Cascadia Weekly

Cover

Through the Lens

From the searing deserts of Namibia to the soaring glacial moraines of deep Alaska and the saturated rainforests of the Olympic Coast, photographers Dennis Walton and John D’Onofrio present the trophies they’ve captured of photographic expeditions across the world’s great landscapes. Their work is both sweeping and personally intimate.

Walton has lived and travelled abroad for much if his life, photographing extensively in Burma, Tibet, Ladakh, Java, India, and Japan, where he captured

This Week

The Gristle

The Permanence of Variance

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

THE PERMANENCE OF VARIANCE: A remarkable schism opened between the afternoon and evening sessions of Bellingham City Council this week, although perhaps too few noticed.

The central puzzle facing the city—and indeed communities throughout the West and across the country—is the affordability of housing and its attendant concerns, as middle incomes have remained relatively flat while home prices continue to rise precipitously. The balance between what one earns and what one pays for a roof

News

It's Complicated

About that “Local Taxes” item on your Comcast bill

By Bob Simmons · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

If you’re confused by your Comcast bill for cable TV—the one you got in January or February—don’t feel dumb.

Batches of Comcast subscribers have complained to the City of Bellingham about some jolting December-to-January increases in a Comcast billing item listed as “Local Taxes.”

The increases varied from one Comcast subscriber to another. One billing increased from 14 cents in December to $6.35 in January. Another, from 22 cents in December to $7.66 in January. Another, from

Outdoors

Through the Lens

Exotic landscapes, far and near

By Tim Johnson · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Walton has lived and travelled abroad for much if his life, photographing extensively in Burma, Tibet, Ladakh, Java, India, and Japan, where he captured

Words

Station Eleven

Weaving stories from gossamer thread

Reviewed by Lisa Gresham · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven is one of those books that sweeps you up and doesn’t put you down until the last page is turned. I picked up a copy at the Whatcom Literacy Council Breakfast last November, where Nancy Pearl touted it as one of her recent favorites, a book that restored her “heretofore flagging faith that wonderful novels are still being written.” It languished on the coffee table for several months until I picked it up on a slow Sunday and became lost in it.

On Stage

Challenge America

A world of learning

By Amy Kepferle · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

When Kuntz and Company founder Pamela Kuntz found out her dance and community organization had qualified for a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as part of a “Challenge America” competition, she and her crew promptly got things rolling. The first of three dance residencies takes place this week with both public performances and classes at local schools throughout Whatcom County.

Cascadia Weekly: What were the parameters of the “Challenge America” grant?
Pamela

Visual

Red is Neutral

Collage and collaboration with Freddy Moran

By Stephen Hunter · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

“Freddy” Moran had been quilting for 20 years when, at 80, she thought she was burned out. Said her son: “Think what you can do in the next 20 years!” The result is her “Collage” exhibit at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum.

Here in the historic mansion atop the hill in the tiny artist town, you’ll discover fabric art from the 19th century to the present.

On the first floor, examine handmade clothing and quilts. Children’s frocks from the early 1900s remind us that once

Food

Colophon Cafe

Comfort food with a history

Story and photo by Lauren Kramer · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

There are some restaurants that grab you by the heart and won’t let go. They offer that brilliant combination of consistently good comfort food, great service, a warm, ambient environment and a location that’s convenient and attractive. The Colophon Café nails every one of those.

We started coming back in 2003 on our first foray to Bellingham, with a new babe in an infant carseat and all the worries of first-time parenthood. By then the café had been open 18 years in Fairhaven’s

Film

Song of the Sea

A selkie’s tale

Reviewed by Boyd van Hoeij · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Song of the Sea is another satisfying smack in the face of computer-generated 3D animation from Irish director Tomm Moore, after his earlier, Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells. Working with wondrous watercolor backgrounds and 2D animation in which the impressions of depth and perspective are almost exclusively suggested through overlapping flat surfaces, this pleasingly old-school item again relies on Irish folklore and legends to color a familiar story about a young boy venturing out into a

Music

Howlin’ Rain

A new deal

By Carey Ross · Wednesday, February 25, 2015

I’ve been around musicians long enough to know that, whatever kind of music of whatever kind of genre they might create, they all tend to do it for similar reasons, generally speaking. It goes without saying that musicians have a creative itch they need to scratch, as well as a need to put forth what they’ve created into the world. Regardless what degree of stage fright they may feel, I think most musicians would agree that nothing feels quite like the support and validation they receive

Best of Bellingham

What's the best neighborhood? The one you live in, judging from this fiercely competitive category. With more than 2,400 entries in the Cascadia Weekly readers choice awards, every neighborhood was named again and again. But with so many terrific places--Trader Joe's, Hardware Sales, Kulshan Brewing Company, Jeckyl & Hyde, Homeskillet, on and on--Sunnyland comes out on top.

