Valentine's Day Gift Guide: For Her

Can you believe it?! February starts next week!

And... that means, getting ready for Chinese New Year, a four day weekend (President's Day!) and of course Valentine's Day - the official day to wear all things red, pink and sequins.

And to all my single ladies, I love the holiday even more when spent with the best of girlfriends watching sappy rom coms, eating chocolate and consuming tons of vino... hello, Galentine's Day!

Whoever came up with Galentine's Day is seriously a genuis. I love the idea of spoiling the besties with a simple reminder of how much they mean to me. Whether it's a candle, lip gloss or wine tasting on me, my girlfriends all deserve a little something. They've been through the good and bad times with me. No judgments whatsoever; they're always going to be my side to celebrate or commiserate (with a glass of my favorite wine!). Below are a few gift ideas to celebrate Valentine's Day with the gal pals.

What are you getting your best gals?

xoxo

wedding planning, episode three

A photo posted by Amanda B. Nguyen (@amandabnguyen) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:27pm PDT

Apologies for going AWOL here... but as you guys may understand from watching re-runs of "Say Yes to the Dress", I'm turning into one of them... those bridezillas, and until the day is over, I have nothing but the wedding to think, dream and talk about. Just kidding... but really, who am I kidding?

Wedding planning is seriously no joke. Wonder where I've been these past months? Either working, getting back in shape, or planning the wedding. Many have asked why I didn't go ahead and hire a wedding planner/coordinator.. and the answer was... I'm a control freak and thought this can't be too hard, right?

Welp... I was wrong. It's not easy. The decisions are endless, but thankfully, I'm blessed with an awesome fiance, Mama Nguyen (who's just as much or more of a control freak as me), and seven doting aunts who are beyond thrilled to contribute some part to the big day. BUT with that many people, it can be overwhelming. You are just bombarded with so many opinions, and then it all mushes into one big, confusing jumble of madness.

Luckily, all the big decisions had been figured out this past summer (venues, photographer, the dress and DJ), so now with six months and counting, it's just the (many) little things we need to figure out such as:

Florals, hair and makeup, shoes, tux rentals, party favors, and the list goes on and on...

We even went back and forth on whether we needed a videographer, too. We weighed the pros and cons, consulted our recently married friends and badgered our family for their opinions. In the end, we ended up getting one. Why? Because what are the only things left after the wedding that will help remind us of the day? Photos + the Video.  Boom. As soon as we realized that, it was a no brainer. So we reached out to our photographer, Bryan, and asked for a reco. There you have it, Watertown Films then became a part of our #HappilyEverAxten support crew.


Okay, okay -- so  some of you are starting to think this "comeback post" is boring since it's me explaining about how my wedding has taken over my life... but I promise... it won't be all about the specifics of my wedding. Over the next few weeks, I plan to share some of the neat things I learned along this #HappilyEverAxten journey, and I'm very excited about it. (You heard that right! The blog is backkk!). Stay tuned for general wedding tips and tricks -- which includes everything from creating the perfect registry, selecting music for the big day, making the official wedding hashtag, and more. And of course, I've got some other fun things up my sleeve. Valentine's Day is right around the corner.. and you know what that means.... gift guides. 

xoxo

hello fall. hello home.

Wow, time has just flown by. How did it already become mid-September? This past summer has been a whirlwind with our engagement (#HappilyEverAxten), wedding planning and then of course, the house hunt -- so as you can imagine, we've been up to ears with to-do lists and a bit overwhelmed. Oh and work doesn't slow down when big life moments pop up. It actually gets crazier... strange, right?

Regardless - amidst the craziness, my main squeeze and I are blessed and thrilled that everything is coming together.

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE and have been working hard on transforming our cute little bungalow of a house into our happy home. Follow #TheAxtenBungalow on Instagram for a few snippets of the makeover. Painting countless walls, ripping up carpet, bargain shopping for furniture and endless Pottery Barn catalogs later -- it's really starting to look a lot like home.

Here is a sneak peek. Excited to share a before and after photo shoot when it's all done!

Any home decorating tips? Send them my way please!

xoxo

Cheers to Three Years!

Today marks three happy years with my main squeeze! Beyond thrilled to celebrate with him and looking forward to year four when we officially say "I do". Cheers to many more years of love, fun, adventure and fantastic memories. 

