While I live in San Francisco and love it so, my hometown will always be Seattle. But most of my Seattle visits are dominated by the dash between all our family and friends, rather than exploring the swiftly changing city itself. But last week I was able to carve out time to wander through some of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods, making some killer discoveries along the way. I’ve picked a quick highlight reel to share with you. You will definitely want to mark these down if you’re headed to my beloved Emerald City any time soon.

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Sea Wolf Bakers may be tucked into an unassuming building in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood and it may have a pared back industrial vibe (which I’m totally into), but when you step through the door and catch a whiff of the freshly baked bread, or break into a perfectly flakey croissant, you’re going to want to spend a lot of time here. I certainly left rather reluctantly. Sea Wolf offers a variety of rustic loaves, classic baguettes and the best seeded rye bread I’ve had since I was an exchange student living in Germany. I’d gladly while away a Sunday morning with a newspaper, apple tart and bottomless cup of coffee here. You can watch the bakers make everything right in front of you as you chill.

Sea Wolf Bakers – 3621 Stone Way N, Seattle 

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Thankfully, when it came to grabbing a good meal, I didn’t have to look far from our hotel. I just had to go down to the lobby. The Palladian houses both the Penny Royal bar and Shaker + Spear restaurant. The restaurant’s brunch was recently named the best in Washington. I can attest, the lemon ricotta blueberry pancake is incredible. Plus I can only love on a restaurant that features copper bar stools and cement tile work. Yummy food and yummy design should always go hand in hand.

Penny Royal & Shaker + Spear 2000 2nd Ave, Seattle

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Of course, I couldn’t just eat my way through Seattle – though I would gladly take that challenge anytime – I had to get in a little retail therapy too. Especially when I heard that one of my favorite Seattle boutiques, Moorea Seal, had recently expanded to a new downtown space. Well, I certainly wasn’t disappointed when I made the trek down First Ave. The new store is just gorge. Soaring windows open onto a wide open spot that features crazy high ceilings, a sweet sitting area, kickass dressing rooms and plenty of space for an expanded collection of apparel, shoes, jewelry, bags and home goods. Virtually every single detail in the store is shoppable – even the light fixtures or the seats in the dressing room which you can score at The Mine. It’s a wonderfully dangerous spot to shop!

Moorea Seal  1012 1st Ave, Suite 150 Seattle 

Now of course there are a myriad of spots on my Seattle must-visit list that I didn’t get to. Mainstays like Totokaelo or Oddfellows. Favorite coffee spots like Fuel, Cafe Victorla or Cafe Ladro. Of course it seems new restaurants are popping up every two seconds. Guess that’s why you’ve just always gotta make time for home. It just might surprise you.

Do you have any Seattle favorites that I need to know about?? I’d love to hear about them.

For our entire travel archive, CLICK HERE.

photography for apartment 34 by belathée

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4 Comments

  1. I will have to check out the wallingford bakery tomorrow I live near there and have never been. I love madison valley and madison park so cafe flora and sen salon plus city peoples and red ticking are my favorites. The hotel you stayed in here looks so inviting. Thanks for the updates. Laura

    1. Mmm, love everything in Madison Valley. My family owned a store there for a while!

  2. My current Seattle favorite is the Andrew Wyeth show at the Seattle Art Museum. It’s stunning … covering from early days to the end of his life. So worth a visit. Another favorite is the Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center. And on rainy days (we do get a few) I love to wander thru the glass houses at Swanson’s Nursery. On mild days, Kubota Gardens is fun to roam around. And if traveling with kids, the Museum of Flight is pretty fabulous.

    1. I would LOVE to see that Wyeth show! I’m hoping it will come to the Bay Area