There's nothing like a perfect cup of brew. Photo credit: David Yake.
Camber Coffee is cool. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Well, what exactly does that mean?” And, in actuality, it means exactly what you think it does. Camber Coffee is impressive, fashionable, relaxed and yep … just downright cool – from the sleek white-walled interior to the tranquil atmosphere. The new artisan coffee shop and bistro in Bellingham celebrated its grand opening on Aug. 26. Now in full-swing, Camber is ready satisfy all your coffee, beer, wine and food cravings.
But Camber’s story doesn’t just start at the opening of their brick and mortar location. In fact, Camber has been roasting coffee in Bellingham for two years, introducing their first line of coffee in 2015. Owner David Yake started Camber after having been a barista for five years in Seattle while attending the University of Washington. The original blueprint for Camber was to wholesale coffee to cafes across the United States and Canada, but overtime visions of a restaurant and coffee shop became a reality.
Camber has a full kitchen, nine beer taps and coffee bar. Photo credit: David Yake.
“It had always been a dream of ours to open a brick and mortar location,” Yake says. “We were already working with fantastic cafes who do a great job with our coffee, but we had always wanted to showcase the coffee ourselves too.”
Yake says they couldn’t be more in love with their new location. Camber has an ample amount of space, which provides for both a good meeting place to grab a cup of coffee, and a spot to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal. The location’s chic aesthetic and vibe was brought together by a team of architects, designers and the vision of Yake’s business partner Andrew Bowman. Yake says they wanted to go for a look that was both modern and welcoming.
“When we bought the place Andrew immediately started dreaming ideas on how to make it our own,” Yake says. “We knew we would have enough space to make it both a coffee shop and restaurant, which was awesome because we are huge food lovers too, not just coffee fanatics.”
Currently, Camber sports an evening and brunch menu, and the introduction of a discounted happy hour menu is on the horizon. The evening menu features dishes such as Steamed Clams with bacon, mustard and mint, and Spaghetti Carbonara with bacon, fresh peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil.
Specialty coffee served at Camber comes from a variety of different coffee farms, most notably from Guatemala and Colombia. Photo credit: David Yake.
Camber keeps their quality of food consistent, as the brunch menu is one to rival if not even surpass their evening plates. Dishes such as the Baked Eggs Pomodoro and Hen of the Woods Porridge are sure to fulfill all of your brunch desires.
The Hen of the Woods Porridge takes a classic breakfast dish Goldilocks and the three bears would be proud of and gives it a pristine food makeover. Maitake mushrooms, Macrona almonds, ryeberry and spelt come together to give the breakfast tradition a complete 180. Bellingham isn’t too shabby of a town when it comes to getting great brunches, and Camber’s brunch certainly makes that list.
“We want people to know in addition to serving great coffee, we are a full-blown restaurant,” Yake says. “We take every aspect of our business seriously.”
At Camber you have two options, you can either order at the counter or you can sit down, relax and wait for one of their staff members to come take your order. The best of both worlds. Choose your own adventure. Whatever you decide to call it, the fact is it makes your life easier. One way or the other you will get to enjoy locally-roasted coffee, select-local brews, fresh eats and discover great wines.
Yake says they are excited about a slew of new events they have in the works, including vitner nights, coffee classes and seasonal food and beer pairings.
“We want things to be fast and efficient, but also interesting and special,” Yake says. “We want you to be able to have an experience, from sipping our specialty coffees to our rare beers.”
Camber Coffee’s bistro and coffee shop is now open for business at 221 W Holly Street, Bellingham. Photo credit: David Yake.
Every year Yake and his business partners travel to South and Central America to visit coffee farms they have partnerships with. The trips they take to key coffee-producing regions of the world help to foster the relationships they have with the farms they purchase their coffee beans from. Yake says they buy coffee from all over the world, with their main locations being Guatemala and Colombia.
The roaster turned bistro and coffee shop also forges relationships with various producers in the Pacific Northwest and, more specifically, in Whatcom County. To celebrate their soft opening Camber collaborated on a coffee beer with Wander Brewing also based in Bellingham. Currently Camber is using six of their nine beer taps and plan to expand with a greater selection of brews as time goes on.
“We couldn’t be happier opening our location here in Bellingham,” Yake says. “We are excited to build quality relationships with our customers and fellow producers around us.”
Skateboarding is a staple of childhood for many. For some it is a leisure activity fostered in youth then continually practiced later in life. One of the best feelings I ever experienced was getting my brand new skateboard. I had wanted to get a skateboard for so long and finally, during the Christmas of my 13th year, I got one. It changed the game. I remember taking my board out onto the cul-de-sac and stepping on for the first time. Bobbing, weaving, falling, bruising. When you were a kid on a skateboard you took the good with the bad, pain was pleasure
Being from the East Coast, I was fortunate to be able to skateboard during any season. Due to the massive amounts of rain, a lot of kids in the Pacific Northwest don’t have that luxury. Enter Skate Church. Lynden’s Skate Church combines the unlikely partnership of fellowship and skateboarding to give skaters of all ages a place to stay dry and land their sweet tricks.
Lynden Skate Church offers skaters many ramps and amenities. Photo credit: Kenneth Clarkson.
