A Seattle Photo Tour: The Pike Place Market

I have been trying to get better at photography lately.  I have a relatively nice DSLR camera that I got a couple of years ago (a Canon Rebel T3i, for anyone interested), and I have been completely wasting it's capabilities.  (Just take a look back at some of my original blog posts - those photo's are AWFUL...!)  So I've been doing some research, and am trying my hand at getting better at photography - which is no easy feat.  Taking good photo's takes TIME, TIME, TIME (framing, composition, post-editing... it's enough to make your head spin!)

The best photography tutorial I've found is from The Pioneer Woman's "What the Heck is an Aperture" Series, and I highly recommend it!  

Anyway, my lovely husband agreed to accompany me on a Photography Adventure at the Pike Place Market today.  He has a nice Nikon that he's had for awhile (and I'm still learning my way around my Canon), so it was a great opportunity to get out there and try our hand at taking some good photo's.  Why did I buy a Canon camera when my husband to be already had a Nikon camera, you ask?  That's a great question.  Obviously, I don't always think things through.  :(  For what it's worth, I am really liking my Canon Rebel!

These photo's are my attempt to get better at shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and the whole photography thing.  All of them were taken in Manual mode (a HUGE accomplishment for me!), and although I have plenty to work on, I'm at least seeing improvement!  Plus, the Pike Place Market has so many great photo opportunities - it was fun to see what I could capture!

We started our Photography Adventure with coffee and a baguette at local cafe Le Pichet near the market.  It was delicious.  

Next we ventured into the actual market for some close ups of the fruit and vegetable displays.  They always have the most BEAUTIFUL fruits and vegetables on display - you won't get better looking food anywhere else.  (Which comes in handy when you are eating with your eyes...!)

I had to get a close up of an artichoke... of course.  Look how fresh this one looks!  Yum.

They also have pretty fantastic seasonal flowers at the market - literally rows and rows of them for as little as $5.  I had to restrain myself today!

You'll notice that I still have some work to do when it comes to the correct exposure and/or white balance.  Geez, I wish this stuff came more naturally!  Still, I hope you're able to get a sense of how vibrant everything is at the market - it's always bustling with life - especially on a weekend!

As everyone probably knows, Pike Place Market is known for it's fish stands - so of course I got a picture of one of them...  (everyone there was wearing Seahawks gear - Go Hawks!)

We also made a stop at "The Original Starbucks", although like the good locals we are, we didn't go inside.  Pro tip - the coffee there is THE SAME as anywhere else.  Skip the line and go to one of the many other Starbucks, only a block away.  (Yes, there are probably at least 2 others that are only 1 block away from The Original Starbucks.  This is coffee town, after all!)

The market also has plenty of awesome merchandise that you really can't find anywhere else.  Locally made honeys, jewelry, your typical touristy finds... you name it.  It makes for a great afternoon stroll - we really enjoyed ourselves with our camera's today!

We also stopped to get some Beechers mac & cheese, which is AMAZING.  Guys, seriously.  It's known as "The World's Best", and they're not lying - just check out their website here.  I think they probably have Beechers elsewhere, but it's made here in Seattle!  (Apparently they also make it in New York, but I'm going to go ahead and say it's better here in Seattle.)  :)

Finally, it was a Game Day when we went to the market, and there was a 12th Man flag flying overhead.  We're all hoping they go back to the Superbowl again this year!  Woot!

So thanks for taking the time to look through my Pike Place Market photography tour!  I'm going to keep working on my photography skills, and will hopefully keep posting better photo's here.  Please let me know if anyone has some tips!

Featured Etsy Treasury #4: Autumn in Seattle

Autumn in Seattle really is beautiful, and this Etsy Treasury by Jake and Deja certainly lives up to the real thing. 

A Staycation in Ballard

I was a very lucky girl this weekend - Jon surprised me for our 4 year anniversary and took me on a staycation in Ballard!  This is a pretty big deal, since Jon HATES Ballard.  (He thinks it is too hard to get to, full of hippies, and you can never find parking… all of which…are true.  BUT STILL…!)  I love Ballard, especially the restaurants and the Farmer's Market, so none of these things matter to me.  Every time we go there, I think I have always commented on this cute little boutique hotel called the Ballard Inn in the heart of Ballard, and this is where we ended up staying this weekend.  (Awww…!)  Considering how much Jon hates Ballard, this was very nice of him.  (Apologies for the sappiness of this post…)

The inside of the Ballard Inn - isn't it adorable?

