Weekends for the Sutherland family aren’t much different from those other Seattle families might enjoy. A Saturday stroll may include brunch at a neighborhood restaurant, a walk to a favorite park, or a stop at a locally owned coffee shop. The biggest difference? Jake and Theresa Sutherland are raising their kids, Sephora (10) and Israel (9) in the middle of booming South Lake Union. The family left their house with a yard in Renton two years ago to fulfill their dream of living in the buzz of a city.
Highlights of residing in SLU for the Sutherlands include trips to PlayDate SEA (an indoor play space), the sprayground at Lake Union Park (Jake calls it their “urban swimming pool”), the always-engaging MOHAI, and a lot of outdoor time at the Seattle Center playground outside of MoPOP, which is a 10-minute walk from their building. And, perhaps most significantly, the aquatic recreation at Lake Union has been a huge draw. “One of the best things about living here is that we’re just a few blocks from the lake. To have the hustle of the city and all the dynamics that go along with that next to the relaxing feeling of the lake gives you the best of both worlds,” he says.