August 06, 2014

Be a Tourist In Your Own City - From a Seattle Native's Eyes

August 06, 2014/ Jess Estrada

In May, census reports confirmed what Seattleites have been suspecting for sometime; our beautiful Emerald City is the fastest-growing city in the U.S.

Take one look around the heart of the city and you're likely to see at least 15 cranes, each working on a new development that'll probably house like 1000 Amazon developers and other transplants. Being a Seattle native, it's been incredible (and in traffic, sometimes frustrating) to realize how much this city's really grown the last few years. Whether you're new to the city or maybe showing some out-of-towners the spots, there are a few destinations at the top of everyone's lists. Today I wanted to share some nearby, equally-awesome, can't-miss spots for you and your loved ones to experience!

Check out some of my other recent city adventures here.

If you're at Pike Place Market, try: Oriental Mart

There aren't a lot of places to get Filipino food in the city, and one of those rarities is smack dab in the middle of the Market! Across the cobblestone from the fish guys and tucked in behind those amazing fruit stands lies the Oriental Mart, where you can get chicken adobo, pancit, longanisa, Filipino fried chicken and so much more a la carte or in combo-style. So awesome for lunch or quick meal while you're perusing market vendors.

If you're heading to Woodinville Wine Country, try: Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls

Not too far past Woodinville's wine country is Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls. Hike up to Bridal Veil for a quick workout with a breathtaking view of the falls as your reward. Keep going & have a picnic at Lake Serene - or head back to wine country for a tasting & dinner at one of the many delicious restaurants.

If you're in/near Lake Union, try: Agua Verde Paddle Club & restaurant

Nothing better than some fresh tacos and a good margarita after a kayak or SUP session out on the water. We love taking the Montlake Cut route for some wave action among the boats, though the houseboats along Lake Union and people-watching at GasWorks Park is fun too. Get the salmon tacos and a Cadillac margarita - and make sure to try all the different salsas!

If you're at Seattle Center, try: Gates Foundation Visitor Center

The Gates Foundation Visitor Center is such a nice refuge from the chaos that can be Seattle Center during peak season. They're regularly hosting events and workshops for families, students and non-profit professionals or enthusiasts. Even if you're not there for an event, there's a ton of interactive activities to get into - including this photo booth & wall! :)

Check out all my Gates VC adventures here.

If you're downtown, try: Sky View Observatory at The Columbia Center

Did you know The Columbia Center is one of the tallest buildings on the West Coast? Because it's an office building, it sometimes gets overlooked as far as tourist destinations with killer views. It is open to the public, and it obviously will not disappoint! Get a 360-degree view of the city, stadiums, Space Needle and all of the water you can lay your eyes on.

If you're heading to Alki, try: Marination Ma Kai

Marination Ma Kai is probably the best casual outdoor dining experience in the city. You can't beat spam musubi, kimchi fried rice, shave ice and this stunning view of the Seattle skyline! Sorry for the low quality - I always seem to only make it out there for sunset supper and nighttime patio fun. Get a meal in on their deck now, while their summer hours are still running fairly late!

What destinations would you add to this list?

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center is open Tuesdays - Saturdays, 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. at 440 5th Ave. N. Street and garage parking are aplenty.

Check out their events calendar for upcoming special programs.

Join the dialogue! Follow the Visitor Center on Twitter and Facebook.

May 30, 2014

My Favorite (Free!) Things to Do In Seattle

May 30, 2014/ Jess Estrada

The weather's warming up, people are out for the school year, others are visiting or have relatives coming to visit. Whatever the case, emails asking for suggestions on things to do always seem to pick up in the summer time. Everyone knows to head to the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Waterfront and maybe even the Fremont Troll - but what else do locals like to do? I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite free things to do around the city, for those who need fun, quick suggestions.

Getting ready for some musubi, kahlua pork, lau lau & shave ice at Live Aloha 2013.

Seattle Center Festál Cultural Festivals

The crowds flock to Seattle Center for the Bite of Seattle and Folklife - but did you know there's a year-round calendar of cultural festivals that are also free to attend? I love Festál events for some great food, dance, music and cultural wares in much less chaotic festival experiences than the Bite or Folklife. Peep the full Festál calendar here. I'll see you at the Center for Pagdiriwang, Live Aloha and probably more!

Can't complain when this is our morning workout view.

Olympic Sculpture Park

If I'm honored enough to have you as an Instagram follower, you've seen many 'grams of early morning workouts at the Olympic Sculpture Park. The park is always free to walk through, and full of really inspirational works of art set amidst a perfectly Northwest 'urban trail' with pristine views of Elliott Bay. If you're early enough, you might even get to see some fine ladies powering through some burpees! :)

Testing my muscles out at the Gates Visitor Center. Gained a new level of respect for the women in Africa who haul buckets of this size & weight for miles to bring clean water to their families!

Gates Visitor Center

First Thursdays and/or Saturdays will get you in free to almost every museum in Seattle, but for complimentary admission every day, the Gates Foundation Visitor Center awaits. Follow my Gates Visitor Center ongoing series for everything I love about the Gates VC. More than anything, it's a quiet gem hidden right next to the bustling EMP & Seattle Center, perfect for some solid reflection on giving back to the world!

