The Emerald City

After my husband returned from a year long deployment, we elected to take a much needed vacation to Seattle, WA. He'd been once before, but I had not, despite wanting to for quite some time. It was March, and by all weather charts that's one of their soggier months...not to mention chilly. We crossed our fingers and hoped for the best, because we didn't know when we'd get another chance to make this trip.

 Luckily, my husband and I arrived to find that the temperatures were tolerable, without wearing heavy winter coats (though layering was key), and we encountered very little rain fall (which was usually in the late afternoon or evening and added the nice Northwestern vibe one hopes for after they're already cozy at the hotel, perhaps while watching the newest Harry Potter movie on pay per view... ).

Speaking of hotels, I would highly recommend the one we made home during our 5 day venture, The Alexis. It's a boutique hotel, owned by the Kimpton chain. Yes, it's a little on the pricey side, but not nearly as pricey as most in it's location (in fact, we got a nice package deal), which was convenient and equal walking distance from the waterfront (where the aquarium, ferry port, and various shops/food vendors are located), Pikes Place Market (about two blocks away), and Pioneer Square. It is also a pet friendly place should you decide to bring your four-legged babies with you, but also exceptionally clean, so even my allergies (to cats and dust mites) were not triggered during the length of our stay. Attached to the hotel, is also a nice little bar called the Library (that has a complimentary wine hour for guests) and a restaurant (the name of which I forget). The rooms are modern and fun, and they have suites with different themes (none are tacky). We stayed in the Fireplace room, and it was so spacious we could have thrown a nice dinner party had we known anyone up that way! Unfortunately, I deleted any pics of the room from my phone to make space, but the website pics are not enhanced, so you don't have to worry about being deceived.

Seattle is a pedestrian friendly place, but rent a car or save up enough money for cab rides if you want to see the various neighborhoods it has to offer. Cab drivers are also very good resources for finding a recommended place to eat, see, or shop. The very pleasant driver we had from the airport to the hotel even gave us a mini tour, pointing out the Boeing plant, and giving brief history lessons on the area. Like I mentioned, the more famous areas are within walking distance to the hotel, but you'll want to venture into the hippy chic Fremont area, Capitol Hill, and many others. This will also allow you to avoid the plethora of panhandlers, etc., that you do not necessarily want to encounter. I would like to note that at least the homeless rarely approached us, and the much more vexing folks were the ones brandishing clipboards, taking surveys or fundraising for causes near the shopping district. I'm all for causes, but on vacation I just like to relax, so if I say, "Sorry, not today," I do not want to be accosted by the same person every time I pass that particular corner! Okay, sorry for the momentary rant, back to sight seeing...

I highly recommend you explore on foot in the area surrounding the hotel to get your barings. Make sure to check out the following (in no particular order): The aquarium down by the pier, Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe (if for no other reason than a laugh, also located by the waterfront), Pikes Place Market (I recommend going here at least once a day, as it is much bigger than you think, and almost impossible to see all it has to offer in one stop), Post Alley (home of The Pink Door which is a cabaret style Italian restaurant and bar that you do not want to miss!), any one of the abounding coffee shops (though surprisingly we preferred Tully's or individually owned places to the caffeine giant that is Starbucks), the fashion district (your best deals at Off 5th, the Saks outlet located just a block up from the market where I scored some Coach sunglasses, Betsey Johnson earrings, and more for under $100 total!), and of course a stroll around the historical Pioneer Square. I might caution against taking the "family friendly" tour of the underground while in that area, as it is rat infested and our particular guide was a let down. They also expect tips whether they do a good job or not (it is optional, but when my husband and I tried to politely slip away after a lackluster tour ending in the gift shop without tipping they watched us like hawks and it made us feel awkward, which I can only assume is the point), and the general attitude is very Daria-esque. Afterall, this was home to the grunge fad, so you do occassionally come across the rude disgruntled person (usually in their 30's, because they were in high school when it was popular and I guess the attitude stuck?) that feels it is their mission in life to openly express their contempt for everything. Ignore these people, the rest are nice.

