Unique Farmers Market

A fun place to stroll through the public farmers market and see the newly renovated Seattle's Pike Place Market -Jesse Tam. The fresh flowers daily, food stalls filled with fish, seafood, vegetable from the local market and crafts are just a few things.  There are many ideas and talented handmade crafts for the holidays and stocking ideas.  Don't go away hungry, try out the eateries and local shops across the street too

Looking for unique shops and experience, there are three levels to the market if time isn't an issue. It's a fantastic place to bring friends, out-of-town visitors and enjoy the market year round.  Stop and sample some of the local items, see the fish toss and cheer on the crowd.  Bundle up in winter and warm up with a hot beverage and snack.

There are weekly demonstrations and events for all age groups.  Enjoy the waterfront and view during your visit.  Fresh produce and seafood are wonderful menu items to take home or shipped to your destination.  Enjoy the music, relax and don't miss the flower vendors.

Stay connected Jesse https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/  Thanks for reading!  Tam.Jesse real estate market trend.

Washington State Apple Harvest

Washington apples and trade has a large impact for our state. Jesse Tam, they are known around the nation and the world. Apples are a staple, they might grow in any backyard or garden. There are varieties in our region, but the most majority of the crop in Washington State are - Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisps and Cameo.

The apple season starts in mid-August and continues into fall. Each year, more than 100 million apple boxes are harvested and each box weighs about 40 pounds.  The harvest each year for Washington apples you purchase are picked by hand.  There are no harvesting machines for the annual crops.

Red Delicious made up three quarters of Washington's apple crop.

Washington designated apple as it's state fruit in 1989.  Most of the region's apples come from the Wenatchee Valley.  Our state produces almost 60 percent of the nation's supply of apples and have the best apple picking in the country. Take a day trip to Wentachee Valley near Leavenworth is a great way to spend a weekend.

There are several orchards near Seattle with large varieties of apple for those you enjoy the u pick. Plan ahead for dates and availability. Thanks for reading Jesse https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/

Eye on the Sky

Keep your eye on the sky. Jesse Tam, here's to the best sky show this weekend between Oct. 20 and 22 to view the Orionid meteor shower. The meteors will streak across the sky are some of the fastest and brightest among meteor showers for stargazers.  The shower should be visible both Friday and Saturday nights with the best viewing between midnight and dawn. 

Clear skies are expected in the southwestern region of U.S. for viewers, while those in the northwestern and central region will be clouds and more difficult to view. Find a area away from bright lights and open field for best observation.  Don't worry if your miss the amazing showers, there is still November and December when you can view Leonids and Geminds.

Keep those dates on the calendar and bundle up as you watch the light show above.  Find a dark site and plan ahead for more stargazing. 

Stay connected, thanks for reading  Jesse https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/

Ways to Stay Motivated - Tam.Jesse

Ways to Stay Motivated.  There are times when we need to be reminded and think about the next move, positive energy and motivation. Recently came across these tips on 'How to Stay motivated'.  How many of these things are on your lists?

School Year Tips

School Year Tips, Jesse Tam.  Start of a new school year for all ages from preschoolers to college students and parents can be exciting and filed with memories. Here are steps to help to counter anxiety when heading off to a new classroom of people or different city.  Plan ahead and if possible, visit the school and area prior to the beginning of class.  Take advantage of districts and schools that have open housing for PTSA meet and greet with staff, teachers and touring the building.

Ideas to help with how to counter anxiety for your child.  Change and new surroundings may take time for adjustment, so stay positive and continue to make progress daily.

Here's a few things to consider:

• Let kids be the expert
• Listen to the kids
• Start routine early
• Reach out to teacher
• Read some books
• Parents have anxiety too

Good article and tips to start with getting ready for the year ahead with kids.
 http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/08/28/545393966/how-to-counter-back-to-school-anxiety

Keep a notebook of daily activities, Tam. Jesse   https://jessewa28.wordpress.com/
Off to a great year!

Spend an Afternoon Outdoors

Looking for places to relax outdoor with friends around Puget Sound? Spend an afternoon outdoors, Jesse Tam and discover Washington's lakes. Our city is fortunate to have beautiful Lake Union, Lake Washington, Puget Sound, Elliott Bay and so much more...Spend a few hours on the water and try out a kayak, canoe or stand up paddleboard.  Rentals are available for reasonable price, but call ahead to check on reserving time and equipment during the summer months and weather is nice.

