My recent trip to Seattle/Tacoma for an event for my client was a complete whirlwind. As most event trips go, we didn’t have much time for exploring, but we hit some of the main tourist attractions and got a good feel for the downtown area. The thing I was most excited about seeing was Seattle’s famous Gum Wall (pictured above). This past fall the city power washed all the gum off, so this is only about six months worth. Surprisingly, the alley had a fruity/minty aroma. I wish I could have seen it in all its glory at this time last year, but it was still a really cool sight (and clearly I was excited to be there!)
In addition to posing in front of the Gum Wall, we explored most of Pike Place Market. Here are some highlights:
After that first night, we were in full-on work mode, complete with 4 AM wake-up calls. I’d like to say the time difference helped us, but when you’re powering through 15-hour days, it doesn’t make much of a difference! Event days also mean no regularly scheduled meals, so you grab snacks where you can.
On our second day we found this old-school doughnut shop in Puyallup called Happy Donuts. We had to stop in for a treat since we had some time to kill in our schedule.
Similarly, on our main event day, I managed to snag a jerk chicken plate from Papa Bois Food Truck right before cleanup. The Caribbean Slaw and pistachio rice were to die for.
After our main event, we had a few hours to explore Tacoma and get a closer look at Mount Rainier. Who knew volcanoes could be so majestic? Everywhere you drive around, there it is in the background, towering over the skyline.
That last night, we got back to the hotel at six and I passed out by 8:30 PM 😂 Safe to say, the trip was exhausting, but it still beat having bronchitis like in Edmonton! It was also a really successful event and I got some great interviews, including race car drivers John Force and Matt Hagan.
A 7 AM flight back home to Charlotte the next morning meant meeting in the hotel lobby at 4:15 AM, but at the end of the day, who could be mad with a view like this?
Caitlin Ryan, APR 