Archive for the ‘Exploring the Eastside’ Category
Bellevue, The Bellevue Botanical Garden, WA
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside on July 9, 2010 at 5:34 am
It’s funny how we can take local places for granted. We always think something is so close by, it’s easy to go anytime. But sometimes time gets the best of us.
I hadn’t been to The Bellevue Botanical Garden for several years. Over the 4th of July, I had a friend visiting from Connecticut, so off we went to the Garden. It was the perfect time to stop by to enjoy the flowers. So many of the flowers are in bloom right now.
Bellevue Botanical Garden
Hydrangeas in Bellevue Botanical Garden
A quiet spot in The Bellevue Botanical Garden
Most people don’t think about taking a break and finding a quiet spot in the garden, but this man was enjoying the peace and quiet.
Check the Bellevue Botanical Garden out this summer. It’s a beautiful place.
Bellevue, Bellevue schools, Interlake High, International School, Redmond High, Seattle, Seattle Eastside, Skyline High, Top High Schools in the country, WA, Woodinville High
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, Issaquah, WA, Woodinville, WA on June 17, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Bellevue, Bellevue condo towers, Bellevue Real Estate, Jimmy Choo, John Howie Steak, Neiman Marcus, Salvatore Ferragamo, Schnitzer West, The Bravern, Wild Ginger
In Bellevue Real Estate, Bellevue, WA, Dining on the Eastside, Exploring the Eastside, For Buyers, not real estate on September 25, 2009 at 2:05 pm
You can shop to your heart’s content at The Bravern’s Neiman Marcus, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo and more. (There’s already a Facebook Fan Page for Jimmy Choo in Bellevue.) You can dine at several fabulous restaurants such as John Howie Steak and Wild Ginger. You can go to the spa at Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door, but you can’t move into one of The Bravern Residences just yet. The two residence towers are still under construction and should be ready for occupancy the first of next year.
Last week Forum XXII, the eastside real estate network, of which I am a member, was invited to take a hard hat tour of the Towers, courtesy of Schnitzer West, the developer, and Neiman Marcus.
Forum XXII Hard Hat Tour
For our tour, we started at the top, the penthouse.
View Looking South From The Penthouse at The Bravern
The penthouse occupies the entire top floor, the 30th, of each of the two towers. It’s sold as a shell and can be completed to the buyer’s individual specifications. Entirely surrounded by windows and a huge patio areas, there’s essentially a 360 degree view from Mt. Rainier, the Cascades, to Lake Washington and the Olympics. The penthouses will be one of the rare homes were you can see both the sun rise and set.
Construction Crew Busy Working
The Bravern also a 25,000 square foot community room with its own fireplace and catering kitchen. Outside is a glass enclosed sitting area complete with a fireplace. The garden area, which was recently planted, has areas to barbecue and a unique fountain.
The Private Gardens of The Bravern
I’m looking forward to seeing the towers when they’re completed next year.
Amazon, Bellevue, Burgermaster, Jeff Bezos, Microsoft, Seattle, Seattle/Eastside
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, real estate on September 8, 2009 at 5:42 am
Microsoft, Amazon and all the important technology spots are now part of a “geek” tour of the Seattle and the Eastside. There’s a lot of real estate important to the “geek” world in Seattle and on the eastside. There’s an opportunity to see the first Bellevue home of Jeff Bezos, the home where he started Amazon in his garage, the main Microsoft campus,
Microsoft
and most importantly, Burgermaster, the ultimate, iconic burger spot that early Microsofties frequented.
When the duck boats start leading the tours on the eastside, we’ll know we’ve made it! We don’t have Hollywood stars here on Seattle’s Eastside, but we do have “geek” stars. Welcome to our world of fame and fortune.
British Columbia, Kenmore, Kenmore Air, Lake Washington, San Juan Islands
In Exploring the Eastside, King County, WA, not real estate on August 21, 2009 at 5:04 am
Kenmore Air plane landing in Lake Washington
You know you’re in the Northwest when…you’re sitting on a boat in Lake Washington watching all the seaplanes land. Seaplanes fly overhead and land in Lake Washington on a steady basis. An Alaskan, Northwest kind of thing (think Northern Exposure), seaplanes are an important mode of transportation throughout the islands and the inlets of the Northwest. If you spend any time in Kenmore or at the northern end of Lake Washington, you can see the Kenmore Air planes taking off and landing. (Or is it gliding along the water?)
Sunday nights are almost as busy as a runway at SeaTac airport. Seaplanes come in pretty regularly. The seaplanes are from all over the Northwest, including the San Juan Islands, Victoria, and Vancouver, BC. It’ s kind of fun to watch the planes land or is it glide on the water?
BAM, Bellevue, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue Art Museum Fair
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, not real estate on July 23, 2009 at 11:42 am
Bellevue’s show of shows, The Bellevue Art Museum ArtsFair is this weekend and in it’s usual place the parking garage of the mall. Where else but Bellevue would you find an art fair in such a venue, but it works! It’s one of the summer events I’ve looked forward to over the last 23 years of living on the Eastside. The fair is this weekend, the 24th-26th. Friday and Saturday, it’s from 9:30 AM-9:30 PM and Sunday from 9:30-6PM.
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The caliber of art is just fantastic.
