PritiA

Since my husband works for Boeing, we were always curious about why there was a Boeing Park in Shoreline. After a bit of research, we discovered that the stream that runs through Boeing Park is in fact also named after William Boeing, who was the founder of Boeing Airline Company. The reason for this is that William Boeing built and lived in a mansion on the stream in the early 20th century. Hidden Lake, a feature in the park, was created by a dam that Boeing commissioned for his own pleasure. It is said he used the small park as a hunting grounds. That notion is preposterous today, as the park is in the center of Shoreline! Yet, it does manage to feel as though you are in the wilderness when you are there.

Shoreline Community College is also worth mentioning. They have high-quality 2 year programs, as well as shorter programs. I appreciate their Academic Certificates in Global Studies as well as Multicultural Understanding. I have a friend who teaches with them, and we absolutely need more teaching like this in our schools. Next, I hope to see content such as that covered in these programs to be included in all programs. We certainly cant have too much multicultural understanding in todays world.

I visit this neighborhood occasionally to go to Chaco Canyon Organic Caf. There are 3 locations, and I enjoy them all, but the West Seattle location has a particularly luxurious feel to it. They serve all-vegetarian food that is in season, and can often tell you which farms their ingredients come from and why they created their menu the way they did. The West Seattle location has a larger menu than the other two, both a regular and a brunch menu. It is understandably quite popular. My favorite thing about Chaco Canyon, however, is that they have an option on the menu that is a very nutritious and tasty meal, offered on a sliding scale from $2-$9, no questions asked. We dont usually choose this option, but I appreciate that they welcome people of many income levels.

Apart from one of my favorite restaurants, I enjoy the atmosphere of the Genesee neighborhood overall, which feels like a small town in some ways. There are many single-family homes that have been owned by families for years or decades. The settled nature of the home ownership brings in a community culture. However, there are quite a few large apartment buildings going up near the junction of Alaska and California. I suppose this is good to keep housing prices affordable, but it has been changing the feel of the neighborhood. However, Im not sure how affordable renting an apartment in the large buildings really is.

The person who posted that Genessee Park is in the Genesee neighborhood is mistaken, however. Genessee Park is a large park in Columbia City, which is south of downtown, not in West Seattle. In fact, the closest parks around here are the Me-Kwa-Mooks park on the water and the golf course. Me-Kwa-Mooks isnt much, but it does have beach access, a walking path, a bit of grass, and absolutely stunning views westward over Puget Sound. Sunsets in the summer are positively gorgeous from this park. Plus, its sparsely populated, making it relatively quiet and peaceful.

There’s a wonderful bike route that takes you to and around Magnolia that I can recommend. To get to the neighborhood from Seattle, simply bike the smooth, paved trail from the Olympic Sculpture Park on the downtown waterfront. This is the Elliot Bay Trail. Make sure to stay left at the fork, which keeps you on the waterfront at Smith Cove. You can take a short break here to enjoy the views, then hop on to Magnolia Blvd which takes you around the western perimeter. Eventually you’ll hit Discovery Park. This is where it gets fun. You can keep biking, straight through the park, until you get to Discovery Park Blvd. Turn right. Stay on the main road as it twists and turns and changes names, to W. Government Way, then Gilman Ave, and finally Thorndyke. This will complete the loop. If you’re hungry, there are a few restaurants in the retail core on McGraw.

Unfortunately none of the restaurants in Magnolia are particularly vegetarian friendly. Of course many of them have veggie options, but nothing worth mentioning.

What is worth mentioning are the views! They are simply stunning, as you’ll see if you bike the Magnolia loop. I can certainly see the appeal for living here, though the neighborhood isn’t precisely my style.

Sprockett’s Recycled Bicycle is another reason to visit the neighborhood. Unlike most other bike stores in Seattle, they actually sell high-quality bikes that they have refurbished and tuned up. Also, their mechanics are highly skilled, at both bicycle repairs AND at customer service. That is absolutely not a given at a bike shop, and I highly appreciate it.

Having “park” in the name of this neighborhood is apt, because half of the neighborhood is a park. Two parks to be specific: the Arboretum, and the Broadmoor Golf Club.

