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Five Best Restaurants in Seattle’s Central District
5 Best Restaurants in Seattle’s Central District Seattle’s Central District (known as the CD locally) is one of our older neighborhoods and located just east and south of downtown, making it convenient for foodie exploring. This quiet neighborhood is racially and ethnically diverse, and a mix of turn of the century homes and new construction. It’s an eclectic Seattle neighorhood with a long tradition of excellent food. These are the five restaurants I am in love with this week! Howeever, I am fickle, and these is so much good food in this neighborhood that next week, I mifght rearrange this, or add someone new.
One of the Seattle’s Best Ethiopian Restaurants Seattle is Rich in Great Thai Food!One of the best thai places in the city is also near 27th and East Cherry Lotus Thai Cuisine is a consistent favorite, serving tasty Thai dishes at the spice level of your preference. With a friendly atmosphere and a menu full of inexpensive options for a variety of palate preferences, this one is not to be missed. Try the Green Curry Chicken or the Drunken Noodles. You will not be disappointed.
Seattle’s Chicken and Waffle Scene: If you’re not yet familiar with the tantalizing flavor profile that is the chicken-waffle combination, indulge for the first time at Nate’s Wings and Waffles. Order a surprising waffle with your favorite classic strips, a chicken waffle slider, wings, or a beef slider with sweet potato fries. No one’s going to judge you for choosing one American delicacy over another. In fact, they’ll be too busy dipping into their maple apple cider syrup to care. Dive Bar Heaven If you’re looking for food and a good mood, you’re thinking of Twilight Exit, which is the other party in a longtime love affair with locals and visitors alike. Delicious Americana food and relatively inexpensive drinks abound, both on the patio and in the ‘70s-themed interior. Some say the best time to visit is a weekday evening, when you’ll be warmly greeted by diverse locals. TIme for Dessert! If you’re not intrigued by Peanut Butter and Berry Jam ice cream, don’t worry – monthly and seasonal flavors are the highlight, but they’re not forgoing the traditional delights at Central District Ice Cream Company. Here, you’re going to be enthralled with colorful cones and delectable ice cream sandwiches (two brown sugar cookies hugging pumpkin ice cream, for example). But you can also feast on chocolates, candies, milkshakes, and popsicles. Just head over now, or you’ll be daydreaming about this sweet indulgence all day long. Remember, your downtown vacation rental home is just a hop, skip, and a jump from some of the best food you can imagine. When you’re out exploring for the day, grab a friend and hop on a bus, streetcar or Limebike and head on over to the Central District for an experience you won’t forget. After all, it’s time to treat yourself.
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Snow Day Fun Close to Seattle
Looking to have some fun in the snow?
Seattle has some fantastic, and educational, snowshoe hikes within two hours (normal driving times) from city center. These hikes are big kid friendly, but if you’ve got littler ones, or prefer riding versus hiking when it comes to your snow day fun, I’ve included some tubing hills close by as well. First off, for safety: Make sure your personal vehicle or rental car is equipped for mountain driving. Wear layers, and stay away from cotton as when it gets wet, it stays wet, making it easy to become chilled. A waterproof outer layer, even a shell, will keep you comfortable. Light hiking boots or tennis shoes easily fit in the snowshoes used on the guided hikes. Use wool or polypropylene socks –they are going to make you the happiest. Also, for our lowland or warm region guests: Snow is serious business. If you are unfamiliar with the area, terrain, or abilities, do not go off on your own. Utilize a guided snowshoe walk, check weather conditions, and be safe.
Two hours is our max drive time, but this can easily make a long day trip. Leave Seattle by 9am, arrive to Paradise by 11 or so, enjoy a day in a beautiful wonderland, and head back to the city at about 5pm. The visitor’s center does have food for sale. As this is within the National park, a entry fee is charged. Also, chains are required for any car driving into the park in winter.
