Gardens

April 11, 2019 (Mount Baker/Judkins Park)

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Welcome to Seattle Close to Home — a weekly round-up of ideas for time-crunched Seattle-area residents, who want to get outside, volunteer, and eat good food, but don’t necessarily want to drive far (or at all).

Join your fellow chocolate lovers. On Saturday from 2pm to 4:30pm, sample locally made chocolate treats and cocoa-based products at the Great Seattle Vegan Chocolate Meltdown. Proceeds from chocolate sales benefit the Food Empowerment Project. Tickets are available online. Takes place at the Mount Baker Community Club (2811 Mt Rainier Dr S).

Help out in the garden. Volunteers will meet at Jimi Hendrix Park (2400 S Massachusetts St) at 9am on Saturday for weeding and mulching in the rain and butterfly gardens. The park is located just off the I-90 trail, a.k.a. the Mountains to Sound Greenway, and next to the Northwest African American Museum, which is worth a visit.

Get out! and explore the I-90 trail. Whether on foot or bike, our suggested route (all or part) will take you from Jimi Hendrix Park west to Beacon Hill, east to Mercer Island (and beyond), or both! — on the Mountains to Sound Greenway.

Fuel up at … We’ve been telling you about our go-to places to eat and get coffee, but we want to hear about yours! We invite you to post a comment about your favorite eateries in Mount Baker/Judkins Park.

Leaving the car at home? Metro bus #14 goes to the Mount Baker Community Club, and also stops about a 1/2 mile from Jimi Hendrix Park. Routes 8 and 48 serve Jimi Hendrix Park, but be aware of construction reroutes.

 Weather forecast: Periods of rain are in the forecast with highs around 55.

April 4, 2019 (University of Washington)

Editor

Welcome to Seattle Close to Home — a weekly round-up of ideas for time-crunched Seattle-area residents, who want to get outside, volunteer, and eat good food, but don’t necessarily want to drive far (or at all).

Help out down on the urban farm. Saturday is Drop-in Volunteer Day at the farm at UW’s Mercer Court (3927 Adams Ln NE). The event takes place from 10am to 2pm and is open to all who want to help with weeding and transplanting, and learn about gardening, organic food, and inner-city agriculture.

Join your fellow botanical fanaticals. UW’s Botanic Gardens and Center for Urban Horticulture is hosting two plant-focused events in the Miller Library (3501 NE 41st St): opening Friday (through May 8), an exhibit of original botanical illustrations, and on Saturday from 9am to 3pm, the Garden Lover’s Book Sale, which will feature gently used books on gardening, plants, ecology and other topics.

Get Out! and paddle. The UW Waterfront Activities Center (3710 Montlake Blvd NE — behind Husky Stadium) opens for the season this week and offers canoe and rowboat rentals (kayaks will be available in May). Head north into the Union Bay Natural Area to view bald eagles, osprey (also known as seahawks), and other waterfowl. Or head south to the Washington Arboretum and its protected waterways (just be careful of motorboat traffic heading into and out of the Montlake Cut). Boat rentals are available from 10am to 5pm daily.

Fuel up at Agua Verde Cafe and Paddle Club. You can rent kayaks — and enjoy tasty Mexican food, as well as espresso — at Agua Verde (1307 NE Boat St). Kayak rentals are available on weekends from 10am to 6pm; the cafe is open on Saturdays from 9am to 9pm, but is closed on Sundays.

Leaving the car at home? Take the light rail to the University of Washington station. Several bus routes, including 48, 70, 71, and 73, provide service to UW. Buses 31,32, 65, 67 and 75 also stop near the Miller Library.

Weather forecast: The weekend looks overcast with periods of rain and highs in the mid- to upper-50s.

January 24, 2019 (Parks & Trails, North & South)

Editor

Welcome to Seattle Close to Home — a weekly round-up of ideas for time-crunched Seattle-area residents, who want to get outside, volunteer, and eat good food, but don’t necessarily want to drive far (or at all).

Help out at a city park.

South: If it fits into your schedule, stop by lovely and serene Kubota Garden, (9817 55th Ave S) on any Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm and assist the gardeners with planting, pruning, raking, or weeding.

North: On Sundays, volunteers are needed to walk around Green Lake and pick up trash. All supplies will be provided. Meet in the parking lot at the Bath House Theater (7312 West Green Lake Dr N) by 9am. Contact the organizer for more details.

Get Out! on a city trail.

South: The rolling Chief Sealth Trail spans the Beacon Hill and Rainier Beach neighborhoods, beginning just south of Jefferson Park and ending a couple of blocks from Kubota Garden. The terrain is hilly, so riding/walking the entire 4.5-mile trail (9 miles roundtrip) offers a good workout with a view. The trail is also accessible from several light rail stations: Beacon Hill (with an additional 3.3-mile walk/ride), Othello, and Rainier Beach (northbound towards Beacon Hill or southbound to Kubota Garden).

