Downtown Bellevue Gets an Entertainment Venue: Parlor Live

Finally, Downtown Bellevue will get what it has desperately needed, an entertainment venue for live music and comedians at Lincoln Square! Parlor Live, as it will be called, is the sister club of The Parlor and will go right next door.

So your next question might be, where is there space next door? The Parlor will be splitting its existing 20,000 sq ft of space in half, to accommodate for Parlor Live, which will now be a separate location dedicated to entertainment.

Bellevue Square Clock Tower Renovation

Bellevue Square Remodel Almost Complete

Bellevue Square has come a long way over this past year in its major interior remodel. It isn't complete yet, but it's very close!

Take a look at some recent images, which show many of these upgrades in action. The theme of the wood paneling, with the accent of green throughout, has made for a very nice organic and premium feel.

You'll also see the sign for the "Kids' Cove," which we will follow as it becomes complete. This will be the new kids area on the third floor.

Earl's Confirmed at Lincoln Square

As rumored on Monday, it has now been confirmed that Earl's - the hip restaurant and bar from Canada - will in fact occupy space in Lincoln Square next to The Container Store. Currently, Fashion AXIS has occupied this space on a annual basis.

The 9,000 Sq Ft, high-viability space has gone unoccupied for Lincoln Square's entire existence. Earl's will open in Spring 2009.

New Plans for Office Towers on NE 8th

In an article on Friday, the PSBJ reports Beacon Capital Partners LLC is creating plans for a high- rise office tower in the core of Downtown Bellevue at 10833 NE 8th St.

The newly proposed building would be 32-stories of office space and would be positioned to accomodate a 2nd building at the site as well.  The open space is in between the Yuen Lui photography studio and the First Congregational Church.

Rumors of Earl's Coming to Lincoln Square

If you frequent Canada then you may be familiar with Earl's, a trendy restaurant and bar. Recently there have been several rumors floating around town about Earl's pondering an opportunity to take occupancy at Lincoln Square.

There are several unoccupied locations at Lincoln Square. The most attractive being on the second floor next to Lucky Strike Lanes and on the street level where Fashion Axis has been, located next to the Container Store.

Those familiar with Earl's would agree that it is a lot like Joey's at Bellevue Place. Ironically (or not so ironically) Joey's is also originally from Canada, where they are direct competitors. With many urban residents scheduled to move to Downtown Bellevue within the next year, Earl's would be an instant hit at Lincoln Square.

Caffe Ladro Now Open at Tower 333

Caffe Ladro is now open at Tower 333, where the soon to be home of Expedia's corporate headquarters will be located. The espresso bar and bakery are open Monday - Friday 5am - 7pm.

Caffe Ladro is known for their "100% fair trade, organic, shade grown coffee."

One floor below Caffe Ladro, there are 2 signs up announcing the soon to come Tangerine Thai restaurant.

Successful Event!

 

Tap House Offers Nightly Beverage Specials

On a recent trip to Tap House Grill, it came to our attention that they are currently running nightly special on beers and cocktails.

After 10pm every night all beers are $4 and featured cocktails are $5! Just don't attempt to try all 160 beers in one night.

Starbucks at The Lodge Grand Reopening Event

This Sunday (Sep 28th) at 1pm will mark the grand reopening of Starbucks in Downtown Bellevue at The Lodge at Bellevue Square. Join the party, and enjoy a Sunday afternoon of coffee and treats. Starbucks will be providing door prizes and a raffle, which will include whole bean coffee, mugs, and Starbucks Gift Cards.

"It's Finally Friday" at BAM Starts This Friday

"It's Finally Friday" is a new monthly event that will kick-off this Friday (Sep 26th) at the Bellevue Arts Museum.

Beginning at 6:30pm, pay the normal museum admission ($5 or $7) and you'll have access to a gallery tour with Executive Director & Chief Curator, Michael Monroe. At 7:30pm, there will be a live DJ with music and wine tasting.

This event will continue monthly. Check the Bellevue Arts Museum Events Calendar for future dates.

Yahoo! Subleases space, confirmed again

In an article in the PSBJ Monday, it was restated that Yahoo plans to sublease half of their office space at One Twelfth @ Twelfth. Over a year ago, Yahoo took over 115,000 square feet of office space with the hope of growing Yahoo’s presence in the Puget Sound. They have reported growing to as many as 600 employees.

Fashion Week: The Unexpected and The Collective

Bellevue fashion week wrapped up this weekend with "The Unexpected" runway show, featuring Rag Mens Style and Voletta Couture, on Friday night, and "The Collective" runway show, featuring a variety of stores from The Bellevue Collection, on Saturday night. Fashion Axis was once again adorned with sheer fabric panels, modern flower arrangements, and the cocktails were overflowing at these fashion events of the year.

