Hello See these gardens: Bellevue Botanic Garden. This is the Heronswood demonstration garden. Glenn Withey and Charles Price, in collaboration with Carrie Becker and Bob Lilley, drew heavily on the Heronswood catalog to create one of the best perennial borders in the United States. Keep in mind that Heronswood is a nursery and use of space must be efficient; you shop aisles of plants at Heronswood. BBG is a celebration of the plant, of the art that might be created with plants. You will not regret it. Washington Park Arboretum/Seattle Japanese Garden. In July, this park is a welcome leafy green stroll among trees and shrubs you might see once, twice in a lifetime. Bloedel Reserve. Exquisite. Kubota Garden. A good Japanese-American garden getting better each year. Worth seeing if you have time. Seattle Tilth/Good Shepherd Center. Excellent perennial borders and lovely vegetable gardens. Worth seeing if you have time. Bradner Gardens. Excellent shrubbery and exquisite vegetable demonstration garden. Excellent public art. Worth seeing if you have time. Wallis Bolz Seattle Tilth

I can't comment on Sam's. We don't have any in the region. But we do have a Costco Executive membership (with AmEx card) and have found it cost-effective for us. Costco offers different levels of membership. For years we stuck with the basic and cheapest. But when we bought a computer there the salesperson recommended considering executive because the money back on a big-ticket item would more than cover the cost of membership at a higher level. He was right; the rebate also provided a nice reduction in the cost of the computer. Using the AmEx card also extends the warranty by another year, which is nice for electronics particularly. One salesperson told me a number of members charge everything they can on the AmEx (paying off in full each month so there's no interest) and get very big rebates as a result. There's a Costco rebate and a separate AmEx rebate, so the returns can be very large, especially for those buying for a business. However, obviously there's no benefit if you're overbuying just because the rebate is appealing. There is a pyschological effect there you have to watch out for. I like the fact that Costco's salespeople are not on commission. I think it makes a difference in their reponses to questions about electronics and other pricy goods. Since we live 30 miles away in a rural area, our trips to Costco are not frequent and are normally combined with doctor's appointments or other kinds of errands. I try to schedule those trips just after the new coupon book has come out. Beyond basic goods like TP, some of their coupon book specials are hard to beat. My DH wanted a new scales (determined to lose weight in the new year) and I bought a Taylor digital glass-top for $14.99, which was less than half of the cheapest price anywhere else. Costco stores do vary considerably store to store. For us access is critical. One of our older Costco stores has limited handicapped parking, and if DH goes with me, that's a store we avoid. We have one "upscale" Costco in the area which we go to most often. Very best parking and the one Costco near us that carries Seattle's Best coffee, which we prefer to other brands. We keep a grinder and coffee machine busy most of the day, not just for us but for constant traffic in my DH's shop. I figure just the coffee saves us the cost of the membership. I do think Costco can be an impulse-buyer's paradise and if you're not careful unnecessary purchases can easily suck up any savings. I am now cutting back on Costco purchases. With just the two of us, some foods go to waste before we consume them. In some cases I can still buy the larger product so much more cheaply that a degree of waste is "cost-effective" but I'm constitutionally opposed to buying more than we need and then throwing it away. Some of Costco's prices are unbeatable. I can buy their prepared fresh pineapple for much less than whole pineapple at other stores and be assured of the quality. Dairy products are also very reasonable - Darigold cottage cheese comes to mind. I buy excellent cream cheese and butter at Costco for holiday baking. Sometimes the prices don't beat local loss-leaders, but I like the brands Costco offers and the quality. And lastly, as others have mentioned, Costco has an excellent return policy. A couple of years ago when recalls for pistachios were in the news a Costco employee phoned to let me know because their records showed I'd purchased a trail mix they were pulling off the shelves. No other company has ever called to inform me of a recall. I found that very impressive. Carol

Thank you so much you guys. I don't know if I can get to Bellevue or north of downtown. My DS's family is a one car family and DIL has a big project this weekend and will be using the car all day. Oh well. So today I've been to Georgetown and SODO with DH. Went to the best little diner on Airport Way (I think) The BLT was delicious, and the fries were too. The place was called the Square Knot. Then we walked around. Decided not to go to the Design Center. Talked to an upholsterer briefly and got directions to a bus stop. Headed to SODO. Stopped at the antique mall that is on Lander street. Very fun. Went to the fabric shop that someone in Georgetown directed me too. Not what I wanted. Went to Restoration Hardware. Their cabinet pulls are not what I want. Got dessert at Macrina's on 1st Ave. and it was wonderful. Hours later got back to DS's house with an expensive handblown glass I bought in Georgetown, and a bar of soap that smells like Earl Grey tea. The upholsterer I mentioned above, I bumped into again in SODO, at the fabric store. He was looking for thread. He told me about a nice little fabric store that sells high end fabrics at a discount. I've looked it up and it's called Designer Fabric Liquidations. I'll link the site below. I don't know if I'll get there. Here is a link that might be useful: Designer Fabric Liquidations

You can still get budget cabinets that will be fine for a rental at the big box stores. (These also come in wood colors.) Here is a link that might be useful: hampton bay at HD