tiny cup of cake

Greetings from San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers for today’s post! Well..I’m really just sitting at my desk in my apartment in Seattle but one can dream. This was one of my favorite parts of our trip and I can’t wait to go back during my next visit to the city. Although I’ve been posting a lot of travel content lately I figured one more post would be alright since this one is also incorporating style :) If you haven’t read my last post recapping my surprise birthday trip to San Francisco, you can read that here.

BOMBER | SWEATER | BACKPACK (on sale) | SHOES | SKIRT (reversible and on sale!)

ON JARED: Sunglasses are by Ollie Quinn (Use OQXIA for 10% off), watch is by Burberry, exact shirt

Visiting the Conservatory of Flowers (located at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive) is a quick ride away from downtown. It’s open Tuesday-Sunday and for adults who are non-residents of San Francisco, tickets are $9 each. The last time we visited San Francisco we didn’t want to pay the admission because plants didn’t seem that interesting, plus we were poor college students. It’s funny how just a few years later we were so stoked to go inside. I am becoming more like my mother each day and the inner plant lady in me had a blast here.

Take your time wandering through the conservatory and be prepared to stop a lot. I would advise walking through the whole thing several times. It’s not as big as you think and you end up seeing something new each time you pass through the rows of exotic plants. Even for those that aren’t into plants, it is incredible to experience the flowers and plants so closely.

If you take a quick browse through my blog or scroll through my Instagram, it’s probably pretty clear that I love to travel, take photos, and eat. Since I entered post-grad life a few years ago, armed with more disposable income and spare time, I’ve done a lot more of these things with my other half. We’ve gone near and far (to other continents!) and we love it all. Something else you might have picked up about me is that I am a die hard Washingtonian. I’ve lived in Washington nearly my entire life and I intend on staying here the rest of it. Staying local and traveling within the PNW is actually one of my favorite things so getting out of the city for a weekend in charming Olympia was amazing!

If you’re planning a day trip or a weekend getaway to Olympia, WA then keep on reading and add some things to do to your itinerary! You can also check out my blog post from our trip to Olympia in September 2017 here.

Day ONE

We started off our trip by stopping in Tukwila to get a few pastries and some caffeine from 85C Bakery Cafe then continued to Olympia. I love that it’s only an hour south of downtown Seattle, where we live, so we didn’t even have to get gas! The route to our first stop was very familiar because we stayed at Hotel RL, which I have worked with previously. (You can even find a picture of me on their homepage!) Hotel RL is a great spot to stay because it overlooks Capitol Lake and is in a quiet, serene spot despite being conveniently near the highway.

After we dropped off our bags and enjoyed a few moments on our balcony which overlooked the lake, we drove over to Tumwater Falls. Just a few steps away from the parking lot you’ll see the upper falls which are so cool! There’s a scenic 1/2 mile loop here too which we would have loved to take but as you can tell from my raincoat, it was pouring rain on us! This made the falls extra cool to see though, as the water was really powerful. 

We heard a lot about Quality Burrito from a few people so we headed there next for a bite to eat. They have a huge variety of burritos, tacos, and even vegan options! Jared and I shared fish tacos and a burrito that had steak, bacon, and potatoes inside. This is a must visit in my opinion! If you like no-frills Mexican food at a place with a lot of character, this is definitely a stop to make.

For the remainder of the afternoon we visited a bunch of small businesses around downtown Olympia, had a beer at Cascadia Brewing Co., and experienced the fun Arts Walk activities. Arts Walk is a semi-annual event that occurs in spring and fall to celebrate art in the community. I’m so glad we were here for the Spring Arts Walk because there was a fun parade where hundreds of people dressed up. There were so many creative costumes and it was seriously so fun to experience.

There are so many amazing businesses in a span of a few blocks in downtown Olympia but here are a few standouts:

1. Compass Rose: This is such a cute gift shop that donates 10% of its earnings to good causes. It’s a lot larger than one would expect for a gift shop and oh boy, it was really dangerous because I wanted EVERYTHING. I just found out that there’s another location in Tacoma as well but head to Olympia for the founding store :)
2. Archibald Sisters: Also a great spot if you’re picking up gifts. This store has lots of fun, comical gifts as well as a huge selection of handmade fragrances, lotions, and other personal care items. It was almost overwhelming trying to smell all the scents!
3. Captain Little: Admittedly I made us walk into this store because there was a huge, adorable dog inside with its owner. Once we went inside, however, we spent a good amount of time perusing all the stuff. While it is mainly a toy store, there are lots of fun things to see like puzzles, plushies, and even childrens books. This is such an amusing store, even if you’re an adult. I never knew I needed a stuffed cupcake or sushi plushie until this store…
4. Browsers Book Store: Jared and I always like going into book stores when we see them. Both of us are bookworms and there really is no better time to buy a book than on vacation! Browsers is the cutest little spot with a big selection of books for everyone. The children section even had a small nook underneath the stairs that looked super cozy – even I would like to curl up there and read a book. I like Amazon just as much as the next person but it is great to support your local bookstores like this when you want to purchase a book!

