 Hawthorne Hills, the triangle shaped neighborhood just bordering the famed biking and walking trail on the south and Sandpoint Way NE on the east, is the lovely community known for it's Cape Cod style and brick Tudor style homes. Developed from the 1920's  to the 1940's, one of the original seven homes that make up the neighborhood still stands on the southwest corner or NE 60th Street and Princeton Way. The Metropolitan Market, a fresh and slightly upscale corner market, is a busy grocery spot, once the site of Albertson's for many years, and before that, a large dairy farm where cattle grazed in  the 1940's. How things have changed. Many of the streets are named after college towns  such as Stanford, Ann Arbor, Pullman, and Princeton. The area also boasts the Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Clinic and Professional Center side by side, and a great little Chinese Yummy Cafe Restaurant as well. Don't miss the wonderful old fashioned general store City People's. They sell everything from hardware, to boots, to stationary to clothing. And next door, you will find a wonderful moderately wine selection at La Cantina Take a break from shopping and step into the aromatic coffee roaster next door at Gretchen's Place. They offer an array of baked goods and  homemade salads and goodies, too.  The most attractive feature of this vibrant neighborhood is being just a hop, skip, and jump away from a whole slew of restaurants, shops, the University Village, and the University of Washington. The best part of it is, you can access all of these local hot spots by way of the Burke Gilman Trail. Stretching all the way from Woodinville on the north to Ballard on the south, this is a perfect way to travel that is healthy, earth friendly, and avoids all car traffic. What could be more fun? All the more reason to live in the earth friendly and conveniently located community of Hawthorne Hills. Helen ToyodaRealtorHelen@SeattlePowerSearch.com206.383.8182
 Everywhere you drive (if you are inclined to drive, it's a nice day to stay home, and play ... maybe make a snowman?) you can see these merry  winter spirits in front yards and out enjoying the holiday weather! These happy little guys were spotted in Green Lake, where the lake and the park are cloaked in winter white. According to my information there have been numerous snowman sightings in Wallingford, North Seattle, Everett, Ballard, Fremont, the  U District, and in neighborhoods all along the shores of Lake Washington. Tomorrow I will be showing an interesting-looking home in Matthew's Beach, so I'll bring the camera along, and keep you posted!! The weatherman was talking about rising temperatures and some of the snow starting to melt, so we may be in our best snowman-watching mode today, Christmas day! There may be some sighs of relief if the snow blanket does melt somewhat tomorrow, but surely we will regret the loss of our little cheerful snow buddies. Not only that, every house you look at is so inviting. What is it about a bit of snow on the roof and a white garden that makes homes looks so...warm? The roof lines, the trim, everything shows up to advantage in the  snow. The real  estate agent in me took over for a few minutes and I wanted to tell everyone...hey, take a photo of your house now, because if/when you ever put it on the market it will really come in handy! There are a lot of 1920s brick Tudor style homes in Green Lake near the lake, and the snow makes them look like something out of a fairy tale! And as always, hoping to hear back from you and how YOUR snowman is doing... are you where there is snow? If so, please share your snowmen with us too. The agents in our office are talking about making a snowman album, and those from other parts of the country thinking of relocating to Seattle (well, the snowmen, I mean!) would be welcome guests in our album! As for the people relocating, of course we welcome you to our (temporarily) snowy city!! Get in touch and let me know how I can be of help.  Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Team Leader
(206) 331-0152 Labels: Ballard, Everett, Fremont, Seattle snowmen, U District, Wallingford
  All over the city, in every neighborhood, there are little young people and full sized adults leaving impressions of creativity in their yards and sidewalks. Snowmen are made up of all sizes, shapes, some with clothing item  s such as scarves, hats, and earmuff, others with carrot noses, raisin eyes, and even money coined mouths!  How better to celebrate this winter wonderland in the biggest snowfall in recent history? On my quest to find the best and most creative examples of snow art all around north Seattle, I found amusement beyond expectation. I laug  hed  wholeheartedly and was thoroughly entertained by the uniqueness of our local neighbors. What a fun activity to enjoy with the entire family. So, folks, go out in your own neighborhoods, bundle up, grab the kids, and walk around and delight yourselves in your local neighborhood art! I guarantee it will be a wildly interesting ride and so much better exercise than sitting in front  of the television. It is funny how many times you whiz by a place in your car, how different it is and how many more  details you really see from your walk-by perspective. There are so many aesthetic forms of beauty, from plants, smells, architectural and natural characteristics, that you may never even notice from your car. It is like having a fantastic outdoor museum open to the public. Happy Holidays to you all, and to all an  explosion of an artfully good time! 
