1)      Pike Place Market. Of course, everyone has heard of the oldest farmer’s market in the country. Here one can enjoy street performers, great food, fresh local produce, and handmade crafts from artisans. There is definitely something for everyone. Don’t forget to see the “flying fish” at the Fish Market.

2)      Seattle Center. Built for the World’s Fair, one can enjoy a cultural experience, dine at the Space Needle, take the kids to the Children’s Museum, or simply relax by the fountain to name a few enjoyments available here.

3)      Seattle Underground Tour. Experience firsthand the fascinating history of Seattle by taking a guided tour of this popular destination. You won’t look at Seattle the same again.

4)      Seattle Aquarium. Walk along the waterfront and view the display tank prior to entering the building. You’ll marvel at the beauty and tranquility. Step inside and learn about the Puget Sound fascinating marine world.

5)      Downtown Seattle. This retail area is a mecca for diversity. Enjoy Gameworks, fine dining, shopping at its best, or take in the arts at either Benaroya Hall or the Seattle Art Museum.

TIP: For a great workout, walk up Madison to 4^th Avenue from the waterfront. If that doesn’t get your heart pounding, nothing will.

Buzzed in Ballard
(caffeine buzz, that is)

Where in Seattle can you possibly go for a weekend stroll, and NOT encounter at least a few choices to stop and get caffeinated? Well, I do hear that there’s a few pockets of caffeine silence in the middle some residential neighborhoods, but luckily that’s not the case in Ballard. Not that Ballard is strictly a residential neighborhood part of the joy of living here is that you can find apartments and high tech condos on the same block as turn of the century Scandinavian style houses, brick buildings that used to house old style grocery stores, fishing supply shops, bars, and frightening hotels that are now filled with boutiques and other tiny small businesses just down the street from a brand new eco-friendly sustainable library building. Don’t like walking across the cobblestone-style bricks on Ballard Avenue? Head a block south west and you’ll see train tracks that have been slightly reclaimed by nature and fishing boats being repaired in tiny shipyards. To add to the contrast that makes up Ballard style, just beyond those train tracks they’ll start building a swanky hotel soon.

Yes, Ballard is made up of a mix of old and new, history and the future. Walking along Market Street, you’ll pass an old Carnegie Library, built in 1905. Now there’s a high-end restaurant inside. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that one hundred years ago someone was walking up those stairs, hoping to find a book and a comfortable wooden bench to spend a rainy Saturday. Sometimes it’s hard to forget the history of the neighborhood, though, too. Local businesses are still influenced by the Scandinavian heritage of the area, even if the owners have not a drop of Northern European blood in their veins.

How does coffee fit into the mix? The best coffee shops in Ballard fit in so well, that it’s difficult to imagine a time without them. Tucked into historic buildings, furnished with earthy decor, each of my five favorite coffee shops not only fits into the style of Ballard as a neighborhood, but without them, the neighborhood would surely suffer.

My drink of choice is a latte, double tall (or grande, if I’m feeling reckless) with vanilla rice milk to be specific. Not all of the coffee shops in the universe have rice milk; in fact, it may seem strange to many folks that they can get milk out of a grain of rice. I don’t think that any of us want to think about that too much, except you should know that regular cow milk is more forgiving in an espresso drink than rice milk. Rice milk allows much more of the flavor of the coffee to come through, and the rice adds a bit of sweetness to the coffee that regular milk lacks. So, if the coffee is scorched, if the espresso is pulled to fast or too slow, if the grind is not just right, a regular person might not notice so much when they’re drinking a latte made with regular 2%. But bring rice milk into the mix, and there’s not as much room for error. I’ve become very picky about my latte as a result.

My pickiness is not only tolerated, but also rewarded, when it comes to patronizing the smaller, independent coffee shops in Ballard. At most of these shops, you’ll encounter the owners when you visit, or at least a regular barista, or coffee artist, that has worked at the shop long enough to know the machine, know the coffee, and know the customers. Not just a counter clerk here, pushing buttons and making brown liquid come out, no no no. That will not do. If I’m going to be making my grandfather roll over in his grave every time I spend $5 on a cup of coffee, it has to at least be GOOD.

To start our coffee tour, we’ll start at the Ballard Locks. Walk this wonderful park a bit to get your thirst up. Check out the boats going through the locks, visit the water birds (sometimes there’s even a heron or a loon!) and admire the gardens. Then, when you leave, turn east to head down Market Street.

