Fulfilled by Friendship in Seattle

I spent this weekend in Seattle and instead of catching up on housework or doing things that I should get done before I’m gone every weekend for the next month or so, I spent a lot of time with friends. Dustin was down in Eugene for the Oregon vs. Michigan State football game, which left my weekend extra open. Friday night I went to my friend Ashley’s surprise birthday dinner. I’ve known Ashley since high school, she was a freshman my senior year and she was my “little sis” during homecoming week. Now she lives in Seattle with our friends Lauren and Caroline and it’s always fun to see them.

^^Friends from White Salmon (L to R): Marisol, Rachel (Ashley’s sister), Caroline, Ashley, Me and Lauren^^

Ashley’s birthday dinner was at Mamma Melina’s, an Italian restaurant in the University District. We sipped on wine and chatted while we waited for Ashley to arrive. When she walked into the back room where everyone was waiting to surprise her, she was so surprised she cried. It was really cute.

Saturday morning I took a Body Combat class at my gym. I’m not sure if I will be going back to that class, mostly because some of the instruction was a bit too violent and graphic for my liking (i.e. “pretend like you’re holding his head down and punch his face until it’s bloody”), but it was a really great workout (read: sooo hard) and I’m still sore from the class, so at least there’s that. After my class Natalie and I walked around Green Lake in the sunshine while we chatted and sipped iced coffees. 

Saturday afternoon I did some freelance work for my neighbor/friend before I put on some lipstick and headed to Natalie’s apartment to sip wine on her balcony with her and Brittan. We had some really great, juicy girl talk we hoped her neighbors didn’t overhear before heading to Ocho in Ballard for Spanish style tapas and sangria. The food at Ocho was great and both Natalie and Brittan said it was like a more delicious version of the food they ate constantly when they studied abroad in Spain (separately). After our late dinner we walked down to the Gerald for another drink. We were easily talked into staying when the owner offered to buy us another round of fancy cocktails. Things like that don’t happen often in Seattle so we had to take advantage (especially because it was the owner and not some guy at the bar expecting something in return when we were clearly just trying to have girls’ night). I almost always buy my own drinks, cover, whatever when I’m out without Dustin and I’m always surprised when I talk to people who live in other parts of the country and they say that as an unescorted girl you always just expect your drinks to be bought by random men – fill me in ladies, is this normal?! Anyway, by the time we left, we were sufficiently buzzed and Brittan and I ended the night by sitting on the sidewalk eating delicious, cream-cheesy street meat.

^^Brittan, me and Natalie, fuzzy iPhone selfie style, at the Gerald^^

Sunday was spent in Woodinville with my BFF Katie, her husband Josh and Katie’s dad, who was always one of my favorite adults growing up, and is in town visiting from Ecuador. We went wine tasting at JM Cellars, and then Alexandria Nicole Cellars to start off the day. Eventually we decided we needed food so we went to the Hollywood Tavern for a late lunch. I had the most delicious toasted quinoa veggie burger with goat cheese, pickled beets and arugula, and I spent lunch asking Katie’s dad to tell us all about Ecuador. I think I might join Katie when she goes down to visit for Christmas. Fingers crossed I can make it happen because Ecuador sounds awesome – tell me, have you been?

After lunch we stopped in the Woodinville Whiskey Co. to do a quick whiskey tasting. None of us were really in the mood to drink too much so we split a tasting. They ended the tasting with bourbon barrel aged maple syrup and honey which were both really delicious. And the vodka we tried smelled exactly like butterscotch. After Woodinville we went back to Katie and Josh’s house to play with their cats and chat for a while before I decided to head home and call it a day.

This weekend make me feel so fortunate that I have so many wonderful friends here in Seattle. You already know that I’m a total extrovert who feels fulfilled by spending time with good people, and this weekend just made me feel so happy and full. The 9-10 hours of sleep I got each night probably helped with my happiness level too! Ha!

This week I am only working Mon-Wednesday and then attending my aunt’s funeral outside of Portland, OR, on Thursday. Friday I’ll be attempting to work from home either in Portland at my cousins’ house or at my parents’ house because the thought of driving down to Oregon, attending a funeral, and then leaving Portland during rush hour and driving back to Seattle just sounded like it was too much to handle. While the circumstances are definitely not ideal, I’m looking forward to a shorter than normal work week and getting to see some family I don’t spend nearly enough time with. I hope you all have a great week!!

Sunday at the Woodland Park Zoo

I live in a neighborhood in Seattle called Green Lake. It’s just north of downtown, close to i5 and there is a 250 acre freshwater lake bordered all the way around by a park in the middle of everything, named Green Lake, of course! I really like my ‘hood. I also like that it neighbors Phinney Ridge/Greenwood, which is the awesome neighborhood where Dustin lives. Phinney has lots of great shops, bars, restaurants and the zoo!

Sunday we were supposed to float down a river with friends. But the weather didn’t cooperate (I will have to find another excuse to use this awesome tube I bought!). Everyone was bummed, but we decided to make the best of the situation and come up with a plan B. Our plan B was the zoo. Sunday morning Dustin and I went out for breakfast, which we rarely do anymore, after our favorite breakfast place closed down. It was nice to get out and enjoy breakfast together.

^^ I got the french brioche toast, an egg, coffee and a mimosa. I love having ALL the beverages at breakfast ^^

After breakfast we met Brittan and Justin at Woodland Park (which is the park surrounding the zoo, which also neighbors Green Lake Park) for some wine, pita chips and hummus on a blanket. 

