10 Hidden Gems in the Green Lake Neighborhood

We had the pleasure of connecting with Sarah Lemmon who runs the Seattle Greenlaker, a great blog that shares all the neighborhood news of Green Lake. Since she is so familiar with the area, we asked her if she would write a follow-up to our Green Lake Neighborhood Guide, and she agreed! Keep reading to discover 10 hidden gems in Greenlake! 

Meet Sarah from the Seattle Greenlaker! 

For being one of the most popular parks in Seattle, Green Lake and its neighborhood still has several hidden gems that might surprise you. Hi, I’m Sarah from Seattle Greenlaker, and I’m excited to show you some of my favorite things about Green Lake, a place I call home and frequently blog about.

Earlier this summer you probably read the Rain or Shine Guide to Green Lake, which showcases some of the best things to do, eat, and experience around Green Lake. Here’s 10 Green Lake gems you might not know about:

You can do yoga in the middle of Green Lake

Yoga on the lake! Photo courtesy of SUP Yoga Seattle.

Throughout the summer months, SUP Yoga Seattle takes a small group of yogis of various levels and skills out onto the lake with only a paddle board, a tiny anchor, and their own courage. Often the yoga practice takes place on the north side of the lake and after dropping anchor (no seriously, tiny anchors hold the boards in place) the instructor talks you through your yoga practice. Yes, people do fall in occasionally. Yes, your board wobbles. But standing on a board in the middle of the lake gives your mind and body a renewed sense of concentrating just on your practice. Classes often start in May and finish for the season the end of September. Sign up for the classes online and meet at the Green Lake Boat House. 

Seattle’s only honky tonk bar is in Green Lake

Across the street from Green Lake Village, home to PCC Natural markets and some of the newest development in Green Lake is Little Red Hen, Seattle’s live country music honky tonk bar.

Free country dance lessons, courtesy of Mary Ann, occur three nights a week (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at 8 p.m. if you are interested). Check their calendar for a complete line up of live country music, karaoke, and more.

Internationally renowned table tennis champions play here, and you can too

Green Lake breeds champions of this sport (And it truly is a sport, by the way). Green Lake has sent players across the world to compete in the International championship games. Several times a week, the Green Lake Community Center gym is transformed into a 16 table arena of the “pings and pongs" of back and forth play. Home to Green Lake Table Tennis Club but welcome to newbies, participants drive from all over the state - yes as far as Port Orchard.

Insider tip: Don’t call it ping pong. Just trust us, they don’t like that. But go check this club out. You will have an immediate respect for the sport of table tennis.

Take a pottery class at the Green Lake Community Center

Green Lake Community Center offers pottery classes for all ages from parent and tot classes, teens or adult pottery wheel throwing and more. Classes change seasonally and range in price. For more information, go to the Green Lake Community Center’s website and search for their seasonal brochure of classes.

Find Green Lake’s hidden dog park

Woodland Park Off Leash. Photo by Scott Frostad

It’s likely no surprise that Green Lake is super dog-friendly. But did you know there is also an off leash dog park across the street from Green lake Park? The Woodland Park Off Leash area is a great place for running around with your dog. The one acre park has trails and is tucked between the Lower Woodland Tennis Courts and picnic shelters.

Check out the cutest dogs in Seattle as they parade around Green Lake every Halloween

Corgi Hawloween! Photo by Mike Lemmon

While we are talking about dogs, there is one dog event you can’t miss, the annual Corgi Howloween. Every year the corgis march around Green Lake adorned in costumes from ninjas to hot dogs. You can hear the pitter pat (or shuffle shuffle) of the short legged canines as they use their little legs to march around the 2.8 miles of Green Lake path.

Insider tip: the best time to see the dogs is right before they take off for the march at the Green lake Small Craft Center amphitheater/bleachers. The owners often line them up and then they take off around the lake. But they are corgis not Greyhounds, so you can easily snap photos or ogle over their cuteness as they trot on by.

Catch Green Lake all aglow - but only three times a year

Because Green Lake Park Trail is not illuminated at night the crowds tend to dissipate at night. That is, except for three nights a year when honestly, you should be part of those crowds! So mark your calendar now for these special events: Pathway of Lights in December, Hiroshima to Hope in August, and Luminata in September.