Karma Coffee is easy to miss, since the storefront is a little overwhelmed by the industrial style shop building that surrounds it. But they’ve done a wonderful job of inviting nature to stop by; a miniature garden invites you to the front door, and in the warmer months there will be chairs outside. Once you walk in, though, you realize that it’s a little like Mary Poppin’s bag, much larger on the inside that it seemed from the street. Comfortable chairs and tables are watched over by rotating art on the walls. And, surely the barista will say hello before your eyes have adjusted to the dim, but clean and friendly, light. Alas, Karma Coffee does break my first rule of a good coffee shop: they don’t have rice milk. They do, however, make a darn good Americano, and for the sake of the atmosphere, I’ll allow the lack of rice milk to slide.

Across the street, Firehouse Coffee is in, you guessed it, an old firehouse building. You can see photos of the old building on the walls, which is almost the only way you’d be able to imagine this coffee shop once being a firehouse. After only being here for a few years, Firehouse looks like they’ve been in this space forever. It’s comfortable, friendly, warm, and inviting. Sometimes too inviting, as kids seem to feel quite at home here. Luckily, a small room is made just for kids, filled with toys and tiny tables. I love this. Keep those kids contained. Please. In warmer weather, a balcony on the roof is wonderful for spending summer afternoons reading and sipping your caffeine of choice.

Firehouse also has the best lunch selections of any of the Ballard coffee shops: daily soups, grilled sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Plus a selection of the standard coffee shop fare such as scones, bagels, muffins, banana bread, and other evil treats.

These perks are why I like Firehouse Coffee. The actual coffee is average. Usually acceptable, but not as good as my other favorite Ballard coffee shops. Luckily for them, their coffee always tastes better when you can sit on their nice balcony in the summer, catching a breeze from Puget Sound, or next to their fireplace on a cozy chair in the winter.

Keep heading east on Market Street. Turn north on 24th and walk up to 59th. It’s only a few blocks; Javabean is usually worth the walk. Perfectly located for folks who live in the neighborhood but don’t want to venture to Market Street, Javabean is almost always busy. The tables are arranged nicely, though, so even when it is overly crowded, you won’t necessarily feel crowded.

Javabean usually wins the various “Best of” contests, possibly due to clever campaigning on their part. Their lattes are acceptable, although not as smooth as I like. Their “tower” size is practically a Big Gulp of coffee, especially if you add extra shots of espresso. Javabean really shines when it comes to their great pastries. Jumbo slabs of coffee cake, cookies encrusted in frosting, muffins that are monster sized, and bagels that are slathered in a week’s supply of cream cheese are all reasonably priced and make up mediocre coffee.

Are you over caffeinated yet? No? Walk east on 59th to 20th, then south across Market Street. Turn to the left and walk just a bit down Leary Way to The Chai House, aka Morning Glory Chai. Wind chimes and outdoor wooden chairs and tables will greet you to the physically largest of the small coffee shops in Ballard. There are plenty of tables, soft chairs and sofas, and The Chai House is the most easygoing of all of these coffee shops about sitting and hanging out for a while. They have unique pastries, too, that are all baked daily, right next to the chai pots. Yes, they brew their own chai, too, which is available all over the city at other small local coffee shops. But I love their lattes. Usually.

The quality of their coffee is sometimes the best ever, sometimes the worst ever. It really depends on the state of the barista, what time of day it is, whether Mercury is in retrograde. Assuming that all of those things are aligned just perfectly, their lattes are GREAT. If you’re getting rice milk, like I do, be sure to ask for the vanilla rice milk, because it helps it all work out so much better.

I’ve saved my favorite coffee source for last. Stroll back to Market Street, and walk west. Tucked away in an alley between Ballard Avenue and 24th is Seattle’s best kept and tiniest secret. Nervous Nellie’s Espresso Company is squeezed into a miniature space, but there’s still room for you to sit and treat yourself to the best latte in Ballard. The owner is a perfectionist when it comes to coffee, and will often make second espresso shots if she doesn’t think the first ones are up to her high standards. It’s about the look, the smell, the feel of the water pulling through the machine how it all works together is a mystery to us civilians, but it results in a smooth and artistic cup of coffee. I’ve become so spoiled by Nervous Nellie’s that if this shop is closed, my day is ruined. All other coffee become substandard for me once I became addicted to Nervous Nellie’s coffee.

