San Francisco Weekend

Two weekends ago, Carson and I decided on a whim that we wanted to spend our anniversary weekend in San Francisco.  We packed up the car, took the day off of work, and headed to the bay!  There were very few things we felt like we HAD to see since we had already hit most of the major tourist spots on our trip two years ago. We spent our weekend bouncing around from place to place and had a wonderful time!

Our first stop when we arrived on Friday was the Palace of Fine Arts.  Pictures of this place just don't do it justice.  It really is beautiful and huge.  Fun fact: it's one of the few remaining structures from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.  We had to look it up because we had no idea what it was.  On our way back to the hotel, we walked down Union Street and stopped in some shops.  My favorite baby stores were Giggle and Sprout.  California baby boutiques are all full of green toys and gadgets and extremely overpriced strollers and cribs.  I could spend hours perusing.  We like to try to find the most outrageous items in the stores...one time Carson found a car push toy that could fit in your palm for about $60.  For dinner that night, we split some tapas, paella and a pitcher of sangria at a Spanish restaurant by our hotel.  

Saturday morning we woke up and rode the trolley to the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market.  It was hands down the best farmer's market we've ever been to.  We probably should have bought breakfast but instead we started the day with an Aztec Spiced Chocolate Macaron from Tout Sweet and it was literally one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.  I wish we would have gotten a dozen to snack on for the rest of the trip...or day.  The produce for sale looked wonderful and all of the food smelled delicious.  The next vendor that caught our attention was Little Apple Granola.  Seriously the best granola I've ever had...and the caramels they make are so so so good.  Be prepared family...there's a chance you'll get some of this for Christmas.

After the Farmer's Market, we headed to the Exploratorium at Pier 15.  I would not recommend the Exploratorium unless you have small children.  We actually got a discount when we mentioned we were visiting for our anniversary, but we still didn't particularly enjoy it.  It was PACKED with children and strollers but the concept was kind of cool.  All of the exhibits are made by people who are trying to make science very visual, hands on and easy to understand for children.  Carson probably enjoyed it more than I did because that's what he's into science-y/engineer-y gadgets and whatnot.  I did enjoy the light exhibits.  If you do go, make sure you pack snacks because granola bars cost $3.  Learned that one the hard way.  

Next stop was Union Square to do some shopping.  It was packed and we had a difficult time maneuvering around with the stroller.  Shopping with a stroller means lots of elevators and lots of time spent searching for elevators.  We eventually hopped on a bus and headed to The Mission District...a very "transitional" neighborhood.  There was a lot more activity and a lot less tourists in that part of town.  The restaurants and bars we passed were packed and it was mid-afternoon.  If we didn't have Allie, we probably would have hung out a bit longer and had a beer.  Instead we got some boba tea and started heading back.  We made a quick pit stop at the Boudin by Fisherman's Wharf and split a clam chowder bread bowl.  They totally charge more if you eat in the restaurant rather than the downstairs cafe.

Sunday morning, we left the hotel at 7 AM and began the 3 mile walk to the Golden Gate Bridge (it didn't cross our minds to drive).  We ran across the bridge through the wind and rain and then walked all the way back to the hotel.  It was drizzling at least a little bit the whole time and after 3 hours of those conditions, we were drenched.  We ran/walked over 9 miles that morning and I'm still feeling it days later.  When we got back to the hotel, we all took warm showers--even little Allie Faye.

It was so good to get away for a little bit.  Sometimes I wonder if I could handle living in a big city like that.  It definitely has a certain appeal to it...but weekend trips to experience it is totally fine by me for now.  I would say the only thing that we did differently because we had Allie was less walking through neighborhoods (because pushing the strollers through the hills did not sound appealing) and obviously much less alcohol.

Tips for San Francisco:

• Wear comfy shoes! I'm finally figuring this out. I wore tennis shoes the whole weekend and still ended up with blisters just because of the amount of walking we did.  It never fails.  But, I was much better off than I was in Seattle last year.
• Just buy a rain jacket if you think it might rain.  It will.  And you might as well be prepared.
• Beware of the homeless people-- they're a lot bolder in San Francisco.  I heard one woman blatantly ask a man to buy her some food in Union Square.  One morning, I walked out of the hotel lobby with an extra donut on my plate and a homeless man very nicely asked for it. I let him have it...otherwise I would have felt like a fatty.  In Chipotle we saw a petite Asian man throw a homeless man out who walked in, grabbed a cup out of the trash, and started filling it up with soda from the fountain.
• Fisherman's Wharf is overrated.  Go explore the neighborhoods!
• Walk/Run/Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge.  SOOO many people offered to take our picture for us!  They were so nice on the bridge.  
• Dress in layers.  The weather can be nuts.  Saturday was our craziest day.  Overcast and chilly in the morning, sunny and hot at noon, rainy mid-afternoon.  We typically had Allie in 3 layers but we still got judge-y looks from passersby.  Whatevs...
• Buy a pass for public transit.  It's not terribly sketchy and it's good to use to see more of the city if you're pressed for time.  

three months

Month Three!