Today

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Feb 27

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Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival: The 15th annual Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival takes place Feb. 19-28 at a variety of Whatcom County venues, including Bellingham High School, Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, the Deming Library, Fairhaven College, Ferndale Public Library, Northwest Indian College, the Pickford Film Center, Sehome High School, and Whatcom Community College. All events are free, and many films will be followed by facilitated discussions—some led by the filmmakers more »

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot: The Skagit Valley College Drama Department presents showings of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot for the final week with performances at 7:30pm Thursday through Saturday, and 2pm Sunday, at the school's Phil Tarro Theatre. Tickets are $5. more »

Leading Ladies: Ken Ludwig's Leading Ladies—a comedy about down-on-their-luck English Shakesperean actors attempting to fool a rich old lady out of her money by posing as long-lost relatives—concludes this weekend with shows at 7:30pm Friday and Saturday, and 2pm Sunday, at the Bellingham Theatre Guild, 1600 H St. Tickets are $8-$12. more »

The Underpants: Professional and community actors can be seen onstage when the Mount Baker Theatre presents its sixth year of Winter Repertory Theatre with performances of Steve Martin's The Underpants concluding this week at showings at 7:30pm Wednesday through Friday, 3pm and 7:30pm Saturday, and 3pm Sunday at the MBT's Walton Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Tickets to the see the satire—which takes place in 1910 and focuses on a scandal caused when the wife of a government clerk loses control of her more »

Space Trek: The men and women of the USS Upfront will return to the stage when the sci-fi format, "Space Trek," shows for the final weekend at 8pm and 10pm Friday and Saturday at the Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St. Audience members can get in on the action, too—they'll provide the suggestions that inspire the completely improvised "missions." Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Wear any space-related costume and get $3 off your ticket (at the door). more »

Christopher Titus: Comedy Central comedian Christopher Titus takes the stage at 8pm Friday and Saturday at the Skagit Valley Casino Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane. Titus is best known for his signature one-man shows, including the "5th Annual End of the World Tour" and "Angry Pursuit of Happiness." Tickets to the show are sold out, but you might want to check and see if there's a wait li more »

Skagit Opera’s Cinderella: The classic fairy tale known as Cinderella—or La Cenerentola‚will be brought to life by the Skagit Opera at performances at 7:30pm Friday and 3pm Sunday in Mount Vernon at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way. Gioachino Rossini's enchanting opera can also be seen March 6 and 8. Tickets are $25-$59. more »

Wild Things: Kids, adults and adventurers can join Wild Whatcom Walks for "Wild Things" excursions from 9:30-11am every Friday in February on the Interurban Trail. Entry is by donation. more »

Meatless Lunch: Learn how to decrease your meat intake and increase your veggie consumption at an "Amazingly Meatless Lunch" gathering at 11am in Anacortes at the Potluck Kitchen Studio, 910-A 11th St. Entry is $40 and includes instruction, recipe packets and a great meal. more »

VIGIL FOR PEACE: Join the longest-running Peace Vigil in the country—48 years and counting—from 4-5pm every Friday afternoon at the corners of Cornwall Avenue and Magnolia Street. more »

Western Line Dancing: No partner or experience is necessary to take part in Western Line Dancing classes Friday nights at Lynden's Ten Mile Grange, 6958 Hannegan Rd. Newbies start at 5:45pm, beginners from 6:30-7:30pm, and intermediates from 7:30-8:30pm. Entry is $5 per class. more »

Wine Social Fundraiser: Fine wine and beer tastings, a buffet dinner and musical entertainment by the Swing Gang will be part of the Whatcom Humane Society's annual "Wine Social" fundraiser from 6:30-9:30pm at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave. Tickets are $100 (plus a bottle of fine wine) and also includes a raffle entry to win an "Instant Wine Cellar." more »

A Small Indiscretion: Jan Ellison reads from her debut work of fiction, A Small Indiscretion, at 7pm at Village Books, 1200 11th St. The tome focuses on "the power of obsession, the stranglehold of the past, and one woman’s reckoning with her own fateful mistakes." more »

An Evening of Improv: Twelve seasoned performers from Improv Playworks will share their talents at "An Evening of Improv" performance at 7:30pm at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Ave. Tickets will be $10 at the door. more »

Friday Night Dance Party: A mix of swing, Latin and ballroom will be highlighted and danced to with an introductory lesson at the weekly Friday Night Dance Party from 7:30-10pm at the Bellingham Dance Company, 1705 N. State St. Admission is $5-$7. more »

Contemporary Chamber Players: Composers who are still around will be highlighted when Western Washington University's Contemporary Chamber Players perform at 8pm at the school's Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. Entry is free and open to the public. more »

Stringfever: The world's first "genetically modified string quartet," Stringfever, performs at 8pm at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. The ensemble of four world-class musicians—brothers Giles, Ralph, and Neal Broadbent and their cousin, Graham—play five- and six-stringed violins, viola and cello in an original show that includes custom-made instruments, humor and charisma. Tickets are $20-$39. more »

Damon Wayans: Actor, stand-up comedian, writer and producer Damon Wayons makes his way to the area for an 8pm performance at the Silver Reef Casino, 4876 Haxton Way. Tickets to see the former In Living Color and Saturday Night Live cast member are $30-$50. more »

Poetry Slam: As part of the iDiOM Late Night Series, attend a Jazz Jam & Poetry Slam at 10pm at the iDiOM Theater, 1418 Cornwall Ave. Tobias Childs will host, and other slam poets will take part in the fun—as will a jazz band from Western Washington University. Entry is $5 in advance and $7 at the door. more »

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