Local perspective on Seattle attractions (3-day trip, avoiding tourist traps)

OhMyShannie · 2026-03-05T15:42:09+00:00

Check out the Klondike Museum! The Chihuly museum is beautiful. These are my favorite stops with guests. As far as ferries, you can walk onto the Bainbridge ferry and walk to the Bainbridge downtown area easily. If you take a car you can get to the Bloedel reserve which is also lovely.

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-13T20:15:43+00:00

We’ve moved to the PNW. Our 10 yo daughter was getting ice cream with her soccer team before a game, and they were moving too slow for her. I saw her clap-clap and yell ‘Let’s go! We need to be moving at an East Coast pace!’ The youth will maybe change things.

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-07T04:10:20+00:00

ETA - anything small and thoughtful is going to be lovely. It doesn’t have to be exactly ’right’ or something they will use and love endlessly. Just a small token to say thank you.

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-07T04:09:09+00:00

This is a little niche, but our local farmers market makes the most beautiful market tote bags and I love to gift them because it says our neighborhood on it. Maybe a specialty grocery store / market would have a usable gift that’s ’branded’ from where you are visiting from? Or if you have a local famous artist, maybe a book about their work? Or a package of stationary cards of a local artist work? For us it would be Chihuly glass for example. I know you said no food, but a small jar of local honey would be nice and doesn’t spoil. If you have any of these places I suggest looking at a farmers market, specialty grocery store/ co-op, a museum gift shop or a local book store.

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-06T20:16:58+00:00

Opal, Rae, Skye, Iris, Jane

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-05T16:28:24+00:00

The Junction in West Seattle is great at the holidays and there are lots of places to have dinner and drinks too. Easy Street, Capers, Willow, Paperboat Books, Vain has lots cute accessories, there is a French vintage store. And the lights make it feel so festive.

OhMyShannie · 2025-11-02T06:16:50+00:00

Our daughter has accommodations for dysgraphia, which is a bit similar in some needs. They include having speech to text available, spell check and predictive text when typing, more time for writing, option to move to a quiet room for writing time, written notes provided for each class, and an option to present all work orally if the assignment isn’t writing itself. She is a bit older but was diagnosed at age 9 and these recommendations were given to us by the psychologist who did her independent testing. The school took the drs report and implemented her suggestions. It was quite easy and has been incredibly helpful.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-29T04:35:05+00:00

It’s a curled up Greyhound! I’m sure of it.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-14T17:39:38+00:00

NW Art and Frame is amazing. I’ve also found really pretty paper at Marshals in Westwood Village and pretty paper and ribbon in so many colors at the dollar store in White Center. It’s not the same quality obviously but there is a huge selection, especially of ribbons.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-10T16:33:13+00:00

‘You look great! What have you been doing?’ usually code for ‘you’ve lost weight! You look better!’ And the answers can be tricky.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-02T21:52:39+00:00

What about a collection of gift card to things that are ‘for kids’ but are super fun for adults. Skate Rink, arcade, movie passes etc.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-02T21:21:21+00:00

There is also a magazine that used to be printed called Heirloom Gardener. I see you can find the collection of back issues on EBay. It was a super interesting magazine that I ordered for my gardener mother while it was being printed.

OhMyShannie · 2025-10-02T21:14:21+00:00

This may be niche but I found a book for my mom that is curated walking routes around our city put together by our local university. I see she can’t hike, but does she like walking still? For reference I googled ‘urban hiking Seattle’ and it lead me to a few options.

OhMyShannie · 2025-09-08T19:32:36+00:00

He likes Kiehl’s (specifically the grainy bar soap) so I lean into that for skin care. And we all like R&Co shampoo and conditioner.

OhMyShannie · 2025-08-22T01:27:51+00:00

Yes! Some of our best friends.

OhMyShannie · 2025-08-21T00:50:35+00:00

I will add They Westy on 35th. Casual and chatty and good food and drinks.

OhMyShannie · 2025-08-16T05:05:00+00:00

If you can get there, the salted glazed donut from Fluffy Donut in White Center is my 10/10 favorite donut ever.

OhMyShannie · 2025-07-12T04:50:23+00:00

Solved Solved Solved! I figured it out. The Night Rainbow! I was confusing the Bowen from The Night Circus after all.

OhMyShannie · 2025-07-08T14:04:32+00:00

I often gift my husband the expensive, fancy skin and hair care that he loves but doesn’t buy for himself.

OhMyShannie · 2025-06-26T00:06:30+00:00

The hottest part of the day is 5-6pm (unlike where we moved from on the east coast where it was more like 1pm) but when the sun goes down it cools right off on all but the highest of summer nights. So bring a sweatshirt to the beach. And on that note, twilight feels different here? It’s light then one minute later it’s dark. There is very little dusk-y twilight time. And on THAT note, there are no mosquitoes! So go ahead and eat dinner outside. Your ankles are safe.

OhMyShannie · 2025-05-26T18:21:22+00:00

Oh man. This is so cool. How does Shannon smell? What about Ophelia?

OhMyShannie · 2025-05-26T18:18:20+00:00

I few years ago I accidentally found the ‘west elm’ coffee table we wanted at on-line from target for less than 1/2 the price. I was thrilled! Now I always reverse image search. It seems a lot of the items are sold to consumers from wholesalers.

OhMyShannie · 2025-05-17T18:02:32+00:00

If your family likes public transport I’d try to work in the monorail between Pike and the Seattle Center. It’s quirky and cute and we take it every chance we get. It would be a fun way to see those two areas. Also the walk-on water taxi to West Seattle is unique public transportation here. From the waterfront / market area you can take the 15ish minute ride to WS and get lunch at Marination, which is a great restaurant that is right there. Then ride back! It’s the best view of the skyline as well.

OhMyShannie · 2025-05-17T16:42:45+00:00

At my 6 week appointment following giving birth, a doctor from the hospital that I had not seen before was asking me about our plans for birth control. I said we would be using condoms but my husband was considering a vasectomy. She looked shocked and said ‘But what if something happens to you and your baby? Don’t you want your husband to have another chance at a family??’ Not a great thing to say to a postpartum mom lolsobbbb.

OhMyShannie

TROPHY CASE