I feel like this month we truly moved from having a 'newborn' to having a baby.  There were so many things that happened!  From Allie's first flight to the first time she rolled over--she's such a joy to be around and we feel so blessed to have such a happy baby.  I absolutely love seeing her smile.  I hope she always smiles the way she does now, with her eyes all squinty and her tongue sticking out.  She may only be 3 months old, but she's such a great companion.  When we go on walks, she has started to put her foot up against the stroller edge and just totally epitomizes "chillin".  Being pregnant opened up a lot of conversation with strangers but having a baby opens it up even more.  I love it.

We think Allie weighs around 15 pounds now.  She won't have another official weigh-in until her 4 month Well Check.  Her eyes are a dark grey and in certain lights they look very brown, so we're thinking they'll change in the next couple of months.  Her hair initially looked reddish as it was coming in but as it's getting longer, it is looking more brown.  She has had some minor cradle cap issues but the other day I rubbed some coconut oil on her little head and it brushed right out!  Good ol' coconut oil.  She has started to drool a LOT in the last week or so and likes to suck on our hands and fabric (she especially loves when she can grab a hold of her bedroom curtains while I'm changing her).  Maybe she's getting ready to start teething?  Not sure but these are certainly new developments in the health department.

Allie is still a great sleeper.  She has been sleeping through the night since she was 9 weeks old.  On September 12, she started eating every 2 hours on the dot and since September 15, she's been sleeping 9 hours or more each night.  We had a few issues when we traveled to New Orleans but overall, we think she handled sleeping in a different place in a different timezone very well.  She did get a little messed up at the end and now (about a week after returning home) she is still not consistently sleeping through the night.  

Here's what her typical schedule looks like:

7:00 eat
7:50 sleep
9:00 eat
9:50 sleep
11:00 eat
11:50 sleep
1:00 eat
1:50 sleep
3:00 eat
3:50 sleep
5:00 eat
5:50 sleep
7:00 bath time, bedtime routine
8:00 eat
8:30 sleep

Allie is still EBF.  Like I mentioned above, she moved from eating every 3 hours to every 2 hours on her own.  I'm trying really hard to stretch her back out to 3 because I think she needs to take longer naps.  When she wakes up, she is typically still rubbing her eyes and yawning.  If we let her soothe herself back to sleep, she will typically make it to the 3 hour mark.  We're still trying to work everything out though.

When people ask me how old Allie is, I love seeing the surprise on their faces when I tell them.  It's typically followed up with "Are you nursing?" and then "Ahh, that's why."  She's a chunky little monkey but I love all her rolls.  She's wearing a mix of 3 month and 3-6 sized clothes.  (I say that but today she wore a 6 month hoodie and leggings.)  I think we'll be moving her up soon because of the length.  She must finally be getting longer because her onesies are really stretching around the neck.  She is still wearing size 2 diapers.

This month, due to all the traveling and excessive drooling, we've been loving the aden + anais swaddle blankets.  I use them as a nursing cover, burp cloths, blanket (for myself), and we swaddle her with her arms out in them every night.  We also use (and LOVE) the Circo Receiving Blankets from Target as burp cloths.  She's been spitting up more the past couple of weeks so we try to have one of these within reach wherever we go.

Allie met Carson's grandfather while we were in New Orleans and she also spent a few days with my mom.  She smiles all the time now and we get what we think is a laugh out of her every now and then.  We're so thankful that we've had the opportunity to spend so much time with both of our families over the past 3 months.  

We really only get cries when Allie is tired.  The hardest part of the flight home from New Orleans was just the fact that she couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep.  Eventually she fell asleep sitting on my lap while I rubbed her belly.  Thankfully, everyone around us was very understanding.

