Redmond Hits Top 100 + Mystery Fusion Restaurant Rumor & Pollinator Fest

Welcome to Best of Redmond! Redmond's twice-weekly newsletter and podcast about all the amazing things happening in Redmond for the next seven days!📰 Redmond Makes the Top 100 Best Places to Live Okay, so here’s something to smile about: Redmond landed at #83 on US News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings, which officially puts us in the top 100 nationwide. Not bad for our little corner of the Eastside. Huge kudos to nearby Sammamish too, which came in at #21 in the entire country. That’s honestly pretty wild. The rankings look at things like schools, jobs, safety, and overall quality of life, and Redmond held its own against cities all over the U.S. So next time somebody asks why we like living here… now you’ve got stats to back it up.🐝 Sammamish Valley Pollinator Fest Is Happening This Weekend If you’ve been trying to turn your yard into something bees and butterflies actually want to visit, the Sammamish Valley Pollinator Fest might be worth your time. It’s happening Saturday, May 30, 2026, and it’s basically a full community event around pollinator-friendly gardening, native plants, and keeping local ecosystems healthy. They’re doing educational booths, garden-related vendors, activities for kids, and talks from people who actually know how to grow stuff around here without killing everything by August. It’s a pretty family-friendly setup and a good excuse to spend part of the afternoon outside. Bring questions if you’re thinking about adding native plants or reworking your garden this summer.🐾 Teens Can Literally Study With Therapy Dogs at the Redmond Library Okay, this might be the smartest idea anybody’s had for stressed-out teenagers. The Redmond Library is hosting “Study with Dogs” on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 from 5 to 6 p.m., where therapy dogs from Reading with Rover basically hang out while middle and high school students study, do homework, or prep for exams. No registration needed, and it’s designed to be a low-stress space for teens who maybe need a break from staring at schoolwork for six straight hours. It’s free, pretty wholesome, and honestly even adults would probably focus better with golden retrievers nearby. Good option if finals season is starting to hit your house.👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Outdoor Story Time Is Back at Farrel-McWhirter Park If you’ve got little kids and need an easy weekday outing, KCLS is doing outdoor story time again at Farrel-McWhirter Park on Wednesday, May 27 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. They’ll be reading nature-themed stories, doing songs, movement, and all the stuff that somehow burns toddler energy without wrecking your house. Story time happens in the barn area, and all ages are welcome as long as kids come with an adult. No registration needed. Bring a blanket or something to sit on, and probably sunscreen because May weather likes to surprise everybody around here.🛍️ Redmond Saturday Market Is Back This Weekend So if you’ve never been to the Redmond Saturday Market, this is probably the weekend to fix that. It’s the oldest running outdoor market on the Eastside, and they’re back on Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in downtown Redmond. You’ll find fresh local produce, pastries, handmade stuff from local vendors, and usually a couple food trucks parked nearby. It’s one of those easy Saturday morning things where you can grab coffee, wander around, and somehow leave carrying vegetables and kettle corn. Go early if you want easier parking and shorter bakery lines.🎨 VALA Art Center Has a Creative Writing Workshop This Weekend If you’ve been wanting to get back into writing or just try something creative without a ton of pressure, VALA Art Center has a free workshop happening Sunday, May 31 from 2 to 4 p.m. Poet Catherine Broadwall is leading a session focused on memory, emotion, and creative writing exercises using things like fabulism and braided essays, which basically means exploring different ways to tell stories. All experience levels are welcome, and the workshop is capped at 15 people, so this one probably fills up fast. Bring your favorite notebook, show up curious, and see where the afternoon takes you.🕰️ Redmond History Minute Okay, it's time for the Redmond History Minute, where we share an interesting piece of history, trivia, or tidbit about life in and around Redmond.Farrel-McWhirter Park is one of Redmond's most popular family spots. How did the city get the 68-acre farm?A) They bought it at auction B) A woman donated it to the city when she died C) Microsoft traded it for a tax break D) It was seized for unpaid taxesAnswer revealed at the bottom of this newsletter.🔮 Redmond Rumor Mill Okay, this one’s interesting. We’re hearing that a Japanese-French fusion restaurant concept might be looking at Redmond for a second location, and apparently it’s tied to a Bothell pastry chef who trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in both Singapore and France. The rumor is the menu would lean into Singaporean-style hawker food mixed with French techniques, which honestly sounds like something people around here would line up for immediately.Now, to be clear, we don’t know where this would go, whether leases are signed, or if Redmond actually wins the location. But if this thing is real, it could end up being one of the more unique restaurant openings we’ve seen in a while.So here’s the question: where do YOU think this place should open? Downtown? Over by RTC? Somewhere hidden in an office park that suddenly becomes impossible to park near?If you've got a guess or have heard something, head to our Facebook page at facebook.com/BestOfRedmond and drop it in the "Redmond Rumor Mill Guesses" post.🗳️ Your Picks: Best Nursery in RedmondAlright, that's it for this week.Head on over to facebook.com/BestOfRedmond, find the post called "Your Picks," and drop your vote in the comments. We want to know who you think is the best nursery in Redmond.📻 Don't Miss the PodcastIf you enjoyed this newsletter, you're gonna love the companion podcast. Find it at bestofredmond.com.We'll see you in the next one... or maybe before then, walking around Redmond.🎯 History Minute AnswerThe answer is B – A woman donated it to the city when she diedElise Farrel-McWhirter was a world traveler who chose Redmond over everywhere else she'd been. She and her husband Earl bought the farm in 1936 for $6,000 from the Hutcheson family, who'd homesteaded it in 1890. When Earl died in 1966, Elise stayed on the farm alone. She donated all 68 acres to the city upon her death in 1971. The barnyard is still free and open every single day of the year.