When Seattle is mentioned, one tends to think of famous grunge band Nirvana, the super-bowl-winning Seahawks, and of course, rain. But there’s more. This Thanksgiving, I travelled to Washington State’s largest city not only to visit family friends, but also to see what makes the so called “Emerald City” really shine.
Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. After a lengthy plane ride, I arrived at Seattle-Tacoma airport, jetlagged and ready to sleep. I met up with my hosts for the trip, and headed for their home in Laurelhurst, a quaint little neighborhood just northeast of downtown Seattle. During the drive, I was able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful Seattle skyline, topped off by the famous Space needle, decked out with a Christmas tree on the top in spirit of the holidays.
Thursday, 11:00 a.m. With a late afternoon Thanksgiving meal planned, I opted to have a quick lunch at Din Tai Fung, a dim sum restaurant located in the University Village shopping center. About 14% of Seattle’s population is of Asian background, so Asian restaurants are abundant. I ordered a variety of Chinese delicacies, such as pork buns, chicken dumplings, and wonton soup. All were absolutely delicious, and relatively inexpensive at that (the meal cost around $40).
Thursday, 3:00 p.m. Before my Thanksgiving feast, I decided to take a walk to Lake Washington. After a bit of a trek, I reached the lake, and sat on the shore. The crystal clear water, along with the Olympic mountain range in the distance, painted a scene almost out of Game of Thrones.
Friday, 10:00 a.m. A variety of shops and stores line what is known locally as the Ave., a busy street near the University of Washington. Here, I found myself having breakfast at a little café called Tea Republik. Tea Republik has, quite literally, hundreds of tea flavors to pick from, as well as an assortment of tasty pastries. I had a “Tiger Spice Chai,” which tasted like a liquid snickerdoodle- a sweet way to start a hectic black Friday.
Friday, 1:00 p.m. Later on, I arrived at Pike Place market in downtown Seattle. Pike Place is a famous, century-old, open-air market right in the heart of the city. Here, vendors peddle their fresh seafood, meats, fruits, vegetables, and flowers to a mix of tourists and locals. Buskers also play their music for the masses with hopes of making a few extra bucks. Seattle embodies the American music scene, with artists like Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Macklemore, and Sir Mix-a-lot (Anaconda, anyone?) hailing from the city.
Friday, 8:00 p.m. After dinner, I headed back to the University Village mall to enjoy a frozen treat at Molly Moons, the Seattle equivalent of Georgetown Cupcake (only with ice cream). I went for a cone of honey lavender ice cream, and it was delightful, even though it had real pieces of lavender inside the ice cream.
Saturday, 12:00 p.m. I started my final day in the city with a boat tour of the harbor. Despite the choppy water and freezing temperature, I got great views of the city, mountains, and the large port of Seattle. I was even lucky enough to see a wild sea lion swimming right by the boat. Even though the trip was only an hour, a lot was covered, and I got a good glimpse of the city’s highlights.
Saturday, 6:00 p.m. To cap off my journey, I went to the SkyCity restaurant located atop the space needle. The views from 500 ft. in the sky were unparalleled, and did I mention that the restaurant revolves 360 degrees? To go along with the views, the food was unbelievable. I ate some beef carpaccio to start, and then a wonderfully-cooked short rib with a potato purée. While dinner was fairly expensive (around $120 for two people) the cost also comes with a trip up to the observation deck, where the views are even more spectacular.
Although it’s far from D.C., Seattle is an incredible city with a lot to offer. If the opportunity presents itself, I highly recommend that you see what this city is all about. If it doesn’t, don’t fret. Have your taste of the city at any Starbucks. The Seattle chain has been serving you since 1971.
