While preparing for the trip over these last few weeks (i.e. packing and indulging in way too much good food and beer at my favorite spots), I gave some thought to the things I enjoyed most and what I’ll definitely miss about living in Seattle. There’s so much to like about the Emerald City, and, even after five years, I only scratched the surface. I look forward to scratching some more in the future, but, for now, these were a few of my favorite things in & about Seattle. Things I’ll miss!
Craft Beer – After almost five years here, I’ve officially turned into a beer snob and won’t touch anything else, which means I probably won’t drink many on this trip. I’ve been truly spoiled with an endless variety of great breweries and tasty beer.
Marination Ma Kai – My favorite restaurant in Seattle! Fantastic food, reasonable prices, good drinks, and the best damn patio in Seattle. I mean, this view…
Arctic Bar – Go see Glenn and get an Old Fashioned. Perfect place for good conversation or a chill night. The leather-bound chairs, old-school portraits, and Northern Lights Dome room upstairs are a killer combo, even if it’s in a hotel.
Rajun Cajun at Other Coast – an absolute triumph in sandwich-making. Especially with avocado.
Seattle dogs – Post-game (or post-last-call) hot link with cream cheese, grilled onions, and a little Sriracha. Yes, I said cream cheese. Trust me, it’s glorious.
Gas Works Park – one of the best views in Seattle (Kerry Park & Marination Ma Kai/West Seattle are my other faves), and close to Paseo & Fremont Brewing, it’s madness on Fourth of July and a fantastic spot for a picnic.
My apartment – Voluntarily giving this place up was one of the hardest parts of leaving. I’ll miss swimming every day in summer, having a fireplace, a free parking spot, and being a 5-minute walk from Starbucks and tennis courts. The view and Seafair were amazing. Unbelievable place to call home. Sniff.
My run route – hugging the lake for a couple of miles, past Curt Cobain’s old house, into the trails at the Arboretum, to the cool bridge and back…with Mt. Rainier as the backdrop and a jump into Lake WA. Way better than treadmill dancing. 
Soccer Central – There’s no better place to live in the US if you’re a soccer fan. MLS team here. And a 3-hour roadie north or south gets you to another, so I got to see my RSL crew often, which was great. Timbers have the best atmosphere, Sounders have the biggest crowds, and Vancouver has a stale stadium ambiance, but I gotta support my boy Jake. And they had the WWC this summer.
Amazing summer days – There’s no better place in the U.S. to enjoy summer. Seriously. None. 15+ hours of sunlight, so many outdoor things to do, and no need for air conditioning, despite what the whiners may say!
Cinerama – The best movie theater in Seattle, even though it only has one screen. Craft beer (cider & wine, too), chocolate popcorn, local concessions and the top screen/sound system around. Plus reserved seating ftw!
Uber – These guys are seemingly everywhere now, but I’ll be minding my budget and wont’ be putting them to use too much on the road, sadly. Nonetheless, the drivers and the awesome crew at Seattle HQ were great to work & ride with.
Movies at the Mural – there are other solid options for outdoor movies in Seattle, but none more iconic and awesome (FREE!) than the ones at Seattle Center with the Space Needle as a backdrop. Grab your friends, pack a blanket, hit Met Market for some drinks, cheese, and crackers, and enjoy the show. Awesome.
Amtrak Cascades – a fantastic option for travel to Portland or Vancouver, albeit more affordable going south. Comfortable, clean, fast enough, and wifi-rrific for those work trips. Grab a coffee or a beer, head to the bistro car, and enjoy the stress-free ride. On time every time I was on it.
Neighbor cities – Portland has so much great beer, tax-free shopping, awesome street food, and just a cool vibe. Vancouver has better nightlife and more stylish, attractive people than Seattle & Portland combined, killer late-night eats (love you, Tsui Hang & Fritz), and they truly are polite, ey? Shout-out to my crew at The Kingston! Good people and talented partiers.
Capitol Hill – oh, good ol’ Capitol Hill. Pound-for-pound the undisputed king of neighborhoods in Seattle, with it’s central location, diversity, walkability (awesome crosswalks!), and an insane amount of truly good food & beverage options. Old Golazo HQ was right in the middle of the action, so I got to know this neighborhood quite well. My favorite Mexican place (Barrio), barber (Colter at Sal’s), basements (Capitol Cider & Narwhal), sandwich (Rajun Cajun at Other Coast), craft cocktail bar (Tavern Law), blog (CHS), and Neighbours are all there.
Golazo – if it weren’t for a serendipitous facebook message and a Scot willing to take a chance on a Mexican, I never would’ve come here in the first place. There were challenges, successes, lessons, great partnerships, blood, sweat, tears, fun, lots of roadies, guerrilla stunts, and delicious Organic sports drinks; this adventure has had it all. I’ll always be thankful for the opportunity…and can’t wait for the new Strawberry Watermelon drinks to hit store shelves. So good.
Seafair – my favorite weekend of summer in Seattle! I never made it to the hydroplane races (not my thing) or the parade (too many people), but did party on the dock and enjoyed the Blue Angels from the water, on a Relaxation Station float that got just a little too far from the dock, resulting in a Coast Guard reprimand & rescue this year. Oops.
Chuck’s Central District – A craft beer mecca! 44 beers & 6 ciders on tap, 900+ bottles, a great patio, Trivia Tuesdays, solid staff, and a rotating variety of food trucks. And it was 2 miles from my place.
Sportsball – On the first Saturday after moving to Seattle, I took a break from IKEAing at home and walked up to the Qwest Field box office shortly after kickoff. I asked if they had tickets to the game, and, surprisingly, they did. I got the cheapest seat near midfield, and went into the upper echelon of the stadium.
The legendary Beast Quake took place that afternoon, the Seahawks beat the Saints in dramatic fashion, and I decided Seattle would be my NFL team (N.B.: they had a losing record, even after that win, so I preceded the bandwagon). Needless to say you can’t do that anymore. But Seattle has a wealth of sporting events, and they are especially wonderful to attend in summer. Good soccer & bad baseball are Seattle staples.
The culture – Great museums. Active people everywhere. Unique neighborhoods. Diverse and progressive citizens. Craft beer all over the place. Rabid sports fans. Passion for performing arts. Environmentally friendly & healthy. Seattle rocks.
Seattle Central Library – an absolute gem of a building, inside and out, and a terrific place to get lost in a book…though only on Sundays because parking is free.
Paddling in the middle of the city – One of the best urban escapes in Seattle! Whether it was a canoe by UW, or a kayak on Lake Union or West Seattle, a couple of hours on the water were a wonderful way to enjoy a sunny day. Pro-tip: there’s often a groupon for kayak rentals at Moss Bay. Don’t forget your sunscreen.
Sal’s – Not 100% sure, but I’ve been going here for so long that I think I beat Macklemore to it. My boy Colter chops like a champ. Dopest barbershop in town.
The people – I’ve been privileged to work and play (and, sometimes, both) with some great folks during my time here and have forged some great friendships. I really could go on forever on this, but I’ll just say that I sure as hell hope our paths cross again in the future. Be well. And farewell!
Home is now behind me. The world is ahead.
J