and double-smoked bacon, is impressive. This is a great choice for an evening out. You will walk away satisfied, and you’ll understand why it is the go-to place for locals and visitors alike.

Four Points by Sheraton 714 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham | fourpointsbellingham.com

À Table ANELIA’S KITCHEN Polish 513 South 1st St., La Conner 360.399.1805, aneliaskitchenandstage.com A welcoming atmosphere, local food prepared with care, and great music make Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage a must-visit. The more than 25 houseinfused Polish vodkas and myriad of local beers on tap will make you wonder why you didn’t visit sooner.

BASTION BREWING COMPANY American 12529 Christianson Rd., Anacortes 360.399.1614, bastionbrewingcompany.com On the Bastion Brewing Company menu you’ll find classic salads like Cobb and Garden, no fuss burgers that can be gussied up with an array of add-ons including roasted jalapeños, onion straws, pineapple, and crispy chicken wings drenched in your choice of sauce. I ordered a fried fish sandwich with a side of onion rings. The food arrived to my table quickly, impressively quickly. Even more impressive was the quality of this fast-made food. Hot, crispy onion rings accompanied the equally crisp fried fish. A soft bun held the sandwich together. Biting through the Panko-crusted exterior revealed a succulent, flaky fish filet. Sandwich toppings were meant to complement the fish: fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, tangy pickles, and unassuming melted Swiss cheese. Halfway through the soft bun gave way, turning my sandwich into a five-napkin sort of meal in the best way possible.

June 7, 6:30 p.m.

Chef Karina Davidson will be bringing a French feast to the table: chicken liver pâté, salad of haricots verts (green beans) and toasted walnuts, and beef and mushrooms with Madeira sauce, served with purée de pommes de terre (mashed potatoes). Davidson will also be creating a chocolate tart with raspberry-red wine sauce for dessert.

Cordata Community Food Co-op, Local Roots Room 315 Westerly Rd., Bellingham | communityfood.coop

Sokol Blosser Wine Maker Dinner June 21, 5:30 p.m.

Chef Bruno Feldeisen and chef Devin Kellogg will be serving a five-course dinner. Each course will be paired with different wines from Sokol Blosser Winery in Oregon, one of the pioneering wineries in the state, and best known for their sustainability practices.

Semiahmoo Resort 9565 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine | semiahmoo.com

DAD’S DINER A-GO-GO American

Monday Night Pizza

908 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.899.5269

June 25, 6 p.m.

Anything off the menu is sure to please, but Dad’s Diner’s Texas Philly is a spicy, flavorful take on the classic Philly cheesesteak. What makes Dad’s spins on classic dishes so enticing is owners Fletcher McLean and Neil Stuchal essentially took one-note classics, like the Philly cheesesteak sandwich, and layered in more flavors. Bite into the thick Texas toast sandwich and you’ll taste the well-seasoned roast beef, a hint of spiciness from jalapeño, creamy melted cheese (go with the Jarlsberg), and rich umami from a touch of brown gravy mixed in at the end. Sautéed bits of onions and green peppers make an appearance as well, adding hints of sweetness.

It’s anything but one-note, making it a step up from the classic dish.

Enjoy an evening filled with friends, pizza and live music. Guitarist John Miller will be at the event playing jazz music while you enjoy your seasonal salad, pizza of choice and dessert. The bar will also be open to purchase drinks throughout the evening.

Ciao Thyme Commons 207 Unity St., Bellingham | ciaothyme.com

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DINE Interview

Passion Plates Sabrina Tinsley Brings Italy to Seattle © Nicole Blaisdell Ivey

WRITTEN BY JADE THURSTON PHOTOS COURTESY OF SABRINA TINSLEY

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hanks to renowned chef Sabrina Tinsley, cuisine from the Emilia-Romagna region of northeastern Italy can be found right in Seattle. Tinsley and her husband, Pietro Borghesi, co-founded their restaurant, Osteria la Spiga, in 1998. Due to their hardworking staff and supportive customers, Osteria la Spiga is known for authentic tastes and a welcoming atmosphere. On Oct. 5, the restaurant will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. Take a look at some questions we had for executive chef Tinsley, including how she maintains success. (Answers have been edited for space).

What is your background in cooking?

I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and lived the farm-to-table experience. My mom was brought up gardening and raising small livestock, which she passed along to us. I didn’t realize my passion for cooking until I left for college and began experimenting on my own. Once I had my own apartment, I was doing a lot of experimenting. I started with cakes and pastries mostly, then gradually moved into the savory.

Why did you choose to pursue a degree in elementary education rather than attend culinary school?

My degree was actually a matter of practicality. Right when I started college, I didn’t really know that I had a passion for cooking. I mean, eating food?

Yes. But cooking it? Not so much.

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I was half-way through college before I started researching culinary schools and figured I should probably just finish my degree. Then I could pursue more of my passion during the summer.

After traveling Europe, how did you come to like Italian food the best?

Well, I think if you’ve ever been to Italy, you would understand.

I really loved the Italian food I was exposed to growing up, but I realized, once I got to Italy, that I was an Italian food virgin. Their food is orgasmic, and I hadn’t experienced (anything) like that in any other country.

What was your goal with opening La Spiga?

I really wanted to showcase all the food that I had while I was living in Italy. My husband and I were on a roll as business owners — we had had successful businesses in Italy. So we joined forces with my sister, here in Seattle, to grow our business to the next level.

What’s it like working and maintaining a restaurant with your husband, Pietro?

We’ve been married for 25 years come December and we’ve been working together for about 24.

So at this point it’s pretty natural for us. I can say that my level of patience is tested regularly, and we feed off each other’s energy — both good and bad. But the reward is that we’re working hard together toward common goals.

What’s it like working and do you ever want to move back to Italy to be around that authentic cooking?

We visit fairly often, so I do get exposed to the cooking there. The ultimate goal is to have a home in Italy so we can enjoy spending some time in both countries. As far as cooking professionally in Italy, I wouldn’t want to necessarily go back to work just because I prefer having my free time while I’m there. When we go back, I do

enjoy cooking for friends and family, so that’s quite enough.

What do you do differently as a chef in your restaurant?

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I can’t speak to what other chefs do, but I have some things that work for me. I am very hands-on with our line cooks until I feel confident that they can produce our dishes to the highest quality.

I also insist on a calm environment in the kitchen because the job is already stressful enough. Another focus of mine is taking care of my health. I pay attention to what foods I eat, drink wine and alcohol in moderation, and I work out regularly because it helps keep me focused on the job.

