Bellingham Alive | April | 2019 by K & L Media

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CONTENTS

Western State Landmarks April gets us excited to travel. We’ve done our research, and within the pages of this month’s travel feature, you’ll find some of the best restaurants, things to do, and places to go here in our western United States. The stories you’ll find here mostly focus on some of the amazing national parks and landmarks on this side of the country, but you’re sure to fall in love with the cities, shops, and sights you’ll discover along the way.

Kenai Fjords National Park

Antelope Canyon

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APRIL 2019 LIFESTYLE

WELLBEING

DINE

Travel Agent or Internet?

Sage Against the Machine

Spotlight Sarah Menzies

Dining Guide

Heard Around The Sound

Culinary Events

Apps We Love

Mixing Tin The Temple Vesper at Temple Bar

Sip Woodinville Wine Country

Easter Eats

8 Great Tastes

Scrub Me Tender

Book Reviews

Who Knew Travel with Pets

Five Faves Tasting Rooms

37 Nutrition Cauliflower and Bacon Chowder

FEATURES 38

SHOP

AGENDA 22 Game Changer Rand Jack

Western State Landmarks

HABITAT © October Yates

27 SeaBear Wild Salmon

Courtesy Of Seabear Wild Salmon

73 Featured Event Tulip Festival Top Picks

Necessities

Local Find San Juan Island Sea Salt

Savvy Shopper Brazen Shop + Studio

57 Featured Design Northwest Woodslayer 60

Remodel Jennifer Ryan

Courtesy of Cloud Nine

NOTES 8

Editor’s Letter

Contributors

Letters to the Editor

14 Meet the Team Family Vacation Stories 80

Final Word

April 2019 5

NOTES On the Web

Be sure to check us out at:

BellinghamAlive.com Submit your events on our calendar! Do you have an event that you would like our readers to know about? BellinghamAlive.com offers an events calendar where viewers can search by day, venue, event type, or city. Go to bellinghamalive.com/events and submit your event today. Once your event has been approved by our editorial staff, it is live.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Interested in more travel destinations? Check out our website for this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusive: two additional travel stories like the ones youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find in the feature section. Crater Lake in Oregon is a unique landscape formed about 7,700 years ago by the collapse of a volcano. Devils Tower, located in Wyoming, is a natural formation of rock that became our very first national monument in 1906. Staff writer Lara Dunning has visited both of these places, and come up with some great lists of what to see, where to stay and eat, and what to do. See BellinghamAlive.com

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Gardening Tips

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NOTES Editor’s Letter

Mount Rushmore’s Rush Monument an Unexpected Highlight of Road Trip

good road trip can be the antidote to many things — boredom, the doldrums, sun deprivation, fatigue. Cruising along our nation’s highways with a compelling destination in mind is good for the soul after months of winter. In this, our annual travel issue, we not only show you some places to go (see Western State Landmarks, p. 38), but how to get there (Travel Agent or Internet? p. 17). Driving cross-country, the ultimate in road trips, is something that should be on everyone’s to-do list.

When my husband and I left the East Coast for a return trip to Bellingham, Mount Rushmore was not on our must-see list. Or even our sortasee list. I was not interested in checking out what I considered one of America’s most clichéd and commercialized tourist attractions. The image of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved in South Dakota mountain rock has appeared on everything from coffee mugs to reusable shopping bags to cheesy T-shirts (Mount Rushmore Rocks!). So we’d skip it, camp in a

nearby KOA in Hot Springs, see the Badlands and the emerging statue of Crazy Horse nearby. South Dakota turned out to be much more than expected. “More” as in “loud.” We had mis-timed our visit, coinciding with the annual Harley-Davidson motorcycle rally in nearby Sturgis. While the riders we met were nice enough, it meant we had to share scenic mountain roads and a national park with snaking lines of Harleys and their trademark earsplitting, flatulent engines. Mount Rushmore, however, rose above the noise. I was entranced at the first glimpse of the monument from miles away, recognizing the white rock high on a cliff. I actually gasped when I first saw it. The closer we got, the more astounding the sight. Mount Rushmore is spectacular for its sheer size and scale — each head is 60 feet high; 410,000 tons of granite were blasted out with dynamite to help carve the monument — and the preposterous nature of the project itself, carving four presidents on a mountain’s face. The park, which draws 3 million people annually, also includes an updated visitors center, a museum, and a trail near the base. One of the coolest exhibits was the Sculptor’s Studio, showing how the work was done. The monument was never finished, but sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s working model is there, showing us the missing pieces along with some harrowing stories from a number of the 400 workers employed on the site. The takeaway: While on a road trip, chuck your preconceived notions out the car window. Embrace the vastness of America’s open West, its history and its cheesiness and big noises and grand ambitions. Also, bring ear plugs. 

MERI-JO BORZILLERI Editor In Chief

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NOTES Contributors

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Laurie Mullarky After teaching for 27 years, Laurie decided it was time to hang up her pencils and poetry and become a professional reader. She now writes a popular blog at laurieslitpicks.blogspot.com that reviews both fiction and non-fiction as well as the latest hot novels, focusing on giving book clubs ideas for provocative conversations. Her classroom motto was always “The more you read, the smarter you get.” Not a bad sentiment for life!  p. 23

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Jennifer Ryan

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Jennifer is a multi-talented authority on all things beautiful, fashionable, and functional. This whirlwind of a woman has a passion for bringing style and personality to life’s most important spaces. Jennifer Ryan Design offers it all — design, planning, production, and contractor services. From start to finish, Jennifer can help you create the surroundings you’ll enjoy for a lifetime. She was twice voted Best of the Northwest winner, taking gold in 2016 and 2017. jenniferryandesign.com  p. 60

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Dan Radil

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Dan is a lifetime resident of Washington who took an interest in the state’s wine industry in the mid-1980s. A freelance wine writer and educator for the past 20 years, he and his spouse, Zacchoreli, make a habit of enjoying great food and Northwest wines both at home and on the road. His free time often centers around the yard and garden, volunteer work for the Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation, and following his beloved Washington State University Cougars.  p. 69

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Letters to the Editor

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April 2019 13

NOTES Meet the Team For our travel issue, we collected some magazine staffers’ best (and worst) memories from family trips: LISA KARLBERG Ken and I went to see our youngest daughter graduate from college. It is a very small town so we booked a room at the local Howard Johnson, thinking the brand name holds a certain consistency. We walked into the lobby and there stood an old dirty stove with carpets to match and characters milling around. We continued to check in and went to our room, where we were greeted with an extremely dirty carpet and a bed that had a body crevice permanently embedded into both sides. Bed bugs were sure to be included in the price. No thank you. We checked out and found a new hotel had just opened the day before with available rooms. There is a god!

LINDSEY MAJOR At spring training last year, my dad and I arrived early to a game and were able to watch batting practice. Our seats were somewhat far back so I went and stood at the net to get a better view. As I was standing there, Bruce Bochy (manager of the San Francisco Giants) chatted with me and gave me a used ball.

MARIAH CURREY My favorite family trips have always been to the Oregon coast. I love getting to splash around in the big waves, visiting small beach-town antique stores, and sometimes seeing seals swimming around in the surf. Also, the Tillamook Cheese Factory is one of the most fun and tasty places to stop for lunch on the return trip home.

KRISTY GESSNER My best trip ever was to Catalina island. We were on our honeymoon and decided to try parasailing. I was deathly afraid of heights but we went first and I ended up loving the calmness and serenity of feeling like I was flying!

MERI-JO BORZILLERI Raising a family in a small mountain town, my parents fretted their kids were becoming country bumpkins. So off to Manhattan we went, a five-hour drive south. The plan — show us all the good things a city can be. This was the 1970s, when New York was grittier than today. Our first night, we returned to find our motel lobby cordoned off in yellow police tape. Yep, they found a body. Still, my folks’ plan succeeded: Today, I (heart) NY. 

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LIFESTYLE In The Know · Spotlight Artist · Community · 5 Faves

Travel Agent or Internet Which is Better for Trip Planning? WRITTEN BY BROOKE CARLSON

hanks to the Internet, a couple clicks can lead us to a picture-perfect vacation. Do-it-yourself sites like Booking.com and Airbnb have virtually eliminated the need for travel agencies, a service that dominated the travel industry in the ‘70s and ‘80s. … continued on next page

… Surprisingly enough, travel agencies might be making a comeback. In Sept. 2018, Vox Media reported on data from the American Society of Travel Advisors and MMGY Global, a hospitality and travel marketing firm, that claimed millennials have taken a liking to the old-school way of vacation planning. Are we too quick to reject brick-and-mortar travel agencies? Or is home-planning the more valuable option? To explore this topic, we consulted travel expert Frank Zurline, owner of Bellingham Travel and Cruise, the largest independent travel agency in Whatcom County, located in downtown Bellingham. We spoke about the differences of a trip through a travel agency versus online planning. We put Zurline’s advice to the test, making our own travel arrangements online for a potential trip to Venice, Italy and comparing that process to using Zurline as our travel agent. Here’s what we found:

Pre-trip planning ONLINE It begins with a destination hunt. A quick Google search turns up pages of listicles about the “Best April Travel Spots,” each with 10-plus places that may or may not strike your fancy. If you don’t have an idea of where you’d like to go, this process can be dizzying. We landed on Venice, Italy because in April they have mild temperatures and minimal crowds.

HOTELS AND ACTIVITIES ONLINE TripAdvisor is a home-planner’s best friend. We can book and compare both hotels and activities through the site and read tons of customer reviews. Searching for Venice activities is a breeze with categories including food and drink, shopping, half-day tours, et cetera. Besides TripAdvisor, there are tons of external booking sites that can get the job done, but be careful! Make sure the site is legitimate to avoid a travel horror story.

TRAVEL AGENCY Because Zurline has traveled to Venice multiple times, he says he’d probably recommend a hotel that he’s stayed in and, of course, manage the booking. For activities and restaurants, he’d consult the concierge at the hotel, check online sites, ask people who’ve traveled there, or give personal recommendations. A level of trust is important in this stage, Zurline says. If you don’t trust your travel agent to try to find the best quality hotels and activities for your price range, this will be a difficult process. EDGE: EVEN

When disaster strikes ONLINE

If Zurline’s client has no idea where to start, he’ll ask questions: “Do you like cruising? Lying on a beach? Are you adventurous? How much are you willing to spend?” With a general idea of vacation preferences, he’ll suggest places he enjoys, or knows others have loved. When we say we’re thinking of Venice, his face lights up with recognition; it’s a beautiful city, he says — he’s been four times. Zurline is able to confirm with a personal touch that Venice is a great April spot and get us excited.

Getting a passport or wallet stolen in a foreign country is a legitimate fear. If this happened to you while abroad, you’d have to figure out the steps to cancel cards and get a new passport all on your own. Venice also has the “sinking city” reputation. Although flooding season is typically late fall through winter, say upon arriving at the Italian airport, you receive word your hotel is submerged. While you may get your money back, unless you enjoy sleeping on airport seats, you’ll have to book another hotel quickly. This can be complicated and stressful without a computer at your disposal.

EDGE: TRAVEL AGENCY

TRAVEL AGENCY

We’re lucky to live in close vicinity to major international airports in Seattle and Vancouver. With the help of sites like Expedia, it’s very simple to narrow down the cheapest roundtrip flights to Venice. They feature advanced technology that can compare prices and dates in a quick click.

Zurline has had his own wallet stolen in Milan, Italy. If you called him in a panic after losing items, he’d be able to help find an American Embassy to get the passport replaced, and provide some much needed empathy. If your hotel floods in Venice, you can also give your travel agent a call. While there’s no guarantee they’ll pick up if it’s not during office hours, some agents will give out their home numbers, Zurline says. They can book a new hotel for you, and set up transportation to get there.

TRAVEL AGENCY

EDGE: TRAVEL AGENCY

Planes, trains, & automobiles ONLINE

Odds are, your travel agent is using a similar site to book your flights, Zurline says. The downside of booking a flight to Venice with Bellingham Travel and Cruise is a $50 fee, as the agents no longer earn commission from the airlines. EDGE: ONLINE

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If you find yourself anxiety-ridden at the thought of planning a trip, travel agencies are worth a try. Online planning is great for budgeting the cheapest options, but for those who have just a little extra to spend, a travel agent could be the fuel for your next perfect vacation. 

Spotlight

Female Filmmaker Has Ferndale Roots Sarah Menzies WRITTEN BY ZOE DEAL

erndale’s Sarah Menzies was just 25 when she quit her job in environmental nonprofits to become a filmmaker. She finagled her way onto a sailboat traveling from Namibia to Uruguay that was studying plastic pollution. The project didn’t pan out for her, but it confirmed that filmmaking was her calling. The eight years since haven’t been easy, yet Menzies, now 34, has come away with a vast portfolio of films sponsored by the likes of REI, Osprey, and Patagonia. From a child filled with wonder and excitement to a filmmaker with empathy and drive, Menzies has made a name for herself through her ability to document real human stories with both beauty and impact. Since her next big project, a 10-minute film called “Catch It” on up-and-coming surfer Léa Brassy, hit the scene in 2013, Menzies has worked her way up through the film festival circuit with compelling stories of the world’s movers and shakers. Her first feature film “Afghan Cycles” was a remarkable success, having premiered at

LIFESTYLE

North America’s largest film festival HotDocs in Toronto in the spring of 2018. The film is centered around a group of female cyclists in Kabul, Afghanistan, who ride despite rampant discrimination and abuse. The project spanned nearly five years, furthered by crowdfunding and Menzies’ unyielding passion and drive. “She’s a very courageous young woman,” says Cheryl Crooks, executive director of Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival, set for April 11–14. “To pursue the stories that she did under the circumstances that she did and make it as a stunningly beautiful, well-told film was just a powerful, powerful thing.” Coming off a year of travel, Menzies, who grew up in Ferndale but now lives in Seattle, is settling back into her normal routine. She will travel for a week or so, working on some project or other, and return home for a month to edit and recover. Production days are long, editing days longer. But when finally revealed to the world, each of Menzies’ projects spread powerful messages of inspiration. “It all started with wanting to experience the world and be able to share stories,” Menzies says by phone from Seattle. “I’ll feel completely drained after production, but it’s so exhilarating.” As a female filmmaker telling stories about mostly female subjects, Menzies says she has found herself an unlikely leader in local women’s filmmaking. As such, she recognizes that there is still a lot to do. “We’re at a really exciting time right now as women,” Menzies says. “There’s a lot of progress and change that needs to happen. The fight’s not over.”  Sarah Menzies, LET MEDIA 360.303.9105 | letmedia.org April 2019 19

IN THE KNOW

LIFESTYLE Heard Around The Sound

IN THE KNOW

Roozen worked the tulip fields first, and by 1950 had saved enough money to purchase a five-acre farm. Soon after, he started the Washington Bulb Company, and under his guidance and skill and Helen’s management savvy, the company, well, blossomed. “My grandfather lived the very essence of the American dream,” says Brent Roozen, a third-generation Skagit Valley tulip grower. “He came here with nothing, put in a lot of work, long hours, time and effort, and built something pretty special. Hopefully, what he built will be enjoyed for years to come.” Today, the company has around 2,000 acres for bulb and tulip production, including dedicated acreage to daffodils, grains, and grasses.

A History of Tulips in the Valley

THE BIRTH OF A FESTIVAL

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

very April, rows of tulips brighten up the Skagit Valley and locals and tourists don mud boots to walk the fields and snap that quintessential tulip photo to mark their Skagit Valley Tulip Festival experience. While walking past the colorful rows or buying your bouquet, have you ever asked, “How did the first tulips get here?” Long before the festival, tulips were grown in western Washington, but one man in particular is known for creating what we know today.

THE DUTCH HAVE LANDED With the knowledge from six generations of Dutch tulip growers running through his DNA, one could say William Roozen deeply understood the perfect soil and weather conditions for growing tulips. After a family business trip to the Skagit Valley, he and his wife Helen decided to put down roots here, and also put his tulip growing skills to the test in western Washington’s soil and maritime climate.

