These studies, judged on students graduated, grades, honors classes taken,  general academic record and other critera.  Ranked in the top 100 were Bellevue’s  International School as number 11 nationwide , followed by Inglewood at 18, Newport Hills at 35, Sammamish at 48,  and Bellevue at 79.  Following those Eastside schools were Edmonds-Woodway High,  Garfield and Ingraham in Seattle, Redmond, Mercer Island, Issaquah, and Inglemoor in Kenmore. 

So what does this mean?  Seattle and the surrounding schools, especially Bellevue, Kenmore and Northshore schools consistently rank as the top schools in the nation.  For most of us that cannot afford to enroll our kids in privately schools, this is of great comfort knowing that our students will be getting a good education from our local school districts.  Sports and music, which also carry weight, are well recognized with Roosevelt, Nathan Hale and Garfield High Schools in Seattle winning nationwide awards for both their Jazz Ensembles and Athletic Achievements in Varsity Football, Basketball, and Soccer. 

Congratulations to our educators and students for their outstanding efforts in making national recognition for excellence in public high schools!   Truly an honor well deserved.

Bellevue Square

There are times when nothing else will do, and then it’s better not to fight it. Put on something newish, something that goes

glittering levels

with your favorite shoes, and a little flair. Check to make sure you have your credit card. And head out to Bellevue Square for some serious shopping.

We hear it’s Vibrant, Urban, Sophisticated and Adventurous. I tend to agree. Not only is there Everything, but there is room and time to enjoy it. The mix works. The levels and the spaces are up down and sideways, like an amusement park for adults. Every conceivable fashion choice is available in it’s 180 stores, anchored by Macy’s and Nordstroms, and including Mercer, Tiffany and Co, the Apple Store, LEGO, Armani Exchange, Williams-Sonoma, Lascoste, to name only a few.

urban, sophisticated, yummyworlds of play

Restaurants like P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, The Cheesecake Facotry, Red Robin, and Ruth’s Cris Steak House are scattered throughout. Bellevue Square also has concierge services, a local shuttle bus, valet parking, children’s play areas, and miles of tiled indoor shopping streets, staircases, elevators, and shiny shiny artlike plate glass windows into your future…if you buy and bring home some of the goodies.

Don’t let me forget to mention the huge covered parking garage…yes, it’s free…which

Bellevue Art Museum

will get you in and out without getting wet, even on the wettest of Northwest days.  And if you get tired of extreme materialism, there’s always the Bellevue Art Museum just across the street which invites you into the eternal world of images and smoky memories found only in the land of untouchable art.

Once you have begun to wish you’d worn your other favorite shoes, the ones that are good for walking, it may be time to cross the bridge to Lincoln Square and settle down in the three story atrium in front of one of the gigantic fireplaces with a cup of some coffee beverage from one of the nearby venues, open up your laptop, and zone for a while. Or at least check your email before you

Glass Art in Atrium

take your first load of packages to the car and head back for another round, passing under the wiggly fun humongous glass sculpture that is the crown jewel of the vaulted space at the east end of the bridge. Some may say it’s not quirky enough to be as fun as the Seattle shopping, but for those days when you know what you want, it’s nice to know where to get it.

April brings a whole new pallate and lots of pizzaz, so plan an afternoon enjoying the fun!  There isn’t a better time to go and see what’s really new and bring the best home, tastes, sounds, sights, and of course, the lovely spring colors blooming everywhere.

Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Team Leader
edy@seattlepowersearch.com
206.402.9155 cell

Bellevue Art Museum where it all happens.

Right near Bellevue Square so you can actually do both in one day if you have to The museum has been said to “want you to explore and think.” Thanks, sounds perfect! One reviewer for Museum.com says “The models in Houses x Artists were a blast to play with as was the interactive game. Bread & Puppet is one of the most visually stunning installations I have seen in quite some time.” OK, this is first on my list, stand by for a full report and photos! The current exhibit is John Grade, DISIntegration (Sculpture Through Landscape) and Tip Toland, MELT (The Figure in Clay).

But wait! Check out these upcoming events:

• BAM-O-WEEN, free Family Day, holloween oriented crafty activities, musical performances, and a haunted auditorium (Oct 24 3:30-7:30, costumes encouraged)…
• Get Crafty Saturdays! Free, ages 4+, 1-3 every Saturday…
• EASTSIDE JAZZ EXTRAVAGANZA presented by the Eastside Jazz Club …Featuring San Francisco jazz vocalist Madeline Eastman and the ever-popular The Bill Ramsay Nonet, as well as other great musicians! Don’t mis the concert of the year!2:30 pm 10/26…
• FINALLY FRIDAYS…sip wine and stroll through the galleries seeing art and meeting intersting people the last Friday of each month…
• POLYMER CLAY ART JEWELRY WORKSHOP with Instructor Ronna Sarvas WeltmanNorthwest artist Ronna Sarvas Weltman will help you find your voice in this workshop that introduces you to the properties and possibilities of polymer clay.
• and more! check out their web site.

2.

Kids Quest Children’s Museum
4091 Factoria Square Mall SE, Bellevue, WA 98006, (425) 637-8100
Hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun: 10-5 Fri: 10-8
Admission: Members: Free, Under 1 year: Free, Ages 1-100: $7, Friday 5-8 Free

“By far the best children’s musum in the state of Washington” according to one reviewer.

Their October Activities Calander is awesome…what is this great Fetch Lab? Kids are asked to solve challenges issued by canine host Ruff Ruffman, and “You may be asked to experiment with wind or water, build like an engineer or think like a mathematician.”…Each lab is a single day event but they have them multiple times in a month…sounds like great fun!

3.
Bellevue Botanical Garden
12001 Main StBellevue, WA 98005, (425) 452-2750

Known for it’s magnificant landscaping and the Yao Japanese Garden, the Bellevue Botanical Garden is an “oasis on a quiet side street” in Bellevue. One reviewer noted she had lived in the city for years before she visited, now she goes several times a month. The exquisite varieties of rhododendrons (Washington’s State Flower), the peonies in summer, the fuscias near the entrance, the ground cover garden, and at the holidays, the Garden d’Lights (a “must” according to past visitors) all add up to a place to go over and over through the year. And best of all it is totally free, even the abundant parking! There are docent led tours for a donation, gardens are open dawn till dusk.

4.

Eastside Heritage Center
“Discover, Share, Participate.”
425-450-1049, or email education@eastsideheritagecenter.org

…check website for details on these & other activities:

• History of the Bellevue Police Department (10/16, 7 pm)
• Coal Creek Park History Hikes (11/2, 2-4 pm)
• Cabin Heritage Programs (10/11 & 10/12, 11-3 pm)
• Heritage Harvest Teas (10/18, seatings at 1 & 3, $15)
  
  The Center “is committed to preserving the past as it builds community and connects people with their heritage. It maintains and preserves the largest collection of artifacts, photos and archival material related to East King County, Washington, and it “focuses on sharing this collection with the community through exhibits, books, presentations and a wide variety of education programs.” It’s on my list!