Seattle Culture
Bicycle Diaries: The Competitive Side of Bike Commuters
In this series we ask Roddy Sheer for some tips and tricks for making bike commuting a little easier
It seems that bike commuting gets the competitive juices flowing for Greg Widmyer, one of our resident blogging bike commuters this month. Here’s how he puts it: “I’ve kind of got a nice routine going this week with early morning calls. I leave my house about 7:30, ride about 500 yards to a coffee shop,…
Kippen House Chicken Coops Make Backyard Baryards Modern
A Seattle architect has invented a chic coop perfect for urban backyards.
The shabby chicken coops of Old McDonald’s farm might look out of place in the city, but thanks to architect Traci Fontyn, owner and founder of Bothell’s Kippen House chicken coops (kippenhouse.com), urban dwellers can still enjoy fresh, organic eggs from their own small lots. These cool coops combine chicken housing with human gardening for…
Washington is a Hotbed for Three Dangerous Diseases
Our state outpaces the nation in rates of three serious diseases—tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis an
We take pride in it: Our state regularly earns top honors as one of the most livable in the country, thanks to our old-growth forests, vast waterways, and our literary and recreational lifestyles. But Washington state also tops a few not-so-pleasant lists: We outpace the nation in debilitating, and sometimes deadly, diseases. Washington is a…
Seattle Homeowner: Can You Cut Down that Tree?
The City of Seattle is considering new rules that would remove protections on some ‘exceptional tre
It wasn’t a native tree. It wasn’t what most would call pretty. And it was so big it dwarfed the little cottage it had grown beside for the past 60 or more years. But the spiky, Seussian monkey puzzle tree that was cut down last January in Ballard by the home’s new owners had been…
Bicycle Diaries: Celebrating Urban Bike Commuting in Seattle
Since May is Bike Month around the world, I am devoting my Outdoors blog posts for the next few weeks to urban bicycle commuting around Seattle. I will be virtually following two urban bike commuters as they make their way to and from work every day on two wheels under their own power, and I…
Vertical Garden Art at Ballard Floral Shop Midnight Blossom
In the April issue I reported on the vertical gardening trend currently climbing Seattle walls. Now Ballard floral design, plant and gift shop Midnight Blossom is offering its arty take on the trend with tillandsia (air plant) wall gardens (like the one pictured above). They’re “living art,” Amoreena Herbage told me by phone. She’s one-half…
Best Place to Be a Mom is…Not the U.S.
Report ranks countries based on health, education, economics for women and children
I am in the midst of another crazy day of juggling work, family, volunteering, life and just came across a Twitter headline from the San Francisco Chronicle about a report ranking the best and worst countries to be a mom. The United States ranks 31st. Norway ranks No. 1. You can download the full report to…
Tips from Kelly Singer on Gearing Up for Jogging in the Rain
Have fun outside this month despite the rain with the right gear.
It’s April in Seattle, but the unseasonably cool temperatures, lack of sunshine, and constant drizzle makes it feel like we’re back in November. I’m past the point of letting the weather rain on my parade and on my run, so I made a list of the necessary gear needed to get out there and stay…
May Trends for the Stylish Seattle Child
Repurposed duds from Ricicli, volunteering made easy and statement making blanket.
Downsizing, UpcyclingWhen Christina Collins-Pezzner looks at a pile of discarded clothes, she sees beautiful bits of opportunity. Her Ballard-based design business Ricicli (pronounced ree-chee-clee; riciclikids.com), turns gently used adult apparel into stylish, one-of-a-kind duds for boys and girls. After many years on the local fashion scene, including working with Nordstrom’s buying team, Collins-Pezzner realized her…
Medispas: Patient Pampering at Local Hospitals
Local spas affiliated with medical centers and clinics find the sweet spot between pampering and pr
You know where to go when things get tough: the spa. Soothing music, herbal tea, fluffy towels and a massage—your favorite pamper palace sets the mood for calm and relaxation. But more and more, those bastions of serenity are located in the last place most of us go to unwind: the hospital. Welcome to the…
Puget Sound Ocean Acidification in Environmental News Again
Marine scientists call ocean acidification global warming’s doppelgänger, and recent studies show Pu
The Seattle Times reports today on ocean acidification research taking Puget Sound, a topic that our very own Maria Dolan tackled in last month’s issue. In honor of today’s front page ST story, here are a few photos from the magazine, including a few previously unpublished online. Northwest Fisheries Science Laboratory biologist Paul McElhany…
How Far Will the New Electric Cars Take Us East on I-90?
We may not have jetpacks yet, but the future has arrived in the form of highway-worthy all-electric
We may not have jetpacks yet, but the future has arrived in the form of highway-worthy all-electric cars that will take you at least 100 miles on a charge. The perks of such vehicles have been well documented—decreased impact on the environment, increased energy efficiency (thanks to a lithium-ion battery), incredibly low fuel costs and…
Can You Tiger Mom a Preschooler?
Drilling a 4 Year Old on Reading and Writing is a Test of Wills
Some days, I suck at being a tiger mom. It simply requires more attention to monitoring my daughter’s work than I have time to devote. On those days when I let my daughter watch TV instead of practice writing letters and numbers, the self-flogging kicks in and, perhaps irrationally, I fret that the one, two…
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