About 60 miles east of Seattle, right on Snoqualmie Pass, is the Hyak Snow Park. It has five sledding hills that are grooming several times a week, as well as cross country ski runs, snowshoeing trails (see caution above) and an open area for just general snow fun. The big draw of this area is that it is FREE to sled. The parking however, is not, and you will need a Discover Pass and a Snow Park day permit (currently $30 per car). It is also self catered. There are bathrooms here, but not much else, so you need to pack in your own snow gear, sleds and food. If this sounds a bit too rustic, backtrack the car just a few miles west to the Summit Tubing Center at Snoqualmie, with 12 groomed tube lanes, a motorized tow line, and a café on site. They charge by the two hour session, which will run you $25 a person, and they provide the tubes. For snowshoeing, the US Forest Service guides six different snowshoe hikes in the area around Snoqualmie Summit. They ask for a suggested donation of $25 a person. Hikes occur Saturday and Sundays, and can be tailored for kids, photography, etc. Snowshoes are provided. Reservations are required. Snowshoeing at Crystal Mountain Looking for a little bit fancier of an experience? For snowshoeing only (no tubing at this location) check out Crystal Mountain, about an hour southeast of Seattle. Every Saturday, through the end of March, Crystal offers Snowshoe and Dinner, or Snowshoe and Sip events. A little pricer, at $65 a head, but a unique and memorable experience. Start your hike with a chairlift ride up to the top of the Bullion Basin area and a two hour walk through beautiful forests, with epic views. Return to dinner, or select evenings, a featured winery. Snowshoes are provided and reservations are required.
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Special Olympics 2018 Coming to Seattle!
Special Olympics Games 2018 Coming to Seattle July 2018
North America has over half a million athletes participating in all 32 sports offered by Special Olympics, and while not all of those athletes are in the United States, the 2018 Special Olympic games in Seattle promises to be a huge event, with well over 4,000 athletes and coaches and 10,000 volunteers traveling to Seattle from all 50 states and Washington D.C.. The mission of the games: to showcase the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities and the impact of Special Olympics through world-class competition, inspirational experiences, and modeling inclusion for all. In addition to the games themselves, 2018 is the 50th Anniversary of the Special Olympics movement, and as such, there will be special ceremonies during the Seattle festivities to honor this great organization. It is important to remember that these are real athletes who work very hard, train daily, and compete for the chance to attend these games, held every four years. Athletes participate in 14 Olympic type team and individual events, including golf, swimming, and tennis, among others. Events will take place across the Puget Sound region including University of Washington, Angle Lake in Seatac, Celebration Park and King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Kenmore Lanes in Kenmore, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, Willows Run Golf Club in Redmond, and closing ceremonies at Lake Union Park here in downtown Seattle at South Lake Union. To attend any of these events, check out the schedule online. Besides the athletes, coaches and volunteers, 10,000 family members and friends and 70,000 spectators are expected to attend. VisitSeattle, the area’s tourism expert, is saying there are not enough hotel rooms in Seattle to meet demand for this event. Much of this is due to the timing. With it taking place in the height of cruise ship season, and during the Independence Day holiday, the city of Seattle will be full of people. Because of this, we encourage Special Olympic participants to book lodging as soon as possible! Seattle Oasis Vacation Rentals offers one, two and three bedroom vacation homes, from efficient condos to four story townhomes, convenient to many of the Special Olympic venues. Related, if you are cruise guest looking to enjoy the city before or after your cruise during this week, don’t hesitate in making your vacatioin rental choice! Special Olympics is looking for volunteers. All abilities are needed, from emergency management to logistics to operations. All ages are welcome; kid volunteers under 13 need to be accompanied by an adult. If interested, please reach out at https://www.specialolympicsusagames.org/volunteer/
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Seattle’s Jazz Scene is World Class
Nordstrom Santa Seattle
The Nordstrom’s Santa is a long-standing holiday tradition and should not be missed if you are in Seattle during the holiday season. The famed Santa first came to Seattle in December of 1943 and set up shop in Seattle’s beloved department store, Frederick and Nelson. Frederick and Nelson closed its doors many years ago, but Nordstrom’s (now in its place downtown) has kept the tradition alive.
https://shop.nordstrom.com/store-details/nordstrom-downtown-seattle/Santa-Breakfast/81928 Tips to Avoid the Lines: When you arrive to Santa’s Lane, you are met by a Nordstrom’s “Elf” who offers you hot apple cider and your choice of a snicker doodle or chocolate chip cookie while you wait for your turn. When you are second in line, you are taken up to where Mrs. Claus is waiting with a candy cane and greets your child(ren) by name, immediately putting them at ease. When it is time to meet Santa, you have the option of sitting on Santa’s lap, or for some timid kids, they have a cute rocking horse next to Santa that they can sit on. While professional pictures are taken (packages starting around $25), they encourage you to take your own pictures with your cell phone or camera. Then Santa takes a few moments with each child to ask them what they would like. The experience is always magical. Santa Lane, located on the corner of 6th and Pine, across the street from Pacific Place Mall, opens just after Thanksgiving weekend and runs until Christmas Eve. For hours of operation, please check the store’s website at https://shop.nordstrom.com/store-details/nordstrom-downtown-seattle Happy Holidays!
