Articles posted in Seattle

14 articles

3 Must-Try Restaurants in Seattle

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Pike Place Market Photo by Nicole Petrilli

Seattle in itself is a mixture of on-the-go business professionals and up and coming trendsetters and artists; but among this also lies an endless supply of dive bars, trendy restaurants, and local home-cooked meals. With a sustainable outlook on food and life, it is not rare to find a local restaurants supplied by their own rooftop gardens and locally sourced ingredients. If you’re travelling to Seattle this summer there’s three Seattle spots, from a sports bar to back-home kitchen, that are that you must try for yourself!

Herb + Bitter Public House - What is more fitting for a Seattle spot than a retracting glass roof? Well if you venture out to Capitol Hill’s Herb + Bitter Public House you’ll find just that. Equipped with 20 unique craft beers on tap, this recently open bar offers year-round patio seating with a retractable glass roof (as well as A/C and heating) that provides the comfort of fresh-air while protecting you from Seattle’s temperamental weather. Grab a brew and indulge in Spanish-style tapas while feeling like a true Seattleite.

Quality Athletics- If you find yourself in need of a quick sports and beer break during your Seattle wanderings, Quality Athletics would be happy to supply just that. Just a quick 5-minute walk from CenturyLink Field, you’ll find a fun, festive atmosphere with plenty of flat-screens to spare. With a menu full of your typical bar-food with a twist, this sought-after space also has its own roof-top garden, sno-cone and slushy machine, and is the perfect place to catch up before, during, and after the game!


Song Phang Kong- If low-key home-style Thai food is what you’re looking for, Song Phang Kong is just the place you need to be. Consisting of only 4 tables in the entire restaurant, this small locally-owned unique spot serves up generous servings of Laotian and Thai food for just $8. As you sit down you are instantly greeted by a free water, can of Pepsi, and a large smile from a small woman. We strongly suggest you head up to the International district to experience this first-hand.

The Best Ice Cream in Town

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Source: State Library of Victoria, via Flickr

July is National Ice Cream Month, which gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy your favorite frozen treat. If you’re one of our guests, check out this list to find the best ice cream in town:

Boston:

Picco: The Pizza and Ice Cream Company (Picco for short) is a popular Boston restaurant that delivers the dream combination of delicious pizza and homemade ice cream. A little bit lighter than the typically dense New England offering, Picco’s ice cream explodes with sophisticated flavors.

Denver

Little Man Ice Cream: Denverites love their ice cream, and Little Man serves up the best in town. Easy to find, just look for the 28-foot tall milk can with a line of people queued up to get their sweet fix. They rotate a great mix of classic ice cream flavors, as well as few you wouldn’t expect, like salted Oreo. They even have vegan ice cream.

Memphis:

Jerry’s Sno-Cones: Kids and adult alike seem to flock to this local favorite when the weather turns warm. Although snow cones made with homemade syrup are this shop’s specialty, they also offer soft serve ice cream, either on its own or combined with a snow cone (order it “supreme”).

Nashville

Pied Piper Creamery: Across the river in East Nashville you will find this funky ice cream shop located in a vintage house. The ice cream is delicious and features wacky pun-filled titles like Minty Python, Oreo Speedwagon, and Handlebar Pistachio.

New Orleans:

Angelo Brocato’s: No dessert shop in New Orleans is as beloved as Angelo Brocato’s. Established in 1905, this gelateria and pasticceria is steeped in Italian tradition and offers authentic gelato you have to taste to believe. And if your love of cold sweets extends beyond ice cream, this joint is also known for its delectable granitas: fresh Italian fruit ice.

Philadelphia:

The Franklin Fountain: This old-timey ice cream parlor dishes up some of the best and most authentically Philly-style ice cream in town. The old school soda fountain theme, from bow tied servers to the antique cash register, adds to the charm, but it’s the achingly delicious handmade flavors, like Teaberry gum, that will keep you coming back.

