the emerald city

of course, travelling (a week and a bit ago) gave me time to think.... which is always dangerous in this head of mine.
it's no secret that, given the oppourtunity, i'd pick up and move to seattle in a millisecond if the chance presented itself. when i first travelled there, i simply booked my nearly 2 week trip on a whim - on a feeling that i had always wanted to go. of course there were reasons - starbucks (my all time fave), the bill and melinda gates foundation, the way everyone always told me i'd simply belong there. i was a little nervous, but a lot excited. when people asked why seattle, and why alone, i said, why not? i gave them the starbucks and B&M gates foundation spiel, but what it was really about, was simply how i felt when i booked that trip - i just felt like i needed to go.

i almost didn't come back. 

i nearly cancelled my flight home, and stayed forever. i finally - for the first time in my life - felt like i belonged. felt like i was home. i lost the homesick feeling that i think i had been experiencing my entire life. 

of course, my grandmother - who channels - went to her spirits, and found out that i lived there in a past life, so it sort of all started to add up (not that i necessarily take great stock in this, but it made my parents feel better knowing that if i ever stayed, at least i would be home). since then, i've tried to get there as much as possible. 

so, when a good friend emailed me about his north american tour, and asked me for tips and suggestions on his time in seattle, AND THEN another friend asked me about my faves for him and his gf's upcoming trip there, i was more than excited to share. 

people frequently ask me - what do you love about seattle so much? what's so great about it? why would you live there?

intangibly? the spirit. there is something so wonderful about a city of people who truly engage in the community of which they're part. who challenge themselves to be better people, as part of the larger system. who work to live - and not the other way around. the city is not ashamed - yes, they have issues with homelessness and drugs and poverty. who doesn't? but they do not hide this, like they do in many other cities. they embrace it. they work on it. they make it known, and they make it a priority. that is important to me. any city who nourishes the spirit of the artists, the singers, the chefs, the tattooed, the green haired, the corporate, and the environmentalist all in one place - and in a way where they can coexist happily?? that, to me, is heaven on earth.

that is me... though it may not seem it. this is my fave photo from my trips to seattle... the way i sort of disappear into it's being. 

tangibly? oh i love seattle. a place where the food is fresh and well respected (i will eat considerable amounts of cheese, seafood, etc. there due to their restrictions on farming, etc.). a place where art is everywhere. a place where their library is one of the most stunning buildings i've ever seen - as a commitment to public access to information. a place where it rains constantly, so the grass is always a beautiful emerald green. i. love. it. 

the beautiful public library

some of my favourites?

the area of fremont. it's just a super dope little neighbourhood. mega artsy. lenin statue, trolls under bridges, rockets in the middle of the street, vegan bakeries, vintage shops galore. it has a GREAT organic bean to bar chocolate factory, called theo, and they do tours! with free chocolate! ah!

trolls under bridges; theo chocolate factory

puget sound. stunning. particularly amazing if you hike over there, and stay until the sun goes down. BEST view of the city skyline FOR. SURE. it's beautiful. 

starbucks, pike's place, beechers cheese. all MUSTS. but if you do the market, you can kill all of them (and yes - that IS a gum wall).

the gum wall; the market on an equally beautiful, busy rainy day

beechers has literally the best mac and cheese i've ever tasted in my entire life. i frequently do a dinner and/or lunch of coffee from starbucks (or caffe ladro a few blocks over - great americano) and mac & cheese. to die for. they are committed to purity and classic styles of cheese making. i'll never forget the first time i went in, and asked about their cheese - i asked if their milk came from organic cows/goats and farms. the girl looked at me and said, 'we don't really believe in the term organic.... we insist on far stricter quality than that' (insert me swooning here). we then had a half hour convo on their integrity to classic style cheese making, and raising of animals. they have a photo of every animal they get milk from, on their wall!

cheese making in action; caffe ladro coffee for lunch; mac and cheese and a mariners cap

starbucks - it's the original starbucks. but anyone who goes to this location can appreciate where it all began. it's a great atmosphere, the employees are happy (and work their asses off), and you can see the grassroots beginning. any skeptic? visit this store. you'll finally get it.

