Fremont

Fremont's artsy, eccentric background boasts a sense of humor that led the community to proclaim itself The Center of the Universe. Vintage clothing stores, tattoo parlors, brewpubs, restaurants, art galleries and a music studio founded by Stone Gossard of the rock band Pearl Jam are at home here. Some of Seattle's best-loved public art adorns Fremont, including the Fremont Troll devouring a Volkswagen bug under the bridge; Waiting for the Interurban, a life-size statue of people waiting for the train (frequently decorated by locals); a controversial bronze statue of Lenin (originally from Slovakia); and a 53-foot rocket that appears to be in perpetual launch mode. Even the blue and orange drawbridge that leads into the neighborhood is artsy; the bridge tower sports a neon sculpture of Rapunzel. The Fremont Sunday Market, loosely organized like the markets of old Europe, is a bargain-hunter's paradise.

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Shopping in Fremont's Funky 'Downtown'