Welcome to Best of Redmond! Redmond's twice-weekly newsletter and podcast about all the amazing things happening in Redmond for the next seven days!

📚 A Redmond Author Is Launching a Time-Travel Novel This Week

Tomorrow night, June 24, at 6:30 PM, local author Joseph Eckert will be at Brick & Mortar Books celebrating the release of his debut novel, The Traveler. The story follows a guy who suddenly starts jumping forward through time every morning, watching days and eventually years disappear in the blink of an eye while his family tries to figure out what's happening.

This is exactly the kind of event independent bookstores do well. You get to meet the author, hear where the idea came from, and support a local business at the same time. If you're into science fiction, time travel stories, or just want an excuse to wander through a bookstore, this one looks worth checking out.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Tonight, Let's Cheer Redmond

Tonight, June 23, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, the Redmond Senior & Community Center is hosting a community Matchday Party with snacks, family activities, and plenty of room for kids to run around. Yes, there's a soccer match on the screen, but the bigger draw is the chance to spend a summer evening hanging out with neighbors.

They're expecting a good turnout and will have youth soccer activities running alongside the event. Throw on something red, white, and blue and bring the family. Sometimes the best local events are really just excuses to get people together.

🐾 Tomorrow Is Video Game Day for Dogs

Tomorrow, June 24, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pickles Playland is hosting Video Game Day for dogs attending daycare. Only in Redmond could a dog daycare calendar include something that sounds like it belongs at Nintendo headquarters.

The event is limited to dogs already participating in daycare, boarding, or grooming services, and the Pickles crew handles all the themed fun behind the scenes. If your dog is already scheduled to be there, they'll probably have a better Wednesday than most people sitting in meetings.

🚶 Rails to Repeats Challenge Heads Into the Home Stretch

The Rails to Repeats challenge continues through June 30 along the Redmond Central Connector, giving walkers, runners, and cyclists one more reason to get outside before the month wraps up. Participants can complete the designated Eastrail segment as many times as they want, with prizes going to the people who log the most laps.

The entry fee helps support Eastrail Partners and future trail improvements. Whether you're training for something or just trying to spend less time staring at a screen, this is a pretty good excuse to hit the trail.

🕰️ Redmond History Minute

Okay, it's time for the Redmond History Minute, where we share an interesting piece of history, trivia, or tidbit about life in and around Redmond.

The Clise Mansion at Marymoor Park had many unusual features. Which of these did it actually have?

A) Roaming peacocks and a Dutch windmill

B) An indoor bowling alley

C) A moat with alligators

D) A private zoo with elephants

Answer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter.

🔮 Redmond Rumor Mill

Word is a ramen-and-natural-wine bar, yes, that combination, is being quietly developed by a pair of Seattle restaurant veterans who have been looking at a downtown Redmond space.

What we don't know is where exactly it would go, whether a lease has actually been signed, or how far along the project may be. We also don't know if the concept stays exactly the same once plans become public.

The question is simple: where do you think it ends up?

If you've got a guess or have heard something, head to our Facebook page and drop it in the "Redmond Rumor Mill Guesses" post.

🗳️ Your Picks: Best Grocery Store in Redmond

Alright, that's it for this week.

Head on over to our Facebook page, find the post called "Your Picks," and drop your vote in the comments. We want to know who you think is the best grocery store in Redmond.

📻 Don't Miss the Podcast

If you enjoyed this newsletter, you're gonna love the companion podcast.

We'll see you in the next one... or maybe before then, walking around Redmond.

🎯 History Minute Answer

The answer is A – Roaming peacocks and a Dutch windmill.

Willowmoor Farm had 28 buildings, roaming peacocks, a functional Dutch windmill, a treehouse in a maple tree, boathouses, greenhouses, and even a narrow-gauge railroad in the barnyard used to haul grain. It was basically a fantasy estate sitting right here in Redmond, and you can still visit the mansion at Marymoor Park today.