pike place market as a whole? you literally can't miss this. the pike place fish stand - with a few of my good friends who i made while i was there - is worth it, the guys are great. mini donuts to your left of the main entrance. gum wall, apothecaries, cool vintage stops, and good chowder places. WONDERFUL flowers, and really cool artwork. i usually go on a weekday, because the crowds aren't big, but if you want to full experience, and don't mind a crowd, do the weekends. 

 my lovely friend jeff and i, who started a convo in the middle of a tues while i vacationed there for the first time, and have been good friends since!

steelhead diner is an amazing restaurant in the alleys behind the market. best mussels i think i've ever had - their menu is awesomely down home and non-pretentious. they have a little patio too. rad! (i also visited their new 'blueacre seafood' last time i was there. awesome. hard to get seats on weekends, but worth it). other great restaurants in the area? the chowder place (get the sampler) and the pink door.

steelhead diner mussels and poutine; the pink door

the library (as i mentioned above). oh dear god. PLEASE go see the library. there are no words.

there's also a space near where the underground tour is (which is my super highly recommended tour to take... if you're into nerdy history stuff like me) called pioneer square. it often has public art installations. i always go to see what they have. last time i was there, they had tons of trees wrapped in brightly coloured yarn.  i usually go to  have lunch, read, sit, take photos, write, anything i can do to simply spend time in the sun there. the trees are huge and big and beautiful. it's easily one of my favourite places in the city.

and other little goodies that if you have time, you have to see? the jimi hendrix statue on capitol hill,  the aquarium (there's a huge octopus that climbs out of the tank when they do presentations!); myrtle edwards park, AND the olympic sculpture park; the klondike gold rush museum (nerdy, i know. but i got a stamp passport, and there are mannequins!)

it's all simply marvellous. i don't have enough wonderful things to say about the city. i would be there constantly if it weren't so hard for a canadian to get a job there.

if you go, share your adventures with ME!

my (vacation) weekend(s) in summary

i'm back. 

and to avoid writing about every single thing i did while on vacation, here are some photos, and a quick word vomit of activities. i do plan on doing some reflection posts... and perhaps some posts on some of the best things i did... lots of people have asked me about visit tips to van, and like the seattle post i wrote, perhaps i'll compile a list of my faves in my fave cities.

i was surprised at the lack of photos i took. not sure if that was a reflection of the fun i was having, or the true escape from life.... haven't yet determined. either way... some good things still happened. i also tried to spare you from 674 mountain/sunset/walking/outdoorsy photos... i'm sure the evidence of me hiking, walking, drooling over the landscape would begin to be redundant over time, as it's what i spent the majority of my vacation doing:

all carry on (for an almost two week trip) is an interesting experience; sunset dinner alone on kits beach; mussels at dinner alone at coast before departing for whistler; reading at the river in whistler; finally – dinner made for ME!; boys in their underwear. doing manly things like fixing bikes; more dinner made for the group; the beach view with jeff; reading by the pool while the boys are out biking; lookout on the sea to sky highway; made up drinks with tyler; graffiti under granville bridge; the skyline walking to kits; sushi dinner with cole; my home for the majority of the (almost) 2 weeks; oatmeal stout with tyler at steamworks brewing company; playing in tubes with boy (tyler); afternoon walk through downtown van; a long dreaded bill; my friend cole. He eats food. Lots of food; vegan brunch at the foundation; salmon bowl, and other goodies at hapa izakaya; cole’s review; afternoon at stanley park; the boats. the trees. the clouds. last day in van. 

late night chats; lots of sky train riding; beach days; beach dinners with sunsets; restaurants with $4.95 EVERYTHING; shopping; bus ride to whistler; wandering the village; sushi (LOTS of sushi); dancing; atv'ing and near death; amazing mountains; more beach time; homemade dinners; sea to sky highway and lookouts; neighbourhood explorations; lots of walking; 3 movies; stanley park; water; bruises and cuts; food (amazing food, at that); relaxation; relief from pain; frisbee golf; lots of time with tyler, cole, jeff/steve and the biking boys; 

(in no particular order)

it was fantastic. and fabulous. i didn't want to come home. 