North: The Green Lake loop is about 3 miles (depending on whether you use the inner or outer path). From Green Lake, you can walk primarily on greenbelt to Cowen and Ravenna Parks — where you’ll find 4.5 miles of trails within the two contiguous parks, which take you into a ravine and past Ravenna Creek. From there you can access the Burke-Gilman Trail for a longer ride or walk.

Fuel up at one of our faves from past posts.

South: July 5, 2018; May 17, 2018

North: November 15, 2018; August 30, 2018

Leaving the car at home? Metro bus 106 goes to Kubota Garden. Numerous buses stop near/at Green Lake, including the #45 and the #62. 

Weather forecast: The forecast looks mainly dry with highs around 50 degrees.

September 6, 2018 (Chinatown-International District)

Editor

Welcome to Seattle Close to Home — a weekly round-up of ideas for time-crunched Seattle-area residents, who want to get outside, volunteer, and eat good food, but don’t necessarily want to drive far (or at all).

Help out with park restoration. Venture across the Jose Rizal Bridge (on 12th Ave S) to woodsy Lewis Park (1120 15th Ave S) and assist with fall planting and trail maintenance. Volunteers will meet from 10am to 1pm on Sunday and can register online.

Join your fellow night owls. The Chinatown-International Night Market happens Saturday from 4pm to midnight at the Historic Chinatown Gate (5th Ave S & S King St). The event features food vendors, a beer garden, an international market, live bands, break-dancers, and an all-ages dance party.

Get out! and ramble. Explore the reconfigured and newly-named Yesler Terrace Park (835 Yesler Way) and its expansive views of downtown, Elliott Bay, and Mount Rainier. As part of the Yesler Terrace redevelopment project, the park connects to the C-ID via stairs and a pedestrian pathway at 10th Ave S just north of S Jackson St.

Other nearby parks are Kobe Terrace and Gardens (), Daejon Park (near Lewis Park at 1144 Sturgus Ave S), and Hing Hay Park (), which hosts a ping pong tournament on Friday from 2pm to 5:30pm.

You can also bike to/from the C-ID — see our Mountains to Sound Trail and Chief Sealth Trail posts for details.

Fuel up at… well, there are so many options. Our favorites include the beef chow fun at the Uwajimaya food court (600 5th Ave S); really really fresh sushi at Maneki (304 6th Ave S); and pretty much anything at Tamarind Tree (1036 S Jackson St).

Leaving the car at home? The International District/Chinatown light rail station is just across the street from the Historic Chinatown Gate. Numerous buses travel to and from the C-ID, including the #7, #14, #124, and the #36 and #60, which go to Lewis Park and Daejon Park (the #60 also goes to Yesler Terrace and travels along 12th Ave S).

Weather forecast: Cloudy with a few showers possible; highs around 70.

July 5, 2018 (Chief Sealth Trail/ Georgetown)

Editor

Welcome to Seattle Close to Home — a weekly round-up of ideas for time-crunched Seattle-area residents, who want to get outside, volunteer, and eat good food, but don’t necessarily want to drive far (or at all).

Help out at “Tuesdays in the Garden.” If it fits into your schedule, stop by Kubota Garden near Rainier Beach (9817 55th Ave S) on any Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm and assist the gardeners with planting, pruning, raking, or weeding. Or visit on another day for a serene and scenic stroll (admission is free!).

Join your fellow flower fans. The annual Georgetown Garden Walk is a self-guided exploration of this eclectic southend neighborhood. Maps are available on the day of the walk (Sunday) at the Georgetown Bank of America parking lot (1112 South Bailey St) from 10am-5pm. In addition to gardens, there will be live music, plus brew pubs and artist studios to visit.

Get Out! on the Chief Sealth Trail. This rolling bike and pedestrian path spans the Beacon Hill and Rainier Beach neighborhoods, beginning just south of Jefferson Park and ending a couple of blocks from Kubota Garden. The terrain is hilly, so riding the entire 4.5-mile trail (9 miles roundtrip) offers a short, but good, workout with a view. The trail is also accessible from several light rail stations: Beacon Hill (with an additional 3.3-mile ride), Othello, and Rainier Beach (northbound towards Beacon Hill or southbound to Kubota Garden).

Fuel up at one of Georgetown’s many eateries. Get some ideas on the Garden Walk or visit seattle.eater.com for recommendations. There is no shortage of great food and drink in Georgetown.

If you’re at the Garden or the south end of the Trail, check out King Donuts (9232 Rainier Ave S), where you can eat donuts, Thai food, and teriyaki — and also do a little laundry. Open from 7am most every day, including weekends.

Leaving the car at home? In addition to the light rail stops mentioned above, Metro buslines 106 and 107. And the 124 runs from downtown Seattle to Georgetown.

Weather forecast: Temps in the 70s/low 80s with cooler weather and the possibility of showers on Saturday.