#HappilyEverAxten 

Also in other news, we are well underway with the renovation of our happy home. Can't wait to share before and after photos on here in the coming weeks. We're building our dining room table (from scratch.. eek!) and will finish painting our living room window benches this weekend. What's the inspiration behind The Axten Bungalow? Check out my Pinterest board here. 

xoxo

Brooks Running Tour and Fall Preview

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of touring Brooks Running HQ and got a preview of their new fall collection! 

I had never even been to the Brooks store before and was just blown away by the very cool, industrial design of the place. 

During the tour of HQ, my favorite room was seeing the Brooks Lab. Innovation at Brooks is defined by their overarching goal to make the run better, faster, safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable for runners. As such, they take feedback very seriously, and at their Brooks lab, they use hard data and insights to get a deeper understanding of biomechanics -- how each person's body responds to a run -- which then impacts how they design and produce their awesome gear. 

In the lab, there were treadmills where they do tests with their products and see how the human body is affected during a run with their gear. There were also machines that test the longevity and impact certain materials can have over long periods of time. 

It was such a beautiful space and I could definitely see how innovation is at the core of the brand. The space is an open, collaborative environment... and check out the view from their roof. 

Breath taking right? That. View. 

Thanks to @brooksrunning for sharing your fall 2015 collection with us! #brooksheritage @brooksheritage #thankyourunning #hyperlapse

A video posted by Amanda B. Nguyen (@amandabnguyen) on Jul 14, 2015 at 6:49pm PDT

After the tour, we headed to their main store to check out the new fall collection... and I must say.. even though I'm not a runner, I was obsessed with everything, especially this amazing LSD jacket -- windproof, lightweight and water resistant, it's perfect for any Seattleite. I snagged this beauty in grey, and have already worn it at least a dozen times on the way to the gym.

I also picked up a pair of compression capri tights that are super comfortable, one of their comfy and supportive sport bras and the shoes below. What's so neat about Brooks is that they were super technical about how I picked my shoes. I hopped on a treadmill and did a little test run for the pros. From there, they analyzed the arch of my foot, if I had weird running patterns (which I thought I totally did.. hello, I'm a crossfitter...we don't run often), and then picked a pair based on those insights. How neat is that?! 

The shoes we ended up with were the PureFlow 4 -- most lightweight, flexible and neutral running shoe. I let them know that I did Crossfit, so this was as close I would get to a minimalist training shoe. BUT it still had Brook's magical comfort and cushion-like support. 

If you're looking for some new running gear or active wear this fall, I highly recommend giving Brooks a try. The colors are on point! 

Three Easy Ways to Accessorize Your Home With Flowers + Giveaway!

image via

It's very obvious I have a thing for fresh blooms. When I lived downtown (can't believe I'm saying that, since we just moved like two days ago... more to come on that!), I would always pick up fresh flowers from Pikes Place Market on a weekly basis. And often when I visited the Ballard Farmer's Market, I'd also grab a bouquet. There is just something about fresh cut flowers, wrapped in kraft paper that gets me every time. Peonies, daises, roses and hydrangeas -- these are just a few of my favorite fleurs.

Flowers make a beautiful, natural way to brighten up your happy home. And you don't have to just stick 'em in a vase. There's tons of different ways to decorate, and I've teamed up with Petal City to share three easy ways to accessorize your home with fresh flowers and plants.

image via

Use a Tea Cup as a Planter: Where to find tea cups? Dig through your grandma's attic or find one at a thrift store (there's always tons of cute vintage and patterned cups and saucers). You can also personalize plain white mugs and cups by drawing on a design with a sharpie and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I love decorating my side tables and the counter-top in my kitchen with them. 

Float Flowers in a Bowl: For an elevated floral display in your living room (recommend this more for when you're entertaining guests), cut off all the stems and place in a bowl halfway filled with water for a tranquil and relaxing setting.

Make a Floral Wreath: Grab a floral sponge wreath, some green floral tape, blooms, ribbon and start twisting and tying for a cute piece of decor to hang on your door.

In a hurry and don't have time to try one of those tips above? Petal City hand delivers beautiful floral arrangements in the Seattle area within one hour or less. So no stress needed if you're planning a dinner party and forgot the blooms. Petal City to the rescue!

For 15% off your purchase, use my code: ACCESS15

I loved the Alki Bouquet Petal City sent me! Hand delivered and absolutely stunning. It was the perfect pop of color to my desk at work.

