Summer in Seattle

After a few international travel tales, I wanted to go back to the whole City Breaks USA theme I started a couple weeks ago.  As much as I love brandishing my passport, I’ve traveled more in the U.S. than anywhere else.  And honestly?  I’d be fine keeping it that way.  I have too many adventures in too many fabulous American cities to list.  So today, let’s talk about Seattle, one of my favorite holiday escapes.

People think they know Seattle.  Rain, clouds, Space Nettle, coffee, grunge.  To which I roll my Northwest-born-and-raised eyes.  First of all, Pacific Northwest summers are prettier than almost anywhere: mild, sunny, and green, green, green.  The rest of the year is mild, a blessed break from the snow piles you get further inland.  Yes, there’s lots of good coffee, and it’s grown music like nobody’s business–not just grunge.  And sure, it has plenty of tourist sites if you like that.  But I have another Seattle trip, one I take over and over, and honestly would like to take right now.

I stay in a bed and breakfast in the U District, which is near the mammoth University of Washington.  The U District has funky coffee shops, vegan sandwiches, and all other manner of delicious, cheap eats.  It also has a fantastic chai lounge, bookstores, record shops, and people to watch.  I love to spend an afternoon wandering around and snacking.

I also love checking out Seattle’s art museums, but the city’s live music is hard to pass up too.  Depending on what’s showing and who’s playing, I sometimes fill up my evenings more than I plan to on my relaxing Seattle holiday.

The Botanic Gardens are another whole afternoon (note that I do not schedule things for mornings–that is the time I lie around a comfy bed and eat piles of fruit-and-powered sugar sprinkled pancakes at the B&B).  Because Seattle is one of the most plant-friendly cities I can think of, their Botanic Gardens rock.  I can spend hours in the arboretum just roaming, scribbling in notebooks under gorgeous trees.

And after the gardens and arboretum comes the most important thing: Cafe Flora.  Oh, Cafe Flora, how I love your coconut tofu.  An incredible vegetarian restaurant that serves the kind of gourmet awesomeness we vegs are so often not associated with, I find Cafe Flora completely irresistible.  Rosemary lemonade?  Portobello mushroom French dip sandwiches?  Desserts to faint over?

Sometimes I go there twice.

The next day is devoted either to the Fremont District or Pike Place Market.  Fremont has zany public art (including a random statue of Lenin) and shopping.  No, really good shopping.  Boutiques, vintage clothing, dreamy shoe stores.  Pike Place Market is one of the oldest farmers’ markets in the country, with all sorts of quirky crafts to be bought and seen.

I always intend to trek out to the rain forest an hour and a half away, but I get too caught up in Seattle delightfulness to leave.  Because I used to live in Eastern Washington, most of my visits have been quick visits.  One of these days I’m going to go for a proper visit and do the city justice.