Need inspiration? Take a trip. If you need some design inspiration, go to a city. If you need life inspiration, go camping. If you want to hang out in a city oozing with creativity and art, open and accepting of everyone all the time, go to Seattle.
Equipped with a big suitcase, my bestie and her mom, I recently jumped on plane to check out the West Coast, Seattle specifically. The timing was random. The location was random. But damn, we had fun. Every Uber driver asked us, “Why Seattle?” and our answers never got more complicated than, “Why not?”
We knew why we went – but it wasn’t a reason we could explain. We needed something to inspire us. A chance to cool off from the 95+ heat. A break from our schedules, clients, daily pulls stretching us in different directions. Proof that the world was bigger than our small corners. Confirmation that we are all going to be alright.
Seattle did all of those things. Design inspiration in every corner. From the crosswalks to the murals, restaurant interiors to spacious views, fresh air signs to ferry rides, public compost bins downtown to local bookstores, frozen moscow mules to al fresco dining (everywhere!), sea planes to museums.
The “Don’t Miss List”
Chihuly Glass & Gardens
Space Needle
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
Lionhead
Lake Union
Ferry ride
Public Market
Flea market
Obligatory Plane pictRestaurant interior near AmazonPiggy food truckSignage on point
Big benchFish throwing marketOriginal Starbucks!Nighttime ferry ride
View from restaurant in BainbridgeFerry ride to BainbridgeFerry ride to BainbridgeTravel buddies on a repeat visit to Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Did I mention the frozen moscow mules?
Chihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleMt Rainier as seen from the top of the Space Needle – apparently it’s only visible about 1 in 3 daysChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angle
Space Needle!Chihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angle
Chihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angleChihuly Glass and Garden – ridiculously beautiful from every angle
Oversized art in the light rail stationThe King lives in SAMRad exhibit at SAMRad exhibit at SAM
Sign inside the Seattle Art MuseumEntrance to the Seattle Art Museum – open to the public on first floorSkyscrapers all day longDowntown Seattle
Mutiny!Lots of sailboats in the Puget SoundFerris wheelAir!
Flowering street lights downtownGinormous indoor plantersAll the flavors of ginger beer at Rachel’s Ginger BeerIndoor mural at Rachel’s Ginger Beer
My bestie Molly Conn with a frozen moscow muleStreet muralsStreet muralsStreet mural
Seattlites landscape anywhere and everywhereBike lanes!! That work!!Give me all the books!Graphic design section in amazing local bookstore!
Sign outside of an establishment in Capital HillRainbow crosswalks in Capital HillSprinting through the airport to get home….oops
