Welcome to Best of Redmond! Redmond's twice-weekly newsletter and podcast about all the amazing things happening in Redmond for the next seven days!

Your Neighbor Just Wrote a 75-Mile Walking Guide to Seattle

A Redmond neighbor just wrote a book about walking Seattle's history, and he's celebrating it tonight. Brick & Mortar Books at 7430 164th Ave NE hosts local author Peter Hendrickson at 6:30 for the release of Emerald City Trail, a walking guide covering a 75-mile route past parks and landmarks designed by the Olmsted Brothers. Hendrickson actually lives on a small Redmond farm and has spent years leading walking tours in cities everywhere. Stop by to hear him talk about the project and grab a signed copy. It's free, and it's exactly the kind of small local event that's easy to miss unless somebody tells you about it.

The Market You Take for Granted Until You Actually Go

The Redmond Saturday Market is back this weekend on Saturday, running 9 AM to 2 PM in the Overlake Christian Church parking lot at 9900 Willows Rd NE. More than 45 vendors set up with produce, eggs, honey, flowers, baked goods and prepared food, plus live music playing through the morning. It's dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and EBT is accepted. This is one of those Redmond traditions that's easy to take for granted until you actually go. Bring cash for the smaller vendors, bring the dog, and plan on staying longer than you meant to.

Downtown Park Turns Into a Free Stage and Marketplace Saturday

Downtown Park turns into a stage and a marketplace this weekend on Saturday, from 4 to 8 PM at 16101 Redmond Way. Arts in the Park wraps up its September run with the Redmond Academy of Theatre Arts and Seattle Community Theater performing live, plus a pop-up fair of local artisans and small businesses. It's free, all ages, and built for wandering, watch a bit of the show, browse a few tables, grab something from a food vendor. This is the kind of evening that makes a Saturday feel like an event without costing anything. Bring a blanket and stay for the whole thing.

Your Dog's Agility Party Costs $25, Plus Two Optional Upsells

Pickles Playland is hosting an Agility Party this Tuesday from 11 AM to 2 PM at 7330 164th Ave NE, Suite E-165. It's a $25 daycare event with mini agility-course training, a photo pup-date, and healthy-ish treats, plus optional $6 printed photos and a $6 scratch-off prize ticket. It's only open to dogs already booked for daycare, boarding, or grooming that day, so reserve through the client portal ahead of time since spots go fast. If your dog's already a regular there, this is worth booking around.

This Isn't a Happy Hour Pour, It's a Syrah Education

SAMĀ Cellars is digging into Syrah this Sunday from 3 to 4:30 PM at 7425 166th Ave NE, Suite C-110. Certified Sommelier JR Seebach leads the tasting, walking through how the grape changes depending on where it's grown and how it's made. It's $25 for club members and $35 for everyone else, and that cost gets credited toward select wine purchases the same day. This isn't a casual happy hour pour, it's an actual education session for people who want to know what they're drinking. Reserve ahead, the series tends to fill up.

SoulFood's Crowd Actually Listens When Makia Oaks Plays

SoulFood CoffeeHouse hands the stage to Makia Oaks tomorrow, Friday, from 6 to 8 PM at 15748 Redmond Way. She's played this room before, and the SoulFood crowd tends to actually sit and listen instead of talking over the music. There's no cover charge, just coffee, food and a couple hours of live music in a small, low-key space. It's a good one if you want a night out that doesn't require a reservation or a babysitter's worth of planning. Show up whenever, stay as long as you want.

The Quiet Talk About Why Birds Keep Hitting Your Windows

The Redmond Library is hosting an Eastside Audubon program night this Wednesday, doors at 6, program 6:30 to 7:30 PM, with speaker Judy Bowes covering something most people never think about: birds dying from window collisions. It's one of the leading causes behind declining bird populations in North America, and the talk covers what's actually happening and what a person can do about it at home. It's free, open to everyone, and held in the library's meeting room at 15990 NE 85th St.

Redmond History Minute

Okay, it's time for the Redmond History Minute, where we share an interesting piece of history, trivia, or tidbit about life in and around Redmond.