Art from a past Bellevue ArtsFair
It’s a juried show, so the best of the best are invited to exhibit at the fair. Many local artists participate, but artists will be there from all over the country. Expect to see great jewelry, fine woodworking, ceramics, glass, handmade clothing and more. The fair has included a regular group of popular artists, plus adding interesting new people each year. Bring your check book as it’s difficult to leave the fair without wanting to buy something unique and wonderful. The fair is also a fundraiser for the Bellevue Arts Museum, so you’d accomplish three things when purchasing art at the fair: buying a piece of art for yourself, supporting artists, and supporting the museum.
Here are some of my favorites from last year’s fair.
The fair has come along way from it’s start in 1947 when Bellevue Square was a new, open air mall. Now today, we have meetup groups using social networking to organize a trip to the fair.
The fair has grown over the years to include an arts fair over in the CostPlus Parking lot and another fair by the Bellevue Galleria.
A few tips to help you enjoy the fair:
- go in the evening, early in the morning or dinner time. It’s usually less crowded than mid-day.
- don’t use the NE 8th exit ramp off 405 along with everyone else. You’ll be stuck in traffic. Take the NE 4th exit or come into Bellevue along Bellevue Way. All the time you spend in unnecessary traffic could be spent at the fair.
- Go immediately to the upper levels of the parking garage. You usually get spaces up there without having to circle around as much.
Enjoy the fair and let me know what you liked the best this year.
boating, kayaking, Kenmore Air, Lake Washington, Mt. Rainier, sailing, Seattle, Seattle Eastside
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, not real estate on July 6, 2009 at 4:18 pm
So you think it always rains in Seattle? It’s our big secret, but Seattle summers are just gorgeous and this year is proving to be one of the best. People in the Seattle don’t waste a minute when the sun is out and the weather is just fine. Here are some photos from the Fourth of July, 2009 weekend of people and places around Seattle and Lake Washington.
Gorgeous Views of Mt Rainier
Downtown Bellevue from Lake Washington at sunset
Mt Olympus sunset
bing cherries, exploring Seattle' eastside, nurseries on the eastside, plants, real estate, showing homes, Taking Root
In Exploring the Eastside, Kirkland, real estate on July 2, 2009 at 10:00 am
This past Saturday, I showed a home I had listed on Finn Hill, which is in Kirkland. The showing went well, the people were great, and I was done showing by 10:40 in the morning. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, the kind you wish you could bottle and keep in Seattle year round.
Since it was so beautiful, it was fun to be out driving around on such a gorgeous day. I noticed a sign that said “plant sale” taped to a stop sign. I decided to follow the “plant sale” sign. The sign led me further north on Finn Hill to the next town, Kenmore. When I found the house with the sale, I expected to find a few plants, but nothing like what was there. Behind a wooden fence, is a huge garden, with a huge nursery on about two acres! Who would have thought! I found “Taking Root,” the fabulous garden and nursery created by Kathy Norsworthy.
Beautiful Plants from Kenmore's Taking Root
Photo from Kathy Norsworthy of "Taking Root"
There’s a huge variety of plants, over 300. Everything you could ever think of was there. Plants for sun, plants for shade, veggies, sedums, perennials, annuals, shrubs, and more than 49 varieties of hostas. Every time I asked about a particular plant, Kathy found several for me. Her mission is “helping to grow beautiful gardens, one at a time.” Many of the plants were just $5.00. So all you gardeners looking for some great plants should get in touch with Kathy. Kathy’s email address is knowsbetter1@comcast.net. Contact her as she is only open certain days. This week she is open today, July 2nd and tomorrow, July 3rd from 9 to 5 PM.
After stopping at “Taking Root”, I wandered down Juanita Drive and stopped at a stand to buy some bing cherries.
Selling Bing Cherries
It’s cherry season in Washington State and this is a recording breaking season for the bing cherry crop. Summer is the time for fresh bing cherries from Yakima Valley, which is just over the Cascade Mountains from Seattle. So take advantage of this season’s bounty. We are so lucky to have such wonderful plants and fruit available to us in the Northwest.
Sometimes you find the most interesting things when you least expect it.
Bellevue, Eastside, Expedia, living in Seattle, living on Seattle's eastside, Microsoft, Nintendo, Seattle, Seattle/Eastside
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, Seattle, WA on April 3, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Ever since I moved to the Seattle/Eastside (or the Eastside) in 1986, there’s been a rivalry between the eastside of Lake Washington, the eastside, and the westside of the lake, Seattle. I remember picking up a postcard back then with a drawing of a car crossing over to the eastside on the 520 bridge. The caption on the card said, “Honk if you love mauve.” Of course, all home owners on the eastside had the very latest colors, mauve and gray, and all home owners on the eastside did the exact same thing. Seattleites thought there was nothing over here on the “plastic” eastside, but plastic houses filled with plastic people. Everyone lived in a cookie cutter home decorated in mauve and gray, on a cookie cutter cul-de-sac, with 2 kids, 2 cars, and 2 car garages.
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Of course, we on the eastside have always known this was not true. There are cookie cutter neighborhoods, but there are slick contemporary homes, mid-century modern homes, mid-entry homes, old bungalows, and McMansions. You can choose to live in a variety of neighborhoods, in a variety of homes, on a tiny lot or acreage, within walking distance of shops and restaurants or in rural privacy.
But more importantly, the eastside is filled with a diverse population. It’s a veritable melting pot with people of all ages, from all over the world, with a variety of interests and lifestyles-very much like the population of the westside of the lake, Seattle.
