Kids’ stuff
As the Antique Capital of Northwest, Snohomish, WA is home to nearly 450 antique dealers. Snohomish, with a population of 9145, was founded in 1859 and is listed in National Register of Historic Places.
This quaint river-side towne is famous for its Historic Homes and Gardens. Snohomish architecture contains a delightful variety of styles. As an example, Blackman House is a must see. A Dutch colonial style with Queen Anne Towers, it is located on the corner of Fourth Street and Avenue D. Snohomish architectural collections reflect Queen Anne Victorians, English Tudors and Dutch Colonials as a testament to the diversity of Snohomish pioneer residents. Historic Homes Tour are offered for those who appreciate a stroll among gorgeous historic homes.
Snohomish Garden Club held its 25th Annual Snohomish GardenTour 
on July 26th 2009 featuring gorgeous gardens among Historic Snohomish Homes on a lovely Sunday afternoon. Do not miss this Summer’s 2010 Garden Tour.
Historic Downtown was a busy hub for milling, timbering and farming in 1860s. Today, there are delightful varieties of charming shops on First Avenue where visitors can take a day and…
- Discover antiques, collectibles and modern gift shops,
- Explore Native American artifacts and stain art glass shops,
- Recall your parents past with nostalgic vintage and contemporary items at Pegasus Theatre Store
- Relax at Bee Hive Day Spa
- Enjoy a nice selection of brews at Fred’s Rivertown Alehouse,
- Snohomish Bakery will entice and satisfy you with arguably the best European pastries and breads in Washington- my personal favorite!
The Snohomish and Pilchuk Rivers border the town and provide a long list of recreational activities for the whole family. A natural choice for a scenic route through downtown is the Snohomish Riverfront Trial.
For those with more lofty ambitions or the need for adrenaline try out Airial Ballon Co’s Hot air balloon for stunning views of Snohomish River Valley and Harvey Airfield for Skydiving lessons, helicopter tours and even chartering your own plane.
Snohomish Farmers Market is available on Thursday Evenings, 3pm until 7:30pm May 14th – Sep 24th. And offers wide varieties of cut flowers, fruit and farm fresh vegetables.
In Snohomish’s Ghost Sightings are common, especially at the Oxford Saloon. You may want to stop by to check out the picture album of ghosts… You may meet Joe, Madame Kathleen and Mr Peterson.
Some of the upcoming events are fun for kids all ages, GrandFrog Day, Easter Parade, Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins, Kla Ha Ya Days… Snohomish activities list is endless…
Snohomish is a strong cohesive community even though many residents commute to Everett, Seattle and Eastside. Snohomish residents take pride in maintaining the historic values of their town and are proud to be Snohomish Residents. The county is also well managed fiscally. Snohomish residents enjoy lower real estate taxes than their King County neighbors
The town of Snohomish is very dear to my heart since one of my best friends lived and owned a business, Casa e Cucina Francesca in town. Local residents are very welcoming and friendly to visitors or to new home owners. If you know anyone who would like to make Snohomish their home, there is a wonderful Victorian is for sale located at 324 Avenue E, Snohomish, WA 98290.
This True Victorian was crafted in 1890 and sits on 1/4 acre lot in Snohomish’s Historic District. The garden boasts 70+ types of Roses and delicious Wine Grapes to eat or make wine. The outdoor pond makes a great place to relax 
watching the Hot Air Balloons float by from the valley below.
Inside this home the gourmet Kitchen was recently updated with granite counters and elevated maple cabinetry (ideal for taller cooks). The Wood floors were just refinished and are beautiful. Sconces & chandeliers reflect Victorian Era romance! Enjoy the cozy gas fireplace during chilly winter nights. The original 1890’s deed, signed by United States President, US Grant and the original Heirloom Oil painting of the home make this a truly unique home of historic significance.
This wonderful Victorian is only a short stroll to the shops and restaurants described above.
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spa in snohomish Kids’ stuff
There may be more variety at the Seattle Zoo but certainly there is a lot to do at the smaller Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah. For kids who love to see unusual animals, explore wildlife facts, and especially see their favorite tiger or reindeer, it’s a winner. The location is good too, even though it’s admittedly out from the city of Seattle a half hour or more. For families coming from Seattle a trip could be coordinated with going to a honey shop or farm stand to get fresh produce and see a farm atmosphere (I’ll blog about local farms that invite visitors later this week).
