All in Seattle

Willows Lodge

Willows Lodge

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Weekend, Seattle

In the heart of downtown Woodinville there is a wonderful gem tucked away between the winerys and farms called Willows Lodge. My husband and I recently sent our son off to his grandparent's house and stayed at Willows Lodge for a little weekend escape. Once we arrived at the property we were pleased with the calming decor, inviting color palette and impeccable service. Growing up on the Eastside I regularly visited Woodinville, but after moving to Seattle I have not spent much time in Woodinville. In the past, I have never considered vacating the city for a night to relax, recharge and reconnect with my husband on the Eastside. However, now that I have experienced it I not only see the benefits, but am eagerly planning our next weekend getaway. 

A day trip to Vashon Island

A day trip to Vashon Island

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Weekend, Seattle

Saturdays are our day to explore as a family. Although Jasper and I do a lot of exploring during the week we usually are missing the key member of our trio- Dad! We try to leave early in the morning and are gone for the majority of the day. I know Saturdays are a popular day for staying at home and getting stuff done, but having fun and enjoying one another's company will always trump chores and responsibilities for me. All the other days of the week get filled up with work, church and other obligations, but Saturdays are our day for fun. A couple Saturdays ago we hopped on a ferry and went over to Vashon Island for the day. Even though we live a mere five minutes from the ferry terminal surprisingly we have only done this a couple other times over the past eight years of living in West Seattle. We packed a picnic lunch and knew we wanted to visit a handful of places. Our primary goal was to visit Point Robinson Park, but we knew we also wanted to grab an ice cream cone from Glass Bottle Creamery and stop by the Farmer's market. 

From South Lake Union to Gasworks Park

From South Lake Union to Gasworks Park

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

One Saturday we set out for the city with our only agenda to be outside and have fun. What ensued was a day of firsts, discovering new gems of our fair and city and stopping for good eats along the way. Our first stop was the Center for Wooden Boats. We had hoped to rent their paddleboat, but unfortunately it was still broken so instead we headed over to the MOHAI to watch the seaplanes come and go and the sailboats dance around Lake Union. 

Spring time at Pike Place Market

Spring time at Pike Place Market

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Pike Place Market is a big tourist destination in Seattle, but it is still one of my favorite places to go for gorgeous fresh flowers and reasonably priced vegetables. Especially now that I have a toddler in tow, I try to be strategic about when I visit and I try to keep the length of my trip to a minimum. Although Jasper is a very social little boy, I have noticed he starts to get stressed and anxious if a place is too busy or chaotic. My favorite time to visit is in the morning between 9:30-11am or after the lunch rush from 2-4pm. As a general rule of thumb, the sunnier it is outside the busier the market tends to be. 

A walk around the neighborhood

A walk around the neighborhood

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Outdoor adventures, Seattle

I don't know about you, but we are so excited Spring is here! We have been craving longer days, warmer temperatures and are currently in the process of planting as many vegetables as we can in our little plot at our community garden. We are day dreaming of window boxes overflowing with flowers, wearing flip flops and not having to wear a jacket for the foreseeable future. As of late, we have enjoyed getting out as much as possible and exploring every nook and cranny in our neighborhood. Our little man is all business when he is exploring and I would not have it any other way.

An annual tradition: Cherry blossoms at the University of Washington

An annual tradition: Cherry blossoms at the University of Washington

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Every March we make our annual pilgrimage to my alma mater to see the cherry blossoms trees. Since the window to witness them in their full glory is relatively short, it is usually quite crowded- but fun nonetheless. You will see people taking engagement photos, pregnancy photos and just photos in general. This year we witnessed a sweet little baby in full UW cheerleading attire being held by the world's proudest papa. Just like that I am reminded how each of us thinks we love our children more than the next person and how in that moment we feel like the luckiest person alive. Life is grand, muddy puddles, wind storms and March who acts like a defiant toddler never wanting to decide between whether it wants to be Winter or Spring or both. 

The Conservatory

The Conservatory

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

All this wild weather we have been experiencing lately called for a trip to the Volunteer Park Conservatory. I love this little escape in the city and that for an hour or so I can be transported to a warmer, lush climate.

Come on Spring, I am ready for you!