Portland:

Cool Moon Ice Cream: Sure, you could go to Salt & Straw like everyone else. Or you could skip waiting in a forty-minute line for overhyped “artisanal” ice cream and just head into Cool Moon. Much more family friendly and still offering intriguing flavors made with local natural ingredients, Cool Moon will satisfy your cravings while the rest of those people are still waiting.

San Antonio:

Justin’s Ice Cream: Hometown boy Justin Arecchi’s ice cream has been called a national treasure by President Clinton. After a four-year absence, his new family-run ice cream shop has reopened right on the River Walk, making it a breeze to sample the same cool treats that have been enjoyed by kings and dignitaries.

Seattle

Molly Moon’s: The ever-popular chain of modern-rustic ice cream shops are frequently wrapped with lines of people, and for very good reason. Molly Moon starts with a base of Snoqualmie ice cream and mixes in a wide variety of locally-sourced ingredients to create unique flavors like honey lavender and balsamic strawberry. You can also find many vegan-friendly sorbets and coconut milk-based treats.

 

Are you planning a trip? Click Here to view all of our downtown vacation rentals

Father’s Day Fun

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Source: Flickr user slgckgc

Father’s Day is coming up quick! Are you looking for something fun to do with the old man that you’ll both enjoy? Does he like beer and baseball? There’s a fairly good chance that he does, so how about taking Dad out for a great beer, followed by America’s favorite pastime: a professional baseball game. Sounds like the perfect Father’s Day plan to us! If you happen to find yourself in one of these three cities this Sunday, you’re in luck: Stay Alfred knows the best places for the ultimate Father’s Day adventure:

Beer

Seattle: Head to Redmond’s Marymoor Park for the Washington Brewers Fest, featuring 105 Washington breweries as well as food vendors and entertainment. $25 gets you a souvenir glass taster and 10 tasting tokens, each good for a 3oz sample.

Denver: Breckenridge Brewery, one of the standard-bearers of Denver’s beer culture, is having the Grand Opening of their brand-new brewery in Littleton, 12 miles south of downtown on Father’s Day weekend. Make a reservation on their website and for $3 you can enjoy a guided tour of the 12-acre facility that includes a generous sampling of Beck Brews.

Philadelphia: Dad’s love to get stuff for free, and Philly is offering plenty of opportunities to do just that. Get a free 14oz ribeye steak at Bistro St. Tropez when you buy another entree; enjoy a free mojito at Cuba Libre with an entree purchase; Brauhaus Schmitz is offering dads their first beer for free with a reservation; at The Fat Ham, every father gets a free Wurzburger pilsner with their meal and a shot of Bulleit Rye Whiskey afterward.

Baseball

Seattle: The Mariners take on the Houston Astros at Safeco Field. As part of the Father’s Day celebrations, the first 10,000 dads through the gates get a free Mike Zunino BBQ apron.

Denver: The Rockies battle the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. The first 10,000 fans get a free Father’s Day baseball cap.

Philadelphia: The Phillies face off against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Both teams will be wearing retro 1960s-era uniforms and all guys over the age of 15 get a free red Phillies cap sporting the 1960s “P” logo.

 

Are you planning a trip? Click Here to view all of our great downtown vacation rentals

Stay Alfred Opens 5 New Locations

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Once again Stay Alfred is expanding its ever-growing inventory of fantastic vacation rentals. Just in time for summer, we are moving into new buildings in Denver, Seattle, Nashville and Boston, as well as opening our first building in a brand-new city: Philadelphia. We are very excited about these new downtown vacation rentals, and without trying to toot our own horn too much, we think these may be some of best properties we’ve offered so far! Let’s take a look at our new rentals:

The Garrison, downtown Boston

Garrison Square, Boston: After opening our wildly successful properties in the Kensington, we couldn’t wait to offer another downtown Boston vacation rental. The Garrison Square is an elegant nineteenth century-style oasis in the fashionable Back Bay neighborhood, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and galleries. Our guests will enjoy relaxing in the private garden courtyard or one of the several rooftop terraces.

