Three Trees Yoga & Healing Arts Center

204 S 348th St, Federal Way
www.threetreesyoga.com

My favorite vacations are the kind where I can relax and forget about the stresses in my daily life but still feel like I've accomplished something. Unfortunately, I don't have the wallet for such vacations as regularly as  I would like. Fortunately, I can go to Three Trees once a week and for a mere $15 (less if you buy a class pass), I can spend an hour relaxing, forgetting my stress and accomplishing some of my fitness goals.

This yoga studio is so fantastic. The instructors are very knowledgeable; the facility is beautiful, tranquil and inviting; and the building is surrounded by peaceful woods on three sides. It really does feel like a little mini-vacation every time I go in. They offer late and drop-in classes which are great if you commute out of FW and/or have a busy schedule. If you're new to yoga, there are classes that will help you get up to speed and the instructors are patient and helpful. The range of classes ensures that there is something for everyone, no matter how much or little yoga experience you have. They even have massage therapists on staff if your idea of relaxation involves someone else doing all the work!

East India Grill

31845 Gateway Blvd. S, Federal Way
www.eastindiagrillwa.com

As far as I know, this is the only Indian restaurant in Federal Way since the one in the food court at the Commons closed (unless you count the amazing Indian pizza at CanAm). Even if this weren't the only game in town, I would still eat here all the time. The food is great and the restaurant has great ambiance. The walls are painted the warm colors of the spices in the food and the lighting is soft and makes the dining room feel like it is a million miles from the busy intersection of 320th and the freeway.

I have been here many times and have always loved everything I've eaten, from vegetable biryani to mango chicken and a wide variety of stuffed naan. During the day, they have the lunch buffet which is apparently required by law of all Indian restaurants but they also do a Sunday brunch - and what could be more decadent than butter chicken with a mimosa on the side? But wait, there's more! If you love their food and want to make the recipes at home, East India Grill sometimes offers cooking classes. If you're looking for a great dining experience that's close to home, I highly recommend East India Grill.

Tokyo Steak House

1404 S 320th St., Federal Way
tokyojapanesesteakhouse.org

Once again, I find myself posting about a restaurant which turns out to be a chain. I'm ok with this because the Federal Way location of Tokyo Steakhouse was the only one for more than a decade. They opened a second location in Bellevue last year but this still feels like a Federal Way original. Although, if you've been to a Benihana, it's pretty much the same thing. All the same, Tokyo Steak House is a really fun place to have dinner. If you're not familiar with the teppan yaki style of cooking, this is where there is a big grill attached to your table and the chef comes out and cooks right next to you. Like any Japanese steak house, there is a lot of fire and dinner theater involved and the chefs here do a fine job of knife juggling, precision chopping and turning everyday vegetables into flaming volcanoes. The food is tasty and, obviously, cooked to order. I can recommend the steak and calamari dinner and have enjoyed the shrimp and veggies as well. In addition, they have an extensive sushi menu but the regular dinner off the grill includes soup, salad, rice and appetizer in addition to your entree. You will not go hungry here!

The Dance Collection

1500 S 336th St. Ste. 5, Federal Way
http://www.dancecollection.net

I'm not a professional dancer - my on-stage dance career started when I was 5-years-old with a pre-ballet recital performed to Lionel Richie's "Ballerina Girl" and ended in about fifth grade with a jazz performance to Trans X's "Living on Video." Now that you all know approximately how old I am, let's move on to why I love The Dance Collection. My little girl is now 4 and has been taking pre-ballet and is just about to start tap this fall. This store has everything she needs while she is currently in her sparkly tutu phase of her dance career and will be able to provide for her needs should she choose to stick with it beyond fifth grade. The store also has really great customer service. When going to buy tap shoes, we were racing to get there before they closed and arrived about 30 seconds too late. As we turned to head back to the car, an employee unlocked the door and cheerfully invited us in. She fitted my little girl and was as nice as could be, even though we were making her stay late. I really appreciated it and rest assured, if my daughter does stick with it, The Dance Collection will have our repeat business for years.

