Every fall, magazines celebrate style.
Fashion. Design. Trends. New ideas.
In our own way, we all make choices about how we present ourselves—whether for comfort, purpose, celebration, or simply the rhythm of everyday life.
But is style simply about what you wear?
Or is it really about how you live?
We believe it's reflected in the homes we create, the meals we share, the businesses we build, the spaces we design, and the way we treat people every day.
That's the kind of style that lasts.
As we reflected on this issue, we realized there is one idea about style that sits at the heart of everything we do.
It shapes how we live, how we work, and how we've chosen to build Mercer Island City Lifestyle.
We believe the most enduring style of connection is still the simplest one.
Person to person.
A conversation over coffee.
A walk through a local business.
A handshake.
A shared meal.
A chance encounter that turns into a friendship.
Technology helps us communicate. Social media helps us stay connected. But nothing replaces looking someone in the eye, listening to their story, and discovering what matters most to them.
That's how we've chosen to build this magazine.
One relationship at a time.
Perhaps that's why creating this issue has been so rewarding.
One of the joys of creating this issue has been discovering how many different ways style is expressed throughout Mercer Island. Every profession has its own personality, and every business reflects the people behind it.
Behind every storefront, studio, restaurant, office, gallery, and home is someone with a unique point of view. Their personal style often becomes their business style. You can see it in the details they choose, the experiences they create, the culture they build, and the reputation they earn over time.
The Amadis continue their vision of modern aesthetics in the home they've created.
Jason and Robin Farrish brought generations of family culinary tradition home to Mercer Island. Jason describes style as feeling confident and authentic, and even found a little humor in today's restaurant trends, joking that chefs have become "half carpenter and half chef" in their denim aprons.
"What never goes out of style? Denim... plain, non-acid washed, good and pure denim."
—Jason Farrish
Alyssa Borda returned to the community where she grew up to create an orthodontic practice built on relationships and beautiful smiles. Her story reminds us that style can also mean investing in the place that helped shape who we are.
Matt and Michelle Galvin helped bring two iconic Northwest brands—Pagliacci Pizza and Macrina Bakery—home to Mercer Island, where they've become part of the fabric of our community. Their philosophy reminds us that style isn't only expressed inside a business, but through the countless ways we quietly show up for one another.
Nancy Meade has spent decades helping Islanders create homes that reflect both beauty and warmth through the thoughtful curation of Terra Bella. Her approach reminds us that the most inviting homes are thoughtfully collected over time, reflecting the lives and stories of the people who live there.
Laurie Raisys left a successful corporate leadership career to continue the remarkable legacy of Island Books, ensuring that one of Mercer Island's most cherished gathering places continues to thrive. Together with Cindy Corujo and the Island Books team, they've preserved more than a bookstore—they've nurtured a welcoming place where curiosity, conversation, and community continue to flourish.
Julie Hsieh, together with Ginny and Jim Clarke, have brought artistic style into our homes by connecting our community with remarkable artists from around the world. Their shared appreciation for authenticity, craftsmanship, and self-expression reminds us that great art doesn't simply decorate a home—it tells a story about the people who live there.
They're just a few of the many people whose personal style has helped shape the character of our community.
Which naturally leads to another question.
What separates a passing trend from something timeless?
Some ideas arrive, capture our attention, and quietly disappear.
Others simply endure.
Quality.
Craftsmanship.
Trust.
Relationships.
Community.
These aren't seasonal.
They're foundational.
Architects like Mark Elster, Colin Brandt, Anthony Perez, and Jay Deguchi have each spent decades demonstrating that lasting relationships are the foundation of exceptional communities. As Mark Elster reminds us, the best homes are never defined by a particular architectural style—they're shaped by thoughtful design, natural light, enduring materials, and spaces that support the lives of the people who call them home for generations.
Colin Brandt adds that what we wear reflects our inner self and as we change so does our look.
"What doesn't change is being decent, being honest, offering grace to the people around us. And those are the element's of one's style that I find myself thinking about more and more and should never fall out of favor." - Colin Brandt
As we reflected on the community we're fortunate to call home, another theme became impossible to ignore.
Mercer Island has a style all its own.
It's confident without being loud.
Elegant without feeling formal.
Thoughtfully designed, yet comfortably lived in.
It values beautiful spaces, meaningful experiences, and businesses that put relationships ahead of transactions.
We've experienced that spirit firsthand through our partnerships with Mercer Island Community Fund, Mercer Island Parks & Recreation, Mercer Island Community Center, Mercer Island Youth & Family Services, Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce, Mercer Island Farmers Market, MIVAL, Mercer Island Schools Foundation, and so many others who quietly strengthen this community every day.
That's a style measured less by appearances and more by intention.
"As I grow older, I never want people to say, 'What a sweet old lady.' I hope they'll say, 'What on earth is she up to now?'"
—Ginny Clarke
Perhaps that's the best definition of style we've found.
Not something we imitate.
Something we grow into.
Style may begin with what catches our eye.
It's reflected in the choices we make every day.
That's true in business.
It's true in relationships.
And it's true in the community we're proud to call home.
Those are the things that never go out of style.
Welcome to our Style Issue.
"Showing up for our community—a Little League jersey, a PTA dine-out night, the causes that never make headlines. That is the kind of style that lasts."
—Michelle Galvin, Pagliacci Pizza
"The most meaningful style is one that grows naturally from authenticity, not from following trends."
—Julie Hsieh, Yuan Ru Art Center