Goodnight, Seattle (and good mental health).

For those who aren’t aware, that is how Frasier Crane ends each of his radio broadcasts. I am back in Eugene, after having spent the weekend in Seattle for the Vida Vegan Con Tech Seminar. Despite living 5 hours away, I have only visited Seattle 3 times prior, and never for more than a day trip. Until this weekend. Julia, Jess, and I (among other speakers and bloggers who were in town for the conference) stayed at the Moore Hotel, in downtown Seattle for a few nights. Each floor of the hotel had a different animal print carpet. We were staying on the tiger print floor (5th!). I got to eat a gigantic dish of rice and veggies at In The Bowl, an all vegetarian Thai restaurant in Capital Hill. I tried kale chips (with jalapeno and lime) and they were actually really delicious! I’m not a big fan of raw kale, but dehydrate it, and cover it in spices and I’m all over it.

The Seattle Public Library is a work of art. The outside and inside of the building are gorgeous. I wish I would have spent more time exploring there. Speaking in front of a crowd has never been my favorite activity. I’m a quiet person. But this was somehow different. Probably because I was sharing information about a subject that I love (making videos!). I definitely was not the most polished of speakers (I talk so quickly when I’m nervous), but I hope I inspired everyone who attended to give making videos a try. If I can do it, you most certainly can as well. It was awesome to hear what the other speakers had to say. I’ll be utilizing much of the information I gained at this conference in the near future on this very blog! If you didn’t attend and are curious what went on, the ladies in charge of the event live blogged it here just for you!

Public art abounds in Seattle!

Our hotel!

Check out that decor!

5th floor.

The view out of our window.

Julia in the stair well.

City streets at night.

The library where it all went down!

Lunch was catered by Veggie Grill! I ate 4 or 5 sandwich halves, one serving of kale salad, and 4 pieces of carrot cake! So good!

This is the menu from In the Bowl! The names of the dishes are so perfect. I had T7, the ‘You Are So Beautiful’. Highly recommended. Oh yeah, one more thing about this place: their food is spicy. SPICY. I got a spice level of 1 and it had more of a kick than I expected. I had some of Julia’s (spice level 4) and I could barely handle it. So tasty, but don’t say you want it spicier than you know you can handle, because they will follow through.

Julia got some kind of spicy soup.

I wish we could have stuck around for a few more days to explore the city.

Seattle Starbucks use the original logo.

Navigating our way to a breakfast place.

This was on the ground at the public market.

Ordered a cinnamon roll and a giant cookie!

I really wanted to ride on the Ferris Wheel.

Ginkgo tree at the Bolt Bus station.

We walked to the bus station, and rode back to Portland. I stayed the night with Julia and Jess in Portland, and Jess made us Pasta y Fagioli (which I learned is not pronounced the way you’d think!), and we watched Hocus Pocus (a childhood favorite of Julia’s and mine). The weekend went by so fast! I’m back at home, and ready for a nap. Traveling wears me out.