Want to WIN a floral arrangement from Petal City? Share with me your favorite flower in comments below! 

#happilyeveraxten engagement photos

A few weeks ago, my main squeeze and I ventured down to Dundee, Oregon to meet up with Bryan Rupp for our engagement photos. Bryan was referred to us by a coworker, and as I did my research prior to calling him, I found out he had done many weddings for folks I went to high school with. I thought, wow... what a small world. This was totally meant to be! 

As we arrived in Dundee that morning for our 8 am appointment, I got nervous. What if we smile weird? What if K and I look super awkward in our photos? Bryan reassured us that we didn't have to be anyone else but ourselves, and that definitely put us at ease. We took photos by this beautiful lake area called the Paddle Launch, and just a few steps away was a gorgeous hazelnut orchard where we took some more serious photos. I absolutely loved the gold wheat field we stumbled upon too. Those were all within less than a minute of each other, but it seemed as if we went to four very different locations. He was amazing to work with, and I think he captured wonderful photos that day. I'm beyond thrilled to share with all of you a few of my favorites today. (The rest can be found on Facebook for those of you who I'm Facebook friends with.)

Thanks, Bryan for capturing these happy moments! 

We can't wait for our  #HappilyEverAxten wedding photos next year. 

wedding planning, episode two.

This past weekend, we officially kicked off the #HappilyEverAxten festivities with a bridal party brunch. I met with my bridesmaids and man of honor at Rockcreek Seafood and Spirits and enjoyed delicious beignets, coffee and an amazing breakfast.

During the brunch, we discussed a few important things such as color palettes, dress styles and then of course, a few initial idea for the Bachelorette Party! To note, they wanted to keep it a surprise, so this chat was more of a "What do you not want at the party..."

Overall, it was a great chance for my cousin Anna to meet and get to know the other girls in my bridal party. As well, it was her first time meeting my best friend and man of honor, Robert. What was so special to me was that we were all ADPis and it's really awesome to see that sisterhood is forever not just four years. (insert cheesy, teary-eyed emoji)



So thankful and beyond blessed to be surrounded by great friends this past weekend and look forward to continuing the celebrations and planning for the big day!

Fellow brides-to-be, how have you kicked off your wedding planning?

xoxo

the house hunt. // the journey and our last hurdle

image via

Follow Amanda B.'s board The Axten Bungalow on Pinterest.

As some of you may know from a previous blog post and my recent pins, my main squeeze and I have been house hunting. I kid you not, this process has been an emotional roller-coaster.

In total, we've spent about four months aggressively stalking all real estate sites and meeting with our agent. If someone were to stumble upon our pre-"open house" planning sessions, they would think we're crazy. We have Zillow on my iPad, Redfin on his, the MLS listings up on our laptop, and then Windemere and Google Maps on other various screens.

During this journey, we ran into a bunch of obstacles. We realized the neighborhoods we wanted to live in... Welp, everyone else wanted to live there, too. We learned that photos on Zillow are really deceiving; i.e., we toured a house that I'm 100-percent convinced was built for gnomes. Three bedrooms, my butt mister... that house had barely a one bed, and splitting your attic does not mean two bedrooms. We also discovered that neighbors are important, especially normal ones because we definitely ran into some questionable folks near the houses we toured.

We put in our first offer.... didn't get it. That night, I cried. No, I actually balled my eyes out. I had fallen in love. The second offer, there were nine bids. I didn't even breathe or flinch when K told me we didn't get it. I was becoming numb to this cold, competitive market... didn't want to get our hopes high again. With the shutdown of our two offers, K and I got a little nervous. Both of us had invested so much time looking for our new home, and we knew from talking to our friends who were builders/investors, that the market was only going to get worst. Were we really going to get outbid every time?

But then about a week after our second offer fell through, we found this cute little gem of a house in a neighborhood we merely skimmed over... it was totally not on our radar, and the house was sorta of hidden away. Kellen forwarded me the listing, and we thought, "Well heck, why not? We've got nothing to lose." So K and I met up with our agent that day, and as soon as we walked through the front door, we just knew -- this is it! We fell in love.

Bonus, the house is ten times bigger and better than the previous two offers we put in. It is close to the city, but far enough where we can call it a semi-suburbia residence. That same day, we put in our offer... and then the waiting game began.

