I met Liz my first year in college and we were inseparable. She was my first female BFF and continues to be one of my BFFs. We’ve celebrated 13 birthdays together and for our 14th birthday together, Liz picked Seattle and I tacked on Vancouver.
Our annual birthday trip (my birthday is in July and hers is in August) began in 2017. We flew in from SoCal (me) and San Antonio (her) to Denver. Last year, I made my way to the Northeast, picked her up from Albany, and drove to Burlington and Montreal.
Where We Stayed
We rented an AirBnb in Capitol Hill. It was pricey as is all of Seattle, but the location was stellar – between the bustle of Broadway and 15th on the east and west and Volunteer Park to the north. The train was less than a 5 minute walk away! I prefer staying in the neighborhoods (Fremont and Ballard are nice also but neither area along the train route) rather than downtown.
Next time, I would look for a cheaper spot/neighborhood along their one train route.
Where We Drank
Since we couldn’t check-in till 3pm, we stuck around Capitol Hill. We found Lost Lake, a restaurant, bar, and beautifully-decorated lounge (paintings of nature and mountains everywhere). Lost Lake is huge, with three different and distinct sections. We started off with local beers and then played pool.
Downtown, we got a drink at Vons’ 1000 Spirits. Mine came in a glass jar and was spun in a machine to mix.
For happy hour, we stopped into El Camino. It was a random stop as we explored Fremont. It was nothing special, but they did bring me OJ for my bad sparkling wine.
My favorite spot for drinks was Park Public House in Phinney Ridge. After walking all morning, we found this little restaurant/bar by Woodland Park. We got local beers and an “Evergreen” paloma (rosemary-infused tequila and Jarritos grapefruit soda). We lingered here for quite awhile talking to the bartenders and playing pool.
Where We Ate
My one request on this trip was Frankie & Jo’s! There was no line when we got there and my companions loved the ice cream as much as I did. I splurged and got the cone too.
What was better than the ice cream? Yes, there was something better – the quaffle from Anchorhead Coffee. It’s a cinnamon roll crafted from croissant dough and pressed into a waffle iron! We also tried their beverages – I got a matcha in pistachio milk that tasted bland. 
Another suggestion from a friend was Vons’ 1000 Spirits. We couldn’t resist getting a burger on a sourdough bun. It was a slight miss as the bun was too chewy.
Unpictured: Liberty Bar sushi. This was my favorite meal in Seattle as I was craving seafood of any sorts and something less greasy.
Where We Visited
First stop, Pike Place and the gum wall. It’s iconic. We perused but skipped the crowded stalls and restaurants.
Liz requested visiting Chihuly Garden & Glass, which I didn’t visit last time. Although the ticket was over $30, it was worth it to see and understand the amazing, detailed glass sculptures.
I suggested visiting the Fremont neighborhood. We visited the Fremont Troll and the Lenin statue, the Theo Chocolate Factory, and enjoyed a drink at happy hour.
Unfortunately, we never made it to the Ballard neighborhood – the walk was long from Fremont – but we stumbled into Woodland Park and Phinney Ridge for drinks after.
Where We Stayed Active
I love Seattle for all its parks. We stayed south of Volunteer Park so I took a couple of walks there. I got to visit the conservancy this time with all its gorgeous plants!
We also stumbled upon Woodland Park and their beautiful rose garden.
I took one “heated” yoga class at The Grinning Yogi, reminiscent of Flex & Flow in Portland, and would come here all the time if I lived closeby. The 9am weekday class was packed mat to mat and the class was challenging and sweaty!
Julie in the World 