STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERS

You can add Stumptown to the ever growing list of wonder coffee places in Seattle. Though, a Portland based company, Seattle has embraced their mission and product with open arms. The coffee is great, let's get that out of the way. The overall vibe of Stumptown is second to none. The friendliness is warm, but also hard. Nothing over the top or froufrou, but straight to the point and "chill." The company's branding has this type of feel to it, as well. You'll know what I am talking about when you step foot into one of their shops.

Locaton: 616 E Pine St - Capitol Hill - Seattle, WA
Notes: Second location on 12th,

by A. Barrera

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SALUMI

Watch this, then go to Salumi. They are an amazing cured meats spot that serves up lots of deliciousness in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. The city is very fortunate to have such an establish, Salumi could possibly be the best in the country in regards to cured meats. I'll let you decide. Their non-cured items are just as superb.

The lunch time line could be a bit discouraging, but definitely worth the wait.

(food pictured below: meatball sandwich)




Locaton: 309 3rd Avenue South - Pioneer Square - Seattle, WA
Notes: Worth the wait, closed on the weekends.

by A. Barrera

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PASEO

The line is typically long, but many times only deceiving to the mind. Paseo is ranked somewhere in the top 3 of Seattle sandwich spots on any list you read. Definitely a bold statement, but I rank them the same way. Their notoriety is just as impressive as their food. Their Caribbean sandwiches are highly tasty and worth the wait. Paseo is all about their sandwiches, nothing more nothing less.

(food pictured below: Caribbean Roast Sandwich) Location: 4225 Fremont Avenue North - Fremont - Seattle, WA

Notes: 2nd location in Ballard, worth the wait, cash only

by A. Barrera

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SEATTLE CENTRAL LIBRARY

A cool structure by Koolhaas. Downtown Seattle has quite of few unique structures in it's skyline. The Space Needle obviously stands out from the rest, but Frank Gehry's EMP and the historic Smith Tower are quite unique, as well. Seattle's Central Library can also be thrown in the discussion.  The multi-level library features an all glass exterior, cutting edge interior, and an entire floor painted in red. The library is highly state of the art with the 400 computers it houses, and it's conveyer belt book return. A great place to visit and get inspiration from. Definitely worth checking out.











Location: 1000 4th Ave - Downtown - Seattle, WA
Notes: Bring a camera, go to the reading room and red floor

by A. Barrera

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BRUCE LEE GRAVE

The master and his son. Bruce Lee defined martial arts. He is an icon and a legend, and is also from Seattle. He and his son, Brandon, were laid to rest at Capitol Hill's Lake View Cemetery. I highly suggest visiting their grave site. The impact Bruce Lee had on the world remains untouched and you experience this at his tomb. People fly thousands of miles to bring him flowers and gifts. His tomb is usually covered with these items daily. It is truly remarkable to see.

Location: 1554 15th Avenue East - Capitol Hill - Seattle, WA
Notes: Located near the flag pole, expect to run into someone also paying their respect.

by A. Barrera

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EVENTS: DO OVER

Being a Los Angelese native, it was a must that I attend the Do Over when it made it's way up to Seattle. Do Over events usually consists of surprise guest DJ's playing amazing music. Seattle's version met all minimum standards. It was great to see J-Rocc and Nosaj Thing represent LA in the North West. As usual, J-Rocc played everything under the sun and mixed songs together like their meant to be. Nosaj had a smooth vibe with some chill wave and trap beats.


Location: 1625 Broadway Ave - Capitol Hill - Seattle, WA
Notes: 9/29/12, chill day at the park, great music and vibe.

by A. Barrera

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WING LUKE MUSEUM

Wing Luke was the first Asian American elected to office in the State of Washington. He fought for civil rights and equality. The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience was named in his honor. The museum focuses on issues related to the culture, art and history of Asian Pacific Americans.











Location: 719 South King Street - International District - Seattle, WA
Notes: Great exhibit on furniture maker, George Nakashima, going on now.

by A. Barrera

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UMI SAKE HOUSE

Fresh to death. It's hard to say which sushi spot is the best in Seattle. They're all unique and wonderful in their own right. I can say Umi is definitely top tier though, if not the best. Fresh fish and great food? That's a give in. The vibe, presentation, and energy that Umi has is what I like, as well. They have a great balance of all those elements, which gives you a unique experience. Try the Hamachi Kama.









Location: 2230 1st Ave - Belltown - Seattle, WA
Notes: Happy hour is legit, typically busy on Fri and Sat, hamachi kama (fried yellowtail collar) is my go-to dish.

by A. Barrera

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VESSEL

I never got a chance to experience Vessel when they were on 5th Ave, so I made a strong effort to drop by the new Olive Way location for their soft opening. Vessel could easily be the best bar I've ever been to. The space is sleek and dark, decor is minimal. The drinks were perfect, literally. The "Jesus Sazerac" I had was top-notch; taste, potency, and blend was unbelievable. I'm curious to taste the other concoctions they mix up on the permanent menu, so expect an updated post really soon.











Location: 624 Olive Way - Downtown - Seattle, WA
Notes: Ice cutting room is appreciated, (Malin+Goetz) hand soap in the restroom was a nice surprise, beer nuts were tasty.

by A. Barrera

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CHIHULY GARDEN AND GLASS

Massive and mind blowing. This pretty much sums up the Dale Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit at Seattle Center. It is said to be the largest and most comprehensive Chihuly collection in the world. The exhibit gives you a trippy, cloud 9 feel with all the colors and the complexities of his work, but without the potential bad trip. I highly recommend checking this out.















Location: 305 Harrison St - Queen Anne - Seattle, WA
Notes: bring a camera, the garden lights up in the evening.

by A. Barrera

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TAT'S DELICATESSEN

Hands down the best Philly cheesesteak spot in the entire Pacific Northwest. I've never been to Philadelphia, but from what I've been told, Tat's is as authentic as it gets. Even the specific ordering lingo is important to nail down (whiz, hots, wit, prov). A custom cheesesteak or the Tat'strami are my two favorites. They're sure to be meaty and enormous, so bring an appetite!

(food pictured below: 8" steak wit hots, sweets, and prov)







Location: 159 Yesler Way - Pioneer Square - Seattle, WA
Notes: Expect a long lunch time line during the week, daily sandwiches are worth a try, take a peek at their line cam for an idea of wait times, closed on Sun unless the Seahawks are playing.

by A. Barrera

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INSIGHT: RAINIER BEER

Rainier Beer is an old local favorite that has recently grown in popularity outside of Washington. "Vitamin R," as some may call it, can be found at many fine and not so fine establishments in Seattle. The 16oz tallboy can is typically the standard offering. The taste is average, but the price is well below average. It's cheap and it does the trick. Make sure to try one when you visit Seattle.



by A. Barrera

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SKILLET DINER

As you can see from most of my food related posts, I like comfort food. Skillet Diner is comfort food, but amazingly good. It all started with a vintage Airstream trailer and a goal to be unique. They've successfully remixed the traditional American cuisine by only using ingredients local to the area, and by having a progressive direction with their revolving menu. I call it "quality comfort."

Breakfast for dinner is always an option here and so are the chicken and waffles, which I don't turn down anywhere.

(food pictured below: Cornmeal waffle with pork belly + fried egg and poutine)










Location: 1408 E Union St # 126 - Capitol Hill - Seattle, WA
Notes: The burger is also really good, the skillet street trailers are always around, look into the bacon spread.

by A. Barrera

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