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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

East Queen Anne and Westlake

After a pastry stop at Le Fournil on Eastlake, a book-loving buddy and I took a 6.1 mile walk in the Westlake and East Queen Anne neighborhoods. We filled in missed streets and talked about our latest book club choice while admiring the sights.

This area, sandwiched between Aurora and Lake Union slopes down to the lake and we spotted staircases and climbed up a pretty long one

to get to the overpass near Garfield Street. We noted a nice patio outside a deli in the Attachmate building on Westlake.

Some of the streets looked to be more alley than street but we walked them, especially if we could see a street sign.

This is a neighborhood of apartments/condos, businesses, the Swedish Cultural Center, the Cheshiahud Loop, Thomas C. Wales Park (pictured in a prior post) and underpasses.

One underpass took us from Dexter to Aurora

whose shoulder looked almost rural in this area.

Another took us from Aurora to 6th Avenue N.

We spotted colorful murals in both underpasses





and confirmed that the stretch of 6th just west of Aurora was too dangerous to walk.



Along the way, we passed a rain garden on Westlake,

Lyon's corner grocery store, a decorated bus shelter with a great view of the lake, what looked like a small demonstration outside KCPQ, remnants of old railroad tracks (pictured in a prior post)

and samples of nautical lore















and what appeared to be Native American languages near Julie's Landing.

Another pleasant walk in a diverse neighborhood.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Briarcliff Neighborhood of Magnolia

My husband and I were back in Magnolia today for a 6.6 mile walk through the Briarcliff area. Expansive views greeted
us as we walked along the streets of the tidy, quiet, residential neighborhood.




I was surprised by the number of tree swings we saw












and admired a few playhouses.



















The biggest surprise was a new Briarcliff at Magnolia development being built near the watertower. I had no idea there was this much undeveloped space in Magnolia and discovered that the property is the site of the old Briarcliff Elementary School and had been sold to a developer.

We spotted a staircase where Dravis breaks at 37th,

some lovely homes

(one was dark with a twisted chimney and looked as if it could have been designed in Prague)

and ended by catching a view of Mount Rainier.

We are almost finished our Magnolia walks and have really enjoyed the views.

Seattle Center and Lower Queen Anne

Yesterday, my husband and I were going to an IMAX show at the Pacific Science Center so we took a walk 6.4 mile through Seattle Center and lower Queen Anne.

The Seattle Marathon was winding down and the finish line was inside Memorial Stadium so we got to cheer on the runners.

In addition to the Science Center and the stadium, Seattle Center is home to McCaw Hall (the opera house),

the Pacific Northwest Ballet,

the Playhouse (currently home to the Intiman Theater),

The Bagley Wright Theater (home of the Seattle Rep),

Key Arena (home of the Seattle Storm, the Rat City Roller Girls and Seattle U Men's Basketball),

Seattle Children's Theater,

Center House (home of Seattle Children's Museum) and the Mural Amphitheatre,

the International Fountain (not in action in this photo),

KCTS 9, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It, SIFF Film Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Exhibition Hall, the Experience Music Project (which is the terminus of the Monorail) and the Space Needle.

While Lower Queen Anne is dominated by Seattle Center, it has many personalities. The area near Belltown has lots of restaurants, new condos and apartments,

while the area near Aurora Avenue has parking lots, motels, holes in the ground (a few streets were closed because of construction) and a power station.

South and east of 5th and Mercer, we passed the expansive grounds of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with sculptures and text reflecting the foundation's beliefs. There is a Visitor Center which I will return to visit.



















The streets surrounding the Center are home to Teatro ZinZanni,


the Marketplace (Metropolitan Market, Bartells, Fed Ex, etc.), Pottery Northwest, Champion Party Supply, First United Methodist Church,

Sacred Heart Catholic Church,

Monorail tracks

and Seattle Waldorf School High School (which may be sharing space with or adjacent to the Sacred Heart Women's Shelter).

This is not a complete list of what this area has to offer and doesn't even touch on the many events that are held at the Center every year.