Fast forward to 2009. The eastside or Seattle’s eastside is now the economic center of the region. The reverse commute is worse than the commute into Seattle. (Thank you Microsoft, Nintendo, Expedia, etc) Bellevue’s downtown is fast becoming a hotbed of luxury shopping, dining, living, and working. Seattle Metropolitan magazine had a recent issue on the terrific economic growth of the eastside.
It’s time to throw down the boxing gloves and declare a truce. Seattle and Seattle’s eastside are both great areas. We grow and prosper because of each other, not in spite of each other. The eastside is an outgrowth of Seattle and we would not be here without it. Seattle would not be thriving if it weren’t for the eastside.
Lisa Hilderbrand was right when she responded to a comment on a post to someone who asked about her using the name the Seattle/Eastside. The comments in her post prompted this piece. Most people outside of this area have no clue where and what the eastside is without the name Seattle attached to it. Mmm..makes me think I should change the name of this blog to Seattle/Eastside Real Estate Buzz. (By the way, you should check out the link to Lisa’s post, she has some gorgeous eastside photos.)
So which is it? The Seattle/Eastside or the Eastside? Does the Eastside stand alone?
Eastside, El Gaucho, Grasslawn Park, Monsoon, Seattle, Seattle Metropolitan, Wild Ginger
In Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information, Seattle, not real estate, real estate on January 29, 2009 at 9:41 pm
The truth is out-The Eastside rocks! The latest issue of Seattle Metropolitan magazine has a terrific article entitled, “The Rise of the Eastside.” It’s an interesting read with sections on the eastside’s growing pains, a developer who worked on Crossroads shopping center, and the very latest in things to do.
After reading the “very latest things to do” section, I realized I must go out to eat a lot as I had been to many of the restaurants mentioned on the magazine’s list! It was a little scary for me to see how many of them I’d been to. But then again, I can say it’s all in the name of research. It’s important for me to be knowledgeable about my local community. How else can I “sell” the benefits of living here?
Supporting the local merchants is also huge thing for me, whether it’s trendy restaurants, little lunch places, or unique shops. I come from a family that had many small merchants in previous generations and I know how hard it is to run a small business.
I love seeing local restaurants from Seattle coming to this side of the pond, such as Wild Ginger, El Gaucho and Monsoon. Local restaurants and stores add to our lifestyle and help make the eastside unique and interesting. It keeps us from being indistinguishable from “anywhere USA.”
I was really pleased to see Grasslawn Park in Redmond mentioned as a destination park. It’s undergone an amazing renovation and is very kid, sports, and “green” friendly. Most people think of Marymoor Park, the big kahuna, when they think of the eastside, but Grasslawn is a hidden gem.
Want to learn a little about the history/real estate/economy of the eastside? Check the section out entitled “Growing Pains.” There’s a quick review of the real estate market, with an emphasis on downtown Bellevue and the Bel-Red corridor. Watch for changes in the Bel-Red area (Bellevue-Redmond) over the next decade, now that Safeway has pulled out and left a huge piece of land behind that is crying out to be developed.
Full disclosure here: I love the eastside, but still love Seattle. 
We have the best of both worlds here. The eastside is growing and becoming more interesting, but Seattle has exciting things to offer. It’s only a bridge away and we don’t have to cross it unless we choose to. But the reality is, Seattle and the eastside each benefit from each other.
Molbak's, Poinsettia festival, Woodinville, Woodinville Washington
In Bellevue Real Estate, Exploring the Eastside, For Homeowners, Local news and information, Woodinville, WA, not real estate on December 18, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Kirkland, King County, rails to trails, commuting, Sound Transit, BNSF rail line, Microsoft, Ron Sims, buses, Kirkland Washington, bus systems, Eastside Transportation Association, going green, ST 2, Microsoft Connector Shuttle Service
In Bellevue, WA, Debra Sinick, Exploring the Eastside, For Homeowners, Issaquah, WA, King County, WA, Kirkland, Local news and information on September 29, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Microsoft gets it. The Seattle Times gets it. The Eastside Transportation Association gets it. Ron Sims gets it. Each one of these organizations/people are doing something about better transportation and/or voicing their opinion about transportation systems that will work in King County and on the Eastside.
Microsoft is already doing it. It has a world class shuttle/bus/car system to meet the commuting needs of its employees, cutting down on the number of single car trips and, ultimately, reducing the carbon footprint of Microsoft.
The Seattle Times has come out against the Sound Transit ballot measure. The newspaper, too, recognizes the need for better transportation. The Times doesn’t believe this ballot measure will solve our transportation problems, partly because of its exorbitant cost and, partly, because of the many years it will take to complete the light rail system without any relief to our existing transportation problems. From The Seattle Times editorial:
“Buses are cheaper than rail and more flexible. Proposition 1 slights them: The two center lanes on the Interstate 90 bridge, which now serve buses and Mercer Islanders, become rail-only. Buses are kicked out. Buses will also be kicked out of Seattle’s downtown transit tunnel.
Finally, it is said that Proposition 1 is not about us, but our grandchildren. So it is. It is a proposal to extend two costly rail lines and to oblige our grandchildren to pay for them. The sales tax is raised to 9.5 percent. It is a lot, and it goes on for a very long time.”
The Sound Transit plan is very long term, but does not prepare King County and the eastside for today’s commuter needs. I can’t imagine what a mess will exist on our roads for the next decade if this plan gets passed.
What do you think about Sound Transit’s proposal?