Here are places for rental:

• Ballard Kayak – Located just 10 minutes from downtown and within walking distance of the Ballard Locks offer Seattle stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and kayak rentals by the hour.
• Alki Kayak Tours –  paddleboard and kayak tours explore the wilder side of Puget Sound as we scout for curious seals and observe nesting bald eagles
• Northwest Outdoor Center –  rent paddleboards and kayaks (single, double & triple) from our docks outside our door on Lake Union
• Moss Bay – Moss Bay Row, Kayak, Sail and Paddle Board Center provides year round boating opportunities near the heart of downtown Seattle

There are other locations at the University of Washington, Greenlake, Renton, Enatai Beach Park, Mercer Slough Bellevue and others.  Stay connected https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/  folow my blog and enjoy the outdoors.

Food Festival 2017 Bite

Food festival 2017 Bite, Jesse Tam great weekend to join friends. It's that time of year for summer activities and food fests in the Northwest with the 2017 Bite. Don't miss the fun at Seattle Center from July 21-23rd  weekend of entertainment and great weather with music, vendors, food and more. Spend a day and enjoy movie night on Friday outdoors or leave the cooking to other and sample over 60 restaurants from the region.

More info   https://www.biteofseattle.com

Voted the "Best Food Festival" with over 60 plus restaurants, Craft Beer, live music stages, free movie night on Friday, outdoor family fun stage, cooking demonstrations and more.  Food items range from $3-$10.

Fri. July 21 11a–9p
Sat. July 22 11a–9p
Sun. July 23 11a–8p

See you at the Bite of Seattle, an annual event and festival filled with crowds and food from all cultures.  Jesse https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/

Ballard Locks Historic Site

The Ballard Locks are celebrating their 100th birthday this July 4th. Come join the event and celebrate. Jesse Tam, it's a great place to bring visitors and view the locks and fish ladder. The Seattle icon is a historic site and tourist site with over 1.3 million visitors a year. During the Centennial Year celebration, numerous events are schedule with events and activities to help raise funds for the Fish Ladder Renovation. Don't miss the concerts opened to the public from the months of May thru October.  

The free concert series continues with the Seattle Civic Band, performing Friday, July 7th at 6:00-7:00 pm and on Sunday August 6th from 2:00 - 3:00 pm is the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band. The Ballard Locks (Hiram M. Chittenden) are the busiest in the nation with over 40,000 boats traveling thru 24 hours/day.  Bring the family and enjoy the locks with a picnic and summer events and activities with music and weekend tour during the summer months.

Don't miss the Visitor Center Gift Shop and the Fish Ladder migration of the salmons while your are there. Add your name to the Salmon Wall Legacy by helping with the renovation of the Fish Ladder viewing room.  Enjoy the garden and locks with a walking tour during the summer months from the Visitor Center.  The public tour lasts about an hour. 

Have fun viewing the boats traveling through the lock. It's a favor place for tourists and locals, Jesse. https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/

Dexter Station on South Lake Union Sold

The real estate market in the region continues with another sold property. Jesse Tam market trend.  "Dexter Station, a 10-story building in Seattle’s South Lake Union that is home to Facebook’s new Frank Gehry-designed office, just sold for a hefty price tag: $286 million. King County Recorder’s Office the buyer is listed as CR Dexter Station LLC, and the “governing person” of that Limited Liability Company is Commerz Real Investmentgesellscha

.Facebook leased Dexter Station back in 2015, planting its flag as a major player in the Seattle tech ecosystem. But the huge new building, with room for 2,000 people, wasn’t enough for Facebook." More on https://www.geekwire.com/2017/building-home-facebooks-frank-gehry-designed-seattle-office-sells-286m/

Stay connected, thanks for reading, Jesse  https://jessetam.com/

Mariners Unveils Statue

Spring means we're ready for baseball Jesse Tam. It big hit, Seattle Mariners unveiled a seven foot tall statue honoring junior. Griffey became the first Mariners player to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame last year. The Mariners officially retired his No. 24 in August, making him the first player to have his number retired by the franchise.

Griffey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.3 percent of votes, the highest percentage of votes any player has received.  Time to enjoy the new food venues at the stadium and check out the festivities.  Pack a jacket for those chilly evenings.

Thanks for visiting, Jesse https://jessewa28.wordpress.com/  roof open under the stars or closed Seattle, Century Link is ready to playball.

Sing, Music and Culture

Sing, Culture and Music with Jesse Tam. Seattle welcomed the blind audition contestants held in Bellevue for the next season of Sing! Youths from the Pacific Northwest competed in the singing contest on March 25. The event began with a Chinese drum dance performance.  Local youths competing for the title shared an afternoon with community leaders and guests to learn about culture and music. The candidates sing where the judges do not see the faces, just like the popular global The Voice.  

