The Tacoma Top Ten

D and I have been talking about all the things we're going to miss about the Pacific Northwest when we move in a few weeks. We decided to put together a Top Ten of the things we'll miss in the Tacoma/Seattle area. Here it is:

1. Wearing Socks With Sandals

People in the Pacific Northwest love to wear socks with their sandals. They even have commercials that make fun of their sock and sandal wearing habits. This picture is of AJ sporting her sandals with socks!

2. It's Greek to Me

This is a little drive-through Greek restaurant that has awesome gyros and the most amazing fries ever! We didn't discover it until recently, but we've been there at least 3 times to satisfy our greasy cravings!

3. Mount Rainier

When "the mountain is out" we have some of the most amazing views ever! We go so many days in a row with cloudy, rainy skies that I sometimes forget how big Mount Rainier is. Truly an amazing sight to see.

4. 1SG Dietzman

1SG Dietzman and his family have been great friends to us while we've been here. He is a great guy and brings out the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) in D. They are like the dynamic duo in their unit, nothing can stop them.

5. Teriyaki

Nothing says Pacific Northwest better than a nice hot plate of chicken or beef teriyaki. It seems that teriyaki joints in the Northwest are akin to Starbucks around the rest of the US. Surprisingly, it seems that there are fewer Starbucks around this area of the country, probably because there are so many indie coffee shops.

6. Fort Steilacoom Dog Park

When the weather is nice in Tacoma, it is really nice! On the off-chance that we get a sunny day, you can find us here with our socially-awkward beagle, Abby. Even though she's unsure about the other dogs, she does love all the smells she finds here. This off-leash dog park is one of the best in the state (and I'm sure country as well).

7. Pike Place Market

Honestly, if we lived closer to downtown Seattle, I would probably be a regular here for our produce, seafood and flowers. The market is one of the staples any Seattle-bound tourist should put on their list. I know I have taken all our visitors here the first chance I get!

8. Point Defiance Park

For a dog who hates water, Abby sure likes to walk along the sound at Owens Beach in Point Defiance Park. We have been here several times and always enjoy it, regardless of the weather. The views are incredible and even though the park is situated in an semi-urban area, it feels like you're miles away from everything.

9. Puget Sound

The funny thing about the Puget Sound is that pretty much anywhere you drive around here you're not more than a mile from the sound. There are times that we wouldn't have known our proximity to the sound if it hadn't been for our GPS pointing it out to us.

10. Fred Meyer

Groceries, plants, clothes, jewelry, bedsheets, appliances, furniture, electronics, and so on! This store is like a higher-end WalMart. Their prices are cheap, their selection is huge and their employees are friendly. D and I can make an afternoon here.

Honorable Mention
11. IKEA Seattle

D does not agree with me on this one, hence it not making the official list. I will miss IKEA because we won't have one around us for a while and I genuinely enjoy IKEA. D, however, genuinely does not enjoy it.

Visit From Trick and Mel

The Space Needle.

D and my parents at the top of the Needle.

My parents came out to visit us this past weekend and we were able to do the fun touristy things in Seattle that we haven't had a chance to do yet. We went to the original REI store in Seattle and followed that up by hitting the top of the Space Needle!

We stayed in a cool hotel downtown and went out to P.F. Changs for dinner, which was exactly what I had been craving! Yum! On Saturday there was the Seattle Urban Race (not sure of the exact name) and it looked super fun. My dad talked to the race organizers and they were telling him some of the things the teams had to do. The first stop was one of a few bars and they had to taste several different beers and choose the one that matched what they were looking for. Then they had to ride public transportation and complete a Sudoku puzzle. Throughout the course of the day we saw a lot of different teams running around the city and eventually we somehow ended up at the finish line when the final team was finishing!

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning we hit up Pike Place Market and the original Starbucks store. Sunday morning we went there for breakfast and between the 4 of us, we polished off 3 dozen of the freshly-made mini donuts. They were to die for! Some of them were plain (and piping hot) while others had powdered sugar, chocolate and sprinkles, and cinnamon sugar all over them. Yum!