Four People I’d Ask to A Dinner Party Living or dead, famous or not, local or not. Brooke Carlson

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Encouraged by the visitors who came every April to see the flowering tulip fields, the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce launched its first Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in 1984. The three-day event included activities like one-hour guided tours for $3, a seaplane tulip field tour for $15, and a hot air balloon race. The festival is now a month-long, activity-packed event, and the tulip fields remain the highlight — they include the stunning display gardens at Tulip Town and RoozenGaarde, which also sell tulip bulbs and freshly cut flowers. These days, there’s an official poster, bike rides, and weekly activities like art shows, wine tastings, and scenic helicopter rides over the flowering tulip fields. Lara Dunning Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 311 W. Kincaid St., Mount Vernon 360.428.5959 | tulipfestival.org RoozenGaarde 15867 Beaver Marsh Rd., Mount Vernon 360.424.0419 | tulips.com

Noémi Ban — Holocaust survivor Celebrated public speaker Ban, 96, from Bellingham has shared her story hundreds of times in front of a crowd. It would be a privilege to sit down with her in an intimate dinner setting.

Maybe, A Moose New Flights Offered From BLI to Alaska

tart packing for your warm-weather, mountain adventure. Beginning May 22, Allegiant Air will offer nonstop flights to Anchorage, Alaska from Bellingham International Airport. Allegiant is drawing from the desires of many Northwest dwellers who can’t seem to get enough of the northernmost state. You can make reservations now for the twice-weekly service that runs through spring and summer. After landing in Alaska’s largest city, amble over to a moose-sighting spot a few miles from the airport to (hopefully) meet your first moose. Other attractions include spectacular glaciers that dot the landscape, the intense natural beauty of the Chugach Mountain Range, and 135 miles of paved city bike paths. Need another reason to go to Alaska in the warm months? Starting in March, the amount of daylight increases by about five minutes each day, so activities can continue far into the night. Allegiant will utilize their Bellingham-based Airbus A319 planes, which seat up to 156 passengers, making flying to Anchorage a breeze. Reservations for the Wednesday and Saturday flights can be made through August 13 through Allegiant Air. Be sure to schedule your adventure soon, when prices are lower. Zoe Deal

Cheryl Crooks — Executive Director of Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival Crooks’ resume includes working as a writer for TIME magazine. Now the Bellingham resident heads this month’s event celebrating female directors, and could also give some great movie recommendations.

APPS WE L VE

Why are we hearing so much about baseball’s Jackie Robinson lately?

he 2019 Major League Baseball season opens March 28. Black History Month happens every February. But there are a few reasons why the first AfricanAmerican MLB player might be cropping up on your newsfeed more than usual:

Airbnb

Jackie Robinson’s 100th birthday would have been on January 31 of this year. ■■

■■ Jackie Robinson Day is Monday, April 15, commemorating the day he made his MLB debut. Every player in the league will be wearing the same number that day: Robinson’s 42.

Robinson’s number is the only one retired across all Major League Baseball. ■■

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An advocate for racial equality in management, Robinson gave a speech on the subject in 1972. However, only 16 AfricanAmerican men have become managers in the MLB since. Lindsey Major ■■

Traveling can be expensive, and Airbnb is often cheaper than staying in a hotel. You can find last-minute accommodations or a home away from home. It’s also a great way to meet some locals and explore a new place you may have never been to otherwise.

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Helping Hands

ashington state residents volunteer at a rate higher than the national average — more than 30 percent of Washingtonians spend time volunteering. This is about 5 percent higher than average, according to a 2016 survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. April is National Volunteer Month, so get involved in a local effort like the Volunteer Week Fair held at the Bellingham Central Library. Browse booths of several nonprofit organizations throughout Whatcom County to see which is the best fit for you. Or look into something like the team effort between Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College for Connecting Communities Service Days. The labor bureau’s survey found that on average, Americans spend about 52 hours per year volunteering.

Carrie Brownstein — Musician and Actor Brownstein, the face of “Portlandia,” is also part of one of my favorite rock groups, Sleater-Kinney. She once attended Bellingham’s Western Washington University, so I’d ask about her time in the local music scene (and get some guitar tips).

Food distribution programs — like Meals on Wheels — have the highest number of volunteers, with children’s services, like the Girl Scouts, being a close second. It’s no coincidence that National Volunteer Month happens to fall in the same month as Earth Day, celebrated yearly on April 22. Consider cleaning up a park, planting trees or flowers, picking up trash, or building a birdhouse. Check out earthday.org for more conservation tips and what you can do to make a difference. Not only is volunteering good for the community, it’s good for you. Study shows that volunteering improves your psychological and physical health. It’s also a great way to socialize and meet others with similar passions. This month, as the weather warms and the sun peeks out, get outside and do something good for the community — or the earth. Lindsey Major

George “Pinky” Nelson — Astronaut Nelson has taken three flights into space, totaling 17 days. The retired Western faculty member could give us a full description of what it’s like to eat and drink without gravity on your side.

Search for cheap flights and discover popular attractions and restaurants while you are thinking about your next trip. Skyscanner is here to help with hotels, rental cars, flights, and more. You can browse destinations and read reviews or write your own to help other travelers plan ahead. Save your trips to receive schedule info and important flight updates.

WhatsApp WhatsApp Inc. This app is widely used across the globe, and it’s one of my favorites. A great tool to keep in touch with friends who live abroad and new acquaintances made while traveling, you can use it to send messages, photos, videos, and voicemails. Make calls and keep track of group texts. It’s free and has no international charges.

Ecosia Ecosia Celebrate Earth Day with a search engine that donates at least 80 percent of surplus income to finance reforestation programs around the world. The company also powers your searches through solar-powered renewable energy. This search engine is available as an app or on your computer so you can save more trees. — Lydia McClaran

April 2019 21

LIFESTYLE Game Changer

Shaping Whatcom County’s Future Rand Jack WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ZOE DEAL

estled among the trees off Highway 9 past Deming is the place Rand Jack calls home. In his attached workshop, Rand, 78, will spend weeks chipping away at the same piece of locally sourced wood, molding what was once unassuming into a treasured piece of art. The process of creating these pieces takes patience, determination, and an eye for something whose beauty has yet to take shape. Rand has similarly played an outsized role in transforming the landscape of Whatcom County as an educator, conservationist, and attorney. After graduating from Princeton University and Yale Law School, Rand practiced law in Seattle before founding the Law and Diversity Program at Western Washington University’s Fairhaven College. And for the past 36 years, Rand has devoted himself to the Whatcom Land Trust, a nonprofit working with landowners to protect valuable natural resources. As a volunteer member of the land trust’s board of directors, Rand has played a pivotal role in brokering agreements for the conservation of more than 20,000 acres of Whatcom County land, including Galbraith Mountain, Clark’s Point, Teddy Bear Cove, Lily Point Marine Park, Stimpson Nature Reserve, and Canyon Lake Community Forest. “It really is a wonderful place to work with a land trust because there’s so much here that’s worth protecting,” Rand says. He also assisted in what’s considered one of the land trust’s most successful acquisitions in its history — the recent purchase of the Skookum Creek Conservation Corridor, the result of a privately supported $4 million community campaign which will protect 1,400 acres of forest and salmon habitat. For these endeavors, Rand was recently honored by the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce as the recipient 22

BellinghamAlive.com

of their 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. “If you just look at the range of county parks that the land trust has helped to create over the years, those wouldn’t be there, in many cases, without the relationships that Rand cultivated over time,” says Chris Moench, Rand’s longtime friend and the president of the Whatcom Land Trust board. Rand acts as a conservation entrepreneur, volunteering his services in numerous negotiations. In the case of Governors Point, a major peninsula off Chuckanut Drive, Rand was in direct contact with the owner, pulling together their individual visions to create an agreement that satisfied both parties. Rand and the Whatcom Land Trust had their eyes set on the property for years, waiting for a willing owner. Now, two-thirds of the peninsula has been donated to the land trust for public use and will include a two-mile loop with access to two beautiful beaches on the east and west sides of the peninsula. Now that he’s retired from teaching law, Rand splits much of his time between conservation, wood carving, adventuring, and his family. His picturesque woodland home, with its potted trees, intricate carvings, and towering windows is the perfect headquarters. Rand sees conservation as a basic moral obligation. “We happen to have the power to make decisions about nature, and often we make the wrong decisions,” Rand says. “The land trust is just a teeny way to bring some balance to that.” As he sits in his favorite rocking chair, looking contentedly out into the vast acreage he calls home, it’s hard not to consider the home he’s created for residents of Whatcom County — one that will stand, untouched and magnificent, for generations to come.  birdsbyrandjack.com

Book Reviews

WRITTEN BY LAURIE MULLARKY LAURIESLITPICKS.BLOGSPOT.COM

In the Know

LIFESTYLE

April 19, 6 P.M. The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer 384 pages Little, Brown and Company

On the surface, this debut novel is historical fiction, based on the life of photographer Lee Miller and her relationship with artist Man Ray. Yet it is much more, painting a portrait of Miller herself. Raw, dark, sensual, tortured, brilliant, perceptive, lost, self-absorbed, weak, strong, creative — these words all describe this complex woman. Lee lives her youth in a magical time and place; Paris in the 1920s and 1930s was a bastion of creativity, of exploration of art, a time of experimentation, rebellion, and savage selfishness. Scharer also sparingly uses Miller’s years as a war photographer to juxtapose the trauma of the Holocaust for all the witnesses. Scharer is a prodigious new talent, reminiscent of Donna Tartt. There is no perfectly wrapped bow to end Lee Miller’s story, making this debut novel one helluva book to ponder and argue and endlessly discuss. It. Is. Brilliant.

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 384 pages Scribner

Lisa See’s latest novel centers around the matrifocal society of Jeju, an island off the coast of Korea famous for its female sea divers. It is utterly fascinating, heart-wrenching, and inspiring. Focusing on the friendship of two women, Mi-Ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, shunned by the village women yet taken in by the head of the haenyeo (female divers) collective and taught the skills of sea diving. Young-sook, the collective head’s daughter and heir-apparent, forms a deep bond with this outsider. The society is shown through flashbacks of the 1930s during the Japanese era of colonialism, the years of World War II, the terrible times of civil war, and ultimately the present days when the haenyeo has irrevocably changed. Studied, examined, and tested for many decades, the haenyeo’s ability to dive deep over and over in frigid waters, to test the boundaries, and to support their families is truly breathtaking.

Trivia Bee & Silent Auction Settlemyer Hall, Bellingham Technical College 3028 Lindbergh Ave., Bellingham 360.752.8678, whatcomliteracy.org Put your knowledge to the test at the annual spring fundraiser for Whatcom Literacy Council. The evening begins with a silent auction, followed by the lively Trivia Bee featuring teams from local businesses. Event proceeds support the free adult literacy programs run by Whatcom Literacy Council.

April 27, 4 P.M. Candace Wellman’s ‘Interwoven Lives’ Village Books 430 Front St., Lynden 360.526.2133, villagebooks.com Local history consultant Wellman returns to Lynden Village Books to promote the companion volume to her award-winning novel “Peace Weavers: Uniting the Salish Coast Through Cross-Cultural Marriages.” This volume follows the lives of four additional 19th century indigenous women who shaped the Bellingham area. Wellman spent more than 20 years researching and writing these volumes.

Who Knew? Travel with Pets When pigs fly One recent porcine attempt was on a US Airways flight out of Connecticut in November 2014. The leashed 70-pound pig — which one passenger said he thought was a duffel bag — caused such a disruption before take-off that the staff ordered the pig and its owner off the plane.

What is an ESA? It may be harder to fly with your parrot this year. Airline trade association Airlines for America reported that from 2016–2017, emotional support animals (ESAs) on commercial flights rose 57 percent, from 481,000 to 751,000. In response, airlines are cracking down on what constitutes an ESA, with some restricting to just dogs and cats.

Tighter Rules Many airlines, including Delta and United, this year will require pet owners to have additional documents outlining need and proof of training and vaccinations 48 hours prior to a flight. This comes after numerous incidents of furry companions biting other passengers or defecating on planes.

Don’t check your pet Federal transportation data shows 85 pet deaths on U.S. carriers over the last three years, with weather and temperature largely to blame. While cargohold climate is controlled in flight, the area is exposed to the elements during loading and before takeoff. Many airlines have restrictions that prevent animals from flying if the outside temperature is extreme. Zoe Deal

April 2019 23

LIFESTYLE Five Faves

Illuminati Brewing This easy-to-miss brewery in the Irongate Business Park on Hammer Drive in Bellingham has a recently renovated tap room. Sample five tasters of any beers on tap, including six new brews from Dave “Flash” Meadows, who helped open Melvin Brewing in 2017.

TASTING FIVE FAVES ROOMS WRITTEN BY TYLER URKE

BellinghamAlive.com

2 3 4 5

Drizzle Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting Room In Fairhaven, this cozy tasting room specializes in some of the highest quality olive oils and vinegars you can find. Their olive oils have been designated “Ultra Premium” which tops the extra virgin label.

Honeymoon Alley Bar and Ciderhouse Head to downtown Bellingham for a chance to sample one of the world’s oldest drinks — mead. Mead is alcohol created by fermenting honey and mixing it with water or various fruits, spices, grains, or hops.

We are excited to announce the addition of LED light therapy to our skin care offerings.

LIGHTSTIM www.thechrysalisinnandspabellingham.curiocollection.com

360.392.5515

Bertelsen Winery This tasting room features wine flights representing seven varieties of grapes grown in Eastern Washington, renowned for its wine industry. Stop in Mount Vernon after taking in the tulips of Skagit County that bloom each spring.

Orcas Island Winery Sampling some of the San Juan Islands’ top wines has never been easier at this tasting room featuring seven different varietals of red and white wines. You can find this winery just 11 minutes after hopping off the Orcas Island ferry terminal.

April 2019 25

Full Service Fish Market and Lunch Available

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18042 WA-20 Burlington, WA 360-707-2722 skagitﬁsh.com

SafeWestTravel.com 360.778.2592

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Open Now on Main Street in Ferndale Mon–Sat. Call today to speak with your personal travel counselor.

A Blast From The Past

We Care How You Look BEST

2017

of the

NORTH

WEST

Wally’s Barber Shop 314 E Holly St #100 Bellingham 360-647-0807

SHOP

Savvy Shopper · Necessities · Local Find

A Celebration of a Pacific Northwest Specialty SeaBear Wild Salmon WRITTEN BY LARA DUNNING PHOTOS COURTESY OF SEABEAR WILD SALMON

ince 1957, SeaBear Wild Salmon has been smoking salmon in Anacortes. At the smokehouse store, visitors can purchase items, sample smoked salmon, and learn how the company grew from a backyard smokehouse to processing more than 1 million pounds of salmon every year. … continued on next page

… “The store is a celebration of the smokehouse’s heritage and authenticity as a smoker and producer of Pacific Northwest salmon for over 60 years,” says Mike Mondello, president and CEO of SeaBear Wild Salmon. “Everything is made here, and when you visit our store, you are 155 steps from the smokers.”

A REVOLUTIONIZING INVENTION Originally named Specialty Seafoods, founder Tom Savidge invented and patented a clear retort pouch (plastic and foil laminate similar to those used for camping food). Now known as the Gold Seal pouch, this innovation preserves the smoked salmon in its own juices for four years, requires no refrigeration until opened, and allows for easy transportation and shipment. Several items are in this special pouch such as their signature line of smoked salmon ($7 to $50) with options to purchase in their award-winning gift box, chowders ($9 to $12), and ready-to-eat salmon ($6 to $10). The company also sells a range of other seafood products such as Alaskan Weathervane scallops ($57), wild halibut fillets ($80), and Alaskan king crab legs ($79). SeaBear Wild Salmon ships to all 50 states, and a monitor in the store shows where they shipped that day. Locals can arrange to pick up items at the store with 24 hours’ notice, including products from their two sister companies — Gerrard & Dominique Seafoods and Made in Washington. If you sign up for their “fresh from the smoker events” you’ll receive a text when salmon is available right out of the smoker.

