Happy Halloween!
We are currently enjoying a mini vacation – we drove up to Seattle on Friday.
On Saturday, Jason spent the day at a music conference. Basil and I spent the day walking around Seattle. Well, Basil walked some, was carried a lot. Basil is not a city dog – he is not used to noise at all, so in his nervousness he walked slowly. Also, he would sit down when we were walking the steep hills. Yep – he sat down.
Apparently many people want to (those hills are steep!), because we found benches half way up.
I took this photo on our balcony – we are staying one block up from Pike Place Market, with a great view of the Elliot Bay.
Pensione Nichols is a B&B in the Pike Place Market neighborhood, which we chose because it is pet friendly. They have European rooms with shared baths, and two “apartment” style suites with full kitchens and baths. We stayed in one of those, and I would definitely go back! I always love a full kitchen when we’re staying a while, and since we cannot go many places without Basil, we used it.
My favorite? The views from our balcony.
Today we spent time with our friends John and Steph – they own the fantastic Sugar Bakery and Cafe. You know, my dream job.
Jason and Kris fun fact: our first Valentines Day (our favorite holiday) was spent in Seattle – before John and Steph had their current storefront bakery, they started as a wholesale bakery business. On Valentines Day they held a great event called “Sweets Fest” and the year we went it was held at Caffè Vita. It was a big celebration with several courses of desserts, wine and champagne. Still one of my favorite Valentines ever…
More from Seattle later – as viewed from my cell phone camera. Can you believe I left my real camera at home?
Have you been to Seattle?
Are you dressing up for Halloween?
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How fun – I live in Seattle, so I’m a little biased, but I think it’s the most beautiful city in the world
and we had such a gorgeous weekend – your timing couldn’t have been better!
Hope you have a great vacation!
thank you, Jennie!! it absolutely WAS a perfect weekend!
you are right – Seattle is definitely beautiful!
Wow, those are great pics from a phone! I rarely take pics on my blackberry since the quality is horrible.
I love Seattle, the laid back atmosphere, history and of course, coffee history that comes with it. And pet friendly places like that (along with the view) make it even better!
we LOVE the pet friendly places, of course! yes, the coffee history! I was just explaining the original Starbucks… always a long line, always a big crowd taking photos, always busy dispensing the coffee goodness!
I live in Seattle part time and absolutely love it, looks like a nice little vacay
we love it there – and it’s such a nice weekend getaway!
So happy you’re on vacay! And that shot of the bay and water and sunset…omg, postcard-worthy!
thanks, Averie! these views really could have used my real camera – just an excuse to go back again, I guess!
We never made it to Seattle but would have loved to gone. Your photos are so precious. Love the vaca, mini or big it doesn’t matter!
indeed – and sometimes these little trips are better – just decide to do it and GO, get right into the relaxin’ you know? no time for exhaustion.
Enjoy the vacation girl! I have never been to Seattle but I know that s where Starbucks started!
Happy Halloween!
Is Basil rocking his costume today?!!!
xo
girl, that original Starbucks?? ALWAYS has a huge line. a couple times I walked by and the line was outside, and WAY down the sidewalk! there are always crowds of people taking photos of it too
Basil DID rock his costume – he’s getting used to the turtle 
XXO!
glad you forgot the camera, just enjoy the mini vacation as it comes! i love seattle too. Oh and I miss Basil. what a hoot!
at first I could not BELIEVE I forgot it (not for documenting here, or anything, just… photography!) but with as much as I was carrying Basil around, it worked out best to not have a huge camera as well.
sweet Basil. he misses you, too. can’t you swing by Portland on your way out??? 
hmmm, we do have a 6 hour layover in San Fran. Maybe we could switch it to portland.
;P
six hours!! that’s a long time, I could come visit you at the airport!!
Gorgeous views! I love that town. Really though, the whole Pacific Northwest is pretty darn cool.
I love it too, Alayna! and you are SO right, all of the Pac NW is really cool. and beautiful. I definitely appreciate all we have here!
I have not been to Seattle but I’ve always wanted to go there. Actually, for years I thought I’d end up living there. I seem to like gloomy/rainy places so I thought Seattle would be a good choice. Now my sister and her husband are seriously thinking of moving there so I might get my chance to visit in the next year or so.
if you like the gloomy (I prefer “cozy”!!)
you would LOVE Seattle! or Portland, for that matter! oooh, if they do move out here and you visit, you MUST let me know! 
The hills really are no joke there. I love Seattle. Wish I could be there!
the hills hurt so good, right??
we walked so much I actually feel it in my legs! (and my arms, from carrying a dachshund everywhere…) 
Enjoy your mini-vacation
thank you, Jen!! we did, so much!
Love Seattle
My region for work is the west coast (I’m in NY) and I get super excited when I need to go to Seattle. Definitely one of my favorite places. I was there earlier this fall for a whole 36 hours but had a whole afternoon to wander around the city by myself (without my real camera either!) and loved it. My favorite are the views of the mountain in the background from random parts of the city. We don’t have views like that out here! Enjoy!
as much as I love Love LOVE New York, I definitely appreciate the green and the views and the mountains and all that we have here in the northwest. glad you get some time to enjoy the city when you visit!
I’ve never been to Seattle, it looks so beautiful! It’s great that the two of you got to escape for a bit. It’s so nice when Kevin and I do that! He’s been traveling off and on for the past 3 months. I see him for a couple of days, then he leaves for a week, see him, leaves… well, you get the idea. Hoping that this trip is his last and he can spend some time at home with me!!
yes, I definitely get the idea – Jason’s travel is (thankfully) mostly day trips – flies out at 4am and is home same day, by 7. he does have his week long trips here and there, though. Basil and I miss him
you should visit Seattle – it is beautiful! (and then come on down to Portland!)
