We got a fairly early start on Saturday, waking up to go to the gym around 8am. The gym here is well appointed with a nice array of cardio machines, a separate movement/stretching area, and quite an extensive selection of weights. Knowing we would be indulging that night, the treadmill and I got well acquainted in a short time.
Weights
Stretching Are
After about an hour and a half in the gym, we showered, dressed, and hit the city. It was already about 10:45 when we left the hotel, and we were getting hungry. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery is a short walk from the Olive 8, and having been to the one in Chicago (truly amazing), I thought it would be an awesome way to kick off a birthday. The food was delicious and the coffee fantastic. I would honestly expect nothing less from a place that charges those prices, but I suppose it’s all part of the Starbuck’s experience.
Reserve Roastery
The night before, I had suggested a couples massage before we got ready for dinner. While there were a few “mainstream” options around us, they were all pretty expensive and we agreed we would much rather spend that money on dinner than a massage. I ended up finding this place called Mana Massage, a lesser known treatment center not too far from us. So after finishing our brunch at the Roastery, we made the 10 minute walk to get our massages.
Massage time!
Let me just say, if you go to Seattle and want a massage, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you go anywhere else. It was 80 dollars per person for an hour, and absolutely blew any other massage I’ve ever gotten out of the water. Like, not even close. The workers were the sweetest, most attentive people you could ask for, and they knew their stuff. It was truly a blissful experience.
After finishing up, we floated to our next stop: the nail salon. I’ll spare you guys the details, but it entailed me sitting in a roller stool for 45 minutes in the corner of the room while my girlfriend got her nails done. Fellas, I’m sure you can relate.
A quick stop at Whole Foods to get her some flowers and a tiramisu was followed by our return to the hotel. We had an (extremely) early reservation at The Pink Door—5o’clock—so we didn’t have too much time in the afternoon. I would’ve preferred to have dinner later, around 6 or 7, but apparently 3 and a half weeks in advance isn’t sufficient for this Seattle staple. So at 4:50, after taking enough self-timer pictures to fill a small storage disk, we headed to the waterfront for dinner.
The Pink Door is appropriately named and located below ground in an unceremonious location: an alley next to Pike Place Market. A long line greeted us when we arrived, which made us quite nervous. However, we were glad to learn that the line comprised of the poor souls who had not made a reservation. Relieved, we were ushered down the steps and to our table.
Make a reservation!
The namesake
We were only able to get a seat in “the lounge”, which is the less formal section of the restaurant. We found the decor to be welcoming and still pleasant, despite the “downgrade” in luxury. Our server was great. Super attentive, kind, and made my girlfriend’s birthday that much more special.
We started off with cocktails. I got an espresso martini, while my girlfriend selected this kiwi cocktail that I forgot the name of, We then went for a ceasar salad as well as the cheese board. We split them both, and they were fantastic—particularly the cheese board. After this, we were already full. The bread and cheese proved to be a lethal combination for satiety. Nevertheless, we waited a few moments and ordered entrees. She ordered a lasagna, while I went for the bolognese. We also ordered a glass of red to accompany these dishes. The restaurant didn’t have the most extensive selection of wines by the glass, but the ones we ordered were fine. For dessert, we split a lemon-rhubarb tart. This was delicious, and went well with the glass of port I had ordered. Maybe it’s because I’m not as well versed in ports as I would like, but I actually enjoyed the glass of port I had in Flagship First on AA in January more than the one I had Saturday night. Don’t shoot me!
Espresso martini
Delicious cheese board
Classic ceasar
Bolognese
Lasagna
Port and a tart
When we finished dinner, it was only 7pm and light as can be. We decided to walk off the food babies and go for a stroll around the Pike Place Market. It was absolutely deserted, which I suppose was to be expected at that hour. After about an hour, we decided to go for an after dinner drink at The Nest—the rooftop bar located in The Thompson hotel.
If you’re looking for a beautiful place to relax and enjoy a reasonably priced drink, this is your spot. It has sweeping waterfront views, as well as an outdoor terrace. While I would normally been more than happy to enjoy my drink on the terrace, the 50 degree windy Seattle night begged to differ. I enjoyed an IPA, while my girlfriend followed the crowd and went with the cocktail nearly everyone in the lounge had—The Duchess. Both were fantastic, and we watched the sun dip over the bay as we finished our drinks.
By the market
Pike Place
The Thompson
The Nest
My girlfriend, usually the one to chide me for my proposed escapades, floated the idea of working our way back to the hotel by hitting a bar or two. I certainly didn’t resist. We found a place on the way called Suite 410. It was a smaller establishment with an incredible selection of spirits and great ambiance. The bartender, Benjamin, was fantastic and everything you would want in a mixologist: Passionate, knowledgable, and outgoing. He came over and recommended three of his signature drinks, one of which was a gin and tonic martini. Being the sucker for a good, limey G&T, I had to go for it. It was quite interesting. He created the tonic flavor himself and admitted it was still a work in progress. It was solid, albeit quite strong and lacking identity. Was it a gin and tonic? If so, it lacked the lime and carbonation. Was it a martini? I missed the olive finish if that was the case. However, it was still a treat to get to try something he was clearly obsessed with perfecting. Something I really appreciated was his commitment to excellence. Not only did he willingly accept feedback, he sought it out, asking for his patrons opinion on his drinks. It was a great experience and well worth the trip.
Night views
Wonderful selection
Jar of Hearts and Gin and Tonic Martini
We concluded our evening at our hotel’s restaurant and bar, Tidal+. There really isn’t too much to say about this place—it’s your standard hotel establishment. One thing that is noteworthy, however, was the fantastic service. I ordered another IPA (Seattle had some great beers), while my girlfriend ordered a glass of champagne. Upon learning that it was her birthday, our wonderful server, Stephanie, comped her champagne. We were extremely grateful for this, and it was the perfect end to a lovely night.
Upon finishing our drinks, we retreated to our room where we indulged in some tiramisu. We also attempted to watch a movie but quickly lost the battle to melatonin.
Tidal+
Bar
