Dec. 25, 2006 - Green Lake

Anyone who, like me, has enjoyed all that Green Lake has to offer, should go get themselves a giclee of Sonny Salsbury's magnificent "snapshot" of Green Lake - Seattle, depicted above.  Because Sonny's "got it down!"  Sometimes someone just hits that nail right on the head better than anyone else can, and Mr. Salsbury captured the essence of Green Lake that dis-spells all the confusion and "nails it!"  In fact, throw all the definitions of what constitutes the Green Lake Neighborhood in the trash.

Real Estate Agents in Seattle, argue more about what IS and IS NOT "Green Lake", the neighborhood, than most any other geographic area in "The Emerald City".  I lived at "Green Lake" when I first moved to Seattle, and I can tell you from "first hand" experience, that they've all got it wrong.  Because anyone who can wake up in the morning and walk over to, and around Green Lake's 4.5 kilometer path, lives AT and IN "Green Lake".  A neighborhood is first and foremost, it's lifestyle, and not the oddball street breakdowns the so-called experts attribute to being "the Green Lake neighborhood".  They are so wrong, I'm not going to tell you how "they" define it.

I will, however tell you what you DO need to know.  When you walk around Green Lake, within walking distance to and from the lake from all points, you pass through from Green Lake (going clockwise) to and through Wallingford, Woodland Park, Phinney Ridge, Greenwood, Licton Springs and back down to Green Lake.  I especially mention "Licton Springs" because that is where I lived and because real estate agents don't give nearly enough credit to this gem of an area.  That is both good news and bad news.  While agents are freaking out right now that I have included this neighborhood in the same breath as Green Lake, that means you can buy into the lifestyle without paying "the price".  The top of Green Lake is at or about at 78th.  What we in Seattle might call "The Duke's Side of the Lake". OMG!  Duke's has a BLOG!  Technically, if you walk on Wallingford Ave to the other side of 85th, you're not in "Green Lake" anymore, Toto.  But really.  Get a deal and a lifestyle and be damned with the purist's definition.  If you can walk to Duke's from your house in 7 minutes...trust me...you ARE in Green Lake.

Dec. 25, 2006 - re: Green Lake

Merry X-mas to you Ardell.   Thanks for all your hard work and talent with your blog posts.  I usually read your posts here and over at rain city guide 3-4 times a week.  I really enjoyed the green lake article and the useful links.  take care.

Dec. 25, 2006 - re: Green Lake