Granted, choosing — or winning — the Best of Humboldt isn’t a game of chance. But we do feel a little blessed flipping through the list of winners and perusing the bounty of our county. No better reminder to go out and enjoy some of these local gems and mark a few new ones off […]
Jennifer Fumiko Cahill
Jennifer Fumiko Cahill is the managing editor of the North Coast Journal. She won the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s 2020 Best Food Writing Award and the 2019 California News Publisher's Association award for Best Writing.
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Food and Drink
Best Farmers Market VendorFocaccia by the PietrinisWhen in Rome … make a colorful Roman hand gesture in disappointment, for the Pietrini brothers Fulvio (who does the baking) and Flavio are somehow in Humboldt instead, at the Old Town Farmers Market selling their marvelous focaccia at the stall with the rainbow lettering. The $5 squares of […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
Best Night Club and Best Place to Shake Your BootyThe BasementLots of night clubs are cool. But walking into The Basement and taking a seat with a swanky cocktail or mocktail, surrounded by polished wood and good lighting, makes you feel a little cooler, too. Which might contribute to one’s confidence at booty shaking. The […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of Services
Best FloristPocket of PosiesThis pocket-sized shop holds big things — you’d be forgiven for zipping past it on Broadway, but you’d miss out. Not only are there the requisite beautiful blooms and fragrant wreaths, but I once went in last minute to order a corsage for a young lady whose aesthetic was sort of intergalactic […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of Cannabis
Best Local Cannabis ProductSpace GemWhen you had to fly next to the weird man-spreader who took the armrest and breathed on you from takeoff to landing, who from Humboldt had your back? Space Gems. Maybe it was the tiniest little nibble of Sleepy Fig to calm your nerves or a sour rainbow of fruity drops […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of Weddings
Best Outdoor Wedding VenueMitchell GroveFormerly Arrington Apples, the orchard amid redwoods is secluded and lovely, and close enough to town not to require long drives or camping. So we get why Mitchell Grove is a favorite for al fresco nuptials. The vibe, according to the owners, is “DIY-ish,” allowing couples and their entourages to do […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of Bonus Round!
Best Local Radio StationKMUDLet’s hear it for Redwood Community Radio and the folks who support it. KMUD DJs are spinning every conceivable genre from reggae to gospel and covering topics from literature to ecology. Tune in for national news, your local city council meetings and updates on helicopters in the hills. Sounds like Humboldt’s Best […]
Posted inBest Of Humboldt
Best of – Retail
Retail Antique Store 4th Street Mercantile215 Fourth St., Eureka 4thstreetmercantile.com Appliance Store Poletski’s Appliance Center510 Harris St., Eureka(707) 445-3138 poletskis.com Bicycle Shop Revolution Bicycles2811 F St., Eureka (707) 443-98611593 G St., Arcata (707) 822-2562revolutionbicycle.com Bookstore Booklegger402 Second St., Eureka(707) 445-1344 Find us on Facebook Car Lot for New Cars Mid-City Motor World4800 N U.S. Highway […]
Posted inFrom the Editor
Flow State
Now, friends, is not the time to lock in. Now is the season of drifting along with the current, at least for the weekend. Make waves while the sun shines. This issue of the Insider has a slew of slowed-down activities to enjoy at your leisure. Flip through our Perfect Trips and plan (or don’t […]
Posted inJust Browsing
Bubbles Takes You Back
Forget rage rooms. People should be cutting 4-pound loaves of colorful, translucent glycerin soap to relieve stress. Just watching Carla Hayes, owner of Bubbles, slice them into fragrant, candy-colored chunks is soothing. In fact, your cortisol might cool just walking in and taking a deep breath. Bubbles has been open since January of 1973, when […]
Posted inGet Out
A Wild and Wooly Night at the Rodeo
The Fortuna Rodeo’s Full Throttle Friday, as photographer Mark Larson discovered this week, is a very different vibe from old-fashioned riding and roping. Things start off low to the ground with Mutton Busting, in which youngsters take a traditional one-handed rodeo ride on a sheep. The introduction of motors and wheels amps things up significantly, […]
Posted inOn the Table
What’s Good: The Brunch Club
Brunch is the most social of meals, built for leisure and stretching out the day. It may be the most challenging to eat alone, though I’ve done it happily. (When you focus on your French toast completely, it’s a different experience, and eavesdropping on the next table is juicier after a night out.) Now that […]