Seattle's Urban Villages

Christmas Lights in Seattle

Last Saturday on the first full day of Winter Solstice, a friend and I went on one of our Christmas Light tours.  This year we decided to follow KOMO TV's (channel 4) Parade of Lights list for finding spectacular Christmas Lights. 

While it was rainy during the day, by evening it cleared up enough to see an almost full moon while driving around the Seattle Area.  We covered a wide area to find these amazing displays, and while traveling from home to home, we spotted other beautiful electric expressions of the season to enjoy!

The journey began in Normandy Park....

 

Then over to West Seattle where to keep up our strength for the journey we stopped at Tully's in West Seattle to pick up some Eggnog Shakes with extra nutmeg and then to Beach Drive.

Up to Queen Anne, then over the bridge to Wallingford...Santa was on the porch at this home greeting the visitors..."Hello Santa!"

Then across Lake Washington to Bellevue to see more, at this house there was a limo doing a tour of lights.

It was a wonderful, electrical extravaganza of creative Christmas Lights expression!  Try and take a drive in your Seattle Neighborhood to see what your neighbors have done, it can be absolutely magical! 

Olde Burien: Burien's SW 152nd St. growing Urban Village...

What? you say, Burien? 

Yes...there is a whole lotta cool stuff happening in Burien, just 10 minuets south of Downtown Seattle via the "secret" 509 highway.  The past couple of years has seen a wonderful change with new businesses opening up to enhance the local experience for Burien residents and as Jimi Lou, the Proprietor of ALLUSIA (921 SW 152nd St) told me last week, "we have people coming from West Seattle and the Kent area because it's easier to come here and shop than other places in Seattle, particularly North Seattle."   

There are now cool things to do, and eat and drink in Burien, places like Poggi Bonsi

where you can shop for Italian tableware, and at their sister shop Poggi Bonsi Cucina for gourmet cookware and supplies, they even have candied violets!  There is Grass Roots for unique annuals, perennials and garden gifts, Fireweed Bead Co., The Flower Gallery for flowers and Art.   For refreshment there is the MARK, The Tin Room , Elliott Bay Brewery , 909 Coffee & Wine, and Vino Bello.   

There is much more to Olde Burien to see, visit, shop and enjoy.  This really great for those who live in Burien and the surrounding areas of Normandy Park , Tukwila , Seatac and the southern part of  unincorporated Seattle (North Highline, Boulevard Park, White Center etc.).  Of course since Real Estate values are lower here than in most parts of the Seattle area, very nice for those looking to buy a home in a great neighborhood or Urban Village!