mixing it up

I've been skewing heavily towards northern Seattle in my recent adventures, so I decided to mix it up this weekend by heading downtown to Pioneer Square. While Fremont & Ballard are chock full of charm and easy to love, the historic district around Pioneer Square is a little grittier so I haven't gotten around to exploring it until now.

An introvert by nature, I'm the type of person who needs some time alone to unwind, especially after this hectic pre-holiday week. With Sunday dawning clear & warm, I eagerly headed out by myself with a few coffee shops in mind and an entire afternoon ahead of me. Pioneer Square is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle, and the architecture reflects that. I'm fairly clueless when it comes to these things, but I did enjoy the old red brick buildings and the kind of industrial feel of the streets. The area is also a bit dicier, but in the daylight and with lots of Seahawks fans heading down to Qwest Field, I let my camera guide me through the streets.

The original aim of the afternoon was to visit Zeitgeist Coffee, but I found much more than I bargained for, so that post will have to wait for next time. Unexpected find #1 was Waterfall Garden, a quiet urban oasis that I stumbled upon as I rounded the corner. It actually reminds me of the random garden in NYC that I found while walking back from Buttercup Bakeshop one time and never seemed to be able to find again except by accident (it's on 51st, between 2nd & 3rd ave, if you ever need a place to eat your red velvet cupcake!) It's similar in the sense that it comes out of nowhere and seems entirely out of place, a quiet slice of serenity among all the dirt and grime of the city.

Unexpected find #2 was Globe Bookstore, an independent shop that had a bunch of my favorites childhood reads, including a great selection of Hardy Boys mysteries :)

I also enjoyed the shimmer & sparkle of holiday decorations, which I have largely ignored until now. I hate shopping mall crowds and the mad rush of the season, but I do have soft spot for pretty lights and glittering ornaments.

Whew, that was a hefty post. My poor laptop probably needs some rest after chugging away on photoshop for so long. As do I, after traversing the city this afternoon!