Bellingham Alive | November December | 2023 by K & L Media

Holiday Dinner

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Contents

Holiday Dinner Redo When it comes to epic meals, the holiday season takes center stage! But what do you do with all your leftovers? Don’t make another turkey sandwich, transform your culinary creations into magic this season with our Holiday Dinner Redo. We introduce each traditional dish with tips and tricks for locally sourcing your holiday dinners, then switch it up with signature redo recipes! Our expert wine pairings and creative cuisine combos will help make those dinners truly divine for days to come.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STYLE

Heard Around the Sound

Savvy Shopper Shelley’s Shack 40

The Skagit Table Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade Daiso Opening

Local Find Skagit Woolen Works

Local Find Madrona Gifts

HOME

Game Changer YWCA Bellingham

Book Notes Reviews and Events

This Month in Bellinghistory

Local Find Northern Light Holiday and Event Lighting

Community Thanksgiving Basket Program

Remodel Tanna by Design

Since Time Immemorial Sul ka dub Freddie Lane

Community Arts Alive! in La Conner 34

5 Faves Ways to Give Back

Review Bistro at Shuksan

Local Find Forté Chocolate

Dining Guide

Local Find Hilda’s Farming 97

Kitchen Tips & Tricks

Sip Doc Swinson’s

100

Chef’s Corner Wanida Thai

102

Wine Pick of the Month

AGENDA

Photo courtesy of ReImagined

Photo courtesy of La Conner Arts Foundation

Unibet Sportsbook Opens

Necessities Must-Have Holiday Glam

Photo by Dawn Kimberling

5 Winter Getaways

Photo by Tina Kies

LIFE

Featured Home Laura Landrum’s “The Dog House”

106

Top Picks

107

Local Events

111

Out of Town

SPECIAL ADVERTISING 29

Marysville: Your Holiday Destination

Holiday Shopping Guide

NOTES

Q&A Jen Parker of ReImagined

TASTE 88

Spicy Winter Eats

Online Exclusive

Publisher’s Letter

Contributors

Letters to the Publisher

Meet the Team

112

Lasting Image

November/December 2023 5

Notes

What’s Online

Online Exclusive

PREVIOUS EDITIONS

Keep the Holiday Shopping Guide in your pocket while you’re out shopping! Bellingham Alive is bringing you its biggest Holiday Gift Guide to date, which means pages of local shops, artisans, and businesses that are sure to have gifts for everyone on your list. Learn where to shop for gifts in every realm of possibility: New clothes, toys, or hobby materials from our local boutiques; Food, wine, and spirits from the North Sound’s many producers and markets; The gift of an experience at the spa or an energizing workout; And so much more! While you can find the guide on pg. 47, this year we’re also uploading it to our website so that you can access it from anywhere. Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

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Each month we give you the opportunity to win a prize from local merchants. You can enter once per day, each day of the month. A winner will be chosen by random draw and notified via submission email. It’s our way of saying thank you for your support and for continuing to help encourage shopping and dining local.

SEPTEMBER WINNER: DATHANN MORRIS

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Notes

Publisher’s Letter

Photo by Diane Padys

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

T’S THAT TIME of year again!

The leaves are turning and there’s a chill in the air. We’re thinking about the holidays, our family and friends, getting together, and just how we are going to fit it all in– at least I am. All I can say is take a deep breath, plan so you don’t feel overwhelmed, and look for peace in the time spent by the fireplace with a glass of cider, hot chocolate, or your favorite beverage. Oh, and of course, you could snuggle up in a blanket with your favorite local read, Bellingham Alive… just saying! For me, the holidays always bring a sense of warmth and reflection. Reflection on personal growth, experiences throughout the year, and just how we are serving our communities through our editorial in Bellingham Alive. This year, 2024, marks a HUGE milestone for all of us here at K&L Media. We are celebrating 15 years, and boy do we have some great feature articles planned for you, as well as section openers. We are bringing back our travel article in the Life section. Ken and I were fortunate enough to visit some very exciting destinations this past summer as we traveled through Hungary, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, and England. The UNESCO Heritage sites were fascinating, and we want to share them with you. It will take you back in time and help you create a bucket list of sites to visit or reminisce if

you’ve been there. It was a once in a lifetime experience which I am so grateful for. As you snuggle into this issue, we’ll help you with your locally-sourced holiday gift shopping! Our Holiday Gift Guide (pg. 47) highlights gift options, experiences, and areas to explore. Get out, have a girl’s shopping day or date night with your sweetie, and keep our local stores thriving as we depart 2023. Plus, check us out online to download the Holiday Gift Guide and take it with you on the go! Our feature, “Holiday Dinner Redo” (pg. 58), offers ideas of what to do after that great meal with family and friends. There are always so many leftovers and we might struggle at times with how to be creative and use them in different ways (that go beyond just reheating). So, let us give you some ideas with recipes topped off with wine pairings from our Sommelier on staff, Amberleigh. Lastly, thank you! It has been 15 years full of stories, community, and a sense of giving back to our readers. I could not think of a better way to spend my time than with you, within our pages. You are why we continue to do this, your support of Bellingham Alive and the advertisers who support us means so much to me. I truly appreciate each one of you. Happy Holidays from our family to yours, ENJOY! 

Sincerely,

LISA KARLBERG President | Publisher

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Notes Contributors Emma Radosevich As a child, Emma developed a love of literature by reading chapter books with her dad; she made sure he got every character’s voice just right. She still appreciates a great narrator. Emma is a Collection Development Librarian for Whatcom County Library System, where she gets to work with fellow book lovers. When she’s not working, she likes walking on Bellingham trails while listening to an audiobook or NPR podcast.  p. 25

21 BELLWETHER WAY, STE 107 BELLINGHAM, WA 98225 P. 360.778.1613

Tanna Edler Tanna Edler owns a full service interior design firm based near Yakima, Washington with projects nationwide, and she specializes in residential, commercial, new construction, and remodeling projects. Edler is the only interior designer in Washington State to have been awarded IDS Designer of the Year for nine years, and the first in the Pacific Northwest to have received the IDS Impact Award for charitable interior design contributions in her community.  p. 80

Kolby LaBree Kolby LaBree is owner/operator of Bellinghistory Tours with the Good Time Girls, purveyors of guided walking tours and other historical edutainment in Bellingham since 2011. The Good Time Girls are available year-round for private tours and virtual events. See Bellinghistory.com for current offerings!  p. 25

Tina L. Kies Tina is the owner of Chikara PR, LLC, a comprehensive public relations and content marketing agency. She is a nationally recognized and award-winning communicator with more than 20 years of professional industry experience. For more information, visit chikarapr.com  p. 38

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Letters to the Publisher

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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 our editor at editor@bellinghamalive.com.

Notes

The Best of the Northwest party is the best annual party in Whatcom County, not kidding, I’ve been to them all and year after year it’s the best! You guys do a great job at making it all celebration! — Chris E., Bellingham Publisher: Chris, I love this! It is so much fun for me to pull this party together every year. Jenn and the staff go above and beyond to make sure the dream comes to reality. Being able to give this back to our supporters is so important and it is our way of saying Thank You! —Lisa K.

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Notes

Meet the Team

RESULTS MATTER. EXPERIENCE COUNTS. SINCE 1995

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NATE KENOYER

360-319-3280 nkenoyer@windermere.com natekenoyer.com

Photo by Kristen Boehm

NATE KENOYER

INC.

Ellie Coberly irresistibly

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What is your role at the magazine? I am an intern for the magazine’s editorial department. I help bring stories to life and scout out local happenings.

Celebrate the holidays with flowers from Belle Flora!

What is your background? Pacific Northwest born and raised, I have resided in Washington for 22 years. I moved to Bellingham to attend college at Western Washington University in 2019 and will graduate in the Fall of 2023. My degree is in visual journalism and multimedia, but my love for writing remains a core part of who I am.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future? Moving forward, I hope to continue working on magazines and become a consistently published photojournalist. My dream is to travel and use photo, video, and writing techniques to capture different cultures and ways of living worldwide.

What do you do in your free time? Call Belle Flora 360.734.8454 2408 Yew St., Bellingham

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In my free time I love being outdoors, getting crafty, reading a good book, and trying new foods. 

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Life

5 Winter Getaways

November/December 2023 17

Life

Winter Getaways

5 Winter Getaways to Warm the Soul WRITTEN BY AIMEE HELM

S THE DAYS grow short and the weather turns cold here in the Pacific Northwest, a change of scenery can be just the ticket to help lift spirits and brighten up the season. Whether you’re looking for a fun day trip or a full-on weekend escape, rest assured there’s a whole world of wintry options available right at our doorstep. From towns packed with holiday-themed family fun, to world class snow sports and outdoor recreation, to nature-inspired retreats, we’ve rounded up our top picks for easily accessible Bellinghambased winter getaways– all within a few hours travel (or less!) from the North Sound.

Photo by Brian Munoz

Travel time: ~3 hours If you’re looking to get festive and really turn up the holiday cheer this year, look no further than the picturesque Bavarian-style mountain village of Leavenworth. Walking around here in the winter is truly like walking inside a snow globe! This beloved tourist town has a well-earned reputation as a holiday hot spot due to its incredible lights displays and non-stop calendar of family-friendly events and activities. Bundle up for a stroll around town to check out all the frosty fun, including live entertainment, crafts, treats, visits with Santa, and more. For the more adventurous among your crew, the outdoor winter activities here abound– from sledding to skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing, there’s no shortage of cool ways to get out and play. Dining options are also plentiful in this wonderland of a town, with a little something to suit a wide range of tastes. If you’re looking for eats to enhance the winter vibes, we suggest treating yourself to a classic holiday sweet at The Gingerbread Factory, or fill up your stein with frothy cheer at one of the town’s authentic Bavarian restaurants like The Bären Haus Restaurant or Rhein Haus Leavenworth.

Photo by Kirk Fisher

Family Friendly: LEAVENWORTH

BellinghamAlive.com

Photo courtesy Mt. Baker Ski Area

Winter Sports: MT. BAKER Travel time: ~1.5 hours If carving up the slopes is more your speed, you can’t beat a visit to local winter sports wonderland, Mt. Baker Ski Area. A local playground for avid skiers and snowboarders alike, Mt. Baker is sure to deliver top-notch thrills, complete with eight lifts and more than 30 runs and lots of luxuriously deep, fresh powder. Snowsports newbies need not worry— the mountain welcomes folks of all experience levels, offering group and private lessons as well as rentals for those who are still getting their “snow legs.” With an average yearly snowfall of over 600 inches and 1,000 skiable acres to play on, this world-class ski area is truly a local snowsports enthusiast’s paradise. Situated in the lofty heights of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Mt. Baker’s peak reaches heights of 5,089 feet, providing winter thrill seekers with plenty of ways to get their adrenaline fix. Once you’ve gotten your fill of fun, take a break and grab a bite or a drink at one of the ski area’s three on-site lodges.

Photo courtesy Salish Lodge & Spa

Romance: SNOQUALMIE FALLS Travel time: ~2 hours Nothing says “winter romance” like a cozy weekend getaway to a waterfall! If you’re on the hunt for ways to keep the sparks flying throughout the cold and rainy months, consider gifting yourself some quality time with your boo at the luxurious Salish Lodge & Spa. Perched directly above stunning Snoqualmie Falls, the lodge features luxuriously appointed rooms, fine dining, and an award-winning spa so you can pamper each other to your heart’s content. Relax with a romantic meal for two at The Dining Room (reservations required) or sip on a craft cocktail at The Attic while you stare out at the breathtaking view. Or, skip the sitdown altogether, hang the “do not disturb” sign, and snuggle up with some room service and a bottle of local wine. If you’re eager to see the falls up close, you can head down to one of the observation decks to take in the splendor and snap a few post-worthy couple selfies. Or stay inside and simply admire the falls from the warmth of the lodge (we promise we won’t tell!). Either way, a stay here will let you forget the world for a while and focus on creating new memories with the one you love. ... continued on next page November/December 2023 19

Life

Winter Getaways

Outdoor Recreation: WINTHROP Travel Time: ~3 hours If you’re looking for an escape from the pressures of modern-day life without sacrificing modern convenience and fun, the historical hamlet of Winthrop may be just the place for you. This charming Wild West-themed town is located right in the heart of Methow Valley, which is renowned as North America’s largest cross-country ski area. A haven for winter outdoor recreation enthusiasts of all stripes, the area boasts more than 120 miles of groomed and interconnected trails to explore. If skis are not your mobility method of choice, the options for outdoor excursions abound— from ice skates, to snowshoes, to snowmobiles, you need only pick your poison. While this town may be small, it doesn’t fall short on options to satisfy your appetite. After a day of outdoor play, we suggest you grab a bite at local eatery Arrowleaf Bistro, which serves up “consciously curated” dishes made with locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients. And if your excursions leave you feeling a bit thirsty, we suggest you unwind with a frosty pint at popular local haunt, Old Schoolhouse Brewery.

Solo Trip: LUMMI ISLAND Travel Time: ~1 hour If you’re in the market for some quality “me time”, a solo trip may be the perfect antidote to chase away the winter blues. Luckily, the stunning natural beauty of Lummi Island is only a short ferry ride away— offering a tranquil retreat to slow down your pace and take a break from the holiday madness. Get a big dose of fresh air with a side of solitude while wandering the Island’s breathtaking nature preserves (be sure to bring along a thermos of your favorite hot drink and some rain gear!) or book a stay at a cabin or bungalow through Stay & Sea Lummi Island. Many of Stay & Sea’s vacation rentals include fireplaces or wood-burning stoves to keep you cozy as you get lost in a good book, or in your thoughts while staring out at the ocean waves. Though Lummi Island is only a stone’s throw from the mainland, it will transport you to a different time and place— one where you’ll be free to take a deep breath, reflect, and reconnect with nature (and yourself). 

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Photo by courtesy of Nettles Farm

...

November/December 2023 21

Life

Heard Around the Sound

Merry and Bright

Photo by courtesy of The Skagit Table

2023 Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade

Healthy Holiday Meals Made Easy The Skagit Table

HE HOLIDAYS CAN be hectic, and cooking meals from scratch isn’t always the best option for everyone. For those who would rather spend less time in the kitchen, The Skagit Table in Mount Vernon is cooking up wholesome, ready-made holiday meals again this year— complete with all the tasty trimmings. “These meals (different menus) will be offered for Thanksgiving and Christmas, ready to pop in the oven on the holidays, stress-free, allowing you to get more family time in,” says Owner and Chef Courtney Bourasaw. Bourasaw takes pride in creating meals that take the weight of cooking off busy families and those with special dietary needs. Like all of The Skagit Table’s offerings, this year’s holiday meals will be soy-free and vegetable oil-free. This year, however, customers

Question: Where are the best places to see Santa? WRITTEN BY MAYA HEINSELMAN

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will also be able to choose between a gluten-free/sugar-free option and a traditional option, opening up even more possibilities for those with special diets. As a chef and a member of the community, Bourasaw is proud that The Skagit Table can become a part of her customer’s beloved holiday traditions: “There is something about gathering around a table, with your favorite (or maybe tolerated) people. Saying grace and what you’re most thankful for. And then sharing a meal together that is a labor of love (even if pre-ordered) and building traditions with your family. Food creates community and community creates bonds,” says Bourasaw. To pre-order your holiday meals, visit The Skagit Table in Mount Vernon, online, or on Instagram @theskagittable. 225 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon, 360.312.4074, theskagittable.com AIMEE HELM

E ALL AGREE— there’s no

better way to kick off the season than by watching strings of glowing lights float past while snuggled up with a cup of hot cocoa and a cozy blanket! The annual Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade, presented by Edaleen Dairy, is set to take place once again this year on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. in Lynden. So corral your closest loved ones and come spend some quality time together while enjoying the familyfriendly festivities! The sound of carols will fill the air as you take in this lighted procession of cheerfully decorated cars, trucks, floats, and more. A few of our parade spectating tips: This event can be very popular, so make sure to get there early to find on-street parking (best found north of Grover Street) and give yourself plenty of time to secure the perfect spot to watch the show. We also suggest you grab some chairs, blankets, and a canteen of hot cocoa or cider to keep you warm and cozy all evening. Plus, the event takes place along downtown Lynden’s Front Street, giving you ample opportunity to wander the shops, enjoy the ambiance, and check a few items off of your holiday giftgiving list. Lynden AIMEE HELM

Yeager’s Sporting Goods

Bellis Fair Mall

Yeager’s Sporting Goods has been hosting pictures with Santa for over 30 years now. This year, be ready to smile for a professional picture or bring your own camera to take one at no charge! 3101 Northwest Ave., Bellingham,

Want to see Santa and do some holiday shopping all at once? Bellis Fair Mall has you covered. Visit Santa, then go to one of the many stores, restaurants, or simply check out the holiday decor in the mall. 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy., Bellingham,

360.733.1080, yeagerssportinggoods.com

360.671.5895, bellisfair.com

Popular Japanese Shop Lands in Bellingham Daiso

AISO IS KNOWN as “the Japanese dollar store.” It

originated in 1970s Japan as a 100-yen shop and has evolved into a global chain with a humongous array of affordable everyday necessities. Previously, the closest stores to us were in Lynnwood or across the border in Canada– but not anymore! Sunset Square in Bellingham saw the opening of a 9,760 square foot Daiso on Sept. 2. The grand opening was a big day for curious newcomers and established fans alike. Hundreds lined up, some people arriving as early as 8 a.m. Cars were still flying into parking spots as the Daiso employees led the crowd in a countdown and opened the doors at 10 a.m. The opening went smoothly, with folks politely waiting for shopping baskets and exploring the store. Daiso carries almost everything you could think of for daily and household needs; home decor and organization, toys and plushies, kitchenware (including ceramic dishware, cooking utensils, and more), crafting supplies, stationery, beauty items, accessories, home and gardening tools, and food and beverages. If items are unmarked, they cost the base price of $1.75. Prices go up in increments of quarters, reaching up to around $15. Prices are marked in yen, but conversion charts are found in almost every aisle. What sets Daiso apart from other low-cost or one dollar stores is the quality, aesthetic, and Japanese culture apparent in their products. Shoppers will find product lines from Sanrio and Disney, super-cute designs for common items, useful things we don’t generally use in the U.S., and Japanese snacks and drinks that are hard to find in general stores. 1145 E. Sunset Dr., Bellingham, daisous.com KRISTEN BOEHM

Pioneer Park

Photo courtesy of Swinomish Marketing Department

Photo by Kristen Boehm

Unibet Sportsbook Opens at Swinomish Casino & Lodge

OCAL SPORTS FANS will be glad to learn that betting on their favorite teams has just gotten a whole lot easier. The Swinomish Casino and Lodge recently launched its Unibet Sportsbook, allowing sports bettors to stake their claim on their favorite teams from one of eight kiosks in the lounge, or even start building their bet from their own home! The new Sportsbook lounge lets you effortlessly place your bets and cash out at the cashier counter within it. Then, sit back and relax in one of their luxurious chairs and watch the game unfold on their 30-foot video wall. Place your bets at the next game for your chance to win big. 12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes, 888.288.8883,

swinomishcasinoandlodge.com MAYA HEINSELMAN

Be transported to a different time at the Ferndale Heritage Society’s 30th annual Olde Fashioned Christmas. You can not only enjoy a photo shoot with Santa, but also refreshments, crafts, and other fun for the whole family. Pioneer Park,

Mt. Baker Ski Area

2004 Cherry St., Ferndale, 360.384.6461, ferndaleheritagesociety.com

Deming, 360.734.6771, mtbaker.us

Station 49

With a snow-covered backdrop and a snowmobile-riding Santa Clause, the Mount Baker Ski Area can make it seem like your family is taking a trip to the North Pole itself. Mt. Baker Hwy.,

At Station 49, you and your family can visit Santa after taking a unique and memorable train ride through festive Christmas light displays. Afterwards, enjoy hot chocolate and candy canes! 4620 Birch Bay Lynden Rd., Blaine, 360.371.7700, station49.fun

November/December 2023 23

Life

Game Changer

Empowering Women Against Adversity YWCA Bellingham WRITTEN BY ALISON POPPE | PHOTO COURTESY YWCA BELLINGHAM

INCE ITS FOUNDING in 1907 by prominent Bellingham clubwoman, Frances Larrabee, YWCA Bellingham has gradually evolved into one of the most impactful nonprofit organizations in the North Sound. Dedicated to its mission to ending racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, and freedom for all, the YWCA is always looking for new ways to uplift women in need— especially one of Bellingham’s most vulnerable populations: women experiencing homelessness. “Our goal is to help women not only find, but thrive in safe, permanent housing,” explains YWCA Bellingham CFO, Alle Schene. “Through providing safe shelter, intensive case management, and on-site coordination of medical and behavioral health services, the women we serve experience a quality of life and success that is made possible through our housing programs.” Over the years, YWCA Bellingham has evolved its programming to meet the changing challenges and needs of women within our community. During the ‘60s, the YWCA offered recreational classes like dance, guitar, and swimming as well as educational empowerment courses like “Powder Puff Mechanics,” along with a more limited range of housing services than they offer now. Today, the YWCA recognizes that challenges like homelessness, poverty, racism, inequality, and women’s rights are complex and interconnected issues, requiring a holistic approach that acknowledges and addresses this intersectionality. Each year YWCA Bellingham joins with YWCA USA to present its annual 24

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Racial Justice Challenge, which encourages participants to reflect on and discover the real world impacts of racial injustice within their own communities. Today, one of the YWCA’s biggest challenges is to address the growing issue of housing insecurity amongst women, who are especially vulnerable. To meet this rising need, the organization has added two new housing programs over the past few years, increasing its offerings to include emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and a senior women’s shelter. “We pride ourselves in identifying community needs and doing our best to address them, meaning that our programs can change and adapt over time to maximize our impact in the community,” says Schene. In addition to housing support, YWCA also provides women with economic empowerment through their partnership with Y’s Buys Women’s Thrift Boutique in downtown Bellingham. Through the program, clothing vouchers provide women in need with access to clothing and fully styled outfits for job interviews or work. Y’s Buys also offers experiential benefits like formal job training programs to help women gain experience in the retail industry. Members of the community can support the YWCA’s mission with financial donations, by donating supplies for the housing programs and residents, or by volunteering their time at Y’s Buys Thrift Boutique. Shene says joining their board of directors or spreading their cause through word of mouth is another crucial way to support their mission. 1026 N. Forest St., Bellingham, 360.734.4820, www.ywcabellingham.org 

Book Notes

Book Reviews

Life

Literary Events

WRITTEN BY EMMA RADOSEVICH

November 3, 6–7 p.m.

