On the frosting morning drive down I had to pull over and capture the sparkling trees and grass. I found a field just off of the I5 where I decided to go on a little adventure. After fighting through some bushes and a muddy shoe later, I found an opening where I could enter this magical field. It was absolutely breath taking. I don't think these photos quite do it justice but take my word for it when I say that it was a sight to see.
I found out that one of my all time favorite artists had a new exhibit open in Seattle and I was itching to see it. Dale Chihuly was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. He has traveled the world setting up exhibits of his jaw-droppingly beautiful glass work. His work is probably most well known for covering the ceiling at Las Vegas’, Bellagio Hotel. I was 13 years old when I first discovered his talent. I watched a tv special on him late one evening and have loved his work ever since. It was so incredible to see his work in person for the first time and to be able to capture it, doing what I do best.
If you have the chance to take a trip across the border to see his work, I strongly suggest you do. You will not be disappointed! http://www.chihuly.com/
I was also able to do a little "restauranting" while I was down there. I am a huge foodie at heart. Any chance that I get to explore a great new restaurant, I take it. Here is a list of the places I checked out on my adventure and what I had while I was there. If you're in neighborhood, you should check out some of these places...
Canon - Whiskey and Bitters Emporium http://www.canonseattle.com/
An INCREDIBLE selection of Whiskeys and many other delicious sippers. A great place to grab a couple of drinks and some appies. Great drinks and great food! There, I tried the following:
-CHEESE PLATE $12
caraway, rye, creme fraiche, dill, pear
-BEET SALAD $12
caraway, rye, creme fraiche, dill, pear
humboldt fog, chevre, fennel, dill,
fig/wine gastrique, rosemary crostini
-FLATBREAD A LA GRECO $8
braised lamb, nicoise olive,
feta, arugula, oregano
Mama's Kitchen (Mexican) http://www.mamas.com/menu.htm
A funky little hole in the wall restaurant with fantastic Mexican favorites. This is a place to go when you are starving. Portion sizes are huge, prices are cheap and the food is delicious! Great drinks as well. Here's what I enjoyed:
-ONE TOSTADA
Bean (Black Bean or Refried) $8.95 (Beef or Chicken) $9.25
*This is MORE than enough food for one person, you could even share this dish. It is huge and it is delicious. Also comes with a side of rice*
Lecosho http://lecosho.com/home.html
Now if you are looking for something a bit on the fancy side, Lecosho is where it's at. The portion sizes aren't very big but the flavour and care that go into their dishes is incredible!
Here I had one of the specials which was a seared duck breast with turnip, cranberries and seasonal veg. It's not on their online menu so I couldn't post it ($30). I also tried their homemade pasta dish which was full of flavour! Tomatoes, homemade pork sausage, fresh herbs and parmigiano reggiano made up this dish ($30). Their current online menu is not up to date with what they have in the restaurant. If you are looking for a fine dining experience, I suggest you check out this place.
Lola's http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=lola
Lola's is best know for it's incredible breakfast/brunch menu. With their homemade (in-house) bread & sausages, thick cut slices of bacon, vanilla & mascarpone spread, Lola's is a rustic & delicious spot to start your day. I enjoyed:
-LOLA'S BREAKFAST $14
two eggs, choice of pork-maple sausage
or smoked bacon,
smashed garlic fried potatoes, toast
Enjoy the photos and be sure to check out some of my eatery suggestions! :)
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