A fun experience, a bit off the beaten path in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle…read more We ventured from downtown to check out the troll. Very easy access via a city bus route. After a short stroll down a well-designed dirt path, we found the giant troll. The troll is great for photos and has a sign that describes the history of the troll. My kids enjoyed climbing around the area, too. Facing the opposite direction from the troll is a very cool bridge that creates some awesome cathedral-like architecture. There is lots to do in Fremont, and even though the troll is kind of a one-and-done deal, it's worth checking out simply to explore the rest of the neighborhood and awesome surrounding businesses. Enjoy your troll hunt!

A visit to the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge is a fun and quirky Seattle stop. Sculpted in…read more1990 by four artists after a competition launched by the Fremont Arts Council to help combat the garbage and clutter that had been collecting under bridges, the troll has become one of the city's most iconic public art pieces. It's a great destination to bring out-of-town visitors--like me--to check out another troll! As a fan of the whimsical trolls created by Thomas Dambo, this was a must-see. Street parking is available nearby, making it an easy stop while exploring the neighborhood. I'd personally recommend not climbing on the troll due to safety concerns, although many people were doing so when we visited. Either way, it's a unique photo opportunity and a classic Seattle experience.

Only in Fremont can you see dinosaurs in your very own city... They well groomed Ivey beast lurk…read moreneed the banks of the water by the Fremont Bridge. Relax folks you can approach the beasts they won't be harmful to your health. But you can most definitely snap your selfies with the mother and baby dinosaur. But don't climb on them, unless you must and then ride these beasts like your in a Texas rodeo.

Fremont has a bunch of photo ops: a big Troll, a tall Rocket, a strange Center of the Universe…read moresign, a Lenin statue (I LOVED Double Fantasy), and this: a 66-foot-long, ivy-covered mother dinosaur and child. Go around 5:15am to see the feeding. OK, it's automatic sprinklers, but still.

Cool Landmark in Seattle, Washington…read more.. I've had "The Center of the Universe" bookmarked for a while. It's a good thing to look at the bookmarked items on the Yelp app once in a while. I totally forgot about this novel and unique piece of Public Art! I should have visited it when I saw the Troll and the blue Fremont Bridge yesterday... darn! Anyway... I parked across the street and got a good shot of this directional sign! As I drew closer, I saw places on the sign that I would like to see - such as Machu Piccu and Rio de Janeiro. Other interesting places include The North Pole and The Milky Way. What a fun tourist stop! Check it out when you have time! It's free, quick, and a good break from daily routine!

One of the few photo ops (like the Rocket, dinosaurs, the Troll, etc) in Fremont…read more I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. Life is demanding without understanding. To reiterate, I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign. No one's gonna drag you up To get into the light where you belong But where do you belong? Now if you excuse me, all that she wants is another baby, and she's gone tomorrow, boy.

I mean, what can be said about this strange abandoned art installation that hasn't been said…read morealready. It's not a great area, there's currently a homeless encampment right behind it. It has a chain link fence surrounding it giving it a 'We haven't torn this down yet' vibe. Being from the Bay Area and having seen pieces created at The Crucible I personally would call it exceptionally lazy art - if you're generous with the word 'art'. It's a sign, with some pointed cylinders around it. In my opinion the painted pieces at Gas Works are more interesting. I personally think it's only a matter of time before they tear it out and make it into another park so all in all, it's an easy skip.

At one point, I'm sure The Wall of Death was a very cool public art installation in Seattle. It's a…read morepermanently sited installation located along the Burke-Gilman Trail under the University Bridge along NE 40th Street. It was designed and built by Mowry Baden and his son Colin in 1993. While the exhibit sounds ominous, it's neither a memorial or some gothic art piece. Instead, it's a tribute to the structure used to perform "the wall of death," a motorcycle and miniature automobile stunt. While it looks like it was initially quite amazing, The Wall of Death has largely fallen victim to time and graffiti and it's really that graffiti that negatively impacts the appeal of the exhibit. The exhibit includes the cylinder itself on the south side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a concrete ramp to the north of the trail, which includes a "series of stylized metal chairs mounted to the existing concrete bridge columns and serves as the stands from which the stunts were viewed. The exhibit was originally intended as interactive with skateboarders intended to use it. However, after several skateboarding accidents including one involving a head-on collision between a skateboarder and a cyclist the exhibit was adapted, by Baden himself, to include 25 concrete parking stops. At this point, the exhibit is somewhat fenced in and much more difficult to access. However, it remains one of the more intriguing public art exhibits in Seattle and is still free to see. It's listed in Atlas Obscura. The exhibit was also reportedly damaged on 11/15/20 when a homeless camp tent caught fire. The exhibit is made of concrete, steel, and aluminum and measures 16' x 65' x 30'. It's easy to access the exhibit from the Burke Gilman Trail in the University District. It's near University of Washington housing and only a few blocks from Lake Union. The trail itself is wheelchair friendly and accessible quite easily.

