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Snow Days
I grew up on the East coast, so was used to several snow storms every winter. School was rarely cancelled or delayed and you hardly ever got a day off work due to snow. The north and mid-Atlantic states on the East coast are prepared for snow every winter. There are more snow plows there than there are Starbucks and Teslas here in Bellevue. Still, when we occasionally get snow here it reminds me of when I was a kid and we couldn’t wait until the snow was deep enough to head to the perfect sledding streets.
The Puget Sound region doesn’t get as excited about snow – too many hills and not quite as many snow plows. I live downtown and whenever it snows I can’t wait to find my snow gear and head out for a walk. Everything seems quieter when its snowing and the skyline takes on a different look in the snow. The dogs love the snow too – they’re like little kids jumping, rolling and snow-plowing their noses through the snow. Its great fun to watch the kids build snow people and navigate their sleds down the hillside at Ashford Park. Living downtown, I have the luxury of being able to walk everywhere for anything I need – a definite advantage to urban living.
It’s Wednesday afternoon and here comes the snow again. Hope everyone makes it home safely and someone has a hot chocolate ready when you get home. Be patient . . . the days are getting longer and before you know it, it will be spring.
Welcome Winter
I love the change of seasons, despite winter’s shorter days. Embrace the grey! Though slowly, the days will begin getting longer.
This Weekend – What to do in Bellevue
Rain or shine . . . there are plenty of events and activities in Bellevue this weekend.
ROCK GARDEN PLANT SALE
Saturday, April 14th 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Bellevue Botanical Garden – 12001 Main Street
Admission: free
INSECT INVESTIGATIONS
Saturday April 14th 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center – 1625 118th Avenue SE
Be prepared to get a little muddy and investigate the world of insects
Admission: free – open to all ages
Pre-Register at MSEEC@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-2565
LIVE JAZZ MUSIC AT CYPRESS
Friday April 13th 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Cypress Lounge & Wine Bar/Westin – 600 Bellevue Way NE
GET CRAFTY SATURDAY
Saturday April 14th 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Bellevue Arts Museum – 510 Bellevue Way NE
Admission: free ($4 material fee per child)
No reservation required/first come first served
BELLEVUE LIBRARY GRAND OPENING – ideaX Makerspace
Saturday April 14th 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Bellevue Public Library – 1111 110th Avenue NE
A place to learn new skills – create electronic circuits, make a robot, craft with a 3-D pen
10:30 ribbon cutting
11:00 ideaX Makerspace opens
11:30 activities and demos
Admission: free
MASTER GARDENER’S URBAN DEMONSTRATION GARDEN WORKSHOP
Saturday April 14th 10:30 AM
15500 SE 16th Street
SEATTLE RESTAURANT WEEK
The last week for Seattle Restaurant Week – 165 participating restaurants with 13 in downtown Bellevue.
3 course meal/$33
For participating restaurants and more information https://srw.seattletimes.com
Bellevue’s New Waterfront Park
Scheduled for completion the last quarter of 2018, the new Meydenbauer Bay waterfront park promises to be bigger and better than ever. The park expansion has been in the planning stages for years while the city acquired properties and obtained funding to create the new waterfront park. The public will have access to 700′ of lakefront, a much larger swimming beach, bath house with rest rooms, changing rooms and locker rooms, a public marina and a unique pedestrian pier that will allow you to walk out over the water. Terraced grounds will provide plenty of space for picnics, relaxing and taking in the lake view. Rentals of non-motorized boats and paddle boards will also be available.
Bellevue’s waterfront is only 1 1/2 blocks from the Downtown Park. The lakefront park expansion will better connect the city’s waterfront to the Downtown Park and eventually to the Grand Connection.
Robin Myers is a Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate specializing in downtown Bellevue’s condominium residences.
Thanksgiving Traditions
As we approach Thanksgiving holiday, we each have our own reasons to be thankful. For some this will be a short week with the anticipation of holiday traditions and spending time with family and friends. For others this may be the beginning of a long working weekend. And for some, there’s the tradition of being the first one in line for the big holiday sale at Best Buy.