Helen Toyoda
206.383.8182 Labels: Bryant, Hawthorne Hills, Seattle snow, Wedgwood
 Seattle wants to know. After all, here we were, minding our own business and getting ready for the holidays, when along comes the blizzard!! OK, well, maybe not a real blizzard, but definitely a mini-blizzard. While perhaps fun, and certainly different, it resulted in school closures, bus and airline disruptions, and a whole lot of cold toes.
Satellites might be forgiven for asking ourselves...why?? Here is one reason, as Steve Sato and his friends in Mukilteo enjoy snowboarding in their own backyard!
 Labels: Mukilteo, Seattle snow
 Beacon Hill is a neighborhood in southeast Seattle, WA. Where Amazon.com and the Seattle Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Puget Sound Health Care System, calls Beacon Hill home. Beacon Hill offer views of Downtown Seattle, the Industrial District, Elliot Bay, First Hill, Rainier Valley, and if the skies are clear Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Beacon Hill also has easy access to Interstate 5, and Interstate 90. Well like the rest of Seattle, Beacon Hill was taken by surprise by this snow storm that just doesn't seem ready to give up just yet. Everyone in my neighborhood of Beacon Hill seems to really be enjoying it,(except for those that have to drive or take the bus to work!)  Snow is always great and fun until you have to go to work the next day. The driving conditions are currently not to good unless you are on the main roads. But the silver lining is that everyone can call in a snow day and work from home. I went for a walk around the neighborhood and snapped a few shots that I thought everyone might enjoy! In the above pics are shots of the Downtown Seattle skyline, from the Jose P. Rizal Park on 12th Ave S in Beacon Hill, the other is a West side shot of Beacon Hill.
So stay bundled up folks, drive cautiously and Happy Holidays!
Carlene Pride
Realtor (206) 619-3117 carlene@seattlepowersearch.com
Labels: Amazon, Beacon Hill, Veterans Affairs
 Shilshole Bay is probably one of the most picturesque pl  aces in Seattle. Located on the western tip of the city along Puget Sound and bordering Ballard and Crown Hill, this is definitely a tourist destination. Some of my earliest memories of my childhood are of going to church with my family and friends and stopping at McDonald's on the way to Shilshole Bay where we would eat our lunches at the beach and feed the seagulls. As I visited the exact spot on the beach that I had many years ago, I watched the children and their parents h  aving a picnic lunch and reminisced. I wistfully thought how lucky they were to be creating new and one day cherished memories of their time together at this beautiful par  k. Originally inhabited by the Duwamish Indian Tribe, Shilshole Bay was a place rich in salmon, clams and other seafood so that the people settled in very comfortably. The name Shilshole in Duwamish means "threading a needle". This is thought to be because of the narrow opening in which Salmon Bay empties into the Bay. After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, the wood mills set up shop on the water and employed many workers to work in the mills and send them downtown to rebuild the city. One of the destinations that should not be missed are the Hiram Chittenden Locks. It is open to the public and you can actually view the "fish ladder" where the salmon are raised and lowered to adjust to the different levels of the waters. It is fascinating for children and adults alike. Another landmark place is Rays Boathouse Restaurant. It defines the quintessencial Northwest cuisine better than anywh  ere that I know of. Completely demolished from a four alarm fire in 1987 and another one in 1997, Rays was totally rebuilt twice. The freshest seafood from salmon, oysters, halibut and shrimp are prepared e  xpertly by award-winning nationally recognized chefs. Enjoy wonderful dishes while looking at