Charlie’s Buns N’ Stuff kicked off Summer in style yesterday and officially opened its concession stand at Greenlake, serving your favorite bites including hot dogs, burgers and ice cream.

This is the building you’re looking for – minus the yellow tape of course. Photo courtesy of Charlie’s Buns N’ Stuff.

The Greenlake concession is offering the same great eats as the truck (usually located sown at Starbucks HQ and around town over the weekend).  The concession is located on the westside of the lake next to the Bathhouse Theatre.  You cannot miss it, building is painted the same color as the truck, black & red. You can get your snacks from 11am to dusk, seven days a week.

About and what you’re in for:

Charlie’s Buns N’ Stuff is Seattle’s boldest kitchen on wheels; dishing out all-American eats with a tasty twist! It’s burgers are built with local, high quality, organic ingredients that pack a flavorful punch!

The generously portioned burgers are handcrafted from local, 100% pasture-raised beef. The tender, flavorful beef is free of growth hormones, antibiotics, and animal by-products. The handcrafted patty is served on a signature brioche bun. Buns are sourced from a Seattle bakery that makes each bun by hand with local, organic ingredients.

This could be quite the welcome to distraction to my miles around the lake! Check it out, and enjoy!

Who says Seattle winters are foggy and rainy?

Gorgeous day at Greenlake. Sunday, December 4th.

I’m not one of those people who can just go for a run “just because.” Up until recently, I always said running was for people who are in trouble or those being chased, you know, like by a bad guy. If I do decide to run, I always make sure there is a little something extra in it for me. Sadly, the Patty’s Day Dash – which features a beer garden at the end of the run – only comes up once a year. And, yes, I go every year. And, all I can think about during the run is how good that beer is going to taste.

Well, I have no reason to feel sad anymore. There are two great running groups that use beer and fun as a motivation to get out and enjoy nature and the company of other like-minded folks. If you are looking for a great running group, you should check one of these out:

• Weekly Pavement Pounding for Pints: Occurs every Wednesday night at 6:30pm. Participants meet at various bars around Greenlake (tonight is the Atlantic Crossing on Roosevelt), go for a cruise around the Greenlake area (find the maps at their Facebook page), and meet back up at the bar to enjoy each others company and congratulate each other for doing more than sitting on their couches. This group is completely free, and I know two of the organizers – both amazing women – and I can personally vouch that these ladies are people you want to be friends with. Be sure to follow them on Facebook to find out where to meet each week!

If you need a little more motivation than beer, perhaps prizes are more your style?

• First Thursday Adventure Run: This event occurs on the first Thursday of the month. It starts and ends at RoadRunner sports in Greenlake. Attendees are provided a map of checkpoints, and encouraged to run to as many as possible in the hour long event. Upon completing a checkpoint, you will be given a raffle ticket. At the end of the run, the organizers draw raffle tickets and winners get tons of great stuff like running shoes and accessories, gift cards, beer, and more! This event is totally free, although participants are encouraged to pre-register. Also, if you follow on their Facebook page, you’ll be privvy to the “Secret” check-in location, which will help you get more tickets. Check-in starts at 5pm, race is from 6-7pm and the after party goes until 9pm.

So that’s it. Get out and enjoy the sun!

I spent a lot of time at Greenlake this past weekend. The weather was gorgeous, my mom was in town, the lake looked pretty and it makes for a nice walk/run. All good reasons for me to be there. You know who doesn’t have a good reason to be at Greenlake? People on wheels. I think wheels should be banned from Greenlake, and the following rant explains why. Keep in mind that this rant is of the rhetorical (and for the sake of a disclaimer, comedic) variety. I’m not necessarily searching for a solution. Mostly I just want to complain. And I promise if I see you at Greenlake riding a unicycle, I won’t heckle you. But I might mentally will you to fall.

