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For all kinds of interesting odds and ends you don't know how else to find - or didn't know you needed - be sure to check out Boeing Surplus in Kent; you'll be glad you did.
If it's ever been...
For all kinds of interesting odds and ends you don't know how else to find - or didn't know you needed - be sure to check out Boeing Surplus in Kent; you'll be glad you did.
If it's ever been used in Boeing offices or manufacturing, chances are, you'll eventually see it for sale at this unusual warehouse store. Although it's been a while since I've had a project that would benefit from access to such unusual and unusually inexpensive materials, I'm thinking it's time to introduce my young son to the wonders of the wide variety of tools, equipment and various interesting and curious scrap materials. I know he'll find all kinds of uses for the treasures he'll find there.
I once carted off one of those massively huge old steel desks for next to no money - although people who helped me move over the years often complained, I found it to be a very reliable piece of furniture and felt fortunate that it fit into my starving student budget.
Need a replacement power cord for a computer? Or casters for a kid or garage project? How about pieces of tubing or large chunks of foam? The treasure hunting at Boeing Surplus is practically endless. On one of my trips to Kent, they even had some old airplane seats. I wasn't sure how I'd use those particular relics though, so with a bit of a sigh, I passed up that great deal.
Although their website isn't fancy and probably can't keep up with all the changes, it is interesting to see that they now try to mention at least some of the assortment of supplies moving through the store at any given time. Their lists of specials and general surplus merchandise at least gives you an idea of the kinds of treasure you're likely to find if you make the time to go visit.
Be sure to check over your potential purchases carefully before checkout. Everything is sold as-is and much of it already had a good hard life; but if you're not extra picky about the shape it's in, you'll probably love how far you can stretch a few dollars.
Enjoy letting your creativity go wild with what you find at Boeing Surplus!
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Some people search a lifetime for the perfect combination of great cut, easy personality and speed in a stylist. We usually make the search tougher by also wanting a salon with a comfortable...
Some people search a lifetime for the perfect combination of great cut, easy personality and speed in a stylist. We usually make the search tougher by also wanting a salon with a comfortable atmosphere and have it all at a price that doesn't make you gag.
If you're still searching for just the perfect place, I recommend you check out the Just Between Us hair salon in the set back strip mall at the corner of Bellevue Way and NE 10th. And when you go, be sure to talk to Julie Reneau. You'll be glad you did.
When you first walk in, you'll be impressed with how pleasant, open, and comfortable the salon feels with all it's woodwork, large windows, and classy furnishings. The cabinetry, by the way, is all beautifully handcrafted by someone associated with the salon, so it doesn't have that pre-packaged ordered "out of a hair salon catalog" feel to it.
The reason my family likes Julie is because she is especially good at finding the cut that your hair wants - ask her and she'll tell you about how she can see all the dimensions and layers in hair and how it moves. Given what I've seen her do, I believe her. Pixar could use her as a consultant on their next animation!
What's incredible about Julie's work is that she can cut hair and talk at the same time, though I frequently lapse into a trance-like state when I see her and she doesn't seem to mind that either.
In fact, despite the talking and the great quality cut, Julie is perhaps the fastest stylist I've ever seen, especially when you're only counting the stylists that really do make your hair look good. Our family of three (one is a boy, but even he gets a real cut with real attention to style) is in and out in less than an hour total (for all three of us) every time.
Many stylists accomplish speed by cutting everyone's hair essentially the same way and I can say this is definitely NOT true for Julie. Through talking and a bit of 'tweaking' from month to month, she helped me find the shorter 'mom' cut I needed eleven years ago and once I was ready to have my hair longer again, we started trying out different ideas to see what works best for me now. At just about every stage (including that awkward time in between), I've received wonderful compliments on the look, which is what just about every woman wants - even those of us who really couldn't be bothered with hair most of the time.
Julie even interviews my young son each visit about his styling preferences. While he isn't always able to describe exactly what he wants, he has some definite opinions about his hair and Julie always asks just the right questions and listens carefully to the answers. The result is that she always manages to make him happy with the cut.
My husband "just wants a cut" but as his wife, I'm always pleased with how good his hair looks when Julie has cut it. Amazingly, all three of us are able to go significantly longer between cuts because of how good a job Julie does.
Just as importantly, we're able to get great haircuts from Julie for all three of us and great service from the rest of the folks at Just Between Us in a nice environment, for about the same as what I might pay for a high-end haircut for myself only at one of the bigger name hair salons.
Given all this, it's probably not too surprising that my mother and her husband get their haircuts done by Julie at Just Between Us too.
While we're at it, a quick word on scheduling - a topic that I've basically forgotten about since working with Julie although it's caused me no end of grief in other places. Although I always schedule the next appointment before I leave out of convenience, I've had no trouble at all rescheduling when other conflicts have arisen. Although both Julie and others in the salon are wonderful, they've not gotten so overwhelmingly popular as to make scheduling a nightmare, a fact that I very much appreciate and I'm sure you will too.