For kids living more locally, this is a great resource as, if you get a family membership, you have a park with animals and other fun elements that you can visit again and again. As the novelty of running around looking at the animals wears off a bit the animal track library, the mini lectures, and the “Cougar Encounter” “Lemur Encounter” “The World of Wallabies” and “Tiger Encounter” start to draw attention. The “Fountain of Tomorrow” will be a must-stop every time, and can become a wonderful tradition (take a moment and contemplate your hoped for tomorrows, then make a wish). Here is a photo album from our trip to the Cougar Mountain Zoo this year, please send me some if you have any nice photos I can add! It’s edy.kizaki@exprealty.com.
Click here to go to my Picassa photo album of our Cougar Mountain Zoo visit.
Kids’ stuff
Shilshole Bay is probably one of the most picturesque pl
aces in Seattle. Located on the western tip of the city along Puget Sound and bordering Ballard and Crown Hill, this is definitely a tourist destination. Some of my earliest memories of my childhood are of going to church with my family and friends and stopping at McDonald’s on the way to Shilshole Bay where we would eat our lunches at the beach and feed the seagulls. As I visited the exact spot on the beach that I had many years ago, I watched the children and their parents h
aving a picnic lunch and reminisced. I wistfully thought how lucky they were to be creating new and one day cherished memories of their time together at this beautiful par
k.
Originally inhabited by the Duwamish Indian Tribe, Shilshole Bay was a place rich in salmon, clams and other seafood so that the people settled in very comfortably. The name Shilshole in Duwamish means “threading a needle”. This is thought to be because of the narrow opening in which Salmon Bay empties into the Bay. After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, the wood mills set up shop on the water and employed many workers to work in the mills and send them downtown to rebuild the city.
One of the destinations that should not be missed are the Hiram Chittenden Locks. It is open to the public and you can actually view the “fish ladder” where the salmon are raised and lowered to adjust to the different levels of the waters. It is fascinating for children and adults alike. Another landmark place is Rays Boathouse Restaurant. It defines the quintessencial Northwest cuisine better than anywh
ere that I know of. Completely demolished from a four alarm fire in 1987 and another one in 1997, Rays was totally rebuilt twice. The freshest seafood from salmon, oysters, halibut and shrimp are prepared e
xpertly by award-winning nationally recognized chefs. Enjoy wonderful dishes while looking at spectacular Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain views. Anthonys Homeport, one of many in the city, also has a coveted spot next to the Locks just down the road. It is another first class Northwest seafood restaurant with an amazing view.
Perhaps due to my humble beginnings, I am just as happy as a clam enjoying fish and chips and chowder a
t one of the
many local joints near the beach. Totem House Seafood and Chowder, The Historic Lockspot, Little Coney Island, and Gordo’s, are great places to grab take out and enjoy at the beach. Don’t miss a little Carribean place called Paseo that just opened across the street from Rays. It is a little pink storefront that sells wonderful barbeque chicken and pork with fragrant jasmine rice and a beet salad. Yummy and satisfying and so friendly, too.
There are many condominiums along the beach area in all different price ranges , new and old with and without Puget Sound views. Or, if you prefer, there are moorages for boats so that you can fulfill your dream of living right on the water. Whatev
er the season, 
summer, fall, winter or spring, there are always interesting and lively activities going on at Shilshole Bay. Golden Gardens is the place to have a beach party or picnic, no matter how old you are. It is special and unique places in like these in Seattle that really make the city an amazing place to live. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world!
Realtor
Helen@SeattlePowerSearch.com
Kids’ stuff
There are Vikings battling at the
Nordic Heritage Museum. And
Goodwives doing
fingerknitting. And the lightest most delicious
Swedish Pancakes in Ballard at the Pancake Breakfast Sunday 9-12 during Ballard Viking Days. Swedish meatballs, Norwegian
lefse, Danish
æbleskiver, and a variety of Finnish and Icelandic goodies are served during Viking Days, Saturday and Sunday the 11
th and 12
th. With assorted
Scandanavian entertainment, foods, arts, and craft merchants, as well as real
live Vikings with swords, battle axes, and round shields fighting – to the death! – before a strikingly real dragon-
prowed ship, an
actual historical ship over 200 years old (although not nearly as old as if real Vikings had used it in their raids on the coasts of Brittan in olden times.)
There is a
Taste of Scandinavia which features fare from all five Nordic countries and including such treats as Swedish meatballs, Norwegian
lefse, Danish
æbleskiver, and Finnish and Icelandic baked goods. The
Ravensted Vikings will have a special small encampment at which visitors can see life as it happened in the Viking old days.
