Cool Landmark in Seattle, Washington…read more.. I've had "The Center of the Universe" bookmarked for a while. It's a good thing to look at the bookmarked items on the Yelp app once in a while. I totally forgot about this novel and unique piece of Public Art! I should have visited it when I saw the Troll and the blue Fremont Bridge yesterday... darn! Anyway... I parked across the street and got a good shot of this directional sign! As I drew closer, I saw places on the sign that I would like to see - such as Machu Piccu and Rio de Janeiro. Other interesting places include The North Pole and The Milky Way. What a fun tourist stop! Check it out when you have time! It's free, quick, and a good break from daily routine!

One of the few photo ops (like the Rocket, dinosaurs, the Troll, etc) in Fremont…read more I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. Life is demanding without understanding. To reiterate, I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign. No one's gonna drag you up To get into the light where you belong But where do you belong? Now if you excuse me, all that she wants is another baby, and she's gone tomorrow, boy.

Ed's offers the most bountiful selection and impeccable service of all the Lower Elwha firework…read morestands. As June turns to July, follow the elegantly simple signage west of Port Angeles to find this mercantile gem nestled in a picturesque valley. Not only did we find our favorite fireworks here, but the kindly proprietor applied unasked-for discounts and provided armloads of gratis sparklers making for the most enjoyable fourth of July in memory. Thank you, Ed's!

I was staying in Quinault Valley and was finishing up my week exploring Olympic National Park. I…read moredid a few hikes earlier in the day and went for a walk around Lake Quinault. I came across a sign that pointed to a trail that leads to a giant Sitka spruce tree. I had some time to spare and enjoyed the short walk to it. A couple years ago, I spent some time in Redwoods National Park and got to see some of the tallest trees in the world. Quinault Valley is also home to some very tall trees because of the average rainfall that this region gets. Lake Quinault is nicknamed the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" and this Big Spruce Tree is one of them. The sign in front of the spruce tree boasts that this is the largest spruce tree in the world. It stands 191 feet tall and measures more than 55 feet in circumference. It is quite a sight to see in person. If you are in this area and have some time, take 30 minutes and check this tree out. It is over a thousand years old. The trail is located across the street from Rain Forest Resort Village.

Easy walk from road, including a cool bridge over the wetland near Lake Quinault. The photos don't…read moregive you a sense of size. You've got to see it for yourself.

Missed Opportunities…read more When I think of this bridge, I think of missing the ferry to Seattle, and having to drive around the island to get home. I think of visiting friends who live on Bainbridge, which in turn makes me think of the Wicker Man. I think of the nights spent at the nearby Clearwater Casino, dancing the night away in a smoke filled room. I also think of Laura.. If you look to the left when leaving Bainbridge, you can see the log where they found Laura Palmer's body in the pilot of David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

I'm a fan of bridges as long as they're not too far off the ground (or water). This bridge is a…read moresteel one that felt very safe. I wanted to get under the bridge in order to take a few pictures. Finding a way under the bridge is not an easy task for a tourist. I used maps to find the roads that would lead me there but had a number of wrong turns and dead ends. Finally, just by chance, I turned my head and saw a path down to the beach. The path is not appropriate for everyone - it was muddy, slippery, and had a bit of an incline. Wearing the wrong shoes could also ruin your day. The beach was full of clam shells and rocks with barnacles. There were a lot of birds and the water flowed at a brisk pace under the bridge. The bridge itself had vines growing on the outer posts away from the water. It was great for photos and my family loved the adventure!

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.

I haven't done Crossfit (yet), but these stairs are the best HIIT that I have found. And they're…read morefree! The best part if the feedback they provide: If you gain 5 lbs, you will immediately notice it here, by how your legs feel. And conversely if you lose 5 lbs, you'll notice that too. Running these stairs is very hard work and I've seen some elite-looking athletes who could run the whole length from Lakeview to 10th Ave two times without stopping. I saw one guy who had the body of an elite endurance runner (long legs, zero body fat, very minimal upper body mass) run them three times. I've found walking them two steps at a time to be a killer workout that increases muscular endurance in the legs and boosts VO2 max like a boss. Just budget some time for sleep/recovery! If you think you're gonna bust your butt on these stairs and then go dancing the next night, you might find that you are wrong. One more note: Things do occasionally get stolen here, so the brand-new Patagucci jacket that you just dropped $450 on... do yourself a favor leave it at home.

Whether you do it just to say "we did it", or you do it once, go back down, and do it again a few…read moremore times to get your legs moving and heart pumping- it's a great experience. Seattles longest staircase, 388 steps spanning 160 feet. The history behind the stairs is pretty cool. We walked an hour from downtown, enjoyed the beautiful walk along Lake Union, got to the stairs, did it three times, and then headed toward Volunteer park. A hell of a way to get your steps in! Spring was in bloom, so the beautiful flowers and colorful trees was the icing on the cake.

