Wedding Pics!

The official pics from Mitch:

Click here.

This is almost a complete version of what he sent us. (We omitted some pictures that could be duplicates. But there are plenty in there that are still duplicates.)

We'll send an email out or something.

Wedding Photos Part III

Here are the preliminary photos from Mitch:

Wedding Photos

We'll be expecting a bunch more when he gets back from South America.
As stated before. Feel free to put a link to your photos in the comments section.

Wedding Readings

If you are interested in the readings from the wedding they can be located on the internet.

The first reading (read by Khya) was The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.

The second, which we found online was a Salish wedding blessing. (read by Melissa) It can be found by scrolling down on this page. We liked it because of the sentiment, but also because it represents the native people of the place we now call home.

Photos - Part II

We won't be getting back our official photos until probably November...or something like that. So stay tuned for their arrival. (Mitch, who was the photographer will be on vacation until then...so won't be able to post them etc.) We should be getting the "top ten" or so in about a week and will hopefully post them to our corresponding Picasa site.

Some people have already shared their photos with us. If you are interested in sharing photos, please respond to this post with a comment and a link to where your pics are located online.

Thanks.

Photos

As you are probably not aware, we are not hiring a professional photographer. We have lots of talented friends, and are figuring we'll get all the shots we need from our friends who are taking pictures. So, if you want to join in the fun...bring a camera!

Parking

We were just at the location of our wedding for some final inspection. It was pointed out to us by a parks worker that parking may be an issue. While parking can be tight on Summer weekends in the park, we feel that it should not be too bad on a Saturday in September. (Assuming the weather next weekend isn't like this weekend, mid 80°s and sunny.)

So, there is a parking lot right near the bathhouse. There is another across the railroad tracks as well. (There is a tunnel under the RR tracks.) This satellite photo should help:


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If you can though, it may be recommended to take the bus, or carpool. Most likely out of towners will not be able to take the bus, but parking in the lot just east of the tracks is not a significantly longer walk. And judging from the satellite photo, no one is parked there compared to the full lot beach side. So, just a heads up. Get there early for good parking, or plan a bit of a walk.

Our House

If you plan to come to our house be prepared with the knowledge that it is difficult to see our house from the street. We have a heavily treed natural landscape front yard which obstructs the view of our house. While the door is red in this picture, it is currently white, and we hope to paint it red again before next week.

Also, parking in our neighborhood can be weird. Our neighbor frowns on anyone parking in front of her house, unless it is her children. We have space for four cars in front of our house, but we are using three. Perhaps we'll move cars to the next block if we know we'll have a lot of visitors. Jennifer warned the neighbor about people parking in front of her house, and there should be some opportunity to park across the street as well.

So, when coming to our house please carpool, take public transit, or ride a bike. (Walking is fine too.) Thanks.

Gifts?

People have been asking if we are registered. The short answer is no. We have established a household together and truthfully we have very few needs. Sincerely your presence is more than enough. We hope you bring your good cheer to the wedding, but do not feel obligated to bring a gift.

Thanks.

Travel Tips

First, if you are flying in and the weather is good. (It helps to have a window seat, but Gilbert prefers aisle seats.) Make sure to get a good look out to see Mount Rainier. Sometimes you come in further south and see Mt. Hood, or further north and see Mt. Baker or Glacier Peak. Sometimes the weather is so perfect and the flight path ideal to see Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helens. Plus wonderful views of the Olympic Mountains while landing. (Depending on what side of the plane you are on.) Obviously if it is night, you won't see anything. And if it is typical Seattle weather, you won't see anything other than clouds.

Second, assuming you are renting a car, the interstates in the Seattle metro area have a speed limit of 60mph. The farther away you get from Seattle, the speed tends to go up. (To 70mph about 30 miles east of Seattle on I90.) Local Seattle roads tend to have a speed limit of 20mph unless otherwise posted.

Third, the City of Seattle has been putting up a lot of new traffic light cameras in the last 18 months. There are signs warning motorists of them. Be careful.

Fourth, many of the highways in the King County Metro area have HOV lanes. (High Occupancy, or "Carpool" lanes.) These lanes are most often the far left lane and require two people to be in the car to use them. I believe they are 24 hours, and not just during rush hour. However, the stretch of Hwy 520 westbound just east of the floating bridge requires three or more people to be in the HOV lane. And it is the far right lane. Keep this in mind if you are staying on the "Eastside."

Fifth, there is an express lane through downtown Seattle to about milepost 175 or so on I5. It is reversible, which means it usually heads south in the AM, and north in the PM. Change over time seems to be around noon. The exit to our house is still Exit 173 regardless if you are in the express lanes or in the plebeian lanes.

Sixth, if you are staying on the east side, it is best to take Interstate 405 from the airport. Please note, it may actually say 405 south, but it dips south briefly before going north up the east side.

