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I expected a pet shop on Aurora to be pretty shady, but I was pleasantly surprised by Little Amazon. Most of the store is fish, with some reptiles, birds and small mammals in the back, which seemed...
I expected a pet shop on Aurora to be pretty shady, but I was pleasantly surprised by Little Amazon. Most of the store is fish, with some reptiles, birds and small mammals in the back, which seemed clean and healthy. The aquariums were very clean and the fish all looked healthy and active, with very few floaters. Most of the tanks were labeled accurately and the owner gave me advice on some fish I didn't recognize. (Internet searches verified his information after I got home). Prices were comparable to Petsmart, with Ghost Knife fish at $20 and plecostomus varieties in the $5-10 range. Word of caution- they did carry painted glass fish and possibly one other artificially colored fish, which would be a deterrent to anyone who takes a hard line on fish cruelty.
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Petsmart
Category:
Pet Foods Equipment & Supplies
13000 Aurora Ave N
Seattle, Washington 98133
(206) 361-1634
This huge store had a lot of tanks and equipment. The fish were divided more or less equally between fancy goldfish, cichlids and freshwater tropical community fish. The tanks were scrupulously...
This huge store had a lot of tanks and equipment. The fish were divided more or less equally between fancy goldfish, cichlids and freshwater tropical community fish. The tanks were scrupulously clean with very few floaters. The best part was that every tank was well labeled with not only the name of the fish, but also care instructions, water requirements and recommended community types. The downside was that the selection was pretty uninspiring. I don't have a sense for fish prices yet, but they had a black ghost knife fish for $24, which seemed expensive to me, and plecostomus varieties ranging from $3-10, which seemed pretty average.
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The Kona Kitchen is a family owned bar and restaurant. The main attraction is the atmosphere - not the decor, which consists of autographed photos of famous people and a few surfboards hanging on...
The Kona Kitchen is a family owned bar and restaurant. The main attraction is the atmosphere - not the decor, which consists of autographed photos of famous people and a few surfboards hanging on the wall. The appeal comes from the laid back, dinner at your friends' house feeling of the place. If you go early enough in the evening, you are likely to see the owner's daughter racing her tricycle through the dining room. Later on there's karaoke. The menu is pretty typical bar fare, with a bit of a Hawaiian twist. It's nothing fancy, but it's pretty tasty and it's sure to hit the spot.
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Rain City in Fremont is a great independent neighborhood video store. Compared to your Blockbusters and Hollywoods, it's obvious that someone who loves movies fills the shelves at Rain City....
Rain City in Fremont is a great independent neighborhood video store. Compared to your Blockbusters and Hollywoods, it's obvious that someone who loves movies fills the shelves at Rain City. Previously viewed video sales constantly edit their inventory, making room for new releases while keeping movies with more lasting appeal. Maybe that's why I almost always find what I'm looking for at Rain City, despite the store's small size. Rentals are two-for-one on Wednesdays and a "Staff Picks" area is good for inspiration when you don't know what you want to watch.
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Scarecrow Video in the U-District is to movies what Powell's in Portland is to books. Geared more to the serious film fanatic than the casual video viewer, the main floor is organized by director...
Scarecrow Video in the U-District is to movies what Powell's in Portland is to books. Geared more to the serious film fanatic than the casual video viewer, the main floor is organized by director rather than genre. However, entire upstairs rooms are dedicated to specific genres such as Film Noir and Anime. There is a huge selection of foreign films. Countries with 'serious' film industries are better represented; you will find more rare French dramas than Bollywood hits. But the odds are that no matter how obscure a movie you are looking for, Scarecrow has it.
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It's something of a tradition to take the family to church on Easter and to see the Nutcracker at Christmas and then be done with religion and fine arts for the year. I won't speak to religion, but...
