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Downtown Seattle – Holiday Lights Tour

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Downtown Seattle is a must see during the month of December. 

  • Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton
  • Stay at or visit the Fairmont Olympic Hotel…beautifully decorated for the season
  • Viewing of the bright star on the Macy’s store
  • Get a coffee or hot cocoa at the 2nd busiest Starbucks on the North American continent (corner of Pine and 4th)
  • Shop, view the decor in the window displays
  • see a musical at the 5th Avenue theatre… like Cinderella (we did!)
  • See the snow fall at Pacific Place, nightly at 6 pm
  • grab a bite…plenty of options.  We stopped at pnk Restaurant & Ultra Lounge this year, located at Pacific Place. Ambitious but missed the mark.  The calamari gets a thumbs up.
  • Pike Place Market
  • And what fun “tourist” event was enjoyed?  the Ride the Ducks Holiday Lights Tour:

Ride the Ducks of Seattle, known for a tour of Seattle by amphibious landing craft, does a Holiday Lights Tour during the holiday season.  Go with a participatory attitude and you’ll likely have a good time. Meg “Nog” was our wacky driver.  The music played was a mix of fun holiday music, 1999 by Prince, and what really made it for me was the Rock N Roll All Night (and party every day) by KISS – Whoo Hoo!  Awesome!  They provided warm blankets, bell ringers, and a duck quacker to add to the festive ride.  Bundle up. It is a short tour (30 minutes) and would suggest that they could go to/around the Seattle Center/Space Needle for more “lights”.  Find a coupon.  If you want more Seattle history and landmark discussion, take the regular tour.  It was a fun addition to the season.  http://ridetheducksofseattle.com/ 

See the December 4, 2010 post for more fun things to do during the holiday season.

 

Bellingham, WA 2011

/ dkaltenb / Leave a comment

Bellingham, located about an 1-1/2 – 2 hours north of Seattle, is a nice getaway within 4 hours reach…whether it be a day trip or making a weekend of it, a nice time can be had here.  This trip consisted of a girls weekend.  The itinerary included:

  • Milagro Mexican Grill
  • Shopping in Fairhaven – fave stops included Artwood, A lot of Flowers, Gallery West, Three French Hens, 12th Street Shoes, and others…
  • Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting at Drizzle
  • Wine tasting at Purple Smile  http://www.purplesmilewines.com/  A must stop!
  • Hotel Bellwether   http://www.hotelbellwether.com/
  • Hearthfire Grill…not the greatest experience as our server (in the bar) was horrible, food could have been better
  • Starbucks
  • Bistro on Magnolia Street  – really good!  http://www.bistromagnolia.com/

Wine tasting at Purple Smile was most fun.  It’s a great stop on a Saturday afternoon, whether it is to have a day out with friends or meet some new ones…whether it be a person or wine.   You can pay/taste by the glass, a taste of 7 different featured wines or a separate tasting of 3 specialty wines.  A great selection can be found here… Washington wines and other.  I really liked the cement style high tables and other touches that made the shop inviting.  Wick was a great host.  On this day, I had a glass of O.S. Rose, a dry rose that aimed to please.

Hotel Bellwether was a nice place to stay.  Near a nice spa, dining, and right on the water.   Note:  they only have two rooms available with multiple beds, so not so convenient if there is a group event.

Bistro on Magnolia Street has a bistro vibe…is that possible?  Entertainment on Sunday mornings for brunch.  Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, and brunch on the weekends.  Scrambles are served with hashbrown casserole and bread farm toast.  A variety of options abound:  Smoked Salmon Hash, Magnolia BLT, Biscuits & Gravy, Blue Scramble, Frites, Cobb Salad, Green Bowl, Mac & Cheese, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Calamari Sandwich, Flat Iron Steak Frites, North African Vegetable Stew, and more.  The entrees at dinner are served with a seasonal vegetable and garlic mashers.  Prices range from $4 – 32, with brunch options under $13.  Improvement needed:  speed in the kitchen and the ability to split up checks for a larger group.  Hey…looks like they have happy hour too!

See my May 2010 Post for a more info.