Snohomish

I've always heard about the shops in Snohomish. I love anything vintage, retro, antique-y and rustic. So a couple Saturdays ago, we set out for a lengthy drive.  We have pretty much exhausted the whole Puget Sound area, so it was exciting for us to discover a new destination.

 

 Annie's on First had quite the display of antique chandaliers.

 Simply Sweet, is just one of the cupcake shops on 1st, only a couple doors 

down from the sassy Bite Me cupcakes specializing in catered events. 

 Faded Elegance captured that perfect balance 

between old and new pretties.

 In the basement of Joyworks, 

I loved this cozy corner of aqua and neutrals.

Want to make one for Valentine's Day!

 A kitschy soda fountain shop full of retro signs for any collector.

Warmed up at Crepe Escape and Coffee House with a 

Vanilla Latte roasted by ZOKA and their signature 

Crepe Suzette filled with creme fraiche and garnished with 

fresh lemon and orange zest...a unique treat! 

The Snohomish Bakery & Cafe had some 

additionally tantalizing pastries.

Such a fun daytrip or weekend getaway to spend with girlfriends, moms, sisters, daughters...and of course husbands. For all the information you need to know about the shops, food, drinks, lodging, and directions click here.

We took the direct route on I-405 getting there, but decided to take the less traveled HWY 203 for the drive home. Always a treat, no matter the time of year. Every time we drive through Duvall, I'm impressed with their growth and charm.  If you are still craving antiques, they have a few shops worth the stop.

All Things Shopping

Seattle has some of the best shopping in all of the Northwest. When friends come to visit, there is usually a trip to some store, somewhere on the itenerary. No matter your style, price range, or interests, there is a store or maybe even a whole district for you.

High End (aka: Window Shopping)

• 5th Ave in Downtown - this is prime real estate, so not where you're going to find independent boutiques, but some of your favorite chains like Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, Gap. Be sure and venture over to 4th and 6th, and of course Westlake Center and Pacific Place for Barney's, J. Crew, and True Religion, just to name a few. 
• Bellevue Square Mall and The Shops at the Bravern- you might want to dress well if you're coming here, we made the mistake of going to the Bravern after work and didn't realize we stood out like a sore thumb, until the concierge politely asked us if we needed any assistance. Oops! 

Outdoor Shopping Centers

•  University Village - or commonly referred to as "the village" is beautifully lit all year round with white Christmas lights. We love the Home Decor stores like Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn, gourmet Kitchen Shops, Book Stores, Impress, one of my favorite paper and stamp stores, and Fireworks, not your typical souvenir shop, featuring gifts from local artists.
• Redmond Town Center - features the only iPic Theater in Washington where you can see the latest blockbuster while enjoying a gourmet meal in a classy atmosphere.
• Kent Station - a central place for South Sounders to meet for lunch or see a movie. Other great shops on Meeker and 1st Ave S.

Malls

• Westfield Southcenter Mall - Tukwila: recently renovated, close to SeaTac Airport, has a well-rounded variety of stores for any price point. 
• Northgate - North Seattle
• The Commons - Federal Way
• Tacoma Mall - Tacoma
• Alderwood Mall - Lynnwood
• South Hill Mall - Puyallup: our hometown mall, gotta love Target!
• The SuperMall- Auburn: kind of a hybrid outlet mall
• Kitsap Mall- Silverdale
• Westlake - Downtown Seattle: the top floor has a pretty impressive food court, we usually eat lunch here on our Seattle daytrips.
• Pacific Place - Downtown Seattle: definitely worth a trip during the Christmas season to catch the indoor snow every night at 6pm accompanied by live music!

Be sure to drive the streets surrounding the malls for other great stores.

Antiques

• Snohomish - the largest antique district in the Seattle area. In the neighborhood: Duvall
• Sumner - the shops on Main Street do a great job of hosting special events throughout the year. In the neighborhood: Puyallup and Tacoma

For the Dudes

• REI - based in Seattle, the downtown store is something to see with it's 60 foot climbing wall and outdoor bike trails to test ride thousand dollar mountain bikes.
• Cabelas - inconvenient to get to, but worth it once you're there.