IN THIS NEW COLLECTION of laugh-out-loud funny

essays, R. Eric Thomas picks up where his last memoir (“Here For It, 2020”) left off. Newly married and enjoying professional success, Thomas’ life is upended when his husband, a Presbyterian pastor, takes a job in Thomas’ hometown of Baltimore. He wonders if, after more than a decade away, it’s possible to go home again. And does he even want to? Between musings about Oprah and gay frogs, Thomas finds humor in his life’s upheaval. He struggles with depression and making new friends. He buys a house in the suburbs and feels weird about it. He supports his grieving partner after the loss of a parent. Throughout, Thomas confides his fears and insecurities with his signature self-deprecating, over-the-top style. Even in dark places– the cemetery, the ER, a class reunion where no one remembers his name– R. Eric Thomas’ writing is joyful and uplifting. This book is for anyone out there struggling with getting older and embracing change.

Congratulations, the Best Is Over!: Essays by R. Eric Thomas

IN THIS SEQUEL to “The Book of Delights” (2019), Ross Gay is back with even more digressions about delight. This book is the result of Gay’s project to notice and record everyday moments of gratitude for one year, starting in August 2021. As the world opens back up after months of pandemic restrictions, Gay appreciates all the little ways that “bumbling, flailing, hurting, failing, changing” people show up for each other. The magical thing about reading Gay’s Delights books: his delights will become your delights, too. I hadn’t previously considered the “nefariousness” of QR code menus or the intimacy of clothes on an outdoor clothesline; now, I’ll smile the next time I encounter them in the real world. Reading Ross Gay will inspire you to notice the things in life that you find delightful. “The Book of (More) Delights” is ideal reading material for watching the world go by. Bring this book with you to the airport, a cafe, or your front porch.

The Book of (More) Delights by Ross Gay

Sarri Gilman, Cocoon: How One Woman Created a Shelter for Teens and Found Hope Along the Way Village Books, 1200 11th St., Bellingham 360.671.2626, villagebooks.com

Sarri Gilman is a local psychotherapist who founded the nonprofit Cocoon House, a home for vulnerable teens in Everett. Attend this book release and reading to hear the true story of how she began Cocoon House, and everything she learned along the way.

November 16, 8:30–9:30 a.m.

Whatcom Literacy Council’s Annual Literacy Breakfast Pioneer Pavilion, 2007 Cherry St., Ferndale 360.752.8678, whatcomliteracy.org

The Literacy Breakfast is the annual fundraiser for the Whatcom Literacy Council, who have been helping adults in Whatcom County improve their literacy and English skills since 1983. At the breakfast, author/librarian/NPR commentator Nancy Pearl will review her favorite titles of the year.

December 16, 11 a.m. Sumas Book Group

Sumas Library, 461 2nd St., Sumas 360.988.2501, wcls.org

The Sumas Book Group alternates between book group picks one month and members’ recently read favorites the other! In December, the group will be discussing Fredrick Backman’s 2010’s debut novel, “A Man Called Ove.” The book revolves around an ornery old man, his chatty new neighbors, and the profound human experience of being neighbors in a suburb.

This Month in Bellinghistory WRITTEN BY KOLBY LABREE OF BELLINGHISTORY TOURS WITH THE GOOD TIME GIRLS

November 2, 1914

November 5, 1921

December 15, 1908

December 25, 1903

More than 2,000 whiskey bottles were exhibited in a storefront on Holly Street as evidence the town was far from being “dry” despite the local option vote to ban booze in 1910.

The Liberty Theater held a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest as a promotional event for his movie “The Idle Class.” A total of 81 children under 12 competed, and “Charlie” Robertson won first prize.

Emma Goldman, a writer and lecturer on anarchist philosophy, women’s rights, and social issues, was prohibited from speaking in Bellingham and spent one night in the city jail on charges of attempting to incite a riot.

The Herald reported: “Santa Claus left his reindeer and sleighs on the peaks of the Cascades last night and used a canoe to pay his annual visit to the children residing in the Puget Sound cities.”

November/December 2023 25

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

REAL ESTATE Christine Cicchitti Windermere Real Estate 360.296.3814 CicchittiRealEstate.com cicchitti@windermere.com 26

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“I love being a Realtor, Mother, Wife and part of the Community where I grew up and where we still take care of each other. I am grateful for all of You for helping my business to succeed over the last 19 years. Thank you to my amazing family who has supported me. “It has been my pleasure to work in the community where I grew up and see how it has changed for the better over the years. I Love being a part of a community where we try to take care of each other; instilling hope and love in each other. I look forward to this next year working at Windermere with the amazing owners and agents that make it feel like a huge Family. Thank you so Much!” —Christine Cicchitti

Christine has extensive knowledge of the Pacific Northwest where she was raised (Lynden, Blaine, Ferndale, Everson, Fairhaven, Bellingham and Sumas in particular). She specializes in working with developers from start to finish on large residential projects allowing her to the opportunity of helping you build your dream home. “Awesome job! Christine is enthusiastic and helpful. She knows the Whatcom County area like the back of her hand. She was always a phone call or text away. She is always quick to answer questions, even after we bought our home. She was there from the beginning and even helped us at closing. It’s nice to have a real estate professional as personable and hardworking as Christine.” — COLTON O.

Life

Community

Huge Community Effort Sends Thanksgiving Home in a Basket Thanksgiving Basket Program WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTEN BOEHM

VERY YEAR, BLAINE’S Community Assistance Program (CAP) gives away hundreds of ready-to-cook Thanksgiving meals. For the last two decades, Shirley Tobian has been a vital part of the process. CAP is a non-profit organization that formed as an outreach of Blaine area churches. They receive no funding from the government, are all-volunteer, and run off donations. They serve Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer, and Point Roberts with their social service programs, which include Crisis Assistance, the Community Toy Store, and the Thanksgiving Basket program. “The Thanksgiving Basket program has always been extremely special to me,” says Tobian, who is working her 20th year of the program in 2023. She’s currently the director of the Thanksgiving Basket program, but after this year she’s stepping down. She also works one week a month as a Crisis Assistance volunteer, which means “helping people that need help, whether it be their electric bill, or food, or whatever it is.” Tobian starts pulling the program together as early as August. She organizes a team of around 30 volunteers, purchases the necessary food, and sources a location for the handout of the baskets (this and last year, the location is an industrial warehouse whose usage is donated by TC Trading Company). Each of this year’s 220 Thanksgiving Baskets (which are actually packed in banana boxes) will come with a fresh turkey, totaling approximately 4,000 pounds of poultry. The program also uses 700 cans of green beans, potatoes (Bedlington Farms in Lynden have donated up to 1,200 pounds of potatoes in the past), yams, onions, celery, cranberry sauce, rolls, gravy mix, and chicken broth. Each basket will also have a box of stuffing mix, a pound of butter, and a gallon of milk (donated by Edaleen Dairy). Those experiencing financial hardship can go online or call to register for a basket. About a week before the big day, Tobian mails out postcards with instructions for pickup. For singles and couples who might not want or need a large amount of food all at once, Tobian also secures 60 gift cards to Cost Cutter. Basket assembly will start on Thursday, Nov. 16. Tobian and her volunteers will pack the shelf-stable ingredients over Thursday and Friday, sizing baskets to different sized families. Fresh rolls go in on Monday, and the last items– the turkeys, the butter, and so on– get added before handout begins around 11:30 a.m on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Families arrive and sign-in on site (about 50 every halfhour), and volunteer firefighters take the baskets out to their cars. The firefighters donate their hours and use their equipment to pick up milk and potatoes, and to deliver

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baskets to those who can’t come get them. Mike Nelson of North Whatcom Fire and Rescue has been helping with the Thanksgiving Basket program for nearly 25 years. “When I was growing up, my family received [similar] dinner boxes at Thanksgiving, and my mom sheltered us from knowing where they came from so as to not feel impoverished,” says Nelson. “I grew up elsewhere but jumped at the chance to get involved.” Although Tobian is stepping down as the director of the program (she says her family will be very happy to have her focus back on their own Thanksgiving), the work she’s put into it over the years has had an incalculably positive effect on her community. “The firefighters are absolutely an amazing group of guys, and I have the best volunteers in Whatcom County … I couldn’t do it without both the donations that pay for it and the people that helped me put it together,” says Tobian. The best thanks we can give to her for her years of service is to keep the Thanksgiving Basket program going strong, so visit blainecap.org to find ways to donate and volunteer. The CAP Center, 508 G St., Blaine, 360.392.8484, blainecap.org 

Sponsored Content

Life

Marysville: Your Holiday Season Destination

OOKING FOR THE perfect destination to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year? You’ll find it in Marysville, where an array of festive events and special places await your arrival. Convenience is key, and Marysville delivers. With easy access from I-5 and a range of nearby hotel choices, it’s a breeze to plan your holiday getaway.

Your Festive Event Venue The historic Marysville Opera House stands as a testament to the town’s rich history and provides an enchanting backdrop for holiday festivities. Listed on the historic register, this turn-of-thecentury two-story architectural gem offers a magnificent ballroom, charming mezzanine, picturesque balcony and a separate getready cottage. Its simple, classic elegance makes the Marysville Opera House an ideal choice to rent for holidays, weddings and other special events, theatrical and musical performances, and private community gatherings. For rental information, visit www.marysvillewa.gov/OperaHouseRental.

Your Charming Community Celebration A highlight of the season is Merrysville for the Holidays, taking place on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 4 to 9 p.m. Comeford Park in transformed into a winter wonderland of holiday cheer where families can enjoy free activities for kids, witness the magic of snow and even meet baby reindeer. The crown jewel of the evening is the Electric Lights Parade at 6:30 p.m. You’ll be dazzled by a procession of vehicles, floats and walking groups adorned with their finest holiday lights. The event

culminates with Santa arriving by fire truck, a tree-lighting ceremony, photo ops and live music. More information: www. marysvillewa.gov/MerrysvilleHolidays That’s not all! Mark your calendar for other exciting events including a Pearl Django performance on Friday, Nov. 17, An Elvis Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 10, and the Marysville Annual Wedding Show on Saturday, Jan. 6.

Your Holiday Gift Hot Spot What’s on your shopping list? There’s a good chance you’ll find it in Marysville. In the historic downtown area on 3rd Street, explore charming shops with vintage treasures and specially curated gifts. While you’re there, stop in for a tasty treat, savory bite or seasonal craft brew. Marysville is home to a variety of specialty shops. Treat yourself to a fancy tea, award-winning barbecue, a delectable dessert—or all three! Major national retailers are located in north Marysville’s Lakewood neighborhood, and Seattle Premium Outlets is just across the freeway. This holiday season, make Marysville your go-to destination for unforgettable festivities, warm holiday memories and a shopping experience that meets all your gift-giving desires. Marysville has everything you need to create a cherished experience that will last a lifetime. Visit marysvillewa.gov for everything you need to plan your winter getaway!  November/December 2023 29

Life Since Time Immemorial

Since Time Immemorial Sul ka dub Freddie Lane WRITTEN BY JULIE TRIMINGHAM | PHOTO BY COCOA LANEY

INCE TIME IMMEMORIAL is a recurring series featuring community members whose families have been here since time immemorial. The ancestral knowledge carried by Lhaq’temish, Nooksack, and other Coast Salish peoples is knowledge about how to live in our shared home in a good, life-sustaining way. We live in a time when we need to restore our relationship with Mother Earth and with one another. We are grateful for these stories, told in the words of each featured individual. Sul ka dub Freddie Lane is an enrolled member of Lummi Nation. He organizes the annual Gathering of the Eagles canoe journey throughout the San Juan Islands each May long weekend. A speaker, activist, and event organizer, Freddie is also part of the totem pole journeys undertaken by House of Tears carvers.

How do you like to introduce yourself? Most people know me as Freddie Lane. My Indian name is Sul ka dub, I got it in January 1999. My Indian name comes from Upper Skagit on my mom’s side. My mom’s mom was full blooded, Upper Skagit. My grandpa Felix was Lummi. Theirs was an arranged marriage. Sul ka dub was my grandma Dora Williams’s uncle. And so that’s where my name comes from. It doesn’t have any particular meaning. It’s like, Julie, it’s like Fred, it doesn’t really translate. It’s a name. And so a lot of our Indian names, you know, they’ve been passed down for thousands of years, just like our stories.

You’ve been a journalist, the editor of the Squol Quol, you’ve organized Stommish and Canoe Journeys, you’ve worked to get out the Native vote, you’ve sat on tribal council, you’ve been a photographer and a filmmaker. Do you see a thread that ties all these together? I love being part of a campaign. I love strategy. It doesn’t have to be an actual war, but there’s a fight. There are things we need to protect. Sacred sites, clean air, clean water, all our relations. Qwe’lhol’mechen (killer whales), salmon, we need to be a voice for those who can’t speak. How can you win a battle that, you know, is against governments or big corporations? It’s through the public sphere. It’s through sharing stories to get the people aware, and protecting what they love.

Where do you think that comes from, that drive? You know, there’s a picture of me, over there on the wall. In it, I’m wearing red paint. Some people really don’t like it. My partner Diron asked me what I thought of the picture. I said, I love it. It’s me on the front lines. As a two-spirited, you know, that was traditionally our work, what we were chosen to do and raised up to do. Twospirits had no husband or wife, no children, so it was their sacred duty to stand in front of the warriors, to be ready to sacrifice. I don’t have children. I feel like my place is on the front lines. 30

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So, it sounds like campaigns are where the warrior and the storyteller in you meet. What’s the most recent campaign? I’ve been traveling with Se Sealth Jewell James and Sit ki Kadem Doug James and House of Tears carvers on totem pole journeys for years now. The journeys are about bringing peace and healing and awareness. We did one for Lolita the killer whale, we did one to protect Xwe’chi’eXen (Cherry Point), we did one to free the Snake River from the dams that are killing our salmon and starving our orca relatives. This last one was for Leonard Peltier, who’s been in prison since 1977 even though he was eligible for parole in 1993. He fought against racism and police brutality, and then was convicted of murder in a trial that was pretty controversial, pretty suspect. Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama have all called for his clemency.

This past September a large, peaceful rally was held in front of the White House to ask President Biden to finally grant clemency to Peltier. You were there with the totem pole. What was it like? Since 2021, these journeys have felt more spiritual than anything. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like seeing a bumper sticker that says, “Good Happens.” Like with this journey, we struggled with funding, but the Spirit always provided. Somebody always took care of us. Every place that we stopped, people took care of us. We journeyed all the way to Washington, D.C. to be part of the demonstration, we had the totem on a trailer, and there was no place to park it. Things weren’t working out. We were trying to get to the White House for the action, I happened to make a mistake and I forgot to tell Doug where to take the exit. We didn’t take the exit, we didn’t know where we were or where we were going and then all of a sudden the President’s motorcade went by right in front of us. So we were honking at the President saying, “Hi, look at our totem pole.”

Is there a teaching or a saying that you hold close to your heart, that gets you through? I have a pin that says, “Question Authority.” I believe that. Somebody always has to question the King. Make sure that ego and power are not getting in the way of the good. And this: Walk knowing that all your ancestors are behind you. Every one of us has ancestors. Know who you are, where you come from, know your family, know your heritage, where your name comes from. My name is Sul ka dub. Like all my Lhaq’temish relations, I’m Che Shesh Whe Wheleq, a survivor of the great flood. One last thing. Always speak with dignity, joy, and purpose. Hy’shqe, Sul ka dub.

