Blooms & Steel

Seattle’s hills don’t ease you in. They come at you fast, and I was instantly wondering how locals made it look effortless. I was up before sunrise out of habit—half-marathon training plus a significant time zone difference—so I took advantage of the quiet morning and went exploring. Back home in South Florida, I’m used to warm, humid miles on mostly flat ground. This was… different. My legs burned so bad, but so good. I know, it’s insanity, and I love it.

After that first round of wandering, I headed back to our Airbnb, grabbed my camera, and set out again. By the time Kat woke up, I had already found Pike Place Market, grabbed Starbucks, and met more dogs than people. Seattle welcomes dogs everywhere, and honestly, that alone won me over.

Later that day, we visited the Seattle Japanese Garden, completely drained both our phones, and realized we had no way to call an Uber. We tightened our laces and made like Unk — walked it out across the city, through neighborhoods, and into Chinatown. We tried tea, chatted with local artists, braved the grotesque but fascinating Gum Wall, and tracked down Ghost Alley Coffee, which was absolutely worth the wait.

These photos are what we carried back with us: color, grit, charm, and a city built on bloom and steel.