Caitlin and Haley help write and edit our newsletters and help run our social media accounts both here in Seattle and at our other WhereBy.Us cities. Aaaand they’re both awesome. Here’s why.

Caitlin has:

• Spent eight years as a journalist in and around Seattle, covering everything from education to the outdoors and launching three email newsletters along the way
• Climbed four of Washington’s five volcanoes, and a random assortment of other local peaks
• Lived out of a van station wagon for five months while traveling around New Zealand

Haley has:

• Drawn more than 600 illustrations for more than 90,000 followers on her Instagram art page @haleydrewthis. (Look familiar? Haley helped doodle a bunch of you at both of our birthday parties.)
• Drove cross country from Charlotte, N.C., to Seattle after deciding to move to the PNW on a whim
• Swam varsity in college, yet hasn’t summoned up the courage to do the Polar Bear plunge. Maybe next year.

Here’s a little more about each of them:

What’s your favorite thing to eat in Seattle?

Caitlin: Anything fresh and from the water. Taylor Shellfish oysters are always a nice treat.

Haley: If I could end every day with a slice of strawberry cake from Simply Desserts, I would.

How do you make it through Seattle’s winters?

Caitlin: Skiing! A cold and rainy Seattle day is a blessing when it means fresh snow in the mountains.

Haley: My mom did send me a SAD lamp last year, but I’ve found that surrounding myself with other people keeps me from going crazy in the perpetual greyness.

Is the Seattle Freeze real? Why/why not?

Caitlin: Maybe, but I think it also has a silver lining. Seattle was historically a place that drew misfits and castaways from other parts of the country — so it makes sense that we’re not the most outwardly warm and social bunch. On the flip side, once we’ve put the time and effort into building a friendship, we’re in it for keeps.

Haley: I’m undecided. When I moved to Seattle a year and a half ago, I knew a few people and was kindly welcomed into their social circles. If I didn’t have that immediate support, I think I would’ve encountered a bit more of a chill. But I’ll say this: Relationships made here are rooted in such authenticity.

Got ideas for a doodle about life in Seattle? Shoot Haley an email at [email protected]. Got questions about how to best explore the PNW’s great outdoors? Hit up Caitlin at [email protected].

Traffic déjà vu. There’s just one week left before the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes for good and the traffic nightmare that local writers have dubbed the “Seattle Squeeze” begins. 😱 Dreading that gridlock? Here’s one thing to keep in mind: This has all happened before — kind of a lot, actually — and we’ve survived. In his latest for Crosscut, local columnist Knute Berger put our impending “Viadoom” in context by looking back on our region’s history of traffic headaches, including that time a freighter crashed into the West Seattle bridge and closed it for six years. (Crosscut)

Speaking of Viadoom… Want a preview of what your new commute could look like before you get on the road? WSDOT created some handy videos to let you know how your route to work, school, or happy hour may change. 🚌 (KNKX)

‘I hope we grow tender enough, again.’ Fun fact: 206 is Seattle’s area code — and it’s how many bones we’ve grown when we reach adulthood. Those growing pains are the inspiration behind Seattle youth poet laureate Azura Tyabji’s recent poem, which looks back on life in our city in 2018. One line that’s sticking with us: “Where the city of growing giants and I will go from here, I’m not certain.” Read her whole poem here. (KUOW)

And then there were two. Video Isle, a beloved local video rental spot, recently closed down after 33 years. Despite having a posse of dedicated, lifelong customers and an inventory of rarer film finds, store owner Tonya Perfect told The Stranger that their sales took a dive when nearby businesses began closing over the last year. Now, there are just two local movie rental spots left in Seattle: the University District’s Scarecrow Video and Maple Leaf’s Reckless Video. 📼 (The Stranger)

PSSST! YOU SHOULD GO VOTE

A bunch of you sent us your burning questions about the Central District — and three of ‘em are up for a vote. Here’s a quick refresher…

• Of the original residents of the CD, who has stayed and how have they been able to afford to? — Jody Pineda
• What was it before it was the CD — who were early inhabitants? Why was that the spot African Americans got redlined into? — Beth
• Where did the “Squire Park” neighborhood name come from? — Paul Leachtenauer

Want a say in which question we answer? » Cast your vote here.

Have a great weekend, Seattle — and keep those fingers crossed for our Seahawks tomorrow. 🏈 — The Evergrey