Seattle doesn’t have many gated communities. Broadmoor, a sub-community of Madison Park, however, is one of them. It lies within a golf course, buffered on three sides by the green.

The not-gated residential area of Madison Park lies between the golf club and Lake Washington. To the south is the Seattle Tennis Club, membership to which (like the golf club) is by invitation only from a current member and has fees that cost more than an average apartment rent in Seattle. It has an all-white dress code, and practically all-white faces. Does this give you a hint of the culture of this neighborhood?

It is a very sheltered neighborhood, both culturally as well as physically, as it’s buffered from the rest of the city by the parks and the lake.

You won’t be surprised that there is very little housing on the market, with the highly coveted homes having lakeside views and being part of an exclusive neighborhood. The homes are almost all single-family, apart from the northern shore, which has a collection of brick condominiums. Interestingly, most of the homes (at least in the non-gated residential area) are not mansions, apart from some in Broadmoor, but well off 3 and 4 bedroom houses with a yard.

Downtown Madison park lies where Madison Street meets lake Washington. The restaurants are generally high quality. Brunch at Bing’s is always popular, though I personally prefer the more relaxed Madison Kitchen. The Beachhouse has great views of the lake, but the best option in the summer is to bring a picnic, and head to the Madison Park Beach. Lovely!

I can’t say it’s a place that I have ever desired to live, but being in the legal field, several colleagues of mine call this neighborhood their home and seem to be happy with it. When I visit them, I enjoy the neighborhood. I chose instead the Mann neighborhood, which is very close, geographically, but very distant, culturally.

We live just east of Madrona, in the Mann neighborhood. Even in the short few years we’ve been living in the Central District of Seattle, we’ve seen gentrification sweep over this part of town.

A close friend of mine who lives in her childhood home in East Madrona reminisces about how she used to know all the families on her block, most of which were black, that have now been replaced by white faces as gentrification has swept over the neighborhood.

Gentrification is a complicated social phenomena, because many of us participate in it in our own way, and yet big development projects and the changing city economics are also the main drivers. The ethical side is very complex. What I do know, however, is that we cannot pretend that it is not happening. We must be aware of it, and make a decision, one way or the other, to participate or not. Otherwise we are acting blind by pretending that we have no individual responsibility, when of course we all do.

As for housing, most of the homes in Madrona remain as small and medium single-family houses with quaint yards and tree-lined streets. As you get closer to Lake Washington, the prices increase sharply, so the housing with water views are reserved for the wealthy. Unsurprisingly, the faces also get whiter the closer you get to the water.

However, all people can access the stunning Madrona Park on the waterfront. It is the obvious choice for a hot day, with access to swimming in the lake, a view, picnic tables, etc. However, it can get quite crowded on hot weekends.

Lastly I’ll mention one of my favorite little cafes, Café Flora, on the northernmost border of Madrona. Though the service can be a bit slow at times, the food is excellent, with both vegan and vegetarian options.

The International District is host to a plethora of delicious vegetarian restaurants. Also, those not catered exclusively to vegetarians still tend to offer a good selection for non-meat eating people. As a vegetarian, here are some of the best:

The Loving Hut:
This vegan restaurant chain has had some negative press due to the spiritual and political beliefs of its owners. Putting that aside, the Southeast Asian menu offers a delightful variety of options. I generally make an effort to choose a dish that is vegetable-heavy, as many of the dishes are based around faux meat, which tends to be highly processed and is not always very nutritious (though it does provide a dense protein).

ChuMinh Tofu and Vegetarian Deli:
This is another faux-meat place, though instead of highly-processed vegan alternatives, most of their dishes are, unsurprisingly, based around tofu. So if the menu says “chicken,” it’s not really chicken, it’s flavored tofu. The buffet-style restaurant appears questionable and dingy from the outside, but once inside, the food and the service are excellent. They dishes are Vietnamese-style, with very good prices.