Plus, this coffee shop offers something unique: a toast bar. Yes, toast. Who would have guessed that this comfort food could become such an obsession for Nellie’s patrons? It does, though, and it seems that every customer has his or her own particular toast obsession. Toast is made from thick sliced local Great Harvest bread and slathered with any combination of tasty toppings such as real butter, cheese, jam, peppers, garlic butter, peanut butter, caviar and seasonal treats. Go ahead and try a mixture of toppings you might not normally think of eating. I recommend the jam, cheese, and butter.

Now that you’re completely buzzed on caffeine, stroll around this historic neighborhood, peruse the mix of old and new buildings, and check out the boutiques and small shops for the perfect little gift for yourself. Ballard is a special neighborhood, and not only because there are so many wonderful coffee shops to be visited. Beware: you may just want to move here.

It’s hard to find good Mexican food in Seattle. Now, Asian food we’ve got. In some neighborhoods, the Thai restaurants outnumber the damn Starbucks. Sushi, teriyaka, yakisoba, whatever - you want it, Seattle’s got it. Panang curry with beef? Try Spice Orient (1402 2nd Ave). Chinese, like you’ve never had it before? Shanghai Garden (524 6th Ave S)

So, like I was saying, Seattle’s Asian food is like a party in my belly, but it’s a challenge to find Mexican food that’s equally worth celebrating.  Do you crave those southwest flavors but refuse to “Head for the Border”? Don’t despair! Quality Mexican food is out there! Here are the top 5 Mexican restaurants I would recommend walking, running, cycling, busing, driving oops, no Monorailing over to, in a Seattle neighborhood near you. And if you feel like catching a ferry, my bonus pick is on Vashon Island.

#1  Agua Verde (1303 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA)

Everybody says (almost zombie-like) “GO TO AGUA VERDE,” and with good reason. The food is always fresh, distinctive, and good enough to induce that zombie-like state I was talking about.  Each dish is worth trying, plus they have a good vegetarian selection.  This is a great place for a first date or dinner with old friends, or as part of a whirlwind Seattle tour with a visitor.  The Lake Union view is a nice backdrop for conversation or it might tempt you to pay a visit the Kayak Rental Shop underneath the restaurant! That’s right, kayak rentals you heard right.  If you’re looking for a fairly authentic local experience, go sit outside on a sunny day, enjoy the food, and then rent a kayak and paddle away the afternoon.  Or, if you’re worried about cramps, kayak first and then eat later. I don’t care which, the important thing is that you understand that you can eat high quality Mexican food and/or kayak on Lake Union, in that order or in reverse order, right there at Agua Verde. Remember that it can get crowded, especially in good weather. But in bad weather, they might not rent you a kayak. Kind of a Catch-22, isn’t it? “Try the Mangodillas!” “And the Mango-ritas!”

#2  Taqueria Jalisco (129 1st Ave N, Seattle, WA)  

This is a great place for traditional Mexican food in a customary setting.  Since there are two Taqueria Jalisco restaurants facing each other on 1st Ave N, you have the choice between two good spots with basically the same food. The main difference is that the restaurant on the west side of the street has a bar. Unless you’re looking for a place to watch the game, I recommend the Jalisco on the east side of the street. “Try the enchiladas verdes!” (In case you’re wondering, the quotation marks indicate that I’m quoting myself, I just said “Try the enchiladas” out loud to make it official.)

#3 Luisa’s Mexican Grill (9776 Holman Rd. NW, Seattle, WA) 

Luisa’s sets itself apart from the moment you walk in for dinner and are greeted by the corn-laden smell of warm, fresh-off-the-grill tortillas and then (”Surprise!”) they offer you one, no charge the perfect free pre-appetizer. Almost as perfect as those free cream puffs they give you when you walk into Than Brothers (516 Broadway E) for some amazing pho (just one example of the many restaurants that make up Seattle’s Ridiculously Amazing Asian Food Scene). By the way, have you heard of this word yen? You might think I’m still talking about Asian food, but keep up with me I’ve moved on. Yen, (Etymology: obsolete English argot yen-yen craving for opium, from Chinese yIn-yhn, from yIn opium + yhn craving) means a strong desire or propensity : LONGING; also : URGE. So, as I was saying, if you have a yen for cheese dip, you can get your fix at Luisa’s, one of the rare Seattle restaurants that serves queso (this one also has chorizo).  Bottom line: Luisa’s is a great choice, with excellent service and quality food at reasonable prices. Plus you can inject their cheese dip into your veins. Better than sex, man. “Try the queso!” And the fajitas!