Layered up at Art Ache monthly art market

Art Ache

I love a good flea market, but unfortunately we have very slim pickings here in the city. Art Ache is a monthly art, music & style market hosted in some of the most Capitol Hill bars on the Hill. Lately, Art Ache has called Chop Suey home, and has been housed in Vermillion and Comet Tavern in the past. Catch the next Art Ache market on June 8th.

Keeping cool with Spike baby at the Ballard Farmer's Market

Ballard Farmer's Market

We are so fortunate to have multiple farmer's markets year-round in Seattle, and one of my favorites is the Ballard farmer's market. 10:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. every Sunday, they've got such an awesome collective of organic farmers from around the state. Make sure to head to the Alvarez Organic Farms stand for the most delicious cherry tomatoes you've ever tasted.

They see me rollin... (Photo credit Sarah Lovrien)

Alki

Typical Seattleites might avoid Alki in the summer because of the crazy crowds, but it's one of my favorite places in the city all year round. Alki feels faraway from the city with it actually being just a short jaunt over the West Seattle bridge. You can run or walk along the water; hold a bonfire; people watch for longboarders, paddleboarders, kayakers, dog-walkers and other fun characters; or grab a meal or drink right along the water. I also love Coastal, the little surf boutique that's open March - December.

Who knows? Maybe this'll parlay itself into a series of its own :) For weekly recommendations on stuff to do in the city, peep my top Seattle events picks post every Thursday (except for yesterday, as I was at a wake for our dear friend Bernie.)

Feel free to chime in on some of your favorite free things to do in Seattle in the comments below!

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April 23, 2014

Aces Interview: Davida Ingram, Gates Foundation Visitor Center

April 23, 2014/ Jess Estrada

No matter where you go or what you do, your experiences are always punctuated with the memories of the people who left an impact on you. Whenever I go to the Gates Foundation Visitor Center, I make sure to catch up with my friend and one of Seattle's culture savants, Davida Ingram. Davida is an educator at the Gates Visitor Center, meaning her days there are filled with meeting people from all walks of life, taking them on tours and providing them with the richest experience they can possibly have there. Davida and I met way back in our careers, and I'd say the Gates Visitor Center is the perfect place not only to meet Davida, but to get a true sense of her passion for educating others. Definitely take a tour with Davida next time you're at the Gates Visitor Center, and today, get a peek into her life:

What's on your playlist right now?

Lake Street Dive (I love their cover of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back)
NighTrain (go see them live)
Thee Satisfaction
Meklit Hadero (Abbay Mado)

Who is your biggest inspiration today?

Oh, dang. That is really hard. Right now, I am inspired by actors like Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover for their commitments to social justice. I also love that we live in city that is constantly making connections between civic life and social justice.

Describe your style.

How would I describe my style? Fashion-wise—eclectic. I love mixing and matching vintage and contemporary. I was raised by women with style—I have my own and it’s very different but it’s my way of honoring them. People-wise, in terms of style, I love making connections so understanding what’s important to others and what motivates them really matters to me. Like a lot of educators, I think it’s important to keep learning, so I often think about my learning style. I am definitely the person who’s computer is slow because too many things are open.

What's your favorite way to unplug after a busy day of tours?

I am a not-quite-closeted introvert. So, one-on-one conversations really help me unwind. But Thursdays and Sundays are all about Scandal or Game of Thrones. One of my favorite Scandal times is gathering with other community workers who like to bug out about the latest plot twists.

What are you reading?

Honestly. Facebook. In the sense that I curate my “current events” content based on what my friends are posting. Their links take me to places for news. Crunk Feminist Collective, Impatient Optimists, Salon are regular reads for me. I am also a (proud) nerd so I am usually reading more than one book at a time. My new books are Singing Plants and a book of poetry called Twerk. Anything by Toni Morrison or Toni Cade Bambara is a good stand by book for me.

What's your favorite meal & beverage?

My favorite meal changes—right now it’s all about smoked salmon, wakame and white rice topped with sesame oil and chili flakes. And I loves cherry Kombucha with chia seeds.

What are you most excited about in the coming months?

We have a teen action fair coming up on May 10 at the Visitor Center and two teen workshops. I see our programs as passports to a global context with an emphasis on young people as change makers. So those two things have me really excited.

Can you tell us a little about the Gates Foundation Visitor Center from your perspective?

On my tours I often share that the best part of my job is that I have learned about so many issues that existed under the radar for me, until I got here. If you walk into our bathrooms, you will see photos of different toilets from around the world, along with info about the over 2.5 billion people who don’t have toilets. I’ve seen myself as a global citizen for many years in terms of my interest in cross-cultural dialog, art, design, music, fashion and more. But my job, and the conversations I have here with staff and especially our visitors, helps me see ways of building affinity with mothers who want to raise their children’s standard of living because they live on less than $2 a day.

What's your favorite thing about the Gates Foundation Visitor Center?

