Missed Opportunities…read more When I think of this bridge, I think of missing the ferry to Seattle, and having to drive around the island to get home. I think of visiting friends who live on Bainbridge, which in turn makes me think of the Wicker Man. I think of the nights spent at the nearby Clearwater Casino, dancing the night away in a smoke filled room. I also think of Laura.. If you look to the left when leaving Bainbridge, you can see the log where they found Laura Palmer's body in the pilot of David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

I'm a fan of bridges as long as they're not too far off the ground (or water). This bridge is a…read moresteel one that felt very safe. I wanted to get under the bridge in order to take a few pictures. Finding a way under the bridge is not an easy task for a tourist. I used maps to find the roads that would lead me there but had a number of wrong turns and dead ends. Finally, just by chance, I turned my head and saw a path down to the beach. The path is not appropriate for everyone - it was muddy, slippery, and had a bit of an incline. Wearing the wrong shoes could also ruin your day. The beach was full of clam shells and rocks with barnacles. There were a lot of birds and the water flowed at a brisk pace under the bridge. The bridge itself had vines growing on the outer posts away from the water. It was great for photos and my family loved the adventure!

Went to Bainbridge Island recently, we thought to come check out one of the troll statues around…read morethe Seattle area. We haven't seen this one so it was on our list while in the area. We took the ferry to come over from Seattle, we did not bring our car. It's about a 1.5 +/- mile walk from the ferry terminal, with some internet searching we were able to find one of the trailhead entrances, follow the loop trail then find Pia. It's just beyond one of the main parking lots. If you end up by the tennis courts, you've gone too far. Walking back to the main downtown strip area is about another 1.5 miles. When we got there, luckily no one was there, we had the place to ourselves for a while to get some photos, and check it out at our own pace. It's pretty cool to see, worth coming by when on Bainbridge Island. I believe this is my 4th troll statue I've seen in the Seattle area.

Pia the Peacekeeper, the 18-foot giant troll sculpture on Bainbridge Island by Danish artist Thomas…read moreDambo, took approximately seven days to two weeks to make. She was so cool to see, this is our second troll to visit while being in this beautiful state! We decided to spend our last day experiencing the ferry ride and go across to Bainbridge and enjoy the afternoon and grab lunch and visit Pea. Such a went quaint little town look forward to visiting again.

The Bainbridge Island Ferry had me living out my Grey's Anatomy dreams. We traveled between Seattle…read moreand Bainbridge for an afternoon of wine tasting. We drove a car onto the ferry. On the way there, we got in line about 40 minutes early, so we were able to easily get onto the ferry. However, on the way back, there were a lot of cars in line, so we weren't able to get on the first ferry we were waiting for. The ferries were also backed up, so we waited in line for a bit over an hour. We were in great company, so it was not an issue at all, but it's something to be aware of if you're on a time crunch. There's a lot of unpredictability that can come with the ferry, so you have to give yourself enough time! Once on the ferry, we got out of our cars and explored. The ferry gives gorgeous views of the shoreline including the Space Needle and observation wheel. There's plenty of space inside with lots of tables and chairs. We got a little booth and played card games. The ride itself is so short that I actually could've enjoyed a little more time on the ferry. The ferry is a fun way to explore the islands and the ability to bring on a car adds to the accessibility of exploration on the other end!

Please don't miss taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. It's a short 35 minute ride with great…read moreviews! The ticket is $8.50. There are plenty of snacks you can get on the ferry. Service is great. The ferries run all year.