Seventh, watch this following video to be prepared for a four way stop sign intersection:



And if you are not renting a car, we now have light rail (almost) from the airport to downtown. Travel time to downtown is about a half hour. There are plenty of buses in Seattle, and the most reliable from downtown to our house is the 358.

Drive time from the airport to our house is about 35 minutes. (Assuming favorable traffic conditions.)
Drive time from our house to Golden Gardens is less than 15 minutes.
Drive time across either of the floating bridges is going to be around 20 minutes or more, depending on where you are headed on the Seattle side of Lake Washington.

Sightseeing Part VII

The Natural World Part III

This is actually an omission from the Seattle City Parks post. One more city park that we left off the list is the Arboretum. It is 230 acres of trees etc. in Seattle. While not a wholly natural setting, it displays many native and non native species including the California Redwood. Admission is free, and it is even a nice short drive if you don't wish to get out of the car. There are trails and a Japanese Garden (which has an entrance fee.)

Also, renting a kayak from Agua Verde or canoe from the University of Washington can allow you to paddle around the lower reaches of the arboretum which is a nice way to see some of the arboretum.

Sightseeing Part VI

The Natural World Part II

Beyond the national parks are many national forests with just as much beauty and not as much of the national recognition.

Perhaps at the top of this list is the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. There are plenty of hiking and camping opportunities in this land with some a much closer drive than the national parks. However, many parking areas in the national forests require a Northwest Forest Pass.

One of the highlights of the national forest is its namesake Mount Baker, an active volcano and the fifth tallest peak in Washington State. A drive up to the Heather Meadows Visitor's Center will get you high on the mountain in a car and give you excellent views of Mount Baker as well as Mount Shuksan. (About a 3 hour drive from Seattle.) The Ptarmigan Ridge Trail offers excellent views of the mountain without a whole lot of strenuous hiking.

More typical experiences in the park involve hiking many of the trails and peaks of the I90 corridor. Most of these have an hour or less of drive time from Seattle and offer hikes from strenuous mountain summits to leisurely strolls to lakes.

Other popular attractions are driving the Mountain Loop Highway. This offers many options for easy and popular hikes and viewing the jungles of the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. There is less than stellar (but nice) scenery on the highway if you wish to drive it. (Caution: half of the loop is not paved.) One of the highlights of the Mountain Loop is the Big Four Ice Caves. A short hike to see the lowest elevation year round snow in the lower 48 states. Mount Pilchuck is also another popular hike to an old fire lookout with excellent views.

Farther afield is the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Which will actually be having a salmon festival the weekend of our wedding. One of the jewels of the forest is The Enchantments. This is a wilderness area with spectacular views and mountains that requires a very strenuous hike and a permit to camp. Drives to this national forest usually require two hours.

Still yet further away in Central Washington are desert landscapes including the Ginko Petrified Forest and other natural wonders. Drive times to these locations start at 2.5 hours.

Sightseeing Part V

The Natural World Part I

Seattle is fortunate to be located within three hours of four national parks and monuments. In fact, most of the area between Seattle and Eastern Washington is some type of federal land.

Mount Rainier National Park is probably one of the more well know national parks in our country. It is the 5th oldest national park (110 years old this year) and covers a size of 368 square miles. The main attraction in the park is Mount Rainier, the fifth tallest peak in the lower 48 states and an active volcano. There is plenty to see and do in the park including mild hikes of old growth Pacific Northwest forest. Many visitors just drive to one of the visitor's centers and go on a short walk in alpine meadows. (Paradise seems preferred over Sunrise by tourists.) Camping is another possibility. It takes about 2.5 hours to drive there from Seattle and perhaps a little longer depending on park traffic.

Speaking of volcanoes, possibly the most famous mountain in Washington State is Mount Saint Helens. It is located about three hours from Seattle in Mount Saint Helens National Monument. There is some hiking that can be done there, but it is limited due to the active nature of the mountain. There are plenty of sightseeing opportunities and it is still fairly obvious the devastation that came from the 1980 blast. Climbing the mountain (really a dusty volcanic rock/ash hike) requires a permit and a long day. There are still weekday permits available around the time of our wedding if anyone is interested and feels up to the 12 mile, 6800' elevation gain day. Otherwise, the best views of the mountain are from the north side.

Olympic National Park is across the Puget Sound from Seattle and boasts the highest annual rainfall in the contiguous United States. It has extremely varied terrain from the rugged Pacific Coast, to the glaciated 7965' Mount Olympus. (You know, where Zeus lives.) One of the main tourist attractions of the park is the Hoh Rain Forest where around twelve feet of rain fall a year. Many old growth trees exist in the park as well including some of the largest known of certain varieties. The eastern entrances of the park can be reached within a few hours of driving and ferry from Seattle, while the Hoh Rain Forest requires a ferry trip and driving that totals closer to 3.5 hours. Of course, there is a high probability of rain there if you visit.


