Eastern Migration: The Pacific Northwest

Travelin' Dog

Where were we?

It's been an embarrassingly long time since I updated the blog. I had grand plans of updating every night from the road, but after about three days, exhaustion - from the move, from the drive - set in.

But we were in the Redwoods. And I mentioned driving through a tree.

So, yes there we are, side mirrors defiantly outstretched.

But as big as this tree was, it wasn't *the* Big Tree, which resides in Redwood National Forest. The giant is 304 feet tall and 21 feet across.

As we walked through the trails, I felt like an extra in the Land of the Lost.

There were a few other surreal sights. Leaving the park, we passed this poncho-clad rider and his three horses...

...and the hippie mobile.

Big trees require big lumberjacks. Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe, can handle the job.

After one last glimpse of the California coastline, we drove up to Oregon to spend the night with a friend.

The next morning, we drove up to Seattle. One of our first stops was the Pike Place Market.

Here, you can watch the fish vendors throw fish to each other. If you are brave, you can be on the receiving end of a flying filet.

The guy in the pink shirt made the catch.
Very impressive.

We wandered happily through the market, buying healthy homemade treats for the Merry Dog and bunches of flowers from this stand.

During our stay, we also visited the Ballard Locks, which boats use to get from the Puget Sound to Lake Washington. Salmon also travel up the locks during their migration through a "ladder". 

A Native American harvests salmon.

A viewing area allows visitors to view the salmon as they
fight upstream.

 We also visited Seattle's most famous landmark, the Space Needle, built in 1962 for the World's Fair.

Requisite shot in front of the Space Needle.

Next door is the Experience Music Project, a museum created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The building was designed by Frank Gehry, who also designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

We watched kids play in the International Fountain, while the water danced to the strains of Ibrahim Ferrer.

Without doubt, our best meal of the entire trip was at Ray's Boathouse on Puget Sound, on our last night in Seattle.

We watched the sunset from the bank of windows, and dined on gruyere puff pastries, grilled salmon, and smoked sablefish. To drink, I couldn't resist the Dreamboat, a gin cocktail with Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao.

I'll show you photos from Big Sky Country tomorrow. In the meantime I leave you with a perfect sunset on Puget Sound.

Day 4: Redwoods

The Merry Husband is there somewhere.

We continued our drive up the 101 from San Francisco to Arcata in Humboldt County. Along the way, we stopped to see the the Chandelier Tree in the aptly named Drive-Thru Tree Park.

For $5, you too can fold down your side-view mirrors and drive through the 315 ft high, 21 ft wide, 2400 year old tree. Apparently, carving huge, car-sized chunks out of the bases of these giant trees was all the rage in the 1930s. Don't worry, we don't do it anymore because (whodathunk) it's really, really bad for the trees.

Tomorrow, we continue through the Redwood National Park and on to Oregon.

Day 3: San Francisco

We joined the throngs of tourists at all the scenic lookouts around the Golden Gate bridge. I stupidly forgot to put my memory card back in my camera last night, so all I have is this photo taken from my cell phone.

Happy 4th of July!

Postcards from the Road

The condo officially closed this morning, and we have embarked on our month-long road trip. Yesterday, we drove up the 5 through 112 degree heat. This morning, we enjoyed the lovely fog on the Monterey Peninsula. 

The Lone Pine on 17-Mile Drive,
between Carmel and Pacific Grove

We wandered around Fisherman's Wharf, and stopped for oysters at Rappa's Seafood Restaurant at the end of the pier.

Tomorrow, San Francisco.

Happy Father's Day!

My dad's favorite movie was Scrooge with Albert Finney. Every Thanksgiving weekend, he'd dust off our ancient copy and pop it in the VCR. The best part, according to him, was when the Ghost of Christmas Present leans in to the self-pitying Scrooge and says, "There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember, time is short, and suddenly, you're not here anymore."

I wish I could have spent more time with my dad, but I am truly grateful for the time we did have. And there were some really, really good times, all of which I'm remembering today.

At the Crossroads

Dear Reader, the last month has been, as my mom would say, somethin'else. Not really knowing anything about real estate, I figured I'd put the condo on the market in mid-July and move sometime in October. So, I was unprepared when my real estate agent demanded gently but firmly suggested that I list the condo no later than June 1st. 

In just one week, we ordered new carpet, a new oven, and a new overhead microwave. We rented a pod and packed up extra furniture, the china and crystal, family photos, most of our clothes - in short, anything that made it look like this was a real home with real live people in it. But it was worth the effort. We listed it for just five days before we accepted an offer. Want to see how it turned out?

I will miss living at the Windemere. I can't believe the Merry Husband would rather shovel snow than enjoy the beautiful weather here. Crazy, right?

I've turned in my resignation at work, and have just two more weeks before my last day. Escrow closes on July 3rd, and then we go on the road trip to end road trips! We'll drive up the California coast and on to Seattle to visit friends and family. Then we'll take the Northern Route through places like Missoula, Montana and Keystone, South Dakota. We'll drive through Chicago and through Pennsylvania Dutch Country before getting to Brooklyn, where we'll hang out and visit with the Merry Husband's family for two weeks. There's a chance, although slim, that we might get up to Maine for a weekend. If not, there will most likely be some side trips to Connecticut and Rhode Island. If all goes according to plan, we'll be in Boston for good on August 1st.

Of course, I have no idea what I'll do in Boston once I get there, but that Dear Reader, is another blog post for another day. 

Boston Bound

Massachusetts State House

We're moving to Boston!!!

I'm excited, I really am. Over the summer, I'll be getting my condo on the market, packing everything up, and planning cross-country driving routes. I'm looking forward to real seasons and cheap lobster. Heck, I may even trade in my Acura for a Subaru.

But...

I'm an L.A. girl, born and raised. I have lived here my entire life, except those three years of law school in exotic, far-away San Diego. I love this city, warts and all. And let me tell you, there have been some big, hairy warts. I've seen National Guard tanks roll through my hometown during the race riots. I've been stranded at flooded intersections during El Niño. I don't bother to get out of bed for any earthquake less than 6.0. We've been through a lot, L.A. and me. It will always be home.

So, I have some mixed feelings. I know, without a doubt, that this is a good decision for us, and I want to approach this move with a sense of adventure, not dread. But I will miss the sunshine, the Pacific Ocean, the laid-back attitude, and (yes) even the 405. Sigh.

Onward.