It's something of a tradition to take the family to church on Easter and to see the Nutcracker at Christmas and then be done with religion and fine arts for the year. I won't speak to religion, but Pacific Northwest Ballet deserves another look. Their repertoire goes way beyond tutus and family Christmas specials. Former directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell literally built PNB from a basement ballet school into a world class company. This is the first season with new artistic director Peter Boal and people have stayed away in droves. That's a real shame because Boal has presented something amazing at every performance. This year I've seen ballet set to music by the Cramps, dances incorporating African folk rythms and last night's performance included spoken word. This year I find myself looking forward to every ballet like it's Christmas- I just can't wait to see what goodies Boal is going to give us next. If you haven't been to see PNB lately, you should really check it out. You may be surprised how vibrant and contemporary ballet can be.
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My husband recently discovered this place next to the Ballard Locks. I was nervous because I'm really picky about fish, and the place looks pretty sketchy. It's in the back of a convenience store...
My husband recently discovered this place next to the Ballard Locks. I was nervous because I'm really picky about fish, and the place looks pretty sketchy. It's in the back of a convenience store (not even a very nice one). But it's actually a mom & pop shop that's totally independent from the convenience store. Every single piece of fish that we have bought there has been excellent. They are really friendly and helpful. This is definitely one of those secret neighborhood gems that judy's book is all about finding.
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The CSA (community supported agriculture) program at Full Circle Farm (www.fullcirclefarm.org) has completely changed my diet. Each week a "small" box containing about a dozen types of produce is...
The CSA (community supported agriculture) program at Full Circle Farm (www.fullcirclefarm.org) has completely changed my diet. Each week a "small" box containing about a dozen types of produce is delivered to a drop spot in my neighborhood. It is usually more than my mostly vegetarian household of 2 can finish in a week. All of the produce is organic, and most of it is local. Full Circle buys produce from other organic farms to fill the number of items, so you never get a box of only beets. A weekly newsletter tells you which items are from FCF, grown in WA, or out-of state. It also gives recipes and updates on what's happening on the farm. One unique thing about this CSA is the online service that allows you to edit your box contents each week or make permanent exemptions of items you don't like. A new feature allows you to buy extra goodies like organic honey, artisan bread or shade grown coffee to be delivered with your box. The farm has several parties and tours throughout the year, so you can meet your farmer and really see where the food comes from. But unlike many CSA programs, you do not have to work on the farm. It's not cheap, but it's comparable to buying organic at the store, and so much more satisfying.
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Weekends in Fremont have begun to look a lot like Pioneer Square lately, but Norm's has made a conscious effort to stay friendly to neighborhood locals. Named for the owner's dog, Norm's offers a...
Weekends in Fremont have begun to look a lot like Pioneer Square lately, but Norm's has made a conscious effort to stay friendly to neighborhood locals. Named for the owner's dog, Norm's offers a respectable selection of beers on tap (including local Hale's Ales). The fairly typical looking pub-grub menu is belied by the food itself, which is a cut above what you'd expect from a neighborhood pub thanks to Chef Mel, a veteran of the tony Queen Anne restaurant Sapphire. Norm's pub traditions include Wednesday's "40 in a Bag Night" and a highly popular Trivia Night. Hanging above the bar, a row of mugs engraved with regulars' names shows that Norm's really is a place where everybody knows your name.
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Seven Star Women's Kung Fu is a great martial arts school in the Central District. They teach Kajukenbo, which is a modern eclectic style. Before I tried class I wasn't sure if training at an...
Seven Star Women's Kung Fu is a great martial arts school in the Central District. They teach Kajukenbo, which is a modern eclectic style. Before I tried class I wasn't sure if training at an all-women's school would be intense enough, but the women there train every bit as hard as any place I've studied. In fact, they emphasize strength training more than a lot of places do, and they devote as much time to self-defense and street-style techniques as they do to more classical forms, etc. That said, Seven Star is very safety conscious and focuses a lot on good body mechanics. The instructors are all very positive, the instruction is very clear and precise, and the community is totally supportive regardless of your skill level or lack of natural aptitude. There's even free on site childcare so moms can train! Their web site is www.7starwomenskungfu.org. For any guys who may be interested, Seattle Kajukenbo is a closely related school that offers co-ed classes.
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