Seattle: Livin' the good life.

It's bizarre how underrated the Seattle restaurant/dining scene is. In the scope of things, it's definitely no San Francisco and certainly not competitive with New York's bounty of fine fare. But Seattle has it's own "flava" and flair, no doubt.

how it all began
My weekend getaway could not have happened at a more ideal time. Seattlelites were bathing in sunlight. I expected torrents of rain but God's smile was upon me all weekend. He knew I would be bringing strappy shoes and those beauties would not have had wet pavement at all. (Stop rolling your eyes! They're vintage!)
And while I'm sure there is much to do and see in Seattle, I spent most of my vacation chowing down. A whole day was devoted to combing through Pike Place Market for the "bests" and the "tastiests". From the spicy macaroni & cheese from Beecher's to the unforgettable catfish sandwich from Matt's in the Market, I was eating my way to a clogged artery. Three inches around the waist later, I am a Seattle Foodie-virgin no longer. I was bent over and spanked hard by all that good grub.

observations
Thanks to modern marvels such as the Internet and Fed Ex, we are drowning in cultural homogeneity. You're getting the same kind of juice from every orange. Prior to my visit, I expected almost a rare breed of Northwesterners- the kind I remember from the 90's music videos- flannel shirt-scraggly facial hair-wearing grunge kids who love music to a fault, endemic only in a place with this many trees and lakes. And while they do love their coffee and their music, I didn't hear or drink anything unfamiliar. Call me provincial, but I wanted the shock value. The same kind I felt when stepping onto Broadway in NYC for the first time 7 years ago. Instead, I was mostly impressed but not shocked. I didn't even come up on obscure Seattle bands, because most of them I've read about on various blogs. I went to a bar and it reeked of Los Angeles/New York hipsters. Damn you Cobra Snake.

But what I did find unique in Seattle was everything indigenous and natural. Lake Wash was beautiful and I mentioned TREES right? All along the freeways, there were trees. The fish was so fresh, I felt it swimming in my stomach. And the gorgeous seasonal fruits and veggies made me a little jealous. I want cheeks that red! These alone startled my senses and heightened my need for fresh air. These are things the internet can never convey! After all, the whole point of an experience is to experience it.