Life

Community

Focus on Northwest Art Art’s Alive! in La Conner WRITTEN BY JESSAMYN TUTTLE PHOTOS COURTESY OF LA CONNER ARTS FOUNDATION

HE SMALL TOWN of La Conner has been a center for the arts for many years, with its surprising number of galleries and museums. Every November it becomes even more so, when Art’s Alive! makes the town an even greater hotbed of art than usual. An annual, volunteer-run invitational art show in downtown La Conner, Art’s Alive! demonstrates the passion and involvement that the town can produce. Spotlighting a different group of Pacific Northwest artists each year, the show brings visitors from all over. Founded in 1985, Art’s Alive! was created by a group of La Conner residents as a way to promote both local art and local business, as well as to liven up the town’s slow season. For many years the show involved art pop-ups all over town, hosted by businesses or various organizations, but those have dwindled in favor of the main show. Since 2020, Art’s Alive! has been presented by the non-profit La Conner Arts Foundation, whose motto is “Good Deeds Through the Arts.” They award scholarships to aspiring visual artists, help fund education in the performing arts, and promote public artworks. Each piece sold at Art’s Alive! contributes directly to scholarships. 32

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The show, which is still put on almost entirely by volunteers and is funded by grants and the City of La Conner, is now held at Maple Hall at the south end of downtown La Conner. Invited artists are featured in the downstairs hall, with a juried open art exhibit upstairs. Doors open at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, letting people view the art before the evening gala from 5–8 p.m. Opening night is always well attended and the work sells quickly. The show continues on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Monday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission is free. The show includes visual art of all kinds. This year’s featured artist is Craig J. Barber, a Skagit based photographer and author. His project over the last few years has been to document the farms and farm workers of Skagit Valley in all seasons, combining photos and oral histories to create a picture of the vast amount of effort that goes into growing food, and the lives of the people who grow it. The photographs he has taken

for this project are part of this year’s Art’s Alive! exhibition, giving it its theme, “Northwest Focus.” Other invitational artists for this year’s show include Dennis Allen, a Skokomish Elder and Master Carver, Joan Enslin, an abstract painter from Camano Island, Deborah Henderson, a pastel artist from Olympia, Kristen Ingman, a Bellingham landscape painter, Janie Olsen, who creates magical animal portraits, Teresa Smith, who paints abstract landscapes, impressionistic painter Christine Troyer, watercolorist Peggy Woods, Liz Moncrief, a national award-winning handweaver, and textile and mixed media artist Terri Shinn of Snohomish. After taking in the invitational exhibit, don’t forget to go upstairs to see the open juried exhibit, which features more than 50 other artists. Work can also be viewed on the Art’s Alive! website in advance of the show. 104 Commercial St., La Conner, 360.466.4524, artsalivelaconner.com 

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

MARKETING & ADVERTISING Jennifer Irwin, Swell Media Solutions

I founded Swell Media Solutions in 2018 in an effort to help businesses navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. Since then, I’ve worked to assemble a highlytrained team of professionals who work closely with our business partners to develop marketing strategies that elevate brand awareness and increase brand loyalty. Our team specializes in multi-media marketing solutions that include: digital advertising, graphic and website design, copywriting, social media management, reputation management, video production & editing, and media buys and placement. We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to support our clients and their businesses; their success is our success.

info@swellmediasolutions.com November/December 2023 33

Life

5 Faves

Festival of Trees The Skagit Regional Health Foundation hosts this annual festival that goes to support their life-saving medical programs. Families can attend Santa breakfasts, grown-ups can dress to the nines to attend the Gala and Auction, and you can bid on their decorated mini-trees in Downtown Mount Vernon. St. Joseph Center, 215 N. 15th St., Mount Vernon, skagitregionalhealth.org/foundation

FIVE FAVES

5 Fave Ways to Give Back WRITTEN BY KRISTEN BOEHM PHOTO COURTESY OF SKAGIT REGIONAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

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Giving Tree Village Books’ Giving Tree program, which happens now in both Lynden and Fairhaven, distributes hundreds of books to kids through various organizations. Walk into Village Books, take an angel off the tree, and purchase books at a 20% discount that go to local kids. Multiple locations,

Best Artist Ben Mann Studio Gallery Go Out On a Limb this Year! Artwork is the gift Yule love giving ~ pop by during my Holiday Weekends in November and December, Hours 11-4. 1000 Harris Avenue, two flights up, studio 18.

www.ben-mann.com or call (360)920-4022

villagebooks.com

Holiday Giving Store Now in its 20th year, Ferndale’s Holiday Giving Store is set up so that qualifying families can shop for gifts for their kids, but no money is exchanged! There are both donation and volunteer opportunities here, so you can give back however best works for you. Ferndale, 360.380.2200, ferndalecs.org

Jingle Bell Run If you want to get active and give back at the same time, find your local Jingle Bell Run! These annual events support the Arthritis Foundation, and are festive 5K runs for anyone who’d like to participate. There are runs in both Whatcom and Skagit counties! Multiple locations, info.arthritis.org

Volunteering with the Whatcom Opportunity Council There are year-round chances to help out with the Whatcom Opportunity Council! Volunteer at Maple Alley Inn to help provide hot meals made with fresh ingredients to all community members. With their Volunteer Chore Program, you can help clients with chores like dog walking or grocery shopping. Find more online! 800.649.5121, oppco.org

November/December 2023 35

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Savvy Shopper

Shelley’s Shack

38 November/December 2023 37

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Savvy Shopper

Not Just a Boutique, a Destination Shelley’s Shack WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY TINA KIES

The Shop Located on State Street in the heart of downtown SedroWoolley lives Shelley’s Shack, a charming boutique shop that happens to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It is, without question, a one-stop shop destination with everything from vintage and trendy apparel and antique furnishings to baby gifts and locally crafted artisan goods. The unique shopping opportunity is magnified by the recent addition of a full-service café, which adds a comforting sensory retreat with the scents of fresh coffee and sweet pastries filling the air. Shelley’s Shack really is a shopper’s dream come true: incredible one-of-a-kind clothing, gifts, and accessories coupled with a built-in shot of caffeine– or glass of wine or beer if that’s more your speed.

The Atmosphere As you walk through the glass entryway, you’re immediately welcomed by the sounds of two adorable little birds, the faint calming sounds from a splashing indoor water feature, and, on the day of my visit, upbeat ‘80s music throughout the remainder of the quaint space. Everywhere you look, there are signs of the outdoors, from the street lamppost refurbished for ambient lighting, to draping foliage hanging from above, 38

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to the outdoor garden lights strewn across the shop’s ceiling. A surprising doorway leads you to an adjacent Garage Café, which boasts an inviting outdoor sitting area visible through the shop’s windows. The space almost transports your mind somewhere else: think classic antique and high-end boutique shopping meets the comforts of hometown hospitality and (dare I say) French country vibes.

Key People Owner Shelley Perry is as delightful as her shop, and her presence adds to the hometown, welcoming feel of Shelley’s Shack. Bouncing between the shop and café on the day of my visit, it was clear to me that she takes great pride in what she has created and is an owner that rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done. Her niece, Elizabeth, who helps manage the day-to-day of the shop, is also a seasoned make-up artist with her salon situated under the same roof in the back of the boutique space. Here, she offers makeovers for special occasions and most recently, permanent make-up services.

What You’ll Find Shelley’s Shack is my new favorite shopping destination, not just because it’s open on Sundays when the rest of the town’s businesses are not, but because it literally offers everything you need in a gift store with seasonal finds, a retail outlet, a cosmetics department, and a dining option. It’s also a fun venue option for hosting a private “sip and shop” party, which they’ve occasionally been known to do, or just a fun afternoon outing with friends. But my favorite thing about Shelley’s Shack was the local artisan finds that celebrate its talented neighbors, including a Bunnies by the Bay collection out of Anacortes, Solace Body butters, and Woolley Wicks candles, both hand-crafted in Sedro-Woolley. 225 E. State St., Sedro-Woolley, 360.391.9000, facebook.com/shelleysshack  November/December 2023 39

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Necessities

1 4

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35 LUXURY ROOMS

MEETING ROOM

SHOPPING & DINING

COMFORT & JOY

Must-Have Holiday Glam WRITTEN BY KRISTEN BOEHM

H O L I D A Y

HE HOLIDAY PARTY season is upon us. You’ve got places to be, gifts to give, and champagne to drink! While you’re busy hustling from soiree to soiree, you’ll need an outfit that can keep up with you. We’ve put together a classy, festive ensemble that will be just as good at keeping you warm as it will be at lighting up a room. 

S P E C I A L

This Holiday Season, Give an Experience! Purchase a $200 gift card toward an overnight stay and receive $50 to spend in any of the four unique shops that share our historic building.

Reversible Sherpa Coat

Gold Michael Kors Crossbody Bag

Sequin Bell Sleeve Mini Dress

Showstopper Earrings

Eleventh St GOODS, $74 1143 11th St., Bellingham eleventhstgoods.com

The Clothes Rack, $50 2426 Yew St., Bellingham 360.738.7759 the-clothes-rack.myresaleweb.com

www.innatlynden.com

100 5th Street, Lynden, Washington

360/746-8597

You’re a man of few words.

Nordstrom, $99 nordstrom.com

Adored, $34 913 Harris Ave., Bellingham shopadoredboutique.com

SEVEN YEARS IN A ROW–THANKS FOR VOTING FOR US! Gold Betsey Johnson Bootie Zappos, $119 zappos.com

1730 LaBounty Drive in Ferndale (360) 384-2803 borthwickjewelry.com Exit 262 on I-5, in the Grocery Outlet plaza

November/December 2023 41

Style

Local Find

Passionate About Wool Skagit Woolen Works WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JESSAMYN TUTTLE

S LIFELONG FIBER

enthusiasts, Jessica Schwab and Anna Hosick-Kalahan had thought about starting a business together since they first met at a fiber mill in Bellingham. They knew there was demand for more local wool processing, and when an industrial carding machine (used for combing out wool) in Ferndale became available for sale they knew their chance had come. A 1922 carder that spent most of its life in the Willamette Valley, it was an amazing opportunity. “It’s huge, it’s historic,” says Hosick-Kalahan. They were thrilled that not only would they get to work with wool, but with this particular machine. It is now named Rosie (after Rosie the Riveter) and has pride of place in Jess and Anna’s new business, Skagit Woolen Works in Mount Vernon, Washington. Skagit Woolen Works processes fleeces from both individual customers and larger farms. Much of the cleaned and picked wool goes through the carder to become roving for home spinners, and they collaborate with other mills and spinners to make yarn, 42

BellinghamAlive.com

including different weights and textures suitable for creating items like hats, sweaters, scarves, shawls, and blankets. Wool that isn’t suited for roving or yarn is used in creating items like woolstuffed pillows or dryer balls, and they have a needle felter to make batting for quilts and duvets. “Wool has so many great applications,” says Hosick-Kalahan. They are actively seeking out ways to use wool that might not be suited for clothing or textiles. Merino sheep don’t necessarily do well in this area, but plenty of people are raising dairy and meat sheep and they all need to be sheared. “That wool has to go somewhere,” says Schwab. In addition, having yarn made is a slow turnaround for sheep farmers, who can wait as much as two years to get back a sellable product, so Skagit Woolen Works looks for uses for wool that can be done quickly and locally. One of their more unusual side products is wool pellets, where scrap wool that would otherwise get thrown out is pressed into small pellets like alfalfa and used as a soil amendment in gardening.

“One of our goals is to put no wool in the garbage at all,” says Hosick-Kalahan. They are delighted to be working in the Skagit Valley, partly because it’s convenient for where they both live, but also because people here are so receptive to what they’re doing. “Both of us are super passionate about wool,” says Hosick-Kalahan, “and this area is chock full of people passionate about wool and natural fibers.” They have loved collaborating with other local mills as well as building relationships with farmers and fiber artists throughout the region. They offer classes at the mill, focusing on fiber processing at home, spinning, and knitting, including a recent collaboration with Cloud Mountain Farm on preparing fleeces. While they have a few items for sale at Wildfibers in downtown Mount Vernon and Northwest Yarns in Bellingham, their products (as well as class registration) are primarily available through their website. Mount Vernon, 360.200.8835, skagitwoolenworks.com 

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

DENTAL CARE Ferndale Family Dental 360.384.3440 ferndalefamilydental.com

Working together and serving others is our passion. We just so happen to do it through dentistry. At the heart of Ferndale Family Dental is the mission to deliver total health dentistry: care based on prevention and whole-body health and wellness. We believe that optimal health is best achieved by partnering with our patients to determine the best preventive, therapeutic, and esthetic treatment options available. Our approach to dentistry is not a “one size fits all.” A smile is as unique as the person who wears it. It’s not just about a smile; it’s about your smile…for life! Come join our family and let us be your dental home today!

Style

Local Find

Gifts Delivered from the Salish Coast Madrona Gifts WRITTEN BY JESSAMYN TUTTLE | PHOTOS COURTESY MADRONA GIFTS

Tbd

F YOU’VE EVER wanted to send a gift basket to a friend

or family member, but didn’t want to go through an impersonal internet business, Madrona Gifts is a perfect solution. Run by Kirsten Lutes, the online shop’s goal is to support local businesses from Whatcom County and the Salish Coast while remaining environmentally responsible. “I’d always wanted to start a business of some kind,” says Lutes. “I was excited about accessing all the great local products that I was already familiar with through local arts and farmers markets. It just took off because it kind of had a life of its own.” Lutes goes on to share that the increase in online shopping during the pandemic initially concerned her, but ultimately inspired her with the idea for her online business, Madrona Gifts. “I have a really hard time with e-commerce, which is kind of ironic considering my business is e-commerce, but I wanted to offer a way to do it differently. A way to buy online but in the process to support your local community. You’re not just buying from these international conglomerates from who knows where across the globe, you’re making purchases that actually have some kind of impact on your local community. That was important to me.” Lutes has always valued shopping locally. “I love the idea of community commerce,” she says. “I’ve always done that for gifting anyway, and would just pull together my own gifts from things that I’d gotten at markets or crafts fairs. I started to realize that this would be a really good service potentially for other people, and would support the makers and crafters in our community.” Lutes wants to sell items that spread joy to other people. “We all need gifts to extend well wishes, greetings, and gratitude,” she says. “This was something I felt good about offering as an online business.” 44

BellinghamAlive.com

Finding goods to sell was the fun part, as Lutes researched local makers and artisans. “Our region is rich in a culture of crafting and creativity. I couldn’t stop finding all these great makers and all their great products,” she says. She offers edible goodies like chocolate from Chocolate Necessities, local honey, coffee from Maniac Coffee Roasters, and smoked salmon from Lummi Island Wild, as well as botanical and aromatherapy products, soaps from MW Soapworks and Samish Bay Soaps, soy candles, and hand-printed tea towels. Customers can create their own gift packages with the Build-aBox option, or buy various themed curated gift baskets (packaged in hemlock boxes for local delivery). One of her most popular options is the Whatcom Select gift basket, an all-edible assortment of goods entirely from Whatcom County, with the Home Sweet Home gift a close second. Lutes’ personal favorite collections are the Happy Glamper and Outdoorsy, which include items designed to get people outdoors, like enamel mugs, beanies, or citronella soap. There are also collections for new babies with onesies and toys, and a Pampered Pup gift with a hemp toy and a dog bandana. Curated packages can be personalized with additions from the Build-a-Box section, plus there are some options like choosing drip or whole bean coffee, or swapping out different chocolate bar flavors. Madrona Gifts ships nationwide, with free shipping for purchases over $79, but in the interest of avoiding extra packaging and waste, they also offer free delivery within central Bellingham. Gifts can be picked up directly from Madrona Gifts’ studio as well. 112 Ohio St., Ste. 117, Bellingham, 360.746.4764, madronagifts.com 

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

TRADITIONAL BARBER SHOP Wally’s Barber Shop 314 E. Holly St. #100 Bellingham, 360.647.0807

A Blast from the Best. Wally’s is an old school Barber Shop that has been around for over 24 years. We take pride in caring for our clients and making sure that they get the haircut they want. We do everything from straight razor shaves to children’s haircuts and everything in between. We have an excellent team that has many years of experience and cares about the way you look. We are a local, family-owned business where you will always get friendly, personal service. Renate, Deanna and their team, always do their best to make sure that you leave happy and have a smile on your face! Stop by and see us soon! Thank you for voting for us!

Discover. Connect. Collect.

465 W. Stuart Rd. Bellingham, WA info@cordatagallery.com | 360-746-8745

AL C O L P SHO EASON THIS S Red Barn Holiday Market Northwest Washington Fair Grounds Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 - 6PM to 9PM Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 - 10AM to 4PM

Don’t miss the 2023 Red Barn Holiday Market featuring A combination of home decor, vintage, craft, boutique clothing, kids and baby items and other amazing treasures. Follow us on Facebook,

/RedBarnMarketEvents

redbarnmarketevents.com instagram.com/redbarnmarketevents

Special Advertising Section

Holiday Shopping Guide 2023 November/December 2023 47

Special Advertising Section

Apse Jewelry Studio & Showroom Downtown Bellingham’s coolest jewelry spot with a colorful selection of rings, chains, and hoops. We handcraft all our jewelry in-studio using genuine precious metals and gemstones and design with a genderless focus.

Peak Hydration Rejuvenate, rehydrate and refuel this season for yourself and your loved ones with IV Nutrient Therapy, Wellness Shots, Botox, Weight Loss, & Dietician Services. #wehaveabagforthat 1216 Bay St., Bellingham 360.526.2125, peakhydrationlounge.com

1153 N. State St., Bellingham apse.us

Whatcom Art Market Received the Gold Award for best art gallery 2022! Located in the Historic Fairhaven District, creations by local artists of both functional, fine art collectibles and gifts from jewelry, art glass, wood, soft sculpture, painting, photography, textiles and much more. Gift cards sold too. Visit and be delighted! 1103 11th St., Bellingham 360.738.8564, whatcomArtMarket.org

Northwest Yarns & Mercantile

Simply Illuminating Co.

Skagit’s Own Fish Market

Located in beautiful downtown Bellingham’s Arts District, Northwest Yarns & Mercantile is the place to find all your fiber arts crafting supplies, kits, and gifts. Pop in to visit, or shop online!

Simply Illuminating Co. offers locally created natural wax candles, wax melts, and luxury body products. Our customizable options fulfill all of your holiday gifting needs.

We are a full service fish market striving to bring the freshest seafood to your table. We also have a large selection of artisan grocery items for the “foodie” on your Christmas list. Skagit’s Own Fish Market has a great lunch menu served daily with all fresh ingredients.

360.738.0167, nwyarns.com

BellinghamAlive.com

simply-illuminating.com

18042 Hwy. 20, Burlington 360.707.2722, skagitfish.com

Special Advertising Section

Fairhaven Runners & Walkers

Bella Rose Bath & Beauty Boutique

Northwest Fine Furnishing

We’re a friendly store for walkers, runners, travelers and people who just want their feet to feel happier. We carry shoes, socks, watches, apparel and more!

Bella Rose Boutique offers beautifully designed gifts such as candles, bath bombs, shower steamers, lotions, and more. We also offer gift boxes and shipping. Visit us at our storefront in Fairhaven or shop online.

Looking for a bedroom set, new chair, table, or fun wooden crafts, Northwest Fine Furnishing has it all. High-quality furniture from Whittier Wood, Stylus Sofas, and Cal Lighting. Stop in their showroom today.

1134 10th St., Bellingham 360.746.8163, luvbellarose.com

1919 Riverside Dr, Mount Vernon 360.424.8455, nwff.com

Hamann’s Gallery

Trove Cannabis

BeeBars, lotions & lip butters by Honey House Naturals protect skin with Shea Butter and vitamin rich oils. Made in Washington, for both men and women. Available at Hamann’s Gallery & Gift in Barkley Village.

Socks and sweaters are great and all, but what if you tried something new this year? Give the gift of tasty cannabis treats and enjoy these precious last moments of 2022! Order online for in-store pick-up. Open daily from 8am–11:45pm.

Chuckanut Bay Distillery

360.733.8898

218 N. Samish Way, Bellingham trovecannabis.com

1209 11th St., Bellingham 360.676.4955, fairhavenrunners.com

Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Cannabis products may be purchased or possessed only by persons twenty-one years of age or older.

Chuckanut Bay Distillery is a one stop shop for those shopping for a spirits aficionado. Local ingredients go into everything we make, including our Krampus Herbal Liqueur which is guaranteed to liven up any holiday party. 1311 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham 360.738.7179, chuckanutbaydistillery.com

November/December 2023 49

HAPPY HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS HAPPY From Sedro-Woolley

For more about our Holiday Events and to enter our holiday give away for a FREE Woolley Bucks Card (value $50), to shop at participating retailers go to sedro-woolley.com

E & E Lumber & Home Center 201 W State St , Sedro-Woolley eelumber.com, 360.856.0825

GARDEN & HOME 360-395-8003

Shelley’s Shack 225 E State St , Sedro-Woolley facebook.com/shelleysshack, 360.391.9000

Wildtees by D & Willows and Thyme 200 Ferry St., Sedro-Woolley Willowsandthyme.com, 360.395.8003 50

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Magnolia Comfort Food 208 Ferry Street , Sedro-Woolley facebook.com/greatcomfortfood, 360.873.8938

Photo Andy Porter Photography Photo byby Andy Porter Photography

The Local Shop on Woodworth 102 Woodworth St., Sedro-Woolley instagram.com/thelocalshop, 360.303.3412

Cascade Fabrics 824 Metcalf Street , Sedro-Woolley cascadefabrics.com, 360.855.0323

Eagle Haven Winery Eagle Haven Winery 8233 Sims Rd., Sedro-Woolley 8233 Sims Rd., Sedro-Woolley eaglehavenwinery.com eaglehavenwinery.com 360.856.6248 360.856.6248

Holiday Events Old Fashion Christmas

December 2, 2023 1-6 pm Think back to a good old fashion Christmas, homemade ornaments, popcorn strings, family gatherings & gingerbread happiness! • • • • • • • •

Hay Rides Hot Cocoa Petting Zoo Tree Lighting and Parade 5 pm Visit with Santa, 12/02, & 12/09 Beta Sigma Phi - Santa Breakfast 12/09 Cookies and Crafts at the Sedro-Woolley Museum 12/9 Santa Breakfast, (Kids eat free) 12/09

Shop Local

BigFoot Café 829 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley bigfoots-den.com, 844.888.0555

Sedro-Woolley Flowers 707 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley sedrowoolleyflowers.com, 360.856.0825

Ferry St Antique Mall 100 Ferry St. , Sedro-Woolley facebook.com/ferrymall/photos/ 360.588.4315

Lorenzo’s Mexican Restaurant 221 Central Ave. , Sedro-Woolley lorenzosmexicanrestaurant.com, 360.856.6810

Bonnie Jo’s Cafe 818 Metcalf St. , Sedro-Woolley facebook.com/p/Bonnie-Jos, 360.855.9220

Hwy. 20 HomeTown Pharmacy & Gift Shop 640 State Rte-20 A , Sedro-Woolley hwy20pharmacy.com, 360.503.1676

Wildtees by d 200 Ferry St., Sedro-Woolley wild-tees-by-d.ueniweb.com, 360.395.8003

November/December 2023 51

Special Advertising Section

Boldly Grown Farm

Mystical Wares

Pacific Arts Market

Visit our year-round farm stand for an assortment of local goodies—honey, cheese, jam, cookies, salami, dried fruit, nuts, juice, ferments, smoked salmon, shrubs, pasta, salt, chocolate, hot sauces, chile flakes from our very own peppers— the list goes on. Or, perhaps a BGF shirt, hat or gift certificate? We’ve got all the perfect treats for a local holiday season!

