Cruise Season Returns to Seattle

 The long awaited return of Alaska 's cruise season returns to Seattle with 14 ships calling western Washingon home this summer.  Jesse Tam, the first ship arrived Arpil 11th and will be a boost to local businesses and tourism in the greater Puget Sound region. The Port of Seattle will be hiring 350 workers needed to help with greeting visitors when they arrive at the airport. New workers will be required to handle with departure and arrival of the ships.There are full-time and part-time opportunties to fill the positions.

•  Carnival Cruise Line
•  Celebrity Cruise Line
• Holland American Line
•  Norwegian Cruise Line
•  Oceania Cruises
•  Princess Cruises
• Royal Caribbean 

The cruise industry is an important component of the Southeast Alaskan  economy. The past two years have been very difficult for local businesse in Alaska. We'll see more families traveling this year and our region will be on the lists, Seattle and Pacific Northwest is a favor summer detination.

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

Sunset Sky

Clouds come floating into life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to the sunset sky.  Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.  Jesse Tam, an amazing time to step back and away from the hustle and bustle of daily tasks.  A view at Long Beach to explore the most beautiful and opportunity to reset.  The horizon changes but the sun does not.  

Get outside.  Watch the sunrise. Watch the sunset. How does that make you feel?  There's something special and good feeling when you hear the sound of ocean waves and the breeze.  

"Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully."

"Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Stay in touch - Jesse  https://jesse-tam.blogspot.com/  

Thanks for reading

Seattle Cruise Season Returns

The long awaited return to cruising has arrived beginning in July from  Seattle to the beautiful  Alaska  with Royal Carribean, Holland American and serveral other cruise lines.  Jesse Tam, it make a big impact for local businesses and tourism for the downtown core and economic recovery for our region.  We've all waited for the return to everyday activities and being able to get out to dining indoors and return to attending events in person.  We are ready to transition to a road of back to work in person, spending time with others and more travel ahead.

It's important to still remain cautious with indoor activties, large crowds and gatherings outside your familiar group.  Recommendations to continue with wearing face coverings indoor in public places while dining or shopping and wash hands frequently.

"The Port of Seattle is expecting its first cruise ship arrival June 29th, with Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas docking at Terminal 91 to ready the ship for the season. Pending U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorization of cruise lines’ applications for a Conditional Sailing Certificate, passenger cruises are expected to start July 19th with Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas.

Prior to sailing, cruise lines must submit to the CDC operational plans to prevent the spread of COVID or respond to any documented positive cases. The seven major brands calling the Port of Seattle will resume cruises with eight vessels, with over 80 trips scheduled, pending CDC authorization. To make the 2021 season possible, public health officials, cruise lines, and federal leaders addressed or reached major milestones, including temporary federal authorization to sail directly from Seattle to Alaska without a stop in Canada."

Seattle Fans At the Park

The long awaited new season of the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park allowing fans in the stands is here. Jesse Tam, we're ready for the start of baseball and the open roof at the park with tickets available for single tickets online or as season holders. There are many things to do at the ball park so make plans to arrive early and check out the kids area, enjoy the players prior to the game. It's a nice day to spend with friends and family of all ages. 

Sign up and join the Kids Club for Mariner fans up to age 14  Kids Club | Seattle Mariners (mlb.com)  the kiosks can be found near sections 190 & 329, check it out next time you're at the game.  Free membership includes monthly newsletter, birthday card from The Moose, Mariners Team Store coupons and a choice of drawstring backpack, kids club badge and lanyard depending on local and safety guidelines.

Plan your summer and join the fans for a day at the ball park and cheer on the team. On the deck show will give you a live look in the Mainers batting practice where you'll hear special guest players and more throughout 

On Deck Show presented by T-Mobile gives you a live look-in at Mariners batting practice. Plus, hear from special guests including players, front office staff and more throughout the show.

National Parks Free Fee Entrance

 Greetings to all the nature and outdoor explores who want to visit our National Parks. Start planning and save these dates for the fee free entrances dates, Jesse Tam.  Mt Rainier, near Seattle is a must see destination for hiking and outdoor exploring. A fantastic way to spent time on a day hike or road trip to a few of the local parks in your region.  Six days in 2021 will be entrance-fee-free days in the National Park System.

