Hat N' Boots

Located in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood is a tiny park, Oxbow, with a really big attraction. This is one of those attractions on Roadside Maps. 

This is Hat N' Boots.

It's a big deal. Seriously, we don't want to downplay this, it's a giant cowboy hat and cowboy boots, and it's a really big deal to our city. To be a true Seattleite you must go and bathe in the looming shadow of the Hat N' Boots, similar to Mecca... but sorta different. 

It's a truly life transforming experience. 

Why does Seattle, a city that was born of the lumber industry, have giant cowboy structures? Wouldn't this be better suited for Texas or Calgary? Well... we don't have that answer, sorry we can't know everything. Educated guess? It was exotic. It's like going to a Tiki Bar or listening to Shakira music.

What do we know? It was built for a destination gas station in the 1950s. The boots were a bathroom, the larger being the men's and smaller, women's. Unfortunately, a bright shiny new interstate, I-5, took traffic away from the small highway it was situated on, and the gas station closed. Hat N' Boots were abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair. 

If you are currently asking yourself if this story is inspiration for a Pixar film, yes, it is. We are thinking a Cars meets Toy Story hybrid. 

Don't worry this story has a happy ending though. Hat N' Boots got a new beginning when Georgetown residents decided to fundraise to restore this glorious attraction to its original grandeur. After some time, money, and paint, Hat N' Boots was looking less like Britney "2007 Meltdown" and a lot more like Britney "2011 VMAs Comeback." In addition to the Hat N' Boots masterpiece, the park also has a jungle gym for kids and a P Patch maintained by residents.

So please, go visit. Take a can of Budweiser and some deer jerky, wear a bolo tie, and salute this masterpiece.

At this point we have done all we can to convince you this is a place to visit, but you might be on the fence, just not sure about whether or not it's going to be worth it. Well, you're a fool, of course it will be worth it, but if you need additional reasons to go, here are four places in the area to up the ante: Katsu Burger, 9lb Hammer, Two Beers Brewing and Via Tribunali. 

48 Hours in Tofino, B.C.

Wild Pacific Trail

There are certain places on this planet that are good for your soul. Tofino, British Columbia is one of these places. When you drive into town everything slows down, you release all the stress of the day-to-day and you just relax. Here is how to make the most of your time in this little slice on heaven in the PNW. 

Day One: 

If you leave Vancouver on the morning ferry (8AM) you'll arrive in Tofino around 1:00 PM that day. As you drive into town you'll be hungry, grab lunch at Tacofino, Canada's most famous food truck (RoS Tip: baja style lingcod tacos). After filling your belly with fish tacos (aka crack tacos) head to your accommodations and get settled before some more activities. Our favorite spot is Tides Inn. If you are into friendly service, spacious rooms, and great views check it out. After dropping off your luggage, we recommend seeing a little bit of what Tofino has to offer. Chesterman Beach is one of the most popular places to check out. Take in all the surfers (many are beginners! Get inspired if you have never surfed before, you can do it!) and enjoy the sandy beach. During low tide you can even hike out to an island just a little ways out on the sand bar for a little adventure. 

After spending some time at Chesterman Beach we wouldn't be surprised if you were a little thirsty. Luckily, Tofino Brewing Company is just up the road and offers a variety of craft beer to quench your thirst (RoS Tip: Spruce Tree Ale).

After sampling some flights and walking away with a 4-pack of bottles to enjoy on your own later, head back to your lodging and get cleaned up. It's dinner time! And the eating in Tofino is phenomenal. Spend night one at Shelter Restaurant. They are the pinnacle of local eating and offer up mouth-watering grub at a reasonable price. (RoS Tip: Anything with the locally caught salmon, get at least a few oysters, and try one of their cocktails. It was probably constructed with items from the garden out back!)

Oysters and salmon at Shelter

After dinner head to one of the local beaches and build a fire, listen to the surf, and crack open a bottle or two (or three or four) of your Tofino Brewery bottles. 

Day Two:

Start the day early and head to Ucluelet to hike the Wild Pacific Trail. It will take you around an hour to do the fairly easy hike and the views are spectacular. Then head back to Tofino and spend an hour or so exploring the main street. There is great shopping, including the Roy Henry Vickers Gallery (can't miss!), our favorite clothing shop, Habit Clothing, and tucked away behind the bank, Merge, sells all things local! You can also duck into a number of coffee shops for a hit of caffeine and check out some of the local surf shops. 

Probably about time for lunch now, eh? (we are in Canada, therefore you must work "Eh?" into your vernacular). Check out Sobo, you won't be disappointed. Or just go back to Tacofino, because you are probably addicted now and need another dose. No judgement, sometimes street food can be like spring break in Cabo, you forget your good sense and then wake up later feeling ashamed of what you did while under its spell. It happens to the best of us, just blame it on the taco high.

Now you have a wide open, beautiful afternoon available to you. You just have to decide what you want to do. Easier said that done sometimes. 

A. Surf? Use Surf Sister if you need lessons or rentals. Surfing is an amazing, freeing experience. Try it out if you haven't before and don't worry, the waves are small so falling is almost enjoyable. 

B. Hike? Pacific Rim National Park offers a bazillion trails. Pick one and head out into the wild. 

C. Take a tour? Great.Decide what you want to see. Hot spring? Bears? Whales? Seals? Ocean Outfitters has you covered. Great guides who respect the environment they are exploring.