Mystical Wares carries a large selection of Crystals, Polished Rocks, Jewelry, Clothing, Books, Gifts & More! Come raise your vibe at Mystical Wares and visit our online store.

Shop local this holiday season at Pacific Arts Market. A holiday staple in Bellingham for over 27 years, we offer carefully curated handmade goods from local artists. Open the first 3 weekends of December, Fri-Sun 10-6. This year, we’re located at Bellis Fair Mall near the Food Court, outside entrance. Come meet the artists in their element!

D17869 State Route 536, Mount Vernon 844.888.0555, mysticalwares.com

8855 Ershig Rd., Bow 360.330.4516

pacificartsmarket.com

Marie’s Bees

Holistic Homestead

Indulge in our raw, local honey, sustainably produced. We deliver weekly and ship daily. Follow @mariesbeeswa for updates. 100% woman-owned.

Happy Holidays from The Holistic Homestead!! Christmas trees are available for U-Cut/Pre-Cut. Open Thanksgiving week until Christmas!! Special deal: 6’–12’ Douglas Fir for $60 each. Under 6’ is $10/ft. No-Spray trees!! Open 8:00am ‘til dark.

Marisa Papetti 360.224.2387, mariesbees.com

Only 12 miles from Bellingham. 1/4mi past Nugents Corner on the left. 5709 Putnam Rd., Everson Call or text 360.303.3711

BellinghamAlive.com

Kyoto’s Steakhouse & Sushi Bar We specialize in celebrating life here at Kyoto’s! Through the holiday season, bring your family and closest friends in for exquisite fresh sushi and a Hibachi show. Purchase gift cards for those most important in your life this giving season or just to give mom a break from cooking! We look forward to celebrating with you. 115 N Samish Way, Bellingham 360.756.0058, call for reservations kyotobellingham.com

Special Advertising Section

Holly’s Meat Pies

Van Vino Vineyards

Holly’s Meat Pies helps you wrap up a delicious holiday gift with hearty farmto-table meals. Holly’s Frozen Cornish Pasties are the perfect ready-to-reheat meals with a variety of flavors for every taste. We offer meat, veggie, and vegan options filled with locally sourced and sustainably grown ingredients. Gift cards available!

Treat the oenophile in your life to Blaine’s award-winning wines this holiday season! We have gift certificates available for wine purchase or a family tasting to visit the vineyards together where you can sip, nibble, and unwind. 9029 Marksworth Rd., Blaine 360.920.1656, vanvinovineyard.com

Neeter House of Luxury “I personally invite you to share in the experience of shopping with us. We hope that the relationship built will last for generations to come.” —John Neeter 21 Bellwether Way, Bellingham 360.778.1613, neeterhouseofluxury.com

4073 Hannegan Road, Suite J, Bellingham 360.966.2400, hollysmeatpies.com

The Nutcracker Holiday Gift Show Join us for this Festive Event featuring gifts by 60 local artists, crafters and specialty food makers! Open Thursday thru Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 9am-3pm Free Admission Your non-perishable food donation for Helping Hands Food Bank would be gratefully accepted. Depot Arts Center 611 R Ave., Anacortes facebook.com/NutcrackerHolidayGiftShow nutcrackerholidaygiftshow.com

USTA Martial Arts What is more valuable than confidence? Learn the art of self-defense with us at USTA Martial Arts in Blaine and gain the gift of confidence. With skills to last a lifetime, there is no better time than now to invest in your safety, your health, and your strength. Classes open to ages 4-99. 1733 H St., Ste. 330, Blaine 360.685.USTA (8782) facebook.com/USTAMartialArtsBlaine

North Bellingham Golf Course From golf gear, to scrumptious dining at the 9 Restaurant, to our 18-hole course, North Bellingham Golf Course has everything you need to treat the FOREmost people in your life! Come shop our extensive wine collection or get the new 10-degree driver, golf gloves or a wine dinner reservation this season! Call 360.398.8300 for tee times/reservations or visit us at northbellinghamgolf.com

November/December 2023 53

Special Advertising Section

Bow Wow Woofs Our best friends are built for play! This holiday season, Bow Wow & Woofs has everything you need to spoil your furry family members. Conveniently located in Birch Bay Square just before Canada, we have you covered with an assortment of fluffy toys, healthy chew treats, sweaters, and more... Shop with us for all your gift needs.

Still Life Massage and Float Give your loved ones the ultimate gift of stillness. Float Therapy is deeply relaxing, pain relieving, and truly restful. The nothingness of Floating is everything and more. 19 Bellwether Way, #101, Bellingham 360.647.2805, stilllifemassage.com

Exit 270 off Interstate 5 360.332.3647 bowwowwoofs.com

GLM Wine Co. Shop LOCAL this holiday season and give the gift of meticulously crafted wine made in Blaine’s very own garage winery! Making wine since 2002, GLM has earned numerous awards for their vintages and would love to pour you a taste before you buy! Also offering Gift Certificates, this is the place to check off a gift for the wine-lover in your life. Open Sat-Sun. 1678 Boblett Street, Blaine 360.332.2097 glmwine.com

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Bellingham Alive!

Binyon Vision Center

Ink + Wool

Treat your family, friends or neighbor to a subscription to Bellingham Alive, a gift that lasts all year long. Our Holiday Special is happening now! Buy one subscription, get one free. Valid Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023. New subscriptions only. Use code BOGO23 at checkout, or call the number below.

Spoil your bespectacled loved ones with a gift certificate to Binyon Vision Center! May be used towards our amazing collection of prescription glasses and sunglasses, non-prescription sunglasses, unique reading glasses, and computer blue light-blocking glasses. Experience the personal attention of our trained opticians- you will never look so good or see so well!

Discover joyous holiday shopping at our store! Find unique gifts, festive decorations, and warm smiles from our friendly staff. Create cherished memories this season with us. Artisan wear & handcrafted gifts for everyone.

BellinghamAlive.com | 360.483.4576

BellinghamAlive.com

360.647.2020, binyonvision.com

717 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.217.9222, inkandwool.com

Special Advertising Section

SAAL Brewing Co.

Quinn & Foster

Welcome Road Winery

SAAL Brewing or Stanwood Artisan Ale and Lager is a small craft brewery and restaurant located in Stanwood at the entrance to Camano Island. We offer a setting where family and friends can gather and enjoy our hand crafted food and bevarages.

Come see us in Fairhaven this holiday season to shop our hand selected collection of knitwear in luxe fabrics and stunning bold colors, a beautiful gift for yourself or the one you love. Gift cards available.

Women-owned Welcome Road Wine & Coffee is here to help you through the holiday season with soul-warming Herkimer coffee, award-winning Welcome Road wine (the perfect gift for you and yours) and a great place to relax between the holiday hustle. Join us for a festive open house on Sunday, Nov. 19, 10:00-2:00.

10209 270th ST, NW Stanwood 360.629.0121, facebook.com/saalbrewingco

1402 11th St., Bellingham 360.671.2000, quinnandfoster.com

300 West Champion, Bellingham welcomeroadwinery.com

Quaint Little Salon

Bella Soul Spa

Scott Milo Gallery

Quaint Little Salon specializes in color treatment and hair rejuvenation. Come by and get a gift certificate for the woman (or whomever!) in your life you want to pamper with the gift of beautiful, healthy hair this holiday season, and beyond. We are looking for talented people to join our team! Text or call Bryan for an interview:

Offers Massage Therapy, Facials, Microdermabrasion, Peels, Microcurrent, Infrared Wellness Cocoon, Ionic Foot Detox and more. Stop in and enjoy a complimentary herbal tonic and shop our boutique. Our amazing products and gift cards can be purchased online.

We offer custom picture framing services and art from regional artists. We change our gallery shows monthly, with an opening reception on the First Friday of every month. Check our website for details. Tues-Sat 11 - 5 pm.

5707 3rd Ave., Ferndale 360.224.3723, quaintlittlesalon.com

325 George Rd #106, Burlington 360.707.2300, bellasoulspa.com

420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 98221 360.293.6938, www.scottmilo.com

November/December 2023 55

Cà Phê Sông

In Good Spirit

Fran’s Hallmark

District Brewing

303 Pine Street 360.422.0190 caphesong.com

505 S. 1st Street 360.877.4748 ingoodspirit.org

221 S 1st Street 360.854.3330 franshallmark.com

520 S Main Street 360.873.6714 districtbrewco.com/mountvernon

WildFibers

LIDO Collective

Lincoln Theatre

706 S 1st Street 360.336.5202 wildfibers.net

517 S 1st Street 300A S 1st Street 360.503.3626 lidocollective.org

712 S 1st Street 360.419.7129 lincolntheatre.org

BellinghamAlive.com

Modern Country Living 223 S 1st Street 360.303.0490 buymcl.com

White Branches 100 E Montgomery, Ste. 210 360.848.1192 whitebranches.com

Mount Vernon

Holiday Events

Small Business Saturday and Shop Local Kickoff:

Saturday, Nov. 25

PAVÉ Jewelry and Design 721 S 1st Street 360.588.4383 pavejewelryanddesign.com

Skagit Valley Food Co-Op & Mercantile 202 S 1st Street 360.336.9777 skagitfoodcoop.com

Ladies Night Out Wine Walk: Saturday, Dec. 2, 6:00 - 8:30 pm

Hometown Holiday Parade:

The Festival of Trees Downtown Sunday, Dec.3, 5 pm Mini-Tree Stroll All November

(VIP attendees start at 5)

Pegasus Pie Co. 320 S 1st Street 360.766.1814 facebook.com/PegasusPies

Ristretto Coffee Lounge & Wine Bar 416 S 1st Street 360.336.0951 facebook.com/RistrettoCoffeeLounge

Skagit Running Company 724 S 1st Street 360.982.2934 facebook.com/skagitrunningcompany

Temperate Habits

MVDA

La Catrina Tacos & Tequila

500 S 1st Street 360.399.7740 temperatehabitsbrewing.com

223B South 1st Street 360.336.3801 mountvernondowntown.org

517 S 1st Street 360.336.5566 facebook.com/lacatrinatacostequilamv

November/December 2023 57

Holiday Dinner

RED

Written by Jenn Miranda, with wine pairings by Amberleigh Brownson

S WE STEP into another frosty Pacific Northwest winter, familiar holiday dishes are calling once again— encouraging us to gather together with loved ones and share food that lifts our spirits and warms our hearts. To show your holiday table some extra love this year, we bring you signature leftover-based recipes from main dish favorites that put a surprisingly delicious

Happy Holidays from everyone at K&L Media!

BellinghamAlive.com

twist on classic holiday tastes. Blending in locally sourced ingredients, our holiday recipe redo’s will breathe new life into traditional staples. Complete with helpful tips, clever tricks, and expert wine pairings from our in-house sommelier, we hope these recipes become a divine addition to your kitchen this season— Happy Holidays!

Look for this symbol for pairing options from our in-house Sommelier, Amberleigh Brownson.

November/December 2023 59

MAIN DISH o L

Roast Beef

O re ga n

P on

There’s no better time to source local than the holidays! For a great beef roast, Widnor Farms is worth checking out! Their stunning family operated farm out in Custer raises both red and black angus beef. Try their eye of round roast. For a fresh, tender cut I also love Addies Angus Ranch tenderloin roast. Mu

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When It’s done: Set your oven to 375° (Chef’s Tip: The rule of thumb is approximately 20 minutes per pound of beef for a medium finish.)

BellinghamAlive.com

Rare: 125° Medium Rare: 135° Medium: 145° Medium Well: 150° Well Done: 160°

RED

Roast Beef Stroganoff

INGREDIENTS 1 cup leftover roast beef, thinly sliced pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 sweet onion, sliced 3/4 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated or crushed 3 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Cracked black peppercorn to taste 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped 32 oz package beef bone broth 2 cups egg noodle

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and then add the onions and mushrooms. Cook for about three minutes until softened. When the onions and mushrooms are lightly browned, add the garlic, smoked paprika, and cracked pepper, plus the leftover beef and any juices. Cook over a low heat for a further three minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry. Finally, add the sour cream, butter, and heavy cream and heat gently until it just starts to bubble. Turn the heat off and sprinkle in the chopped parsley. Bring bone broth to a boil, add egg noodles and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for five minutes, then drain. Saute cooked noodles in a saute pan with stroganoff and cover. Simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

PAIR WITH: DYNASTY CELLARS IRRESPONSIBLE RED BLEND Balanced and approachable, this red is full of macerated cherries and peppercorn. It’s light enough to complement the cream and mushroom components, yet full-bodied enough to really showcase the roast beef.

November/December 2023 61

Photo by Cocoa Laney

PRE-HOLIDAY REPLENISH

In order to have a mouthwatering holiday feast and make the most of those tasty leftovers, it’s crucial to have all the essential herbs and spices at your fingertips. Here is my go-to list of on-hand ingredients to keep at the ready.

Amberleigh Brownson has been a local sommelier and international wine judge in Whatcom county for eight years. She is a four-time award winner from Wine Spectator for her wine program and wine pairing dinners, and has become an opinion leader in the Washington wine world, particularly in Whatcom County.

For locally sourced fresh herbs, head to Living Earth Herbs Apothecary. They sell fresh, organic herbs in bulk in their charming local shop. For spices, my personal favorite is The Spice Hut. Their selection can’t be beat, and chances are you may even find a last-minute holiday gift or two while you’re there.

ADDIES ANGUS RANCH: Addies Angus Ranch was established in 1998 and has been raising registered Black Angus beef since 2012. At the ranch, you’ll find individual, bulk, and custom cuts of grass-fed meat. Addies Angus has individual Prime Cuts of grass-fed Angus beef available, including Tenderloin, Prime Rib and New York Roast! Steaks and specialty cuts are available, ground burger patties. Addies is run by Nikki LewisLeSourd, who makes a point to passionately care for her 30 plus cows on her quiet country 30-acre plot in Mount Vernon.

SPICES:

Photo by Kelly Pearce

Allspice Star Anise Nutmeg Minced and powdered ginger Cloves Cardamom Dried oregano Crushed red chili pepper flakes Hickory liquid smoke Granulated garlic Cumin Chili powder Lemon pepper Peppercorns Bay leaf Smoked paprika Orange peel Rosemary Saffron Dill

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Photo by Robert Dudzik

FRESH HERBS: Parsley Thyme Basil Oregano Sage Thyme Mint

MEET OUR SOMMELIER Amberleigh Brownson

Photo by Kelly Pearce

RED Chipped Beef Street Tacos INGREDIENTS 2 cups chipped leftover roast beef 1 yellow onion, diced 2 limes, one quartered, one cut into small wedges

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup cotija cheese for sprinkling 1 package fresh locally made corn tortillas from Tortillas Con Madre

Coat pan with oil and fry chipped beef and onion until onions are translucent and meat is hot (squeeze the juice from one lime over meat as it is cooking.) Place meat over steamed tortillas, sprinkle cheese and cilantro on top, serve with lime wedges for garnish.

PAIR WITH: BAYERNMOOR CELLARS ALBARIÑO Yes, you can have white wine with dark meat! Try this adult juice as its stone fruit and zesty citrus will be the perfect accompaniment to these simply delicious holiday tacos.

Cranberry Pico De Gallo INGREDIENTS 3 large tomatoes, diced 1 cup finely shredded cabbage (I use a pre-shredded bag with carrots!) 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped without stems

1 bunch green onion, finely chopped 1/2 lemon 1 jalapeno 1/2 cup leftover whole cranberry sauce 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper

First, dice the tomatoes and place in a dish, add the salt and pepper, stir and let sit while you chop your remaining ingredients. Remove the rib and seeds from the jalapeno for a mild flavor. Add cabbage, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and cranberry sauce. Squeeze lemon juice over top and add salt and pepper to taste. Let stand refrigerated for 30 minutes, stir occasionally. Serve with warmed and salted tortilla chips.

PAIR WITH: GLM WINE CO. KOLK SHIRAZ ROSÉ Bright flavors of strawberry candy and limeade will pair exquisitely with the cilantro and jalapeno in this Pico and the bright acidity will harmonize with the cranberry.

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MAIN DISH Turkey

d Paprika oke Sm

ry ma Minced Rose

d Sage ince

Minced Thyme

For the best flavor, source fresh poultry from local farms like Hidden Meadow Ranch in Mount Vernon, Osprey Hill Farm in Acme, or Heritage Lane Farm in Lynden.

pe ep P ck Bla

th t h is o r th at

Season wi

Photo by Shawn Linehen

Onion powder

Turkeys from Osprey Hill Farm.

nd Salt

Mince

Dill

Gar

d Basil

lic powder

Red Chili Pepper Flakes

When It’s done: Set your oven to 325°, turn it up to 400° for the final 25 to 30 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 165°.

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Common cooking times:

10-18 pounds: 3-3½ hours, 3¾-4½ hours. 18-22 pounds: 3½-4 hours, 4½-5 hours. 22-24 pounds: 4-4½ hours, 5-5½ hours. 24-30 pounds: 4½-5 hours, 5½-6¼ hours.

Ga ed lat u an

r li c

RED Asian Turkey Dumplings

with Dipping Sauce

INGREDIENTS 2 cups cooked leftover turkey, chopped 1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped 1/4 cup Aloha brand soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 5 green onions (light green parts only), chopped

2 large eggs 1 (10-ounce) package white button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped Coarse salt All-purpose flour for baking sheet 2 (12-ounce) packages round potsticker wraps 2 tablespoons canola oil

In a large bowl, mix turkey, cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, green onion, eggs, and mushrooms until well combined. Season with salt. Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of a potsticker wrap. Gently rub the edge of the wrap with water. Fold skin over filling to form a half-moon shape. Pinch edges to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining filling and dumpling skins. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add dumplings and cook for 30 to 45 seconds on each side. Add 1/4 cup water to the skillet and cover. Simmer on low for eight to 10 minutes. DIPPING SAUCE: Whisk together in bowl: 1/4 cup Aloha brand soy sauce 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons honey 4 teaspoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons sesame seed oil 4 tablespoons Mirin rice cooking wine 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

PAIR WITH: CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE DRY RIESLING It’s no secret– Riesling is super flexible, but there is nothing quite like Asian food to showcase this versatile favorite. Chateau Ste. Michelle’s is the way to go, pairing wonderfully with turkey (the first night, too!)

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MAIN DISH Holiday Ham When it comes to local holiday ham, Hempler Foods Group has us covered! They source from local PNW farms to offer honey cured hams, gourmet bone-in semi spiral ham, and more. Family owned and deeply rooted in our community, Hempler’s hams can be found in Haggen’s, the Community Food Co-op, and other grocery stores throughout Whatcom and Skagit.

MARIE’S BEES Marie’s Bees owner and honeybee wrangler extraordinaire, Marisa Papetti works with female beekeepers across the Pacific Northwest, selling their honey along with her own honey nationwide. She and her fellow beekeepers strive to practice and promote sustainable beekeeping. Papetti buzzes around her over 100 hives in the county, using a commercial kitchen to create her various offerings. Options include regular honey, creamed cinnamon honey, seasonal favorite orange vanilla creamed honey, and hazelnut honey, among others. Two of her hives buzz with hundreds of bees atop the roof of the Sycamore Square Building in Bellingham, where rooftop beekeeping experiences are offered by Papetti.

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INGREDIENTS 1 fully cooked bone-in ham, 6-8 pounds 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup Dijon mustard

3/4 cup orange vanilla creamed honey from Marie’s Bees 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves 1 can of lemon-lime soda

Score the surface of the ham ½ inch deep in one direction, and then in the opposite direction, making diamond shapes. Insert a whole clove in the center of each diamond. In the bottom of a roasting pan, add the lemon lime soda. Place a cooking rack in the pan and place ham cut side down on the rack. Bake, uncovered, at 325°F for two hours. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, and honey for glaze. Brush the glaze over the ham every 15 minutes or so.

When It’s done: Set your oven temp to 325°. Reheating a fully cooked ham • Whole, bone-in: 10-14 pounds, 15-18 minutes per pound. • Half, bone-in: 5-7 pounds, 18-24 minutes per pound. • Arm picnic shoulder, boneless: 5-8 pounds, 25-30 minutes per pound. • Vacuum packed, boneless: 6-12 pounds, 10-15 minutes per pound. • Spiral cut, whole or half: 7-9 pounds, 10-18 minutes per pound.

