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!

📰 Support Washington State Parks With a New License Plate

Washington just rolled out a new specialty license plate that helps fund state parks, and it's one of those things that's actually pretty straightforward. The plate features artwork inspired by Washington's outdoor spaces, and a portion of the fees goes directly toward supporting parks across the state. If you've spent time hiking, camping, paddling, or just wandering around places like Marymoor and beyond, this is an easy way to throw a few dollars toward keeping those spaces maintained. The plates are available now through the state's licensing system.

🚮 Grab a Coffee and Help Clean Up Redmond

SoulFood CoffeeHouse is hosting its monthly Walk & Talk Litter Pickup Party on Sunday, June 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The deal is pretty simple. Show up at SoulFood, grab a free 16-ounce drip coffee or tea, then head out with other volunteers to pick up litter around town. They provide the trash bags, and you're encouraged to bring gloves or a pickup tool if you've got one. It's a nice excuse to get outside, meet a few neighbors, and leave Redmond a little cleaner than you found it.

🎨 Make Your Own Manga-Inspired Artwork

The Redmond Library is hosting a Manga-Themed Printmaking Workshop on Wednesday, June 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you're wondering what manga is, it's the Japanese style of comics and graphic novels that's become incredibly popular with teens and young adults around the world. Local artist Alyssa Christensen will walk participants through creating manga-inspired artwork and turning it into handmade prints. All supplies are included, but space is limited. If you've got a creative kid or teen at home, this one will probably fill up quickly.

🎲 Uncle's Games Has a New Name

One of Redmond's longtime game stores has officially rebranded. Uncle's Games is now called Marymoor Games, but the board games, card games, and community events aren't going anywhere. To celebrate, they're continuing their weekly Open Game Night on Saturday, June 20 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at their Redmond location. You can jump into one of their demo games or bring your own favorite from home. If you've been curious about the hobby gaming scene in Redmond, this is probably the easiest way to check it out.

⚽ Watch International Soccer With Other Fans

You don't have to stay home to watch international soccer this week. The Redmond Library is hosting a World Soccer Watch Party featuring Uruguay versus Cabo Verde on Sunday, June 21 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Whether you're following the tournament closely or just enjoy watching a match with other fans, it's a fun community event that's a little different from the usual weekend lineup. Bring your soccer knowledge, or don't. Either way, you'll have people to cheer with.

🕰️ 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.

Washington state went dry with Prohibition in what year, and how many years before the rest of the country?

A) Same year as national Prohibition

B) 2 years before

C) 4 years before

D) They never had Prohibition

Answer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter.

🔮 Redmond Rumor Mill

Here's one making the rounds this week.

Sources say an axe-throwing venue may be circling the light rail station area. Before you picture a bachelor party from ten years ago, apparently these places have evolved quite a bit. Think league nights, walk-in throwing lanes, food, drinks, and regular customers who take the sport surprisingly seriously.

What we don't know is whether a deal has actually been signed or whether permit discussions will turn into a real project.

The question is simple: would an axe-throwing venue work in downtown 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: Best Tavern in Redmond

Alright, that's it for this week.

Head on over to facebook.com/BestOfRedmond, find the post called "Your Picks," and drop your vote in the comments. We want to know who you think is the best tavern 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 C – 4 years before

Washington adopted Prohibition in 1916, four years before national Prohibition took effect in 1920. When Redmond's saloons shut down, the town lost a significant source of tax revenue. The liquor didn't disappear, though. It simply moved into the woods, where bootleggers and illegal stills kept things going until Prohibition finally ended.

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, do you have any news

on these new vanity license

7

plates that are coming out?

8

I don't know if they're vanity plates.

9

Vanity plates are where you

spell a name or a word or

10

something, right?

11

Jennifer Davis: Yeah, these aren't those.

12

these are special Support Washington

State Parks license plates.

13

It's actually very straightforward.

14

The plate features artwork inspired

by Washington's outdoor spaces, and

15

a portion of the fees goes towards

supporting parks across the state.

16

So this is an easy way to help

keep those spaces maintained.

17

The plates are available now

through the state's licensing system

18

Dan Schulz: Soul Food Coffee House

is hosting its monthly walk and

19

talk litter pickup party on Sunday,

20

The deal is pretty simple

and it's pretty cool.

21

All you have to do is show up at

Soul Food, grab a free 16-ounce

22

drip coffee or tea, and then head

out with other volunteers to start

23

picking up litter around town.

24

They'll provide the trash bags and

you're encouraged to bring gloves

25

or a pickup tool if you have one.

26

It's a nice excuse to get

outside, meet a few new neighbors,

27

and leave Redmond a little

28

cleaner than you found it.

29

Jennifer Davis: The Redmond

Library is hosting a manga themed

30

printmaking workshop on Wednesday,

June 24th from 5:30 to 7:30.

31

If you're wondering what manga is,

it's the Japanese style of comics

32

and graphic novels that's become

incredibly popular with teens and

33

young adults around the world.

34

Local artist Alyssa Christensen , will

walk participants through creating

35

a manga inspired artwork and

turning it into handmade prints.

36

All supplies are included,

but space is limited.

37

If you've got a creative kid

or teen at home, this one

38

will probably fill up quickly

39

Dan Schulz: In a world full of

chain restaurants, La Tia Angelina

40

stands out as the real deal.

41

This family-owned food truck serves

authentic Mexican cuisine using

42

traditional recipes from Jalisco, Mexico

that came from the owner's mother-in-law.