I’ve been to the Woodland Park Zoo a few times since I’ve moved to Seattle. Usually with kids, one time with Dustin and now this time, with friends while a little buzzed from our wine prefunk. This time was the most fun time. We had a blast at the zoo!

^^ Selfie with a bear in the background ^^

Fun fact, Dustin used to work at the Portland zoo, so it’s always fun to go with him. He has lots of random zoo knowledge!

The 4 of us walked around, looked at the animals, stopped for a beer/bathroom break in the food court, and took selfies with animals.

^^ Orangutan selfie – Me, Brittan, Dustin and Justin ^^

All the animals seemed to be out and moving around while we were there. Apparently Sunday late afternoon is the time to go! Some of our favorite animals we saw on Sunday were the lion, giraffes, giant eagle, bears and penguins.

^^ Lion, rawr! ^^

Brittan and my favorite animals at the zoo, though, were the flamingos! They were so funny to watch. We decided to make up stories for each of the flamingo cliques (the real housewives, the lonely tweaker bird in the water, the trophy wives, the business men, etc.). It was awesome.

After the zoo we had dinner at The Ridge and then called it a night. It was a fun day.

Also of note this weekend, on Saturday morning I got up early, went to the Aveda Institute on Capitol Hill and got a facial. It was my first ever and my normally dry face still feels moisturized. It was very relaxing and I would recommend the Aveda Institute if you’re in the market for an affordable spa service!

After my facial I stopped for a coffee because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the Hill quite yet (after law school I rarely make it into that neighborhood) and as I was headed back to Green Lake, I had to stop for this picture:

 

Seattle was looking gorgeous on Saturday (Sunday too!). I don’t want Summer to end!

A Weekend of River Floating, Wine Tasting and Friendship

This weekend I went to Hood River in an attempt to make it down there as many times as possible both before summer is over and just in general. Friday night Beth and I had crab legs and filet mignon at her parents’ before meeting friends for sunset drinks at the Columbia Gorge Hotel and then a night of high-stakes jenga, mingling and dancing. We ended things with a post-2am-hot tub sesh and it was all just really great.

Saturday morning Beth, Greg and I ate bagels and drank coffee downtown and then met a group of our friends, piled into the back of a van (I got to sit in a camping chair in the van, very safe, obviously but also very awesome) and drove to the Klickitat River which we then proceeded to float down on inner tubes and air mattresses. I had never floated a river before and inevitably flipped over navigating some rapids, immediately after which my friends were there to pull me, the non-swimmer with the life vest, out of the water, back into my tube and then hold on to me through the rest of the rapids. It was a really great time and I’m so thankful to have such wonderful people looking out for me.  

When we got to the end of the river we loaded back into our vans and headed to a few wineries to do some wine tasting. At the first winery Beth and I broke a chair we were sitting in together and then I made Dave laugh so hard he fell on the ground after hitting myself in the face with a wine bottle. At the second I ate cherry tomatoes and basil out of the garden and saw some goats. After wine tasting we all went to dinner at Henni’s and then had a low key, early-to-bed night.

Today Beth and I visited with Marissa, ate breakfast, shopped for bras and undies, napped and walked Pop Tart the dog. Then I proceeded to have a minor emotional breakdown when it was time to head back to Seattle. Work has just been so stressful and busy lately and a few other pieces of the puzzle have been less than amazing too. Not to say everything is awful, because it’s not, it was just a hard transition back to reality. There are just so many good people and good things in Hood River and I wish I could move there. It kills me that I can’t, yet.

 The view from Syncline Winery  Dave LOLing at my clumsiness The grounds at COR Winery I missed the memo, or maybe they did?   One of us was more excited than the other to be taking a picture together :) It was so good to spend some quality time with this kid for the first time in too long – don’t let the face fool you, he’s stoked.

Thanksgiving (and last weekend too)

It’s Thanksgiving day and I made the drive down from Seattle to my parents’ house this morning. We always have a quick dinner, everyone stuffs their faces for about 20 minutes and the rest of the day is spent watching tv and trying to cool down (my mom likes to make sure the wood fire is always roaring).

I figured all this down time is the perfect excuse to drink some red wine, snuggle with Fluffy and blog. Historically Thanksgiving for me has been spent not drinking wine, snuggling with (read: sobbing into) the cat and outlining for finals. Life after law school is so good!! Hooray!

Anyway, here I go: Last weekend I also made the trip back to White Salmon for my Tot cousin’s FIRST birthday party. His birthday is the day after mine, and we are basically twins (even down to our matching shin, dragon-shaped birthmarks). I love that kid!

We all got matching shirts for his birthday (with his cute little face screen printed on them), we ate cake, opened presents, and I obviously stayed hours after the party was over because I don’t get to see Chip and Katie NEARLY as much as I’d like anymore.

The night before the party I was able to sneak in some time with my Hood River friends. It was our friend Nate’s going away party last Friday and I made it out to the end of the party (after my SEVEN HOUR drive from Seattle… #neveragain). It’s always so fun to see these kids:

 
I’m hoping I’ll get to see everyone again while I’m here for the holiday.

Also, fun fact, today and tomorrow are my first EVER paid days off! Did I already mention that I LOVE life after law school? Because I do! I think this whole no-law-school-thing is one of the things I am most thankful for today (on this day all about thankfulness and shoving all the food in your face).

And now, it’s time to go get a refill on that wine…

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day.