Best Places to Retire, good cities for retirement, Issaquah, Issaquah Highlabds, Issaquah Senior Center, Issaquah Washington, retirement, retiring in Issaquah WA, Seattle Times, Us News and World Report
In Boomer issues, Exploring the Eastside, Issaquah, WA, Local news and information on September 25, 2008 at 11:16 am
Issaquah, Washington-Congratulations for making US News and World Report’s Top Ten List. Issaquah is on the top ten list for being one of the healthiest communities for retirees.
Everyone is getting older, fancy that! No person on this planet is not getting older each day, so the number of people who are thinking of retirement are thinking of moving to places which offer fun, interesting, intellectual, and/or healthy pursuits. The Seattle Times had an article about Issaquah’s selection because of its great walking trails, senior citizen center and activities. Kudos were given for the planned neighborhood of Issaquah Highlands because of its pedestrian friendly commitment. Although Issaquah’s growth has exploded over the last few decades, it retains its small town flavor. Yet, for those hankering for the big city, Seattle is only 20 minutes away.
Bellevue, Bellevue high rise condos, Bellevue Real Estate, Bottega Veneta, Fifth Avenue, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, John Howie, Magnificent Mile, Microsoft, Neiman Marcus, Rodeo Drive, Seattle, Seattle Eastside, Seattle luxury brand shopping, The Bravern, The Red Door Spa, Wild Ginger
In Bellevue Real Estate, Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, For Buyers, Local news and information on September 11, 2008 at 10:28 am
Another luxury brand has been snagged by The Bravern in Bellevue. The Eastside of Seattle is becoming the Seattle/Eastside’s answer to New York’s Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, and Chicago’s Magnificent Mile with the presence of Hermes, Jimmy Choo, The Red Door Spa, Bottega Veneta, and Neiman Marcus. The move on the part of all these shops to Bellevue’s Bravern is testament to the economic clout of Seattle’s Eastside. Here’s the notice I received from Margaret Nicoll about the latest Bravern happenings:
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“French Luxury House To Open
First Northwest Store At The Bravern
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BELLEVUE, WA (September 9, 2008)- The French luxury house of Hermès will open in The Shops at The Bravernin the fall of 2009. The Bravern will be Hermès’ first location (2,100 square feet) in the Pacific Northwest where the historic retailer joins a noteworthy line-up of firsts for the Pacific Northwest, including Neiman Marcus, Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo, Red Door Spa and DavidBartonGym. Schnitzer West has also announced Louis Vuitton and two local landmark restaurants, John Howie Steak and Wild Ginger, as part of the retail mix.
The Bravern is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2009. The 1.6 million square foot development in downtown Bellevue, WAwill include approximately 305,000 square feet of fashion-leading retail and restaurants anchored by a 125,000-square-foot Neiman Marcus, 455 Signature Residences in two elegant condominium towers and two office buildings, which have been fully leased to Microsoft. When finished, the five-acre site will feature a vibrant outdoor village with gracious arrival courts and European-style piazzas as well as include a 35-acre subterranean parking garage with 3,100 stalls. The Bravern will accommodate 2,300 Microsoft employees, approximately 1,000 homeowners and employ between 300 and 500 staff among the retail shops and services.”
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architects, architecture, Bellevue Washington, Hilltop, Long Cove, Maine, mid-century modern, Monhegan Island, Mt. Rainier, New England, Paul Kirk, real estate, Realtor, Univ of Washington, Wendell Lovett
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, King County Real Estate, King County, WA, Local news and information, architecture on September 4, 2008 at 2:04 pm
- Home is similar to what you will see in the Hilltop Community
Are you interested in mid-century modern architecture? Take a tour of a unique neighborhood, Bellevue Washington’s Hilltop community on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 from 1-4 PM. Click here to get tickets for this special opportunity to see a fine example of a community planned in the late 1940′s by some of Seattle’s foremost archtects of the time, such as Paul Hayden Kirk and Wendell Lovett.
The Seattle Times had an interesting article this past spring in which it discussed the New England sensibility of the community with its one lot, one vote. The homes were designed to incorporate the views of Rainier, Seattle, and the lakes in combination with a respect for nature. The homes are on one acre lots and still have septic systems.
Many of the original home owners were University of Washington professors and local architects. Over the years, as a real estate agent, I’ve had the opportunity to see a few of the homes that have come on the market for sale, but many of the homes never reach the open market and are passed down in families. This is a great opportunity to see a few of Hilltop’s homes.
It’s ironic, because I’ve just come back from a visit to a similar type of community in Maine with one lot, one vote. The community of Long Cove shares a water system, just as Hilltop did when first developed, a clubhouse, and tennis courts. It’s along the shore near New Harbor on Maine’s mid-coast peninsula of Pemaquid. The homes are more rustic in nature than Hilltop, but the sensibility is the same. While there, I had a view of the Atlantic, lobster boats, and Monhegan Island.
It’s a little different than the Hilltop view of Rainier and Seattle, but beautiful in its own way. The Maine community dates back to the turn of the 20th century with some newer homes thrown in, whereas Hilltop is a pure mid-century modern community.
(sample of Long Cove’s older turn of the 20th century cottages)
Here’s another example of the Long Cove Point neighborhood which shows homes overlooking the cove.
Charles Anderson, a professor and home owner in Hilltop, wrote an interesting article about Hilltop. It’s an short, informative read about community flavor of Hilltop and the styles of many of the homes.
