Triple Door
This is a great place to watch a concert. It is set up like a Vegas lounge with big booths for you to sit at. The Triple Door is connected to the Wild Ginger and you can order dinner, drinks and dessert from your server while you watch the show. Though the food at the Wild Ginger is not fantastic, it is fun to eat while you enjoy a live band. Beware, the drinks are expensive and can add up if you aren?t careful!
The Bronze Bar
I went to the Bronze Bar for the wedding tan package. This tan is applied in a special formula designed to not to rub off on your white dress. My first experience was a bit shocking. The application room is basically a large room with a cement floor with a curtain separating it into halves. There was a male customer drying in the other half of the room. While I stripped down to nothing he made small talk through the curtain. Hummm, uncomfortable to say the least. Anyhow, the woman who applied my tan didnt make me feel the most comfortable. She also dripped on my foot in two spots and on my hand (of course you dont know that until 4 hours later when the color appears). Anyhow, two days later I returned for my second application and this time the owner helped me. She was a star! She did the application fast, did not make me feel uncomfortable and was very professional. She evened out my tan and helped me get rid of the drip spots. Overall the outcome was great. My tan looked good, not orange at all, and it only came out on my dress in a few spots. I would recommed giving it a try, but insist that you schedule an appointment with the owner.
Third Place Books
I know that a lot of people are big fans of this store, but I am not. It always seems very noisy when I am there. There is a food court inside the store and it seems to create a lot of noise and funny smells that I do not enjoy when I am book hunting. The middle of the store opens to a stairway leading downstairs to a shopping area. Overall I find the store dark, uncomfortable and noisy. I do not recommend this store.
Team Fitness
I love this gym. Lots of equipment and a great juice/smoothie bar at the front. I also love taken the spinning classes here and have heard good things, though have not tried, the other classes. The only downside is many of the classes are offered only in the morning. I workout in the evenings and am at work at 10am when a bulk of the classes are offered. The owner, Mike, is well known around the gym. He always seems to be there! And he takes pride in knowing the members and even joins in the classes once in a while. He has added some touches to his gym, like big screens that have projection TVs on them, black lights in the cycle room and a crazy caged animal area for the free weights. All in all its a great gym to workout at!
Unexpected Productions Improv
Unexpected productions plays their improve shows out of the Post Alley Theater behind Pike Place Market. They create two teams that compete in theater sports in front of a panel of judges with suggestions from the audience. This show never gets old! The actors are truly talented and they always manage to make the audience suggestions hilarious. I have never left disappointed. The only downside is that parking can be difficult in this part of town at this hour of the night. Try to find a spot on 1st avenue if possible. Post Alley is quite literally an alley so be prepared for a bit of a walk no matter where you park.
Puget Park Drive-In
Going to the drive in is one of my favorite summertime activities. You get to see two movies for only $7. They also let you bring in your own food. We love to pack a cooler full of soda and movie candy plus a bag of microwave popcorn. Of course if you prefer to buy food there they have a fully stocked snack bar with popcorn and ice cream. The downside is although the drive in is fun, the facilities is very run down. The restrooms and snack bar area are very dirty and the parking lot itself is also not well kept. However, these points will not keep me away.
Ralph's Grocery & Deli
A great grocery/deli in Belltown. They have every thing the neighborhood corner store should have, plus more. They have a terrific wine section, fine chocolates and assorted gifts, fresh flowers plus a fantastic hot foods, ready to eat sandwiches, a salad bar and even hot items daily. I often stop here to get a deli lunch for work. They have a rotating daily hot specials. Pizza, pasta, fish and chips, soups. The employees are so friendly and helpful. One corner of the store also has booths and tables so you can eat your lunch in if you prefer. I know they also have ready to take breakfast items in the morning, although I have never tried them. I also love the staff. They are always friendly and helpful. They treat give the store the atmosphere of an upscale gourmet foods store rather than the neighborhood corner store.
Robbins Brothers Engagement Ring Store, Seattle
This is a gorgeous store that specializes in engagement and wedding rings. All of the rings are truly unique, though typically the price reflects their style. The moment you walk in this store you are greeted by a friendly sales person who offers you a drink (water, espresso, champagne) and asks if you need help. No high pressure, I cant tell you how many times I have just browsed in this store. The sales associates were more than happy to let me wander. The only downside is parking. There is a lot across the street but other than that parking can be difficult.
University Bookstore
The University Bookstore is primarily the outlet for textbooks and school supplies for students at the University of Washington. However, it is a great place to shop for books. They have a large selection and usually helpful and friendly staff. The parking in the U-District is to the rear of the store. The store will validate your parking when you make a purchase. There is also a large selection of gift items and art supplies. The bookstore also often has visiting authors who do readings in the store.
MacKenzie Press
I searched for months for the perfect invitations for my wedding. I then stumbled across MacKenzie Press, a local business that does letterpress invites. I emailed the owner, Julie MacKenzie and got a response almost immediately. I told her what I was looking for and set up an appointment to meet with her (though she was willing to work via email or phone if I preferred). When I met her she had created several samples personalized for me. Together we took what I liked about her samples and created the perfect invite. I appreciated that she took the time to work with me (almost two hours on a Saturday afternoon) so that I could be sure it was exactly what I wanted. Her prices are very reasonable for the final product. Her work is truly beautiful. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a truly unique and personal invitation.
