Birthday Weekend Part II: Woodinville & Seattle

*Sorry this post wasn't working for a while. Not sure what happened, but I re-uploaded all the photos so hopefully it's fixed!

Saturday morning, after our room service, we packed up and headed out for our next adventure. We were Woodinville-bound for a day of leisurely wine tasting. We had heard great things about Chateau St. Michelle, but were a little wary it would be too "touristy". As soon as we stepped out of the car we were so happy we decided to give it a try. The grounds are ridiculously beautiful. If you're ever in the area - I highly recommend you stop by. We also visited Columbia Winery and did some tasting by their gorgeous fireplace. And for lunch we went to the Red Hook Brewery. The beer was great, but the food left a lot to be desired. So sadly I have to say that next time we go, I would skip that.

After wine tasting we drove over to Seattle and checked in to our beautiful room at the Westin downtown. We had an incredible view of the Space Needle and were a quick walk from Pike Place Market and tons of shops and restaurants.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was meeting up with one of my best friends from college and her boyfriend for dinner. It was so thoughtful of Corey to set that up, because he knows how much I miss her! We enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at Il Fornaio, just two blocks from our hotel, then grabbed drinks at Oliver’s – a swanky martini bar.

The next morning we woke up surprisingly early to cloudless blue skies.  Nothing motivates a Pacific Northwest resident like sun and blue sky! We headed down to Pike Place Market for a stroll before meeting up with Corey’s cousin and her boyfriend for brunch at Portage Bay.  The French toast was so yummy. They have a special little pancake/French toast bar that is filled with fresh fruit, whipped cream, nuts, etc. so I piled it all on. I had to go big for one of my last meals of my birthday weekend! Let me tell you: It was totally worth it.

After an amazing weekend, we were reunited with our sweet pup and 70+ degree temps in Portland, so we soaked up the sun and further indulged! I couldn't have asked for a more amazing birthday celebration. I truly have the best husband in the world for planning out this thoughtful, beautiful weekend!

{Photos © Liz & Corey Denfeld}