Rainier Beach

Kubota Gardens were the highlight of today's 8.6 mile walk. I wish my friend and I had started there and we will probably start our next Rainier Beach walk in the gardens, taking time to really enjoy them.

The streets south of the gardens are low in the valley, lack sidewalks and curbs and are home to the Seattle City Light Creston-Nelson Substation with the accompanying transmission towers.

There is a small park on the street above the substation

and an Olympic Pipeline Company petroleum pipeline running through the area.

Higher up the hill, near St. Paul's Catholic Church and School,

the streets and views are nicer and the homes tidier. We had a great view of Lake Washington from the streets surrounding the church property but the day was so overcast that my pictures do not do it justice.

The area is residential but there is a small commercial area at the intersection of 51st and Renton Avenue S. We passed Fire Station 33, a Speed E mart and auto and insurance services facilities.

Along the way, we spotted Kubota Gardens Estates, Chief Sealth Trail,

the Kubota Gardens Foundation,

Amazing Grace Church and Christian School,

Pentecostal Covenant Church,

a palm tree decorated for the holidays,

a street-side altar,

yard art,

a vegetable garden (maybe growing leeks) and the Kubota Gardens Natural Area - Mapes Creek runs through this area and feeds the Necklace of Ponds in the gardens.

I had never visited the gardens this late in the year but they were lovely.

Another rewarding Seattle walk.

Rainier View

A friend and I had a good workout today as we walked 8.8 miles in a hilly section of the Rainier View neighborhood. We think we walked the southern-most street in the city (S Juniper Street) but this southern boundary is pretty tricky and there are no signs indicating that we were entering or leaving the city.

This area is mostly residential but the hills and the lack of sidewalks result in some streets not having the tidy appeal of others. There were spots from which we thought we could view Mount Rainier (the view would have been better if it had been a clear day) and figured that accounted for the neighborhood's name.

Beacon Avenue S is the main and busiest street in this area and along this street we passed a community garden

and a small green space surrounding a public utility building.

Along the way, we spotted a Laotian Buddhist Society facility,

the former home of the Northwest Black Pioneer Toddler Tech (signs for its new location appeared to be pointing beyond the city limits),

a house with a gazebo,

a sign for the Garden of Gethsemane C.O.G.I.C. (but the facility appeared deserted), St. Luke's Lutheran Church (pictured in a prior post),

garden statues,

views of the Rainier valley (we could see the light rail running through it)

and Rainier View Elementary (where a friendly employee advised us to be careful on the hill because it was icy).

We had a good walk but, according to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods map, I need to return to walk a very small portion of MLK Jr. Way which did not connect with any other street we walked today.

North Beacon Hill

Today's walk was short (4.1 miles) but it covered the streets I had missed in North Beacon Hill. There is building going on along these streets near 15th and 16th north of S College Street and some along the streets east of 16th.

I noted lots of boxy looking modern homes and a few proposed land use action posters. One proposed to replace a single family home with two 3-unit townhouses; another proposed subdividing a lot to allow three units. Both mentioned an urban village overlay.

The streets I walked were residential with the exception of a trophy store and a driving school on 15th. 15th and 16th are close to the top of the hill and the land slopes off quite steeply between 16th and 17th.

Through-streets are replaced by dead-ends and staircases. I climbed the 57 steps of this one between 16th and 17th on S Hill Street.

At the top, I spotted a memorial to Patricia Richert which asks that we fashion our lives as a garland of beautiful deeds.

The Beacon Bluff P-Patch is between 14th and 15th at Massachusetts.

Even when I'm not expecting to find anything new, I'm always surprised.

North Beacon Hill

The biggest surprise of today's 8.6 mile walk in North Beacon Hill was the "Pavilion of Greatness" in Daejeon Park above I-90.

This peaceful, Korean Sister City Park borders the Mountain to Sound Trail and has a number of park/pavilion dedication plaques bearing the names of a few former Seattle mayors.

It also has a plaque next to the "Equality" sculpture

but this sculpture must share appreciative reactions with the meticulously decorated pavilion.

Across Sturgus Avenue from the park, is Lewis Park

and across 15th from Lewis Park is the Pacific Tower (formerly a VA hospital, then Amazon Headquarters and soon to be Central Seattle Community College space).

Across 12th from this impressive building is Dr, Jose Rizal Park with its dog off leash area,

"East is West" triptych,

bust of Dr. Jose P. Rizal (Filipino Patriot, National Hero, Martyr and Genius)

and plaques commemorating Philippine independence and honoring the heros of Bataan and Corregidore.

Once again, in addition to mostly tidy single family homes, I noted businesses along Beacon Avenue S (including gas stations and Mexican and Asian restaurants). I also observed apartments and Condos overlooking I-5 and near the Light Rail Station,

new, modern homes near I-90 and the Mountain to Sound Trail,

lots of staircases

and great views of the Seattle skyline.

This area is home to Beacon Hill International School  and Beacon Hill Playground (both pictured in a prior post,

Amanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Church,

a Tabacco Free Zone

and parking strip art.

I saw quite a few people out walking and many walking dogs. This was a rewarding walk and I will be happy to return and complete 15th and 16th Avenues and the east/west streets (even though they are hilly and include a lot of staircases).