Madrona Playground

We’re here at least once a week when the weather is nice. It’s really a nice park, next to the shops and restaurants, with plenty of street parking around. The playground is great, especially for the younger kids. There’s a nice sandpit in the middle under the cherry trees, although the sand has not been refilled for the past two years and the black liner is showing through.
The two tennis courts have a nice surface with no cracks or uneven spots, and nicely painted lines. Although one of the courts has a square hole cut out of the side of it, perhaps from someone using it for field hockey? They are kept pretty busy on weekends, although I usually don’t see people wait too long for it.
The other end has a nice soccer field, which are often used as an unofficial off leash area for dogs despite official Seattle Park rules prohibiting pets in the park. At least they clean after their pets for the most part. The basketball courts are also popular.
Restrooms are a bit iffy and I avoid them when I can. However, I hear a major shelter and bathroom renovation is in the works with money from a recently passed Levy. Last, this place is full of history as it was once the staging field for the Black Panthers drills.
Altogether it is a great neighborhood asset and frequently used by many families around.

nice park with a playset, some tables, grassy areas and tennis courts. There’s usually a ton of kids here running around with their Madrona mommies and sitters. It’s across from Verite Coffee so the kids here might also be hyped up on sugar from cupcakes :)

Mini Hero: Where are we going Mommy?
ME: Home?
Mini Hero: *EAR DRUM SHATTERING WHINE* I DON’T WANNA GO HOME!!!
ME: I can’t understand you when you whine… what was that?
Mini Hero: *Lip out, pouty, more mellow whine* i don’t wanna go HOME!
ME: *Starving to death, but not really interested in hearing the whining anymore*
Where do you want to go?
Mini Hero: I wanna go to the PARK!!!
ME: OK… don’t yell at me. I’M the mama — YOU’RE the baby… god damn it…
Mini Hero: Don’t say GOD DAMN IT!!!
ME: Whatever word police.
Mini Hero: Whaaaat???
ME: We’re going to the park!
Mini Hero: YAYAYAYAYAY!!!
We ended up at Madrona Playground, I had never taken him here before, but I sit in the shelter house every Wednesday in meditation with a bunch of drunks. It’s a great space with tennis courts, a basketball court, a great playground with climbers for the big and the little. Had been thinking of bringing him for some time now — turned out to be a excellent idea last night.
We made friends with another boy who’s 3^rd birthday is this week; he and his mama, who is super cool, actually live near us. SCORE. The new friend is wearing big boy underpants and pees on trees — the Mini Hero was captivated and I think I may have a new strategy for potty training.
Around the corner is Verite Coffee and those terribly dry cupcakes, St. Clouds, and the Madrona Eatery and Ale House. All work for families, but we ended up at All Purpose Pizza over on Jackson so he could play in the kids pizza kitchen and I could inhale a salad without interruption.
Yay for summer and the ability to hit the park on the way home from work.