Before Redmond got its current name, the town was called "Melrose." Where did that name come from?

A) A wildflower that grew in the valley

B) Warren Perrigo's inn, named after his hometown in Massachusetts

C) A brand of whiskey sold at the general store

D) Luke McRedmond's middle name

Answer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter.

Redmond Rumor Mill

Okay, this one definitely got our attention. Rumor has it a natural wine and tinned fish shop is being planned for downtown Redmond. Retail up front, eight bar seats in back, and a menu that's basically whatever they can open with a key. Weird, cheap, and apparently already working in Ballard.

None of that is confirmed yet, including the exact location or timeline.

So... would you actually go to a tinned fish bar in Redmond?

If you've got a guess or have heard something, head to our Facebook page at facebook.com/BestOfRedmond and drop it in the Redmond Rumor Mill Guesses post.

Your Picks

And while you're at our Facebook page, find the Your Picks post and answer this question... We want to know what you think is the best biking trail in Redmond.

Don't Miss the Podcast

If you enjoyed this newsletter, you're gonna love the companion podcast. Find it at bestofredmond.com.

We'll see you in the next one... or maybe before then, walking around Redmond.

History Minute Answer

The answer is B – Warren Perrigo's inn, named after his hometown in Massachusetts.

Warren Perrigo and his wife Laura built an inn called Melrose House, named after Perrigo's hometown of Melrose, Massachusetts. The inn became so popular that the whole settlement adopted the name when the post office opened in 1881. Luke McRedmond was not thrilled. When he became postmaster in 1882, he petitioned to rename the town after himself. It worked, but it caused bitterness between the McRedmond and Perrigo families for years. The town got named by a postmaster who was tired of living in somebody else's hotel's shadow.

Welcome to The Best of Redmond.

2

I'm Jennifer Davis

3

Dan Schulz: And I'm Dan Schultz, and

this is Redmond's twice weekly newsletter

4

and podcast about all of the amazing

things happening right here in and

5

around Redmond for the next seven days

6

Jennifer Davis: Your neighbor just wrote

a 75-mile walking guide to Seattle.

7

A Redmond neighbor just wrote a book

about walking Seattle's history,

8

and he's celebrating it tonight.

9

Brick and Mortar Books hosts local

author Peter Hendrickson at 6:30 for

10

the release of Emerald City Trail,

a walking guide covering a 75-mile

11

route past parks and landmarks

designed by the Olmsted brothers.

12

Hendrickson actually lives on a small

Redmond farm and has spent years leading

13

walking tours in cities everywhere.

14

Stop by to hear him talk about the

project and grab a signed copy.

15

It's free, and it's exactly the

kind of small local event that's

16

easy to miss unless somebody

tells you about it, which is us.

17

Dan Schulz: The market you take

for granted until you actually go.

18

The Redmond Saturday Market is back

this weekend on Saturday morning,

19

running from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the

Overlake Christian Church parking lot.

20

More than 45 vendors set up with

produce, eggs, honey, flowers, baked

21

goods, and prepared food, plus live

music playing throughout the morning.

22

It's dog friendly, kid

friendly, and EBT is accepted.

23

This is one of those Redmond traditions

that's easy to take for granted until

24

you actually show up and you go.

25

Bring cash for the smaller

vendors, bring the dog, and plan

26

staying longer than you meant to.

27

Jennifer Davis: Downtown Park turns

into a stage and a marketplace this

28

weekend on Saturday from 4:00 Arts

in the Park wraps up its September run

29

with the Redmond Academy of Theater

Arts and Seattle Community Theater

30

performing live, plus a pop-up fair of

local artisans and small businesses.

31

It's free, all ages,

and built for wandering.

32

Watch a bit of the show, browse a few

tables, grab something from a food vendor.

33

This is the kind of evening that

makes a Saturday feel like an

34

event without costing anything.

35

Bring a blanket and

stay for the whole thing

36

Dan Schulz: Your dog's agility party.

37

That's right, your dog has

an agility party to go to.

