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As other Judy's Book denizens have noted, H&H these are not (I think H&H bagels run a little sweet myself, but that's another review), but Bagel Oasis is the place to go in Seattle for reall boiled...
As other Judy's Book denizens have noted, H&H these are not (I think H&H bagels run a little sweet myself, but that's another review), but Bagel Oasis is the place to go in Seattle for reall boiled bagels, not those crazy puffy circular dinner rolls that pass for bagels at some national chains I won't name here.
Give 'em a try, and let me know if you find better hereabouts...
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Choosing a child care facility is a nerve-wracking experience, especially for first-time parents (like my wife and I) who can barely imagine leaving our baby with anyone but immediate family. But if...
Choosing a child care facility is a nerve-wracking experience, especially for first-time parents (like my wife and I) who can barely imagine leaving our baby with anyone but immediate family. But if both parents work and in-home care isn't an option, choose you must.
For those who know us, it should come as no surprise that my wife and I put considerable effort into our child care research, making half a dozen site visits and talking to parents and teachers across the spectrum of local options. In the end, we chose Cascade Children's Corner, and have been very happy with our choice.
Located in the South Lake Union neighborhood (near the flagship REI store), Cascade is built on Seattle Times property, and offers preferential admission to Times employees. Luckily for us, they generally have open slots for non-Times families, one of which we obtained after several months on a waiting list. The center takes children from 3 months up to pre--kindergarten, and has a total capacity of about 60 children.
We chose Cascade in part because we had good friends whose infants were also enrolled there, and who were very happy with the quality of care their kids were receiving. Our son has been enrolled for about two months now, and we've been consistently impressed by the warmth and professionalism of the staff, the quality and cleanliness of the facility, and - most importantly - how happy our son seems to be at both drop-off and pick-up.
If you're looking for high-quality child care in Central Seattle, I highly recommend Cascade Children's Corner. And if you're seriously considering it, definitely put your name on the waiting list, as it may be several months before a slot opens up!
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I'm also an Audi owner recently stung by the service charges at University Audi, and my wife and my mom (both VW owners) have pointed me to Eurocar Service, on Roosevelt just below Ravenna. They've...
I'm also an Audi owner recently stung by the service charges at University Audi, and my wife and my mom (both VW owners) have pointed me to Eurocar Service, on Roosevelt just below Ravenna. They've both reported good experiences here on price, quality and (most imporatantly) honesty, with one caveat for Audi owners: the guys who run this garage don't think much of Audi's mechanical reliability, and are quick to point out why owning an Audi is a silly thing to do. Once they've done that, they're apparently happy to help you keep yours running, but if you don't want to hear about it, don't ask what they think of your car...
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If you're looking for cost-effective, stylish and eco-friendly materials for any home improvement project, Environmental Home Center should be on your short list of potential suppliers.
Located...
If you're looking for cost-effective, stylish and eco-friendly materials for any home improvement project, Environmental Home Center should be on your short list of potential suppliers.
Located in an out-of-the-way storefront in SoDo, EHC stocks a remarkable variety of building and home products, including bamboo and sustainable-harvest lumber flooring, natural cork and linoleum sheets and tiles, energy efficient appliances and even organic cotton sheets and towels.
If you're considering synthetic (vinyl or laminate) flooring, I'd encourage you to take a closer look at natural linoleum. It has all the same properties as the synthetic options (e.g., comes in continuous sheets, waterproof, easy to install, etc.), but is softer underfoot, comes in a more sophisticated color palette and is composed entirely of natural materials.
Even if you don't think of yourself as an environmentalist, EHC will suprise you with its selection, quality and prices.
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Dunn Lumber is a local, family-owned building materials supplier with excellent selection and a genuine commitment to customer service. They have several locations around town - the one I visit...
Dunn Lumber is a local, family-owned building materials supplier with excellent selection and a genuine commitment to customer service. They have several locations around town - the one I visit most often is in South Wallingford, on Latona between Pacific and Northlake.
In addition to a wide variety of stock and custom-milled lumber (as the name implies), Dunn carries a full selection of building and roofing materials, including Champion galvanized corrugated sheet stock and trims. Just drop by and consult with one of their sales reps -- most of whom have worked there for decades -- and they'll help you put together an order to complete whatever kind of project you have in mind.
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My wife and I used to live in the Bay Area, and we often wax nostalgic about the California climate (especially as our famed Seattle winter rolls in), the food and wine, and the beautiful...
My wife and I used to live in the Bay Area, and we often wax nostalgic about the California climate (especially as our famed Seattle winter rolls in), the food and wine, and the beautiful countryside so close to the city of San Francisco. This past weekend, we got a big and invigorating dose of all of the above (especially the wine) at a wedding in Boonville, a small town in the Anderson Valley near Mendocino.
