Mountain View
Maria Shimizu Christensen
Free Seeds for Your Garden from Area Seed Libraries
Now is the time of year when serious gardeners are poring over catalogs, creating garden plans and dreaming of spring. Even if you’re a casual gardener, or just have a pot or two on the balcony, you might be looking forward to summer flowers and fresh herbs.
Dick’s 19 cent Burgers Are Back
70 years ago, on January 28th, beloved local chain Dick’s Drive-In opened the windows at its first location in Wallingford. All these decades later there are now 9 locations, including 4 outside of Seattle in Edmonds, Kent, Bellevue, and Federal Way. And now you’ll be able to celebrate the anniversary with cheap burgers.
The Washington Sportsmen’s Show is 5 Days Long
The Washington Sportsmen’s ShowWashington Sportsmen’s Show is so big, with so many vendors, seminars, and activities that it takes five days to fit it all in. Taking place From Wednesday 1/31 through Sunday 2/4 at the Washington State Fair Events Center in Puyallup, the show runs until 8 pm every day except Sunday, so you’ll have plenty of time to check it all out.
Get Wild at the Pacific Northwest Reptile & Exotic Animal Show
Not everyone’s pets are the furry and cuddly kind. And while you can find furry friends at the Pacific Northwest Reptile & Exotic Animal Show, they won’t be cats and dogs. Instead, you’ll find dozens of vendors offering up every kind of exotic animal you can think of. The ones that are legal to own, that is. Snakes, spiders, turtles, geckos, frogs, lizards – you’ll find those and many other things. Have you always been curious about keeping an iguana? Here’s your chance to learn more.
How to Plan a Wedding with the Seattle Wedding Show
Once a year, every service you could possibly need to plan a wedding gathers under the roof of the Seattle Convention Center for one-stop shopping and a convenient way to compare services from multiple vendors. You can attend a fashion show and find the perfect gown, among many other things at the Seattle Wedding Show.
I Survived a Stroke and You Can Too
I recently had a stroke. I didn’t realize it in the moment, but I suspected, and felt wrong enough to take myself to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Luckily, it’s a highly rated hospital for stroke patients. They took one look at my drooping face and I was plopped into a wheelchair and whisked into triage so fast it felt like a carnival ride. That’s important, because the quicker a stroke patient is diagnosed and treated, the likelier a positive outcome results. Good emergency departments respond to strokes with lightning speed.
Free Indoor Activities in Seattle
In my neighborhood, people are always out for their daily runs and walks even when the weather is bad. Around the region it’s something of a game to start a hike when the weather breaks and see if you can finish up before the rain starts. We’re outdoorsy people. Some of us are out grilling dinner when there’s snow on the ground.
Plan Your Next Adventure With the Tacoma RV Show
Have you always dreamed about hitting the road and visiting every state park in the country? Or finding warm places to spend the winter? Maybe you’ve thought about simplifying, downsizing, and lowering expenses with the freedom to go anywhere at any time. You’re not alone.
There’s Holiday Magic at the Washington State Fairgrounds
Festive lights, fun rides, fair food, ice skating, train rides, and visits with Santa are just some of the things going on in Puyallup at the Holiday Magic event. There are two more weekends left to enjoy the festivities, which run from 4:30 to 9:30 pm on 12/15 – 12/17 and 12/20 – 12/23.
Camping still open at Camano Island State Park
We love to get outdoors even when the weather is less than ideal, and if your idea of fun is camping, now is a great time to do it. Parks aren’t crowded, views are magnificent, and with the right setup you can handle the rain and overnight low temperatures.
Frybread Tacos and a Day at the Burke
The Burke Museum in Seattle’s University District has been through a number of locations and name changes since the first building went up in 1886, but it’s always been a premier museum. The newest building, which opened its doors to the public on October 12, 2019, upholds that legacy.
At Dick’s: Pumpkin Carving Contest and Free Burgers for Kids on Halloween
Do you have crazy good pumpkin carving skills? Put them to the test with the Dick’s Drive-In pumpkin carving contest, running from October 16th through October 26th. The day after the contest ends, Dick’s will choose 5 winners who get to take home a prize pack of a merchandise goodie bag and $20 worth of gift certificates good at the restaurants.
61 cent tacos every Tuesday in October
The very first Taco Time opened in 1962 in White Center and it’s been nothing but growth since then. There are now 77 of the fast food restaurants in Western Washington, ranging from Sequim and Stanwood to Tumwater. These are the local family-owned locations of Taco Time Northwest, not to be confused with other Taco Time restaurants located outside of Western Washington.
The Earshot Jazz Festival Has Begun and You Should Hear It
The biggest and best jazz festival in Seattle is celebrating its 35th year of bringing both local artists and internationally famous jazz musicians to town. Running from October 6th through November 5th, you have plenty of time to take in performances and many venues to choose from.
Free State Park Day for World Mental Health Day
While there are 12 days per year when you can visit a state park without having to pay for admittance, they don’t happen once a month. Some months have two or three, while others have none. There’s one chance to visit a state park for free in October – on Tuesday, October 10th – and it coincides with World Mental Health Day.
The International Quilt and Fiber Arts Festival Has Lots of Workshops
Quilting is the star of the show at the International Quilt and Fiber Arts Festival, and many pieces of quilting art will be on display, but other fiber arts will also be featured. If you’ve always wanted to learn about quilting or another fiber art, this is the place to be.
Greek Out at the Tacoma Greek Festival
Gyros, spanakopita, souvlaki, baklava, and pastries are just some of the fabulous and authentic Greek foods you’ll find at the 60th annualTacoma Greek Festival. With lots of food booths, appetizers made in the church kitchen, and a Coffee Shop and Bakery, you won’t go hungry. Greek beer will also be available if you get thirsty.
2 Really Big Seafood Festivals Coming Up
Crabs and oysters are on the menu at two very big seafood festivals happening the weekend of October 6th through the 8th. You can choose which one to attend based on location and seafood affinity, or make an epic weekend of it. One is located in Port Angeles and the other in Shelton, so there’s likely to be some driving involved.
Maria Shimizu Christensen
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Author of a Seattle handbook for newcomers, Maria provides news, guides, and tidbits for city dwellers, visitors, and day trippers
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