Skate Church started in 1998 as an outlet for youth in the Lynden community to have a place to skateboard. Created and curated by the Third Christian Reform Church, skaters originally utilized the back parking lot of the church as the skating area, but it was only used from the spring to fall seasons. As interest in the Skate Church increased, the Third Christian Reform Church decided it best to rent out a barn at the NW Washington Fairgrounds. This allowed skaters to stay dry and skate during the rainy months.
Now the current incarnation of the Skate Church functions two-fold. During the summer, Skate Church is held at the Third Christian Reformed Church’s parking lot and during the other seasons it is at the Henry Jansen Building at the NW Washington Fairgrounds. Skate Church’s location at the Henry Jansen Building also serves as one of the only indoor skate parks in Whatcom County. Ramps, halfpipes, grinding rails and many other obstacles populate the inside of the barn making it an ideal location for skaters looking to change it up from skating their local convenience store parking lot.
Skater’s helmets rest on the helmet rack during the mid-session prayer break at the Lynden Skate Church. Photo credit: Kenneth Clarkson.
But for skaters in Lynden, even skating those convenience store parking lots was not allowed. Lynden has an extremely limited amount of places for people to skate. Most businesses and commercial enterprises don’t allow skating on their property and skating on property that does not condone it can lead to legal trouble. Skate Church provides a place for skaters to avoid running into trouble with the law. It is a haven where they can skate in peace.
Sessions at Skate Church run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, with each session costing $1 in order to skate. Talk about affordability. The whole session isn’t skating though, there are breaks in between for prayer and even free food. A typical skate session at the Lynden Skate Church goes like this: an hour of skating when you first get there from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., followed by a fifteen minute prayer break and then another 45 minutes of skating.
A spray-painted car that skateboarders do tricks off of sits in the middle of the Lynden Skate Church. Photo credit: Kenneth Clarkson.
The small break during the middle of the session is aimed at bringing skaters together through fellowship and community. The break includes free food for the skaters, a recited prayer and a scripture read from the bible.
In order to skate at the Skate Church you must follow the rules and regulations put in place by the Third Christian Reformed Church and their staff. Not complying with the rules can result in removal. And trust me, you don’t want that to happen. Perhaps the most important rule is that in order to skate you have to show up before the prayer break. Skaters arriving afterward cannot skate. So make sure you get there early. In addition, refrain from using cuss words … even if you wipe out.
Skate Church is hands down one of the best places (if not the best) to skate in Whatcom County. There isn’t much else out there that is quite like it. When I went for my first time, strictly to view a session, I was instantly transported back to being that 13-year-old kid gripping his brand new skateboard for the first time. I couldn’t wait to come back again, this time as a skater.
Check out CMU's class lineup today! Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
By day, Mike Hiestand is a free speech lawyer. By night he is the co-founder and volunteer director of Bellingham’s Center for Mindful Use, a nonprofit which provides a safe, free and fun place to talk and learn with others about thoughtful use (or non-use) of cannabis.
Mike Hiestad sees his role as a Director of the Center for Mindful Use as an extension of his life’s work. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
Hiestand had tried cannabis twice in college, but walked away both times with just a hacking cough. It was his struggle with depression – first as a law student at Cornell and again many years later – that brought him to practice mindful use of cannabis. “When I was in law school I had gone the traditional treatment route,” he said. “I went to a school pyschiatrist and got the pills, and it worked. It might have even saved my life, but it left me feeling like a zombie.”
Over about the next two decades, Hiestand went on to become an accomplished First Amendment attorney and youth advocate, but then his depression resurfaced. “Everything was going great, but for whatever reason about ten years ago I felt it coming on again,” he shared.
This time Hiestand decided to try something a little different, starting with meditation. “I got into meditation and I got into it in a big, big way,” he said.
He also tried cannabis again, and this time he noticed a change in his mental wellbeing. “It was powerful,” said Hiestand. “The meditation and the cannabis for my depression was a surprising mix.”
CMU offers classes like yoga, which help enhance patrons’ health and wellness. Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
But because he was a product of the “Just Say No” era of America’s War on Drugs, Hiestand didn’t feel comfortable sharing his experience. “There was so much guilt packed into all of that,” he shared. “It didn’t kill me and it didn’t fry my brain. In fact, quite the opposite. It was a transformational experience, but I kept it kind of quiet.”
But all that changed in 2013 as Hiestand traveled on a cross-country bus trip he had collaborated on with free speech activist Mary Beth Tinker to promote student expression of free speech. Somewhere in the middle of the 25,000 mile journey, Hiestand found himself caught in a freak rainstorm in Boise, Idaho. He didn’t have an umbrella, so he popped into a used bookstore to escape the rain. Inside he found a copy of Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana – Medical, Recreational and Scientific by Martin A. Lee. This unexpected book opened his eyes and changed his life.
Meditation can help heal a wide variety of ailments. Mike Hiestand found that meditation paired with mindful cannabis use helped treat his depression. Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
“There’s so much deliberate disinformation and misinformation about cannabis,” Hiestand explained. Impassioned about changing the conversation around cannabis, he came up with the idea to start the Center for Mindful Use. “In putting the center together I am trying to create the kind of resource that I would’ve liked when I started using it,” said Hiestand. “It was very intimidating and it was the kind of thing you didn’t talk about.”
