Seattle

S E A T T L E.  Oh, how I love you!!!  I miss this place all the freakin time!  The people, the water, the city, the food – omg the food, the variety, the green everywhere you go.  Last week I went to visit Seattle for the first time since moving and it honestly felt like no time had gone by.  My lovely friend Kelsey invited me out there and I couldn’t say no.  1738.  

I mean look at her!  Kelsey’s the sweetest.  And that is her gem of a dog Ivvy.  Who everyone immediately falls in love with.  Not even kidding Ivvy steals everyone’s heart.  Mine included!  Not only the cutest dog, but the chillest.  I like to refer to her as ‘White Iverson.’  I’m ballin’, I’m ballin’……

Unfortunately, we couldn’t take Ivvy out on our Seattle shenanigans but trust me, we wanted to.  When I got to Seattle Friday night we just had a super chill night in.  HA!!  Actually, quite the opposite we went to our fave dive karaoke bar called Ozzies.  The night ended with us belting out Jason Derulo – Want to Want Me…. with no microphone because we waited too long and the bar was about to close.  Naturally.

Kelsey is a lot like me and has the mentality – the more the merrier!  So, not only was I visiting Seattle but her mom, dad, brother and cousin were as well.  We had quite the crew for a Saturday Funday.  Brunch -> Pike Place Market -> rooftop -> backyard party -> sushi -> out.  In other words, the best day! 

Terra Plata has such a cute rooftop & such good food. & rose.  I had the pomelo mimosa minus the grapefruit juice + biscuits and gravy.

Prettiest view from Pruitt’s rooftop.  We got fresh crab, shrimp, and oyster shooters from the market and took them up on the roof for a little party.

My friends Emma and Kitch have the coolest place in Seattle.  So, after our rooftop festivities we had a little backyard patio party with a view of Lake Union.  Flambongo + flip cup + chips and dip swarmed with bees + this view.  Doesn’t get any better!  Except it could have been...   I didn’t get as much guacamole as I would have liked.  Just saying. 

On Sunday, we tried a new spot for brunch called Thackeray.   It was SO.  DAMN. GOOD.  We had the cutest little English waitress who apparently had met the whole cast of Harry Potter so we wanted to take her with us.  Instead we just ordered 4 of the Ethiopian spiced fried chicken + pancakes. 

Four out of the five of us ordered this and it was one of the best brunches I’ve had to date.  Matt went with the Shakshouka and didn’t share it with any of us.  I appreciate the commitment to your choice Matt! 

The rest of the day we spent by the water and drank rose on a rooftop.  Two of my favorite things to do in Seattle! 

After spending time with my besties, I got to spend some time with my family!   My aunt, uncle, and cousins live in Seattle and I miss them dearly!!!  My Aunt Jackie and my cousin Paige are two of my best friends and most favorite people in the world!  They also have a perfect dog named Robin who is an angel!!  The perfect little cocker spaniel with eyelashes girls would kill for.  Paige and I went paddle boarding in Kirkland and not sure if we suck but we didn’t make it far from the dock.  I blame the wind.  Right Paige??   My brother was visiting as well so my family took us to dinner at their fave new restaurant in Kirkland called DERU Market.  And then I fell in LOVE.

I am obsessed with this place now!  I’m so sad I didn’t find out about it until after I moved.  It is a local + organic + artisan + neighborhood eatery in Kirkland.  We had salad, French fries, roasted cauliflower, meatballs, arugula pizza, wine, and peanut butter cookies.   The best French fries EVER!!!!  Covered in sage + thyme + parmesan coated goodness.  YUM.  I’m a sucker for white marble and candles so I proceeded to snap pics of our meal even though my family was ready to eat.  Sorry guys but don’t these pics look pretty?!?  LOL. 

The time with my family went by too quickly but it was so nice to relax at home with them!!  Movies and episodes of Dateline on the couch was a perfect way to end my trip back to Seattle.  And now I have a nice little recap of my trip, some pretty pictures, and some recommendations for anyone looking for good places to go in Seattle!

For food + drink - I highly recommend Terra Plata, Thackeray, Umi Sake House, DERU Market.  I didn’t mention Din Tai Fung, but trust me just go there!!  There is always a long wait at Din Tai so be prepared for that and definitely order the bok choy!  All these spots are in different parts of Seattle so you’ll be able to get around and explore.  Umi Sake House is in Belltown and is great for late night happy hour!! 

As far as activities in Seattle my top three are 1) Visiting Pike Place Market because it’s lively, cool, and touristy.  The flowers are beautiful and you can get a huge bouquet for ten bucks!  The line to see the first Starbucks is always way too long so I would recommend going to a cute little coffee shop at the market called Storyville.   2) Doing anything involving the water – boating, paddle-boarding, sitting on the beach, kayaking, looking for seashells, going to Lake Washington, Lake Union, Lake Sammamish, Alki Beach, the Sound.  3) Finding a rooftop and admiring the view.   Whether you’re enjoying a cocktail on the roof, just stopping by to check out the scenery, or posting up with a game and some food, you will not be disappointed spending your time on a rooftop in Seattle!  They are easy to find!  Enlist the help of Google if you don’t know where to start.  There are plenty of restaurants with rooftop views, spots near Pike Place that look out onto the water, and apartment complexes (if you know someone) that have rooftop access. 

I hope you enjoyed this post!  Thank you for reading!  And I’ll be seeing you in October, Seattle!  Colin – you’re going to love it!!!!

Xx, Han