Green Lake Pathway of Lights

Green Lake Pathway of Lights is one of my favorite times of year. Hundreds of luminaries are placed around the 2.8 mile Green Lake path along with carolers, apple cider, and hot cocoa stations and festive cheer. It’s also part of a huge canned food drive that every year receives loads of food for the homeless.

Lanterns on the lake at Hiroshima to Hope. Photo by Martha Brice.

Hiroshima to Hope honors victims from Hiroshima and nuclear attacks. During the night among music and talks, nearly 2,000 paper lanterns are decorated and one by one lit and set into Green Lake to cast an honorary and mesmerizing glow. An incredibly powerful event that takes place August 6 every year.

Luminata celebrates the last day of summer and coming fall and is always celebrated on the September solstice. The first time we heard this event we had just moved to our house and heard a crazy, but joyous, cacophony of tubas and a mix of instruments coming from the park. We ran over to discover that it was also accompanied by lights and elaborate costumes. The Fremont Arts Council runs this every year.

Eat at Green Lake’s hidden taco truck

This may fall under the category of “you just have to trust us.” There’s a taco truck in Green Lake that has a cult following, but its in a hidden location. If you blink, you will miss it. It’s parked on the north side of the lake off of Aurora on the far end of the Shell station parking lot. Maybe not a huge selling point but El Naranjo has cheap and wonderful tacos, burritos, tortas, and my favorite the sopitos (an open faced taco made with asoft sopito corn shell with meat, cheese, lettuce and avocado inside). You can dine at one of the picnic tables, or do what we do and take it to the park or the wading pool in the summer months. 

Green Lake Loves Gyros (But Here’s The Best One)

You will find there are at least a dozen gyro places in a 2 mile radius around Green Lake. What gives, what's the best one? Our favorite has been in Green Lake since 2010. Mykonos Greek Grill has the tastiest and messiest gyros in town. And if you are extra hungry order their lemon soup. Their phone number is permanently in our phone for takeout orders. (Tell Siri to add their number immediately to your contacts (206) 523-8929).

Find the best dessert at JoDee’s Desserts 

One of the tastiest dessert spots in Green Lake caters to just about any diet. That’s right, JoDee’s Desserts can accommodate vegan, diabetic, gluten free, dairy free - you name it. My cheesecake hating husband says the chocolate cheesecake is one of the tastiest desserts he’d had in a long time - bonus points that you’d never know it’s vegan.

Thanks for letting me share my tips with you. To keep up to date on all things Green Lake be sure to check out Seattle Greenlaker.

Burgundy in Our Backyard: A Weekend in the Willamette Valley

“Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet.”

-- Miles Raymond, Sideways, 2004

Pinot noir wine — you either love it or you just don’t. Because the grape requires such unique growing conditions and care, it isn’t a mainstay here in Washington State. But just 30 miles outside of Portland, OR, tucked into the rolling hills along Hwy 18, pinot noir is king. This is the Willamette Valley, a bucolic land of fields, trees, and gorgeous rows of cool-climate wine grapes. Here is Burgundy in our backyard. I simply love pinot noir.

The Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is comprised of seven unique sub-AVAs, and with only 48 hours to explore, I certainly couldn’t visit them all. But if you’re out touring about for a wine weekend, here are a few great spots I can personally recommend.

If you want to try wine tasting in a tasting room environment, head into the towns like McMinnville, Carlton, or Dundee for quick sips a short walk from your hotel or right off the road. Downtown McMinnville truly is the metropolis of the valley with several notable tasting rooms open nearly every day. We opted to stay there in the historic Hotel Oregon, a McMennamins property that’s close to everything. Rooms are small, often with common bathrooms, but the Rooftop Bar and resident ghosts makeup in charm what the hotel lacks in modern amenities.

The Eyrie Vineyards tasting room is here, offering classic pinot noir from the library going as far back as 1985. Founded by David Lett (or Papa Pinot, as he’s known here), The Eyrie and Lett pioneered the pinot movement in the valley: both pinot noir and pinot gris do very well in this unique climate.

Insider Tip: You feel like trying wine but your date wants a cocktail? Pop over to Ransom Wine & Spirits in McMinnville where you can have both! Flights of wine include (surprise) pinot noir, but also a charming dry gewurztraminer. For the spirit-forward traveller, you can try a flight of five liquors ranging from Old Tom Gin to Rye Whisky. There’s even a cocktail option.