But Hiestand is hoping to reduce the stigma around cannabis now that recreational use is legal in Washington State and a growing number of other places. A big part of healing that stigma is listening to people’s experiences. “Sometimes I feel a little bit like a priest hearing confessions because people want to tell their cannabis story,” he shared. “It’s important to let people bear their souls a little bit and be the kind of place where they can share that safely and openly.”
CMU offers a wide variety of classes and events. Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
After sharing his idea for the Center with others and letting it simmer, a series of interesting events led to a meeting with Quinn Sharpe, an owner of Satori cannabis boutique, and brought Hiestand’s dream for CMU to life – almost overnight.
“The owners had purchased an historic downtown Bellingham building for Satori that had most recently been a charter school called – get ready – ‘Anything Grows,’” Hiestand laughed.
But the store only took up half of the buidling. The other half – which included the school’s old classrooms and a beautiful mini-gymnasisum (now CMU’s Forum de Freedom meeting space) was not being used, Hiestand said.
“I handed them my plan for the Center and we all just laughed. Some things just seem meant to be.”
Bellingham’s Center for Mindful Use is open and welcoming to all. Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
While CMU and Satori remain separate entities, Sharpe donates the space to CMU and is officially the center’s co-founder.
Pretty much all of the offerings at the Forum de Freedom at the Center for Mindful Use are what Hiestand calls “Canna-Friendly,” so folks can come as they are to enjoy everything from yoga, meditation and dance to discussions about cannabis use, research and policy (though on-site use is not currently permitted). Topics for discussion include the social, medical, spiritual, cultural, recreational, legal and historical foundations of cannabis and its reintroduction into modern society. Non-cannabis users are always welcome to join discussions and classes as use is not explicitly encouraged.
“We don’t advocate cannabis use because it’s definitely not for everybody,” he explained. “Sometimes mindful use means no use. But if you’re going to use it, it does make sense to know about it and to do so mindfully. Let’s get it out of its secrecy and just talk about it in a factual, honest way so people can make their own decisions about it. After a long time of ‘Just Say No,’ we’re more about ‘Just Say Know.’”
The Center for Mindful Use helps educate the community on cannabis and how to use it mindfully. Photo courtesy: Center for Mindful Use.
The Center for Mindful Use and the Forum de Freedom is located at 100 Maple Street, Suite B, in Bellingham behind Satori Cannabis Boutique (just over the Rainbow Bridge via its Cornwall Avenue entrance). All events are free unless otherwise noted, though inspired donations to support their teachers and mission are gratefully accepted. You can keep up with the center’s events by joining their Meetup group at www.mindfuluse.org or liking their Facebook page.
River scenes like this often inspire new fly fishermen. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
Fresh apple cider, blooming pumpkins, a certain special crispness in the air—these are just a few of the things that make fall great. And what’s even better? All the wonderful fall activities! Here are some great Whatcom County weekend events for Sept. 8—10. And be sure to check out our great local farmers’ markets. They are still in full swing! And don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the great local happenings this weekend.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
Live theatre is magic for kids. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
When you picture family time, does the reality sometimes not hit the mark? Here’s a weather-proof, sure-fire way to make lasting memories, entertain all participants (even mom gets a break) and spend dinner reminiscing about the fun you just had: “See It Together” at Mount Baker Theatre. Each season, Mount Baker Theatre presents extraordinary opportunities to have an all-ages outing that you can experience side by side.
Be thrilled by Titanosaur at Dinosaur Zoo Live. Photo credit: C. Waits.
Whether you’re introducing your own childhood favorites like Charlie Brown or the Wizard of Oz, finding wondrous adventures with international tours like Undersea Bubble Fantasia or experiencing today’s kids’ favorites through one of MBT’s many educational shows, live theatre isn’t just for grown-ups. The luxurious costumes, fantastic professional singers and dancers, metamorphosing sets and unforgettable music allow children to immerse themselves in different subjects, cultures and points of view. You sitting by their side means you can have great conversations later built on the same memories. You might start a family tradition that your children will share with their own.
Here’s a few world-class touring events that will make your family time an investment into magical memories for all!
Who hasn’t dreamed of a moment’s fantastical escape from the busyness of our modern, connected world? Described as “Cirque du Soleil meets giant bubbles,” this modern fairy tale combines giant interactive illusions, mime, dance, puppetry, juggling, contortionism, sand art and magic all in one unforgettable show. Led by “Mr. B,” the audience escapes to a fantastical undersea adventure full of seahorses, dragon fish, sea stars, mermaids and clownfish. Millions of bubbles of all shapes and colors create a wonderland of joyfulness. Viewers of any age will be instantly transported into this lavish day dream full of bubble tornados and laser lights streaming like sun through water. With two show times to choose from and tickets starting at just $12.50, you can take the whole family on this affordable undersea adventure.
Charlie Brown is a holiday classic. Photo couretsy: Mount Baker Theatre.