World Pizza:
One of the few non-Asian restaurants in the neighborhood, this pizza parlor serves exclusively vegetarian pizzas. They also accommodate vegans as well as others with food intolerances and allergies. The staff appears to have fun inventing new and surprising food combinations. The unique toppings may at first sound dubious, but once you taste them, your doubts disappear. Only once have I been disappointed, and I've been there more than a handful of times. Pizza is served by the slice, so you can try more than one type while you’re there. My top choice for pizza is the baked egg and fresh herb pizza, and I can also recommend the greek salad, which is quite refreshing with a slice.

Aside from food, this neighborhood hosts a vibrant international and local community, where you can hear a half dozen languages being spoken as you walk around. You might hear Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, or several Chinese dialects! All told, I always enjoy my visits to the International District.

Leschi is located near where I live in the central district. This sub-neighborhood is roughly south of Cherry, north of I-90, east of MLKJ way, and of course west of Lake Washington.

It has some of the greenest areas of the Central District, due to the steep hilly terrain that has been made into parks. Some of the prime property of the area sits near or even within these greenscapes. Though you won’t see as many of the mansions that are common in other lakeside neighborhoods in Seattle, prices do swoop back up, reaching levels unaffordable to many people, as you get closer to the water and the parks. Most housing is comprised of single-family homes, though there are a few apartment buildings along Lake Washington Blvd.

As for restaurants, Meet the Moon is a quaint, new café on the waterfront that I enjoy. I’ve been there twice, and both experiences have been excellent. I highly recommend the Moroccan spiced cauliflower. Absolutely delicious! They have a small menu, but it includes several robust vegetarian options to suit my needs. Most other restaurants are outside of Leschi, in other sub-neighborhoods of the central district.

The Polkadot Jersey is what I consider my neighborhood bike shop, which is also located near the water. Mike and Bob do not have a large selection of bikes, but they do have expertise in repairs, and also have excellent customer service skills. They can get quite busy in the summer, so I do hope they hire another mechanic, but overall I have been satisfied with the service.

My husband and I enjoy stopping in Kirkland for a treat after hiking sometimes in the summer. The downtown area is just lovely in the summer evenings. I particularly appreciate how many of the restaurants have outdoor patios, so that you may enjoy the breeze and the sunset. Fortunately, there are not too many mosquitoes in this area.

Some of my top restaurant choices are:

Santorini Greek Grill. They make excellent, simple Greek dishes, with a good amount of vegetarian options. The owner is delightful, often stopping by and saying hello. One caveat is that they only accept cash, so you must come prepared.

Ristorante Paradiso. This Italian restaurant only has 2 or 3 outdoor tables, which are very popular in the summer. It is a wonderful place if you are feeling like wine.

Vista Lago. As you might imagine, this Italian restaurant has a view of the lake. It has a good sized patio, however, so you may get lucky to get an outdoor seat. They have quite a few delicious vegetarian options, as well as seafood options. You can also bring your own wine, and they will only charge you a corkage fee. Additionally, f you buy the wine at the shop next door, they discount this fee.

After dinner, before you head home, you can take a stroll in one of the parks. The Marina Park is right next to all the restaurants, but it is quite small. Heritage Park is larger, and a loop takes about 15 minutes, with pleasant views of the water and Seattle across the lake.

In summary, although I would not live in Kirkland, due to the time-consuming commute to work in Seattle, I do very much enjoy visiting this lovely city on the lake.

North Queen Anne has some lovely houseboats along the Fremont Cut. The only reason I know this is because I’ve ridden my bike past this neighborhood, on the Ship Canal Trail. It was very pleasant to take a break in the park on the shores of the canal, relax in the shade of the trees, have a snack, and watch the boats float along the water. Later we rode our bikes down to the Ballard Locks to see the salmon.

Other than the houseboats and Seattle Pacific University, it didn’t seem to have anything particularly memorable. It’s simply a charming residential neighborhood on a very, very steep hill. We did not contemplate for a moment riding our bikes up it! It looked like many of the homes higher up on the hill were single-family houses, while those lower down were multi-unit buildings. If I were to live here, I’d try to get one that wasn’t too close to the Aurora bridge. I’ll never forget the bus that went off the bridge in 1998!

My husband and I lived in Everett several years ago while he was on a 6 month project at Boeing’s Everett base. Overall I quite enjoyed living in this working-class city, though it did have its downsides. The Boeing base itself is one of the dominating features of the city, with tens of thousands of employees. The other main feature is the port, as well as of course the downtown area.

