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.

Editor's Note

How to Read This Issue

And how we, as a city, can take action.

01/23/2017 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Our Man in Hawaii

Our 44th president’s biography is but one of the many connections to be drawn between Seattle and Hawaii.

12/20/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

In Plain Sight: Revealing Our Favorite Hidden Seattle Spots

We approached this month’s cover story a little differently.

11/16/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Is Seattle the Greatest Food City in America?

“The 100 Best Restaurants” is Seattle Met’s most ambitious measure of the city’s food scene we’ve ever published.

10/12/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Return to the Double R

Rediscovering Twin Peaks in North Bend.

09/15/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Life, Possible

The joy of coffee lies in the anticipation.

08/23/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

The Coast Is Not Clear

Our beaches are more mysterious than most.

07/19/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

The Thing at the End of Your Fork

Is what you put in your mouth good for you—or just good for some multinational food supplier?

06/21/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Photo Essay

This Is Boom City

A day in the life of Tulalip Indian Reservation’s technically legal fireworks marketplace.

06/20/2016 Photography by Andrew Waits By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Preparing for Takeoff

How not to hate an airport.

05/24/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Monuments Men

Twenty years later, the fateful 1996 Everest tragedy remains a Seattle story.

04/25/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

The Difference Between Bars and Neighborhood Bars

Even if you’ve never been to one, you know what a neighborhood bar is.

03/28/2016 By James Ross Gardner

10 Years That Changed A City

2012: The DOJ Steps in to Right Seattle Police Wrongs

Plus: legal recreational marijuana, gay marriage, and a Great Wheel on the waterfront.

03/04/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

The New Seattle, 10 Years In

This town looked a lot different a decade ago.

03/04/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Work Out! Don't Stop!

Social workouts may be just the sort of exercise this city needs.

02/02/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Putting a Face on Homelessness

Rex Hohlbein’s methods have made a difference in the lives of individuals, but they’re also an inspiration in another way.

01/05/2016 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Nog Bless Us, Everyone

A paean to egg nog.

12/02/2015 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Telling Stories

What would Thoreau think of the digital revolution?

11/01/2015 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Reinventing the Road Trip

09/30/2015 By James Ross Gardner

Editor's Note

Block in a Hard Place

Coping with Seattle’s rapid growth.

09/01/2015 By James Ross Gardner