North Cascades National Park, is the fourth major park located within a few hours drive of Seattle. Unlike the other parks, it is less developed and more rugged. There is no fee to enter the park, and one can just take in the views while driving Highway 20 through the park. The road closes due to snowfall from November to May and generally leaves little access to the park. (And it could temporarily close during September if we have a big snowfall although that is rare.) Non car activities include hiking and camping, plenty of which can be done right off the highway. Other roads in or around the park tend to be dirt, and not well maintained. Unfortunately, Cascade River Road will be closed during our wedding which is the road that takes visitors to the popular Cascade Pass area. To drive through the park and back to Seattle is likely a 5-6 hour drive depending on how far through one goes. ( We recommend not turning around before Washington Pass at the eastern end of the park.)

Sightseeing Part IV

The last post made me think of this place, which may as well have a post of its own: Theo Chocolates. This is a chocolate factory in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. If I have my information correct, they are fair trade and organic. They also have some unique and innovative flavors. Chocolate bars can be had at the factory as well as most local supermarkets. However, they also have truffles at the factory which I have not seen elsewhere.

They have factory tours which are pretty interesting but do cost $6. I think we went before they started to charge when the factory first opened. It may not be worth the cost, as there are usually some free samples in the shop when you walk in.


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There is usually a weekend (or is it just Sunday) market in Fremont as well if you need another reason to be in that part of town.

And while I'm talking about Fremont. Brouwer's Cafe is a wonderful place to sample Belgian Beers and some good Euro pub cuisine. It is a bit pricey, but usually Belgian Beers are. And as you can see, pretty much right across the street from the chocolate factory. Our own little Brussels in two buildings.


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Sightseeing Part III

Not for kids:

Located where we locals call "The Eastside" (East of Lake Washington, not Seattle.) are two different but similar venues that are for adults.

One is the Red Hook Brewery. They have tours of the brewery for $1. I think when we went that meant trying five different beers. They may have had malted barley to try or toasted hops as well, I don't remember. They have a pub too, but I don't recall it being memorable food. But I do seem to recall good pricing on cases if you are into that sort of thing.


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Practically right across the street is the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. They have free and pay tastings. I'm not particularly a fan, but I think Jennifer likes their bubbly. But if you are going to the brewery, it can't hurt to visit if you have a designated driver. (Or took the bus.) A popular thing to do as a resident of Seattle is to ride your bicycle on the Burke Gilman trail to these sites, partake in the tours and ride back. (Perhaps after a picnic or pub lunch.) Round trip on a bicycle from our house is about 40 miles.


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Sightseeing - Part II

Stuff for kids?

Seattle is known for having a pretty nice zoo. It isn't nearly as big as the Bronx Zoo, or as famous as the San Diego Zoo. But it is a modern zoo and they have lots of fun exhibits. A great place to bring kids but there is a lot of walking. It is pretty pricey, but we may have some discount tickets for people that plan on going. We can also tell you how to park for free at the zoo.


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The aquarium is also pretty popular. It is smaller, takes less time and is equally expensive. I don't think we have any discounts, but we'll check. Also, since it is downtown on a pier, there isn't any free parking to be had. ('cept maybe Sundays) It is nice to go when they are feeding the Pacific Octopus.


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There is also the Pacific Science Center. We haven't been there, so we don't have any first hand knowledge. Probably fairly typical of that type of museum. Not sure if we have any discounts for that either.

Parks:
Golden Gardens - Where the wedding will be. Has a beach and some steep hiking trails.
Carkeek - A short way up the Seattle coastline from Golden Gardens. Hiking trails and a less developed beach.
Discovery - (Disco Park) Lots of trails for hiking. rugged beach, lighthouse. Seattle's largest city park.
Magnuson - Another large park with relatively flat trails and beach on Lake Washington.
Gasworks - A nice park with views of downtown and Lake Union. Interesting industrial relics
Green Lake - Walking/jogging path. Beaches, small boat rentals.

And of course, there are the Ballard Locks. Where the main attraction is the fish ladder. See salmon heading to their spawning grounds up river. If you like boats, watch as they pass through the locks as well. If you like The Deadliest Catch, then you may wish to check out The Lockspot. It is a dive fisherman's bar where they film scenes for the show. Contrary to their claim, they do not have the best fish and chips in town. (So far I think that goes to another dive bar, The Tin Hat. But it has been a while since I've been there.)


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Sightseeing - Part I

As everyone probably knows, the main tourist attraction in Seattle is the Pike Public Market. For us locals it is a place to buy good bread, fresh fish, fruits and veggies, flowers, and spices. It is also a good place to pick up a lunch time snack. Most locals know that during tourist season the market is a zoo on weekends and getting down to shopping is just plain difficult. The best time to visit the market is usually mid week, and if you are lucky enough, the dark months.


