Local businesses

April 18, 2019 (West Seattle)

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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 paddlers. Locally-owned Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3618 SW Alaska St) is hosting a Boat Swap on Saturday from 12pm to 6pm (co-hosted by Alki Kayak Tours) and Paddling Film Festival from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Buy and/or sell human powered watercraft (kayaks, SUPs, canoes) and accessories, see a film — and check out the store’s sale on winter gear.

Help out at Me-kwa-mooks Park. On Friday from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, volunteers will be removing ivy and blackberry to make room for native Pacific Northwest plants. Sign up online and meet on the front lawn of Me-kwa-mooks Park (4503 Beach Drive SW).

Get out! for a day at the beach. Enjoy the quiet side of Alki at Me-kwa-mooks. If the tide is out, explore the tidepools, then walk 2.5 miles along the shoreline to Lincoln Park, which has woodsy and waterside trails.

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 West Seattle.

Leaving the car at home? The West Seattle Water Taxi is operating seven days a week now, leaving from downtown. Metro route 773 will take you from the ferry dock to the Alaska junction. The C-Line also runs from Seattle to the Alaska junction and to Lincoln Park. On weekdays, bus #37 goes to the Alaska junction and Me-kwa-mooks Park.

Weather forecast: Friday may seen some rain with a high of 57 degrees. Saturday and Sunday are forecast to be sunny with patchy clouds and highs in the low 60s.

December 20, 2018 (UW/U-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).

Join your fellow art walkers. The University District Art Walk happens on Friday from 6-8pm at local businesses on The Ave.

Help out artists and a library. UW’s Miller Library (3501 NE 41st St) at the Center for Urban Horticulture is hosting a Holiday Arts and Crafts Sale through Saturday. Locally-made arts and crafts are for sale, with 25% of the proceeds benefiting the library. The event takes place from 9am-5pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 9am-3pm on Saturday.

Get Out! and explore UW’s trails. Walk or bike for miles on and around the UW campus. Options include the Burke-Gilman to Green Lake (via Ravenna Park), the Burke-Gilman (north and west), and along the UW Waterfront (option: continue on to the Arboretum). A walk through the beautiful main campus is also a favorite of ours.

Fuel up at a year-round farmers market. The University District Farmers Market (5031 University Way NE) is open from 9am-2pm on Saturday. Local produce includes pears, apples, squashes, beets, rutabagas, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, kale, cabbage, and fresh herbs, plus other ingredients for winter feasts.

Leaving the car at home? Take the light rail to the University of Washington station, which is 1.4 miles to the Ave/Farmers Market or a mile to the Miller Library. You can bring your bike aboard the train or LimeBikes are readily available. Several bus routes, including 48, 70, 71, 73, and 74, provide service to the UW/University District. Buses 31,32, 65, 67 and 75 also stop near the Miller Library.

Weather forecast: A cloudy (but mostly dry) weekend is forecast with highs in the upper 40s.

December 13, 2018 (Fremont/Lake Union)

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 and pick up trash (and toys for kids). Join Lake Union Charters & Adventures and Urban Public Water Access for an on-land shoreline clean-up. The event takes place on Sunday from 10am to 11:30, starting at 1200 Westlake Ave N. Optional: brunch outing afterwards.

And while you’re out and about this weekend, Bartell Drugs is partnering with the Salvation Army to collect new, unwrapped gifts for local kids in need. The Toy ‘N Joy drive runs until Saturday at area Bartells.

Join your fellow lit-up boat fans. Whatever (or even if) you celebrate this month, a boat parade is sure to light up the December dark on Friday evening from 7pm to 9:30.  Boats will start in Lake Union on a voyage west through the Fremont ship canal. A viewing party takes place at Evanston Plaza in Fremont.

Get Out! around Lake Union. Embark on a walking circumnavigation of Lake Union and take in the sights of the neighborhoods, house boat communities, and working waterfront activities on this busy urban lake.

Fuel up at a truck. The Winter Feast Holiday Bazaar happens from 10am-4pm at the Fremont Sunday Market (3401 Evanston Ave N), where you can eat up at a buffet of local food trucks!

Leaving the car at home? Metro Routes 31 and 32 and 62 go to Fremont. Bus #40 runs along Westlake Avenue to Fremont. The South Lake Union streetcar travels to SLU from the Westlake light rail station.

Weather forecast: Cloudy and in the 40s with a bit of rain and drizzle on Friday evening. Mostly cloudy and 49 degrees on Saturday. Rainy and 50 degrees on Sunday.

November 22, 2018 (Citywide)

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 by shopping small. The day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday, where you can support your local economy. Plug in your zip code on this map to find small, independently-owned businesses in your neighborhood.

Join your fellow marathoners. It’s not too late to sign up to walk/run a full- or half-marathon! The Seattle Marathon kicks off at the Seattle Center (5th and Harrison) on Sunday morning, and takes you through downtown Seattle and Lake Union — the full marathon course extends to Matthews Beach on Lake Washington.

Get out! on the ice. From now through the new year, ice skating is available at the Seattle Center‘s Fischer Pavilion and in downtown Bellevue (NE 1st St & 100th Ave NE).

Fuel up in your neighborhood. This weekend, take a break from the kitchen and try a new local restaurant. The Small Business Saturday map shows you places to eat as well as shop.

Leaving the car at home? Metro trip planner and Sound Transit trip planner can help you avoid driving. A walk around your neighborhood for shopping and eating is another great option.

Weather forecast: So far, Sunday looks like the best day to be outside, with mostly cloudy skies and a high around 50. Saturday is forecast to be just a bit cooler with periods of rain.

Happy Thanksgiving!