 

 

 

The Douglas, downtown Denver

Douglas, Denver: Enjoy Denver’s trendiest urban living in the incredible Douglas building located in the historic Ballpark neighborhood. You will be just steps away from the exciting LoDo nightlife and the popular Larimer Street eateries and boutiques. Relax poolside or watch the sun set among the majestic Rocky Mountains from the great rooftop deck, complete with oversize lounge chairs and a beautiful brick fireplace

 

 

 

Printers Alley, downtown Nashville

Banner Lofts, Nashville: If you plan on spending your time in Nashville honky-tonkin’ the night away, you couldn’t find a better place to lay your head than the Banner Lofts. This hip converted newspaper building on Printers Alley features tall ceilings, exposed original brick, hardwood floors, and the best location possible for experiencing the fabulous nightlife that made Nashville famous!

 

 

 

The Commonwealth, downtown Philadelphia

Commonwealth, Philadelphia: We couldn’t be more excited to be opening our first downtown Philadelphia vacation rentals in the historic Commonwealth building! Located in the “Midtown Village” section of Philly’s City Center, this amazing building combines vintage Art Deco charm with the perfect locale for exploring everything that Philadelphia has to offer. Reading Terminal Market is right at your doorstep and you’ll be easy walking distance to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

 

 

 

Via6 Tower, Downtown Seattle

Via6 Towers, Seattle: Located where Downtown, Belltown, and South Lake Union meet, the Via6 is a newly-constructed vertical community featuring amazing high-rise views of Seattle and some of the best building amenities around. The ground floor in anchored by Tom Douglas’ Assembly Hall complex, which includes TanakaSan American Asian restaurant, Assembly Hall Juice and Coffee, and Home Remedy Urban Market.

Planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great downtown vacation rentals.

Property Spotlight: Via6

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — 2 Comments ↓

Via6 Tower, Downtown Seattle

The nationwide vacation rental and corporate housing firm headquartered in Spokane, Wash., Stay Alfred, has announced that they will be opening units in a new building in downtown Seattle.

The new 2-bedroom vacation rentals will be located in the Via6 Towers, a new luxury high-rise in the heart of Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. These units will boast all the amenities Stay Alfred guests have come to expect, including modern furnishings, fully equipped kitchens, balconies, free Wi-Fi and cable, DVD players, laundry and iron facilities, linens, air conditioning, secure parking, and a state-of-the art fitness facility.

This newly constructed building is also home to a whole suite of unique retail outlets purposefully designed to make the Via6 feel like a fully inclusive vertical community. There is a tasty lineup of eating options on the ground floor, brought to you by Seattle’s own celebrity chef, James Beard Award-winning Tom Douglas. Grab some amazing pho at the TanakaSan American Asian restaurant, an energizing smoothie at Assembly Hall Juice & Coffee, or some fresh local produce at the Home Remedy Urban Market for your own culinary adventures.

Other amenities at the Via6 include Velo Bike Shop, which offers bike rentals for exploring Seattle on two wheels, and the first Bishops Barbershop location outside of Portland. There is also fully outfitted movie and gaming rooms for those rainy Seattle days. With so much to do on-site, don’t forget to take advantage of the Via6’s superb location where Belltown, Downtown, and South Lake Union meet. You will be within easy walking distance to the Seattle Center, Pike Place Market, Waterfront Park, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Art Museum, and countless restaurants, shops, and nightlife hotspots.

The Via6 is quickly becoming one of Seattle’s premier residences. “We’re really excited to be in this building,” says Stay Alfred president Jordan Allen, ‘the Via6 has the potential to be our new flagship property in Seattle.” The company is on pace to become the leader in urban vacation rentals by offering the most desirable downtown locations and industry-leading customer service. It’s no wonder Stay Alfred has been honored with the “Top Rental Manager” award by Travel + Leisure’s Top Vacation Rental Site, FlipKey.