If you celebrate Christmas, you’ve likely seen the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning classic animated television special by Charles M. Schulz that first aired more than 50 years ago. Perhaps, like me, it has become a part of your annual family tradition. A Charlie Brown Christmas is brought to life in this faithful stage adaptation. You’ll love the unforgettable characters and classic Vince Guaraldi score in this heart-warming and hilarious holiday musical. You and your family will tag along with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang as they put on an unconventional Christmas play, save a tree and uncover the true meaning of holiday spirit.
MBT has added even more fun to this special evening by offering a free event before the show. At around 5:30 p.m., MBT will celebrate with its first annual Holiday Lighting Celebration in front of the theater.
Take the whole family down the Yellow Brick Road to the lavish, magical world of Oz, right alongside Dorothy, Toto and their friends the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow. This celebration of the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz is a fantastical family musical that includes breathtaking special effects, dazzling choreography and the classic songs you sang along with as a kid.
The whole family will fly over the rainbow with marvelous Munchkins, flying monkeys and mysterious witches of Oz. After spending this glorious evening of fun and fantasy together, you’ll be reminded that there’s no place like home.
This high-energy, fast-paced touring dog variety show is not only filled with amazing dog tricks, human acrobatics and humor, it promotes animal welfare and also has an amazing backstory. Richard Olate was a poor Chilean 12-year-old when he rescued the first of the street dogs who would eventually rescue him. Through hard work and constant struggle, he took his amateur dog show all the way to the $1 million America’s Got Talent prize. With help from his son Nicholas and wife Rebecca, this crew of rescued pooches thrills and delights audiences around the world. With two all-ages shows to choose from, ticket prices for this affordable show start at just $8.50.
MBT’s family productions will thrill and delight. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
For the fourteenth consecutive year, the MBT Education Series, will enrich school curricula while providing students with the cultural experience that comes from early exposure to professional live performance. Sponsored by the Frank King Family in memory of their son, Wade Bennett King, ten different shows will grace the MBT stage throughout the school year, providing young people an opportunity to look at reading and stories in a whole new way. These shows can impact how they see the world and what they choose to read for decades to come.
One of the best ways to make a lasting family memory is to connect over positive, engaging activities that help you break out of the usual routine. By experiencing a MBT show, you and your family can bond while revisiting the classics in a fresh new way or witnessing a lavish spectacle that you’ll never forget. The hardest part will be choosing which shows to attend. The best solution may be to see them all!
Scott Willison has been fly fishing for over 30 years and makes it his life's work to pass on his experience and knowledge to the next generation of fly fishermen. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
About ten years ago my in-laws sent me the perfect gift for Christmas—a fly rod and reel combo. It was a simple setup, everything neat and tidy in the box. And by everything I mean the rod, the reel, the fly line and leader. I’d just need to grab some flies from a fly shop, maybe a case to store them in, a pair of waders and wading boots, some extra leader… actually, maybe not so simple after all. The initial investment into fly fishing can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
I was lucky to have the help of my brother-in-law Erik, an ardent fly fisherman, who, it turns out, had helped pick out the Christmas gift. He had been teaching me the basics for months. Over the course of that summer and fall I had developed a decent cast, I could tie a solid blood knot, tie my own tippet or replace the whole leader, spot a fish rising and sometimes even recognize a hatch as it was happening. That winter I was proud to graduate from rod borrower to rod owner and wade in on my own.
The Confluence Fly Shop is the only specialty fly shop in Whatcom County. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
Many people are inspired by the placid scene of a fisherman, thigh-high in the waters of a meandering stream, fluidly casting a fly rod. But most people do not have a brother-in-law like Erik who is willing, even eager, to guide you down a river, teaching you how to read conditions, select flies and tie knots. Most people do not have a brother-in-law with enough patience to row against the current while you attempt to retrieve your fly from a tree branch, a river bank or a submerged rock over and over again. And I’ll bet no one has a brother-in-law cool and calm enough to urge you to continue casting while he simultaneously rows and frees the hook you have embedded deep into the scalp on the left side of his head.
Brother-in-law or not, we are all lucky to have a local specialty fly shop here in Whatcom County run by perhaps one of the most approachable fly fisherman in the business. The Confluence Fly Shop is owned by Scott Willison, who has turned a lifelong passion into his work.
Scott Willison has been fly fishing for over 30 years and makes it his life’s work to pass on his experience and knowledge to the next generation of fly fishermen. Photo courtesy: Scott Willison.
Scott has been fly fishing since he was 11 years old. While neither of his parents fished, he credits his mom with guiding him. “From the second I saw somebody fly fishing in a mountain lake it was like this epiphany as a kid, ‘That’s all I want to do. I want to be that guy.’ And so my mom signed me up for a fly-tying class. A week later I was taking an intro to fly fishing class.” Since she didn’t know much about fishing, Scott’s mom turned him over to Renton’s now-closed local fly shop, The Royal Coachman, where the proprietor became his mentor. Within a year and a half of stepping foot in the shop, Scott was working there, tying flies commercially for them and joining fishing trips as far away as Montana.