38

Pickles Playland is hosting an agility

party this Tuesday from 11 to 2 PM.

39

It's a $25 daycare event with mini

agility course training, a photo

40

pup date, and healthy-ish treats,

plus optional $6 printed photos

41

and a $6 scratch-off prize ticket.

42

It's only open to dogs already booked

for daycare, boarding, or grooming

43

that day, so reserve through the client

portal ahead of time since spots go fast.

44

If your dog's already a regular

there, this is worth booking around.

45

You need to have a dog with agility.

46

You don't want them tipping

over every time you look at them

47

Jennifer Davis: Sama Cellars is digging

into Syrah this Sunday from 3:00 to 4:30.

48

Certified Sommelier J.R.

49

Seebach leads the tasting, walking

through how the grape changes depending

50

on where it's grown and how it's made.

51

It's $25 for club members and

35 for everyone else, and that

52

cost gets credited towards select

wine purchases the same day.

53

This isn't a casual happy hour pour.

54

It's an actual education

session for people who want

55

to know what they're drinking.

56

Reserve ahead, because the

series tends to fill up

57

Dan Schulz: Remember those

old TV commercials, The Most

58

Interesting Man in the World?

59

Jennifer Davis: Ja

60

Dan Schulz: J.R.

61

Seebach, the sommelier.

62

Jennifer Davis: I can hear it, yeah.

63

I can hear it in that voice.

64

Dan Schulz: he gives that guy

on TV with the bad beard, uh,

65

such a run for his money, man.

66

I would love to meet that dude and

hang with him Soul Food's crowd

67

actually listens when Makia Oaks plays.

68

Soul Food Coffee House hands the

stage to Makia Oaks tomorrow night,

69

Friday, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

70

She's played this room before, and the

Soul Food crowd tends to actually sit and

71

listen instead of talking over the music.

72

There's no cover charge, just coffee,

food, and a couple hours of live

73

music in a small, low-key space.

74

it's a good one if you want a night

out that doesn't require a reservation

75

or a babysitter's worth of planning.

76

Show up whenever, stay

as long as you want.

77

Jennifer Davis: The quiet talk about

why birds keep hitting your windows.

78

The Redmond Library is hosting an

Eastside Audubon program this Wednesday.

79

Doors open at 6:00, and the program

starts at 6:30, goes to 7:30.

80

Speaker Judy Bowes covers something

most people never think about,

81

birds dying from window collisions.

82

We've all experienced it, right?

83

And it's always bad.

84

It's one of the leading causes

behind declining bird populations in

85

North America, and the talk covers

what's actually happening and what

86

a person can do about it at home.

87

It's free, open to everyone, and

held in the library's meeting room

88

Dan Schulz: Here's something most

homeowners don't think about.

89

You could have a water leak

right now and not even know it.

90

Underground leaks don't

show up like a burst pipe.

91

There's no water on the floor.

92

Your water bill just starts quietly

creeping up month after month until

93

one day you're paying double and

you're wondering what happened.

94

Simply Leak Detection finds those

leaks without tearing up your yard.

95

They use non-invasive tech to

pinpoint exactly where the problem is.

96

With over three hundred five-star reviews

on Google, they cover the whole East Side,

97

Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, all of it.

98

If your water bill's been climbing or

your meter's been spinning when nothing is

99

running, give Lincoln and his team a call

or visit them at simplyleakdetection.biz.

100

This message brought to you

by Simply Leak Detection.

101

It is time for the Redmond History Minute.

102

Are you ready for today's

question, Jennifer?

103

Jennifer Davis: I am

104

Dan Schulz: And are you

ready, dear listeners?

105

I, I can't hear you.

106

This is a podcast that

we recorded earlier.

107

Here is the question.

108

Before Redmond got its current

name, the town was called Melrose.

109

Where did that name come from?

110

Was it A, a wildflower that grew in the

valley; B, Warren Perrigo's inn, named

111

after his hometown in Massachusetts; C,

a brand of whiskey sold at the general

112

store; D, Luke McRedmond's middle name.

