I love the internet...

Because it gives me gems such as this:

http://www.camp666.com/washington.htm

Excerpts:

Salmon. Don't even bring up Atlantic Salmon. It's insulting. Pacific Salmon are noble, gentle creatures and native Washingtonians can pick out a Coho from a Sockeye or Chinook on sight. That's a fact. We eat fresh Salmon for breakfast lunch and dinner while you're eating frozen seafood at Sizzler in a strip mall.

Oh, you have a Long John Silver's next to Applebee's?

Get hip to Ivar's, bitches.

Cascadia. Some day the Pacific Northwest will be its own NATION and we'll get to enjoy our wonderful region as it was meant to be; without a bunch of assholes moving here and bitching about the weather. Cascadia will be a land of rocky shores, emerald forests, golden prairies and glorious alpine peaks bountiful with apples, beer, elk and Amazon employees. It will be perfection, and we'll even let the weirdos from Portland join in.

and this:

http://bitterbarista.com/

Oh and you can also thank Washington State for being so awesome.

Colorado- you have a lot to prove.

Home Sweet Seattle

I sure can pick 'em. I just got back from a wonderful, yet frustrating, trip home to Seattle to visit my folks.

Seattle from Bellevue

 If you didn't hear, Seattle got dumped on last week. The average amount of snow Seattle gets in a year is 5-6 inches. This last week they got 12- 18 inches, with about 15 inches in my parents' backyard. The storm started my second full day in town, so while it ruined most of my plans, I still got to sneak in some fun.

Snow + Evergreens

We had dinner at Claim Jumper, which is a tradition. Mostly we go there because we can get away with acting crazy. 

Motherload Cake

I went to a party my first real night in town and got to catch up with a bunch of my guy friends (now remember I didn't exactly have many female friends in high school) and their ladies. The next day I managed to drive my jeep wrangler in the light snow and ice over for conveyor belt sushi, something they do not have back in W. Mass but is prevalent on the Eastside.

Also seen on the Eastside: toy dogs.

The second night in town I caught up with my friend Schu and some of his fraternity brothers. We filled up on Dick's burgers and ended up going to a "white trash party" at a high school friends place in Greenlake. No photos were taken in my ugly getup, so don't even ask. We ended up at Leny's Tavern where I bumped into another high school classmate who I hadn't seen since 2006.

The view from Ivars: Fire boats and Ferries

 On Sunday my family and I trudged down to the waterfront for dinner at Ivar's. I filled up on local oysters. Oysters taste differently based on where they come from, and people aficionados say that the Puget Sound has the best- so I indulged. I also enjoyed real Tex-Mex food while I was home at our favorite place, Ixtapa.

Oysters Rockefeller

All done

Fajitas.

 Between all the food, I went shopping and shopping and more shopping. I must have gone to Nordstrom's 5 or 6 times. I ended up buying: a new Kate Spade dress, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 sweaters, 2 books, and 1 Hello Kitty.

Charlotte vs Size 18 sneaker

My shoes on the left (duh)

Old family photos

My brother's cute tub

I also got to see my grandpa several times, which is always a treat. He is 84 years young and still lives by himself and goes hunting. I hope to go back in August, when it will not be snowing.

Love: Cupcake Royale and Seattle

I moved to New England 5 years ago today. While I love my newly adopted home, I still go through fits of missing my real home, Seattle. The following are some of my favorite Seattle things taken on my trips home.

If there is one thing I do every time I'm home in Seattle, it is going to Cupcake Royale. They have been the cupcake institution (can I coin that?) in the Puget Sound area.

Other things that make me miss Seattle (and the West Coast in general):
The plentiful greenery and life:

My parent's garden

The Space Needle:

Space Needle

Kubota Gardens:

And most of all- West Coast Sunsets:

Golden Gardens

Enjoy!