“Part of the passion of fly fishing that I see in so many people is sharing it with others,” Scott says. “I’ve always had this desire to pay it forward and continue that.” And so he does. Every other Wednesday during the summer months the shop hosts free casting clinics on the Nooksack at Nugents Corner. It is common to see seasoned anglers and novices lining the banks of the river trying out the latest and greatest gear available, gleaning some tips, or even casting a rod for the first time ever. When the colder months arrive, the clinics give way to informal fly-tying gatherings every other Wednesday evening at a local establishment, oftentimes Brandywine Kitchen or Chuckanut Brewery. These are not so much instructional events as social affairs. Some of the participants have been tying flies for two weeks and others for ten years. For Scott, this sort of gathering builds community, ushering in new fly fishing enthusiasts. “Without some level of mentorship I think it’s really hard for people to either find the motivation or direction they need to get out there and do it,” he explains. And I agree.
River scenes like this often inspire new fly fishermen. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
I never would have picked up a fly rod if it hadn’t been for Erik’s guidance.
I am fishing much less these days, changing diapers rather than flies. Erik, however, has managed to merge fly fishing and career. Several times a year Erik partners with Scott and The Confluence Fly Shop, hosting his own casting clinics. I went to one last winter on the Nooksack at Nugents Corner along with my husband, kids and father-in-law. Sticky snow covered the smooth rocks of the riverbank, delighting my kids as we gingerly made our way to the water’s edge. There were a dozen or so people lined up in the water, undeterred by the cold conditions, swinging flies. As my daughters attempted futile snow angels on the pebbly bank, I watched as Erik worked from one end of the line, Scott the other, doing what every experienced fly fisherman does best—helping a newcomer build confidence with their cast.
Shawn adds a copper coloring to a falcon's wings in "Bird Alley." Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
Ever stopped by McKay’s Taphouse and admired the mural coating the outside walls? Maybe you’ve seen that older Volvo riding around town with its Obama-rainbow artwork? Or you’ve strolled through the animal-painted tunnel in Larrabee State Park on your way to the beach?
Artist Shawn Cass (known by his nickname “Pickles” and tag “Ruckas”) is the man behind this spray-painted Whatcom County.
Born in Arkansas, Shawn moved to Bellingham in 1999 fresh out of high school. Shawn’s older brother and his friends encouraged the move to the northwest for the landscape and opportunities within the electronic music scene – they were aspiring DJs.
“Ruckas” is Shawn’s tag because he likes the creativity he can have with letters like “R” and “K.” Plus, the “Kas” in “Ruckas” mirrors his last name, Cass. Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
Shawn was also interested in graffiti art and breakdancing, using his school electives to take any art classes he could. “Thanks to my high school art teacher Mr. Remmers, some other graffiti artists and eventually me were given walls to paint in our school,” Shawn said. “He showed us that graffiti wasn’t something that had to be done illegally, but that it could be valued and appreciated.”
Shawn added that being near Seattle and Canada seemed perfect for taking their passions to a more professional level. “Passing through Bellingham, though, I realized I wanted to make this place my home,” Shawn said.
Shawn described how Whatcom County and the Northwest reminds him of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, except with surrounding snowcaps, islands and salt water. “To an Arkansas boy, it’s paradise,” Shawn said.
Pigeons munch on seeds below their addition on the mural. Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
Since settling in Bellingham, Shawn graduated from Western Washington University’s Huxley College in 2008 with a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Sustainable Design and Planning. “In the years I spent working and going to college, I always did a little bit of art and a little bit of DJing, but it took a backseat to getting my degree and making a living,” Shawn said. “Once I graduated college, I focused 100 percent on art and music.”
Shawn’s passion for graffiti art has spread throughout Whatcom County. His most recent work includes “Bellingham Community” and “Bird Alley.” “Bellingham Community” is a mural on a low, lengthy wall right where Railroad Ave and East Laurel St. merge. The City of Bellingham hired Shawn through his new business PKLZ Inc. to paint the wall in hopes of preventing further graffiti tagging and vandalizing. In the finished mural, dogs, people and children are seen walking around Bellingham – a beautiful, lively scene of flowers, mountains, a sunset, a rabbit, a bumblebee and butterflies. Shawn said some of the dogs and people are friends of his who live in the community.
Shawn uses cubes to help create the illusion of a flat wall, despite being in a corner. Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
With 80 birds in it right now – a collection of pigeons, parrots, an ostrich, owls, doves, a peacock, a penguin and tons of others – Shawn plans to boost the count up to at least 100. The project started out for the pigeons, since many live atop the old grain mill right there in the alley. They hang around the area, waiting for their lunchtime seeds from who Shawn says is the “mama of the birds,” a woman who works nearby and dedicates some of her time to the flock. Shawn hopes maybe a bird bath could eventually be installed.
“I appreciate nature and Whatcom County,” Shawn said with a smile. “So I try to put something in my work for everyone.”
And that he does.
Shawn’s “Bellingham Community” artwork is shown here, which also wraps around the wall to the right. Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
When you walk through “Bird Alley,” you can see how Shawn illustrates different themes and style techniques throughout the entire artwork. The mural itself begins in a nature theme, blends into rural and then ends with more of a city-vibe. Similar to the “Bellingham Community” mural where dogs and people of the community are represented, Shawn painted a birdhouse in “Bird Alley” modeled from his friend’s house in town. Style-wise, on corners where bits of the building walls meet, Shawn likes to play around with perspective and paint in a way where it looks like there is no corner at all.