(top photo by Bill Johnson)
Bellevue, Bellevue Museum Arts Fair, boots, Brian O'Neill Ceramics, Dean Pulver Studio, Doug Bloodworth, Heliotropium Art Gallery, kites, Larry Halvorsen, Mark Hudak Ceramics, Nancy Sinatra, pottery, Seth Rolland Custom Furniture, WA, windsocks
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information, WA on July 29, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Every year I look forward to the annual Bellevue Arts Museum Fair in July. It’s one of the top art fairs in the country and one of the highlights of the summer for me. Each year there are some of the great standbys mixed in with some new artistic talent. Where else can you go to an art fair in a shopping mall parking garage!
Here are some of my favorites from this year’s show:
Nancy Sinatra would have thought “these boots were made for walking” by the Heliotropium Gallery in Mount Vernon, Washington.
Gorgeous ceramic vessels with an Asian esthetic were presented by Brian O’Neill.
This artful design is from Seth Rolland Custom Furniture Design in Port Townsend, WA.
Larry Halvorsen is known for his black and white pottery creations.
Mark Hudak creates wonderful, practical pieces that are very affordable and fun.
Dean Pulver from Dean Pulver Studio Furniture made this whimsical bench.
Time for a game of Monopoly? Too bad, this is actually a painting by pop artist Doug Bloodworth! The detail is just fabulous and makes you want to try to buy Park Place. What would you expect from a Realtor?
Ok, the battery in my camera died, so we have 7 favorites here, although I had many more I wanted to photograph. Another great fair this year. What were your favorites? See if we can complete the list of 10 here.
Bellevue, Kirkland, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Seafair Marathon, Seattle, Team in Training
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, Kirkland, Local news and information on June 30, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Seattle’s Seafair Marathon ran by yesterday from Seattle through the Eastside cities of Bellevue and Kirkland. The runners showed lots of grit, guts, sweat, humor, and appreciation. Pretty impressive, given that I was seeing this when the runners were hitting their 23rd mile and the temperature kept climbing to one of our hottest days of the year.
Volunteering to help with the race, I was responsible for directing the cars crossing the course as they headed into Houghton Beach Park along Kirkland’s Lake Washington Boulevard.
Whe the runners came, it happened really fast. Shortly after 9 AM the first three runners came by right on each others heels. The men were the Kenyans, who were the men to beat. I read later that they ran the race together like this until mile 24, when number 7, Edward Kiptum broke from the group to win the race by 33 seconds.
At 9:35, the first woman runner ran by.
The winning woman was not far behind at that point.
9:45 a steady stream of runners had crossed mile 22.
10:45 Team in Training sister alumni racing for the cure of blood cancers for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
10:45 First marathon walkers with ski poles.
The runners/walkers were incredibly polite and appreciative. Countless people thanked me for volunteering and picking up the water cups others threw down on the ground.
One runner yelled, “You guys are brilliant.” I responded, “No, you guys are.” He shot back with “Right now, I’m not so sure it was so brilliant to sign up.”
Another runner from the Marathon Maniacs team said, “Oh, you’re taking my picture? Sorry my hair is messed up,” as he doffed his cap and showed his bald head. (Picture before he took his cap off!)
Then there were the two women with Statue of Liberty hats.
When I shouted encouragement to people, several shot back about the hill in Bellevue. I’ll never look at Bellevue Way heading south from Kirkland in quite the same way anymore!
Congratulations to all who ran, walked, and volunteered. A race well done!
405, Bellevue, Evel Knievel, Fortune Magazine, live and launch, Paragon Hotel., Seattle, Seattle/Eastside, traffic, Washington
In Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, King County, WA, Local news and information on April 7, 2008 at 7:55 am
Bellevue is the best place to “Live and Launch” in the entire United States, according to Fortune Magazine. Bellevue has a terrific economic climate, natural beauty, a steady supply of hi-tech workers, and traffic! The Seattle/Eastside area is a great place to live, but the traffic wars must be fought everyday. The commute into downtown Bellevue is always interesting. Below are photos showing some of the progress for the new overpass going in at NE 10th. This will provide another access route into downtown Bellevue and make getting to work just a little bit easier. Right now it’s the perfect spot for Evel Kneivel.
Construction on the NE 10th overpass is moving right along. It was just about a month ago that I did a piece showing the beginning of the overpass. These photos show the progress to date. 
Photo taken in February looking west from NE 116th over 405 towards downtown.
New and improved view looking west in March, 2008. Construction of the overpass is getting closer to crossing over 405.
Looking east from 112th Ave NE over what was the Paragon Hotel across 405. (405 is below camera range) Looks like a parking garage? The big concrete structure just above the fence is the overpass perched at the edge of 405. Right now, it’s a road to nowhere. Where is Evel Kneivel when you need him!
Here’s the side view of the ramp as it hangs just before 405, the perfect jumping point for Evel Kneivel. Could he have made the jump over 405 to the other side?
By the way,The Paragon Hotel on NE 112th Ave NE was just knocked down. This is last section standing of the hotel. Someone ought to tell the hotel they are no longer there, since the hotel is still advertising on the internet. It may be a little chilly if you book a room there!
Bellevue, CNN, Fortune Magazine, housing, live and launch, real estate, starting a business, Washington
In Bellevue Real Estate, Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on March 27, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Announced on CNN, Fortune Magazine listed Bellevue, Washington as #1, tops to live in and launch a business. The photo is a shot of Bellevue looking west towards downtown. Only a few of the cranes that hover over all the new construction, commercial and residential, can be seen.
