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Center for Wooden Boats does a Wooden Boat Show every 4th of July weekend, and if you appreciate boats, or fine woodworking, or even sea lore and music, it is well worth the price of admission ($5...
Center for Wooden Boats does a Wooden Boat Show every 4th of July weekend, and if you appreciate boats, or fine woodworking, or even sea lore and music, it is well worth the price of admission ($5 suggested donation). Wooden boats, in show or working condition, crowd the docks; some can be boarded for a tour. Boatmakers show off smaller craft, including kayaks and sailboats, on dry land. And the "quick and daring" boatbuilder's contest has the excitement of seeing not just who will win... but who will sink. If the weather is good, it's a great way to spend an afternoon.
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Ballard Locks is an oddly soothing place to go. Watch the boats go up and down in the locks. Check out the salmon leaping out of the water during the runs (late summer and early fall are best),...
Ballard Locks is an oddly soothing place to go. Watch the boats go up and down in the locks. Check out the salmon leaping out of the water during the runs (late summer and early fall are best), and the great blue heron plotting its next meal. Wander the gardens and check out the ridiculously fragrant roses and fuchsias. (Did you know they could get that big?) And go check out the salmon ladder. There's nothing like seeing dozens of spawning salmon heading into fresh water to remind you what a unique place the Pacific Northwest is. If you take a picnic and get in a nap afterwards, it could be the perfect afternoon.
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It's not just REI... it's the giant flagship REI store. REI is huge and comprehensive for all things outdoors, as well as a good place to pick up work clothes, if you work anywhere other than a law...
It's not just REI... it's the giant flagship REI store. REI is huge and comprehensive for all things outdoors, as well as a good place to pick up work clothes, if you work anywhere other than a law firm. Especially impressive are the bicycle section, with the quirky but good house brand Novara and lots of accessories, and the selection of camping gear. It's a good place to get a backpack or some boots fitted, though the wait for a knowedgeable staff member can get long on weekends. Sales draw a ridiculous crowd too. But some of the deals are good enough that it's worth fighting the crowds. It's almost certainly worth it to get the membership card ($10, one time, for 10% dividends each year).
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With their knowledgable staff and good service, Recycled Cycles is my go-to place for bike repair. The shop is a bike mechanic's dream, with bins of bike parts of every kind, and frames and wheels...
With their knowledgable staff and good service, Recycled Cycles is my go-to place for bike repair. The shop is a bike mechanic's dream, with bins of bike parts of every kind, and frames and wheels hanging from the ceiling. Want cheap parts for your cheap bike? They sell used tires, handlebars, and anything else you might need. Want premium parts? Chances are they have those too, and will install them for a fair price. Great service, cool place.
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There should be more places like Second Ascent. Consider their business model: They buy gently used outdoor equipement such as tents, backpacks and clothing (not climbing gear) and re-sell them at...
There should be more places like Second Ascent. Consider their business model: They buy gently used outdoor equipement such as tents, backpacks and clothing (not climbing gear) and re-sell them at a substantial disount. You can get last year's used-one-weekend tent at a good price, or a generation-old, still usable backpack at a very good price. Now why don't more stores do that?
They also sell a good selection of new equipment, including lots of climbing gear (with good discounts on climbing shoes from time to time), bicycles and accessories, clothing and shoes/boots, ski gear in the winter and camping gear in the summer.
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With its cavernous rooms, masses of books, friendly (if shy) cats and the unique feature of keeping all the Beat authors locked up in a cabinet in front, Twice Sold is the prototypical used book...
With its cavernous rooms, masses of books, friendly (if shy) cats and the unique feature of keeping all the Beat authors locked up in a cabinet in front, Twice Sold is the prototypical used book store. Great selection of books I acutally want to read, and a decent rate of turnover, make it better than most. They have the standard "50% of list price" pricing scheme for most books, making older books in particular a great deal. You can wander through science fiction or nonfiction in the back for many a happy hour.
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I bike past Essential every day and smell that good bready scent wafting out. It's all I can do not to stop in every day for a brioche, a croissant, or just a loaf of their yummy bread. They take...
I bike past Essential every day and smell that good bready scent wafting out. It's all I can do not to stop in every day for a brioche, a croissant, or just a loaf of their yummy bread. They take baking very seriously, and it shines through in their great breads (ranging from crusty baguettes to solid, tangy desem and sourdough to ciabatta), fantastic pastries and beautiful desserts. Good coffee and espresso, sandwiches and breakfast items such as oatmeal are also available. They're open in the evenings and serve beer as well.
The branch in Fremont/Wallingford has an airy brick-walled dining room with good music and newspapers on a rack. A good place to hole up for an hour while drinking coffee and eating a cinnamon roll.
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Walk up the stairs into the funky, narrow studio and take a seat by the window overlooking Broadway. There's no lack of entertainment while you get your hair cut, braided, or colored -- between the...
Walk up the stairs into the funky, narrow studio and take a seat by the window overlooking Broadway. There's no lack of entertainment while you get your hair cut, braided, or colored -- between the human pagant of Broadway, the art on the walls and, not least, the extraordinarily friendly and fun staff, it's a wonderfully enjoyable way to spend an hour.
The stylists I've seen, Heidi and Trista, have an uncanny ability to make my hair look good. I've never been happier with a haircut.
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What a great place. Not only do they serve superb Baja-style tacos (filled with fried fish, or sweet potatoes, or carnitas, or four or five other goodies) and the amazing mango-dilla (melty cheese,...
What a great place. Not only do they serve superb Baja-style tacos (filled with fried fish, or sweet potatoes, or carnitas, or four or five other goodies) and the amazing mango-dilla (melty cheese, onions and peppers, and slices of fresh mango), but they do it in a gorgeous setting. Sit on the deck overlooking Lake Union and watch the kayakers. Or rent one yourself downstairs and work up an appetite. If you're thirsty enough, you might need a mango-rita afterwards with your taco.
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Big Time is, foremost, a brewery and pub. They brew a dozen varieties of high-quality, West Coast-hoppy ales on premesis, with a few European styles in the mix (on tap now is a Koelsch and a...
Big Time is, foremost, a brewery and pub. They brew a dozen varieties of high-quality, West Coast-hoppy ales on premesis, with a few European styles in the mix (on tap now is a Koelsch and a bitter) and the odd strong ale (don't miss Old Sol wheat wine in the summer and Old Woolly barleywine in the winter). There's a good mix of pub food, with surprisingly good chili and soup, pizza, baked potatoes and sandwiches. The staff is laid-back and friendly and there's enough room for big groups. Good food, good atmosphere, but especially, superb beer.
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