Coffee and Strawberries- Renton, WA 2010

*Another Post borrowed from my "other" blog
 
Mixed matched bedfellows, it might seem, to have coffee, strawberries and cream.
Ah, but if these were in different drinks or settings, they would simply be divine. Common Grounds Coffee Shop in Renton, Washington mixes these together in just the right blend.

Tables scattered randomly, a hobby horse or two, and some comfy chairs make up a cozy coffee shop. When you enter, you can't help but say, "Oh how ...." (and whatever wonderful word comes to your head) ...cute, sweet, eccentric, adorable, cozy...etc" There is no time to feel awkward, you are already 'at home.'

The selection of drinks, cold or hot, are diverse. The cupcakes tantalize both with whimsical names and appealing designs. You can't leave without ordering something.

May I give my suggestion for the best item on the menu? Strawberry Short Cup!

Little Kailynn

 
Tomorrow my granddaughter, Kailynn, comes to visit.  So tomorrow...kisses will abound, hugs will have no limit and there will be plenty of cuddling going on. These are all the perks of being a grandma. 

What is Seattle without.... Seattle, WA

What do you think of when someone says, "Seattle.".....Grey's Anatomy? Okay- of course not! You think of ...the Space Needle. What would Seattle be like without the Space Needle as a part of its skyline.

Although the space needle looks ever so futuristic, the idea for its construction was birthed in 1959 by Edward E. Carlson. This would later become the symbol of the 1962 Seattle's World Fair. It turned out to be harder than Carlson thought to get the structure up and in place. If you are interested in the history of how the Space needle came to be-click here. 


38 years later, the Space Needle serves Seattle as a great 'tourist' spot. Everyone wants to have their picture taken in front of the Space Needle. Others are willing to spring for the money to ride up to the top of the Needle ...to take more pictures and be able to say they were up there. Still others enjoy an expensive meal at the revolving restaurant on the top. 

Whatever the reasons you have for viewing or enjoying the Space Needle, you have to admit is has become an accepted part of Seattle. Now when someone says "Seattle"...what will you think of?

Seattle and Music

Seattle's music scene is diverse. I will not pretend to be an expert on music. My relationship with music is:  I love it; however, I barely play the piano...if I sing, people desire to be somewhere else...you get the general idea!

My children, on the other hand, love music beyond just listening to it. They play at least one or more instruments. They sing. They tell me Seattle is a wonderful place for music. They love the musical diversity Seattle offers. 


I'm sure anyone who comes to Seattle will have ample opportunities to visit any number of small clubs, music venues or restaurants which feature great music.

My daughters enjoying a 'sister's night out' in downtown Seattle.

 If you want to enjoy a festival with music, check out the list of Music festival's listed on the city of Seattle's website.

Wake up Sleepy Head- Renton, WA, May 2010

*borrowed from my other blog :) 
 
When I first greeted the streets of Renton, I was sure I caught the whole city ready to slumber.

I was wrong.

In the past few months, Renton has shifted around and thrown off the bed covers. The streets of Renton are coming alive. It is more than just new paint, new fixtures, and renovations. Renton has woken up.

I can't wait to see what other surprises Renton, Washington has for me...I'm glad my first impressions were wrong.

Is it a Lake?- Lake Chelan, Washington 2010

(Today's Blog update was inspired by a comment left by Anil on a previous post I did)


  I do love Western Washington, but I must admit there is a place in Central Washington which entices me. Lake Chelan boasts of being 50.5 miles around, according to the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce. Is this really a lake? Yes, it is!

  Take a boat across the widest section of the Lake and you will be going 1.5 miles. Do you want to try and dive down to the bottom of the lake? You will have to dive 1486 Ft. down. 

  The breath taking view surrounds you no matter where you are on the lake. You see majestic snow capped Mountains peeking down. The hills nearby used to be filled with apple orchards, they now overflow with grape vines.
 
   Swimming in the clear waters of the lake is very appealing. Water skiing across the surface of the lake is exhilarating. In fact, it is difficult to leave the Chelan Valley with all its beauty. When you are there you  start dreaming about selling your house and moving to this tranquil location. However, when you price the houses near the lake reality sets in as you discover most of the houses right on the lake run a cool one million dollars. Ouch!

  Whether you spend one day enjoying Lake Chelan or one week, you will enjoy every moment of your time there. Unfortunately, all good things do come to an end and then you clamber back into your vehicle and head down the road back to your real life. Remember, the same road which takes you away from Lake Chelan can just as easily bring you back!

I'm blogathoning

Phew!! It will be a challenge- this blogathon requires updating the blog every day for one month. My life has been a bit of a whirlwind - so I'm probably crazy to start this...but then, I never said I was sane.

I thought some great things to blog about will be secret finds here in the Northwest. These will include coffee shops, hidden cabins, book stores, music venues and more. 

So there will be great things to look forward to....to get the ball rolling...last night I was at the Upper Room - this is a free music venue in Renton, Washington. Fabulous music, great food, lots of people and the best part of it all is it is FREE! :)

Last night's three groups were Lemolo, Paper Astronomer and The Head and The Heart. Amazing talent! If you are on Facebook- you can see other posts about the upper room performances at their FB page: The Upper Room. 

This collage taken and created by Shahrzad Arfaei-credit to Shahrzad Photography