According to The Downtown Bellevue blog:
“ The (Fortune magazine) rankings were based on the following: affordable housing, plentiful leisure activities, plentiful cultural options, job growth, sunny weather, short commute time, and good health care access.” The Northwest is a great place to live with the abundance of lakes, mountains, and culture.
Are there issues? Yes, not everyone would agree there’s affordable housing, short commutes, and lots of sun. But the reality is, if we are a dynamic, growing region with the prospect of economic growth, nothing is perfect. However, the whole package is pretty terrific and hard to beat when compared to other parts of the country. Sure, you can find less expensive real estate. It’s all over this country. But the natural beauty, the culture, the job growth, the level of educated citizens fueled by this job growth, is not as strong in these other areas.
Bellevue is an exciting place. People are looking to move to the downtown core and the Eastside in general.
What are your thoughts about Bellevue as the #1 place for small business growth?
Bellevue, buyers, condo sales, Issaquah, King County, Kirkland, real estate, real estate market statistics, Redmond, Seattle/Eastside, sellers
In Bellevue Real Estate, Bellevue, WA, Exploring the Eastside, For Buyers, For Sellers, Issaquah Real Estate, King County Real Estate, King County, WA, market statistics on March 13, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Sellers had a 14% chance of selling a condo on Seattle’s Eastside in February of 2008. ( click on 2008 year to date statistics in the link above for a chart showing the condo report)
February, 2008 1230 condos for sale, 140 condos sold, 11% chance of selling.
January, 2008 1059 condos for sale, 149 condos sold, 14% chance of selling.
February, 2007 515 condos for sale, 328 condos sold, 63% chance of selling.
Again, inventory is over twice as high as last year. However, our median price continues to defy expectations. Last year, the median price was $320,639 and this year it is $327,818, a 2.2& increase.
Last month I said:
This number (the median price) may be an anomaly as pricing for all 2007 condos increased by 8%. The median price for any month is a reflection of the sales for that particular month, so last January’s sales may have included more entry level condos, which resulted in a huge increase in median pricing this year when more expensive condos sold. When we see February’s statistics, which will come out in March, we will have a better feel for the actual increase in pricing.
Now in February, we see this 2.2% increase in median pricing. Pricing has gone up, despite the increase in inventory and competition. But the increase is not as dramatic as the 8% reported previously.
Amazon, Calder, Eastside, hiking fishing, King County, lakes, Microsoft, Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, Puget Sound, Seattle, Starbucks, traffic
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, King County, WA, Local news and information, Uncategorized on February 25, 2008 at 10:58 am
What are your top 10 reasons to live in the Seattle or on the Eastside? What are your fave 10? I read a post this morning about the Ten Reasons People Move to Seattle from the BINC blog. Pretty interesting list. I think most of the reasons listed in the post fit either Seattle or the Eastside.
Here’s my list, which embellishes on the ideas posted in the BINC article.
I love the mountains, the lakes, the sound, the islands, the trees, the green, and the fact that the snow is on the mountains, but not in my backyard.
I love being close to 3 important national parks, Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, and North Cascades National Park.
I love that I could go hiking,
`
boating,
skiing, walking, running, fishing.
I love the cultural sophistication here. We are not LA, NYC or Chicago, but we have great theater, great art, a wonderful sculpture park,
and wonderful restaurants.
I love the excitement and energy brought to Seattle/Eastside/ King County by the top companies located here, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks.
I love the culture in which people are starting to pay attention to their carbon footprints and thinking green.
I love the mild weather, even if it is gray in the winter.
I love the summer. I don’t want to be anywhere else.
I love being surrounded by Puget Sound
and Lake Washington.
I love that jaw dropping feeling I get each time I see Mt. Rainier pop out.
The BINC blog comments on the great transportation system, but it’s the system in the heart of Seattle. There is a great bus service all over King County, but traffic is a pretty serious problem, with no clear resolution.
Our location is what drives many of us to live here and the traffic is what drives us a little crazy!
So what’s in your fave 10?
Woodinville, Kirkland, Seattle, Eastside, Bellevue, Redmond, King County, Renton, Rails/trails, BNSF rail line, King County Council
In Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on January 22, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Rails or trails or rails and trails? Do we have our answer? Here’s the latest rails/trails news from King County from my Kirkland blog, I just wrote an article about the most recent plans King County has for the Eastside BNSF rail line. As I’ve mentioned before, the rail line goes right by many Eastside/King County neighborhoods, all the way from Renton, through Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and on up to Woodinville.
The King County Council is opening up some time for discussion regarding the proposed changes to the rail line. I will keep you informed about any meeting times as I hear about them. Of course, if you have any opinions now, feel free to share!
dog park, dogs, King County Parks, Marymoor Park, Redmond, Seattle/Eastside, soda.org, WA
In Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on January 3, 2008 at 10:04 am
S.O.D.A., serve our dog areas, is an organization devoted to open spaces for our four legged friends in King County. It’s an organization with a 20 year history and was created to help save the off-leash area of Marymoor Park. The SODA members worked hard for a number of years before the county council voted in 1995 to keep the off-leash area.