The company you keep

The company you keep

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

I have had the privilege of being part of a few friendships which have spanned a majority of my lifetime. One particular friend I met in junior high and we have stayed close ever since. She married young and had children much sooner than I. Now, as her children are reaching a delightfully independent age they are eager and excited to spend time with my little one. I have known these children their entire lives, but seeing them with my son and the excitement and love they exude makes my heart melt. I know it is cliche to say "everything happens for a reason", but I am grateful for all the built in role models Jasper has been blessed with so far in his life. Seeing how kind and thoughtful these two are makes me eager to see all the good they will accomplish in this world. 

Spring time in Seattle

Spring time in Seattle

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

I know it is not technically Spring, but it has certainly felt like it the past couple of weeks. We have enjoyed the warmer weather immensely and have tried to spend a majority our of day outside when time permits. The bonus of being a Northwest native, is unless it is pouring rain than I consider it a good day to be outside. Jasper is completely content to spend as much time as possible outside where he likes to spot all the birds, planes and dogs he sees. These days there is also no greater thrill than his shadow or the brush of the wind on his cheeks. All these things combined make it both completely fun and utterly invigorating to be outside.

Family date to the Seattle Aquarium

Family date to the Seattle Aquarium

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

Now that Jasper is so mobile, it is fun to see what new things he discovers with each visit to the Seattle Aquarium. This time it was the little cut out in the window he repeatedly delighted putting his hand in and out of, last time it was the harbor seals and every time he is fascinated by the white spotted jellyfish. I appreciate how their is an indoor and outdoor area to the aquarium which makes it appealing for both rainy and overcast days. We love being outside and don't mind getting rained on, but it is also nice to be able to come back inside and warm up a bit before heading back out. Jasper has opened my eyes to a whole other side of the aquarium I would not think to appreciate it and that is its prime waterfront location. He loves standing on the dock by the harbor seals watching the cars zoom by on 99, the helicopters and birds fly around in the sky and the ferries and sailboats cruise by on the water.

Filson

Filson

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

For those of you who haven't heard Filson opened a new flagship store in the same building where they develop, sample, cut and sew their goods. This store is extra special not only for its location, but because they offer some limited edition items not available anywhere else. A couple weeks ago we finally paid a visit to the new Filson flagship store in SODO.  Once inside the large wooden doors we were greeted with a two story photo of Iditarod dogs. To say my dog obsessed son was delighted at this sight is the understatement of the year. Drawn into the space by this photograph, we made our way up the winding staircase to reach the main floor of retail. The vibe was masculine and moody, but I immediately felt at home in the space. Between the juxtaposition of steel against the exposed wood beams, the richness of the leather and coziness of the plaid it was a very inviting space. Even the taxidermy felt luxurious and thoughtfully placed.  As we spent the following hour searching high and low for the perfect gift for Cameron, I made note to return to this wonderful space soon.  My only critique would be that I wished they had a children's section. My little mountain man would look awful handsome matching his Dad in one of those plaid shirts.  

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Jasper has reached the age where he is super engaged and interested in all the places we go. He is no longer interested in napping in the stroller or being carried in the Ergo so rather than an accessory to my every day he is an active and interested partner in crime. In an effort to capitalize on this period of time in our lives and engage his brain in new and exciting ways I have made it a point to devote two days a week to outings. Living so close to downtown Seattle we have a wide array of interesting places at our disposal ie. parks, outdoor markets, museums, children theater etc. I have decided to invest in a few annual passes and then just try my best to make the most of what is around me. We can only visit the local park for an hour or two a couple of days a week before we are both bored and in need of additional stimulation. 

Volunteer Park Cafe

Volunteer Park Cafe

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

There are so many places in Seattle I repeatedly hear about and the Volunteer Park Cafe is one of those places. Since we have never visited before, we made it a point to stop by last Saturday for brunch. When we arrived, I was surprised to see just how far the line to order stretched out the door. Once inside, the large, bustling communal tables gave the place a real sense of community. Parking was a breeze, the food was delicious and there were so many tantalizing options on the menu I am certain we will be back soon. I ordered the Bacon, Arugula and Fontina quiche, Cameron enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, Jasper had a Cherry Almond scone and we all fought over the Chocolate Chip Toffee cookie. 

