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 →
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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 →
Museum displays COVID-19 commemorative quilt
A visual history of life during the pandemic Wednesday, April 21, 2021 By; MaryRose Denton Back in March of 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses, isolated families and caused a run on toilet paper, something else a little quieter was taking shape. A group of 16 quilters from around Washington state began sewing,... 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 →
Seattle nonprofit creates a welcoming global community by investing in refugee women
MARCH 09, 2021by MARYROSE DENTON Since 2017, Refugee Artisan Initiative has envisioned creating a welcoming global community that values and invests in refugee and immigrant women as they achieve healthy, stable, and fulfilling lives in the PNW and beyond. Once in a while, there is a person who stands out from the crowd. Someone who... 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 →
Where is the longest running retail store in WA? Ocean Park
We drive along the two-lane highway heading north up the Peninsula. No more than 10 minutes pass and we see it. It's huge! Just as the urban tales described it. Jack's Country Store takes up a whole city block starting at the main intersection, well really the only 4-way intersection in this small, seaside town of Ocean... Continue Reading →
How a Family Bed Builds Strong Relationships
Or how giving our kids a soft place to land also gives us a chance to listen. Walking through our small town, I stop in a local thrift store just to browse around, killing time. I push open the front door to be met with that familiar, old musty smell of well-worn objects and old books.... Continue Reading →
Winter is Not Coming, But Coming to a Close.
A short story on Imbolc or Brigid’s Day The rain continues outside. It has been continuous all day with no clearing in sight. Perhaps it will be an early spring. Good thing she collected the reeds from the marsh several days ago when the skies had been bluer. They will be formed into crosses later... Continue Reading →