Editor at Large

James Ross Gardner is the former editor in chief of Seattle Met. During his time as top editor the magazine won numerous awards, including the national City and Regional Magazine Association's award for general excellence, twice (in 2015 and 2018). While at Seattle Met, James's writing has garnered 14 first place awards from the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and has been a finalist for seven national CRMA awards. His work has also appeared in Esquire, GQ, and The New York Times, among others. He lives in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood.

Cookbook Recs

The Cookbooks of Our Lives

A breakup leaves Senior Editor James Ross Gardner with a Joy-less home.

02/18/2010 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Vehicular Cam Slaughter

For the reality competition America’s Worst Driver, the Travel Channel cruises Seattle.

02/16/2010 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Slow Man

At Seattle Coffee Works, a good espresso is a long time coming. And worth the wait.

02/16/2010 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Where the Boys Aren’t

Darnell Sue, who started Girl Power Hour, thinks networking should be a blast. But ladies only.

02/16/2010 By James Ross Gardner

Article

March of the Penguin

App of the Month: Ben Eidelson and Jason Prado dreamed up ridepenguin.com, which connects you with potential travel partners.

02/16/2010 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Better Body, Better Brain, Better You

68 ways to make 2010 your best year yet.

12/17/2009 With Matthew Halverson, James Ross Gardner, Laura Cassidy, Christopher Werner, Karen Quinn, and Kristin Cordova Edited by Jessica Voelker

Article

The Not–So–Hard Times of Amber Lancaster

Tacoma native Amber Lancaster stars in the new MTV comedy The Hard Times of R. J. Berger.

12/08/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Feature

Why Is This Chimp Smiling?

Seven apes arrived last year in Cle Elum at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. They’d been used up by medical science and the entertainment industry—and left to rot in tiny cages. Then one man, Keith LaChappelle, showed them the depths of human kindness.

11/13/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Article

26 Perfect Saturdays

It’s not just you: Everybody’s working for the weekend. Yet when Saturday finally rolls around, it seems as though there’s nothing to do—or too much to do. That’s where we come in. We’ve planned out a year’s worth

10/19/2009 With Steve Wiecking, James Ross Gardner, Jessica Voelker, Christopher Werner, Karen Quinn, Rachel Solomon, Nick Feldman, Kristin Cordova, and Parisa Sadrzadeh By Laura Cassidy

Coffee Culture

Higher Grounds

Paul Odom’s Fonté Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar, which opened in August in the Four Seasons building, goes to the source to give you its best shot.

09/16/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Crime

Heist

By the time Luke Elliott Sommer finished U.S. Army Ranger School his mind had become a precision weapon capable of planning strategic attacks on buildings in enemy territory. Then he came home and orchestrated a robbery of the Bank of America on South Tac

08/14/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Wine Country Weekends

Celebrate the harvest at premier wine destinations around Washington: Lake Chelan, Whidbey Island, Woodinville, and Kirkland.

08/12/2009 By James Ross Gardner and Jessica Voelker

Article

Vince Mira Won’t Walk the Line

Billed as the Second Coming of Johnny Cash, a teenager from Federal Way wowed rock stars, morning news shows, Ellen DeGeneres, and the Cash estate. There’s just one problem: Vince Mira, a regular performer at the Seattle bar the Can Can, is done parroting

06/23/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Best of the City 2009

Restaurants, shops, sports, arts, entertainment: Take an international tour of Seattle to experience the best taco joint, sushi bar, Bollywood theater, Italian pizza, tae kwon do, Russian spa, French cleaner, nail salon, Korean cooking class, Polish film

06/23/2009 With Steve Wiecking, Kathryn Robinson, Matthew Halverson, James Ross Gardner, Eric Scigliano, Laura Cassidy, Karen Quinn, Alex Girma, and Kelley Frodel Edited by Jessica Voelker

Article

Top O' the Morning

50 ways to rise and shine and start the day right at the best breakfast restaurants in Seattle.

06/16/2009 With Steve Wiecking, James Ross Gardner, Stefan Durham, Wilson Diehl, Naomi Zeitlin, and Carolyn McConnell Edited by Kathryn Robinson

Destinations

My Island

Resident experts on nearby isles—San Juan, Whidbey, Vancouver, Anderson, and Galiano—dish on the restaurants, shops, and destinations to check out during your next Northwest island getaway.

05/22/2009 By James Ross Gardner

Article

Best Burgers

A guide to the 13 yummy, juicy, downright awesome burgers that will change your life—or at least induce a moment of culinary ecstasy. Plus, 26 other bars and restaurants with notable burgers. Included: Video coverage on the latest trend in burgers, cou

05/22/2009 By Steve Wiecking, Kathryn Robinson, Matthew Halverson, James Ross Gardner, Eric Scigliano, Laura Cassidy, Jessica Voelker, and Christopher Werner

Article

Happy Hour Guide

Twenty-plus high-value happy hours#8212;wine, cocktails, noshes, and all-hours hangouts#8212 where you can snack and sip the best for less and longer.

04/22/2009 By James Ross Gardner, Jessica Voelker, and Christopher Werner

Article

Best Bars

Where to go, who to know, what to order (HINT: It’s all about classic cocktails). Seattle Met has the lowdown on the city’s 25 best bars right now. Plus, there’s a whole new deal at happy hour

04/21/2009 By James Ross Gardner, Jessica Voelker, and Christopher Werner

Habitat

Woodway Hideaway

An award-winning remodel transforms a "dark, hunkering block" into a high-style sylvan sanctuary.

03/18/2009 By James Ross Gardner