Seattle + North Bend, WA

July 7, 2013July 7, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 2 Comments

This Holiday weekend marked my Dad’s first visit to the Pacific Northwest and his first meeting with my baby Margot. He loved everything Washington had to offer: from North Bend to Tacoma, from Olympia to Seattle — he seemed to enjoy everything each place had to offer. So did the rest of my family.

I knew they would, because what’s not to like?

Pike Place Market and downtown Seattle is of course at the top of the list of tourist activities we take our guests to. North Bend, WA, the filming location for the cult classic Twin Peaks and our nearest mountain town, is another favorite. North Bend boasts great shopping, coniferous skylines and crisp mountain air. Meanwhile, gentle mists float off of Snoqualmie Falls, cooling sightseers, and fogging camera lenses. Mountains done right, I say.

My family still calls Bakersfield, CA home, so our 80 degree weather on Puget Sound was a great reprieve from the punishing summer heat of the Central Valley. Abundant greenery, wildlife and a mellow grand-baby hopefully left them feeling somewhat restored, even though the distance they traveled was not trivial.

Of course I was sad to see them go; the next time we meet will probably be at a mini-reunion in Las Vegas. Not a bad deal. Especially if we can escape the brutal Alaska winter to enjoy warmer winter weather in the lower 48. Just nine more weeks until we’re residents of Fairbanks.

We’ll be sad to say goodbye to South Puget Sound.

Tacoma, WA

July 3, 2013July 24, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 11 Comments

I will probably have no shame about being a tourist, ever. Even in my own town (whichever it may be at the time), I have no qualms about snapping photos wherever I go.

My family is in town to see Margot for the first time since she was born, and I’m glad their visit is to this area in Washington where the tourism opportunities are endless. Tacoma, WA is a beautiful city. Period. When I read up on this area, I tend to see a lot of comments on how rough around the edges it is, but as long as you don’t hang out in Hilltop at midnight, I see no problems.

Downtown is especially beautiful since it’s adorned with blown glass by local native Dale Chihuly. Abstract architecture and early twentieth century masonry create a unique skyline on Commencement Bay where Marina and Industry coexist. I can’t get enough. Truly.

Kicking around the town giving our usual Tacoma tour, we ran into other residents who were giving the same tour to their out of town family. What a coincidence, we all end up gawking at the house that starred in the film The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, strolling through Stadium High School, and crossing the Glass Bridge. “This is where Heath Ledger serenaded Julia Stiles back in the 90s”, I imagine many a Tacoman explain at the gates of the Stadium Bowl. Maybe even a brief explanation on the School’s history as a hotel is provided. They may give a quick bio of Chihuly, or explain the landmarks around Commencement Bay. The conclusion is the same: Tacoma has colorful highlights.

Of course we visited the same lovely landmarks that all other tourists come upon when they visit Tacoma. My family seemed to enjoy it.

If my Dad was impressed with sea otters, rabbits and raccoons at Point Defiance Park, I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of Seattle later this week.

Procession of the Species

April 30, 2013July 22, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 9 Comments

On a scale of one to ten of crunchiness, I am a solid four. I wear Chacos with skirts when the weather is nice, I enjoy hiking and camping, and I recycle diligently. I used to compost back in Oklahoma, but since the garbage disposal came into my life, composing, for me, has gone the way of the dodo.

My suburban sympathies have increased lately, mainly because after too many college years living in virtual squalor, or living sustainably as I used to say, having a new home in a beautifully manicured neighborhood is a luxury I don’t want to give up. I’m also a mom now. That’s my crunch-factor explained.

My love for Olympia, WA runs deep, probably because its residents are crunchy to every degree, delightfully so. The scale of normalcy is tipped in this area: you have your hardcore vegans, deadheads, potheads, animal-lovers, retired liberals, young adult leftist-liberals, off-the-griders, music junkies…the list goes on and on. Regardless of their subtle differences, this weekend they all combined forces to celebrate Life in the Procession of the Species in downtown Olympia.

A friend told me about the Procession of the Species going on this last weekend, which I hadn’t heard of before. The website describes it as a ‘joyous, spontaneous artistic pageant where community members celebrate their relationships with each other and with the natural world’.

Locals create costumes of creatures and dance, march and parade through the streets as a sort of nod to Mother Earth. Twice a year this Procession goes on, once in Spring and once in Fall.

I was super impressed by the creativity and effort that went into the floats, and costumes — many of which utilized recycled materials. Particularly interesting were the large scale floats depicting a whale, giraffe, sea slug, and virus. I’m still wondering how many plastic bags went into the weaving of the whale.

Flamingos on stilts, hopping frogs, and dancing flies all punctuated the lively procession. Participants of all ages (even babies in carriers!) animated the colorful costumes, in a fun and celebratory way.

And true to Oly form, vendors on location sold vegan sweets and healthy eats. Isaac and I split a chicken & vegetable plate from the Quinoa Kings. It was impeccable street food, the likes of which I haven’t seen in Bakersfield, CA or Norman, OK, the two less crunchy cities I’ve lived in.