Shenanigans In Seattle
My friend Karen moved to Oregon last year. Even before her move we hadn’t been able to see each other in months, so when she suggested meeting up for a couple of days in Seattle, I didn’t need much convincing.
Karen’s cousin lives nearby, and had provided Karen with an extensive list of suggestions for dining and sightseeing.
Our hotel (Crowne Plaza) was centrally located and we were able to walk to most of our destinations. Karen had suggested visiting the “Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor” exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. We reserved our tickets for the following day.
History…
It was SO worth making time for. The exhibit was well laid out, and not overwhelming. Not much is known about the Qin Dynasty (2200 years ago), but in his short reign “The First Emperor” managed to unite several warring states, established standards for agriculture, weights and measures, and even axle widths to aid in road building and infrastructure.
There have been over 8,000 of these warriors unearthed already, and there may be more still buried. The exhibit included 10 of the original warriors from the burial site, as well as armor and other artifacts, and replicas of some larger-scale pieces.
I’d also suggest that if you’re visiting the Seattle area with kids or grandkids, a trip to the Pacific Science Center should be on the agenda. There are so many fun interactive displays, and the kids we saw that day seemed to be having a grand time. We’d have stayed and played with some of the displays ourselves, but we were both getting hungry for lunch and still wanted to catch an afternoon ferry ride.
Scenery…
We hopped the ferry out to Bainbridge Island, mostly because we both just wanted to get out on the water for a while. It’s a gorgeous trip, with great views of the Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier in the distance.
We didn’t spend a lot of time on Bainbridge Island, but Karen did find a cute silver packable windbreaker at one of the little shops.
Eating…
We had some really fabulous meals, including a dim sum lunch at Din Tai Fung. Other favorites included Tulio, where I enjoyed a delectable fennel rubbed and lightly seared albacore, and Karen gave thumbs up to her linguine and clams. We didn’t pass up an opportunity for local oysters and crab salads, which we ordered at Matt’s In The Market.
We also indulged post-dinner Manhattans at Radiator Whiskey our first evening in town. The drinks were delicious, but be warned, they make ’em strong. After one each, and then splitting another drink called a “Phil Collins” we were pretty hammered. Fortunately we only had a short walk back to the hotel.
And Shopping…
Well of course we did! We stopped into the Gucci boutique and tried on some sunglasses, bags, and loafers. Karen also tried on some belts. Gucci is just so fun these days, and I love what Alessandro Michele has done with the brand since he took over as creative director in 2015.
We couldn’t be in Seattle and not visit the Nordstrom Mothership. It’s a pretty spectacular store, and we spent hours looking around and trying a few things. It was a great opportunity to check out some items from the Anniversary Sale that weren’t available at my local store.
Karen tried these booties on and gave them two thumbs up for style and comfort. She bought them on the spot. I tried them too; think they run a little bit narrow, and have ordered a couple of widths to see which is the better fit. They’re available in widths from N to WW, and in mushroom and wine colors in addition to black.
We both tried on a bunch of sunglasses. Karen loved (and bought) these with the blue mirrored lenses. They fit her beautifully and are very reasonably priced. The brand is “Izipizi.” I was amused by the name.
This cashmere wrap is wonderfully soft, and can be worn over the shoulders or as an oversized scarf in winter. I was tempted by the ivory color, and Karen looked fabulous in the pink.
This waffle knit cashmere wrap is also on sale and available in some lovely colors. This soft heather brown color was good for me, and I also liked the blue. Both this wrap and the one above would be nice travel pieces.
Karen also picked up this “Rose Duo” lipstick and liner set, offered as part of the Anniversary Sale. The color looks gorgeous on her. She says the lipstick has a lot of staying power, but isn’t drying. It’s a good value too, $28 for both the lipstick and liner pencil. (If you prefer a warmer color, there’s also a lip duo in Nude.)
It was a quick trip, but we really lucked out with the weather and our location. One thing I’ll suggest for visiting Seattle is to be sure to have some good walking shoes with a rubber sole. Even if it’s not raining, the hilly terrain requires soles that grip. I slipped on some slick aggregate pavement going down one of the steeper streets, and landed on one knee. (And that was before having any alcohol.) No damage beyond a good scrape, but I’ll know better for next time.
What’s your favorite destination for a girls’ trip?
