Babymooning in the Pacific Northwest

Our little family traveled to the Pacific Northwest a little over a week ago as a final getaway before numero dos arrives in a couple of months. We flew into Seattle for a few days to stay with some friends, and then drove down to Portland for the remainder of our trip. It had been awhile since we've visited our friends from the Northwest, so it was a blessing to be reunited again and finally meet their littles. However, as with any travel plans, things never fully go according to plan. And just from the one week we were traveling, both Mike and Little J caught the flu at different times, our rental car was rear-ended by a driver who apparently provided us with false information (thankfully it was just a fender bender and we were all ok), we meandered off into the wrong side of town the first night we arrived in Portland and Little J lost another shoe the last night of our trip (I guess this has become a ritual?). All that was enough to dampen anyone's travel mood.

But aside from the madness that comes with the unpredictability of life, we took things at a slower pace and managed to make the best of our trip. The plus side was that despite its reputation for being gloomy and rainy up north, the sun was shining nearly every day, minus one afternoon with some light rain. The last time I had been to Portland was when I was a tween, so coming back and seeing the changes in the city reminded me of an introverted version of San Francisco, or Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We ended up stumbling upon some unique little stores and delicious eateries in Portland - best part of being in the state of Oregon is that everything is tax-free!

I've included some recommendations below, based on the places we ventured to and ones that were recommended to us by friends and family- and here comes the photo diary...!

Recommendations:

{ Seattle, WA } 

Elleno's Greek Yogurt

Pirohsky's

Serious Pie

Ezell's Fried Chicken

{ Portland, OR }

Eat:

Little Bird Bistro

Screen Door

Maurice

Grassa

Salt and Straw

Barista

Stumptown Coffee Roasters 

VooDoo Donuts

Blue Star Donuts

See:

Multnomah Falls

Shop:

Powell's City of Books

Canoe

Frances May

Stay:

Inn @ Northup Station 

Central location in front of a cable car station, and the inn offers complimentary passes, as well as breakfast and a Wednesday wine-down hour. 

Delayed Seattle Photos

The Seattle Pier. Photo was enhanced to make the gloominess more apparent, heheh (this was also the trip that led to a deceased SLR, unfortunately before any photos were taken).

This was perhaps our third visit as a couple to Seattle, a city we have considered settling down in numerous of times. It may very well be a place we call home in the future, but for now we are soaking up the rays in California with loved ones surrounding us. However, there may be a time for us to move up there, and I sure hope more people we know will feel the same urge!

Anyway, these photos were taken back in August, while Mike had a business trip and we wanted to pay a visit to our loverly friends who are former Californians. They've been recruiting us to move since. We've been having friends ask us what to do, see, eat at specific cities we venture to, so I figured I might as well start blogging more about our vacations. Some old vacay spots may pop up on this site every once in awhile when I feel like reminiscing...stay tuned!

My favorite little model.

Blackberries grow like weeds here...I was tempted to pick some off the side of the road.

Queen Anne- One of my favorite places in the Seattle area. They also have a cute downtown area filled with little bookshops, cafes, boutiques and pastry shops. Sort of reminds me of the East Coast in a charming kind of way. I intend on retiring here one day...

Saw this random bench + floral arrangement that was supposedly part of an art installation.

Found this little shop while roaming around downtown Seattle. The perfect morning snack that has a bit of a sweet crunch with every bite, topped with bananas flambe and cream.

Fremont Vintage Mall - One of the coolest vintage shops I've seen, found in the Fremont District in Seattle. Sort of like the eclectic, urban part of the city. After entering this store, you feel as though you've been transported into the 60s, my favorite decade. They sell all sorts of knick knacks ranging from houseware/decor to clothing and records. We managed to score a Michael Jackson record for free dollars after our grand total.

Got lost inside the crazy architectural design of the Seattle Public Library, definitely worth going inside.

Raindrops on berries... doesn't the rain just make everything more magical? I know most Californians hate rain (which is why they live there), but I love it. It makes everything look more lush and dewy and not a trace of smog is to be found in Seattle.

More recommendations from past trips:

Maneki Japanese Restaurant - An authentic Japanese hole-in-the-wall that's located in the heart of Japantown in downtown Seattle (yes, there is one). They have everything from your basic sushi/rolls, tempura to the more homestyle small plates (their black cod is amazing). This place has stuck around for over 100 years, and there's a good reason why.

Royal Grinders - Located in downtown Seattle in the Fremont district, this place looks like an ordinary sub sandwich shop, but throws Subway out of the water. They serve their bread hot and toasted with fresh deli meats, veggies of your choice and a side of their house dipping sauce (tastes like sweet marinara sauce). They also sell gelato, and they give you a mini scoop on top of your regular-sized scoop so you can sample another flavor.

Salty's On Alki Beach - Mike took me to this restaurant for my birthday the year we got married. I'd come here specifically for the Blackened Salmon and city view, it's absolutely breathtaking. Grab a table by the window and all you see is the water and city lights of Seattle (if you go for dinner). I believe the last time we went, they used Copper River Salmon, which is only available during certain seasons and originates from Alaska. It is unlike any kind of salmon I've ever tasted. They are considered the fattiest of all, making them rich and tasty, mm...

I think there were more recs, but I can't remember them at the moment. Feel free to message me if you would like me to post a specific city recommendation!