dreamy seattle

what a dream of a city. seattle is gray but kind of a shiny gray. enchanting. i'll live there for a while someday. kelsey and i had a lovely little saturday in the city. she showed me her beloved spots and i took polaroid pictures incessantly.

 

we began at pike's place, which last january bolted right up high on my theoretical top 10 favourite places in the world list. there is something in the air at that place, i swear, something magical (corny but honestly true). i loved the samples and chatting with the vendors and taking in all the goodness of the world's best farmer's market.

 

 

we had to make a quick stop at the gum wall, which is a very important reason that i love pike's place so much. i seriously think that alley full of chewed up gum is pure brilliance. the human family coming together to make sticky, spitty, colorful public art. i am blowing a bubble in this picture. you can't really tell. i just look like i am making a weird face. and also the cup is full of tea from starbucks. they're on every corner in seattle and i kind of love it.

 

 

we moseyed over to pioneer square - such a charming part of town. we ate warm pho. it drizzled outside.

 

 

impulsively we decided to go to the top of smith tower, which is the world's first skyscraper, and for years and years was the tallest building west of the mississippi. the antique elevator in that building is so cool. the elevator operator was the cutest little man. on the top floor there is a fancy chair. according to legend, if wishful young women sit there, they will get married within a year. we both took a very emphatic sit and pressed our bums firmly down to channel the magic.

 

 

the views were great! can you see the space needle there down that long street? excellent.

 

we ran down the street to get to the underground tour in time. who knew that there is practically a whole other city under seattle that came about after a huge fire? well, apparently quite a few people, but not me. it was really awesome. i learned a lot about the city and it was pretty neat down under.

 

 

we walked up the waterfront at sunset. gloriousness.

 

 

and then we went downtown to the shopping district, which was all lit up for christmas. that bewtiching holiday feeling was dense. so we rode the carousel with a gaggle of 5-year-olds in the middle of seattle.

 

our last stop was to meet up with my dear friend sarah, who i haven't seen for three years. she has been living in seattle with her husband - still crazy to me that she has one! it was such a fantastic reunion. you know you've found a lifelong friend when you go three years without seeing each other and then when you do, it's like no time at all has passed. we got some hot coco to finish off the day at (where else??) starbucks.

 

a dreamy city it is.

 

we took the i5 on the way home - a completely different route then on the way up. we stopped in portland for church at a little downtown branch and then popped by to see the portland temple. we drove through the mountains and into california right before sunset and it was breathtaking. everything was dusted in snow and the light made it seem like we were between heaven and earth. we blasted hymns and curved through the hills. it got dark right as we passed cool mount shasta.

 

 

we crossed the bay bridge into our city about 9:30pm after a long day of driving and it felt so good to be home. the city glistened across the bay as we listened to kitschy music and we'd arrived. i had a good feeling in my heart - an independent, empowered, courageous feeling. i belong to san francisco and it belongs to me.

 

until i move to seattle one day!