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How do you attract such a variety of people (locals, business people and celebrities) to your restaurant?

It was a part of our original business plan when we first opened that everyone deserves to eat good food.

So, I think we have succeeded in creating a very inclusive atmosphere that makes our guests, and even our staff, feel at home. I definitely give Pietro his props for that one.

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2169 E Bakerview Rd, Bellingham 360.758.2958 | dynastycellars.com

1200 10th Street Suite #102 Bellingham, WA gallowayscocktail.bar

Do you ever experiment in cooking other styles or kinds of food?

I do have two kids at home, 16 and 13, and now that they’re fairly independent it frees up a lot of my time for experimenting with new foods.

I just finished a stint on Korean food and now I’m on Ethiopian. I always cook for my kids, and my son has recently become vegetarian, which presents a different set of challenges.

But we definitely make it work. It’s second nature to me.

Elaborate a little more on your quote on the website: “If I can make it, I won’t buy it.” Does that apply to cooking at home?

That absolutely applies to my home cooking. I adore studying new cuisines and cultures, and I feel like you can truly get to the core of those by building the basics from scratch. Plus, the flavors are so much richer when you make it yourself, and it gives you better control over adjusting for personal taste.  June 2018 95

NELL THORN Seafood 116 1st St., La Conner 360.466.4261, nellthorn.com Nell Thorn is seafood-heavy, so trying one of their seafood dishes is a must. Usually their daily specials take into account the freshest catches, but on the menu you’ll usually find some kind of seafood pasta, filet topped salad, and oysters. If you can’t settle on a starter, choose the crispy polenta cakes. The quiche is executed well with fluffy eggs and a flaky, light crust, while the no-fuss Nell Burger has simple toppings that don’t overburden the perfectly cooked, juicy meat patty.

OYSTER & THISTLE RESTAURANT AND PUB Seafood/Steak

205 E. Washington St., La Conner 360.766.6179, theoysterandthistle.com Oyster & Thistle Restaurant and Pub takes the time to prepare food with care. Their pastas are handmade and hand-cranked using semolina flour and an egg-rich dough. The zesty Caesar salad dressing is made with raw egg, the way it’s supposed to be. Their paella also contains a surprising ingredient, escargot. You’ll also find plenty of fresh, expertly shucked oysters, and perfectly seared sea scallops.

RISTRETTO COFFEE LOUNGE & WINE BAR American

416 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.0951, ristrettocoffeelounge.com Ristretto doesn’t have a kitchen, but the baristas know their way around a panini press.

Ristretto’s filling, made-to-order Turkey Pesto Panini is served on focaccia bread. The warm turkey plays well with sweet slices of tomato and a creamy pesto mayo. You can also order breakfast all day, fresh salad, hearty bagels, or one of the baked goods brought in three times a week from Skagit River Bakery.

SKAGIT VALLEY’S FARMHOUSE American 13724 Laconner Whitney Rd., Mount Vernon 360.466.4411, thefarmhouserestaurant.net Craving home-cooked food but don’t want to make it yourself? Skagit Valley’s Farmhouse may be what you’re looking for. When first entering the building, you walk past a pie showcase with mouthwatering lemon meringue pies (that are pretty big!) and go through a gift shop that has the perfect items for Ma and Pa. The decor is reminiscent of country living. With raved-about dishes such as the Corned Beef Hash and the seafood omelet with bay shrimp and Dungeness crab, the farmhouse is a must. Even though their breakfasts are famous, try their lunch and dinner menus as well — their old-fashioned turkey dinner tastes like Thanksgiving. When you eat here, you’re home.

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Review

DINE

More Than Great Beer The Union Tavern — Local 902 WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATHERINE TORRES

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n downtown Anacortes, the 105-year old building at 902 Commercial Ave. has been home to a flooring company, an antique store, a hair salon, and, since January 2016, it’s housed The Union Tavern, the town’s beer-centric bar.

Owner Joseph Lopez intended to establish a local watering hole that focused on beer: new styles, brews, and options from new breweries. With guidance from restaurant-savvy friends, the former Navy P-3 pilot renovated the space and composed a drink and food menu. Vintage beer cans and metal drink serving trays line the shelves in between six HD televisions, making the Union also the area’s go-to sportswatching bar.

With 18 beers on rotation, The Union’s general manager, Kendra Wagner, sits down with distributors a few times a week. For tap selection, she sticks to basic guidelines (four IPAs, light and dark options, a cider, two nitros), but she also likes to order a few surprises like a sour, cranberry-style Gose.

Cocktails are another highlight at The Union Tavern.

With cocktail manager Mike Rothmeyer at the helm, Lopez said they’ve achieved a quality level of “consistent craft cocktails in a classic style.” You won’t find Red Bull vodkas here or overly sweetened Mai Tais. The staff uses fresh juice, quality spirits, and house-made sours and grenadine. Lopez encourages staff to create their own cocktails, and the tastiest concoctions get a place on the menu.

Kitchen manager, Tyler Hobbs, takes care of the casual Pacific Northwest-style menu. Patrons can get the perfect size dish in a flavor profile to satisfy any craving. Nibble on

warm pretzel bites dipped in IPA beer cheese dip ($8). Split a warm Caprese flatbread made with sliced Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and drizzled with sweet balsamic reduction ($10.50).

You need to order a couple of Union Oyster Shooters ($3 each). A fresh, raw Taylor Shellfish oyster, briny capers, and a lemon wedge float in the Union’s own spicy-sweet tequilainfused cocktail sauce. At the bottom of the glass, diced cucumber makes for a crisp, clean finale.

The Union’s hot dog and sandwich menus fill bigger appetites like the fan-favorite smoked albacore melt sandwich ($11). If you’re especially hungry try the Meatloaf Burger ($13.50): a bacon-wrapped slice of hearty, savory meatloaf topped with a house-made bourbon-ketchup glaze. It’s an updated comfort dish.

The Union continues evolving. Lopez holds himself to a high standard: “I think you have to keep trying to get better.”

His focus is always on the customer experience, which includes a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden and events like Trivia Mondays, an Oktoberfest celebration, and Tuesday Brewer’s Nights where brewery representatives impart information to patrons.

The bottom line is people need a place to relax with good drinks and tasty food. The Union Tavern has established itself as that local place in Anacortes.  902 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.873.8245 | theuniontavern-local902.com June 2018 97

DINE Sip

Tri-Cities and Prosser Areas: A Haven for Washington Wine Lovers WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAN RADIL

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estern Washington wine lovers in search of a wine-related getaway should look no further than the eastern side of the state. The Tri-Cities and Prosser areas boast plentiful sunshine, a dry climate year-round, and scores of wineries that feature some of the best food and wine the state has to offer.

