South Juanita - Kirkland, WA

Originally home to the Duwamish tribe who's village sat at the mouth of Juanita Creek, now part of Juanita Beach Park. Here they harvested wapatoes (a type of potato that grows in water). In the 1890s, long time resident of the area Martin W. Hubbard constructed a dock along the lake. From this small construction project, a village grew up along the shoreline and was named Hubbard in his honor. Various farms covered the landscape, but it wasn't until the 1920s that the area really began to see any action. Juanita Beach Resort and the construction of Lake Washington Boulevard brought businesses into the area. It wasn't until the 1960s that the city saw it's first suburban shopping center and bank, at which point homestead transformed into subdivisions and the sleepy farming village joined the city of Kirkland. To this day, South Juanita still resembles a resort community.

At the heart of South Juanita, residents gather day and night to savor everything from coffee to wine and ethnic cuisine in between. Juanita has something for every part of the day and every kind of taste.

Start the day off right with a salted maple latte from Urban Coffee Lounge, and come back for the live music and a glass of mulled wine to wrap it up. Their local ingredients extend from the bar to the pastry case, with a variety of organic breakfast or lunch items. You'll also find locally baked pastries and gourmet truffles.

Fast food doesn't have to be greasy or unhealthy in Juanita. Stop by for the Mongolian Grill for lunch, where you'll find a buffet of fresh ingredients to your choosing. If you're in the mood for fish, there's always Spud Fish and Chips, a local favorite. Or head over to AA Sushi, where a variety of fresh sushi dishes weave their way through the tables via conveyor belt.

Dine indoors or out at Royal India. This chic Indian restaurant boasts a five-star rating that's well deserved. Start the meal off with the Royal India or Vegetable Delight and don't forget to try their amazing spiced chai. What's dinner without a show though? Royal India sets the stage right on Friday nights with live music and periodic shows such as belly dancing.

Stay out late for drinks at the Juanita Pub or slip into the chic Brix Wine Cafe. The affectionately dubbed J-Pub puts the game on and has a variety of games to keep you entertained as you drink the night away. While the service at this “bro bar” can be a bit shaky at times, many residents can't get enough of the upbeat, busy vibe that takes them back to their college days, not to mention the drink specials. If you prefer a classier experience, sample the extensive wine list of the Brix Wine Cafe.

South Juanita sits just a little east of Interstate 405 and accesses downtown Kirkland or any of the cities north easily via the 405. During rush hour, however, it's best to avoid the 405 in favor of surface streets such as 100th Ave NE (running north-south) or NE 124th St. which runs east towards Totem Lake. Drivers won't find much public parking, however.

Cyclists will only find the occasional bike lane around the neighborhood, but they can find a number of dedicated bike lanes and bike friendly streets outside of South Juanita, including a path into downtown Kirkland and the road leading up to St. Edward Park. While Juanita doesn't go out of its way to be bike friendly, it is most certainly pedestrian friendly. Wide sidewalks and plenty of cross walks make it easy to make your way into and around the neighborhood's heart.

Multiple metro and Sound Transit buses run between downtown Kirkland and north to the top of Lake Washington, passing through Juanita's main drag on their way. Fares average around $3 per trip, but Metro buses have 2-hour transfers that help cut costs on quick trips.

There's plenty to see and do around South Juanita, with several nearby parks and yearly events.

Each summer, Kirkland puts on weekly concerts through the months of July and August. Children's concerts are held at Juanita Beach Park every Tuesday morning, and evening concerts take place in Marina Park on Thursdays.

Downtown Kirkland hosts a monthly Art Walk every second Friday that leads residents through galleries and businesses as they savor the art, music, wine and coffee of Kirkland.

Juanita Beach Park makes up a large part of South Juanita's center and provides beautiful views of Lake Washington, swimming and lots of room to stretch your legs. Being both kid and dog friendly, this park draws members of the whole community and provides a beautiful escape from daily life. Wandering along Juanita Creek, residents often spot Bald Eagles and other feathered neighbors perched in overhanging branches or making their way to the water's edge.

Just beyond Juanita's north eastern border sits St. Edward State Park, one of the areas most popular places to spend a sunny weekend. Buying a Discover Pass would be well worth the annual $30 fee for this park alone, as it has so much to offer, but a $10 day pass is also available. Families and dog owners alike love the wide open spaces and large playground. The park also has many trails that meander through an unspoiled patch of forest until they come together at the shore of Lake Washington, revealing a small beach area with swimming and views of Seattle.

The overall cost of living in the Kirkland area is 44.3 percent higher than the national average, but only 29.2 percent above Washington State's average. To put that into specifics, gas prices run about 17 percent above the national average in the Kirkland Area, but you can snag a $4 beer or $5 hamburger at the J-Pub. One-bedroom apartments average around $1,445 per month.

Yoga and massage studios dot the area, but aside from a Michael's for crafting supplies and a Walgreen's drug store, one of the few non-food joints in South Juanita is Everyday Athlete, where runners can find just about anything they might need for any season. Besides clothing and shoes, Everyday Athlete has a few sporty toys like GPS watches and heart rate monitors.

Residents can find a whole host of boutiques in downtown Kirkland from Asher Goods, for men's wear and accessories, to Serendipity for its new and consigned fashion for women. Both have a variety of chic clothing options, but besides attire, Asher Goods features a variety of men's watches, backpacks, eye wear, hunting gear, and more. Serendipity on the other hand leans towards less practical options, such as jewelry made from semiprecious stones and fashionable scarves and bags that tie outfits together.

Bargain hunters will love Eastside Community Aid, an all-volunteer-run, nonprofit thrift store near where NE 124th St meets I-405. Here, shoppers can find deals on a wide selection of household items and office supplies, clothing and jewelry, and it passes profits on to local causes.

A QFC on NE 124th St. or one up Juanita Dr. NE and a Safeway up 100th Ave NE provide the closest grocery shopping. Otherwise, residents of South Juanita drive into downtown Kirkland or frequent Totem Lake to find groceries and other household necessities.

The local farmers market provides the only place in South Juanita proper to buy produce. It sets up in Juanita Beach Park each May and runs every Friday until the end of September.