Over the past few weeks, we've been going through our inspections, a few rounds of negotiations that almost made me pull my hair out, and then dealt with a little drama, aka the seller was being a huge diva. Finally today, we're getting over our last hurdle -- the appraisal. I'm hoping the next time I'm updating you on our house hunt, it will be us squealing with the keys to our little bungalow of a home. [insert praying hands emoji]

Fingers crossed that we'll hear good news today!

wedding planning, episode one.

#HappilyEverAxten is well underway folks. Some say I went turbo speed and got a little too crazy, but my fiance is beyond thrilled that we're ahead of the game. 

Within one month of our engagement, we secured our date, ceremony location, reception venue, our photographer and took our engagement photos! Oh... and I also found my dress. I guess that's what happens when two "Type A", highly organized/OCD folks get engaged... you get a lot done, hella fast. 

Where are we getting married, you ask? For the ceremony, we've chosen a beautiful cathedral and are having a big, traditional Catholic wedding. Fun Fact: My family has gone to this church since I was a wee little one, so it definitely has a special place in my family's hearts. And for the reception, think rustic meets industrial for our venue -- exposed steel and wine barrels. Large open windows, lush greenery and twinkle lights. It's very modern, romantic and a little whimsical. 

Color Palette? I'm in love with the rosy blush, cream, grey and platinum scheme.

Our photographer? The amazing Bryan Rupp. I heart his charismatic personality, his stunning talent and how at ease he made me and K feel when we were at our engagement photo session. Simply the best! 

Now that we've gotten through the big pieces, I feel like we can take our time with the rest of the planning. I mean we have a whole year! With that, I've been practicing my calligraphy (see above and check out my Instagram for more!), and want to incorporate this personal touch to the wedding. So far, I've created all of my bridal party invitations from scratch (thank goodness for Paper Source!), and hope to do some more fun little DIY projects for the big day. I'm thinking of creating my own seating chart, the table numbers, maybe even self-addressing the invitations with script. 

Those are all the details I have for now! 

Follow along my Pinterest board for a taste of what's inspiring #HappilyEverAxten, 

and feel free to share any wedding planning tips. 

xoxo

Follow Amanda B.'s board #HappilyEverAxten on Pinterest.

big life moments: marriage and house hunting

Blah blah blah I know... I haven't written on here for a whole month. Let me repeat.. a whole month. You can call it a hiatus or me being lazy.. but I'll be the first to admit that it just wasn't a priority (sadly). And before I get bashed or "I can't believe you just said that" finger pointing at me...let me explain. 

First, you can't blame me for romping around town and basking in the glow of my engagement... secondly, I've also just been swamped with the start of this crazy process for both wedding planning and house hunting.

Did you hear that? HOUSE. I know. We're absolutely nutso to be going through both of these huge life moments at the exact... same.. time. I've heard that about a bajillion times so far already, and I can't tell you how fast my heart pitter patters each time I say both of those things out loud.

And it's not exactly the easiest of things either. The housing market in Seattle is a mad zoo. It's competitive. There are bidding wars... which makes me feel like it's The Hunger Games to find your dream home. Prices are skyrocketing and hopeful, optimistic first-time-home-buyers like myself and my main squeeze are just overwhelmed as international investors are buying everything left and right.. in cash.



So yes, my weekends have become not as sexy as they used to be. We've traded date nights for Zillow stalking, wine and takeout, and on week nights, I'm doing wedding research. Instead of my random shopping adventures, I've been pinching every penny for the future casa. I've pretty much said "goodbye" to Nordys and "hellloooo Home Depot". (This is only temporarily, right?)

And for those in the Seattle area who have recently bought a home or in the process - I feel your pain. My heart has been broken.. not once, but twice. And my main squeeze and I are reevaluating what's most important for this home. Is it location, space and/or schools? I feel like in this market either you get A with a hefty price tag or B and C but with a 45min+ commute each way to work. We're weighing our pros and cons right now, and doing our best to figure it all out.

As we continue on this marathon of house hunting and wedding planning, I'll be sure to fill you in. There's going to be a few vent seshes (apologies in advance), some tears and hopefully, high-pitched squeals when we start to get everything a bit more concrete.

Until next time...

If you recently bought a house or are looking for one, 

feel free to share your tips via tweet or comment below!

xoxo

we're engaged!

We're getting extra personal today... 

This past weekend, my main squeeze asked me to spend the rest of my life with him, and I said "YES". Words cannot describe how excited I am to be engaged to this kid. He is an absolute gem and I can't imagine my life without him. 

