Gig Harbor business owner Alfredo Linares began his apprenticeship in ornamental plaster work when he was just 12 years old, working alongside his father and his uncle in Mexico. At age 17, Linares had become a full-fledged professional and began to make his … read more

Ah, Italy! Ancient ruins, century-old churches and basilicas, wonderful restaurants and markets, picture-book scenery, canals, rolling hills, vineyards as far as the eye can see, boutique wineries and friendly people. What’s not to like? Well, it all depends on when you go. If … read more

At first glance, it’s their exterior colors that make them distinct: the cobalt blue of Bremerton’s Pacific Planetarium, Admiral Theatre’s color scheme of empire gold and rockwood red, and pale yellows of the city’s downtown library. Then it’s their lines — curves, sculptured … read more

First-run movies and folks who once lined up around the block to get in at the Roxy Theater have long been faded memories. The double-sided, age-worn, empty marquise, the towering vertical sign with missing letters and the huge, old “ROXY” sign — which … read more

This is the house that Hope built. It perches on a hillside overlooking Henderson Bay in Gig Harbor, set back from the road by six carefully manicured acres, with sweeping views that encompass all the way from Steilacoom to the south, past McNeil … read more

On the third of July, the neighbors came, drawn like small boys to a skyrocket. Louis W. and Claudia Alves were long since accustomed to the town’s fascination with their Havn Court home, still under construction. At the local café, talk of their … read more