It was an hour before dark by the time my son Daniel and I pulled into the new parking garage at Seattle Center. We were meeting friends there to play at the Children's Museum, get a bite at the International Food Court in Center House, and then go on to the Seattle Children's Theater for a long-anticipated pirate stage show. Located right at the bottom of Queen Anne, this is a collection of enjoyment that will take several days initially, and many repeat visits to explore properly.

We almost didn't get out of the parking garage, because it is so interesting and fun, with so many posts, pillars, rocks and other surfaces just out the front door that invited climbing and playing on that it was hard to tear ourselves away. We finally made it, and passed by the rippling chrome copper purple and magenta Experience Music Project building. We passed among one of my favorite little features, the standing forest of brown shiney staffs. Maybe a sculptural reference to a bamboo forest, certainly for my 7 year old fun to play in.

At last we got to the Center House, found Daniel's friend and his mom (my friend) and headed down the curving staircase to the Children's Museum where they played with the many interactive exhibits including the Making Music, Exploring the Wilderness, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and the Art Making areas. Then we headed upstairs again for sandwiches for all and well deserved coffee for the moms.

Last we strolled over (it was dark by now) to the Seattle Children's Theater which is interesting in and of itself, visually a treat. We sat on long padded backless benches with many other children and parents to watch a haunting pirate tale in which the bad guys were really funny and the good guys won. On our way back out, we had to stop while the boys ran and played in the fountain area, no water but still a facinating space to explore with it's dips and curves (a wonderful waterplay treat on a summer day, though!).


We'll go back another time soon for Pacific Science Center, the Seattle Shakespeare Company at the Center House Theater, the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and the Space Needle!







Edy Kizaki
Realtor & Team Leader
206-331-0152

Labels: kid's activities, Queen Anne, Seattle Center, Seattle Children's Museum, Seattle Children's Theater

Since it's much too cold to stay outside (it's currently in the 20's!), thought I'd make up this little Quiz. How well do YOU know Queen Anne?

True or False:

1. Queen Anne is bounded on the south by the Fremont Cut of the Ship Canal.
2. In 1810, David Denny staked a claim to the 320 acres of Lower Queen Anne land.
3. Queen Anne is situated just north of Belltown and just south of Fremont across the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
4. Queen Anne Boulevard ws intended as a 3-mile loop around the crown of the hill, but the design was never fully executed.
5. The hill began to be called "Queen Anne" by 1885, after the Queen Anne style houses that dominated the area.
6. John Hay Elementary School has had five different buildings, all on Queen Anne Hill.
7. Gary Locke, former govenor of Washington State, resided on Queen Anne Hill.
8. In 1962, Lower Queen Anne became the site of the Century 21 Exposition, a World's Fair.
9. KeyArena is home of the Seattle Storm
10. Fillipino-American author and activist Carlos Bulosan is buried in the cemetary on the north side of the hill.

Answers:

1. F
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. T
6. F
7. T
8. T
9. F
10. T
    

Labels: Queen Anne

Sometimes Queen Anne can be an all day event, sometimes it's enough just to go over to Silver Platters in jeans and a hoodie and stop by what's arguably the city's best fast food Sushi place, Sushi Land. Silver Platters is a great place for all kinds of shopping now that the holidays are approaching, as you are bound to find something for literally everyone on your list. This is not the downtown glitzy rush, it's more an understated, laid back, Seattle cool kind of a twilight visit.

Silver Platters is a music and movie store with four locations in Seattle. The one in Queen Anne is where the old Tower Records used to be. It's a great store with so much atmosphere they should charge admission, but instead you find great stuff at reasonable prices, and that includes used DVDs and CDs, and they still do videos. Even more fun, take a few of your cast-offs (in good condition) and get part of what you'll be spending in credit for the old DVDs and CDs that you no longer want on your shelves. They have great selections in every category you can think of, friendly staff and a great deal of knowledge if you have questions or are looking for something. They can also fill you in on various aspects of the Seattle music scene!

We found some cool t-shirts, a documentary about living with wolves, a classic Marilyn Monroe movie, a modern spy film I've been wanting to see, two kids' movies (dragons and transformers, what else) and a kung fu moive...something for everyone! Checking out we got into a fun conversation with the woman at the register which ranged all across the board and included ways of saving bags, whether they still take and sell used videos (they do) and my friend's son's electric guitar. It felt a little strange to walk out without at least inviting her over for dinner some time, but that's how Seattle is, laid back, friendly, eclectic, and people are just plain interesting and pleasant.

We walked down Roy Street there in lower Queen Anne where there are at least four Asian restaurants to choose from all in a row, Thai (Pahn Thai in an old Craftsman), Upscale Pho and Curry (Pho Viet Anh), a Vegetarian Chinese (Bamboo Garden), and another interesting looking Thai one (Thai Heaven) that served cocktails, but finally decided to go back to an old favorite, Sushi Land. It was so early there wasn't even a wait, which there usually is. Three sushi chefs rapidly arranged delicious maki (rolls) and negiri (the sliced fish on rice), as well as edamame (salty boiled soy beans to pop out of the pods), fried wontons, octobus bites and rolls, and other little treats onto plates color coded as to price. Waitresses brought drinks, miso soup and whatever else we ordered from the kitchen. Perched on stools at the counter in front of the conveyor belt, we had a ringside seat!

The prices are really great too! The green plates are $1, the pink ones are $1.50, the blue ones are $2, and the purple ones (the really special stuff!) are $3. These include bowls of Udon (fat noodles in broth), small and tasty. Wow, unbeatable. We had 5 green plates, four pink plates, two blue plates, and my son had the Shrimp Tempura Udon on a purple plate. We also had a Sapporo and green tea, all for under $25.

How does it work? All the little plates are loaded onto a conveyor belt and they circle around in front of the delighted diners who are lined up on stools at a counter in front of the stream of passing sushi! There is the added pleasure of watching the sushi chefs prepare the different dishes and anticipating what's coming around next. You just reach out and take whichever ones you decide you can't resist. Great fun, easy on the pocketbook, and something for everyone!

Down 5th Avenue the other direction you will find Crow Restaurant and Bistro, well-known and well-beloved Seattle dining spot, but you'll probably need a reservation several days or weeks in advance, although sometimes it's possible to find an impromptu seat at the chef's counter where you can watch them prepare and assemble the artful plates of heavenly fare. You know who you are, take me there for my birthday!










Edy Kizaki
Realtor & Team Leader
SeattlePowerSearch.com

Labels: Queen Anne, restaurants, Shopping

There are still many homes that while presenting a solid value are not going to go at bargain prices. Someone will make a decent offer, and we still see some homes selling after only a week or two on the market. But on the other hand, for those that would rather compromise on the exact dynamics of their wish list and realize a little extra cash value, the deals are certainly out there. The trade-off of wanting to gauge the exact point at which values will be lowest vs. taking advantage of a definite bargain available now is something each one of us will have to judge for ourselves, however, it certainly provides an interesting diversion while keeping a sharp eye on the national commotion and the upcoming election!

By the way, I just got mutual on a Queen Anne townhome for a young couple that is being financed by a private lender...her parents. This is the good old method and I bet we will see more of that in the next few months as buyers push to take advantage of the major deals available now. Parents these days have gotten used to the idea that their excess cash should go to a second home or other investments, but this investing in their kids is likely to grow, as it really makes sense for both sides, the kids get a safe loan and the parents get a good bet on a decent investment!

Labels: loans, Queen Anne, townhomes