If you’re cooking a smoked or “cook before eating” ham, you’ll need to cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°. • Whole, bone-in: 10-14 pounds, 18-20 minutes per pound. • Half, bone-in: 5-7 pounds, 22-25 minutes per pound. • Arm picnic shoulder, boneless: 5-8 pounds, 30-35 minutes per pound. • Shoulder roll (butt), boneless: 2-4 pounds, 35-40 minutes per pound.

RED

Ham Tetrazzini

INGREDIENTS 6 ounces spaghetti 3 quarts water 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons onion, chopped 8 ounces sour cream 6 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup water 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup diced leftover ham 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons pimento, chopped 1 red pepper, diced 1/4 cup sweet peas

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for eight to 10 minutes until just al dente. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about five minutes. Stir in sour cream and cream cheese, 1/2 cup water, and shredded cheese. Heat mixture until cheese melts, stirring often. Mix in the ham, mushrooms, cooked and drained pasta, chopped pimento, chopped parsley, red pepper, and peas to saucepan; stir to combine. Cook until mixture is heated through, then serve.

PAIR WITH: VAN VINO VINEYARDS LEMBERGER This wine is chock-full of black and blue fruits, with a creamy mid-palate that will rise effortlessly to the challenge of Hempler’s Ham: “I dare you to find something to pair with me!” Complex and velvety, this will sway in your mouth with the layered flavors of the ham and pimentos.

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PLANT BASED

Holiday Loaf We know tasty plant-based holiday meals can be a challenge, but non-meat eaters need fear not! We’ve got you covered with a signature smoky beyond Holiday Loaf main dish. Head to our website, bellinghamalive.com/dine for a bonus plant based holiday recipe redo for savory sweet potato cakes! ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS 1 pound Beyond Meat ½ cup panko 2 tablespoons ketchup ½ cup onion, diced 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon mustard 1 tablespoon hickory flavored liquid smoke 1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon oregano

GLAZE 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Start with the Beyond Meat protein in a large mixing bowl. Add diced onions. Add flax egg and mix gently. Add panko, spices, ketchup, mustard, and liquid smoke to the bowl and blend by hand. Shape mixture into a loaf on parchment paper in a loaf pan or baking dish. Bake loaf at 375° for 35 minutes. Mix the glaze ingredients together and set aside. After baking for 35 minutes, brush the glaze on loaf and continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes. Continue cooking meatloaf for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the meatloaf stand at least 10 minutes before slicing.

PAIR WITH: WELCOME ROAD WINERY CHATON RED BLEND My favorite varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot) are combined in this lovely union of the best fruit we grow here in Washington. Its spice and fruitiness show off the smoky earthiness of this dish in a stellar pairing. 68

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SOURCE LOCAL

Boldly Grown Farm Winter CSA Written by Kristen Boehm

F YOU THINK you can’t get farm fresh food in the colder months, certified organic family farm Boldly Grown Farm is coming to your rescue! Married couple Amy Frye and Jacob Slosberg first met at the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at the University of British Columbia’s organic learning farm. They began Boldly Grown Farm in 2015 at the Viva Farms Incubator with a specific type of crop in mind. “We’ve always focused on fall and winter vegetables, right from the beginning. That’s kind of what we’ve built our business around,” Frye says. “We saw a huge opportunity for growing and selling more local food in the winter months… I think people were really excited about accessing more local food year round.” Although Boldly Grown focuses on wholesale markets, they quickly fell into a direct relationship with consumers thanks to Slosberg’s friends and family in Seattle. “Our first season in 2015… [when] we moved down here, given that he’s from Seattle, we had people asking us, ‘Well, where can we get your produce,’” explains Frye. “I had experience running a CSA model before, so we were like, ‘Let’s try this winter CSA thing.’” CSA stands for “community supported agriculture,” and it’s a way that farms and their communities support each other. When you become a member, you pay for a share of that season’s harvest, and those funds help the farmer operate the farm. Then, you receive your share of the harvest throughout the season. This is a little different from other food subscription models. The philosophy behind CSAs, which Boldly Grown Farm explains in-depth on their website, is about investing in your local economy and agriculture, and taking on “the inherent risks associated with farming, as well as the potential rewards of a bountiful harvest.”

Boldly Grown’s Winter CSA is all about eating seasonally and locally, with crops grown in Skagit County soil at their farm in Bow (which they moved to in 2021). This year, the program begins in November and lasts through March, with biweekly boxes full of 8-10 different items. The boxes are hefty, since they’re intended to last you through a couple of weeks. In the fall they might contain a wider variety of fresh produce, like broccoli, squash, and rainbow chard, while the winter and “deep winter” (January through March) boxes might have more storage crops like potatoes, beets, and carrots. Boldly Grown also takes the extra step to include “value added” products to their deep winter boxes, like chili flakes made from peppers they grow and dry themselves over the summer season, or sauerkraut from Bellingham’s Pangea Ferments. Eating seasonally like this helps connect you to your environment, but it can take some adjustment. Boldly Grown can help with that, too! They send out a newsletter with each box that has tips, recipes, and info on the produce and the farm. To further simplify your hunt for fresh and local food in the winter, Boldly Grown offers bread and cheese subscription add-ons to their CSA, so you can get Water Tank Bakery loaves and cheese from producers like Samish Bay Cheese, Twin Sisters Creamery, and Ferndale Farmstead biweekly as well. Folks who might not be ready to sign-on for a full CSA season are welcome to visit Boldly Grown’s year-round farmstand. Even in December, you can find “lots of winter squash, carrots, beets, radicchio, cabbage, kohlrabi, celeriac, [and] various radishes,” according to Frye. She also assured us that people are welcome to sign-up for the CSA at any point in the season. “We’ve had folks sign up as late as February and just get on the last handful of boxes,” Frye says. “Sign up whenever you’re ready!” 8855 Ershig Rd., Bow, 206.795.5715, boldlygrownfarm.com

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My Garden makes Holiday shopping easy! You will find something for everyone on your list! Great gifts abound, like fragrant soaps from Australia, wooden & slate cutting boards, 1000 piece puzzles, and a yummy selection of gourmet foods from olive tapenades, zesty mushrooms, hot dip mixes, soups, jellies and jam including elderberry, strawberry rhubarb and boysenberry. To fill stockings, choose from playing cards, socks, stickers, jewelry, chocolates, cookies, huckleberry treats and so much more!

Choose from fresh fragrant evergreen wreaths to jingle bell garlands for your holiday decorating. You’ll find ornaments and holiday decorations inside the gift shop and fresh cut and live Christmas trees inside the Big Purple Barn. Our food truck, the Purple Flamingo Café is open daily where you can get your favorite hot beverages, panini sandwiches, and yummy treats! There are thousands of tropical indoor plants at My Garden. Choose from little 2” tropicals to add to a terrarium or grab a bunch to use as a giveaway at your

next holiday party. Indoor plants range from 2” to over 10’ tall; including Christmas cactus, poinsettias, paperwhites, and thousands of other indoor plants to make your house feel warm and festive. Visit with Mr. Dilly Pickles! Bring your dog or other friendly pet for a picture (your camera or phone) with Santa on Saturday, December 2nd 11-3pm.

See mygardennursery.com for more information about our fun events! 360.366.8406 | 929 E. Bakerview Rd. Bellingham | mygardennursery.com

“The Dog House” 72 Event & Holiday Lighting 76

Photo by Nic Aston

King Dahl Creative 82

Home

Bathroom Re-Do

November/December 2023 71

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A Captivating Canine Collection Laura Landrum’s “The Dog House” WRITTEN BY AIMEE HELM PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY SHORTEN AND SAM LANDRUM

Title: Cairn Terrier and Rough Collie, approx 1900-1910 Artist: Alice Léotard oil on canvas

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OOKING IN FROM the outside, you might never guess that within the walls of Laura Landrum’s 1993 home hides one of our area’s most charming and unusual niche antique art collections. What makes this one so special, you might ask? Well, if you’re a lover of art, antiques, all things furry and four-legged, you’re in for a tail-wagging treat. As it turns out, the primary subject matter of Landrum’s remarkable collection happens to be one of our favorite topics of interest here at Bellingham Alive: dogs! Landrum’s collection is the product of a 30-year-long love affair with antiques and art, the seeds of which were planted early in life by her grandmother, who was an avid antiquer herself. Later on, those seeds blossomed into a full-fledged passion for Landrum when she started her own collecting journey at just 19-years old. “My love for antiques started in the ‘90s. I grew up surrounded by them, but it didn’t become a personal obsession until I was in my early 20s. My grandmother loved antiques, and the colorful stories she would tell about her acquisitions are what got me initially intrigued,” says Landrum.

The rooms dedicated to showcasing Landrum’s dog art collection are decorated in a classic country-style blueand-cream color palette, evoking a sense of nostalgia and hearkening to the days when paint, wood, and metal were the primary tools to commemorate a beloved person or pet. As for the home’s interior look and feel, Landrum shares that she was heavily inspired by both the contents and time period of the collection itself, as well as the English and American country-style aesthetics made popular by interior decorator Mario Buatta. “A large majority of our collection is from the 1800s. The core of [our home’s] addition was inspired by interior design from the same time period. Photos of how the famous interior designer Mario Buatta incorporated dog paintings in his own home were consulted when placing our art,” shares Landrum. Though most of Landrum’s pieces date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, she does not limit her curation process based on age. In fact, a handful are even dated as recently as the 2000s, and she has also custom-commissioned paintings of her own pets as recently as this year. When asked about her selection process and criteria, Landrum shares that for her, character is key. “The subject has to exude personality to the point that I find it endearing. If a piece has ‘personality’ I then focus on if the item is high quality, unusual, and a good investment before proceeding,” explains Landrum. ... continued on next page

November/December 2023 73

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Title: Firm Friends, (Rough Collie and Gordon Setter), 1893 Artist: Maud Earl oil on canvas

... Some of Landrum’s paintings capture their canine subjects in a still frame taken from daily life, one mischievously sniffing a bowl of unattended food, another guarding their own from a potential feline rival. Others are more folksy than formal, including portraits of pups in repose, staring curiously back at the observer. Whether curled up on pillows or lovingly held in the laps of children, they each have their own sense of undeniable charm. Beyond choosing pieces that speak to her, Landrum takes pride in arranging and showcasing her collection with care, making sure to select the right frame and location for each and every item. While the oil paintings that make up the majority of her collection command immediate attention, the acute observer will discover a great deal of magic in the many smaller pieces, highlighting the painstaking attention to detail she has poured into her selections. Among these are numerous miniature portraits (some only a few inches in size), cast bronze statues and bookends, hand-carved wood boxes, painted tole trays, Staffordshire figures, and even a miniature room diorama (complete, of course, with miniature dogs!) Look closely, and you’re sure to find that 74

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Collection of carved wood snuff boxes and tiny pug with bell collar

Diorama featuring miniature Delft and French earthenware furniture: 1760’s through late 1880’s

every piece, however big or small, tells an interesting story. “I take great joy from creating displays and educating others about items in the collection. My father once said I should have been a museum curator, in a way I am. We made our home a dog museum,” shares Landrum. Landrum’s collection is a heartwarming tribute to the unconditional bond of love and companionship that humans create with their canine companions, which spans and transcends the measure of time. You can learn more about The Dog House on Instagram, where Landrum has been documenting her collection with images and accompanying background stories piece by piece, @the.landrum.dog.house.

Title: “Champion Broadoak Beetle” (Pekingese),1911. Artist: Frederick Daws oil on board

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

ARCHITECTURE Haven Design Workshop Sean Hegstad | Architect 5828 Second Ave., Ste. 101, Ferndale 360.527.2840, haven-dw.com

Architecture isn’t just about designing buildings. According to Sean Hegstad, architect at Haven Design Workshop, it goes much deeper than that. “Before we start talking about a style of building, we ask what their style of living is. If it will be a residence, how do they like to interact with family and friends? If it is a business, what is the flow, how do their employees work with one another? The most important part of architecture is being a good listener.” Apparently, their clients agree: C. G. — “Sean’s experience and calm demeanor helped to steer the design/revision process emerging with plans that perfectly reflected our style AND lifestyle.” S. C. — “Sean and his team were a pleasure to work with, they always listened to what I wanted to achieve.”

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Guiding Lights for Mountain Ranges and Rooftops Northern Lights Holiday & Event Lighting WRITTEN BY KRISTEN BOEHM PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHERN LIGHTS

HAT DO PROFESSIONAL holiday light hangers and mountain guides have in common? No, this isn’t a riddle. Mike Elges is the founder and owner of Northern Lights Holiday & Event Lighting and a fully certified and internationally licensed IFMGA Mountain Guide, and he’s found that the professions go hand-in-hand. Elges grew up in Colorado, where he first gained experience in both jobs. “In my quest to become a mountain guide and stabilize that career, I worked a ton of odd jobs in my early twenties, and one of those was hanging Christmas lights for a company in Colorado,” he explains. “Through a combination of learning that trade and spending some time helping run a small guiding company, I kind of just put those various pieces together.” Elges moved to Bellingham eight years ago. He worked for various guide services at the time, which is pretty typical in the field, but knew he wanted to do something to help make guiding a more stable career. Fall is a transitional period for mountain guiding in the PNW– the summer work dries up as the weather grows more inclement, but you can’t do any 76

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avalanche courses or ski guiding until there’s enough snow on the ground. Instead of traveling to other areas where guiding season is in fall, Elges knew the perfect solution. “There was always this kind of natural lull in the season, and Christmas lights just kind of fit perfectly there,” he says. He founded Northern Lights in 2016, and the company is ... continued on next page

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

Haven Design Studio FACES

THE FACE OF

INTERIOR DESIGN Jennifer Ryan Design 360.319.7092 jenniferryandesign.com

Jennifer is a multi-talented authority on all things beautiful, fashionable, and functional, with a passion for bringing style and personality to your home’s most important spaces. Jennifer Ryan Design offers it all — design, planning, production, and contractor services. A chameleon of sorts…starting in her “designer” heels and then transforming into her contractor wear. From start to finish, Jennifer will help you create the surroundings you’ll enjoy for a lifetime. “Creating beautiful rooms that are well designed, comfortable, and reflective of the people who live there is my goal as a designer.” “Creating rooms that are well built, with quality materials, attention to detail, while making sure my clients are well taken care of during the process is my goal as a contractor.”

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... mostly made up of mountain guides and climbers that really enjoy the work. A love of heights and climbing, skills with ropes, technical systems, and risk management, and the ability to have fun in all types of conditions all translate well. “Mountain guides tend to be pretty charismatic,” says Elges, highlighting guides’ need for good communication and teamwork. “It’s great knowing that when I send mountain guides out to somebody’s house to do some work, they’re going to connect with that customer, and they’re going to go above and beyond.” Now, Northern Lights is a booming business. They have year-round work in Whatcom and Skagit counties, but things really pick up in the fall. They light 250 trees in 78

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downtown Bellingham every year with blue lights in early fall that change to white lights for the holiday season. They also light Fairhaven’s Winterfest and work with the City of Lynden, but they also have a large and loyal base of residential customers. When you hire Northern Lights, a happy crew of mountain enthusiasts turned light technicians will work with you to design your display. They’ll provide commercial grade lights that you purchase, and then they’ll wrap your home up in whatever way you’d like, whether that’s a classic warm white display or an all-out illumination bonanza. After the season, they come back, take down, and store the lights for you. When you stay with Northern Lights, they’re also happy to provide great service and maintenance for your display throughout the years. Two years ago, Elges co-founded Cascade Mountain Ascents, a worker-owned guiding company that specializes in trips and education in the North Cascades. Zack McGill, who is the Residential Project Manager at Northern Lights, is also a Cascade Mountain Ascents co-owner. Supporting his guiding career was always Elges’s intent with Northern Lights, and he’s now able to provide that stability for others. “It’s a great time to continue to build mentorship opportunities and work with a lot of younger guides, to help them stabilize their careers,” he says. “The last few handfuls of seasons have been just so rewarding for me… not seeing people walk away from mountain guiding before they’re ready or before they want to.” Bellingham, 360.684.4387, northernlightsbellingham.com 

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HOME IMPROVEMENT Windsor Plywood Ken Asp | General Manager 1208 Iowa St., Bellingham 360.676.1025, windsorplywood.com

Windsor Plywood has been around for 51 years in Whatcom County. We have evolved into a local, favorite go to. From tried-and-true industry standards to some of the latest trends, our team is here to help you with all of your home improvement needs. We don’t just sell plywood, we are an all in one solutions provider for wood and construction supplies. Most homeowners understand the challenges, especially in today’s world, that arise when taking on a project. With almost 200 years of combined experience, chances are pretty good that one of us has seen it or done it. Stop by and see what we are all about.

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Before:

One Room Challenge: A Spacious Update Bathroom Remodel from Tanna by Design WRITTEN BY TANNA EDLER | PHOTOGRAPHED BY NIC ASTON

EAMLESS, SASSY, AND may we say a little sexy! That

was the look our clients were going for and I must say… we nailed it! What once was a blah, beige, and boring bathroom is now a gorgeous, chic retreat in their newly remodeled primary suite. When we presented the homeowners with the 3D renderings, they couldn’t believe their eyes. From a one-of-a-kind vanity (designed by moi!) to the slab porcelain tile up the walls, this primary bathroom is everyone’s dream. We managed to keep their existing footprint while enlarging the space, giving them the spa-like oasis they had hoped for. This render to reality is one for the books!

Client Needs Modern Vibe - Our clients hired us to remodel various rooms in the home and this space was the last to go. They wanted to get the old out and start new, while keeping it cohesive with the aesthetic throughout the home. Our palette choices in other parts of the house were very neutral and relaxed, with brass accents and a hint of glam. So we continued the look with a slight monochromatic style enhanced with gold fixtures, the warmth of wood, and a little black for drama– matching the rest of the property perfectly. New Vanity - The current vanity was dirty, dingy, and in need of repair. So, I customized a vanity design that would adhere to their modern style. With clean lines and unique custom-designed pulls, this one-of-a-kind, white oak vanity is a show-stopper. Updated Fixtures - With hard water and the original plumbing fixtures, our clients were definitely ready for an 80

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After:

update. The new, stunning Hansgrohe faucets and shower system gave the space the bling they were looking for. Steam Shower - They knew they wanted a spa-like vibe in the room and had always dreamt of having a steam shower but didn’t think they had the space. So we made it happen, enlarging their shower slightly and adding a smart steam package.

...

Project Challenges Keep Existing Floor Plan - The homeowners’ wish list was huge but their space wasn’t. They didn’t want to add a lot of square footage but they did want to increase storage where possible. We strategically kept plumbing in place, used the original hall to lengthen the new bathroom, and then gained a few feet for the walk-in closet by pushing out the interior wall into the bedroom slightly. Add more Space to their Closet - It sounds like a trick answer, right? “Keep the existing floor plan but add more space!” But, that is exactly what we did. By incorporating the small area that used to be a hallway between the bathroom and the closet, we were able to gain enough space to enlarge the bathroom and at the same time, change the entry into the closet, and steal about five feet from the oversized bedroom. Perfection! Custom Vanity Hardware - With the one-of-a-kind custom vanity I designed also came a unique pull system. I wanted linear drawers with full-length finger pulls in a custom metal to match our plumbing fixtures. When we quickly realized that the particular hardware didn’t exist to fit our vanity, we had a local artisan create custom pulls to match this special piece! November/December 2023

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Q&A

Q&A with Jen Parker of ReImagined INTERVIEW BY KRISTEN BOEHM PHOTOS COURTESY OF REIMAGINED

Hello! Please introduce yourself and ReImagined. My name is Jen Parker and I began ReImagined in 2018 as a simple hobby. In 2022, I began working in art as my full time job. With ReImagined, I purchase wood that has been salvaged from building demolitions in our local area to use as my base. Each piece is hand-cut, sanded, and sealed to be weather resistant. Then I move on to priming and painting each piece. Most of the full size pieces receive fun texture patterns with a paste recipe I made up. Then they get a top coat, which is sanded so the texture shows through. [Next is] clear sealant with UV protectant, and then the adorning begins. I select salvaged, repurposed, and recycled items that will bring the piece to life. Once completed, they are given a final coat of clear enamel to protect against fading from the sun and the weather. Then, based on personality, each piece is given a name, and is truly unique. I do my “shopping” at locally owned second hand stores, salvage yards, metal recycling companies, etc., to keep the monies spent in my own local community, as well as supporting various local charities. I use the neighborhood’s used padded envelopes and pre-used bubble wrap and packing material for all my pieces!

