In 2023, the Washington State Legislature adopted House Bill 1110, often referred to as the "middle housing" bill. HB1110 requires many cities in the state to allow a broader range of housing types in areas that have allowed predominantly detached homes.
It’s one of the subtle joys of Winter in the Pacific Northwest that turn our gray drizzle from seasonal ennui into rhapsody. Licorice Fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza. You’ll notice them most often as they cling to the trunks or major limbs of trees, looking like colonies of lace-winged moths that have come to rest on the bark. Contrary to the popular belief that these epiphytes grow only on Bigleaf Maples, you’ll see them on Sycamores, Vine Maples, crawling atop rocks or concrete walls, settled into the aged wood of gates and fences, or on the ground.
A McGilvra Elementary Christmas activity was to exchange handmade cards after drawing names. We usually had a play to perform in the southeast corner of the school, and the day before Christmas, a movie was shown via the oversized 16 mm projector, which had subtitles due to the lack of sound. At home, the radio featured Christmas shows, and we crowded around to listen to the greats, like Bing Crosby. We listened to Jerry Colonna, Jack Kirkwood, Fred Allen, and Jack Benny for comedy.
The column this month was inspired by the holiday spirit: that bubbling-up feeling we get when we ponder family and friends, good cooking, warm hearths (and hearts), and beloved traditions. That holiday spirit is like no other—often a mix of hope, anxiety, and excitement, all at once.
The best things in life are free! Ayurveda, the holistic system of medicine originating in India over 3,000 years ago, professes a variety of simple lifestyle routines that are particularly powerful (and free!) for optimizing digestion and improving overall health. Three of these include: an awakened appetite, regular meal times, and post-meal walks. These practices are corroborated by Western science as health enhancements. Let's explore awakening the appetite first.
There are rookeries amidst us that are hardly a secret. But I’m not going to say where this one is. I like to imagine there are still hidden places made of twigs and moss and leaves where birds can nest without our interference.
I recently came across an album my father made for me years ago. On the front page, he had rubbed the gold letters off to spell:
Nate Gowdy is a photographer whose work explores the intersection of social movements, cultural identity, and political spectacle. For the past 15 years, he has called Seattle home, earning recognition for his compelling visual storytelling rooted in these themes. While his career took off in the Pacific Northwest, he has recently gained international acclaim for his documentary fine art photography examining American politics. His latest exhibition at Spectrum Fine Art in Madrona, however, narrows its focus to a single pivotal day: January 6, 2021.
Seattle is known as a place where people are willing to challenge the status quo. Willing to step outside of the way things are always done and invent brilliant new solutions to everyday problems.
On Nov. 7, Ardagh Glass Packaging, the major glass bottle manufacturer in the Seattle area, informed the Washington state government that it permanently closed its Seattle facility. This decision follows an earlier production pause in July 2024.
I believe it was midway through my forties when I started to realize that Thanksgiving through New Years is not my time.
As our sights turn to 2025, the Puget Sound region’s return-to-office mandates are an emerging trend in the housing market.
What truly portrayed Madison Park in the early 40s was Riley’s Café. It was a gathering place for wartime workers at Todd’s Shipyard in Kirkland before they caught the ferry. Many gathered outside due to the overcrowding inside and slurped the coffee from their saucers.
As I write this, our area is recovering from a bomb cyclone storm—an intimidating name for an intimidating event. Around 7,650 households are currently without electricity, and that’s just in Seattle.
Magnolia Winterfest will take place on the afternoon and evening of Dec. 7. Many events await, including special events, holiday arts and crafts, unique menus, tree lighting, caroling, photos with Santa, after-hours shopping, and so much more.
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