#29

I quickly booked it after my last day of work before the holidays (Friday) for a weekend trip to Seattle. I didn't know what to title this post, but it has to do with visiting a familiar place but doing unconventional things instead of what I'd normally do. That entire weekend, we ditched the rushed, shopping mindset and instead got to explore the city's hidden corners and gems. Some of the places I fell in love with and never bothered to visit before include: West Seattle/Alki, the Public Market on Pike (and yes, the infamous gum wall), and other happenings in Bellevue. 

And not to mention some of the eclectic dining adventures we went on — it was a weekend filled with delicious food fare. Wes' aunt and uncle took us to Salty's on Alki famous brunch, XXX Root Beer and The French Bakery, and even brought back hand-made mochi from Umai-Do (LOVE). They're all places I highly recommend if you're ever in the Bellevue-Seattle area.

With everything going on, I quickly came to terms with not needing to shop for anything for myself. So I bought the last few remaining Christmas gifts and left it at that. What i did end up spending on were: food necessities at Trader Joes. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and I was not disappointed! With all the new ingredients I hauled (it only left a $20 dent in my wallet), my mind was racing with all the possibilities of new ideas for recipes.

Such a good feeling: experiencing Seattle in a new way, spending only on necessities, and feeling that much lighter by not bringing a haul of clothing into my already packed room. It's kind of inspired me to save up for future travel and do another closet purge before the new year. 

"Make the strange familiar and the familiar strange." It's a cool concept to always keep things dynamic.