What can you tell us about Skirt Sisters? Skirt Sisters was born in 2021 as an extension of ReImagined. I take secondhand clothing items that may be unwearable due to stains, tears, etc., and I turn them into cute and comfortable skirts, keeping items from the landfill and helping to combat fast fashion.

What do you love about upcycling? As our society continues to grow in population, we need to realize that there are finite amounts of many resources. I can take items that may be unusable and turn them into something wonderful, which helps keep more items from our landfills. Why buy new when there is so much out in circulation that can be used? 82

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What types of holiday pieces do you make? For the holidays, namely Christmas, I make tree ornaments and a few table/shelf and hanging items. I also do custom orders quite often during this time.

Any sustainable or upcycling holiday tips for our readers? The first step in the cycle would be to reduce the amount of materials and items brought into the home. Reduce, reuse, repurpose, then lastly, recycle! Try purchasing ‘experience’ gifts like a trip to the zoo, a spa gift certificate, or an overnight trip somewhere fun, rather than physical items. Shop small, local, and support companies that make the environment a priority. Eliminate wrapping paper. Use reusable bags, old newspapers, or even brown paper bags. Save your ribbons and bows to use the following year, or skip them completely. Rather than tossing old Christmas lights and electronics, check where these can be recycled locally. 

Dear Kent’s Community, We all want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for voting Kent’s Garden and Nursery the best nursery in the Northwest! We feel so lucky to be part of such a wonderful community and we are truly honored to have received your votes! Please join us for a Best of Northwest customer SALE-ABRATION on Saturday November 4th through Sunday November 5th. We will have special items on sale, as well as master gardeners, arborists, and various vendors from around our community to chat with and assist you with your outdoor needs. Let’s have some fun - rain or shine – and share some knowledge on plants! Thank you again for your support! The Crew at Kent’s

Kent's Garden & Nursery 5428 Northwest Dr., Bellingham (360) 384-4433 kentsgardenandnursery.com

November/December 2023 83

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

WINDOW COVERINGS Russell’s Window Coverings Dave Hamstra | Owner 873 Hinotes Court, A-2, Lynden 360.656.6579 RussellsWindowCoverings@gmail.com WindowShadesAndShutters.com

Beauty, energy efficiency and style are all reflected in your home’s window coverings. If you’re ready to update your window treatments, Russell’s offers you a wide array of options with a huge range of color, design and textiles that will meet your individual needs. From timeless plantation shutters, to classic horizontal blinds and motorized shades, you are sure to find the look and design you desire. Specializing in Hunter Douglas, we are known for quality, customization and top notch service. David Hamstra has over 40 years of experience in the construction industry. His expertise will ensure that you will receive the window treatments and service you and your home deserve. Call today to schedule a complimentary consultation and to view our product line in our showroom.

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Your Relocation Sp ecialist Realtor of the Year 2016 Whatcom County Association of Realtors – 2015 President

FACES

OF THE NORTHSOUND

THE FACE OF

FINE DINING The Bistro at Shuksan Golf Course 1500 E. Axton Rd. Bellingham 360.398.8888 matthew@shuksangolf.com

Matthew is a very passionate and truly dedicated chef. With over two decades of experience in various cuisines, working every position he is so excited to write his continuous love letter to New Orleans and his grandmother through The Bistro at Shuksan Golf Club. Growing up in Louisiana he is no stranger to southern fare, authenticity, and culture. However, his father moved here when he was 9 so his love of the PNW is immense and knowledgeable. We’d love to invite you out or back to experience Southern inspired farm to table fare, with an emphasis on Cajun & Creole dishes. We have a full bar, offering amazing cocktails, wine, and beer and a very talented team to provide proper Southern hospitality. We want to give a huge thanks to all of our guest for voting for us. Join us for a meal and your next celebration!

Bistro at Shuksan 90 Hilda’s Farming 96

Photo courtesy of Forté Chocolate

Wanida Thai 100

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Forté Chocolate

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Spicy Winter Eats

Turn Up the Heat This Winter

Photo by Kristen Boehm

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN BOEHM

T’S A FAMILIAR and natural response to the winter— when it’s cold outside, we

want to be warm inside. Some folks might achieve this with a hot cup of cocoa, or a freshly simmered soup right off the stove. But temperature isn’t the only way to turn up the heat! Check out these spicy food must-visits for the winter season.

Rachawadee Thai Cafe This Mount Vernon spot is renowned far and wide for their spice! Locals, staff, and even the menu (which has a note saying, “Tell us if this is your first time, we are known to be spicy!”) all recommend caution when choosing your level of heat. Rachawadee Thai Cafe is a family-owned Thai eatery, with only nine dine-in stools at their well-loved location. Customers can sit at the countertop and watch the staff skillfully concoct their dishes. The owner, Pam, grew up in Thailand before moving to the US and learning the restaurant business in Seattle with her sister. She moved her family to Skagit Valley and opened Rachawadee Thai Cafe in 2008, much to the delight of spice lovers near and far. Local legend will tell you this place has up to 20 levels of spice, but really the menu offers five: zero, mild, medium, hot, and very spicy. You can also order in half levels, which gives you and your mouth a little bit more wiggle room. Some customer reviews say these levels are double what other Thai places provide. Thai spice is created by combining chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and spices, resulting in a tingling, stinging spice that’s sure to wake you up. The spice levels apply to most of their entrees, which include veggie stir-frys, fried rice, noodles, and curry dishes. You could always start out with their Phad Thai, but why not test your mettle with their Jungle Curry? This dish is also known as Kaeng Pa, a type of Thai curry that originated in the forested areas of Thailand. It means there’s no soothing coconut milk to be found amongst the ingredients (red curry paste, bamboo shoots, mixed veggies, sweet basil, and rice powder), and the dish is typically watery and extremely hot. Better order a Thai Iced Tea to help you get through this one! 88

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Naan & Brew Craving a kick in downtown B’ham? Naan & Brew is an Indian bar and restaurant right across Maple Street from Depot Market Square. Three generations of the Chana family own and operate this business, which they opened in 2015. They’ve also recently opened a community market, Maple Market, right next door, which stocks all sorts of convenient goodies– but enough about that. You’re here for the spice! Naan & Brew has a five level spice rating similar to Rachawadee’s. It starts at zero and goes up to super spicy. Here, too, the staff will help explain to diners that their heat is no joke, and how best to order for the experience you want. Indian cuisine often utilizes red and green chilis, garlic, ginger, and herbs and spices with powerful aromas like cloves, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, and so forth to create their tantalizing dishes. Before you even taste the food, you’ll be impressed by how huge Naan & Brew’s menu is. Its 97 numbered offerings span classic Indian curries, tandoori, and biryani dishes, starting with appetizers and ending with desserts and their kid’s menu (served in-house only). Heat-seekers online recommend the Lamb Tikka Masala at the spiciest level to get the blood pumping!

Bantam Kitchen & Bar Hot chicken is an American favorite, and Bantam is Bellingham’s go-to upscale chicken joint. Bantam is located right on Railroad Avenue and has a heated streetside patio, a family friendly restaurant downstairs, and a 21-and-up bar upstairs. Most importantly, they have rotisserie and fried chicken served up in various tasty styles, including some mouthwateringly spicy options. Their Hot Chicken is a good place to start. It’s fried up and treated with their house hot spice blend and house hot sauce, served with pickles, Texas toast, and slaw to help whet your whistle. However, to really get warmed up, you oughta order the Golden Chicken, which the menu proclaims is the “Hottest Chicken on the Menu.” Here, the fried chicken breast comes coated in their turmeric-jerk spice blend, with a helping of the house pineapple-habanero hot sauce, and other mouth-prickling accompaniments like pickled onion, scallion, and lime wedges. The Texas toast and side of slaw might not be able to help you once you bite into this!

Photo by Stephanie Cheng

Photo courtesy of Funky’s Hot Sauce Factory

Bonus: Keep the Heat at Home Looking for ways to spice up your meals at home, too? You can’t go wrong with Funky’s Hot Sauce Factory, a Bellingham-based company that’s earned national recognition for its flavorful and wicked kick. They source tons of their ingredients from local farms, so you get a taste of Whatcom County and Skagit Valley in almost every bottle. They even have some festive sauces that are slated for late autumn restock, including The Ghost of Christmas, a habanero and ghost pepper sauce, and Cherry Mars Mist, a habanero and scorpion pepper sauce with date syrup, dark cherries, and vanilla bean.  November/December 2023 89

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Review

Southern Staples on the Green: A Culinary Renaissance Bistro at Shuksan WRITTEN BY STEVEN MCCARRAGHER PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRIS GRAY

AM NOT A golfer. It’s not that golf doesn’t appeal to me; I just could never quite summon the gumption to take a “swing” at it. Therefore, the Bistro at Shuksan might never have appeared on my radar, if it weren’t for writing this review. Now, I believe it should be on everybody’s. The entrance at Bistro at Shuksan boasts high ceilings and classic white tablecloth settings. Beyond the doorway lies a spacious deck overlooking the sprawling golf course, perfect for enjoying a smooth sazerac on a warm, sunny day. To the right of the entrance is a sort of clubhouse bar, which is less formal in appearance and atmosphere. It is here that I meet Executive Chef Matthew Boudousquie. Boudousquie is the culinary mastermind who has completely renovated Shuksan’s restaurant offerings, and is also the Food and Beverage Director for Shuksan Golf Club’s catering. Like most chefs, he is busy, but calm in demeanor and relaxing to talk to. A familial feeling is evident between him and other staff– one of the cooks even refers to him affectionately as “Pop Pop”, while a server is promoted to lead right in front of me. Simultaneously at ease and ever vigilant of the bistro’s operation, Boudousquie selects a few key dishes to give me the overall scope of his project. The first option I’m presented with is Boudousquie’s signature namesake dish, Beets by Matthew ($15). Roasted beets are seated on skyr, an Icelandic form of yogurt. At their side are minced, locally sourced hazelnuts from Holmquist Orchards and fresh feta from Harmony Fields Farm. Resting atop and below the beets is fennel delivered three ways: pickled, fresh, and a sprinkle of fennel pollen. The balanced contrast between air and earth, light and dark, fresh and ferment absolutely sings on the palate. So much so, that I must admit the first bite actually brought a tear or two to my eyes. What is a Southern meal without jambalaya? This Cajun Jambalaya ($19) stands deliciously firm in sticking to its Louisiana roots. Shrimp, andouille sausage, and chicken over rice combine perfectly with the holy trinity (for the unfamiliar, the holy trinity is a staple in Southern cooking, similar to a mirepoix except bell pepper is substituted for carrot.) Where Creole jambalaya is considered “wet” because of the addition of stewed tomatoes, its fiery Cajun cousin forgoes the extra liquid to deliver a spicier, protein-focused entree. Do not fear the heat, however- this dish is gentle enough to tickle your taste buds without burning your tongue.

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Finally, I’m presented with something I have never seen or had before. Tasting the Braised Carlton Farm Pork Cheeks ($33) is (to put it mildly) a transformative dining experience. Braised in Bellingham Cider Company dry cider and glazed in Bowhill blueberry port, this dish absolutely falls off the fork. Celeriac root sourced from Boldly Grown Farm and Arcane Farm mushrooms accompany the tender pork cheeks, creating a meal that is at once both exciting and familiar. It is interesting to note that the entire menu is available gluten-free. Boudousquie himself deals with a gluten intolerance, and considers it a fun challenge to take any dish that would usually incorporate wheat and spin it into something deliciously gluten free. This includes the fried shrimp or the fried chicken for the sandwiches (though you’ll have to ask for gluten free bread for those.) Worry not– there is no sacrifice in flavor or texture, provoking reflection on just how far we have come with taking care of people with dietary restrictions in the kitchen. In short, Boudousquie has leveraged his Southern roots and culinary knowhow to transform the Bistro at Shuksan into a local culinary powerhouse. A New Orleans native, he has drawn on his Louisiana upbringing to give us thoughtfully sourced dishes with striking flavor and incredible balance. He cites cooking with his grandmother as the primary inspiration, as she looks over her legacy from a framed photo on the bar. The combination of family ethos, dedication to regional sourcing, and innovation without reinventing the wheel converge to create an absolutely unforgettable dining experience. 1500 E. Axton Rd., Bellingham, 360.398.8888, www.shuksangolf.com/bistro 

DER PRE-OR DAY OLI YOUR H OW N MEALS SCAN HERE

Visit us at: 225 S 1st St, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 (360) 312-4074 theskagittable.com Follow us on Facebook and Instagram,

The Skagit Table

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. of the

2017

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VOTED BEST FISH & CHIPS

VOTED BEST BURGER

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

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Local Find

The Story Behind the North Sound’s Finest Confections Forté Chocolate WRITTEN BY KRISTEN BOEHM | PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORTÉ CHOCOLATE

XPERIENCING GOURMET CHOCOLATE can be a life-

changing experience. Just ask Karen Neugebauer, the founder and master chocolatier behind Forté Chocolate. When she first enrolled in a culinary arts program, she was just out to prove that she could learn to cook– but she found a new passion in the least expected area. “I didn’t even like chocolate going in… but I had never had real chocolate,” Neugebauer reminisces. “We made a ganache, and there was something so magical about this… plain-ish chocolate, you chop it up, pour some hot cream over it, and the scent that came off of that was so transformative and magical… I was just in love for the rest of my life.” This love for chocolate came at the perfect time. Neugebauer was on medical leave from her previous career due to a back injury that had left her unable to walk. Going to culinary school helped rehabilitate her, and gave her a whole new direction. She decided to put her three business degrees from the University of Washington to use, and founded Forté Chocolate in 2006. “I’m stubborn. Very, very stubborn,” she laughs. “Everyone was telling me, ‘no, no, no, don’t do this,’ because the numbers just don’t pan out.” But Neugebauer is used to persevering. She has multiple sclerosis, which causes

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her issues with mobility and dexterity, especially in the right side of her body. “I don’t let that stop me. I find new ways of doing things. I just want to make sure that people out there with disabilities and women that are going into business thinking that they have limits [know]: you don’t. You can create anything with talent and power and sheer determination,” she says. After making her sweets solo for the first few years, Neugebauer upgraded with a commercial kitchen and hired her first employee in 2009. To this day, each confection is crafted by a small team that Neugebauer has trained to simulate her artistry. “I had to learn how to teach how to make art, and that’s incredibly difficult.” she says. “We produce everything by hand with the artisan touch, all for the love of taste and beauty.” And yes, alongside the fine ingredients and flavors, beauty is key to Forté’s luxury treats, which include chocolate bars, caramels, barks, hot cocoa, and the crowning jewels– truffles. As an artist, Neugebauer enjoys the challenge of working on the “1-inch canvas” of her truffles. Forté uses traditional methods of tempering, pouring, enrobing, and delicately adding final touches to create beauty that demands attention. Once people realize they’re about to taste something

truly special, they can fully appreciate the chocolates. For their mastery of taste and beauty, Forté’s truffles have won more than 100 national and international awards, including World Gold awards from the International Chocolate Awards. One such winner is the Eggnog & Rum Truffle, which won World Gold in 2021. It also just so happens to be one of the many delicious winter season flavors Forté produces. You can also find a Pumpkin Spice Truffle, a Peppermint White Chocolate Truffle, and Dark Peppermint Bark. “Chocolate belongs everywhere, in everyday life. … [But] there’s something magical about chocolate in winter, especially,” Neugebauer says. “In winter, you just wanna snuggle up with a good book, and you have hot cocoa or a little truffle, and you can really sit and enjoy it.” Forté’s Mount Vernon showroom is a fantastic place to pick up a treat for yourself or a gift for others. For those further south, Forté is opening a boutique in the pavilion of Bellevue’s newest luxury development, Avenue Bellevue. You can also get inspired by shopping their collection online. However you choose to browse, don’t miss out on this lavish local experience! 700 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon, 360.588.4859, fortechocolate.com

Dining Guide Taste

DINING KEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to $9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10–19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20–29 . . . . . . . $30 or greater . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dinner . . . . . . . . . .Family-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Takeout . . . . . . . . Outdoor Seating . . . . . . . . . . Reservations . . . . . . . . . . . Happy Hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vegan . . . . . . . . . . . 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 Local restaurants need you now more than ever! However, due to COVID-19, some restaurants may be temporarily closed. Remember to call ahead or check online for delivery and pick-up options. * Review provided by restaurant.

WHATCOM

GUUD BOWLS American, Ready-to-Heat Bowls

OTHERLANDS BEER Brewery, European

2625 S. Harbor Loop Dr., Bellingham, 360.510.4880, guudbowls.com

2121 Humboldt St., Bellingham 360.746.8118, otherlandsbeer.com

Guud Bowls is unlike most food services because they don’t have a storefront. Every weekday, their team cooks and chills bowls of food in a commissary kitchen and hand-deliver anywhere in Whatcom County. Choose from a rotating menu of gluten-free bowls filled with colorful, fresh ingredients. Pop the ready-to-heat bowls in the oven, microwave, or saute in a pan.

Keeping in the theme of small European breweries, the menu features only six beers — half ales and half lagers — some of which you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. The café’s menu captures the spirit of European street fare, with dishes like pierogis and falafel. It’s food that allows you to have a couple beers with your friends and feel great.

ÖVN WOOD-FIRED PIZZA Pizza 1148 10th St., Bellingham 360.393.4327, ovnwoodfiredpizza.com

MI MEXICO Mexican 241 Telegraph Rd., Bellingham 360.647.0073, mimexicobellingham.com Mi Mexico’s reputation as one of the local favorites among Mexican food lovers is well deserved. The experience starts with a warm, friendly, professional waitstaff in an enjoyable, upbeat atmosphere. From there, Mi Mexico separates itself from the competition with a choice of traditional and non-traditional Mexican dishes, all made with the freshest of ingredients available. From your first bite of Mi Mexico’s homemade salsa to the last bite of your main entree or dessert, you will already be planning your next visit.

If you’re looking for good Italian food without having to resort to a national chain, D’Anna’s may be the place for you. The emphasis here is on the food, not the frills. The restaurant stands out in many ways, but D’Anna’s delicious, homemade pasta is what really makes it special.

RED GINGER ASIAN CUISINE Asian 1208 E Maple St. Bellingham, WA 98225 360.306.8629 redgingerbellingham.com Newly opened this summer, Red Ginger offers traditional authentic asian cuisine at a great price point . Their take on mongoian beef, Seven Flavor Beef, is exceptional. Dine in or take-out, give them a try.

THE MILL AT SEVENTH French 655 Front St., Lynden 360.778.2760 The Mill is the type of place where one could spend a full afternoon grazing on cheeses, sipping cocktails, and enjoying a good book. The bistro-like atmosphere gives the restaurant a European vibe without losing the welcoming small-town service of Lynden. The menu is full of bistro plates like fresh salads, paninis, soups, and, of course, meats and cheeses.

D’ANNA’S CAFE ITALIANO Italian 1319 N. State St., Bellingham 360.714.0188, dannascafeitaliano.com

The clean lines and urban upscale atmosphere of this pizza restaurant promise some very good food — and they deliver on that promise. They also serve crispy salads and excellent cocktails. Dining here is the perfect way to spend an elegant lunch or intimate dinner.

NORTHWATER Regional NW 4260 Mitchell Way, Bellingham 360.398.6191, northh2o.com From breakfast to late night dinner, northwater’s 185-seat restaurant features a diverse menu of Pacific Northwest dishes made from locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. The restaurant’s waitstaff is personable and enthusiastic — eager to answer our questions about ingredient sources and what desserts they’d recommend.

GREAT BLUE HERON GRILL American

RIFUGIO’S COUNTRY ITALIAN CUISINE Italian

5415 Mount Baker Hwy., Deming 360.592.2888, ilcafferifugio.com Rifugio’s brings fine dining to the “wilderness.” Fifteen miles out on Mount Baker Highway, just past Deming, sits a funky old cafe that has been transformed into an oasis for foodies and coffee-lovers alike. Menu items befit their Italian name and the dinner menu changes weekly, begging for a second trip. A small covered deck with colorful lanterns sits adjacent to the dining room for your al fresco pleasure. Just beyond, in a meadow, sits a red deck used as a stage and centerpiece for special dinners under the stars.

