Tyson Nguyen

November 2nd, 2016  

Of Coffee, Coast and Rain

Space Needle - Bryce Mann

Distinct from the crowded and bustling atmosphere of New York City, the seething party vibe of Los Angeles, or the freezing temperatures of Minneapolis, Seattle has its own uniqueness.

“It rains nine months a year in Seattle.”

As Dennis Reed has described in the 1993 iconic Romantic piece Sleepless in Seattle, the city seems to carry herself with the melancholy vibe of a dismal January day. The sequence of continuous raining days has deeply influenced in the culture and perspective of Seattleites, depicting a soothing romantic painting. Being embraced in those heavy layers of misty rain, Seattle reveals its own distinctive characteristics. Indeed, Seattle has been regarded as an analogy to a beautiful woman who sheds tears “nine months a year,” yet, in a way that you can still find her beauty under her teardrops. For wanderlust, the beauty of Seattle might be hidden under the Northern Downpour; only a person who lives in the city for a long time can truly understand its unique beauty.

Pike Market Center - Daniel Gregory 

As referred as an Emerald City, Seattle is indeed a combination of a metropolitan area and extraordinary natural gifts. Embraced by Elliot Bay, surrounded by the Cascade Range, Seattle carries the blend of the sea-breeze from the ocean and the scent of pine trees from the temperate forests. The combination of ocean, forests and a metropolitan city provide citizens and tourists an exceptional opportunity to experience both the city and nature. Pike Market Center, located in the heart of downtown Seattle, facing towards the Elliot Bay, provides the freshest oysters, Dungeon crabs and salmons of the Northwest Region, giving the opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood cuisine in the middle of the metropolitan area. Within the area of Pike Place Market, Seattle-based first Starbucks coffee house has given Seattleites the most original and natural Espresso and variations since 1971, introducing branches of over 50 Starbucks stores around the city, and thousands of retail stores globally. 

Mount Rainier - Denella Sydow

To get an authentic nature vibe, within only two hours from the heart of downtown Seattle, tourists can experience and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest temperate forests or have the opportunity to ski on the 12,000 feet Mount Rainier, as well as other activities such as hiking or yachting.

With all of its elements and perspectives embedded in the city, the Emerald City—Seattle—is unquestionably the place that is worth experienced for both metropolitan or nature enthusiasts. "It rains nine months a year in Seattle." But Seattle carries her beauty twelve months a year.