Mark C. Anderson
After a Wild Year One, Orcas Hotel Makes Splash in Edible Monterey Bay Magazine
It's only appropriate that a property with a history as rich as Orcas Hotel's would have such an eventful inaugural year after its...
top of page
Search
Mark C. Anderson
Jan 31, 20214 min read
Inside the Innovative Apprentice Program That Makes Orcas Go
Hunt a local wild boar and make prosciutto out of it. Listen to "The Sporkful" podcast. Learn about payroll, overtime and schedule...
5633
Mark C. Anderson
Dec 16, 20202 min read
Turtleback Mountain Preserve Is an Orcas Island Must-Do
There are far more than 141 ways to describe 141-acre Turtleback Mountain Preserve. I'd go with lush, verdant, vibrant, vibrational,...
42826
Mark C. Anderson
Oct 31, 20205 min read
Living With the Ghost of Orcas Hotel's Own Octavia Van Moorhem
The other day Orcas Hotel Chef Quinn Thompson went into the kitchen's walk-in cooler to grab some ingredients. Something caught his eye:...
1,6493
Mark C. Anderson
Oct 27, 20206 min read
Tiny Orcas Island Distillery Wins Big Awards With Surprising Family Approach
There are a range of reasons to love micro-sized Orcas Island Distillery. For one, it is handmade, small batch-style, in a barn nestled...
9790
Mark C. Anderson
Sep 27, 20204 min read
The Infamous Barefoot Bandit Inspires a Recipe by Orcas Hotel's Cocktail King
The most famous Orcas Island regular not named Oprah is a folk hero to many on the mainland. It’s understandable. The guy’s story reads...
4670
Mark C. Anderson
Sep 20, 20203 min read
Understanding Orcas Surprisingly Mild Weather—and Remembering a Local Meteorological Legend
Orcas Island sits smack dab at the center of the wettest corner of the country, further north and west—and more exposed to oceanic...
4960
Mark C. Anderson
Sep 8, 20204 min read
The Brand-New Sculpture at Orcas Harbor Is the One-of-a-Kind—in More Than One Way
Its creator calls it The Kelp Kraken. The name works. The freshly completed sculpture is nothing if not a magical bit of seaweed that...
5851
Mark C. Anderson
Sep 2, 20207 min read
Incredible Images of the Salish Sea from the Book Dedicated to It—and a Deep Dive with the Co-Author
The Salish Sea reaches a depth of 1,467 feet, stretches as wide as 135 miles and covers some 2,600 square miles. It provides habitat and...
4030
Mark C. Anderson
Aug 26, 20203 min read
Happy National Dog Day From Brooks and Dog-Friendly Orcas Hotel
You ever get so happy to see someone that your whole body, head to tail, wiggles side to side? So it goes for Bruichladdich the dog, on...
1480
mlesilks
Aug 21, 202011 min read
How Orcas Hotel 5.0's First Employee Found Inspiration—and Her Musical Soul—in Bali
Editor’s note: The team members at Orcas Hotel have a secret to share—they’re in this for more than a j-o-b. Each non-management staffer...
2820
Mark C. Anderson
Aug 18, 20205 min read
Friday Harbor and Other San Juan Island Adventures to Prioritize (Plus Free Ferry Rides!)
A detailed and photo-driven look at many ways to enjoy neighboring San Juan Island.
1941
Mark C. Anderson
Aug 16, 20204 min read
Diving Into the Backstory of Orcas Hotel's Brand-new Smoker (And a 5-star BBQ Sauce Recipe)
Orcas Café’s first “Smoker Saturday” plates of ribs and brisket sold out in a hurry—without so much as being written on the menu board....
1011
Mark C. Anderson
Aug 5, 20209 min read
20 Qs with Chef Q About Food That Will Make You Think About Life
The other day, Orcas Hotel Chef Quinn Thompson and I went on a secondhand shopping mission at The Exchange. For the uninitiated, The...
2530
Mark C. Anderson
Jul 30, 20204 min read
One Incredible, Adorable and Oh-So-Orcas Orchard
Less than a mile north of Orcas Hotel sits one of the island’s many small family farms. Warm Valley Orchard is as picturesque as any...
4860
Mark C. Anderson
Jul 29, 20205 min read
Foraging on Orcas Island with Shamanic Herbalist Tara Kim
Orcas Hotel line cook Tara Kim—who’s also a mushroom enthusiast, shamanic herbalist and self-described “green witch in the Wise Woman...
1,0800
Mark C. Anderson
Jul 27, 20205 min read
Farm-to-Table Sustainability Thoughts from Chef John Cox
Editor's Note: This piece first appeared in Edible Monterey Bay, where Cox (pictured on the right, with his collaborator Quinn Norbu...
2931
Mark C. Anderson
Jul 26, 20202 min read
Paradise Found, Just Up the Road
A wonder of spiritual-grade nature—and more—await just down Orcas Road from the hotel.
1440
bottom of page