Jackie and Chase: Seattle- 2nd Best!

Gorge, Gorge, Gorgeous!!!

Dear Chase:

As I unpack our bags and reflect on our recent family vacation/wedding, I am once again reminded of the pleasant and short plane rides, the comfort of our accommodations, the joy of another family reunion to the many memories that I will forever cherish of all the new experiences we had in the mere 3 days that we were in Seattle. We were definitely the tourists last weekend and as I look back on the different parts of Seattle that we visited, I would have to say that Pike's Market was the most enjoyable and most highly recommended by friends and other family members. They had everything from the original "Starbucks", to several different artisan bakeries, to their fresh seafood, fruit and vegetable stands to the largest flowers selection that I had ever seen. The most beautiful bouquets you can imagine and all for a mere $5-10 dollars each. I was so impressed and taken away by the colors, price and selection of each picture perfect arrangement....check out the picture below and you will be too. Next, there was the hotel that we all stayed in. Normally, I do not consider myself a hotel expert by any means but I do know good service from not so good service but I can honestly say that I do not have a single bad thing to say about "Marriott Residence Inn". To my total surprise, this hotel was not only clean and accommodating but they exceeded every single one of my expectations. Let me give you an example, when I called down to ask for more towels, they delivered right away, they serviced our room by request only and the complimentary breakfast every morning was a very nice touch. And...I don't mean just coffee and muffins with some fruit on the side. I am talking about a full on breakfast of eggs, sausage, hash browns, french toast, pancakes, waffles, fruit, yogurt and an assortment of pastries and cereals.I could go on and on about the selection but let's move onto the next impressive act. On my last day at the hotel, I was enjoying breakfast with you and I suddenly realized I didn't have enough zip lock bags to carry all my make-up on the plane. I asked around to see if any of our family members had an extra one to spare but sadly no one did. Your daddy suggested I ask the front desk to see if they had any to spare, I was skeptical but nonetheless desperate. I remember telling your dad that if they had complimentary baggies for me to take then I would have to mention them in my blog. I'm sure you know what happened next because here I am commending their level of service and yes, the front desk agent happily gave me (4) baggies to take with me...now that is exceptional service from an unexpected hotel. At that moment started to change my once solid perspective of what really constitutes a five star hotel. Most places would charge for all of the amenities we received but the hotel took care of us just for being their guests. I will now be on the search for future "Residence Inns" as we continue our travels as a family in the months and years to come.

As the last day approaches and we have toured as much of the city as our time will allow, we give a rating of how we feel about the city of Seattle. I would have to say that I enjoyed Seattle very much but more so because of the company and our reason for being in there. However, I do find many things about Seattle very comparable to San Francisco, such as the weather, the culture, the attractions are all somewhat similar to San Francisco but on a smaller scale. Seattle is a foodie town with much to see and do as well as a city of fashion forward trends and designers. Although Seattle may not be the city people think of first but it definitely comes in at second place.

Lastly, I do find it not only a joy but my job to search high and low for a cupcake place that represents that city. In Seattle, I would have to say the search ended at "Wink Cupcakes" in Queen Anne. A very cozy little neigborhood in Seattle. The cupcake store is relatively new but their take on cupcakes are pretty darn tasty. I had the jumbo red velvet and the chocolate Oreo cup. They were both delicious but I am partial to chocolate so the Oreo cup was my favorite. It was a classic chocolate cake with a light but flavorful Oreo vanilla frosting.