December 2012

Spend a Day in La Conner

Spend a Day in La Conner

Washington’s quaint waterfront town exudes charm and warmth despite the winter chill.

BrowsePeruse one-of-a-kind consignment furnishings at Re-Feather Your Nest (623 Morris St.; 360.399.1057; re-featheryournest.com). Antique birdcages that double as outdoor candleholders, anyone? A few stores down, score some relics at Nasty Jack’s Antiques (103 Morris St.; 360.466.3209; nastyjacksantiques.com). Take a left on First Street and stop in The Wood Merchant (709 First St.; 360.466.4741; woodmerchant.com) for…

Best of 2012: Local Arts

Best of 2012: Local Arts

Our favorite performances, original works and unexpected creations.

Visual ArtsBEST NEW CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIESGood news: This year saw so many new art gallery openings that we couldn’t pick just one. For socially conscious artwork from beyond American shores, we love M.I.A Gallery downtown, whose narrow space only elevates the impact of the work. Capitol Hill’s Blindfold Gallery has done a splendid job of…

Obituaries 2012

Obituaries 2012

We bid a final adieu to notable friends.

Kathi Goertzen, 54, one of Seattle’s most trusted television anchors for nearly three decades, died on August 13, after a 14-year battle with recurring brain tumors. Goertzen, a Seattle native and outspoken Cougar fan, first joined KOMO-TV as an intern in 1979, but soon became part of a long-term on-air partnership with co-anchor Dan Lewis….

Best of 2012: Beauty, Salons and Spas

Best of 2012: Beauty, Salons and Spas

The best places in Seattle for haircuts, mani/pedis and massages, plus the best salon in the city.

Hottest Haircutting TalentNiko Weddle, Gene JuarezWhen it comes to mastering trendy cuts, taking the plunge to blunt bangs and achieving spot-on glossy color, the well-tressed are asking for Niko Weddle of the downtown Gene Juarez Salon and Spa. An educator for the Gene Juarez’s Identity1 hair-care line and an 11-year salon veteran, Weddle has styled…

Best of 2012

Best of 2012

Seattle mag's picks for the best restaurants, shopping, sports and arts in 2012.

From no-hitters to new highways, pocket libraries to boutiques on wheels, 2012 brought a slate of changes to Seattle. The city is bristling with construction cranes and bustling with new shops, breweries, barbecue joints and pontoon-dragging barges. It’s thrilling to watch the recession recede, inch by inch, in the rearview mirror, as ever-innovative Seattleites launch…

When Will Seattle Streets Be Safe Enough for Cyclists?

When Will Seattle Streets Be Safe Enough for Cyclists?

Will Seattle’s Bicycle Master Plan Update finally make Seattle streets inviting for cyclists?

You’ve heard it all a million times: Drivers are jerky, lazy, inattentive louts looking to put another notch in their steering wheels by giving cyclists a close shave, thereby asserting the supremacy of the almighty car while wasting our precious natural resources. And cyclists are entitled, arrogant, Lycra-clad maniacs with a death wish, impeding traffic…

A New Approach to Publishing

A New Approach to Publishing

Booktrope’s cofounders are establishing a team-based approach to publishing and marketing new books.

If the book-publishing industry weren’t broken, Ken Shear might not be trying to fix it. Shear, publisher and CEO of Seattle’s new alternative publishing venture, Booktrope (booktrope.com), is trying to turn a page in publishing with a team approach, one that alleviates some of the traditional frustrations endemic to legacy publishing houses and typical e-book…

Best New Seattle Bands of 2012

Best New Seattle Bands of 2012

Music expert Chris Estey helps us pick the best emerging bands from Seattle’s crowded 2012 scene.

This year we recruited local music expert Chris Estey, who writes for music website Three Imaginary Girls, to help us pick the best emerging bands from Seattle’s crowded scene. Here, Estey makes it easier for other up-and-comers by reverse-engineering his chosen bands’ recipes for success. Tomten 2 cups ’60s British Invasion rock1 freshly ground Velvet…

Worst Moments of 2012 in Seattle

Worst Moments of 2012 in Seattle

A few of the most shocking and biggest forehead-slapping fiascos that happened in Seattle in 2012.

Tit for tat: Local developers of the JoeyBra bra—with pockets, of course—sued by British developer of similar bra. Miss Calculation: Seattle beauty queen tweets about her hatred of Seattle weather, sparks a tempest among her Twitter followers. Rink Rage: Last year’s holiday “ice rink” at Cal Anderson Park is little more than a giant polystyrene…

Most Influential People in Seattle 2012

Most Influential People in Seattle 2012

Meet the 62 biggest power players of our city, including the editors' pick for person of the year.

Sparks fly every year when our panel of experts assembles to choose Seattle’s boldest, brightest, brashest and bossiest movers and shakers from the past year. And 2012 is our biggest list yet—with 62 names—featuring high flyers who are definitely on your radar, and others who sneak under (or try to!). Some of their stories will…

Best Shops in Seattle 2012

Best Shops in Seattle 2012

Our editors picked their favorite local boutiques for men and women's clothing, gifts and more.

Best New Shopping TrendBoutique TrucksWe’ve grown accustomed to meals on wheels, but this year the town was treated to fashion trucks on the go. Glued to our Twitter feed for location updates, we eagerly tracked this new breed of mobile boutique. Amanda Linton and Allison Norris’ vintage trailer, The Kippy Ding Ding, opened in July,…

Chris Hansen: Seattle Magazine's Person of 2012

Chris Hansen: Seattle Magazine’s Person of 2012

This San Francisco hedge fund manager who won the hearts of Sonics fans is our man of the year.

Who would have thought that in the year of Occupy protests and anti-fat-cat rhetoric, liberal Seattle’s agenda would be hijacked by a multimillionaire San Francisco hedge fund manager? But so it was. An unknown guy named Chris Hansen spun the civic debate by proposing to invest around a half-billion dollars in building a new basketball/hockey…