Allie is very interested in toys now and likes to lick things or have things in her mouth.  If she wants something in her mouth, she will very slowly lean towards it with her mouth open and grunt.  She LOVES to be facing forward in the Baby Bjorn because she sucks the crap out of the fabric.  So much so that her drool soaks through to the other side of the carrier.  She's also loving staring at lights and ceiling fans.

On the other hand, she hates being dried off after her bath and we're still struggling with bottle feeding.  

As for me, I feel great!  I have started to lose some hair but it's no more than I lost my last semester of college when I was constantly stressing about finding a job.  I seem to have more acne these days and I'm not sure if that's still extra hormones or if it's because of my diet.

This month has really been full of so many developments and changes.  Allie can scoot around in her crib now.  At one point in New Orleans, I noticed she was making really muffled grunting sounds and when I went to check on her, she had wedged herself into the corner of the pack n' play completely perpendicular to the way I had laid her.  She also rolled from her stomach to her back twice now.  She has officially discovered her voice.  She makes a lot more noises now and knows how to change the pitch of her babbles.  She seems to be crying a good deal louder these days.  Speaking of crying, she officially makes tears and it breaks my heart.  The second she starts crying, the tears start streaming.

I'll leave you with the pictures below. Carson around 4 months old, Allison today, and me a couple of months old.  I would guess how old I was based off of the cold weather clothing but I'm sure we lived in Maryland or Wisconsin so it was probably one constant winter season.  You can see Allie is pretty much 100% Noble though.

New Orleans//Traveling with an Infant

Carson and I just recently returned home after nearly a week in New Orleans.  I was pretty nervous about both Allie's first flight and walking around the Big Easy by myself.  Carson was attending an oil and gas conference most of the week, so my main goal for the trip was to entertain myself while making sure that Allie slept well at night (so Carson could function properly the following day).

The flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans actually went fairly well.  We were able to check our stroller and carseat (for free!) before having to go to through security.  I wore Allie in the BabyBjorn, and we simply walked right through the metal detector (they just checked my hands for explosives).  We brought our car seat, but ended up only using it twice on the trip--to and from the airport--we made do just fine without the base.  I tried to time it right to feed Allie during take off and landing but it didn't really work out that way. We just had to wing it and feed her as she became fussy. Her ears did not seem to bother her at all during flight. After 20 min. or so, she was able to find a comfy spot and slept for a good portion of the flight (so did I).

We stayed in the Warehouse District in the Hilton Garden Inn which was actually a really perfect location.  It was basically across the street from the convention center (perfect for Carson) and about a mile to the French Quarter and 2 miles to all the shops on Magazine Street.  Allie did okay sleeping in the hotel-provided pack n play.  We tried to not let her cry too much but I think the hotel strategically placed us so we wouldn't be a nuisance to other guests.  I took full advantage that there was nothing that needed to be cleaned, vacuumed, folded or scrubbed on our hotel room, so while she slept, I read.

On our first full day Carson and I simply walked around the French Quarter.  We had recently visited New Orleans in 2011 so everything was pretty familiar and there wasn't anything that we felt we HAD to see.  It was nice to just stroll around and enjoy the ambiance.

On Monday, I walked the two miles to Magazine Street.  I had read that there was good shopping over there and decided to be adventurous.  The sidewalks were, at times, pretty terrible but our stroller did great  (To think, I almost didn't bring it!).  I loved seeing all of the historic homes and it felt nice to be out of hubbub of the French Quarter.  Everyone was SO nice.  As I was walking, everyone said hello and many people commented on how cute Allie looked.  People just aren't like that in California.  Monday night, Carson's Grandfather got to meet Allie and offered to watch her for us while we went to an A&M event.  We went, realized we didn't know anyone, and left after swiping some appetizers and beer.

Tuesday, I got to meet up with my mom who drove in from Texas to spend some time with Allie.  We ate beignets at Cafe du Monde and then roamed.  It was nice to just walk around and catch up.  Carson got to have some fun on Bourbon street later that night.

Wednesday, I had breakfast with my mom and I got to see rain!  It was so wonderful being in the rain, Carson and I hadn't seen rain since last March.  The rain drops were huge and the smell made me think of home.  Later that afternoon Allie and I went back out and remembered how rain can leave behind a disgusting amount of humidity.   We just hung out in a coffee shop and then sat in the quarter and listening to a jazz band play.

We didn't leave until after 7 pm on Thursday.  We grabbed lunch at Warehouse Grille (my favorite place we ate!  Get the Morning After Burger!)  then decided that we needed something to do indoors so we wouldn't be gross on the flight home.  We ended up visiting the National WWII Museum.  We both really enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you're in New Orleans!  It was kind of expensive ($22 each!) but it's HUGE and we easily killed over 4 hours.