For those of us who are in that mid-range between the assembly-line haircuts and the mortgage-your-house hairstyling, stylists like Julie in a nice salon like Just Between Us are a gem of a find. It's wonderful to get away from feeling like it's chore to be endured and instead, find yourself actually looking forward to getting a haircut.
And yes, based on what I've seen from her other clients, Julie does great color and all the rest of it too - I just don't happen to go for that sort of thing much myself.
So if you see me and my hair is looking great, you can be assured it's all because of Julie. If you catch me on a day when it's not so hot, I know it wasn't Julie's fault; more likely I just haven't washed my hair in a couple of days or forgot to make an appointment the last time I was in. When I do call, though, I know I'll be able to get in and get the cut cleaned up in no time!
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If what you're looking for in meeting space is someplace clean, pleasant, and functional, Mercer Island Community Center may be just the ticket. Although it can feel utilitarian in some respects,...
If what you're looking for in meeting space is someplace clean, pleasant, and functional, Mercer Island Community Center may be just the ticket. Although it can feel utilitarian in some respects, the building is brand new and very pleasantly modern feeling with clean lines. While generally simple in nature, the furnishings are all new as well and the available amenities include wi-fi in addition to state-of-the-art audio and video capabilities.
Meeting attendees in this space have almost universally been favorably impressed with how comfortable and functional it is. Situated on Mercer Island just off of I-90, it is readily accessible and is as easy to reach from the Eastside as it is from Seattle. Many will also appreciate the pleasant view enjoyed from the meeting rooms of the East Channel of Lake Washington. If the weather is sufficiently cooperative, one of the larger rooms available even has a roll-up garage-style window that effectively opens up one whole wall to the outdoors.
Having rented space here several times now, I have found it to be one of the best available sites in the region from the standpoint of optimizing location, functionality, enjoyable surroundings and reasonable cost. The staffmembers have always been incredibly helpful in ensuring I have everything I need and that it's all set up the way I want too. Depending on your needs, it's certainly worth checking out.
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Sushi In Joy is very nearly invisible in the NorthTown strip mall on the north edge of Bellevue and may not be the place you'd consider going to impress a date... but if what you want is a...
Sushi In Joy is very nearly invisible in the NorthTown strip mall on the north edge of Bellevue and may not be the place you'd consider going to impress a date... but if what you want is a reasonably-priced meal you can enjoy on your own (with or without a book) or with your family instead, you really can't do better. The food is good and eminently enjoyable providing you're in the mood to dine in a quiet little spot more appropriately described as 'comfortable', 'cozy', and 'convenient'. If you're looking for 'fancy', you're better off heading somewhere else.
This is a neighborhood restaurant that tends to be frequented by people in the area and so the extremely-friendly-without-being-intrusive waitstaff seem to make the most of the opportunity to get to know people. My son has even gone so far as to ask for 'the usual' on occasion and had them know exactly what he means! And when he goes with his grandparents instead of us, they ask where we are - wow, a place you can go in this day and age where you can feel like people actually know you!
Just to be clear in case it matters - if 'Family Friendly' means to you crayons and a menu that can be colored, you'll probably want to bring your own entertainment for the kids. Even so, you'll most likely be pleasantly surprised that your children are treated as special customers too and how comfortable and easy it is to have them there knowing that a small person playing with a toy car at the table isn't a serious disruption to staff or other diners. For their part, the kids will like getting to pick out a DumDum lollipop after dinner from someone who seems genuinely pleased to have them there.
Adults will enjoy nicely prepared traditional Japanese fare including tempura, teriyaki, and yakisoba as well as sushi and sashimi. Kids have a choice of items from a child's menu but if yours tend to prefer chicken nuggets, our family recommends checking out the chicken katsu. It's only offered as an adult entree now instead of the more kid-convenient appetizer portion but who knows, maybe your kids will also learn to enjoy miso soup and eat rice with chopsticks as a result.
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If you're looking for something a little bit different, or perhaps just a really well-made sandwich, consider checking out the Delicatessan of Europe (also known in the past as European Deli). This...
If you're looking for something a little bit different, or perhaps just a really well-made sandwich, consider checking out the Delicatessan of Europe (also known in the past as European Deli). This tiny shop has a variety of taste treats that should not be missed.
I can't think of another spot in downtown Bellevue with better sandwiches (my favorite is roast beef piled high on sourdough) and the people working the shop are always wonderfully friendly. The store itself is quite small, so I usually prefer to get my lunch to go though I've usually found a table or two when I've gone.
Delicatessan of Europe also carries a variety of deli meats and cheeses and other fresh goods along with imported European chocolates, cookies and other packaged snacks. Another of their staples worth trying that would be difficult to find elsewhere would be the bottles of imported fruit syrups. Among other uses, these eastern European syrups can be used as-is on pancakes and ice cream or can be mixed to taste with ice water as a sort of Kool-Aid alternative - very refreshing in warm weather.
