Seattle is known for many things, but above all else, it’s a hub of innovation, education, and creation. A wonderful city for the whole family to visit, Seattle is home to some of the greatest arts initiatives in the country. These are highlighted at various cultural institutions around the city with cars, planes, manmade marvels, and scientific discoveries on full display. Even though you’ll spend a weekend stimulating your kids’ minds at these stops, we promise you’ll love them

As one of the fastest growing cities in the country, visitors are drawn to Seattle for good food, abundant culture, and year-round attractions. A mecca for outdoorsy folk that have a soft spot for the arts, sciences and culinary exploits; Seattle is quickly becoming a favorite weekend getaway for the girls or guys. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite hotspots by neighborhood (that are really recommended for everyone) so you can plan the perfect trip for whoever you’re with.  

Directly across from the King Street bus and light rail station, enter the Chinatown-International District through the iconic entry gate on 5th Avenue and South King Street. Photo: Yvonne Worden. New Year’s Eve at the Space Needle is always a fun and extravagant affair – whether by in person or on TV – but in 2017, I’ve started some new traditions. One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to become a better staycationer by exploring new places in my own backyard. My cultural and culin

Five Seattle chefs at the top of their game. Between them, they have 19 James Beard award nominations, 16 restaurants, and countless rave reviews from some of the nation’s toughest critics… And oh, they all happen to be women. These five chefs are part of a growing number of women changing the culinary landscape and man, are we lucky to have them here in Seattle. This is the last installment of a five-part blog series about the worlds of Chefs Maria Hines, Monica Dimas, Rachel Yang, Sh

There are a lot of things you realize the first year after you graduate college. Most of these realizations stem from the fact that you not only can, but must, make decisions for yourself now. There is no set framework to follow. So after working for a few months at my first real job, I slowly came to a particular realization: there was no Spring Break to look forward to. As with Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. there are certain national holidays you can rely on for a quick break, but Spring B

After a 25-year hiatus, Twin Peaks fans are finally getting what they asked for. The 1990s cult classic returns for another season May 21, 2017 on Showtime. North Bend and Snoqualmie – both within 40 minutes of Seattle – were used as major film locations for the series. Pictured here is Reinig Road in Snoqualmie, where the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” sign would be placed during filming. Photo: Yvonne Worden Twenty-five years have passed since Special Agent Dale Cooper rolled into the remote an

“Wait, so why did you come to Seattle?” is the first question I get asked whenever I meet someone new. The question comes right after I tell them that I am from the islands of Hawaii. I chose to come to Seattle to attend the University of Washington as an undergraduate. During my college search I thought about many different options including schools in California, Oregon, New York, and even thought about staying back home. Cherry Blossoms at University of Washington Tyler Tasaka I was for

I’m going to let you in on a secret: When the sun comes out in Seattle, our Emerald City is the most heavenly place on the planet. It almost seems unfair to the other cities. And with a new rooftop bar cropping up every year (or so it seems), there’s no shortage of opportunities to make the most of our idyllic spring and summer months. To enjoy a cocktail while gazing as far as the eye can see, here are four spectacular venues for those sunny afternoons and warm evenings. I’m in love with th

While the list of Seattle outdoor drinking and dining spots gets longer by the week, there are still only a small crop of restaurants that truly get you up close and personal with the water. Whether you fancy ferries or monster yachts, these outdoor spots will have you saying “ahoy” before the server takes your drink order. And if you’re feeling like you want to get out from under your patio umbrella and get in on the water action, we have a few places in mind. Westward Visit Seattle You h

  Pike Place Market Visit Seattle Only one day in Seattle? Whether you’re a foodie, a nature lover, or a museum goer, Seattle has so many must-dos. How do you squeeze the best of the best out of a city that seems to offer nothing but the best? Well, below are some of Seattle’s shiniest stars for you to choose from so you can plan your one-day Seattle adventure right. With so many restaurants, museums, stores, and other unique Seattle attractions filling the city, figuring out where to s