We started off the weekend by playing Putt Putt on our way to Ballard.  (Is there any better way to start off a weekend…?)  I always forget how much fun Putt Putt is - it's such a cheap and entertaining activity!  There were a lot of "water hazards" in the course that had turned into frozen ice hazards in the midst of our cold weather, so it was an interesting game.  We ended up in a tie, despite all of our trash talking...

The score was 60 to 60, respectively...

Finally in Ballard proper, we eased into the evening by having appetizers at Barnacle, the new bar next to Walrus and the Carpenter.  It was a lot of fun - and they have potato chips for you to snack on rather than peanuts.  Note that there are VERY few seats, but I'd recommend this place!  Most people seemed to be getting the Octopus Terrine (thinly sliced octopus), but we stuck with Oysters and duck liver mousse.  I really loved the decor of this place - they stored most everything in mason jars, and had tiled their whole restaurant with really pretty and artistic blue tiles.  I should have taken some pictures of this - sorry!  I thought about grabbing some to show from Google, but that just didn't seem right…  just take my word for it - it's a fun place.  Next, we had dinner at Volterra, a little local Italian restaurant.

I had the scallops, and Jon had the pasta.  Yum!  

Dinner was lovely, and we are learning that the key to affordable dinners is NOT ORDERING ALCOHOL WITH THE MEAL!  Yikes, how alcohol adds to the bill.  I enjoy a glass a wine with my dinner as much as the next person, but you can literally double your bill in no time.  Much better to start off the evening with a glass of wine at home, or finish the evening with a night cap in the comfort of your own living room.  We followed this rule by drinking champagne and watching the Olympics in our hotel room to finish off the night.  (I know, we're pretty wild.)  The next morning, we woke up to snow…

So pretty!  It's also our first snow in the Seattle area, which really sets us apart from the rest of the country…!  The Ballard Inn is right outside the Ballard Farmer's Market, which is my favorite Farmer's Market in Seattle, so we had to take some time to walk around.  Seabreeze Farms is one of our favorite vendors at this market (they also go to the University District farmer's market), so we bought some milk and meat from them.  Seabreeze is a local organic farm on Vashon Island, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a Farm-to-Table dinner with them this past summer.  It was amazing, and now we try to buy from them whenever we can.  Definitely check them out - you will notice the difference in their products!

Finally, we finished off our Ballard extravaganza with some tea from Miro.  Apparently they also have roiboos tea latte's - although not the way that the Cederberg Tea House makes them - but it was still a great way to relax after walking around on the snowy streets of the Farmer's Market.  

Artistic display of the Farmer's Market sign while having tea.  :)

Now here we are - back in good old West Seattle.  I know plenty of people think that Staycations are silly, but I adore them, and this was my first one in Ballard!  Big thanks to my man for making it happen, and I hope some people are introduced to the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  It might be hard to get to (IE not next to any freeways), but it's worth the trip!  Just watch out for the hippies.  (Just kidding…!)  :)  

The 12th Man

Full disclosure:  I am not normally a football fan.  I have absolutely been known to (quite regularly...) go upstairs to my craft room while Jon is watching a game.  However, since something pretty epic has been going on in my city lately, I had to get on board.  We went over to our neighbor's house last night to watch the game, which thankfully turned out to not be that stressful!  (Sorry, Denver!)  While today most of the city is sitting back and basking in our win, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the true team spirit that has been going around this town lately.  It's pretty cool to see support literally everywhere you look, and I don't think I've ever seen Seattleites quite as united.  (Look at the buildings, for example - how did they do that??  THAT, my friends, is dedication.)  I'm sure our 12th man show of support will continue for awhile yet, but while it is still fresh, take a look at how this city supports our team.  Don't you wish you lived here? 

NOTE:  Photo sources are below. 

Space Needle:

http://www.spaceneedle.com/news/2013/01/space-needle-raises-12th-man-flag-with-seattle-mayor-and-area-musicians/

Other 4 photo's:

http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/football/slideshow/Hawkitecture-12th-Man-prepares-for-Seahawks-77479.php



Even the dogs are rooting for the Seahawks!