43

They're just a husband and wife team

with their five kids helping out.

44

You can find them behind the bus

stop near QFC in Bellevue next

45

to the Tikka Masala restaurant.

46

They offer student discounts and

discounts for nonprofit workers.

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These people are awesome people,

and they make incredible food.

48

This message brought to

you by La Tia Angelina

49

Jennifer Davis: One of Redmond's longtime

game stores has officially rebranded.

50

Uncle's Games is now called

Marymoor Games, but the board

51

games, card games, and community

events aren't going anywhere.

52

To celebrate, they're continuing

their weekly open game night on

53

Saturday, June 20th from eight

to 11 at the Redmond location.

54

You can jump into one of their demo games

or bring your own favorite from home.

55

If you've been curious about the

hobby gaming scene in Redmond, this is

56

probably the easiest way to check it out

57

Dan Schulz: You don't have to stay home

to watch international soccer this week.

58

The Redmond Library is hosting a

world soccer watch party featuring

59

Uruguay versus Cabo Verde on Sunday,

June 21st from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

60

Whether you're following the tournament

closely or just enjoying watching

61

a match with other fans, this is a

fun community event that's a little

62

different from the usual weekend lineup.

63

Bring your soccer knowledge or don't.

64

Either way, you're gonna have

people around you to cheer with

65

Jennifer Davis: Okay, it's time for the

Redmond History Minute, where we share an

66

interesting piece of history, trivia, or

tidbit about life in and around Redmond.

67

All right, Dan, I've got a question.

68

Are you ready?

69

Dan Schulz: I'm ready.

70

I mean, what else am I doing?

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Jennifer Davis: Washington State went dry

with prohibition in what year, and how

72

many years before the rest of the country?

73

Was it A, the same year as the national

prohibition; B, two years before the

74

national prohibition; C, four years

before the national prohibition;

75

or D, they never had prohibition?

76

Your time starts now

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Dan Schulz: well, I, this is really

hard because you have to figure out the

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psyche of what the state wanted to do.

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Like, do they want to look like

goody-goody two-shoes or are they going

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to be the Pacific Northwest rebels?

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You can't tell us what to do.

82

A, the same year as national pro--

okay, the same year, two years

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before, four years, but it's not

going to be four years before.

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That'd be a real teacher's pet

move to go four years before.

85

B, they never had prohibition, and

that's not, that's not it because

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they're, they're not, they're

rebels but they're not crazy rebels.

87

It's, it's got to be Same year.

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Same year.

89

Same year.

90

Final answer.

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For sure final answer.

92

Same year

93

Jennifer Davis: Well, Let's put

another notch in the loser column for

94

you,

95

Dan Schulz: better…

96

What is it?

97

It's not two years, is it?

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Jennifer Davis: No, it's

actually C, four years before

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Dan Schulz: Who are you

guys trying to impress?

100

Boy,

101

that, that annoys me

102

Jennifer Davis: I, I know, I'm

actually very surprised by that.

103

Washington adopted prohibition in

104

prohibition took effect in 1920.

105

When Redmond saloons shut down, the town

lost a significant source of tax revenue,

106

uh, but the liquor didn't disappear.

107

It simply moved into the woods, where

bootleggers and illegal stills kept things

108

going until prohibition finally ended.

109

Dan Schulz: A quick question.

110

If your neighbor came up to you

and said there's a weird wet spot

111

in their yard that won't dry up,

would you know what to tell them?

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Probably not.

113

Most people wouldn't.

114

That means there's usually an

underground water leak, and most

115

plumbers don't even handle that.

116

In fact, they'll tell

you to call a specialist.

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That's Simply Leak Detection.

118

They're the company plumbers call

when they can't find the leak.

119

Non-invasive, no digging.

120

They pinpoint exactly where it is.

121

They have over 300 5-star reviews.

122

They cover Redmond, Kirkland,

Bellevue, the entire east side.

123

And now you know what

to tell your neighbor.

124

Have them go to simplyleakdetection.biz

125

and have Lincoln and

his crew help them out.

126

This message brought to you

by Simply Leak Detection

127

Jennifer Davis: Here's one

making the rounds this week.

128

Sources say an ax throwing venue may be

circling the light rail station area.

129

Dan Schulz: Absolutely.

130

Absolutely.

131

Jennifer Davis: apparently these

places have evolved quite a bit.

132

Think league nights, walk-in throwing

lanes, food, drinks, and regular customers

133

who take the sport surprisingly seriously.

134

Dan Schulz: I urge anyone to

take throwing axes seriously.

135

Don't get tanked up and grab

an ax and start throwing

136

Jennifer Davis: What we don't know

is whether a deal has actually been

137

signed or whether permit discussions

will turn into a real project.

138

the question is simple: Would an ax

throwing venue work in downtown Redmond?

139

If you've got a guess or have heard

something, head over to our Facebook

140

page at facebook.com/bestofredmond

141

and drop it in the Redmond

Rumor Mill Guesses post

142

Dan Schulz: And while you are at our

Facebook page, find the post called Your

143

Picks and leave your vote in the comments.

144

We wanna know who you think

is the best tavern in Redmond

145

Jennifer Davis: If you've enjoyed

this podcast, you're gonna

146

love the companion newsletter.

147

Find it at bestofredmond.com

148

and we'll see you in the next one

149

Dan Schulz: Or maybe before

then, walking around Redmond.