Emily's Seattle Bucket List

I recently learned that I will be moving back to Southern California January 1^st. This is what I have been fighting for for months and I’m so relieved that my period of uncertainty is over and that I will finally be back home with my great company, my family, and my main man in LA. However excited I am, I will certainly miss Seattle and I am so grateful for my time there and all I’ve experienced and learned. With three months remaining in the city I’ve got plenty I want to accomplish to give the city the farewell it deserves.

Serafina o Bar Sajor o Delancey Pizza o Herbfarm o Altura o Sushi Kappo Tamura o Metropolitan Grill o Elliot’s Oyster House o Walrus and the Carpenter o Il Corvo Pasta o Paseo o Lloyd Martin o Macrina Bakery o Toulouse

Pike's Place Market
Clean and feast on whole dungeness crab o Buy halibut cheeks and learn to prepare them o Filet and prepare a whole salmon for friends o Eat geoduck o Shuck a dozen oysters without cutting myself o Buy the craziest mushrooms I can from the produce guy. o Visit the Wine Shop at DeLaurenti’s and say goodbye to my favorite wine steward, Kurt o Get a croissant and cappuccino at Le Panier bakery and enjoy breakfast in the midst of the market o Create a bouquet from flowers bought at the market o Get a piroshky from Piroshky Piroshky and some mini doughnuts from Mighty O

Queen Anne, my neighborhood in Seattle
Spend an evening sitting in Kerry Park reading a book and drinking some wine. o Buy something I’ve never cooked before at A&J Meats in Queen Anne and learn to prepare it from my butcher. o Go to a wine tasting at McCarthy and Schiering Wine Shop o Run the Queen Anne “Crown” o Barbeque dinner and eat it on my building’s rooftop deck o Visit the Queen Anne Farmers Market o Get a scoop of lemon lavender ice cream at Molly Moon’s

Order a vegetarian tasting menu/go to a vegetarian restaurant o Go to one of the fancy cocktail bars (Tavern Law, Bathtub Gin, Canon, ZigZag) and give the bartender complete control over my order o Take a run along the waterfront of Elliot Bay. o Run the Green Lake loop with the Seattle Green Lake Running Group o Visit the Ballard Farmers Market o Go to a musical performance o Drink only Washington and Oregon Wine o Go Oysterfishing (Oystering?) o Buy a vegetable I’ve never heard of and a whole duck to roast at Uwajimaya

Visit SAM (Seattle Art Museum) o Take the ferry to Bainbridge Island and dine at Hitchcock o Visit the Ballard Locks and say hi to the salmon in the fish ladder o Buy a “Seattle Rain Festival: January 1st to December 31st” shopping bag o Buy a Sleepless in Seattle nightshirt o Go to the first Starbucks for a “You are here” mug o Dine at Sky City Restaurant on top of the Space Needle


Just writing this list I’m reminded of how quirky, unique, beautiful, and delicious Seattle is. I’m thinking of all the friends I’ve made along my journey here and the things I’ve discovered. If you’re feeling bored by your city, just imagine leaving it and you’ll see it in a whole new light. If you’ve recently moved to a new city, don’t wait for friends to come along before you start your exploration. Be a shameless tourist, treat yourself to Friday night drinks out, find your own special spots. You never know who you might meet or what you might discover. Thank you to my Seattle friends for making it “home.” I hope you’ll join me in my adventures.

And finally, a tribute to Holly, who was bold enough to go out on her own in Seattle and happened to find her husband (married this month!), and who, as my first friend in Seattle, taught me in many ways how to love this city. Thanks for all of it, sis.

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We’re not checked bag people

My boyfriend Ryan and I were discussing our impending 10-day trip to Italy while at dinner with my family (Buon Giorno from Bella Italia!) a week before we were scheduled to leave. When I mentioned not being able to transport a certain beauty product because I would not be checking a bag, my family was confused, and then Ryan came out with that little line above. “We’re not checked bag people.” Shock, awe, and maybe even a little disgust ensued.

Weekend for Two

As 2-year long-distance relationship veterans, my boyfriend Ryan and I have gotten pretty darn good at planning weekends together. With him in Los Angeles and me in Seattle, it can be tough to set out the time to fly to each other, and tough to know what to do with the limited time we have together. Since my whole family is in LA, my trips down there most likely involve a mix of family time and couple time, not to mention trying to work in friend time as well. His trips to Seattle are easier to work with: there are a smaller number of friends we want to spend time with and no family time with which to contend. I love these weekends in Seattle and see in them what life will be like in the future when we live in the same place and our patterns of life are a little more normal. In the end, I’m really complaining about a fantastic blessing- tons of family and friends and a wonderful boy that I want to spend every second with- but still, it is something that requires balance, planning, and a good dose of unselfishness.