After a few hours downtown, we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner where we had a reservation for Waterstreet Cafe. This spot is across from Capitol Lake and Heritage Park which means you’ll also get a great view of the Legislative Building. It’s an intimate, cozy spot that would be great for a date night or a small gathering of friends. We ended up splitting a bit of everything that we ordered – the calamari, linguini with prawns, and fried gnocchi. Unfortunately they were out of two dishes we wanted but at least they offered recommendations for other dishes. We also got drinks since happy hour is 2-close everyday – how can you say no to that?!

After dinner we ended up driving around Olympia and Tumwater during sunset (which was gorgeous) and we ended up going to a grocery store for a slice of cake which we ate later that night during a horror movie. Perfect end to an eventful day!

Day TWO

We took the opportunity to sleep in a bit later than usual thanks to the comfy beds and headed downstairs to the Hotel RL lobby for some coffee. Hotel RL is great and offers a free espresso drink to all guests each morning during your stay! We love that they serve Victrola coffee because it’s actually one of our local neighborhood coffee roasters. Plus, I did a project with Hotel RL last year for National Coffee Day. I’m practically a veteran when it comes to drinking coffee in this lobby! ;)

Then we ventured into the dining room in Hotel RL for some brunch while enjoying the lake views. Before I say anything about the food I have to say the dining room is huge and really, really nice! I was really surprised by how large the bar is and how nice of a room it is with big glass windows all along the back and sides. They even have board games for you to play in the dining room!

We might have gone a little overboard, but everything sounded sooo yummy that we couldn’t help ourselves! The crab cake eggs benedict was amazing and actually the best eggs benedict I’ve had in a long time. Jared really liked his scramble and we both tried our best to finish these ginormous, fluffy pancakes. (Are you drooling yet?)

After checking out of our hotel we drove over to the beautiful Percival Landing Park. One thing I really loved about our visit is how close in proximity everything is. Every destination seemed to be within five minutes of each other and the drives are always beautiful. Olympia really is a beautiful city and I am so appreciative of the pockets of sunshine we got on this trip! 

BACKPACK | Review of backpack HERE

STRIPED TEE | DENIM JACKET | SHOES

The beautiful weather lasted long enough for us to snap some pictures and enjoy the views but then it started sprinkling again! We decided to head over to the Olympia Farmer’s Market which is open from April – October on Thursdays through Sundays. Much to my dismay, they don’t allow pets at the Farmer’s Market which foiled my plans to puppy watch. However the Farmer’s Market’s offerings totally made up for the lack of puppies and then some!! First of all, the market is actually under a huge structure so you’re still outdoors but shielded from the rain. There’s even a stage for live music! We sampled some local treats, smelled beautiful flowers, and saw so many amazing things. It’s a shame that we had stuffed ourselves at brunch because there was everything from jerky to fruit to pastries. Farmer’s market aficionados, this one is a must visit! I mean, look at these colors!

We also had plans to go to a coffee tasting at Batdorf and Bronson however we were already so caffeinated from brunch that we just decided to walk around the area more. There were plenty of dogs outside of the Farmer’s Market, don’t worry, and I have to say there is no shortage of nice people in Olympia either. People are so friendly here!

Overall we had such a fun, relaxing stay here in Olympia. I love how much history and culture there is in this city. Coming from Seattle is just too easy and if you’re coming from Vancouver/Portland (where I grew up!) then it’s also still a really easy trip up. Whether you’re a Washington native or not, I think a visit to the state’s capital is a must!

 

Thank you to Experience Olympia for hosting us in your beautiful city! All opinions are my own. 

For my 24th birthday Jared surprised me with a trip to San Francisco, CA. This city is really special to both of us because it’s where we took our first trip together! Since that trip we took during spring break our junior year of college, we have been to London, Hawaii, LA, Vegas, and Canada. (We have a lot of other exciting trips coming up too!) Although we love to experience new places, I’m glad Jared picked San Francisco for sentimental reasons. Here are some of the photos from our trip!

We got into the city really late so we let ourselves sleep in a little bit the following morning then desperately needed a bite to eat before exploring downtown. We walked a few blocks from where we stayed to Beanstalk Cafe. Jared got a spicy chicken sandwich (I was secretly hoping he’d get the one with bulgogi) and I got a bagelwich with sausage, cheese, and egg.

