🎭 The A-List Encore 08/21/26

Almost four years ago, I set an Indeed job alert for “Cascadia Daily News,” hoping something relevant to my expertise would open up. I didn’t have to wait long: In late 2023, I stepped in as Lifestyle Editor after former editor Amy Kepferle’s retirement. I still remember jumping up and down in my living room upon receiving the offer letter.

I can safely say working at CDN has been the best professional experience I’ve ever had. Now, after nearly three years, I’ll be stepping down as Lifestyle Editor this October.

The decision to leave wasn't easy, but it was the right choice given my circumstances. I’ve quietly been splitting time between Bellingham and Portland, Oregon (where my partner lives) since 2024. Yes, it’s a long drive — and for the sake of my sanity, I’ve decided to settle in Portland full-time this fall.

My partner will be relieved to know that if she lands in the emergency room, or if our cat flings himself off a balcony (again), I’ll be close enough to help. I selfishly won’t miss commuting in unpredictable traffic, or spending too much money on snacks at the Love’s Travel Stop off Exit 72.

Simultaneously, I’m devastated to say goodbye to CDN’s talented team, most of whom feel more like friends than colleagues. I’ll miss interviewing poets, researching niche history, learning how to make kimchi or guitars, and occasionally photographing the circus.

I’ll miss writing profiles, in part because sources light up when answering questions about their passions. Mostly, I’ll miss the challenge of encapsulating our region’s culture in a weekly print section.

Being part of this newsroom for nearly three years has made me a much better journalist — but it’s also made me a better person. In my years at CDN, I’ve learned lessons about sticking to my ethics, asking hard questions and owning my missteps. Even if I don’t know what’s next for me professionally, I’m confident that I’ll carry those lessons forward.

All that said: This isn’t goodbye. I’ll be here until October, and plan to continue contributing to CDN as a freelancer.

Until then, I want to emphasize the amount of care and devotion in everything we produce — not just Living, but News, Sports & Recreation, and Cascadia Daily Life. CDN also can’t exist without community members like you.

Exactly 540 stories later, thanks for cheering me along. I hope you continue to support whoever’s lucky enough to step in as Lifestyle Editor — and if that person might be you, you can apply for the role at cascadiadaily.com/jobs.

Summer might be winding down, but Kulshan Trackside still has lots planned for August and September. On Thursday, Aug. 27, it’s hosting a Food Recovery Party celebrating the 1.7 million pounds of edible food Sustainable Connections has diverted from the landfill.

Trackside will also host Mercadito Fresco, a Latine night market benefiting Vamos Outdoors Project, on Saturday, Sept. 5. Expect food and drink, live music, local vendors and even dance lessons courtesy of Maestro Manny Bañuelos.

Local history (and entertainment) experts The Good Time Girls are celebrating their 15th anniversary this September with “reunion tours” on Sept. 5, 18 and 19. On the 17th, the Pickford Film Center will also screen its 2016 documentary short, “Good Time Girls: Sin, Gin, Gore, & Lore,” for one night only.

Bellingham SeaFeast’s 10th anniversary is coming up Sept. 26–27. Until then, you can check out the festival’s juried art exhibition, “Creative Currents,” at Cordata Gallery from Aug. 22–Oct. 24. The multimedia work on display is a “meditation on the Salish Sea, the working waterfront, and the quiet forces of tide and current that define life here.”

Speaking of festivals: The ever-delicious Bellingham Greekfest is coming up Sept. 10–13. It’s your annual chance to load up on fresh spanakopita and gyros (and perhaps sample some ouzo while you’re at it). The following weekend, Bellingham Veg Fest is back on the Barkley Village Green Sunday, Sept. 20, with plant-based treats for all ages to enjoy.

Last but not least, Mount Baker Theatre is gearing up for its 100th season. Check its website for a full program; personally, I’m most looking forward to visits from Maria Bamford, Ingrid Michaelson, Bill Nye and the stars of “Twin Peaks” before the end of 2026.

Editor Jaya Flanary went camping last week, and managed to finish four books in the process. “North Woods” by Daniel Mason was for CDN’s staff book club, whereas the late Jim Whittaker's autobiography “really put camping into perspective.”

Flanary then picked up “Three Crime Novels” by the ever-versatile Anthony Bourdain. While each installment unfortunately “read like TV movies,” she said, “they kept my attention, and his descriptive writing gets you through it — especially in the kitchen scenes.”

Meanwhile, Reporter Annie Todd is up to season four of “Slow Horses,” which stars Gary Oldman as a “farty old MI5 spy.” She also can’t help but wonder: Why does Apple TV+ make such engaging shows?

Todd is also reading "The Fallen: The Magdalene Laundries and Ireland's Legacy of Silence" by Louise Brangan. While most people think Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and the Woman and Baby Homes were the same, Todd learned otherwise: “Brangan traces the histories of the laundries and how they kept women deemed unfit by Irish society incarcerated and unpaid for most of their lives.”

I went out of my way to see Jane Schoenbrun’s new film, “Teenage Sex and Death Camp Miasma,” as soon as it hit theaters. As a lifelong horror fan (and Gillian Anderson devotee), the horror-comedy felt tailor-made for a nerd like me. It was every bit as campy as I dreamed — although I didn’t expect its nuanced exploration of desire and intimacy to move me to tears.

I’ve also officially read 54 books in 2026 as of this month. August highlights include “The Hill,” about a young girl’s visits with her imprisoned mother, and “Pretend You're Dead and I Carry You,” a magical realism tale about generational curses and Colombia’s underground queer scene.