Best of the City 2008
You're about to see your city in a whole new way.
Edited by Jessica VoelkerWith contribution from Christopher Werner, Ben Schock, Kathryn Robinson, Rachelle Robinett, Erin Pursell, Laura Peach, Kelly Huffman, Leah Finn, James Ross Gardner, Lee Fehrenbacher, Stefan Durham, Wilson Diehl, Laura Cassidy, Roger Brooks, Sarah Anderson, and Steve Wiecking
Bird Boutique
Seattle’s best-loved birdies start their lives at Denise’s Parrot Place on Mercer Island. The noisy shop, presided over by Zoe, a massive blue macaw who loudly greets all who enter, is well stocked in verbose and brightly-colored birds: conures, hyacinths, African greys, cockatoos, and other species, many of whom were raised nearby by Denise’s avian-adoring staffers. Impulse adoptions are never an option: Customers are required to schedule several supervised visits with a feathered friend before they can elect to take the bird home. Denise’s Parrot Place, 7641 SE 27th St, Mercer Island, 206-232-8115; www.myparrot.com
Art Camp
Ah, to be a kid in Seattle, spending summer days painting watercolors or building 3D castles under the tutelage of a kindly artist, strolling out to nearby Meridian Park when in need of inspiration. With her children, grandchildren, and former students, Brit-born Linda Demirel Barnes runs Neo Art School year round out of Wallingford’s Good Shepherd Center, and in summer she invites art-loving kids to create all day long or for half-days, exploring every possible form as they develop their skill with her crew of attentive teachers. Neo Art School, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Rm 121, Wallingford, 206-632-2530; www.neoartschool.com
Pony Camp
Local kids live out their pony dreams at Pony Paradise Rides’ day camp. During weeklong sessions at the Woodinville farm, children ages seven and up (there’s a separate peewee camp for little ones) learn to ride, groom, and care for the ponies, take lessons in breeding and farming, and even paint wooden horse statues during arts and crafts class. Yes, it will feed their obsession for all things equine; and it will also make their summer. Pony Paradise Rides, 8107 224th St SE, Woodinville, 800-753-7669; www.ponyparadiserides.com
Pet Accessories
Lurking in the shadow of the REI rock wall, Katie Rockwell’s Urban Beast caters to pet lovers, offering everything from pink-flowered collars to leashes assembled from recycled rock-climbing rope. Rockwell also stocks some of the healthiest pet food on the market: kibble made of 70 percent meat, bone marrow treats, and cat food fashioned from fresh fish. Urban Beast, 217 Yale Ave N, South Lake Union, 206-324-4400; www.urbanbeast-seattle.com
Dog Walker
We do love our dogs—over 60 percent of Seattle households have pooches—but exercising them? Not so much. Pooped-out pup owners trust David the Dog Walker, David Hogan’s West Seattle walking and training business, to take over leash duty. Hogan’s crack team—all well-educated and enthusiastic canine experts—make sure their furry charges get good workouts and even sneak a few training techniques and commands into the walk as well. David the Dog Walker, 206-753-7677; www.davidthedog walker.com
Cat Sitter
If Queen City cats seem exceptionally well adjusted, we have Lynne Madrigal, owner of Lap of Luxury Professional Cat Care, to thank. This longtime friend to felines quit her job in social services in 1997 to devote herself full-time to Seattle-area kitties, traveling to clients’ homes each day they are out of town to feed their pets, administer medicines, and stay to play for an hour or so. She even sends owners daily emails detailing how the fluff balls are faring. Lap of Luxury Professional Cat Care, 206-217-0317; www.lapofluxury.info
Small Dog Meet-Up
During our wet season (read: September through May), when parks becomes a wasteland of mud puddles, petite pooches mix it up indoors instead, at the Fuzzy Buddies Dog Daycare playgroup. On nonsummer Saturdays, owner Dana Mongillo opens her doors to dogs under 30 pounds. Best of all: Mongillo’s apprentice trainer Patty Tolnay referees to ensure the dogs play nice and offers owners complimentary training techniques and tips. Fuzzy Buddies Dog Daycare, 10907 Aurora Ave N, Bitter Lake, 206-782-4321; www.fuzzybuddys.com
Dog Wash
Trained as an architect, Dina Hidaka left the dog-eat-dog world of corporate design to open Redmond’s Ruff House, a self-service pooch primping station that’s saving bathrooms across the Seattle area from fur-clogged drains and muddy paw prints. Among the features lining Hidaka’s custom tubs: a dander vacuum and a foaming system that expedites soap removal. Lather up Fido at the 161st Street location or at the new Ruff House inside Marymoor Park, and leave the home shower to the humans. Ruff House, 8058 161st St NE, Redmond, 425-556-5103; www.ruffhouse.net
Dog Park
Marymoor Park’s sprawling 40-acre leash-free area is the largest in the state and—as far as we’re concerned—it’s most beautiful. It’s a veritable pup paradise: green glens with dense shrubbery for hide-and-seek, sprawling fields where retrievers chase tennis balls with dogged determination, and mile upon mile of mulch-covered, tree-lined trails. Marymoor Park, 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond, www.metrokc.gov/parks/marymoor
Dog Treats
Named for owner Mark Smith’s boxer, Railey’s Leash and Treat in Fremont is Shangri-la for Seattleites who love to spoil their dogs. Shelves spill over with goodies made with natural ingredients and doggie-friendly flavors—like the shop’s specialty, the peanut-butter-pickle-chip cookie. The treats taste so good, Smith says, he’s been known to have a nibble now and again. Railey’s Leash and Treat, 513 N 36th St, Fremont, 206-632-5200; www.raileys.com
Groomer
Muttley Crew Cuts owner Kelly Rothenbuhler, whose three dogs are fixtures at her West Seattle pup salon and day care, chose Muttley’s location after learning its zip code has more licensed dogs than anywhere else in the city. Groomers customize cuts to clients’ tastes—Rothenbuhler says she’s shaved her share of mohawks. Muttley Crew Cuts, 3207 California Ave SW, West Seattle, 206-932-6888; www.muttleycrewcuts.com
Published: July 2008
