Seattle Maison

Holiday 2014

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Further back in time, some claim that Alki beach was the birthplace of Seattle itself, noting that the famous Denny party landed at Alki in 1851. Not far from that fa- mous spot, today you can dig deeper into West Seattle's history at the tiny Loghouse Museum, a restored 1904 cabin with voices of West Seattle history echoing in its exhibits and loyal volunteer historians. Or scarf a burger and a milkshake at the funky Luna Park Cafe, where you can read about the ghostly remains of its namesake amusement park, which entertained families on an Alki pier until it closed in 1913. During very low tides, a few Luna Park pilings poke up from the water even today, hinting at fun times long departed. EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS: Even on the dreariest Se- attle day, you'll dig Lincoln Park, built out in the 1930s with help from the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Five miles of fantastic trails give you brief views of the Sound, or take a detour and hike down to stroll right along the water—then break a sweat climbing back up. Swimmers can get warm saltwater in their eyes at Colman Pool come spring. B efore Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder moved in, before Trader Joe's brought us gluten- free vegan waffles, West Seattle was a working-class neighborhood. Back then, the Fauntleroy streetcar creaked and clanged to its last stop around what's now Enolyne Joe's (get it—end o' the line?), real-life Rosie the Riverters commuted to temporary jobs at Harbor Island's wartime manufacturers, and after work, Bethlehem Steel (now Nucor) laborers and other everyday folks made their way into such blue-collar haunts as the Chelan Café, which still serves dubious shredded hash browns and chicken-fried steak, just as it did in 1938. If Lincoln Park is still too crowded for your liking, con- sider Camp Long. Off the radar of most Seattleites, it's right on busy 35th Avenue SW. Visit and you'll be surprised by how quietly woodsy it is. The ancient (read: really, really rustic) cabins and lodge are available to rent, or spend a couple hours on the climbing rock, the four miles of hiking trails, or the modern zipline and ropes course. Finally, if you haven't yet grabbed a cap- puccino, bundled up, and walked Alki Beach in the rain and wind—well, it's an experience that will enable you to say "I am a true Seattleite". Alki remains Seattle's grayer, colder answer to Venice Beach—with more dogs and fewer bikinis. BY THE JUNCTIONS: While you can still find old-school cool like the "Walk All Ways With Walk" pedestrian privilege (where you really can walk diagonally at the corner of Alaska and California), gentrification means today you can shop and eat completely in 2014—without too much pretention, thankfully, as this neighborhood's roots keep it pretty well grounded. Trader Joe's, Thrift- way, PCC, and Metropolitan Market provide hard-to-find, high-end ingredients for the at home chef. West Seattle Spotlight on

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