A Spirited Tour of Washington

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great October and a fun Halloween- I definitely did. I’m back with another long-overdue post for you all. This year, I took a quick 5-day trip to Washington where I explored Seattle, Mt. Rainier, San Juan Islands, and Leavenworth. A blog on the whole trip is coming soon, but I also wanted to fill you in on the yummy drinks we had while there (spirited and non-spirited alike). There were so many restaurants and bars we explored that I figured the boozy treats we had deserved its own blog, so keep on reading to get a glimpse of what you could enjoy when you visit Washington, as well!

#1 & #2- Solar Winds & Mai Tai

We ordered our first pair of drinks at the Space Needle in Seattle! Mine is called Solar Winds, which is a concoction of earl grey tea-infused vodka, bergamot, and simple syrup. It’s super refreshing and not too sweet, and tastes super light. My boyfriend ordered a classic Mai Tai, which was a bit sweeter but also refreshing. I’d definitely order the Solar Winds again, as that was my first time having earl grey tea-infused vodka and absolutely loving it. We even got to take our cups home with us! I’d say these are perfect drinks to enjoy hundreds of feet above ground.

#3 & #4- Momiji Sour and Tokyo Girl

Later that evening after arriving to Seattle and exploring the city, we headed to a restaurant called Momiji Seattle. Their sushi rolls are amazing and the drinks were on point, as well. The Momiji Sour (left) features Mars Iwai 45 whisky, Choya umeshu, lemon, orgeat, and plum bitters. It’s both tangy and sweet and paired perfectly with all the rolls we ordered (which were way too many). I ordered a drink called Tokyo Girl (right) which has Ketel One vodka, lychee liqueur, lemon, rose syrup, aquafaba, and orange blossom. This drink was the first I’ve had with aquafaba in place of egg white and I personally didn’t taste much difference between the two! I LOVED this drink and had to stop myself from ordering another one. It was slightly sweeter than the first but definitely light and airy. This was one of my favorite drinks I had throughout my Washington adventure for sure.

#5 & #6- Colombian Cerro Azul and Iced Oleato Cortado

The next morning, we made our way to the Starbucks Reserve to have breakfast, which was a 10/10. The Colombian Cerro Azul (left) is a sweeter, and not as bitter kind of coffee that has both fruity and floral notes. This paired perfectly with that chocolate chip cookie we couldn’t wait to take a bite out of before taking this photo, as well as the chocolate cornetti. I ordered the iced oleato cortado (right). Initially, I was off-put by the idea of having olive oil in my coffee, but good quality coffee and extra virgin olive oil is an oddly great pairing; I eventually forgot the oil was even an ingredient in my drink. This drink features espresso, orange piloncillo syrup, orange bitters, oat milk, and Partanna extra virgin olive oil. I would order this again if I ever go back, because of how velvety it was. It wasn’t at all too sweet and it was slightly citrus-y. If you ask me, I don’t think there’s anything that could have made this drink better (unless maybe if there were more of it).

#7 & #8- Starbucks Reserve Espresso Martini and Cold Brew Spiced Rum

I couldn’t leave the Starbucks Reserve without getting a classic espresso martini, and it did not disappoint. An espresso martini is in my top 5 favorite cocktails EVER because of its simplicity and elegance. This one is made with their espresso, Kalak Single Malt vodka, vanilla bean syrup, and topped with dark chocolate. As expected, I loved it and wished I could teleport back every evening for one of these. The cold brew spiced rum is made with chai rooibos tea, cold brew, white rum, lime juice, simple syrup, lemon bitters, and cinnamon. The vibes were definitely ~tropical~, but personally, not for me. Maybe I’m just not a rum girl. But if you are, I’d definitely recommend this drink if you ever visit the Starbucks Reserve.

#9 & #10- Ube Moon and Smokeshow

After some fun at the Seattle Japanese Garden, we stopped by Chophouse Row for some shopping. I heard of a trendy bar here through TikTok called Gemini Room that we had to try out- Its cute exterior makes for that perfect instagram shot. When the bartender suggested sweeter drinks, she mentioned one called Ube Moon, which is cold brew, Borghetti, vodka, and ube cream. I’m not necessarily a fan of super sweet cocktails, so I opted for something called the Smokeshow instead. This cocktail contains mezcal, Campari, grapefruit, lemon, honey, and egg white, with a red wine float. I’m gonna be honest, I ordered an Ube Moon after trying my boyfriends’ and realizing I liked it better than my drink. It sounded like it’d be way too sweet, but it’s actually not very sweet at all and instead just tastes similar to an espresso martini, with ube cream added. I’m sad that it came in such a small glass because this was honestly one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. The Smokeshow was okay, but maybe it’s because I’m not the biggest fan of grapefruit. It was sorta similar to a New York Sour, just a bit more bitter. Gemini Room is a perfect spot to visit if you wanna stop by for a drink while exploring Chophouse Row.