The positive aspects of living here are as follows:

--A large Boeing community of colleagues nearby. This made us feel welcome and at home right away.
--A very low cost of living compared to other cities in Western Washington.
--A growing downtown retail core. There are a few restaurants and shops downtown, and this area continues to grow and change. I’ve enjoyed seeing the refurbishments that the city has invested in.
--The summer farmer’s market on the pier, which has an excellent selection of produce and crafts.
--The proximity to I-5 and highway 2. Hwy 2 takes you to many outstanding hiking and biking options.
--The parks: Both Jetty Island and the park along the bluff are wonderful places to pass the time. Spencer Island Park is also a treat, with old rail bridges to explore and marshland that is prime bird watching territory.

The negative aspects of living here are as follows:

--There is a lot of poverty that Everett does not seem to be able to resolve. Certain streets will have dozens of homeless people (usually men) on the sidewalks. Having worked to relieve poverty, it is always heartbreaking to see people in such conditions. As a resident, it also unfortunately made me worry about walking alone at night.
--Lack of vegetarian restaurants. Though most restaurants here do have at least one or two vegetarian options, there are no vegetarian-specific restaurants, which I missed while I was living here.

In summary, I do recommend Everett, however, I hope that the city continues to address and resolve some of its shortcomings.

Like most others here, I’ve only been to this neighborhood to enjoy the lovely Seward Park greenspace. We did consider living here, but frankly there is so little on the market that it wasn’t worth waiting around for.

I would quite enjoy living here in the future, if the opportunity arose. Though I’d likely aim for something closer to Columbia City—both so that the real estate isn’t as extortionate, and also to be closer to the amenities near downtown Columbia City. Not to mention that the population gets quite whitewashed the closer you get to the waterfront property, as is the case with most waterfront property in Seattle.

Lastly, I’ll mention that when Seward Park gets too crowded, Genesee Park is another good option nearby. It’s a mile or so north, and has a few sports fields, walking paths, and waterfront access. In fact, I quite like to walk between the two on the Lake Washington Blvd Trail, which has more public access to the water along the way.

Mercer Island is a well-to-do community on Lake Washington, located on Interstate 90. I imagine it would be an ideal place for a family that has one person employed in Bellevue and the other in Seattle, because it’s placed right in between the two cities. It is a little too upper class for us personally, being full of large expensive homes, but is lovely nonetheless for people who like, and can afford, that lifestyle.

What puts most people (including us) off is the cost of living here. For the most part, it’s only accessible to the wealthy, two high-income earners of the area, unfortunately. It almost feels like a gated community in many senses, with many grandiose houses, manicured lawns, and high-end cars. But alas, you cannot fence off an entire island.

I’m of course being completely unfair here—not all the houses are mansions, though even the more modest ones draw a hefty sum, being on prime real estate. There are also condominiums available that are more accessible to some, but they tend to be high-end, and draw a price tag that matches or exceeds prime neighborhoods in Seattle. You can expect 2 bedroom condos to be over $2000 per month.

We rarely stop here, though do pass it often on our way up I-90 to go hiking. We’ve stopped 2 or 3 times for a bite to eat, or for a coffee. I do have to compliment their vegetarian pizza parlor, “Island Crust Café,” which does an excellent lasagna, and of course, pizza.

Seattle certainly doesn’t have a shortage of bike shops, and Greenlake is an excellent place to begin shopping, for two reasons: 1. Gregg’s Cycles is there, which is one of the biggest and best bike shops in the city. 2. There are plenty of other bike shops nearby depending on what you’re looking for.

--Gregg’s: often voted Seattle’s best bike store, Gregg’s is a good place to start. They have a wide variety of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories. They also do repairs for those things you can’t repair at home, though I must admit the wait times can be frustratingly long in the summer. Once a 20-minute repair with them had a 2-week wait! My other complaint is that they do not educate all of their staff well enough. Many employees are very knowledgeable about bicycles. But there are some who clearly don’t know enough to be giving advice just yet. Recently I was looking for a new pump and asked the sales clerk to help me find a specific type. He then proceeded to confidently pointed me to the wrong type.