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New Year’s Eve in Seattle
New Year’s Eve in Seattle means the fireworks at the Space Needle! Locals gather at the base of the Needle to watch the famous display, or tune in on TV. However, there is plenty to do New Year’s to ring out the old andinthe new, and here are our top three picks!
Winter Fishtival at the Seattle Aquarium: Ringing in the New Year with little ones? The Seattle Aquarium’s annual Winter Fishtival will be right up their alley! Each year, in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, the Aquarium puts on special activities that highlight Puget Sound’s diverse water creatures. Each day a different animal is featured, and hands-on activites, diver shows, and more educate guests on the animal of the day. This year, Undersea Gardens will be the “star of the day” and the Aquarium will have an extra-special activity on New Year’s Day. Twice, at 11am and again at 1pm, the Octonauts will appear! This will be especially thrilling to the pre-school set, so plan accordinly. All Fishtival activities are included in price of Aquarium admission, It’s always nice to have options! Let’s face it, it’s probably too late to get into some of best viewing parties for fireworks in the area, so if you’d like to try to pull something together last minue, check out this great drinks and fresh Mexican place. El Chupacabrfa is doing it up at two of their locations. In South Lake Union, at 901 Fairview Avenue North. Food will be served until midnight, a happy hour will start at 10pm and their giant bay window has a great view of the Needle. Rince and repeat at their Alki spot, with an unimpeded view across Elliott Bay to the Needle. Best of all, no additional cover charge! You could do a LOT worse! Prohibition at the Barrel Thief: This sounds like so much fun! Want to dress up and paint the town on New Year’s? Head just north of downtown Seattle to Fremont and party like it’s Prohibition at the Barrel Thief’s ’20s-themed bash, which will feature era-appropriate music, black and white gangster films with no sound playing in the background, a Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu, a champagne flight, and a midnight countdown with sparkling champagne toast included with an admission of just $5. 21 and over. A Seattle Insider Bonus: Watching the fireworks under the Space Needle is pretty special. A word of warning, lots of people think so, or want to do it “at least once” so go prepared for crowds. On the Seattle Center sampus, there is the annual free party, this year featuring a performance from Northwest pop cover band Sway, a light show, KEXP DJ-soundtracked dance party, and (the most important part) fireworks at midnight. If you want to skip the festivities and just make it to the Needle for the main event, Seattle Police close the roads directly around the Needle about 11:45pm. Standing on Denny is a great way to be right in the middle of the fantastic show, and be able to make a quick get away when it’s over.
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Where to Eat on Christmas Day
We shared similar information for the Thansgiving holiday. Below, find a list of great food establishments that will be open for service on Christmas Day, There are even a couple of places that offer vegetarian and/or gluten free options. We would like to help those of you who are not up to cooking a meal. In case the restaurants have made any changes, please call them directly to confirm price and hours of service. Green Highlighs are glutan free or vegetarian, Local 360 2231 First Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Miller’s Guild 612 Stewart Street Seattle, WA 98101 Goldfinch Tavern (Four Seasons Hotel) 99 Union Street Seattle, WA 98101 Frolik Kitchen & Cocktails 1415 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 All Water Seafood and Oyster Bar (Hotel 1000) 1010 First Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Dunbar Room (Sorrento Hotel) 900 Madison Street Seattle, WA 98104 Jimmy’s on Broadway 1100 Broadway Seattle, WA 98122 Lost Lake Café & Lounge 1505 Tenth Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 Waterways Cruises 2441 N Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103 The order of the list is closest to farthest from Belltown area; Local 360 being the nearest to most of our properties, and working out from there. From all of us at Seatlte Oasis, however you celebrate, we wish you and yours a very happy holiday!
