Catherine M. Allchin - Travel

Catherine M. Allchin

Freelance writer based in Seattle. Food, Travel, Science

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Skiers Welcome. Foodies Too

1/30/2019

The New York Times - Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of south-central Idaho lies Ketchum, an outdoors-obsessed city and home to America’s first destination ski resort, Sun Valley. At 9,150 feet, Bald Mountain, called Baldy, presides over Ketchum with 12 lifts, 105 trails, a sophisticated snow-making operation and impeccably groomed runs. While new hotels (Limelight Hotel on the south end, Hotel Ketchum on the north) bookend Main Street, the half-mile stretch still exudes plenty of the old-time charm from Ketchum’s mining and sheep ranching heyday with cabin-style shops and historic brick buildings. Professional big-mountain skier and native Alexis “Lexi” du Pont describes Ketchum as “classy Western.” She says the area offers a great deal of history and a European influence from Sun Valley resort, which opened in the 1930s, “but at the same time it’s Wild West Idaho.” Here are five of her favorite places.

New Seattle Marketplaces Satisfy Appetites for Everything

3/22/2016

The New York Times - Building on Seattle’s history of farmers’ markets and a strong food culture, new marketplaces are showcasing the local and unique, offering many choices for shopping, eating and connecting. For residents and tourists alike, these vibrant markets have become destinations all their own.

The continued influx of high-tech workers and foot traffic has helped pave the way for the urban marketplaces, which are finding success by offering food and goods in one place.

Just east of downtown in the cool Capitol Hill neighborhood, preservation-minded developers transformed century-old auto parts buildings with old-meets-new design. These spaces, with their original facades, house restaurants and shops that buzz from morning to night with diners who might grab the kitchen’s signature spice rub or house-made jam on the way out.

Seattle's First Downtown, Reimagined

3/5/2015

The New York Times - Known as Seattle’s first downtown, Pioneer Square was settled in 1852, then rebuilt after a huge fire in 1889. After World War II and the major earthquake of 1949, the area fell into decline. In 1970, preservationists successfully fought for its designation as a historic district. In the heart of today’s bustling city, steps from Elliott Bay and two sports stadiums, Occidental Avenue and Jackson Street are blossoming with upscale restaurants, galleries and shops. Artists, designers and game developers contribute to the vibrant, creative energy of what used to be called Skid Road, where timber workers skidded logs down steep hills.

In Vienna, New Energy Amid Old-World Charm

10/2/2013

The New York Times - In Vienna’s bohemian Seventh District, craftspeople, artists and shopkeepers are breathing new life into a handful of old cobblestone streets known as Spittelberg. Steps from the MuseumsQuartier, the city’s museum district, the neighborhood overflows with Old World charm and hidden garden restaurants. It wasn’t always picturesque. Named after a hospital built here in the 1500s, the hill filled in over the centuries with low-rent housing, taverns and brothels. By the 1970s, the red light district was headed for demolition, but locals insisted on preservation instead. Restored Biedermeier buildings on pedestrian lanes now house galleries, boutiques, bars and restaurants. With summer tourists gone, Viennese enjoy strolling and dining outside on pleasant autumn evenings.

Seattle's New Showrooms

1/20/2013

The New York Times - A century ago, Seattle’s original Auto Row was home to chandeliered showrooms, which became all but forgotten after car dealers moved to the suburbs. By the post-World War II era, grand buildings on parallel Pike and Pine Streets stood empty. Low rents eventually attracted artists and musicians to the area, and the ’90s grunge scene spawned bars and music venues. In the last decade, preservation-minded developers transformed many of those automotive buildings into offices, apartments and shops, restoring original windows, old-growth beams and wood floors. Today the Pike-Pine Corridor is the epicenter of the popular Capitol Hill neighborhood, claiming some of the best restaurants, nightclubs and vinyl record stores in the city.

Little Luxuries

11/17/2002

The Seattle Times - WHEN MY HUSBAND hinted at taking all his vacation at once this year — during the summer — my first and only thought was the south of France. I had visions of us sipping icy pastis in the evenings while our young son pranced through olive trees. The sweet spice of lavender in the warm breeze. Daily open-air markets with the freshest cherries, white peaches and luscious apricots. In minutes, the romantic in me had orchestrated the perfect vacation.

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