Peking Wok

32921 1st Ave S, Federal Way
www.pekingwoksungs.com

Federal Way has no shortage of Chinese restaurants, so it can be hard to pick one when you’re in the mood for some Mongolian beef and wonton soup. There are a few reasons I like Peking Wok. Most importantly, the food is good. It’s your basic American-style Chinese food done nicely and they have a really big menu to choose from. They’ll even do Peking duck if you give them 24-hour notice. The portions are big and the prices are reasonable. The restaurant itself is very cozy. It’s located in the Quad Shopping Center and of course it’s in a strip mall, but the interior is nice with red walls, intimate tables, and the ceiling is covered in a very ornate pattern. 

The other great thing about Peking Wok is that they deliver. One warning on that though - there’s a $20 minimum order for delivery and a dinner for one is around $13 and can easily feed two people. So if you, a.) live alone or, b.) don’t live alone but your husband is at his brother’s house watching football and you’re home with wicked PMS and all you want in the world is for someone to drive Chinese food to your face while you sit on your couch watching A League of Their Own, you might be out of luck. Or you could just order some extra appetizers and have a lot of leftovers.

Wild Waves and Enchanted Village

36201 Enchanted Pkwy S, Federal Way
www.wildwaves.com

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that Federal Way leads the pack when it comes to swimming holes. The King County Aquatic Center is a state-of-the-art swimming facility which has hosted the Goodwill Games, Pac 12 swim meets, local competitions and, most recently, the Olympic diving trials. The Federal Way Community Center has the largest recreational pool complex in the state. But if you ask anyone outside of Federal Way what there is to do here, nine times out of ten, they will mention Wild Waves.

The beloved theme park just celebrated its 35th anniversary this summer and is still as popular as ever. I absolutely love the optimism of an outdoor water park in Western Washington - there are approximately 3 (non-consecutive) weeks per year where the high temperatures get above 80 degrees. However, Wild Waves is packed throughout the summer with people who won't let a little chilliness stand in their way of having a good time on the water slides.

I recently went here with a group of friends, most of whom are from out of state. After the initial shock of being cold in our swimsuits in August wore off, we had a great time! Although waiting in line while wet is cold when it's 70 degrees out, the water in the slides is heated and they are mostly worth the wait. When we couldn't get warm anymore, we dried off, hit the beer garden and then moved on to Enchanted Village.

Enchanted Village is the dry side of the park and has a little bit of something for everyone. My husband and daughter enjoyed the Kiddie Land (which still has some of the great rides I remember from my youth) and my friends and I hit the roller coasters which, while few in number, are very thrilling. The Thunderhawk: Ride of Prey, is a big wooden roller coaster with tons of drops and an Old West theme, while the Wild Thing is a more modern ride with a big loop and a very scary corkscrew. They also have some more traditional fair rides like the Scrambler and the Ring of Fire. In addition, they have two rides that you have to pay extra for but look like they would be worth it if you aren't a big chicken like I am. One is a zip line that carries you 700 feet over the park and the other is the I-5 Dive, which is basically a big bungee cord that drops you 125 feet and then lets you swing for a while.

Here are some things to think about before you go: you can rent a locker and the cheapest ones are $14.00 but if you have a big group, think about renting a cabana. If you come wearing your swimsuit under your clothes and it's not 90 degrees, bring dry underwear to change into. If you go on the speed slides, take a moment at the bottom to take care of your inevitable wedgie before you hop up in front of the teenage lifeguard...

Northshore Quality Produce

35522 21st Ave. SW, Federal Way
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northshore-Quality-Produce/120027238020659

In the summer, the Federal Way Farmers Market and our CSA membership are great ways to get our fruits and veggies but I absolutely love having Northshore Quality Produce, a year-round greengrocer, here in town. They have a great selection of fresh and often local produce at competitive prices. In addition, they sell a wide variety of other items such as fancy-pants cheeses, cured meats, specialty canned goods, pasta, freshly baked breads and a dairy case complete with Smith Brothers milk and Beecher's macaroni and cheese. All that alone would make this place a one-stop grocery store for me but to my carnivorous husband's joy, there is also a butcher onsite. The third and smallest location of the local B & E Meats & Seafood chain, the butcher counter is located right inside the store and has a fantastic selection of steaks, chops, sausage and seafood, including top quality wild Alaskan salmon. They now also carry wine, which makes this adorable little store my ideal one-stop shop!