#4 Cactus Restaurant (4220 E Madison St., Seattle, WA) 

Cactus is the most expensive and distinctive restaurant on my list (again, quoting myself).  The bar has a good selection of specialty drinks and you can’t go wrong with any of their margaritas they all get you drunk, in my experience, but my personal favorite is the Prickly Pear.  The menu has a full range of traditional Mexican restaurant items (but no item numbers or Combinaciones on this menu) and also offers several exciting, new and different selections (thought I was going to say improved, didn’t you?)

#5  Taco Guaymas (1415 Broadway, Seattle, WA) 

Many will call themselves guaymas, but “there can be only one. (I was actually quoting dialogue from Highlander that time.) Taco Guaymas strives for a hassle-free setup that is basically half fast food, half sit down.  The self-serve salsa bar is a great idea, but remember that you have to order chips and salsa no free pre-appetizers here. Bottom line: Taco Guaymas is the best cheap (it’s actually not that cheap), quick (they are pretty quick) and tasty (sabroso) Mexican place in town.  “It tastes so good when it hits the lips!” (That little beauty’s a classic line from “Old School.”)

*Bonus Pick: Casa Bonita (17623 100^th Ave SW, Vashon, WA) 

Casa Bonita, located outside Seattle on Vashon Island, is just a short (15-minute sailing time, 5-10 minute load/unload, wait time varies widely) ferry ride away.  There are two Mexican restaurants on the Island, and one of them is just alright with me (thanks, Doobie Brothers) but not nearly as good as the other one so make sure you have the right one or you’ll be thinking “I come all the way out here for THIS?” (Actually, [Vashon is a Lovely Place to Visit,] but that’s the subject of another article. [click here].  If you caught a ferry to Vashon from downtown or West Seattle, you’ll see the other Mexican place as you’re unloading from the boat. Drive on, my friend. While the service at Casa Bonita is highly unpredictable, the food has never been disappointing.  One islander told me that the salsa at Casa Bonita rivals what you would get in Mexico or South America.  I recommend finishing a long day biking around beautiful Vashon with a delicious Mexican meal.

Many families have little money to spend, but come the weekend yearn for something fun to do. Here, as a mom and a student are some of the things my son and I enjoy the best!

Carkeek Beach/park- Carkeek is a beautiful and diverse place. You can enjoy the beach, with MANY creatures to find for the  biologist in all of us. You can also play sports in the large fields, or enjoy a woodsy hike on the many “kid friendly” trails. At the right time of the year, you can also see the salmon spanning in the stream! There are also cavered places to BBQ, with a great playground right there. This is sure to please the nature buffs in all of us!

Pike Place Market- This is not good for little ones, or strollers as it is crowded. For school age kids, its fun to walk through ans see all the varieties of seafood, fruits and veggies and hand made crafts. No trip is complete without a visit to Rachel, the oversized piggy bank, who welcomes kids to drop a penny in, and climb on for a photo. You also have to see the magic shop, where they are always happy to show you neat tricks.

Museums- Almost every museum, including the Childrens Museum, Seattle Art Museum, and Seattle Asain Art Museum, offer days of free admission. List of free days are available at their web sites. This is a great way to offer diversity, and you don’t feel badly if you don’t stay too long!

Community Centers- The Seattle Parks and Recreation offers free seasonal activities, such as egg hunts, Halloween activities, and such for almost every holiday Often you buy tickets that cost a mere quarter… In the summer many parks offer free sack lunches for kids under 12. So you can spend a day at the park/beach and just pack beverages! Always great to support the Seattle Parks and Recreation.

There are so many hidden resources out there, with a little help and a quick look up, you are sure to find a free activity for every weekend in the lovley Seattle!

On a summer night, go out to the West Seattle district, out along Admiral Way. About half way to Alki there’s a small park on the waterfront side.  Park anywhere along there, and walk out to the stone and concrete pier that sticks out into Elliot Bay and look west, toward Downtown.  The city lights reflect off the water of Elliot Bay and make for a totally stunning view.  Do it at night, when you can’t see the tramp freighters anchored in the harbor, and all you can see of the crassly commercial cruise ships are their lights.  Do it.  It reminds you WHY you put up with traffic and 90 straight days of rain every year.  This really is the most beautiful city in the world. Heading eastbound on highway 410 out of Sumner on a very clear day, up the steep hill there.  Just after you pull into Bonney Lake, there’s a stretch of road where you’ve just gained the crest of the hill and are started to go back downhill again, and if you look up, very suddenly and without warning, Mount Ranier looms up out of the distance dead ahead of you, like an angry iceberg glaring at the Titanic. It’s awesome. Keep your eyes on the road, but check it out. On an early spring evening when it’s been rainy that morning but sunny in the afternoon, crossing the Ship Canal bridge southbound on I-5 there’s a magic spot on the bridge span - I’ve had many times going across that bridge (in traffic at 5 mph or less, asking myself “WHY do I live in Seattle?”), so I know exactly where the spot is - you can look to your right and see the sun going down, in the foreground is the deep-blue water of Lake Union, looking further down the Ship Canal there’s the sun going down over Puget Sound,