“Some people appreciate what they see and understand and some people appreciate the imagination of it,” Shawn said. “So I try to have both.”
Shawn adds a copper coloring to a falcon’s wings in “Bird Alley.” Photo credit: Jade Thurston.
During my interview with Shawn in “Bird Alley,” people came walking through to check out the art. Open to ideas and collaborations, Shawn asked a few individuals right then what they would like to see added on the wall. Well-known, Seattle Muralist Henry even has a bird on the wall thanks to Shawn.
“Shawn is so known for this ‘Bird Alley’ that anyone and everyone who knows him will walk through just to say hi,” Karen Jans, Shawn’s girlfriend, said. “They figure Pickles will be down here and he’s more than happy to spend the time hanging out.”
Shawn has thought about moving and branching out, however, he said it’s tough for him to leave Whatcom County. “I love this place and will continue to rep it in my artwork,” Shawn said. “I’ve already done bald eagles flying over Mount Baker at least four times and it’s not played out. There will be one in Bird Alley.”
A selection of beers from Greene's Corner's 300 plus collection of craft beers. Photo credit: Lance Bailey.
We all know the struggle of the nine-to-five grind. And for those of us who have children, the grind doesn’t ever really stop. Sometimes after work you just want to crack a cold one and relax, but realistically your responsibilities don’t end after the work day. Enter Greene’s Corner. The recently relocated tap house and restaurant in the Sunnyland neighborhood of Bellingham provides a family-friendly and community-centered environment where everyone can come to relax, crack a cold one and enjoy the rest of their evening.
Not just an evening spot, Greene’s Corner is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. seven days a week. Self-dubbed a bistro, market and bottle shop, Greene’s Corner has over 300 different types of single-bottle beers you can use to make custom six packs. It can be argued that the variety of beers at Greene’s Corner is unparalleled to that of any other bottle shop in Whatcom County.
Greene’s Corner offers a variety of pizzas from their bistro. Photo credit: Lance Bailey.
Lance Bailey co-owns Greene’s with his wife Kristine Kager and says they pride themselves on being a place where consumers can find beer they can’t get anywhere else. For example, the other day a customer came all the way from Alberta, Canada to Bailey’s bottle shop and bistro just to purchase a specific beer they had in stock. From beer such as the 2015 Barrel-Aged Narwhal from Sierra Nevada to the Ten Fidy Imperial Stout by Oskar Blues Brewery there are many rare finds to be found at Greene’s.
First and foremost Bailey and Kager emphasize community as being the driving factor behind their business. It is the glue that binds Greene’s Corner together. “The focal element of our bottle shop and restaurant is to offer a community-gathering space and, at the same time, provide a customer experience you can’t get anywhere else,” Bailey says.
Both Bailey and Kager have extensive backgrounds working in the food industry. This experience allows them to understand the ins and outs of how to make their business a desirable community-gathering place. “We’re here for a specific reason,” Bailey says. “We want to be an integral part of the Sunnyland community. We are an all-ages family space that aims to enhance our local community.”
Before the relocation, Greene’s Corner could be found out near Smith Road and Northwest Drive, further out in Whatcom County. They were there for six years. Bailey says the decision to relocate was so they could stumble upon a community their business could form a deeper connection with. Fast-forward to December 2016 and Greene’s opened their new location at 2208 James St, Bellingham, WA.
The haul from the first month of Greene’s Corner’s #Canforacause hashtag campaign. Photo credit: Lance Bailey.
There have been some key changes that came with the shift in scenery. Although Greene’s lost some square footage, they made up for that with an increase in their amount of taps (from five to 16), and a completely custom-built and better-equipped kitchen. The kitchen is of extra importance as Bailey and Kager run their catering business, Fools Onion Catering, out of their new location. Bailey says the convenience is fantastic, as before the move they had operated the two businesses out of separate locations.
“Our new Sunnyland location has been great,” Bailey says. “We wanted to have more of a public face, and we now have that. And at our old location we didn’t get a chance to remodel or build our old kitchen.”
The new kitchen doesn’t just come in handy for the catering business. It is a much-welcomed addition to Greene’s Corner’s bistro. The bistro offers a variety of sandwiches, pizza and wraps, in addition to salads, soups and a special happy hour menu.
The happy hour menu features some of the favorite side dishes served up at Greene’s at a discounted price. The Mac N’ Cheese Poppers are one of the most popular items – fried Mac N’ Cheese bits with your choice of either chopped jalapeno or bacon as a topping.
A selection of beers from Greene’s Corner’s 300 plus collection of craft beers. Photo credit: Lance Bailey.
Greene’s happy hour isn’t just a time for food though. The happy hour menu also allows you to get $1 off draft beers and their extensive wine selection. “Even though we offer so many types of single beers and six packs, we’re more of a dining and drinking establishment as opposed to a retail outlet,” Bailey says.