Our return flight didn't go quite as well.  First of all, the New Orleans airport didn't let us check the stroller until we got to the gate so we had to deal with that headache through security.  Surprisingly, at security, they did let me get through with my huge tube of ointment.  "Oh, this is for the baby?  Okay, it's not a problem."  I fed Allie once we were on the place.  This time, instead of passing out like she did on the first flight, she just couldn't get comfortable.  She would just cry and cry; I couldn't get her in a good position to fall asleep.  Carson and I both walked her up and down the aisles, but as soon as we sat down she wailed.  Eventually, I sat her up in my lap sideways and rubbed her belly and she literally fell asleep sitting up.  After that, I was able to move her to my shoulder and she slept the rest of the way.  Again, everyone around us was incredibly understanding.  Allie was one of four babies on that flight.

This trip made me incredibly homesick.  I miss rain.  I miss nice people.  I miss ferns.  I miss Texas.  I miss our family.  I miss 290.  I miss my friends.  However, we have decided that we won't be flying home for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year.  The flights weren't terrible, but it's not something we want to do again any time soon.  The trip has also really messed up Allie's sleep schedule and after a week of being home, she's still not back on track.  It's just not worth it to us to get her so out of whack.

Things I'd do differently:

On these two flights, I sat in the window seat for ease of nursing.  However, it made getting up to change the baby/going to the restroom/walking the baby a challenge.  I think next time we'll sit in the aisle.

I forgot how terrible humidity is.  I'm used to vacationing in California and being able to wear jeans/jean shorts multiple times.  Not the case when it's humid outside.  I ended up having to do laundry halfway through the trip.

Allison has reached a new level of spit up.  Not to mention, after using the burp cloth during the day, the humidity got to it and made it just feel wet everywhere.  I should have brought enough to have one for each day.

I knew I would be walking around the majority of time and didn't want another "nine toes" incident so I only brought chuck taylors and a very casual pair of flip flops.  I should have known to bring one nice outfit, but I didn't.  It ended up that I should have because we went to an A&M reception for the conference one night.

Next time, I'll research places to eat.  I know New Orleans is supposed to be a great spot for food and maybe I'm just cheap, but I don't like spending over $15 for a meal.  I wish we would have eaten at more places outside of the French Quarter.

Don't forget you need cash at Cafe Du Monde!

Vegas!!

Carson and I spent this past weekend in Vegas and we had a blast.  I LOVE Vegas, which really surprises me because it doesn't seem like something I would typically like.  Unfortunately, this year I forgot to put the memory card in the camera before I left (pregnancy brain moment of the week) so we only have phone pictures.

We stayed off this strip this year at Sam's Town.  The pool was by far the best part.  We stayed at the Luxor last year and they had the chairs set up so that you were right next to people on both sides.  Sam's Town's pool was nearly empty and had tons of space.  We saved a ton of money and the hotel was nice, but I did miss the convenience of being able to walk back to the hotel on the strip.  There were no midday naps this year and we didn't get to stay out until 2 or 3 like we did last year.

Saturday morning we woke up and had breakfast and for some reason, I got really sick.  Carson headed to his bowling tournament and I stayed in bed for a few hours.  I eventually sucked it up and laid by the pool for a few glorious hours.

Carson ended up doing really well in his tournament despite us leaving his bowling bag at the house.  (Carson's pregnancy brain moment of the week.)  We grabbed a late lunch/early dinner and headed to the strip.  We stayed at the Monte Carlo for a little bit and I did work doubling my money at the Roulette table.

Later, we ended up going downtown to Fremont Street.  It was packed!  We had a really hard time finding a place to park and walking down the street was difficult because of how many people were there.  I was shocked.  You'd think the strip would be busier.  The casinos are all older on Fremont Street but it's awesome walking under the canopy.  There were 4 huge stages with different genres of live music.  It was different than anything I had ever seen before.  We wanted to gamble but none of the casinos had any open spots at the tables.  

Sunday we started the day with The Mob Museum.  It was REALLY interesting but had WAY too much information to read and had too many videos to watch.  We loved the old mob history, but once it got into present day stuff we zoomed through it to the end.

