Seattle’s new waterfront

It is really nice watching the waterfront project come together. The construction is supposed to be completely finished this summer and the waterfront already feels so much cleaner and friendlier.

This is the $2 MILLION new public restroom. Six all gender single stalls, an open-air shared sink area, and most importantly, a full-time attendant keeping an eye on things. I didn't have to go, but based on the long line, lots of other people did.

The entire Miner's Landing pier is perfect for kids. Great views from the Great Wheel. And our first time on the Wings Over Washington ride, which is like Soarin’ at Disneyland. You get “splashed” by the orcas, you smell the “tulips” while flying over Mt. Vernon, kids LOVED it.  

First-ever Panda Fest in Seattle

Panda Fest at Seattle Center is a new event in Seattle and I hope it comes back next year! Full of CUTENESS and yummy food. I will say it's pretty expensive — be mentally prepared to drop $200. Most food items run $15-25. Bring wipes and lots of money!

What we ate: tang hulu, sushi burrito, whole squid, lychee dragonfruit juice and Thai coconut ice cream. My favorite was the sushi burrito, two of my favorite foods wrapped in one.2

Tang hulu with a marshmallow panda. It was adorable, but drippy and made a mess.
Panda mascots roaming around were the best. It's going to be HOT on Sunday even without a panda suit.
Lychee and dragon fruit juice. Flavor was good, but it was mostly water.
Fried squid. We waited in line for an HOUR for this. Definitely a one and done. And it was rubbery.
Thai coconut ice cream. Loved this.
VIP tickets means you get a nice quiet sectioned-off area, AND nice bathrooms. This was key. No port-a-potties for me.

Corned beef and cabbage in haunted Seattle

Took the kids to experience their Irish heritage and some Seattle history at Kells. The building, in Post Alley, was Seattle's first full-service mortuary. They did the body processing and casket sales and even had a chapel in-house. Around the time of the Spanish flu, there would be bodies in the streets so they'd pay people $50 to bring in a body. Well that backfired, because then people started killing each other. Womp womp.

Our server said he's definitely seen some weird things, like the lights flickering in ornate patterns... .

Bubble Planet honest review

We've been to enough of these "immersive experiences" to know they're basically expensive photo ops. But they're fun and hands on, so we went to check it out.

Bubble Planet should probably have been named Balloon Planet, because the exhibit is mostly balloons. (There's a separate "Balloon Museum" making the rounds, so maybe copyright issues?)

Exhibition Hub definitely has a formula. There's always an interactive floor that you walk on and a Kusama knockoff mirrored room. Also, delays. These guys cannot open a show on time. Bubble Planet was supposed to open back in March.

On one hand, I'm glad they're repurposing the empty Toys R Us (RIP) building in Bellevue. And they're employing lots of earnest young people.

On the other hand, I can't figure out the target audience. They say it's for teens and adults, but bubbles? Balloons? Ball pit??? Toddlers would LOVE this. The exhibit is scheduled to run four months, so summer. I wouldn't be surprised if they did "closing" sales, then extended the run. But it's in Bellevue, kind of off the beaten track for tourists. Also, it's in a cavernous dark building with all the windows covered up. In the middle of summer. Across the street from one of our all-time favorite parks (Surrey Downs). $40-ish per person to go to a dark building in Bellevue in the summer. I dunno, would you do it?

Traditionally we've done a balloon room in our house for the boys' birthdays every year. My kids love it, and Bubble Planet had a giant version of a balloon room. They would have stayed longer if it hadn't been a school night. Bubble Planet seems like a fun thing you'd do over winter break, with holiday visitors when you want to get them out of your house.

Free public sail at the Center for Wooden Boats

A beautiful day on Lake Union. Public Sail happens on the last Sunday of the month, April to October. I do not swim, sail, kayak, sup or any other aquatic activity, so I got a steamboat ride thanks to the kind volunteers at the Center for Wooden Boats. Loved getting this fresh perspective of the city from the water.

City skyline
The famous Sleepless in Seattle houseboat.
A hydrofoil?
Gasworks Park
Rare view of the houseboat community.
Watching the seaplanes take off and land.
A rentable electric boat
Paul said the Lavengro looks like a ship from the 1800s. It does!
Passengers on the Lavengro
I could not believe this guy casually jumped off the houseboat dock for a swim. Brrr!