--Ride Bicycles: just across I-5 from Greenlake, Ride Bicycles is much smaller, but manages to fit a diverse selection of bikes fit for all types of commuters, mountain, and road bikers. The price ranges from $150 kids bikes to $6,000 electric bikes. Most bikes are in the higher range.

Then just east of Greenlake, across Highway 99, are 2 specialty bike stores.

--Hendrick Cycles has a showroom if you’re a serious enthusiast and are intrigued by the newest designs in top-tier road bicycles. They cater to a very specific, very wealthy, crowd that can afford a bike that costs more than most people’s car.

--G&O Family Cyclery also has specialty bikes, of the family variety. They have lots of cargo bikes—the kind where you can haul something behind you, or put a child in a seat. Plus all the accessories, bins and boxes that make them useful. Their other specialties are folding bikes, electric bikes, and children’s bikes. They have a small section of “conventional bikes” to serve the rest of us. Personally it’s not my style at the moment, but I know where to go if I need one of those.

--Lastly I’ll mention “Rack n Road Car Rack and Hitch Superstore” on Aurora, near Green Lake. If you are serious about biking, you’ll want to get a rack that treats your bikes and your car well. This is the place to do that. They are very knowledgeable about all their equipment, and will install the rack same day, and make sure you know how to attach your bikes. I’ve never been disappointed with our purchases.

There are many other bike shops in the area, so if you have more time, you might head just south to Fremont, to visit Recycled Cycles, Big Tree Bikes, the BMX Bike Haus, Cascade Bicycle Studio…. I could go on.

Lower Queen Anne is classic Seattle. This is where the Space Needle is located, and many of the top Seattle attractions.

If you haven’t taken the trip to the top of the Space Needle yet, I would recommend going there for brunch or dinner instead of just paying for the elevator ride up and down. Make reservations in the summer, when it’s likely to be clear. Brunch is $50 a person, and includes one starter, main, and dessert. When you consider that just riding up and down the elevator is $22, it’s not a bad deal. Dinner is quite a bit more expensive, but if you time it right to watch the sunset on a clear night, it is absolutely stunning to watch the silhouette of the mountains all around fade into blackness as the city lights grow brighter. Quite a few marriage proposals happen here.

We’ve done the Uptown art walk, on the 3rd Thursday of the month in the summer and autumn. I can’t say I’d repeat it, but I was glad to do it once.

My husband and I frequent the Seattle Repertory Theater, and occasionally the Opera at McCaw Hall. When we do, we enjoy trying out different restaurants in the neighborhood.

I recommend the following:

--Toulous Petit, which is a delightful French restaurant very close to the Seattle Center. Excellent dishes.

--If we’re just looking for something small, I like the Sitting Room, which makes creative cocktails and has tapas. Solo Bar is also comparable, with a bit more modern theme.

--Or for seafood, there’s always Taylor Shellfish Farm. Their specialty is oysters, and they do it very well. The convenience of being right next to the Seattle Center is also ideal when you are about to go to a show.

Though I can’t speak to what it’s like to live here, there is a lovely selection of restaurants and cafes on the top of the hill, along Queen Anne Ave.

In my opinion, the best one is “How to Cook a Wolf.” It is an Ethan Stowell chef restaurant, so it has outstanding food, with a price point that means it is only for special occasions. And despite the name, there is a good selection of vegetarian options. It is quite well-known, so you’d be well advised to make a reservation in advance.

For something more casual, I enjoy the Queen Anne Café. It is quite simple, with a typical café menu centered around breakfast and lunch. They make excellent omelets and always have fresh coffee.

Lastly, I can suggest the Cederberg Tea House. It is a South African café where they grind and brew tea like coffee. Quite unusual, but delicious. It tends to attract an interesting crowd, and is a good place to mingle with the international or globally-minded community. Every time I’ve been here I’ve had great conversations.

One thing I enjoy is going to the top of the hill in December, when it is all decorated with white lights. However, keep an eye out for those steep hills, which can become icy. Overall, the houses and yards generally seem well cared for, and it appears to be a pleasant place to live.

