June 7, 2024

Today’s Forecast

Shhhh...

This panoramic image shows one of the Shoreline Street Ends public access areas on the western end of Magnolia. There's some greenery lining the area between a lawn and the water, but a beach that's just a short walk away can be seen.

Have a little private picnic at this public access waterfront area located at 2999 W. Marina Pl. | Photo via SDOT

We wanna be where the people... aren’t.

As Seattle’s temps warm up for the summer, its beaches tend to pack out as all of us Vitamin D-starved locals make a break for the sun.

If you’re looking for something feels a bit more like a personal hidden gem, allow us to introduce you to the Shoreline Street Ends program.

Launched in 1996, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) program turns any shoreline at the end of a street into a public access waterfront. In turn, this creates some tucked-away, secret beaches.

This program aims to:

Improve public accessibility to Seattle’s 200 miles of shoreline
Protect our local ecosystem with native plantings and green stormwater treatment
Encourage community stewardship of our spaces

There are more than 142 of these spots across town, all ranging in available amenities and features.

To catalog each of these, SDOT also created an interactive map detailing which areas are a part of the program, which are suited for visitors, photos of each location, and detailed listings with current information + ongoing projects.

This panoramic picture shows a beach nestled in between houseboats along Lake Union. There's a wooden bench in the foreground and some tasteful decorative driftwood along the landscaping. — This public access beach at 2373 Fairview Ave. E. would be a great spot to bring a snack and a book.
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Photo via SDOT

Here are a few of our favorite locations:

2373 Fairview Ave. E. | This spot includes a gradual slope to the waterfront and a bench.
2999 W. Marina Pl. | Get a beautiful view of Elliott Bay off the shore of Magnolia.
3819 51st Ave. NE | Discover the native plantings as you wander down timber stairs to the Lake Washington waterfront, which also includes a picnic table.
4300 55th Ave. NE | This one has some seating and lots of vegetation to give the tiny, dirt beach some privacy.
5641 Seaview Ave. NW | Follow some stairs down to a landscaped shoreline area at the mouth of Salmon Bay.

Want to help keep these areas nice? Volunteer with Friends of Street Ends.

Asked

It’s been a couple of months since Madeline joined the SEAtoday team and a few years since Alina first introduced herself, so we thought we’d take the chance to come back around and tell you a little bit about ourselves.

So, do you want to know if we have any secret talents? Do you want to know where Madeline gets their sick haircut? Or maybe you’d like to learn Alina’s favorite joke.

Whatever it is, let us know and we’ll come back soon with our formal (re)introduction.

Be nosy

Events

Friday, June 7

The Genius Conference | Friday, June 7 + Saturday, June 8 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Ave. S., Seattle | Free | The African-American Writers’ Alliance is hosting keynote speakers, best-selling authors, and more impressive storytellers.
$10 and Under Pop-up Thrift (and Market) | Friday, June 7 | 4-8 p.m. | Slip Gallery, 2301 First Ave., Seattle | Free | Ballin’ on a budget? Shop sustainably and affordably at this pop up in Belltown + check out our thrifting guide for more good deals.
Hannah Gadsby: Woof! | Friday, June 7 | 6:30 + 9:30 p.m. | Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle | $79.75 | This Australian comedian is bringing their jokes to the Emerald City — is it just us, or does their accent make everything even funnier?
Save the Date: Brewology | Friday, June 7 | 7 p.m. | Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave. N., Seattle | $35-$77 | Geek out about craft beers and learn how-to tips from brewmasters.

Saturday, June 8

Seattle Dragon Boat Festival | Saturday, June 8 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | WeWork Space Lake Union, 500 Yale Ave. N., Seattle | Free | Watch this dynamic water sport originating from China accompanied by performances and food trucks.
The 2024 Seattle Interior Design Tour | Saturday, June 8 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Multiple locations, Seattle | $10-$120 | Tour gorgeous spaces, meet designers, and get inspired by the latest trends at this showcase of local talent.
DIY Your Own House Chai! | Saturday, June 8 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Friday Afternoon, 4228 Stone Way N., Seattle | $50 | Create your own household chai recipe with rich spices and fragrant tea.
Smol Art Mart 2024 | Saturday, June 8-Sunday, June 9 | Times vary | Queen Anne Community Center, 1901 First Ave. W., Seattle | Free | This annual arts + crafts market supports 80+ up-and-coming makers selling portraits, zines, pottery, jewelry, and more.

