It has become our annual tradition to go “Up North” every autumn.  For you non-Michiganders, our “Up North” is the area of the Mitten where your fingers would go.  (In my opinion, the Upper Peninsula is not Up North.  The UP is its own special, wild place.)

Some folks assert you need to cross the 45th parallel before you get there, but that seems negotiable.  Wherever your Up North is, the air seems crisper, the trees seems taller, and the life is just a little slower.  It’s a place to beach, fish, hunt, hike, and unwind.  (While I don’t hunt or fish, I do like beaches, sand dunes, and delicious/local food and drink.)  For us, the Traverse City area is our normal Up North home base.

I stumbled across an apartment rental that was almost too good to be true.  In an old building with high ceilings, we were in the heart of it all.  Plus, il Cane got to tag along too. 

We were blocks from the Bay, and in walking distance from some of our favorite restaurants. 

  
  

We had plans of idyllic hikes through sand dunes.  I imagined sitting on a vineyard deck (specifically, Brys Estate’s amazing deck), post-hike, sipping on a glass of wine and soaking in the vistas.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.  We awoke to snow.  In October.  My quick-thinking and meteorology-loving husband scanned the radar maps, and estimated that our best weather was in the Leelanau Peninsula.  Off we went.

Normally, we seem to end up on the other peninsula, Old Mission.  Old Mission’s wine culture is a little better established, and I love Old Mission State Park.  Leelanau has a respectable array of vineyards, a wilder vibe, and better hiking.  Yet again, we were on an unexpected ramble.

We discovered a wonderful brewery, Hop Lot.  Hop Lot’s indoor space was fairly small.  Instead, they want you sitting next to a bonfire or playing yard games, while drinking a delicious IPA.  It was classic Michigan, and we need to go back on a summer night when they offer live music. 

Next, we attempted Leland’s historic Fishtown.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature started pelting us with ice pellets. 

It was fun while it lasted.

Round Three of our Leelanau ramble was a visit to Black Star Farms.  Black Star is a Leelanau institution.  They make solid wine and raclette cheese, and their grounds are beautiful.  While wine tasting, we were delighted to discover that Black Star also has a petting zoo with rescued farm animals.  Bambino loved meeting the goats, pigs, and sheep. 

After a long day (and an exhausting Michigan State vs. Michigan football game), we were ready for some grub.  Our absolute favorite restaurant in TC is Trattoria Stella.  Their food is properly Italian, and the atmosphere is beautiful.  I love their unofficial kid’s menu– which includes the same exceptional ingredients as their adult menu.  (Buttered noodles = bronze plate extruded penne with cultured butter.  I would eat a plate of the stuff.)

However, the chances of Bambino lasting a couple hours at Stella were slim to nil.  Thankfully, Stella’s sister restaurant, The Franklin, was in walking distance.  We sat at a communal table, made new friends, and inhaled plates of macaroni and cheese with smoked duck, chicken pot pie, and a kid’s artisanal hot dog.  The Franklin’s wine list was a pleasant surprise, with good bottles at very reasonable prices.  (The beer list was lovely too.)  We already have plans to revisit on a warmer day and enjoy their roof deck.

On our way home, we wandered, and hit up a few roadside parks and had lunch in Ludington.  Bambino and il Cane dozed in the car, and the adults enjoyed the changing colors from the warmth of the car.

While it wasn’t the weekend we expected, it was beautiful.  We were forced out of our comfortable Up North routine, and were rewarded with new favorite places.  The one thing you can rely on in Michigan is the unpredictable weather.  If you’re willing to roll with punches, life here can be awfully sweet.

Inevitably, life happens.  I had the best intentions of writing a well-developed and thoughtful Seattle post while we were there.  It didn’t happen.  Then, I returned to reality, and it didn’t happen.  Better late than never, right?

After our time in the Cascades, we trekked back into Seattle.  We took the slow road, and stopped for a hike.  (Note to self:  A one-mile uphill hike to a waterfall with a preschooler is not the best of ideas.)  While we never made it to the waterfall, we saw a beautiful river and what Bambino called “fairy tale trees”.

All of our adventuring had worked up an appetite.  We stopped in Issaquah for a fantastic lunch at the Levitate Gastropub.  Local beer, farm-sourced food and futbol on the television?  Yes, please.  Seriously, if you ever find yourself in Costco’s hometown, eat there.

Our next stop was Seattle.  Rather than live the hotel life, we found an apartment rental in Belltown.  (A word of wisdom to those considering Air BnB in Seattle, our apartment building was cracking down on these casual rentals.  Thankfully, we had contracted with an approved rental management company, so all was well.)

The building was perfect for us.  Our neighborhood felt local and lived in, but we were three blocks from the Space Needle area.  Our roof deck was amazing:  from the views to the comfortable lounge areas to the bank of gas grills.  We could watch the Port of Seattle and airplane traffic from our breakfast nook, which enthralled Bambino.  And, the building was rock-and-roll themed.  He gave it five stars.

Normally, we are not museum people.  I have imposed a strict one museum per location rule in the past, arguing that you do not learn about a place by staring at exhibits (no matter how well executed).  But, rules are meant to be broken.  (Especially when rainy weather and an active Bambino are involved.)

We went to the top of the Space Needle.  We wandered the EMP Museum and rocked out.  Bambino fell in love with sea otters at the Seattle Aquarium.  We explored the Pike Place Market.  We rode the classic tourist rides.  It was fun.

  

The EMP was a rambunctious, pop culture obsessed paradise.  While music is a focal point, the museum also celebrates animation, video gaming, Seahawks football, and science fiction.  Both of my boys had a blast, and I could have spent hours in the Chuck Jones exhibit.

We also visited the Seattle Aquarium, but failed to take a single picture.  We watched an octopus have an afternoon snack.  Bambino adored the playful sea otters.  We marveled at the underwater dome that allowed us to peek into the Sound.

On our last day, we decided to take a ramble.  We headed to Whidbey Island, which is near Seattle, but a world away.

We explored old military installations, historic downtowns, and ate delicious local food.

On our way home, we took a detour to Deception Point.  We hiked among the tall trees and along the rocky shore one last time.  Bambino climbed fallen logs and chucked stones.  It was a slow and sweet day.

We wrapped up the evening with authentic Neapolitan pizza.  The next day, we headed home.

I didn’t expect to love the Pacific Northwest as much as I did.  We will be back.  We have a lot more to see and learn.

Until next time.