3.24.2009: go west, young woman!

My spring break trip was lovely and I finally have a few minutes to update my blog (and lots to talk about!). I traveled with friends Jess and Heather to Seattle last Monday where we crashed with several friends at the apartment of former colleagues from the steakhouse where I worked when I first moved to Madison. Their apartment is at the bottom of Queen Anne's gorgeous hilly neighborhood with a view of the bay and the Seattle Post-Intelligence building whose lit and rotating sign was hypnotic.

the paper's last day in print, the Pike Place Market fruit stand... gorgeous! driving through Queen Anne for a photo shoot

the view from their rooftop

We shopped till we dropped (I bought a sundress, yellow and purple pumps, and bluish green cowboy boots... no regrets, but strange purchases indeed). We also ate till we dropped... some of the BEST food I've had in ages. We feasted at both Brianna's and Catherine's places of work (Zoe and Lola), little bistros, and homemade dinners with fresh seafood purchased at Pike's Market.

chicken terrine with mustard, sea salted almonds and homemade yogurt, 4 lbs of fresh salmon, and squid kebabs with greek salad

On our last night in town, we visited a park converted from an old oil refinery called "The Gasworks". The hill is super steep and proved challenging to walk up in the pitch black after a wet day - but, oh, the view. I'm the only one of this group of friends who won't be living in Seattle by the summer, but that just means I have seven reasons to go back and visit!

climbing up the hill at the Gasworks... we made it!

the view was definitely worth it!