A TASTE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST The store features SeaBear Wild Salmon products, but there are also locally made items like mustards, cheeses, and dressings. Everyone is welcome to a complimentary smoked salmon sample, and, if available, Market Spice Tea and chowder. To taste more, the $5 tasting flight includes traditional lox, Northwest smoked salmon, a smoked oyster, smoked halibut mousse and a portion of a salmon slider. Two interesting features include a timeline with the company’s milestones and a photo op where you don a bright yellow fisherman’s rain jacket and hold a king salmon in front of Savidge’s fishing boat, “Messenger.”  605 30th St., Anacortes 360.293.4661 | seabear.com

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Tuscan Lemony Shrimp wiTh Cannellini BeanS

Sweet & Wild Shrimp

Our distinctive wild blue shrimp come from Baja California. They’re firm in texture with a superior bite and sweetness. Plus, they are Fair Trade Certified which means a portion of the sale goes back to the community.

Serves 4-6

This dish brightens the traditional Tuscan winter fare of cannellini beans with bright, sunny flavors of shrimp and lemon to create a flavorful, nutritious and filling meal. 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 Tbsp butter 3 cloves garlic, chopped 3 scallions, chopped 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup white wine 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved Heat 2 Tbsp of the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and scallions and cook for about 1 minute. Add the shrimp, stir until the shrimp turns pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over quinoa or couscous.

MyEClinic VIRTUAL CLINIC. CONVENIENT CARE. For minor illness and conditions, you need your care to be convenient. With MyEClinic, you can see a provider online, anytime at home, in your office or on-the-go. Get the health care answers you need with no travel time and no appointments needed. Skagit Regional Health’s MyEClinic is available 24/7 and lets you call or video chat with a provider for a $40 flat rate per session. MyEClinic brings the care to you, when and where you need it.

ALL HAGGEN SEAFOOD IS 100% SUSTAINABLE

Visit

MyEClinic.org

SHOP Necessities

Travel Wallet $45, modcloth.com

Refreshing Under-Eye Mask $5, Sephora

Carry-On Accessories A day of travel often includes some chaos. From packing at home, to getting on the plane, and getting to the hotel, a full day of travel is rarely the highlight of any vacation. These picks were made with one goal — helping you get from point A to point B as comfortably as possible. Whether you’re jetting off somewhere tropical, visiting family, or going on a business trip, make sure you pack these items in your carry-on to keep you entertained, organized, warm, hydrated, and sane. — Lindsey Major

Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones $90, amazon.com

Surface Go $400, Microsoft.com

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Collapsible Water Bottle $20, duluthtrading.com

The Bounty of the Sea

Local Find

SHOP

San Juan Island Sea Salt WRITTEN BY LARA DUNNING PHOTOGRAPHED BY CASEY SJOGREN AND DANIELLE HOLSTEIN

rady Ryan is hooked on salt, and it is not your typical tableside ingredient. This salt is made from the waters of the Salish Sea and hand-harvested at his salt farm on San Juan Island. “Being a salt farmer is a continual learning process,” says Ryan. “The more I understand what I like about salt, the more I play with ways to develop the salt for moisture content and crystal size.” Ryan opened San Juan Island Sea Salt in 2012. Seven years later, their line of products includes culinary salts, bath salts, and honey.

A PASSION FOR SALT Ryan’s fondness for salt began in childhood when he saw it crystallizing along the shoreline of San Juan Island. The process fascinated him so much that one year he and a friend made salt for Christmas presents. After hours of boiling seawater on the stove, they discovered it was a messy endeavor and consumed a lot of electricity. “That day of making salt always stuck in my mind,” says Ryan. “After working on a vegetable farm and building a lot of greenhouses, I thought I could use greenhouses to harness solar power and make salt the simple way.” Salt production happens during the summer months and the seawater is “evaporated all the way down” to bring out its natural trace minerals and flavors. Post-production includes flake extraction, grinding, and sifting. Each year, the harvest yields between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds.

PASS THE SALT, PLEASE There are more than two dozen sea salt products, and everything can be purchased on their website or in retail shops around the state such as Salt & Vine in Anacortes, the Skagit Valley Co-Op in Mount Vernon and the Community Food Coop in Bellingham. Items include natural salt (6-oz. jar, $12) and flake salt ($15), and blended salts, such as popcorn blend ($12), lemon pepper blend ($12), and madrona smoked (6-oz. jar, $15). With their 25 beehives, they make sweeter items like honey, lip balms, and honey-salted caramels. To meet the team, swing by their booth at the San Juan Island Farmers Market on Saturdays (May to December), and the Ballard Farmers Market on Sundays (June through September), and select local holiday farmers markets.  San Juan Island 360.840.3202 | sanjuanislandseasalt.com

April 2019 31

SHOP Savvy Shopper

When One Door Closesâ&#x20AC;¦ Brazen Shop + Studio WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSEY MAJOR

1319 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham 541.719.8427 | facebook.com/brazenshopstudio 32

BellinghamAlive.com

THE SHOP

KEY PEOPLE

Brazen Shop + Studio is a small boutique featuring handmade goods from more than 20 local “makers.” Owners Allison Potts and Karen Blanquart opened the store in March 2018 in a building that once housed Nordstrom on Cornwall Avenue. In the years since, the space has been split up into several smaller shops within. Nordstrom’s main entrance on Cornwall is now the entrance to Chipper Bird. Potts and Blanquart became quick friends with the owners of Chipper Bird and opened up a hallway between the two businesses, so you can better access Brazen from the building’s front entrance. The main Brazen entryway, though, is located in an alley parallel to Cornwall Avenue. While it may be tricky to find, Blanquart says they have made videos detailing exactly how to find the “hidden gem” that is Brazen Shop + Studio.

Potts and Blanquart met when both were working separate booths at a local marketplace. When the marketplace shut down, they decided to do pop-ups around Bellingham together. The pair became quick friends, with shared taste and aesthetics. After one year of popping around, friends who owned an art gallery were ready to sell their space, and approached Potts and Blanquart. “We were looking for a permanent space, and we were thinking a lot further out, but we couldn’t pass up on this opportunity,” says Potts.

THE ATMOSPHERE Having previously been a large department store, the walls separating each space don’t reach all the way to the ceiling, allowing for a very open feeling between each shop. The walls in Brazen are covered with artwork, primarily Blanquart’s paintings. Warm lighting fills a space that feels cozy and inviting. Tables and shelves are arranged to allow for space to wander and browse easily. It’s not overcrowded.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND Potts’ jewelry line and Blanquart’s paintings, along with five other makers, were the foundation of Brazen when it opened. In the years since, the store has grown, now selling handmade goods from more than 20 artists and makers. From jewelry to pottery, clothing, soaps, cards, and so much more, Brazen is a great place to shop for both special gifts and everyday items.

FAVORITE ITEMS Potts’ Bird in Hand earring line is unique and simple. The timeless designs are elegant, while still appropriate for everyday wear. Brazen also features local artist Brittany Schade, whose whimsical, colorful designs reflect only the best of Bellingham. 

April 2019 33

Self Care is Healthcare

HEAL YOURSELF FIRST

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Instagram @BellinghamAlive

Great food

WELLBEING Nutrition · Take a Hike · Beauty

Scrub Me Tender WRITTEN BY BROOKE CARLSON

almy springtime weather is on its way, which means dragging out capris and shorts once again. After a winter of low temperature, your skin may be feeling dry and lackluster, a confidence killer when it comes to bare legs. With chilly weather in the rear-view mirror, treat your body to an exfoliation routine to remove dry, dead skin. … continued on next page

… Exfoliating is a great way to literally start fresh. It works by removing dead skin and grime on the top layer of your epidermis to reveal the younger skin cells underneath. While cell turnover occurs naturally, the process tends to slow down as we age. Exfoliation boosts the progress and prevents dead skin and dirt from blocking pores. There’s no shortage of exfoliating products on the market. Many use microbeads, tiny plastic particles that often pollute water ecosystems because they’re too small to filter. Homemade copycats of popular scrubs are just as effective, less pricey, and have less of an environmental impact. Natural scrubs are a simple combination of exfoliant, oils, and fragrance. Sugar scrubs are a great choice for aging or sensitive skin because they’re effective, but gentle. Because it’s not overly abrasive, sugar can be used on the face, arms, legs, you name it.

TEA TREE AND LAVENDER SUGAR SCRUB This simple scrub is a luxurious blend of moisturizing oils and gentle exfoliant. The recipe is fully customizable; the essential and fixed (coconut and sweet almond) oils can be swapped for oils you prefer. This recipe calls for an optional preservative (available at retailers such as Walmart or Amazon); if you’d rather leave it out, keep your scrub container away from water as it encourages bacteria growth.

BellinghamAlive.com

INGREDIENTS 2 ½ cups of granulated sugar ¼ cup of coconut oil ¼ cup of sweet almond oil ¼ cup of unscented liquid castile soap 5–8 drops of tea tree essential oil 8 drops of lavender essential oil Optional: 1 tsp of Optiphen (preservative)

INSTRUCTIONS • In a medium-sized bowl, combine coconut oil, sweet almond oil, castile soap, essential oils, and Optiphen (if using). • Stir ingredients thoroughly and set aside. • In a separate, larger bowl, pour in sugar and break up any clumps with your fingers. • Pour liquid mixture into sugar, and combine fully using a rubber spatula or your hands. • Transfer mixtures into airtight containers (mason jars work well). To use, apply to wet skin and rub in a circular motion. Rinse off after use. Enjoy! 

Nutrition

WELLBEING

Seasoned Generously with Love Cauliflower and Bacon Chowder WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CASSIE ELLIOTT

y grandma, Ella Gutknecht, was one of the most inspirational women I have ever known. She could tell a mean joke and loved her family above everything else. She was and still is one of my greatest influences in the kitchen and I don’t think there is a time when I am cooking that I don’t feel or hear her right there next to me. I always paid attention when I was in the kitchen with her, watching how she sliced, sautéed, and stirred whatever she was cooking. At times, it looked like she was conducting a symphony of sorts. As she got older and passed those tasks along, she would often stand right next to me, one elbow leaning on the kitchen counter, watching my every move and offering a dash of wisdom here and there. I learned many lessons from her, but of all the things she taught me none was more important than this: “When you cook for someone, make sure to put all of your love into it because that is what they will taste the most.” This recipe was created for the last group of courageous people who decided to find out just how amazing they would feel if they stopped eating sugar by taking part in my 20-Day Sugar (and more) Detox program. The chowder has fast become the most popular on my blog, as much for its deliciousness as its simplicity and versatility. But mostly because it’s seasoned with just the right amount of love.

CAULIFLOWER AND BACON CHOWDER

• Remove bacon from pot with slotted spoon and place on plate with paper towel to absorb fat.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves: 6

• Pour off excess bacon fat, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon in pot.

INGREDIENTS 6 slices bacon, diced 1 medium yellow onion, diced 3 stalks celery, chopped 2 medium carrots, diced 1 small or 1/2 of a large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces 3 cups organic chicken broth 1 cup coconut milk 1 teaspoon Italian herbs 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder 1 teaspoon fish sauce Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS • Add bacon to large pot and turn heat to medium. • Cook 3–4 minutes or until well-done but not crisp.

• Add the onion, celery and carrots to pot and cook until tender. • Add cauliflower, chicken broth and coconut milk to pot. • Stir in herbs, chili powder, and salt and pepper. • Turn heat to medium high. Bring soup to a gentle boil and then reduce heat to low. • Simmer soup for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork-tender. • Add bacon to soup and stir. • Garnish with parsley or microgreens. 

April 2019 37

WesternState Landmarks Written by Meri-Jo Borzilleri, Lara Dunning, and Lindsey Major

It’s a big country. Come along as we explore some of the most well-known, and maybe not so well-known, places in our vast Western states: Alaska’s Kenai Fjords; Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons; the Grand Canyon; Joshua Tree and Zion national parks; Hoover Dam; Arizona’s Antelope Canyon; Idaho’s Shoshone Falls. Some you certainly have heard of, others not. But what they all have in common is the capacity to astonish, especially if you’re seeing them for the first time. Included is information on how to get there from Bellingham or Seattle, and other valuable travel tidbits. Happy trails.

BellinghamAlive.com

April 2019 39

Yellowstone & Grand Tetons E

stablished in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the United States' first national park. Primarily located in Wyoming, Yellowstone also stretches into Montana and Idaho. The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway connects Yellowstone with Grand Tetons National Park to the south. Both parks encompass lush valleys with clear lakes and meandering rivers. The Teton Range, whose highest peak, Grand Teton, reaches 13,770 feet, is a popular ski destination in Grand Teton National Park. For outdoor enthusiasts the parks are a paradise with more than 200 miles of hiking trails, backcountry camping, float trips, bird watching, fishing, and wildlife viewing. A large “supervolcano” is located beneath the surface of Yellowstone National Park. This is why there are so many geysers located in this unique area — about 500. The supervolcano is also how the hot springs remain, well, hot. The magma and steam beneath the surface rises and heat the ground beneath the pools. The temperature is so great, the water within the pools (despite being melted snow) remains warm. These hot springs are much too hot to swim in. Please consult the National Parks Service website for permitted swimming areas. To experience the majesty of the landscape and some of Grand Teton’s essential sights, drive the 42 scenic-mile loop. Important stops along the route include the J.P. Cunningham Cabin — one of the few remaining homesteading cabins in the area, scenic viewpoints at Schwabacher’s Landing and Oxbow Bend, and Jenny Lake. No matter what, wake up early one morning to watch sunrise illuminate the snow-capped peaks of the Tetons. 40

BellinghamAlive.com

If you venture out to Yellowstone you’re bound to stumble across a herd of buffalo. These animals have roamed the region since prehistoric times. In the late 19th century, only 23 buffalo remained in the park. Thanks to concentrated conservation efforts, the buffalo population has risen back up to more than 5,500 today, considered the world’s oldest free-roaming herd. There two popular parks are truly special, unlike few others in the world. We’ve gathered some of the best tips and tricks below to help you plan your Yellowstone/Grand Tetons trip. LM & LD Getting There Fly From Seattle into Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyo. (flight time with connections: 9.5 hours) Drive 15 hours

Events Early April Cycle Only Days Note: The West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open exclusively to non-motorized travel in early April. There is no set date as it depends on weather conditions. Pedestrians and cyclists may enter through this gate before it is open to road traffic.

Fees Or Permits

What To Do

$35 per vehicle for a seven-day pass (If you want to go to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton, you will need to purchase passes for both.)

Horseback Riding Yellowstone National Park yellowstonenationalparklodges.com Backcountry Skiing There are a few short tracks, but skiing is permitted on all unplowed roads and trails in Yellowstone. In the Grand Tetons, pro backcountry skiers should take their shot at the renowned Corbet’s Couloir run.

Annual pass: $70

April 13–14, 20–21, 27–28 Grouse Strut nps.gov/grte May 19 High Noon Chili Cook-Off jacksonholechamber.com May 24–28 Old West Days jacksonholechamber.com

What To See Old Faithful Located in Yellowstone National Park’s Upper Geyser Basin in the southwest section of the park.

Jenny Lake Boating jennylakeboating.com

Mammoth Hot Springs Located just south of the North Entrance near Gardiner.

Places To Eat Grant Village Lake House Restaurant Yellowstone National Park yellowstonenationalparklodges.com

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, Teton County, Wyo.

Peaks Restaurant Moran, Wyo. signalmountainlodge.com Dornans Moose, Wyo. dornans.com

Where To Stay Jenny Lake Lodge Moose, Wyo. gtlc.com/lodges/jenny-lake-lodge

Fun Fact Yellowstone was once referred to as Wonderland, based on Lewis Carroll’s book “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.” An 1885 pamphlet even featured Alice herself, saying “Tell me, is this not Wonderland?” The cause for this was due to the natural scenery, volcanic activity, and wildlife not found anywhere else in the United States.