If you’re like me, you like to try the wine where it grows. Just eight miles outside of McMinnville are the Dundee Hills, carpeted with vineyards, lavender fields, and views to rival Tuscany. Here are the heavy hitters in the world of pinot: Archery Summit Winery with its beautiful natural wine caves and sweeping vistas, De Ponte Cellars known for classic Burgundian-style winemaking, and Domaine Drouhin, a family affair bringing the best in sustainable French winemaking to its Oregon-grown pinot noir and chardonnay wines.

All three estates are near enough to visit in a single afternoon and the staff will treat you like kings and queens, but especially if you call ahead for a reservation. As you’re driving through the hills, look for the blue and white “tourist attraction” road signs that lead you to the various wineries dotting the hillsides.

Insider Tip: Looking for something outside of pinot? Try the Melon de Bourgogne by De Ponte Cellars. This white grape is rarely found outside the Loire Valley, France, but makes for a delicious and refreshing glass of candied lemon sunshine on a warm summer afternoon. Take it with you out to the porch and enjoy, likely in the company of the cellar’s resident calico cat, Missy.  

On our final day in the valley, before our pinot palettes were completely exhausted, my husband and I found ourselves back in the Dundee Hills at White Rose Estate Winery & Vineyard. Open seven days a week (but again, reservations recommended), this winery offers a truly “pinot geeky” sensory experience: The tasting room has no windows. Off odors like perfumes and food are discouraged. You are prompted to wash your palate with club soda before you even begin tasting the wines. Tasting Room Manager Dago Guillen takes each guest on a journey through the terroir of the vineyards and deep into the flavors in every enormous glass. He knows these wines by heart (his brother is the winemaker) and will expose the secrets to how each vintage is produced. This spot is not to be missed.

Insider Tip: Looking for the perfect gift for the non-drinker in your life? Pop over to Red Ridge Farm, home to Oregon’s Olive Mill. The grounds alone are very pretty, but you can also taste several olive oils ranging from mild to peppery, as well as unique infused vinegars. Candles, soaps, and pretty terrarium plants are all available to purchase as well.

What I really love about pinot noir is that a perfectly balanced bottle can, and should, sit in a cellar for many years to come. When I do someday open them, these precious and pretty wines will provide several opportunities to revisit my Willamette weekend for years to come. Salud!

Amy L. Dickson is a communications professional, freelance writer, and contributor to Rain or Shine Guides. She’s currently training at the NW Wine Academy for her Level 1 sommelier certification. Follow her at @amyldickson75

24 Hours at Pike Place Market

If we added up all the hours we have spent at Pike Place Market, it would probably amount to years of time. But what do you do if you don't have unlimited hours to explore this epic hub of shopping, dining, and entertainment? Well, the answer is you cram in as much stuff as possible – especially eating – because this is a place you don’t want to just skim through. It's the heart of Seattle, and it has a crazy amount to offer to tourists and locals. Here are our recommendations for absolutely slaying your way through 24 hours at Pike Place Market.

8:00 AM – Get Going with Storyville Coffee

Storyville Coffee is located on the upper level of the Corner Market Building and has one of the best views of the iconic red “Public Market” sign hanging over the main entrance to Pike Place Market. Their coffee shop is comfy and inviting, full of great lighting and warm décor, a perfect place to ramp up for the day with one of their many delicious coffees.

9:00 AM – Roll Call

Venders milling around at roll call

Roll Call is a market tradition that is open to the public. Every day you can watch the day stall vendors gather to claim their spot for the day. Stall vendors are called upon based on seniority and then they can select their stall location for that day. Because of this tradition, some vendors consistently sit in the same spot, while others have a need to move around. It’s not the most exciting process, but it can give you an insider look into how the market gets set up everyday!

9:30 AM – Breakfast at The Crumpet Shop

Tomato and pesto crumpet at The Crumpet Shop

The Crumpet Shop is a place that looks and probably sounds unassuming, but this place happens to have some of the most delicious breakfast pastries on the planet (that's right, the planet we said). They make their crumpets fresh every day and customers can top them with a variety of goodies like nutella, honey, pesto, tomato, jams, eggs, and ham, etc. The line can get long in the mornings, especially on weekends, so plan for a little time there, but we promise these little guys are worth the wait!