We headed back to Ceasar's Palace where I did some shopping (baby clothes!) and Carson watched a game in the sports area.  He also snuck over to the Flamingo and bet $100 on black and won!  We both really wanted to see a show while we were in Vegas this time, since we didn't get to last year.  They're so stupidly expensive...seriously, why do they need to be so pricey?!  Since he doubled his money, we bought tickets to a Cirque Du Soleil show!

We saw Zumanity, which was kind of half burlesque/half contortionist show.  There was no real plot but it was still really awesome to see what all those people can do.  There was a creepy little person who did nothing but lurk in the background.  We were never sure what his role was supposed to be.  We had a great time though.  It was really funny and if you're with your significant other, I think we would both recommend it!  It would definitely be awkward with friends or family though.  Lots of boobies.

How was Vegas while 7 months pregnant, you might ask.  Well, let me tell you.  Vegas is hot in April.  Like 100 degrees hot.  Last year, we did the whole late breakfast, late lunch, skip dinner plan and it worked great.  This year, I needed snacks and 3 square meals, for sure.  Being around smokers was infuriating.  I would look around to try to pinpoint who it was and would give them a death stare that said "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M PREGNANT."   But ultimately...I was the silly pregnant lady hanging out in a casino.  By the end of the night my belly hurt, my feet and hands were swollen, and I was a little tired of waddling.  Regardless of all that, I still had a fantastic time.

We love Vegas.  I'm not sure if we'll attempt to do it again next year with the baby or not.  I can't even imagine trying to walk down Las Vegas Boulevard with a stroller.  And how do you gamble?  We'd have to separate and I don't know how I would feel about that.  We might have to hold off on trips like these for the next few years.  I'm so glad we've had such great experiences both times we've gone together.

Lessons learned during Vegas Round Two:

• Keep your doors locked while you drive around because drunk people WILL try to get in your car
• Stay on the strip--it's more convenient and worth the extra money
• $10 tables are NOT just double $5 tables and you're not twice as likely to win--they suck and they hate me, apparently
• If you plan on taking a babymoon, definitely go in the second trimester--or do a relaxing vacation if you go in the third
• WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES
• H&M has maternity clothes
• Show up early to the shows because they start entertaining while people enter

Seattle Recap: Day Two!

Saturday morning we woke up and had only 2 solids plans for the day: Chihuly Gardens and the Sounders Soccer Game.  We set out for some breakfast but didn't make it far.  We ended up at Top Pot Doughnuts where we split a disgusting amount of food.  Their coffee was so-so.  I'm not HUGE on doughnuts so to me, they tasted pretty much the same as any other doughnuts.  We passed this place a lot on our trip and it was ALWAYS packed so people like something about it, that's for sure.

After breakfast, we headed straight to the Chihuly Gardens.  I've never seen anything like it in my entire life.  It was a little pricey but totally worth it.  We were thinking it was all going to be outside but there was quite a bit of art inside.  This was the kind of art I wanted to see while in Seattle.  I almost felt like we were in a Dr. Seuss book.  The glass was whimsical and beautiful.  Pictures really don't do it justice.

Next stop was Olympic Sculpture Park.  My favorite part was the Richard Serra exhibit.  I'm almost positive I saw an exhibit of his in Barcelona and I loved it just as much there.  It was awesome seeing it outside though.  These pieces of steel are huge.

Saturday was MUCH colder than Friday so after walking around so much outside, we had to head back to the hotel to grab jackets and warm up for a bit.  

As we were walking  Friday, we noticed a Seattle Sounders schedule posted on a store window and on a whim decided to go to Opening Night on Saturday to celebrate our Anniversary.  We've known for a long time that we want to follow the traditional wedding presents and decided we wanted tickets as our paper gifts.  As soon as we saw that schedule, we knew we had to go!  We stopped by a Pro Shop and picked up some Sounders Gear so we could look official.  People in Seattle seem to LOVE their soccer team.  As it got later on Saturday, everyone was decked out in lime green.  We spent a good bit of time in a bar and then grabbed some dinner before heading to the game.

On the Underground Tour, the tour guide had mentioned that the soccer fans gather in a nearby park and all march to the stadium together.  We were able to go and walk over with the fans.  It was so much fun!  It did start to rain though on the way there...and it rained and rained.  We stood in line for over an hour to get ponchos and I'm so glad we did.  Best $10 we ever spent.  

Things I learned in Seattle on Day Two:

• Definitely take a rain jacket and a poncho if you ever visit Seattle. If you want to be really cool, make sure the jacket is a North Face.
• Weekdays are obviously better for traveling--all the hobos and peddlers came out on Saturday.
• Suede shoes aren't the BEST choice
• Know the score of the soccer game if you're wearing a Sounders scarf and beanie--people WILL ask.

