I recently had the opportunity to explore Seattle, Washington. My husband and I made a trip to Seattle to celebrate my 50th birthday a little early. I have to say after visiting, this has become one of my favorite cities.
We stayed downtown at the Four Seasons. It is located near the water and just a few blocks from Pikes Market, as well as numerous restaurants, bars, and shops. The city is so walkable, which is lovely. I enjoy being able to walk around and see the sights up close instead of through a window of a car.
As we explored Pikes Market, I fell in love. How I wish we had a market like that near us. The fish, of course, was terrific, but so was the produce, the flowers, and countless other vendors in the market. I wanted to buy a little bit of everything but settled on looking and not buying.
The Modernist Cuisine Gallery was spectacular. Nathan Myhrvold's passion for science, cooking, and photography shines bright in the gallery. We were in awe when looking at his photography showcased in the gallery. He is the master of food photography in my mind. The Modernist Cuisine team's words explain it all, "In addition to surprise, many other emotions, reactions, feelings, and thoughts can be elicited by cuisine. These include humor, whimsy, satire, and nostalgia, among others. The repertoire of the Modernist chef isn't just flavor and texture; it is also the range of emotional and intellectual reactions that food can inspire in the diner."
We traveled to the top of the Space Needle, which had an impressive view of the entire city. I had to close my eyes and not look as we traveled up through the glass elevator. As I have gotten older, I do not like heights. But, once I was at the top, all fears disappeared. The new glass floors they recently put in at the top of the Needle gave you an entirely different and spectacular view looking straight down.
The Chihuly Glass Museum and Garden was another breathtaking view of art. Dale Chihuly's gift of glass art is out of this world. It is something you have to see in person to really understand the beauty and intricacies of his work. Someday I will own a piece of his art to showcase in my home.
The food, oh my gosh, where do I start? Everyplace we ate was fabulous. I truly mean that. There was not a meal all three days we were there that I did not immensely enjoy. We ate at the Four Seasons Golden Finch Tavern, Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar, Dahlia Lounge, Le Coin, and Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. I recommend every one of these restaurants. The drinks and wine choices, the flavors of the food, and the ambiance all rate a 10+ with us.
We will definitely make another trip to Seattle. There is so much more to explore that we did not have time to see. If you visit during the summer, you will have the opportunity to enjoy Puget Sound. If you like wine tasting, there is a darling town not too far from Seattle called Woodinville where we visited a few years ago, and I promised myself we would return.
If you are planning to book a trip this coming year, I highly recommend Seattle!