Redmond is my mid-point destination stop when road biking a large loop around Lake Washington. To get there from Seattle, we head north on the Burke Gilman trail, which takes us around the northern tip of Lake Washington. Then, we connect with the Sammamish River trail to Redmond, which drops us off right at the town center for lunch. It is 29 miles from Seattle to Redmond on this route.

For lunch, you are close to Redmond Square and Redmond Town Center (just don’t eat too much… you’ve still got 2-3 hours of biking left!). I’d recommend something high in protein, to support those muscles you’ve been working. For vegetarians, the Haveli Vegetarian Cuisine has passable Indian food, though it tends to be a bit heavy. The Flying Apron Bakery is gluten free and vegan, as a lighter option. You can get takeout and bring your lunch to the park next to Redmond Town Center, near the Sammamish River. Or cross the stream to Marymoor Park. Then take some time to rest, and stretch before you continue.

The second leg is 19 miles. From Redmond you ride south to Bellevue and across the I-90 bridge. This route utilizes the 520 bike trail, the Mountains to Sound Greenway trail, and the I-90 trail. Though unfortunately it also includes some riding on side streets. Surprisingly, it’s quite enjoyable to bike across the I-90 bridge. I expected it to be very noisy and smoggy, but with the fresh breeze coming off the lake, it’s beautiful, especially on a sunny day.

Of course, you can do this in the opposite direction, but I highly recommend doing the longer leg first, so you have enough energy to finish. When you get home you feel very accomplished, and tired.

From the little I’ve seen of Redmond, it looks like a lovely city with a well-designed city center and lots of couples and families. I imagine it would be pleasant to live here, for those that work nearby.

I want to write a review for Greenwood just for Chaco Canyon Organic Café. There are three Chaco Canyon locations in Seattle, but the one in Greenwood is my top choice for brunch.

They accommodate many food restrictions here, not just vegan. They also have 100% gluten free options, as well as raw-prepared food. Plus, there is a full ingredients list of on their website where you can check ahead to investigate if it suits your particular food restrictions. For people with allergies or hard-to-accommodate diets, this is amazing.

And of course, it’s all organic.

This location is different from the other two Chaco Canyons because it’s mainly a bakery, and brunch location. I cannot recommend their brunch highly enough. Some of my favorites are the eggless mushroom spinach quiche, and the maple chia pudding.

Their regular “bakery café” menu has plenty of real food options as well, not just baked goods and smoothies.

After a good meal at Chaco Canyon, it’s enjoyable to walk around downtown Greenwood for a little while, maybe get a coffee at the airy Green Bean Coffee House. We also like heading to Magnuson Park or Golden Gardens afterwards to stretch the legs.

The second restaurant in Greenwood that I can recommend is The Olive and Grape, at Greenwood and 85th. They’re Turkish-style food is delicious, particularly on Tuesdays, when it is “happy hour” all day. They have many vegetarian options, alongside meat and seafood. I highly recommend the stuffed portobello mushroom.

Lastly, the Olive and Grape has a garage door style wall, which opens up in the summer and is lovely on the hot summer nights.

Overall, there are quite a few high-quality restaurants in Greenwood, for all types of people.

I adore living in Seattle. It’s got a wonderful blend of interesting residents, good jobs, and outdoor activities.

For being a major city, it is incredibly easy to get outside and be active in Seattle. There is ample hiking nearby, in both the Cascade and the Olympic mountain ranges. I love how close we are to dozens, if not hundreds, of unique trails. My only qualm is that you have to own a car to access any of them—there isn’t much in the way of public transit to access them (apart from urban trails). This means that quite a few people are unfortunately left out.

As a road biker, the city also does relatively well, though it could use some improvements. There are better road biking options on the Olympic Peninsula, but it is not far. You just have to bike on the ferry. Close to home, the best options are the Burke-Gilman trail, and the loop around Lake Washington.

Coming from India and being relatively involved in the social justice and immigration scene here, I must admit that Seattle has some odd quirks, as a “liberal” city. Though it holds many liberal values, such as environmentalism, it needs to have a serious conversation about race and equity. I see that beginning to happen, but people here are quite uncomfortable talking about even basic historical facts—like how the city is essentially segregated.