Sogno di Vino - Poulsbo, WA…read more We had an excellent meal at Sogno di Vino on their beautiful outdoor patio! The setting under the big tree with string lights was charming and made for a perfect sunny summer afternoon. We started with the bruschetta, which was fresh, bright, and nicely finished with a balsamic drizzle. For our main dishes, we ordered two versions of the Linguini alla Checca: one loaded with large, perfectly grilled shrimp and the other topped with seared ling cod. Both pastas were light, flavorful, and beautifully executed with sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and generous shaved parmesan. The seafood was cooked just right and really stood out. We also shared a con carne pizza piled with Pepperoni, Fennel Sausage, Salami, Pancetta, Mozzarella, and Goat Cheese. YUM!!! It had a great crust with nice char and tasted fantastic. Everything arrived hot and clearly made with care. The service was friendly and attentive, and dining on the patio was a real highlight. If you're in Poulsbo and looking for solid Italian food in a relaxed outdoor setting, Sogno di Vino is an easy recommendation. We'll definitely be back.

We had lunch here on a Sunday. It's a pretty big restaurant but only their main dining room and…read moreoutdoor front patio were open. Service was good though they seemed short staffed. Forgot our waitress' name but she had cute black cat earrings on. She and the man bussing the tables checked up on us and made sure all our orders were correct. But we had to ask the hostess for things because we couldn't find our waitress. It took awhile for our drinks and food to arrive. We waited almost half an hour before our food were brought out to us. In the mean time we were given yummy complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. The Salssicia pizza with sausages and mushrooms was a hit with our group. We also ordered the Caleb and Primavera pizzas.

I mean, what can be said about this strange abandoned art installation that hasn't been said…read morealready. It's not a great area, there's currently a homeless encampment right behind it. It has a chain link fence surrounding it giving it a 'We haven't torn this down yet' vibe. Being from the Bay Area and having seen pieces created at The Crucible I personally would call it exceptionally lazy art - if you're generous with the word 'art'. It's a sign, with some pointed cylinders around it. In my opinion the painted pieces at Gas Works are more interesting. I personally think it's only a matter of time before they tear it out and make it into another park so all in all, it's an easy skip.

At one point, I'm sure The Wall of Death was a very cool public art installation in Seattle. It's a…read morepermanently sited installation located along the Burke-Gilman Trail under the University Bridge along NE 40th Street. It was designed and built by Mowry Baden and his son Colin in 1993. While the exhibit sounds ominous, it's neither a memorial or some gothic art piece. Instead, it's a tribute to the structure used to perform "the wall of death," a motorcycle and miniature automobile stunt. While it looks like it was initially quite amazing, The Wall of Death has largely fallen victim to time and graffiti and it's really that graffiti that negatively impacts the appeal of the exhibit. The exhibit includes the cylinder itself on the south side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a concrete ramp to the north of the trail, which includes a "series of stylized metal chairs mounted to the existing concrete bridge columns and serves as the stands from which the stunts were viewed. The exhibit was originally intended as interactive with skateboarders intended to use it. However, after several skateboarding accidents including one involving a head-on collision between a skateboarder and a cyclist the exhibit was adapted, by Baden himself, to include 25 concrete parking stops. At this point, the exhibit is somewhat fenced in and much more difficult to access. However, it remains one of the more intriguing public art exhibits in Seattle and is still free to see. It's listed in Atlas Obscura. The exhibit was also reportedly damaged on 11/15/20 when a homeless camp tent caught fire. The exhibit is made of concrete, steel, and aluminum and measures 16' x 65' x 30'. It's easy to access the exhibit from the Burke Gilman Trail in the University District. It's near University of Washington housing and only a few blocks from Lake Union. The trail itself is wheelchair friendly and accessible quite easily.

Completely. Fucking. Amazing…read more There are cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, horses, cats, owls, ducks and more in this 100+ year old barn. The massive 1200lb Nutmeg greets you near the front, as do the several feral cats (some blind), and the spotted barn owl. Depending when you visit, sometimes you are able to feed cows potatoes with your hands (it's awesome, but very, very slimy), or feed baby cows (as young as 1 week old) from a bottle. They suckle on your fingers/clothes/anything you put near them. This is an active dairy farm, and they have a lot of education about how dairy farms work, which is also nice to hear about. They also give military ID discounts, which I think is pretty awesome since I have one :) The bad news is that they're only open to the public in April (unless you arrange a special group trip). This year, I'm not even going to the Tulip Festival to see the tulips.. I'm going to Cowtown. Seriously. There aren't words I can put into a review to give you an idea of how much I love this place, except to say.. if I were to die today and there was some sort of Heaven (and I mistakenly got in..), it'd be Cowtown.

Secret?! i think not. ;) Although it can appear rather secretive if you consider walking through it…read morethe first time (w/o knowing it's a tunnel) and ask yourself upon exiting "I was in an underground tunnel?" Yup. And a super COOL one at that, too. :) Fine shops, great lunch options, and a jackpot of historic Seattle photos - everything from the early days of dumping Pill Hill fill into Elliot Bay to the early Boeing airplanes. Downtown? Take a stroll down this tunnel. It begins/ends in Rainier Square and ends/begins in One/Two Union Square. Happy strolling. :)

I haven't visited enough underground tunnels to know if this one deserves 5 stars or not, so let's…read morework this out, arithmetic-style! 1 star for keeping me out of the rain, cold, and wind and away from motor traffic and waiting for crosswalk signals. 1 star for neat photos of old-time Seattle 1 star for a display of upcoming shows from the 5th Ave 1 star for the convenience store selling cards and snacks. There are also some little deli type eateries, a salon, and an art gallery, though I haven't taken advantage of any of them yet. All in all, this is a pretty spiffy way to get from 7th and Union to 4th and University without having to set foot outside - always a plus when it comes to dealing with Seattle's variable weather.