Recently, Greene’s has worked even harder to up their game by offering live music on certain days of the week. Currently, you can find live music at Greene’s Corner on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Music nights at Greene’s are even themed. If you decide to go in on a Sunday you will be greeted with the sweet and sultry tunes of the Electric Blues Jam. On Tuesdays, local musician Myron Brown has a residency and will invite other members of the Bellingham music community to come play with him. And on most Wednesday nights you can find the J.P. Falcon Band based out of Ferndale, WA jamming for the patrons.
Perhaps the best part about Greene’s is their effort to improve and better the community around them. Recently starting their hashtag campaign, #Cansforacause, they will recycle all aluminum cans patrons give them and donate the money to The Lighthouse Mission in Bellingham.
As Bailey so emphatically states, Greene’s Corner would be nothing without community. Lance, Kristine and company strive to foster beneficial relationships and connections within the Sunnyland and Greater Bellingham area.
August saw the addition of many new and interesting local reads to the pages of WhatcomTalk. Each month we like to take a look back at what most resonated with our community. Here are some of WhatcomTalk’s most read stories in August:
Lee Becker sees much of Whatcom County from the seat of his bicycle. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Lee Becker is commonly seen around Whatcom County. But do you know the real story behind this fascinating local character? WhatcomTalk writer Dan Burwell took a bike ride and got to know the man on the bike.
The new ivy heart is thriving. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Alex McLean is the man behind the removal and subsequent reconstruction of Bellingham’s ivy heart—the iconic symbol that had graced the side of the Granary building for the past decade. The vines, “some thick as a baby’s arm,” as McLean described them, had broken through a window and had caused significant damage to the wall. Learn more about the man who is bringing it back to life.
Kids love exploring the flora and fauna of Fairhaven Park. Photo courtesy: Melissa and Patrick Fallon.
Through Feather & Frond Forest School kids learn to claim their place in the forest – to watch and listen, to decipher bird language and internalize the layers of awareness that arrive after returning to study the same place. Families reclaim their forest senses beneath the wood’s ancient canopy, their knowledgeable children leading the way.
Discover perfectly tucked away alpine lakes. Photo credit: Kate Galambos.
If you live in Whatcom County, you probably know of some of the quintessential hikes out there that you have to do. I’m talking Oyster Dome, Pine and Cedar Lakes, Blue Lake and Galbraith Mountain. With so many high-quality hikes it can be easy to miss some of the lesser-known gems. Don’t let these diamonds in the rough go unnoticed, check out these seven summer hikes you need to go out and do today. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
WhatcomTalk is a digital media company sharing positive stories about people, places and businesses in Whatcom County. WhatcomTalk offers content marketing and online options to advertise across our community social network in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and beyond. Advertise with WhatcomTalk to reach your target market, grow your brand, and measure results.
Rosanne Cash will play with husband John Leventhal a deep catalog that includes blues, gospel, folk, country and rock. Photo credit: Clay Patrick McBride.
Describing music by genre is subjective and sometimes even controversial. There are more than 25 commonly agreed-upon genres and within each are many subgenres and thousands of styles, subdivided by musical techniques, cultural context, content and the spirit of the music.
Husband and wife duo Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn command the banjo across multiple genres. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Many genres evolved from earlier genres. For example, rock and roll evolved from gospel and blues genres, and the blues genre evolved from traditional African folk music. So rather than separate isolated categories, the boundaries between genres are rather gray. Folk and rock have separate definitions, but folk rock contains elements common to both.
So one artist or album that you think of as “country” might self-identify as roots, gospel, Americana or just something different for every song!
Ultimately, you probably just know that sound you like and want to hear more of it, or appreciate it live. Here are some examples of what world-class live acts you can find within different genre descriptors at Mount Baker Theatre (MBT) this year!
Country and Country Rock
Country music is a term used to describe American popular music that began in the rural regions of the Southeastern United States in the 1920s. It began in southeastern American folk music, especially Appalachian folk and Western music. Blues modes have also been used extensively throughout its recorded history.
Headed to Mount Baker Theatre on Saturday, September 16, is American country music band Sawyer Brown, which was founded in Florida in 1981. The five members first worked together as part of the Don King road band, performing in the country genre in the style of Nashville sound. But Sawyer Brown is not simply country. They’ve been described as, “the Rolling Stones of country music,” and they were known for their country rock vibe well before Garth Brooks became a household name.
Although most people think of Rosanne Cash as a traditional country singer, the catalog she’ll perform at MBT with her Grammy-winning musical director, guitarist and husband John Leventhal on Friday, January 26 includes American roots songs encompassing blues, gospel, folk, country and rock. The four-time Grammy winner and member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame will present an acoustic evening that celebrates her prolific and deeply-rooted program.
Rock and Roll
Two sets of brothers make up We Banjo 3 and are credited with creating the “Celtgrass” genre. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Rock and Roll refers to a genre of popular music that began in the U.S. during the late 1940s and early 1950s and evolved from African American musical styles including gospel, blues, jazz, boogie woogie, rhythm and blues, and country music.