This year, I have thought a lot about my place in the world and what I can do to support my community and the earth. Seattle has a great community atmosphere and so it wasn’t surprising that my passion for sustainability can be found in all the different neighborhoods that exist in Seattle. I have compiled a guide of some of the sustainable businesses in Fremont, Ballard, and Wallingford that I have found on my wanderings. I suggest grabbing a friend or two and enjoying a day of drink, food

My job is an adventure, I have the chance to travel and explore, I get to be a tourist and a resident. My life is constantly changing. I have non-traditional work hours, and work, for that matter. I move every 6 months or so to different cities all over the world. With limited time in each city, I have found the best way to get the most out of the places I get to visit is to dive right in. When I learned that the New York Liberty had traded me to the Seattle Storm, I jumped online to researc

The same old Market charm, with new digs to fall in love with. Haven’t been to Pike Place Market in a while? You’ll notice that things have changed just a little since your last stroll through. View from the MarketFront Plaza Tyler Tasaka For the first time in 40 years, Pike Place Market expanded this past June with the opening of its new “MarketFront“. After years of dreaming and planning, this long-time vision of the Market does not disappoint. My favorite feature of the new MarketF

Gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, oh my! When deciding to attend the University of Washington I wondered if it would be hard to adjust moving to a new city being allergic to gluten, no longer having access to my “go-to” places. But Seattle’s gluten free food scene is easily accessible, extensive, still expanding and I have had a wonderful time exploring it for the past three years. Looking back, it would have been nice to have someone spell out being gluten free for me when I first moved h

Is there anything more magical than a delicious slice of pizza? Probably not – especially when it’s hand-crafted from Chris Bianco’s latest cookbook, Bianco: Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like, in the beautiful, industrial kitchen of Hot Stove Society, owned by Tom Douglas Restaurants. If you’ve never been to Hot Stove Society, grab a friend and secure a date for an upcoming class. The cooking school is situated on the second level of Hotel Andra and offers year-round classes that will help

The soaring Space Needle may be the first thing you think of when you envision Seattle’s skyline. But in our booming city, the Needle is just the tip of the iceberg.  Seattle’s architecture is legendarily lovely, from the grandeur of the Smith Tower, to the exhilaration of new buildings like Amazon’s Spheres, to the gravitas of historic buildings like Washington Hall. Seattle’s architecture runs the gamut of style, with great views everywhere you look – and there are some bold, beautif

I LOVE Halloween! When I see Halloween candy and decorations in the store, I am as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. In September, I start looking for Halloween theme events around the city. I wanted to share some of the gems I found. Ghost Alley Espresso Courtesy Caitlin Gillespie If you need some spooky refreshments, I would suggest heading down to Ghost Alley Espresso at Pike Place Market. This haunted café is in a little alley right before the gum wall. If you are lucky maybe you wi

Small Business Saturday Courtesy of the Office of Economic Development Halloween is over, which means the holidays are officially here. And, according to the commercials, you’re already behind on your shopping. Just kidding, you’re fine. Seattle has a remarkable lineup of locally-owned shops, boutiques and craft markets downtown and throughout the neighborhoods, so it’s easy to find some really special gifts for the ones you love. In fact, there’s a campaign that touts shopping locally. The

When autumn’s brilliant leaves have fallen, so begins my favorite time in the Pacific Northwest: winter! My shorts and flip-flops are exchanged for warm boots and down parkas – ready for the world of adventure just outside Seattle’s front door. The same mountains that quietly call out for summer hikes, beckon with a snow-muffled call in the winter with powdery ski slopes and charming destinations. Just a few hours away are two resorts with a combined 3,825 skiable acres wit

It’s that time of year again. Twinkling lights adorn the trees on every street corner, the scent of gingerbread villages wafts through the crisp winter air as shoppers bustle by. Voices of carolers echo through the Pike/Pine corridor while snow falls on the east side of town at Snowflake Lane. There are those of us who have started purchasing gifts months in advance to prepare for the season…and then, there are those of us who wait to think about it until a few days prior. Fear not, fellow l