My Heart Is Still In Seattle

It is possible to be in love with a city?  I can answer unequivocally, Yes.  At best I “like” the city I live in, I say at best because on a good day that’s  as deep as my feelings run for my fair town but to go somewhere like I did last week and completely fall in love to the point I felt nauseous that I had to leave…well that’s love.   What made me love it so you ask?  What didn’t make me fall in love will be my response.  For consideration of time and effort I will stick to the topics that relate best to this site, namely cycling and healthy eating.  Never, I say again, NEVER have I ever even heard or seen a city or a region that is so bike friendly.  Bike lanes, bike paths, bike racks, on and on it goes the whole region seems to have acquiesced to the fact that people are going to ride their bikes places, to be forward thinking in that respect is amazing to go one step further and accommodate people in that venture is something legendary.   I could not have swung a dead skunk in any street I was on last week without hitting a cyclist.  Serious riders, commuters, families, old, young, ugly, attractive you name it there is someone from their demographic on a bike somewhere.  The regions corporate world seems to even be on board with it as well.  My brother in law ran down all of the benefits he receives if he commutes by bike to work…my jaw dropped.  Legendary I say!

Now with this new found love comes a bit of resentment, I resent the fact that I am forced to have a long distance relationship with this new found paradise.  I am resentful of the fact that one of the small suburbs boasted 31 miles of cycling paths, comparatively speaking the county I live in brags about 30 miles.  My suggestion to Oakland County…stop bragging, we suck. 

Should I even start talking about the food situation out there?  Yes I shall.   I feel on most days that I have to almost apologize for following a Vegan diet.  Like it is such an inconvenience to any place I go that most days I question whether or not it’s even worth it.  Not this place, I was accepted, embraced, snuggled and coddled like a new born babe.  I found a cornucopia of places to eat, people to chat with, dishes to be had and thoroughly enjoyed.  On several occasions the Vegan side of the menu was larger that the non Vegan side and it was not just a salad either.  I was and still am amazed. 

 Seattle how I love thee, let me count the ways.