Kelly Pflugrath

As of late, I've been traveling out to the land far, far away. The land to which few have traveled due to the excruciating long voyage that's required to step onto it's soil. Yes, I'm talking about West Seattle.

You mention the words "West Seattle" and any self-respecting Seattliete will gasp and throw their hands in the air in distress.

"It's so far away!"

"Are you crazy? You might as well go to Timbuktu."

"It's like the Bermuda Triangle. You go there and you don't come back!"

I took the challenge head on, which has now resulted in my love affair with West Seattle.

To my pleasant surprise, West Seattle is only a quick 10-15 minute drive from downtown Seattle - even with taking a bridge and the construction-packed viaduct (which I'll admit is not for the faint of heart). West Seattle has a quirky personality (okay, hippy-like) where all of the residents take life a little slower and enjoy the peace and quiet just beyond the city.

What sparked my instant love, though, beyond the boutique shops and variety of community restaurants, was Lincoln Park.

Lincoln Park sits on a bluff that overlooks the Puget Sound. Trails criss-cross through the park and up and down the bluff - perfect for a small hike with the dog. While the park features tennis courts, kids playground and vast fields, it's the trails that drag me in.

Take a walk down to the water and there's picnic tables and a long walking path that carries you right along the ocean. Even on a busy, sunny day the beach is anything but crowded - unlike Alki Beach, Lincoln Park's northern sister.

Being surrounded by the expanse of ocean water, a calm engulfs you. I now understand West Seattle's slow pace. You can't help it.

Lincoln Park should easily be among Seattle's best kept secrets. (Oops, the cat's out of the bag.)

Picnic Wine Shop, Seattle - My "Wow" Experience

The build-up:

A couple of weeks ago, some girls at work decided to do a dinner, wine and movie night.

We had everything: Cassandra was making dinner ("cheap" Italian cooking she calls it), we were going to watch Affair in Trinidad (I discovered my love of old movies this night) and Kelly was going to bring the dessert (a delicious, sugary cheesecake).

We were missing one thing - the wine.

Through email chain, we decided that a light Pinot Grigio was going to be the best option for us (yes, we tend to be sophisticated on occasion). I was in a hurry, so I traveled to Picnic, a wine shop in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, a place near my house that I haven't yet taken the time to check out.

Now here's where my "Wow" experience starts.

Being my first time in the wine shop (can you believe it?) I was a little lost. I asked the gal working there for some help.

"I'm looking for a tasty Pinot Grigio for around $20," I told her.

"Do you want an Italian Pinot Grigio, or one made here in the states?"

Hmmm... we're having an Italian dinner, "Let's try Italian," I reply.

"I've got just the thing, it's one of my favorites."

The gal leads me over to a section of the boutique store and hands me a bottle of wine, all while describing the notes of pear, apple and a hint of lemon in the finish, a light, simple wine that doesn't miss out on flavor, etc, etc.

"And I know you said $20..." she says.

Oh gosh, here it comes. It's $30, I just know it. You've built up this wine and now there's no way for me to say no. I hate when people recommend things out of your stated price range! When will people start listening to what the customer wants?

"But this one is only $12"

Uh, what?!

"I mean we have a similar wine that's $20, but I actually like the one in your hand better."

Come again?

Now, when was the last time that someone recommended a product to you below your price range? It was a wonderful surprise and I trusted that she was recommending this bottle because it was just that, one of her favorites.

Because this gal listened to my needs and treated me like a friend, I'm excited to not only purchase at this wine shop in Seattle again, but to recommend them to everyone I know.

The conclusion:

The girls and I ended up having a great time, enjoyed some wonderful wine (it was in fact as good as she said it was going to be) and were completely stuffed from pasta and cheesecake by the time we all left. All in all, a perfect night out paired with a "Wow" experience to boot.