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Christmas Ships: A Seattle Tradition
Seattle is truly at its most beautiful during the holiday season. From late November until New Year’s Eve, the city is filled with a spectacular array of lights. The most unique of these electric displays can be found on the Christmas Ships. Argosy Cruises has a fleet of boats that take passengers around Seattle’s various bodies of water throughout the year. But it’s during the Holidays that these ships really come to life with a magical array of sparkle. The festival of ships starts November 24th and runs through December 23rd with a variety of voyages throughout the Seattle area. https://www.argosycruises.com/argosy-cruises/christmas-ship-festival/
The Spirit of Seattle Follow Ships Lake Union and The Parade of Boats Pier 55: The Puget Sound and Peninsula Adventure The Ballard Locks Experience Experience the Love Shoreside |
Seattle Thanksgiving Restaurants 2017
Five Coffee Shops In Seattle Not Named Starbucks
Five Seattle Coffeeshops Not Named Starbucks While Starbucks is a great standard in Seattle for a cup of joe, there are some fabulous options for local roasters and cafés that can satisfy even the truest of coffee connoisseurs. If you love a finely roaster bean, make sure you don’t limit your café experiences in the city to just the “original” Starbucks. Some of our top five choices include: 1. Bang Bang Café Located in Belltown, this café serves delicious Lighthouse Roasters coffee, a Seattle roaster just north of downtown. In addition to great coffee, Bang Bag has a wonderful breakfast and lunch menu with lots of vegetarian and vegan friendly options. 2. Analog Coffee Situated in Capitol Hill, Analog Coffee is a cool, modern café that uses a selection of local roasters. Their baristas are truly coffee experts and deliver a finely crafted espresso every time. In addition, right next door is their sister café, B-Side Foods, which serves smalls plates for breakfast and brunch. 3. Vivace Espresso With two Capitol Hill locations, and one café in South Lake Union (Across from the Flagship REI), this local roaster has some of the most delicious coffee in the city. The South Lake Union café also has a great kid-friendly area with toys and books to distract the littles, while you sip your espresso. 4. Caffe Umbria Caffe Umbria offers an authentic European vibe, by creating Italian roasted coffee in Seattle’s Pioneer Square downtown. The café also serves pastries, panini sandwiches, gelato and fine Italian beer and wine. 5. Herkimer Coffee This local roaster has locations in South Lake Union, Phinney Ridge and the University District in Seattle. Herkimer buys only traditionally cultivated beans in order to promote sustainable growing techniques and, in addition, deliver a high quality product. Their café’s offer a small selection of locally baked goods as well. Photo credits @herkimer coffee and @bangbangcafe |
Seattle’s Fall Comfort Foods
There are certain things that make us nostalgic of being at home. Snuggling in a warm blanket by the fireplace, pumpkins by the front door, hot chocolate in a mug, and the smell of baked apple pie are certainly memory triggers for moments of “a simple life.” October seems like a great time to go through the list to give us some warmth as the chill of fall start to set in. Thoughts of the upcoming holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, elevate the feeling even more. Unfortunately, fireplaces are not standard in most of ourvacation homes (fireplaces on the TV or computer monitor do not count!). The upside, wrapping yourself with a blanket is easy enough to accomplish. Check! • Who Who doesn’t like chocolate? For a tasty HOT CHOCOLATE, warm up about 2 cups of milk in a saucepan, add 5 oz. of high quality bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)–I prefer the Fran’s baking bars–and whisk until melted. A tablespoon or two of sugar is always optional. More milk can be added to this mixture if the thickness is not to your liking. Pour in mugs. For something special, top with a small pinch of sea salt or cinnamon. For those of you who are willing to have a longer moment, how about an easy apple dessert? Washington is known for our apples, so this is a fall treat that is a local favorite. APPLE TART Preheat oven according to box directions. This tart tastes best when served warm or room temperature. It also makes an excellent “breakfast pastry” Now that you have made the apple tart, you have now set your minds in motion to make homey desserts for all the upcoming holidays; dark chocolate bundt cake for Halloween, pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, maybe sugar cookies or even a log cake for Christmas. Perhaps something as simple as adding a peppermint stick to a mug of hot chocolate to ring in the new year.