spectacular Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain views. Anthonys Homeport, one of many in the city, also has a coveted spot next to the Locks just down the road. It is another first class Northwest seafood restaurant with an amazing view. Perhaps due to my humble beginnings, I am just as happy as a clam enjoying fish and chips and chowder a  t one of the  many local joints near the beach. Totem House Seafood and Chowder, The Historic Lockspot, Little Coney Island, and Gordo's, are great places to grab take out and enjoy at the beach. Don't miss a little Carribean place called Paseo that just opened across the street from Rays. It is a little pink storefront that sells wonderful barbeque chicken and pork with fragrant jasmine rice and a beet salad. Yummy and satisfying and so friendly, too. There are many condominiums along the beach area in all different price ranges , new and old with and without Puget Sound views. Or, if you prefer, there are moorages for boats so that you can fulfill your dream of living right on the water. Whatev  er the season,  summer, fall, winter or spring, there are always interesting and lively activities going on at Shilshole Bay. Golden Gardens is the place to have a beach party or picnic, no matter how old you are. It is special and unique places in like these in Seattle that really make the city an amazing place to live. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else in the world! Helen ToyodaRealtorHelen@SeattlePowerSearch.comLabels: Golden Gardens restaurants, Seattle Beach, Shilshole Bay
 What comes to mind when I think of the Maple Leaf neighbo  rhood is a Tudor or Victorian style house on a small lot near a reservoir on one of the highest hills in Seattle. Centrally positioned just north of Greenlake and Ravenna and south of Northgate, it is a popular area for home buyers because of it's very convenient location and easy access close to Greenlake, the highway, University, Northgate Mall, downtown, and a quick commute to just about anywhere in town. It is just over 500 feet in elevation at its highest point. It became a part of Seattle in the 1950's, named in part for the many maple trees that grew there. It is known for it's reservoir that runs along Roosevelt Way, and the privately run smaller businesses. The family owned corner  Ace hardware store has been  in the same location for years, and has the congenial feel that corner mom and pop stores used to have. Service is everything. Don't miss the homestyle Chinese homemade dumplings and fare at the Snappy Dragon, run by my friends the Judy and David Fu family. I went to school nearby with the daughter, Mari. My favorite pizza in town has to be the A New York Pizza Place on 5th Ave NE. First opened by my friend Todd, this is classic thin crust pizza and calzone, East Coast style. The salads are great and they even sell the pizza dough to go. If you venture on west a block, you will find yourself way west to the island of Hawaii and at the tropical comfort food of Kona Kitchen. Run by actor Yuji and Angie Okumoto, this neighborhood joint serves great breakfasts all day long, along with the traditional Hawaiian favorite plate lunches with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad,  delicious chicken fried steak and even Portuguese sausage fried rice and Kahlua Pig! Worth the trip to Maple Leaf to catch the wave! Cloud City Coffee seems to attract a good crowd, and on this  particular day, I witnessed customers bicycling, walking and skiing in to get their hot cup of java. Only in Seattle. The classy Maple Leaf Grill and the Jones Bistro and Lounge are tantalizing and inviting with their lovely decor. A little bit of class and great quality steaks and gourmet dishes. And my vote for the most beautiful storefront in Maple Leaf is Maxines Floral and Gift. Beautiful decor and lights that really brighten up a cold winters night. Absolutely stunning displays of flowers, decorations, and lighting.
