Seattle City Guide: How to Spend a Weekend in the Pacific North West

The Independent | Christopher Beanland | December 6

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/seattle-city-guide-things-to-do-weekend-break-best-bars-restaurants-hotels-a8093656.html

“Seattle’s mix of grunge culture, lo-fi living and Pacific Northwest charm is balanced today by its thriving tech scene, which ensures there are always new hotels, bars and restaurants to divert visitors. The city centre is being opened up with a tunnel that will eventually replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct (1), reducing traffic and creating greener spaces and cleaner air. Virgin launched direct flights there from London Heathrow last year, which makes getting there even simpler…Seattle has an odd setting, scrunched into a finger of land running north to south with Lake Washington to the east and the Puget Sound to the west. The city centre is compact and walkable but the suburbs stretch 10 miles south to Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) airport (2) (portseattle.org).”

University of Washington’s Nano Institute is Open for Business, Thanks to One Giant Snip

GeekWire | Alan Boyle | December 6

https://www.geekwire.com/2017/uws-nano-institute-open-business/

“University of Washington officials used a scaled-up scissors this week for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that celebrated scaled-down science: the opening of the Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems, or NanoES. The institute, housed in the $87.8 million Nano Engineering and Sciences Building, will focus on nanoscale frontiers in energy, materials science, computation and medicine. “The University of Washington is well-known for its expertise in nanoscale materials, processing, physics and biology — as well as its cutting-edge nanofabrication, characterization and testing facilities,” Karl Böhringer, the institute’s director, said in UW’s account of Monday’s opening reception. “NanoES will build on these strengths, bringing together people, tools and opportunities to develop nanoscale devices and systems.””

Ferry Schedule Changes Coming in January Amid Colman Dock Work

Kitsap Sun | Nathan Pilling | December 3

http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/communities/bainbridge-islander/2017/12/03/ferry-schedule-changes-coming-january-amid-colman-dock-work/913882001/

“State ferries will operate on a new schedule beginning in January, with the goal of easing congestion in the Colman Dock ferry terminal as renovation work begins there. The Seattle terminal building will shrink to half and later a third of its current size during renovations, making it necessary for Washington State Ferries to tweak its current schedule. “Space inside the building will be limited due to construction and won’t be large enough to accommodate full boats waiting for both routes,” said Broch Bender, of Washington State Ferries. “For that reason, we staggered the sailing schedule, so only one boat would leave at a time to make the most use of the space inside the terminal building.””

Seattle Center, Heartbeat of the City, is Poised for a New Era

Seattle Times | Jane Zalutsky | December 1

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/seattle-center-heartbeat-of-the-city-is-poised-for-a-new-era/

“Seattle’s great influx of people, driving rapid commercial and residential building growth, is making the revitalization of Seattle Center a high priority. As every beam gets laid, as every floor is completed in our many new 40-story office and residential towers, every inch of Seattle Center’s space becomes more valuable. Seattle Center is our gathering place, it is our city’s heart and soul. The 74-acre campus, which provides precious venues and open space for thousands of cultural events, educational activities and civic gatherings, is poised for significant improvements.”