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Cozy Up To These Seattle Restaurants With Outdoor Firepits
The Emerald City is known for its finicky weather. When you want to enjoy the outdoors even though it may be a tad chilly, settling in next to a cozy fire pit does the trick. These Seattle restaurants allow you to do just that while enjoying a delicious meal, excellent spirits and beers, and a wonderful view.
Revel A fusion of comfort food, Revel brings a lineup of Asian street fare with an upscale twist. With a buzzing workshop kitchen and adjoined with the industrial-chic bar Quoin, Revel showcases its kitchen’s genius for layering flavors and textures. With a variety of lunch and dinner options, be sure to stick around for the fun and theme-y ice cream sandwiches, soda pops, and other delicious dessert items. The layout of Revel is more down market with subway tiles, hard chairs, and a youthfully informal vibe. Rock Creek Seafood and Spirits James Beard nominated Chef Eric Donnelly envisioned the perfect restaurant to encompass the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. This tribute to all things aquatic features baked oysters, exotic mutton snapper, and to-die-for ricotta beignets. Rumor has it Grammy Award-winning rap artist Macklemore is a regular, so you may get a side of star-spotting with your dinner. Westward An approachable, all-day restaurant, Westward has a sprawling outdoor area with casual picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, a fire pit, and a lakeside view to take your breath away. Lunch, nibbles, dinner, and brunch are available. While their delightful and easy to follow website has a complete menu listing, the menu changes daily so you can be sure you’re always getting the freshest fare. The James Beard foundation awarded them Outstanding Restaurant Design Finalist.
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5 Museums Not to Miss Seattle
Seattle is known for its rain, and the reputation can be a little exaggerated. Seattle summers, for example, are usually warm and mostly dry. However, as we get deeper into Fall, the fact is that rain, showers, drizzle, mizzle or downpours are more common than not.
Luckily, Seattle has plenty to do in the rainy weather. There are plenty of rain friendly outdoor activities in the area, but if you are looking for dry ideas, check out Seattle’s museum scene! Seattle has over 40 museums according to Wikipedia, and I’ve been to most of them. Each has its own special flavor and offerings, but the following are my five personal favorites, in no particular order. MOPOP: This is a fun, bright, energetic museum that leaves you smiling. This used to be called EMP (Experience Music Project) and the Science Fiction Museum and still has that emphasis, but with more. As of this writing, there are exhibits featuring the Seattle Super Bowl win (sorry guests, I’m a homer), Star Trek, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Hensen and David Bowie. This museum has a great layout, super easy to drift from area to area or pick and choose as you like. Check out the Sound Lab, a great bit for kiddos where you get to play different instruments. Its location, on the Seattle Center campus, means a nice rainy day walk from most of our properties, and has a great café and fantastic stores with super cool merchandise. Allow 2-3 hours for a visit. Seattle Pinball Museum: Located in Seattle’s International District, at 508 Maynard Avenue S, this is the most interactive museum on my list, and another great activity if you have kids over seven in tow. Pay a flat rate entry fee ($12-20 at this time) for unlimited plays on up to 50 pinball machines. Machines range from modern to historic, and while outside food is not permitted, there is a snack bar on site with craft brews, vintage soda pop, and light munchies. Bonus for children of the 80s: on the second floor are a couple vintage video games. Pac Man, Astroids, Galaga are all available to play as part as the flat entry rate. Note that hours do fluctuate day to day, so check before you go. Also, kids under seven cannot play the games. Seattle Klondike Gold Rush Museum: This is a hidden gem that just doesn’t get as much love as it deserves. Located in Pioneer Square, at 319 Second Avenue, this is part of the National Park Service’s multi-location Klondike Gold Rush National Park, with a sister location in Skagway, AK. It is located in a historic brick building and the interior just glows with beautiful lighting, exposed brick and restored wood. It is my absolutely favorite museum space, in regard to ambiance. However, Klondike Gold Rush Museum is not just a pretty face. The park service showcases educational and historical exhibits of the gold rush that put Seattle on the map for the first time. Ever wonder how much you’d be worth, if