Elements of rock and roll can be heard in blues records of the 1920s and country records in the 1930s, but the genre didn’t get its name until 1954. The beat is made up of a blues rhythm with an accentuated backbeat almost always provided by a snare drum. Classic rock and roll is usually played with one or two electric guitars, a double bass or string bass or (after the mid-1950s) an electric bass guitar and a drum kit.
Rock and roll went on to spawn other genres that often lack the backbeat, now commonly known as “rock.”
Saturday, October 14 is your chance to relive your favorite songs by one of the most powerful female singers of her time, Janis Joplin. The show, A Night with Janis Joplin, tells the story of her unique, distinctive voice, emotionally honest messages and powerful, short life through Broadway-style storytelling. As a Texan performing in the mid and late 1960s, she was influenced by the great blues, soul, gospel and rock singers of her time—Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith. You’ll hear their contribution to her sound in songs like “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Piece of My Heart,” “Mercedes Benz,” “Cry Baby” and “Summertime.” Although her music contains elements of many genres, she is known as, “the queen of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Folk (Including Folk Rock, Celtic, Roots, Bluegrass and Acoustic)
Shemekia Copeland was declared “the New Queen of the Blues.” Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Folk music is a genre that includes both traditional music and the more modern genre that evolved from it during the 20th century folk revival. Traditional music includes songs that have been performed over several generations, passed down through local customs, including types of dance. Although the term “folk music” originated in the 19th century, it includes music much older than that. It is a window into the cultural life of the groups that made it, including Americans of European ancestry, southern African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans and Cajuns. The folk genre was popularized in the 1960s. Some types of folk music are also called world music and the genre encompasses acoustic, bluegrass, Celtic, roots and Americana music.
Celtic music refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music of the Celtic people of Western Europe and contemporary recorded music. Americana is contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American roots music styles including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres from which it draws.
The term “roots music” is now used to refer to a broad range of musical genres, which include blues, gospel, traditional country, zydeco, tejano and Native American pow-wow.
You can take a stroll through folk and folk rock history with one of the world’s most successful American folk rock duos through the The Simon & Garfunkel Story on Sunday, October 29. They became counterculture icons of the 1960s social revolution, alongside Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.
Both Simon and Garfunkel were born and raised in Queens, New York. They were influenced by their love for rock n’ roll, especially the country-influenced Everly Brothers. Simon and Garfunkel first learned to harmonize together as young teens in a doo-wop band. Their original folk song, “The Sound of Silence,” made them famous only after being rereleased as folk rock in overdub, with added electric guitar and a drum kit.
You can hear the influence of both traditional folk and forms of rock n’ roll in songs like “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound,” “Scarborough Fair,” “The Boxer” and “Cecelia.” Simon & Garfunkel won 10 Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
On Sunday, November 26, the husband and wife duo Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn described by NPR’s All Things Considered as, “two monsters of the banjo,” will bring their multi-genre music to MBT. Béla Fleck is a 16-time Grammy Award winner while Abigail Washburn is a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player. The pair’s self-titled debut took home the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.
The Billboard #1 World Album-charting We Banjo 3 will return to MBT on Saturday, February 10. They consider themselves the creators of “Celtgrass” music, a combination of old-world Irish tradition and authentic Americana that continues to grow in popularity. These two sets of brothers from Galway, Ireland bring music magic with their talented, energetic performance on banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin.
Celtic Nights—Oceans of Hope will take you on a trip—full of Irish song and dance—on Saturday, February 24. This Broadway-style storytelling follows the brave and adventurous Irish people who left behind their families and lives, traveling across the challenging seas to new opportunity in the wilds of America and Australia.
The influence of the old music on what became American sounds is evident in this production. You’ll recognize hints of bluegrass, Appalachian, country and Western. Favorites like “Danny Boy,” “Isle of Hope,” “Whiskey in the Jar” and “My Love is in America” will have you foot tapping in your seat.
Blues (Including Boogie Woogie)
Blues evolved from African spirituals, African chants, work songs, rural fife and drum music, revivalist hymns and country dance music. The blues grew up in the Mississippi Delta just upriver from New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz.
On November 3, Shemekia Copeland & Matt Andersen take the MBT stage with great examples of contemporary blues, roots and soul music. Copeland is an internationally acclaimed singer declared by the state of Illinois as, “The New Queen of the Blues.” Multi-award-winning Matt Andersen is a powerhouse performer with a giant, soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence. He has toured worldwide, both solo and with greats such as Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Greg Allman and Randy Bachman.
You can see a great example of a subgenre of the blues, New Orleans Boogie Woogie, with Michael Kaeshammer on Saturday, November 18. Boogie Woogie is a form of instrumental blues, especially for piano, using melodic variations over a constantly repeated bass rhythm.
German-born and based on Vancouver Island, Kaeshammer blends jazz, boogie-woogie and classical arrangements at breakneck speeds. A stellar pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger and producer, Kaeshammer has won two Juno awards out of seven nominations and Western Canadian Music Award’s Musician of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
Whether you want to explore a new genre or relive history through your old favorite, MBT will likely have a show that fits the bill. Reserve your seats now to see some of the world’s best renowned sounds right here in your own back yard.
After five decades of operation, Barron Heating, AC, Electrical & Plumbing continues to be a local leader in meeting the heating needs of residents....
