Seattle Art From The Center of the Universe

Seattle neighborhoods are similar to the tables in the cafeteria in high school. Everyone has a place they fit in. Belltown is for the Yuppies, Capitol Hill is for the music junkies, and Fremont is for the free spirits. These free spirits/artists/hippies call themselves Fremonsters and they reside in "The Center of the Universe." 

Fremont is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Seattle. It packs an insane amount of culture, food, and activities into a tiny space and as you walk around you will be delighted to stumble upon all the wacky, weird, and incredible art Fremont has placed around its neighborhood. We give you the highlights here:

The Fremont Troll

The most famous piece of art in Fremont, featured in the film 10 Things I Hate About You, is a giant troll who lives under the Aurora Bridge. It is inspired by the nursery rhyme we all know and love, Three Billy Goats Gruff, luckily our troll seems to only eat VW Beetles, not billy goats. 

Photo by Xurxo Martínez

Waiting for the Interurban

This statue has been an interactive work of art in Fremont since 1979. The five people and the dog waiting for the bus has always been a place where people add to the art for holidays, wedding proposals, and demonstrations. 

Fun Fact: The dog is rumored to represent the unofficial Mayor of Fremont, Arma Napoleon Stepanian, who pioneered the recycling program we now have in Seattle and was then replicated across the nation! 

Rapunzel

In the northwest tower of the colorful Fremont Bridge, Rapunzel stands trapped in her tower. Made of neon lights, this piece of art was created by a Fremonster, Rodman Miller, and is a permanent piece in Fremont to inspire your imagination as you cross the bridge.

Topiary Dinosaurs

A while back the Pacific Science Center had a couple topiary dinosaurs it no longer wanted so Fremont bought them for $1 and placed them at the corner of Phinney Ave and 34th (because why not??). They are 66 feet long, weigh 5 tons, and have over 7,000 ivy plants helping them keep their dino form! 

Lenin Statue

Love him or hate him, this statue of Vladimir Lenin is sitting outside Grinders for people to contemplate. It was built in Slovakia and torn down during The Revolution where it eventually made its way to Fremont, Seattle to encourage healthy debates and conversation. In our opinion we doubt there is any place more free than Fremont. Plus locals occasionally dress him in drag.

Late for the Interurban

This statue pays homage to "Patches Pals," a fun-loving kids show that aired for over 20 years on KIRO-TV. Patches and his girlfriend, Gertrude, run in different directions, arms interlocked in this charming piece of art. You can also find a donation box for Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center to give to the children these clowns brought joy to everyday. If that doesn't pull at your heartstrings, we don't know what will, you grinch.

We compiled a walking tour for you to check out all our favorite pieces of art around Fremont, Seattle!

Grouse Grind: That Time Our Legs Stopped Working

You know those people who work out and enjoy it? Well, we aren't those people. But we recognize that in order to experience all the cool stuff this planet has to offer we have to be fit enough to climb at least moderately high mountains and stuff. We also never back down from a challenge. So when someone told us about an epic mountain climb in Vancouver, BC, that will kick your @*s and then provide you with the most amazing views + a grizzly bear refuge, well we just couldn't pass that up. 

Cue The Grouse Grind. 

To the left, to the left.

Grouse Mountain sits just north of Vancouver and is home to ski runs and ice skating in the winter and hiking and ziplining in the summer. There is this really nice gondola that can take you up to the lodge but only the weak take this route to the top. Those of us that hope to survive the zombie apocalypse/impending water wars/American Gladiator take The Grind. 

Remind us of this at the 3/4 mark.

The Grouse Grind is a grueling 2.9 kilometer hike (for all the Americans that is 1.8 miles), where you will ascend 2,800 feet, the majority of which is gained by climbing giant, evil, body-hating, wilderness stairs.

The hike is one way, up. You either make it to the top or paramedics carry you down. Don't worry though, most people make it. Just bring water, snacks, and someone to support you when you want to give up. It will happen, but we believe in you. And when you make it to the top and breathe that sweet, triumphant air you will smile and know you are the champion of the world.

It starts off gradual enough but don't let that fool you.

Never-ending stairs.

Once you are at the top, grab a celebratory drink at the bar in the lodge and visit Coola and Grinder at the Grizzly Bear Refuge. If the Beaver Tail stand is up and running grab one of those too, you deserve it. 

Additional Fun fact: The Vancouver Canucks use The Grind every year as a training exercise for their new recruits. Personally we feel like this is their version of The Hunger Games and only the strong who survive will be chosen to take the ice...but they claim it's for bonding. Yea, surrreee. 

We love the grizzlies at the top! They're friendly right?

Just like a teddy bear.

Amazing chainsaw carvings.