you were gold? This is the place to find out! This is a small location, artifacts can be seen over two floors, and I would say 1-2 hours of your time is needed for a leisurely visit. For kids, they do have a Junior Ranger program here. And bonus, as of this writing, this is a FREE attraction. Seattle Art Museum: This fantastic art museum is full of light and space, making a walk through their galleries feel like the sun is shining, even on the greyest of Seattle days. Known as SAM, the Seattle Art Museum has three locations, the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the flagship location at 1300 First Avenue. For rainy day purposes, we are going to concentrate on the First Avenue location, which is located one block south of the Pike Place Market. Their collection of NW First Nation art is world class. In addition, they have great collections of European and Contemporary art, and attract the best of the travelling collections to the city. I love the porcelain room personally. Allow 2-3 hours for a visit. First Thursdays are FREE but SAM has a suggested admission policy, which means pay what you will to view the SAM Collections and Installations. Pricing IS fixed for tickets that include the whatever travelling exhibit is in town. Museum of Flight: The Seattle Museum of Flight (9404 East Marginal Way, Seattle, 98108) is a world class museum for all things airplane. This is the only location on my list not in the downtown Seattle core. It can be reached easily by bus (route 124 on Second Avenue) or about a 20 minute Lyft or taxi ride. It is near the original Boeing location and the original Boeing factory, the “little red barn” was moved and restored on site. Great for kids, there are interactive exhibits, including an FA-18 cockpit you can explore, as well as classic and rare planes. Again, a café on-site makes a visit here relaxed. This is a 2-3 hour visit at least (true airplane aficionados could probably spend the day), with highlights being the Space Shuttle Trainer, original 747, a Concorde, and extensive WWI and WWII collections. |
The Best Places for Wine Tasting in Seattle Without Having to Schlep to Woodinville
The Best Places for Wine Tasting in Seattle… …Without Having to Schlep to Woodinville! Washington state residents and visitors alike are sure lucky when it comes to an abundance of regional wines. From the quaint valleys of Yakima to the hustle and bustle of Woodinville you can experience a variety of varietals in some very picturesque places, all within a few hours’ drive. But one of the best aspects of visiting Seattle is that even if you are here for just a short stay, you can also experience a plethora of Washington wine tasting without ever having to leave downtown. The Tasting Room; Wines of Washington (1924 Post Alley) https://www.winesofwashington.com/ Also in the Pike Place area is the fabulous Italian specialty food and wine shop DeLaurenti (1435 1st Avenue.) https://delaurenti.com/ Every Saturday this gorgeous shop offers one of the most affordable wine tastings in all of Seattle. From 2PM-4PM you can sample regional and Italian wines in their upstairs wine cellar for only $2.00 a person. Some weekends feature cider or beer tastings instead of wine, but for 2 bucks any tasting is well worth it! Robert Ramsay: (1629 Queen Anne Ave N. #102) https://robertramsay.com/ Located on quaint Upper Queen Anne hill, a quick uber or bus ride from any of our Belltown properties, the Robert Ramsay tasting room is dedicated to showcasing Rhone varietal wines. Winemaker Robert Ramsay Harris produces wines that are hearty and bold but very food friendly. The tasting room is open Tuesday through Sunday and features a daily happy hour. Seattle Urban Works is home to 10 local winemakers. Located just south of the city center, in the Stadium District, or SODO, you can sample a whole lot of wine all under one roof. One of the notable tenants that is worth checking out is Kerloo Cellars (3911 1st Avenue South) https://www.kerloocellars.com/ Winemaker Ryan Crane showcases Rhone and Spanish varietals in a chic tasting space located in an otherwise industrial part of town a short uber ride away from all our Belltown and downtown properties. Jet City (1136 South Albro Place) in the Georgetown neighborhood near SODO, is home to Washington’s renegade winemaker Charles Smith https://winesofsubstance.com/visit-us/ The expansive space that was once a Dr. Pepper bottling plant features two tasting rooms with his uscious wines and a view of the main runways of Boeing Field. The Estates Wine Room https://www.estateswineroom.com/Tasting-Room Washington wines are world class, and these convenient-to-downtown Seattle locations for wine tasting means that you don’t have to dedicate an entire day to sample the bounty of our region! Salut! |
Halloween for Grown-ups!