Yellow Striped Shirt | Allbirds Shoes | Backpack

After we spent a few hours wandering downtown San Francisco and shopped, we needed more coffee. The last time we came to San Francisco we didn’t get to try Blue Bottle so we stopped into one and got the New Orleans style iced coffee. I’m a huge fan of iced coffee and loved this one. It’s really creamy and has just a hint of sweetness which is right up my alley. If you’re into iced coffee, I also recommend the mint mojito coffee from Philz though it is really strong.

No trip to San Francisco is complete until you’ve seen the Golden Gate Bridge from one of the many viewpoints. Jared and I absolutely loved going to Fort Point and a few other spots to see the bridge up close during our last trip. This time we went to Battery Spencer over in Marin County to see the bridge from the other side of the water. We even got to see the bridge through our Lyft sunroof – it was a minivan and 1000% comfy. It’s a short walk up to this amazing view point. (Would not recommend wearing your brand new white Allbirds.)

Another great spot for views of a different part of the city is the famed Twin Peaks. You could hike up there or ride a bike but in true Jared-and-Grace fashion we just paid for a Lyft up there. There’s a pretty big ledge that you can sit on top of and just take in the views. It’s amazing to see all the different areas of San Francisco, including the hilly terrain. Unfortunately you can’t see much of the view because I shot with a macro lens but just trust me that this is a must visit spot.

Red Striped Shirt | Utility Jacket (similar)

Another coffee spot that we had to stop by is Sightglass Coffee. There is no shortage of cute coffee shops in San Francisco it turns out – I think I could spend all day in them. Jared and I enjoyed a midday caffeine fix then wandered the neighborhood some. (Side note: Jared came back from the restroom and excitedly told me they had Aesop soap in there. I’m more impressed that he knows Aesop than the fact a coffee shop had some bougie soap. But both are quite impressive, haha.)

We also wandered the Mission district for quite a while because we were killing time before our dinner reservation at Foreign Cinema. This spot is really cool and they even play old films off to one side of the restaurant! Definitely make a reservation and be prepared for what I like to call fancy food – that will still fill you up. Excuse the phone quality pics but I didn’t want to whip out a giant camera in a lot of these places because they were usually crowded! The best thing I had at Foreign Cinema was the fried chicken, hands down. It’s my personal goal to always order the fried chicken at restaurants if it’s on the menu…

I’m a little out of order but before our dinner reservation, we spent a lot of time in the neighborhood. We got a quick “snack” at Media Noche (the cubano is sooooo good) and yes, it is the cutest restaurant you’ve ever seen. I was also spotted in the window at Boba Guys by a friend from college!! Jared and I got the almond milk strawberry matcha which didn’t disappoint at all. After browsing some thrift stores and some fun book stores, we walked through Clarion Alley to see the murals. I was so drawn to the art that I didn’t really take any photos, sorry!

During our last trip to SF we weren’t able to go to the Ferry building so I was really excited to come this time. There was so much food to try but ultimately I saved my stomach for lunch and just opted for ice cream. I figured ice cream for breakfast is fine if it’s coffee flavored, right? I got a scoop of Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee ice cream from Humphry Slocombe and it was tasty! (Thanks Shannon for the rec!) Not as good as MM, but good and they offer tons of unique (aka weird) flavors. After the Ferry building we walked the Embarcadero which has many piers that you can walk out onto. There are incredible views, some restaurants, and even the Exploratorium to visit. I loved this shot of the Ferry building and that clock tower from the pier!

After walking around the waterfront we headed over to Burma Superstar. You guys recommended this so many times so we knew we had to try it out. We got to the restaurant 15 minutes before opening and stood in line with a bunch of others (welcome to San Francisco) so luckily we got seated immediately when they opened their doors. I can see why this place is constantly busy! We ordered a lamb curry, some sort of curry noodle, and some coconut rice. Everything was so flavorful and just really unique. And yes, I have major FOMO because we didn’t get the tea leaf salad. Don’t be like me and order this.

Lastly, just because I don’t want to bore you all with MORE food I just wanted to share one more spot we went to called Dragon Beaux. It’s referred to as an upscale dim sum restaurant and it does feel nicer than your typical dim sum restaurant. I liked the food a lot and service was pretty fast for how busy it is, but do expect a long wait on the weekends. 

That’s it for now! I’m going to be writing another post about the Conservatory of Flowers because I felt that this post was way too long, so stay tuned for that one.

To see my San Francisco food guide from my last trip and to see what else we did on our previous trip, check out those posts! Can’t believe they’re from 2015!