The Methow Valley, located in Washington's North Cascades mountain range, is an absolutely beautiful part of the state. It's an unforgiving place as well, and any home located in this area is susceptible to everything from dramatic temperature swings to forest fires and snowstorms. Johnston Architecture took these harsh conditions into consideration when designing The Miner's Refuge, a weekend Read more

While in Seattle for Starbucks Coffee College, I didn't have much time to check out the Pacific Northwest, but I did have one free meal. I used it to visit Spinasse, an Italian restaurant in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Helmed by Food & Wine Best New Chef Jason Stratton, the menu features rustic Italian from the Piemonte region. I loved the chef's complex food pairings, and I can't Read more

While in Seattle for Starbucks Coffee College, I had a chance to do everything from visiting the first Starbucks location to learning how coffee beans get roasted. But my favorite experience took place in the company's tasting rooms, where I learned how to evaluate coffees by a practice known as "cupping." See how I took my coffee appreciation to the next level — and how you can, too — when Read more

The original Pike Place Market store was just one of the trips I took while in Seattle for Starbucks Coffee College. I also paid a visit to the company's pilot plant, which roasts coffee in small batches to test new coffee concepts and revisit old ideas. Learn more about it when you keep reading. Read more

This past weekend, I had the privilege of flying out to Seattle to visit Starbucks headquarters and learn more about the company's practices, from coffee bean to cup. Fittingly, my journey started with a drop-in at the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market, the bean boutique where it all began. Although the store moved a block south in 1977, I imagine its look didn't depart too much from the Read more

One of my favorite discoveries at this year's Food Fête was the Lady Alice, a Washington-bred apple variety that's recently entered the mass market. Like a Pink Lady, the Lady Alice was painted with a mix of red, yellow, and green, but had an even deeper blush color. One bite revealed that it's both tart and intensely sweet, with a startling juicy crispness. I was told they'd hit Safeway stores Read more

Considering that everyone — Sugar included! — is getting caught up in the hype surrounding the Twilight series, it comes as no surprise that one couple, Annette and Tim Root of Forks, WA, have decided to launch a Twilight-themed restaurant in the town where the books are set. Although the family-style eatery will be named Volterra, after the Italian city where the Volturi law-enforcing Read more