Downtown Seattle for All Hallows Eve Halloween is not just for the kiddos! There are plenty of happens in downtown Seattle, including Belltown and Capitol Hill, to keep us grown-ups happy, and to make a Seattle Halloween a highlight of your trip. From boozy treats to chocolate sweets, we’ve got you covered! Halloween Pub Crawl 2017 is actually in its seventh year. October 21 is the day, and this is a rip-roaring good time, with a costume contest, group photos, live entertainment and NO cover at participating bars. It starts in downtown Seattle at noon, and goes 14 hours until 2am and ends in Pioneer Square. Over 500 folks participate each year and this, really, is a highlight of the Halloween season. You can join in at any time at any venue, and stop when you want. Cash for the drinks is highly recommended! Photo credit Seattle Pipeline, Scott Foster Pier Pressure Titanic Masquerade: This is Seattle’s best on-the-water Halloween Party. Depart from Pier 55 for three hours of music and dancing, with two live DJs on three levels of the Spirit of Seattle yacht. Costumes are required (that’s why it’s called a Masquerade, folks) and masks are preferred. Leave the kiddies at home, this is a 21+ event with a cash bar. Seattle Thriller Dance: An annual worldwide simultaneous dance event also known as Thrill the Word, this is a group dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller that will occur this year on Saturday, October 28, 2017, at 3:00 pm (on the dot) at Occidental Park in Pioneer Square. While not officially a flash mob situation, if you know the moves, you can definitely participate on the fly. As a spectator, it is great fun to see people join up as the dance progresses! See last year’s at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltq_xE27bCY If you want to dance, arrive no later than 2:30pm, the dancing will start precisely at 3pm. Zombie attire preferred but not required. The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show is a year ’round event, but does it up special for Halloween, and this event ALWAYS sells out, so if you are interested, don’t hesitate to book. This is a four course dinner where a comedic murder mystery plays out within the guests. You don’t know who-dun-it, and the action takes place within the confines of the group. Your table mate may be a mild mannered accountant from Kirkland, or the MURDERER! This venue does have a dress code (dressy casual) so be aware. The crime will take place at the Crowne Plaza downtown Seattle. A bit further afield, but still less than 30 minutes by Uber is the Seattle Chocolates Haunted Factory Tour. Available Thursdays through Saturdays October 18-28, this is fun tour of the Seattle Chocolates Flagship facility in Tukwila. An interactive tour with puzzle elements makes this a cut above the usual factory tour, with a fun and spooky Halloween twist, and exposure to some of the best chocolate in the Seattle area. Nothing quite appeal to you, or rarin’ for more? Check out even more great Seattle Halloween events at Seattle Pipeline’s Halloween page. Seattle Pipeline is my go-to for events in the area! |
5 Things to Pack for your Trip to Seattle
Packing can be a challenge, no matter your destination! Great news, Seattle is one of the easiest locales to plan for. Our weather is mild, you can count on encountering rain, and the Seattle dress code is casual, which means the ball gown can stay in the closet!
Whether you’re coming to town for vacation or business, packing for your Seattle trip is a major factor on how enjoyable your stay will be. First, check the weather forecast a few days before you travel. While our climate is mild and nine months of the year your wardrobe may not change, there is a week or so in the winter where snow threatens (sometimes it falls, most times it doesn’t) and our summers are increasingly warm in late July and August.
Why are sunglasses so important in our rain-filled climate? Two main reasons, in my opinion. We do tend to lose them. Frequently. There is a period of time at the end of winter where it does feel like we may never see the sun again. So, when it does reappear, we blink like moles and can’t remember for the life of us, where we last saw our sunglasses. The other reason, and more applicable to you, our guest; sun glinting off wet pavement and directly into your eyeball HURTS. Save yourself, and bring your shades. One Seattle Have-Not (Leave This at Home): Don’t bother with an umbrella. Yes, seriously. Seattle is known for its rain, so I realize that this feels counter-intuitive. But what is sometimes not mentioned is that Seattle, particularly downtown Seattle, can be on the breezy side. Quite often this breezy climate is just enough to drive the rain on you, underneath your umbrella. Occasionally, this breeze becomes rambunctious enough to actually cause havoc, and flip your umbrella inside out. This is the main reason why the first point, above, is a rain jacket with a hood. Also, if you just can’t live without an umbrella, we provide not one, but two, in every single one of our condos! Packing your suitcase for Seattle is easy, and I hope the information provided above will make trip-prep at home a piece of cake! |
The Best Wine Finds in Belltown under $15
Enjoy a High Quality Bargain in your Seattle home away from home.
