Seattle, WA

*Stunning terrain of Mount Rainier National Park.*

Seattle—a place for creatives, drawing inspiration from the city and the mountains; a dream for those who find comfort in the cliché story of the literature major who falls in love with the bad boy; a city of coffee and rain, the perfect love affair.

I recently visited Seattle to truly see if the fantasy I’d crafted could be translated to reality. Growing up with a romanticized idea of somewhere unknown has been my forte throughout my life. Wanderlust spirit at heart, I always dreamt of other places because I knew the world was too big not to see. At 22, I’ve been blessed enough to travel—visit new states and countries, experience new cultures. It has led me to believe that everyone fits in somewhere, whether that be home or not.

As I referenced prior, this reverie of Seattle that I constructed consumed me. Taken with the glamorized image of the city that is so often portrayed in romance novels led me to think that it was the perfect place. I can say confidently now, it does not disappoint. Though my experience did not mimic that of Anastasia Steele, it was still wonderful in all its own ways.

From Sept. 2 – Sept. 8, 2022, my boyfriend and I explored Seattle and the surrounding areas of Washington. Tourists at our finest, the trip began at Pike Place Market—which has always been held in high regard as a premier spot to visit. The former Starbucks barista and current enthusiast in me was fawning at the place where it all started, though I thought it best to opt for strictly local shops during the trip. I ventured to see all the makers’ creations in addition to the amazing food, leaving with old stationary clippings, some locally brewed coffee, and a tote bag to carry my finds. People watching was good too, and I can say there is nothing like the characters that attend a tourist attraction on a Saturday.

In the same day, we walked across the street to the waterfront to further our experience with the area. For those who know me, one of my favorite pastimes is amusement parks—my favorite rides being 4D simulators. Now I know this is as ‘touristy’ as can be, but when I saw “Fly Over Washington” along the pier, there was no way I was missing it. Seemingly presented as a 10-minute promotion scheme for moving to Washington, I fell in love. Seeing the extent of the state, even through a virtual screen, gave me everything I needed to be assured that the fantasy I held was worth it.

Along our tour, we trekked to Mount Rainier National Park as well, neglecting to think of the high demand for outdoor attractions on a holiday. While our trip did not go as planned due to Labor Day traffic, we embarked on our own journey around the park, settling on a far-out trail labeled “difficult.” For those curious, Crystal Lakes Trail on highway 410 lives up to its classification. Though I was tested through every physicality of my being amid this uphill trudge, the views did seem to make up for it. This experience really proved to me that a strong want to be a hiking girl is not enough to make you one.

As a test of our driving anxiety, we happened upon a ferry to Bainbridge Island next. The intention was to walk aboard as passengers due to fear of taking a rental car onto the sea, but alas—the car came with us by my misguided direction. It worked out in our benefit, being that we got to explore the island in all parts and directions. We were greeted with a walkable downtown area, occupied by local shops and restaurants. This trip turned us into connoisseurs of wine, so we fulfilled our requirement of getting wine-drunk at the local winery—at which point we brought our cultural aptitude to the nearby art museum, where I enjoyed the Blake Blanco exhibit in all its bizarre and quirky elements.

Though I am not discussing every moment of the time I was there, I was taken with all aspects of the city. For someone who lives in the flattest place in the country, my boyfriend pointed out how extraordinary it is that the mountains have the capability to make you feel small. I think with the societal result of self-absorption, we need to feel that. The long-lived cliché that we can “move mountains” puts emphasis on strength as an attribute—metaphorizing that strength comes from difficulty, achieving the impossible. I see the mountains as a way of grounding, a way of appreciating life as it is. For a landscape to be so powerful as to encourage spirituality; to change outlooks on life as a construct, is something so beautiful—so I don’t want to move mountains, but instead, move to them.

Rome, IT