Halloween Haunts in Seattle

If you are spending Halloween in Seattle, there are so many options for a "spooktacular" holiday!  From family friendly mazes to hair raising haunted houses, the Seattle area has you covered.  Check out my recommendations for a hauntingly good time in the Emerald City by clicking on each link.  

EERIE ENTERTAINMENT:

• Carnevolar - Trapeze Halloween Show and Dance Party
• Psycho at the Symphony - Bernard Hermann's unforgettable score as performed by the symphony while enjoying Psycho on the big screen.  
• Spooked in Seattle - Spend an evening exploring the local haunts in Seattle. 
• Georgetown Morgue - Enter the notorious Georgetown Morgue, if you dare!
• Thomas' Family Farm - Test your marksmanship as you take out a few of the walking dead.

FAMILY FRIENDLY:

• Fox Hollow Farms - Pumpkin Patch, Maze, Carnival and more!
• Remlinger Farms - Pumpkin Patch and Maze
• Dr. Maze's Farm - Pumpkin Patch, hot apple cider, corn maze and more!

What's Happening?

Hi friends and family!  Not much happened this past week in Seattle.  The mister and I had a very low key holiday weekend and spent our time exploring the city.   Friday evening we headed over to Market of Arms for a Seattle staple; fish and chips.  While there, we spotted the Northwestern.  

 Saturday, we checked out the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center.  The Northwest Folklife Festival is a free event held annually.  It features a variety of local music, food, and crafts. 

Sunday, we headed out to the mountains.  Unfortunately the weather was not quite so awesome and we were surrounded by fog for most of our hike.   When the rain showers started, we made a quick trek back to the car.  

The sun decided to make an appearance Monday and it has been beautiful since!  Tuesday, I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and headed out for a run.  It was great watching the ferries, sailboats, and tourists as I ran around the Sound.  

Hope everyone is enjoying their week!  

~Cheers from Seattle

Climb On!

I've been climbing indoors a lot lately and loving the challenge!   It is an ongoing physical and mental contest that keeps me coming back for more!  With that in mind, I wanted to share a few new items that I have found to enhance my climbing experience.   

Giddy Balm

Photo Courtesy of Giddy

Since I've started climbing, I've been told that my hands are feeling a bit "manly".  Giddy balm has been real a "hand" saver!  It is has a smooth and non-greasy texture and it really seems to help with soreness. Giddy balm comes in 3 different scents: Cooling Mint, Cedar Mint and Lavender.   The lavender is my favorite, but I am a fan of all things lavender.   

How to Rock Climb

This comprehensive guide is a great book for beginners!   You can only learn so much about climbing from a book, but pairing lessons from this book along with my experiences in the gym/outside has helped my form immensely.  


Thera-roll

In the past I've used the Stick, which is great after running;   however, it doesn't really work so well when trying to roll your own arms.  I have now replaced it with the Thera-roll.  It is a foam roller that allows you to massage your own forearms and relieve tightness after climbing.  Also, found a link with a few great excercises to use with it...here. 


All Sport Bra

One of the most comfortable sports bras that I own!  I wear it running as well as climbing.  I am a bit modest, so I typically pair it with a simple tank. 



I am also including a few wish list items.  Even though they do not really benefit climbing, they are just too cute not to add.   Besides, it would be so unlike me to not have some sort of clothing or accessories on my list. ;)  

Climbing Tee

Photo Courtesy of Mind Harvest

Earrings

Photo Courtesy of RockClimbingJewelry

Planet of the Apes

Photo Courtesy of the Chimp Sanctuary Northwest

Spent some time this week with a great group of new friends; the chimps at Chimp Sanctuary Northwest.  The Chimp Sanctuary is a non-profit organization located about an hour outside of Seattle and is home to seven retired research chimpanzees; Burrito, Annie, Jody, Jamie, Negra, Missy, and Foxie.  The sanctuary was started in 2008 after founder Keith LaChapelle read a disturbing article about the capture and daily abuse of these wonderful creatures.  Fortunately, this information led Mr. LaChappelle to create one of the few chimpanzee sanctuaries in the United States.  Today,  the Cle Elum Seven spend their retirement years on a 26 acre reserve and enjoy a rich social life, but most importantly their FREEDOM.  