Roosevelt Lodge & Cabins Gardiner, Mont. hotels.com Colter Bay Cabins Colter Bay Village, Wyo. gtlc.com/lodges/colter-bay-village

Old Faithful Inn Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. yellowstonenationalparklodges.com

April 2019 41

Kenai Fjords T

he ice age still lingers in this remote spot on the southern coast of Alaska. At Kenai Fjords National Park, you can see nearly 40 glaciers, some of which still hold the secrets of the past. The Sugpiaq people have lived on this land for hundreds of years, living off the unique landscape and wildlife unlike anywhere else in the United States. Here, you can see oil from the Exxon Valdez spill still entrapped in ice. See whales breach and play in the water just off the coast. Stand at the foot of Exit Glacier. Where else can you drive to the base of a 6,000foot wall of ice? Despite Exit Glacier’s size, it’s small compared to how large it used to be. The glacier is one of the first places scientists go to study the effects of climate change. Between 2013 and 2014, this glacier got 185 feet shorter due to melting. In 2015, President Barack Obama visited Kenai Fjords National Park to examine the effects of global warming and discuss with officials and scientists what could be done to help preserve this unique landmark. Since 2010, Exit Glacier has shrunk an average of 162 feet per year. The closest town to Kenai Fjords National Park is Seward, Alaska. This town is named for former U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward, who oversaw the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire. Another fun fact about Seward — it’s the original starting point for the Iditarod Trail. Mile 0 is marked on the shoreline on the southern side of town. When visiting Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward is the place to stay. With great hotels, restaurants, and other fun activities, you can experience authentic Alaska. LM

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What To See Harding Icefield A field of ice more than 300 square miles named for President Warren G. Harding. Ice There are nearly 40 glaciers throughout the park. Marine mammals The park was established in part to protect seals and sea lions and is also home to the rare Dall’s Porpoise and several species of whales. Events May–September, Exit Glacier Ranger-Led Walk Follow a park ranger on a one-and-a-half hour walk to the Glacier Overlook. The first leg of the walk is wheelchair accessible. June 5–July 27 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) Glacier View Sketch Join an on-site artist on a short, easy walk to Glacier View where you will spend 45 minutes in an instructor-led art class on sketching the beautiful Exit Glacier. July 7–August 27 (Saturdays) Harding Icefield Ranger-Led Hike With an elevation gain of 1,000 feet in one mile, Hiking the Harding Icefield is not easy. Journeying out with a ranger will help in case of emergency. The ranger will also teach you more about this unique landscape. Fun Fact The native tribespeople living on the Kenai peninsula have been there for hundreds of years. The word “kenai” comes from their word “kena,” meaning “open area with few trees,” similar to our word for meadow. Fees Or Permits No entrance or camping fee for Kenai Fjords National Park.

What To Do Boat tour Seward majormarine.com Guided kayak trips Seward, Alaska sewardpaddlingassociation.com

Flightseeing Seward sewardair.com

Where To Stay Safari Lodge Seward saltwatersafari.com Sauerdough Lodging Seward sauerdoughlodging.com Trailhead Lodging Seward trailheadlodging.com

Getting There Fly Starting in May, take one of Allegiant Air’s new non-stop flights from Bellingham to Anchorage (about 3.5 hours). Then rent a car or take the bus for the 126 miles south to the park. Drive More than 40 hours Float Feeling adventurous? Take the ferry from Bellingham’s Fairhaven district on the Alaska Marine Highway System to Whittier (more than four days), then it’s less than a 2-hour drive to the park.

April 2019 43

HooverDam I

n 1900, the Black Canyon and Boulder Canyon area was being investigated to see if a dam would help with flooding issues, while providing irrigation water and creating hydroelectric power. The project was approved by the U.S. Congress in 1928, but in the midst of economic uncertainty that would lead to the Great Depression, one company wasn’t enough to fund it. Instead, different corporations came together to form Six Companies, which was granted the rights and funding to begin the dam in 1931. Originally, the structure was called Boulder Dam, named for the canyon. However, in 1930, U.S. president Herbert Hoover’s Secretary of the Interior, Ray Lyman Wilbur, traveled to the site to mark the opening of the project. It was here he said, “I have the honor and privilege of giving a name to this new structure. In Black Canyon, under the Boulder Canyon Project Act, it shall be called the Hoover Dam.” Many people protested this decision, and saw it as Wilbur seizing an opportunity to flatter his boss and friend. When Harold Ickes took over as Secretary of the Interior, he changed the name back to Boulder Dam in 1933. The name 44

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Getting There From Bellingham Fly Hop on a 2 ½-hour direct flight on Allegiant Air to Las Vegas, then drive about 30 minutes. Drive About 20 hours.

switched again in 1947 when President Truman reinstated the Hoover handle, honoring the man who created it. In 1984, Hoover Dam was dubbed a National Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was given this rare nomination (only 260 civil engineering landmarks exist worldwide) due to the technological advances of the time. It’s a popular side trip for visitors to nearby Las Vegas, just a 30-minute drive away. Today, the dam provides energy to three states: California, Arizona, and Nevada. About 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power are produced by Hoover Dam each year. LM

Where To Stay

Places To Eat

Events

Gamble Las Vegas is just 30 minutes away.

Milo’s Inn at Boulder Boulder City, Nev. milosbouldercity.com

Fox Smokehouse BBQ Boulder City foxsmokehousebbq.com

Raft Ride the Colorado River through the Black Canyon in Boulder City, Nev. blackcanyonadventures.com

Boulder Dam Hotel Boulder City boulderdamhotel.com

Coffee Cup Café Boulder City worldfamouscoffeecup.com

Oasis Boutique Motel Boulder City motelbouldercitynv.com

Milo’s Cellar Boulder City milosbouldercity.com

Through April 27 Backstreet Boys at Zappos Theatre, Las Vegas, Nev. The 1990s-era boy-band heartthrobs are wrapping up their Las Vegas residency at the end of April. ticketmaster.com or backstreetboys.com

What To Do

Skydive Catch a great view of the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, Red Rocks Canyon, and more on your way down. gojump.vegas What To See Lake Mead The lake that feeds into the Hoover Dam is half in Arizona and half in Nevada.

April and beyond Aerosmith: Deuces are Wild Catch the all-time favorite rockn-roll band at the Park MGM Resort throughout April and into the summer. mgmresorts.com

Boulder City If you don’t stay in the quaint town, it’s worth a drive through. In the 1930s, this town was built to house and feed workers building the dam. Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge At 1,905 feet long and 890 feet up, this is the longest single-span concrete arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the secondhighest bridge in America. Fees Or Permits $10 parking fee for some parking areas. Tour ticket prices range from $12 to $15. Children under three and military personnel in uniform are free.

April 13 BBSC Rage Triathlon Challenge yourself to a race in the desert. Once you’re done, celebrate with live music, food, and awards. bbsctri.com/rage

Fun Fact Hoover Dam required a record-breaking amount of concrete — enough to stretch across the entire county. In order to cool all of this concrete, project engineers invented a super-sized refrigerator that produced about 1,000 pounds of ice per day. Without this giant ice box, the dam would have taken decades longer to build.

April 2019 45

GrandCanyon O

ne of the world’s seven natural wonders, the Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona. To this day, scientists and archaeologists can’t determine how old it is. The oldest rocks in the canyon — the Vishnu Basement Rocks — are estimated to be about 1.7 billion years old. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts from human civilizations dating back nearly 12,000 years. Once inhabited by the Pueblo peoples, the American Indian Havasupai tribe still lives on the same land, which they refer to as their ancestral home. Nearly all the Havasupai land was taken and converted to public use when the Grand Canyon was named a forest reserve in 1893 and later a national park in 1919. With the help of major publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle, the Havasupai people regained much of their land in 1975. Havasupai translates to “People of the Blue Green Water,” referring to the beautiful turquoise-colored Havasu Falls. The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River flowing through the area for an estimated 5 to 6 million years, eroding away the rock and clay. Nearly 40 layers of rock are visible on the walls to create a beautiful landscape, contrasting with the crashing river at the bottom. Among the many caves throughout the walls and structure of the canyon is the Grand Canyon Caverns. Take an elevator down 21 stories to explore sites such as the Crystal Room, the Chapel of the Ages, and the Snowball Palace, all constructed in an underground cave civilization. Different tour options are available, including a ghost tour (check out gccaverns.com to read more and book a tour). These caves date back so far into history that scientists found the remains of a giant sloth dating back to the Ice Age. Not only is the Grand Canyon intriguing for its appearance, history, and mystery, it’s a great destination for adventure-seekers as well. LM 46

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Where To Stay Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, Ariz. grandcanyonforever.com Grand Canyon Railway Hotel Williams, Ariz. thetrain.com Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Grand Canyon Grand Canyon, Ariz. ihg.com

Getting There Fly Catch a plane from Seattle to Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (about 5 hours, 30 minutes with good connections) and rent a car to drive the scenic 92 minutes north to Grand Canyon National Park. Drive From Bellingham, Figure on 22 hours (approximately 1,400 miles)

What To See Wildlife Mule deer, coyotes, horned owls, and more unique species Skywalk A walkway 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. Located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation History Petroglyphs and pictographs line cave walls throughout the park

Events April 16 2019 Naturalization Ceremony U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will team with the Grand Canyon National Park to welcome new United States citizens representing many countries. nps.gov

What To Do Float the Colorado River riveradventures.com Grand Canyon Railway thetrain.com Take a hike nps.gov

Fees Or Permits

Places To Eat

Fun Fact

$35 vehicle permit (seven-day pass)

El Tovar Dining Room Grand Canyon grandcanyonlodges.com

The Grand Canyon creates its own weather. Sudden changes in elevation have a massive impact on temperature and precipitation. If you’re at the Indian Garden Ranger Station on the North Rim, it might be chilly and raining. However, just five miles away is the hottest and driest point on the canyon, Phantom Ranch.

$30 motorcycle permit $20 individual permit admits one person when entering on foot, bicycle, bus, Grand Canyon Railway, or through private rafting trips Individuals age 15 and younger are admitted for free.

Yavapai Lodge Restaurant Grand Canyon visitgrandcanyon.com Pine Country Restaurant Williams, Ariz. pinecountryrestaurant.com

April 20 Earth Day Celebration On the 49th anniversary of Earth Day, enjoy a fee-free day. Visitors can participate in the celebrations at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center Plaza near Mather Point from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year, the celebration will feature displays with information about current park conservation efforts and initiatives. nps.gov June 22–29 Grand Canyon Star Party Due to the dark skies and clean air, the Grand Canyon offers one of the best night sky observation sites in the U.S. Volunteers from local astronomy clubs and associations will offer free nightly programs and telescope viewings. In 2019, look for Jupiter and Saturn to “star” in the show. nps.gov

April 2019 47

JoshuaTree

he Mojave and Colorado deserts collide in Joshua Tree National Park. This landscape provides home to many unique desert flora and fauna, most unable to be found anywhere else in the United States. The name “Joshua” was given to the unusual tree in the mid-19th century, when Mormon settlers crossing the desert noticed its distinctive shape. They said the branches reminded them of the biblical Joshua, Moses' assistant, lifting his arms up in prayer. When Minerva Hamilton Hoyt moved to southern California in the 1920s, she became enamored with the Joshua trees. With the impending railroad construction, she was worried much of the desert would be destroyed. She worked diligently and presented a proposal to Franklin D. Roosevelt to protect the land. President Roosevelt’s New Deal was passionate about the creation of national parks, and after a couple years of negotiation, the Joshua Tree area was established as a National Monument in 1936. The area remained a monument until the California Desert Protection Act elevated it to National Park status in 1994. Twentynine Palms is a city that borders the park, named for the number of palm trees at the Oasis of Mara. The Serrano people came to the oasis hundreds of years ago as instructed by one of the spiritual leaders; they believed the desert air would make them more likely to produce baby boys. Their spiritual leader instructed them to plant a palm tree each time a boy was born. In the first year, 29 baby boys were born to the tribe, so 29 palm trees were planted. 48

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Getting There From Bellingham Fly On Allegiant Air, take the direct 2-hour, 45-minute flight from Bellingham to Palm Springs, California. Drive Road trip 1,329 miles (about 22 hours).

In more recent news: Joshua Tree National Park is in trouble. During this winter's government shutdown, some visitors caused destruction to the park, driving off-road, cutting down several Joshua trees, scrawling graffiti on rocks, and crushing plants and wildlife. Some climbed a centuriesold juniper tree to break limbs off as firewood. A local described the damage as “devastating.” Joshua Tree National Park is working on being restored, and you can help. Volunteering with the National Park Service would not only help rebuild again, but will also help keep the cost of admission down. Even through the damage, the majority of the park is a beautiful place to hike, camp, horseback ride, and explore. There are trendy towns nearby to eat and relax after a long day in the sun. Joshua Tree is a great place for a springtime family vacation. LM

What To See Birds Joshua Tree National Park is home to many unique desert species of birds, including the roadrunner, mockingbird, and red-tailed hawk. Wildflowers See the Pinto Basin painted with beautiful wildflowers of all colors in the early Spring. Oasis of Mara The lush greenery of this oasis contrasts with the stark orange of the desert beyond.

Events April 12–14, 19–21 Coachella Watch artists like Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, Ariana Grande, Janelle Monáe, Billie Eilish, and Khalid perform at the 2019 Coachella music festival just 30 minutes away from Joshua Tree National Park. coachella.com May 16–19, 2019 Joshua Tree Music Festival Held at the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park, this music festival advertises being family-friendly. Catch artists like Vintage Trouble, Dynohunter, My Baby, and more. This Woodstock-esque festival also features workshops in yoga, visual arts, and myth. joshuatreemusicfestival.com September 21, 2019 Night Sky Festival Celebrate the autumnal equinox at the Sky’s the Limit Nature Center and Observatory for a night of stargazing. The park will provide at least 20 telescopes, music, constellation tours, and sky stories after dark. Tickets go on sale over the summer. nightskyfestival.org

Places To Eat Pie for the People! Joshua Tree facebook.com/ pieforthepeopleofficial Crossroads Café Joshua Tree crossroadscafejtree.com Joshua Tree Coffee Company Joshua Tree jtcoffeeco.com Fun Fact The Joshua Tree isn’t even a tree — based on DNA testing, this plant is more closely related to grass and orchids than any kind of tree.

Where To Stay Camping Joshua Tree National Park has four reservation-only campgrounds and four firstcome first-serve campgrounds. The cost is between $15 and $20 per night, with many accommodations. nps.gov The Joshua Tree Inn Joshua Tree, Calif. joshuatreeinn.com Mojave Sands Joshua Tree mojavesandsatjoshuatree.com

Fees or permits Seven-day passes: Non-commercial vehicle (including passengers): $30 Motorcycle (including riders): $25 Individual (walk or bike in): $15 Annual pass: $55 What To Do Watch a drive-in movie after a day of wandering the park at Smith’s Ranch Drive-In Theater, just three miles away in Twentynine Palms, Calif. Walk the flat trail though a landscape of rare strands of cactus species, just south of Joshua Tree National Park’s south entrance. Catch a view of the Milky Way under the dark skies of Joshua Tree, one of the best night-sky viewing spots in the country.

