Salish Lodge and Spa: A Relaxing and Rejuvenating Weekend Getaway

We all love to get out of the city every once in a while. Luckily in our area it's fairly easy to do. We are surrounded by remote, beautiful landscapes full of small, quaint towns. Snoqualmie is no secret; it's a great place to visit and slow down for a weekend, but what I think a lot of people don't know is it shouldn't be treated as a day trip. Oh, no. Because nestled above Snoqualmie Falls is Salish Lodge and Spa and it's an attraction in itself. Book a night and experience the history and beauty of the area. We promise you won't regret the decision. 

Here's why. 

Every room comes with the guarantee of relaxation. 

If you look up relaxation in the dictionary, it will basically say, "Why are you reading this dictionary, go to Salish and you'll know what relaxation means." It won't... but seriously, just wait you are going to be so relaxed. 

Almost every room at the lodge comes with a view of the Snoqualmie River. Every room has a jetted bathtub and goose down feather bedding. Every room has a fireplace that burns real wood. This gives off an amazingggg smell of firewood. Oh, and the rooms also come with either a balcony or a window seat, which means fresh air and waterfall sounds. See? Told ya. 

The staff are wonderful and they truly love the place they work. 

No one wants to get to their relaxing hotel getaway and have a "too cool for school" hipster staring back at them. Leave that in Seattle and arrive at a place that is happy. Salish is full of people who are proud to work in a place of esteem and history. Smiles and good humor are in abundance, which makes visiting that much more enjoyable. 

The restaurants on the premise are full of delicious food and beverages.

Salish has two amazing restaurants. The main restaurant, The Dining Room, serves up PNW fare in a stylish dining room. The best seats in the house overlook the falls, giving you the opportunity to eat your country breakfast or pan seared pacific cod while enjoying a great view. The bar in Salish, dubbed The Attic for its top of the line views from the peaks of the lodge, is great for more low-key dining. Grab a flatbread and the famous honey hopped ale for a casual night... wait for it... enjoying the view. 

The spa seems to be a place you could go to and then die happy.

Getting the "spa level" package when you stay at Salish will take your experience to a whole new level. Their therapeutic soaking pools and full suite of spa services will leave you zen AF. 

The soaking pools at Salish are calling your nameeee. Photo cred: Salish Lodge and Spa

They are committed to the environment. 

In 2011, Salish decided to commit part of their property to start an apiary for honeybees. They've now tripled their hives and these bees pollinate 80% of their flowering crops and provide the lodge with their (now famous) honey. They also have an 800 sq. ft garden that provides the on site restaurants with organic, locally-raised produce. #HealthyLiving

Even the breakfast comes with a bit of history.

Salish has been around since 1916, which means it has a teeny bit of history attached to it. Back then it was just a small eight cabin lodge offering a place to stay and a big breakfast for travelers about to head through the mountains. Now it's a beautiful, award winning hotel that is a popular destination for travelers near and far. Be sure to appreciate the native art that decorates your room and the wood-burning fireplaces.

Salish Lodge back in the day! 

Salish's best tradition happens in The Dining Room -- The Country Breakfast. Prepare your stomach and you'll walk away a happy camper. It's a four course breakfast that will take you at least an hour and half to finish, but it comes with a history of nourishing hungry travelers and the last course gets you a healthy serving of the local honey. Definitely well-worth the price tag. 

Who doesn't love a good waterfall? 

When you stay at Salish you literally sit right on top of one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Washington State. At 268 feet, Snoqualmie Falls is truly a sight to see. The park that is built around it offers great views and a nice history lesson. Don't forget to watch out for the Peregrine Falcons that nest nearby. And also the selfie sticks, those things come out of nowhere. 

The gift shop is on POINT.

We do our christmas shopping here because it is full of all the best goodies. This isn't a place you go to buy a tacky t-shirt and an orca stuffed animal. It's the real deal. Think luxurious bath bombs, beautiful ornaments, and the best honey products made with love from the Salish honeybees. You'll want to budget to leave behind some of your weekend spending money here. 

---

Check out our post "5 Things to Check Out in Snoqualmie, WA" for ideas if you have time to kill.

Have you stayed at Salish Lodge? We would love to hear your favorite memories and tips in the comments! 

Meet the Maker: Lauren Wilson, Sweet Lo's Ice Cream

We think one of the best parts of living in Seattle is that it really is a no-frills kinda place. People are genuine, down-to-earth, and enjoy the little things more here. For our newest “Meet the Maker,” we got to know someone who completely embodies that kind of lifestyle (and lucky for us), she is an incredible baker and pours that authenticity and joy into creating simple and delicious ice cream for all! 

