My Roads Traveled: February 2015

City:

Best view of Seattle? From West Seattle

Mountain:

Central Oregon sky

Ocean:

Sunset at Hug Point, Oregon Coast

Just finished a hilariously wonderful, impromptu, very unplanned vacation with my lovely husband, and I’m strangely feeling uninspired to write about it. Could have something to do with the obnoxious cold I came down with at the end of the trip, or that I’m simply basking in laziness after nine days of activity. Either way, I’m in an oddly blissful ‘meh’ sort of state.

This was a very unique trip for Andy and I. We usually have our vacations fairly well organized...this one, however, essentially ended up being completely played by ear. Originally conceptualized as a ski vacation last fall, that plan died a slow death with the increasing lack of PNW snow this winter-that-wasn't. Who knew that on Andy's first real vacation in two+ years we would be hitting up summer in February (sorry, east coast).

SEATTLE

For all the time that Andy and I have lived here in Portland, interestingly enough, we’ve never really ‘done’ Seattle. So, we decided to cheeze/tourist it up for two days in our Emerald City neighbor to the north.

nothing says 'tourist' like the Space Needle

The Seattle Wheel

I forgot that Seattle is a city of tiers and multiple levels and stairs. Good shoes are a must.

oh, hi & stuff

Pike's Place, of course

lots of stairs down to the Waterfront

Mary Jane is also legal in Washington, and I inhaled more pot aroma in downtown Seattle than I have second hand smoked since my first round in college. We also witnessed some very amazing, meth-induced street dancing.

It didn’t rain on us, at all.

Portland, much as we love it, is not a city. It’s a town with tall buildings. Which is why we love it.

If you’re going to cheeze it up in Seattle, City Pass is the way to go.

Seattle from the water (Argosy tour)

nemos at the Seattle Aquarium

octopus detail- Seattle Aquarium

You also have to stop in the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum- it’s an absolute must.

There is a lot of really, really incredible coffee in Seattle. And it isn’t Starbucks.

BEND

Paulina Falls, Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Central Oregon belongs to the same state as Portland. Bend was actually part of the original ski vacation idea with both Bachelor & Hoodoo in the itinerary, along with some snowshoeing and beer touring.

Sahalie Falls, Central Oregon Cascades

The Blue Pool, McKenzie River trail

old growth, McKenzie River trail

Well, there’s no snow. We went hiking, enjoyed long drives and spectacular sunsets, had a failed attempt at Crux Fermentation Project (damn that place is busy), hit up Worthy Brewing instead (always delish), and tried our hand at fly fishing.