Seattle's Urban Villages

Friday Photo...Snow the First Day of December!

Last week for Friday Photo I wrote that it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas....  Well, the next day on Saturday, December 1st we had snow!  Not our average December weather.

Since I did not have an Open House that Saturday, I decided to take the day off to go shopping with a friend for Christmas decorations.  We had snow flurries at University Village, and when we went to the West Seattle Target there was lots more snow.

Afterwards we drove along Beach Dr, then Alki and back to Seattle, the snow was lovely!

Happy 100th Birthday Pike Place Market!

100 years ago tomorrow, Friday August 17th, the Pike Place Market

opened to begin a tradition of offering fresh produce and eventually all the glorious fruits, flowers, fish

and  other vendor products; crafts, cafes, confections, coffee, collectibles and so on that can be found strolling the market.  Of course, back in 1907 it was just a few farmers selling produce off the back of their wagons, and there were no fishmongers tossing fish over the heads tourists!   

                                       To Celebrate the Markets' Centennial , there are lots of events scheduled to celebrate the Markets' 100th birthday, and we are now just a day away from wishing the Pike Place Market Happy Birthday!  The festivities began in May when the Market put its' "Pigs on Parade" .

The pigs are now scattered all over Downtown Seattle, so when you are Downtown keep an eye out for the splendid pigs. 

                        Of course Rachel the Pike Place Market Pig is still in her spot ready to pose for a photo with anyone who wishes.

The Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously open farmers market in the US, that is quite an accomplishment for a City that is well more than a 100 years younger than cities on the east coast!  While the market has had challenges over the decades fighting off developers and neglect, it has become one of the unique places that defines Seattle and makes it such a wonderful place to live and visit.

So come out and wish Happy 100th Birthday our Pike Place Market!

Mr Johnson's Antiques in Montlake

Strolling along on Seattle's 24th Avenue East in the little retail core of Montlake, you come to Mr Johnson's Antiques.

 

When you step inside you are surrounded by treasures, and your eyes have to keep moving about to take them in.  Seated behind a desk near the entrance you see Mr Johnson, aka Matthew Johnson, who greets you and laughingly puts you at your ease.

Matthew, who I met a year before at Georgetown's Art & Garden Walk where he now makes his home (also filled with many wonderful objects) is very outgoing and loves to show off the treasures that his shop holds.  The Montlake neighbors often drop by and there is a candy bowl just for the kids, one mom and young daughter stopped by while I was there recently and they were delighted by Matthews' charm.  One of the neighbors who came by my open house in Montlake recently told me that he considers Matthew to be the "Mayor of Montlake".  Matthew is a long time resident of the area, he grew up in North Capitol and played baseball at the Montlake Playfields as a child, there is even a photo of him in the shop with his bat the ready for a pitch.   

When you are in the Montlake neighborhood, and if you love to poke around to find treasures, then Mr Johnson's Antiques is a great place to stop by.

Neighborhood Spotlight on "Grass Roots" in Burien...

I met Tina Larson last week while poking around the cool shops in Olde Burien on SW 152nd St in Burien, and what a passionate person about plants!  A few months ago Tina realized a dream and bought a "pocket retail nursery" in Burien's  Olde Burien shopping district called Grass Roots. 

Tina (that's her in the photo walking out the door into the outdoor space) is an absolute "plant junkie" and lead me around her wonderful shop tempting me with cool and unusual annuals like " "solanum pyracanthum" (porcupine tomato), castor bean, and a cool variety of solomon's seal with a silvery edged leaf.  She plans on carrying some of my other favorite annuals such as nicotiana sylvestris and langsdorfi.  I forgot to ask about love-lies-bleeding (ammaranthus) but I am willing to bet that Tina will have that in her shop too when she can get it from the growers.  Ask Tina to show you the "7up" plant when you visit, it's the little plant in front of the spikey porcupine tomato in the photo below!

This splendid little shop is well worth a visit to Burien to shop for some cool and unusual plants (annuals, perennials and some small trees and shrubs) to enhance your garden and fill some glazed pottery as a garden focal point.  Tina's enthusiasm for plants will both entertain and educate you on what you can do to make your garden an even more magical place this spring, summer and fall!  On the inside, the shop has beautiful garden ornaments (both indoors and outdoors) for anyone who loves gardens whether they currently have a garden or not.

Grass Roots is a wonderful resource for homeowners with gardens in the Burien area, you no longer have to drive all the way to City People's Garden Store in Madison Valley or Molbak's in Woodinville for interesting plants! 

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!