Seattle Mag
Bar Ferd’nand’s Yeasted Croissants
Revel in the warm glow of these perfect, buttery pastries.
I am a bit of a purist about croissants. I want to revel in the warm glow of the sweet butter softly nestled in each tender layer. I want to brush burnished crumbs from my lap. I want to pull the end and have the croissant roll and twist in my fingers. But until I…
Blind Pig Bistro Shows Promise
The little space formerly occupied by Sitka & Spruce is once again Allison Austin Scheff's kind of j
The little space that began as a doughnut shop, then became Matt Dillon’s legendary Sitka & Spruce (which has since moved to the Melrose Market) and was later home to the sadly short-lived Nettletown, has a promising new tennant. Blind Pig, opened in the late fall by Charles Walpole (recently of Anchovies & Olives), continues…
Altura: Mostly Marvelous
Not quite perfection, but the food's mostly outstanding at Broadway's Altura
The early word? Phenomenal. Soaring reviews appeared in The Seattle Times and The Stranger a short couple of months after Altura opened in October. But early hype gives me pause; living up to panting accolades is always challenging, particularly for a kitchen that’s still getting its footing. My doubts multiplied when my party was whisked…
Sweet Eats on Phinney Ridge
Across the street from Woodland Park Zoo, this "pie bar" invites you to share a slice with friends.
The cutest pie shop in town? That’s easy. It’s A la Mode’s pocket-size corner space across from the zoo on Phinney Ridge, where bar stools invite friends to belly up for a slice of Mexican chocolate pie, mousse-like in texture, topped with a cloud of whipped cream and scented with just a whisper of cinnamon…
Enjoy Southern Charm at the Sexton
Taking over the spot once occupied by Madame K’s, the Sexton oozes with Southern allure.
Creative cocktailsWith a long, lean space that meanders past the bar and kitchen (and a back deck that promises to be dandy), The Sexton is a place to stroll into with pals. The drink menu is full of intriguingly designed drinks and the spotlight is on bourbon, such as in the Sexton Julep, a mixture…
Viaduct for Dummies: It’s the pits in SoDo, and other transpo-nerd news
Perched on the edge of the pit as we are here at Seattle mag, we never tire of watching the action–-giant, weird-looking machines shoving around enormous piles of muck; huge, Mad Men-contraptions thundering around behind twisted bales of metal; and what is that curtain hanging from the shreds of the Viaduct? Some days, I can…
Pike Street Hillclimb
Explore pocket galleries, vintage shopping and tasty bites in the shadow of Pike Place Market.
Tucked away just west of our famous market, the Pike Street Hillclimb, located on Western Avenue along the sprawling staircase that leads to Alaskan Way, features dining, shopping and local art. Standbys such as the Zig Zag Café (1501 Western Ave.; 206.625.1146; zigzagseattle.com) have long attracted patrons to the ’climb, but with the arrival of…
Choreographer Donald Byrd is Flying High This Season
At age 62, Spectrum Dance Theater's director has more moves than ever.
Donald Byrd is staging an intervention. Seattle’s renowned contemporary dance choreographer is unsettled by America’s craving for the “mythologized,” candy-coated version of love portrayed in popular movies (see: the re-release of Titanic in 3-D this month) and he wants to help curb our addiction. “I think it gets us into trouble in the real world,”…
Luly Yang’s Couture Cycle
Seattle magazine looks back on the last decade of this celebrated local fashion designer's career.
In 2000, then graphic designer Luly Yang entered a fashion show on a whim, crafting an exquisite butterfly dress entirely out of paper. The awed—and awesome—reception to the gown soon inspired a career change. Now, after enlivening the fashion community for 10 years, gaining fame for her thematic annual runway shows and elegant bridal and…
Better, Lighter, Faster
This locally made outdoor gear boasting high-tech fabrics and sweet features is a must-have for spri
Seattle’s Outdoor Research, which just turned the ripe old age of 30, is blazing new trails with the introduction of the 13.5-ounce Axiom jacket ($375), the company’s first shell that uses Gore-Tex’s most breathable and waterproof stretch fabric, Active Shell. And for adventurers who don’t have time to change before hitting the bar, the Termini…
Mind the Gap
Poor and minority kids are falling through the cracks at Seattle schools. Can a Supreme Court ruling
Imagine receiving a telephone call from your child’s teacher asking you about your family’s academic goals and how you can work together to achieve them. It’s happening in areas of Seattle as part of an innovative new strategy to turn around a troubling trend among local schoolchildren. These “sunshine calls,” along with home visits from…
The Monarch’s Tales: The Luly Yang Couture Ball Gown Guessing Game
You know that ye ol’ contest where you have to guess how many marbles are in the jar? It is always surprisingly difficult (I once guessed 490 for a jar of 200,000 marbles, but math is not my strong suit) and the results can be somewhat astounding. Well, welcome to our fashion version! The question:…