The people. Buildings are nothing without the people. The vision for this place was to inspire our visitors to share and discuss the things that they want to consciously do to make a better world. Now, I almost said the Visitor Center’s public programs were my favorite thing—but *surprise* they are all about people too, whether it’s visitors or our partners from the community. Our recent work parties, family days and teen events are people-centered things that I love about my job, aside from touring.

Is there a specific Gates Foundation Visitor Center visitor/group who's inspired you?

One of my biggest joys comes from working with our teens. We have workshop and special teen committees, and they are filled with really remarkable young leaders who want to make a difference now and as they grow into adulthood. I just had to sit down and tell one of our participants Malaya that I was so proud of her for her recent volunteerism with a group called Birthday Dreams. She’s been helping to organize birthday parties for children in families and foster care that struggle. Birthdays are always big for me so when she mentioned that it really moved me, like I teared up. She and other amazing youth will be presenting at our May 10 Teen Action Fair, and I would encourage anybody to come and check their stories out. They will inspire you.

Any events coming up at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center you're excited for?

Well, if you could not tell, the May 10 Teen Action Fair has me pretty psyched. I love giving young people an opportunity to shine. And it’s incredibly powerful when they have their communities surrounding them and cheering them on. We have a range of different topics that teens will be tackling at the teen action fair—health care in poor countries, education, arts & culture—but at the heart of each of these issues is a young person who sees his or her part in turning the tide. And that is definitely something to get excited about. It’s boring to be cynical.

Thank you!

Find Davida at the Gates Visitor Center.

Read all of my Aces interviews here.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center is open Tuesdays - Saturdays, 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. at 440 5th Ave. N. Street and garage parking are aplenty.

Check out their events calendar for upcoming special programs.

Join the dialogue! Follow the Visitor Center on Twitter and Facebook.

March 19, 2014

Getting Lost in the Gates Foundation Visitor Center

March 19, 2014/ Jess Estrada

On the very busy corridor of 5th Ave. N. between Mercer and Harrison, nestled between the campus of one of the biggest non-profits in the world and a massive parking garage lies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. Often overlooked in a neighborhood full of destinations, (it's right across the street from EMP and Seattle Center; one block from Ride the Ducks and Teatro ZinZanni) the Gates Visitor Center is almost a hidden gem. Jacob and I spent the afternoon there to kick off our weekend, getting lost in the many stories to read and things to do.

Learning + doing. Two of my favorite things.

My (and probably everyone else's) favorite gallery

I feel like the Gates Visitor Center is overlooked not just because of its proximity to Seattle Center, but because people don't really know what to expect. It's hard to know what it is unless you've actually experienced it - and if you haven't yet, you really should! Think of the Gates Visitor Center as a museum, but instead of being inspired by art, you're being engaged through the very real stories told in the Gates Visitor Center's walls.

Closing in on pledges on the Share Your Cause trees

Getting the lowdown on tempered vaccine coolers, emergency shelter kits and more from Davida, an educator at the Gates Visitor Center.

What kinds of stories, you ask? Those of women in Africa who are learning how to make their water safe with chlorine dispenser stations. Young students whose lives have been directly impacted by changes in their schools and libraries. A running list of all the non-profits and organizations - large and small - who've received funding from the Gates Foundation (grantees.) The rich and deep history of the Gates family itself. Even stories and ideas from you!

All of the grants (all 7000 the foundation made prior to the Gates Visitor Center's opening.)

The shining star in the Gates Visitor Center is definitely the interactive exhibits. Unlike museums, you can see, touch and create as you learn about the various causes the Gates Foundation focuses on. Moving walls, rotating globes, pull levers, photo booths and touch screens galore are the real reason you'll easily lose a few hours in the Gates Visitor Center. From the rice bags lining the sidewalk outside to the Share Your Cause trees in the back - these interactive exhibits aren't just there to help entertain and maybe educate guests, but to show us how we can think about - and contribute - to these very same causes.

Rotate the globe for continental news and updates on various Foundation causes.

Cheesing for the photo booth

So meta!

Those buckets were so heavy. Now imagine carrying those across varying terrains for miles, full of water intended to hydrate and bathe you, your family and your livestock.

I love spending time in the Gates Visitor Center because it's a hub for ideas around how we can help our community. There's a specific placard there that says "Your community isn't just the neighborhood you live in. It's your city, state, region and the world." I'm totally paraphrasing that quote, but you get my drift. I love that. The Gates Visitor Center takes you out of your own 'bubble', so to speak, and lights the fire in your mind on how you can make an impact in the world around the causes that mean the most to you. So if you feel like 'getting lost in a museum' in a whole different way, pop into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center sometime. I guarantee your mind and soul will leave spinning with ideas - in the very best way.

Thank you, Davida, for giving us a tour of the Gates Visitor Center! If you visit the Gates Visitor Center, definitely take a tour with Davida or a team member.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center is open Tuesdays - Saturdays, 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. at 440 5th Ave. N. Street and garage parking are aplenty.

Check out their events calendar for upcoming special programs.

Join the dialogue! Follow the Visitor Center on Twitter and Facebook.