What's Good, Eastside - 3/4

Happy Tuesday, Eastside. Hope you’ve been enjoying the nice weather. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Eastside Buzz serve up this week’s What’s Good Edition featuring five things that’ll help you live better, stay ahead, stress less, and enjoy more ☕️

In this week’s edition:

• It’s warming up 🚶 

• Free stuff 📑 

• Healthy eats 🥕 

• Moss season 🏠️ 

• Friendly reminder 📋️ 

Let’s get to it!

☀️ Enjoy the weather in the best way possible

As temperatures climb, so does the desire to get outside. While many hikes require a two or three hour drive, this section’s all about some worthwhile cardio closer to home.

Kelsey Creek Farm is an easy 1.6 mile loop in Bellevue, the Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail is a moderate 4.1 mile loop near Issaquah, and Raven Trail is an easy 1.1 mile loop near Kirkland.

Be sure to brush up on Leave No Trace before heading out.

Want to give back? The Squak Mountain Trail Cleanup crew is hitting up May Valley loop Trailhead on Thursday (the 6th) and you can help Greenway Nursery pot bare rooted plans on Saturday (the 8th). There are plenty of other opportunities to get involved throughout the month as well.

Bonus: All Washington State Parks are free on March 9th and 19th if you don’t mind the crowds.

📚 Your library card has secret super powers

Your King County Library card might be the most underutilized tool in your wallet. Don’t have one? You should get one! It’s free for residents.  

Beyond free books (which is a huge win already if we’re being honest), our libraries have evolved into community resource centers with benefits that make premium subscriptions jealous.

From documentaries, PBS, and free online courses to audio books, eBooks, tv shows, movies, and music, your card gives you immediate access to a whole lot of stuff.

On top of that, you can check out DVDs, museum passes, and even a Discover Pass.

Each branch offers free programs if you need help understanding the tech in your pocket, story times for families, teen hangouts, free access to tools (like a 3D printer, Cricut, and embroider machine), craft circles, scavenger hunts, free tax preparation, and more.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check out your neighborhood library, this is it.

🥗 How to eat healthy when you’re busy

Finding quick & nutritious food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. The secret weapon? Establishing a rotation of healthy local spots for those "I can't even" days.

It’s not always easy to find places with transparent ingredients and balanced meals featuring actual vegetables. But when you find one, make a mental note, start a list in your notes app, or write it down on paper.

This way, you always have a go-to when you don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.

I started my own list a few weeks ago and let me tell you… it’s a whole lot easier to make smart choices amidst the chaos.

Top of my list? Emerald City Smoothie — there are locations in Bellevue, Renton, Redmond, and Kirkland. Not only is it convenient, it’s also so tasty you’ll have to remind yourself it’s healthy.

☘️ Tackle moss before it tackles you

Our soggy winters are an invitation for moss to invade your roof, sidewalks, driveway, and anything else it can find. Besides looking like a science experiment gone wrong, moss buildup gets slippery — nobody wants to fall taking the trash out (been there) — and can damage shingles, asphalt, and structures if it gets too out of hand.

As we start to get more sunny and dry days, you’ll have more chances to take care of it and fewer excuses to ignore it.

Evergreen Window Cleaning recommends a few different DIY solutions and offers a done-for-you service if you’d rather not climb a ladder and risk your neck.

📝 You have 42 days to file your taxes

This is your friendly reminder that April 15th will be here before you know it. Whether you DIY it with TurboTax, keep it old school with pen, paper, and snail mail, or leave it to the pros (we like RLP & Kary’s), it’s just as important to get all your tax ducks in a row as soon as possible.

If you need extra assistance, AARP Foundation volunteers will be at various King County Library locations (including Issaquah, Bellevue, and Redmond) on different days at different times until April 12th to help you for free.

No matter your age or income, they’ll answer all your questions and hep you cross “tax panic” off your to do list →

🧩 Extra fun & games

This week’s word search features the most fun, unique, or eastside-esque words from this edition.

See ya Friday (with a fresh batch of 20+ things going on next week)!

P.S. Know of any good things around the Eastside we should share or want to ask a question? Feel free to reply (or email us) any time.