The “faux-hawk” was no longer cute. It had become a tangled mess and the time had come: the first haircut. It hurt me way more than it hurt him. As if he weren’t growing up too fast already, this cut adds at least two months to his appearance. But, isn’t he handsome?
Before:
After
I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge my inner geek and share this video with you. I just watched it twice and laughed out loud both times. Are you geeky enough to enjoy it too?
Blogging relationships are funny. There are women whom I know intimate details of their everyday lives – their thoughts, their worries, their triumphs. And in return know selected intimate details about me from this blog. We have no shared history and there’s lots of holes in their stories for me which eventually I hope will be filled in, but in the meantime I get comfort, laughs, and joy from reading their stories.
This weekend I got the opportunity to spend two days with my bloggy friend, Sheri, in San Francisco and it was pretty darn awesome. There was an immediate intimacy to our relationship that it would normally take years to develop. We shared a hotel room, spent all our time together and there was zero weirdness. I felt like I was hanging out with an old friend. That’s why blogging is so awesome. I know my non-blogging friends and family would question whether these online relationships are “real”. This weekend was proof that they are. All the support and comradarie I get from writing here is real and I thank you for it.
In honor of my weekend with Sheri, here are some square photos, just the way she likes them.
I liked Seattle. But, I LOVED Vancouver. It has this really unusual mix of outdoor beauty combined with a sophisticated sense of self. There are so many cultures to be seen around the city and especially in its food. I always felt welcome everywhere we went with Spencer – everything was very family friendly.
And the people – oh my gosh – so nice! I tend to think that everywhere I go when I leave New York, but Vancouverites were a notch above the nice people I usually meet. Whenever we pulled out a map, someone would approach us and ask if we needed help.
I hadn’t spent much time in Canada before this trip and I had the preconception that Canada was just an extension of the US, so I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Canada DOES feel like another country. It felt like a mashup of US and British and Japanese culture (with a few other cultures sprinkled on top).
The details:
Getting There:
We took the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver. It’s a 3 hour drive, but a
4 hour train ride. This was a serious putt-putt train. There were times
I felt like I could have run faster than it was going. But, I hate
running and the scenery we passed was beautiful so I’ll stop
complaining.
Hotel:
We rented an apartment in downtown Seattle from vrbo.com. We had floor to ceiling windows and often found ourselves just staring out the windows at the city. Spencer loved that there was a fire station directly below us because he could watch the trucks all day. We loved that the 20 somethings across the street liked to party on the roof. An apartment is definitely the way to go when traveling with a toddler – we had space to roam when he was napping and in bed early. And, being able to buy groceries and cook some of our meals was very useful.
Attractions:
Stanley Park – We could have spent every day at this park. There was so much to do. A miniature train, petting zoo, aquarium, water parks, a giant pool, beaches and more. One evening we started wandering and ended up walking 3 miles along the seawall. It was absolutely stunning walking along the water with mountains across and cruise boats passing us.
Science World – We spent a rainy afternoon at Science World. It had an area just for little kids and Spencer happily spent 2 hours playing with all the exhibits.
Granville Island – This was another favorite for us. There’s a huge market with lots of food. A water park with lots of sprinklers for the kids to run through. One of my favorite moments was when we all just sat and listened to a woman singing bluesy tunes. It was one of those times when we were all utterly content, all at the same time. Blissful.
Food:
I’d seen Anthony Bourdain visit Vancouver on his Travel Channel show, so I had a few places on my hitlist and they didn’t disappoint.
JapaDogs – Hotdogs topped with Japanese “stuff”. Seriously, I don’t know what was on them. Some seaweed stuff. Some other stuff. Delicous.
Rangoli – Vij’s seems to pretty much be the top dog in town when it comes to Indian food in Vancouver. We weren’t able to wait in line to eat there (that pesky toddler wasn’t into it), so we got takeout meals from their takeout place next door. It didn’t disappoint. Delicious – flavorful, but not too spicy.
Other:
We did a ton of walking and I’m happy we rented a stroller. We rented it from weetravel. They dropped it off and picked it up from our apartment so it was very convenient.
My experience with Seattle left me feeling that it’s a city just a bit off center. It tries to present itself as a buttoned-up, “normal” city, but after a short time in Seattle, it’s easy to see through this thin facade. You understand why grunge came from here. And why they love coffee so much. Let me give you a few examples of the Seattle I uncovered.
– We grabbed some lattes at a really cute coffee shop and exited through the rear door into a beautiful little courtyard. We sat down at one of the tables to soak up the afternoon sun and enjoy our drinks. I quickly realized we were sharing the area with quite a few homeless people (of which there seemed to be an abundance of in Seattle), but everyone was chill, so we stayed put. There were a bunch of birds flying around – mostly pigeons and few seagulls. Out of nowhere, a seagull swoops down, plucks a pigeon out of the air midflight and proceeds to shake it to death right in front of us. We were shocked – luckily Spencer had his back to it, so he only saw the look of horror on my face – but apparently nobody else cared. They went about their business without a second look. And we hightailed it out of there.