Sing! China auditions in Seattle pose in front of the event's logo on March 25. They will represent Seattle in the next-level competition in Los Angeles on April 1. Winners from the finals will be invited to China to continue in next competition and season of the show.

Music and culture exchange for opportunity across the globe. Thank for reading Jesse  https://jessetam.com/   music and culture connects everyone.

Can You Afford to Purchase a Home?

Real estate trend, Jesse Tam. Buying a home in the Puget Sound Seattle/ Bellevue metropolitan region has increased over the past year. Fewer new houses on the market and low inventory makes purchases a home more challenging. The houses are sold quickly and at times with multiple offers above the listed price. New homeowners must be ready to make a decision quickly with financing and bank approval information ready.

The real estate website Estately recent report showed that nearly 40 percent of all houses in the Seattle area market are listed at more than $1 million. Seattle ranks 10th among King County cities. Lists of King County homes   http://bit.ly/2n23C82   Thanks for reading Jesse

Best Preparation for Tomorrow

Best preparation for tomorrow, Jesse Tam. Just something to ponder upon as we continue our daily work and family life.  How many of you have considered making an impact in society as a mentor or volunteer? Those who have not given back to the community missed a wonderful experience in life. 

"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today"

Here are a few tips to start with making an impact in your community.

• Work with non profit organizations as a volunteer or become a member
• Become a mentor at your local school or Boys and Girls Club
• Assists with preparing food or sandwiches at local charity centers
• Find a project with assisting seniors in need
• Be kind to others and treat each individual with respect
• Listen, Give and Do

Winter Storm and Travel Snarled

Winter storm and travel snarled with Jesse Tam Seattle.  February's unpredictable weather dumped a few inches to over 2 feet of snow in Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound area. What a surprise when the city becomes blanked in white.  The snow caused business, college and school closures for several days.  Some neighborhoods awoke to power outage due to fallen branches, trees, heavy snow and landslides.

Storms hit New England with up to two feet of snow creating traffic hazards, slick roads and slowdown in the region.  Blizzard warning continues from New York to Maine.  Close to one thousand flights were canceled due to blowing wind and heavy snow.  Residences were warned to stay off the road unless necessary to venture outdoors.

The West Coast continues to get drenched with heavy rain and quick snow melt in the Sierra mountains which led to flooding in parts of Nevada and Southern California.  The weather service has called this the wettest winter season in more than 100 years

Thanks for reading  https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/  Jesse, keep safe on the road.

New Eatery Rating System

Dining emoji released, Jesse Tam in the greater Seattle, Bellevue for King County will receive a new food safety rating system from letters.  The informational food safety rating sign will be displayed on a restaurant's window.  The sign will help diners to understand how a restaurant practices food safety.

Three main components used to determined restaurant's rating category.

Trend of food safety practices over time. Good food safety needs to be practiced every day. The food safety rating window signs will reflect how well a restaurant has performed over time, not just on a single inspection. A restaurant’s food safety rating will be determined by the average of red critical violation points from a restaurant’s last four routine inspections.

Scale of performance. King County residents want to know more than if a restaurant passes or fails an inspection. The restaurant window signs will show how well the restaurant practices food safety beyond meeting the minimum standard.

Rating on a curve. Consumers tend to dine locally by their zip code or area. Rating on a curve provides accurate and useful information to consumers about how well a restaurant performs on food safety compared to other restaurants nearby.  Also, restaurants within an area tend to have the same food inspector. Inspectors go through extensive training and all focus on food safety. 

The four food safety ratings are:

• Needs to Improve: The restaurant was either closed by Public Health – Seattle & King County within the last year or the restaurant needed multiple return inspections to fix food safety practices.
• Okay: The restaurant has had MANY red critical violations over the last four inspections.
• Good: The restaurant has had SOME red critical violations over the last four inspections.
• Excellent: The restaurant has had No or Few red critical violations over the last four inspections.

Stay connected with Jesse, thanks for visiting https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/

Frigid Temperature Driving Tips

Frigid weather for Bellevue and Seattle with snow to begin 2017. Jesse Tam, coldest month in 8 years, with average temperature of just 37.5 degrees. Seattle hasn't had a chillier month since December 2008--when the average temperature was 36.9 degrees. Cold continues into the week with high pressure over Alaska forcing cold air south into Pacific Northwest.

Here are the AAA winter driving tips during the winter months. 

AAA recommends the following winter driving tips:   Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.

• Never run a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle

Thanks for reading, Jesse  https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/