The two streets of Pike and Pine run parallel from downtown Seattle up to the top of the Capitol Hill ridge. Both are major commercial hubs in themselves and they are intimately connected by the numerous quiet side streets that also contain a unique mix of establishments. As Seattle's original "Auto Row" many of the buildings are old garages, warehouses, or car show rooms that have been repurposed as theaters, bars, apartments, and stores. Intermixed with the old are also a number of newer buildings that add to the eclectic mix of architecture and size, which ranges from 1 to 6 stories.

The very walkable Pike and Pine streets slowly slope up from Seattle's famous Pike Place Market up to the center of the Pike/Pine neighborhood with shops and eateries all along the route. At least 5 major bus routes connect the downtown core to the neighborhood as well. Running perpendicular through the center of the Pike/Pine neighborhood is Broadway Ave, which is in itself a major arterial for the First Hill and Capitol Hill neighborhoods, with great walking and bus routes. Within the neighborhood itself the two parrallel E/W Pike and Pine streets have most of the major bars, restaurants, and clubs. The sidewalks are very wide with many crosswalks and crossing bulbs. For quieter, more intimate places one goes to the N/S side streets that connect the two. These don't have great sidewalks but the very limited traffic means that most people just walk through the middle of the streets. The surrounding neighborhood is the densest part of Seattle (denser than downtown) and so there are many people who get their by walking. In addition, there are two major colleges, Seattle University and Seattle Central Community College which skirt Pike/Pine and bring lots of walkers. It is also adjacent to Cal Anderson park, one of Seattle's greatest urban parks.

Day and night the place is lively with people. The eclectic mix of buildings and the numerous bars and coffee shops with outdoor seating make it visually stimulating and comfortable. The street width to building height ratio makes it feel open and very safe, along with the many people of course. None of the streets are major arterials so cars do not overwhelm the space. Traffic is light enough that crosswalks do not generally have lights, so people can cross when the want and vehicles are suppose to stop.

The uses are so varied it is mind boggling. For the daily workers and college students there are many coffee shops and quick lunch time eateries. For the casual shopper their are artsy boutiques, vintage clothing stores, designer furniture stores, and art and music shops. The auto row heritage still persists with a number of auto repair garages and some high end auto showrooms. At night it is the most lively place in Seattle. Famous music venues such as The Comet and Nuemo's are right at the heart of the hood. There are tons of small theaters, many of which are hard to find if you don't know where to look. A few old garages have been turned into private venues and it is always interesting to peak in to see who and what is being celebrated. There is also the North West Film Forum which plays some of Seattle's most unique mix of films. The best part of the neighborhood though is the Century Ballroom, housed on the upper floor of the newly restored Oddfellows Hall. On summer evenings the music from this venue fills the air and is anywhere from salsa, to baroque, to tango depending on the evening. In the 1980's and early 90's this was the center of Seattle's gay culture. Today many of the old gay bars and dance clubs, which are still gay-themed but not exclusive, mix with a host of hipster and upscale bars and restaurants. A number of family friendly dessert shops have opened over the last year as well including Molly Moon's Ice Cream, Old School Frozen Custard, Bluebird Ice Cream and Tea House, and Cupcake Royale. I should mention that right next to the Pike/Pine hub is Cal Anderson park where, every Tuesday and Friday night year round people come out to play dodgeball. From high school to adult anyone is welcome to join in at any time and many of the people and families who get dessert walk over to the park to sit in the grass or watch dodgeball, especially in the summer.

It is most certainly a celebratory place, almost always. As mentioned early, all of the surrounding neighborhoods walk here as the main commercial center but throughout the Puget Sound region it is known as a destination, so it attracts both locals and visitors. Many people come here alone to study over a cup of coffee or to join in a pick up game of dodgeball or basketball, or just to bike through to see the action. Others come alone to go see a particular music show or theater production that they are interested in. But overall it is certainly a place for friends and family. A place to take your visiting cousins for the best ice cream in the city or to go out for a nice dinner to celebrate with your friends. Or for some friday night dancing.

Great Seattle Times article on the neighborhood here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2010786373_pacificpvillage24.html