Check out the sanctuary here.

She's Got the Books

 

I've always enjoyed a great book and with a trip on the horizon I've gathered a few great books to take with me on my journey.  These guys will see me through a couple take offs and possible long lay-overs. My list consists of books that I will be taking as well as a few that I've enjoyed over the holiday break.  Happy reading!


Infinite Jest
Brain on Fire
Orphan Train
Savage Beauty
Maude
The Nazi Officer's Wife
Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide

12 Days of Christmas

Excitement is building and the countdown to the final days of Christmas are here!  To spread a little romance and holiday cheer, the hubs and I always give 12 days of gifts leading up to the big day.  The gifts can be small, but are always significant and include a personalized message.  Last year we got a little carried away, so this year our goal for each gift is $20 per day; not including wrapping.  My husband put a personalized spin on our 12 days and created our very own Advent Calendar.  Each day we take turns drawing a day/theme and that determines which gift you receive.  It is one of my favorite holiday traditions!  

Happy Holidays! 

What's Crackin?

What's crackin'?  The Nutcracker of course!  Last Friday night was the opening of the Nutcracker Ballet in Seattle and we were eager to kick off this holiday season with a bang. We donned our (semi-) formal wear and made our way through the rainy streets of the Emerald city to take in this holiday extravaganza.  

The PNB Nutcracker is not quite like the traditional ballet that you might expect to see.  It has a darker twist thanks to the set and costume designs of Maurice Sendak.  The designs have a vintage quality and captivate the audience with theatrical tricks, like a surprise stage within a stage revealed during the scene of Pasha's kingdom.   I have to admit that my focus remained on the sets for most of the ballet and continued to captivate me with the minute details in design.   Photography is not permitted during the program so I was unable to get pictures, but if you live in Seattle I would highly recommend seeing it for yourself.

Winter Wonderland

This is our first Christmas in Seattle and I am wildly excited about Winterfest at the Seattle Center!  

As November comes to a close, Seattle prepares for the holiday season in style.  Seattle Center is transformed into a Winter Wonderland filled with twinkling white lights, evergreens, and ice sculptures.  The sidewalks are lined with stalls selling festive foods, as carolers sing traditional Christmas songs.  The patrons are donned in their most festive Winter attire as they take in the tranquility of the Winter Train and Village in the center of it all.  

It's hard not to get in the spirit when you are surrounded by such festivities! 

Christmas Parade

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Feeling full from our Thanksgiving indulgence, the mister and I strolled downtown Friday morning to walk off the pumpkin pie and cornbread stuffing.  First we hit a few stores to check out the Black Friday madness and then made our way to the Macy's Christmas Parade.  It was a little damp to say the least, but Santa didn't seem to mind! 

Halloween Haunts

It is one of my favorite times of year...Halloween!  I love decorating for Halloween and despite no longer living in a neighborhood I still feel the need to get in the spooky spirit of the holiday.  Since outdoor decorations are not permitted in an apartment, I've carefully selected a few pieces with an eerily classic style to liven up the inside of our humble abode.  Most of my decorations were found at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Store, or Pottery Barn.  

Happy Halloween!

Wagon Wheel

Have I told you lately how wonderful this city is?  Friday night with no definite plans, the mister and I checked out the local concert venue.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Old Crow Medicine Show was in town and there were a few tickets left!

So we slipped on our most comfortable concert attire and headed out the door.  Within minutes we found ourselves grabbing a quick bite at Dragon Fish before reaching our final destination; the beautiful Paramount Theater.  How wonderful is that?  Within walking distance of a fabulous show!  

Dragon Fish

If you are not familiar with OCMS, they are a Nashville string band.  Their music is often classified as bluegrass, folk, or country; however, it is so much more than that!  The musicians in this band are extremely talented, playing a myriad of instruments all while dancing a jig.  They really put on a spectacular show!  

If you have a chance, check this band out...

http://www.crowmedicine.com/