Unlike the better-known and more commercialized Napa and Sonoma wine country, the Anderson Valley retains much of its rural charm, while delivering an amazing variety of great wineries, orchards, and craft brewers, and a small but growing selection of great restaurants.
While we didn't have time to explore the area as much as we would have liked, the Boonville Hotel stands out as the current star of the show. Despite standing directly on Highway 128 (as pretty much everything in the valley does), this 10-room hotel offers a stylish and inviting personal experience for both guests and diners.
Owned by the local Schmitt family (the original owners of Thomas Keller's French Laundry), the Boonville Hotel incorporates their strong culinary expertise and sophistication with an ease and simplicity entirely consistent with the valley's laid-back style. The hotel building echoes this blend of style and substance, with careful modern details and craftsmanship blended into a turn-of-the-century structure. The hotel grounds also include a large and well-tended herb garden, and an inviting deck and patio area.
Beyond its own numerous charms, the hotel lies within easy driving distance of dozens of excellent wineries, the Anderson Valley Brewing Co., and another Schmitt family enterprise, the Philo Apple Farm (offering an enticing-sounding onsite weekend cooking school), making it an ideal jumping-off point for a weekend's exploration of the area.
If you're thinking of visiting the California wine country and want to skip the crowds and amusement-park mega-wineries for a more authentic experience, book yourself a room at the Boonville Hotel. But do it soon -- the Anderson Valley is too perfect to stay that way for long.
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If you need a solution to an industrial-grade fabric need -- like rebuilding a backpack or hanging a heavy rug from the wall -- Seattle Fabrics is the place to shop.
In addition to stocking all...
If you need a solution to an industrial-grade fabric need -- like rebuilding a backpack or hanging a heavy rug from the wall -- Seattle Fabrics is the place to shop.
In addition to stocking all kinds of heavy-duty fabrics - Gore-Tex, coated nylon, etc. - they also have a wide range of nylon webbing, buckles, grommets and fasteners.
The staff is extremely knowledgeable, and can help you select the materials appropriate to your project. If you're interested in sewing your own outdoor clothing and gear, they also stock some sewing patterns to choose among.
Let's say you wanted to hang a heavy rug from your wall. Just head to Seattle Fabrics and pick up a length of 2" velcro tape. Hand-sew one side to the top edge of the rug and tack the other to a 1 x 2 strip of wood (both the wood and the short upholstery tacks used to attach the velcro are stocked at any hardware store). You can then nail the wood strip to the wall wherever you want it, and attach the rug using the velcro. This will hang even a heavy rug securely, without damaging it, and allowing you to easily remive it for cleaning, etc.
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Richard Zorn is another excellent orthopedic surgeon, and one I did have the misfortune to work with directly (to remove a protruding bone point resulting from a cycling accident).
Dr. Zorn was...
Richard Zorn is another excellent orthopedic surgeon, and one I did have the misfortune to work with directly (to remove a protruding bone point resulting from a cycling accident).
Dr. Zorn was extremely professional, gave good advice about the surgical options available, and did a nice job on the procedure. My only complaint - and a common one leveled at high-quality surgeons - is that his interpersonal style was a little perfunctory.
If it's helpful information, he's also the team surgeon to the Sonics, so he sees and treats a lot of sports-related injuries.
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Jim Crutcher has the reputation of being the best orthopedic surgeon in town. Happily, I haven't had a chance to work with him first-hand, but my mom chose him for a hip replacement after...
Jim Crutcher has the reputation of being the best orthopedic surgeon in town. Happily, I haven't had a chance to work with him first-hand, but my mom chose him for a hip replacement after considerable research, and his name was at the top of the list among her peer group - many of whom have been in for at least one complete joint replacement.
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Have you ever envisioned yourself on the cover of a great album or the front page of the New York Times? Even if you aren't a rock star or a world leader, Annie Marie Musselman is the portrait...
Have you ever envisioned yourself on the cover of a great album or the front page of the New York Times? Even if you aren't a rock star or a world leader, Annie Marie Musselman is the portrait photographer for you.
A friend and I had the good fortune to be assigned to Annie Marie for a work-related photo shoot, and I've never seen a photographer capture such great, natural images with a minimum of setup, an easygoing style and a great eye for detail.
But you don't have to take my word for it. Annie Marie is a regular field photographer for the New York Times, and has a long list of published photo credits to her name. Visit her website to take a tour of her work, and you'll see page afer page of unique, arresting images that radiate human warmth and complexity.
When she's not on assignment, Annie Marie works with individual and family clients in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. If you're looking for a portrait photographer who can capture the person behind the image, I strongly suggest you give her a call.
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