My visit to Seattle

[LoveTrains]

Since RnV asked for this, I figured I would give you guys a little summary. I actually had an amazing time visiting! My sister and I kind of have an iffy relationship - we always fought as kids (she is two years older) and we never have been super close as adults. When I flew out in July for a visit with H, my H was having problems with his allergies and her cats so we spent the last night at a hotel and she got personally offended and was really upset at me. Also I was extremely sick over Christmas and she complained that I didn't spend enough time with her then (I was too busy throwing up and being attached to the toilet, I had norovirus). 

In any case, I arrived on Thursday and she picked me up at the airport. I pretty much went straight to bed after we got back to her house at like 10 pm. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed my first class upgrade, which the girls on MM encouraged me to purchase. I had like five cocktails on the six hour flight.

I woke up early on Friday (of course! stupid jet lag) and had breakfast and waited for  my sister and niece to get up. We played in the morning - my niece is 10 months old and pretty fast with crawling and cruising around the room. I don't really have a lot of experience with babies but she is very interactive and at a fun age. We then went over to the Seattle Center area (which is where the space needle is) and had lunch at this swanky food court. I had a to die for grilled cheese with bacon jam accompanied with a kale salad from Skillet, which started as a food truck in Seattle. We then went to the Pacific Science Center which has lots of fun stuff for kids including a butterfly house type thing. 

Saturday morning I went for a 3.5 mile run (go me!!!) around Green Lake, which is beautiful. Seattle is firmly well into Spring - the daffodils were out, cherry trees blooming, etc. Green Lake is surrounded by a bicycle/walking path and it was so busy - even at 7 am! There was also a regatta on the lake with boats of 8 racing. After the baby's nap, we went over to Ballard, which is a fun neighborhood. My foodie tour continued with lunch at Pestle Rock (http://www.pestlerock.com/) which is a northern Thai style restaurant. I had the most amazing chicken wings followed by a great noodle dish. Everything was spicy and delicious. We then had boozy milkshakes at Hot Cakes (http://www.getyourhotcakes.com/pages/menu). Truly amazing. 

We then walked over to the Locks, which is where ships are able to travel between Puget Sound and Lake Union (or Lake Washington? I get confused). You can just walk all over and across the locks right as people are working and the boats are going between the two points. There is also a fish ladder there and during salmon spawning season it is teaming with fish (unfortunately that is not now). 

On Sunday we went over to Mercer Island to do swim lessons and then go to a jewish deli for brunch. I was very decadent and had potato latke eggs benedict with pastrami. It was unreal and delicious.

For dinner we went to Cochon 555, which was one of the most amazing and delicious events I have ever attended. The Boston one is this Sunday 3/24. If you are considering going - GO. www.cochon555.com. We got there slightly early and had to wait in line for about five minutes before it opened. Once it was ready, we went in. I immediately had some bourbon punch. There were at least 8 different kinds of bourbon punch, and then 6 chefs had food stations set up around the room which was like a hotel ballroom. I had so many delicious and amazing dishes - everything from head cheese to chorizo to crispy pig skin, the best bacon that I have ever had in my life, etc. There were tacos, tortas, asian style food, chili, sausages, oh my. I was SO stuffed. Plus there was tons of wine, a special manhattan bar, and lots of bourbon as well. 

On Monday my niece went to daycare, and my sister and I headed out to a Korean Spa for the day. It was like something I had never even dreamed of ever doing but very fun. They give you this little robe and a little pink cotton hair cap. Then you go to a variety of rooms heated to various temperatures and lay down on the floor in them. The rooms ranged from 60 degrees to 175 degrees. We had lunch there (in our robes and hair caps) and had amazing bulgogi! Then we went to the various baths, all of which require everyone to be totally nude. They had various baths of like 90, 97, and 104 degrees. We sat in those for a while and then got called for our scrubs. They bring you to this room that has rows of tables and these ladies scrub your naked skin with these little mits that were kind of exfoliating. It is not necessarily a relaxing treatment but I felt very clean afterwards! 

Then I took the red eye home that night (along with my cab ride).

[lauralala]

That sounds like a great trip (except for the surprise cab ride, of course). I'm glad you had a good time!

[rikki]

This makes me want to go to Seattle! It sounds like such a nice place. The spa sounds like something I did in Japan. Do you not typically swim?

[LoveTrains]

Oh I love swimming, but I just don't typically sit in a hit tub naked with lots of other women! Or get scrubbed down in a row of tables next to other baked women.

I was a little nervous at first but by the end I was kind of digging the nudity because it was very freeing. Like everyone was nude and it is what it is kind of thing. The place was pretty crowded.

[LoveTrains]

Scm I would love to do a race sometime! H and I are just picking out some races to do this spring. I just did my first 5K two weeks ago ( providence st Patrick's 5K) and I ran the whole way and I was so proud of myself. I am pretty slow still but I'm also obese so it is what it is. I ran a 39:11.

[rikki]

Mar 22, 2013 21:16:20 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

Oh I love swimming, but I just don't typically sit in a hit tub naked with lots of other women! Or get scrubbed down in a row of tables next to other baked women.

I was a little nervous at first but by the end I was kind of digging the nudity because it was very freeing. Like everyone was nude and it is what it is kind of thing. The place was pretty crowded.

Oh no, I was referring to the swimming lessons but after reading your post again I think they were for the kids.  I thought you and your sister took swimming lessons! LOL!

[drloretta]

Sounds like a great trip! I hear ya on the sibling weirdness, my brother and I are somewhat like that, but our last GTG was pretty chill as well.

LOL on the Korean spa treatment. THat sounds like a trip!

I love ~1 year old kids. My favorite age ever. Glad you had a good time.

[LoveTrains]

OH yeah the swimming lessons were for my niece. My mother had me in swimming lessons at about that same age. We were like little fish when we were little, always in the pool!

[7costanza]

Glad you had a good time! I live close to the spa you went to (Olympus Spa), it is amazing! The first time I went I was nervous about being naked too but after a few minutes it is totally freeing. It also inspired me to finally remove my belly button piercing last year, when I noticed the only other women who had them were 50+, lol.

[noodleoo]

Ha! That sounds awesome! That spa sounds really interesting, I'd lve to try it! I wonder if they have anything like that around here, would be a fun thing to do with my sister.

My sister and I also got a lot closer as adults and after she had kids. She's also 2 years older than me. I feel like she appreciates me more now, especially with how much I love her children.

[hellzkitten]

Sounds likea great time!! The food in Seattle is certainly delicious!!