Skip to content

Kirkland: Best Seattle Neighborhoods 2013

The best of lakeside living.

By Sheila Mickool April 3, 2013

kirkland_1

With its breathtaking lakeside setting, spectacular sunsets, miles of trails, sweet micro ’hoods, terrific indie shops, fine dining, fabulous schools, plethora of parks and community passion for nature and the arts, Kirkland is easy to love. In summer, especially. When the sun is out, light dances on the water, the sky is bluer, the trees seem greener, and people are everywhere—biking, walking, boating, sipping, dining, shopping, playing, running, swimming. The energy is downright contagious.

Don’t miss: Shop and dine on Park Lane, a quaint, tree-lined street in the heart of downtown. Culturally inclined? Take in a Bollywood film at the rough-around-the-edges Totem Lake Cinema, an art class—with wine served, so you’re like a real artist—at Kirkland Arts Center, and the annual Small Works (11 by 14 inches or smaller) show at Howard/Mandville Gallery. Get your foodie fix by dining on rabbit at Holly Smith’s Cafe Juanita, sampling chef Brian Scheehser’s exceptional farm-to-table menu at Trellis, ordering wild boar tenderloin at the new Kirkland Volterra and a glass of wine and braised pork cheeks at Bin on the Lake. Commune with nature at Juanita Creek. The community’s beloved July 4 parade is a sure bet for family fun.

Go-to for out-of-town guests: Nothing beats an Argosy Kirkland Lake Tour, which provides glimpses of the exposed waterfront sides of fabulous estates (yes, even the Eastside’s most famous resident, Bill Gates).

Famous for: Charming consignment shops loaded with the cast-off cream of Eastside closets. Find gently used designer clothes—Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Kate Spade and Burberry—at Ragamoffyn’s, Absolutely Fabulous and Champagne Taste (425.828.4502).

Sheila Mickool is a Seattle mag contributing editor and has been a Kirkland resident since 2001

 

Follow Us

The Space Arranger

The Space Arranger

Kyle Gaffney and SkB take a holistic approach to building design

To say that Kyle Gaffney backed into a career in architecture may be a bit exaggerated, but he did get a late start. Gaffney, a cofounder and principal at Seattle architecture firm SkB, suffered a devastating knee injury and lost a soccer scholarship to the University of Puget Sound. Instead of college he went to…

Prairie Townhome Companions

Prairie Townhome Companions

Couple remakes Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired property

Place two architects, a hedgehog, and more than $100,000 under house arrest, and watch the magic unfold. Sandy Wolf founded Seattle’s Office of Ordinary Architecture in the belief that beauty is found in everyday objects. She and her husband — fellow architect Daniel Ash — were not disappointed in that regard in their long search…

Tide and True

Tide and True

How Dilip Wagle and Darshana Shanbhag found their dream second home on Bainbridge Island

By May 2022, Dilip Wagle and Darshana Shanbhag’s dream of retiring on the beach was dead in the water. The Bellevue couple had spent years searching the west-facing waterfront corridor from Bellingham to Oregon, but always found themselves a step behind the pandemic-induced buying frenzy. They were about to give up when they noticed a…

Gables Queen Anne

Gables Queen Anne

Images courtesy of Gables Queen Anne Awaiting you in the heart of Queen Anne is the inspired lifestyle of Gables Queen Anne with unparalleled views and most importantly, a community created for you. Imagine yourself living in this upscale space with all the conveniences you need within walking distance. Our community provides well-designed high-end finishes…