The entry area
Dogs and their owners socializing
Dogs just want to have fun in the Sammamish River
Gravel trails
Bridges over ravines
Today, SODA has taken on the responsibility of stewardship for Marymoor’s off-leash area. The organization is now a non-profit group dedicated to responsible usership of the park by dogs and their owners. SODA members volunteer time to make sure things are taken care of at the park. You can thank the SODA volunteers for building fencing, trails, bridges, providing pickup bags and sani-can service.
Imagine:
15,000 volunteer hours
$328,000 raised
600,000 visits per year
1600 visits a day
If you are a dog lover and your dog uses Marymoor Park, SODA needs you. Please volunteer your time or give a small donation to keep the group and the dog park vibrant and alive.
Thanks to SODA volunteers for all their hard work over the years.
Christmas, Molbak's, Poinsettias, Seattle/Eastside, Woodinville
In Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on December 18, 2007 at 9:46 am
It’s the holiday season, so I digress some more from traditional real estate to some of the fun events on Seattle’s Eastside.
Instead of 31 flavors of ice cream, Molbak’s has 31 different varieties of pointsettias at this year’s annual festival. Who knew there was anything but basic red or white? Well, here is the place to find out about many of the varieties. Molbak’s, one of the best garden stores on the Eastside, gets dressed up for many of our holidays. It’s always a fun place to go. Besides the poinsettias, the rest of store is a treat to see as it is all decked out for the holidays.
Do you know where Poinsettia plants originated? I learned about their origin from my husband who grew up on Poinsett St. in Greer, SC. The street and the plant are named after Joel Poinsett, who was the ambassador to Mexico in the early 1800′s. He found these gorgeous flaming red plants in Mexico and brought them back to the United States.
There are some interesting facts about Poinsettias.
Did you know that December 12th is National Poinsettia Day? Neither did I! I bet most of us missed it.
There are also over 100 varieties of the plant.
The colored leaves are not the flowers, they are colored leaves called bracts.
One of the photos below shows a picture of purple and green bracts. These poinsettias were handpainted and not to be confused with all the others that are their natural color.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Bellevue, Bellevue Botanical Garden, holiday lights, WA
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on December 17, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Bellevue celebrates the holiday season again with a fabulous lighting display at The Bellevue Botanical Garden. This year the lights have gone “greener”. Many of the displays are using LED lights, rather than incandescent lights. Not only are these lights energy efficient, they are also more vibrant in color. The garden lights are open from 5:30 -9:30 PM through December 31st, so there is still time to enjoy the beautiful display. Check out the spider web and the gorgeous palm trees! The event is free, but parking at the garden is $5.00. There is off-site parking available at Wilburton Park, just down the road.
Here are some more great photos I found on meetup.com taken by John Forsberg.
Below are the photos I took on one cold evening stroll through the garden. Even though it was cold, the light display made it well worth the trip.
hot air balloons, Purple Cafe, WA, Woodinville
In Dining on the Eastside, Exploring the Eastside on October 14, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Balloons over Woodinville with dinner on a cool Sunday evening. Trying to catch one of the last few nights of alfresco dining, we went to The Purple Cafe in Woodinville and sat out on the patio. We were treated to a ringside view of the hot air balloons landing behind the nearby trees. With the sun hitting the balloons as they were landing, it was quite a beautiful sight.
Purple Cafe and Wine Bar is a fun place to have dinner. They offer pizzas, sandwiches, and entrees. The Sunday evening bonus: wine is half price for bottles under $50.00. Purple is known for its good food and wine selection. There’s an amazing number of choices of wine by the glass. They also serve wine flights, consisting of 4 different glasses of wine. If you have young kids, your kids will enjoy the milk flights with 4 different flavors of milk.
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on September 21, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Go see chickens, take a hay ride, meet the farm animals. Enjoy fresh produce and cooking demonstrations with chefs “outstanding in their field” (pun intended), music, and more on Saturday, the 22nd of September. The 9th annual Harvest Celebration Farm Tour will be happening all over King County from 10 AM-4:30 PM.
There are some great small farms which provide wonderful food and produce for some of Seattle and the Eastside’s best restaurants and supermarkets, such as The Herbfarm, Wild Ginger, Seastar, Whole Foods, and PCC Natural Markets. This will be your chance to “get a taste of farm life” and find out about local foods at their source.
At the forefront of this event are several important organizations. One group is the King Conservation District, which is dedicated to supporting farm life. The organization supports sustainable farming, environmental safeguards, and conservation. Washington State University King County Extension is another of the farm tour sponsors and works hard to promote farming in King County. Other groups associated with the tour are the Cascade Harvest Coalition and Puget Sound Fresh.
In Exploring the Eastside on September 11, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Catch those last bouquets of summer at the local farmers’ markets. The flowers were magnificent at the Woodinville market.
Sunflowers were the big sellers at the Woodinville Farmers Market and they were just gorgeous. Apples are just starting to come and the last of the peaches and plums are still out.
The market still goes for a few more weeks on Saturday afternoons from 9- 3 PM in an open area just south of the Hollywood Hill shopping area. The market can be found on the west side of highway 202.
Other great farmer’s markets are going until mid October:
Redmond Saturday Market : 7730 Leary Way right next to Redmond Town Center. Stop by from 9:00- 3 PM from now until October 27th.
Bellevue Farmers Markets: Tuesdays from noon-5 PM through October 9th at Crossroads Shopping Mall, the corner of NE 8th and 156th by Circuit City.
Thursdays from 3-7 PM at 1717 Bellevue Way NE until October 11th.
