When you become a parent, the seasons are no longer dictated by the leaves turning color or the first blooms of spring but the ringing of school bells. Summer ends much too early for us this year with the girls starting school in late August instead of early September. It was altogether too short a summer for us. We embraced the lazy ethics of summer with abandon this year, breaking through our dreamy indolence for a fabulous vacation in Seattle and Whidbey Island.
Seattle has always been a dream spot for me and Paul. We flirted constantly with the idea of moving there, even a portion of our honeymoon was spent in Seattle. Our very first trip was to celebrate my sister's graduation from business school. She was MBA student of the year ( so proud of her!) and now we are coming back to stay at her new home by Lake Washington. We all fell in love with her century old house. Like my sister, it was immaculate and exquisitely tasteful. Not a crumb in sight and lovely things from her travels around the world. The backyard was our favorite place, it was a serene landscape that invites contemplation and peace. I wish that I could export it home. So lovely.
We spent five days in a beautiful cottage on Whidbey Island exploring the beaches and tide pools. Our cottage, called Hidden Meadows, was on a pristine fifteen acres with a pond and hiking trails through the forest. Paul did Tai Chi every morning in the grassy meadows as the girls and I watched for the family of deer meandering past our window. We topped off our trip by attending the Island County Fair where my shy scientist husband was corralled by a rope slinging cowgirl to perform on stage. The fair was a sweet homage to small town simplicity and old fashioned hospitality. We watched a 4H presentation of chicken judging from the town vet and learned the difference between a llama and an alpaca. Llamas are larger and bred as pack animals and alpacas are smaller and have softer fur bred for their luxury fibers.
Going from the island back to Seattle did require a new frame of mind. We went from lazy days to days on the go. There was so much that we wanted to show the girls, from canoeing on Lake Washington to the Seattle Aquarium and the Olympic Sculpture Park. And of course we ate! Paul & I were treated by my sister to a night of babysitting so that we can go out to dinner. We chose the Book Bindery because it was my sister's favorite and also because the chef was from Thomas Keller's Per Se in New York. Seriously?!! So good, so, so good! It was a beautiful restaurant with simply delicious food. Now one of our favorites too. We also lined up early to eat at Salumi, a famous salumi shop owned by Mario Batali's father. It was there that Holly caught Grandma's eye as she was making fresh gnocchi. We were invited back into her kitchen to make gnocchi which we later ate with a simple tomato ragu. To die for! The eating continued with our visit to Theo Chocolates where we ate our fill of all the chocolate samples that they make. Chai Tea was my favorite as are the Fennel and Bread Crumbs. Capping off all the eating and sight seeing was the discovery of a special art gallery in Pioneer Square. Davidson Galleries was where we chanced upon a landscape exhibition featuring woodcut prints. We dug deep into our pockets and bought two exquisite woodcut prints that resonates with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Now we will have a beautiful reminder of our special place.
Grandma Batali's Gnocchi
Olympic Sculpture Park
Low tide at Alki Beach
A lone heron at Ballard Locks
I love the feel of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The crisp fresh air and the verdant splendor of its landscape. The flowers have a more vibrant hue in its northern exposure and the trees more lush and dense in its forest. It speaks to me in a primal, joyous exuberance that's difficult to comprehend. I think that we all have a deep resonance for certain places and the Pacific Northwest seems to have a magnetic pull on me. Our indulgent two week vacation was probably a week too short for us all. Sophie told us in her jaded almost ten years old voice that she was "so over California". Perhaps my daughter also feels the pull of this beautiful place.
