Seattle - Pacific Northwest Adventure!
I’m back in one of my most favorite parts of the country - so beautiful and I’m enjoying spending the time with family and friends. My last two trips out here in November and March convinced me that summer is definitely the best time to visit. It’s been a little cooler than I anticipated but not one rainy day......yet!
First stop was Gig Harbor to see my dear friends Pam and Lance. Gig Harbor is the cutest town sitting right on Puget Sound across and a little north of Tacoma. Heading south from Seattle you head west across the bridge and from their home have a perfect view of the ferries crossing to Vashon Island.
We headed to the downtown harbor area and stopped at the Netshed Museum. I had no idea what that was but learned it’s where fisherman bring their nets for repair, and there are 17 still functioning in the area.
Pam and I have been friends for 48 years! She is still the sweetest person and I love her great husband Lance.
The night we were downtown they had their weekly farmers market so we browsed a bit and caught a little of the free music entertainment.
Delicious bakery goods and different starfish that are native to Gig Harbor.
There are so many great hiking trails in the area so the next morning we got some exercise checking out Point Defiance which is a pinninsula right across from Gig Harbor. The ferries run between Point Defiance and Vashon Island - a mush if you haven’t ridden one before. In Seattle with the traffic being what it is sometimes it’s your most efficient means of getting somewhere.
Ivars chowder - also a must so had it for lunch!
We celebrated our reunion with a wonderful dinner at Anthony’s on the water in Gig Harbor. Always a great choice!
A great meal at the best table with amazing friends!
Time to say goodbye to Pam and Lance and head over to spend time with my brother Dave and his lovely wife Dee. They have been amazing in planning fun things to do everyday. First day we headed to downtown Seattle. We were heading to Pike Place Market but stumbled across the gum wall in Post Alley. Truly one of the nastiest sites you will cross paths with and gets bigger every time I’m here. I looked it up and it is in the top 5 germiest tourist attractions in the world - second only to the Blarney Stone. Not something I would seek out but definitely draws a crowd.
The city actually has attempted to clean it off numerous times since it began in 1993 but it always returns bigger and can I say better?
We made it to Pike Place Market and while I have been there many times it never gets old. It was packed as usual and it’s always fun to see them throw the fish. The produce markets are amazing and I love the flower stalls. They have built a new building on the west side of the market and it’s called Producers Hall. It’s still in the process of being completed but they have a cool brewery and some restaurants with a fantastic view of Puget Sound.
We happened across a new Starbucks concept most likely coming your way soon. It’s called Starbucks Reserve and has premium coffee in a slightly more upscale space. You heard it here first!
New logo and special beans.
Where next? Amazon headquarters! Amazon is located in the South Lake Union area and has too many buildings to even count. We were looking for headquarters which has the new grocery store concept on the main level. You’ve most likely read about it or seen it on TV as in order to shop there you must download the APP as the merchandise is scanned as you put in in your basket and you just walk out the door. No checkout or cashier needs to ring up your purchase. Expanding to San Francisco and Chicago very soon.
Main entrance to Amazon Headquarters and Amazon Go grocery.
Just completed across from headquarters are The Spheres, three steel-framed glass enclosed domes. They contain more than 40,000 plants from the cloud forest regions of over 30 countries. They also contain work space for Amazon employees to work and hold meetings in small birds nest conference areas. It is only open to the public two Saturdays a month by tickets available online, but we were able to get into one of the Spheres main level and go through the educational display. Amazing even from the outside. Affectionately referred to as “Bezos Balls” in Seattle😂
Not sure you can tell how large they really are! Huge!
Lots more fun planned so check back soon! #sleeplessinseattle