Everybody
knows that I’m not a cooking person.  I mean, playing in the kitchen is fun but not all the time. I like to
cook for people, not for myself. So after my boyfriend went back to Scotland I
had hardly ever go to the community kitchen. I dine out all the time.

It
wasn’t a wonderful experience to ask for a table for ONE. Sometimes
it’s embarrassing. but you know good food worths its embarrassment. This Friday after work I went to J&M Cafe at Pioneer Square by myself. I haven’t
had much to eat for lunch so i was very hungry that evening. J&M is
a bra+restaurant. There aren’t much food to choose, most of them are
typical American dishes like burger and sandwich. I decided to treat
my poor stomach good so I ordered a two dishes–baked salmon cake and
mushroom burger. The service was so-so. The blonde waitress did not
take my order till I asked for it. The baked salmon came quick so i
gave them back credits. comparing to seafood restaurant near the piers
these salmon cakes were average. But i’d give it a B for its
price. The mushroom burger was nicer than those in the university
district, yet it was by no means excellent. J&M is good for its price, 10 bucks for two dishes, what else do you want?

Saturday Night @ The Sunset Tavern

It was a nice little bar in the ballard neighborhood (5433 Ballard Ave Nw. Seattle, WA 98107-4052 ). The night was bitch cold and the traffic was thicker than usual. Our hero walked the couple of blocks to get into the tavern in question where he was invited by his friend to see an innocent photo show. but as the old saying goes looks can be decieving.

I walked up to the bar and asked what the specials were for happy hour. The bartender glared at me. “For you stranger, it is a dollar off.” I ordered a beer and looked around the room at the photos displayed on the wall.

I drank my cover charge and waited for the rest of the gang to show up. It was going to be one of those nights. The crowd started to thicken up as if some one was going to start jello wrestling, instead of photo judging. Ginger showed up. We looked around at the photos. The DJ will be hauted by the sound of my name for the rest of the evening.

The room started to spin as I heard the opening band……”Keynote Speaker”…….play on stage. Did someone slip a mickey into my captain and coke????????

They announced a winner for one of the 4 categories: Staged photo, portrait, photographers choice, and landscape.

I booed the stage. Telling the man-whore who won to fuck off and get the hell off.

The 2nd band……”Racetrack”……Started to play. Some guy in an orange fur animal suit with a whiskey bottle drawn on the front walked in.

“Hi. I am phil” He said.

“I am a pissed off hack writer who will bulgeon you with a copy of the Stranger if you dont leave me the fuck alone, FREAK”

His friend, Some guy too skinny for his Black and white wavy stripe shirt and baggy leather pants, come up to me. He had shaved grooves into his beard. GROOVE FOR CHRISSAKE!!!!!

“Hey man maybe you need to chill out”

“Fuck off!!! I am Ben Callahan! I am an artiste!” I said, using the name I was told to use in case one of ginger’s friends won.

We stayed to the begining of the last set……”Speaker Speaker” (who make the names up?)……Heard the last of the names to be announced, found out hat Ginger didnt win, then went home.

……and that my friend was the activities last night or at least the story I am telling the cops.

Here is the scoop:
My friend Helen and I are passionate about dining out; were both veterans of the food and bar industry (We work together in Bell-town where Helen bartends and I wait tables) and Helen studied culinary school in France. Every Monday we go and check out another spot and write about our experince there. We happen to both be students as well studying journalism and communications. There is a young, hip, industry oriented audience out there that has yet to be targeted. We rate places differently each time (there is a time for beer and pizza as well as a time for wine and fois gras), but always describe the atmosphere and quality…or lack of. Were two hot young girls with fresh voices and writing styles and I think there is definitely a discussion to be had here as we have been talking about creating some sort of publication out of this for a while. I need to talk to Helen before submitting any work or asking price, but wanted to put our story out there and see what you think. These are a few places we’ve been so far and loved:
-Bal-Mar
-Tulio
-Saito’s sushi
-Volterra
-Place Pigalle
The only rule we have is that we have to sit at a bar; other than that the possiblilities are endless….

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