THE TRI-CITIES According to VisitTri-Cities.com there are more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius of the cities of Pasco, Richland, and Kennewick, so narrowing down the field during a single visit is one of those “nice problems” for out-of-town wineophiles.

The place to start may not be at a winery at all. The Washington State University Wine Science Center in Richland, headed by Thomas Henick-Kling, Ph.D, offers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the research involved in Washington winemaking. For tour information, contact communications coordinator Kaury Balcom at kaury.balcom@wsu.edu.

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Accommodations and dining in the Tri-Cities are easy if you prefer nationwide franchises and fast-food outlets. But with a little planning and inquiry into those preferred by local residents, you’ll be rewarded with a more memorable, attention-to-detail experience.

The Lodge at Columbia Point is an 82-room, boutiquestyle hotel that should be at the top of your list for an extended stay. This extremely well-priced Richland property offers complimentary breakfast, a patio area with fire pit, views of the Columbia River, and, of course, complimentary tastings of Washington wines every evening.

For lunch, the deceptively named Frost Me Sweet bakery and bistro in Richland seems to be every local’s favorite hangout. Yes, the menu features at least 20 cupcakes and decadent dessert options that change daily. But the paninis are divine, including the chicken and artichoke and candied corned beef options, to name a few. A well-represented list of Washington wines, naturally, is also available at both lunch and dinner.

A reservation at a Tri-Cities winery tasting room with a full-service restaurant is great way to spend an evening.

Manager Casey Brune heads Richland’s Taverna Tagaris, a Zagat-recognized restaurant that specializes in fresh, Northwest-inspired cuisine and Tagaris Winery wines.

The current, red-varietal-dominated wine list includes a 2014 Tempranillo that pairs perfectly with Albondigas (pork and lamb meatballs with tzatziki and naan); and the Spanishstyle clams with smoky, spicy house-made chorizo are a must.

At nearby J. Bookwalter winery, be sure to visit the restaurant Fiction @ J. Bookwalter. The food and wine pairings are nothing short of spectacular, and winemaker Caleb Foster and a knowledgeable restaurant staff work together to assure you’ll have an unforgettable dining experience.

Start with the Shrimp Mornay with Gruyere cream paired with a glass of 2016 Double Plot Chardonnay. From there, move on to the melt-in-your-mouth Short Ribs and the 2015 Readers Merlot with beautiful red fruit and spicy accents.

Also exceptional is the juicy, cooked-to-perfection Wagyu Bavette Steak. A pairing with Foster’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Protagonist, is sublime.

At the Port of Kennewick, Deputy CEO Tana Bader Inglima heads a waterfront revitalization project that includes the recently opened Columbia Gardens Urban Wine and Artisan Village. The ambitious development will feature winery, distillery, and brewery tasting rooms, as well as boutique shops, and public art.

The inaugural “anchor tenants” include two stellar wineries: Bartholomew Winery and Palencia Wine Co. Bartholomew owner Bart Fawbush moved from Seattle to Kennewick as “a leap of faith made easier because we’re in wine country.” He notes that “we like to have fun with different varieties,” and that includes his 2014 Carmenere,

with black cherry and white pepper aromatics and flavors; and the 2015 Tannat with red berry fruit and slightly chalky tannins.

Next door, Victor Palencia continues to amaze with a wide selection of flat-out delicious wines. His 2017 Sauvignon Blanc has elements of lemongrass, minerality, and mouthwatering crispness; and the 2015 Monarcha Sangiovese is a “super-Tuscan style with the structure of a Cabernet and great acidity.”

PROSSER The town of Prosser, located about 30 miles west of the TriCities, has agricultural roots that serve as a natural offshoot to today’s vineyards and 30 wineries that call the area home.

Here you can take a wine class or sample wines at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center or visit Vintner’s Village. You can also wine-and-dine at a number of withinwalking-distance wineries.

Milbrandt Vineyards’ Tasting Room Manager Shelly Smith will treat you to a number of excellent wines that can be accompanied by a meat-and-cheese plate and enjoyed on the winery patio. The 2016 Evergreen Vineyard Riesling and 2012 The Estates Merlot are not-to-be-missed choices.

At Thurston Wolfe, husband-and-wife Wade Wolfe and Becky Yeaman have been producing amazing wines for over three decades. Their just-released 2017 Albariño is outstanding, and the 2015 Zinfandel and Zinfandel-based blends are also delicious.

To wrap up your day, consider dinner at the Bunnell Family Cellar’s Wine O’Clock restaurant. This wine bar and bistro features a well-polished staff, remarkable food and wine pairings, and an overall first-class atmosphere that is sure to be the highlight of your visit.  June 2018 99

THIRD STREET CAFE Mexican 309 S. 3rd St., Mount Vernon 360.542.5022, csquare.coop

Red Rum Painkiller Ingredients: Oruba dark rum, pineapple, orange, coconut cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, $10

Y

© Melissa McCarthy

our eyes widen as the Painkiller cocktail appears before you.

At first, it looks more like a centerpiece than a drink. This classic tiki cocktail is garnished with pineapple leaves, a fresh orange slice, a cinnamon stick, mint leaves, a hunk of pineapple, a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg, maraschino cherries speared with a bright pink flamingo skewer, and a pink squiggle straw.

100 BellinghamAlive.com

The cafe stands out from the many other restaurants serving locally procured, organic dishes. It has familiar dishes in different jackets.

The menu offers a range of dishes from simple to fancier options. Burgers and fried oysters are listed alongside pork belly lollipops and roasted beet salad. For lunch, try the ham and brie sandwich. Anyone who has ever eaten melted brie with a sweet jam knows the creamy, tangy bite can’t be beat. Salty ham complements the brie and blackberry-fig jam, while a thick layer of arugula tethers your taste buds back to reality. On the side, creamy bites of potato in dill-mayonnaise dressing accompanies the sandwich without demanding attention.

The tiki face on your glass stares back at your bulging eyes as you take it all in. After the initial shock wears off, the squiggle straw is the vehicle to that first, glorious sip. The pineapple and fresh-squeezed orange juice give a sweet tang, immediately balanced with the coconut cream.

Then, the aftertaste — spice and warmth from the rum, cinnamon, and nutmeg kick in.

If the taste isn’t enough to transport you to a bamboo hut on a beach, the décor certainly will. The entrance to Red Rum is unassuming: some bamboo walls and a single neon sign. Upon entering, though, you’ll find yourself in the company of massive tiki statues, blowfish light fixtures, and dim red lighting that shroud everything in a sense of surrealism.

