Columbia Center Sky View Observatory

Everyone knows about the Space Needle. Tourists flock to it while the Columbia Center sits not even 1.5 miles away waving it's arms like the middle child at a pool party, yelling, "Hey! Look at me mom, I can do a back flip." But, alas, Mom only looks at the prize youngest who can do a cannonball. 

The Space Needle stands at 605 feet and costs $22 to visit. The Columbia Center sits at nearly 1,000 feet and costs $14.75 to visit. Obviously you have to factor in the fame of the Space Needle, I mean it is a souvenir from our first moon landing (no, it isn't), and it is located in the beautiful Seattle Center park, which offers a lot of other great things to do. However, if you have already been or would like the city views for a bit less money, we recommend you wander downtown to the Columbia Center, the tallest building in Seattle, and check out their Sky View Observatory.

Once you make your way to the top (it requires switching a few elevators, but everything is sign posted clearly) pay the doorman and then soak in views of Seattle in all directions. As locals we stayed for over an hour finding our favorite landmarks from above and watching our tiny city function from 73 stories up.  

In addition to the views, the observatory walls are covered in fun facts about the city. We loved learning about the floating bridges that connect us with the Eastside (520 Bridge is the longest floating bridge in the world. WHOA!) and seeing the various structures around Seattle that rank as tallest in the city. 

A Few Insider Tips:

• There is a mall-sized food court on the first 3 floors of the Columbia Center. If you are hungry when you visit, go check out the offerings downstairs, there is something for everyone. 
• While we definitely recommend the Sky View Observatory, there is a Starbucks located on the 40th floor of the Columbia Center that you can visit for free (don't be a peasant, buy a coffee at least) and still see some spectacular views of the city! 
• The Sky Deck Observatory has a small cafe where you can buy light food and drinks from. The beer and wine are all local, so if you want to sample some PNW beverages this is a great place to grab a drink to enjoy! 

Grab a drink and enjoy the view

Try Before You Buy: 4 Seattle Wine Shops with Tastings

Remember when we were younger and fussy about eating new things? My mom always told me to try something first before deciding if I hated it. As I grew, so did my palate. I stopped rejecting onions and hot sauce simply because I finally gave them a try. Over time these flavors became important, and even desirable for me.

Wine is as varied as food when it comes to what appeals to people. A delicious soave for me will taste astringent to another. So it makes good sense to try many varietals and styles of wine as you learn what appeals to you.

However, wine can be an expensive hobby. We can learn the primary varietal characteristics and hope that a bottle featuring that grape lives up to its promise. While we can’t guarantee every bottle or vintage, we can taste. I believe that wine shops that feature customer tastings are the real heroes of the Novice Wine Drinker. So here are four small bottle shops in Seattle that offer patrons a chance to try a few sips before diving right in to a whole bottle (or case!) purchase.

Wine selections at Bin 41

Bin 41, West Seattle

Located in the West Seattle Junction, Bin 41 is a beautiful, well-stocked wine shop that focuses on client service. The proprietors will walk you through your menu and help find the best-paired wine from their collection. They offer weekly themed tastings on Thursdays for $5, with the fee rolled into whatever bottle purchase you ultimately make. The wine stock is centered on small production, family-operated wineries.

Pro Tip: Love animals? So do the owners, so much so that they routinely donate proceeds from their own wine and special fundraising events to animal rescue organizations.

Tasting room at Portalis

 Portalis, Ballard

Near to my heart, this is my neighborhood wine shop. I often walk down and have been seen lugging a half case the 10 blocks home. Portalis stocks an eclectic mix of wines, beers, and other beverages in the shop’s new home at NW 70th Ave and 15th Ave NW.  Seriously good and rare imports here. Portalis has a beatuful private tasting room replete with referenceable wine region maps. With free tastings Wednesdays through Sundays, you can expect to taste a varietal flight, focus on a certain region, or meet a winemaker. Check the shop’s website often to find out what’s up next.

Pro Tip: Jens of Portalis also owns a wine import company, so if you’re looking for something rare or unusual, he’s a good man to know!

Tasting wines from Tranche Vineyards at Vino Verite

Vino Verité, Columbia City

Recently relocated from Capitol Hill to the bustling main street of Columbia City, Vino Verité is Columbia City’s only dedicated wine shop. Here the owners are laser focused on value for their selections: Wines that are both delicious AND at the right price points. Thursday are tasting nights with complimentary pours of about five wines between 5-8 pm. Frequented by a mixture of walk-ins and regulars, the shop has taken hold in the neighborhood over the past year. I left with what promises to be a glorious bottle of Grüner Veltliner — how could I not?

