Globetrotting in Style: Seattle, Washington

If you're looking for  a new place to travel to within the U.S., Seattle may be the perfect location. I absolutely love this city, and so does our guest blogger today Lauren Hughes of Lolly Jayne Loves. 

Hi, I'm Lauren Hughes, a graphic and web designer working at Nordstrom. I blog over at Lolly Jayne Loves and I will be launching my art and style blog Bank of Swans really, really soon! So, I "officially" moved to Seattle from the UK just over 2 years ago. I use "officially" because Seattle has seemed like home for much, much longer than that. My parents have lived in Seattle for around 12 years, so I have spent a lot of time back and forth between there and the UK. As I said I decided to make the move a permanent one 2 years ago, and I have never for one second regretted that decision. Seattle really is my home and I love it, and I'm excited to get to share a little bit of it with all of you in this post.

1. Volunteer Park

Seattle is all about nature and being outside, there are so many gorgeous spots to explore in and around the city and, of course, the surrounding mountains and islands. I feel really lucky that I live in walking distance of a place as beautiful as Volunteer Park, it's the perfect bit of tranquillity in the heart of Capitol Hill. Being a stunning open space would be enough to encourage you to stop by here but Volunteer Park has so much more to offer than just green lawns and tall trees. All year round there are events going on, from Shakespeare plays in the summer, to music festivals, markets, and Christmas Caroling in the Winter. Also, there are stunning vistas of the city and the Space Needle. It is also home to the Seattle Asian Art Museum, which has amazing exhibits all year round. And then last but by no means least there is the Conservatory, which is home to so many beautiful plants, roses, lilies, cacti, succulents, palm trees, and ferns. The Conservatory also hosts unique events throughout the year.

All in all Volunteer Park is the perfect spot to take a break from all the hustle and bustle of the city without having to go very far at all.

2. The London Plane

The London Plane is one of my favorite Seattle spots. Housed in the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood of downtown Seattle, The London Plane is, to quote "part cafe, part specialty foods grocery, and part floral workshop". This is the place to go when you're looking for elegant brunch, sophisticated cocktails or a unique dinner. Their brunch is special, an in-house bakery serves up a myriad of pastries and breads as well a variety of cereals, yogurts, vegetables, and grains. It's a great alternative to all the heavy, stodgy food you often find available for brunch. 

My food choice is always their mezze of beet hummus, caramelized cauliflower-eggplant spread & cashew romesco, accompanied by either a glass of red wine or rose.  Not only can you get great food here at The London Plane, you can also pick up all kinds of produce to take home with you from their exquisitely stocked grocery section, or pick up new stationery, soap or some new art from their boutique shop. All of this AND they can even teach you how to arrange flowers in one of their many floral workshops going on throughout the year. You would also be really silly not to grab a slice of their ginger cake on the way out, trust me!

3. The Pink Door

The Pink Door is one of the cutest dinner spots in Seattle. It's located right in the heart of the touristy Pike Place Markets, but it's tucked secretly away down Post Alley hidden behind, you guessed it, a pink door. You could be forgiven for walking straight past as its only identifiable by its door, but once you step inside you instantly know you're in the right place. It's charming and cozy, rustic in its decor, homely and welcoming. This place is always pretty busy so it's best to book in advance if you can. If your lucky enough to make it when a show is on your in for a treat. The Pink Door plays host to cabaret performances, trapeze artists who soar above you as you dine and burlesque shows. If you head here in Summer be sure to sit outside on the deck with its amazing views overlooking Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountain Range. 

The food reflects the vibe of the place, it's Italian-American fair and it's hearty and wholesome and totally satisfying, the pasta is not to be missed. We dined on Risotto Al Limone - shrimp, scallops and Bloomsdale spinach and one of their constantly changing specials, squid ink spaghetti, with mussels, clams and calamari in a spicy tomato sauce, and baskets of bread. You also can't go wrong with their decadent chocolate sponge dessert. Mouthwateringly good. The Pink Door is the perfect place for a date or a celebration, it's a definitely night you won't forget in a hurry.

Stop by Lolly Jayne Loves blog to learn more about Lauren. To see more great "Globetrotting in Style" destinations take a look here. 

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