By MARGOT KRAVETTE I’d never been to the (Seattle) Arboretum this early in the year, but it was worth a try. What I found was like the earth giving birth everywhere I turned. I’m not sure if this was coincidental or an act of a higher force, but the day I visited the Arboretum was the same day my daughter gave birth to my newest grandchild.  —Margot Kravette, “Looking for Spring in the Arboretum” (March 20, 2021) Spring is glorious in Western Washington. Days are longer. The temperature is not too cold or too warm. Hints of color start whispering through leaves and grass after a seas ..read more

BY ANN HEDREEN Two days before the winter solstice I drove from my home in Columbia City to Capitol Hill to meet Steve Durrant at the Tailwind Café, which is tucked inside the Good Weather Bicycle & Repair shop on Chophouse Row, a cozy alley of restaurants and shops just off Union Street in Seattle. I would have taken the light rail, but I was picking up prescriptions for my 90-year-old father right after our meeting, I had a Christmas-related errand to do in the University District, and a cold December rain was settling into a steady pour. I didn’t mention any of this to Durrant, who bicy ..read more

By MISHA BERSON By now, most of us are very accustomed to watching films that we stream onto our television sets. Many worthwhile new pictures, in fact, simply skip the movie house altogether and are only (or quickly) available on streaming services. But sometimes, doesn’t every film buff long for the pleasure of seeing a movie with an audience on a screen far larger than the ones in our residence? Larger, that is, for everyone except those rare folks with private screening rooms in their abode. Several factors may be keeping us out of cinemas: Avoidance of large crowds to evade contagious ill ..read more

A Personal Challenge for my 70th Birthday Becomes a Fun Way to Explore Western Washington BY MARGOT KRAVETTE I’ve journeyed to more than 70 Western Washington destinations in two and a half years. Some are well-know, others less so. Each, however, provided an opportunity for me to grow, learn, and thrive. My escapade began in December 2020 as I was considering how to celebrate my upcoming 70th birthday. COVID had shown its face nine months before and was still going strong. How could I celebrate my special birthday—just two months away—during a pandemic? As an amateur photographer, it occurred ..read more

3rd Act travels to Costa Rica for a taste of Pure Life “Make it happen.” This is Alex’s advice as we ready to board our small bus and travel Costa Rica’s unmarked roads to our next destination. Alex is our capable Overseas Adventure Travel trip leader. He is referring to visiting the toilet, of course, whether you think you need to or not. Start the journey empty. Make it happen. Start the journey empty. Apt metaphors for travel of any kind. Or, life, for that matter. Make it your own and be ready to be filled with wonder. We are a group of 16 people ages 14 to just shy of 80—the majority of u ..read more

When I travel, I make it a habit to collect only one thing: memories. The most treasured keepsake of any trip I take is the journal I bring home, filled with descriptions and observations of the people I’ve met, the places I’ve seen, and the experiences I’ve had. Thinking back, it seems I’ve always had a desire to capture my discoveries and eureka moments in a journal. On my first trip to Europe, as a 14-year-old, I collected and logged my experiences in a file of a hundred postcards, each numbered and packed with my notes. Thereafter, every trip I took inspired my passion for filling up ..read more

Imagine the Mekong River as it winds its way through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam to the South China Sea. A unique and exotic riverscape with houses on stilts, fishermen tossing nets, gilded temples, and rhythmic music with each paddle stroke. In my mind I hear Tina Turner wailing, “Rollin’ on the River.” Every dream begins with a romantic vision that  ultimately must face reality. A more appropriate and honest tune would be, “Roasting on the river…” as we were met with 95+ degree days, portable, but slow inflatable kayaks, smoke-filled skies from rice farmers burning their paddies, and, y ..read more

Stroll into the sunny Seattle Mosaic Arts storefront in the quiet Wallingford neighborhood and your eyes may quickly turn to a wall of glittering colors. Jars filled with glinting pieces of glass in multiple hues of blue, green, red, and yellow are lined up across long shelves. But that’s not the only eye-catching sight in this welcoming outpost. Every wall is covered with an impressive array of mosaic mandalas, butterflies, pictures, and framed mirrors. Step outside into the backyard to find colorful tables with brightly patterned mosaic tops. It is all the handiwork of those who frequent thi ..read more

Take the next vacation on an Alaska Marine Highway System ferry With our 3,500-mile drive to Alaska in the rearview mirror, we crept down the steeply pitched White Pass to the end of the road in Skagway. My wife Deb and I, along with two dogs, a cockatiel named Peaches and a trailer stuffed with personal belongings were relocating to Admiralty Island. And our passage to “the bush” was docked at the water’s edge—an Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferry. What we didn’t realize at the time is that this system of nine ferries navigating 3,500 marine miles of coastline and serving 33 communitie ..read more

Seattle is increasingly a place where people from many different continents, nations, and cultures reside and contribute. But how do you get to know the cultures of your fellow Puget Sound region dwellers if you don’t live or work around people from an array of backgrounds? How can you be introduced to their traditional foods, music, crafts, and customs? For 25 years, the Seattle Center has answered these questions with Festa, an annual program of weekend events that brings together local folk to perform, dine, and learn more about each other. These mini-festivals are free and open to all. Par ..read more