c/bothell-wa-locals

Shoutout to the guy who told me to try North Creek Trails for trail running

I used to stick to the paved paths at Blyth Park but after a friend dragged me out to North Creek last weekend, I'm NEVER going back. The dirt is way softer on my knees and I saw a whole family of deer around mile 2. Has anyone else found a hidden gem trail around here they want to share?

TIL my neighbor actually had a point about my lawn watering schedule

Was out watering my grass the other day and old Mr. Patterson from down the street walked over. He said I was wasting water by doing it every evening when the sun is still up, said I should do it at 5am instead. I blew him off at first but then I looked at my water bill and it was $87 higher than last month. Tried his way for a week and my lawn looks better and my bill dropped like $20 already. Anyone else have a neighbor who gave you advice that actually worked?

I used to think the new park near downtown was a waste of space

For a year I grumbled every time I drove past that empty lot on 103rd, figured they could've put a grocery store there instead. Then last Saturday I walked my dog through it during the farmers market setup and saw maybe 50 people just sitting on the grass chatting. Someone told me the city planted those big cedars specifically to cut down on street noise, and honestly the place felt totally different from the car. Has anyone else had a moment where a local project totally surprised you?

Careful with the new crosswalk lights on Main Street

I jogged through that new flashing crosswalk near the coffee shop last week and almost ate pavement - they changed the timing without any warning. The countdown goes way faster than the old ones, like 10 seconds instead of 20. Has anyone else nearly gotten smoked by a car there?

Appreciation post: the new little free library down on Main Street

I grabbed a near-mint copy of a gardening book from there last Tuesday that I'd been wanting for months. Has anyone else found anything good in the new batch of boxes around town?

I finally gave up on the popular Thai place near Country Village

For the longest time I thought Siam Thai on Bothell Way was the best around here, you know? But last Thursday I ordered their pad see ew and it came out soggy with way too much sauce, like a pool of it at the bottom of the container. I always defended them to my wife when she said the quality dropped off after the new owners took over about 2 years ago. Then I tried that little spot called Baan Thai up by the QFC on 185th and the noodles had that perfect char and chew. The portion was bigger too for only $13. So I guess I was just stuck in my ways with the old place. Has anyone else found a better Thai spot hiding in the area that I should check out next?

Just realized the coffee shop on Main St has a secret menu item that actually tastes good

I kept getting the same boring latte at Grounds & Hounds for two years. Everyone raves about their vanilla bean, but I think it tastes like syrup. One day the barista said "try the maple cardamom latte, it's not on the board." I gave it a shot last Tuesday and it's way better than anything listed. The cardamom cuts the sweet, and it's only $4.50. Has anyone else found hidden drinks around Bothell that beat the regular menu?

That census map showing Bothell as mostly 1-car households caught me off guard

I was digging through the 2023 American Community Survey data the other night, and something wild jumped out. Over 60% of households in the 98011 zip code report having just one vehicle or none at all. That surprised me because everyone I know around here drives a truck or SUV, but the numbers don't lie. Is that why parking at Canyon Park is always a nightmare, or are people actually walking more than I think?

Found a shortcut for getting those stubborn car registration stickers off at the DMV

Last week I was at the Bothell DMV trying to peel off my old tabs from the license plate. You know how they get all crusty and stuck after a year in the rain. The lady at the counter told me to try a hair dryer on low heat for like 30 seconds before peeling. I figured why not give it a shot since I was already frustrated. It actually worked way better than my old method of scraping with a razor blade. No paint peeling or scratched plate this time. Has anyone else tried this trick or got another way that works for the sticky residue?

My driveway drain pipe cracked underground last week during that heavy rain

I noticed standing water near the garage and dug down to find the corrugated pipe split open from root pressure. Had to rent a trencher and replace a 20 foot section, which cost $180. Anyone else had underground drainage fail like this in Bothell?

Paid $200 for a cheap pressure washer from Harbor Freight and it died after 3 uses

My ice maker died on a hot Saturday

Last weekend the ice maker in my Whirlpool fridge just stopped making ice completely, right before we had the whole family over for a barbecue. Turns out the water line filter was completely clogged after I skipped changing it for about 8 months. Anyone else had this happen and found a cheap fix besides just swapping the filter?

