Crossroads - Bellevue, WA

Heavily treed and boggy underfoot, the land that became Bellevue was slow to develop. In the late 1800s, the discovery of coal spurred the mining industry, and the abundance of trees made logging a natural commercial choice. As land was cleared, farming took over, and by the early 1900s, the area was shipping produce to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Celebrating the harvest, the first Strawberry Festival was held in 1925. Bellevue was incorporated in 1953 and annexed Crossroads in 1964. The city promotes the arts through theatre and music programs for youth, commissioned publicly owned works of art, and musical events such as the Wintergrass festival. The downtown Bellevue Arts Museum sits 10 minutes away from Crossroads.

The neighborhood's stand-alone eateries can be found along 156th and in Crossroads Shopping Center. You can enjoy the flavors of Italy, France, Japan and Mexico at the center's international food court. For a fun dining experience and a relaxed chat with friends, check out Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot. Choose your broth, meats and veggies, and simmer your meal right at the table. Order the half-and-half broth if your party can't agree on spicy or original, and add sides such as pot stickers, grilled shrimp kabobs and kimchi if you want to complement the hot pot. Firenze Ristorante Italiano fits the bill for leisurely meals and authentic Italian food. The soft lighting, terra-cotta floors and piped-in opera music create a relaxing environment that feels like a piece of Italy. Locals highly recommend the spaghetti Bolognese and the creamy rigatoni al prosciutto. Be sure to save room for tiramisu. If you want to recharge after a few hours of retail therapy, try Tanpopo Japanese Restaurant in the food court. You can watch as generous portions of food are made to order right in front of you. Locals agree that the chicken yakisoba with crisp bean sprouts is the go-to dish. While you're at the mall, check out the events calendar for scheduled musical performances on the market stage and open mic nights for up-and-coming talent. Just outside the neighborhood to the north, Daman's Bar & Grill welcomes locals for drinks, bar food, and juke-box music daily until 2 a.m. Watch for Tuesday Trivia Nights, Karaoke Nights on Thursdays and Saturdays, and watch Seahawk games during football season.

Crossroads is very walkable neighborhood if you happen to live near the shopping center, and it's somewhat walkable if you don't. Residents typically get around by foot, car, bike and bus. If you drive to the mall, you won't have to worry about parking — there's lots of free parking. If you want to drive to Seattle, you can hop on State Route 520 just to the north of the neighborhood or I-90 to the south. For trips further south, take I-90 to I-405 and connect with I-5 south of Seattle.

You can take public transportation, call Yellow Cab or use your smartphone to book a ride with Uber if you want to let someone else do the driving. Buses run along the neighborhood's southern edge, part of the northern edge and along 156th.

Bike-friendly roads run around most of the neighborhood's perimeter to assist cyclists with their daily commutes, and for recreational cycling, trails run through Crossroads Park and connect to the northern end of the golf course.

This neighborhood provides ample outdoor and recreational opportunities for the whole family. At Crossroads Park near the neighborhood's southeast corner, the kids can cool down in the hot summer months by playing under the spray from a spouting orca or spitting frog. You can shoot some hoops on the basketball courts, practice your return on the tennis courts or jog with your dog on the trails of this 34-acre park.

The park gets especially busy during the annual Strawberry Festival when crowds gather for face painting, live music, carnival rides and strawberry shortcake.

You can polish your short game or introduce beginners to the game at Crossroads Par 3 Golf Course. Holes range in length from 67 to 107 yards and make this nine-hole course playable for kids and adults. Weekday green fees are $13 for adults and $9 for youth.

The cost of living in Crossroads comes in higher than the Washington average but lower than the Bellevue average. Residents benefit from housing rates that compare favorably to city prices, and rental rates for a one-bedroom apartment average out around $1,237. When you stop in at the local pub to toast the Seahawks, your pint of beer will run about $5.

A one-way trip to the city center costs $2.25 in off-peak times and $2.50 during rush-hour peak times. Small dogs that fit in your lap ride for free, but large dogs pay the same fare that you do. Expect to pay about 12 percent more than the national average at the pump.

Residents enjoy the convenience that comes with having a major shopping center in the neighborhood. Aside from a few scattered businesses further north on 156th, most of the retail activity goes on at Crossroads Shopping Center. You can stock up on crafting supplies at Michaels, pick up a chew toy for your puppy at Petco or purchase new bed linens at Bed Bath & Beyond. If you like superheroes, sci-fi and comic books, you may want to check out Alter Ego Comics. The store buys, sells and trades comic books, and it carries T-shirts, toys and collectibles including a variety of Doctor Who merchandise. Silver Platters is the place to go if you're looking for collectible or hard-to-find CDs and vinyl. Before you leave the center, you can stop at QFC to pick up your groceries, and in season, you can shop for fresh Washington produce at the weekly farmers market held in the parking lot.