Why, Seattle? [Seattle WA]…read more The walkable Fremont neighborhood of Seattle has many artworks in easily visible outdoor settings including this statue of Vladimir Lenin located just west of Fremont Avenue. His larger-than-life statue looks over N 36th Street... can't miss it (intersection of Fremont Place North and Evanston Avenue North) Not sure if there was one but I did not see a bronze marker with a description about the statue. I did see an interpretive sign that explained about a man named Lewis Carpenter who wanted to preserve the statue (toppled during the 1989 revolution) and brought it back to his home in Issaquah... I suppose that's how it made it to a Seattle neighborhood. The statue is privately owned. The statue had some graffiti written on it and, also, a thick coating of bright red paint covered his open hand. Also, he hasn't stopped celebrating Halloween as he still has a pumpkin over his head ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Review #3621

Sort of an oddity, yet a landmark in the Fremont area. The Lenin Statue has an interesting history…read more The statue is of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, a Russian revolutionary infamous for causing much strife in the then Soviet Union. The Lenin Statue is subject to being made into a canvass for events around the year in the city as well just plain old vandalism, it isn't surprising seeing as it isn't someone to be readily idolized. The statue was made in the late 80's by a Slovakian sculptor by the name of Emil Venkov as part of a competition. Lenin was likely a figurehead at the time, so he was the subject. The statue was toppled soon after and was purchased by an Entrepeneur. A few years later, and about $30,000 shorter the statue was in Seattle. The statue changed hands at the untimely death of that Entrepeneur and went to the hands of the Fremont Chamber, ideally until a buyer was interested. (It's a headscratcher as to who would by that personally.) The property the Lenin Statue is on is privately owned and therefore it's private property. Hard to miss traversing through the main streets of Fremont the plaque near the statue reads "to serve as a reminder of an important historical period." These words presently and will continue to be very true.

When I lived in Seattle in the early 2000's, it was hands-down my favorite restaurant. When I…read moremoved back to Seattle in 2024, I was ecstatic to discover it's still going strong and dishing out delicious food. Tucked away on 46th street in Wallingford, is an old school Seattle institution, Bizzarro Italian cafe. Although small in table space, they bowl up some big tastes! My favorite is still the Puttanesca. It's on the spicy side so fare warning to the sensitive stomach crowd. They always have a great line-up of daily food and drink specials. I also can't forget to mention the funky decor, the chairs hanging from the ceiling, the eclectic art work adorning the walls, all create a vibe that you're in for more than just a meal. It's ambience, baby! The service is always friendly and helpful. Next time you're in Wallingford, stop in for a meal. You won't be disappointed. I can't wait to go back!

The ambiance here is great. Lots of quirky art and posters, as well as community events posted. One…read morerule though - no phones! The food was super tasty. I got a butternut squash dish and it was amaaaaazing. Had to make sure to try a seasonal dish in case it wasn't there next time I was in town. Staff was super attentive and helped us with any questions we had about the menu.

This epic parade has been one of the highlights of my summer so far. Held in one of Seattle's most…read morecharming, popular and historic neighborhoods this event begins with the infamous Naked Bike Ride and ends with the entire crowd of onlookers joining the parade! In between are eclectic floats, colorful costumes, and loads of people just having fun. If you want to see the parade, the best thing to do is get there early and grab a spot at one of the many MANY restaurants and bars that line the route. Parking is slim pickings, so public transit or rideshare are the best options. After the parade, the fun continues with an "after-party" (and beer garden) at Gasworks Park, where you'll likely spot some still-naked bike riders wandering about too. This parade is a quintessential Seattle event, and I'm definitely adding it to my must-do list for next year!