Viking arts and crafts such as weaving, spinning, woodcarving and cooking are being
demonstrated, taking the visitor back to an earlier time. There will also be Viking-led discussions about aspects of Viking life. The Viking warriors escalate into full battle twice during the Festival Day, once in the morning at 11-11:15, and again in the afternoon. Admission to Viking Days and to the museum is free for all ages! Not to be missed.
by Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Team Leader
Kids’ stuff
Lake Tye Park Rules
Lake Tye Park is located off Fryelands Blvd in Monroe, south-west of Hwy 2.
Every year, the last Sunday in April, sponsors make it possible for a kids fishing derby to take place. More than a 1000 kids show up before 8 am to get in line to fish for farm raised trout which gets unloaded into the man made lake just about a week before the event. These are some good eating fish too, let me tell ya. It is free to the community and kids can bring their own tackle and bait, or borrow those that are provided by the wonderful volunteers who are present to assist the kids and monitor the fishing activities. Each child is allowed to catch two fish, and then they can get in line one more time to catch two more if they so desire.
My oldest with a nice catch from April 2008
Lake Tye has a great playground for the tots, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic areas, a food concession stand, a skateboard park and clean public restrooms. I haven’t done this there before but it also might be a great place to fly the kites. One thing is for certain, it’s a great environment to spend some quality family time.
A Tower of Slides!
For those who are too big to play on the merry go round, the slides and the swings, perhaps bringing the bikes or the skateboards would be the appropriate thing.
Skateboarder Area of Lake Tye
Coming back to this area after 20 years, I can say Monroe is not a little po – dunk town anymore….some have said it’s like the next Issaquah. Prior to finding our own home in 2004 (it took a few months) we lived with a beloved one who is like family named Julie from my old neighborhood (a Snohomish address but just as close to Monroe). Anyway, she and I would often come to Lake Tye with our dogs and take a walk along the lake, which I estimate to be about a mile one way. See if you agree, there are lots of different ways to enjoy time together at this park.
Lake Tye on a calm, not so busy day (no fishing derby!). Walking trail is on the other side of the lake in the distance.
Kids’ stuff
Issaquah is one of the treasures of the Eastside for a lot of reasons. Small town friendly but with an air of sophistication and a lot of lifestyle amenities, it attracts families for it’s atmosphere and good schools. There are a
One of the familiar sights on Main Street in Issaquah
lot of things of interest, including the recently built library and the salmon hatchery. There are lots of culinary choices, Jak’s Grill is wonderful cuisine and delightful atmosphere (however they don’t accept reservations) and another great choice is the Issaquah Fish House. Both are on Front Street very close to the Train Park. There is also a Chocolate Facotry, Zoological Park, and operating trollys! One of my favorite spots along Main Steet is the Dairygold Dairy which has wonderful huge murals and those sparkling white milk towers. I know my son is always facinated when I point it out as we go by.
Kids’ stuff
Seattle’s Internatonal District is famous for it’s exotic flavors and a myrid of choices, and rightly so. One of my family’s favorite Sunday morning activities is heading to one of the traditional Dim Sum restaurants sprinkled throughout the International District. Last week it wasn’t even Sunday, but we were nearby it was lunchtime, and what are we waiting for? Sun Ya Seefood Restaurant was nearby and we stopped in.
One of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods, the International District was at first Seattle’s Chinatown, which emerged at the edge of Pioneer Square in the 1880’s as Chinese immigrant workers arrived to work on the city’s emerging railroads, coal mines, and salmon harvests. Now over 100 years later it has matured into the only neighborhood in America where Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asians live and work together, side-by-side. For Seattlites, the bounty of authentic and diverse asian cuisines is first rate. But as I said, my family can’t resist the dim sum. The restaurant we went to has a long history in Seattle, not to mention it’s own parking lot which is important in the crowded area where parking is at a premium and the lot charges are pretty high. Inside are tanks with live fish, shrimp, crabs and lobster, and a row of roast ducks hangs invitingly behind glass as well.
You can also take a Chinatown Tour, and there is the yearly Seattle’s Chinatown-International District Summer Festival 2009 taking place on July 11 and 12 at Hing Hay Park! There are dancing dragons and lion dances, firecrackers popping, taiko drumming and a whirl of food and treats. There is also a special kid’s activity corner where the whole family will find enjoyable themed activities.
