Rachel Gallaher

The Indie Darling

The Indie Darling

Known for its gritty, industrial past, Georgetown now boasts an eclectic mix of locally-owned cafés, restaurants, and shops

“When I first arrived in Seattle, I was working in a welding shop in Georgetown, and I also lived on Airport Way,” says Tim Ptak, who opened the popular diner Smarty Pants in 2003. “There was nowhere to eat except for grabbing fried chicken at the Shell gas station, and I wanted to open a place where people could get a good lunch and grab something to drink after work.”

Illustration by Martin Haake

Most Influential, Education: Quinton Morris

Most Influential, Education: Quinton Morris

Artist, educator

I’m committed to educating and helping students transform their lives through Key to Change. My goal is to expand the program to reach more students…

Photo by Sung Park

A Slice Above the Rest

A Slice Above the Rest

With grace and grit, Niles Peacock has worked his way to the top of the pizza world

“This has to be a joke.” That’s the first thing that passed through Niles Peacock’s head as he stood reading the results of the 2022 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas…

Photo by Steve Parent Photography

Most Influential, Arts: Anthony White

Most Influential, Arts: Anthony White

Artist, curator

White helped in the development and creation of the Lillian Miller Foundation Fellowship for Trans* and Indigiqueer Artists — a $10,000 unrestricted cash award offered for Washington state artists of all disciplines who self-identify as trans. “There was a lack of grants focused on trans and Indigiqueer artists,” White notes. “Offering this grant welcomes in more people.”

Photo by James Harnois

Turn up the Music

Turn up the Music

Totem Star's new home expands its footprint by tenfold

“The studio was usually full,” says Totem cofounder, star singer, songwriter, and producer Daniel Pak. “And then we’d have a duo playing guitar out on the stairs, folks rapping in the hallway or practicing in the dance studios. It was a beautiful thing, but we needed more room.”

Most Influential, Fashion: Dan McLean

Most Influential, Fashion: Dan McLean

Fashion designer

“I have such a connection to this city,” McLean says. “There’s so much happening and so many people doing cool things. I feel like once people get famous here, they move away to New York or LA, and they say, ‘Oh, there’s not enough here.’ I disagree. I don’t need to take my shows to New York. I want Seattle to be a stop during Fashion Week.”

When Bad Meat is a Good Thing

When Bad Meat is a Good Thing

Choreographer Alice Gosti’s work dives deep

For those watching, it quickly became clear that the group wasn’t a sports team but rather some kind of performance troupe dancing along the footpaths, under the white arches of the Pacific Science Center, and in Memorial Stadium’s concrete breezeways. The bright red jerseys were all emblazoned, front and back, with the same word: MALACARNE.

The Sights of Sayulita

The Sights of Sayulita

Where to shop, eat, and drink

The best dinner in town is making rounds to the street vendors for tamales and tacos (Gaby’s has the top fish tacos around), but if a sit-down situation is more your speed, then Barracuda or Mary’s offer excellent options from ceviche to shrimp tacos. For a morning boost, Anchor Café offers coffee (the vanilla coconut cold brew is delicious), toasts, smoothie bowls, and more.

The Shores of Sayulita

The Shores of Sayulita

Using Mexican design sensibilities, Seattle architect Robert Humble built a contemporary home and vacation rental

When architect Robert Humble and his wife, Nicole Johnson, first visited Sayulita, Mexico, in 2009, it was the kind of sleepy little town that adventurous travelers hope to stumble upon. Surfers, artists, and yoginis mingled with the local community, and everything moved at a slower pace so often prevalent in tropical climates.

Arts: Picture Perfect

Arts: Picture Perfect

Robin Layton is nothing short of a Seattle treasure

Much like capturing the perfect moment on film, photographer Robin Layton’s life is a series of moments that are almost hard to believe. Some would call them coincidences, and others, instances of fate. Remember that iconic photo of a grinning Ken Griffey sliding across home plate (“The Smile at the Bottom of the Pile”) to…

Datebook: Fall Arts Finds

Datebook: Fall Arts Finds

A look at some of the upcoming season’s hottest works

As the long, hot days of summer melt away into cooler temps and earlier evenings, Seattleites are about to make the seasonal shift toward indoor activities. While monthly art walks and occasional museum visits are popular year-round, for those in the know, back-to-school sales also signal the start of Fall Arts: the time of year…

Designing for Dignity

Designing for Dignity

After witnessing the last few weeks of her grandmother's life, one Seattle woman tackled a redesign of the ubiquitously disliked hospital gown

Tammera Mason remembers her grandmother, Eleanor, as a glamorous woman. Born and raised in an immigrant family in the Midwest, Eleanor used fashion as a way to fit in, and her granddaughter talks with fondness of her perfectly coiffed hair, printed scarves, and movie star sunglasses — all visual indicators of her outgoing personality. “Eleanor…

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