10:00 AM – Shop the Main Arcade

All Things Lavender in the Main Arcade

The Main Arcade is the most well known shopping area at Pike Place Market. It stretches from Pike Place Fish Market all the way down to the day stall vendors. It’s where you will find the beautiful flower vendors, a few fish markets, veggie stands, and tons of unique crafts and goodies. One stall could be selling custom leather goods and the next will be selling lavender products. Further down you might find ceramics or art. The options are endless and ready for you to explore. Some of our favorites in the Main Arcade are All Things Lavender, Ravel and Unravel, and of course all the bright and beautiful flower stands. 

12:00 PM Lunch at El Borracho

El Borracho is the perfect spot for someone with a hungry belly. They serve up great casual Mexican food at a good price and they usually don’t have a wait. We basically love the whole menu, but if we had to call out our favorites they would be the Coca-Cola braised pork burrito (it is the size of a small child, so order the taco version if you aren’t super hungry) and the Tacos de Hongos (mushroom tacos). Pair it all with some chips and guacamole and an ice cold Pacifico and you’ll be full and happy in no time! They also have plenty of vegan options as the owner, Kitty, doesn't eat meat!

Amazing alternatives if you aren't feeling Mexican: Honest Biscuit for some good ole fashioned fried chicken and biscuits, DeLaurenti for some great italian sandwiches, or Pike Place Chowder for a traditional bowl of clam chowder in a giant bread bowl. 

1:00 PM – Explore the Lower Levels and Perimeter Buildings

Most visitors don’t make it past the Main Arcade when it comes to exploring the shops at Pike Place Market. These visitors are missing out on a huge amount of great places though. We recommend setting aside some time to go into the “Lower Levels” and the various other areas with great shops like the Atrium, Marketfront Expansion, First Avenue, and Post Alley.

We wrote a blog on our favorite spots in the Lower Levels and you can also check out all the fun details of the Marketfront Expansion here -- it was the first addition to Pike Place Market in over 40 years! 

3:45 PM – Experience the famous fish toss at Pike Place Fish Market

Fish tossing at Pike Place Fish

This is a no-brainer. Obviously every visitor to The Market has to watch the crazy lads at Pike Place Fish Market toss that big ole salmon. It’s perfectly done every time and makes for a great boomerang. They toss all day, no schedule needed, just show up and wait for the magic to happen!

4:00 PM – Pike Place Urban Garden with a snack

A chalkboard pig for decorating at Pike Place Market's Urban Garden

The Market is a busy place. They have 10 million visitors every year (seriously, it gets REALLY busy) and it can feel a little overwhelming at times. We like to have an escape route planned to the wonderful Urban Garden behind Maximilian. This little space overlooks the Puget Sound and offers a quiet getaway from the chaos of the Main Arcade. The garden is cared for by the Pike Place Market Senior Center and all the produce goes to the Pike Place Market Food Bank. It is full of fun art and unique items to discover. Grab a snack from one of our favorite spots and enjoy it here.

Huckleberry ice cream from Shug's - purple, creamy, mouthwatering goodness. 

Our favorite snack spots in no particular order are Ellenos Greek Yogurt (Passionfruit or Pumpkin Pie flavor), Shug's ice cream cones (Coconut or Chocolate...or both together), or Piroshky Piroshky pastries (smoked salmon pate).

4:30 PM – Happy Hour at The Athenian

Cold brews await you at The Athenian

The Athenian is not only featured in the romantic and life-changing film, Sleepless in Seattle, it is also home to the coldest mugs in Seattle. It’s our favorite spot to grab a cheap, cold beer, along with some cheap, delicious appetizers. When you arrive let the attendant know you’d like to sit in the bar and then head to the back left. You’ll be greeted with an old bar, filled with wooden booths and great views of Puget Sound! Watch the ferries take off, the ferris wheel spin, and take in the views of the Olympic Mountains as you sip your ice cold brew!

6:00 PM – Dinner at The Pink Door

The amazing lasagna at The Pink Door, perfect for Italian food traditionalists. 

