Guides
Some activities described as "fun for the whole family" are mostly fun for the younger members. But you can make the next outing with the kids a memorable one for everyone with this list of Thurston County favorites that have grownup appeal, too. Hands On Children's Museum For kids: With climbing structures,
Guides
Even in these days of free samples at the supermarket, shopping for groceries can be ho-hum. Once you get inside a big store filled with big brands, you could be anywhere in the country. It doesn't have to be that way around here. If you know where to shop, a trip
Guides
Bearded Lady Food Co. is not your typical eatery: It's open only three days a week, and its evening menu has just one section: desserts. People like it that way: Our readers again chose the restaurant Olympia's best place for desserts. You can get such staples as cupcakes, ice cream and cookies
Guides
The Alpine Experience is dead; long live Centro. The longtime outfitter, which again was our readers' pick for best outdoor gear store, is being born again, evolving into something that's not exactly an outdoor gear store. Rather, think of it as an urban adventure marketplace, including The Bike Stand, Olympia Footwear Co.,
Liquid
The Hands On Children's Museum has something new on tap Friday: beer. No, really. The museum is launching Adult Swim, a quarterly adults-only night, with a beer-tasting event. "The first thing people say to us is ‘Beer at a children's museum?' " said museum spokeswoman Genevieve Chan. "That kind of a contrast is
Features
Tamales, leaf-wrapped bundles of corn masa with hearty fillings, are a Christmas tradition in their native Mexico, where families gather to make the labor-intensive dish. For Melanie Gary and Devon McCabe, owners of Olympia's Tamale Fusion, tamales are a new tradition. And it's a tradition they can share with their families, thanks
Guides
It's that time of year again: not just the time for cold weather, short days and a retail frenzy, but the time for visions of sugarplums, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Christmas cookies and rugelach. In other words, it's the time of year when even non-cooks might find reason to
Features
Every business, it seems, has its signature product. In the case of Olympia's raw deli Peace, Love & Raw, it's the RawNaimo bar. With a crunchy crust, a creamy filling and a rich cacao topping, it tastes like a nutritional nightmare, but in fact is made primarily of almonds, coconut and
Features
There's something new happening at the New Moon Cafe. The cafe, an Olympia institution beloved for its homemade blackberry jam, low prices and funky vibe, changes hands next week, becoming a cooperative. A team will run the place, with every member working at one or more typical restaurant jobs and taking
Guides
Just as a distinct accessory or trim makes an outfit, the daring pairing of vintage apparel and psychic readings sets Olympia's Psychic Sister apart from the norm. The shop, voted Olympia's Best Vintage Clothing Store, features a lively mix of intact and lovingly updated vintage items, owner Sarah Adams' own creations,
Guides
Michael Elvin of Olympia's Bar Francis is as much a scholar as he is a barista. Elvin, named Olympia's Best Barista, speaks knowledgeably about the flavors of coffee (butterscotch and vanilla were mentioned one recent morning) and methods of its brewing - and he sounds equally expert when he talks chai. "I'm
Guides
Dawn Gillnett, voted Olympia's Best Bartender, is a bit nervous having her first newspaper interview, but when asked to talk about her work mixing drinks and befriending customer's at King Solomon's Reef, she opens up. "I LOVE it," she says. "I love the schedule. I love being around the people. You
Arts
Dick Seed's a poet and didn't know it. He does now, though. Seed will read his poetry this weekend at Olympia's Arts Walk, a twice-yearly celebration of arts of all sorts by artists of all sorts - from kindergarteners to professional artists to those who, like Seed, create art simply for the
Arts
How many times have you read a story about someone who's had a singular passion for art for as long as he can remember? The story of Olympia's Jeff Freels is yet another one of those - except Freels' passion had to carry him through more than some lean years and
Guides
"In the future," said the artist Andy Warhol, "everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." Matter, voted Olympia's Best Gallery by Volcano readers two years running, has had way more than its share. The gallery, which displays only art made with reclaimed and recycled materials, showcases much more than paintings and sculptures.
Arts
You know the old saying about selling snow to an Eskimo? Well, that's one way to explain the Flat Win Co., the business/art project of David Scherer Water of Olympia. Although he hasn't yet sold rain to Western Washington, Scherer Water does sell, among other things, dirt, rocks, gravel and - perhaps
Features
Smoking has become mostly a private activity in Washington, yet a new business in Olympia gives cigarette aficionados a place to gather while they enjoy a nicotine fix. The place is Volcano Vapor Cafe, and the cigarettes being enjoyed there are electronic ones, filled with a nicotine solution that is converted
We Recommend
Fiddler on the Roof - back again this year at the annual Dec. 25 sing-along at the Capitol Theater - was released in 1971 and is set in 1905, but some of its themes have never felt more topical. In one scene, Perchik, the student revolutionary (played by the late Bert
Guides
Fiddler on the Roof - back again this year at the annual Dec. 25 sing-along at the Capitol Theater - was released in 1971 and is set in 1905, but some of its themes have never felt more topical. In one scene, Perchik, the student revolutionary (played by the late Bert
We Recommend
Along with music, dancing and folklore, this year's edition of The Christmas Revels features a glimpse of Santa's dark side. The Revels - an interactive holiday performance with music at its heart - is set this year in 19th-century Bavaria, where holiday traditions range from the familiar to the
