Abe got a report card

We boarded Abe when we went on our trip to Seattle. We found a place in Loveland called Creature Comforts. I thought it was a good sign that the dog on their sign looks like a Scottie. Anyway, he had a ball while he was there, especially since we paid for him to have some extra play time. We ended up coming back on an earlier flight, so I called to let them know we would be picking him up in the afternoon instead of the next morning. The owner commented on what a "sweet and happy guy" Abe is. Needless to say, I think we have found the right place for Abe while we are in Colorado.



Can't say I'm surprised that he was busy :) He even made some friends!

The Gages take Seattle

We have been talking about going to Seattle for years. It has always been one of those places that we were really interested to see. So, as our 2nd anniversary neared, we decided to go for it and book a long weekend in the Pacific Northwest. And I must say, it was totally worth it.

We left early on the 17th and were in Seattle and checked in to our hotel by 10 am, so we had a full day to explore. Of course, we made a b-line for the Public Market.

It is every bit as beautiful and interesting as "they" say it is. I guess I expected halibut and cod to be whizzing over my head at every nook and cranny, but its nothing like that. There is really only once place where they throw the fish, and the rest of the market offers a plethora of items. Tons of fresh veggies and fruits. I was most amazed at the flowers - the most beautiful tulips I have ever seen. The people running the stands were putting together all kinds of bouquets for like $10 each. And the lilacs were heavenly!

Sunday brought a clear and sunny day. Being used to the Mountain time zone, we woke up super early and were dressed and ready to go before 8. There was a monorail right by our hotel, so we were able to go directly down to the Space Needle. I'll just go ahead and say that it is overrated, but on a sunny day it is worth it.

Up at the top it seemed to be moving around a little, so we were up there maybe 20 minutes.

At this point, it was still before noon. So off we went to the pier to get on the ferry to Bainbridge Island. This is a must see/do if you ever go to Seattle. Especially on a pretty day. We were actually able to see Mt Ranier from the ferry. We didn't think it would be a big deal - we live right by the Rockies for crying out loud. Imagine casually looking over your shoulder and seeing a 14 thousand foot mountain/volcano from sea level. Makes you feel so small. Here is a pic - wish we had a better lens with us. It was breathtaking. The locals told us its way over due for an eruption. I hope not!

We found a pub on the harbour. It was nice and the food was great. As were the bloody Mary's.

When we returned to Seattle, we enjoyed a wonderful Anniversary dinner at Chez Shea. Its a very romantic spot with just a few tables. The food was delicious.

Its a good thing we walked everywhere, as much as we ate on this trip!

On Monday, we were able to make it to the Nordstrom flagship store, which I loved. I think Jeremiah did, too. We headed back down to the public market and tried some piroshkis and found a chowder place that was incredible. They had a seared scallop chowder that was so good I basically licked the bowl in public. Later that afternoon, we went to a place on the water with an oyster happy hour. Yum. Even though I am totally partial to Gulf oysters, Pacific oysters are just as good.

We met a lady from Harrison coming out of her Yoga class - her Hogs baseball cap was a dead giveaway! She gave us some really great suggestions on places to eat and things to do, most of which we didn't have enough time for. I guess that means another trip is in store for us :)