Return to Red Mountain

At just over 4,000 acres, Red Mountain is Washington’s smallest AVA. But ton for ton, its cab, merlot, and syrah grapes are among the most precious and pricey in the state—yielding wines of amazing structure and complexity and attracting some of the world’s best winemakers. This is the story of how a patch of dirt in Benton County became the wine world’s desert rose.

By Jessica Voelker

Fall Arts Preview

A guide to the fresh faces and new spaces in the coming cultural season: Ludovic Morlot, Seattle Symphony’s new conductor; nongallery art venues like Robert Yoder’s Season; a spontaneous theater collective, Sandbox Radio Live; and the 60 best things to do.

By Laura Dannen, Adriana Grant, Lisa Han, and Allison Williams

Andrew Villeneuve Takes On Tim Eyman

Don’t freak out or anything, but the future of our state could hinge on the work of a 24-year-old college student who lives with his parents. Meet Andrew Villeneuve, computer geek, scourge of the right wing, and the only person who leaves Tim Eyman speechless.

By James Ross Gardner

A Bainbridge Island Bachelor Pad

Bainbridge Island architect Matthew Coates, whose firm specializes in sustainable buildings, designed a house with a hard exterior and a soft warm feeling inside. Owner Earl Dorsey fit right in.

By Giselle Smith

Letters to Seattle Met

Fan mail for the Elwha River dams, a libertarian view of bike helmets, and one artistic insight.

Et Tu, Dave Matthews?

Is Seattle’s jam-band jester Dave Matthews gunning for Bumbershoot?

By Matthew Halverson

Tunnels Under Seattle

Drills made by Japanese company Hitachi Zosen will bore the tunnel replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct section of Highway 99 and dig another one through Capitol Hill as part of the University Link light rail.

How the Gates Foundation Continues to Change the World

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation made headlines this summer when they pledged $41.5 million to reinvent the toilet. But another program, Grand Challenges Explorations—accepting applications this month—is set to provide equally crucial theme-based grants.

By Carey Rose

Northwest Bookshelf: Jim Davidson, The Ledge

In Jim Davidson’s The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier, two climbers’ lifelong dream of summiting Mount Rainier goes awry.

UW Gets Robotics Funding

The $18.5 million the University of Washington just bagged from the National Science Foundation will no doubt lead to some impressive robotics. The school—along with MIT and San Diego State University—is tasked with establishing and maintaining the Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering.

By James Ross Gardner

How to Hang a Picture

Three tips from Frye Museum exhibition designer Shane Montgomery.

By Saba Sulaiman

How City Council Candidates Separate Donors from Their Dollars

Labor Day weekend is when voters traditionally start paying attention to local elections, but Seattle City Council candidates have been paying for that attention for months. In fact, there’s been a fundraising arms race—one in which alliteration and rhymes seem to be the most ubiquitous weapons.

By Johnathon Fitzpatrick

The Nirvana Baby Speaks

Spencer Elden, the model on the cover of Nirvana’s Nevermind, which was released 20 years ago on September 24. Elden was interviewed by film editor Barry O’Donnell last year.

Dispatches from Seattlemet.com

The best of Seattlemet.com blogs: Nosh Pit, Culture Fiend, Sauced, and Wear What When.

By Christopher Werner

The Perfect Party

This month’s party guests: Anna Faris, Tarvaris Jackson, Marilyn Takemaru, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Samantha Paul, and Pete Holmes.

Would It Work Here? More Skate Parks

The case for skate parks.

By Abby Tracy

Jamie Ewing, Menswear Designer–Turned–Schoolteacher

Jamie Ewing made the move from fashion—he spent the ’80s and ’90s designing menswear for the Barneys line Basco and the cult label WilliWearn—to education four years ago. So what does he wear to school?

By Laura Cassidy

Nordic Heritage Museum Gets Fashion Exhibit

With the first stateside Nordic Fashion Biennale, Ballard’s Nordic Heritage Museum hosts big, bright ideas about fashion from the newest voices of the Old World.

By Laura Cassidy

Mike McCready and Pearl Jam Celebrate Their 20th Anniversary

This month, solo-shredding guitar hero Mike McCready will join Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Matt Cameron to celebrate Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary.

By Matthew Halverson

Tacos Chukís Brings Authentic Mexican to Capitol Hill

Roberto Salmerón, owner of Capitol Hill restaurant Tacos Chukís, found his future in the Tijuana street food of his youth.

By Joseph Gustav

Skillet Goes All Bricks, Mortar, and Bacon Jam

Skillet, the Airstream trailer that kicked off our food truck obsession opens permanently on Capitol Hill with Skillet Diner.

By Kathryn Robinson

Stopsky’s Deli Brings Bagels and More to Mercer Island

Stopsky’s Deli, a Northwest-fresh rendition of a Jewish deli in Mercer Island’s burgeoning commercial district.

By Kathryn Robinson

Inside the Matrix

Unnecessary Roughness

Football season’s upon us, but it’s getting harder to watch when we know what we know about the brain.

By Kathryn Robinson

The Rest of the Best

All the current-release red wines that received a score of 90 on our 100-point scale of Washington’s best wines.

By Sean P. Sullivan