In addition to food-stuffs you might be craving (or at least interested in trying), this Russian-owned and operated store is a great resource if you are looking for information about other Russian-operated or -friendly businesses, Russian language study, or general news and information. When a friend adopted a child from a Russian orphanage, this was my first stop to find a treat her daughter would recognize. It's just a cool place to go, so I definitely recommend you check it out.
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I made the coolest discovery recently - if you have a King County Library card, you can download videos, eBooks and audiobooks from their website for free. And there are some really great titles!...
I made the coolest discovery recently - if you have a King County Library card, you can download videos, eBooks and audiobooks from their website for free. And there are some really great titles! The download process takes a little while (I would suggest planning on an hour or two for a feature-length movie until you figure out what kind of performance you get) but the movies play really well. I put them on a laptop with an S-video connection hooked up to the television and run the audio through the stereo and am very pleased with the both the video and audio quality that way.
My son loves the Charlie Chaplin movies we downloaded last week and they have a whole lot of Rabbit Ears productions available (anyone remember these from a few years back - name actors reading traditional stories and folk tales with great musicians doing background music and great art too) . I even ran across a WONDERFUL documentary called Paper Clips about kids from Whitwell, Tennessee who turned a relatively simple unit on the holocaust into something much bigger than anyone imagined. There is some interesting diversity to the titles they have available and I love that I don't have to even go anywhere to pick them up.
If you have access to KCLS and haven't tried this out yet, you definitely should. It's a great service
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TSI Inc
Category:
Jewelry
101 Nickerson St
Seattle, Washington 98109
(206) 282-3040
Long before I moved back to to Seattle, I was buying my jewelry supplies by mail order from TSI and they continue to be my go-to resource for tools and findings and other basic supplies. Not only is...
Long before I moved back to to Seattle, I was buying my jewelry supplies by mail order from TSI and they continue to be my go-to resource for tools and findings and other basic supplies. Not only is their selection very good, the quality is high and the discounts for buying in bulk are nice even for the smaller amounts I typically buy.
They have some great beads too. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to navigate the store looking for what I want in that department and the photos in the catalog and on the internet really don't quite do it for me. As such, this is not typically the resource I turn to for beads beyond those I use simply as a matter of course such as the gold-filled and sterling beads I get as staples for my beadwork in a variety of sizes and styles.
If you want unique beads for your projects, it's likely you'll better enjoy going to a well-laid out regular bead store with a broad selection of beads. If you're looking for the basic tools and supplies to pull it all together, however, check TSI first rather than paying the higher prices at the retail-oriented shops. And while you're there, check out their bead selection to see if there's something they have that you want.
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My biggest issue with Beads and Beyond is how easy it is to spend a LOT of money - there's so much that's worth buying, it's tough to keep my purchases to a reasonable amount. While I prefer to get...
My biggest issue with Beads and Beyond is how easy it is to spend a LOT of money - there's so much that's worth buying, it's tough to keep my purchases to a reasonable amount. While I prefer to get my findings elsewhere in bulk a little less expensively, they have here a fairly complete selection, which is great if I just want to make a single stop or need anything last-minute.
They also offer some fabulous classes - far more than I really have time to take but it's nice to know they're there. When I have attended classes, I've learned some terrific new techniques and had plenty of time too to work on projects using my new skills. The instructors are knowledgeable and can quite regularly offer important information you didn't even know you wanted but that makes a huge difference anyway in your approach to beadwork.
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The few times I've had occasion to have auto body repair work done, I have always been pleased with the experience of going to Foreign Auto Rebuild. Parking (and getting safely back out of their lot...
The few times I've had occasion to have auto body repair work done, I have always been pleased with the experience of going to Foreign Auto Rebuild. Parking (and getting safely back out of their lot with a brand new repair) can be a bit challenging at times but it's a small matter when your car comes out looking practically brand new again.
Since I usually have had insurance paying for most of the work, I'm not sure I'd be a great judge on costs though I can say that they have offered very helpful advice on how to reduce costs or get more value for the money I'm spending.
I like them so much that even though I live on the Eastside these days, I still take my vehicles there if I have work that needs to be done.
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After having a couple of REALLY bad experiences with a Seattle dealership autoshop, I started taking my Japanese vehicles to Gary Eschen and won't go anywhere else now. In fact, I totally understand...
After having a couple of REALLY bad experiences with a Seattle dealership autoshop, I started taking my Japanese vehicles to Gary Eschen and won't go anywhere else now. In fact, I totally understand now why some of his clients will buy ONLY Japanese cars just so they can keep taking their vehicles to Eschen.
Gary and his crew are right up front about what needs to happen with your car and what would be nice to do. They show you the parts and explain what's happening and what can or should be done about it (as well as what can't) and I've always felt we had a great working relationship that's built on a desire to have it be a long-term partnership. It works for me and my husband.
I've always thought the prices at Eschen are more than fair, especially since I know that they're not tacking on extras that don't need to be there.
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