THE RUSTY WAGON OLD TYME FOOD CO. American

8720 Semiahmoo Pkwy Blaine, WA 98230 360.371.7015, semiahmoogolf.com/ great-blue-heron-grill

OISHII Asian

Located at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club, and open to the public, offering casual fare in a comfortable setting with views of the golf course. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner made with locallysourced ingredients, plus wine, beer, cocktails, and more! Check our website for special events and weekly dining specials.

The next time you find yourself craving Asian fusion, head to Bakerview Square for sushi, teriyaki, noodles, and more. “Oishii” means “delicious” in Japanese and — as any of their longtime regulars will tell you — Bellingham’s Oishii Teriyaki & Rolls more than lives up to its name.

6937 Hannegan Rd., Lynden 360.354.5236, rustywagongoodeats.com

424 W. Bakerview Rd., Ste. 101, Bellingham 360.671.6007, oishiiteriyaki.com

The menu at The Rusty Wagon overflows with options. Breakfast is served late and has all the diner favorites, but the burgers are clearly their specialty with a large selection on both the lunch and dinner menus. Don’t miss the full bar with sports screens, top-shelf liquors, beer, and more. Beyond the catch phrases and cowboy hats, The Rusty Wagon is a family-friendly place to grab a burger.

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COUNTDOWN TO

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Dining Guide

SCAMPI OSTERIA Italian 4823 Alderson Rd., Blaine 360.393.4415 This Italian restaurant in Birch Bay is adjacent to The C Shop, just a short stroll from the beach. Scampi’s interior is dimly lit, with soft light entering through large windows at the front and from turned-down overhead lighting. The atmosphere has a romantic and upscale feel, with wall art adding a homier touch. The food can be described in one word: incredible. The menu is wide, and includes traditional Italian meals as well as unique seafood dishes.

SCOTTY BROWNS American Cuisine 3101 Newmarket St., Suite 201 Bellingham 360.306.8823 scottybrownsrestaurant.com

Voted Best Distillery & Best New Restaurant!

Scotty Browns offers an edgy, energetic ambiance, a varied menu of mainstream and upscale creations, and excellent drink options for all ages. Outdoor dining is a popular option during warmer weather. Some items on the menu, like appetizers, change seasonally, so you know you’ll never get bored. Casual to upscale dining options range from hamburgers, rice bowls, and pastas to higher-end seafood and steaks. Just flying through? Grab a bite at their second location inside Bellingham International Airport.

SKYLARK’S HIDDEN CAFE Eclectic 1308 11th St., Bellingham 360.715.3642, skylarkshiddencafe.com Skylark’s Hidden Cafe in Fairhaven is worth seeking out. From decadent breakfast items and house specialties to hearty dinner entrees, the menu at Skylark’s is varied and every bite delicious. Come for the food and stay for the jazz on select evenings.

TASTINGS, TOURS, & MORE!

TripAdvisor's #1 for Food & Drink Activities in Bellingham SLO-PITCH SPORTS GRILL AND CASINO 3720 Meridian St., Bellingham 360.733.2255, slopitchcasino.com Conveniently located right on Meridian, SloPitch serves up a great burger and fries. With excellent happy hour specials in a casual, sports atmosphere, Slo-Pitch is a great place to watch the game or take a midday break.

THE STEAK HOUSE AT SILVER REEF Steak, Seafood

4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale 360.383.0777, silverreefcasino.com

THE PENNY FARTHING BAR & RESTAURANT Inspired cuisine & craft cocktails from locally sourced ingredients 1311 CORNWALL AVE, BELLINGHAM chuckanutbaydistillery.com | (360) 738-7179 Open 7 days a week, see website for hours

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This award-winning restaurant offers elegant dining and an intimate atmosphere. Primegrade steaks are broiled at 1,800 degrees to lock in the natural juices and finished with a special steak butter. They also have an extensive wine list. This dining experience rivals any of the big-town steakhouses in quality and service without the big-city price tag.

STORIA CUCINA Italian, Pizza 109 Grand Ave., Ste. 102, Bellingham, 360.734.1929, storiacucina.com Storia Cucina offers a simple, no-fuss menu meant to reduce decision-fatigue and prioritize quality over quantity. All pasta is made in-house on an imported Italian pasta extruder, and ingredients are as local as possible. The restaurant itself is bright, cheerful, and tastefully decorated, certain to lift your spirits even on a drizzly autumn night.

TASTE OF INDIA Indian 3930 Meridian St., Ste. 107, Bellingham 360.647.1589, tasteofindiabellingham.com At Taste of India, all the dishes are rich, delicious, and authentic. Dishes come with your choice of pulao rice or the classic Indian bread naan. Taste of India offers a variety of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes, all with exquisite and well-developed flavors. For those unsure of what to order, or those who want to try multiple dishes at once, try the lunch buffet.

TEMPLE BAR Bistro, Bar 306 W. Champion St.,Bellingham 360.676.8660, templebarbellingham.com Continually recognized for their craft cocktails and small plates, Temple Bar aims to please. In between delicious bites made from locally sourced ingredients, sip on a unique cocktail with house-made infusions and bitters.

UNDERGROUND BURGER American 8114 Guide Meridian Rd., Lynden undergroundburgers.com If you’re craving a classic burger experience, Underground Burger offers delicious, affordable burgers made from locally raised, certified Angus beef. The restaurant began as a virtual kitchen based out of Jake’s BBQ, but quickly expanded into a permanent spot where you can order dine-in or to-go. Round out your meal with waffle fries and a chocolate shake.

NOW BOOKING HOLIDAY PARTIES Our team will work with you to create that perfect menu for your occasion, tailoring it to your tastes and your budget.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LOMBARDI’S Who wouldn’t love a dinner out at your favorite

WAKE ‘N BAKERY American

neighborhood Lombardi’s? A Lombardi’s gift card makes the perfect present!

6903 Bourne St., Glacier 360.599.1658, getsconed.com Wake ‘N Bakery is a staple rest stop along Mount Baker Highway. If you’re in need of a sweet treat and hot coffee to bring the feeling back to your numb fingers, this will fit the bill. Whether you’re traveling to or from the mountain, watch for its signs as you pass through Glacier — the cafe is about a block off the highway.

Thank you for voting us

BEST I TALIAN RESTAURAN T

BEST FINE DINING

LOMBARDISITALIAN.COM • 360.714.8412

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Local Find

Valuing People Always Hilda’s Farming WRITTEN BY NICOLE KIMBERLING | PHOTOS BY DAWN KIMBERLING

NE OF THE first things people often ask Hilda Sandoval when they find out that she is a farmer is why she, as a woman with a college degree, would choose to do such a difficult and physically demanding job. Her answer is always the same: “Because I like it.” Of course, like the roots of her own produce, Hilda’s story goes deeper than that. On her table at the Bellingham Farmers Market, she makes sure to showcase vegetables that remind her of home. A native of Hidalgo Province, Mexico, she spent weekdays at school in Mexico City and weekends working with her parents in the countryside on their family farm, growing vegetables to sell at the markets there. Today, she enjoys sharing her own homegrown staples such as tomatillos, hot peppers, and garlic as well as the fresh beans and squashes that form the basis of traditional Mexican cuisine. Human connectedness is part and parcel of everything Hilda does, and this ethos can be traced back to her admiration for her own parents,

BellinghamAlive.com

who raised eleven children (Hilda is number eight), making sure that each of them got a good education and solid start on life. Eventually, the Sandoval family were able to open a restaurant specializing in lamb barbacoa using only fresh ingredients from their local farms. Once Hilda graduated with a degree in business administration, she returned to run the family restaurant until love and marriage carried her to her new home in the Pacific Northwest. Once she arrived here, Hilda was impressed by the area’s natural beauty, but especially loved how supportive the locals were of farmers who produce, in her words, “healthy and healing organic foods.” Missing her connection to the land, she began to work for a local farm before eventually taking the leap to rent some land and start a business of her own. Apart from her radiant energy and quick smile, one thing I noticed about Hilda is that when she talked about the people on her farm, she never said that they worked for her, only with her. And she never referred to the (mostly) women who help her as workers, but as farmers.

“They are doing farming and so they are farmers,” she says. “They know how to grow all the vegetables and understand everything about farming, so they are farmers– not just interchangeable sets of hands.” As for the practice of farming itself, Hilda sees it as a wholeheartedly community-driven effort: “You cannot do it by yourself. When I was working in fields, I could see that especially the Hispanic women are hard workers, but many are not able to fully live because of the heavy burden of both work and family. So I want to be a role model to show that they can start their own businesses, too, and go to the market and participate. Always, I believe when you share a positive experience, if it has an impact, it creates a ripple that grows. I want to show people that this can be done.” You can find Hilda on Instagram @hildas_farming or at the Bellingham Farmers Market. 7626 Nooksack Rd., Everson, 360.325.8879, instagram.com/ hildas_farming 

Dining Guide Taste

SKAGIT FORTUNE MANDARIN Chinese, Mandarin 1617 Freeway Dr., Mount Vernon 360.428.1819, fortunemandarin.com Tea warmed over a candle, delicious drinks with a slight exotic twist, tender and flavorful meat, and vegetables cooked to perfection are expected at this peaceful bar and restaurant with Chinese decor. The owner and staff remember regular patrons, creating a sense of community alongside mouth-watering food.

IL GRANAIO Italian 100 W. Montgomery St., Ste. 110 Mount Vernon 360.419.0674, granaio.com Il Granaio is a practice in the intricacies of cuisine, displaying the best flavors Italian food has to offer. With more than 30 items on the entree menu, the list can be quite daunting — and the dessert menu is also impressive. The wine menu is also expansive, and the beer menu features several local craft brews. Their grappa selection does the Italian cordial the justice it deserves.

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. Their daily specials take into account the freshest catches, but you’ll also typically find a seafood pasta, filet-topped salad, and oysters on the menu.

Kitchen Tips & Tricks: Getting the House Ready for Thanksgiving Out With the Old, In With the New Before the big day, remember to clean out your fridge! Throwing out old food leaves more room and clean containers to store all of your Thanksgiving leftovers, so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for days on end. Do an even deeper clean with a 1-to-2 white vinegar and water solution on your fridge drawers.

Safety First Be prepared for anything by checking your smoke alarms in advance and making sure a fire extinguisher is at the ready, just in case! Remember to start cooking on a clean stove– grease-covered ones can start a fire– and don’t use water to put out a grease fire. Use baking soda or salt to smother it!

Order Groceries Online Do you hate navigating a busy grocery store filled with people rushing to get their holiday essentials? Preordering them for delivery or pick-up at the store will save you lots of time and stress. You can add the ingredients you need straight from your recipes to an online shopping cart, and even designate substitutes for each item in case the store runs out.

Prep What You Can Lots of ingredients– and even whole meals– can be prepped ahead of time. Most vegetables, sauces, and seasoning mixes can be prepared beforehand to make incorporating them in meals on Thanksgiving day much easier. Some, like most desserts and casseroles, can be made entirely in advance, then just reheated when the time is right!

THE OYSTER & THISTLE RESTAURANT & PUB Seafood, Steak

205 E. Washington St., La Conner 360.766.6179, theoysterandthistle.com The 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. You’ll also find plenty of fresh, expertly shucked oysters and perfectly seared sea scallops.

POIRIER’S ON THE RIVER Gastropub 416 Myrtle St., Mount Vernon 360.588.4515, poiriersontheriver.com

Break Up Your Tasks Set up a schedule for how the big day will look. Plan out when each dish should go in the oven (and for how long!) and leave breaks for you and your helpers to relax and regroup. Make sure to also factor in extra time for mishaps in case something unexpected comes up!

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help Planning on having a lot of guests over for Thanksgiving? Encourage them to bring over a dish or two to divide up the cooking duties and make the day much more manageable. If you already have a menu, you can also get everyone involved and designate tasks to each person as they arrive. MAYA HEINSELMAN

Poirier’s on the River is an ideal combination of high-end, fine dining, and English pub fare. Try traditional pub selections or more unique seafood choices. Additionally, Poirier’s on the River looks to accommodate all tastes with gluten-free dishes. Of course, a pub isn’t complete without beer and Poirier’s on the River completes the dining experience with numerous taps of local and European brews.

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Dining Guide

Galloway’s Cocktail Bar

RISTRETTO COFFEE LOUNGE & WINE BAR

Golden Gatsby

Ristretto doesn’t have a kitchen, but the baristas know their way around a panini press. You can also order breakfast all day, fresh salads, hearty bagels, or one of the baked goods brought in three times a week from nearby bakeries.

Ingredients: Citrusinfused gin, Monin mango, turmeric, organic lemon, orange blossom water, $14

American

416 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.0951, ristrettocoffeelounge.com

SHAMBALA BAKERY & BISTRO American 614 S. 1st Ave., Mount Vernon 360.588.6600, shambalabakery.com Crack open Shambala Bakery and Bistro’s menu to find all-day breakfast options and an array of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and lighter fare items such as quiche and soup. Their daily specials take advantage of what’s in season.

SWINOMISH SPORTS BAR & GRILL American

12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes, 888.288.8883, swinomishcasinoandlodge.com Located along the waterfront of Anacortes, this is not your run-of-the-mill sports bar. While you can go the more classic barfood route, this restaurant offers Italian, barbeque, seafood, Southern, among many other cuisine styles. Find the latest lines, watch the race, or grab a beer and grub as you watch every play, pass, and score.

TERRAMAR BREWSTILLERY Craft Brewery and Pizza Photo by Maya Heinselman

5712 Gilkey Ave., Edison, 360.399.6222 terramarcraft.com

Producing thoughtfully crafted, small-batch beer, cider, spirits, and pizza from farmed and foraged ingredients of Skagit Valley. The brewery taproom is all ages and dogfriendly. The distillery’s “Speakeasy” is 21+ and highlights Terramar’s spirits in creative cocktails. Patio dining surrounded by views of Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains.

ROM EXPERTLY CRAFTED

cocktails to 20-year-old port, and even draft beer, Galloway’s Cocktail Bar has something for everyone. Not only does the name “Golden Gatsby” capture the 1920s and ‘30s art deco theme of Galloway’s, but this signature drink is also a must-try for anyone who stops in for a refreshment. The citrus and mango flavors in the Golden Gatsby are revitalizing, with the sweetness of the orange and mango balancing out the 98

BellinghamAlive.com

sourness of the lemon. The smooth citrus-infused gin brings the whole drink together with its subtle, piney flavor. To top this cocktail off, a candied orange slice is poised atop the ice and the glass is rimmed with a mouth-watering combination of sugar and turmeric that gives the drink the perfect little kick with each sip. Satisfy all of your cravings by pairing the Golden Gatsby with one of Galloway’s tasty treats! 1200 10 St., Ste. 102, Bellingham, 360.756.2795, gallowayscocktail.bar MAYA HEINSELMAN

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. With plenty of beers on rotation, there’s the basics plus a surprise or two. Cocktails are another highlight — you won’t find Red Bull vodkas or overly sweetened Mai Tais here. The staff uses fresh juice, quality spirits, and house-made sours and grenadine. Staffers are encouraged to create their own cocktails, and the tastiest concoctions get a place on the menu.

Sip

Taste

Blending American Tradition with Old World Technique Doc Swinson’s WRITTEN BY AIMEE HELM | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY PONCE DE LEON

T’S NO SECRET that whiskey holds an iconic place in the heart of American libations culture. But have you ever wondered what actually goes into the process of creating that silky smooth, perfectly balanced sip? According to the team behind Ferndale-based craft whiskey label Doc Swinson’s, it’s (almost) all in the blend— and in the barrel. “People in the United States rarely focus on the blending aspect, which is actually what the rest of the world focuses on,” explains the label’s Master Blender, Jesse Parker. “That’s where all the magic really happens in Scotch Whiskey, Irish Whiskey, Cognacs, Armagnac, you name it.” Doc Swinson’s is not a distiller, but an NDP (non-distiller producer), which means they work with distillers to produce the base product, investing the bulk of their creative focus on what happens to the liquor after it’s been distilled. This labor-intensive post-distillation process includes personally tasting each and every barrel that enters their facility, selecting specific flavor profiles, deciding how they’re blended, and what kind of barrel they’re finished in. Unlike most American whiskies, Doc’s borrows most of its blending and barreling techniques from old-world traditions developed over centuries in Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, and Portugal. Aside from the blend, the choice of barrel (including type of wood and the barrel’s previous contents) also bears a strong influence on the quality and flavor profile of the final product. The result is an elevated, nuanced taste that stands out from your average whiskey due to its distinct combination of classic American flavor and refined, European finesse. “Most of what we do for our whiskeys comes from regions that are actually more similar to here. So we get to tie in these unique aspects that are common in Europe, where spirits are primarily blended and produced,” says Parker. But old-world artistry is just one way the label is shaking up expectations in the libation scene. The team is on a constant mission to innovate, inventing new blends and shifting the conventional whiskey paradigm as they go. Aside from their expansive core line of black label spirits, the team also prides themselves on their experimental, limited-release white label series, fittingly dubbed the “exploratory cask line.” “I would always recommend to anyone who’s seeing our product out in the wild that if there’s a white label one that looks exciting, pick it up because you might not get the opportunity again,” says the brand’s Operations Director, Keith Seidel. Aside from blending the most distinctive bottles they can come up with, the brand also takes pride in incorporating the taste of the North Sound into its products.

“Where we are has a unique impact on the whiskey. If you’re a whiskey nerd or someone who appreciates whiskey, tasting something that comes from our biome, I think is cool. We also have a line released in oak trees that grow only in the Pacific Northwest. So it’s very local and I think it makes a fantastic product that you really can’t find anywhere else,” shares Seidel. Purchase your own bottles (and some for holiday gifts) at retailers across the North Sound (a full map available on the brand’s website). docswhiskey.com 

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Chef’s Corner

Sexy Pad Thai Wanida Thai RECIPE AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF WANIDA THAI

INCE OPENING ITS doors in

2015, Wanida Thai has quickly become a go-to bastion of faraway flavor, gaining a loyal customer base and making a name for itself in the local restaurant scene. To feed the cravings of its foodie fandom even more, the popular eatery opened up a second location just north of downtown Bellingham: Wanida Thai Bistro. The addition offers up the same authentic and flavorful Thai dishes as its flagship Dupont Street location, with an elevated, upscale dining experience. The restaurant’s interior is sleek and modern, featuring a stylish seating area as well as a spacious full bar and outdoor seating. If you’re looking for a tasty alternative to all the traditional holiday feasts, we suggest you try recreating the taste of Thailand at home with this signature stir-fry dish, courtesy of Wanida Thai. Packed with tons of classic Thai flavor to awaken your inner epicurean, it’s sure to be the perfect rainy day pick-me-up.

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Meet the Team Wanida Thai is run by owners Surachai Teachaakarakasem (Alex) and Thanisara Tantraporn (Nikki), who have selected some of the best chefs Thailand has to offer to bring the authentic street style Thai cuisine to our corner of the world. Relying on triedand-true culinary techniques and years of experience working at some of the best luxury hotels in Thailand, the team of chefs at Wanida Thai are proud to bring authentic flavor all the way to the shores of the North Sound.

Ingredients 8 ounces rice noodle 1 egg 5 small pieces tofu (fried) ½ ounce shallot (chopped) ½ ounce pickle turnip (chopped) 2 ounces tamarind sauce 7 pieces shrimp Homemade egg net ½ ounce peanuts (chopped, for garnish) Bean sprout (for garnish)

Instructions: • Stir-fry the egg, fried tofu, shallots, pickle turnip, and shrimp in canola oil. • Add rice noodles into the pan, add the stock soup, and stir until the noodle is soft. • Add tamarind sauce and stir until fully cooked. • Wrap with egg net and garnish with peanuts and bean sprouts. 

ISLAND COUNTIES

GREAT

ISLAND SKILLET Homestyle Beloved by loyal patrons for its large portions and casual, customizable meals, Island Skillet is a must-stop for anyone visiting Orcas Island. A rustic metal rooster outside the entrance sets the tone. Start the day with a skillet breakfast complete with a bottomless cup of coffee. Sandwiches rule the lunch menu, and you can choose from a lengthy list of sides and customizations for most items, so you can totally have it your way.

PRIMA BISTRO French 201 1/2 First St., Langley 360.221.4060, primabistro.com A quintessential South Whidbey dining experience in the heart of Langley, Prima Bistro marries gourmet French cuisine and classic Northwest ingredients. The selection of red and white wines offers options for connoisseurs of every stripe, along with a full bar. For fabulous food, elegant ambience, and world-class views, be sure to visit Prima on your next visit to Whidbey Island.

