Blogs from Washington, United States, North America - page 5

I can't think of a better city than Seattle as the very first UNESCO City of Literature. The unique and massive Seattle Public Library, itself an icon of literature, stands as a visible reminder of this city's great literary reputation. They say the long, wet, dreary winters, and the abundance of coffee shops make it perfect for readers. For starters, the four decades old Elliott Bay Bookstore attracts readers of all kinds. I love the name of their little cafe' in the back, the Oddfellows Cafe'. Maybe it is staffed by a guy named Longfellow? As you know, I love visiting libraries and bookstores around the world. My favorites are City Lights (San Francisco), Powell's (Portland), and The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles). For rare, and out of print cook books, head to the aptly named Book ... read more

Having been here so many times, we always look for something new and different. Okay, maybe you don’t consider dinner to be an “experience,” but this one definitely felt like it. Flintcreek Cattle Co uses pastured and grass-fed meat, from sustainable small-scale farms, and masterfully creates truly magnificent dishes. This is the restaurant for trying new dishes, particularly proteins like elk, venison, and others. While the restaurant certainly is an upscale experience, it’s still approachable for the average person, and the dining experience is relaxed and luxurious. Might be worth a try? If you love crafting or taking creative classes, you definitely need to check out Mosstangle, a Snohomish wood-burning studio. “You learn a new, creative skill that seems impossible, but Crystal is a great teacher and encour... read more

We knew a few days ago that we would have to dodge snowstorms on the way home. We had planned to take I 84 to Pendleton on Monday and then drive home over Snoqualmie Pass on Tuesday. As we watched the weather, it became clear that all the higher passes in Oregon would require chains by Tuesday, so we rerouted through Burns, where we spent the night on Monday. The drive to Burns was a little too exciting...We woke up to snow on our car in Burley, but clear roads. After having some charging issues (the car wasn't pre-conditioned and the temperature sensor was misreading the outdoor temp at 17 degrees, so charging was very slow) we headed to Twin Falls to try charging there. The chargers were at a beautiful visitors' center overlooking the Snake ... read more

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What a wonderful hotel. The rooms were suite rooms with a complete kitchen. We all had a much needed great night of sleep. Our hotel didn’t provide breakfast so we found the “best breakfast in Yakima” at Mel’s Diner. It was a cute place with old car pictures and memorabilia from the 50’s and 60’s. They had backs of old cars that had a bench seat in the. Plus it was a great breakfast!! Following breakfast we headed to Walmart for an oil change and a chance to restock our cooler. Since we left home we have driven 3,849 miles…..all driven by Terry. As we were driving from Yakima to Seattle we notice barren land on both sides of the road. We couldn’t figure it out until we saw a sign “Military Area”. We drove around ... read more