It was a fine April day; we got out early enough to catch some sun, though it was by no means warm. This walk is one that we take at least once almost every weekend. We are usually attending to business at one of the shops on the Ave or eating at one of the many fine local eateries. On this outing, the walk gave us time to consider our neighborhood.
We have lived in this area for 27 years and have seen many changes, but none have been as drastic as the last year or so. We had time to think and talk about it as my pace was very slow (leaning heavily on my new cane, purchased at the Bartell’s in the middle of the walk). We started in the middle of the walk, as we live on the “other” end of it. Just a quick hobble down and back, but I certainly enjoyed getting out. However, I did get pretty tired about half way through; it was weird to be telling Amy that we were going too fast.
Taking this walk made us think about QA Ave in the context of other Seattle neighborhoods. I’ll stack the shops and restaurants against any in the city, but I must admit that it isn’t the most scenic of walks. The previous “Crown” walk is much more scenic and memorable. There are, however, many good restaurants that we regularly patronize, including Flow, Sorrentino, Chinoise, Five Spot, Betty, and, Foody’s rejoice, How to Cook a Wolf. The good shops include Communique (great for stationary and sundry gifts), Blue Highway Games and Queen Anne Avenue Books. As the City Walk card says, this last is a must-visit for book lovers.
One thing I noticed was the effect of the recession. There used to be a Countrywide Finance office. It was taken over by Bank of America and once the paint dried on the new signs, it was closed. Communique Toys closed down a couple of years ago, as did Hilltop Knitting and Yarn. The corner at Boston and QA used to have 3 different coffee places, but Tully’s and Pete’s both closed recently. Teacup has moved from its smaller shop in the middle of the street to the Tully’s corner, but the Pete’s remains closed. Last summer the Blockbuster closed down. My wife would want me to mention that its closure is not strictly related to the recession, but more a sign of the times with people getting their media through the cable and internet rather than a brick and mortar store. Finally, at the end of the block is a totally Seattle change; instead of the venerable WaMu, there is a Chase!
But though the recession has affected the local restaurants, most seem to be weathering the storm and staying open. Eat Local, a shop to pick up gourmet frozen and/or prepared dinners made from local ingredients, is still open. And, happy day, Chocolopolis seems to be going strong. If you want a fun time with 6-8 friends or family members, you should look into doing a tasting there. We have done so twice and enjoyed ourselves very much.
One more plug: The Five Spot remains a special place in our hearts. Our son played on the Little League team they sponsored and often wore this cute cap. We have had some wonderful dinners there. There are two aspects to the menu, with standards that are always available and a regional American cuisine that varies every 3 or 4 months. It is always hopping on the weekend for brunch, so if you want to experience that, bring some friends for conversation or maybe something to read.
That’s a little more than I had planned on saying. The walk wasn’t particularly special or memorable, but our neighborhood is.