113

And your timer starts now.

114

What do you think?

115

Luke Melrose McRedmond.

116

Jennifer Davis: Oh man,

117

when

118

Dan Schulz: huge fan.

119

You know why he called himself Melrose?

120

Big fan of Melrose Place in the '90s, Jen.

121

He loved it.

122

Loved it, Luke, Luke did

123

Jennifer Davis: you know, it, I, you

maybe had a premonition about that.

124

I don't know.

125

It'd be so different if

the town was named Melrose.

126

It, it just would be different.

127

Dan Schulz: be better or worse, Jennifer?

128

The town is listening.

129

Be very careful

130

Jennifer Davis: I think

it'd be worse in a way.

131

It just doesn't sound right.

132

Maybe that's just 'cause

I'm used to Redmond.

133

But,

134

Dan Schulz: me too

135

Jennifer Davis: I'm gonna go with C,

a brand of whiskey sold at the general

136

store, 'cause it, it's so random.

137

I love random things.

138

I'm gonna go C, 'cause I'm a random

person who likes random ideas

139

Dan Schulz: I am so sorry.

140

It's very-- It's a-- I love

your logic though, Jen.

141

I'm not gonna argue with your logic.

142

It just this time it was wrong.

143

The answer is B, Warren

Perrigo's Inn, named after

144

this hometown in Massachusetts.

145

When Warren Perrigo and his wife Laura

built an inn called the Melrose House,

146

named after Perrigo's hometown of Melrose,

Massachusetts, the inn became so popular

147

that the whole settlement adopted the name

148

Luke McRedmond was not thrilled.

149

What do you think of Luke McRedmond?

150

The more I learn about this

Luke McRedmond, he seems to

151

have a hair trigger, uh, temper.

152

When he became postmaster

153

rename the town after himself.

154

It worked, but it caused bitterness

between the McRedmond and the

155

Perrigo families for years.

156

The town got named by a postmaster

who was tired of living in

157

somebody else's hotel shadow.

158

What, what is go- this, I swear to

159

Jennifer Davis: Whoa.

160

I had

161

Dan Schulz: town has such an

insane history, whether it's

162

Billy Brown we call him, Bill

163

Jennifer Davis: mayor.

164

Yep.

165

Dan Schulz: who, who hung around way

longer than he probably should've.

166

And now we got Luke McRe-

sorry, Luke Melrose, McRedmond

167

getting mad about this guy.

168

This is unbelievable.

169

This city is so crazy sometimes

170

Jennifer Davis: Okay, this one

definitely got our attention.

171

Rumor has it a natural wine

and tinned fish shop is being

172

planned for downtown Redmond.

173

Natural wine and tinned fish.

174

Dan Schulz: Tinned

175

fish.

176

there has got to be such a huge

call for this business to open up

177

Jennifer Davis: Retail up front, eight bar

seats in back, and a menu that's basically

178

whatever they can open with a key.

179

It's weird, cheap, and apparently

already working in Ballard.

180

Dan Schulz: No, that-- makes sense.

181

No offense, Ballard, but, uh, you know,

you guys are a little nutty over there.

182

Yeah

183

Jennifer Davis: None of this is confirmed

yet, including the exact location

184

or timeline, so would you actually

go to a tinned fish bar in Redmond?

185

Dan, I'm assuming no.

186

Dan Schulz: I can't say

that I would, Jennifer

187

Jennifer Davis: If you've got a

guess or have heard something,

188

head on over to our Facebook page

at facebook.com/bestofredmond

189

and drop it in the Redmond

Rumor Mill Guesses post

190

Dan Schulz: And while you're at our

Facebook page, sorry Ballard, find the

191

Your Picks post and answer this question.

192

We wanna know what you think is

the best biking trail in Redmond.

193

Jennifer Davis: If you've enjoyed

this podcast, you're gonna

194

love our companion newsletter.

195

Find it at bestofredmond.com

196

and we'll see you in the next one

197

Dan Schulz: Or maybe before then, walking

in and around Redmond Tinned Fish Bar