When Clint and I planned our
“Babymoon”, we realized that our budget and travel ambitions did not match.
Since we aren’t the Federal government, we had to either find extra cash or trim
our travel plans. We passed on the tropics and stayed at Chateau Blueberry.
We also decided that the best
vacations (and stay-cations) all had three things in common: time, autonomy,
and slothfulness.
TIME
We are both productive
people. But efficiency is the Stephen
King of vacations—slow and sneaky until something precious is murdered. We are not fans of murder (even of days). Intentionally not scheduling each day allowed
us to lavishly squander our hours.
Here are a few ways we did this:
-
Walking—not
for exercise, but to master the art of hand-holding. We strolled around the neighborhood, Greenlake,
downtown, and Pikes Place. As a reward
for a bench sitting break at Alki, we saw a pod of whales pass us by.
- Staying
in PJs all day and eating breakfast in the afternoon. This was shocking…for us.
- Loitering around Whidbey Island, enjoying the beach and sunshine. Our stomachs were our only gauge of time,
propelling us on to great cafes and eateries.
AUTONOMY
Our goal was to connect with
each other by disconnecting from others.
We are blessed with rich community in the Seattle area, but prioritizing
this time together was refreshing.
Here is how this happened:
-
Columbia
Tower--the best $8 we’ve spent at Starbucks, which bought a hot drinks and a
smokin’ view of the city skyline.
- Theo
Chocolate Tour—we were twitching from the sugar rush by the end, but the
chocolate was quality. A highlight was
Clint’s mandatory “beard-net”.
-
Tulalip
Casino—indoor smoking, fanny packs, and lack of natural light created a bleak
feeling of despair. This was the only
event I regret.
SLOTHFULNESS!
There were no mints on our
pillows at night, but we committed to not cleaning the house or cooking. This left us with endless restaurants to
sample.
Here are a few of note:
- Fremont’s
Paseos is only a step up from a food
truck in atmosphere, but the sandwiches are worth it. I suggest the Cuban roast on a baguette
topped with caramelized onions.
-
Lunchbox Laboratory—Nostalgia is served up deliciously (equal parts Heathfliff and Strawberry Shortcake), although the burgers are mediocre at best.
- Bellevue’s Facing East—Well priced authentic
Taiwanese fare.
-
Belle Epicurean has quaint French ambiance
and serves Fonte coffee!
- Sushiland—typical conveyor belt style
sushi, but great service and tasty food.
As
we prepare for sleepless nights and joyful busyness, this trip invited us to connect
and be calm. It was our favorite trip.
