Spring Break in Seattle
This Spring Break, I visited Seattle for my third time. This time, I followed my friends’ recommendations and planned the trip around coffee, bookstores, and technology.
Here goes my two-day retreat in Seattle!
Day 1
10am: Sky view Observatory (701 5th Ave Floor 73, Seattle WA 98104)
My trip started with a panoramic view from the Columbia Center that Wesley recommended. There was a cafe with nice seating on the 74th floor that reminded me of the Taipei 101 Observatory. Though I didn’t have time to come back at night, I am sure the view would’ve been spectacular. Don’t miss out this great place right at the heart of downtown Seattle!
- Fun fact: The building is twice the height of the Space Needle.
11am: Seattle Underground Tour (614 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104)
I got a ticket after reading lots of great reviews and getting Cam’s stamp of approval. The tour was surprisingly packed on a Monday morning. We went up a few stairs and walked around the Seattle neighborhood. It was great to tour around the underground of Seattle and learn about the original picture of the city. There is also a special version of the tour — check out the website for the availability!
12:30pm: The Elliott Bay Book Company (1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122)
I fell in love with this bookstore after my last visit with Sharon. What is special about this bookstore are their staff recommendations and bookstands. You can find handwritten notes sprinkled throughout the bookstore, an excellent variety of books, and even a place to sit down and play board games. What more? Like any solid bookstore, they have a brilliant little cafe as well!
4pm Amazon Tour (2121 7th Avenue)
The Amazon tour is a must. You can either register to join a group or take the audio tour at your own pace. It is really amazing to see how Amazon deliberately planned their campus at the center of the city. My biggest recommendation is to visit with an Amazon employee, otherwise your experience may be limited to just the lobby and visitor’s space.
Download the Amazon Go app and check out the store! As promised, you can simply go in, shop for items, walk out, and your receipt will show up after around 15 minutes later. I am really curious about the technology behind the nobody store. Though it is said that the technology relies on computer vision and image recognition, I suspect that the they rely on something more than the sensors and camera. Otherwise, how could they charge the right customers if they put on a jacket or cover their face as they shop for items? Even if the app is able to track the user’s location and match it with the items, what would happen if two people stand really close and reach across to get the items in front of the other person? There were also a few staff members around, perhaps making sure customers are not trying to trick the system.
6pm: Dinner at Agrodolce
Thanks to Zach’s recommendation, I had a great Italian dinner with fresh salmon, pasta, and organic veggies from the local farmers.
Day 2
After a day of sightseeing, I spent the second day with friends and food.
Gigi is doing well as always — so glad to catch up!
Then, I went to the University Village to enjoy my favorite Taiwanese food with Andrew. As always, Din Tai Fung was full of people in line for high-quality food. Amazon Books is also sitting on the corner for people to kill some waiting time.
This is not a sponsored post.
This is just a foodie sharing her love with the world.
Appetizer
I love the light taste of the seaweed in the vinegar dressing. It’s not too filling and is perfect for the start of great meal.
Soup Dumplings (aka XiaoLongBao)
Din Tai Fung is known for its juicy Xiao Long Bao. Truffle & Pork has always been my favorite as only a few places could get Truffle right. As advised by the waiter, be sure to taste it with a new pair of utensils so that you can indulge in the pure flavor of truffle. This serving was definitely the highlight of my meal!
Noodles & Wontons
This is a hidden gem! I didn’t know how good these wontons are until I tried it last winter. Though it is called spicy sauce, the spice is surprisingly mild and perfect for the wontons. If you haven’t tried this at Din Tai Fung, be sure to give it a try next time.
The minced pork sauce is great and reminds me of my beloved minced pork rice. I really like the bite of the pork sauce and the tenderness of the noodles.
Fried Rice
Honestly, I was surprised by the quality of pork chop here in Seattle, as it was even juicier than the one I had in Taiwan. I would normally order an extra bowl of white rice to have with fried rice, but this pork chop fried rice stands alone perfectly well.
Greens
Din Tai Fung is really good at veggies — spinach, cabbage, all kinds of greens are well prepared. They are also not oily like some other Chinese restaurants, so don’t forget to check out their vegetables!
Dessert
I usually don’t get boba, but I decided to give it a try since Din Tai Fung doesn’t serve boba in Taiwan. I am glad that I tried it out, tasty as expected!
Campus Tour: University of Washington
Andrew gave me a campus tour around the University of Washington. I am so in love with the gorgeous campus!
That’s a wrap for my Seattle Trip. Hope you enjoy! :)