One of the many pleasures of staying in a vacation rental is coming home after a long day of sight-seeing adventures and relaxing with your loved ones over a home-cooked meal with local ingredients or scrumptious take-out paired with a great glass of wine. Though Washington State is known for its many wine regions, it can be hard to know where to get an enjoyable bottle of wine in the city that won’t take a chunk out of your traveling budget. We’ve scoured Belltown and Pike Place to come up with a list of wines that are delectable, pair with many culinary possibilities and are budget-friendly.
Belltown Market: 2424 1st Avenue (Located on the ground floor of our Belltown Court property): This corner store has a small wine selection that features one of our favorite picks. Famega Vihno Verde ($9.99) a Portuguese wine is about as easy drinking as wine can be. It’s very crisp and a touch effervescent. It is quite refreshing on its own but pairs well with seafood and creamy pasta dishes like local favorite Beechers Handmade Macaroni and Cheese (at 1600 Pike Place.)
Newtown Market: 2801 Western Avenue #B (Located across the Street from our AVA property): This corner market has an extensive wine selection and is laid out nicely with detailed labels describing the wines and their suggested pairings. Though most of the wines tend to be a bit over-priced, we were pleasantly surprised to find a great hearty red for under ten bucks. Baron de Furies Garnacha & Syrah ($9.99) is a Spanish wine made from 100% Garnacha old vine grapes. Though not a Washington wine, what’s a vacation without trying something new? Its full body will stand up to heavier meat dishes like steak and lamb while its smooth berry-tinged bite is delicious on its own.
Pike and Western Wine Shop: 1934 Pike Place (Located four blocks from our Newmark Tower property and within walking distance to all our Belltown properties.): This wine store has been serving the Pike Place community since 1975. Originally started to be a champion of Pacific Northwest wines, it features a great selection curated from around the world. Though many of their local wines are priced above $15.00, they showcase a whole section of budget-friendly imports. Moulin de Ferrand from Bordeaux Savingnon Semillon is priced right at $8.99. It goes well with steamed mussels and lightly dressed fresh oysters. One local favorite is Idilico Albarino ($14.99) from the Yakima Valley. It’s citrus notes and clean finish pair well scallops, shrimp and light salads. For a few dollars more, you can enjoy a truly local standout. Bainbridge Vineyards Muller-Thurgau ($17.99) is another crisp white wine that will pair beautifully with a variety of shellfish and will compliment halibut and rockfish. https://pikeandwestern.com/
Pear Delicatessen and Shoppe: 1926 Pike Place (Located two doors down from Pike and Western Wine Shop, near our Newmark Tower property): Vandori Pinot Grigio is a refreshing, not overly citrus white wine that will pair well with almost everything from green salads to Pacific Northwest seafood. It’s priced divinely at $7.00 at this Pike Place adjacent deli. The shop also offers a good selection of bubby priced under $15.00. We sampled the Dibon Brut Cava and found it crisp and light and well worth it’s $11.00 price tag. You can also find a nice assortment of cheeses, chocolates and deli meats to accompany your vino. For a fuss-free lunch or dinner you can also purchase a variety of salads, sandwiches and their signature dishes. Shop early as the deli is only open until 6PM. https://www.pearatpikeplace.com/
Cost Plus World Market: 2103 Western Avenue (Located within walking distance of all our Belltown and Pike Place properties): The wine selection at this World Market location is extensive and features a variety of local as well as imported finds. They also have sales, member pricing and multiple wine purchase discounts. Charles Smith, the legendary Washington winemaker is a renegade known for his drinkable wines and daring labels. Kung Fu Riesling ($14.99) has a dry, crisp finish that makes it perfect on its own or a good pairing with creamy cheeses. Airfield Estates from Yakima Valley also feature some great labels. Bombshell Red ($15.99) is a compilation of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. It pairs well with cheesy lasagna and elevates grilled burgers. Its Kitschy label and smooth jam-like taste also make it a great vacation souvenir to bring to the folks back home. https://stores.worldmarket.com/wa/seattle/2103-western-avenue.html