Spectacular Seattle

VIEW FROM OUR ROOM

It has been 16 years of coming to Seattle. It is a city both Clint and I fell in love with on our first trip here. There is not one thing that I love about Seattle... there are hundreds of things I love!

It is a city filled with energy, wonderful people, outstanding food, fabulous fresh tasting oysters.

Pike's Market is a place that offers everything you can imagine in produce and seafood as well as artisans selling there crafts and musicians playing to the crowd.Your head will spin a thousand ways as you stroll through this lively market. Fresh, huge bouquets of flowers, some with small heads of ornamental cabbages as the centerpiece to fall and winter flower, fresh garlands and wreaths crafted from Northwest greenery, beautiful scarfs and hats knitted in colorful yarns to keep you nice and toasty in the winter air. Honey, jams, cheese, chocolates, tiny doughnuts sold by the dozen and believe me you can eat a dozen of these tiny doughnuts in a second~ the place is called "the daily dozen".
A magic shop filled with fun things to bring home to the grand kids, Bookstores filled with local authors and books on this magical area.
Wonderful little eateries serving up warming filling bowls of chowder, fried oyster sandwiches, smoked salmon, halibut cheeks, crepes made to order. Lowell's, the restaurant featured in "Sleepless in Seattle."
Our favorite places to eat are any Tom Douglas's restaurants, Etta's at the market, a new place he just opened called "Seatown" featuring home cured meats, rotisserie roasts, fresh seafood and a multitude of locally brewed beers and local wines. Not to forget, Dahlia's or Serious Pie for the best pizza of your life. We go to Palace Kitchen if we wake up from a afternoon nap that lingered into evening for grilled sardines and a salad made from 3 kinds of cucumbers along with fabulous cocktails. Lola's for Greek inspired fare. If we want a doughnut as big as a small cake with a cup of coffee that looks like it is serve in a bucket we head to Top Pot.
The food here is inventive, freshly made and oh so delicious. A true food lovers paradise!

My enthusiasm for Seattle has not waned...I dream of coming to Seattle.

For the past few weeks, I lay in bed and put myself in a waterfront room at the Seattle Waterfront Marriott looking out to Puget Sound, watching the ferries glide across the water, the freight boats being tugged into the harbour, the light arches of Sea-Tac stadium, the sea planes floating in the sky, the tiny marina that sits in front of the hotel, filled with locally owned private motor yachts decorated for the holidays with strings of Christmas lights draped across their decks. I dreamed and wished and prayed to be in Seattle.
I read a book not that long ago called "Pave it Forward" It was a book that allowed you to dream and also know that you can create your life, one day at a time, each morning waking up and knowing that you are in charge of your happiness and your reaction to your life.

And so each day I thought of Seattle and how I would love to go back, at a time when I need it most. A break from this Cancer that follows me around like a errant child, reminding me daily that I am sick and that I have a fight to fight.
We have gone to Seattle for the past 16 years this time of year. I couldn't bear not to be here. I needed to get away, knowing that I will be starting another 2 months worth of chemo. I needed strength and I know I could find what I needed in Seattle.
So with a little magic and a lot of wishing and praying and some negotiating with my Doctor, saved frequent flyer miles and hotel rewards and some help from my mom, we made it to Seattle. My dream came true.
We are in the same room we always get with windows on both side of the room, giving us a magnificent view of Puget sound, within walking distance of Pike's Market and I am sitting in my dream, just as I imagined it, wished for this, and prayed that it would be true!

We are here only for a few days but it will be the jolt and give me the strength I need for the upcoming months. It was sunny when we arrived but a late night rain came in as we were walking from our stroll through the market. Rain never spoils our day... we LOVE the rain here.. we wish for rain.. it is all part of the magic of this place.
My head is always cold and here I can wear silly hats and fit in! I am bundled up and have some energy~ from that giant cup of Starbucks coffee that Clint brought me this morning, so we are off, to explore, to walk and wander through this special city filled with lights and energy and good honest food!