I am lucky to have several days off to spend with family and friends. We have some simple but meaningful Thanksgiving traditions in our house. First and most important, there are hot cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee while we watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. This always stirs fond memories for me – for years my grandfather and I would watch the parade together. I honestly think he had more fun than me watching the giant balloons float down the streets of New York. A more recent tradition is watching The National Dog Show – we’re big dog people in my house and its great fun to watch just how perfect everyday dogs can look when they’re strutting their stuff in front of the judges. We especially love it when they don’t behave so perfectly. I think many of the dogs in the show have more product in their hair (and better hair) than I do! Continue reading
Bellevue Light Rail Tunnel Construction
No doubt the road closures throughout the city have been frustrating – be patient and flexible as those detours will continue for the next several years as the light rail construction progresses toward the 2023 opening. Those tall green walls at the corner of Main Street and 112th Avenue NE shelter the construction activity and progress being made on the light rail tunnel under downtown Bellevue that will eventually come to the surface and connect to the light rail station which will be located just east of the Bellevue Transit Center.
Click the link above for a fascinating look at the light rail tunnel construction currently in progress under downtown Bellevue’s streets. Given the scope of activity and progress, I’ve got to applaud Sound Transit for how well the the road closures have been announced and marked on the streets throughout downtown.
No doubt there will be more closures, traffic issues and inconveniences in the coming years, but keep your eye on the prize at the end. Light rail is going to be an amazing addition to the Seattle/Bellevue metropolitan area, providing traffic relief and a huge benefit to commuters. If you’ve ever visited other parts of the US where light rail already exists (Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Portland) you know it will be well worth the wait.
Another New Restaurant Downtown
Another new restaurant, Henry’s Tavern, is scheduled to open August 30th at Lincoln Square. Henry’s Tavern is best known for its wide selection of beers on tap, its frosted bar rail to keep beers cold and a vast menu. This will be the sixth Henry’s Tavern for Restaurants Unlimited, Inc.
Henry’s opened in Portland in 2004 and expanded to Seattle in 2013 with a Sodo location. This is the second Bellevue location for Restaurants Unlimited, Inc. – the other is Palomino. The restaurant will be 11,000+ SF with a 700 square foot patio and a keg wall – a two tiered glass cooler that has all kegs on display.
Henry’s Tavern will join several other restaurants that have already opened or are scheduled to open in the coming weeks at Lincoln Square expansion.
Bellevue Downtown Park Completion
The “Complete the Circle” project at the Downtown Park is underway with work scheduled to be completed in time for this year’s Fourth of July celebration. The nearly year long project includes completion of the last section of the circular canal and tree lined promenade, creating a new entry and water feature at the south side of the park, upgrading the playground to create a universally accessible Inspiration Playground, adding landscaping and terraced seating and enlarging the parking lot on 100th Avenue NE.
Construction of the park’s new south entry and pedestrian crossing caused the temporary closure of the intersection at NE First Street and 102nd Avenue NE. The intersection is expected to open again mid-to-late April.
The Downtown Park is a 21 acre oasis in the heart of the city and the centerpiece of the Bellevue Parks System. There’s something for everyone . . . a half mile level tree-lined promenade, canal, waterfall and reflecting pond, a ten acre lawn area, playground, picnic areas and formal gardens . . . all framed by views of the city’s skyline and Mt. Rainier. Its going to be exciting to see the improvements and have the park open again this summer.
How Smart is Your Home?
I was recently approached for an on-the-street survey conducted by a major local tech company regarding smart houses, asking if I would value "smart house" features for comfort, convenience, energy conservation and security.
The growth of "smart homes" has exploded worldwide. According to a recent article in Realtor® Magazine, approximately 100 million households will be "smart" by the end of the year and that number is expected to grow to 300 million in the next ten years. Obviously tech companies are banking on this trend, as the market for products regulating home automation, appliances, energy use, security and data analytics is growing. The big question is consumer need and acceptance . . .
- will a smart home factor in a buyer's decision to purchase one home over another
- with prices still relatively high and the technology still fairly complicated, will the average homeowner embrace the technology
- is this just a passing fad, or could the technology eventually take off (solar panels took years) and demonstrate a return-on-investment
Consumers are increasingly tech savvy and showing more interest in smart home technology. While these products are growing in popularity (thermostats, alarms, cameras, auto-locking doors, etc.) and can be easily controlled from a phone or tablet, how many buyers will be more likely to buy a home if smart products are installed? Is smart home technology an upgrade the average homeowner would consider instead of making cosmetic updates? It will be interesting to see how long it takes for smart home technology to be the new norm.
