February 2007
2006 Golden Bootie Award Winners
When you are looking for the best place to take your children or trying to find the right toy, you might ask your friends. That’s what we did in November. We asked you, our readers, to tell us your favorites. Some categories had clear stand-outs, while others offered two or more favorites.
Best Children’s Bookstore
Chain - Barnes and Noble (10 locations
in King and Snohomish Counties)
Independent - All for Kids Books & Music and Secret
Garden (tied)
Of the large booksellers, Barnes and Noble (www.barnesandnoble.com) was the hands-down favorite. Their separate children’s section offers a tremendous selection of books for every age. Many of the stores have comfortable seating for browsing. The Woodinville and University Village stores, with their Saturday story times for children, were singled out as favorites.
Independently owned All for Kids Books & Music, located near University Village (www.allforkidsbooks.com; 2900 N.E. Blakeley St., Seattle; 206-526-2768), carries a wide selection of books, as well as music, puppets, puzzles and some toys. Story time for little ones is on Tuesday mornings. A highlight of this store is that the staff really knows the books and can make appropriate recommendations for all reading levels.
Secret Garden Bookstore, located in downtown Ballard in Seattle (www.secretgardenbooks.com; 2214 N.W., Market Street, Seattle; 206-789-5006) is a local gem, featuring books for all ages, but especially for children. The staff is keen to find the right book for your young reader. After stocking up on books, walk around the neighborhood, grab a bite to eat and visit the other interesting shops.
Best Toy Store
Chain – Toys R Us (five local stores)
Independent – Top Ten Toys
Top Ten Toys, located in the Greenwood area of north Seattle (www.toptentoys.com; 104 N. 85th St., Seattle; 206-782-0098), ran neck and neck with mega toy store Toys R Us (www.toysrus.com). Although you won’t find most electronic games or violent toys here, parents flock to it for creative, multi-cultural and basic toys. It even has an area for children to try out some of the toys. Staff members are knowledgeable, have time to talk to you, and can show you where to find what you want.
Best Party Supply Store
Party City (10 local stores)
Display & Costume (three locations)
Both Party City (www.partycity.com) and Display & Costume (www.displaycostume.com) were highly recommended as places to find great party supplies for child or adult events. Party City generally has lower prices and numerous locations. Display and Costume has more unusual items with an inspiring large location in north Seattle (11201 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle; 206-362-4810). A walk through the store can spark your creativity for parties or costume ideas.
Best Children’s Clothing Store
Old Navy (seven local stores)
The Children’s Place (five local stores)
The two tied for the best place to find children’s clothing. Both are chains with easy-to-find locations (www.oldnavy.com and www.childrensplace.com) and both have clothing that is reasonably priced, with a large selection in sizes from infants through 14. If you go to The Children’s Place in Tulalip or North Bend, you can stop at other outlet stores in the area as well.
Best Maternity Store
Chain - Motherhood Maternity (five locations)
Independent - Village Maternity
The Motherhood Maternity chain (www.motherhood.com) and Village Maternity (www.villagematernity.com; University Village; 206-523-5167) tied for our readers’ favorite place to shop for maternity clothes. Both carry updated fashionable clothes at reasonable prices. Village Maternity is proud to be a “pro-breast feeding” location, selling supplies and renting breast pumps.
Best Children’s Photographer
Heather Quintans
Runner-up: Yuen Lui Studios (nine locations)
Freelance photographer Heather Quintans (www.heatherphoto.com; 206-297-2064) won the hearts of our parents with her black and white photography. Her custom portraits capture the spirit of your child in a snap. Her color photographs have also graced the covers of Seattle’s Child for many years.
Many readers also mentioned the local Yuen Lui Studios (www.yuenluistudio.com) for their portraits of individual children and family groups.
Most Kid-Friendly Grocery Store
Whole Foods (four locations)
Runner-up: PCC Natural Markets (eight locations)
The selection of Whole Foods (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) followed closely by PCC (www.pccnaturalmarkets.com) reinforces Seattle’s reputation for choosing eco-friendly, organic stores. Whole Foods is an international chain that has moved into Seattle and the Eastside in the last few years, and PCC is a home-grown coop begun in 1953. Not only are the stores fun to shop in, but they are also involved in the community to encourage a more sustainable food chain. Check out PCC’s cooking classes for adults and children for new ways to cook healthier meals and snacks.
Restaurant with the Best Kids’ Menu
Red Robin (17 local restaurants)
This restaurant chain (www.redrobin.com) was the easy winner with a menu loaded with burgers, grilled cheese, pizza, spaghetti and other child-friendly items. The atmosphere is fun and the final tab is reasonable, readers note.
Best Place for Healthy Take-Out
Whole Foods Market’s deli (four locations)
Sprouts Baby Food
Whole Foods (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) received the most votes, but nearly 30 different places were mentioned, suggesting the Seattle area has a host of healthy take-out spots.
Sprouts Baby Food home delivery service (www.sproutsbabyfood.com; 206-328-5933) isn’t take-out, but received a fair number of votes in this category and several in the grocery category. It deserves mention, as their meals for your infant or toddler are made fresh with organic ingredients and then delivered to you on a weekly basis.
Best Weekend Getaway
Washington coast (Ocean Shores, Westport and Long
Beach)
Vancouver, BC and Victoria
San Juan Islands
It was hard to pick a favorite here as Seattle Child’s
readers were evenly split on the best weekend getaway. Drive north to
Vancouver, BC or catch the Victoria Clipper to Victoria, BC for a quick
trip to another country (remember to bring photo I.D.) Families find activities
galore in both cities – from museums to parks to fun places to eat.