Sunday morning, we grabbed breakfast at Biscuit Bitch and headed home.  We had an absolutely fantastic time in Seattle!  Now time to look forward to some more traveling.  We have a trip coming up at the end of this month, we're headed to Vegas at the end of April, and headed to Texas at the end of May for Carson's sister's wedding.  Busy travel season for us!  Hopefully being pregnant won't slow me down too much.

Seattle Recap: Day One!

We just got home from the most amazing weekend in Seattle!  We ate fantastic food, drank delicious coffee, and had a wonderful time.  We absolutely loved Seattle and are already piecing together in our heads a week-long trip to take in a few years.

Hotel Five was wonderful and was in a perfect location.  We were almost exactly in the middle between The Space Needle and Pike Place Market.  They served cupcakes 24/7 in the lobby...they weren't fantastic but who cares?!  There were free cupcakes!  There were free bikes if you wanted to borrow them from the hotel and they had a complimentary umbrella in our room.  Speaking of complimentary, we had a Keurig (which I guess is standard these days) and free bottles of water every day.

On the first day, we set out early Friday morning to get some coffee and breakfast.  We had some delicious pastries (and bought some tasty macaroons!) right across from Pike Place Market at Le Panier and then strolled through the market before it was open.

We stopped by the Seattle Art Museum next.  I was really hoping for some cooler exhibits.  The cars in the lobby were the coolest part.

After the museum, we got a bite to eat and took the Underground Tour.  We learned a LOT about Seattle's history and got to walk through some of the underground streets.  It was really cool and a lot of fun.

Next, we stopped by the Columbia Center Sky View and saw the sun for the first time that day!  It was perfect that we got to see the whole city after the tour because we understood so much more about certain buildings and areas of the city.  We saw amazing views of Seattle and it only cost $6 each!  Apparently the Space Needle is MUCH more expensive and we were much higher up in this building.  I think we were on the 73rd floor.

Next stop was The Seattle Public Library.  Seattle has some of the coolest architecture I've ever seen. It's very European and parts of it reminded me so much of Barcelona.  We picked up a few books for us and the baby at the library store.  Can't pass up used books in great condition!

Carson headed back to the hotel to take a nap and since our hotel was really close to a really awesome shopping area, I totally took advantage!  I got some maternity stuff at Gap and then stopped by H&M and Forever 21.  Seattle is serious about being green though and every shopping bag that I got, I had to pay an extra 5 cents.

I headed back to the hotel and got ready for dinner.  Carson had made reservations at The Coterie Room.  We split the 4 course tasting menu and had a nice, long 2 hour dinner.  I loved it.  We didn't feel rushed and we had plenty of time to talk.  Carson got to try Beef Carpaccio for the first time and I tried Cracklins for the first time!  The rest of the courses were delicious.  The only part of the meal we weren't too keen on was the Star Anise Ice Cream that was on top of our Pear Gallette.  Talk about a strange flavor...

After dinner, we strolled around 2nd Avenue and ended up heading towards the Space Needle.  There's a giant IMAX theater right by the Space Needle so we ended up seeing a movie.  We headed back to the hotel and got back around midnight.  We hadn't planned anything before we got to Seattle but our day was full, seamless and absolutely wonderful!

Things I learned in Seattle on Day One:

• People seem to embrace Starbucks.  No one thinks (from what I could tell) that it's overpriced coffee.  We pretty much found that all coffee was the same price everywhere.
• There weren't as many local coffee shops as we thought there would be.  There is almost a Starbucks on every corner and people seem to be totally fine with that.
• I walked more than ever before on vacation.  I never bring the right shoes on vacation because I want to look cute but I will always bring at least one pair of tennis shoes from now on.  I was in so much pain.  My feet and legs are actually still sore.  I mapped how far we walked and it was between 10-15 miles for the whole weekend.  My legs feel like we walked 50 miles.
• Seattle people LOVE The North Face.
• Downtown Seattle is a $45, 20 minute cab ride from the airport
• Once we were Downtown, it was really easy to get around.  We didn't have to use any public transportation.
• I didn't feel like we left California.  People in Seattle are very similar to people in San Francisco.
• I felt incredibly safe walking around at night.  Friday night we walked from 9-10 and after midnight to get back to our hotel after the movie.  There weren't many homeless people at all.