Seattle, 2016, February 27th, 2016. The three day conference was behind us as we woke up on Saturday to mixed skies with wild abandoned notions of what could be.
Like kids canoeing at the cabin, anything could happen, we could capsize with the joys of splashing under the canoe, making echo sounds or hanging onto the top stretching our arms across the bottom till we thought they might truly lengthen.
This was it, we had no plans and for me that is truly a rare occasion. I let the day take me rather than guiding, or shall we saw domineering what was to pass. Hand in hand we strolled uptown from the hotel into unknown territory in search of Hal's first cup of Joe.
Sugar Bakery, wafts of pastry filled our lungs as we entered, stretching our necks to see croissants, lavender shortbread cookies, decadent jam filled crumbles, cinnamon rolls dripping with maple sugar, macadamia cookies, and palmers decked in chocolate, and heart shaped shortbread with raspberry filling and eggs-spinach and mushroom quiche, Hal's favorite. My misto was made to perfection as we watched the frothing of the milk while our eyes wandered to a coconut cake creation just feet away.
Scents lingered like good perfume walking up the side streets lined with mauve, purple and pink hydrangeas. A feast, a cornucopia of colors as azalea met our eyes three houses up, aqua in color the veranda had the perfect French swing on it, tempting us to try it out.
Hand in hand two content kittens absorbed he heat of the sun working from one park bench to another till we reached the Arboretum. World trees exhibited, cared, and nurtured by horticulturalists year round. We meandered along pathways through a labyrinth of forests from the coastal range to Japanese gardens hosting lanterns, sand raked patterns, and ornamental trees bursting with five star flowers painted by hand.
Oh...and ah....were met at every turn, mother nature has never failed to intrigue us, if only humans had the capacity to exhibit all their creativity, what an amazing world this would be.
What goes up must come down, we had ventured down to the gardens and the hike up through glorious communities where every home was a masterpiece unto itself allowed our eyes to capture the curtains, doorways, fences, furniture and garden features for some time. A local watering hole had taken the bottom half of a home opening it up to a tiny restaurant/grocer of craft beer/ and a café all in one. People flowed out as the sun warmed the chairs outside. Doffing our coats, we too relished the welcome atmosphere of the lovely yellow café.
Climbing higher we found a watering hole for Hal to taste yet another craft beer, hopvine IPA. His smile, savoury delight is enough to send goose bumps up me spine. Up and down Capital Hill district enticed into artisan shops, boutiques for wine tasting and consignments clothiers. Within three blocks there are 12 count em, 12 coffee shops are thriving. Starbucks, being incepted in Seattle has more of a market, yet all of them seem to be doing well.
Down the backside of Seattle, back down it spine to the waters edge to be met by succulent food at "Black Bottle", hosting Gastro pub food, this menu was eclectic. Hal started with another craft beer, a stout no less, for our last evening and I had a glass of Chardonnay, a shocker as it doesn't normally pass my lips. Spanish fried olives blasted our taste buds right out of left field, ensuit, chorizo and penn cove clams, Hal was silenced for long moments as his tongue, lips, and old factory nerve sought out what flavor concoction this could possibly be. Asking the waiter too many times what spices were in our food was becoming obvious, his chuckle enticed us to keep asking questions. Two chicken breast on long skewers deep fried on a bed of collars was divine. And the piece de resistance was the lemon curd ricotta cake lavender crust. Died and gone to heaven!!! We didn't want the evening to end, we gazed into one another's eyes trying to find the reason...there was none.....let the day unfold while miracles abound.
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