I'm giving this grocery store/restaurant 5 stars because it merits more than just a 4-star 'Good'…read morerating. If Yelp allowed it I'd give it a 4.5. Our son's been wanting to take us here for a long time and chose this, our first visit, as his wedding anniversary gift to us, his very dear and suffocatingly loving parents. The first thing that struck us were the variety of Italian foods and ingredients for sale in the grocery part of the restaurant. I bought the Garlic Scape Pesto because I've never had that type of pesto sauce so, why not? The staff at the front counter, who also doubled as hosts and wait staff, were very friendly. We arrived early for our reservation and only had a short wait before being seated at our table. We sat in the larger, outdoor section that was inside a tent. Our table offered great views of the outside and of the restaurant interior. I'm not sure why but when our son called in our reservation we had to pre-order our dishes and he had to pay for it then. The benefit of this was that after we were seated our orders came to our table within 10 minutes. We ordered the Vr11 Caesar Salad (which came with lemon-infused croutons!), two wood-fired pizzas and the Eggplant Parmigiana. The Caesar Salad appeared modest but when eating it, the lemon-infused croutons gave it a wow factor. My pizza was the Pizza Calabrese with two types of spicy Calabrian sausage, a Tropea Onion Jam, scarmozza (smoked mozzarella cheese, roast red peppers and grana padano. I didn't really get the smokiness in the cheese nor did the sausage chunks on pizza taste that spicy. But the clear star of the show was that Tropea Onion Jam which WAS spicy because I think 'NDuja sausage was mixed in with it. THERE was the heat I was looking for within a huge burst of flavor. That jam alone made the pizza. Our son loved his Pizza Carbonara ("It was amazing!") with the large dollops of stracciatella cheese with cured egg yolk, and curled guanchiale (pork jowl). This was our first tasting of guanchiale (our son graciously let me sample his pizza) and it was good. It was more like sliced pancetta and it was good. He loved his pizza but I tell ya, mine with that onion jam had already won me over. How much did my wife enjoy her Eggplant Parmigiana (which she also let me sample)? My wife usually doesn't finish her restaurant entrees. She finished this one. Nice marinara sauce flavors mixed with grated Grana Padano cheese and tender sliced grilled eggplant. I didn't pick up any grilled flavor from the eggplant but the dish was delicious. This was our son's second visit and we'd like to return for his third and our second. Both the grocery and restaurant are definite winners.

3.5 stars. Decent food and decent ambiance. We came here for lunch on a Sat afternoon and got…read moreseated quickly. Their process is that you order at the counter first and then they seat you. We were in the covered patio and it was heated, which worked well since it got cooler and rainy within a few minutes of us getting there. Their ambiance is casual and they have servers but you don't end up interacting much with them. We ordered the margherita pizza, the funghi e tartufo, the hot lovers pasta with shrimp (level 3 spice), the spinach ravioli. Everything was delicious. My personal favorite was the mushroom pizza and the hot lovers pasta. The pasta definitely had a kick to it for level 3. The shrimp could have been replaced with alternative meat option because it didn't absorb the sauce like I would have liked it to. The ravioli was done well. The margherita was very tasty. They gave bread with the pasta but it was just super bland and there was no olive oil or butter with it. Overall, decent place to come and get a quick, filling meal. They could work on their table accompaniments more.

The pizza we ordered was quite delectable and caesar salad was plentiful. Ambiance was vibrant and…read moreservice is outstanding. The only downside I can say is that the place gets a little loud when it is packed.

Pizza is adequate but overpriced…read more My problem with them is with their check calculations. We had a party of five and the check arbitrarily added 20% for 'Large Party Gratuity". Then, after giving my credit card, the final bill for signature had an added a 3% credit card surcharge. And, on top of that sales tax added onto the whole total (meal, large party gratuity & credit car surcharge). AND, there was a line to add and additional tip. Total bill was 35% more than the cost of the meal. I probably would have given a 20% tip, but resent the fact that they arbitrarily added the large party gratuity. I don't recall anything on the menu that gave a forewarning of the large party tip adder nor the 3% credit card surcharge. I think this should be more prominent on their menu. Also, charging sales tax on the gratuity and credit card surcharge is highly unusual.

I cannot say enough great things about the whole Cedar Springs team but especially Betsy. We got…read moremarried 8.16.25 and our day couldn't have been more magical. From the very first meeting to look at the venue almost two years ago, Betsy has been a pleasure to work with. She was accommodating, had great insight and was quick to find solutions for anything that came up over the last two years of planning. Communication is seamless with the whole team, and the services offered for decor are absolutely incredible. I highly recommend the draping and candle services offered by Lindsey, the venue is drop dead gorgeous all on its own however Lindseys special touch really takes it to the next level. The big day was a dream, and I have been told over 100 times by multiple people that this is the best venue they have ever been to. The love, time and care that Betsy gives to the venue really shines through. I will forever be grateful for Betsy and her family for sharing their home with us and giving me and my husband a day we will never forget. Along with Betsy and her family, we had a great team of vendors, which I have to give a shout out here to those that are on the venues preferred vendor list, you should absolutely check them out. Music/Emcee- DJZ Entertainment (preferred vendor) Betsy recommend DJZ and their crew, they kept the party going all night long. They brought the energy and the good vibes, but more than that they are very familiar with the venues setup and made the transition from the ceremony island to the reception area completely seamless. Bartender- Beverly Beloved (preferred vendor)- friendly professional and quick service also very price friendly and helpful during planning. All in all, this was absolutely the best day of our lives thus far and it was all thanks to Betsy!

