Now in its fourth year, the Great Peninsula Cider Festival is one of the largest cider-themed events in the Pacific Northwest. Nearly three dozen regional cidermakers will share almost a hundred hard cider varieties at this year’s festival on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 … read more

Self-taught artist Jane Henson is a Seattle native who has lived creatively her entire life. Drawing and painting are fairly new to her repertoire. In 2014, on her 60th birthday, she stopped telling herself she couldn’t draw, bought paper and pencils and began … read more

What started out as one man’s hobby has grown into a nursery with a reputation for quality plants with reasonable prices. Raft Island Roses had its beginning in 1997 when Frank Gatto, originally from Burien, retired from his first career and began selling … read more

A few years ago, Deb Ross decided it was time to begin a new chapter in her life. Her husband had died, leaving her with a home on acreage that she lovingly dubs “the farmhouse.” That home was filled with memories of a … read more

The small, hand-lettered sign on Peacock Hill Avenue near Gig Harbor says, simply, “Butler’s Farm. Apples. Self serve.” It’s the first hint that at the end of the dirt driveway, there’s a 7.5-acre orchard where more than 1,200 apple trees — with upward … read more

Surrounded by large windows facing out to Henderson Bay and sitting near a warm fire blazing on the stone hearth, Massimo and Cindy Terracciano tell the story of their lives. Their love, marriage, family and restaurant — no one part of it more … read more

Brightly colored Adirondack chairs placed on the sidewalk outside raise the curiosity and beckon passersby to step inside The Garden Room, a seasonal home-décor shop nestled in Gig Harbor’s “Uptown” shopping village. Window displays and inside vignettes offer breathtaking possibilities for dressing one’s … read more

High school sweethearts Marion and Steve Ekberg were born and raised in the Tacoma area, spending childhoods in the woods of Minter Creek and Fox Island. In 1972, they were house hunting, looking for a place to call home and raise a family, … read more

If you love going out for coffee at a place where you can unwind, study or enjoy some music, you are sure to find it in West Sound. When I want to go to a coffee shop that has ambiance, sit on comfy … read more