Seeking: a spring hike, cherry blossoms, & a pottery class 🌸
+ the cutest wine bar in the city
We’ve already got our first updates to the summer planning guide I released last week: Chateau Ste. Michelle released their summer lineup and Marymoor Park added a few more acts (both entries have been updated in the guide). The artists I’m the most excited about are Robert Plant & Alison Krauss from the Chateau lineup. I saw them last summer at Marymoor and it was a teenage dream fulfilled 🥲
*This post is a little long, so don’t forget to expand if it gets cut off in your email!
💎 Local gems
Whitaker Wilderness Peak Loop | Issaquah
I’m embarrassed to say this, but I used to turn up my nose at the Cougar Mountain trails because they didn’t have a good enough “payoff.” The joke’s on me though, because I’ve been missing out on some really solid hikes.
This 4-mile loop (love a loop) might not have a viewpoint at the summit, but there’s still something sweet to be found — a notebook where you can write down your trail experience and read entries from other hikers. The trail also had everything I love in a hike: bridges, boardwalks, water features, good elevation gain (1200 ft), and a little snow at the top as a treat.
We got a slow start at noon and were surprised to find that there were still spots in the parking lot with not too many people on the trail (probably because it’s a loop). You don’t need a permit for this trail and you can find a porta potty at the trailhead and a bench at the top to eat your snacks. Enjoy!
Dragonfly Yoga Studio | West Seattle
I’ve been trialing this studio for the past few weeks and I’m seriously considering signing up for a membership (something I haven’t done in years!). I like that they don’t just offer yoga, they also have pilates and dance classes on the schedule. There’s also a weekly “Yoga Church” on Sundays where the first half of class is spent with everyone introducing themselves and saying a few words about a theme or how they’re doing (way less intense than it sounds) before moving into a vinyasa practice.
Other things I like: there are nice bathrooms with showers, they have free mats in case you forget yours, the crowd skews older, and it feels like a true neighborhood studio. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good mix of what I’m looking for in this season of my life.
Bottlehouse | Madrona
This is where I go when I want to feel CUTE. The inside is cozy and sun-drenched, the heated patio feels like a secret garden, and the patrons are some of the best-dressed people in Seattle. It’s ideal for date night, a friend catch-up, or a small group with snack boards to share and an excellent HH from 3-6 pm. My favorite HH picks are the $5 vermouth on-tap (served on ice with a twist) and the $14 tinned fish and cheese boards. You can usually always find a table, but on nice days things pick up around 5-6 and it can be tougher to get an outdoor spot.
👀 On my radar
Cherry blossom viewing | Various locations
Seeing the cherry blossoms at UW is on my list for this weekend (you check out the live stream here), but that’s not the only place you can catch them! Professional geographer Nat Henry put together an interactive map of where you can find cherry and plum blossoms around the city. As you can see from the map above, blossoms are also concentrated on Lake Washington Boulevard, Seward Park, Seattle Center, the Arboretum, and in neighborhoods like Mt Baker, the Central District, Magnolia, and Ballard.
Clay Curious @ Saltstone Ceramics | Wallingford
One of the best things we did in Japan was a ceramics workshop on the wheel (I use the matcha bowl I made every day), so I was excited to see Saltstone offering a class in a similar format.
During the two-hour class, you’ll watch the instructor demo how to make a cup and then you’ll give it a try yourself (with plenty of help). You get to choose which one of your creations you want to keep and Saltstone will handle the glazing and firing for you and notify you once it’s ready for you to pick up.
Investing in a pottery series can be expensive and time-consuming, so this is a good intro to figure out if this is your hobby. It’s hosted on Fridays and Sundays from 6:30 - 8:30 pm and costs $100 per person, but the next available date is April 7th.
📆 This weekend’s events
Showtime | Thursday, 3/21 | Beacon Hill | $20
Ignite Seattle #45 | Thursday, 3/21 | Downtown | $15 | This is such a cool event — 10 talks at 5 minutes each on a variety of topics from locals
Women in Beer | Thursday, 3/21 | Downtown | $40
Family Concert: Neon Brass Party | Saturday, 3/23 | Downtown | $5-25 sliding scale
Ballard Wine Walk | Saturday, 3/23 | Ballard | $40-45
Coast 2 Coast: A Day Party | Saturday, 3/23 | Georgetown | $11
Nowruz 2024 | Sunday, 3/24 | Downtown | Free
Multi-day:
U District Cherry Blossom Festival | 3/21 - 4/1 | U District | Free
One Thousand Pieces | 3/21 - 3/24 | Uptown | $30-210 | Use code thepointe to get discounted tickets for $30/40/50!
Make Believe Seattle Film Festival | 3/21 - 3/26 | Various locations | $25-250
Delicate Steve | 3/23 - 3/24 | Ballard | $20
Seattle Cherry Blossom Run | 3/23 - 3/24 | U District | $55-110
What’s next:
3/28 | You know it’s spring when baseball season starts back up. Catch the kickoff at the Mariner’s Opening Day.
5/4 - 5/5 | This is neat: Belltown Bloom is a two-day music festival happening at the Crocodile complex featuring Aluna and Tokimonsta as headliners along with many other local acts.
🚨 ICYMI
Honeyhole is back with new owners. Bellevue’s hottest new coffee shop is in a senior living community (??). Brimmer and Heeltap has expanded to a new wine shop across the street. Grassland BBQ is coming up from Portland this weekend to host a pop-up (expect long lines). Guillotine is replacing Witness on Capitol Hill.
🧰️ Seattle Toolkit
A few of my favorite resources to stay tuned in to what’s happening around the city:
What Do - Seattle’s aggregated event list
Everout - Events & things to do
SEAToday - Daily Seattle newsletter
The Nudge Seattle - Text-based event planner
The Intentionalist - Discover + support local small businesses
Your turn!
What are you seeking this week? What do you already have planned? Share it with us in the comments ⬇️
Michael is in Neon Brass Party!!