Despite this, there is a strong international community here that I enjoy being a part of. And being in the legal field, I appreciate that the culture isn’t as “eat or be eaten” as in some cities on the east coast. That’s not to say that Seattle isn’t sophisticated, but the culture isn’t one that places status and rank above all else. It allows room for being human, and doesn’t require 80 hour work weeks, which is not something to take for granted as a lawyer. I’d venture a guess that this attitude is present in other fields as well, based on the overall casual attire, and what friends have expressed.

Overall, the economy is relatively strong here. It is also growing quickly, as some of the tech companies and startups grow. Steady employers like Boeing, though not growing so quickly, keep the economy stable with a good amount of high-paying jobs.

The only reason I’ve heard of Haller Lake is because my husband enjoys fishing, and apparently they occasionally stock this small, urban lake with fish. There is a very narrow, tiny park on the west side that gives you access to the lake. It has several picnic tables, a small sliver of shoreline, nothing too spectacular. You should throw everything back that you catch though, because, after all, this is a lake inside a city. I wouldn’t bet on it being the purest water. Also, it is very near to both I-5 to the East, and Highway 99 to the west. I’m sure there is runoff from nearby roads as well.

You can hand launch a boat here, as well as at a public launch on the east side that is more difficult to locate. We’ve yet to do this, because frankly it’s so small there’s not much to explore besides people’s homes. And I personally wouldn’t want a kayaker to be peering into my living room. There are far better places to spend time boating.

If you were to live here, it looks like it would be a pleasant neighborhood. The houses are well-kept and it's close to good schools.

This neighborhood is mislabeled on StreetAdvisor. Rather than “Minor,” it should be labeled either Central District, or Squire Park. The Central District encompasses several sub-neighborhoods on the southeast side of Capitol Hill, including what is here called Minor (but is actually Squire Park).

I have lived here in the Central District for several years, and have seen rapid changes accompanying Seattle’s recent growth spurt. It is a vibrant community, filled with single-family homes, and many diverse families.

The neighborhood changes have been approaching mainly from the west, with the single-family homes gradually being demolished and replaced with multi-unit buildings. Though much of the Central District is currently protected under low-rise zoning rules, this too is changing with upcoming HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) zoning changes. This may allow much higher-density housing in the Central District, which would alter the neighborhood immensely. However, we are in dire need of more affordable housing in Seattle, so it is a necessary, if bittersweet, change.

23rd Ave, as well as Cherry, have wonderful selections of restaurants and cafes. There are 3 Ethiopian restaurants on Cherry alone! Café Selam is my personal favorite. The Cortona Café on Union does excellent coffee, and has a vegetarian-friendly selection of bites. Unfortunately, there are not many Indian restaurants nearby. Kanak Cuisine of India is decent, and has many options for vegetarians, which I very much appreciate. However, it is quite far north, not technically in the Central District. Yet it is infinitely better than Cedar’s on Broadway, which does both Indian and Mediterranean food, and neither well. The only reason I go here is to pick up a quick homemade Chai to go.

One thing we love about living in the Central District is the proximity to downtown, as well as both I-5 and I-90, which makes my commute to downtown, my husband’s commute to south Seattle and our regular hiking trips to the Cascades easy.

I wasn’t aware that Interbay was considered a neighborhood until my husband and I rode our bicycles through it on our way from downtown Seattle to Ballard.

There is a pleasant paved path, called the Elliot Bay Trail, that runs morthwards from Myrtle Edwards Park on the downtown waterfront. The path then takes you past the port with the cruise ships, and into the Interbay valley. Here you take a right on 20th ave, and continue until you reach Dravus, where you cross and head north on 15th for only a minute or two.

Once you reach the northern end of Interbay, you have the option to either get on the Ship Canal Trail or the Burke Gilman Trail (on the south and north sides of the Fremont Canal, respectively). The Ship Canal is interesting due to the many boats visible from the path, which vary from industrial ships to houseboats. Alternately, you may simply cross the Ballard Bridge to go to downtown Ballard. However, a word of caution: there is no bike lane on the bridge. Your only options are to bike on the sidewalk, very carefully, or bike with traffic. Neither is ideal. Otherwise, you may walk your bike over the Ballard locks. This is now what I do, as it is infinitely more pleasant.