April 2019 49

Antelope Canyon T

hese otherworldly rock formations are a photographers’ eye candy, but you don’t have to be a photographer to marvel at the jaw-dropping interior of this slot canyon, located in northern Arizona near the famed Lake Powell recreational area. Antelope Canyon actually consists of two sections — the upper (nicknamed “The Crack”) and lower (“The Corkscrew”). For maximum lighting effect, plan your trip for spring, summer, or the end of September. Be sure you’re there by late morning, when the light is at its most dramatic, casting beams from above and through 120-foot rock walls. The canyon, at an elevation of 4,000 feet, looks like an unremarkable desert outcropping from outside. It’s only when you step inside that another world opens up to you, a secret passageway to one of nature’s great wonders. Another bonus — the upper canyon is at ground level, meaning no climbing or descending is necessary for those with physical restrictions or a fear of heights. The lower canyon, several miles from the upper, presents more difficult hiking — metal stairways have been installed to make things relatively easier. Still, be prepared to navigate some narrow spots between rocks. With sunbeams accentuating the color of undulating rock layers, the experience is a little like walking inside a still-life lava lamp. The striking rock formations were carved by the erosion of Navajo sandstone, mostly from flash flooding, which is still a hazard here. Rainstorms, even those miles away, have been known to cause dangerous or even fatal flooding here in recent years. When the Navajo Tribe made the canyon a Navajo Tribal Park in 1997, it became required to book tours though a licensed tour operator. Check navajonationparks.org. Also note: The closest city, Page, is situated atop a mesa overlooking Lake Powell and the famed “Grand Circle” — a sightseeing mecca with numerous historical sites, monuments, parks and tribal ruins. MJB

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Fun Fact Antelope Canyon is a sacred site to the Navajo, who pause before entering it as a sign of respect. But while this is spiritual land, it’s the tribe’s. The tribe discourages visitors from scattering ashes of loved ones there. One recent incident required the canyon to be closed temporarily to allow for a tribal medicine man to restore its spiritual integrity.

Getting There From Bellingham Fly Direct to Phoenix on Allegiant Air (about two hours), then a 5-hour drive to Antelope Canyon Drive It’s 1,300 miles (about 20 hours) to Antelope Canyon

What To Do

Where To Stay Best Western View of Lake Powell Motel Page bestwestern.com La Quinta Inn and Suites at Lake Powell Page laquintapageatlakepowell.com Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Page countryinns.com

Visit Powell Museum & Official Visitor Center in Page for help booking tours and finding info on lodging, dining, stores. powellmuseum.org Motor along on a boat tour on the Glen Canyon section of the Colorado River. visitpagelakepowell.com Hike scenic Horseshoe Bend. horseshoebend.com

Fees or permits Prices vary. Check navajonationparks.org for various tour operators. Events

Places To Eat

June 15 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Films will celebrate the diversity of our nation’s natural treasures. It's part of a national tour, but customized to the local area. canyonconservancy.org

Big John’s Texas BBQ Page bigjohnstexasbbq.com

July 20 Fourth Annual Glen Canyon Natural History Association Bat Festival Includes kids’ activities, information booths, bat house building demonstrations, bat listening walks. canyonconservancy.org Aug. 30–31 Horseshoe Bend Star Party View planets and galaxies through telescopes from photogenic Horseshoe Bend. canyonconservancy.org

Ranch House Grille (breakfast and lunch) Page ranchhousegrille.com Bonkers Restaurant Page bonkerspageaz.com

What To See Glen Canyon National Recreational Area nps.gov Take a helicopter tour of Tower Butte Lake Powell, or Horseshoe Bend visitpagelakepowell.com Rainbow Bridge National Monument nps.gov © National Parks Service

April 2019 51

Zion Z

ion National Park in Utah is one of my favorite parks for hiking. Much of that has to do with the scenic beauty of this 232-squaremile park that includes high plateaus and sandstone cliffs colored with oranges, pinks, and creams, narrow canyons worn smooth by water, and springs that burst from the rocks to provide a cool mist. To get to the trails, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to catch one of the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free shuttles. Before you head out, spend some time at the visitor center, pick up a shuttle schedule and ask about trail closures. Also, bring everything you need with you, like water, snacks, sunscreen, and your pass entry receipt. To acclimate yourself to the high desert whose base elevation begins at 3,000 feet, start with some easy hikes. Weeping Rock Trail is steep but less than a quarter mile roundtrip. On a hot day, the reward is the refreshing spray from the dripping springs. Another 52

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Getting There From Bellingham Fly McCarran International Airport, Paradise (Las Vegas), Nevada (flight time if direct: 2.5 hours; with connections, an average of six hours), then a 2.5-hour drive Drive Approximately 19 hours Fees Or Permits $35 a vehicle for a seven-day pass Places To Eat Red Rock Grill Dining Room Springdale, Utah zionlodge.com Arkansas Al’s Steakhouse Springdale majesticviewlodge.com Switchback Grille Springdale switchbackgrille.com

What To See

What To Do

Pipe Spring National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park

River Tubing zionoutfitter.com Helicopter tour zionhelicopters.com 4 × 4 Tours zionjeeptours.com Events September 28 and 29 Zion Canyon Music Festival zioncanyonmusicfestival.com

Fun Fact Zion is home to the Mexican spotted owl, which lives in the park’s narrow canyons.

good choice is the 1.2-mile Lower Emerald Pool Trail that leads to a partially shaded canyon where waterfalls cascade from the sandstone cliffs above into a green pool. (Sorry, no swimming.) To extend the hike, take the half-mile trail to Upper Emerald Pool, which is considered a moderate path. Wherever you choose to hike, keep an eye out for flora and fauna as this desert landscape is home to more than 1,000 species of plants, 78 mammals, and 291 birds, including the endangered California condor. One of the park’s spectacular hikes is Angels Landing, which earned a spot on Fodor’s “10 Most Beautiful Hikes in the U.S.” At 5.4-miles roundtrip and an elevation gain of 1,488 feet, it is in the strenuous category and not for anyone afraid of heights. That’s because near the end, you walk along a narrow ridge with chains for hand grips as you make your way to the summit. The reward is a bird’s-eye view of the Virgin River as it weaves across the valley floor past massive red sandstone cliffs. LD

November/December date TBD Zion Joy to the World zionnationalpark.com November date TBD Butch Cassidy 10K/5K Race springdaletown.com

Where To Stay Three park campgrounds nps.gov/zion Zion Lodge Springdale zionlodge.com Majestic View Lodge Springdale majesticviewlodge.com

April 2019 53

ShoshoneFalls S

pectacular waterfalls abound in Idaho, but the granddaddy of them all is Shoshone Falls, known as “the Niagara of the West.” But it out-Niagaras its world-famous counterpart — at 212 feet, it is 45 feet higher than Niagara Falls. When it’s running full-bore, it’s nearly 1,000 feet wide, one of the largest natural waterfalls in the U.S. The water source for Shoshone (pronounced “show-shownee”) Falls, located about three miles from the city of Twin Falls in southern Idaho, is the Snake River. The best time for viewing the falls in all its frothy majesty is spring, when Snake River snowmelt is high and irrigation and hydroelectric needs haven’t diminished the falls’ water flow, which can reach as high as 20,000 cubic feet per second. In summer, unsuspecting visitors will be disappointed to see the falls vastly reduced to as little as 300 cubic feet per second, the minimum “scenic flow” required of the local utility from April through early 54

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September. Summer is also when irrigation requirements are highest for the area’s arid farmlands. Shoshone Falls, a natural dead-end for migrating fish like salmon and steelhead, is named for the Lemhi Shoshone people, or Agaidika, native for “salmon eaters.” The falls were carved in lava-injected basalt more than 14,500 years ago during the ice age floods, when Lake Bonneville overflowed, releasing a colossal flow of water that in mere weeks formed the Snake River Canyon and the falls. Shoshone Falls and nearby Dierkes Lake, a favorite area swimming hole also featuring hiking and fishing, draw more than 300,000 visitors annually. Besides great views of the falls, Shoshone Falls Park, operated by the City of Twin Falls, also offers recreational facilities like hiking trails, picnic and swimming areas, and a boat ramp. Bike or hike the Canyon Rim Trail, accessible from the park, for a different view of the falls. MJB

Getting There From Bellingham

Places To Eat

Where To Stay

Fun Fact

Elevation 486 Twin Falls, Idaho elevation486.com

Best Western Plus Twin Falls Hotel Twin Falls bestwestern.com

Fly Figure on at least seven hours (with two connections) to Twin Falls, Idaho. Shoshone Falls is three miles away.

Buffalo Café Twin Falls

La Quinta Inn and Suites Twin Falls lq.com

La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant Twin Falls lafiestatwinfalls.com

Nat-Soo-Pah Resort & RV Park Twin Falls visitidaho.org

The Snake River is famous for American motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel’s failed 1974 attempt to “jump” the river in a rocket about a mile from Shoshone Falls. Knievel’s drag chute deployed early, and he drifted before eventually crash-landing on the riverbank, suffering only a broken nose.

Drive About 11 hours (700 miles) to Twin Falls

What To Do Raft some whitewater Hang onto your paddles on the Snake River. You have your choice of several trips with the owner-operated Idaho Guide Service, which has been around for 35 years. idahoguideservice.com Soak Miracle or Banbury Hot Springs. Bring the whole family to take a soak. Choose from four outdoor public pools, 15 private pools, and even six VIP pools. Ahhh. miraclehotspring.com Mountain bike Auger Falls trails are located in the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls, where you can find trails for all abilities. Indian Springs trails, on Bureau of Land Management property, are for more experienced bikers. visitsouthidaho.com Fees Or Permits $3 per car from March 1 to September 30 (Shoshone Falls Park is open year-round)

Events April 26 Magic Valley Symphony Concert An Earth Day pops concert. mvsymphony.org

What To See Thousand Springs State Park Paddle, fish, bike, horseback ride, hike, visit interpretive areas in Hagerman, 33 miles west of Twin Falls. parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

July 5 and 6 City of Rocks 12th Annual Star Party Solar viewing at the visitors’ center, then nighttime telescope viewing at the Castle Rocks State Park Lodge site. visitsouthidaho.com July 14–31 Ice Cream Day 1 Mile, 5K, 10K, 13.1, 26.2 Run (or walk) in this third-annual event celebrating National Ice Cream Day (July 15). The “virtual” race lets you pick your course, and even the day you run it. eventbrite.com

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument See the world’s richest-known fossil deposits of plants and animals from the Pliocene epoch, 3.5 million years ago. nps.gov City of Rocks National Reserve This backcountry “silent city of tall spires” is a rock-climber’s dream and fun for hikers, campers, sightseers, and history buffs. nps.gov

April 2019 55

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HABITAT Home Remodel Tips and Tricks · Featured Home

Build Cabinets, Throw Axes Northwest Woodslayer WRITTEN BY TYLER URKE PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLOUD NINE

hree years ago, Mathew Blubaugh was carving wood in his garage with hand tools. Now, he’s the owner of one of Bellingham’s premier woodworking businesses. Northwest Woodslayer specializes in custom cabinetry mainly for kitchens and bathrooms. Woodslayer has its own designer and its staff is equipped to install any project. The workshop features state-of-the-art machinery and tools that help get projects done typically within a couple of weeks. … continued on next page

HABITAT Featured Design

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… A third-generation woodworker, Blubaugh says he had always worked for someone until he decided to quit and start his own business. “Going back to my garage was a huge step back for me,” Blubaugh says. He says having his own workshop with high-quality equipment was his five-year goal and he’s ahead of schedule thanks to hard work. Woodslayer has five employees and is booked six months in advance, says Blubaugh. Blubaugh says they’ve recently worked on kitchens that are valued at $15,000 and $60,000. Typically, he’ll have a site meeting, then sit down with clients and review design plans several times before anything goes to production. “It’s a little bit more involved than just cutting a bunch of stuff out,” Blubaugh says. While Woodslayer doesn’t stray far from the cabinetry realm, it will do projects such as custom tap handles for clients that have already done work with the business, Blubaugh says. Woodslayer also helps local businesses that don’t have the same equipment in their workshops. “A lot of the bigger contractors in town know our work,” Blubaugh says. “There are probably six or seven small cabinet shops in this area that bring us stuff to cut or edgeband.” Most of Woodslayer’s work is done on three machines: a table saw, an edgebander, and a powerful computer numerical control machine, or CNC for short.

The table saw is a Martin T60C that cost Woodslayer $40,000. Blubaugh calls it the “Lamborghini of table saws.” However, he says a lot of Woodslayer’s work is done on the CNC. It can be programmed to make precise cuts on flatwork that might be difficult to make manually. Their in-house CNC, the C.R. Onsrud M-series, costs about $150,000. The CNC has mostly eliminated the table saw’s effectiveness because it’s as simple as plugging in the specifics of the cut into the program, placing the wood slab on the vacuum-powered surface so that it can’t move, and then pressing start. “It’s fun having a robot employee,” Blubaugh says. From there, the wood is streamlined to the edgebander, a Holz-Her Uno that cost $40,000, where the edges get sealed off and prepped for building. Oh, and did we mention the workshop has an axethrowing station? Blubaugh says employees use it as a stress reliever and clients are welcome to give it a whirl. I gave it a try and on my second toss saw an axe slam into the wooden target and instantly felt less stressed. If you need custom cabinet work done, we highly recommend Northwest Woodslayer. And make it a point to throw at least one axe.  3965 Hammer Dr., Bellingham 360.734.0643 | woodslayer.com

April 2019 59

HABITAT Remodel

Farmhouse Kitchen A Kitchen is the Heart of the Home WRITTEN BY JENNIFER RYAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATHERYN MORAN PHOTOGRAPHY

n integrated and comprehensive kitchen makeover will mean upgrades in convenience, unveil streamlined flow and practicality, and boost your home’s value. With the removal of two walls, the 1920s farmhouse kitchen pictured here illustrates the impressive transformation of space, openness, and the creation of independent eating areas. Let’s examine basic remodel components:

FLOORING Hardwood or engineered flooring brings a cohesiveness to an open floor plan. Uninterrupted flooring from the living room to the kitchen gives an illusion of a larger space.

ISLANDS Adding a center island, or peninsula, provides a central gathering area for the family. It can be a food-prep and cook space or transform for snacks and homework.

CABINETS AND COUNTERTOPS Solid wood cabinets with soft-close doors and drawers are a must. Options range from painted, stained, lacquered and metal. Maintenance-free solid surface countertops include quartz, granite, marble, butcher block or concrete. Don’t be afraid to use different counter treatments on your island and surrounding cabinets!

LIGHTING From the food-prep areas, sinks, ranges to the eating spaces, sufficient lighting is key. Mixing up the metal finishes are a fun idea to give interest and texture to the room.

PETS Dogs and cats have become a very integral part of our families. Gone are those messy floors when a feeding drawer is incorporated in the design plans.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS • Trim is a distinctive design fundamental. • Knobs and pulls are a statement in themselves. • Your sink and faucet are like Astaire and Rogers — perfectly paired.

HAVE FUN Fashion your new kitchen as the heart and soul of your home. Be creative!  60

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April 2019 61

ANGUS

addies RANCH

Prime Grade Beef, Prime Cut Burger NOW SELLING individual prime cut steaks, roasts and quarter pound hamburger patties of our grass fed Angus. Free delivery!

MENUSEATTLE.COM MENUS • RESERVATIONS CURRENT NEWS • INTERVIEWS CULINARY EVENTS Follow us

USDA INSPECTED NO ANTIBIOTICS ADDIESANGUS.COM 360-399-9213

Hotel Bellwether’s Lighthouse Grill is pleased to announce the appointment of Executive Chef Peter Birk. He brings with him a passion for the freshness of Paciﬁc Northwest foods and 11 years’ experience from the iconic Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle and Hotel 1000’s Boca restaurant. General Manager, Jim Haupt commented, Chef Peter is an incredible culinary expect with more than 30 years of experience, his love of local Northwest products shines in the versatility of his skills. This is an exciting time and we are thrilled with what Chef Peter will bring to our culinary program.