Sweet Lo’s Ice Cream is a young company operating out of a commercial kitchen in SoDo. Lauren Wilson and her partner, Cassidy Watt, create everything by hand with extra love. The company mission is to create a homemade, pure, and fresh product to allow people to taste ice cream the way it is truly meant to be – simple and delicious. After getting the chance to visit the kitchen and make some ice cream with Lauren, we are sold. This is the best ice cream in Seattle. 

So without further adieu, let us introduce you to Lauren Wilson of Sweet Lo’s Ice Cream. 

Where did your love of food come from? 

I grew up in the kitchen, baking and cooking. My dad worked the graveyard shift at the post office. I remember he would come home at 3AM and bake. He would wake my sister and I up to help him hold the pie crusts. I doubt our tiny hands were really much help. I think he just wanted the company and to pass his love of baking onto us.  

When did you first start making ice cream?

In 2013, I moved to Vermont and got a job at a small farm-to-table restaurant out there. They had a small ice cream maker, and I asked the owner if I could use it. She agreed, and I made my first batch of homemade ice cream with a recipe from one of her many cookbooks. 

That first flavor was Butter Pecan. The second I tasted homemade ice cream I wondered, “Why aren’t we all eating this??” I wanted everyone to experience what I felt in that moment. It’s such a pure, clean thing. You don’t need additives or stabilizers, you just need a few ingredients and you get this amazing, pure taste. I moved back to Seattle shortly after that, started Sweet Lo’s, and never looked back. 

What’s the process to make ice cream? How long does it take from start to finish?

The process is fairly simple. I blend the ingredients for the ice cream and then add them to the pasturizer that allows me to make 7.5 gallons at a time. From the pasteurizer, I put the mix into the ice cream maker where it becomes the ice cream you eat. After this I add any additional ingredients like Oreos, chocolate pieces, marshmallows, etc. Last, it has to sit overnight in the freezer and it’s good to go.  So, from start to finish a batch takes about 2 days. 

What makes your ice cream different?

I think making custom ice cream and the fact that everything is 100% homemade, super small batch, and made with love. It’s a simple recipe that tastes amazing. 

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor to create? Do you have a favorite way to eat it?

Well, our most popular flavor is our Lemon Bar, but I’m a classics girl so my favorite has to be Cookies and Cream or Rocky Road. We also do a really good strawberry shortcake. 

Have you ever experimented with a flavor that didn’t work out?

Oh, ya. I made a flavor once with red wine and it was ehhhhh. I think the wine and the cream curdled into something terrifying. Won’t be doing that again, although it might work as a sorbet.

Tell us about your ice cream subscription! What a neat idea. Where else can you find your ice cream?

We are now wholesaling seven flavors at stores around Seattle, but I wanted to stay true to where I started, which is the custom orders so I am rolling out a subscription service. The idea is that people can sign up and get three unique flavors every first Saturday of the month. This keeps us making fun, unique flavors for our customers.  

What’s next for Sweet Lo’s?

Eventually we want a brick and mortar store. I want to be the best, and I want people to think of Sweet Lo’s when they think Seattle Ice Cream.  

Lastly, we always love to hear food expert’s answer to this question: What are your favorite spots for food/dessert around Seattle?

Simply Dessert in Fremont for cake. They make legit homemade cake and you get it by the slice. And Fainting Goat for gelato in Wallingford. 

Beyond dessert we love to eat out in general. Café Turko has amazing food AND dessert. Uneeda Burger, Mammoth Sandwiches, St. Johns in Capitol Hill.  

Thanks, Lauren! We had such a great time making homemade ice cream with you. If you are interested in making your own ice cream at home, we found this article on Kitchenistic, which reviews The Best Ice Cream Makers In 2020 helpful.

On the Road: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is a small but extremely cute town with a lot of character and killer food. Aside from the food, it's probably most known for the plaza, which is a great (albeit expensive) place to get SW gifts and jewelry. Needless to say, there is also a ton to do in the surrounding city. We recommend renting a car and exploring as much as you can. Here are our recommendations:

Stay

Santa Fe Motel and Inn. This motel is extremely affordable and within walking distance from the plaza. The rooms are spacious and have many cute details all over the property; from the dried peppers in the above photo to little SW tiles hanging in the rooms. The breakfast is free and plentiful and served in a little SW decorated space with a burning fireplace to keep you warm on cool desert mornings.

Eat & Drink

New Mexico is home to quite a few vineyards. We recommend checking out the cute and quaint Estrella del Norte winery. We love their dessert mole wine. It's spicy and pairs perfectly with a little chocolate on the side.

Jambo Café, an African restaurant by head chef Ahmed Obo, is such a town highlight! Ahmed is so kind and humble and happy when people stop by and visit with him. We recommend ordering the combination plate (which includes chicken curry, goat stew, and coconut lentils) so you can try a bit of everything, which is all savory and delicious! 

