Seattle... Day Two...

Day two started bright and early... This is shocking on a couple levels... One that it was in fact bright once again in Seattle... The forecast called for rain all week so we were thrilled to see the sun streaming in... The other shocker is the early part. I am a night owl... It is 2:00 AM as I type this but it turns out I am a west cost "early bird"! If I get up normally at 9 AM here I woke up by 6 AM there! Crazy!!

I should also mention today was our 23rd anniversary so we just planned to spend a whole day together exploring...

First task was breakfast... I voted we eat at the hotel and then go explore but Paul wanted a more unique "Seattle" experience so I consulted my phone and jokingly suggested the most "Seattle" sounding place within walking distance... It is called "Biscuit B*tch"! Yes, you read that right... and it turns out he called my bluff so we were off!

It is a literal hole in the wall a few blocks from our hotel and it turns out it has AMAZING food! 

There are like four tables but we got there early so we lucked out and had our choice... As we ate it filled up fast with a non-stop take out business... We were at a table for four so we offered up the other two seats to  couple women who came in... They were clearly tourists too but the mistook us for locals... Crazy! We had a lovely conversation as we ate then said goodbye and we were off! 

To PIKE PLACE MARKET!!! 

Look how empty the street is... That's how early it was!! 

Of course there are the famous fish vendors who I am ashamed to admit we didn't wait around long enough to see them throw any fish... 

But I did take a sample from this stand then bought two bags of their chocolate covered cherries! 

But by far the most tempting part were the flowers...

Oh my, the flowers... 

Huge bouquets for $10 - $15 dollars!!! Insane!! Alas, the don't pack well...

But Paul spotted this stand and we couldn't resist picking something up for our sweet grand baby!

Paul picked the watermelon hat with the knit ladybug! So cute!!

We also spied what some people would consider the "holy grail" of coffee shops...

Yes, the VERY FIRST STARBUCKS!!!! 

Alas I had just had coffee so we didn't stop but did drink plenty of Starbucks during our visit!

We decided to "stroll" down the waterfront from the market to the sculpture garden...

(NOT a little stroll... I am a house to car to location to car to house kind of gal and before this day was over Paul would have dragged me over seven miles of walking!!! At times up hills so steep we were just shy of needing climbing gear! In fact by the time our vacation was over we had walked almost 18 miles!!! I refer to this part of my vacation as my "forced death march"!) 

We walked past Pier 66 where all the cruise ships dock...

To the Sculpture Garden...

It was a beautiful spot on a beautiful day but when I left the hotel I didn't know we'd be walking so far so I didn't bring any water and most of the shops were not open yet since it was still early so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I could have! 

But it was pretty...

And pretty cool! 

And you couldn't beat the weather...

Paul talked me into walking the four or so blocks UP to the space needle so we could take the mono-rail back so we hiked UP a crazy steep hill very slowly...

There is a ton of cool sculpture all over Seattle these are near the base of the Space Needle...

After this LONG walk we rode back to the hotel and rested... It was 10:30 AM!!!! 

It was then I got my revenge...

I talked Paul into going on one of these!! 

The tour wasn't until 1:00 so we rested, (bandaged my blistered feet) and had a snack for lunch (since we were saving room for dinner)! 

Doesn't he look thrilled??

Giant Popcycle! I love this city!!

It was an interesting tour and we did the whole thing sitting! 

Seattle from Lake Union

Gasworks park...

Houseboats! (So fun!!) 

Passing another duck!

Paul survived the agony of the overly perky tour guide and since it picked us up and dropped us off right next to our hotel it wasn't out of the way at all...

Paul was ready to rest but I was ready to explore the hotel's neighbors...

The Nordstrom Flagship store is on one side 

(google.com photo since I forgot to take one)

And an enormous Macy's on the other... So we stopped into that Starbucks you see there on the right then he headed up to our room and I went to see how much trouble I could get into in Nordstrom! 

Rebecca Fact: I LOVE PURSES!!! It is and has been my "thing" for years and if you noticed the pink bag on my arm in the earlier picture it is the Kate Spade bag I got as a Pre-Anniversary gift...

I thought it was time for an "actual" anniversary gift (Or early mother's day... I can justify this purchase all day!)

Navy blue and white with a snazzy lemon wallet! Too cute!!! 

I also got a birthday gift for Allison and ran into one of her favorite youtube personalities but that is a story for a different day!

As I was leaving Nordstrom a couple ladies stopped me to ask me directions! Yes, mistaken for a local TWICE in one day... I must look like I fit in there! (Or I just look non-intimidating to approach, but don't burst my bubble!)

After my little shopping spree we walked to dinner...

This is where Paul was the most excited to eat...

"The Grill From Ipanema"

They come to your table with meat on the spit and carve it right there! 

This night there were 19 different meats and cuts of meat rotating around the room... There was also an AWESOME buffet/salad bar... We ate and ate and ate, then ate some more!! 

Paul had promised a taxi ride back to the hotel but alas he tricked me into walking back too! That aside it was a wonderful day from start to finish!! 

Come back tomorrow to hear about my adventures in meeting my first bloggy friend! 

Thanks for listening,