– And then there was the diaper incident. I only packed a handful of diapers for the trip, imagining that it would be no problem to pick up a pack once we got to Seattle. Day One I totally forgot about the need to buy diapers and by Day Two we were in a full-fledged diaper emergency. I called the hotel’s front desk to find out where I could run out to buy some. I was surprised to find out that there was no place nearby that sells them. They recommended I take the trolley 6 stops then walk 3 blocks to go to the nearest pharmacy. We decide to just take Spencer in his already sodden diaper to Pioneer Square – a bustling area with lots of shops and restaurants – and find a drugstore there. After a 20-minute bus ride, we arrive and flag down someone to point us in the direction of a pharmacy. The news is dismal. The closest one is 10 blocks away (and uphill). At this point, Spencer has soaked through his clothes so we have no option but to make the hike. We arrive at the Rite-Aid, say some hallalejuhs and head in. I wander the aisles in puzzlement wondering where the baby stuff is. Finally I ask a clerk and she tells me that they don’t sell baby stuff; that we are in the business district. Now, I know New York City is not exactly “normal”, but every pharmacy, no matter the location, sells baby stuff. Do no babies live in downtown Seattle? Do no parents work in downtown Seattle and occasionally want to pick up supplies on their way home? We are sent in the direction of another pharmacy – another 5 blocks out of our way – which we are told has limited sizes of diapers. Luckily they had some in Spence’s size and we were able to clean him up. But, come on, Seattle – too cool for diapers?
– My final observation came to me while I was breathing in car exhaust while attempting to walk to Seattle Center from our hotel. Seattle would like to be a clean, green city. It wants to be an outdoor haven. And trust me, it’s got the beautiful backdrop to go with this image. But, when you have a highway running through the city, it’s hard to be this. We had to find a way to cross the highway to get to our destination. After consulting with some Seattle-ites, we found the only crossing and it involved walking on a narrow pathway next to a line-up of exhaust spewing cars. Any health benefits we may have derived from walking were surely nixed.
Before I go any further, I must clarify that I did indeed like Seattle. I thought it was a cool city with lots of character. And I admit I only saw a tiny piece of what it has to offer. There are lots of neighborhoods we didn’t have time to explore and many I’m sure I’d like. And they do make some tasty java.
Here’s some details of our trip:
Hotel:
We stayed at the Residence Inn Lake Union. This was an excellent family-centric hotel. We had a one-bedroom suite with a full kitchen and views of Lake Union. We were able to watch seaplanes take off and land from our balcony. They offered free breakfast every morning and a free dinner once a week (it was taco night while we were there – catered by a local restaurant). It’s not the most centrally located hotel, but the trolley and bus to downtown stop right in front of the hotel, so it’s easy to hop onboard.
Attractions:
I was kinda worried that Pike Place Market was going to be a tourist trap, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s more than that. We spent an entire morning exploring all the shops and stalls. We bought foods (cheese, sourdough bread, smoked salmon, and a bottle of local wine) from the market for a “picnic” lunch which we enjoyed back in our hotel room while Spencer napped.
I wasn’t planning on going to the Space Needle, but people kept telling us that it was worth it to go up for the views. So, we shelled out $36 for the elevator ride. When we got to the top, Spencer immediately started throwing a tantrum. He lay on the ground and kept saying “Night Night” and wouldn’t get up. So we did a super quick loop around the viewing platform while he screamed.
The best part about the Seattle Children’s Museum is that we arrived less than an hour before closing so we got to pick how much we wanted to pay. So, it felt better to see the worn exhibits having only paid $10 instead of the normal $22.50. It’s definitely dated. Everything just looks old. And kinda dirty. But, Spencer didn’t seem to notice, and we were there for him, so I’ll stop complaining now.
Pioneer Square was my favorite Seattle ‘hood that got to explore. Lots of independent bookstores and coffee shops. Really cute.
Food, Glorious Food:
Pike Place Market is a great place to pick up some delish eats. For breakfast there, I picked up a blackberry turnover from Three Girls Bakery. Spence got a crossiant from there that was bigger than his head (literally).
My favorite dinner was from Chandler’s Chowder House, conveniently located across from our hotel. We got takeout from here after the aforementioned Space Needle incident because there was no way we were going to try to sit down to a meal with crazy boy. We had delicious crabcakes, seared tuna, and key lime pie in the safety of our hotel room. The restaurant looked beautiful and under other circumstances, we would have loved to have stayed to eat there.
And, finally be sure to make a stop at Cow Chip Cookies in Pioneer Square for a tasty treat.
Travel is my love. I love to go new places, see new things, and experience the journey. Traveling with a 20-month-old is …. different. It is still enjoyable and fun and amazing, but … different.
I have this thing when I travel where I don’t want to look like a tourist. I want to blend in and pretend I live in the new place. For example, I would never in a million years ride one of those hop on/ hop off buses. Well, never say never. Traveling with a toddler is all about taking advantage of those windows when everyone is well-rested, well-fed, and generally agreeable. And sometimes that means riding the tourist bus. I rode the bus. (And I actually liked it!) It was a relaxing and efficient way to see the whole city and get our bearings.
I’m going to attempt to write some city recaps over the next few days – try to put that travel writing class I took a few years ago to work. But, in the meantime, here are some photos.
Walking along the Sea Wall in Vancouver
Playing at one of Vancouver’s water parks
Holy giant crossiant! (Seattle’s Pike Place Market)
Checking out our view at our Vancouver pad
We are back in the soupy clutches of NYC. Vacation is over, but I can still feel the warm (not too cold, not too hot – simply perfect) sun on my face. So much to share, but first some sleep.
I’m sitting here staring out these big floor to ceiling windows at downtown Vancouver. I’m waiting impatiently for Spence to awake from his nap so we can begin our last afternoon of vacation fun. It’s our beach day – I’ve got my suit on, the towels are packed, and I’m ready to roll. I’m desperately trying to live in the moment and not think about the packing to be done and the long day of travel tomorrow. Just be in the now. The now that will soon involve a humongous swimming pool overlooking the ocean. I heart this city!
This and These 