See ya Seattle

As I write this, the Kansas City Royals are one out away from sweeping the Seattle Mariners and improving to 7 games under .500.

Game over. The Royals swept the Mariners.

Seattle is in our rear view mirror. Looking back on our time in the home of Dr. Frasier Crane and an over hyped medical drama, the best word I can use to describe the city is...fresh. Perhaps the most environmentally sound big city I have ever experienced, Seattle encourages it's citizens to reduce and recycle. Locals risk being fined for not recycling certain items. Also, Seattle locals have very little tolerance for temperatures above 83 degrees. Many buildings don't have air conditioning because of the extreme mild temps so when it does start to get warm, look for people to go into ultra panic mode. (The leasing agent working in the Condo office of our temporary home had a fan blowing on a bowl of ice to help keep his office cool.)

We succumbed to the fact that we were going to be tourists in every since of the word. We purchased a Seattle City Pass which allowed us to enjoy the aquarium, a delightful harbor tour, and the Seattle Space Needle (which is not the tallest building in the city. Not even close actually). We also enjoyed the other traditional Seattle standards--Pike Place Market, a quick glance at the original Starbucks, and several other local coffee shops.

I have some serious recommendations for some amazing food. Cafe Nola on Bainbridge Island, which is a short ferry ride across the harbor, is a great locally owned restaurant. I enjoyed the dungeness crap sandwich. All crab. No bull. Bainbridge itself is a great community. Very quaint and enjoyable. Highly suggest making a day trip to the island if you find yourself in Seattle.

It would be a shame to not mention the most enjoyable activity in Seattle--watching the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners in extra innings at Safeco Field. Safeco is a great place to watch a baseball game. True to Seattle culture, each concession has a local brew on tap in addition to your standard Miller Lite and Budweiser. Also in sporting tradition, a beer will run you about 8 or 9 bucks.

A day trip to Vancouver was also a pleasant experience (apart from some illness creeping its way into my body). It was the first time I had ever been to Canada, and Vancouver, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, was a great place to visit. A city with a breathtaking view of mountains and ocean, Vancouver sports a sleek and futuristic feel. Tall condo towers overlook another environmentally clean city.

I have to mention Society, a great restaurant in the Yaletown district of Vancouver. Trendy restaurants have a tendency to be a let down with their menu items. This restaurant is a huge exception. We each had a salad (Caesar and a tomato, basil salad with buffalo mozzarella on endive leaves). Both were fantastic. But the star of this meal was hands down, the best margarita pizza I have ever had. The crust was perfect, the sauce was great, the cheese delicious, and the basil just topped it all off. See pictures for a mouth watering view. (Side note: The Yaletown District in Vancouver would be a great area for some fantastic nightlife. It is lined with restaurants, bars, and great shops. Check it out if you are there.)

Now that we have left Seattle and are beginning our three day, four night stay in Portland, OR, I have a feeling this is going to be another great place to visit! On the agenda is wine tasting about 50 miles south of the city in Oregon wine country, a day trip to Mt. Hood, and the sights and sounds of downtown Portland.

As always, stay tuned. More to come.

Picture 1: The delicious pizza at Society in Vancouver, BC.
Picture 2: The harbor from Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC.
Picture 3: Erica and I with our original poster made for Royals/Mariners game.
Picture 4: The entrance to Pike Place Market.
Picture 5: Erica and I on our harbor cruise in Seattle.