Christmas Tree Shopping at Swansons Nursery

For the past few years, we have had a tradition of picking up a fresh Christmas tree from Swansons Nursery in Ballard. This tucked away urban oasis has always been one my favorite places for an afternoon escape from Downtown. Holiday season is no different with evergreens galore, twinkling lights, reindeer friends and plenty of holiday cheer. The nursery was abuzz with families throughout despite the chilly December rain.

After my obligatory pit stop in the indoor plant section, we headed over to find "the" tree. We carefully examined each type—Noble Firs, Fraser Firs, Nordmann Firs, and Burton Blues. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, we went with a Noble Fir for it's gorgeous bluish green needles, aromatic fragrance, and full shape. It's perfect!

The tree decorations are off to a good start, but we have a few more lights and ornaments on the way. More photos of our pretty little tree to follow soon.

(P.S. That’s our tree in the front on the left of the first photo!)

Tillicum Place Cafe + Chihuly Garden and Glass

The last two weeks have been a total blur for Kristi and I between Thanksgiving, our belated anniversary vacation (more on this coming in our next blog post) and my final exams. But before all of this, on the Wednesday of Thanksgiving Eve, we had the rare pleasure of both having the day off work with no preexisting commitments. We chose to spend this time enjoying bunch at a local hot spot that we’ve hoped to visit for quite some time - Tillicum Place Cafe - and visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center.

Our brunch started with a chamomile, rooibos, hyssop and rose petal tea for Kristi and an Americano for me - both accompanied by a buttery tea cookie. Alongside our beverages we ordered a house-made baguette served with salted butter and delightful apricot jam. For an entree, Kristi ordered a wild mushroom and gruyere quiche from the menu and I went with the daily special - a fluffy French toast topped with fresh whipped cream and orange marmalade. Everything was exceptionally delicious - we look forward to returning for another meal.

Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibits the works of Tacoma, Washington-born legendary glassmaker Dale Chihuly. His beautiful works are featured in museums across the globe. While not the largest museum in Seattle, the stunning exhibits each possess a sort of awe-inspiring impact that make you want to pause and really enjoy the delicate details in the glass. Between the indoor galleries and the garden, there is plenty to take in at this museum, rain or shine!

Retreat at Loeffers Cabin

This weekend we traveled to Tee Lake, WA with a our dear friends, Tracey and Alex. It was such a treat to visit Tracey’s family lakeside cabin in the woods. The cabin was full of vintage finds, family heirlooms, and a vibe that is distinctly Pacific Northwest.

We started the Saturday afternoon with some take-out teriyaki from a little spot in Belfair—we were ravenous—but it hit the spot. Once the cabin warmed up from the wood burning stove, we put on the kettle for some spiced tea and a few rounds of Dominion. (Mike and I were obliterated, but we loved every minute of it.)

That evening, we had a campfire feast: burgers, hot dogs, apple cobbler, and s’mores. Maybe we went a bit overboard… Roasted marrow on brioche buns, anyone? It was gluttonous and delightful. Once we were too cold to stick around the fire pit, we hurried back into the cabin for whiskey and cocktails to warm us right up. We laughed so much that our sides hurt.

This morning we started our breakfast with a humble breakfast, and a few more rounds of Dominion before calling it a day. We had such a great time in the Loeffers Cabin. It was the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of downtown Seattle.

Seattle Center Afternoon Stroll

We’re hard at work getting the site up and running, but creating full featured blog posts takes a lot of effort. In the meantime, here’s a bit of interesting fall flora we passed while walking to the grocery store through Seattle Center this week.