SALTY FOX COFFEE American 85 Front St., Friday Harbor 360.622.2486, saltyfoxcoffee.com

Photo Courtesy of Cheba Hut

325 Prune Alley, Eastsound, 360.376.3984

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Items on the menu at Salty Fox are quick to whip up, but still healthy and satisfying. It’s an ideal stop for ferry riders on a time schedule, along with the locals who stop in for breakfast or lunch. Guests can take anything to go, including sealed wine and beer, much of which is locally made on the island.

SAN JUAN ISLAND BREWING CO. American 410 A St., Friday Harbor, 360.378.2017, sanjuanbrew.com At San Juan Island Brewing Company all the brews are named after San Juan-inspired concepts, and if you can’t decide what brew to try, order a sampler. If they weren’t in the business of brewing, San Juan Island Brewery would be in the business of pizza. Order one of their wood stone pizzas and you won’t be disappointed. The thin crust is crispy on the bottom, but still soft and chewy.

TOBY’S TAVERN Seafood 8 NW 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. Steamed and soaked in a scrumptious mix of simple seasonings, wine, and juices, Toby’s robust offering of mussels makes for a memorable visit.

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The Chicken Katsu at Mount Vernon’s Kyoto Kitchen is a dish you can’t pass up. Perfectly breaded, deep fried chicken with rice and miso soup on the side, try it with one of the many types of sake Kyoto offers. Ready to end the night with a delicious dessert? Big Scoop’s Old Fashioned Banana Split will be the cherry on top of any day. And if this traditional banana split doesn’t take you back in time, Big Scoop’s retro-style diner sure will!

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Stop into the COF& cafe for a quick pick me up! One of our favorites on their entirely Colombian coffee menu is the Submarine, which is Colombian espresso with steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and a bar of chocolate.

Goat Mountain Pizza’s Potato Bacon Pizza is the flavor combination you never saw coming. A shiitake-thyme cream sauce covered with thinly sliced gold potatoes and applewood smoked bacon makes this pizza one of our go-tos.

TASTES

The Sensi Star is a specialty sandwich unique to Cheba Hut’s Bellingham location. It’s filled with chicken, bacon, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, honey sriracha, and more! Try it on their garlic herb bread and pair it with one of their signature drinks. Grab a pint of your favorite brew at Stones Throw Brewery. Try something on their ever-changing tap list, or grab a glass of their non-alcoholic handcrafted House Ginger Ale, which will still pack a powerful, ginger-y punch. Mi Rancho Meat Market has some of the best tacos in town! The vegetables, tortillas, and salsas that make up their $1 Tacos are all fresh and house-made, and each of their meats are sourced directly from their own market.

What A Pho is one of Bellingham’s best kept hidden gems. Their classic Phô Tái, Chín, Bò Viên, a pho with flank steak pieces, rice noodles, and a mouthwatering broth, pairs well with one of their Vietnamese coffees.

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Wine Pick of the Month

WINE

PICK

OF THE MONTH November

December

Lu & Oly

Baer Winery

2021 Chardonnay

‘Star’ 2015 Merlot

Columbia Valley

WRITTEN BY AMBERLEIGH BROWNSON

U & OLY is a line from Washington’s

esteemed Mark Ryan Winery and is named after Mark’s own two daughters: Lucia and Olivia. Mark Ryan McNeilly started making wine in a garage in 1999 after being a server and bartender, followed by sales in distributing. He became wildly interested in Washington grapes and wanted to make something special– and he very much succeeded. He found mentorship in talented winemakers who lent advice and guidance in his early days, and has since grown Mark Ryan Winery to be the 14th largest winery in Washington State. With each bottle you can taste the unrestrained passion for winemaking, and this homage to his daughters is no different. Mark Ryan Winery has tasting rooms in both Woodinville and Walla Walla. markryanwinery.com

Tasting Notes: Fresh snap peas, browned butter, popcorn jelly beans and wet daisies on the nose introduce a palate of toffee nut, clementine, and banana peel. This wine finishes with beautifully integrated acid and a hint of mango. Pairing Suggestion: Mushroom soup, pan-seared scallops with orange supreme cream sauce, rosemary-butter roasted turkey, lemongrass couscous with avocado oil and pine nuts, key lime pie. 102 BellinghamAlive.com

Pairing Suggestion: Squidink pasta, short ribs, sauteed spinach, brandy-peppercorn sauce, bramble crumble, dark chocolate-dipped biscotti. 

AER WINERY WAS founded in

2000 by father-son team Lance and Les Baer with the intention of producing exceptional quality Bordeaux-style wines. The veteranowned family operation remains true to just that, generating consistently excellent vintages with the assistance of winemaking consultant Erica Orr, who has also consulted for Mark Ryan Winery (November’s winemaker of Wine Pick of the Month). Wine Spectator has twice listed Baer on their top 100 list, which is the most prestigious of honors, in my humble opinion. Merlot, being one of my all-time favorites, is the pick this month as it lends beautiful partnership to the fall and winter harvest foods we are so lucky to enjoy here in our special corner of the United States. This particular vintage can be found in Blaine’s The Vault Wine Bar & Event Space. Baer Winery has a tasting room in Woodinville and a wine club you can join online at baerwinery.com.

Tasting Notes: Scents of currants, leather, molasses and smashed blackberries lead up to a fruity mouthfeel of cherry compote, ginger, dried fennel, pine needles and a substantial earthy finish.

Photo by Sharon Beth

MEET OUR SOMMELIER Amberleigh Brownson Amberleigh Brownson has been a local sommelier and international wine judge in Whatcom county for eight years. She is a four-time award winner from Wine Spectator for her wine program and wine pairing dinners, and has become an opinion leader in the Washington wine world, particularly in Whatcom County.

NOW 1065 E. Sunset Dr., OPEN

Bellingham

SERVES AUTHENTIC MADE BY SCRATCH MEXICAN FOOD IN A WARM ATMOSPHERE

A pinch of passion in every dish

623 Morris St., La Conner | 360.466.0267 1810 Riverside Dr., Mount Vernon | 360.840.1938

COAEATERY.COM

4151 Meridian St. | Cordata Place

HAPPY HOUR 3-6pm daily & all day Sunday

1/2 OFF WINE BOTTLES

Southern inspired, farm to table bistro overlooking the amazing views of Shuksan Golf Course in Whatcom County.

Monday & Tuesday

LIVE MUSIC

Thursday & Friday 5-8pm thebistroatshuksan

1500 E Axton Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226 ShuksanGolf.com | (360) 398-8888 Chef Matthew Boudousquie Best of the Northwest 2023 Gold Winner

FREE EVENT

BARBER HISTORIANS: “J U S T A L I T T L E O F F T H E T O P ”

LISTINGS Arts, Culinary, Festivals, Live Performances, Races and More.

DOUBLE TAP TO EDIT TEXT Opening Reception Oct. 5 5-7pm Walter Barbershop in Edison, WA circa 1917/ SCHM Collection

Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11am-4pm www.skagitcounty.net/museum 360 466 3365 This project received funding from Skagit County. www.visitskagitvalley.com

Visit “Barber Historians” Oct. 6 through Spring 2024!

ADD EVENT @

BellinghamAlive.com/ Events

Self Posting. Listings include photo, description and mapping of location. Will go live once approved.

104 BellinghamAlive.com

NOV. 16-19, 2023 THURS -SAT @ 7:30PM, SUN @ 2PM

DECEMBER 9 @ 7:30PM DECEMBER 10 @ 2:00PM

Tickets at www.sjctheatre.org

Agenda

Events

Downtown Bellingham Tree Lighting Ceremony 106 November/December 2023 105

SPOTLIGHT NOVEMBER & DECEMBER TOP PICKS FAIRHAVEN WINTERFEST Late November–December Enjoy your favorite winter activities at Fairhaven Winterfest. Throughout November and December, fun events for the whole family can be found at various Fairhaven locations. Take a stroll on a lighted path through town or relax with a holiday movie and treats at the FireHouse Cafe. Maybe you’ll even see Father Christmas, or take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage! This celebration of all things winter and holiday is a must-do for everyone. Fairhaven, 360.284.4248, fairhaven.com

1 THEE HOLIDAY MARKET November 12, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Big names in Bellingham’s creator community are putting on this brand new holiday market! Mo’s Parlor, Good Boy Mercantile, The Stump of Approval, and Birch Bay Burns Pyrography have joined forces to bring together hip and upcoming vendors for a one-day extravaganza. Thee Holiday Market will span two venues on Cornwall Avenue to provide plenty of space for shopping, not to mention delicious Colombian coffee from COF&. The Happy Place and COF&, 1209 Cornwall Ave., 1215 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham

O CHRISTMAS TEA: A BRITISH COMEDY December 15, 7:30 p.m.

OPEN BOOK November 5, 12–5 p.m.

At this special First Friday event, Downtown Bellingham will be illuminated by a big, beautiful Christmas tree at Depot Market Square! To celebrate the holiday spirit, live music, cookies and cocoa, and other festivities will begin at 5 p.m., and the tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. Afterwards, enjoy December’s First Friday, the perfect time to explore Bellingham’s many unique shops, restaurants, artist’s studios, and more. Depot Market

Off-beat, wacky, and shockingly funny British humor the likes of Monty Python and Mr. Bean always makes a splash when it hits the North American scene! This award-winning English duo, known by their company name James & Jamesy, are touring their Christmastime comedy show reminiscent of the U.K.’s holiday pantomimes. Expect the unexpected when you attend, but most of all, expect a barrel of laughs! McIntyre

Square, 1100 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, 360.527.8710, downtownbellingham.com

Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon, 360.416.7727, mcintyrehall.org

A top-notch event for book lovers is premiering this November! Open Book is a new festival presented by the Whatcom County Library System to celebrate all things related to literature: poetry, prose, graphic novels, authors, book talks and readings, pop-up shops, and even letterpress printing, book mending, and more! There will be a Main Stage, Local Authors Stage, and a Teen & Youth Stage so everyone can get the most of the jam-packed schedule. Show up to support this new opportunity for local literary arts! Ferndale

DECEMBER FIRST FRIDAY AND TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY December 1, 5–10 p.m.

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Events Center, 5715 Barrett Rd., Ferndale, 360.305.3600, wcls.org

Events Agenda HOLIDAY MAGIC December 10, 3 p.m.

CLASSICAL ONCE UPON A TIME December 9, 7:30 p.m. Skagit Symphony celebrates the holidays with the joyous power of music! The concert will open with fanfare by the brass section, followed by seasonal pieces and the showstopping “Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra,” performed with guest artist Marcel Helland. Arrive at 6:45 p.m. to chat with Helland and Maestro Michael Wheatley. 615 W. Division St., Mount Vernon, 360.848.9336, skagitsymphony.com

James Ray is the Guest Conductor for Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s 8th annual Holiday Magic concert. You can plan on hearing several classic holiday tunes, including “Silent Night” and “Sleigh Ride,” and enjoying hot chocolate during the show’s intermission. Get your tickets early and join the BSO at Mount Baker Theatre this December! Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com

NOAH GUNDERSON November 18, 9 p.m.

RAILROAD EARTH December 29, 7:30 p.m.

Noah Gunderson is a Washington native with a worldwide following. As a part of various bands and with his solo career, Gunderson connects to listeners deeply with his intimate, selfreflective indie folk, influenced by rock classics like Neil Young. His newest album, “If This Is the End,” marks a return to the music world after feeling he had lost his way in it. Wild Buffalo

Hailing from New Jersey, this seven-person band carries out progressive bluegrass tunes mixed with folk, rock, country, jazz, and other musical genres. They released their latest album just last year and are coming to the Mount Baker Theatre as one of the last stops on their nationwide tour. Start your New Year’s weekend by jamming out with this eclectic group. Mount

House of Music, 208 W. Holly St., 360.746.8733, wildbuffalo.net

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

Photo courtesy of Skagit Symphony

CONCERTS Formerly known as Mandolin Orange, Watchhouse is the joint effort of Andrew Marlin’s songwriting and Emily Frantz’s earnest voice. Although they’ve built their success from the ground up and sold out iconic venues, they’re going back to their roots with Watchhouse (Duo), a re-release of their self-titled LP highlighting just the two of them and their music. Catch them at this concert, presented by The Wild Buffalo at Mount Baker Theatre! Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com November/December 2023 107

Photo by Charlie Boss

WATCHHOUSE: DUO November 11, 8 p.m.

Agenda Events

THEATER THE WIZARD OF OZ November 3–19 Mount Vernon’s Theater Arts Guild brings a live production of The Wizard of Oz to Lincoln Theatre this November! Bring everyone along to enjoy the classic tale in stunning technicolor– not to mention three dimensions. Follow the classic characters’ journey to the sounds of the evergreen feature film’s score. 712 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon, 360.336.8955, lincolntheatre.org

Photo Courtesy of Theater Arts Guild

KEN LUDWIG’S THE GAME’S AFOOT November 24–December 10

Photo by Jaime Del Pizzo

The Bellingham Theatre Guild is set to put on Ken Ludwig’s 2012 play, “The Game’s Afoot.” Immerse yourself in the intriguing story of a murder mystery set in 1930s Connecticut, chronicling a Broadway star who channels his role as Sherlock Holmes to catch a killer in his own home. Bellingham Theatre Guild, 1600 H St., Bellingham, 360.733.1811, bellinghamtheatreguild.com

ELF THE MUSICAL November 24–December 16 Based on the 2003 hit film “Elf,” this musical follows Buddy, an elf who’s never quite fit in at the North Pole. Upon realizing he’s actually a human, Buddy decides to travel to New York City to find his birth family– but all is not well in the Big Apple. Can Buddy find a way to rouse his family’s (and all of New York’s) flagging Christmas spirit? Anacortes Community Theatre, 918 M. Ave., Anacortes, 360.293.6829, acttheatre.com

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HEALTH & WELLNESS SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING AND BEESWAX CANDLE DIPPING November 5, 2–5 p.m. Have you ever been interested in beekeeping? Well, the Cloud Mountain Farm Center is hosting a workshop where you can explore beekeeping practices and even make your own beeswax candles while you’re at it. You’ll also be able to learn more about other sustainable bee and plant products and how to include them in a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. Cloud Mountain Farm Center, 6906 Goodwin Rd., Everson, 360.966.5859, cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER December 16-20

FALL SWING DANCE November 4, 6–9 p.m.

2023 SKAGIT WINE & BEER FESTIVAL November 18, 4–8 p.m.

Hike through the Larrabee State Park trails while earning your Wilderness First Responder certification along the way. This hands-on, guided experience may be just what you’re looking for as you gain knowledge about how to handle emergencies and plan future wilderness trips in our winter climate.

Show off your dancing skills or learn some new ones at this free swing dancing session in Ferndale! Enjoy live music by Swing Connection, a free introductory lesson from 6–7 p.m., and complimentary refreshments by way of bottled water and snacks, all provided by the Ferndale Arts Commission. There’s no pressure, just come kick up your heels with friends and neighbors. Pioneer Pavilion Community

This one-night fest brings wines, microbrews, and spirits from all over Washington right to our area! Enjoy these selections from far and wide alongside samplings from Skagit Valley wineries, chocolatiers, and caterers. If you spring for VIP, enjoy an hour’s early access and the VIP room with exclusive nibbles. Heritage Flight Museum,

Larrabee State Park, 245 Chuckanut Dr., Bellingham, 831.471.7882, backcountrymedicalguides.org

SANTA 5K AT CORDATA December 17, 11 a.m. For the third year in a row, the Santa 5K is coming to town! Chilly and festive participants of all ages are welcomed to take the course through Cordata and Juliana parks at whatever pace they see fit, be that strolling-with-cocoa speed or as fast as they can. Costumes are encouraged, and a Santa hat is included with registration! Prizes will be given for fastest times and other festive categories. Cordata Park, 4510

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS November 17–December 24 This five-week long arts festival is no joke! Allied Arts of Whatcom County has been running it for over 40 years, and it’s an absolute go-to for holiday shopping. They regularly feature over 100 artisans from the region, with an online market and a 7-day-a-week in-person market. Live performances, live arts demonstrations, and workshops for kids help round out the event to a true celebration of the creativity of our local artisans. Venue to be announced, 360.676.8548, alliedarts.org

15053 Crosswinds Dr., Burlington, 360.424.5151, heritageflight.org

THE AUNTIES: WOMEN OF THE SALISH SEA November 10, 7:30 p.m. This new storytelling series follows the journey of three First Nation and Native American matriarchs. Listen in and celebrate these women as they share stories about their lives and communities, as well as talk about what being Indigenous means to individuals in this day and age. Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com

Photo by Britni

Cordata Pkwy., cob.org

Center, 2007 Cherry St., Ferndale, 360.384.3042, cityofferndale.org

SPECIAL EVENTS THE MAJESTIC ARTISAN MARKET November 4, 12–3 p.m. The Majestic Art Cafe is continuing with their Saturday market all through November and December! Located on the lower level of the historic Majestic Ballroom, the Majestic Art Cafe hosts indie artists and vendors in their courtyard and cafe. They’re a quick walk from the Bellingham Farmers Market at Depot Square, and have espresso and pastries to boot! The Majestic Art Cafe, 1027 N. Forest St., Bellingham, 360.676.0292, themajesticartcafe.com

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Agenda

Events

VISIUAL ARTS

Photo Courtesy of The Seattle Aquarium

GALLERY EXHIBIT: THE MERCURIAL BODY November 3–25 Allied Arts of Whatcom County’s November exhibit will be opening up just in time to participate in November’s First Friday Art Walk. After opening night, 6–9 p.m. on Nov. 3, the exhibit will be showing until Nov. 25. “The Mercurial Body” will feature works from artists Mary Galley, Zotshee Zotshee, Blaire Sebren, Susan Raphael, Mary Quintrall, and Erin Libby. Allied Arts of Whatcom County Gallery & Store, 1418 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, 360.676.8548, alliedarts.org

OUT OF TOWN SEATTLE ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS AT THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM November 1–December 31 The video game that took the world by storm a few years ago is coming to life at the Seattle Aquarium! In “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” you can find all sorts of creatures in rivers, lakes, the ocean, and on the beach, and learn fun facts about them. Now you can join your favorite characters from the game in real life and do the same at the Seattle Aquarium! Take pictures, go on a scavenger hunt, and more during this unique crossover event. 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, 206.386.4300, seattleaquarium.org

HARRY POTTER: MAGIC AT PLAY November 10–January 21

Photo by Blaire Sebren

BELLINGHAM NATIONAL 2023 JURIED ART EXHIBITION AND AWARDS: ACTS OF HEALING AND REPAIR November 12-February 25 Artists from anywhere in the U.S. were welcomed to submit their pieces around the theme of healing to this juried exhibition at the Whatcom Museum. This is the fourth edition of this biennial show, and previous years have seen upwards of 50 artists. The pieces span all mediums and interpretations of the theme. Explore the large collection and what healing means to you. Lightcatcher Building, Whatcom Museum, 250 Flora St., Bellingham, 360.778.8930, whatcommuseum.org 110

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Immerse yourself in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Take a journey all the way from Privet Drive to Platform 9¾, discovering your Hogwarts house, taking an interactive class, playing quidditch, trying a butterbeer, and much more along the way! Experiencing Seattle’s Harry Potter: Magic at Play will bring out the witch or wizard in anyone. The Shops at The Bravern, 11111 NE 8th St., Bellevue, harrypottermagicatplay.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL November 24–December 24 The ACT Theatre is putting on Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” for the 48th year. Plunge into the world of Ebenezer Scrooge as he visits his past, present, and future to gain a new, compassionate perspective on his life and the world around him. This annual Christmas tradition came highly recommended from team members at Bellingham Alive! Allen Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle, 206.292.7676, acttheatre.org

OUT OF TOWN VANCOUVER, B.C. NEW YEAR’S EVE PARQ GALA December 31, 9 p.m.–2 a.m. Have you ever wanted to party on New Year’s Eve in a large, contemporary ballroom, complete with chandeliers, music and dancing, and passed drinks and canapes? Of course you have, it’s the stuff of dreams! The JW Marriott Parq Vancouver’s Grand Ballroom will be home to just such a party come this year’s end. The red carpet, the midnight toast, and a huge balloon drop will all be there to help you ring in 2024. JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, 39 Smithe St., Vancouver, 604.676.0888, theblockinc.ca

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Notes

Lasting Image

This photo, shot in the Mt. Baker Wilderness, depicts the relationship between human design and nature, and the simplicity that can be found in the beauty of both. KYLE D. BICKEL, BELLINGHAM, WA

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