Bellingham is a small town some 90 miles north of Seattle and some 60 miles south of Vancouver BC. As you can probably imagine, this gives me access to some pretty cool things, given that both of those cities are pretty artsy. You might also think, sitting in between such culture centers that Bellingham itself would feel little need to put out artistic efforts of its own. You could not be more wrong. The Festival of Music that begins in August draws world renowned musicians and dancers every year. The old city hall, now the Whatcom County Museum, is a landmark building you cannot miss. I remember the first time I was here seeing that beautiful tall building and being awestruck.

Before I put you to sleep with this weepy God-I-miss-Alaska stuff, I better say that while I miss these things...I do NOT miss the six months of winter every year. I don't miss the isolation of living 1,500 miles from the Lower 48. I don't miss the eternal darkness of winter. Washington is almost as beautiful a place and I can drive to city life if I want it. And if I just GOTTA bathe in the rays at a sunsoaked beach, I can hop a commuter flight to California for a weekend.