The Seattle Blog 🪐

I never gave an actual answer. It was always “it’s very different” Or “it rains all the time here!” or “the sun sets at 10 pm!!” Or “it’s a big change for me” or “there’s NO people here?!?” In May, whenever someone asked me “do you like Seattle?” i never gave an actual “I do’ or ‘I don’t’ answer. ⁉

Don’t get me wrong. For the most part, I was super excited to come here. I’d seen so many vlogs and made a list of all the places I must visit when I’m here. But there was a little part of me that was bummed about leaving New York too. And that part was grinning when I landed here because it wouldn’t stop raining! I was prepared for a “summer in Seattle” but little did I know that “summer” here starts only in July! And so, for the better part of a month, I was met with gloomy weather. It rained when I went to buy groceries for the first time. It rained when I went to my office for the first time. I had to wear the only jacket I had carried with me for over a month every day. The few weeks of pleasant spring weather I’d been enjoying in New York was lost in the blink of an eye (and a 6 hour long flight but you get the point) So I was allowed to be a bit bummed and question the universe that “is this what you made me leave New York for?” (well an internship actually, but in this weather??? - mind you, this is considered “the best time to visit Seattle” lol). 🌥️

The only thing that I could enjoy here while it rained (which I also loved doing in New York) was walking. Believe it or not, Seattle is the second most walkable city in the United States, right behind New York (or third - I’m in a flight with no wifi so I can’t fact check this ><) Even when it rained, I walked to nearby places. I walked to green lake in U district when it was drizzling. I walked to Lake Union on my way home from my office when it was pouring. And I enjoyed my mandatory cup of chai in the evenings when it was gloomy and cold outside. Who am I kidding, I LOVE rains! I’m from Mumbai for crying out loud! I was just in the “denial” phase. I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that the city looked pretty when it rained and I liked the city when it rained. ⛈️

Anyways, this went on for a while, on and off, rain and shine. More rain than shine. But, one interesting thing which takes away brownie points from New York and gives them to Seattle is that even though it rained all week and made commute to work a literal struggle, it never rained on the weekends! Yes, you heard me. In New York, there came a time where for eight consecutive weeks, it rained during the weekend but stayed completely clear on weekdays, which, you guessed it, is quite annoying. And if I was in denial before, I was “bargaining” now. I was looking out for “reasons I MIGHT like Seattle.” I was actually putting an effort to enjoy my twelve weeks in Seattle. I let out a sigh and admitted it to myself (not out loud, just internally) that this little break from the chaos into nature might actually do me some good. And to make sure I don’t waste this opportunity whining, I decided to turn on my “Dora the explorer mode” and visit every goddamn place the city has to offer just to have more reasons before I could admit the same thing out loud. And this lead to me, along with the one close friend I made in Seattle, actually successfully covering every “must visit” spot in Seattle. So if you’re looking for a perfect itinerary for a twelve week trip to Seattle, this is your place! (Can be done in 12 days too but only if you’re as enthusiastic of a walker as we are :)) 🏃🏻‍♀️

Started with the place everyone starts with - Pike Place Market. As soon as we entered, we were met with a cute European vibe with the most enticing pastry shops, aesthetic vintage stores, cobble stone paths, and THE Seattle photo-op location - the Pike Place Sign. For the first time in ten days, I saw people. I saw a crowd and I had to maneuver a crowd. It felt so good to be annoyed by people who walk slow and occupy the entire sidewalk!! Pike place coffee, the best cheesecake, the gum wall, and five floors of the randomest stores marked the end of the first weekend of my “consideration” phase. After every high, comes a low, naturally, sine curve and all that. So the second weekend, I jinxed the good weather and it rained. Heavily. Not much exploration but we still walked and had coffee. At Starbucks, which, was established in Seattle! I might have been to Starbucks only once in my eight months in NYC, but here, my weekend would be incomplete without a mandatory mocha cookie crumble. And this ritual started in the second weekend when it rained and we made no big plans so I’m not too mad about it to be honest. ☕️

The streak of sunny, summery weekends continued the following week and that meant, we were taking a ferry! Bainbridge island it was. To see a city’s skyline, you need to go away from the city and this was the best way we could have seen the skyline because in all honesty, Seattle had to compete with New York and Mumbai when it came to skylines and (whispers) there isn’t much that we were working with. I mean, I went and saw the space needle on my third day here up close bit it was so underwhelming that I totally forgot to mention it above! Anyways, we were on the topic of Bainbridge. ⛴️ From the ferry though, I could actually appreciate the Seattle skyline a bit. From afar, it did look good-ish. So I wasn’t bummed. The island though, was something else. It had hills, uphills, beaches, lakes, forests-areas, city-like areas, quaint neighborhoods, biking paths, museums, and most importantly, a cafe where I had the BEST toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and iced latte of my LIFE! We walked and walked and walked some more, shopped at the prettiest stores, met a cat in an apothecary store, and sat by the water just taking it all in. Weekend three, a success, and a transition from my “consideration” phase to the “acceptance” phase. I actually felt happy to be here because I couldn’t imagine going on with my life without knowing that such a place exists. 🏝️

