A Few of My Favorite Things

While I did not get to see The Sound of Music a couple of weeks ago, I have still heard Maria singing "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..." over and over in my head, because lately, I have discovered a few of my favorite things.

What favorite things would you hope to encounter in Seattle? For me, it would be books, coffee, and breathtaking landscapes. I think I may have found the best of all three :)

Books

With two little chicken wings that have still not started school, I am afraid I have not been able to peruse any old book shops located here in the city. Does anyone else have visions of beautifully bound covers falling onto the floor one after the other? However, I am not sure that any can compare to the one I've found at my virtual fingertips at Lanier's Books.

I feel honored to call Lanier my friend. I remember my Dad asking me the question, "Who are your role models in motherhood and homemaking?" It startled me because I think we, all of us, need a standard to look to in a world where these two callings are ever being challenged...but where do you look...Jennifer Anniston? Martha Stewart? Kate plus Eight? I am going to have to stop because I can feel a tangent coming on strong, but the bottom line is, Lanier is one of the very few people I was able to list.

I wrote about a trip I had to her house, here, if you want to get a better picture of her gracious nature and homemaking prowess (Consider yourself warned: It was before I was into taking pictures--there are none. There are a lot of over-the-top descriptions though :)) Lanier is also a great reader and a writer. It was through her, via my friend Lauren, that I learned there were actually authors out there, besides Jane Austen, who could make my heart pound out of my chest and release my imagination to gloried heights. So, learning that she was opening a book shop was one of the most exciting pieces of news I've had in a long time. Have you ever walked into a store and known that you would delight in every. single. item. on the shelf???? That's a dangerous place to be :)

These are my first two selections:

And I've told Jeremiah he will never again have to worry about finding me a birthday or Christmas present. "Just email Lanier from now on..." I told him.

Coffee

I have found that coffee here is very serious business. Yes, it is the home of Starbucks, but I have seen quite a few local noses lifted high in the air over the thought of the franchise. Apparently it is not the gold standard I thought it to be...not even close. I am not sure if you should trust me (in my opinion you should not trust the palate of a girl who craves Taco Bell and Quarter Pounders with Cheese), but I have talked to a person or two who seem to have a much more developed palate than my own. Vivace is the favorite if you want to stop in off the street, but Storyville is the best delivered to your door.

Azurae took me for a tour of Storyville's "roasting studio" on Bainbridge Island, and it felt a little bit like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for coffee. Dream a coffee dream and we can make it come true...

Everything is so well done. Pristine and beautiful...and a lot of fun in there too. Lots of interesting people and art and music and big Apple computers that make things look super official. I kind of wanted to ask if they needed any extra help. Like maybe I could be the one to play the piano while the beans are roasting...

No, you don't do that? Well, could I drive the little forklift thingey?

OR run the roaster?

Or stamp the freshness date on each bag?

Or drive the delivery vans?

Really, I'd be willing to do any of the above if you'd keep letting me drink the coffee :) No, you'd just like me to please exit quietly with my children before they break everything in here?

It really was the most flavor I've ever tasted in a cup of coffee, without the bitter dregs left on my tongue. They told me that feeling means the beans are burned...I think that's what they said anyway. Their theory is that it is actually cheaper and more efficient in the long run, to brew a really great cup of coffee yourself, than it is to go out and buy it in a coffee shop one cup at a time. You should try a bag of your very own, but be sure and watch their video on how to make a proper cup first. My gracious! Did you know there was so much to coffee?!

Breathtaking Landscapes
If you followed along on our journey out here, you may remember me talking about how the last stretch of interstate into Seattle was the prettiest part of the drive, to me. We were a little too busy praying/feeling completely overwhelmed for me to take pictures then. However, a couple of weekends ago (on our way back from Leavenworth) we made that same drive west on I90 through the Snoqualmie National Forest. I had my camera ready this time (Although it was getting too late for our hungry children for us to stop, so these were all taken while holding my camera above my head out the top of Jeremiah's jeep...hence the blurs and the tail-lights)