Two very different Italian restaurants are sticking to their traditions, one in a landmark building with classic steaks and pasta dishes, the other with an old-country, farm- to-table menu. Hotel Ivanhoe Restaurant & Saloon The Hotel Ivanhoe Restaurant and Saloon feels like it’s been there forever. Indeed the building and the redwood bar inside have […]
Visitor’s Guide
Posted inStories
Art on the Move
No event epitomizes Humboldt County like the Kinetic Grand Championship, where the quirky and clever come out for a good time Memorial Day weekend. It’s a three-day, art sculpture/crazy contraption race that’s a blast for both race participants and spectators. Onlookers delight in the elaborate, human-powered sculptures that maneuver over a treacherous 50-mile course on […]
Posted inShopping
Art to Go
Humboldt is packed with artists —splash some paint and you’ll hit one, in fact. And you don’t have to be a hardcore collector to take a little piece of our art scene home with you to enjoy. Arcata Artisans A broad sampling of work by Humboldt artists fills this fine art and craft cooperative gallery […]
Posted inStories
Theater Kids
Arcata Playhouse founders Jackie Dandeneau and David Ferney met as young actors touring the Canadian Fringe Circuit in the summer of 1995. The story goes that her sketch comedy troupe crashed his comic acrobatic troupe’s show in Edmonton. After that first encounter, “I chased her around the world. Literally,” says Ferney. They eventually moved to […]
Posted inStories
Fiberglass, Rubber & Adrenaline
Humboldt winter brings dark mornings with chilly temperatures, ferocious winds, eerie skies and rainy predictions. For some, the winds are reassuring. They mean a storm is brewing — one that has traveled thousands of miles to greet our shores with waves. While everyone else is hunkered down with a hot beverage, watching movies or staring […]
Posted inStories
Iron in the Blood
Welcome to my shop. I live at the end of a long dirt road in Ettersburg in Southern Humboldt County. Every morning I pull the chains to open the two large rollup doors, reintroducing the cold steel layout table, the anvil and rows of tongs and hammers to the rich, quiet beauty of the forest […]
Posted inPerfect Trips
Perfect Winter Trips
The North Coast doesn’t really do seasons the way the rest of the world does. We don’t believe in dividing the year into four neat periods, each with their own weather. Instead, mix up our rain and fog, darkness and light in varying quantities and distribute it in ever surprising ways throughout the seasons. Our […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Big Cheese
For those of us who’ve been pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a “sample” at the Loleta Cheese Factory — skewering cube after creamy cube while patient cashiers restock — the recent addition of the Queso Kings grilled cheese bar is a revelation. With new owner chef Robert Stokes at the helm, the tiny town’s […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Secret Spots
What’s better than stumbling upon a hidden gem? Let us help the serendipity along and point you to a couple of our favorite tucked-away bistros. Humboldt Bay Bistro Past the shop-lined streets of Old Town and the looming silhouette of the Carson Mansion, the window-lined Humboldt Bay Bistro is building a devoted following. Some of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Potent Potions
The heady pleasure of sipping a well-executed artisan cocktail cannot be overstated. Even perusing The Griffin’s drink list chock-full of herbal simple syrups and local craft liquors and essential oils is enough to lift your spirits. Locals will recognize the friendly faces of owners Cordelia Ray and Vanessa Griffin crafting drinks behind the bar. Both […]
Posted inShopping
In the Loop
For ladies or gents who fancy a good old-fashioned stitch n’ bitch, our local knitting shops are amply stocked to keep your hands busy. Whether you’re new to handicrafts or looking for guidance, Humboldt’s yarn shops are ready to help you get started. Yarn A good first stop on your knitting shop scavenger hunt is […]
Posted inShopping
The Humidor
For the past 17 years, Humboldt has enjoyed unexpected access to the finer pleasures in life thanks to the friendly staff at Myrtlewood Liquors and John’s Fine Cigars. The folks behind the counter can switch hit between talking shop about vintage Port to where the biggest fish have been biting. The selection surpasses expectations of […]