My daughter chose this venue with her then fiancé. The location is magical and enchanting. You must…read moreuse their recommended wedding planner planner with CME experience. She made every person feel as she was personally taking care of them. She is so knowledgeable kind and patient. I have never been involved with a wedding that ran smoother. It is mostly outdoor, but luckily the sun broke through the week of rain for us. There are many lovely waterfront homes available for rent at reasonable prices. It was a wonderful weekend and a beautiful wedding that will be remembered forever.

I visited Silverdale Waterfront Park on a busy Saturday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow much parking was still available. If you arrive early, there's also street parking close to the gazebo, which looked like a popular spot for family gatherings and small get-togethers. I spent some time walking along the waterfront paths and exploring the docks and pier. If you're not a fan of heights or being over the water, parts of the dock might feel a little intimidating. The boards are older and somewhat uneven in places, but everything felt sturdy, safe, and added to the rustic charm of the park. The weathered wood and waterfront views make for a great aesthetic, especially if you enjoy photography. Another nice feature is the local businesses nearby. Whether you're looking to grab a beer, a coffee, or something to eat, everything is within a short walking distance. If you're visiting Silverdale and want a relaxing place to take photos, have a picnic, enjoy a family outing, or simply take a peaceful walk by the water, this park is definitely worth a stop. Be sure to check out the photos and videos we captured with our Fujifilm cameras they really showcase how beautiful this area can be.

We wanted a playground with great views of the water after brunch in Silverdale and this is it!read more

The Buy Nothing Project is an online community where people give and receive goods for free…read more According to its website, the project has millions of members across dozens of countries, and it has helped to divert many thousands of tons of waste from landfills each year. People may either join a local Buy Nothing group on Facebook or download the Buy Nothing app. Weeks ago, I had three pieces of furniture--a desk, a bookcase, and a bench--that I wanted to give away for free. The thrift stores near me had no space for additional inventory. One of my neighbors and one of my friends recommended that I join a Buy Nothing (BN) group on Facebook. My neighbor said that she tried to invite me to our local BN group on Facebook, but I never received the invitation. Therefore, I directly requested to join the group, but the admin apparently never reviewed applications, because after weeks of time, I saw that the group had 0 new members in recent weeks and that my request to join was still listed as "pending." I ended up paying $185 to a junk-removal business to transport my desk to a landfill, and I discarded the bookcase and bench through my trash company for free. Afterward, I found the Buy Nothing Project's website, and it mentioned an app that I could download to my phone. The app contains some local listings, and people seem to successfully give and receive some things through it. Too bad that I did not know about this app previously. Some things to know about the app: It offers both free Standard and paid Sustaining memberships. Furthermore, a Pro plan allows you to bump your posts, get alerts for searches, save five locations, and more for $29.99 per year or $2.99 per month.

So this is actually a Facebook collection of pages that's gone worldwide…read more Founded around 2013, on Bainbridge Island, this idea took off and is now worldwide. Here's the idea - you gift and share local to you. It's all done through fb pages, which have local admins, and local members. A specific area is determined. If you live within those boundaries you are eligible to be a member. You can only belong to one group, because you are supposed to "give where you live". As you clean out your basement and find that old tennis racquet you never used - you can gift it here. Looking for a pair of rollerblades? Ask for it here. You never know. I've seen snowblowers given away, treadmills asked for and received, and someone who needed 6 rubber bands got them. So nothing is too big or small an ask. The fundamental are: Get to know your neighbors. Keep things out of landfills Ask for knowledge - where is the best hiking? No commerce - so no money. No selling or buying. It's all freely gifted. All under the umbrella of being kind and sharing. You can find your own local page by searching through the Buynothingproject.org page. Or searching fb.