Places to see and travel ideas are many, such as:  Mt Rainier National ParkCrater Lake, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Everglades, Hot Springs National Park, Grand Sand Dunes, Gates of the Artic and others.

The dates for 2021 are:

Monday, January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Saturday, April 17 – First Day of National Park Week

Wednesday, August 4 – One year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

Wednesday, August 25 – National Park Service Birthday

Saturday, September 25 – National Public Lands Day

Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day 

Visiting Seattle and the Free Shuttle Service

Here's a great way to visit downtown Seattle.  When you have an opportunity, try the free hop on free shuttle.  Jesse Tam, the waterfront shuttle runs from Pioneer Square to the Seattle Center along the waterfront on Alaskan Way S.  Buses will run seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through October 1.  It's a great way to get around town without the hassle of finding parking.  The shuttle runs approximately every 20 minutes.

The North and South Loop connects Seattle Center at the Space Needle to Chinatown/International District. Enjoy the waterfront and views of Seattle!
  https://downtownseattle.org/parking/#!/shuttle

NORTH & SOUTH LOOP STOPS

A	-	Seattle Center/Space Needle Connect to Monorail
B/C	-	Victoria Clipper/Sculpture Park
D/E	-	Pier 66
F/F2	-	Historic Piers/Seattle Aquarium/Pike Place Market Transfer to East Route
G/G2	-	Ferries/Water Taxis
H	-	Pioneer Square Connect to Light Rail
I	-	Stadiums/King Street Station Connect to Sounder/Amtrak/Light Rail (Northbound Only)
L	-	Seattle Aquarium/Pike Place Market
M	-	Chinatown/International District

Visiting the Quad

Visiting the Quad, Jesse.Tam.  The annual site at the University of Washington quad is expected to draw another year of large crowds for the annual bloom of the Cherry blossoms.  The cooler temperature delayed the blooming to occur later in the year. Plan to make a visit during the peak bloom which will last from 16 to 21 days.

This years blooms started on March 19th and will continue depending on the weather.  The iconic Cherry trees are in good health and are 80 years old.  Weekend is an extremely busy and difficult to park with visitors.  Wear comfortable walking shoes and enjoy the variety of colors on campus.

"There are more than 250 cherry trees of different varieties blooming at different times.  Large trees near Gerberding Hall with flowers week after the Quad trees, and between Gerberding Hall and the Drumheller Fountain a group of young trees will also blossom a little later.

Visitors are asked to treat all of the trees with respect by not pulling on the blooming branches or climbing the tree limbs.  The UW is raising money to help care for and eventually replace the aging Quad cherry trees."       https://www.washington.edu/news/2018/02/23/university-of-washington-cherry-blossom-watch-2018/

It's always a spectacular tradition for my friends to see the blooms and welcome spring.  Thank for ready, stay connected. 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.

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

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/

Seattle Gingerbread Village 24th Year

Seattle Gingerbread Village, Jesse Tam. It's not the holidays in Seattle unless you visit the Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton. This is the 24th year for the annual Gingerbread Village display with your favorite magic world Harry Potter. Fan and families of all ages will marvel at the life size gingerbread exhibit.  

The Gingerbread Village will be featured in the Sheraton Seattle Hotels lobby from November 22, 2016 through January 1, 2017. Visitor can view the display 24 hours, daily in the lobby and also have the chance to vote for their favorite concept throughout the duration of the holiday season. Line and wait time may be long to view the displays so plan ahead.

The hotel has been doing this every year since 1992.  More than 150,000 visitors have come to see the annual displays and donated more than $841,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 

Where: Sheraton Seattle

1400 6th Ave Seattle, WA 98101-2318

http://www.sheratonseattle.com/gingerbread-village

When:  November 22 - January 1, daily 24 hours in  Lobby

Event  Free (donations accepted) All Ages

Keep Life Simple

Keep Life Simple create by Jesse Tam

Don’t become too preoccupied with what is happening around you.Escape the traffic of I-5 Seattle and 405 Bellevue to Everett. For a minute, go outdoors, stand there in silence and appreciate your surroundings and nature. Spend time with friends on the steps of Mount Rainier National Park. This is a very popular and great for families and hikers. Remember the work life balance and focus on what is important.