More than a hotel, a destination! 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham 360.392.3100 HotelBellwether.com

NO ADDED HORMONES

DINE

8 Great Tastes · Dining Guide · Mixing Tin · Sip

Changing the World Through Food Sage Against the Machine WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ZOE DEAL

f you haven’t yet heard of Sage Against the Machine, you will soon enough. Believed to be Bellingham’s first from-scratch, dairy-free, meat-free, and mostly gluten- and soy-free food truck, Sage Against the Machine has the power to convince the meatiest of meat-eaters that eating plant-based food can actually be enjoyable. From BBQ jackfruit nachos ($12) to potato- and carrot-based mac n’ cheese ($6 small/ $10 large), co-owners Tara and Nate Johnson are making it easy to eat vegan. … continued on next page

… The newlyweds embarked on their foodie adventure just before tying the knot in June 2018. Both bring more than 20 years of restaurant experience to the table, along with an abundance of excitement and drive. Tara has been vegan off-and-on for decades and shaped the food truck’s menu from her own personal favorites. Each menu item is homemade and locally sourced, she says, with nothing processed. “By making everything from scratch, [our customers] know what they’re getting,” Tara says. “You feel good after you eat it. You realize you’re not missing cheese, you’re not missing meat. It’s just good food.” Despite being raised in Montana on meat and potatoes, Nate isn’t finding it difficult to eat vegan. With meals that resemble what he knows and loves like Sage’s tangy Cilantro Lime Burrito ($12) and flavorful Southwest nachos ($12), he says it doesn’t feel like he’s missing out on anything. Many of Sage’s customers agree. Nate and Tara are full of stories of customers whose outlook has been changed by the truck’s food. One customer, upon trying a sample of their nachos, started dancing. “I never do this,” the customer said. “You guys are just making me want to dance.” Serving food on the streets seems to suit the couple, who find joy in fostering relationships with their customers and bringing food to as many people and communities as they can. The name “Sage Against the Machine” resembles the politically revolutionary 90s band Rage Against the Machine. The food truck is built on a similar desire for change. “The way to get to people is through food,” Tara says. “If people aren’t afraid of eating vegan and realize what good food is available, the rest of the conscious mind falls into place as far as thinking about the earth and our health.” The community has rallied around the couple, whose enthusiasm and passion is making a real change. Nate sums up their mission perfectly: “We’re putting out great food, and it’s making people smile.”  360.988.1800 | satm360.com 64

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SAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE Sunday Kulshan Brewing 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday Faithlife (Bay Street and W. Champion Street) 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Wednesday Bellingham Grocery Outlet 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Thursday Stones Throw Brewery 4–9 p.m. Friday Faithlife (Bay Street and W. Champion Street) 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

DINING KEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to $9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10–19 . . . . . . . . . . . . $20–29 . . . . . . . . $30 or greater . . . . . . . . . . . . Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dinner . . . . . . . . . Family-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . Takeout . . . . . . . . Outdoor Seating . . . . . . . . . . Reservations . . . . . . . . . . Happy Hour . . . . . . . . . New Review Menu items and prices are subject to change, so check before you go. See all our restaurant reviews on our Eat and Drink tab at BellinghamAlive.com * Review provided by restaurant.

120 Prospect St., Bellingham 360.392.0930, cafe-velo.cc Cafe Velo is a European-inspired cafe with a twist — in addition to serving fresh espresso, the cafe also houses a bike shop. This is not just a place to quickly grab a bite or a beverage, it is a place with a clear sense of community. With plenty of outdoor seating — and bike racks — customers can enjoy their beverages in the summer sun. There is a straightforward menu of six sandwiches, all named after the owner’s favorite climbs from bicycle racing. As for thirst-quenchers, there are four rotating taps, five house wines, and espresso-based coffee.

207 Unity St., Bellingham 360.733.1267, ciaothyme.com For those who have experienced Ciao Thyme’s gourmet dinners and cooking classes, the new Ciao Thyme on the Side Café is a welcome addition to the delicious work of Jessica and Mataio Gillis, owners of Ciao Thyme catering. As with everything Ciao Thyme does, ingredients are fresh, local, and in season. Choose soups, salads, and sandwiches a la carte, or create a plate with a selection of all three for a hearty and satisfying lunch.

One word speaks volumes about Fiamma Burger: variety. With six different patty types (including homemade veggie, bison, and salmon) and more than 17 menu options, there are endless possibilities for a burger masterpiece. You can even get a “burger in a bowl,” served without the bread. And with extra things to add on like fire-roasted green chiles or a scoop of chili, it could take a long time to find your perfect creation. All burgers are served on a fresh-baked egg bun, with crisp lettuce, and all the usual fixings. Spice it up with chipotle ketchup, spicy mustard, or curry mayo, then cool it down with a beer or milkshake.

Co-owners Charlie Pasquier and Chas Kubis opened Black Sheep with the same approach they took to Goat Mountain Pizza years earlier, a devotion to scratch-made, fresh ingredients, Pasquier said. “We wanted to make tacos we could eat every day. Really, we just wanted to eat more tacos,” he says. With homemade tortillas, fresh garnish, slow-braised meats, each taco tastes and looks like a small masterpiece just waiting to be demolished. The taco list ranges from classic options such as carne asada, topped with salsa verde and a sweet corn salsa, to their unique gyro tacos, which feature your choice of lamb, brisket, cauliflower or sweet potatoes. Four dollars for just one taco, $7 for two and $9 for three, it just keeps getting better.

NORTHWATER Regional NW

From breakfast to late night dinner, Northwater’s 185-seat restaurant features Pacific Northwest dishes made from locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. We found the restaurant’s wait staff to be personable and enthusiastic, and eager to answer our queries about ingredient sources and what desserts they’d recommend. There’s a diverse menu of classic dishes with a twist, like the Seafood Sausage Corn Dogs with blueberry mustard — sweet-from-the-citrus cornbread and spicy from the mustard. Try the Fried Chicken and Waffle, featuring savory flavors of garlic and herbs drizzled with a pepper syrup.

See satm360.com for schedule and location

Bayou On Bay serves a wide variety of classic Cajun/Creole dishes, such as gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boy sandwiches, and hush puppies, to name a few. A house-made remoulade, which accompanies many of the dishes, is worth the trip alone. The bar offers an extensive list of drink options. Bayou on Bay is a must for foodies as well as people just looking for a satisfying meal.

215 W. Holly St., Bellingham 360.526.2109, blacksheepbellingham.com

SAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Food truck

FIAMMA BURGER All-natural Burgers 1309 Railroad Ave., Bellingham 360.733.7374, fiammaburger.com

BLACK SHEEP Mexican

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their own 1⁄3 pound burger, starting at $6.99. From there, choose from a variety of sauces and toppings (just 50 cents to $2.50 extra). If you’re looking for something beyond the burger, fish and chips is your next best option. Nicki’s classic fish and chips is made with two enormous pieces of cod, dipped in their famous tempura batter and served with unlimited steak fries and tartar sauce.

1300 Bay St., Bellingham 360.752.2968, bayouonbay.com

Dining Guide

4260 Mitchell Way, Bellingham 360.398.6191, northh2o.com

CIAO THYME ON THE SIDE CAFE Lunch

WHATCOM BAYOU ON BAY Cajun/Creole

CAFE VELO Coffeehouse, Deli

NICKI’S BAR AND GRILL/ NICKI’S BELLA MARINA American

If you haven’t yet heard of Sage Against the Machine, you will soon enough. Believed to be Bellingham’s first from-scratch, dairy-free, meat-free, and mostly gluten- and soy-free food truck, Sage Against the Machine has the power to convince the meatiest of meat-eaters that eating plant-based food can actually be enjoyable. From BBQ jackfruit nachos ($12) to potato- and carrot-based mac n’ cheese ($6/ $10), co-owners Tara and Nate Johnson are making it easy to eat vegan. Despite being raised in Montana on meat and potatoes, Nate isn’t finding it difficult to eat vegan. With meals that resemble what he knows and loves like Sage’s tangy Cilantro Lime Burrito ($12) and flavorful Southwest nachos ($12), he says it doesn’t feel like he’s missing out on anything. Many of Sage’s customers agree. Nate and Tara are full of stories of customers whose outlook has been changed by the truck’s food.

2615 S. Harbor Loop Dr., Bellingham 360.332.2505, nickisbellamarina.com Harborside visitors can grab a bite at Nicki’s Bar and Grill or rent out the floor above, Nicki’s Bella Marina, for private events with spectacular views of Bellingham Bay. Once you’ve had a chance to check out the water, take your first glance at the large menu. The burgers are big, juicy (there are even WetNaps on the table) and flavorful. From the Quadruple Bypass to the lighter Caesar Salmon Burger, Nicki’s offers options for everyone. Still can’t locate the perfect burger? Nicki’s gives customers the chance to build

TEMPLE BAR Bistro 306 W. Champion St., Bellingham, 360.676.8660, templebarbellingham.com Continually recognized for their craft cocktails and small plates, Temple Bar aims to please. Begin with the classic Temple Bar cheese plate, a collection of three rotating cheeses varying in texture and flavor. They are often paired with fruit, honey, toasted nuts, and bread. Next, dive into a piping hot gratin, which varies based on what is in season. In between

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CULINARY EVENTS

bites of a salad made with locally sourced ingredients, sip on a unique cocktail with house made infusions and bitters. Finally nibble on the chocolate chili muffins, the perfect end to a charming experience.

SKAGIT 13MOONS AT SWINOMISH CASINO & LODGE Seafood/Steak

Skagit Chili & Chowder Cook-off

12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes 360.588.3525, swinomishcasinoandlodge.com

April 6, 1 P.M.

Located within the casino, 13moons is sure to catch your attention. Situated on the waterfront, 13moons has a warm and inviting lodge atmosphere. The menu offers a wide variety including first plates, entree salads, seafood, and steaks. We started our meal with generous pours of wine, then moved on to the filet mignon, which was cooked to perfection and mouth-watering. The same could be said for their Marsala Mushroom Pork Chop. The Kobe Burger, made with Wagyu beef, brioche, Cambozola cheese and double-smoked bacon, is impressive. This is a great choice for an evening out. You will walk away satisfied, and you’ll understand why it is the go-to place for locals and visitors alike.

It’s the third annual event open to both samplers and participants where event-goers choose the winner. For $15, you get six samples and a vote. Professionals and amateurs can enter their recipe for $25. First place takes home $150 and professionals get a plaque as well. Mount Vernon’s Craft Stove will be there whipping up cornbread muffins as well.

Farmstrong Brewing Company 110 Stewart Rd., Mount Vernon | farmstrongbrewing.com

ANELIA’S KITCHEN Polish

Kontos Cellars Winemaker’s Dinner

513 South 1st St., La Conner 360.399.1805, aneliaskitchenandstage.com

April 12, 6 P.M.

A welcoming atmosphere, local food prepared with care, and great music make Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage a must-visit. The more than 25 house-infused Polish vodkas and myriad of local beers on tap will make you wonder why you didn’t visit sooner. Na zdrowie!

Sixth-generation Walla Walla residents Chris and Cameron Kontos will display their Walla Walla-based wines on this special night hosted by Coho Restaurant. Kontos’ wines are single varietal Bordeaux wines and they’ll be paired with five seasonal harvest dishes from local producers. These evenings sell out quickly, so get your tickets soon. Coho Restaurant 120 Nichols St., Friday Harbor | kontoscellars.com

Bellingham Beer Week April 19–27 With 14 breweries within the city limits, Bellingham boasts more breweries per capita than both Seattle and Portland. From a block party at Stones Throw Brewery in Fairhaven to a table tennis tournament downtown at Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen, this is one of the city’s premiere weeks of the year. Bellingham | taptrail.com

Maryhill Winery Winemaker Dinner April 19, 5:30 P.M. Hailing from the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, wines from Maryhill have been honored with more than 3,000 awards since 2001. This evening features a five-course dinner with world class food and wine pairings that are sure to please anyone’s palate. Semiahmoo Resort 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy., Blaine | semiahmoo.com

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CALLE Mexican 517 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.5566 Calle has generated quite the attention with a write up in Sunset magazine. Known for their take on Street Tacos — with six meat fillings to choose from and handmade corn tortillas — but that’s certainly not the only mouthwatering option. Try the Carne Asada, Posole, or Tortas to name just a few menu options. The Spicy Mango Margarita, made with fresh mango and jalapeño, is fast becoming a customer favorite. With more than 60 tequilas and mescals to sample, there’s always another reason to visit again. CONWAY PUB & EATERY American 18611 Main St., Conway 360.445.4733, conwaypubandeatery.com Don’t let tiny Conway fool you — this pub packs big flavor. Though the town is unincorporated, business is never slow in this watering hole. Farmers often come here after a hard day’s work, as well as bikers making a pit stop on a scenic weekend ride. Their food matches their patrons’ big appetites, such as the blue cheese burger topped with crisply, fried shoestring onions or the mouthwatering oyster burger. Packed with flavor and Americana spirit, Conway Pub & Eatery is a Skagit Valley icon. ENCORE* Epicurean Dining 5984 North Darrk Ln., Bow 360.724.0124, theskagit.com/encore Located within The Skagit Casino Resort, the newly remodeled and re-energized Encore restaurant prides itself in creating everything

Dining Guide

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in-house from scratch by utilizing fresh and natural ingredients from locally sourced products. Inside the room, see featured photographs of personalities from the music industry, recognizing The Skagit Casino Resort’s long history with entertainment, a platform that differentiates them from local competition. Take an epicurean dining adventure and discover one of the best restaurants in the region. OYSTER & THISTLE RESTAURANT AND PUB Seafood/Steak

205 E. Washington St., La Conner 360.766.6179, theoysterandthistle.com Oyster & Thistle Restaurant and Pub takes the time to prepare food with care. Their pastas are handmade and hand-cranked using semolina flour and an egg-rich dough. The zesty Caesar salad dressing is made with raw egg, the way it’s supposed to be. Their paella also contains a surprising ingredient, escargot. You’ll also find plenty of fresh, expertly shucked oysters, and perfectly seared sea scallops. SAKURA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE Japanese 1830 S. Burlington Blvd., Burlington 360.588.4281, sakuraburlington.com Professional Teppan Yaki chefs take you on a journey of delicious and interactive dining at Burlington’s Sakura Japanese Steakhouse. Using the freshest ingredients and perfect seasonings, they stir-fry your meal right before your eyes, creating a fabulous feast. Choose from steak and chicken to salmon and shrimp; each meal is served with soup, salad, rice, and vegetables. If it’s sushi you crave, they also offer a full sushi bar for even the most discriminating taste buds. TRUMPETER PUBLIC HOUSE Gastropub 416 Myrtle St., Mount Vernon 360.588.4515, trumpeterpublichouse.com The Trumpeter is an ideal combination of high-end, fine dining, and English pub fare. Try traditional pub selections like shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, or unique choices like pork tenderloin complemented with an apricothoney glaze, or crab mac & cheese with a creamy Gruyere sauce and wild-caught crab. Additionally, the Trumpeter looks to accommodate all tastes with our gluten-free dishes, and the option to make any dish gluten free. Of course, a gastro pub isn’t complete without beer and Trumpeter completes the dining experience with 18 taps of local and European brews. There’s also a fine selection of wines and other drink choices.

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VAGABOND STATION Southern 2120 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.421.4227, vagabondtrailerfood.com

The Temple Bar The Temple Vesper Ingredients: Vodka, gin, Lillet Blanc, orange bitters, Castelvetrano olive, orange peel. $10

Vagabond Station is known for its mostly Southern-style menu with a few curveballs. Dig into a pink and cold prime rib sandwich, a meat-lover’s dream that is difficult to find in this day of well-done meat. Try a bowl of hearty chili, or a wiscuit — biscuit dough cooked in a waffle maker. Of course, there’s crispy fried chicken and waffles, and their signature sandwich, the Yard Bird: chicken, cheddar cheese, and gravy piled onto a fresh, fluffy biscuit.

