Happy Me, Laurie.: Gallery 47-Where I Would Take You

This week for Gallery 47 of 52 Photos Project, we are sharing photos of a special place near where we live which we would put at the top of our list to take a visitor to! There are SO many amazing places around me, honestly, the choices of places to go, things to see and do in the Seattle (and just beyond) area are endless! But since I actually reside in a more "suburban" area about 17 miles north of downtown Seattle called Everett, I decided to stick closer to home...making it a *bit* easier to choose!
So today, we are going to visit the beautiful little waterfront town of Edmonds, Washington, which is about 4 miles "as the crow flies" from our house...(a bit further by car because of roads & traffic, lol!)

I often head there to spend long hours enjoying just the few blocks of things to do & see which are right around the waterfront: My adventures usually include most of the following:

*enjoying a latte at Waterfront Coffee (boasting great water views), Starbucks (for best people watching!) or Walnut Street Coffee (featuring local art and Vivace coffee!)
*hunting for bargains at the Edmonds Senior Center Thrift Store
*strolling along the fishing pier and marina
*watching dogs play at the off leash dog beach
*happening upon a baby seal who has been left ashore while his mama fishes for his meal
*watching the ferries make their steady way back and forth, back and forth from Edmonds to Kingston...and back again
*walking the several beaches looking for "treasures"
*watching divers at the dive park
*marveling at snow covered Mt. Baker, far away but huge on the distant skyline
*wondering at giant purple starfish, sun stars and anemones during low tide
browsing at the huge Waterfront Antique Mall
enjoying lunch at Girardis Osteria, Resident Cheesemonger, Demetri's Woodstone Taverna, or Red Twig
*taking in the beautiful local art at one of the many fine arts galleries, societies and educational centers on (& just off of) Main St.
*shopping the dozen of specialty boutiques (also on & just off Main St.)
*perusing the library (which has a great super cheap used bookstore & an art gallery)
*taking a class at The Art Spot (owned by an artist friend of mine)
*watching the trains go by (and checking out the awesome graffiti art on the cars!)
*catching a movie at the historic Edmonds Theater
*visit the cuties at the Just Frogs, Toads Too, and Friends Amphibian Center
***AND SO MUCH MORE!!*** :)

Here is a very small sampling of the literally thousands of photos I have taken in Edmonds during the past almost 6 years of living here...