Are you planning a trip to Seattle? Click here to view all our our great downtown vacation rentals

Top 5 Activities in Seattle

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

What’s not to love about Seattle? Well, maybe the traffic, but is an abundance of amazing things about this city that more than make up being stuck crawling at a snail’s pace on the freeway. It’s great to be in a city that has all refinement of a world-class metropolis while at the same time being cradled in the majestic wilderness that is the Pacific Northwest. It’s truly the best of both worlds! Here is a list of some of our favorite activities in the Emerald City

1. Visit a museum: Seattle has so many museums you’ll be sure to find something to pique any interest. Here are some of the most popular ones for starters: Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Flight, Pacific Science Center, Experience Music Project, and the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum.

2. Take a ferry: For many people living in Seattle, riding the ferry is just part of the daily commute but there really is no better way to see the city skyline or the Puget Sound. Whether you’re taking a short trip to Bainbridge or Vashon Island or an extended adventure into the San Juans or even to Canada, your Seattle visit would not be complete without a ferry ride.

3. Ride the Ducks: Tour Seattle by land and by water in a WWII amphibious landing craft. The wacky captains are both knowledgeable and hilarious, in a cheesy sort of way. A favorite for families but fun for any age group, it’s a party on wheels that floats!

4. Check out the music scene: While often considered a mecca for punk and grunge music, Seattle has a rich musical history that includes jazz, folk, country, and hip hop. If you feel like getting down and dirty with the rockers, catch a show at the Crocodile or Neumo’s. For a less raucous experience, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley and Tula’s are great venues.

5. Underground or ghost tour: For you history buffs, taking one of these interesting and informative tours is a great way to learn about Seattle’s storied history. The Underground tour takes you below the streets to explore the remnants of the city that existed before the Great Seattle Fire in 1889. The Market Ghost Tour has been named one of the 10 best in the US and is an entertaining mix of spooky, funny, and educational.

Pike Place Market. Source: Flickr user runner310

Are you planning a trip to Seattle? Click here to view all of our great downtown Seattle vacation rentals

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Halloween Like a Local in 6 Stay Alfred Cities

Posted on October 31, 2014 by admin — No Comments ↓

Halloween with Stay Alfred

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again: Jack-o-lanterns, fake spiderwebs, plastic bats hanging from the trees (along with the occasional roll of toilet paper). We’re all familiar with the trappings of Halloween but if you happen to be from out of town, it can be confusing when you want to party like a local. Luckily, we have the inside scoop when it comes to best celebrations and events, no matter which city you’re going to be in on All Hallow’s Eve!

New Orleans
There is no city that celebrates Halloween as enthusiastically as New Orleans. With its famous cemeteries, voodoo rituals, and long history of ghosts and spirits, the city practically oozes scary. It should be no surprise that its residents embrace New Orleans’ intrinsic spookiness and party with a gusto usually reserved for their other favorite holiday: Mardi Gras. Crowds will flock to Bourbon and Frenchmen for street parties and parades, so don your best costume and join in the festivities. Cate Root from The Times-Picayune has a great breakdown of all the major happenings.

Nashville
Nashville loves to party no matter what the occasion and Halloween is no exception. Any club you hit is almost guaranteed to be having a costume party or themed event of some kind. To see the cream of the crop, head to Play Nashville for their Freak Show contest with $5000 in prizes. Next door, Tribe Nashville is having a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock that’s sure to be a scream. Looking for some real excitement? You will definitely want to try the Demons on Demonbreun Hill, a combination pub crawl and zombie paintball shoot.

