In popular Seattle parlance, the neighborhood of Magnolia is often referred to as Mongolia. Or outer Mongolia. When I first moved here, was so far removed from my economic bracket, it might as well have been in a different city, something like, “very old, very white, and completely suburban.”
Over the years, I’ve skirted Magnolia on my bicycle. The popular Interbay trail heads up the eastern side of the neighborhood to cut across to the Ballard Locks and occasionally we’ll make a loop out of the stunning Magnolia Boulevard and through one of the best and biggest parks in the city, Discovery Park. But other than that, the place is a mystery.
Today, I discovered there is a bookstore, grocery stores, a stunning library, bars I would want to go to, and restaurants I’d heard about and completely forgotten. They have banks, insurances brokers, a garden store and schools! It was like a REAL NEIGHBORHOOD. A real neighborhood doing just fine without me knowing about it or visiting. Totally content with its legions of Brady Bunch houses with stellar views.
Stairway Walk 13 starts in the center of the action, takes the walker down to the beach and the infamous Perkins Lane, where houses collapse in mudslides, back up to the top of one ridge, across to another and back down into the “Village”. It’s one of the longest in the book at 4.5 miles, but my pal N. and I are both looking forward to doing it again when we can spend more time in the summer enjoying better weather and beer afterward.
What day on the Sound and view of the Olympics
A small sampling of an amazing sidewalk display
The Barrett Street Stairs: Near the end and feeling tired!
Seattle from Ella Bailey Park
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I’m getting my exercise this winter following the walks in “Seattle Stairway Walks”. You can get your copy here.
2 Comments
Umm.. second picture down. Total Street Seats.
Oh! True!