Seattle Banks | KeyBank

As you all know, I am a relatively new transfer to Seattle. This is one of the reasons I decided to make up this site reviewing everything Seattle. I wanted to let others know what to expect when moving to Seattle, and give those visiting Seattle a guide to some fun things to do while here (or at least some great Seattle bars and restaurants to hang out at while in the area). I'm so pumped that the weather has begun to change too, so I can start researching and rolling out my best patio bars and restaurants in Seattle. Stay tuned for those reviews.

One of the first things you need to find, unless you have a national chain (which I personally don't like from a customer service standpoint) is a bank (photo above courtesy of www.ushistory.org). And that held true for my wife and I too. In Kansas, we had a bank we used that was regional that provided all the things we needed: great customer service; great loan rates; great security; and online banking. So, when looking for a good Seattle bank we wanted to keep with those same qualities. I had to look no farther than KeyBank to find exactly what we needed, and I must say I'm more than happy.

Even though funds are protected by the FDIC, in today's day and age it is important to have a bank that is run fiscally responsibly and promotes great customer service. In looking at KeyBank's website and talking to people in the area that used them, it was easy to see that they were a great choice.

At KeyBank in Seattle, we have a couple of checking accounts, including a business checking account. We decided not to open a savings account because with brick and mortar banks in today's world, their interest rates just can't compare with online banks (we have several savings accounts through ING). Setup of the accounts was easy, bank personnel were always very kind and courteous, and we have had absolutely no problem with any of our banking needs.

Additionally, their online presence is very well managed and their website is very easy to navigate. You can sign on to your account and see your current balance, pending and posted transactions, and old checks. And if you have any questions about the other services they offer, their website has much if not all of the information you might need. And if not you can just stop in at one of their branches and ask for help - I haven't ever had a hard time getting in touch with someone to talk to with any Seattle banking questions I had.

In the end, if you are new to the Seattle area and are looking for a good bank, I don't think you can go wrong with KeyBank, particularly with your normal, every day banking needs. They have great customer service, have a great online presence, and provide everything you need (and the checking is free, I might add). So welcome to Seattle, enjoy this great spring/summer weather, and come back to see great Seattle bar and restaurant reviews.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you been here too? Don't let me be the only one to review this great Seattle hot spot. Let everyone know what you thought by leaving a comment.

Seattle Salons | Seven Salon

Looks like this will be two in a row for failing to review a Seattle restaurant or bar. But don't worry, there are many more of those in the cue waiting to be written and thrown up on here. My review today is of Seven Salon, located in Pacific Place in downtown Seattle.

Let me begin by telling you how I got to the point of getting my hair cut there. I am a traditional guy's guy. Although that doesn't necessarily mean I need to go to a barbershop to get my hair cut (I can, after all, appreciate a great hair cut), it does mean that I wait until my hair is extremely long for my taste before I even call to schedule a hair cut. Yesterday was no different. In fact, my hair had gotten mangy enough that my wife even commented that I needed to get a hair cut. So I put it on my to do list.

For the past five months or so since I've been here (I only moved to Seattle in November, following my wife as she took a great job) I'd been going to Margi David Salon in East Lake, and I'd been more than happy. Jason had been my hair cutter, I liked him, and I planned on going back. But on Monday my wife called me and said she'd gotten a coupon for a free hair cut from Seven Salon in Seattle. I honestly had never heard of them before (I am a guy, after all), but when I asked my wife, she said they had the reputation for being one of the better hair salons in Seattle. The coupon expired yesterday, so she wanted to know if I'd be interested. I said sure, sign me up.

So, yesterday I strolled into 7 Salon in downtown Seattle (second floor of Pacific Place) hoping that this wasn't some mall hair place that would buzz me and shoo me out the door in 20 minutes. They knew I was coming in on a coupon, so I was also worried I might get second class treatment. I couldn't have been more wrong.

First, 7 salon, once you walk in, gives off no mall hair joint vibe at all. There is a lot of wood, some flowing water, a very minimalist setup, and people all over the place just waiting to help. Once I filled out the informational card I was sent back with an associate to get my robe (guys, just an FYI, when they give you the robe and ask if you want to go into the changing room, politely decline unless you have something on you don't want to get hair on - they don't actually want you to take all of your clothes of), given a bottle of water and a little chocolate and told to sit and wait for Riley, my stylist, to come and get me.