SAN JUAN SALTY FOX COFFEE American 85 Front St., Friday Harbor 360.622.2486, saltyfoxcoffee.com

he adjectives “cozy” and “cool” might not pair together often, but at the Temple Bar in downtown Bellingham, there’s no better combination to describe the atmosphere. An intimate space with brightly-colored walls, it’s an ideal spot for a Sunday afternoon cocktail or a casual weeknight drink. If you ask for one of the bar’s most popular drinks, you might be recommended the Temple Vesper, their go-to classic combination: a double martini, but with a twist. It’s not a menu item in April, but the staple is available upon asking. While you may be familiar with a traditional martini, which features 68

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When owner Andrea Hampton put together her coffee shop’s food menu, she worked hard to create items that were easy to make, but still healthy and satisfying. She wanted to be able to serve ferry riders on a time schedule, along with locals who come in for breakfast or lunch. For breakfast, choose from a Yogurt Parfait ($4.84) or a Breakfast Burrito ($8.77) or a few other savory options. Her rice bowls are my favorite option at $7.15 each. Try the Savory Pesto Bowl – jasmine rice, organic scrambled eggs, basil pesto, avocado, sprouts, carrots, chia and hemp seed. In the afternoon, you can grab a small plate like cheese and crackers ($5.50) or a selection from the salads, like Sweet Potato Quinoa Avocado Salad ($11), as well as daily specials, and new items are added all the time. It’s a healthy menu, both in size and ingredients, for a small café. Her coffee comes from Blue Star, an independent, artisanal roaster in Twisp that she can personally connect with. Guests can take anything to go, including wine and beer, much of which is locally made on the island.

gin as the primary alcohol, the Temple puts their own spin on the cocktail by adding equal parts gin and vodka. This balance provides a welcome complexity to the drink, keeping the gin’s floral notes in check, and allowing the sweet, fruitiness of the Lillet Blanc and orange a place on the stage. Bartender Emma Strutton recommends pairing the Vesper with the Temple’s “Everything Plate,” a selection of artisan cheese, charcuterie, bread, and accompaniments ($16).  Brooke Carlson 306 W. Champion St., Bellingham 360.676.8660 templebarbellingham.com

TOBY’S TAVERN Seafood 8 NW Front St., Coupeville 360.678.4222, tobysuds.com Overlooking the scenic Penn Cove in the center of old Coupeville, Toby’s Tavern offers diners a dive bar ambience with a delicious menu of seafood favorites. Their famous bowls of Penn Cove mussels — served by the pound! — come fresh from the adjacent cove, and keep shellfish connoisseurs clamoring for a regular fix. Steamed and soaked in a scrumptious mix of simple seasonings, wine, and juices, Toby’s robust offering of mussels makes for a memorable visit. Fish and chips arrive hot, deliciously flaky, and generous in size, with sides of sweet coleslaw and fries deserving mention for their merit. For those waiting among the weekend crowd of regulars, a giant chocolaty brownie is insanely good, and will keep your appetite satisfied before the main course makes its way into the dining room.

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And for those who might enjoy a little art with their wine, a stop at Pondera Winery is a must. The winery shares a space with Howard/ Mandville Art Gallery and features a collection of excellent wines with eyecatching labels. Pondera winemaker Shane Howard’s 2014 Entourage is a beautifully crafted blend of five Bordeaux red varietals; and white wine drinkers will enjoy his delicious 2017 Viognier, a stainless steel-fermented mouthful of stone fruit flavors.

DINING OPTIONS

W00dinville Wine County Matures Now a True Destination Location WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAN RADIL

he city of Woodinville, located northeast of Seattle and an easy, 90-minutes-or-less drive from the North Sound, has become a mecca for Washington wineries, with more than 110 tasting rooms in the area. But Woodinville isn’t just for wine enthusiasts. With plenty of breweries, distilleries, and restaurants also nearby, the city has broadened its appeal as a destination location.

WINERIES: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery offers the “Art of Blending Experience,” an informal class hosted by wine educator Laura Kasser. Participants can customize their own red blend from six Bordeaux varietals and take a finished bottle along with them. Pam Adkins, winemaker/owner at Adrice Wines, opened her winery near Woodinville’s Warehouse District in 2016, and likes to work with Italianbased varietals whenever possible. Try her 2016 Nebbiolo, an Old-World style red she refers to

as her “pizza wine,” or the 2016 Montepulciano, a rare-to-Washington varietal with delicious, chocolate/cherry flavors and currently available at the tasting room. At nearby Avennia, winemaker Chris Peterson draws on some of the state’s finest vineyard sources for his wines. His red blends are outstanding, and include a perfectly balanced GrenacheMourvèdre-Syrah trio of grapes in the 2016 Justine and the Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Cabernet Franc 2016 Gravura. Red wine lovers will also enjoy a visit to JM Cellars, where husband-andwife owners John and Peggy Bigelow will greet you with a smile and stellar, handcrafted wines. Take a stroll through the winery’s private arboretum and enjoy a glass of JM Cellars’ crown jewel, the justreleased 2016 Tre Fanciulli. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah is packed with juicy black cherry fruit, nuances of minerality, and great finishing acidity.

Purple Café is a great venue for either lunch or dinner with a well-rounded menu of salads, sandwiches, pastas, and a must-try Fillet Mignon. Purple really shines with its list of wine flights; three 2.5 ounce pours of reds, whites or mixed trios, many sourced from local wineries. Heritage Restaurant and Bar is a favorite with Woodinville locals, and with good reason. Chef/owner Breanna Beike has created a welcoming venue with a moderate prices and lovingly prepared attention-to-detail culinary choices. Her menu is based on the freshest ingredients, such as the Caramelized Sea Scallops with Parsnip Purée and Turnips. Over-the-top desserts include House-made Ice Cream and Pie in a Jar.

FIRST-CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS Willows Lodge is a superb, 84-room property located in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country. Each spacious and warmly-appointed room features an amazing list of amenities including gas fireplaces, soaking tubs, and a patio or balcony. The Lodge also offers an in-house spa, and drinking and dining options at the Fireside Lounge or Barking Frog restaurant. The Lodge’s impeccable service may tempt you to linger at the hotel. Just remember, there’s a world of other things to do in Woodinville Wine Country that are certain to make your visit a memorable one. 

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Courtesy of Bellewood Farms

DINE Restaurant Review

Easter Eats

WHATCOM COUNTY

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 11 A.M.–11 P.M.

BELLEWOOD FARMS

Grab a Fork — Area Restaurants Serve up Brunches, Buffets WRITTEN BY LYDIA MCCLARAN, JENN BACHTEL, AND LINDSEY MAJOR

ooking and baking for the family during winter holidays can be so much fun. However, some years (like this one), Easter falls in late April when the weather might be starting to warm up. If you don’t feel like cooking inside when you could be out hunting for eggs in the sunshine, don’t fret. We’ve done the hunting for you and these are some of the best places around to feed your family this Easter Sunday.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21–MONDAY, APRIL 22, 10 A.M.--5 P.M.

Bellewood Farms (formerly Bellewood Acres) is hosting an Easter celebration! Enjoy a delicious brunch buffet with wine, beer, and cider for the adults, live entertainment, a farm animal petting zoo, pony rides, egg hunts, games, and more for the whole family. 6140 Guide Meridian Rd., Lynden 360.318.7720, bellewoodfarms.com

HOTEL BELLWETHER SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 9 A.M.–3 P.M.

Enjoy a buffet-style Easter brunch at one of Bellingham’s finest dining establishments, The Lighthouse Bar & Grill at the Hotel Bellwether. With gorgeous sights overlooking Bellingham Bay and high-quality Northwest foods, this is a great place to celebrate Easter with your friends and family. Reservations available after March 1. 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham 360.392.3100, hotelbellwether.com

BellinghamAlive.com

NICKI’S BELLA MARINA

An Easter Basket worth sinking your teeth into, Nicki’s Bella Marina’s Fish & Chips is a regular winner of Best Fish & Chips in Bellingham Alive’s Best of the Northwest contest for good reason! It features huge fresh-cut cod filets dipped in their special tempura batter and served with real potato steak fries, and one-of-a-kind tartar sauce made from scratch. 2615 South Harbor Loop Dr., Bellingham 360.332.2505, nickisbellamarina.com

CAFE 544 SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 7 A.M.–3 P.M.

This small-town diner has a mom-andpop feel, with friendly staff that keeps the locals coming back and worth the drive for out-of-towners. In addition to their regular menu, they will be serving up something special for Easter. Vegetarians and meat-lovers alike will find something here to satisfy their hunger. 302 E. Main St., Everson 360.966.7822, cafe544.com

SKAGIT COUNTY

GREAT

CHUCKANUT MANOR SEAFOOD & GRILL

TASTES

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 9 A.M.–4 P.M.

Delight your taste buds with a special Easter meal at the Chuckanut Manor while enjoying a view of Samish Bay and the San Juan Islands. They have a champagne brunch buffet every Sunday with an omelet bar and a variety of fruits, salads, meats, and desserts, but they really go all out for Easter! Adults $28.50, Kids $14, Five-and-under free, Reservations 3056 Chuckanut Dr., Bow 360.766.6191, chuckanutmanor.com

BOB’S BURGERS AND BREW, BURLINGTON SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 9 A.M.

Bob’s Burgers and Brew always has a great breakfast and lunch menu (dinner too!) with their classic American homestyle. This Easter they will be serving up a special menu including prime rib that will be fun for the entire family. Reservations for parties of eight or more 9394 Old Hwy. 99 N. Rd., Burlington 360.757.9097 bobsburgersandbrewburlington.com

The following selections have made it past our taste bud test and into our top eight this issue. Step out and give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.

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SAN JUAN COUNTY POP-UP DINNER

Sunday, April 21, 6-8:15 P.M. Coho Restaurant is offering a Sunday night pop-up dinner in the Garden Cafe at the Harrison House Suites for Easter. Enjoy a four-course meal of fresh, local foods in a farmto-table style from Coho Restaurant executive chef Ryan. Reservation only, $55 235 C St., Friday Harbor 360.378.6330, cohorestaurant.com 

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Searching for a big ol’ bowl of comfort on a rainy day? The Rama Noodle from Supon’s Thai Kitchen in Bellingham is the perfect choice. Tender wide rice noodles and vegetables are topped with a rich, velvety peanut sauce. Add fried tofu for a little extra protein. If you’ve never been to Homeskillet in the Sunnyland neighborhood of Bellingham, you’re seriously missing out. This funky joint’s Mexi Skillet is a work of genius. It’s a salty, spicy blend of home fries, scrambled egg, black beans, peppers, onions, cheese, and lots of sour cream and salsa. Buttery, creamy, and delicious, the “Mutter Panner” from Taste of India in Mount Vernon is one dish that you shouldn’t miss. This traditional Indian dish is a combination of peas and homemade cheese in a smooth butter sauce. The banh mi sandwich is a work of art. A combination of crispy, fluffy French bread, pickled vegetables, and pork (or tofu), this Vietnamese creation can be found at Soy House in downtown Bellingham. Served with a side of sweet potato fries, this is a great option for lunchtime treat.

5 6 7 8

Head to Vic’s Drive-In in Friday Harbor for one of the best cheap eats on the island. Wonderfully greasy, the Deluxe Cheeseburger comes with all the typical fixings; lettuce, tomato, and onion. Don’t forget to add a cherry shake! To satisfy a carb-craving, the pasta at Mambo Italiano Cafe in Bellingham’s Fairhaven district can’t be beat. Their smoked Gouda and sundried tomato ravioli is served in a warming pink rose sauce. This rich dish with complex flavors is worth leaving home for. Treat your sweet tooth to the most indulgent hot drink in town at Chocolate Necessities at their downtown Bellingham or Guide Meridian locations. Their drinking chocolate is basically a liquid candy bar, made with your choice of high-quality chocolate and warm milk. Chihuahua Mexican restaurant in Ferndale serves up a tasty, colorful Huevos Rancheros, with red and green sauce to mirror the Mexican flag. A delicious marriage of eggs over-easy, corn tortillas, and rice and beans, this is a meal that’s not just for breakfast. — Brooke Carlson

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AGENDA

Featured Events · Listings · The Scene · Final Word

Tulip Festival APRIL 1–30, TIMES VARY

ulip enthusiasts, unite! Rows and rows of vibrant flowers will be on display during this annual celebration of springtime. Browse millions of tulips on a scenic cruise with farms throughout the Skagit Valley or visit the elaborate garden displays in the main event centers, Tulip Town and Roozengaarde. Each spring for more than 30 years, farmers have been nurturing these beautiful flowers to the delight of patrons from all around the world. The tulip bloom, and daffodils before it, don’t adhere to a schedule other than Mother Nature’s, so check the website to see when the flowers are up. Then, take a driving tour, or stop by the event centers to attend special events, like the art gallery at Tulip Town, going on throughout the month.  Locations vary 311 W. Kincaid St., Mount Vernon (office and store) 360.428.5959 | tulipfestival.org

AGENDA Events

DIRTY REVIVAL APRIL 5, 9 P.M.

Pigs on the Wing

CASINOS

CLASSICAL

ALAN PARSONS LIVE PROJECT

JANSEN JAZZ BAND

APRIL 12 & 13, 8 P.M.

APRIL 18, 7:30 PM

With 11 Grammy Awards under his belt, Alan Parsons has experienced several sides of the music scene — most notably contributing as an assistant engineer on the Beatles’ final two albums. He’ll be playing hits from his string of popular albums, including “I Robot,” “Eye in the Sky,” and “Pyramid.”

Relive the nostalgia of days gone by with the bright sounds of a big band. Directed by Steve Herrick, the Jansen Jazz Band is made up of 20 to 30 experienced community musicians, all participating as volunteers.

Skagit Casino Resort 5984 N. Darrk Ln., Bow 877.275.2448, theskagit.com

Jansen Art Center 321 Front St., Lynden 360.354.3600, jansenartcenter.org L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA APRIL 19–20, 26 AND 28, TIMES VARY

BUDDY GUY APRIL 19, 8 P.M.

Ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone Magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” list, Guy has influenced guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Jimmy Page. At 81 years young, he still brings that Chicago blues sound, which will be on display in the newly remodeled Orca Ballroom for one night only. Tulalip Resort Casino 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd., Tulalip 360.716.6000, tulalipresortcasino.com

Enjoy the sights and sounds of this classic Italian opera, a piece that broke new ground in the early days of opera history. The story follows the ambitious Poppaea, Roman emperor Nero’s mistress, and her journey to being crowned empress. Western Washington University Performing Arts Center 516 High St., Bellingham 360.650.6146, wwu.edu

CONCERTS KARLA BONOFF

THE COLOR OF MIRACLES

APRIL 5, 7:30 P.M.

APRIL 27, 5:30 P.M.

With several hit tracks, this American singer-songwriter first made a place for herself in the music world with the release of her self-titled album in 1977. Since then, Bonoff has become a wellknown and beloved name on the folkrock scene, praised for her meaningful lyrics and melodies.

The 16th annual Gala of Hope is hosted by Anacortes’ Island Hospital Foundation. The fundraiser will involve a meal and an exciting live auction, with all proceeds going to the emergency department of the Island Hospital. Organizers encourage attendees to break out their finest purple-colored gowns and suits for the evening. Swinomish Casino & Lodge 12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes 360.299.4201 islandhospitalfoundation.org

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Lincoln Theatre 712 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.8955, lincolntheatre.org

This Portland-based band will be performing an electric set on The Shakedown stage, showing off their unique sound, a smooth blend of soul and rock ‘n’ roll. Their seven-piece band is notorious for energizing live performances, so prepare to dance along with them on this night of music. The Shakedown 1212 N. State St., Bellingham 360.778.1067 shakedownbelllingham.com SAN JUAN SINGERS APRIL 12–13, 7:30 P.M.

Move and groove to hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s at a performance of a program called “The Beat Goes On.” The singing group will take the stage with The Chameleons, a local rock group, in full decade-appropriate regalia. Don’t miss this chance to break out your bellbottoms and knee-high go-go boots and sing along with the best hits of the past. Whittier Theatre 100 2nd St., Friday Harbor 360.378.3201, sjctheatre.org PIGS ON THE WING APRIL 13, 7:30 P.M.