*insert high-pitched squeal* 

WE'RE ENGAGED! 

It's been absolute surreal these past 48 hours, as we shared the good news with family, close friends and then... (once all the important people knew), we put it all out there on social. And no surprise, our phones began blowing up left and right with so much love, support and congratulatory screams and wedding-themed emojis. Our hearts are just so full and overwhelmed with joy, and we are so blessed to have such a supporting group of folks we call our family and friends. 

And now to the part everyone's been asking us about... HOW DID HE DO IT?

I've been wanting to try Westward for the longest time. A huge fan of oysters and restaurants with gorgeous views -- Westward has been on the top of my list for some time now. This past Saturday, the weather hit the 80s which gave us even more reason to give this place a try. We had made plans with one of my really good friends, Alyson for a little midday happy hour and ordered some oysters (Shigoku and Bay Water Sweets), rose, their amazing smoked clam dip and beer. While I got up to talk to the hostess about removing our names from the waiting list since we found a spot outside by the beachy waterfront area of the restaurant, Kellen told Alyson that he brought an engagement ring and if she could capture the moment. *sneaky sneaky* 

After we paid our bill, Kellen decided he wanted to go down closer to the water to look at the boats. He asked me to come with him, but for Alyson to stay, which I found to be super weird. When we got to the rocky part of that little beach, I was also confused as to why we were standing right in front of people's line of view of the water on the patio. SO strange right?! Until he started telling me how much he loved me, and then I realized what was happening... OH EM GEE... This was it. Next thing I knew, he was down on one knee, the ring was on my finger and my eyes were brimming with happy tears.

Other folks sitting outside at the restaurant were also teary-eyed, and we got a round of applause and congratulatory cheers as we turned around. There were a few people in the distance lounging on their boats who also got a glimpse of the proposal and tooted their horn. It truly was a magical moment, and we were just overwhelmed with joy. 

We are beyond thrilled and can't wait for the big day.

 Let the wedding planning begin! 

xoxo

Thanks again to this special lady (Alyson) for capturing the moment! 

exploring pioneer square

I've lived in Seattle for almost seven years now, and to be completely honest, I feel like I haven't explored that much. It took me my fifth year of living in Seattle (the year I graduated from UW) to finally explore beyond the Ave and University area. From the hipster streets of Capitol Hill to the beautiful docks by Ballard, I've come to learn so much about the Emerald City and love every nook and cranny of it. One neighborhood in particular, Pioneer Square, I feel has been forgotten for quite some time now. However, with a few recent new little shops and restaurants, I have to say.. it's definitely put itself back on the map. 

A few weeks ago, I took a few days off from work for a little staycation and decided to explore. Pioneer Square was where I ended up, and I loved every minute of it. My first stop was London Plane - a cute little shop and cafe featuring fresh flowers, pastries, small plates and handcrafted local goods (cards, stationary, books, etc.).  Also, across the street is Drygoods Design  where you can learn to sew, have a sewing party and purchase beautiful homemade sewn goods. Basically... too much goodness in one little strip. Did I mention that Bar Sajor is on that same block? 

Flower Shop at London Plane

During my visit, I stumbled upon E. Smith Mercantile and was just mesmerized with all the neat things there - such unique jewelry, candle sets and apothecary-like herbal beauty ointments. Also, I just absolutely loved all of the succulents and earthy decor in the shop.

Unfortunately, I had to jet to lunch to make the line at il Corvo so I didn't get a chance to visit another Pioneer Square must-shop, Fresh Tangerine. If you're looking for beautiful, locally handmade jewelry, go there. Their delicate midi rings and necklaces are perfect accessories to complete any look.

As a "treat yourself" lunch, I arrived at il Corvo (a super yummy spot) about 15 minutes before it opened and joined folks in a 10 person line as we waited to enjoy a plate of amazing, fresh made pasta. This little place is only open during the weekdays from 11 to 3 pm, which makes it almost impossible to squeeze in when at work. Also... if you don't get there early, you'll probably not get a seat or endure an hour wait at least. BUT, I will say... it was totally worth it to get there early. I got the calamaretti, rings of fresh pasta, calamari, taggiasca olives, and pomodoro. ... Ah-Mazing!

