The Seattle Traveler

Think that crime isn’t happening in YOUR neighborhood?  You may need to think again — after taking a look at SpotCrime’s crime-mapping mashup.
SpotCrime gets info from police records and news sources, then plots the coordinates on a map (along with a listing as well) so you can check out what’s going on it your neighborhood.  You’ll find exact address, details of the crime, and if an arrest was made.
Washington cities with mashups available are:  Burlington, Richmond, Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane.
A friend sent me this link, saying that I lived in a pretty safe area of town.  I checked it …read more

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One of the most enjoyable parts of blogging (well, other than seeing your work online and having people reading it) is meeting other bloggers.  I was fortunate to get to do that a couple days ago.
For some time now, fellow traveler bloggers Pam, at Nerd’s Eye View, and Beth, at Wanderlust & Lipstick, have talked about getting together.  We’ve emailed back and forth for some time about blogging, travel, and the ups and downs of both, but finally this week we were able to have the discussion in person!
Writing, of any kind, can be a solitary experience.  That’s why it …read more

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This Weekend. . .
. . . enjoy music, food, arts and crafts, and people watching at the Pike Place Market Street Festival.
Started in 1971 as a way to say THANKS to the city and its citizen for voting to save the Market, the festival celebrates the vitality and diversity of one of the city’s icons — the Pike Place Market.
The Festival kicks off with a parade on Saturday at 10 am, and continues through the weekend with a full schedule of events and musical entertainment.
Location:  Pike Place Market, 1st & Pike (map it)
Dates & Time:  Saturday & Sunday, …read more

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We’re entering the final month of the Seattle Symphony’s season, so if you’ve been meaning to get to a performance and haven’t done so, your final chances are coming up.
Here’s the June schedule:

June 7th – Coming to America for Kids, a part of the Concert for Young People Series
June 5th, 7th – Coming to America II, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra
June 12-15th – Alexander Nevsky on Screen
June 13-14th – Teddy Bears Music Picnic (for kids)
June 19th – 22nd – Joshua Roman Plays Block
June 26-29th – Wagner and Mahler

Complete performance details, including times and ticket information, can be found at the …read more

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It’s a jungle out there!
I’m talking about the freeways.  The traffic seems to be getting worse, not better, despite improvements in public transportation.  While road rage here in the Pacific Northwest is not as bad as other part of the countries, defensive driving is becoming more and more important. 
How would you assess your skills?
A recent US driver’s poll conducted by GMAC Insurance used a 20 question test to geographically categorize the most knowledgeable drivers. and then ranked that knowledge by state.  Washington came in tied with Iowa at 9th, with an average score of 80.7.  For the record, …read more

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Memorial Day honors those who died in service to their country.  We offer our thanks to the families who sacrificed loved ones that we may enjoy our freedoms.
 
Photo credit: flickr
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Details:  A sunny day spent in Bellevue Community Park.  It’s an urban oasis, just a block from the huge Bellevue Square Mall, and surrounded by high rise condos and office buildings.
 
 
Photo credit: personal collection
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If you been enjoying the beautiful holiday weekend weather, but still haven’t made any plans, there’s still time to get tickets for the 3rd Annual Washington Wine Highway.
With over 500 wineries in the state, it darn near impossible to properly visit and experience the world of Washington wine.  The Wine Highway recreates the vineyards between Woodinville and Walla Walla, allowing you to taste your way along the route, all without ever leaving the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.
Wines from 80 Washington wineries, and food from 40 area restaurants, will tempt you with delicious treats.  There will also …read more

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It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and the big event around here is the Northwest Folklife Festival.  It’s the annual kick off to our summer season.
You’ll find lots of local artists and musicians, banding together for a multi-cultural party that embraces music, dance, visual arts, children’s activities, workshops, crafts, food, and lots, lots more.  It’s a great opportunity to participate in new activities as well as just do a little people watching.
The list of performance and activities is too great to list here, but you can check out the full schedule, and then print out the day’s events that are of …read more

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From the top northwest corner of the U.S., I’m now sending you to the lower southeast corner of the U.S., with an invitation to visit our newest b5media Travel & Culture blog — The South Florida Traveler, written by Katherine Lynch.

Whether you plan to be there for business or pleasure, or maybe you just want to read about somewhere sunny, The South Florida Travel will deliver the goods and let you know why it’s such a popular travel destination. 
Image credit:  b5media
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