Ferry to the slow lane with a trip to the San Juan Islands. Favorite islands
mentioned were Orcas and San Juan. Nature activities, such as hiking,
biking and kayaking, are highly recommended.
A three-hour drive southwest takes you to the Ocean Shores and Westport areas. A fun ride on weekends is the ferry that runs between the two towns separated by the Grays Harbor bay. Go fly a kite on the longest stretch of beach in Long Beach. Water activities are sure bets for all the coastal areas.
Best Local Park, Playground or Beach
St. Edwards Park
Carkeek Park
St. Edwards Park in Kenmore (14445 Juanita Drive), part of the Washington State Park system, offers something for everyone. Children will love the big toy play structure, while all ages will enjoy the pool. Take a hike down to Lake Washington or bike along the many trails of this 300-acre park.
Carkeek Park (950 N.W. Carkeek Park Road in northeast Seattle) is run by Seattle Parks and Recreation. A great place for a summer picnic, it is an easy walk from the picnic and play area to the beach. Go early as this park fills up on sunny days and weekends. All year, enjoy family programs at the Environmental Learning Center.
Best Birthday Party Location
Home was the most often mentioned, but if going out, our readers had two favorite suggestions:
Pump It Up
Seattle Children’s Museum
Pump It Up (www.pumpitupparty.com) offers large inflatable play structures at their two Seattle area locations (11605 N.E. 116th St. in Kirkland; 18027 Highway 99, Suite J in Lynnwood). A two-hour party runs about $200 with time for snacks in the party room. Food is extra, but you can bring your own cake.
The Seattle Children’s Museum (www.thechildrensmuseum.org; 206-441-1768), located in the Seattle Center House, offers activities through their eleven exhibits and art studio. It is appropriate for all age groups up to about 12. The $200 birthday package will reserve a room and cover admission for 15 children and their parents. You provide the refreshments.
Best Family Attraction
Woodland Park Zoo
Runner-up: Pacific Science Center
The zoo, (www.zoo.org; 206-684-4800) located in Seattle at 50th Avenue N. and N. Fremont St., was a runaway winner. At more than 100 years old, it offers great fun in the summer when the butterfly exhibit is also open, but it can also be fun to see which animals are active in the winter. The new Zoomazium indoor playground gives parents another rainy day option. Their one million annual visitors agree with our readers!
If you want to head inside, our readers’ next suggestion was the Pacific Science Center (www.pacsci.org; 206-443-2001), located at the Seattle Center. From the planetarium and hands-on exhibits at the science playground to the see-and-touch tide pool and the year-round tropical butterfly house, the Pacific Science Center will entertain your group for hours. Planetarium and laser light shows and IMAX movies round out the experience.
Best Local Children’s Entertainer
Bubbles the Clown (206-365-4520)
The Reptile Man (www.reptileman.com; 360-668-8204)
Both of these entertainers were listed as favorites at parties and at local events. The Reptile Man, based in Monroe, brings his snakes, crocodile and other creatures to your party venue or you can have your party at his Reptile Zoo.
Best Annual Festival or Event
Seafair
Puyallup Fair
Macy’s Holiday Parade
Summer time events topped the list. The multiple Seafair events (especially the Torchlight Parade) were mentioned the most. Seafair begins with the Seafair Pirates storming Alki Beach and the running of the Milk Carton Derby in early July and ends with the hydroplane races in early August. In between, find weekend festivals and smaller parades celebrating all of the ethnic and geographic communities of Greater Seattle.
Our readers suggest that you head to the Puyallup Fair in
September for a fun time. Food, rides, animals and exhibits will keep
the family entertained all day long.
Bundle up for November’s Macy’s Holiday Parade, which kicks
off the holiday season in downtown Seattle – more often than not,
it is raining and cool. At the end, head to Westlake Center to warm up
with some hot chocolate at the Food Court.
Best Camp
No clear winner emerged here, suggesting that the Northwest has a number of great summer camps. Camp Sealth run by Camp Fire on Vashon Island (www.campfire-usa.org), Camp Orkila run by the YMCA on Orcas Island (www.seattleymca.org) and various faith-based camps topped the list of favorites.
Best Pediatric Dentist, Pediatrician, OB/GYN
While no one person emerged as a favorite in this category, it’s clear that there are many wonderful doctors and dentists out there. One parent answered it best: “my own.”
If you don’t already have a doctor, a good place to start is the referral line of your local hospital. Word-of-mouth recommendations are also a great starting point for finding health care providers. The Washington State Dental Association (www.wsdanet.org) has a list of member dentists. Public Health – Seattle & King County (www.metrokc.gov/health; 206-296-4600) and the Snohomish Health District (www.snohd.org; 425-339-5210) give referrals for those who need help affording health or dental care for their children.
Best Hospital or Clinic
Children’s Hospital and Medical Center
Children’s (206-987-2000; www.seattlechildrens.org) was the overwhelming winner. The hospital is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. In addition to the main hospital campus at 4800 Sand Point Way N.E. in Seattle, Children’s operates the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Central Seattle and clinics in Bellevue, Federal Way and Everett.
Janice Lovelace is a Bothell
freelance writer.
©2007
Seattle's Child, a publication of the Washington Post Company
All rights reserved
Web design by Intentional Publishing & Design