Welcome to Seattle from Laura Robeck

Favorite Place for Romantic Dinner

Old Spaghetti Factory

We love the this place. There is one downtown by the piers--romantic sunset walk along the water front, dinner for two...ahhh...

Address: 2801 Elliott Ave
Phone: (206) 441-7724
Website: www.osf.com

Mamma Melina's

This little Italian place just south of 50th on Roosevelt was really good and wasn't extremely pricey either. They apparently have a pianist to serenade your dinner, but we didn't get to enjoy that. I think we went too early--5 or 5:30.

Address: 4759 Roosevelt Way NE (University District)
Phone: (206) 632-2271
Website: www.mammamelina.com

Favorite Cheap Place to Eat

It's not seattle specific, but our fav is Wendy's. Best 99 cent menu ever! The only one i know of is on Lake City and about 120th.

Favorite Park

Carkeek

Some toys for kids, some nice fields, great hiking/walking park! I think you can even go down to the beach when the tide is out, but be careful not to get stuck down there when it comes back in.

Address: 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd (northwest Seattle)
Website: www.seattle.gov/PARKS/environment/carkeek.htm

Favorite walk

Carkeek park (see above) or promenade along Lake Washington in Magnison Park. Really, really beautiful in fall or on a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier across the lake. There's a nice big hill not too far off the promenade in Magnison that apparently is good for flying kites too.

Address for Magnuson Park: 7400 Sand Point Way NE

Favorite Day Trip/Weekend Getaway

Hiking and camping at Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park. Great hikes, some short loops for the kids too. Beautiful forests!

Ferry rides to San Juan Islands or across the sound to the Olympic peninsula. Beautiful hikes in those places too. We've hiked Hurricane Ridge (Olympic National Park) and camped at Salt Creek Park (get a chance to find a bunch of sea creatures in tide pools) on the peninsula. Note: be careful when using cell phone there, we got charged for roaming on a Canadian network.

I don't remember the exact hikes we did on the San Juan Islands, but the ferry ride through all the islands was most beautiful!

Website for Rainier National Park: www.mount.rainier.national-park.com
Website for San Juan Islands: www.guidetosanjuans.com
Website for Olympic Peninsula: www.olympicpeninsula.org

Favorite Rainy Day Activity

Relaxing on the couch, bundled in a blanket with a book in hand, at least when my daughter (17 months) is taking a nap otherwise doesn't work so well. =) Love hot chocolate too! But we don't always keep a supply in our cupboards, which is probably good considering how many rainy days there are here.