Friday Favorites - Seattle!

I begin this blog sitting on the plane home from such a great trip to Seattle...you know when you plan a trip and you leave wishing you had more time? So how I'm feeling right now! I think I'm going to start the Friday Favorites blog with this one since I took so many pics. So, enjoy my visit through my camera's eye!

I arrived on Saturday night. Liz picked me up and we went out for Sushi first thing! One of the rolls we got was the Caterpillar. So good. After that, went across the street to a brewery and had a few ciders and then back to see her place.

Sunday morning we went first to Pike's Place Market - A HUGE market in what I think is downtown Seattle...I'm sure you've heard about it!

Tons of vendors, like this one with fresh fruit - anything you could want! This was just one fruit vendor. There had to be like another ten or fifteen just like it!

And lots of vendors with fresh fish, shrimp, crab, lobster...any kind of sea food you'd like!

We actually didn't get seafood for dinner that night. Instead we stopped at Uli's all-natural, no preservatives sausages...here's the guy telling Liz all about the different kinds.

Fresh flowers galore....see below for the ones we picked!

The flowers are gorgeous!

And the original Starbucks. We didn't get to go in - it was Sunday and the line was so, so long, but cool to be where it was all started!

We also got to see lots of crafts, too. And jewelry. Liz and I got these really simple stacking rings - one with my birthstone and one with hers. Hopefully I'll do better and not lose my sentimental rings anymore...

I also got this little dish. The colors are so pretty and love the message. Still trying to decide if it's going to work or staying home though...

After the market the first day, we came home and made a great dinner together. Nick, Liz's boyfriend was there, and their neighbor, Brent. There's a pic of those two guys later on.

First night dinner: Hot Italian Sausage, Chicken Sausage, and Brats on the grill, grilled corn on the cob, a kale salad, and red wine. Oh, and the best part - Liz made home made bread and then Nick made a garlic-rosemary-olive oil spread to dip it in. It was so, So, SO good...I def ate myself into a food coma!

So mad I didn't take a pic of the bread and EVOO sauce!!

After we lethargically cleaned up dinner, we watched Friday Night Lights. Have you seen that show? It's so good. I think the whole time we got through like five or six episodes. I'm crossing my fingers it's free on my Amazon Prime. (It is! I watched one last night!) : )

Monday - Liz had to go teach. Did you already see my pics on facebook from that? It's amazing to see a great friend doing such a fantastic job teaching preservice teachers. I got a great refresher on all things phonics: CVC words, short vowels, long e, blends, digraphs, diphthongs, r-controlled vowels...I totally took notes and participated with the kids. When I asked them if they loved her as much as I do, the said, "omg. We're learning about digraphs and blends and the time flies. Who would thought it could be so fun? She's awesome!" Anyways, being so passionate about literacy made going to work with her super fun!

After work, we were off to the beach for a few hours of sun. You think of Seattle and think it's always rainy, but the clouds usually burned off around 1, and then we got a few hours of sunshine....

After the beach, we were back at home making another amazing dinner - home made gnoochi! (nee-oh-kee) Love learning about new recipes, and what better place than from my Italian bff? So the dough of gnoochi is potato, flour, and eggs (kinda like a Polish pierogi, right?) They are little dumplings and then you put them in a great marinara...

So much work - Liz did the dough and then Brent and I helped press the little dough balls with a fork after...

Don't get the wrong idea - Liz did most of the work, but she's so gracious she lets me take a pic and make it look like it was me : )

And here's the finished product! Nick did a great job with the sauce!

Lovely dinner with a salad, red wine, and lots of gnoochi. We were so full, but we finished it all. Food coma day #2!

And then we were on to another episode of Friday Night Lights before we went to sleep....

Tuesday Liz didn't have class so we started off at Toulouse Petit for a French breakfast.... The restaurant was gorgeous and it was breakfast happy hour!

We started off with French pressed coffee and beignets....

I had a skillet with crawfish, shrimp, and Andouille sausage in a spicy sauce with egg whites. I'm so proud of myself for trying new things. It was delicious, but spicy and so, So rich...

After breakfast we decided we needed a light salad for dinner! : )

Nick dropped us off at this park for a great view....

and then we walked around some little shops in the Queen Anne neighborhood...

I found these little magnets showing all the things we did (minus the rain, LOVE!)

And we stopped at Theo Chocolate Factory and I picked up this (after like 25 samples...that salad was definitely in order!)

We finally got home, and then got ready for another few hours on the beach. Nick told me that he doesn't want everyone to know what great weather is in Seattle! It was gorgeous. We were actually on the Sound so the water is pretty calm. Then you have a few islands and mountains in the background. The water is ice cold, but the weather was perfect....actually, kind of hot!

Love her!

After the beach we rushed home, made that salad, and then got ready for the last hurrah - the Space Needle.

That was Tuesday night and then I left Wednesday after I went to class with Liz again. Who would have ever thought phonics would get me so excited?

Well that was it. (I know, longest blog ever!) I had such a great time and realized how much I really, really love to travel. To new places, but to old places too. I think the next trip will be Thanksgiving in Phoenix with Katie, and Jamie and Brian might come in, too : ) Briese - we're making Thanksgiving dinner at your casa!

Thank you Liz for such a great trip. I can't wait to do it again! Love you, friend!!

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend!