“Childish Things” a third in a series of kids resale shops, by Edy Kizaki and assistant Madeleine Anthony.

Right off the busy Holman Road in Greenwood you will find Childish Things, a small high quality children’s and maternity store.  After struggling to find parking in the small lot outside the store, I walked into a most organized and clean resale boutique.  It is such a nice little store, at first glance it seemed like all new items.  New toys racks are the first you see in the store, and as you continue to browse, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the used toys as they are of such high quality. Not only the toys are in such nice condition, but even the used clothes are steam cleaned and ironed every day so as to appear new when hanging on the racks.

The girls that work here do an exceptional job at choosing items to buy from consigners and they believe this is because their consigning system is different than other resale store in Seattle.  Childish Things “buys outright” which means that they offer people store credit or 75% cash on the spot. In this system, they must be really selective on what they put on the racks in this store otherwise they would lose too much money for the business.

The girls that work here love the fact that they are all so different because their differences allow them to choose a wide variety of toys and styles of clothes to resell in their store.  They also have a great selection of used and inexpensive maternity wear.  There is a whole separate room filled with maternity clothing as well has shelves above filled with educational books for both parents and kids.  It is important to have such a resale store in this neighborhood because families come from all over the Seattle area to visit Carkeek park which is just a few blocks up the road from Childish things.  You might even consider making a day trip out to Greenwood—do some shopping at Childish Things and then go play at Carkeek Park.

Madeleine Anthony, Young Seattle Mom and Real Estate Assistant

 Aloha Ramen in Seattle

I found the best ramen place in Seattle, Aloha Ramen!  I been on a quest for a good bowl of ramen for years in Seattle and finally discovered Aloha Ramen in Seattle by a recommendation from a friend.  I packed my appetite and anticipation and went to check it out with couple of my friends.

We got there just in time for their door to open for dinner, which is 5pm to 9pm.  My first impression was that Aloha Ramen is unpretentious and that it is extremely TINY restaurant.  There were several small tables, mainly for party of two and a bar seating for about four people, but I’m not joking when I say it is tiny.  We were greeted and seated right away by the owners and a waiter who were all very welcoming. Although we were the first people in, both walk-ins and phone orders quickly came in.

Full Story on Aloha Ramen in Seattle

Aloha Ramen in Seattle

8102-B Greenwood Ave N
(between 81st St & 82nd St)
Seattle, WA 98103

Hours:  Wed-Sun 12 pm – 2:30 pm, Wed-Sun 5 pm – 9 pm

Seattle Real Estate

ABOUT CHRISTY KIM

Best Real Estate Deals in Seattle

One of the most frequently asked questions I get are “where can I find the best real estate deals in Seattle?” and “what’s the hottest area in Seattle?”   Honestly, there is value in every market and in every neighborhood.  I know that sounds like a cliché, but that is the truth.  That statement is more evident in the current real estate market and buyers are taking advantage.

I did a very general search today for homes, non-condo under 300k in Queen Anne, Magnolia, Belltown, Downtown, Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, and Green Lake and came up with OVER 100 listings! 

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Seattle Real Estate

One of the most delightful things about Seattle is the abundance of nature surrounding us.  Although this is a large metropolitan city, I appreciate the fact that you can escape to nature at any time.  Big or large, we have parks situated in every neighborhood and convenient access to rivers, lakes, and vast ocean.  However, with the rapid development and higher cost of real estate, many Seattleites resorted to condos and townhomes that did not leave much space for those with green thumbs.  So, when I noticed community gardens or patches popping up everywhere, I wasn’t surprised at all.

Community gardens are simply a piece of land gardened by a group of people.  The neat thing about them is that not only it provides a mean for people to garden and produce fresh produce, it also promotes sense of community, healthier urban environment, and pride of ownership.  People can experience both the joy of growing and being in touch with the source of their food.

In Seattle, the city began the non-profit organization P-Patch Trust 35 years ago.  According to the City of Seattle website, the organization acquires, builds and protects community gardens in Seattle.  Most of the supplies are provided at the sites, such as water and tools.  Your responsibility as a community gardener is to care for your plot.

Interesting facts about P-Patch:

- The “P” originally stood for “Picardo”, after the family who owned Picardo Farm, part of which became the original P-Patch.

-The P-Patch program only allows organic farming techniques to be used on these plots.

-The P-Patch community gardeners give back to the city by supplying 7 to 10 tons of produce to Seattle food banks each year.

-You are not allowed to sell what you grow, only share it or donate it.

As the broadening interest in organic food source and gardening increases, you will see the demand for community gardens increase.  The city currently has 55 patches in the city but most of them do have a waiting list.  If you are interested in starting your own Community Patch or for more information, check out City of Seattle website!