The Pink Door serves up amazing Italian food in an incredible space. It’s a bit hard to find, with no sign marking their entrance, but if you head to Post Alley with their address plugged into GPS you should be able to locate their salmon-colored door. Enter into a world of amazing cocktails and unbelievable delicious Italian dishes. We love their risottos and lasagna, you can't go wrong with either option. They also have entertainment certain nights, check out their schedule here to see what they have going on!

8:30 PM – Catch a show at Unexpected Productions

Improv hilarity at Unexpected Productions

Unexpected Productions is the oldest improv group in Seattle and a great place to end your night. They have 10 different options for shows throughout the week, all of them equally hilarious and full of amazing talent. They have a small bar to help get those laughs a little louder and their location is full of history. You can thank them for the massive wall of gum located directly outside their front door!

10:30 PM – Grab a nightcap

Endless wine options at JarrBar

Obviously you aren’t done yet! There are still so many bars to try! We love Radiator Whiskey and Jarr Bar for our late night drinks. They both offer housemade cocktails that are to die for and have friendly staff and cool vibes (we wrote about some of them here). Be careful though, they make their drinks stiff!

Ok, now it’s time for bed. Go home and crash hard – you’ve just crammed nine acres of Pike Place Market into one day!

Recap: Infinity Mirrors at SAM

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you probably have heard about the incredible new exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, Infinity Mirrors by Yayoi Kusama. The exhibit opened last June to quite the fanfare, and after checking it out for ourselves it is easy to see why. The colorful, fun, whimsical art exhibit is absolutely mesmorizing. We should preface by saying that we know nothing about art. We literally have zero idea what things mean and can't tell you the difference between conceptual art and contemporary art, but we do know when we like something. And we like Infinity Mirrors.

Yayoi Kusama is an 88 year old Japanese artist and writer. Her work has spanned many mediums including sculpture, paintings, performance art, and environmental installations. Her works focuses on bright colors and repetitive patterns, which you definitely see throughout Infinity Mirrors. She also has crazy, bright, colored hair (sometimes red, sometimes orange, sometimes blue) making her the coolest 88 year old around. 

An image of the artist, Yayoi Kusama, painted outside of the SAM

The Infinity Mirrors exhibit consists of four rooms. Each room is filled with  different objects including: pumpkins, twinkle lights, polka dot tubers, and hanging pink globes. The mirrors that hang in the rooms make each feel like the objects go on forever. There is also an obliteration room, which is decorated entirely in white furniture. All guests receive a set of colorful dot stickers and are encouraged to place them anywhere they like. Over time, the room becomes filled with these colorful dots allowing the guests to help contribute to the art. There are also art sculptures, light boxes, paintings, and video displayed throughout the exhibit. We promise, you'll be plenty stimulated as you wander around.

According to the artist, she is interested in understanding the relationship between people, society, and nature. Not sure if that will translate for everyone who visits, but that is what art is all about we suppose.

In other news, selfies are allowed! Snap away and post to Instagram stat! 

The twinkle light room and the polka dot tubers room

Now for the logistics! Tickets to the event are sold out. However! The museum is letting in a certain number of people per day and you can sign up in the mornings for a time slot. We got in line at 9 AM. We had to wait an hour until the museum opened at 10am, but we were easily able to snag an open spot for any time the rest of the day. The only time slot that was filled when we got to the front of the line was the 10 AM spot. Once you get your time slot for the exhibit, you need to line up outside the exhibit 15 minutes before your start time, and you should expect to take an hour and a half to get through all the rooms in the exhibit. The lines to each room definitely look and feel a bit long, but there are lines for a reason - trust!  Once you are allowed in (they let in groups of two or three depending on the room), you get 20-30 seconds per room. It's quick, we recommend really trying to soak it all up and then snap a photo at the end if you feel you have time. You're going to wait a long time for those 30 seconds, so make sure to get the most out of them!

There is also a small Kusama gift shop located in the exhibit so you can take home a souvenir.

The Obliteration Room

Infinity Mirrors is only open until September 10th, which leaves you three weeks to go see it! If you do go, report back. We want to know what you thought. Also, if you plan to head to Tokyo any time soon, Kusama will be opening a five story museum featuring her artwork (including Infinity Mirrors!). The museum will open on October 1, 2017. 

Rain or Shine Guides takes on Infinity Mirrors!