If you have lived in the Pacific Northwest for a while, you most likely have become accustomed to many of the icons of the area: the Space Needle standing sentinel along the city skyline, Mount Rainer majestically showing her white peaks on a sunny day, hearing how grunge music was born here. Of course, Seattle... Continue Reading →
All are welcome at Catalyst Cafe in Everett
Turn off the busy arterial of Colby Ave in Everett, and amidst the quiet side street neighborhood on 23rd sits Catalyst Cafe, an all-inclusive local gathering space creating meaningful change in Snohomish County. At first glance, it looks like any other neighborhood coffee house with a warm, inviting and welcoming vibe. Catalyst Cafe is all this... Continue Reading →
Vegan & hungry in Bellingham? Look for Sage Against the Machine
When you are vegan and hungry in Bellingham - look no further, my friend, than Sage Against the Machine. This plant-based food truck can be found all over Bellingham, hopping around from Kulshans and Stones Throw breweries to the lunchtime plaza at Barclay Village. Just look for the green food truck with the fist logo. Inside the green machine are... Continue Reading →
Skagit Valley’s Viva Farms wants to create a strong and just local food system
It’s a cool but sunny morning as I meet Michael Frazier, executive director of Viva Farms, at the farmland deemed Viva 1, located on 33 acres in Skagit Valley. In the height of the growing season here at Viva, they are growing more than just fruit and vegetables. There are three main branches to what they... Continue Reading →
Bucks spices it up at downtown Olympia apothecary
What’s for dinner? Is it a new Moroccan dish you're trying out, slowly simmering over the stove, or an old stand-by noodle entree needing some new life? Whatever you cook, it's the addition of herbs and spices which bring each food to their fullest flavor. Oh, snap! The recipe you are drooling over on Pinterest... Continue Reading →
Fill your cup at Old Towne Grainery Tea Room in Skagit Valley
MAY 02, 2021by MARYROSE DENTON “Life is like a cup of tea. It is to be filled to the brim and shared with friends!” This is the motto of owner Jenni Belisle at the Old Towne Grainery Tea Room in Mount Vernon, which resides inside a historic grainery building from the 1900s, which only adds to the... Continue Reading →
Kaffeklatsch: ‘Gather around coffee’ at this German bakery in Lake City
APRIL 25, 2021by MARYROSE DENTON Grab a coffee and a treat, then relax inside this open airy café. At Kaffeklatsch on Lake City Way, the comfortable vibe suggests slowing down, staying awhile, and connecting with good friends. Owner Annette Heide-Jessen began her German bakery 10 years ago. It happened during the recession of 2008 when both she... Continue Reading →
Temperate Habits: An old-fashioned, family-owned brewpub in the heart of Mt. Vernon
APRIL 18, 2021by MARYROSE DENTON A cozy, family-owned brewpub in the heart of Mount Vernon makes one feel like family from the get-go. Kinda in the vein of “Cheers”, if you are old enough to remember the hit ‘80’s TV show. Temperate Habits may be the newbie in town but they are fast becoming the destination... Continue Reading →
There is always room for you at Calypso Kitchen’s table in Bellingham
Tucked away in the North end of Bellingham is a small oasis of the Caribbean Islands, better known as Calypso Kitchen. A delicious aroma of West Indian spices wafted in the air as we entered this wide-open commercial kitchen space. Chef Sarah Chan greeted us and lead us over to the stainless steel workspace where she... Continue Reading →
Celebrate the Beauty and Bounty of the Earth at FinnRiver Farm and Cidery
FEBRUARY 26, 2021by MARYROSE DENTON Several weeks ago a slender, glass bottle of golden liquor was gifted to me. It was not the elixir of life but a Brandywine. I have to say, it was the best wine I have ever tasted. I would go so far as to say it tasted like heaven -... Continue Reading →