Lucky Strike hosted the appetizers and after party for "The Unexpected," aerial artists hung from ropes doing flips and tricks, cup cakes by Creme de la Creme were given away, and the runway show itself was a display of unexpected fashion, style, and excitement. The male models for Rag and the female models for Voletta Couture put on a show of fun and grace on the runway. Rag's styles for fall featured casual ways to layer shirts, sweaters, and ties. Jeans were dressed up or down, and suits were paired with Converse-style shoes, turning the business wardrobe into a hip style to wear out on the town.

Voletta Couture, which specializes in evening and wedding gowns, showed off subtle colors and rhinestone embellishment on many of their styles. Wedding dresses for fall are so much more than the common white, strapless dress. Skits were layered and flowing, as well as full and heavy. Subtleties of ruching, sinches, and uncommon waistlines were what made the dresses fashionable.

For Fall, Rag will be carrying a much more casual collection and less suits. However, if you're in the market for a new suit, they are currently having a Duncan Quinn designer suit blowout sale! Also, Voletta Couture will be having a special Badgley Mischka Trunk Show on September 26th and 27th.

"The Collective" on Saturday night featured a thematic runway show featuring stores such as Mercer, Marqsmen, Banana Republic, Aritzia, Guess, Road, Macy's, and more. Each store showed their hot looks for fall. Even Urban Dogs made an appearance with dog-wear on 2 furry models. The show boasted an impressive soundtrack, paired with great graphics and a dramatic performance.

Food at "The Collective" was provided by Z'Tejas, and each guest at the show received a swag bag filled with goodies from The Bellevue Collection. In it's third year, Bellevue Fashion Week has begun to put Bellevue on the map as a destination for fashion.

-Lea

How To Have Bellevue Beautiful Hair

With Fall in the air, what can you do with your dry Summer hair? At Gene Juarez in the Bellevue Galleria, Fall style dictates it's all about "shape, shine and style".  Styles are emphasized with looks that are feminine and bold yet sophisticated and romantic.

- Trisha

We are having an event!

The Downtown Bellevue Network hosted an event a week and a half ago, and it had such a strong response that we are going to duplicate a second event at the end of September.

Our email subscribers always have the "first crack" at our events and have taken up the majority of the space for this event! We have 20 spots left, so the first people to RSVP to info@downtownbellevue.com will have access to the free event!

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What Bellevue Towers is sponsoring our second DBN celebration with complimentary beverages and appetizers

Why To celebrate the change in the Downtown Bellevue skyline and to have bragging rights that you were one of the first in the new Towers!

Where Meet at the Bellevue Towers Showroom (Old Spazzo Location) - 10655 NE 4th St., Floor 9, Bellevue, WA 98004

When Tuesday, September 30th, 6:30pm Sharp*

What to wear Shoes must be flat and closed toe (no sandals, high heels, flip flops, etc.).

Action RSVP to info@downtownbellevue.com, by responding with your name and how many people will be in your party!

*You must arrive on time to attend this event, as we will go as a group up into the Towers.

Expedia Unveils New Sign at Tower 333

Fashion Week: Nordstrom Fall Runway Show

On Friday night some of the most fashionable people in Bellevue gathered for boutique shopping, pink cocktails, and a fierce runway show. To kick of The Bellevue Collection Fashion Week was the "Fall 2008 Runway Show," put on by Nordstrom, featuring designers Versace, Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg, Robert Rodriguez, Marni, L.A.M.B., Phillip Lim, Michael Kors, M Missoni, and Gucci.

Nordstrom turned Lincoln Square's Fashion Axis into a posh space that felt like a L.A. nightclub for shopping. Complete with white leather lounges, fru fru cocktails, delectable hour dourves, and Jimmy Choo shoes, I forgot I was in Bellevue while getting lost in a woman's wonderland! The fashion show that followed the mixing and mingling was hot. The thick-banged, long-haired models stomped their way down the runway showcasing fall's new looks, to a soundtrack that included techno beats and fresh sound.

Among the best designers of the show were Versace, L.A.M.B., and M Missoni. Their hot looks for fall boasted bright colors of hot pinks, royal purple, canary yellow, and forest green. Dresses for fall are staying long and luxurious, trending from summer's theme of floor-length, knit sun dresses. Leggings are back this fall, but were shown in the form of stretch leather or hues with sheen and sparkle. L.A.M.B. in particular showed off some more practical wear that could be dressed up or down; bomber-inspired sweatshirt jackets, patterned sweaters and blazers, and skinny jeans with red leg-warmers over them were among the hottest styles. Falls best accessory this year is a hat. From mini Berets to Fedoras with feathers, hats were worn with a majority of the styles showcased.

