crosscut.com : Travel

The revenge of the resource economy in the Mountain West

New West — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Despite slowing growth, the Mountain West is driven by a strong, complex economy that includes a natural resources boom, with industries such as mining once again on the upswing, a continued construction engine that seems to be resisting the housing slump, and the new standby, tourism.

Northwest travel: Five courses up the Inside Passage

Crosscut — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Many Seattleites have either never traveled the Inside Passage or seen only parts of it, remotely, from the deck of a cruise ship. A trip through on a ferry is well worth the time.

Northwest travel: A quick escape to Whidbey Island

Crosscut — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

A mere 24-hour trip from Seattle can seem like a journey far away. For starters, all those lovely views ...

Seattle is not 'all about beer'

Crosscut — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:22:01 PDT

According to the writers at All About Beer magazine, when it comes to the top 125 places to have a beer before you die, Seattle doesn't much come to mind. London? Most certainly. Munich? Of course. Here's the big surprise: Denver, Colorado trumped European watering holes, coming in first place in this list of favorites, which the writers admit is "more art than science." Seattle, however, appears only once, and at a lowly No. 124 on the list, with Stumbling Monk, which also appeared on a reader blog list at the P-I.

The trouble with Green Lake

Crosscut — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:01 PDT

The latest weapon in the effort to keep Green Lake clear is aluminum sulfate, a chemical commonly used to decontaminate drinking water. The waters of Green Lake are clear for now, but the future still looks murky.

Sound Transit did not hear us

Crosscut — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:00:01 PDT

Prop. 1 was soundly defeated, but the leadership of Sound Transit plans to deliver Son of Prop. 1 to the voters this fall. The agency better get used to rejection.

This little start-up went to Market

Crosscut — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:00:01 PDT

Crosscut turned one year old this month, and to celebrate, we hosted a party in our offices. As with most start-up companies these days, we wanted to host something festive, but not break the bank. So, we opted to host the event in our downtown Seattle headquarters, and to organize the food ourselves.

Cellos rock in Portland

Crosscut — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:00:01 PDT

The burgeoning indie music scene has spawned the Portland Cello Project. It's keeping cellists busy, playing classical and rock in non-traditional venues. The Rose City is now Celloland.

11-7: Northwesterners cut gasoline consumption 11 percent in seven years

Crosscut — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:00:01 PDT

A report released today by Sightline Institute shows that per-capita gasoline consumption in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho decreased for the seventh consecutive year in 2007. That's an 11 percent decrease since 1999.

Did I assassinate Garfield?

Crosscut — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:01 PDT

When it comes to pissing off rural America, I think I'm one up on Barack Obama.

The Seattle swarm

Crosscut — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:15:01 PDT

No, it’s not the name of the new major league soccer team. It’s a phenomenon. It’s what happens when a restaurant, bar or other public establishment is deemed hip by Seattleites due to a series of write-ups in local publications, and hordes flock to it despite obvious deterrences such as long waits, harried service, deafening social noise, tight spaces, and strangers stepping on your toes and sucking up your air.

Scaling that summit could cost you a few brain cells

New West — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Often joked about in the mountain-climbing world, the aftereffects of oxygen deprivation is no laughing matter, as they may point to long-lasting symptoms. A recent study suggests that climbing to high altitudes may cause irreversible brain damage.

Hey, what about an Absolut Ecotopia?

Crosscut — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:00:01 PDT

A vodka ad stirs anger and nationalism, tapping a history that links to the fight for the Pacific Northwest.

More evidence that Washington infrastructure collapse is over-hyped

Crosscut — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:05:01 PDT

Okay, classify this as a pet peeve, but it bugs me when politicians, including Christine Gregoire, wave the bloody shirt of the Minnesota bridge collapse as an all-purpose rationale to boost infrastructure spending. Gregoire has done this often. She raised the specter of the Minnesota disaster as an argument in favor of Proposition 1 last fall; she raised it again to argue for a new toll bridge across the Columbia River, and yet again at a national governor's meeting in February. I have no quarrel with repairing or inspecting roads and bridges--please, let's do that. But the fact is, we still don't have the final word on what happened in Minnesota, so the lesson there is unclear.

At the Eagles club, the smoking ban only ruffled a few feathers

Crosscut — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:00:01 PDT

The Vashon Eagles were fuming when Washington passed its smoking ban. Two years later, the smoke has cleared and, really, it's not a big deal.

It's stormy, and the Pacific coast beckons

Crosscut — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:00:01 PDT

While it's customary for Northwesterners to flock to the beach in summer, an off-season visit stays with you longer.

It's the potholes, stupid

Crosscut — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:06:01 PDT

You can always sniff when a mayoral election campaign is in the offing as politicians begin to talk and act tough when it comes to public enemy #1. Forget terrorism or affordable housing: In Seattle, our Bin Laden is potholes.

How to marry a Canadian

Crosscut — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:00:01 PDT

When a Seattle writer tried to recruit some north-of-the-border help in her fight against cancer, she learned how different our countries really are.

Traffic's so bad, we might actually be willing to pay a toll

Crosscut — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:00:01 PST

Puget Sound policy-makers have been taking the public pulse. Their surveys reveal that people are generally pessimistic about the future, frustrated with traffic, and willing to pay to cross Lake Washington in a car — as long as it's really cheap.

As the snow goose flies

Crosscut — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:01 PST

A trip to Skagit Valley reminds us of what we've lost — and what we still have.