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As far as I know the tourists go to ogle the flowers and to watch fish fly. And to visit the site of the first Starbucks. But there are fun snacks to be had and our favorites include Daily Dozen Doughnuts, and Piroshky-Piroshky. Daily Dozen, or as we call it "the punk rock donut shop" makes small, hot out of the oil donuts for about $1.50/half dozen. Usually there are some dirty looking punk rock guys operating the stand and the donuts are great. For a little more money, you can get them with cinnamon or powdered sugar. Piroshky-Piroshky is a shop that sells piroshkis. Which are Russian/Ukrainian pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings. If I'm shopping for a lunch, I'm likely to go savory, but you can smell the cinnamon from the sidewalk and they can be hard to resist.

Another Seattle institution at the market is Beecher's Cheese. They have a shop where cheese making is done on the premises. They usually have samples out to taste. They make some nice but expensive mac and cheese, and most of their cheeses can be purchased there or in many Seattle supermarkets.

The Chukar Cherry Company also has a stand at the market and offers all kinds of dried fruit, sometimes coated in chocolate. They also offer nuts and jams.

If you go, an hour and a half should be enough time for most people. There is street parking nearby, and a handful of public garages if you are taking a car. All of which costs money. (Except perhaps Sundays.)

Also, the Pan Africa Market, is an Ethiopian restaurant we frequent on 1st Ave just outside the market.

Places to eat

If you are from out of town and visiting for a bit. Here are some of our favorite places to eat out:

$5-$20/two people
Red Mill Burgers (Burgers, obviously)
Szechuan Bistro (Chinese)
Cafe Besalu (French Breakfast)
Gordito's (Mission burritos)
Mae Phim (Thai)
Mighty O Donuts (Donuts)
Top Pot Doughnuts (Obvious)
Salumi (Italian sandwiches pasta)
Araya's Place (Thai, not Tom)
Than Brother's (Vietnamese noodle soups)

$20-30/two people
Lunchbox Laboratory (Heart attack burgers)
Aqua Verde (Mexican + kayak rentals)
La Carta De Oaxaca (Authentic Mexican)
La Isla (Puerto Rican)
La Casa Del Mojito (Central/South American, where we got engaged!)
The People's Pub (German/Central European - pub)
Feierabend/Bierstube/Prost (German - pub)
Thai Siam (spicy Thai)
Bengal Tiger (Indian)

$30+/two people
Senor Moose Cafe (Authentic Mexican)
Snappy Dragon (Chinese)
Carmelita (Vegetarian)
Tom Douglas' Restaurants (We're partial to the Palace Kitchen and Dahlia but Etta's is good for fish.)

The prices are approximate based on what Jennifer and Gilbert spend without drinks. For instance, Gilbert spent $20 on himself at Lunchbox Laboratory once, with shake and sides. We can also spend less than $30 at Snappy Dragon if no appetizers are ordered.

We don't eat out that much, and tend to revisit most of the same places. We'll add more as we think of them. Most of these are somewhat located in our neck of the woods. Others are downtown or elsewhere.

Hopefully we'll get to eat with out of towners for dinner or breakfast on Friday or Sunday, (or breakfast Saturday...) We don't have anything planned for those time slots yet, but our parents may need to be involved.

what to wear.

Greetings. A bunch of people asked about what the attire for the wedding is. The easy answer is wear something that is comfortable. We plan to have a pretty casual wedding. The place is right on the beach, and you may want to take a walk. Guys can wear khakis and shirts or whatever (wouldn't that be funny if every guy showed up in khaki khakis!) and women slacks, skirts, or whatever. Anyhoo, we are so excited you are coming, and we want you to be happy and comfortable. Yay!

Golden Gardens

For those who don't live in Seattle, here is a map of the wedding location:


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The bath house is the building on the beach near where it says "Golden Gardens Park."

A map with our house (A) and the wedding location (B):


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We know most of you won't need to know the directions from our house to the site, but it may be helpful to orient yourself as you may find yourself at our house before the party. (uh, ceremony) Soon there will be maps and links to attractions for those who will be staying in the area and exploring.

Hello friends!

Happy to see you have found our site. You have been invited to our wedding because we love you and you have somehow touched us and inspired us along the way.

Some pictures of Golden Gardens:





We are looking forward to having our family and our friends gather. And getting married!

We certainly understand the great distance that some of you must travel. Although your presence would be loved, if the trip is difficult to make for you, your blessings would be more than enough. We will celebrate when our paths next cross.

Hoping to see you soon!

Suggestions for daytrip ideas in Seattle and details about the wedding to follow shortly!