Nordstrom's "Fall 2008 Runway Show" was a hit. All of the ticket proceeds went to benefit the Detlef Schrempf Foundation, which supports Northwest children and families in need.

-Lea

"Commuter Connection" Opens Today, Brings 24-hour Indoor Bike Parking

The Bellevue Transit Center in Downtown Bellevue will add a new service, "Commuter Connection." It will include a 24-hour indoor bike parking option, giving those commuting to and from Downtown Bellevue more confidence in their transportation options.

The Commuter Connection, will also feature commuter assistance located at NE 6th St, between 108th and 110th Ave, inside the Rider Services Building. The facility will be staffed from 10am - 2pm, allowing community members to get help planning trips by bus, carpool, or vanpool. In addition, workers and residents can stop in to purchase transit passes and pick up travel information.

The new program will feature 27 indoor bike racks with wire mesh lockers and a key card membership that allows all-hours access, as well as space for changing clothes.

The new program is sponsored by the City of Bellevue and managed by TransManage (a part of the Bellevue Downtown Association).

Banana Republic Remodel Complete, Now Open

Banana Republic has been closed at Bellevue Square, in some fashion, for the last couple of months.

Thursday 9/11, the remodel will be complete and unveiled to customers as their newly improved, larger store.

CeFiore and Chipotle Team Up for Great Promotion in Downtown Bellevue!

If you haven't stopped by the new CeFiore frozen yogurt joint yet, now's your time to do it. Not only are we having great weather this month, but CeFiore is kicking off their Downtown Bellevue presence with a steller promotion! Now through the end of September, treating yourself at CeFiore will get you a free burrito at Chipotle on 105th.

1. Buy a treat at the CeFiore on 10435 NE 4th St.

2. Take your receipt to Chipotle on NE 4th St. & 105 Ave. NE on the same day.

3. And get a FREE BURRITO (or burrito bowl, tacos, or salad)!

This special promotion ends on 9/30/2008.

Enjoy!

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UPDATE: We have been told this promotion has been ended early as of 9/14

Hermès Will Open at The Bravern

The Bellevue Collection Fashion Week 2008 - Begins Friday

The Bellevue Collection Fashion Week kicks off Friday night for what promises to be the most eventful Fashion Week in Bellevue yet.

Fashion Week spans 9 days, playing host to many fashion events, featuring the Nordstrom Fall Runway Fashion Show on Friday!

There will be many in-store events, but the Premier events are what will draw crowds. These events feature high-fashion runway shows located at Fashion AXIS in Downtown Bellevue's Lincoln Square, as in years past.

Premier Event Listings:

Nordstrom Fall Runway Fashion Show
Friday, 9/12 7pm $60 @ Fashion AXIS

Posh Party
Saturday, 9/13 6pm $50 @ Fashion AXIS

VIP Shopping Night
Saturday, 9/13 6pm 8 - 10:30pm Bellevue Sq

An Evening with 7
Sunday 9/14 7pm $25 @ Fashion AXIS

Helly Hansen Outdoor and Winter Sports Fashion
Wednesday 9/17 6:30pm @ Fashion AXIS

David Lawrence Fall Fashion Spectacular
Thursday, 9/18 7pm $40 @ Fashion AXIS

The Unexpected - RAG mens style & Voletta Couture
Friday, 9/19 7pm $35 @ Fashion AXIS

Bis On Main - New Late Happy Hour!

It was recently pointed out by one of our readers that Bis on Main now has a late night happy hour! It is available 9pm - close, Monday through Saturday.

The food on their bar menu during this time is specially priced. In addition, all wines by the glass and well drinks are $5.

The Downtown Bellevue happy hour section has been updated to reflect this change!

Burberry Opens at Bellevue Square

This last weekend, the over 4,000 sq-ft retail Burberry store, opened inside of Bellevue Square on the first floor next to Apple, taking over Gap Kids old location.

The store from the outside looks small and intimate, but once inside, the size of the store and clothing selection is impressive!

It compliments the newly opened Lacoste store next door to it, fitting in perfectly with the other luxury stores nearby, including Tiffany's, Apple, Movado, Nordstrom, and more.

Subway & CeFiore Open at Avalon Meydenbauer

In an attempt at creating more affordable dining in Downtown Bellevue, Subway has recently opened a new location on NE 4th St within the Avalon Meydenbauer complex. Subway adds to the many established stores at Avalon Meydenbauer, which is anchored by Safeway.

Next door to Subway is CeFiore, a new frozen yogurt chain to the Bellevue area. CeFiore originated in Southern California in 2006. The Bellevue location, which is now open, features a very contemporary look, unexpected in the world of fast food establishments.