Trying on Lifestyles

Seattle is truly a coffee town so we thought it appropriate to end our time here by sharing a cup o' joe with you!

One aspect of house sitting that we find appealing is that it gives us the opportunity to "try on lifestyles" so to speak.  For instance, we've never lived in a big city before and found that we we really liked it - something we probably never would have discovered if we hadn't tried house sitting. This is one of the benefits we'll talk more about in our soon to be published manual on house sitting.  Stay tuned....we'll be posting some excerpts and some "how to" tips from the book soon!

In the mean time, we are a bit sad to be leaving Seattle because we've enjoyed it so much but we're excited too because we have some wonderful house sits coming up. We've got a two week break and we'll be spending some time with family taking an Alaska cruise (we'll post some pics for sure) and then we'll be house sitting in Richmond, just outside of Vancouver, B.C., for three weeks before going on to Vancouver Island for a six week house sit.  We promise to share some good posts and great pics along the way!

Seattle is a Siren

Sail boats and floating houses on Lake Union.  The new waterfront Ferris wheel opened just last week.
Downtown sparkles in the sunshine.

We've been in Seattle for over 3 weeks and, if you haven't noticed, we've posted very little. We've been too busy becoming infatuated....with Seattle!  Blessed with wonderful sunny days for the most part, it has been difficult to sit at the computer writing and getting together photos - especially as we see downtown and the Space Needle out the window beyond our desk.  

We've done  a few of the touristy things (Pike's Market, Bainbridge Island Ferry, a drive across Whidbey Island, the Museum of Flight, Woodinville wine tasting to name a few) but what we've enjoyed the most is just walking around soaking up the city swirling around us. Sunny, rainy, foggy, it doesn't matter - Seattle is a place to explore on foot. We stop for coffee or tea, sit on a park bench and take in the views of Lake Union, breath in the intoxicating blend of briny salt and blooming flowers.  We watch the fog drift over the tops of the skyscrapers, hop on and off buses like we are locals, all the while grateful that we've had time to get to know, and fall a little bit in love with, this beautiful city.

We know it's been done (and done) but who can resist colorful and entertaining Pike's Public Market?

 Fish and Chips at the Lockspot Cafe and alder smoked salmon cooked to perfection at the Ballard Seafoodfest.  

Seattle's neighborhoods each have their own unique appeal.  We're staying in Wallingford.
A stroll up 45th Avenue, the coffee shop around the corner and
some kitchy window dressing at the Hawaiian General Store. 

Woodinville's Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.  Forget the wine - Colleen wants the Dorothy shoes!

The fog lends its own moody appeal to downtown.  At the Ballard Locks you can watch the ships go through
and the Salmon run.  Seattle's downtown skyline from the ferry docks.

The Piesinator

The Piesinator

What would the 4th of July be without a good old fashioned pie eating contest?  Rick rose to the occasion at the World of Wine competition for VIP tickets to an upcoming Zinfandel wine festival.  Finishing a respectable third  he said "I may need to practice my technique, that whipped cream was trouble from the start".  He did walk away with 2 tickets though as the winner didn't want them - claiming that he only came for the free pie! 

The competition

But the excitement didn't end with pie...

Seattle celebrated Independence Day with a spectacular fireworks show over Lake Union and it rocked!

Fireworks display over Lake Union and the Seattle Space Needle

Does it get any better than this?