Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Snoqualmie Waterfall & Boehm's Candies & Chocolates - WA

My first day in Seattle the weather was amazing. The second day, not so much. Much of the day consisted of on and off rain. I wanted to get out of the city so we headed to Chateau Ste. Michelle for a tour/tasting.

The ground are really nice, the woman leading the tour seemed to be knowledgeable and although the wine we tasted (which was Free by the way) wasn't high end or top of the line, I was surprised. I have been to wineries before (domestic and in Italy) and I can say that I actually learned a few things from this experience and as a tour, it was one of the better ones I have been on.

Our intention after leaving the winery was to head to Crystal Mountain Resort to spend the day on top of Mount Rainier, but on the way there, we decided to make a stop at Snoqualmie Waterfall. It was breathtaking but just a quick stop since it started to rain again.

As beautiful as Snoqualmie Waterfall was, the scenery on the way to Crystal Mountain Resort was equally as spectacular.

Once we finally arrived at Crystal Mountain Resort (after that long ass ride), we came to find out that they were closed for the day. Apparently there was high winds so it wasn't safe and since it was the last day of the summer season, I was out of luck. We had planned to have lunch there but since it was closed we decided to just head back to Seattle.

We didn't make it back to Seattle without making one last stop at Boehm's Candies & Chocolates. They have been handcrafting confections for 70 years and it tasted like it. The White Chocolate was good as were the Butterscotch Nut Sheets.

What really made my head spin was the English Toffee. Think crunchy butter brittle covered in milk chocolate and toasted almond pieces. It is expensive but worth it!

Washington is a decent size state and although I think of just Seattle (as many other probably do), there is a lot to see and do outside of the city!

Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery

Cherry Street Coffee House - Seattle, WA

Starbucks is everywhere but in Seattle it could actually be considered your local coffee shop. As tempting as it was to visit the original Starbucks (I did walk past it), I wanted local that was foreign to me and found Cherry Street Coffee House.

It was small, quiet, comfy (the bench seating could have been comfier but it had pillows) and staffed with friendly people. The girl taking the orders made sure to ask every customer what they were going to do for the day (where do they do that?). It is truly a terrific spot for a first date, to enjoy a book or simply to get that caffeine fix.

Speaking of caffeine their coffee is off the chain! I ordered a Latte and without any sugar or additives, it was rich and full bodied.

My boyfriend had a Bacon, Egg and Cheese. Crispy bacon, egg and melty cheese on fresh toasted bagel, yum!

I had the Lox and Cream Cheese Bagel and was blown away. It is my favorite breakfast sandwich but I haven't had one in a while and was very impressive by the house cured lox. Get it with an everything bagel like did.

We also ordered a Coffee Cake that was fresh, fabulous and not too sweet.

I wish I lived in Seattle so I could go to this coffee shop everyday!


Cherry Street Coffee House

Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar - Seattle, WA

Seattle is a is a large city with a lot to see, eat and do and in your case that may very well include people (for me it didn't). 

As a tourist, most if not all of your time will be spend Downtown. That is where the Pike Place Market is located, most shops, and the waterfront.

If you are a hippie, bohemian or just straight up weirdo, you will love Freemont.

As popular as downtown is, you can't go to Seattle without a visit to Queen Anne/South Lake Union, even if it is just for the Space Needle. During my stay in Seattle this is the area where I resided. 

My first day in the city was a pretty long one, so I wanted to have dinner at a place that was nearby and ended up finding a gem called Seastar Seafood Restaurant and Raw Bar.

Without a reservation, my boyfriend and I were seated in the bar which was no problem since some place try to just kick you out without one. We were hungry so we ordered a starter, but my boyfriend doesn't really do the raw thing, so we started with the Fireworks Roll. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The rice and fish were yummy and more importantly fresh.

My boyfriend ordered the Cedar Plank Roasted Wild NW King Salmon and it was fabulous! It came with citrus rice but he was afraid the citrus would be too much so he substituted for mashed potatoes. The sides were fine just not all that impressive but the salmon was outstanding. It was cooked just right, seasoned just right, was just right!

I ordered the Seafood Cappellini, mostly because I wanted Penn Cove mussels and Manila clams and this was the best way to be able to order both. The saffron creme was great but the seafood spoke for this dish. I love, love, loved the Penn Cove mussels!

I would have ordered dessert but our waiter went MIA towards the end of the meal and when he finally came to our table he simply handed us the bill and walked away with no mention of a dessert menu so we missed out on that, but as long as that waiter didn't exist, I would wholeheartedly recommend Seastar for superb, fresh seafood.



Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar

The Pike Pub and Brewery - Seattle, WA

After a 5 hour flight, bus to rental facility, and enduring a long line/process to get the rental car, my boyfriend and I finally made our way into the city and we were famished. Not knowing anything about the city, we headed to Pike Place Market with hopes of finding something to eat. Not knowing who, what or where we asked the guy at the information booth to lead us to a locals spot where we could get a beer and some fish. He recommended that we go to The Pike Pub and Brewery since they specialize in beer and the best Fish and Chips.

It was right around the corner from where we were, so that was a plus to my hungry tummy. My tummy was a little pissed though that there was a small wait when get there and talked my head off the entire time. While we waited for our table to be called I observed the restaurant and the impression I got was that it was reminiscent of a chain restaurant. I know that it isn't but it just felt like a BJ's Brewhouse not a local spot.

It is a brewery so I wanted to try a sample of their beers and ordered their flight. Obviously some I liked and some I didn't (based on personal preference) but this is definitely the way to go on a first visit.

My boyfriend ordered the recommended Pike Halibut and Chips. It was pretty tasty mostly due to the quality of the fish. The Kimchi coleslaw was noteworthy too.

I had the Wild Salmon Sandwich. The fish was cooked amazingly. I also appreciate that the lemon caper aioli wasn't too tart or overpowering. I didn't however find the salted bun necessary when paired with salty potato chips.

At the end of the meal, my conclusion was that the food was solid and overall The Pike is a good introduction to tourist of the city. If that is not reason enough surely the beers will be!



The Pike Pub and Brewery