D. Rent a bike and explore some more? Tofino Bike Company has got you covered.

After you return from afternoon adventuring head out for your final dinner, no doubt by now you have earned it. There is no other spot to have your grand finale than Schooner Restaurant. It is one of the oldest spots in town and that  means they have had years to perfect their dishes. Get the halibut. We repeat. Get. The. Halibut. (and the calamari.. and maybe a few cocktails too).

Schooner Restaurant

Day Three:

Wake up, grab a coffee and a pastry at Tuff Beans Coffee House and head over to our favorite local beach, Tonquin Beach, for an AM picnic. It is a short hike down 100 stairs (isn't as bad as it sounds) to the sand and once you arrive take in all the beauty around you and appreciate the time you've had in this small paradise. 

You'll want to leave town around 11AM to catch a ferry back to the mainland. As you drive out of town plan some time to stop at Chocolate Tofino for a bag of goodies to take with you on the road + an ice cream cone -- because you're on vacation and no one can tell you not to have that ice cream cone before lunch. No one! 

Meet the Maker: Seattle Granola Company

Welcome to our first edition of Meet the Maker! We are excited to launch this series where we sit down with local creators to learn about their craft.

First up, Seattle Granola Company!

A little about the company.

Emily Dean used to gift her granola to tons of people prior to it becoming a business. Everyone she gave it to raved about the flavors and texture. Her brother-in-law, Chris Field, was the first to encourage her to take it to market. Being a chef, Chris was constantly surrounded by food and knew the good stuff when he tasted it. No surprise that almost three years later Seattle Granola Company is going strong and making plans for future expansions. 

What's the size of the operation? 

Every week they make almost 1,000 pounds of granola. Emily's kitchen is one of the most delicious-smelling places we have ever set foot in. Like Christmas year round. 

What are some secret or favorite granola uses/recipes people should know about? 

The obvious, yogurt or almond milk are great. People also use it for sweets, crumbling it over ice cream, or on top of donuts. Emily even used it as a topping on her Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole. You can add it to a salad for some crunch or to your popcorn for more flavors. Or just snack on it, which Chris points out is one of the reasons their granola is the best, you can eat it plain, and it's just as delicious. 

What about the ingredients? 

The granola is all vegan and gluten free. The oats are from a special farm in Colorado where they don't rotate the crops, which means the only thing that touches the soil are the oats, keeping them free from any traces of gluten. 

They also create their granola with a shelf life of 8 weeks, which is unique to their company. Most are much longer, but after extensive testing they realized that keeping it much longer decreases the crunch and sweet and salty flavor, and they only want their customers eating the best they can make. 

Where can you buy Seattle Granola Company granola? 

Lucky for us, they listed every location out on their website. They are in Central Markets and Town and Country markets around town, and you can also purchase it directly from their website. The first company to buy their granola? New Roots Organics, a Seattle delivery service. You can still find their granola in the bins of fresh produce and goodies being delivered around Seattle. 

When interviewing food people we always have to ask, what are you favorite spots in Seattle to eat?

Chris landed on 2C Thai, which apparently has the best green curry with avocado and Palace Kitchen for the best burger in Seattle.

Emily, being a vegetarian, is not chowing down on the burgers at Palace Kitchen, but she does love Seattle Deli's Tofu Bahn Mi and is a regular at Pho 99. She even knows the veggie pho's number on the menu (#14B). 

What is coming up next for SGC?

Currently SGC has two flavors of granola, regular and coffee, but Emily and Chris are about to launch their new No BS line of granola. It is made without the brown sugar, so if you want ultra-healthy granola this is the way to go. 

Us? We walked out of the interview with 6 bags of the WITH sugar granola goodness, but if you want no sugar, we won't think less of you.

Flatstick Pub

Local beer? Check. Mini golf? Check. Dog-friendly with cool art? Check and Check. Flatstick Pub just expanded to Pioneer Square, and we could not be more delighted. This Eastside spot has finally crossed the pond and now all of us Seattle folks can enjoy the fun. Their curated taplist of only the best Washington beers and ciders in addition to the mini golf and (newly invented bar game) duffleboard courses make this a great place to have get togethers with friends (although your friends either have to be 21+ or of the canine variety, sorry kids).

In addition to the entertainment and beer, they also have approximately 1 million TVs to watch the local sporting events (Go Local Sports Team!), and they commissioned our favorite artist, Henry, to decorate the place. Not to mention the large cubbie-hole type seating that gives you privacy and space to gather a group. The vibes are great, the beer is cold, and the people are friendly. What more could you ask for in a night out?

Henry art and colorful balls

Oh wait, there's more! (this is starting to feel like an infomercial, but we are being sincere. Cross our hearts.)

It is only $7 to play mini golf and $3 for duffleboard. That makes this the cheapest fun thing to do in all of Seattle-land. You can't even buy a deck of cards for $3 anymore. And duffleboard is basically the best game to be invented since its cousin, shuffleboard. 

Insider Tip: Yappy Hour ($1 off your beer) is M-F from 6-7PM and all day Sunday. Bring in your pooch for a discount! 

This light-up Space Needle takes your ball at the end of mini-golf. Um...cool.