826 Seattle is tucked away behind a deceptively small storefront for Greenwood Space Travel Supply…read moreCompany. Once you enter 826 itself, you'll stop and wonder if it's like the TARDIS or Mary Poppins' carpet bag! It's a wonderfully spacious and bright space that invites kids to sit down and get some homework done. This branch of 826 National opened in October 2005 and serves Seattle Public School District and greater Seattle area school districts. Its concept is a simple one: kids are welcome to come in for three hours after school. They may receive any sort of homework assistance in any subject from a trained 826 volunteer. The volunteer will help them and after the coursework is complete, the kids are encouraged to complete a half hour of reading with the tutor and also dedicate some time to writing. During the year, the centre hosts benefits like a dance marathon or their Mustache-a-Thon. And they have a softball team "The Oscar Wildes"... and here's where I need to be honest. I am a little biased. I know a half dozen 826'ers socially and every single one of them give tirelessly of their time to these kids that so desperately need it. And their satisfaction comes from the knowledge that the kids might get bitten by that bug... you know the one, the one that pushes us to learn more, be more, aspire for greater things! Keep up the great work, 826. You guys rock!

826 Seattle is simply awesome!…read more Started several years ago in San Francisco by talented author and McSweeny founder David Eggers and his wife, 826 Valencia had so many admirers back in my hometown. 826 is known for its youth-focused creative writing and tutoring programing, so when I noticed they had opened up shop in Seattle, I was thrilled to check out their workshops for our little writer. For the most part, the classes are geared to kids aged 6-18, We have a tough customer in our midst--thoughtful, independent, creative, and opinionated. Our little Mark Twain Jr. came from the 826 workshop beaming and excited about the creative writing project she is working on in class. That is always the best gauge as far as I am concerned! The workshop space is a hidden but large, colorful classroom area behind their retail space. The teacher to student ratios in her class were generous to ensure all kids are getting great instruction and guidance. The teachers are young and energetic, the space was inviting, and the classes (I can't believe this) for now are gratis. That' free, people! For this reason, they seem to want to understandably touch the most students possible, so if your are enrolled in one class, they will only wait list you in another. Seems fair. What a great mission: spreading creativity, excitement about writing, improving writing skills and doing the community a great service. Anything purchased in their retail shop (think robots, space travel oriented items, and art books) supports the 826 organization and funds classes. A great spot for innovative programming for kids not geared to route memorization, competition and test taking. Here's to thoughtful kids who think differently and enjoy creating and writing!

We did a mini photo shoot with Anna, and she was fabulous. We brought our dogs, who are not the…read moreeasiest models, and she was so sweet with them. Pictures usually feel so awkward, but she made it feel super casual and fun (can't believe I am describing family photos as fun), and they flew by so fast. The photos turned out INCREDIBLE, it felt like she really captured our family. She also got them back to us several days sooner than she told us, which is always a plus! Thank you Anna!

Our family loved working with Anna - she knew how to put everyone at ease quickly. My kids were…read moreeven excited to run into her the following weekend at the Tree Farm - that's the kind of impression and warmth she created in just a 30 minute mini-session! Photos were fantastic and felt like "us". We found our family photographer!

Both of my children were fortunate to work with Louisa to augment their writing education. She…read moreprovided the resources for them to develop their writing skills beyond what they were learning in traditional classrooms. Louisa's care and concern for her students far surpasses grammar and style choices. Louisa is invested in her students and provides a powerful partner to their education. Louisa made writing fun! Both of my now college students are eager to continue to develop their writing via Skype sessions!

From the owner: Louisa Peck TUTORS individuals in all aspects of English and writing well, from business…read moreprofessionals who want to sharpen their skills to ESL learners working on grammar and pronunciation. Drawing on over twenty years of teaching college English, she can adjust lessons to fit your exact level and needs. She also works with creative writers, bloggers, and high school or college students. As an EDITOR, Louisa works with dissertations, personal statements, and other documents that need to be perfect.

Anna is such a sweet girl, she has been there to help my son through his harder times in learning…read more She just has a way of explaining it in a way for him to understand it. I would highly recommend her because she's truly good at what she does and she's just a sweet reliable girl.

Ms. Anna is amazing! She has been tutoring our 5th grade daughter for about 5 months and she has…read moredone a remarkable job with her comprehension, story retention, and teaching how to identify passages within a story. I cannot express enough compliments on the results we are seeing in such a short amount of time. As we venture into middle school I do not see us stopping now. She's very patient and kind - I've seen better results with her than I have with learning centers we have used in the past.

So kind and welcoming! I had never gone to a fitness class before this because I usually struggle…read moreso much being a beginner and feeling comfortable in athletic places. I feel so safe at Positive Spin that I finally feel excited to be active.

The most inclusive and welcoming pole studio ever!! When I took dance classes in high school, the…read moreenvironment was very intense and there was a lot of pressure to behave and look a certain way. So when I started at Positive Spin three years ago, I was initially intimidated and expected a similar level of intensity. But the vibe here is very different. All the instructors encourage individuality and choosing your own adventure. I like knowing that whether I am trying to train really hard or just have a more lowkey day, I can always show up and get something out of class. Also the community is the best. Everyone is incredibly supportive and there is always lots of cheering in class.

What an innovative and exciting concept, and a great way to learn to sew! Appropriate for all ages…read moreand skill levels, and an exceptionally approachable staff.

I haven't sewn since high school home ec. Why? Because who really has: #1 the money to purchase…read morea sewing machine and #2 the room to store it. Not I, that's for sure. There have been times I've been looking for a certain cute top, wanting to repair my favorite article of clothing, or something along those lines in which I needed a sewing machine. Instead of buying one (absurd!) I just lived without or tossed the damaged item. NO LONGER! Made offers hourly sewing machine use, they have all the supplies you will need including super cute fabrics right there (and by cute I don't mean Disney print fleece) and they also have (and this is the huge plus) the people that know what they're doing and are there to help. Yup. I'm sold. They even offer classes - including one on making jeans, which I am super stoked for because it means no more hours in the dressing room trying to find the perfect fit. Also, want to teach your kid how to sew? You can do that here too! I heard they're having a bunch of classes during winter vacation for when kids are out of school - what a great time for some mother-daughter bonding! You can purchase time by the hour or buy weekly or month passes and luckily Greenwood is still the land of free street parking, and there's plenty of it, so you can get right in and get your sew on. So as you can tell, I'm in love. Leave it to Greenwood to have yet another super cute and unique shop, making me wish I still lived there...*sigh*.