Before I get much further, let me tell you that 7 salon has pulled out all the stops on making your hair cut much more of an experience than a chore. First, they have a full time barista on staff that can make pretty much whatever you want. I don't drink coffee (remember, I'm from the midwest!) but they've got a full on Starbucks setup right there in the Salon! And second, they have a DJ. You heard me correctly, a DJ. And he spins records all day long. I thought maybe it was just music pumped in on a CD or satellite radio. But nope, there is an actual DJ working full time just to make your Seattle hair styling experience a little more enjoyable.

Okay, back to the haircut. Riley, my stylist, was pretty cool. Riley was a she, in case you were wondering, about 24 years old, and very nice and talkative. 7 salon has got a nice mix of your artsy hair stylist types and your more traditional hair stylist types (I probably just offended everyone by saying that, but you know what I mean). Riley was more the traditional type. No colorful hair, no piercings. And her real name isn't Riley. I won't tell you what it is, but she shares the same name with someone that was already working there when she joined up, so to avoid confusion, she picked a different name. I actually kind of like it. It's the same name as my cat.

Anyway, the haircut was great. She did a great job, gave me a wash and a little style, and sent me to the cash register. I must admit, I think they did a great job with their service, even though I had a coupon for a free cut. Everyone was extremely professional but not stuffy. For a Seattle hair salon it has a great vibe - I could almost see myself hanging out there and having a cocktail if it was available. But, I will tell you, I asked what a cut normally costs, and $65 was the answer. Now, that is not astronomical, but for me it is definitely on the high side. You Microsoft and Boeing employees won't have any trouble affording this, but others might. But I would say that if you want to pamper yourself a little bit, give 7 salon in downtown Seattle a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you been here too? Don't let me be the only one to review this great Seattle hot spot. Let everyone know what you thought by leaving a comment.

Seattle Hot Spots | Pike Place Market

Although this site is primarily about Seattle restaurant, Seattle bar, and Seattle services reviews (dentist, lawyers, mechanics, florists, etc.), I thought I'd change it up a bit and talk about a fixture of downtown Seattle that is not only a tourist attraction but a great place for locals to hang out as well.

By the title you know I am talking about Pike Place market, a flea market type of a scene on steroids, with vendors ranging from redneck belt buckles to fresh mussels and fish, to artwork to gigantic cloves of garlic (I couldn't help but put this in there because it blew my mind how big this garlic was - to give you an idea put both of our fists together, that is about how big this garlic was!). It is also home to the famous flying fish, where they fresh fish market guys will give you the chance to catch the fish you order (if you choose). They were made world famous, by, among other things, one of MTV's Real World cast members working there for a time while on the show (I can't believe I just dropped a Real World reference on here - I know that's now why it's famous, so just give me a little slack, okay).

Pike Place Market is also home to the most world famous of donut holes. If you go there at any time when any people are around, the line is usually about 100 people deep. And I'll be the first to admit I'm not the biggest fan of pastries, but these are some pretty freaking good donut holes. If you are visiting from out of town and love a little donut, I'd definitely give these a try.

Getting to Pike Place Market is easy. Just exit off of I-5 around Union Street or so and drive toward the water. That is where it is. You can't miss the sign. It for a fact is famous and makes up a lot of well known Seattle photographs. Good luck finding a place to park though (and be weary of parking in the pay to park spaces during the week - we almost found out the hard way that you have to be out of there by three - three two trucks back to back to back made the point!). I'd recommend just paying to park in the Pacific Place parking garage and just walk down (it will also allow you to hit Nordstrom rack - great place to find dirt cheap jeans!).

Anyway, if you are in Seattle in the near future and need a place to kill a few hours and want to hit one of the prime tourist attractions, make your way down to Pike Place Market. It is great fun to people watch, see people's artistic abilities at work, and see some of Seattle's finest!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you been here too? Don't let me be the only one to review this great Seattle hot spot. Let everyone know what you thought by leaving a comment.