From Don

From Don Thank you for another great year! Dear friends, As the end of the year approaches, I find myself thinking about all that I have to be thankful for — good friends, family, our health, home and garden, and of course, our two fur babies, Dylan and Dexter. I’m also grateful for your business, referrals and support over the years. Without it, […]
From Don Gratitude Dear friends, I hope this season finds you and your loved ones happy and healthy. I’m grateful that things are finally returning to some semblance of normal after more than two years of relative isolation. Seeing and spending time with family and friends again is food for the soul. Professionally, I’ve been fortunate to have […]
From Don Gratitude 2021 Dear friends, I hope the season finds you and yours with much to be thankful for. After another challenging year for so many, it’s more important than ever to see the beauty in life and the good in others. On that note, I have a lot to be grateful for this year—friends, family, our health, home […]
From Don FROM DON: An Attitude of Gratitude Dear friends, I hope this letter finds you healthy and well. This year has been a challenge on so many levels that I’m finding it even more important than ever to focus on all that I have to be grateful for. Allen and I have our health, our home, our loyal pugs Dylan and Dexter, […]
From Don How to Have Loads of Halloween Fun without Trick-or-Treating With new Halloween guidelines just issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that door-to-door trick-or-treating, indoor haunted houses, costume parties and “trunk or treating,” where children go from car to car to receive treats, are considered “higher risk activities” that should be avoided this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
DIY Virtual Tour of Alan & Don’s Latest DIY Home Project: New Slate Covered Stairs & Patio As the son of a building contractor, I developed a passion for home building and learned so much from my Dad about almost every aspect of the building trades. I eventually became an electrician, ran my own electrical contracting company for 10 years, and then purchased and remodeled two homes. These days, my partner Alan […]
From Don RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Matador in Ballard Alan and I have been going to The Matador for a few years and have always enjoyed the happy hour. It’s a great bargain featuring Romaine Wedge, Tortilla Chicken Soup, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Black Bean Dip, and Grande Nachos for $5 each. They also have Street Tacos (three for $5). We usually make a meal […]
From Don RESTAURANT REVIEW: Columbia City Ale House We have been going to Columbia City Ale House almost every Friday since they opened more than 20 years ago. It’s our “Cheers,” where all the servers know our name, we know theirs, and our drinks show up shortly after we arrive without a word. We started the tradition because we like to eat out […]
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From Don RESTAURANT REVIEW: Columbia City’s Bananas Grill Bananans Grill is an authentic Mediterranean halal fast food restaurant that serves delicious home-style dishes. Many entrées come with a variety of halal meat options, such as gyros, shawarmas, and halal hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Specialty drinks include Somali spiced chai-tea, fruit smoothies and wide selection of soft drinks with baklava for dessert. After hearing good […]
From Don Virtual Tour of Alan & Don’s Upper Rainier Beach Garden Don and his partner Alan have participated in the Upper Rainier Beach Garden Tour for the last 10 years. With the favored annual event cancelled this year due to the pandemic, the organizers quickly pivoted to a virtual event so you can still enjoy the beauty of neighborhood gardens throughout the community. Enjoy this virtual […]
From Don 10 More FREE & Fun Ways to Pass the Time During Quarantine If you’re looking for free and fun ways to pass the time while sheltering in place, check out my list below for 10 things to do from the comfort of your own home. And just in case you missed last month’s list, go here to check it out. 1. Enjoy Weekly Storytime for Kids with […]
From Don 10 FREE & Fun Ways to Pass the Time During Quarantine If you’re looking for a few free and fun ways to pass the time while sheltering in place, check out my list below for 10 things to do from the comfort of your own home. 1. Stream the Met Opera Until the doors reopen, you can stream handpicked past performances of the Met’s Live in […]
From Don REAL ESTATE INFO COLUMN: How much money do I need to buy a home? Welcome to my Real Estate advice column, “Dear Don,” where I answer all your burning Real Estate questions. Send yours to me at donkoonce@windermere.com, and I’ll try to answer them in future columns. Dear Don: How much money do I need to buy a home? Inquiring Eileen
From Don REAL ESTATE INFO COLUMN: How much are closing costs? Welcome to my Real Estate advice column, “Dear Don,” where I answer all your burning Real Estate questions. Send yours to me at donkoonce@windermere.com, and I’ll try to answer them in future columns. Dear Don: How much are closing costs? Curious Carl
From Don RESTAURANT REVIEW: Il Bistro at Pike Place Market Dear friends: One of my favorite pastimes is trying out new restaurants with my husband Alan and other friends. This review is my way of sharing that with you as well. Enjoy! Il Bistro is a cozy Italian restaurant with exposed brick walls, oak floors, beautiful bar, and low lighting tucked away in the cobblestone […]
From Don REAL ESTATE INFO COLUMN: Are some neighborhoods a better investment? Welcome to my Real Estate advice column, “Dear Don,” where I answer all your burning Real Estate questions. Send yours to me at donkoonce@windermere.com, and I’ll try to answer them in future columns. Dear Don: Are some neighborhoods a better investment? Wondering Will
From Don RESTAURANT REVIEW: Paxti’s Chicago Pizza in Ballard Dear friends: One of my favorite pastimes is trying out new restaurants with my husband Alan and other friends. This review is my way of sharing that with you as well. Enjoy! Paxti’s Chicago Pizza is located in the Ballard business district. In addition to pies, they also have salads, sandwiches, and deserts. The atmosphere […]
From Don REAL ESTATE INFO COLUMN: When is the best time to sell? Welcome to my Real Estate advice column, “Dear Don,” where I answer all your burning Real Estate questions. Send yours to me at donkoonce@windermere.com, and I’ll try to answer them in future columns. Dear Don: When is the best time to sell? Anxious Anne
From Don FROM DON: Our Costa Rican Adventure Alan and I had been hearing good things about Costa Rica for years, and our friend who lives there posts lots of photos that really made us want to go check it out. We flew into San Jose on a Wednesday and headed straight for the Hotel Bougainvillea, which features a stunning 10-acre tropical botanical […]
From Don REAL ESTATE INFO COLUMN: When is the best time to buy? Welcome to my Real Estate advice column, “Dear Don,” where I answer all your burning Real Estate questions. Send yours to me at donkoonce@windermere.com, and I’ll try to answer them in future columns. Dear Don: When is the best time to buy? Pondering Paul ******************************************************