Café Pasqual's is located by plaza shopping, so you can stop in while you are browsing the stores. It's the best place to get your SW food fix! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu although our insider advice would be to get the chicken breast sandwich.

The Shed is an extremely popular spot to visit while in Santa Fe. They serve some of the best red chili and margaritas in the city and the space is extremely cute with outdoor seating. It can be extremely busy so be prepared for a wait if you are arriving at a popular time. If you can't get in, try La Choza, its sister restaurant, which is equally good and less known by the tourists.

Do

Ojo Caliente Hot Springs is about 50 miles north of Santa Fe. You can stay here at it's hotel, but you can also just visit for the day. They have eleven different pools (with four different minerals!) all of varying temperatures and they even have a mud pool, where you cover yourself in mud, let it bake on you in the sun and then soak in a mud pool. It's wonderful and relaxing.

Bandelier National Monument is where you can see dwellings from the ancestral pueblo people dating back 11,000 years and a variety of their Petroglyphs (cave drawings). It is truly incredible and can easily be seen following a short hike.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks. This hike is fairly easy (it gets a little steep towards the end, but it's mostly flat) and takes your through unique slot canyons with views of the interesting cone-shaped rock formations. It's a must. We recommend going early to avoid the heat and crowds.

Giant Robot at Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf. It is hard to explain this place. It's part art installations and part mystery solving and the whole thing is just a trip. Go into this experience with an open mind and plenty of time to explore. The show changes from time to time, but regardless of what is currently there, it's worth a visit.

Take the Turquoise Trail south from Santa Fe to the cute town of Madrid. There is a small strip of road lined with the cutest art shops and restaurants. Check out Sugarman's Little Chocolate Shop for some amazing chocolate bark.

A petroglyph just outside of Santa Fe

5 Reasons Seattle is the Best City in the World

The City of Seattle is home to about 700,000 people. If you count all the surrounding areas the number swells to 4 million. During the last census we found out that we are the fastest growing city in the nation. And you know what? It all makes sense. Because Seattle is the greatest place on earth and the secret is out. 

1. We are diverse. 

Ethnic food of all variety!

Seattle is a place where everyone is welcome. Being surrounded by people of all shapes, sizes, colors, cultures, and sexualities is the number one reason it is so much fun to live here. We love going out to events and meeting people with different backgrounds than we have. It makes it interesting and exciting and educational. 

The diversity of individuals has manifested into a funky and unique city. We have mouthwatering restaurants that serve authentic food from around the world. We have music performances from all different genres. We have art museums with work from artists from all walks of life. Our neighborhoods are vibrant and change drastically depending on where you are. We have trolls living under our bridges and people handing out daffodils on street corners. Waking up in Seattle means waking up to a million interesting possibilities in the day ahead of you!

2. We have mountains, ocean, and so much green in between. 

Mt. Dickerman

We have everything when it comes to geology! You can be in a rainforest in the morning, next be on an island whale watching in the afternoon, and fall asleep that night in the mountains surrounded by stars and snow. You can also conveniently hop on a bus and be at one of the many lakes in and around our city. It is truly magical and we pinch ourselves all the time to remember that yes, this is a real place, not a dream world Walt Disney made up. 

3. Living a healthy life is a piece of cake. 

Jumping is a form of exercise

Seattle makes living a healthy and active life easy and fun. Because of those mountains, oceans and lakes you have a big adult playground at your fingertips and a crazy range of activities to keep you entertained for decades. Try to hike every beautiful trail, kayak on every lake, and bike every path. The moderate weather means walking around the city is easy.  There is no freezing snow or sweltering heat to keep you indoors. Queen Anne residents don't even have to enjoy hiking, they stay fit just from walking up their massive hill. Once you get done with your day just head into one of our many restaurants that serve local, organic, and fresh food. 

4. We are chill AF

The uniform of Seattle

You can wear flannel to 99.9% of the establishments around town and no one will bat an eyelash. You could walk into a 5 star restaurant in cycling gear and they will strike up a conversation about what you ride. We don't place emphasis on what brand you are wearing or how much money you spend at the salon every month. We are much more interested in your actions and how you contribute positively to the community. 

5. We set trends.

Kombucha is a thing and plentiful

You don't have to wait five years for Kombucha to be a thing. You'll never have to ask yourself, "What is virtual reality?" You don't have to wonder what good beer tastes like as you sip your Bud Light. And you don't have to worry about hiding your pot. Seattle is hip and cool and does things before other places, which makes you feel cool when you travel and know about stuff other people don't. Go ahead, ask us our stance on play-based education or the proper device to brew coffee with (obvi it's a Chemex). 

We count ourselves #blessed to live in our little corner of the world. What are some of your favorite things about Seattle? We would love to hear in the comments!