Prestigious private Perkins School, the Catholic St. Catherine's and the Fairview School, which is the biggest private elementary school in Seattle, all make up a part of the local education system. The newly done Olympic Hills is the public elementary school for the neighborhood. Come and visit Maple Leaf, a very unpretentious simple neighborhood where young families really come and stay for good. Helen Toyoda Realtor
206.383.8182 Labels: pizza, poi, pot stickers, Seattle high point elevation
 Close and dear to my heart, is my own neighborhood, little old Lake City. Annexed as part of Seattle relatively recently in 1954, the larger than city norm properties were used to raise peacocks, minks, and chickens in the earlier years. People livin  g in the city would have their country homes in Lake City and the farming community had a big presence. Thus, there are many older fruit trees and old growth trees in general than in much of the city. There are also Lake Washington views in the eastern section of the neighborhood that border the water. With prohibition in the 1930's came a bootlegging  industry that was prominent at the Jolly Roger's Restaurant on Lake City Way. Tunnels still remain underground at 8721 Lake City Way NE, now a Shell gas station, where the bootleggers would spring for a getaway when the lookout crew on a high tower would spot police arrivi  ng. As the owner/operator of Toyoda Sushi Restaurant, one of the best neighborhood joints in the heart of Lake City for the past 20 years, I have seen the comings and goings of businesses, families, and everything in between. Going to the annual Pioneer Days Parade as a child, a little bit of Seafair that runs through every summer, I wasn't certain that this "country-like" neighborhood was ready for sushi. But ready, it was! I have had the honor of serving our country style Japanese cooking to our much loved entertainers Paul Newman, Joe Pantoliano, Tom Hulce, Alex Borstein, and former Mariner Kazu Sasaki to name a few. Fresh caught fish is truly a treat that people will travel  from every corner of the city for, and from neighboring towns, too. As in most Seattle neighborhoods, we have our own beloved restaurants that we love from Claires Pantry and Flo-Anna's Diner, good old American fare, to the newer Chang Thai and Thai One On, where you won't find a more delicious Thai menu with bright and cheerful decor anywhere in town! Dick's, the historic bu  rger, fries, and shakes, has been flipping late night snacks for us for generations and is still going strong. Of course, Chinese favorites are a must at the northern regional favorite Yu Shan to the Seven Seas and the newly built fast food Panda Express for a quick snack. Our central market is the gigantic Fred Meyer's that sells everything from groceries to electronics to clothing, hardware, to garden supplies. It even has a deli and bakery for another quick meal option. It is where everyone in the neighborhood shops. Don't miss the comfort Vietnamese food at Pho Bin, where nothing beats a hot bowl of Pho noodle soup, spring rolls, and a refreshing cup of bubble tea. And the Jalisco Family of Mexican restaurants is  serving south of the border comfort food and drinks here, too. Pocket parks are prevalent here as well, as is every major bank in town, from Chase/Wamu, to Bank of America, to BECU to Federal Savings and Wells Fargo all within about one block! With the major expansion of Bartell Drugs and huge condominium and townhome development on many corners, the population density has grown substantially. And there at least five great places to get a professional yet budget haircut from Crew Cuts to Hairmasters. Don't forget the quick yet delicious food on the run at the incredible Tub Subs Sandwich place and Manna Teriyaki, my son's personal favorites. The people are always friendly and hospitable.  My alma mater and the school of my two sons, Nathan Hale High School, is undergoing a major renovation and already has an impressive new football stadium and soccer field to boot. With high emphasis on academics, athletics, and a new Performing Arts Center, Hale remains a popular choice among Seattle high schools. Direct bus lines to UW downtown run through, and there are a good sprinkling of dental and medical offices throughout the neighborhood. Of course, Starbucks has a large presence, as does a good smattering of smaller coffee shops. Lake City has developed into more than just a row of car lots and blow up gorillas strung along the suburbs of town, it is a close knit area of young families and retired folks living in a culturally diverse and harmonized community. New condominium and townhome developments are coming to life replacing the older buildings, and with them, a whole new string of fresh and interesting restaurants and specialty shops. It is now the new and improved "Little ole Lake City"! Take off your hats, sit under an old growth tree and stay a while.
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Hawthorne Hills, the triangle shaped neighborhood just bordering the famed biking and walking trail on the south and Sandpoint Way NE on the east, is the lovely community known for it's Cape Cod style and brick Tudor style homes. Developed from the 1920's 
to the 1940's, one of the original seven homes that make up the neighborhood still stands on the southwest corner or NE 60th Street and Princeton Way. The Metropolitan Market, a fresh and slightly upscale corner market, is a busy grocery spot, once the site of Albertson's for many years, and before that, a large dairy farm where cattle grazed in 
the 1940's. How things have changed.
such as Stanford, Ann Arbor, Pullman, and Princeton. The area also boasts the Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Clinic and Professional Center side by side, and a great little Chinese Yummy Cafe Restaurant as well. Don't miss the wonderful old fashioned general store City People's. They sell everything from hardware, to boots, to stationary to clothing. And next door, you will
homemade salads and goodies, too.