The bar has been open since March and has been well-received by the community. Andy Kawamoto, co-owner of the establishment, said the patrons are from all walks of life. He’s seen everyone from college students to Bellingham’s own mayor, Kelli Linville, at the bar.

There’s no doubt that people are excited about this unique addition to Bellingham’s night life, open every evening from 5 p.m. until 1 a.m. From flaming drinks to an entire fruit salad on the rim, there’s something for everyone to get excited about.  — Melissa McCarthy 113 E. Magnolia St., Bellingham

THE UNION TAVERN — LOCAL 902 American 902 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.873.8245, theuniontavern-local902.com Patrons can get the perfect-size dish in a flavor profile to satisfy any craving. Nibble on warm pretzel bites dipped in IPA beer cheese dip. Split a warm Caprese flatbread made with sliced Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and drizzled with sweet balsamic reduction. The Union’s hot dog and sandwich menus fill bigger appetites like the fan-favorite smoked albacore melt sandwich. Don’t forget to try a couple of Union Oyster Shooters!

With 18 beers on rotation, there’s the basics — four IPAs, light and dark options, a cider, two nitros — plus a surprise or two, perhaps a sour, cranberry-style Gose. Cocktails are another highlight. You won’t find Red Bull vodkas here or overly sweetened Mai Tais. The staff uses fresh juice, quality spirits, and house-made sours and grenadine. Owner Joseph Lopez encourages staff to create their own cocktails, and the tastiest concoctions get a place on the menu.

VAGABOND STATION Southern 2120 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.421.4227, vagabondtrailerfood.com Vagabond Station is known for its mostly Southern-style menu with a few curveballs.

Dig into a pink and cold prime rib sandwich, a meat-lovers dream that is difficult to find in this day of well-done meat. Try a bowl of hearty chili, or a wiscuit — biscuit dough cooked in a waffle maker. Of course, there’s crispy fried chicken and waffles, and their signature sandwich, the Yard Bird: chicken, cheddar cheese, and gravy piled onto a fresh, fluffy biscuit.

WILLOWS ARTISAN CAFE American 18923 Johnson Rd., Mount Vernon 360.848.9189, willowsartisancafe.com Inside the Skagit Valley’s greenhouse is a quaint cafe with wooden chairs, faux windows, outdoor fences, fairy lights, hanging greenery, and natural light streaming in. Order the BLTO (bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion) — a slightly

Dining Guide

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different classic with a twist that will change all BLT sandwiches for you. Or maybe your taste buds crave a little spiciness — then try the Reuben. If it’s a cold, cloudy day, go for a warm, soothing soup that is always served with a side of soft-baked bread. To end the meal, try the key lime pie that perfectly matches its creamy sweet filling with the smooth graham cracker crust. The Willows Artisan Cafe counts on its fresh ingredients and proves its worth with taste.

GREAT TASTES

SAN JUAN The following selections have made it past our taste bud test and into our top eight this issue. Step out and give them a try.

You won’t be disappointed.

CATKIN CAFÉ American 11 Point Lawrence Rd., Olga 360.376.3242, catkincafe.com The menu of this Orcas Island eatery may be small, but it is mighty. Breakfast and lunch are served until 3 p.m. Their menu features meat and produce grown on the island, incorporated into dishes such as Baked Eggs in Eggplant, Zucchini in Tomato Stew. Don’t forget about their bakery before heading out — all sweets and baked goods are made in-house.

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CYNTHIA’S BISTRO American 65 Nichols St., Friday Harbor 360.298.8130, cynthiasofcourse.com Located in a renovated 1920s home, this local San Juan Island staple is known for their innovative menu selections, like Seared Ahi Steak with Wasabi Cream and Hanna’s Tofu Scramble. You can enjoy lunch, or even an extended breakfast, until 2 p.m. daily in spring and summer. They are famous for their brunch, but you might try stopping by later in the evening for dinner, served only Friday to Monday, for a special treat.

TOBY’S TAVERN Seafood 8 Front St., Coupeville 360.678.4222, tobysuds.com Overlooking the scenic Penn Cove in the center of old Coupeville, Toby’s Tavern offers diners a dive bar ambience with a delicious menu of seafood favorites. Their famous bowls of Penn Cove mussels — served by the pound! — come fresh from the adjacent cove, and keep shellfish connoisseurs clamoring for a regular fix.

Steamed and soaked in a scrumptious mix of simple seasonings, wine, and juices, Toby’s robust offering of mussels makes for a memorable visit. Fish and chips arrive hot, deliciously flaky, and generous in size, with sides of sweet coleslaw and fries deserving mention for their merit. For those waiting among the weekend crowd of regulars, a giant chocolaty brownie will drive your mind insane, and keep your appetite satisfied before the main course earns its way into the dining room.

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Sweet tooth? Go to Lafeen’s Family Pride Donut and Ice Cream near Whatcom Falls Park. Handmade with consistent quality and rich flavors, these donuts and other delights are best when warm and fresh out of the oven.

With bread baked each morning, meats roasted each day, and local ingredients handsliced each shift, The Sandwich Odyssey in Bellingham is about as fresh as it gets. Try the Bellingham Buster and you’ll realize why they’ve been around for nearly 25 years.

Authentic, affordable cuisine is provided at Mi Rancho Meat Market in Bellingham.

Salsas and tortillas are made from scratch, and meats are butchered and seasoned on site. If the $1 tacos aren’t enough, purchase their prepped meat for your own culinary creation.

Next time you’re at Mallard Ice Cream in Bellingham, get your ice cream “affogato” — a shot of espresso poured over your favorite flavor. Super vanilla and an espresso shot is super-delicious.

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Seafood lovers should head for the La Conner Brewing Co. and their Wood-fired Coconut Chipotle Cream Clams — one pound of fresh Manila clams oven-roasted with coconut milk, chipotle peppers, lime juice, cilantro, red onion, and garlic, served with their focaccia bread.

Looking for a quick breakfast?

Bellingham Community Food Co-op’s scones are downright delicious. The flavors rotate, but a blueberry cornbread scone is the love affair your stomach never knew it had.

Downtown Bellingham’s Old World Deli makes most of their meat in-house, which is why you should get their hot pastrami sandwich. Rye bread, pastrami and hot mustard, three ingredients fantastically made, fantastically delicious.

In Fairhaven, The Filling Station’s Jaguar is a blue cheese, bacon and onion lovers’ dream. The best burgers are a bit messy, but whatever falls out can be scooped up with their amazing curly fries.

