Anatomy of a City

Seattle is no longer the sexy young swimsuit model (who plays bass in a prog-rock band) of the Pacific Northwest. That title now belongs to Portland. But while it's tough being Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It when Brooklyn Decker's also on the Hawaiian set, aging comes with a significant upside. For the most part, Seattle has fulfilled the promise of its '90s adolescence, even if it has an annoying habit of not being able to make up its mind (commuter-rail foot-dragging, floating-bridge tolls, to tunnel or not to tunnel). Unlike Portland, we know what we are—and what we are is a city with an abundance of great people, places, and ideas. Sure, our pro basketball team has been replaced by soccer, our police force is being investigated by the feds, and the economic outlook remains less than giddy. But the strength of a great city lies in its ability to make its citizenry forget about what's ailing it. And if any single collection of prose and witticisms encapsulates that strength, it's this, our 26th annual Best of Seattle® issue.

—MIKE SEELY

P.S.: You still make our heart skip a beat, Jen. Always will.