Bellevue is the business center of the Eastside. When I first moved here, my favorite restaurant was in the only tall building. Now, you have to know the address to find it! The Downtown Park (I call it Reflection Park) is a beautiful place to picnic, walk or jog, reflect, and enjoy Bellevue's skyline. Bellevue Square is one of the nation's premier and upscale shopping malls. The City of Bellevue has made a real priority of reaching out to its increasingly diverse community, with satellite city halls and publications in several languages. There are several wonderful lakefront parks and many other parks, including Kelsey Creek, with petting farm animals. There is a fun coloring book for children about life in Bellevue! Click here to download excerpts from that publication for your kids.

While there is a huge employment base on the Eastside, Bellevue residents are well-situated for commuting to Seattle also; they can use either the I-90 or the 520 bridge. Before the first bridge across Lake Washington was built, ferries ran between Seattle and Bellevue, stopping also at Mercer Island. Some of Bellevue's neighborhoods are Surrey Downs, Lake Hills, Glendale, Bridle Trails, Meydenbauer, Crossroads, Somerset, Newport Hills, and Eastgate. Almost all Bellevue addresses are within the Bellevue School District. A few years ago, a lovely mid-size convention center was built downtown which includes a small performance hall. The Bellevue Art Museum sponsors one of the nation's most prestigious juried arts and crafts fairs in July. Bellevue borders Lake Sammamish on one side and Lake Washington on the other. There's lots of magnificent waterfront and view property. Most of the waterfront is privately owned. This is Donna's synopsis of Bellevue. . . scroll down to access information from the City, the school district, and other sources!