I decided to do a list of things I love about Seattle. You have Ann to thank for this suggestion.

This isn’t an exhaustive list nor is it a typical one. I figure you already know about Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. Who doesn’t? Instead, I decided to share a few of my favorite places in Seattle about which you might not already know.

Enjoy and please feel free to email me with any questions!

The above picture was taken in West Seattle. This totem pole is a small spot, but it boasts one of the coolest views of the city.

If you like combining food, drinks, and crazy movies together, you’ll love the Central Cinema.

For summertime swimming, you have got to visit Coleman Pool. It’s a saltwater pool right on the shores of the Puget Sound. You can even host a private pool party there!

There are two places in this city for extraordinary sandwiches. I mean this. You will be forever changed by the Italian sandwiches at Salumi and the Caribbean sandwiches at Paseo.

While we are on the topic of food, please eat an amazing twice-baked almond croissant at Bakery Nouveaux.  For the best baguettes, I prefer Columbia City Bakery.

For a hearty breakfast, I love the Heartland Cafe. I also love the lesser-known Continental Greek restaurant in the University District. You will NOT find a better fried potato anywhere in this city.

If you are here on a Friday night and have a hankering for something different, I strongly encourage you to go to Dom Polski. It’s like walking into Poland and it is SO much fun. Delicious too.

Do you like coffee? I’m an addict. If you are downtown, take a moment to visit The Good Coffee Company. No frills here or fresh cups of coffee, but you can watch them grind fresh beans and learn a thing or two at the same time from the knowledgeable staff.

For a hot cup and a short jaunt from The Good Coffee Company, I love Trabant Coffee on 2nd Avenue. It’s wonderful organic coffee and a well-lit space to rest in an otherwise busy part of downtown.

One of my favorite quiet indoor places is the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington. The cathedral like space is spectacular and perfect for a quiet moment. Also, the Chapel of St. Ignatius at Seattle University is beautiful. You don’t have to be religious to enjoy the light in this hideaway. It’s a nice respite from the craziness of the Capital Hill neighborhood.

Sunday afternoons are best spent wandering the stalls of the Fremont Sunday Market. Fresh fruits, baked goods, and a thrifter’s heavenly flea market.

There are a lot of places to eat pizza in this town. Everyone flocks to the wood fired pizza joints. They’re O.K., but I’d much rather have a big slice of pizza with fresh ingredients from Proletariat Pizza in White Center. While this isn’t technically Seattle, it’s worth a visit for some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. Also, you can have homemade ice cream across the street at Full Tilt Ice Cream or a nearby pint at Big Al’s Brewery.  And, other coolness? White Center has a roller rink too!

Finally, I love the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall. That sounds weird, I know. The trailer park is actually a group of airstream trailers, which were converted into small thrift stores and line one of the alleys in this very cool neighborhood of Seattle just south of Boeing Field. I’ve included some pictures to prove such a spot exists!

I’ll see you later this week. I hope you will try out some of this lesser-known spots in the Emerald City. If you do, I’d love to hear about it!