ultramontane and their outdoor adventures

I’ve recently had the oppourtunity to become more immersed in the downhill mountain biking culture and freeride, through spending time with people who eat/live/breathe the sport. I find myself being captured by everything about it… unfortunately, due to my back, it’s not something I’ll probably ever be able to participate in. however, the strong nostalgia of my trail running is brought to life in walking through half built bike trails, and climbing up and down berms and drops. it's my belief that regardless of your vehicle (feet, bike, all else), once you've fallen in love with a trail sport, you can find appreciation and aptitude in anything involving trails, a forest, and trees. if you have not yet trail run – please. stop what you’re doing (once you’ve finished reading my blog, of course) and put on a pair of running shoes, and go run 3k through roots and trees, and rocks and grass. I promise you it’s the best thing you’ll ever experience.

when a friend of mine showed me ultramontane, it didn’t take long for me to become obsessed. the series of videos are sheer perfection – and regardless of your feelings towards biking (which I’ve explained I don’t have much of a current investment in - i don't even have a bike after it's theft a couple of years ago), you can’t help but become enamoured with the setting – the stunning shots of the spaces they ride through, and so obviously have complete and utter respect for, are enough to make me want to quit my job and move to washington state. the simple shots of them doing things like making coffee, and sitting against logs with a drink. even the sheer perspective of some of the shots while they’re riding – the trees looming predictably large above them. it gives perspective to the world they're living and riding in. it’s so wonderfully beautiful. breathtaking even.

it’s the collaborative effort of connor macleod and derek dix. these guys are genius. their love for ‘off-season’ riding in south western BC, and their insistence to highlight the embracing of all weather riding. as they say, “there’s no such thing as bad weather. just soft people.” no. 3 . they try to convey that free-riding can happen anywhere, anytime. no need for big budget trips to warmer climate, or even huge trips to mountains – instead, using where you are, and enjoying the space around you… which I think is fair to say that we could all take a cue from. 

“Since the last release it’s been two weeks. As the crow flies…14 days. That one is for a measure of distance not time.Think about it. There have been wet days, snowy days, and dry days none of which have been exceptionally cold. All of which we have been out riding and shooting.” no 2. 

this will be an image heavy post… as that’s the nature of ultramontane. and I think to do it justice, I need to let the photos call out to everyone’s (or perhaps simply my own) inner nature junkie.

    

    

not many people know this about me, but in high school I took as many ‘shop’ related classes I could – I took 5 years of auto shop (I have a small obsessions with motors, cars, and anything I can build with my hands and make move independent of me), I took shop class, and often took to our garage to build things with my dad. Still now, my dad and I make weekends out of working on the septic tank, building framing for decks, and other construction projects that we can get our hands on (my dad was a brick layer in a previous life – perhaps where I get my need to work with my hands from). In no. 3 they work on the building of the courses, and what goes into prepping a space to ride through. that.... to me... is amazing. and as someone who loves the feeling of building materials in her hands, i can put myself in that place in which you can use a space you've helped build. 

the shot at 1:15 in this video is pure. Perfection.

the one in which he fastens a hacksaw and a tripod to the front of his camera backpack. That could not be a more perfect symbol of the person who appreciates art and nature, along with a need to work with their hands, and understand the work that goes into these trails.

    

“The whole idea of him riding a hand built hard tail can be fairly well romanticised. The whole ‘feel of the bike’ thing connecting with the ‘feel of materials’ in your hands. That’s heavy stuff. Real talk.”

    

There’s something so epic about this video.

“Hearing trees come down in the distance however was one of the most surreal things I heard in a while, at first we all thought it was either a nearby shotgun going off, which would be incredibly odd for where we were, or to kick up the weird factor, somebody playing with homemade explosives. Through the night there were about five trees falling that woke me up, each fairly frightening to hear the shattering crack of the trunk followed by the earth shaking thump of the tree hitting the ground. Good thing we checked the weather forecast and noted everything except wind speeds before we set out.”

the video that began my love. the perfect summary of the whole series. the canada flag at 7 seconds. the ferry. the snow. the sun. the companionship. the music... oh the music. the sheer expansive space that they get to be part of. and then, the camping. oh the camping. there is literally much better than cooking over a fire.

6 releases. started in Jan. now they’re done. check out their entire season’s chronicle here. there’s way more than what I posted… and I promise – whether you’re a rider or not – you won’t be disappointed. and be sure to check them out everywhere they are (below):

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