Take a scenic three-hour drive south along Highway 99, mountains to the left of you, ocean to the right, and arrive in downtown Seattle. If you’re into chic boutique hotels, stay at Inn at the Market on Pine Street, a stone’s throw from popular Pike Place Market down by the water. Here, ferries buzz back and forth to Bainbridge Island, the giant ferris wheel lights up at night, sailboats meander out in Puget Sound, and local market stalls, shops and cafes are brimming with life. Check in, drop your bags, and check out the surroundings!
The bronze pig in the southwest corner of Pike Place Market is reminiscent of its distant cousin, the bronze boar in Florence. Did you know that this little pig is tucked in at night with its very own blanket. Watch out for flying fish as the fishmongers shout from their stall and hurl fresh catch to one another! If you think you’ve seen all the black, herbal and green teas there are to see, think again. The Spice Market displays row upon row of brightly coloured, aromatic and exotic teas and spices as well as coffees. Buy a selection to try later. Pop into Delaurenti’s Italian goods store a few steps away and savour all the olive oils, balsamics, truffle oils, pasta sauces, pickles, herbs and dried pasta your palate can take, and then go upstairs to the wine section. A Sancerre will knock you back about U.S. $30, and a Barbaresco from U.S. $30 to $50 per bottle. There are craft beers to choose from and local wines, too. And if you could buy a case to bring home to Canada, then of course you would.
At the foot of Pine Street is Beechers cheese store where a giant vat churns in front, while next door savvy cheese-lovers taste and buy cheeses of all different varieties – try the Beehive Buzzed cheese with its coffee rind, or Tumalo Farms Pondhopper gouda-style cheese from Oregon with its slightly sweet flavour, or the Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor from Humboldt County, CA – a velvety, elegant goat cheese. Add a jar of Orcas pear with Bay Archipelago preserves and a bag of Beechers own honey hazelnut crackers and you’re good to go!
When considering where to go for dinner, here are a few recommendations from friends who have lived in Seattle for years. In the Wallingford area of town try Manolin, a new and trendy eatery where you have to go early as they don’t take reservations and the wait can be long. In the Fremont area, go to Rock Creek, but again be prepared to wait. In the more residential Magnolia area, Rogo’s is a safe bet offering good food and a fireside setting. For fine dining, Maximilien will not disappoint, although it is pricey: French cuisine with a difference. The enormous scallops are simply divine, as is the crème brûlée for dessert! Its a romantic setting and creates a truly memorable evening.
If it’s brunch or lunch you’re after, then go no further than Cafe Campagne, literally next door to the hotel. This place offers authentic French fare at reasonable prices with delicious eggs, quiche, croissants and pains au chocolat only the French know how to bake.
If you want to do some sightseeing, then Seattle’s Space Needle is a must-do! Built for the World Fair in 1962 and towering 520 feet at the viewing platform, this engineering marvel graces the Seattle skyline, with the most extensive and impressive views over the entire city.
