Seattle

So my last bit of work travel was this weekend. I had to go to Seattle for the same work event I had to go to Minneapolis for because we have a different new staff person in that region that I needed to help train. I know, I live such a hard life.

I haven't been to Seattle since 1995 when my dad and I flew there on my very first plane ride to meet up with my mom and brother for our first big family vacation driving through Alaska (and the start of many adventures for all of us). Digression: On that plane ride I distinctly remember two things 1) I got really air sick on take off. I was clammy and nauseated and just thought I was never going to get through 3 hours of this. Dad leaned down to me, and said "that sick feeling will go away when we level out." How did he KNOW?! I couldn't believe he knew I was feeling so sick (I later found out from him that I was white as a sheet and looked ill). At the time it was one of those amazing my-parent-is-omniscient moments. The second thing I remember is that the tops of clouds looked like brontosauruses. And actually, now every time I fly I look out the window to see if the tops of clouds look like that - even though you never see the same image in a cloud a second time. End Digression.

So, because I hadn't been to Seattle since I was kid, I made sure to get an early flight on Saturday, so I would have the whole day to sight see. The event I was hosting was Sunday afternoon, and I flew home Monday morning so that I had almost 2 full days in the city. My coworker had been in the city all week so he picked me up from the airport and we went straight to Pike Place Market.

My view of Mt. Rainier flying into Seattle. I was waiting to see the city and then realized that white stuff is clouds covering the city.

My roommate used to live in Seattle and she told me not to buy all the flowers and produce when I got to Pike Place Market - Silly Laura, I am in town for two days, why would I possibly want to buy perishables?! ...Oh...

These amazing bouquets were only $10!!

The produce was picture perfect and I had to remember not to just grab it and eat it

This is a cabbage rose. According to signs it is not edible.

Fresh chilies turned into wreaths. I am used to seeing dried peppers so these were very colorful

I did consider purchasing a bouquet of flowers knowing I would only have them for a day because they were beautiful and had vibrant colors and there were tons of chrysanthemums. But ultimately it didn't seem fair to the flowers. I did however, buy food at the Market.

Mmmm. Clam Chowda

Macaroons and pinwheels from La Panier the Very French Bakery

After the Market, we jumped on a ferry and headed over to Bainbridge Island. The main reason was to get photos of the Seattle skyline. It does not disappoint. (Never knew the Space Needle is so far from the rest of the skyline...by far I mean about 1 mile)

Bainbridge was fun to walk around and look at the fall colors. It was just a small town, but colorful. And leaves are way prettier when you don't have to rake them up every weekend.

 After Bainbridge, we rode the ferry back (Actually, we had to run back to the ferry to catch it before it left within the next 2 minutes. Let's just say Seattle wasn't quite so chilly for a while) and went to dinner at Tutta Bella, a pizzeria that makes wood-fired pizza with local ingredients. One of my high school friends who lives in the area recommended it.

The next day, we slept in and then headed out for our event, which went very well. Then the sun came out! This wasn't anything new to me but my coworker hadn't seen the sun all week so we practically drove off the road when he realized the clouds were clearing and the sun was coming out to stay. We quickly got back to the hotel, changed clothes, and went back out to Discovery Park. Although the signs said only authorized personnel were allowed, it was clear that people came here to hike all the time so we ignored the signs and went all the way to the edge of the park near a lighthouse along the Puget Sound (and go figure, it was a Sunday so nobody cared).

It was a nice sunset...wasn't an Arizonan sunset, but I guess because it was a rarity, it was pretty good.

My coworker had picked a hotel downtown so we were walking distance to the Space Needle. We didn't go up in it because it cost $20 and in person it isn't that tall (only 11 stories) and doesn't have a roller coaster or bungee jumping like the Stratosphere in Las Vegas (I haven't been there either) so it seemed like a steep cost for views I saw on the ferry to Bainbridge for $8. We were joined for dinner by two more coworkers who had flown in that day to begin a week of college fairs so the four of us went out to dinner again, and then stopped by the Space Needle for some pictures.

The Space Needle was purple in honor of a University of Washington coach who had recently passed away

And then, just like that it was time to leave. At least it was a clear day this time. Turns out it has stayed sunny this week, while in Phoenix we were cloudy and windy all day and in the 60s for most of the day. It seems I took the sun with me and then left it there. I am pretty ok with that.