The charm of McKinleyville has long been its small, cow-town vibe. I have always been proud to tout hailing from the tiny town lovingly referred to as “Oklahoma by the Sea,” with the motto, “Where horses have the right-of-way.” McKinleyville has been in need of a new watering hole for some time — even though […]
Visitor’s Guide
Posted inCannabis
The Humboldt County Collective’s Family Business
For retired banker JoAnn Hammans, taking over a business felt natural. She was used to handling books, finances and investments. So why not handle cannabis sales? Before cannabis was legalized recreationally, she and her husband gambled on a small dispensary in Eureka that would later become the Humboldt County Collective, one of the county’s first […]
Posted inCannabis
Cate Be is All Fired Up
Cate Be never intended to be a ceramicist. In fact, she is probably more surprised than anybody that making beautiful works of clay art has become her job. A graduate of the ecological restoration program at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt), Be had already started a gardening and landscape business helping people create […]
Posted inStories
Shoshanna Rose is helping keep events alive and sparkling
“I love it when people get together and make wonderful things happen,” said Rose “Shoshanna” Anthony, a dancer, teacher, kids’ party planner and longtime Arcata resident. Surprisingly, COVID-19 provided her the opportunity to do just that. A Cal Poly Humboldt faculty member, the effervescent Shoshanna was growing tired of holding classes over Zoom during the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Septentrio’s Wine Connection
As I sip my glass of pinot noir and listen to the hum of people reuniting, the clink of glassware, and the chatter of busy service staff, I realize that in previous years, I have taken for granted the ability to drink in public. Like many, I have been desperate for a sense of normalcy (also […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Down Home at Fat Anne’s Bakery & Bistro
Before you dig into your plate of shrimp and grits at Fat Anne’s Bistro, or take the point off your lemon meringue pie, take a moment to appreciate the plate — its little painted roses or scalloped edges — because it might be a family heirloom. Owner and chef Tevyn Fisher serves on her grandmother’s […]
Posted inStories
Up in the Trees
Going for a walk in the redwoods at Sequoia Park in Eureka now includes a self-guided interpretive walk up. Instead of keeping to the forest floor, you can tour redwoods on suspended walkways with spectacular views in the recently opened Redwood Sky Walk adventure at the Sequoia Park Zoo. The experience high up in the […]
Posted inStories
Cacao Cocoon’s Sweet Mission
Food is more than what you eat — it’s also about people and the planet. For local chocolatiers Elissa Verdillo and Zach Funk, these values guide Cacao Cocoon, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. “I don’t make chocolate just so people can have dessert … it’s revolutionary,” Verdillo says. “It brings people together rather than […]
Posted inPerfect Trips
Perfect Winter Trips
Don’t be a fool. Do the cool. Season, that is. Late winter and early spring delight the hale, hungry and healthy who harken to Humboldt’s call of the mild. For those seeking birds by land, whales by water and forests by bathing (read on, forest bathing is a thing), we have the guides to take […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tandoori Bites
At lunchtime, the row of 15 brass chafing dishes along the wall at Tandoori Bites glows, brimming with aromatic yellow rice, deep red tandoori chicken, fried clusters of vegetable pakora, dahl and, of course, a bevy of curries. Navigating these alone takes discipline. How many hunks of lamb can you manage from the pot of […]
Posted inShopping
Boot Up
In Humboldt County, we’re serious about our winter footwear. It’s often rainy and cool here on the coast and nothing keeps one warm like a good pair of boots. We’ve selected some of the best styles from local retailers to keep your feet warm and dry. So go ahead. Jump in a puddle.
Posted inStories
Ink in the Blood
On Sept. 1, 1994, Henry Krüger worked his first day as a professional tattoo artist. But that was hardly the first time he had ever held a tattoo gun and given out some ink. “I got my first tattoo in 1987, the day after I turned 17,” the fifth-generation Humboldt native said in a booth […]