My birthday was great! I woke up and walked downstairs to a surprise from Mark-he decorated! Sneaky, sneaky.
Perhaps one of my favorite messages was this one: even Heath, Emma, and Scotty got dressed up and Scotty ate a cupcake (and the paper...) in my honor!
And Mark got me a basket for my bike!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have a bell and a basket!!! I LOVE IT! It even comes off easily so I can carry it around. Perfect for the library, farmer's markets, etc. Mark, you're good.
Then we topped off the night with ice cream from a local ice cream shop (The Scoop) in the neighborhood. We hadn't been before and it was deeeelish! We discussed that next summer we will be making frequent visits here. Mmm mm!
Our first task was the gum wall down Post Alley. It took us a little bit to find it but we did and we contributed!
Our task was to pretty much eat our way through the market. We ate sub par chicken teriyaki, a superb nutella crepe, tried samples of smoked salmon (yum), dipping oils, peaches, apples, and chocolate pasta (Mark wouldn't let me get some because he would not eat it, darn!).
The market is HUUUUUGE! It was crazy busy but so much fun. So many cool stalls and shops! The fruit looked incredible. And the flowers. THE FLOWERS. Gorgeous, big bouquets for sale by the stem or for $5-$10. I could not believe it. If we lived in Seattle, I would buy a bouquet weekly!!
Mark's only request was to see Safeco Field (home of the Seattle Mariners). It wasn't far from the market so we walked down there and ended up taking a REALLY cool tour of the field. Mark was very, very, very, very happy. Our tour guide was so nice and EXTREMELY knowledgeable about baseball. I never know how important the grass patterns in stadiums were until he gave us a 15 minute lecture on why the field's grass is mowed the way it is and why they chose the grass they did. Apparently it was genius because the Yankees adopted it the season after the Mariners changed their grass mowing/growing pattern. Wow. Who knew??
AND!!! I got two gift certificates to order my very first dahlias and my very. first. David Austin rose!!!!! I've been dreaming of having my own David Austin rose for years friends, years. His roses are some of the best, in my humble opinion. I love a good fragrant rose and his are scrumptious! Yesterday Mark and I strolled through the rose and dahlia gardens at the park down the street and I got some ideas for which dahlias to order and a few rose ideas. Oh this is so exciting!!!
Then we topped off the night with ice cream from a local ice cream shop (The Scoop) in the neighborhood. We hadn't been before and it was deeeelish! We discussed that next summer we will be making frequent visits here. Mmm mm!
The rest of my present was a weekend in Seattle. Mark and I had never been so this was a treat for us both! We left Friday and got in around 1:30, got settled in to our hotel (in Bellevue), and then decided we'd explore some of Bellevue. We went and saw a movie (Maze Runner--intense and kind of odd. I feel like I need to read the book to really get it because it's pretty action packed from start to end). Then, I requested a stop at Whole Foods and the mall. Silly right? Well, there isn't a Whole Foods in Spokane and the mall had a Nordstrom (hello Jo Malone perfume!!) and Anthropologie (because I have an obsession love their bowls!). So I marched in Nordstrom hoping they would have Jo Malone IN the store (Spokane's Nordstrom does not and I can't order a perfume without smelling it!) and they did!! Except there was some party or promotion or something going on and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get in to smell the perfumes. Well, Mark told me to weasel my way in so that I did! After having 4 different associates ask if they could help, and explaining that I am familiar with Jo and traveled 5 hours for this, they ooohed and aaahed and let me sample to my heart's content. After sniffing nearly 10 perfumes, I chose one: Wood Sage and Sea Salt...mmmmmm! I love Jo Malone. I also recommend (and want to get) Peony and Blush Suede, and, Amber & Patchouli. Patchouli is a special scent to me because it always reminds me of my grandmother.
Ok funny story. I love stationary. So naturally I had to pop into Papyrus while roaming the mall. In the window was a cute "thank you" card with a scotty dog on the cover and it reminded me of Scotty (even though he is a miniature schnauzer), so I had to have it. Well, I walked around the store looking for it and finally asked one of the associates who told me they didn't have anymore and someone had purchased the last pack without the display card (anyone else think that's kind of weird?) but they should be getting a shipment in soon...yadda yadda. I replied that we were visiting only for the weekend and I'd just have to check Spokane. Well, a few minutes later he boisterously told me that Spokane didn't even have a Papyrus. I was so suprised that I was speechless for a second and then kindly explained we had just moved so I didn't realize Spokane, with three malls, didn't have a Papyrus. Unimpressed and deflated we walked out and I looked at the thank you card one more time only to see there was INDEED the very pack I wanted underneath the display card. So I marched back in and told the associate that I was sure there was a pack left and that I would like to buy it. He looked a little perturbed but went to the display and got the pack for me.
If ever there were a time I wanted to fold my arms, cock my eyebrow and say, "told ya so!", that would have been the moment but instead I was too happy. He apologized, I thanked him and then walked out with my prize. Score one for the determined woman after Scotty dog thank you cards!
Then we went to dinner and got sushi!!! Mark and I have decided we will try sushi at each place we visit. It was good. Miyabi's in South Carolina still reigns as our favorite place though.
Saturday we went to Seattle!!! Our only real plans were Pike Place Market, some wandering/exploring, and the Goodwill Outlet (because apparently here you can get some pretty sweet stuff for 99cents!!!!).
Our first task was the gum wall down Post Alley. It took us a little bit to find it but we did and we contributed!
Gross...yet awesome.
The market is HUUUUUGE! It was crazy busy but so much fun. So many cool stalls and shops! The fruit looked incredible. And the flowers. THE FLOWERS. Gorgeous, big bouquets for sale by the stem or for $5-$10. I could not believe it. If we lived in Seattle, I would buy a bouquet weekly!!
Mark bought me a beautiful bouquet of dahlias. Right now they are in a vase in our living room, still beautiful. I love flowers.
Mark's only request was to see Safeco Field (home of the Seattle Mariners). It wasn't far from the market so we walked down there and ended up taking a REALLY cool tour of the field. Mark was very, very, very, very happy. Our tour guide was so nice and EXTREMELY knowledgeable about baseball. I never know how important the grass patterns in stadiums were until he gave us a 15 minute lecture on why the field's grass is mowed the way it is and why they chose the grass they did. Apparently it was genius because the Yankees adopted it the season after the Mariners changed their grass mowing/growing pattern. Wow. Who knew??
Visitors room
Press room
Apparently this throne is for their mascot the moose but we got to sit in it too!
We also got to see the Diamond Club exclusive, fancy room which had huge pictures of Babe Ruth, including this one when he was still a Red Sox pitcher!
I don't know why this picture won't rotate but we had a delicious dinner at Ivar's. We tried the clam chowder and it was good, really it was, but, New England clam chowder is still better. Just my opinion. BUT the fish, shrimp, and chips were SO, SO good. Highly recommend this place (thank you Jean!!).
A nice view of Mt. Rainier on our way home
Superb weekend! We didn't have time to hit up the Goodwill Outlet (sorry Macklemore). It closed by the time we were walking back to our car, but we will surely be back because we still have so much to see!!! (Including a Mariners/Red Sox game and/or a Mariners/Rangers game)
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