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! 

Talapus and Olallie Lake

The rain finally stopped Saturday, so we packed the car and headed to North Bend to bask in the sun.  Since Abbie tagged along for this adventure we opted for an easy 4 mile hike.  This was her first snow hike and we were not sure how she would react.  She handled it like a pro as she romped, rolled, and burrowed her way along the trail.  We enjoyed watching her explore, almost as much as we enjoyed the gorgeous views of the alpine lakes, Talapus and Olallie.

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! 

Let it Snow!

Outside Seattle it is beginning to look a lot like Winter.  Craving a little Winter Wonderland, this past Sunday we made our way North to Snow Lake.  When we arrived, the snowflakes were falling at Alpental Summit and a blanket of snow covered everything within sight.  We strapped on gators and spikes, then headed out for a blustery walk.  Less than a mile in, we found ourselves thigh deep in the fluff, but we didn't let it go to waste.  We made snow angels, built a few snowmen, and had a vicious snowball fight.  There were no fatalities, despite it being touch and go for a while.  ;)   This was by far the best hike yet!  

Ice, Ice Baby

It was a gorgeous day Saturday, so the mister and I took what is most likely our last chance to hike and headed to Silver Peak.  It is one of the tallest peaks in the Snoqualmie Valley and boasts spectacular views of Mt. Rainier, Adams, and Stuart.  After an hour long ride from Seattle, we bundled up and made our way along the icy trail.  

 

 

Mount Si

The Sun made an appearance on Saturday and we made the most of this beautiful day with a long awaited hike to Mt. Si.  This mountain is located in the Western region of the Cascades in North Bend.  The trail is about 9 miles out and back with a 4,000 ft. elevation gain.  It is a strenuous hike, but the view at the top is gorgeous! Most people stop at the summit basin; however, the best views are at the top of the class 3 scramble.  So, after a quick break with our feathery friends, we continued on to the Haystack to take in the views of the Puget Sound Basin and Snoqualmie Valley.