Community Patch in Seattle Neighborhoods

On August 12, 13 and 14 of this year will be the 10th Anniversary of the Seattle Tattoo Expo, which showcases new talent and provides a venue for “fans to gather and discuss” what is becoming known as an enduring art form.  Held at Seattle Center, the Expo gives contest winning artists the exposure and recognition that has long been the case for other body adornment artists like hair or makeup stylists.  The 43 winners are shown in a Gallery on the site and provide an album of what’s new and treasured in the art.

For myself, being (to date myself) of that older generation that tended to flinch at the thought of anything permanent, and thinking of tattoos as something sailors used to get in the old days, being in Seattle it began to dawn on me that in this place at this time, people see it a little differently.  Those who in the past may have resisted the notion now seem to be taking the idea from their kids and getting used to it.  They may choose an obscure place for their art, but some seem to feel just knowing it’s there is enough.

Which brings us to the tattoo parlor scene in Seattle, which is vibrant and complex.  When I visited Two Birds Tattoo on Greenwood Avenue to take a few photos and find out more about what they did, I was almost reassured to have the young woman at the counter raise an eyebrow at me.  Clearly they are more used to the under 30′s crowd.  I was interested to see the couches with six customers getting new tattoos from studio artists. In the forefront the owner of the shop, herself with a glorious amount of colorful detail evident on various parts of her visible anatomy, was bent over an even more decorated young man on her couch, working on a large and complex design.  I learned that Two Birds has been open over a year, and was included in a story in Sunset Magazine.

There are of course albums of choices and leafing through these I found some very lovely images.  Ever thought of getting one yourself?  Well, it did occur to me as I looked them all over, but I decided to think about it a little more.  Meanwhile, perhaps I’d better do a series on the Seattle Tattoo Scene to help familiarize you with something very – indelibly – Pacific Northwest.

There are both new and antique carpets.  There are 100% wool rugs, wool-silk blends, and traditional designs as well as modern.  See something you like?  Just ask and you will find some history of the piece and the region where it was made.

Below a selection of the patterns I saw as I browsed through the shop.

You have to park, get out, take a walk down the street, to even start to decide what to explore first.  There is plenty.  Destined to become a favorite perhaps, the first time you enter the 74th Street Ale House it will strike you as a very good idea.  The menu is expansive and the food is unusual.  Some have said this establishment has the best Southwest Chicken sandwich in the city.  The Ruben is a favorite, the gumbo is great too.  They are well known for their exceptional soups.  Weekly specials rotate every Friday, with such choices as Fusilli Pasta with Bacon & French Goat Cheese, Green Chili Tuna Melt, or Molassas Glazed Pork.  The statement on their menu, “We make everything fresh, in house” says a lot!  They are going on 20 years as a neighborhood favorite.

Beautiful old bar back, nice line of local beers, old stained glass windows set into the walls.  Often crowded, the local crowd is devoted, the atmosphere is English Pub reminiscent which is actually very Seattle, in the sense that Seattle responds to light filtering in, dark wood, quirky bits here and there, a sense of timelessness.  The happy hour is from 3 to 6 daily, try the cilantro pesto quesadilla.  Very, very nice indeed.

When I walked into this friendly and amusingly set up pet store I sensed a true love of the world of animals and their pet people, executed at a very high level indeed.

The pet food is well thought out to be providing the very best selection and nutrition possible in a small space (admittedly that would be the down side of the small store, so if you are looking for your own specific brand call ahead to see what they stock).  The cards and gifts are clever and full of life and fun (like a kitten!).  The necessary (collar, leash, bed) and not-so-necessary (doggie raincoat and hat, boots, swimming pool toys) are provided with a dash of humor and bright joie de vivre that make shopping here an experience in and of itself. It really does have a Phinney Ridge feel, that urban, upbeat, fun and playful, laid back, family oriented yet sophisticated approach that is part of the neighborhood is very apparent in this little gem of a pet shop.

Most of all I found myself appreciating the staff, attentive, friendly, unpretentious, helpful and very knowledgeable.  If you like to go back to places because you feel you’ve made a new friend while shopping, you and your pet will love Zak and Zoe’s.  Free doggie treats outside in a bowl attached to the sign!

One of the landmarks and this year celebrating 30 Years as a neighborhood icon is the… shall we call it a shop?  haven? goody bag of party and stationary necessities elevated to the realm of art by the vision of the proprietor?  If his goal is that you do not leave his establishment without much more than you ever thought possible, he succeeded admirably with me.  Cards, paper, scissors, little notepads, exceptionally nice writing tools (pens, I mean), glitter, soaps, candles, calendars, you get the idea.  But it is hard to impart the deeply satisfying experience that shopping here is all about.  Everyone loves the owner and the very friendly staff, and even people who have moved out of this very popular and “Seattle” neighborhood (hard as it is to believe that anyone would) go back just to shop at Metropolis.  Stop by and I think you will find out why that is.