Fremont Solstice Parade is pretty much the highlight of the Fremont Solstice Fair…read more Naked bike ride is what people line up on the streets to see! Never seen something like this before until I moved here, very Seattle!!! Most of the riders have body paint on with cool designs to take some of the attention away from the "lady garden" or the "gentleman sausage", but we all cant help but look. There are also handful of riders that just go straight up buck nekkid with no body paint! You will see all kinds of shapes & sizes during the bike parade, see all kinds of unique costumes and bike decorations too. Other than that its a regular parade with a marching band, some small floats, some entertainment, and stuff they throw into the crowd.

Frankie Feetsplinters making his presence known in front of the National Nordic Museum. With his…read morejoyful and curious look he makes me smile whenever I see him. Standing tall and gazing out welcoming others to the museum. I'm glad I got to visit him on a sunny day. Parking can be a bit challenging, there is a lot behind museum in the that you can park in for a $2 fee. I had a great time visiting Frankie and admiring him.

We stopped here today to see Frankie Feetsplinters and were delighted as always with the work of…read moreThomas Dambo. Frankie stands ( or stomps :)) in front of the National Nordic Museum and since street parking can be impossible to find, your best bet is to park on the museum lot for $2 and walk around. I love his frolicsome exuberance and his ubiquitous gaze. His boyish charm looms as largely as his figure. We were able to find the wooden nameplate for him but not the metal placard.. Because of the location we could not stay as long to admire him as we typically do but we enjoyed our visit with him all the same.

I don't want to say that I was staying in a weird neighborhood while I was in Seattle, but being…read morejust over a mile away from the Bettie Page House left me no other option one early morning than to head out by wheelchair to check it out. Smack dab in the middle of Seattle's worst heatwave ever, I can still easily say it was worth the effort for a glimpse of this private residence that features an 18' Bettie Page and even more recently has added the one and only Divine. The house is located in the Ravenna district adjacent to the University District (where I was staying). Commissioned by the owner in 2006, the artwork has been vandalized once (it came back better than ever) and has been threatened by the city at one point with $100 daily fines. because of the "graffiti" on the home. Of course, no fine ever happened and Bettie Page is still alongside the home's exterior wall. Interestingly enough, the home is right across the street from a Mormon Temple. Bettie is adorned with her usual black panties and thigh-highs, a gutter conveniently crosses her chest area. The house is a little tricky to get to, though the mural is easily visible from I-5 near the 65th Street exit. As this is a private home, there is no "admission." Essentially, this is public art visible from a sidewalk or street. If you're in the Seattle area, it's definitely worth checking out and most likely a "must see" for true Bettie Page (or Divine) fans.

Add this to your list Roadside America…read more We've been to the usual Space Needle, Pike's Place Market but, if you're up for something new and unusual --- this is it. Welcome to the Bettie Page and Drag Queen Divine house! After driving around the area that Google Maps told us it was without finding it; we realized it might be across the damn freeway. So, might want to consider that if you haven't found it lol

Whether you do it just to say "we did it", or you do it once, go back down, and do it again a few…read moremore times to get your legs moving and heart pumping- it's a great experience. Seattles longest staircase, 388 steps spanning 160 feet. The history behind the stairs is pretty cool. We walked an hour from downtown, enjoyed the beautiful walk along Lake Union, got to the stairs, did it three times, and then headed toward Volunteer park. A hell of a way to get your steps in! Spring was in bloom, so the beautiful flowers and colorful trees was the icing on the cake.

I started doing the stairs when I was 48 years old. A group of us from LLS would meet every week on…read moreThursday night for years, dark or light rain or shine! I don't remember when I quit but an educated guess would be at 59. The reason I started was I wanted to run the Honolulu Marathon, (that brings that educated part into question) but going on I did it that December. After that I went on to do another 16 (again, educated??) Moving on to 2025, I can still do them at 73 with very few issues, I don't run I walk, and I stop a couple of times when my heart and lungs call a meeting with me, but we make it. I really believe I can do today because of what I started 25 years ago. In the words of the late Toby Keith, don't let the old man in!