Date Night: Indoor Skydiving in Seattle

While we were in Seattle for Thanksgiving, Jonah and I went on one of our date nights through HowAboutWe, a membership service that sets up dates designed to fit all sorts of interests. You just browse their site and pick the dates you like, they do the rest. So far we've made dumplings and heard Ira Glass talk, so for something completely different, we decided to give indoor skydiving a try.

First of all, I'm a scaredy-cat / major chicken, but Jonah seemed interested in the indoor skydiving date at iFly, so I decided to put on a brave face and give it go. I was anxious beforehand -- seriously, I cannot understand how people leap into the actual sky from actual planes -- but our instructor and everyone we encountered was friendly, professional and super excited, which of course, makes you feel super excited. We had a run-through on how your body should be positioned and hand signals to know so you can make adjustments, then suited up -- jumpsuit, earplugs, goggles and helmet. See how cool we look.

We each got two turns in the flight chamber. My first attempt was not the greatest. I was so concerned with my legs that I forgot to keep my chin up, which makes all the difference. I knew how to correct for my second attempt, which was much more enjoyable and awesome-looking. Random strangers even high-fived me when I was finished. We had so much fun! I can totally understand people going on repeat visits, learning more, improving and getting to do cool tricks. It was just enough adrenalin for my taste, the kind that makes you all happy and giggly. Speaking of giggly, our mid-air photos continue to be a source of amusement for everyone who sees them. I can't wait to force people to watch the DVD.




For our January date, I'm eyeing this at-home couples massage, this brewery tour and this drawing class at the Met. I can't wait for our next big night out. Interested in HowAboutWe? Sign up for free to browse their date options and be sure to use this link to get $50 off your first date!

Our date and this post were made possible by HowAboutWe.

Weekend in Photos

We enjoyed our last couple days in Seattle with family time, chicken and waffles (our favorite combo), a delicious cake, a walk through Discovery Park, lots of coffee and some amazing Indian food. Then we headed back to New York on the red-eye and went out to buy our Christmas tree after arriving home. Thank goodness I had the distraction of decorating to beat those post-vacation blues. Hope your holiday and weekend was as good as mine!

Breakfast in Seattle

While in Seattle, we visited Volunteer Park Cafe, one of our favorite spots with simple, yummy food like the brie, apple and lavender honey panini I had. Tucked in amongst houses on Capitol Hill, it truly is a neighborhood spot. I wish I could spend every morning there with a latte and the light that pours in through their windows.

Garden and Glass

While in Seattle, Jonah and I paid a visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass. It's an indoor and outdoor exhibition featuring Dale Chihuly's colorful, playful, breathtaking glass work. I loved seeing the pieces mingled with flowers and plant life. And the centerpiece of the exhibition, a glass house with an enormous suspended sculpture and the Space Needle overhead, is one of my new favorite things in Seattle.

Speaking of favorite things from Seattle, today is Jonah's birthday! Happy Birthday to the cutest, funniest, best guy I know. Party like you mean it!

[Jonah pic courtesy of Reams Photo]

Seattle in Photos

Our trip to Seattle was just perfect. The sun was shining, cherry blossoms were in bloom, every meal was delicious, and we had a great time visiting with family and watching our friends get married. Jonah and I spent some time in our old neighborhood. It was fun to reminisce and see how things have changed since we moved back to New York. We enjoyed meals at restaurants that were new to us, The Whale Wins, Hot Cakes and Gaudi, and visited old favorites like Volunteer Park Cafe and Top Pot Doughnuts. So much food and so many of our favorite people, no complaints from this happy, jet-lagged girl today.

Rainier Cherries

It's Rainier cherry season! These make me so very happy. They're lovely and sweet and remind me of my time spent living in the Seattle with its gorgeous summers and that one farmers market half a block away from my apartment. They rank right up there with watermelon and peaches on my favorite summer produce list.

The World is Your Oyster

I fell head over heels for a restaurant when we were back in Seattle. It's a cozy oyster bar tucked away in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood called The Walrus and the Carpenter. It's named after the Lewis Carroll poem, just one more thing to love about it. They serve simple, delicious small plates, great drinks and, of course, oysters. The Walrus is fairly small and they don't take reservations, so it took a while to get in, but was definitely worth the wait. We shared three varieties of oysters (although they had a lot more to choose from), fried Brussels sprouts, grilled sardines, speck served with ricotta and preserved pumpkin, and cheese with local honey. Everything tasted fantastic and the low-key atmosphere and quaint decor were welcoming on a cold, rainy night.