Pro Tip: Every single wine on the shelves has been tasted and verified as DELICIOUS so you won’t buy any duds here. Good wine AND good value!                

Madrona Wine Merchants, Madrona

Back when I lived on Capitol Hill, Madrona Wine Merchants was a wonderful weekend walking destination. Tucked into a small shop on 34th Ave, they always seemed to have something open to taste. The owners really like to showcase the wines they love with the neighborhood and enjoy sharing “true bargains” with their loyal clientele. I have never been disappointed with their weekend tastings and lament the fact I don’t get over to that side of town as frequently anymore.

Pro Tip: These gents focus on wine producers with deep respect for both their craft and the land, whether that’s sustainable farming, biodynamic practices, or organic wine making. For the conscientious wine collector, Madrona Wine Merchants is a great choice.

 All four shops advertise their tasting schedules on their websites and offer email newsletter updates. If you live in Seattle, I encourage you to give your neighborhood shop a swirl and a sip. From out of town? These are great places to learn more about Seattle’s wine culture. Salud!

Amy L. Dickson is a communications professional, freelance writer, and contributor to Rain or Shine Guides. She’s currently training at the NW Wine Academy for her Level 1 sommelier certification. Follow her at @amyldickson75

Fremont Solstice Festival: Where Naked People Ride Bicycles at Seattle's Free Spirit Salute to The Sun

All are welcome!

Who doesn't want to see naked people, incredibly painted, riding bicycles down a public street? I mean really, even the most prudish person has got to be thinking, "But isn't that uncomfortable, where do all their bits go?!" and you want to know how you find out, by going to the Fremont Solstice Festival.

This three day festival running June 17-19 has something for everyone. There is music, tons of local craft vendors for shopping unique items, a parade for the naked bike riders, dogs (separate parade, dogs are always naked so that wouldn't be as entertaining), and food galore (seriously, SO MUCH FOOD).

The Naked Bike Parade is actually called the Solstice Parade since it does include incredibly constructed floats, groups of dancers, talented musicians, many costumes and other fun things, but we decided to rename it Naked Bike Parade, because let's be honest, the naked bike riders is why 99.9% of people are attending the parade. The body paint on some of these people is insane! There are entire galaxies painted on groups of people, Seahawks team uniforms, mermaids, and more. The creativity is endless, and you honestly forget about the bodies and just admire the talent it took to create some of them.

Of course some people half-ass the paint jobs, we are looking at you Dalmatian/Cow/? and then there are some people who just like to be naked and don't put any paint on (#FreeTheNipple, amiright?!?).

The bike riders kick off the parade (at 3pm on Saturday, June 18!) and then the floats come after, which are usually very liberal (did we mention Trump supporters aren't allowed at this festival?) and creative. After the parade go hit the beer garden and see some shows on one of the music stages. We also recommend coming hungry. Serious eaters will plan their time in order to be there over two meal times to maximize the potential for eating. 

Hidden Gems Seattle: Panama Hotel

They say those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Today we remember the past and take a trip to a Seattle institution where they proudly represent a trying period of time in the Pacific Northwest.

For such a young city, Seattle has an incredibly interesting history. Unfortunately, parts of the history are also very sad. Some would argue the biggest stain is Seattle's participation in the internment of local Japanese immigrants, many of which were American citizens, during World War II. This is a page in the history books we usually skim over. Many people aren't aware that we sent over 100,000 men, women, and children to camps around the U.S., forcing them to leave almost all their possessions behind, strip them of their freedom, and move them to confined camps with dismal living conditions. 

The Panama Hotel Tea House

The Panama Hotel works to educate people. When you walk into the Panama Hotel you are walking on floors that have a large piece of history beneath them. In the dark basement you can still find items left behind by Japanese families who believed they would return to Seattle for them someday. Sadly, many never did and their possessions remain here, protected, to tell their story. 

You can see the items left behind through a glass floor.

In 2006, the Panama Hotel was awarded the title of National Historic Landmark. You can visit it and peer into the basement via a glass floor in the back of the tea house. It is absolutely worth a visit and then we encourage you to share the story with friends and family; it is one we should talk about openly, so we can learn not to repeat it in the future. 

While you are there stop to have a pot of tea. Enjoy the atmosphere (and of course, a pastry, you can't NOT eat the pastries) and take in the old photographs and news clippings they have that document the past. 

If you want to learn more...

We see this story being told and remembered more and more now. If you would like you can check out popular books like Snow Falling on Cedars and The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet that tell the story of the people who were unjustly sent to these camps because of mass paranoia during the war. Actor George Takei also wrote and performed in a musical, Allegiance, which tells the story of the internment that he was a part of as a child, and the Seattle Times did a great piece on the Panama Hotel, which you can read here.