Boston
Costume contests, pub crawls, haunted mansions, and graveyard tours are just a few of the exciting Halloween events you can find in Boston. Before you head out for the night’s festivities be sure to stop at Dorothy’s Boutique in Back Bay, the biggest adult costume shop in Boston, to pick up some cool accessories. If you happen to have a bike (and more importantly a costume you can ride in), the Halloween Bike Ride draws hundreds of participants for a casual 10-12 mile ride through the city, starting at Copley Square.

Denver
Besides the typically nightclub craziness, Denver also has a lot of great family-friendly Halloween attractions. The Denver Zoo puts on their annual Boo at the Zoo event with over 25 trick-or-treat stations and other kid-centric activities, all free with normal zoo admission. The Haunted Field of Screams in Thornton is Colorado’s largest Halloween attraction with over 35 acres of “haunted” cornfields. For more grown up activities, ColoWeen at the City Hall Event Center is the most anticipated costume party of the year.

Seattle
Halloween in Seattle usually means one thing: putting on your sexiest costume and dancing until the break of dawn. FreakNight is the main event with big-name DJs, but if you don’t feel like spending a couple hundred dollars for the 2-day pass, there are plenty of other dance parties where you’ll have just as much fun like Pulse at the EMP Museum. Dancing not your thing? Try the Crawl-O-Ween pub crawl and see some of downtown’s hottest bars. Or if you’re feeling extra adventurous, Citizen Zero is a zombie-themed urban hide and seek game on a massive scale.

Portland
Nothing cool ever happens in Portland. You might as well just stay inside and hand out candy to the trick-or treaters. Ok just kidding, you can find the usual mix of costume contests, dance parties, pub crawls, and zombie-themed everything. Jamie Hale of the Oregonian has already put together his procrastinator’s guide to Halloween in Portland, so we’ll just skip reinventing the wheel on this one.

Seattle Vacation Rentals - Blending in with locals

Posted on December 4, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓

From time to time, we hear from guests who stayed with us in our Seattle locations about how interesting the local culture of Seattle seems to them. Comments like “Coffee is like gold to these people” and “I thought flannel was out of style?” make us chuckle (namely because we’re quite familiar with the Emerald City to the west of our Spokane headquarters). These comments reflect subtly changing desires of travelers today.

We know from consumer research that more and more travelers today are seeking to “travel/live like a local”. The trend of “like a local” reflects a shift in mindset for a growing number of so-called tourists, who are replacing traditional tourist activities like guided tours with locally-recommended activities, restaurants, boutique theaters, among others. And why not? Celebrity tourism experts can’t keep up with local culture like the local people can themselves, whereas reviews are instantly published and (usually) updated frequently. Thus, people trust- and at times rely on- other user reviews. The good news for consumers is that highly-praised and reviewed local favorites are typically very dependable. The end result? Knowing which coffee stand nearest your Seattle Vacation Rental makes your favorite drink the best, before you make the walk.

(Psst - Hey you! Get our review-driven cityguide app for free right here)

 

UPDATE:
We did some searching on this subject ourselves and found something that is relevant to this post.The following list is from an article from TripAdvisor that does a good job of giving you the bullet points on how to avoid appearing like a tourist when you stay in Seattle vacation rentals:

“Now that you’ve made the decision to visit the Great Northwest, you want to blend in with the locals right? Of course you do. You will be spotted as a tourist immediately if you make any of the following mistakes:

• First it’s the Pike Place Market, or simply “The Market”. Calling it Pikes Market, or some other corruption will label you as an out of towner immediately.

• Another pet peeve is what to call the freeway system. The freeway is I-5 or ‘the freeway’.

Its not THE FIVE or THE I-90 or THE 405. People will immediately ask what part of California you’re from.

• While not totally universal locals order pop not soda.

• Locals go to the beach not the shore.

• When watching weather reports listen to the forecast for a chance of ‘sunbreaks”. Also if ‘the mountain is out” refers to the few days when residents can actually see Mt. Rainier.

