Vain
They have an art gallery. They have a little boutiqe. They have rockstar hairstylists who have been cutting hair and coloring it in vivid 80s shocks of color since before the 80s. They can cut you a mohawk and die it hot pink or perm your grandma's hair. The prices are cheap 20-40 dollars for a moderate cut. This is the true styling experience, not the Supercuts 5 dollar trim. These stylist are artists.
Gene Juarez Advanced Training
While you may not have the cash to pay for Gene Juarez's downtown salon experiene including the window fountains and the plentiful baboo, you'll be happy to learn that The Advanced Training Salon is just a couple of blocks away. The stylists here are just as able as those in the big salon, but they charge half the price. This is the Nordstrom Rack version of Gene Jaurez.
Gene Juarez Salons & Spas
Gene Juarez salon in downtown makes you feel as though you're imposing yourself on their very delicate zen atmosphere. The salon itself caters to the ultra wealty, or more those who wish to feel wealthy and are willing to pay for it. Cuts for men range from 40-60 dollars and up not including the color. It's not all worth it. Go to Vain.
Peter Miller Architecture
The shelves in Peter Miller's architecture bookstore remind one of syscapers. The selection is sporadic--I went inn search of Rem Koolhaas' book S,M, L, XL and they didn't have it and wouldn't be able to order it very soon. Still, they have many of the same products that my paper lust neighbor Paperhaus carries--the NAVA planners and the classy pens and lanyard keychains.
Paperhaus
I have a slight fetish for stationers--and until I visited Paperhouse I thought that I had it under control. This store has absolutely the best designs imaginable--NAVA planners and clear plastic fountain pens. There are curious and thought provokinng cards buried in the back behind all the blank papers. If you are nursing a paper fetish, approach Paperhaus with caution.
Fireworks
Fireworks is packed with handmade good, high craft works and endearing gifts. If you are looking for a battery operated jumping frog or a table that looks as though it were decorated by Sark (the one that writes all those optimistic marker books) then this is the place for you. I haven't found much to my tase--it's more like a hyper colored anthropologie than anything else.
Chez Shea
The fish are flying and the world's first Starbucks is steaming its milk, and everywhere you look there are tourists. But native Seattle-ites shop at the market, especially for the spring produce. There's a great olive oil place with seasoned oils for dipping and downstairs in the less travelled bit there are all sorts of quirky places like the belt store where I found re-buckle-able belts.
Racha Noodles & Thai Cuisine
The Thai cuisine is nice, the atmosphere is authentic. They have Thai Karaoke, and since I'm not thai the odd sound of Thai pop music as sung by middle aged thai men as I devour my noodles in peanut sauce is perfectly enjoyable. The servers wear little outfits and toddle out in little footsteps like geishas. Overall an interesting place with great food.
Safeway Stores
There's not much worse than going into a grocery store at eight o'clock in the evening to find them restocking the shelves--aisles blocked with pallets of food as tall as me as wide as the aisle itself. This is one of the many reasons I don't shop at this Safeway. The produce is sketchy--sometimes good, often not. The sales are incredible (with the 'Fresh Values' card of course). If there weren't such good sales I'd never set foot in this Labyrinth.
Quiznos
I like Quiznos. I don't love their sandwiches. They aren't healthy, they're more like a fatty alternative to a nice McDonalds Hamburger. The Quiznos in Lower Queen Anne is simply a worker's lunchspot. From about eleven o'clock until two in the afternoon there is a mad rush of middle aged men, followed by absolutely nothing. I would eat there more often (but not OFTEN) if they had more reasonable prices.