Week four, rained again, no surprises there. But I managed to walk around Fremont and saw the troll! I went alone but it was so worth the 50 minute walk! There was a group of three friends there, who had also come to see the troll, and they asked me if I could click a picture of them, which for me is the highest of honors! I obviously obliged with a big smile on my face. The sweet woman out of the three asked if I wanted a picture and I, at first said, “thank you, but I’m good!” She insisted, I heisted, but then I said fuck it, I do actually want to remember that I came here all alone and enjoyed the walk and weather and I did give her my phone to click a picture of me. As terrible and drenched in rain and sweat as I looked, I was happy. This only used to happen to me in New York - roaming around exploring alone and being happy. And when I realized it, I was a little proud of myself. Proud for finally giving in and starting to accept the city for what it is and beginning to love it. And hence, weekend four was where the fun began. The part where I was enthusiastic to make a plan every weekend and actually excited to like the place a pit more. 🤍

From then, every Saturday night we made a quick plan for Sunday without giving it much thought so that we don’t back out and sign ourselves up for a few surprises. 16th June it was Discover Park, where we ended up walking a lot without knowing we were hiking. 🏞️ 23rd June it was Kerry Park, where I fought for my life climbing up yet another uphill, all worth it because the view was to die for (not literally but it sounded fun to write.) 30th June was Gasworks park, where all I could blurt out every 10 seconds was “Did you know 10 things I hate about you was shot here???” 4th of July, which wasn’t technically a weekend but felt like one, I went on my first ever hike which was actually a trek disguised as a hike. 🏔️I died the tiniest death climbing up the Tiger mountains to poo poo point but man was it so so so so worth it and rewarding. Having sour patch kids on the way up must have been the highlight of this day, only second to mustering up courage later that night to go and watch the fireworks over Lake Union. 🎆
Eight weeks in, with every major tourist spot covered and experience had, I realized that all that is left for me in this city is to live in it like a native. Switch off the tourist-explorer part of myself and turn on the part where I can, at least temporarily, call myself a Seattle-ite. How does that happen? Well, that happens when you move on from the “acceptance” phase to the “oh shit, I’m starting to get attached” phase. That shit is dangerous let me tell you that. What comes with this phase is having a routine, a fixed waling route, a fixed coffee order, a fixed menu for the week, and on weekends, making quiet plans instead of extravagant ones - going to a new cafe or restaurant, meeting with friends just because everyone had a busy week at their “job,” having a preferred place for fruits and a separate one for snacks and vegetables. So a few visits to the Cheesecake Factory, Danbo Ramen, Cafe on the Ave, Honest Indian restaurant and any and every Starbucks lead me straight down the path called attachment at the end of which, the only thing that comes is a bittersweet, heartbreaking (but not the bad kind), goodbye. ❤️‍🩹

Week 12 - stressed presentations and final reviews concluded my internship and with that, my time in Seattle. After leaving the office on Friday at 8 pm instead of the regular 6 pm (reluctantly,) in the Lyft back home, as the sun was setting, I teared up. Phase: Separation Anxiety. After ending our adventures of plans at the place where we started - pike place, by visiting the original Starbucks store and buying souvenirs, there was no discussion on “where are we going next weekend?” Or “where do we eat next Friday?” It was just “which flight are you catching back?” And “are you all packed?” Yep, all that was left was to, yet again, pack my entire life in three suitcases and a box and prepare to leave a place which had, yet again, just started feeling like home. I did just that, somehow, in the next 24 hours and before I knew it, I was dragging my suitcases through the street from my apartment to the subway, the same way I had Brough them in the day I landed in Seattle. Full circle. I stared out the train on the ay to the airport, with just a big smile on my face, few tears in my eyes, and all the gratitude in my heart for this chance, to have experienced what life in Seattle could look like. ✨

If you ask me the same question now, in August, if you ask me “Did you have a good time in Seattle?” my answer would be yes, I like Seattle, and I had an amazing time here. It might not bring me as much excitement and joy as New York used to but it brings me a kind of peace and warmth that New York never did. Which is not a bad thing about New York, don’t get me wrong. I’d much rather prefer constant chaos than calm. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I would have loved to be here a just a while longer. I would have loved to go on one more hike. I would have loved to try out one more restaurant in Capitol Hill. I would have loved to walk by Lake Union or Green lake one more time. I wish I had started appreciating the city a bit sooner than I did. Maybe then I would have had that “one more day” where I celebrated the city instead of tolerating it (get it?? Get the song reference?? 👀) And since that’s not the case. Since I already am on my way to New York with my heart breaking into a thousand pieces and a pit in my stomach, I sure do hope I get to come back here. At least one more time. If for nothing else but one more “weekend plan.” 🧿

Byeee!  🪐