I can’t imagine living in Interbay, because it does not feel like a neighborhood at all. It is much more of a funnel for transportation, with the rail line, the bike/pedestrian path, and 15th Ave, which is frequented by commuter car traffic, in addition to the north/south bus lines.

A few years ago, my husband and I considered buying a home in Georgetown, due to the proximity to his work at Boeing South Park, the short commute to downtown Seattle, and the abundance of neighborhood amenities.

Unfortunately there’s very little on the market in the area, which is a shame, as the neighborhood is lovely. I suppose the low turnover is a testament to the appeal of living here, as well as a sign that investments have trended towards industry and business, rather than residential development.

Georgetown has become a very trendy place, as antique brick buildings have been remodeled over the years to house artists, restaurants, bars, and cafes. What I also appreciate is that the neighborhood is welcoming to many different types of people, and both the residents and the visitors are diverse. We’ll occasionally eat out here on a Friday, and the restaurants are quite busy.

It is a fascinating place to learn about Seattle’s unique industrial history. In addition to the the architectural evidence of this particular page in Seattle’s history book, you can also explore the Powerplant Museum, the Museum of Communications, and just south of King County Airport, the enormous Museum of Flight. As for current industry, Boeing, King County Airport, the Port of Seattle, and BNSF are all nearby.

Columbia City is a lovely neighborhood in Seattle. It’s a beautiful mix of people; in fact, it is one of the most diverse places not just in Seattle, but in the entire country. This also means that there is a delicious selection of diverse food as well.

It would be an ideal neighborhood to explore for those moving to Seattle from out of the country, because you’re more likely than not to be able to find a meal from home. Unless you’re from India, that is. The closest Indian restaurant is to be found north, in the Mount Baker neighborhood. But if you’re not seeking Indian food, your options vary from Vietnamese to East African to Italian to Thai to local seafood.

As a vegetarian, my options are more limited than most, but there is still an abundance to try. A few that I can personally recommend are:

1. Island Soul (Caribbean) makes delicious “little islands," which are small, crunchy salad and bean cups. Brunch is my top recommendation for this eatery, however.

2. Thai Savon is a family-run Thai and Laotian restaurant that has extensive vegetarian options and excellent flavor. Most dishes can be made with tofu rather than meat.

3. Another favorite eatery is called “Carnivores, Herbivores and such,” south of Columbia City on Martin Luther King Junior Way. My husband enjoys American barbeque, but as I am vegetarian, we don’t often frequent barbeque restaurants. This eatery managed to please us both, however, with a full vegan menu alongside the meat dishes.

Being in such close proximity to the Cascade Mountains, Issaquah is a jumping-off point for hiking, biking, and other activities. Many Seattle and Bellevue commuters live here, though for me personally, the commute to downtown Seattle is too lengthy.

But Issaquah and the surrounding area is a wonderful place to visit regularly. My husband and I make it here at least once a month, year round, for hiking and biking. It astounds me that there is such a large percentage of local Seattle residents that don’t take advantage of being a half hour drive (when there is no traffic) from outstanding outdoor recreation.

The closest hikes are on Cougar, Squak, and Tiger Mountains, just to the South of Issaquah. These are generally accessible year-round, though from time to time in the winter, snow will briefly cover the top. But if you bring hiking poles and sturdy shoes, it is nothing to worry about.

But only a few miles more, just past Issaquah, you can hike to a stunning view at Rattlesnake Ledge. Though, truth be told, it can be extremely crowded on summer weekends.

Rattlesnake Ledge is part of the excellent Rattlesnake Lake recreation site, home to dozens of hikes, and the entry point for the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. Though I generally prefer road biking, this gentle trail is comprised of a repurposed railway line. Therefore, it is very wide, with only a faint incline, and well-covered in fine gravel. You could follow it for many dozens or even hundreds of miles, deep into the Eastern side of the state.

In conclusion, Issaquah and the surrounding land is a haven for those who enjoy getting out into nature.