#11 & #12- Aperol Spritz and The Last Word

I had a random craving for Italian that night and we opted for a cozy restaurant called Cantinetta. If I’m having Italian, I NEED to order one of three things: an Aperol Spritz, a Negroni, or a glass of good quality wine. Aperol Spritz’s are always a good choice and never fail me, so I obviously was happy with my order. Bae got a drink called The Last Word, which has gin, lime, maraschino liquor, and green chartreuse. It tasted kinda herb-y, citrusy, and had lots of spice to it. It tastes fancy and was pretty strong, from what I remember. It’s one of those drinks that tastes like perfume (which I can get down with at times).

#13- Limoncello

Personally, I love limoncello, but I forget how sweet it is. It’s a fun drink, but I can see why they’re usually just served in shot glasses. There’s not much to say about the drink other than that she’s fun, she’s girly, she’s flirty, and we love her. If you’ve never had limoncello, it’s basically a fruity, citrus-y, and sweet liqueur made from lemon zest, typically consumed after dinner. One of the reasons Italian is my favorite cuisine is because of their drinks and cocktails, no lie. I recommend stopping by Cantinetta if you ever in Seattle, as their food was super yummy and the service was great.

#14- Skinny Margarita

After our hike in Mt. Rainier, we went all in on Mexican food that evening at a restaurant that I cannot remember to save my life. All I know is that I got introduced to the world of birria tacos that night, and I have not since found a place that even sells birria tacos to begin with, which is a shame because I’ve been craving it countless times since this trip. Birria is basically meat that’s marinated in a bunch of spices before being cooked in a broth. If you haven’t tried it before, it’s probably the most comforting meals you’ll ever have. This restaurant also had the spiciest jalapeños I’ve ever had in my life, but that’s besides the point. I usually love margs, so I don’t know what I was thinking ordering a skinny marg, because I regretted it. I liked the idea of using agave instead of simple syrup but something about it was just bland, and not worth saving the extra calories from a regular margarita. After this drink, I decided not to skimp *too* much on calories when having a fun cocktail, because alcohol tends to be pretty loaded on calories anyway, so may as well enjoy what you’re drinking. This was my least favorite drink for sure, and it was nothing to do with the restaurant, because this was my favorite place to eat at during the whole trip.

#15 & #16- Summer Spritz & Mermaid Marg

We enjoyed these next drinks on San Juan Island, in a restaurant called The Madrona Bar and Grill. I loved San Juan so much, and am excited to talk more about it in my next blog when I discuss the entirety of my Washington trip. The drink to the left is called Summer Spritz, and it’s made with Lavender Rose Liqueur, Lillet Blanc, Adam Prosecco, a lemon slice, mint, and rose petals. It was super refreshing and light, and obviously bubbly. I love their choice to use the lavender rose liqueur, because the island has a giant lavender field that was so beautiful, so it reminded me of that. I’d say this was my second favorite drink of the trip, after the Ube Moon. I can’t find what ingredients were used on the the mermaid margarita, since I didn’t see it on the menu I have saved, but it looks like it’s made with blue curaçao. It was a classic marg with a fun twist, but I definitely preferred the Summer Spritz and highly recommend it.

#17 & #18- Mayan Melon Mule & Hofbrau Lager

Our trip ended with a visit to Leavenworth. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a beautiful little Bavarian-styled village in Central Washington. It basically looks like a fairytale town and I dream of one day going back there during Christmas time to experience the scenery and weather. We grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant called Colchuck’s. The Mayan Melon mule (left) is made with Camarena Reposado, watermelon, mint, lime, and ginger beer. It was honestly a 10/10 and a drink I’d order, except I got a beer instead because I wanted to match the German vibes of the restaurant…which, looking back, I probably should’ve ordered something I would’ve enjoyed more. I had what’s called a Hofbrau lager, and if I’m gonna have any beer, it’s gonna be a lager, because I don’t think I can stomach the others, unless it’s maybe a stout. It was fine, but to be honest I can’t tell much beers apart from the other, so it was just okay to me. The restaurant overall was yummy though, and I’d definitely go back!

I apologize for the lack of uploads, I don’t have much of an excuse other than my 9-5 (which is really an 8-6 tbh) consuming my entire life and my weekends being filled, especially now during the holidays. I hope to pump more blogs out more often in the new year and aim towards a healthier work-life balance. Now for our tarot card pull!

Four of Bears (Pentacles)

This was an interesting pull, because I just had a discussion with my brother earlier on how bad the economy is getting, and how Christmas shopping this year could get stressful because of outrageous prices (I spent over 100 bucks on 4 bags of groceries the other day ??) So, maybe my anxieties were getting picked up more than the general energy in the air right now, but I say this card can apply for the large majority of people right now. As difficult as it is, we want to avoid living our lives in a scarcity mindset, if we can help it. Trust the universe to get you where you wanna be. Truly believing you can achieve your goals already gets you halfway there! What are some blockages that restricts the abundance in your life? A lot of the time, we get in our heads too much, which can stop us from just doing the work, or pulling our weight. As my Grateful Dead tarot guidebook states, “Wealth is a state of mind that is attained when you are in the flow of abundance.” Opening your heart can be scary, especially in this world, but it can be a fun challenge to trust in the unknown. Do some deep stretches, listen to your favorite music, or spend time in nature. What are ways that you can reconnect with yourself? It can feel rebellious to let abundance in; do it anyway.

Happy November and happy Scorpio season! Until next time! <3