If pasta doesn't float your boat, I also recommend grabbing a bite at Salumi for Mario Batali's artisan cured meats and sammys. A few friends have mentioned that Tat's Deli is also a great lunch spot for delicious Philly Cheesesteaks. 

After that delicious lunch, I ended up wandering back downtown near Westlake Center to get some shopping done. But if you happen to be in Pioneer Square after work, visit Damn the Weather for their craft cocktails and their blood sausage sliders. 

What new neighborhoods have you explored in your city? 

xoxo

Getting Fancy with Calligraphy and The Fancy Cat Studio

This past Saturday, I took my love for doodling to a whole 'nother level. I had always dabbled with my own version of "writing fancy". I was that odd girl who loved to cursive with super fine point pens and wasted hours writing out my favorite quotes on pretty paper. So when the opportunity to take actual classes with The Fancy Cat Studio came up two months ago, I raised my hand. 

Actually, it was more like this:

Saturday arrived, and I was giddy like a Kindergarten on her first day of school. Cute outfit? Check. Ready to learn? Check. Check! The calligraphy workshop (class) was held at Fresh Tangerine, an adorable local jewelry shop in Pioneer Square, Seattle. And to answer your question -- YES, I gave into my shopping habits and picked up some adorable midi rings - like this ampersand one in gold fill. 

The store is absolutely beautiful (photos below)! Styled to perfection with a mix of vintage and modern home accents.

These bookends are adorable! I love deer/stag inspired home decor. Antlers bring a beautiful, woodsy and rustic feel to a home. I've also seen paper mache and plastered like material for stag decor. 

This pillow spoke to me when I saw it. I loved the pop of hot pink against the faux white sheepskin throw on the chair. 

And can we talk about this velvet couch and the gold pouf? For those of you who know me personally - I obsess over poufs at West Elm, and actually found my very own woven pouf last month. But that gold Moroccan styled pouf that I've admired and seen in Glitter Guide, etc. -- when I saw it in person, I just knew... it's going back on the shopping list, and specifically in the color, metallic gold. Also, do you guys see that wall gallery? On point. 

Oh, and we didn't just practice loop-de-loops and make messes with our inkwells all day... we did blogger-y things like pose by a beautiful flower wall and took silly photos. 

And no party.. .ahem.. class, is complete without snacks, yeah? 

Donuts, sprinkles, cheese plates and mimosas fueled us for that morning of learning, mingling and fun. I had such a great time, and learned so much. Crystal, founder of The Fancy Cat Studio, was an awesome instructor, and I look forward to more workshops with her! 

At the end of my class, I thought I was getting the hang of it... so behold (had to share), one of my  from my very first calligraphy class. (Right before I made a huge inkblot about 2 cms away...)

Have you learned something new lately? 

It was one of my New Year Resolutions to challenge myself and 

do something new. Share with me in comments below what you've 

been trying and discovering. 

xoxo

exploring the pacific northwest

It's easy to get sucked into the crazy and overwhelming, non-stop madness that is life, and forget to just take a moment to breathe. As such, I've been unplugging (taking a step away from my Macbook) and exploring new ways I can rediscover inspiration and recharge. 

Lately, I've found comfort in exploring the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific Northwest. As many of you know... I'm not an Annie Oakley. By no means would I consider myself a hiker or a trailblazer in granola munching, tent-sleeping or mountain climbing. However, there is something just absolutely b-e-autiful and serene about nature. It's so calming and just brings an overwhelming sense of peace. 

My main squeeze and I made an adventure list recently that features all the gorgeous, outdoorsy spots we want to hit up this season and through the summer. I'll be sure to share that list with you when it's done, as it could be helpful for you when you embark on your own quest into the woods.

At the very top of my list was Rattlesnake Ridge - about 45 mins outside of Seattle. It's in the Snoqualmie / North Bend area, and is a beautiful hike that overlooks Cedar River watershed, Rattlesnake Lake, Mount Si, Mount Washington and Chester Morse Lake. We crossed that off the list this past weekend, and it was actually a pretty easy hike, too. The view was absolutely breathtaking. (Photos below!) I highly recommend it if you're looking for a less taxing hike.

As I further explore the many wonders of Washington, I'm really looking forward to sharing many more of these adventures with you. Next up on my list -- the Ice Caves!

Where have you explored recently?

(Doesn't have to be outdoors -- if it's a new local coffee shop or restaurant, 

I'd love to hear all about it! Share in comments below.)