• Connect with those who are most important to you.
• Continue to learn and grow as a person independent of your career.
• Silence your cell phones when you are with family or friends
• Step out of your comfort zone and try something different
• Become involved as a volunteer once a month
• Keep life simple

Mount Rainier and Lake reflection

Make each day count, We miss many things by staying in one place, get away and do something different.  Thank for visiting  https://jessewa28.wordpress.com/  follow and share!  Reflect and refresh your inner self and start with a positive attitude. Keep life simple, simple life.

Earth Day Worldwide

Earth Day Worldwide, Jesse Tam. In 1970, the year of our first Earth Day, the movement gave voice to an emerging consciousness, channeling human energy toward environmental issues. Events from recycling in Seattle to planting trees in Bellevue are just a few ways to make a difference. 

Forty-six years later, we continue to lead with groundbreaking ideas and by the power of our example. Earth Day is more than just a single day — April 22, 2016. It is celebrated worldwide to make an impact on our daily lives. Keep the trails clean, protect our rivers and water system, electric cars or bikes are a few ideas.

 Seattle Trails - Jesse 

Business After Hours

Networking is a great opportunity to connect with friends and future prospects.  Looking forward to the Business After Hours social in Bellevue sponsored by (TGSCCC)  Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber on Thursday, March 31st.  Learn about events in the community and a fun social. Registration fee $15 members, non members $20 from 6 pm to 9 pm.  Join Jesse and the Chamber for the after hours event.

Monthly luncheons with guest speakers are held in English and Chinese between Seattle and Bellevue area.  A great way to learn and hear about business updates.   https://jessetam.com/

Join the Chamber and keep updated on current events, trade, international business monthly speakers and more.

New Light Rail Link

 Exciting new link will connect light rail from University through Capitol Hill to downtown Seattle and Sea Tac airport. Jesse Tam, visitors will have easy access to the city and university. Leave the driving to others and reach your destination in 8 minutes without the worry of traffic or high price of parking.  Photos of land bridge and transit platform at Husky Stadium station,  The new route will provide ease for visitors arriving at the airport to reach downtown and the university.

Seattle New Rail Link, Jesse

The service will open by the end of March after years of planning and construction for quick travel between the University, Capitol Hill and Sea-Tac Airport.  The 3.15 miles extension from HuskyStadium to the Capitol Hill station is expected to serve 71,000 passengers by 2030. https://jessewa28.wordpress.com/

The $1.9 billion project was funded by sales tax and other fees with a large portion of the funding also from federal grants. 

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year begins on  Feb,8 is also known as Spring Festival in China. It is the Year of the Monkey according to the Chinese zodiac. The tradition of family gatherings and reuniting during this 15 day holiday.      
   
The Spring Festival Travel Rush, also known as Chunyun in Chinese, or Chinese New Year Travel Rush, Lunar New Year Travel Rush is considered to be the largest annual migration. It is the special period when China faces an extremely high traffic load, which results in great transportation problems, especially on the railway services.

Millions of people working or studying out of their hometowns will be hurrying home.  Similar to the Christmas Dinner in western countries, the Reunion Dinner has significant meaning to Chinese people, because it is the time that all family members reunite together. With the reunion dinner, the whole family welcomes a new year happily. The most important food in this dinner is the dumpling, which is very popular in the northern part of the country.   https://www.pinterest.com/jessetam28/

Lion Dance - Jesse

Seattle's New Light Rail

Seattle's regional growth in the job market, housing and companies expanding created a  traffic nightmare commuters and drivers.  Recent tolls and changes on SR 520 and I 405 added  more congestion to the new configured lanes.  The Sound Transit extension will be opening the Husky Stadium and Capitol Hill Links in early 2016.

Husky Stadium, Sound Transit's University of Washington Station will provide easy regional access to campus, UW Medical Center, other Husky athletic sites and surrounding neighborhoods.  A new pedestrian bridge allows walkers and bikers to avoid traffic and will alleviate congestion by directly connecting the station to the upper campus and Burke-Gilman trail.

This new addition will be easier for football fans and students to ride quickly and not worry about parking at the events.  It will connect the University of Washington and Capitol Hill to existing light rail service from downtown Seattle to the airport without the addition traffic jams on the freeways.

Riders will board trains underground. Ride to downtown Seattle fromthe new  Husky Stadium link in 8 minutes or to the airport in about 42 minutes.  A great mode of transportation and quickest way to get around the city once the project is completed.