Top o'the Hill
Newcastle Fruit and Produce
Magic happened yesterday east of Renton Technical College.
I have spent the last two weeks trying to find Damu. I thought he was in Mexico on a well-earned vacation after managing Newcastle Fruit and Produce last summer.
But look who I found yesterday while driving lost through the Renton Highlands! I was actually 12 minutes from my house but because I arrived via 405 and the verges of the Renton downtown area (completely mind-numbingly difficult for me to navigate in my 15 years of living here) I had nearly come back full circle to Newport Hills. I had no idea how close I was. I got out of my car ready to ask directions, and then a little magic happened.I didn't even have to close my eyes, click my heels or wear my ruby slippers.
My old friend Damu was my Wizard of Oz. He kindly put me back on the right backroad after I purchased oranges, apples ($2.00 for two large bags), clementines, poppyseed cake and cream among other yummy things . First good piece of news: He is returning to Newcastle on March 1st under their red and white circus tent and (this is the amazing thing) his partner is looking into leasing Red Apple for a Newport Hills operation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Their grocery store, at or near 5325 NE 4th Street, is a wonderful melange of all kinds of produce from Yakima and beyond, very reasonably priced pastas, pestos, homemade tomato sauces, baked goods, cheeses, and an actual butchers. And much more. As Cheryl says, it's Trader Joe's-y. It's like a local Trader Joe's. But without the traffic.
Meanwhile, the neighbors have voted (informally of course and please don't consider this a legal, binding and in any way official election) and the Number 1 most-requested store to replace the Red Apple in Newport Hills is (I need a drum roll here but it's not a huge surprise)Trader Joe's. Please feel free to take a few seconds and nominate Newport Hills for the next Trader Joe's>http://www.traderjoes.com/location_requests_form.aspx/
Several interim possibilities for our Red Apple parking lot:
These are photos taken of the Lake Hills produce stand open in the summer. They have the most beautiful floral bouquets you've ever seen--even nicer than Pike Place Market, which is saying a lot.
Click below for a list of all the local farmers markets, all of which started in parking lots just like ours!
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