— Jade Thurston & Joshua DeJong

June 2018 101

WHATCOM beer

&

wine

FOUNDaTION

Produced by the Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation

Taste more than 125 wines from up to 50 wineries at Northwest Washington’s only judged wine competition.

Public Tasting Saturday, August 4, 2018 Four Points Sheraton, Bellingham WA Open to wineries from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho.

VIP and General Admission tickets available.

Enjoy passed appetizers along with food samples from eight Whatcom County restaurants.

Medals presentation and Best in Show award from the judged competition.

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT EVENTBRITE Net proceeds to benefit Our TreeHouse and Lydia Place. Sponsored organizations are Make.Shift and Growing Alliances.

Sponsored in part by a generous grant from the City of Bellingham Tourism Board.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

6-10pm

Complete Info @ BellinghamNorthwestWineFestival.com

AGENDA

Featured Events · Listings · The Scene · Final Word

Orcas Island Summer Solstice Parade JUNE 23, NOON

T © Lance Evans

o celebrate the longest day of the year, colorfully costumed characters replace vehicles on Orcas Island roads. The annual summer solstice foot parade is open to all and encourages participation. Everyone, excluding motorized vehicles and livestock, can join in on the fun. Make sure to get there early if you plan on joining the procession. The parade will meander along Main Street to North Beach Road until it reaches its finish at the Village Green, an outdoor music venue. Immediately following the parade, live music and dance performances will grace the stage and the colorful costumes will continue to celebrate under the lingering sun.  Main Street, Eastsound 360.376.5458 | orcasislandchamber.com

AGENDA Events

CASINOS EMERALD CITY THROWDOWN JUNE 15–16, 9 P.M.

This local band is self-described as explosive, spectacular, and, quite confidently, the epitome of funk. They are certainly high energy and full of funk, playing dance music suitable for every age group.

Emerald City Throwdown will be playing at the intimate Winner’s Lounge at the Skagit Casino Resort for two nights only.

Skagit Casino Resort 5984 North Darrk Ln., Bow 877.275.2448, theskagit.com MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY JUNE 18, ALL DAY

All active and retired members of the military, as well as their dependents, can visit the Swinomish Casino on this day and receive exclusive offers. Dining discounts, promo plays, and hot seat drawings are all part of the special offers for these individuals during this event to show military appreciation.

Swinomish Casino and Lodge 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes 360.293.2691 swinomishcasinoandlodge.com ARLO GUTHRIE AT THE PACIFIC SHOWROOM JUNE 22 AND 23, 8 P.M.

From Woodstock to Western Washington, Arlo Guthrie, American folk music icon, has shared his art. He’s best known for records like “The City of New Orleans” and “Alice’s Restaurant.” His songs often speak out against social injustice, and are still relevant, even six decades later.

Skagit Casino Resort 5984 North Darrk Ln., Bow 877.275.2448, theskagit.com

CLASSICAL ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY BAND SUMMER CONCERT JUNE 2, 7:30 P.M.

This concert band is anything but ordinary. Approximately 40 islanders with a passion for concert music come home from their day jobs as teachers,

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politicians, students, healthcare workers, and more, and pull out their instruments.

The community band will perform everything from classical songs to folk tunes at its annual summer concert.

CONCERTS

Orcas Center 917 Mt. Baker Rd., Eastsound 360.376.2281, orcascenter.org

A Washington native, Manatee Commune, a.k.a. Grant Eadie, has made quite an impact on the electronic music scene and is continuing to gain momentum. He’s performed at Bumbershoot and Sasquatch!, and was named “best electronic artist” by Seattle Weekly. He’ll be playing at the Wild Buffalo with fellow electronic artists and Washingtonians, Metsä and Noisywaters.

FINALE CONCERT — YOUNG ARTISTS SHOWCASE JUNE 2, 1 P.M.

The Fidalgo Youth Symphony will present their award-winning seniors for the finale concert of the season. These star seniors will play a solo, accompanied by the symphony. The symphony consists of students age 6–19 and they play both historically famous and more contemporary orchestral pieces. Celebrate the future generation of classical musicians during this showcase event.

McIntyre Hall 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon 360.416.7727, mcintyrehall.org WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA JUNE 4, 7:30 P.M.

In the culminating concert of the season, Western’s top soloists will join the symphony orchestra in a performance for the books. The performance will include many famous classical pieces, with the night ending on Debussy’s 1905 symphonic masterpiece, “La Mer.” After continuous practicing throughout the academic year, this night is sure to impress.

Western Washington University, Performing Arts Center 155 516 High St., Bellingham 360.650.6146, cfpa.wwu.edu MOUNT VERNON HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ: LIVE AT THE LINCOLN JUNE 5, 7 P.M.

This high school jazz ensemble could pass for experienced professionals.

Mount Vernon High’s Fine Arts department is nationally recognized, and the jazz program is especially noteworthy.

During this concert, the jazz band will perform covers of well-known pieces and attendees will also get to hear music from the high school’s up-and-coming Mariachi program.

Lincoln Theatre 712 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.8955, lincolntheatre.org

MANATEE COMMUNE JUNE 1, 9:30 P.M.

Wild Buffalo House of Music 208 W. Holly St., Bellingham 360.746.8733, wildbuffalo.net HACKENSAW BOYS JUNE 6, 8 P.M.

Since 1999, the Hackensaw Boys have been creating gritty punk music with a folky flair. Even though they’ve been around for almost 20 years, this group stays fresh by pushing boundaries in today’s Americana music scene. Their most recent release, “Oval Room,” was originally written by Blaze Foley during the Reagan era. But the Hackensaw Boys have revitalized it as a commentary on the current political climate.

The Shakedown 1212 N. State St., Bellingham 360.778.1067 shakedownbellingham.com BLUE MOON MARQUEE JUNE 15, 7:30 P.M.

Describing themselves as a gypsy blues band, the duo has been playing at jazz festivals across the U.S. and Canada for the past few years. Now, their folksy, rhythmic harmonies and onstage chemistry will be gracing the stage in Conway.

The room is sure to be entranced by the twangy guitar and smooth upright bass, as well as the complementary but distinct vocals of the pair.

The Conway Muse 18444 Spruce St., Conway 360.445.3000, conwaymuse.com ORCA SING JUNE 23, 6 P.M.

A concert in honor of the southern-resident orcas (we hope the performers sing whale songs) will take place at Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island. Bring a

imagine this!

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picnic for the concert and explore the historic Lime Kiln Lighthouse after the show. But don’t forget your Discovery Pass.

