Several years back, a friend of mine moved to Greenwood from Capitol Hill. I asked him how he liked it, or if he missed the hipster happiness of the Hill. He said no, he didn't miss the Hill all that much and that he had nothing but love for his new neighborhood.

"I like Greenwood more than I like Seattle," he said.

It's a strong sentiment, but a visit to Greenwood kind of bears it out. No matter your needs -- a good meal, a new shirt, a stiff drink, supplies for an interstellar voyage -- Greenwood has the means to provide for them. It's a terrifically well-rounded neighborhood, with at least five great businesses to recommend it.

1. The Baranof Lounge. With its NASCAR-meets-Popeye vibe (my friend Mark Shaffer calls it "old-school-dive-bar-tiki, only without so much tiki"), the Baranof Restaurant's rear lounge pretty much takes the taco for bizarre dives. What's with that Melanie Griffith poster, anyway? Drinking at the Baranof is a joy and a pleasure, even if you can't quite figure out why that is. 

2. Olive You. In a neighborhood that's surprisingly rich with Greek and Mediterranean dining spots, Olive You stands above the rest. The food at this restaurant and deli is just plain wonderful. The only reason I'm not enjoying one of their gyro platters right now is because I'm talking to you.

3. Insurrection. All cowboy shirts, all cowboy boots and all cowboy belts, all the live-long day. Recently, I proved to myself that while I can't leave this place without spending money on a vintage western shirt, I can demonstrate enough restraint to put back the other five I have picked out. Until next time.

4. Gordito's Healthy Mexican Food. Their food is cheap, healthy and they give you enough to feed an army of rockabillies. Seriously, their burritos are as big as infants and almost twice as tasty.

5. The Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company. The skeezy retail front for writing workshop 826 Seattle would have you buy bottles of "Uncertainty," bricks of "gravity," freeze-dried food and rayguns that fire scented smoke rings.

Are we gonna fall for this intergalactic hoohah? Why yes, we are, because it supports some very noble work. And because I ... I mean, because we want to be astronauts. In cowboy boots. With burritos and gyros in hand, looking for a good time on Planet Greenwood. 

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