If you live in Seattle, you know how our city has been taken over by a Seahawks fandom epidemic.  Yes, we are a bandwagon town, but it sure is fun when we're actually doing well.  Your morning barista suddenly has her face painted green and blue on a regular basis, and it's a regular occurrence for the car next to you at the stoplight to have two 12th man flags flying from it's antenna.  Anyway, today is a big game, and when Jon and I stopped in at Bakery Nouveau this morning for some morning treats, we saw that even the neighborhood dogs have been getting into football.

It makes me want to give Shipley a mohawk right before we shave him as soon as the weather gets better!  By the way, Bakery Nouveau is amazing - they have the best croissants and macaroons.  Therefore, I have of course included them in my Local Guide to Seattle.  Definitely worth a trip out to West Seattle!  In any case - go hawks!  

I Love Seattle

I was especially inspired by Seattle today - which is ironic, considering it is currently the rainiest, wettest and darkest time of the year for us Seattleites.  Nevertheless, I have created a "Local Guide to Seattle" of my favorite things to do in this city - restaurants, locations - the works.  I encourage you to check it out…!  I also wrote a poem in honor of Seattle, below.  If you are from Seattle, I hope it brings a smile to your face.  If not, I hope it inspires you to come here!  

I Love Seattle

All of the trees don't seem quite as green

Unless they are forests of evergreens.

The bartenders don't seem to have the same skill

Unless they work on Capitol Hill.

The blue of the sky doesn't seem quite as grand

Unless it's from the top of Queen Anne.

Fish flying through the air might seem a disgrace

Unless it happens at Pike's Place.

Gum left on a wall is no reason to dally

Unless you are wandering through Post Alley.

You haven't completed a date with your fella

Until you've shared a kiss beneath his umbrella.

You don't appreciated the beauty of a sun ray

Until you're accustomed to a veil of gray.

You'll start to dream of clouds the further you roam

And they will remind you of your northwest home.  

No matter how far you go, no matter where you settle

No place will make you feel quite like Seattle.  

A Note About TEA - and Happy New Year!

I am a fan of tea.  It makes everything better.  While I have also been known to be a fan of coffee in a past (and maybe recent…over a month now and counting!) life, it is a fact that my relationship with tea has always been nothing but positive.  I am currently in the process of trying to appreciate green tea more; I've heard all the stories about the health benefits, the anti-oxidants, the weight-loss benefits, etc… and I am intrigued!  While a cup of green tea has nothing on a nice steaming cup of Lipton, a splash of cream and a cube of sugar in my life (I like cheap tea, so what!)… I'm getting there, and it certainly is it's own form of relaxation.  

Speaking of tea - if you live in the Seattle area, there is a tea house that just opened that serves Rooibos Tea Latte's, which is my new favorite thing!  I believe they are the only ones doing it at the moment - it is Rooibos tea that is ground very fine, pulled through an espresso machine, and finished with honey and cinnamon (or nutmeg… unfortunately I am not sure which at the moment!  Either way it's divine.)  They are on Queen Anne Hill, in a South African tea shop called the Cederberg Tea House.  Check them out!  Thank me later!

Finally, I saw an opportunity today to combine two of my loves - tea and crafting.  I've collected some crafts I'd like to try based on my love of tea, and wanted to share them.  They would make such lovely gifts for any tea lover!  (Note that I have NOT tried these projects, but don't they all look like a lovely afternoon would be spent making them while watching Anne of Green Gables?)  I intent to try it one of these days before 2014 gets too crazy.  Enjoy!

SOURCES, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 

1.  Tea Bag Wreath:  http://kojo-designs.com/2010/03/kojotutorial-tea-tea-tea-kitchen-wreath/

2.  Tea in Mason Jars as Favors:  http://www.oncewed.com/31826/wedding-blog/real-weddings/max-margaux-iii/

3.  Personalized Tea Gift Box:  http://blogdecoses.blogspot.com/2012/02/tutorial-caixa-de-paper.html

4.  Tea Bag Notes:  http://www.ohcrafts.net/paper-tea-bag-note.php

5.  Recycled Tea Bag Clipboard:  http://modpodgerocksblog.com/2009/07/recycled-teabag-clipboard-i-mean.html

6.  Butterfly Tea Bags:  http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/6562482_460s_v1.jpg