I have a “two-try rule”.
If I’m not certain about a place or city, I will always return to get a
more comprehensive experience. It’s not
good practice to judge things off of one trip, unless it’s proven undeniably
otherwise. In this case, I thought
Stanwood was nice, but I felt incomplete not experiencing other parts.
South Stanwood offered enchanting forest views of Maple and
Pine, knotted with wooden homes saturated with damp, moist, revitalizing
air. Central Stanwood offered more
spacious views. The roads were simple
and not as entertaining, the territory was not as forested and seemed more flat
compared to a few miles south. There is
development potential here. They could
develop it a little more attractively. For
example, Heratige Park is huge. They have
ample, flexible space to develop more fun opportunities for guests. City officials should consider funding an
expansion project for that playground.
They might be missing an opportunity to attract tourists, and tourist
money, with children.
There’s quite a few places to eat, I planned on eating at
The Polska Kuchnia, but my kid wanted McDonalds and to play in play area, I repeat…THE
PLAY AREA. See what an attractive play
area brings, customers. So we ate a
McDonalds. Afterwards, I was full from
lunch, but I wanted to try a local spot, so we stopped by The Cookie Mill.
The Cookie Mill was a pleasant place to visit. The shop had a cottage-feel and country charm. Here you order and seat yourself. Plain coffee and water refills sit in the
middle of the shop for your convenience.
They offer a wide range of delectable edibles from sandwiches to
pastries, we went with the sharable Pumpkin Bar. The staff warmed it up for us, as they
recommended. The bar was moist to cut
and taste, it was slightly sweet, not overwhelming at all. There was also a wide range of drink items,
but the most preferred seemed to be coffee, that’s what I ordered, a Mocha
Breve to be exact. It may not be their
style to do latte art, but a little love goes a long way for such an average
tasting drink. Besides that, I enjoyed
this place. The energy was good, guests
looked like they appreciated the atmosphere, the staff were nice, and the
toilets were clean.
The city center is developing. I hope they can embrace modernization in the
right spots. I also hope they can
maintain its unique history and character (like the brick road downtown) during
this period of growth. When visiting
cities in Snohomish County, I find the most attractive ones being able to mix
old and new harmoniously.