Services & More: Readers' Picks
Kids' hair salon
West Seattle Kids
was the scissors-down winner for best kids' hair salon. The shop
features a farm theme, and kids can sit on a pony or tractor during
their haircut (6965 California Ave. S.W., Seattle, 206-937-7017).
Runners up: Li'l Klippers (1815 N. 45th St., Seattle, 206-633-2158, www.lilklippers.com) and The Hair Chair, located across from Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue (1313 156th Ave. N.E., 425-562-0430) and Kids Kuts (12811 8th Ave. W. Ste. B105, Everett, 425-710-9393).
Place that pampers moms
It's easy to dream of spending an entire day at Habitude,
chosen by readers as a "Hidden Gem" that pampers moms. But even setting
aside an hour for a pedicure or a hot rocks sauna will rejuvenate you
for the day ahead. Located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, the
full-service spa offers everything from haircuts and facials to massage
and back salt scrubs, in a soothing, unhurried environment (2801 N.W.
Market St., Seattle, 206-782-2298). Runners up: InSpa (Woodinville, Mill Creek, Factoria, Issaquah, University Village; visit www.inspa.com for addresses and phone numbers) and Olympus Spa (8615 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253-588-3355 and 3815 196th St. S.W., Suite 160, Lynnwood, 425-697-3000, www.olympusspa.com).
Spa that caters to couples
Habitude
was also our readers' "Hidden Gem" for a couples-friendly spa. Both of
you can experience the relaxing Togetherness Massage in the Gathering
Grove Room. Habitude also features a large selection of services
tailored for men only, including sports pedicures and manicures. Runner
up: Salish Lodge Spa (6501 Railroad Ave., Snoqualmie, 425-888-2556, www.salishlodge.com).
Services & More: Writer’s Picks
Hidden Gem green house cleaning
Fern Creek Natural Housecleaning
leaves your home sparkling clean without toxic products. Fern Creek
works with you to create a template with guidelines for cleaning your
house and features a staff of experienced cleaning professionals. Since
Fern Creek prefers natural products (like vinegar and water for
hardwood floors) over chemicals, you can be assured that your house
will be both clean and healthy for your children. Fern Creek serves
Seattle and surrounding areas: 206-226-7017, www.naturalhousecleaning.com
Hidden Gem place to dance
Want to teach your child grace and coordination while developing his or her brain? Check out Seattle's Creative Dance Center,
home of Ann Green Gilbert's Brain Dance. Used in all dance center
classes, the Brain Dance is comprised of fundamental movement patterns
that babies learn in the first year of life, which are crucial to the
wiring of the nervous system. When children and adults cycle through
these patterns regularly, it benefits their respiratory system and
brain, and enhances their body strength and alignment. Classes include
opportunities for families to dance together as well as for individual
lessons. 12577 Densmore Ave. N., Seattle, 206-363-7281, www.creativedance.org
Hidden Gem healthy meals delivered to your door
What's for dinner? With Dancing Women Meal Delivery,
you can have delicious, nutritious meals that even your kids will find
appealing, delivered directly to your home. Dancing Women uses fresh
and mostly organic products to create healthy, balanced and tasty
meals. Use the handy form on the Dancing Women Web site to order from
the weekly menu for a week, or get a discount for a full month of
orders. With weekly deliveries to Snohomish County, north King County
and parts of Seattle and the Eastside, Dancing Women feeds many lucky
families healthy, whole food, heat-and-serve meals. 425-787-2821 or
206-940-6721, www.dancingwomen.com
Hidden Gem way to find child care
Choosing child care can be overwhelming. With close to 2,000 child-care
facilities serving King County, how will you find one that serves your
family in terms of location, services, hours and values? What questions
should you ask a prospective child-care provider? Child Care Resources
helps families by answering questions about child care, providing
information on how to choose a provider and featuring an incredibly
detailed, searchable database of child-care providers in King County at
www.childcare.org
.
- Seattle/North King County: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Referral line: 206-329-5544
- East King County: Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Referral line: 425-865-9350
- South King County: Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Referral line: 253-852-3080
Hidden Gem relationship resource
Well known for research on marriage and couples relationships, the Seattle-based Gottman Institute
is also a great resource for parenting. John Gottman, Ph.D., and his
colleagues have studied children and parents for 15 years, focusing on
the emotional life of children and communication between parents and
their children. Resources include books, videos, DVDs and the Bringing
Baby Home program established to help parents navigate the first three
years of parenting. 206-523-9042, www.gottman.com
-- Tera Schreiber