Sunday, June 9

Y2K Brunch Pride Kick Off | Sunday, June 9 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Queer/Bar, 1518 11th Ave., Seattle | $125 | Get the champagne bottles and good vibes poppin’ with musical performers in a festive environment.
Diversity Collective’s Pride Celebration 2024 | Sunday, June 9 | 6-10 p.m. | Mox Boarding House, 5105 Leary Ave. NW, Seattle | Free | Sip on your beverage of choice and choose from over 300 board games to play while listening to music by Queer artists.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

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Shop

Matching ‘fits for Father’s Day (plus 30% off)

Match your mini-me this Father’s Day. | Photos provided by Harlestons

Parents, is there anything cuter than matching your mini?

Harlestons is now offering matching polos and swimwear for dads and sons to share the same swag — just in time for Father’s Day. (Nope, it’s not too late to order his gift.)

Bonus: All swim — men and youth — is 30% off.

Shop the sets. What better way to celebrate than twinning?

(T)win Father's Day

News Notes

Real Estate

Cha-ching. King County’s median home price is now above $1 million — a record high. This shows a 10% increase year-over-year, with a jump seemingly driven by some high-end Eastside sales. The median Seattle home sold for $965,000. (Seattle Times)

Development

Seattle City Council has approved a new rule that will expedite the condemnation of abandoned and unsafe buildings. The legislation now allows the Chief of the Seattle Fire Department to declare certain sites a public nuisance instead of going through the Department of Construction and Inspections. (Seattle Times)

Coming Soon

Trader Joe’s is looking to open a new location in Greenwood according to permitting requests. Records show that the popular chain aims to fill a 13,486-sqft space at 8704 Greenwood Ave. N. underneath The Hemlock Apartments. An anticipated opening date was not listed. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Read

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) is still working to bring some of its online services back after a cybersecurity attack disrupted them Memorial Day weekend. SPL will be making regular updates on Tuesdays and Thursdays as more services become available.

Traffic

Know before you go — a few southbound lanes on I-5 will be closed this evening through Monday morning while crews perform maintenance work between Exit 161 and Exit 158. These lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 10. (KING 5)

Biz

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has signed a memorandum of understanding between the City and Korea SMEs and Startups Agency to boost investment and job creation with Korean startups + small- and medium-sized biz. Seattle will begin arranging related seminars, supplying useful info to businesses in these categories.

Film

Grab the popcorn — two movies shot in the Seattle area are coming out on streaming services this month. “The Get Rich Quick Scheme” is a comedy with several featured locations around Seattle and Tacoma. “Skagit” is an experimental horror film that uses filming locations just north of the city. (Seattle Times)

Community

Seattle Parks and Rec is offering kids aged 6-16 free swimming lessons at all life-guarded beaches this summer. Several week-long sessions run between July and August, with midday and evening options available. Parents can sign their children up via email until Friday, June 21 and in-person during regular beach hours.

Sports

Enough time has passed that the similarities and differences between new Huskies Head Coach Jedd Fisch and our previous one Kalen DeBoer are starting to show. Hear from the local experts on how these two work differently with Locked On’s daily, Huskies-focused podcasts.

Pets

Bowl goals for dogs = Premium proteins. Vibrant veggies. Tantalizing textures. Be the dog parent who keeps mealtime exciting with 50% off Nom Nom’s pre-portioned, freshly-made meals.*

Food

🍗 The wait is over

Taken inside the new Rainier Valley Jollibee location, this photo shows four chicken sandwiches, a few of the peach mango pies, two Chickenjoy buckets, and a tower of Pineapple Quencher sodas. A statue of Jollibee's bee mascot is gesturing enthusiastically at the menu behind the counter in the distance.

Madeline and Alina almost had to roll themselves home after their Jollibee feast. | Photo by SEAtoday Staff

The summer is off to a great start for fried chicken fans — the first Seattle Jollibee location opens this morning at 9 a.m. in Rainier Valley.

It’s been a long time coming after news broke in October about the expansion, but the 3820 Rainier Ave. S. fryers are finally piping hot and waiting for your orders.

In addition to its regular menu, the Rainier Valley Jollibee location will have a couple of special menu items — be on the lookout for biscuits, mac + cheese, and (later) a beef burger.

The restaurant is open daily 9 a.m.-10 p.m., but expect long lines for the next few weeks as Jollibee enthusiasts finally get their fill.

In other news, keep an eye open for news about more locations. The company said it will almost certainly be opening more Seattle-area restaurants.

The Buy

The clear bag you need to go hands-free at any concerts, games, or events this summer (it’s stadium-approved).

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alina

From the editor

No, but really. That Jollibee meal was incredible. I don’t know what they put in that gravy, but it’s even better than a lot of the stuff I grew up with in Tennessee (just don’t tell anyone from there I said that — we’re serious about gravy there).

City Editors Alina and Madeline pose with the Jollibee bee mascot. — Hi, it’s us in our post-meal giddiness.
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Selfie by SEAtoday Staff

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