One thing I think every Seattle kid should do is see the underground in Pioneer Square. In Seattle’s first neighborhood, there's a sidewalk UNDER the sidewalk. What's now the street-level entrance used to be a second-floor balcony.

You can only see the Seattle underground on a guided tour and it's worth the admission. Basically, all of downtown Seattle burned down in the Great Fire of 1889, an opportunity for a do-over. They blasted water at the hills, creating controlled landslides that filled in low-lying Pioneer Square. It's weird and nifty history you can see for yourself.

We accidentally discovered that the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett is now... FREE. Admission used to be $20+ per person! The person at the front desk didn't know why, but as of 2025, it's now free for everyone.

There are three hangers full of mostly WWII planes and tanks. The whole complex is super snazzy, and the docents were the nicest. It was started by Paul Allen, whose dad was a WWII Army vet. Even if you're not deeply nerdy about war history, this place is definitely worth checking out. Lots of little boys and big boys.

The perfect targeted FB ad doesn't exi—. I didn't know you could go inside the Boeing factory until an ad popped up on my feed. No photos inside the impressively massive factory, and they are strict about you leaving everything inside a locker. These photos are from the visitor's center.

One of these pictures is not like the others. Frye Salon + Dawn Cerny, on view through June 22.

Finally! Found eggs in stock at Costco.

First snowfall: We waited all weekend for the snow to come to Magnolia. Then finally, at dusk, a few flurries. (That didn't stick, but still counts.)

2nd snowfall: It SNOWED!! 2-hour school delay, then online class.

Third snowfall: Work? Who needs to work? When you wake up to Vail outside your door, you cancel your work meetings and maybe skip some remote virtual school. Snow in the city is a rare treat. And today, we got enough to sled and build a snowman in front of our house.

One day later, what's left of our snowman and the snow. 

It was difficult work, but it had to be done. I ate a lot of dim sum to research this story for Seattle's Child: https://www.seattleschild.com/the-best-dim-sum-for.../

I have been totally sleeping on Joyale! They have been around for a decade, and I just went there for the first time. Nostalgic and comforting food, CART SERVICE, old Asian dudes, and a big fish tank. So legit. 

Twenty years ago I told Sherri I was moving to Seattle, and she said, "You have to go to Top Pot!" Today I went to the flagship Top Pot in Belltown, the one Barack Obama stopped by in 2010. We didn't know it, but it also happened to be Top Pot's 23rd birthday. Founder Mark Klebeck was there handing out "pot holes" and coffee and taking selfies with everyone. SUPER nice guy, delicious doughnuts.

The Underground Donut Tour was the kids' favorite way to see Seattle.

Walkway overlooking Gum Wall. I never knew it was there!

What? A new exhibit at the Pacific Science Center?? Now that I had to see. The science center stopped doing its big traveling special exhibits and instead is trying to do more in-house exhibit design. "Brainy Bodies" opened in December. They're still adding to it, including an interactive game due in February.

Here's my story for Seattle's Child:
https://www.seattleschild.com/play-mind-games-at-pacscis-new-brainy-bodies-exhibit/

Happy Valentine's Day! Broadening my usual beat (family and home) to cover romantic viewpoints.

In today's Seattle Times. Here's a link: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/culture/5-romantic-seattle-area-viewpoints-perfect-for-valentines-day-dates/

The only kind of running I do now is a dim sum run.

When your lunch looks back at you. The window of Jin Huang, next to Diamond Bay, which replaced House of Hong in the ID. I haven't been yet. Have you?

A quiet moment frozen in time, circa 1910. The Yick Fung Company was donated to the Wing Luke Museum and preserved as part of the permanent collection. Guided tours are free with admission.