Meet Andrew Engelson, a freelance reporter and founding editor of Cascadia Magazine, a hub for news, culture, and art created around Cascadia. Where exactly is that? Andy says it’s usually defined as a bioregion that spans from southern Alaska to Northern California and includes Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.

“What we’re trying to do is help people find those [similarities] and cross the boundaries,” Andrew told us. “It’s not just the national boundaries — it’s the boundary between the east side of the Cascades and the west side. There’s a big cultural divide.”

We caught up with Andrew to talk about what he’s learned on the road and his favorite spots around Cascadia.

You live in Seattle. How do you run a regional publication?

Most of my work involves connecting with people online, but I do feel it’s important to check in and actually visit places from time to time. I’ve had really rewarding trips to Portland, Vancouver B.C., and Spokane. The writing communities in each of those cities has been extremely welcoming and energized about a new regional publication that tries to look beyond what’s going on in Seattle.

How does someone start living regionally?

I think [it’s about] paying attention to the region — paying attention to issues that are of importance, whether it’s environmental issues or different types of poetry or fiction.

One thing I’ve come to realize in creating this publication is the immense depth and breadth of talent there is in Cascadia’s creative scene — and it’s exciting to introduce lesser-known talents in Portland to readers in Seattle, for instance.

Who are some Portlanders you’d want Seattleites to know about?

• Matthew Dickman, poetry editor at Tin House in Portland: “He just wrote a really great piece, a long, sort of epic poem. He’s really good at capturing sort of everyday details of life. I think he’s fantastic.”
• Samiya Bashir, poet and author: “Her poetry has a lot to do with science and cosmology. I think she’s one of the more talented poets in Portland right now.”

Which Seattle spots have you visited recently that you want everyone to know about?

• Ba Bar in Capitol Hill: “This is kind of a cliche for me. I lived in Hanoi for a while and I just love authentic Vietnamese street food and their cocktails are amazing. It’s my happy place.”
• Interlaken Park in Capitol Hill: “I love like cycling through there. It’s a funky little forest in the middle of the city.”

What are five Seattle people or orgs everyone should know about?

• Claudia Castro Luna, Washington State poet laureate: “She’s a great writer, a wonderful person, and a dedicated advocate for poets from all corners of the city and the state. If you haven’t seen her Seattle Poetic Grid, which she created while Seattle’s civic poet, you should definitely check it out.”
• Hugo House: “A great resource for writers who call Seattle home.”
• Sightline Institute: “A Seattle-based environmental organization that works to highlight issues of sustainability, ecological restoration and increasing participation in democracy across the Cascadia bioregion.”
• Washington Trails Association, where Andrew once worked: “If you want to get out and hike some of the amazing trails the region, WTA’s website is a fantastic resource, with trail descriptions and current trail conditions submitted by hikers. Plus their volunteer trail-work parties are super fun.”
• Sarah E. Myhre, climate scientist: “An outspoken activist for women’s rights in the sciences and all-around shero.”

We talked with Andrew with our Portland sister publication, Bridgeliner. Check out what Andrew had to say about the City of Roses — and how it stacks up against Seattle 😉 — here.

Have climate change on your mind? As wildfires ravaged British Columbia this summer, lots of us obsessively monitored smoke alerts and weather reports so we could try to stay healthy. But it turns out smoke and other climate change-related symptoms can take a big toll on our mental health. “The internal haze we feel — the one reflecting that hazy landscape — is no fluke,” writes Clayton Aldern for Crosscut. “A changing environment does more than act on this abstract thing we call ‘human thought.’ It also acts on the brain matter responsible for mental illness. And as climate change comes home to roost in the Pacific Northwest, we’re all getting sicker.” (Crosscut)

Thanks, Clint. The Seattle Sounders’ star striker and record-setter Clint Dempsey announced his retirement from soccer yesterday. He joined the team in 2013 after seven years playing in the United Kingdom. “It has always been my dream to make it as a pro,” Clint said in a statement. “Y’all have always made me feel at home, and it is something that I will always remember.” We’ll miss you, Clint. 😢 (The Seattle Times, Deadspin)

Small kindnesses. The Seattle Public Library’s downtown branch recently installed two free phones to help people in a bind, whether their phone simply died or if they’re living homeless with little resources. Why’s this a big deal? “People living in poverty may not have consistent access to a phone — something they need to maintain employment, keep medical appointments or get into housing,” Ashley Archibald reported for Real Change. ☎️ (Real Change)

One for the cartography geeks. There are a bunch of cool — and confusing — maps of our city out there. But local designer Peter Gorman (a.k.a. Barely Maps) has a new take on how we understand Seattle’s geography: by its bodies of water. These maps, which Peter calls a “guide to blank space,” outline and highlight our lakes, bays, and creeks — and they’re worth a gander. 🗺 (Curbed Seattle)

YOU GOTTA BE KITTEN ME

Looking for a new, fuzzy furriend? If you’re in downtown on your lunch break, swing by City Hall — excuse us, Kitty Hall — to check out some of the adorable (and adoptable!) kittens from Seattle Animal Shelter.

Evergrey storytelling producer Ana Sofia Knauf may not be able to resist stopping by. If you can’t either, be sure to tag #theevergrey on Instagram in any cuddly cat photos you happen to take. 😺

We’ll see ya tomorrow. — The Evergrey