Never saw Pink Floyd in their prime? While you may be out of luck to see the iconic band in person, the second-best option is making a stop in Bellingham. The Oregon-based tribute band, Pigs on the Wing, will play classics from the 1977 album “Animals,” achieving a sound eerily close to the original. Mount Baker Theatre 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com PETTY OR NOT APRIL 20, 9 P.M.

Tom Petty, who died in 2017, was one of the best-selling musicians of all time. His music resonated with people of all ages, and his lyrics will be brought to life once again with this local tribute band’s performance. They’ll be performing a variety of his greatest hits with some Fleetwood Mac thrown in. Wild Buffalo House of Music 208 W. Holly St., Bellingham 360.746.8733, wildbuffalo.net

S H A K E S P E A R E F E S T I VA L Under the tents in Vanier Park,Vancouver, Canada

The Taming of the Shrew Andrew McNee & Jennifer Lines Photo: Emily Cooper

TICKETS FROM $26 CAD!

Weekend

AGENDA Need help planning your weekend? J U N E 5 to S E P T E M B E R 2 1 M A I N S TAG E

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

H O WA R D FA M I LY S TAG E

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

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CORIOLANUS

bardonthebeach.org

The experience of a lifetime is closer than you think. Sund’s Lodge is so much more than just luxury calm-water fishing for salmon and halibut. It’s unplugging, surrounded by extraordinary beauty. It’s seeing humpbacks, orcas and dolphins up close. It’s gourmet dinners with friends, followed by sunsets over the water, every night. And yes, it’s also incredible fishing, on the calm waters of the Inside Passage.

What are you waiting for? We’re booking now for the 2019 and 2020 summer seasons — Reserve your spot online or by phone today! www.sundslodge.com • (360)480-2510 • Malcolm Island, British Columbia, Canada Sund’s Lodge, located off North Vancouver Island BC, is owned and operated by Bruce and Lisa Barlean of Ferndale, WA

AGENDA Events

SPECIAL EVENTS TRUE CRIME TRIVIA NIGHT APRIL 1, 7 P.M.

CELEBRATING IN SONG APRIL 27–28, TIMES VARY

The Skagit Valley Chorale’s program “American Journeys” will guide audience members through the best of America’s music. This varied performance will include everything from doo-wop to traditional choral arrangements. McIntyre Hall 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon 360.416.7727, mcintyrehall.org

Join other true crime enthusiasts in a night of trivia that will raise money for DVSAS (Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services). The evening is a gathering of “Murderinos,” fans of the podcast “My Favorite Murder.” Come to enjoy a good-hearted competition and a specialty cocktail created with local ingredients. Honey Moon Alley Bar and Ciderhouse 1053 N. State St. Alley, Bellingham 360.734.0728, honeymoonmeads.com REXVILLE GRANGE SPRING ART SHOW

HEALTH AND WELLNESS WALK MS APRIL 6, 10 A.M.

Choose from the 1-mile or 3-mile route and walk, jog, or run to raise money and awareness for multiple sclerosis. Currently, there is no cure, and the organizers of Walk MS hope that bringing the community together will bring us one step closer to ending the debilitating disease for good. Hotel Bellwether 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham 855.372.1331, nationalmssociety.org

APRIL 5–14, 10 A.M.

After the tulip festival, save time to see another local display of color. This annual fine arts and craft show features paintings, pottery, jewelry, weaving and more! Don’t miss the opening night festivities at 6 p.m. on April 5, which includes refreshments and music from Campbell Road. Rexville Grange Hall 19299 Rexville Grange Rd., Mount Vernon 360.466.0477 rexvillegrangeartshow.com TRUFFLE MAKING CLASS

LEARN TO GROW VEGETABLES

APRIL 5, 6 P.M.

APRIL 6, 10:30 A.M.

Got a sweet tooth? Learn to make truffles, a classic culinary confection in an intimate class setting. Students will be taught the ropes of creating several varieties of truffles, including rolled, traditional, and molded. The best part? They’re yours to keep when the class is finished.

Designed for beginners, this class covers planning your plantings and timing for harvest, managing soil, how to grow a variety of crops during the growing season, and more. Must register in advance. Cloud Mountain Farm Center 6906 Goodwin Rd., Everson 360.966.5859 cloudmountainfarmcenter.org WELLNESS WITH AROMATHERAPY APRIL 10, 6:30 P.M.

Hop on the essential oils trend through this community aromatherapy workshop. Students will learn about the therapeutic effects of various aromatic oils including lavender, chamomile, rose, and eucalyptus. Attendees will take home a blend of oils suited for their own needs. Skagit Valley Food Co-op 202 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon 360.336.9777, skagitfoodcoop.com

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Forte Chocolates 1400 Riverside Dr. Suite D, Mount Vernon 360.982.2159, fortechocolates.com DAVID WILLIAMS OUTRIGGER MEMORIAL RACE APRIL 13, 8 A.M.

Compete on the 5- or 12-mile course in memory of Williams, the Autumn Rose Canoe Club member who travelled many miles in outrigger races. In his honor, there will be a cash prize for the winner in his age category. Autumn Rose Canoe Club 2295 Lummi View Dr., Bellingham a_rose_w@hotmail.com

April Brews Day

SPRING GARAGE SALE APRIL 12–13, 9 A.M.

If you went a little too wild on the spring cleaning, get some new trinkets and handcrafted items at this mega antiques and garage sale. This event will feature more than 150 vendors, from artists to culinary crafts, as well as food vendors and live music. Skagit County Fairgrounds 479 W. Taylor St., Mount Vernon 360.416.1350, skagitcounty.net HANDBAG AUCTION AND CHAMPAGNE LUNCHEON APRIL 13, 1 P.M.

Enjoy a lively auction and champagne luncheon at one of Bellingham’s most treasured benefits. Women Sharing Hope presents their 20th annual event to support local women and children. The organization and event are entirely operated by volunteers. Settlemyer Hall, Bellingham Technical College 3028 Lindbergh Ave., Bellingham 360.966.6244, womensharinghope.org

Upcoming Events at MBT

TL’ANEQ’ CULTURAL ARTS AUCTION & GALA

EAST SOUND SPRING REGATTA

APRIL 13, 5 P.M.

Experience the wonders of the offshore winds of Orcas Island, a top destination for sailing in the Salish Sea. Rosario Resort, located on the bluffs of East Sound, makes a fantastic venue to observe the buoy and distance courses.

Northwest Indian College presents their premier benefit to further their mission of education in Native communities. Tl’Aneq’ presents an unparalleled opportunity for cultural art, performances, and food. Silver Reef Casino Events Center 4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale 360.392.4225, nwic.edu

APRIL 27–28, TIMES VARY

Rosario Resort & Spa 1400 Rosario Rd., Eastsound 360.376.2222, rosarioresort.com

Come to MBT's 92nd Birthday Party!

TOUR DE LOPEZ BICYCLE TOUR This popular non-competitive bicycle tour of Lopez Island kicks off the cycling season in the San Juan Islands. With rides of 5, 12, 17, and 31 miles, it fits a wide range of ages and abilities. All routes end with a three-course lunch at the Village at Lopez Community Center, site of a beer garden and music. Registration is limited to 900 riders and the event, a fundraiser for the local chamber of commerce, has sold out in past years.

Get to know why Romantic Homes Magazine calls this market an “undiscovered gem” that draws highquality vendors and is dispersed among three shopping areas. Don’t miss this opportunity to find authentic housewares, furnishings, and decor to complete your space. Anacortes Events Center 100 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 360.293.3134 anacortesvintagemarket.com APRIL BREWS DAY

Lopez Island Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce 204 Village Rd., Lopez Island 360.468.4664, lopezisland.com

APRIL 27, 6:30

Get hopped up at the 18th annual celebration of all things beer. This 21-plus event will bring 65 breweries with Pacific Northwest roots together to show off their best concoctions for a great cause. All proceeds go to the Max Higbee Center, a community-based organization that offers recreational programs for people with disabilities, young and old. Depot Market Square 1100 Railroad Ave., Bellingham 360.746.9841, maxhigbee.org

LYNDEN COMEDY NIGHT APRIL 28, 5 P.M.

Manna Insurance Group hosts highquality entertainers to raise funds for Eagle’s Nest International, supporting centers for children in Guatemala. Panic Squad Improv Comedy begins the night with a performance similar to “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Seattle native Dustin Nickerson, of Hulu and PBS Comedy Hour fame, is featured.

Saturday

April 27

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APRIL 27, 8:30 A.M.

APRIL 26–27, TIMES VARY

7:30PM

Give MBT a $1 birthday donation at any Cruisin’ Coffee location March 25 - April 27, and get a thank you of $10 off tickets to the show! Sponsor

Judson Hall Auditorium 516 Main St., Lynden 360.922.0149 mannainsurancegroup.com

Sponsor

SAT MAY 4 7:30 PM

WANT YOUR EVENT POSTED?

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ANACORTES VINTAGE MARKET

Liza Gossett

Season Sponsor

Events are posted on a first-come first-serve basis. Submissions must be received four weeks prior to the event with all the necessary information. Please submit event name, dates, times, short 40-word description, cover charge or ticket price, event venue including street address, a phone number, and a website. Any event from Seattle to Vancouver will be considered with priority placed on listings from Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties. Bellingham Alive is not responsible for errors in submissions. Please email all submissions to events@bellinghamalive.com.

April 2019 77

AGENDA Top Picks

APRIL APRIL

5 – 7

APRIL

The Mikado Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham mountbakertheatre.com

Orcas Island Lit Fest Orcas Center, Eastsound oilf.org

APRIL

Chili & Chowder Cook-Off Farmstrong Brewing Co., Mount Vernon mountvernonchamber.com

APRIL

White Denim Wild Buffalo House of Music, Bellingham wildbuffalo.net

APRIL

17th Annual Dirty Dan Harris Festival Fairhaven Village Green, Bellingham hfa.fairhaven.com

Fly Fishing Film Tour Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon lincolntheatre.org

28 APRIL

Kimya Dawson Make.Shift Art Space, Bellingham makeshiftproject.com

APRIL

11 – 14 78

BellinghamAlive.com

Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival Various Theaters, Bellingham cascadiafilmfest.org

VISUAL ARTS TRAILER WARS APRIL 10, 9 P.M.

David Syre

Roots and Wings

The Pickford Film Center challenges local creatives to put together elaborate movie trailers for a cinematic competition. This is the 10-year anniversary of the original Trailer Wars, and the theme is “Unrealized Ideas.” Participants can create their under-three-minute trailer and submit for a chance at glory. Pickford Film Center 1318 Bay St., Bellingham 360.738.0735, pickfordfilmcenter.org ARTRAGEOUS APRIL 27, 7:30 P.M.

To celebrate Mount Baker Theatre’s 92nd birthday, the theatre hosts an art-y party of mega proportions. The Artrageous group, a troupe of musicians, artists, dancers, and singers, will take the stage in a whirlwind of art in all shapes and forms. Don’t miss this opportunity for a one-of-a-kind visual journey. Mount Baker Theatre 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham 360.734.6080, mountbakertheatre.com

Curator: Ana Palacio

Grand Opening Reception Public Welcome April 3, 6p - 9p

Exhibition April 3 - 24, 2019 Tues - Sat, 12p - 6p

465 W. Stuart Rd., Bellingham | 360. 746.8745 | davidsyreart.com

KLIMT & SCHIELE: EROS AND PSYCHE APRIL 28, 11 A.M.

Art comes to film in this exhibition on screen, featuring five spectacular exhibitions of two renowned Austrian symbolist painters. These pieces come to you from Vienna’s age of disintegration, when artists revealed the restlessness of mankind through new art forms. The Limelight 1416 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham 360.738.0735, pickfordfilmcenter.org MY WAR APRIL 5–JUNE 3

A powerful exhibition of photographs, poems, and journal entries, “My War: Wartime Photography by Vietnam Veterans,” will showcase the stories of 25 veterans from around the U.S. The main display will be photographs that were taken during the Vietnam War by the soldiers themselves. San Juan Islands Museum of Art 540 Spring St., Friday Harbor 360.370.5050, sjima.org

April 2019 79

NOTES Final Word

Our Invisible Empire WRITTEN BY KEN KARLBERG

ew things on earth last forever. America may be the most powerful country on earth today, but our elevated status as “the new kid on the world’s block” is but a nano-second in the history of mankind. What about the next 100 years and beyond? Will America continue to be the most powerful? Who or what will emerge as our greatest existential threat? And heaven forbid, if we are attacked on home soil, could we defend ourselves without help? For most Americans, these thoughts are not particularly unsettling. They should be, but they aren’t. Our pride, our patriotism, and our self-proclaimed “excellence” create a comforting, yet overconfident sense of security. Whether we are willfully blind, or naïve — or worse still, arrogant — does not matter. For our policy-makers and business leaders, the unthinkable must be thinkable. If we are to continue to flourish, we need to be brutally realistic and self-deprecating. Now is not the time to blow air up our own backsides, domestically or in international circles. Humility is a dish best served to ourselves, by ourselves, and not by others. America’s future may be bright, but our future is not predetermined. Unless America proves herself to be unique — history’s first and singular outlier — our preeminent power status on the world’s stage won’t be ours forever. Things constantly change and evolve. Our future is neither certain, nor secure. We need only look in the rear-view mirror at the plight of the Romans, the Persians, the British, and other so-called “empires” in human history. Each took their turn as the most powerful, and no doubt that each believed their respective empires would reign supreme forever. And yet, each failed. Why? And what makes America different, if it is? The answer to both questions is the same. Empires come in all forms, not simply those based on economic or military power. Our uncommon pursuit of human dignity, equality, free will, and the rule of law is what makes us an outlier — a leader of aspirational values and principles, neither of which depend upon the strength of our economy or military. The power to dominate is fleeting. Others before us were just as dominant, perhaps more so, and each ultimately collapsed because at some broad over-arching level, most historical

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empires were held together only by raw power, subjugation, and fear. Their pursuit of equality, justice, or even simple benevolence became secondary, if at all. We would be prudent to ponder the significance of these historical signposts for America’s future. When Rome began to crumble, for instance, no one came to her defense. There was a reason. Rome, like most of the empires before and after her, was hated by many for the manner in which she became powerful, and perhaps even more by the manner in which she exercised her power. History may move slowly, but it can teach us if we are willing to learn. No empires were America’s equivalent in terms of their founding aspirational principles. This much is undeniable. Our turn in history’s “empire” barrel is coming, perhaps in 100 years or more, or just maybe in our lifetime. Russia, China, Iran, Turkey and North Korea (and others) are now aligning as never before, each knowing that America, by itself, is not as powerful as their combined resources. The existential threat is real. China’s regional and worldwide reach expands almost daily. Russia’s influence is on the rise again, as it seeks to regain its former glory under the Soviet Union. Even if only China and Russia were to join forces, they may well be our power equal. Which begs several additional questions. If world events are not always within our control, what is? And what or who is most likely to protect us when we are no longer the most powerful single country on earth? Eventually, when our economic and military power advantage diminishes — and it will — we will be vulnerable. We will need help to survive. Again, the answers are found in the power of the invisible empire of our founding ideas and ideals, which will exist in perpetuity if we honor them. The aspirational DNA imbedded in our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and rule of law is the common sinew that binds Americans, and all nations of good will, together. As a country, we can at least control the controllables and honor our democratic institutions and our nation’s values. They are what make us powerful; they are why we are envied by many in the free world. And if we don’t, we are no better than the Romans. Their plight will be ours. Good doesn’t, by right, defeat evil. Good prevails only if the world is willing to fight for what is right and just. The lessons of World War II were painful. Could we be the next Poland or Czechoslovakia, which were overrun by Germany as the world watched? Who will come to our defense and shed blood for us? Isn’t it better to be humble, to know our place in history now and in the future, than to risk being humbled? The day will come when Americans will need our allies and the power of the invisible empire more than ever. Let’s act like it. 

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