You can also catch a ride on the ferry by walking to the pier area. The rates are very reasonable, they run at various times throughout the day, and you can pick from a number of different islands (Bainbridge, San Juan, etc.) to visit.When we took the ferry, we headed over to Bainbridge for the day (see pictures). It was a gorgeous day, the ferry ride was approx 30 min, and the city/mountain views were pretty spectacular. There are quite a few women's clothing boutiques, outdoor gear/clothing shops, children's boutiques, cafes, small parks, and places to eat once you get there (all within an easy walk from the port thanks to sidewalks, but wear comfortable shoes as it is very hilly, much like the city). We walked around for quite a while stopping in at each store until we were hungry. Then, it was time to proceed to a restaurant called The Four Swallows. It's a little on the fancy side, but you will not be stopped at the door and turned away if you are not dressed up. I would say most patrons were dressed in business casual or Sunday best attire (I actually wore a t-shirt, blazer, skirt, purple tights, black almost knee high boots, and nobody batted an eye or made me feel inferior). The fare here is gourmet and the menu changes frequently, but you can check ahead on their website to see if anything seems appetizing to you. My husband and I were thrilled by the service, thought the prices were reasonable, and thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I highly recommend the smoked duck, goat cheese, and cherry brioche, yum! After you are sufficiently stuffed, you can head back to the city and enjoy the absolutely stunning night scape (while quietly humming the theme song to Frasier...not that I did that or anything).

The following day, you may choose to grab some doughnuts or crepes for breakfast at the market and then catch the budget friendly monorail (located inside a mall over in the fashion district near Nordstrom if I remember right) to see that iconic Seattle landmark, the Space Needle. No trip is complete without a glass front elevator ride to the top (and the free cheesy digital photo they take when you are about to enter). You can spend as much time as you like up there looking through the telescopes, dodging group photos (or taking them), buying overpriced snacks (we passed), and realizing you have vertigo. When you've had your fill, you exit the same way you came up, but with a small detour through the gift shop (duh).

After you exit the needle, you can head on over to the Experience Music Project. This would be the super funky looking building just beside it. Inside, you will find a vast collection of Jimmy Hendrix costumes, guitars, scribblings, and many other fun exhibits. For instance, one can try their hand at recording a song or making their very own music video (available for purchase if you want a keepsake) in a semi-private studio setting. This is the section children love most, so while your dad, husband, etc., is painstakingly reading every word written about Hendrix, the history of guitars, listening to all the artist interviews, or in sci-fi nerd heaven upstairs, you can keep the fidgety ones distracted. While we were there, a lot of areas were under construction, because they were in the process of adding the Nirvana exhibit. It was worth checking out before this addition, but surely even more so now. Plus, you may get lucky and have a face to face celebrity encounter like we did when we spotted David Crosby of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame! After your head is crammed with music knowledge, I suggest hopping back on the monorail or taking a cab to Fremont (though taxis are scarce in this section).  



Fremont, what can I say about it? Well, I've never been to San Fransisco, but I imagine they are very similar. This is a community that embraces everyone (except maybe the closed-minded), and is very passionate about the outdoors (they have some very nice biking and walking trails/parks), arts, and individuality. It's a very eclectic area where there is something for everyone: antiques/thrift stores (the best place to pick up a retro souvenir t-shirt at a great price), eateries, boutiques, tattoo parlors, bars, bikes you can rent for the day, kayaking, an organic chocolate factory (Theo's, they are super friendly and offer delicious samples of all their flavors), the famous bridge troll, Interurban and Lenin statues, and the "center of the universe" sign post to point you in the direction of places like the Louvre...in Paris, France (just in case you were wondering). There is also one section of Fremont that reminded me of the movie "Sleepless in Seattle." It's next to a very popular trail near the water where you will find houseboats, sail boats, rowing teams, etc.; it's a picturesque little spot. Suffice it to say, there is a lot to do and see in this neighborhood.

Well, that pretty much covers our visit to the Emerald City. I hope you enjoy it! I'm still getting the hang of adding pics to this blog, so forgive me if their alignment on the page or the spacing is a bit wonky. I actually left out a couple, but hopefully the few that are featured give you a good idea of just how pretty Seattle can be, instead of the gloomy place most envision. One more thing, please remember I'm not claiming to be a professional photographer, and all shots are taken with my iPhone, so they are not always perfect.