A Guide to Feeding Your Soul in Madrona

Show some love to your inner child 💛

A shot of a tree on a hill overlooking the water Madrona neighborhood

📾: Adam Kubota

The Madrona neighborhood has developed a quiet reputation for being a laidback respite right in the heart of Seattle. If you need a place to refuel and refresh your mind, body, and soul, this is the place.

Take a stroll through time

📾: Adam Kubota

Gnome resting in a "hammock" of tree branches in the Valley of the Gnomes

Madrona boasts great views of the Seattle hills and Puget Sound as well as some spectacular architecture. Take a walking tour highlighting historic homes and buildings by renowned architect Ellsworth Story, among others. Or, if want to go at your own speed, check out the impressive 1908 home at 138 Madrona Place East, the Brehm Brothers homes at 219-221 36th Avenue East, and the Epiphany Seattle Campus.

Grab an espresso and scone at the Hi Spot Cafe, a former Victorian home and hipster hang, then head over to Viretta Park to pay homage to one of the founding fathers of the Seattle grunge phenomenon. Kurt Cobain’s former home (171 Lake Washington Boulevard East) sits on the edge of Viretta Park, where you’ll find the same two benches he may very well have sipped his morning coffee on while dreaming up trippy lyrics we’re still trying to decipher. The benches, an unofficial memorial site to Cobain, are easily identified by the graffiti and memorial bouquets left by fans.

Another option geared more toward your inner child than your angsty teen is a game of hide-and-seek with gnomes on a walk through the Valley of the Gnomes. Take your binoculars and sense of humor to the corner of Madrona Drive and Pine Street, where you’ll find a pedestrian walking bridge that’s your portal into a magical world. Dozens of these spritely figures, sure to lift your spirits, are hidden among the tree branches.

Choose your soundscape

📾: Epiphany Seattle

No place quite fits that bill like Epiphany Seattle. Wherever you are on your spiritual path, you’ll enjoy a stroll on this peaceful campus modeled on an English country church. There are plenty of quiet spots for contemplation, including two gardens for solitude, cozy rooms for coffee with friends, and playgrounds if you need a dose of children’s laughter.

When it comes to feeding your soul, music is like a bowl of chicken noodle soup—good for almost everything that ails you. Epiphany Seattle offers a series of world-class concerts, as well as a calendar of special choral services that are all open to the public. For an eclectic night of nourishment, check out Cafe Soleil for an Ethiopian dinner before the concert, and then head over to Madrona Arms afterwards for a beer or craft cocktail at an authentic Irish pub.

Treat yourself

📾: Epiphany Seattle

glassybaby candle holders sit on counter and on a shelf in the back of the glassybaby store

Glassybaby, a Seattle hot spot for light, comfort, and whimsy was founded in Madrona in 2001. Lee Rhodes lit a homemade votive candle seeking hope when she was diagnosed with cancer and kindled the idea for what has become a multimillion-dollar company. These fresh-from-the-oven glass vessels are gorgeous, practically indestructible, and have all-day versatility. (Think morning juice glass, afternoon votive candleholder, or an evening ice cream bowl.) What more could you want? Try 400-plus colors that cater to your every mood, including comfort, grace, gratitude, jane’s caramel, and cabo. Added soul bonus: The glassybaby foundation receives a donation from each glassybaby purchase to provide hope and healing.

Epiphany Seattle is an Episcopal Church founded in 1907. Today, Epiphany continues to be a neighborhood church for the whole city, meeting the deeply human needs for connection through community, music and arts, and the example of Jesus Christ.

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Epiphany Seattle

Epiphany Seattle is an Episcopal Church founded in 1907. Today, Epiphany continues to be a neighborhood church for the whole city, meeting the deeply human needs for connection through community, music and arts, and the example of Jesus Christ.

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