Why Wheels Should Be Banned From Greenlake: A Seattle Belles Rant

I think any recreational vehicle that requires wheels should be banned from Greenlake. This definition includes, but is not limited to rollerblades, rollerskates,  skateboards, longboards, bicycles, unicycles, and strollers. Yes, even strollers. Greenlake is not a very big lake, and the path around it is not very wide. When crammed with people, as it was this last weekend, the last thing Greenlake needs are people on wheels zooming between the walkers and runners. It doesn’t matter how loud you shout “On your left,” I don’t have enough time or space to get out of your way. I also probably have headphones in, and therefore can’t hear you until you’re three way-too-close-for-comfort inches from my minding-my-own-business pedestrian self. Below are some vehicle-specific reasons why wheels have no place at Greenlake.

Bicycles: The lake is only 2.8 miles around. That is a very short bike ride. Like 10 minutes or less short. The amount of time it takes you to get your bike in and out of the car is equal to the amount of time you’re riding it around Greenlake. Pointless.

Rollerblades/rollerskates: You look ridiculous. Go to a roller rink where your flavor of ridiculous is normal.

Strollers: I’m sure your children are lovely. You know what is not lovely? The fact you think a stroller gives you the right to plow down the middle of the path, sometimes three strollers wide, forcing everyone else into the grass, gravel, bushes, lake, etc. Rude and inconsiderate. Side note: To the parents running Greenlake while pushing a stroller. You’ve earned the right to be there. I only want you to leave because you make feel lazy even though I’m exercising.

Skateboards and longboards: Society created skateboard parks to keep you out of other parks. Go find one. The Greenlake path is uneven and bumpy, and if you fall mid “olley” or whatever, I don’t want to have to find you a band aid. Oh, and to those of you with the big long sticks: if you need a stick to gain momentum, you’re doing it wrong.

Unicycles: You are on a unicycle. I repeat, you are on a unicycle. It’s probably time to reevaluate your life plan. And get the eff out of my way.

Peace, love and pedestrians. I’m out.

Although it is actually Tuesday right now, and I have no idea what the weather is like while you are currently reading this, as I am presently typing it is actually Sunday, and I am happily sitting stretched out on the couch in my apartment, with the sun streaming in the window.  Today has shaped up to be a very nice Sunday, and I took advantage of this fact by going on a run this morning.  Enjoying a beautiful day in Seattle is not always easy, mainly because two pivotal factors have to be aligned in order to do this: the first being that it actually has to be sunny, and the second being that you have to not be at work (i.e. inside) when it’s sunny.  However, if you are lucky enough to have these two cosmic events align, then I would strongly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity, since you rarely know when you’re next chance will be.

Since a day like this is upon us, and will hopefully be happening more frequently as we head into spring and summer, I thought this week I would take the opportunity to point out some of the best (and consequently most popular) places to enjoy the weather.  I am talking about Greenlake and The Burke-Gilman Trail.  These two areas are certainly not the only places to enjoy a beautiful Seattle day, however, they are definitely two of the most well known, and having lived in Seattle almost all my life, I have spent many a sunny day at both places.  I wanted to mention them because, although they may seem obvious, for those who have just moved to Seattle, they may not know about them, and will surely be missing out this summer if they don’t find out.

Greenlake is a lake located in the Ravenna/University District area and has a walking/biking path of 2.8 miles around it.  It’s a great place to take strollers or small kids because there is a kiddie pool and playground as well.  There is also a not as established dirt path along the outer rim for those serious runners that want to get in a good workout.  Additionally, there is an open field where volleyball, soccer, and frisbee are often played, as well as basketball and tennis courts just off to the side.  Even if running/sports isn’t your thing, there is a Starbucks close by, as wall as several restaurant to choose from, if you just want to hang out and take in the atmosphere.

The Burke-Gilman Trail is equally as pleasant on a nice day.  It is a trail, if you haven’t already figured that out, that goes from Shilshole Bay in Seattle to Bothell.  It spans 18+ miles and is a great “alternative” route to busy sidewalks and street corners.  The trail is paved and mostly flat, so it makes for easy riding especially with strollers or bike cart attachments.  I believe there are hopes of eventually extending it as well.

I would highly recommend checking out both these places on a nice day, if you have not already.  Both are trademarks of Seattle and are not to be missed if you are one of those people who claim to have “seen and done it all” in the city, or even if this will be your first spring/summer here.