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Sun Ya Seafood Restaurant
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Shu Mai (pork dumplings), Sticky Rice, and Pork Buns
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Pork Buns, Shrimp and Port steamed dumplings, and chicken feet
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Sliced roast duck
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Gai Lan
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Sesame Balls
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Seattle’s International District
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Roast Ducks hang temptingly in front window of shop
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Waiters wheel carts with steamed dumplings and other treats past tables
605 Seventh Ave. S.
Seattle, WA
Phone: 206-623-1670
by Edy Kizaki,
Realtor & Team Leader
Kids’ stuff
This sunny week we stopped by the Rose Hill Chocolate Company for a truffle and some samples of their famous fudge. I liked the Chocolate Ammeretto, my son opted for the Walnut Chocolate Fudge. Probably the most decadent was the black current truffle 
with white chocolate! Dan Straub, the owner, was behind the counter and we learned a lot about where the world’s best cacao beans come from (Tierra del Fuego) and some chocolate making trivia. There were a lot of other temptations including gummy spiders and numerous Halloween goodies available. Yum! We thought next time we’ll leave the kids at home and stop by the Leely’s Day Spa & Wine Tasting next door to the Chocolate Factory to sip some local vintages.
Rose Hill Chocolate Company, 700 3rd Street, Mukilteo, WA, (425) 353-1183
Leely’s Day Spa & Wine: 700 Third St., Mukilteo; 425-268-6004, leely@ahanmail.net. Wine tasting available with spa services anytime; regular tasting 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, $5.
Kids’ stuff
What a happy crisp clear day it was, and time to do some family stuff! We went to the Imagine Children’s Museum, in Everett. It was our first time at the Imagine Children’s Museum, and we LOVED it. Each exhibit seemed more fun than the last, and being in the rooftop 
play area was like heaven. The Water Play Room was full of spinning wheels and trickling streams, the Neon Room was dark and glowy (very Halloween!!) and the Treehouse, the Theater (act out your own plays!) and the Vetrinary Clinic were intriguing to say the least. I also loved the Farm Patch with a horse and tractor to ride, and the Airplane where you could pretend to piolet it… and the Fireman’s room for under 5’s. Right across the street was a great Goodwill with lots and lots of costumes… found a perfect Stitch costume (cute space alien with 4 arms, from Lilo & Stitch) for Daniel for $6…fun! If it still fits in October I bet we are going to have Stitch for Halloween!
Imagine Children’s Museum, 1502 Wall StreetEverett, WA 98201(425) 258-1006
Edy Kizakai
Realtor, Team Leader
Kids’ stuff
Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, (home of the
Mukilteo Festival held in September) is a great destination for strolling, play, or even log leaping with the kids! Recently we dropped by to enjoy the passing ships, engaging dogs walking their owners, and the sand, shore, and eventually the sunset.
It was a bright sunny day, high blue skies with puffy clouds, and nothing could have been more fun than this
Lighthouse Park Views from Beach
recently relandscaped beach park just south of the Mukilteo ferry terminal. There were kayaks, speedboats, the ferries of course, and one glorious ocean liner passing, kids and their parents playing on the new space age playground climbing equipment, dog walkers, log sitters, photographers, and some strollers enjoying the beauty of the scene. We jumped from log to log and made it from one end of the beach to the other without touching the sand.
City of Mukilteo’s “
About Mukilteo” webpage offers a great introduction to this delightful destination.
by Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Team Leader
Next Page »
aces in Seattle. Located on the western tip of the city along Puget Sound and bordering Ballard and Crown Hill, this is definitely a tourist destination. Some of my earliest memories of my childhood are of going to church with my family and friends and stopping at McDonald’s on the way to Shilshole Bay where we would eat our lunches at the beach and feed the seagulls. As I visited the exact spot on the beach that I had many years ago, I watched the children and their parents h
aving a picnic lunch and reminisced. I wistfully thought how lucky they were to be creating new and one day cherished memories of their time together at this beautiful par
k.
ere that I know of. Completely demolished from a four alarm fire in 1987 and another one in 1997, Rays was totally rebuilt twice. The freshest seafood from salmon, oysters, halibut and shrimp are prepared e
xpertly by award-winning nationally recognized chefs. Enjoy wonderful dishes while looking at spectacular Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain views. Anthonys Homeport, one of many in the city, also has a coveted spot next to the Locks just down the road. It is another first class Northwest seafood restaurant with an amazing view.
t one of the
many local joints near the beach. Totem House Seafood and Chowder, The Historic Lockspot, Little Coney Island, and Gordo’s, are great places to grab take out and enjoy at the beach. Don’t miss a little Carribean place called Paseo that just opened across the street from Rays. It is a little pink storefront that sells wonderful barbeque chicken and pork with fragrant jasmine rice and a beet salad. Yummy and satisfying and so friendly, too.
er the season, 
summer, fall, winter or spring, there are always interesting and lively activities going on at Shilshole Bay. Golden Gardens is the place to have a beach party or picnic, no matter how old you are. It is special and unique places in like these in Seattle that really make the city an amazing place to live. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world!
