sanctuary

For the past week or so, a big mass of clouds has parked over Seattle and given us a healthy dose of holiday rain showers.  Now that I have a car, I've gotten a bit lazy about walking in the rain, so on the eve of Christmas Eve, I made the foolish decision to drive to the U District shopping center rather than brave the elements and walk to downtown Seattle. This, from a girl who used to walk halfway across NYC on a daily basis! Ah, the times they are a-changin'.

I was naively unprepared for the hordes of holiday traffic - is there anything more frustrating than endlessly circling in the parking lot? After making it through the traffic and half-flooded roads, I was hoping to spend the rest of the afternoon with my Kindle and a cup of coffee. After a few more wrong turns and failed attempts to find street parking (the story of my life as a relatively new driver), I was ready to give up on that too, when a sign for "A Muddy Cup" in front of a little yellow house appeared like a haven in a storm.

After coaxing my car into a parking space, I hurried over while dodging the raindrops. The second I walked in, I knew that this was exactly the right place for me at that moment. It was quiet and warm, with a couple of comfy looking armchairs and reading lamps scattered about. I was half afraid to disturb the almost palpable silence with the click of my camera, but my fellow patrons seemed engrossed in their own work. With a cup of cappuccino, I curled up in a chair, reveling in my temporary escape from the rain. It's all about the small victories :)

A Muddy Cup
266 NE 45th St.
Wallingford/U District

old world charm

This year, I seem to have been remarkably oblivious to the holiday season. That is, until a little lightbulb went off in my head a few days ago and I realized that there were presents to buy and a Christmas dinner to plan. So off I went on another one of my glorious days off to do my part in stimulating the economy.

After a morning of successful shopping, I paused to rest at Le Pichet, a little French bistro that I pass by frequently. I had a hankering for Caffe Vita coffee, so I found a spot at the bar and plopped down with my bags, intending to just get my caffeine fix and move on. Charmed by the bistro chic, I decided on a whim to stay for lunch. With my frequent solitary wanderings over the past few weeks, I've gotten used to eating alone, with my Kindle for company :)

There's something very satisfying about the simplicity of bistro fare - a brightly colored salad with just a few well-dressed ingredients and topped with some cheese-y croutons was spot on. Add in free coffee refills, and I was a very happy camper. Incidentally, I discovered that the owner of Le Pichet also owns Cafe Presse, of which I was also a big fan. He really knows how to run a great French bistro!

It seems that I am one of the few people staying in Seattle for the holidays - best wishes for a merry Christmas and new year wherever you are!

Le Pichet
1933 1st Ave

lunch for one

I'm fortunate to have a job where I have the freedom to work from home if nothing requires me to be in the office (what a great change from i-banking!), so I decided to make good use of my free time this week by doing some daytime exploring. Volunteer Park Cafe popped up on Yelp as a good lunch spot, so off I went on my weekday adventure.

When I arrived, I was dismayed to find that the cafe had lost power that morning, leaving me with a limited selection of cold sandwiches and pastries to choose from. It was a cute place though, so I decided to stick with my original plan. Luckily, my patience was rewarded! The power returned soon after, and I got my hot panini after all :)

I loved the home-y feel of the place - peeking through the kitchen doorway, I could see the chefs hard at work making pies and other yummy goodies. The long wooden communal tables and candle jars also added to the coziness, like a Pottery Barn catalog come to life. The exterior is equally cute, with a backyard garden with real live poultry running around (hm, did I just eat one of their brethren in my chicken sandwich?). As a final treat, I snagged a cherry chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. Ah, if only every weekday lunch could be this good!

 Volunteer Park Cafe
1501 17th Ave. E.