Three hours lost to a faulty water meter reading in Bothell

I spent my entire Saturday morning fighting with the city about my water bill. They claimed I used 8,000 gallons last month, which is impossible for my 850 square foot house. After driving down to city hall and waiting in line for 45 minutes, they finally admitted the meter was busted. The whole thing took three hours and I still have to wait another week for a corrected bill. Has anyone else had this kind of run-around from the city utilities office?

Had a coffee with the owner of that vintage shop on Main St last weekend

She told me she's been running that place for 22 years on zero debt cause she bought the building back in 2003 before prices went nuts. Made me rethink how I'm always chasing the next side hustle instead of just buying one thing and sitting on it. Anyone else feel like we're all kinda spinning our wheels here?

Appreciation post: The waitress at 3rd Place books who told me to put the phone down

I was sitting in the cafe area at 3rd Place Books in Lake Forest Park last Saturday. Lookin at my phone while waiting for my coffee. This older waitress came by and just said "hey, look up for a second." Not rude but firm. She pointed over to a kid maybe 7 years old reading a big dinosaur book at the table next to me. Said that kid noticed I was on my phone the whole time and asked his mom why grown ups do that. Made me feel like a real jerk honestly. I put the phone away and actually talked to her for a minute about how the place has been there since the 90s. Anyone else have a stranger call them out like that?

Tried to fix my own dryer and it took way longer than I expected

My dryer stopped heating last Tuesday so I thought I'd save some money and fix it myself. Watched a few YouTube videos, ordered a $35 thermal fuse from Amazon, and spent 3 hours taking the thing apart just to realize it was actually a bad heating element. Had to wait another 2 days for the right part to arrive and now I'm wondering if I should have just called an appliance repair place from the start. Has anyone else in Bothell had good luck with a local repair shop for this kind of thing?

Heard a guy at McMenamins talking about his 20 year old lawnmower still running strong

I was grabbing a burger last Saturday and overheard this guy telling his friend he still uses a Craftsman mower from 2004 and never even changed the oil. Made me think about how I swap out tools every few years when something new comes out. What's the oldest thing in your garage that still works like new?

Finally caved and tried that new pho place on Main St

I was always suspicious of places that pop up overnight in old storefronts, especially after that one turned into a vape shop in 3 months. But the broth at Pho 425 actually had real depth, like someone spent hours on it instead of opening a can. Has anybody else given it a shot yet or am I just lucky?

PSA: My simple mailbox repair turned into a 3 day project

I tried to fix a loose hinge on my mailbox last Saturday morning and ended up having to dig up the whole post because the wood was rotted underneath. What should have been a 30 minute screw tightening turned into three days of concrete mixing and waiting for rain to stop. Has anyone else had a simple home fix turn into a full weekend ordeal?

Finally picked a new vet for my dog over in Canyon Park

I was stuck between the big animal hospital on Bothell Everett Highway and the smaller clinic near the post office, and went with the smaller one because they could see us the next day. My anxious shepherd actually seemed calmer there, which was a huge relief. Anyone have good experiences with vets on this side of town?

Heads up about the trail conditions at North Creek Park

The boardwalk section near the wetland loop was completely flooded yesterday, water was over the planks. Anyone know if the city has a plan to address the drainage there?

Crossed 15 years living in Bothell and the number hit me harder than I expected.

That's over a decade and a half of watching Main Street change, and honestly, I think we've lost more local character than we've gained with all the new development.

I was reading the city's park plan and found out Bothell has over 600 acres of park land

I was looking at the new city website update last night, trying to find the hours for Blyth Park. I clicked on the 'Our Parks' section and saw a small note that said Bothell manages more than 600 acres of public park space. I always knew we had a lot of green space, but I had no idea it was that much. It made me realize I've probably only seen a small part of it. What's your favorite smaller park in town that most people might not know about?

Update: The new park benches at North Creek Trail are already covered in bird poop

I went for a walk there yesterday and every single bench along the first half mile was a total mess. It's like the geese have claimed them as their own personal targets. Does the city have a plan to clean these or are we just supposed to avoid sitting down now?

Appreciation post: Tried two different plumbers for a leak under my sink on Main Street

The first guy wanted to replace the whole unit for $800, but the second just swapped a $15 washer in 10 minutes. Anyone know a good local handyman for small jobs like that?