The view is so much sweeter when you work for it.

The best part is the gondola will take you down.

Seattle Public Library

Book worms unite! Today we are talking about everything Seattle Central Public Library. Here in Seattle we are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful library system, and we are even luckier that our central branch in downtown is a truly incredible and inspiring location! I mean, seriously, who doesn't want to go visit this building??

Seattle Central Library

This year represents the 125th year the public library has been open in Seattle, so we would like to pay homage to a place we love to go to for books, events, or inspiration! 

Seattle's Central Branch as we know it today opened in 2004 and is located on 4th Ave and Madison St. It is a building you have probably stopped to examine if you live in Seattle and if you are visiting we recommend a trip! It is free (yay!) and extremely enjoyable to walk around. The architecture and design are so unique it leaves you feeling a little stunned at certain points throughout the building. Our favorite spots are the Reading Room on the 10th floor (this floor also has the highest viewpoint which you should go see only if you are not scared of heights) and the Red Hall for its incredible strangeness. We also love to keep up with their events; they get big name authors to come do readings and also host great events for kids! 

We love the neon yellow escalator.

The red hall...you'll know when you've found it.

Just to get you even more excited about the library here are 10 fun facts about the Seattle Central Library Building:

1. The library is 11 stories and holds over 1 MILLION BOOKS! 
2. Non-fiction books are located on the "Dewey Ramp," a four-story ramp that lets you wind your way through the complete collection. 
3. The library used over 4,000 tons of steel in construction, which could build 20 Statues of Liberty (Statue of Libertys?)!
4. The architects built this library to be inviting, not "stuffy" like many libraries feel to the public. We like to think this is where the open spaces, many entrances, and bright colors came from.
5. The Seattle Central Library was voted as one of America's Favorite Structures by the American Institute of Architects.
6. It cost over $169 million to build and Bill Gates, being his usual generous self, donated a humble $20 million to the project. 
7. The design is meant to accommodate all kinds of information in this new digital age, not just books. You can find over 400 free computers on Level 5. 
8. There is enough glass in the library to cover the I-90 bridge 25 times and for people who don't live here, that would be 5 1/2 football fields! Whoaahhhhhh.
9. There is a gift shop located on the third floor that any book lover should avoid if they are trying to save money.* It is full of adorable things that will tell the world you love books (which is obviously important). 
10. There are seven permanent public art installations throughout the library. You can read more about each one here. 

*This one is more of an opinion with a fact inside, but just go with it. 

The incredible steel walls.

You'll find many places to sit quietly and work or read.

Where the Wild Things Are located in the kids room.

Hidden Gems Northwest: Bastyr University + Saint Edward Park

Welcome to Bastyr

Campus details

Recently the sun has been shining more and our deprived Seattle brains have been genuinely freaking out to be outside soaking up that Vitamin D. Which leads us to exploring new things. Which lead us to Bastyr University! You may not know about this small university northeast of Seattle, but you should! It is nestled up against Lake Washington and because it is a university that educates on holistic medicine their campus is refreshing and in touch with the nature that surrounds it. 

Our recommendation is to go visit on an empty stomach, you can visit the school cafeteria (trays and all!) and get lunch. The cafeteria includes a large salad bar, hot items, baked items and packaged snacks (they also update items daily and you can see that here). The great thing about the food is that it’s all healthy and all of the dishes list out every ingredient that goes into it. Some of the food ingredients are harvested from the campus’ organic vegetable and herb garden and what isn't grown there is shown to you on a board in the cafeteria that depicts the location of the farms where all the other ingredients come from! 

A bulletin board in the cafeteria tells you what farms supplied your food.

After you are nice and full head out to the grounds. They have an incredible herb garden with over 350 herbs. This is where they grow a lot of the herbs they use to make medicines on campus. 

Bee Balm is used to treat colds, headaches, and nausea.

Along with the herb garden they also have a relaxing courtyard near the dining common where you can sit and have thoughtful thoughts about things. If you are running low on deep, life questions that day there is also a turtle pond for you to enjoy with over 20 turtles.. and who doesn't love turtles??

Bastyr's turtle pond

After you finish up on campus you can walk into Saint Edward Park, which borders the campus. This 316-acre park has a ton of walking trails (most under 1 mile in length) that lead you down to Lake Washington. What really sets this park apart from others in the area is the old Catholic Seminary that sits on the grounds. This stunning old building is surrounded by picnic tables and can also be rented out for events! Be sure to bring your Discover Pass if you want to visit the park (or you can purchase a day pass for $10 in the parking lot).

Welcome to Saint Edward Park!

The Catholic Seminary, which sits on the park grounds.

Seminary details.

Picnic tables line the grounds.

Saint Edward park walking trails.