Washington Park Arboretum in the Winter

Washington Park Arboretum in the Winter

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

It is easy to think in the middle of Winter that everything is brown and dead at the Washington Park Arboretum, but with our temperate climate nothing could be farther from the truth. The Washington Park Arboretum has 230 acres of land with a wide assortment of plants, many found nowhere else. The Washington Park Arboretum is operated jointly by the University of Washington and the City of Seattle and is immaculately taken care of. There is a beautiful camellia garden bursting with different shades of pink and white and the crocuses are beginning to pop up along with the magnolia trees getting their flower buds. It is a fragrant time of year too and if I knew a bit more about flowers I could tell you exactly what I was smelling. The other fantastic part of Winter at the Arboretum is that its relatively vacant in comparison to Spring and Summer, so if you don't mind donning a warm coat and hat you can have the place pretty much to yourself. 

Lunch date to Oddfellows

Lunch date to Oddfellows

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

All of the sudden my little baby has turned into a walking, talking, dog loving, board book aficionado and I could not be prouder. Just when I think he has reached the best age, a month goes by and he becomes even more delightful. Last week, as I was admiring how his new haircut made him look older I reflected on the past fifteen months. Often, it is hard to imagine what life was like prior to his arrival. He fills my days with laughs, giggles, smiles and the occasional display of independence. It is an honor to have a front row seat to see the person he is going to become, to be his safe haven and the recipient of his endless affection.  He is the friendliest, most outgoing guy I know and for as little as he is he has a heart the size of an elephant. 

General Porpoise

General Porpoise

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

For months I have seen enticing photos of General Porpoise all over Instagram.  One Saturday morning, Jasper and I finally visited to see what all the hype was about. What we found when we arrived was a light and bright interior, friendly staff, tantalizing favors, delicious donuts and about one million other reasons we will be returning again soon. The moment we sat down at the counter and I gave Jasper his Vanilla Custard doughnut he was all business about devouring it. It was like he couldn't believe his good fortune in getting such a special treat all to himself. Little did he know I was silently savoring my Chocolate Marshmallow all to myself too. I love how social media has helped create a buzz of support for these little places dotted around the city. We can't wait to return and try all the other flavors very soon.

Rainy mornings at the Seattle Aquarium

Rainy mornings at the Seattle Aquarium

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

As of late, we have made a concerted effort to use of our Seattle Aquarium membership. When we purchased it I thought we would go all the time, but before we know it months have gone by and we are missing out on all the fun happenings at the aquarium. On any given day there are animal presentations, scheduled feedings and tank dives. In the handful of times we have visited we have seen both the octopus and otters feed, been able to touch a sea anemone or two, watched a scuba diver dance, feed the fish and give Jasper a high five and have learned more about fish and water mammals than I ever knew before. I know taking a toddler downtown can often be a bit of a hassle, but the expression on Jasper's face when he happily plays in the tide pools, or is a bit caught off guard when the seals swim is not something I can replicate at home. The Seattle Aquarium also offers Toddler Time a few times a month and I am looking forward to taking him one of these days. 

A staycation at the Palladian

A staycation at the Palladian

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

I have recently learned the joys associated with a staycation. I used to think in order for it to be considered a "real" vacation it needed to include a plan ride or a long drive. Now, especially as a parent to a small child; I understand vacations in a broader sense. A vacation can consist of a day or two away and all that needs to occur is a break from your normal routine. Basically, it is the adult equivalent to a child getting a day off from school and really just a good excuse to play hooky. A few days ago, my husband and I packed a small suitcase, sent our sweet little boy off to Grandma's and Grandpa's and for a couple days and enjoyed the perks of hotel living at The Palladian and being a tourist in our own town. 

Visiting Santa

Visiting Santa

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

For the second year in a row we took Jasper for the obligatory Santa photo. Since Jasper was so small last year it wasn't much of a feat to have him happily sit on Santa's lap, but this year we were uncertain how he was going to react this year. This year we also planned ahead forewent the three hour wait and visited Santa at a time he was less busy.

South Lake Union during the holidays

South Lake Union during the holidays

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Downtown Seattle is such a fun and vibrant place this time of year, but there is also a lot going on in other parts of the city. We wandered down to South Lake Union during our staycation over Black Friday and were delighted to find so much to see and do. There were ships open for touring with complimentary hot cocoa and coffee, choirs performing, and an opportunity to make and festively decorate your own wooden boat from the Center for Wooden Boats. The best part of all these activities, was they were either free or by small donation. 

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