Michael moved to Seattle in 1987, and has lived on or around Capitol Hill ever since, except for a few years in South Capitol Hill (i.e., San Francisco). His unofficial-writer-in-residence vita includes stints at B&O Espresso, Bauhaus, Vivace, and Victrola, betraying a lifelong tendency to skip the middle part of the alphabet. After working in the arts, print media, and online media, he is now a communications consultant with Newbridge Partners. He will not make you read his unpublished novel.

Audrey was Chicago-born and –raised, but doesn’t miss the weather one bit. She went to college in Iowa for a quality liberal arts education before heading out to Seattle, where she spends a great deal of time watching free movies and quoting Arrested Development. She still mourns Gene Siskel’s death, because as time goes by and the phrase “two thumbs up” is even further depreciated, it becomes increasingly clear that Siskel was the one with discerning tastes. Additionally, she always tries to keep on hand at least two pounds of Tillamook extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Ronald Holden, Northwest native, Belltown resident and unreconstructed Francophile, has worked at KING TV, Seattle Weekly and Chateau Ste. Michelle, and has published five wine-country guidebooks. Ronald is editorial director for several websites, including his own blog, Cornichon, and DeliciousCity.com. He is also director of wine tours for The International Vineyard and restaurant critic for Belltown Messenger.

Jay Friedman is a freelance food writer who does monthly restaurant reviews for Seattle Sound magazine. He is often found in his kitchen playing with a takoyaki grill pan, or one of his three woks and four waffle irons. Born and raised in New York and a long-time resident of the land of Ben and Jerry's, Jay tells friends and family he came to Seattle in 1999 because "there's great produce here." From chu-toro to chocolate, Jay eats everything (this liver lover doesn’t think offal is awful) and appreciates holes-in-the-wall as much as fine dining establishments.

Jack spent his angst-ridden teens listening to Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden. Throw in an unhealthy fascination with Mount St. Helens, and it was only a matter of time before he and his '76 El Camino found their way here from the high plains of Wyoming (that is, after a year-long stint as Arizona's most thievingest security guard). He's got a hot wife, loves camping, and absolutely hates "popped" collars. Seriously.

News editor Kim hails from the great state of Michigan, with a post-collegiate interlude spent living in New York City. True story, she once walked the 32 miles around the entire rim of Manhattan. Craving trees, closet space, and a savings account, she decided to venture westward to Seattle. So far, so good. She's now a lover of farmers markets, still finds tourists annoying, and don't get her started on Seattle public transportation. In her spare time she seeks to undo her current unemployed status, yells at rowers early in the a.m., and enjoys the fruits of Washington's vineyards.

Jeremy was born in Portland and once he left home made it no further south than Ashland and no further north than Seattle. A former shipping clerk, theatre artist, sometime journalist, and editor, he now makes his living at a large Seattle tech company answering email and playing with something called a "spreadsheet," for which, apparently, a college education is required. When otherwise not engaged in work or pseudo-work, Jeremy spends time with his two cats, Lucy and Magda, and his red-headed super-heroine girlfriend K.P., who is not in high school.

Fourth-generation Seattleite Seth Kolloen (left) has been obsessing over local sports since seeing his first Mariners game on Bruce Bochte T-shirt day. Former executive editor of Sports Northwest Magazine and contributing columnist to the Seattle P-I, he's written for the Stranger, Seattle Metropolitan, Deadspin, and every bathroom stall south of 85th St.

James arrived in Seattle in '94, drawn in by a redhead, Singles, and affection for a grey-shaded weather palette. Now he's got a redheaded wife, a daughter, a corporate writing career, and a gig hosting a pub quiz. He's smitten with the women in his life, restaurants, movies, graphic novels, iced tea, New York, radio, and hard cider. He's a fox -- as in the opposite of a hedgehog. He misses Milwaukee's frozen custard and thunderstorms, but the sacrifice continues to be worth it.

Editor Emeritus Kim was born on Long Island, raised in Florida, and has spent her adult life moving from Buffalo to Portland, NYC to New Orleans, back to Florida, and finally to Seattle in 2003. Eight years of touring the States as a folksinger gave way to her new life as a freelance writer. She's the About.com Folk Music Guide, a monthly contributor to Sound magazine, and has had work in Billboard, Performer and at RollingStone.com. She spends her spare time watching reality TV and worrying about politics.

Editor Emeritus Dan was born in Chicago and lived there until 2000 when he moved west in search of fame and fortune. Instead he landed in Seattle, where he spends the majority of his day trying to remember which version of The Man he's reporting to. He's currently dividing his time between an IT job, Seattlest, and writing freelance.

David is a Seattle native who has worked for political consulting firms and managed campaigns around town. He has also lived in Philadelphia and for higher educational purposes Walla Walla. He spent the last two plus years in Los Angeles where he made a series of questionable decisions. A member of the sketch comedy group The Habit he enjoys watching the local sports teams, drinking tea, and wanting a dog.

After four edifying winters in upstate New York and culinary school in NYC, Rachael returned to her hometown--this town--a simple place where you can pick your weight in blackberries every August. Formerly pastry chef at the Herbfarm, Rachael teaches cooking classes and dreams of a day when people won't say, "You spell your name like Rachael Ray!"

Like every third Seattleite, Tom hails from the great inland Third Coast -- specifically, the gritty Midwestern capital, Chicago. Ostensibly looking to escape deadly summertime humidity, Tom has adopted his evergreen home despite its startling lack of abundant Polish delis. Since he has no taste for the civilian work world, he's consigned himself to several years of poverty, which some call "Pile Higher and Deeper". He actually likes working with undergraduates. When not hiding behind a viewfinder or a snarky keyboard, Tom enjoys being a flaneur, petting kitties and strangers on the streets, visiting other cities, and driving aimlessly on two-lane highways.

Born in the slums of east King County, John Hieger is a lifelong Washington resident and an avid couch potato. Having blogged the Kerry campaign for The Seattle Times into the ground back in 2004, he considers himself a recovering political geek with a fierce loyalty to Seahawks football and our region’s plentiful outdoor activities. John’s hobbies include extremely low-budget filmmaking (not porn), and dive bars.

Jen is a freelance writer who dreams vividly of the day when she can quit her day job and write full time. Until that time comes, she stays busy writing for a handful of print and online publications, and as the fiction editor for local literary journal Crab Creek Review. Some of her all-time favorite things include: the New York Times crossword, dinner parties, traveling, Japanese pop, and really really good books. She hates being asked about her favorite book since there are too many, and hopes to someday write a food novella.

Publisher and co-founder Jake Dobkin