TH

ANNUAL

HOME

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L ANDSCAPE

Lime Kiln State Park 1567 Westside Rd., Friday Harbor 360.378.4710, whalemuseum.org

TOUR

JUNE 23 10AM - 5PM

PETER YARROW SOLO CONCERT JUNE 29, 7:30 P.M.

Although Peter Yarrow had to cancel his “Lonesome Traveler” show in March, he’ll be back in June for a solo makeup concert. Those who had tickets to his cancelled performance will receive tickets to this event, but there will be additional seats for more people to get the opportunity to hear his well-known folk music, established while a member of the iconic American folk group Peter, Paul and Mary.

WhatcomHomeandLandscapeTour.org

Mount Baker Theatre 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS BLAST OF COLOR! 5K FAMILY FUN RUN/WALK JUNE 2, 10 A.M.

Get colorful and get active at the same time during this second annual fun run in historic downtown Sedro-Woolley. It’s family- and dog-friendly, so everyone can get blasted with color during this event.

At the end of the course, participants will arrive at the “Blast From the Past” festival for additional fun.

Eastern Avenue, Sedro-Woolley 253.770.7338, databarevents.com MOUNT BAKER ULTRA 55 MILE

Join us for the Annual Waterfront Festival

Saturday June 2nd 10am-6pm ● Sunday June 3rd 10am-5pm Live Music, Arts & Crafts Vendors, Food Trucks & More!

360.293.3832 | anacortes.org

JUNE 3, MIDNIGHT

Inspired by the Mount Baker marathon of the early 1900s, this intense foot race goes from downtown Concrete, up Mount Baker’s Sherman Peak, and back to Concrete. It takes some participants up to 18 hours to complete this trek. It is not for the faint of heart — or for people without mountaineering experience — as the climb escalates at mile 26 and can have snowy or rough conditions while climbing the 10,160-foot peak.

Downtown Concrete mtbakerultra.com

WANT YOUR EVENT POSTED? Events are posted on a first-come first-serve basis. Submissions must be received four weeks prior to the event with all the necessary information.

Please submit event name, dates, times, short 40-word description, cover charge or ticket price, event venue including street address, a phone number, and a website. Any event from Seattle to Vancouver will be considered with priority placed on listings from Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties.

Bellingham Alive is not responsible for errors in submissions. Please email all submissions to events@bellinghamalive.com.

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AGENDA Events

Three Lakes Triathlon and Marathon

THREE LAKES TRIATHLON AND MARATHON JUNE 16 AND 17, 7:30 A.M.

The views along this route are so breathtaking, they may impair your racing time.

San Juan Island’s event includes a variety of triathlons for differing skill levels, as well as a marathon, half marathon, and 10K run. So regardless of your experience and ability, there is a race for you.

Lakedale Resort 4313 Roche Harbor Rd., Friday Harbor 360.378.2350, lakedale.com PADDEN TRIATHLON JUNE 23, 8:30 A.M.

The Padden Triathlon takes the scenic Lake Padden and makes it a competitive triathlon route for all to enjoy. Whether it’s your first or 10th triathlon, this event is perfect. It has a simple course and local appeal. So bring your best running shoes, your bicycle, and your swim cap, and start your summer off right.

Lake Padden, Bellingham 360.778.7000, cob.org 106 BellinghamAlive.com

SPECIAL EVENTS THIRD ANNUAL HAMSTER CRAWL JUNE 2, 3 P.M.

Calling all Bellinghamsters: the hamster crawl has returned! The walking tour features bars, breweries, and eateries all over Bellingham and benefits Cascade Connections, an area nonprofit serving people with disabilities. Participants will don a signature shirt or lanyard and get special food and drink specials at each location. Stuff your cheeks, like the hamster you are, for a good cause at this event.

Downtown Bellingham 360.714.9355, cascadeconnections.org HANDBAGS FOR HOUSING JUNE 7, 5 P.M.

At this benefit event, new venue Barkley Village will be transformed into a “fashion show extravaganza.” There will be a handbag exchange and fashion show,

a beauty bar, and cocktails and wine. All proceeds go to Lydia Place, a non-profit focused on family housing and health. All you fashionistas and fashionistos can try new styles and help out people in need.

Barkley Village Green 2219 Rimland Drive, Bellingham 360.671.7663, handbagsforhousing.com HEART OF THE ISLANDS FESTIVAL JUNE 9, 10 A.M.

Honoring the Hawaiian culture from the continental U.S. and connecting Pacific Northwest cultural groups, the festival is hosted by the Northwest Hawaii Ohana.

The daylong celebration will feature cultural demonstrations, island-style vendors, Hawaiian food, and Polynesian entertainment. After the festival, an authentic luau will be thrown. Share in the aloha spirit by showing your appreciation for this unique culture.

Pioneer Park Community Center 2007 Cherry St., Ferndale 360.820.8875, hearoftheislands.webs.com

DEMING LOGGING SHOW

THE GATEWAY SHOW

JUNE 9–10, 10 A.M.

JUNE 3, 8 P.M.

Deming has a long history of logging, and a long history of celebrating it with the annual show. Originally established in 1963 to give financial support to injured loggers, this event features the skills, tools, and history of the local timber industry. Come enjoy the various activities and exhibitions, like the popular pole-climb race and “Bull of the Woods” celebration.

Listening to a comic do one set and then another is the conventional way of standup comedy. But when the performers smoke pot during intermission, and come back to do their second set thoroughly stoned? Well, that’s different. Come on by and share some giggles. For 21 and over only.

3295 Cedarville Rd., Bellingham 360.592.3051, demingloggingshow.com PORT OF FRIDAY HARBOR PIRATE AND WOODEN SHIPS FESTIVAL JUNE 22–24, ALL DAY

Get your eyepatch and parrot ready. The second annual festival encourages attendees to come costumed. Historic wooden vessels will be available for tours and kids (and adults) can participate in the treasure hunt. Live music, food, and all the booty in the sea is waiting for you at this festival.

204 Front St., Friday Harbor 888.468.3701, portfridayharbor.org

THEATRE SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE PRESENTS “IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE” JUNE 1–3, 7:30 AND 2 P.M.

Based on the novel by Sinclair Lewis, “It Can’t Happen Here,” this play tells the story of the first fascist dictator in the United States. The Skagit Valley Drama Department will provide a pre-show lecture with the chair of the history department at Skagit Valley College about the tenets of fascism, and at the close of the play a discussion will follow.

