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Sometimes people think I’m a bit nutty cramming a trip into a weekend like my recent visit to Seattle, Washington. Yeah, I’d never been but I figured a little was better than not at all and that really is my motto for travel in general. I’m not a nomad. I have a home base. Sometimes I’m gone a day or two, sometimes 2 weeks plus but, even with the longer trips, I’m never in one place long. I wish I felt I had more time to really live in the places I visit but I just don’t. So…a little is better than nothing. I get a taste for the place and from that, I can decide if I’d like to return. Where Seattle is concerned the verdict is YES, I’d like to go visit for longer.
I did several things while in Washington, all fun, but these are the 3 things that made me leave Seattle wanting more.
Touring Pike Place
When I asked the question on Facebook where should I spend time in Seattle if I had one day…universally the most popular answer was Pike Place. Now, I’m into markets and love to try the food and snap photos of the flowers, etc. but what made Pike Place extra special for me was that it’s located near the water, so it had spectacular views of Puget Sound. I’m such a water person and found that even on a gray day the Sound was so calming and romantic. No, I didn’t spend all my time staring at the water. I did enjoy watching the famous fishmongers at Pike Place Fish Market toss the fish orders to customers – a definite must see. Another must is stopping by Truffle Cafe and sampling their various delicious foodie products and local Washington wines. Yes, I brought a bottle home. No, I don’t have it any more. BUT, I think my favorite find of Pike Place was Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Their flagship store and bar sells their handcrafted ginger beer products and serves YUMMY drinks. One of my all time favorite drinks is Dark & Stormy and they had their own version of this – not with Goslings Rum – so I was skeptical. It very well may have been the best Dark & Stormy I’ve ever had! Soooo their ginger beer is THAT GOOD.
Experiencing the Nightlife
Leaving the East Coast in the early evening, I arrived in Seattle around 10pm. Since I was there for such a short time, I wanted to make the most of it and insisted on going out that evening. Seattle truly seems to have a HUGE food & drink scene and I wanted to get a small dose of it. The challenge was A) finding a place that served food late into the evening B) it had to be a cool hot spot. A local foodie expert pointed me in the direction of Canon and all my problems were solved. Offering a small but delish menu, I went with the prosciutto, chèvre, arugula & roasted grape flatbread. MMMM. Better still, Canon has the largest collection of spirits in the western hemisphere with over 2600 labels. There was no way Lola was going to be disappointed with her cocktail. Canon has a fun cocktail menu with drinks named ‘Shrouded Roulette’, ‘Campfire in Georgia’, ‘The Hooker’. I went for ‘Swagger’ – a gin based drink with bitter rhubarb, grapefruit & lime. LOVED it! Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, there was quite a hipster scene, the entire street was buzzing. I loved that Canon was fun, funky and small. It felt like a secret hot spot.
Leaving the City Limits
The other thing many people suggested while visiting Seattle was actually taking a drive outside the city to get a sense of the gorgeous scenery. I was able to do just this, taking a road trip east to Leavenworth, Washington. Not too far outside the city limits, the gray skies turned blue and the sunshine came out. The rivers and mountains were stunning, just like I imagined from the movies. What made the drive even better was the sweet ride I got with Sixt. Newish to the US rental car market, Sixt has been worldwide for over 100 years. Not only did I love the amazing & luxurious BMW to get me around but better yet was the service I received from the Sixt staff upon check-in and return. I have never had a better car rental experience in my life. SERIOUS! Seattle and Washington State are truly very special.
Big thanks to Sixt for working with me to experience your superior customer service. Completely ‘Lola Approved’ I look forward to driving another one of your awesome cars soon.
