What's New

Scan the Seattle skyline, and it's easy to see from all the high-rise construction cranes that, despite tough economic times and a depressed housing market, this city is still booming. Glance out across the waters of Elliott Bay, and you're as likely to see a massive cruise ship as a car ferry or freighter. Seattle is slowly growing from a regional metropolis into the Pacific Rim powerhouse that it has long wanted to become. Of course, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is playing a big role in these changes. Having already transformed Seattle Center with the Frank Gehry-designed Experience Music Project and the south end of downtown with Qwest Field and other adjacent developments, he is now busily transforming the long-overlooked neighborhood between downtown and Lake Union, which has been dubbed the South Lake Union neighborhood. Highlighted below are some of the significant developments that have taken place in Seattle over the past year.

General

Seattle is finally beginning to take on its traffic congestion problems. The Seattle Streetcar (tel. 206/553-3000; www.seattlestreetcar.org) is up and running, connecting downtown's Westlake Center with the southern shore of Lake Union via the South Lake Union neighborhood. Sometime in 2009, Sound Transit (tel. 800/201-4900 or 206/398-5000; www.soundtransit.org) should have its new Link light-rail line up and running. The line will connect the airport with downtown Seattle.

Accommodations

Although it has been a slow year for new hotels in Seattle, I have added a couple of budget lodging choices to this edition to help compensate for the high cost of gas and airline tickets. The Baroness Hotel, 1005 Spring St. (tel. 800/283-6453 or 206/624-0787; www.baronesshotel.com), on First Hill across the street from the affiliated Inn at Virginia Mason and Virginia Mason Hospital, is a converted older apartment building. Although the hotel is used primarily by people who are in town for medical reasons, it is in a quiet residential neighborhood and makes a great choice for travelers who are not too demanding.

In the Belltown neighborhood, the Ramada Seattle Downtown, 2200 Fifth Ave. (tel. 800/272-6232 or 206/441-9785; www.ramada.com), has a good location close to some of my favorite restaurants and has been recently renovated.

Also, the Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Lake Union, 800 Fairview Ave. N. (tel. 800/331-3131 or 206/624-6000; www.marriott.com/sealu), has undergone a major room renovation and is now looking very contemporary and stylish. With its location across the street from Lake Union and on the Seattle Streetcar line, this hotel is now even more recommendable than ever before.

Dining

In the past few years, a couple of neighborhoods have developed into dining destinations worth strolling through in search of hot new restaurants and undiscovered gems. These areas include the southern end of Capitol Hill around the intersection of 12th Avenue and Pike Street, and the intersection of North 45th Street and Wallingford Avenue North in the Wallingford neighborhood. Wander the streets radiating out from either of these two intersections, and you'll find a dozen or more good restaurants. In each neighborhood, I've recommended my favorites, but there are other worthy establishments that I just didn't have room in this book to include.

Whether you're just in the mood for a drink and a snack or want to sit down and eat until you're full, Belltown's Txori Bar, 2207 Second Ave. (tel. 206/204-9771; www.txoribar.com), should not be missed. It's a spin-off of the ever-popular Harvest Vine tapas restaurant in the Madison Valley neighborhood.

Two of my new favorites in the aforementioned Capitol Hill neighborhood near the intersection of 12th Avenue and Pine Street include Quinn's, 1001 E. Pike St. (tel. 206/325-7711; www.quinnspubseattle.com), a London-style gastropub affiliated with Belltown's Restaurant Zoë, and Café Presse, 1117 12th Ave. (tel. 206/709-7674; www.cafepresseseattle.com), a casual French cafe-bar associated with Belltown's Le Pichet.

In the South Lake Union neighborhood, Portage Bay Café, 391 Terry Ave. N. (tel. 206/462-6400; www.portagebaycafe.com), is my new favorite Seattle breakfast spot. The restaurant is right on the Seattle Streetcar line and features a menu that emphasizes organic and sustainable ingredients. Also in this neighborhood, across from the REI flagship store, you'll find Espresso Vivace Alley 24, 227 Yale Ave. N. (tel. 206/388-5164; www.espressovivace.com). Vivace also has a cafe and an espresso cart in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

In the Wallingford neighborhood mentioned above, my favorite restaurants include Tilth, 1411 N. 45th St. (tel. 206/633-0801; www.tilthrestaurant.com), a certified organic restaurant serving highly creative dishes; Joule, 1913 N. 45th St. (tel. 206/632-1913; www.joulerestaurant.com),serving a fascinating blend of Korean and French cuisine; and May, 1612 N. 45th St. (tel. 206/675-0037), a Thai restaurant in a building that looks like a merger of a Thai Buddhist temple and an old teak Thai house. Also in this neighborhood, you'll find Chocolati, 1716 N. 45th St. (tel. 206/633-7765; www.chocolati.com), a pretty little cafe that serves some of the best hot chocolate in Seattle. There are two other Chocolatis in the Greenlake neighborhood near Woodland Park Zoo.

If you've got a sweet tooth and find yourself out at Alki Beach in West Seattle, search out Bakery Nouveau, 4737 California Ave. SW (tel. 206/923-0534; www.bakerynouveau.com), which many Seattleites claim is the best bakery in the city. I'm not going to argue with them.

Sightseeing

If you'd like to learn more about the Asian-American experience in Seattle, stop by the Wing Luke Asian Museum, 719 S. King St. (tel. 206/623-5124; www.wingluke.org), which, in 2008, moved into a new facility in the Chinatown/International District. Parts of the museum's interior are designed to resemble narrow alleyways.

Fans of old planes should not miss the Flying Heritage Collection, Paine Field, 3407 109th St. SW, Everett (tel. 877/342-3404; www.flyingheritage.com). This small collection of immaculately restored fighter planes, many of which are in flyable condition, is owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Everett is about 30 minutes north of Seattle.

Side Trips

On San Juan Island, Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes, 4313 Roche Harbor Rd. (tel. 800/617-2267 or 360/378-2350; www.lakedale.com), in the middle of the island, has added more of its very popular tent cabins. Up at the north end of the island, the volunteer-maintained Roche Harbor Trails provide many miles of hiking options not far from the English Camp unit of San Juan Island National Historical Park. In Friday Harbor, I've got a new favorite eatery -- Coho Restaurant, 120 Nichols St. (tel. 360/378-6330; www.cohorestaurant.com), a tiny place that serves very fresh and very creative cuisine.

If you want to go sea kayaking or whale-watching from Roche Harbor, at the north end of San Juan Island, contact San Juan Outfitters (tel. 866/810-1483 or 360/378-1962; www.sanjuanislandoutfitters.com).

On Orcas Island, you can now get decent Thai food in Eastsound at Thai Sisters Café, 529 Shaner Lane (tel. 360/376-3993).

In the Woodinville wine country 30 minutes north of Seattle, there are now more than two dozen wineries that are open to the public on a regular basis. Many of these are very small mom-and-pop operations that are only open on Saturday afternoon. I've added several of my favorites to this edition. I've also added Purple Café and Wine Bar, 14459 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE., Woodinville (tel. 425/483-7129; www.thepurplecafe.com), which is the perfect place for a wine country lunch or dinner after a day of wine tasting.