Phillip Tarro Theatre 2405 E. College Way, Mount Vernon 360.416.7600, skagit.edu

The Upfront Theatre 1208 Bay St., Bellingham 360.733.8855, theupfront.com

Enjoy an Exceptional Outing!

High-energy, fast-paced canine theatrical act filled with amazing dog tricks, human acrobatics, and humor.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM JUNE 8–24, 7:30 P.M.

Sat, June 9

SPONSOR

SEVEN THINGS I’VE LEARNED:

IRA GLASS AN EVENING WITH

This comedic musical takes place in ancient Rome and originally ran on Broadway in 1962, earning it multiple Tony awards.

Now, under the directions of Bellingham native Judith Owens-Lancaster, it will debut at the Bellingham Theatre Guild. If you’re a fan of farce, satire, and a musical twist, we highly recommend this production.

Bellingham Theatre Guild 1600 H. St., Bellingham 360.733.1811 bellinghamtheatreguild.com

Dig deep into everyday joy with this Peabody Award-winning storyteller.

SPONSOR

Sat, June 23

Legendary member of Peter, Paul & Mary

Peter

NORTHWEST BALLET THEATER’S CINDERELLA

Yarrow

JUNE 9, 7:30 P.M.

Solo Performance

Some of us still indulge in the Disney version of Cinderella, but trust us, the ballet performance is even more magical. The story is tried and true, but the extravagant costuming and set-dressing gives this performance a new, even more stunning impact.

So turn off the TV and enjoy the live performance of this much-loved tale.

Don’t miss this marvelous “make good” concert.

Hear all your favorites in this intimate solo show.

Fri, June 29

SPONSOR

Marv & Joan Wayne

McIntyre Hall Performing Arts Center 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon 360.416.7727, mcintyrehall.org

VISUAL ARTS

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE

FIRST SATURDAY ART WALK

JUNE 1–23, 7:30 P.M.

JUNE 2, 2 P.M.

This comedy was the 2013 winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and will now be put on by the Anacortes Community Theatre, performed Thursday through Sunday during June. It follows the story of middle-aged siblings sharing a home, where childhood resentments crop up and memorable characters emerge.

The monthly art walk in downtown Mount Vernon always impresses. Wander through the streets of the quaint town and see local artists’ works, creativity and passion. This celebration of Mount Vernon’s art scene is family-friendly and hosted by many local businesses. Spend the day oohing and ahh-ing during this charming event.

Anacortes Community Theatre 918 M Ave., Anacortes 360.293.6829, acttheatre.com

Downtown Mount Vernon 360.336.3801 mountvernondowntown.org

Experience the Multi-Million Selling Country Mega-Star!

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Sun, Aug 5

Book Now for Best Seats!

SEASON SPONSOR

360.734.6080 MountBakerTheatre.com Mount Baker Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the performing arts.

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AGENDA Top Picks

JUNE JUNE

Seven Things I’ve Learned: An Evening with Ira Glass Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham mountbakertheatre.com

Lynden Farmers Day Parade Front Street, Lynden lynden.org

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© Jesse Michener

Photo courtesy of Lynden Chamber

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Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema Premiere: “The Goonies” Fairhaven Village Green, Bellingham fairhavenoutdoorcinema.com

Classic Films at the Drive-In: “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” San Juan County Fairgrounds, Friday Harbor sjcfair.org

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© Burlington Chamber of Commerce

Photo courtesy of Epic Events

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81st Annual Berry Dairy Days Skagit River Park, Burlington burlington-chamber.com

JUNE

Orcas Island Garden Tour Orcas Island orcasislandgardenclub.org

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Lummi Stommish Water Festival Stommish Grounds, Bellingham lumminationstommish.com

Bellingham Beer and Music Festival North Bellingham Golf Course, Bellingham bellinghambeerandmusicfestival.com

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27TH ANNUAL SAN JUAN ISLAND ARTISTS’ STUDIO TOUR JUNE 2 AND 3, 10 A.M.

Even after nearly three decades, this event continues to be one of the most popular on San Juan Island. Created by and featuring local artists, the studio tour — spanning the entire island — has 22 art studios and more than 50 artists opening their doors to the public. Wander through the streets of the island and see unique sculptures, paintings, glass blown pieces, jewelry, and more.

his mind and heart. Arnold will interpret and provide context to these images.

Old City Hall 121 Prospect St., Bellingham 360.778.8930, whatcommuseum.org GARDENING CLASS — WHIMSICAL WATER FEATURES AND GARDEN ART JUNE 30, 11 A.M.

Have you already filled all the walls in your home with beautiful photos and paintings? Consider expanding your eye

Events

AGENDA

for art into your outdoors as well. This gardening class will teach attendees to build DIY fountains and garden sculptures. So let your inner-crafter out and make your yard as artistically pleasing as the inside of your home.

Christianson’s Nursery 15806 Best Rd., Mount Vernon 360.466.3821, christiansonsnursery.com

San Juan Island 360.378.5594, sanjuanislandartists.com CURATOR’S LECTURE WITH CHESTER ARNOLD — RICHARD DIEBENKORN: A LIFE IN ART JUNE 23, 2 P.M.

AWW-008_Metropolitan Magazine Ad.pdf

Photo courtesy of Joe Cooper

The Intimate Diebenkorn: Works on Paper, 1949–1992 exhibition has been featured at the Whatcom Museum since May. During this special presentation, the curator of these works, Chester Arnold, will speak to Diebenkorn’s art, life, and ultimately, his humanity. This modern artist specializes in abstract expressionism which reveal the inner workings of

San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour 1

5/7/18

12:44 PM

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AUGUST 16-18

WINEMAKER PICNIC THURSDAY | 4PM - 8PM CHATEAU STE MICHELLE WOODINVILLE, WA

WINEMAKER DINNERS | FRI CHARITY WALK & RUN | SAT THE GALA | SAT

June 2018 109

Photo courtesy of SIFF

AGENDA Events

Seattle International Film Festival

Out of Town SEATTLE

VANCOUVER

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

BRYAN ADAMS

THROUGH JUNE 10, VARIOUS TIMES

JUNE 6, 7:00 P.M.

SIFF is the largest film festival in the nation, featuring more than 400 films from 80 countries. Beginning in 1976, the festival’s goal is to showcase global diversity through cinema, and foster discussions and appreciation for the art of filmmaking. Many of the films are independently produced and won’t make their way to theaters, so SIFF might be your only chance to view them.

If you can’t help but sing along to “Summer of ‘69” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” every time they come on the radio, then venture up north to see Canada’s prodigal son, Bryan Adams, in concert. He’s touring his 14th album, “Ultimate,” hoped to be full of more soon-to-be classics.