• Warm is defined as anything over 70 degrees and a heat wave would be 3 or 4 days of over 80. During winter look forward to constant special news boadcasts of “Our Winter

Stormwatch” which includes any snow forecast of over 2 inches. People from the midwest or east think locals are crazy but you don’t have to shovel rain.

• The license plates on cars has a tab that states the year of expiration. Not sure what the ‘tag’ number is but locals know the plate number.

• Yard sales are what some people in other areas call tag sales.

• The shoulder of the highway is just called the shoulder, vs the ‘breakdown’ lane.

• Learn how to say Puyallup. (pew AL up) Learn how to say Tukwila. (TUK wil a) Heck, learn how to say Seattle while you’re at it. (see AT ul)”

To that list, we would add:

• Coffee is sacred to Seattlites (don’t call them that). From Starbucks on every corner to the

hundreds of independent (and totally hipster) cafes, there’s the perfect cup of coffee out

there for anyone’s preferences. Unless you prefer tea. In which case, order some tea from

Amazon.com (Seattlites love shopping local… fortunately that includes Amazon.com)

Bumbershoot 2013 August 31-September 2nd at Seattle Center!

Posted on August 21, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓

The 43rd annual Bumbershoot Festival opens in Seattle over Labor Day weekend, from Saturday 8/31 to Monday 9/2. The festival features tons of art, music, and good eats. The festival’s history began in 1971 as a city-funded event, with over 100,000 visitors. In the 1980’s, the festival was taken over by One Reel Productions and is now affiliated, and produced by AEG Live. Bumbershoot is Seattle’s most notable events and it is back to kick things off in 2013.

This year, the festival line-up includes Death Cab, MGMT, Kendrick Lamar, Crystal Castles, Gary Numan, The Breeders, Matt & Kim, Tegan & Sara, and so many more.

Get your tickets and head out to Seattle to join the Bumbershoot festivities.

For more information please visit http://bumbershoot.org/

Also please be sure to visit us in any of the cities we are in and check out our website at www.StayAlfred.com where you can view all of our properties, rates and make reservations.

Pacific Science Center, Imaginate Exhibition!

Posted on August 19, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓

Where do you get your inspiration and do you inspire others? You will soon find out as you open up your thinking, reflect on what you learn and create something new with Imaginate - a muliti-activity exhibition that introduces you to the skills and attitudes that are part of the process of innovation.

Imaginate explores five broad themes each representing a possible pathway to innovation. Below are examples of activties found within each theme.

Dream Big

  • So You Think You Can Fly: As a child did you ever just want to fly? Put on a pair on wings, flap your arms and compare your flapping rate to different birds. Step on our scale and see what your wingspan would need to be for you to be able to fly.

Expect the Unexpected

  • Materials Playground: Have you ever looked at something ordinary and thought of a way to make it extraordinary? Test out various properties of materials in this materials playground and see how nature has directly inspired many inventions.

Collaborate or Compete

  • Sound Panels: Is it just noise or is it “music”? In this large room of sound and lights, you can create a musical masterpiece involving rhythm, light, pattern and emotion. Collaboration with others lets you work with each other’s sounds.

Try, Try and Try Again

  • Friction Zone: Many good innovations come from an understanding of the properties of the materials being used. By experimenting with the surface properties of a range of materials, you can discover which combinations yield the fastest or slowest run.

Look to the World

  • 3D Evolution: The evolution of 3D is filled with examples of innovative behavior – from stereoscopes to 3D glasses to 3D screens that can be viewed without glasses. Learn how the brain perceives 3D and experience some illusions that take spectacular advantage of this science.- www.pacificsciencecenter.org

Imaginate is great for the whole family both young and old alike. Please be sure to check it out this great show and don’t forget to use your imagination! This exhibition continues thru September 02, 2013.

To learn more about the Pacific Science Center or Imaginate please click on the link below!

http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/Exhibits/imaginate

Also please be sure to visit us in any of the cities we are in and check out our website at www.StayAlfred.com where you can view all of our properties, rates and make reservations.