Kirkland Wednesday Market: From noon-6 PM through October 10th on Park Lane.
Juanita: Friday evenings from 3-7 PM at Juanita Beach, 9703 NE Juanita Drive through October 5th.
Issaquah: Saturdays from 9-2 PM through October 13th down by the Pickering Farm near Costco at 1730 10th Ave NW.
In Exploring the Eastside on August 31, 2007 at 6:15 pm
The Puget Sound area is hopping this weekend with events ranging from Bumbershoot to a Jazz Festival in Anacortes to the Barnum and Bailey Circus in Everett.If you are looking for something a little less hectic to do, you can play “tourist,” and check out Snoqualmie Falls. The falls are quite spectacular. I was out there a couple of weeks ago with some family visiting from the east coast. It’s funny easy it is to take things like the falls for granted. I hadn’t been to the falls for years. Visitors tend to get us locals out to see the great stuff this area has to offer.
Although clearly not as massive as Niagara Falls, Snoqualmie Falls, at 270 feet, is actually about 100 feet higher. The falls are beautiful, but do not have the volume of water this time of year that can be found in the spring with the snow melt from the Cascades. I’ve been there then and the spray coming from the falls can drench you! If you click on the above link, you can see a photo of the falls when there is a huge volume of water. November tends to be the wettest month in the Puget Sound area, so the falls can run pretty strongly then.
There’s a large observation deck that overlooks the falls and is a great viewing sp
ot. However, if you head down the path there is even a better spot for viewing the falls which is less crowded than the main observation deck. You can get a more panoramic view of the falls from here.
There are picnic tables and a nice grassy area to stretch out, relax, and enjoy a picnic.
A path leads you down to the river, which is a good hike, but worth it!
Don’t forget to stop in and see the Salish Lodge, one of the premier luxury lodges in the Northwest. The Lodge offers fine dining, luxurious rooms, and a wonderful spa.
In Exploring the Eastside on July 28, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I moved to the Eastside from the east coast 21 summers ago. in July of 1986. One of the very first events we attended was the Bellevue Arts and Craft Fair, now the Bellevue Arts Museum Fair. Only in Bellevue would you see an art fair in a mall parking garage! But actually, it works.
The weather gods rarely allow it to rain the last weekend in July, hence this is the weekend of the art fair. At the same time, with the fair in the parking garage participants are out of the sun and that rare July rain. Artists from all over the country come to this fair. I saw a lot of the wonderful regulars I’ve come to enjoy over the years: Larry Halvorsen, 
Ginny Conrow, Paddy McNeely. What would the fair be without the ceramic trumpets or the beautiful kites.
Each year there are some terrific new things. I was really impressed by some of the woodworking. Seth Rolland from Port Townsend uses one piece of wood and manipulates it into the supports for tables. 
The fair continues this evening until 9:30 PM. Tomorrow the fair hours are from 9:30 to 6 PM. A KidsFair, food, and art demonstrations are also going on. This is a major fundraiser for the museum, so come on down and help support the local arts!
Feel free to comment on what you liked at the fair.
In Exploring the Eastside on July 6, 2007 at 3:35 am
The sun shines in Seattle on the 4th of July!Ok, so our big secret is out! It does not rain all the time in Seattle, even though I had mentioned in a previous post that it was more of a tradition here that the 4th brought rain. This year we had a fabulous fourth. We could not have had more perfect weather. The skies were blue, the sun was shining and the air was dry.
However, I am still boatless in Seattle, on such a day that begs to be out on a boat! My husband and I had the good fortune of being invited on my friends’ boat. They were able to moor the boat in my vacant boat slip in downtown Kirkland and pick us up.
Mt Rainier was out in its glory. I am afraid my photo with a digital camera will not do it justice. It was pretty spectacular. We did cruise over to the Montlake Cut, boats were streaming in that direction as they headed for the fireworks by Gasworks Park.
Here is a photo of Husky Stadium with the sun behind it. I don’t think there are many colleges in the nation with such a setting for a football stadium. You have great views of the lake and from some of the stands you can see Mt. Rainier.
The fireworks show was spectacular. Down on the lake you could see several shows going on at once. The Washington Mutual Fireworks show at Lake Union/Gas Works park started the show. From my vantage point on the dock, I could see that show and also the show from the town of Yarrow Point, some from Bellevue and, of course, Kirkland. This sure beat standing out on my street to watch the fireworks. Most years I have gone to the top of my hill, which 
overlooks downtown Kirkland. 
In Exploring the Eastside on May 9, 2007 at 4:54 am
I am now a true Seattelite! I attended Opening Day of the boating season last Saturday. Windermere has sponsored the Windermere Cup, crew races, for the last 21 years. I was invited by a colleague to go on the Royal Argosy to watch the events. As many of you know, boaters tie up to the log boom starting the Friday before Opening Day. It was pretty amazing to see all those boats lined up. Just before the races began, about a half a dozen boats from the Seattle Yacht Club lined up across the channel from the Royal Argosy. A little bit of pomp and circumstance, the yacht club members were in blue blazers and white pants.
The crew races happened next. There were about 20 different races culminating in the race between Purdue, New Zealand, and the University of Washington. UDub won the Cup!
After this all happened, the parade of boats began with the police, fire, and the Coast Guard at the beginning. Gorgeous wooden boats, beautiful sailing yachts and many more boats followed. It was quite an experience.
Eastside Real Estate Buzz