SIFF Film Center 305 Harrison St., Seattle 206.464.5830, siff.net

Rogers Arena 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver 604.899.7400, rogersarena.com BARD ON THE BEACH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL SUNDIATA PRESENTS BLACK ARTS FEST JUNE 16 AND 17, ALL DAY

Celebrate the culture and artistic expression of African American culture and its influences at this year’s Black Arts Fest. There will be live performances, traditional and contemporary fashions, dance workshops, and more. The festival is named in honor of King Sundiata, king of West Africa’s Mali Empire in the 1200s.

Seattle Center, Armory Main Level, Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison St., Seattle 866.505.6006, festivalsundiata.org

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JUNE 6–SEPTEMBER 22, VARYING TIMES

This waterfront park in Vancouver will be transformed into a Shakespearean carnival throughout the summer. Theater tents will be constructed and daily performances will take place under their canopies. On opening day, a production of “Macbeth” will begin the season, followed by plays like “As You Like It” and “Lysistrata,” among others. Put on your best Shakespearean garb and enjoy this summer festival.

Vanier Park 1695 Whyte Ave., Vancouver 604.739.0559, bardonthebeach.org

The Scene

AGENDA

GOLDEN APPLE GALA 2018

© K Hulett Photography

Downtown Bellingham’s Broadway Hall was transformed into a dark fairytale on March 3 for the Golden Apple Gala, complete with costumed guests and themed decor. The gala, held annually for nearly 30 years, raised about $50,000 for the Whatcom Hills Waldorf School’s financial aid program. More than 150 guests enjoyed silent auctions, live music, raffles, and dancing. The top sponsors for this event included Haggen, the Brandon and Heather Nelson family, Wild Acres Farm, Rice Insurance, 3 Oms Yoga, Northwest Honda, and Skagit Bank. — Katie Meier

June 2018 111

NOTES Final Word

Humor Without a Safety Net WRITTEN BY KEN KARLBERG AND LORETTA CLEESE

I

didn’t ask for this job. I inherited the responsibility, reluctantly, under threat of spousal “none-er-ry.” Write or be cut off from non-medical benefits. I chose to write. What can I say? The marital “none-er-ry” card always gets my attention. BTW, Lisa, the “none-er-ry” card didn’t need to be played to force me to write. But I play the victim well, don’t I? Writing a monthly humor column is a dangerous public high-wire act without a safety net. But here I am, 10 years later, and the number of death threats have been relatively few (with the exception of family members, of course). Yes, there was the Canadian woman who took such serious offense to my “Canada, Do The Right Thing” piece (in which I implored, totally tongue-in-cheek, Canada to give Victoria, B.C. back to America) that she copied me on a scathing email to Mayor Kelli Linville. Thank you, Kelli, for having my back.

And then there was the response by a female reader, who was so upset that she excoriated me in an email written from her chiropractor’s waiting room (where she just finished reading Loretta’s piece on post-divorce dating). Apparently, Loretta was unduly disrespectful of men in her humor, prompting her to write, “What if a man had written this”? I still chuckle at the response. Uh, ma’am, I am Loretta, and males could learn a thing or two from Loretta’s playful “catch and release” dating etiquette tips. She knows men because she is one.

For the most part, though, readers have held their collective tongues despite my efforts to tempt fate with such titles as “Surviving Menopause,” “The Mortgasm Myth,” “The Other Cavity Search,” “Husbandcare.gov,” “The Full Monty,” and “In Search of the Holy Polyps.” Loretta has been no less provocative, starting with her (my) first piece under her name, “Cleavage Etiquette,” which then spawned such titles as “Gender Confusion Explained,” “The Brazilian,” “Fifty Shades of Purple,” “Garbage Shaming,” and the infamous “Loretta’s Post-Divorce Guide To Dating.” Truth be told, based on feedback, most readers prefer when I channel my inner Loretta. Loretta is apparently funnier. Am I jealous?

No. Well, maybe just a little. The bitch! There, I feel better.

I have to give credit where credit is due, however, for the low number of death threats. Lynden, you are my humor check valve that keeps me coloring within the humor lines, more or less. Okay, I admit, sometimes less. Perhaps first drafts of my humor pieces will, someday, be worth mega

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bucks, but thanks to my admiration for Lynden’s family values, the final edit of each Final Word is filtered through what we affectionately refer to as “the Lynden test.” If the humor would offend Lynden’s sensibilities, the red editing pen comes out. The off-color humor piling up over the years on my editing floor is almost waist deep now — probably just as well. Someone has to keep me in line. We all know that my wife, Lisa, can’t. Thank you, my beloved Lynden.

All humor aside, as co-owner of K&L Media, I am blessed, too, to have the privilege and freedom to carve out separate space for myself when I have something serious to say. From time to time, I surprise everyone, including my mother, with raw, honest, and oft-times personal introspective pieces about life. I refer to them as my “public redemption” essays, like “The Measure of a Man’s Life,” “When The Bells Stop Ringing,” “A Parent’s Pain,” “The Power of One,” “Reflections in the Mirror,” and most recently, “Racism, Bigotry and Mother’s Love” and “If Mother America Could Speak.” Are they working? Gosh, my mother hopes so. She would like to go out in public again, soon. She’s been in hiding since “The Mortgasm Myth” was published in 2010.

By its nature, Bellingham Alive is designed to be a perpetual work in progress. As our community changes, Bellingham Alive will always change with it. Few may have believed that Bellingham Alive would succeed when we published our first issue 10 years ago in the Great Recession.

I did, however. I had faith in my wife, Lisa, and her vision and determination. Our goal was simple — to simply make a difference in our community, to celebrate our community, and to help drive business through the doors of our community.

Certainly, we hope that our magazine has become a source of pride for our local counties. That is our goal. That is our commitment to you.

For my part, I have had the honor of a lifetime — the opportunity to entertain and to provoke thought in each Final Word. I am grateful for our staff, our readers, our advertisers, and our supporters, and perhaps most of all to Lisa for providing me with a platform in each issue to use my voice. I promise to retire, dear, when I am 80. I am having too much fun until then. Fortunately, humor is perhaps the only thing that doesn’t wrinkle with age.

Ten years down, Bellingham Alive. Very, very cool. 

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Distributor: Saturna Brokerage Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, investment adviser to the Saturna Sustainable Funds. Saturna Capital proudly sponsors occasional events and programs at the Whatcom Museum, but is otherwise unaffiliated with the Museum and the City of Bellingham.