Ya, the puppies miss Kevin a lot too. I think because he plays with them more. haha :S I would LOVE to come for a visit one of these days!
Great photos! They made me homesick. I’m from Seattle!
Will we see you on Saturday?
oh, you are? I forgot that – why did I think it was Spokane!?
I will most likely be able to do Saturday – there’s a chance we will be gone again but I will let you know! XO
I am insanely jealous that you can drive to Seattle. My husband and I went there during our honeymoon (a two week trip around the Pac Northwest) and didn’t spend nearly enough time in Seattle- only two days. I definitely need to go back someday soon- and also back to Mt. Rainier (we LOVED it there!)
we LOVE to be so close to Seattle, and we definitely appreciate all that we have so close – the mountains to the beaches… Mt Rainier is beautiful too – you guys picked a great place to honeymoon!
Oh, the “boy” in the city!!!! …and what a sweet picture of him…love it..
Is that his ‘Thunder Shirt’? Sounds like you all had great weather , fun place to go visit..Happy Halloween…did Basil wear his costume today? The submarine or the turtle? weeee…love you all…
no, not the Thunder Shirt, this is his coat (I think you’ve seen it??) we had a great time, we like Seattle. he was the turtle!!
love and wags to all of you! XO
I was going to ask what Basil was going to be and then I read the comment above mine from your mom. I hope he wore the TURTLE! Haha.
Seattle would be awesome. I wore my Jem wig and some false eyelashes and scored some sweet candy while trick or treating for having the “spirit.” I’ll have to remind myself of that again next year to motivate me to put a costume on again. Safe travels home!
yes, he was the turtle this year!!
you can see his costume here –> Basil Turtle cute, right?
good for you for having spirit – yay! definitely have to remember that for next year!
Oh funnnn.. I LOVE SEATTLE!
we do too. Jason was doing his thing and Basil and I walked all around Pike Place and the whole neighborhood – a GREAT time!
I love a good mini-vacation! I’ve never been to Seattle, and it is on my list, but Portland is 1st – duh. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to travel the northwest sooner than later! I worked 1/2 a shift today and wore my pink wig and pink leg warmers. Just for fun.
Seattle and Portland – you would love them both! LOVE that you were in pink, and that it included LEG WARMERS – weee!
and ahem… send me an email update when you have one…
XO
Yay for the mini vacation. And yay for Seattle. It’s a fantastic city! (poor little Basil though!)
poor little Basil… I did feel bad that he seemed so nervous walking around on the city streets (he is such a country dog!) but… “poor” Basil was just fine!
he was carried around a lot… my poor arms! 
Yay for mini-vacays! And I’m glad you’re able to accommodate Basil’s needs (good thing he’s so portable!) too
Love the pics….I haven’t been to Seattle, but it’s on my list!
yes, Basil is easy, when I carry him around he is SO CHILL. also so popular – everybody loves a dachshund.
love Seattle, though Michelle has never been there. but I have with Gary a few years ago and loved it!! Michelle is jealous and that is a place she really wants to go to.
yay for mini vacations, love those!
we love mini vacations too – something to look forward to and small breaks are necessary! Michelle will definitely have to visit Seattle (and then Portland too!!)
lovely.. i am in Seattle and 6 blocks from pike place market!.. darn.. why dint u just stop by!:)
Yay Seattle!! Can’t wait to get up there to visit my family again… and we can HANG OUT TOO!
I want to kiss that Basil nose soooo bad.
well, get on up here, girl!!
Basil would LOOOVE to see you, and so would I !!
I love Seattle! So glad that Basil could join you too.
spoken like a true dog person, Erin!! I’m so glad he could too – can’t really go enjoy a restaurant, but that’s okay!! we went to one of our favorites and got takeout!
Hope you had a great time in Seattle! It was a perfect weekend to visit because the weather was actually nice for this time of year! I love the view from your balcony! I’m so lucky to call this beautiful city home.
we had such a nice time – and yes, it was PERFECT weather, especially Saturday. Basil and I had a great time walking around the market!
Always love your vacation posts, Kristina! Awww, poor Basil, I understand … cities can be overwhelming (not to mention hills). But I loved Seattle on my one visit there to date. Great photos for your phone!
xo,
Shirley
I’ve been to Seattle! Oh wait, I live here.
Beautiful views! Glad you found a place where Basil is welcome. Hubs and I used to go to Cafe Vitta quite a bit. I don’t drink coffee really anymore (got out of the habit before I got pregnant and it just stuck all this time). Sniff. Love mini-vacays and road trips.
we found the perfect place – I love being so close to the bay and market! we LOVE Cafe Vitta! you should just go there for a date night – go to get dessert sometime!
I spent 48 hours in Seattle earlier this year when I was in the US. I also went to Denver, PDX and San Francisco, but in the short amount of time I was there it completely stole my heart. I am very much hoping to make it back there in 2013 for a conference. A beautiful city with amazing food!
hi Susan, I am now looking at your blog (I had guessed Australia since you mentioned it is summer for you!) and now I am LOVING everything from the birthday party – it all looks and sounds great (and now I must go eat breakfast!!)
great to “meet” you – I have added you to my reader! and if you do make it back to Portland you will have to keep in touch!
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