Martha Lake - Lynnwood, WA

Explorers first came to the area in 1792, but the area didn't experience any real population growth until the early 1890s, when the Great Northern Railway came to town. From around 1915 through the 1920s, nearby Lynnwood transformed from a major logging operation to farmland. Next door, Mill Creek was planned as a residential development and incorporated as a city in 1983, and the 1990s saw rapid growth across Snohomish county. The forested lands of Mill Creek gave way to apartments, and Mill Creek Town Center emerged. This growing population also birthed the new residential neighborhood of Martha Lake, named for the lake it grew up around.

With Mill Creek and Lynnwood for neighbors, Martha Lake residents find a fair number of restaurants nearby in addition to housing a few of their own local gems. In general, American fare distinguishes the cuisine, but a few ethnic joints also enter the mix.

A prized local favorite, Indigo Kitchen & Ale House has over a dozen beers on tap and a wide selection of both wine and liquor. With friendly staff and a varied menu that runs from brunch to dinner as late as 11:00 p.m., this place readies itself to please at any time.

Whether you prefer your spice with an Indian twist or the classic Mexican sizzle, Martha Lake has you covered. Casa Guerrero outshines its strip mall locale with its tasty black bean soup. Its fresh guacamole atop marinated Tacos al pastor has earned it endorsements from former Californians and generated regular customers from around Lake Washington and farther north. Likewise, Clayput Cuisine of India's beloved naan bread draws hungry guests from all over, and its saag and its mango pudding both come highly recommended. Newcomers should stop by for its lunch buffet to sample a little bit of everything for around $10 a head.

When looking for something a little different, try the famous Bobby's Hawaiian Style Restaurant. This little gem was featured by Guy Fieri on Food Network and holds on to that fame with its kalua pig and beloved mochiko chicken.

To wind down, residents often head to Tablas Woodstone Taverna for delicious lamb sliders and sweet potato fries or flatbread topped with goat cheese that some call heavenly. Its drink menu includes everything from wine to martinis as well as a number of bottled and on tap beers. Another nearby favorite, the Jet Bar and Grill has live music on the weekends and trivia or beer pong tournaments during the week. Between the two, residents can always find something to do with their free evenings.

Sitting right above the meeting point of two major Interstates, I-5 and I-405, makes it easy for residents to access both the eastern and western sides of Lake Washington. The neighborhood also sits reasonably close to Everett. On average, residents commute a reasonable 30 minutes to work, and have easy access to nearby malls and shopping centers.

During rush hour, Interstates often slow to a halt. Commuters looking to avoid traffic turn to surface streets. The 527 runs south as far as Bothell, where it meets the 522, or drivers take it north into Silver Lake or the Everett Mall. Another convenient surface street, 164th St. SW runs east-west through Martha Lake's heart, giving residents access to North Lynnwood and Mill Creek.

With both Sound Transit and Community Transit buses servicing the area, public transportation provides another option for commuters. Sound Transit carries riders south into the Seattle area, while Community Transit heads north into Everett and further. Nearby park-and-ride stations, such as Ash Way and Swamp Creek in Lynnwood or McCollum Park and Mariner on Martha Lake's northern boarder, take the worries of traffic and parking out of the daily commute. For adults, fares average $2.00 on local routes and vary between $4 and $5.25 to surrounding areas. Orca passes can be purchased for $72 to $189.00 per month. Taxis are readily available but make sure to call ahead; Uber also services the area.

While the main streets do not have dedicated bike lanes, cycling and walking make for relatively easy ways to get around this small, residential neighborhood. Most streets have fairly low traffic, and the busier thoroughfares often possess sidewalks and wide shoulders.

Several small parks and a handful of local events bring the residents of Martha Lake together.

The neighborhood's namesake, Martha Lake Park, provides a natural haven from the urban world surrounding it. Visitors stroll the wetland boardwalk, fish from the docs, swim, picnic and bring their kids to the playground. Martha Lake Airport Park, a dog-friendly skate park, transitioned from a Second World War flight strip into a neighborhood park, and it delights residents as one of the area's best kept secrets. Another great place to take the kids to play or just stretch your legs at, Hillside Park on the edge of Mill Creek has basketball courts and large grassy areas where residents can soak up some sun as they play or picnic.

This canine-loving community easily accommodates dogs and their two-legged companions with Bring Fido events, which also lists events in nearby areas. Additionally, a number of local parks have off-leash areas. Cavalero Park provides 3 acres of dedicated dog fun, while Willis Tucker and Cavelero Parks each have playgrounds for kids to blow off some steam. Willis Tucker maintains a basketball court, and Cavelero has a multipurpose sports field for baseball and soccer games.

Every summer, swimmers around the area meet to compete in the Martha Lake Open Water Swim Series. Men and women compete in one-fourth-mile, half-mile, 1- and 2-mile races to win prizes. After the race, the event organizers put on a free sprint session open to everyone who wants to test their speed in the water. The event also includes an awards ceremony with food and drinks.

The cost of living in Martha Lake averages 11 percent above the state average and 24 percent above the national average, which makes it cheaper to live here than in nearby Mill Creek by about 8 percent. Housing and health care costs run high, while utilities actually cost less.

Health care aside, housing makes up the biggest expense in Martha Lake. Rentals go for an average of $1,243, with one-bedroom apartments running around $1,103.68 per month.

Coffee runs high, at $5.31 a cup on average, which puts it at 20.5 percent above the national rate, but many items cost less, bringing down the overall cost of living. For example, a beer goes for an average of $8.59, and pizza averages $9.00 a pie. Electricity costs almost 25 percent less than the national average, but gas runs 3.6 percent higher than the national average.

While Martha Lake has only a handful of its own shops, Mill Creek and Lynnwood open up a fairly wide selection of shops and markets to its residents.

A local shop, Khadijah's Blends crafts soaps and hair products from natural and organic ingredients to hydrate and pamper every inch of your body. From soaps and lotions to conditioners, detangling spray and curl enhancers, it has got just about everything you could want.

Just past Martha Lake's periphery, a collection of retails stores, boutiques and restaurants make up Mill Creek Town Center. Residents frequent Central Market for groceries. While prices can be a bit high at Belle Provence, it provide a great place to spoil yourself or a friend at with something lovely yet unique. Its friendly staff gladly helps you find just the right item, even if that means making a special order.

Not far away, the Alderwood Mall's collection of big name stores and smaller shops sell everything from clothing, jewelry and books to music, electronics and toys. A food court and surrounding restaurants keep shoppers well fed, and the AMC theater shows new releases on 16 screens.

While Martha Lake doesn't have a farmers market, several run seasonally in nearby cities, including the Sunshine Farmers Market in Lynnwood. Lynnwood's market provides shoppers with raw milk as well as a variety of fresh produce and eggs from local farms at low prices. On Fridays from June into September, the Everett Mall hosts a small farmers market with a decent selection that meets most produce needs.