The Seattle Series: Sunday at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

I am not a natural Seattleite.

I don’t like rain, clouds, being damp, being cold, or being ignored. These are all common occurrences here. As I’m writing this (it’s 9:13 am) it’s so dark outside that I have multiple lamps on. It’s raining. No one is ignoring me because no one else is here, but Seattleites are notorious for being cold, distant, and passive aggressive. (Read about the Seattle Freeze here.)

Admittedly, I’m being a tad dramatic. There are plenty of positives about Seattle, too. Vegetarian food is plentiful. When it’s sunny, it’s beautiful. Plenty of people are friendly and my neighborhood is said to be the most diverse in the country.

But, still, it’s not the easiest fit for me. Sometimes it can feel a bit like wearing wet jeans - they’re on, they’re the right size, but they’re still chafing.

All of that being said, we’ll be here for awhile longer. So, for the foreseeable future, I’m reintroducing myself to Seattle. I’m visiting all of the tourist stops, my own favorite places, and my friend’s favorite places. I’ll document every visit and every experience, good or bad, here. I’m calling it The Seattle Series. (I’ll still be breaking fashion rules, too!) Hopefully, all of these adventures will make Seattle feel more like comfy sweats and less like wet jeans.

My first excursion was last Sunday. Christian and I went to the Volunteer Park Conservatory. Though I’ve often been to Volunteer Park, I’ve never been inside the Conservatory. Let me tell you, it’s heaven.

Let’s get into the lab.

My “OH MY GOD IT’S SO WARM IN HERE” face

THE EVENT: Visiting the Volunteer Park Conservatory

THE BROKEN RULE: Black is always best.

THE OUTFIT: Admittedly, this outfit wasn’t groundbreaking. I considered wearing a dress but, much like today, it was pouring rain. Instead, I opted for jeans, a silky navy T, navy boots, my camo jacket and this new pink and green plaid scarf. There was a little bit of pattern mixing, and a little bit of pink (a big deal for me), but mostly this outfit was armor against the weather.

THE EXPERIENCE: Walking into the Conservatory on a cold, gray, dreary, rainy, Sunday is like magic. It’s an instant vacation. Upon entering, you’re surrounded by warm, comfortably humid air. Everything is green, and growing, and did I mention that it’s warm?

Christian and I meandered through the five rooms, each devoted to a different type of plant. For the holidays, they fill one room with poinsettias, Christmas trees, and a model train. (There are photos with Santa on Saturdays!) Another room houses ferns and palms that reach up to the ceiling. A third (my favorite room) is full of cacti. (There’s a photo of that room below.) There are guides about all of the plants, and a cute little gift shop.

The Conservatory is quiet and peaceful and comfortable and if they’d let me I’d move in.

We eventually left and headed down the street to a favorite pub and grabbed some lunch. We split a mini-beer and ate warm sandwiches. All in all, it was a lovely Sunday.

THE CONCLUSION: Admittedly, this isn’t super exciting fashion content. While I like that plaid scarf, it isn’t groundbreaking. And while I did break a fashion rule, it was practically accidental.

However, for the first round of The Seattle Series, I’d call this a rip-roaring success. I loved every second in the Conservatory and I’ll certainly be going back.

Have you been to the Volunteer Park Conservatory? Did you bask in the warmth, too? What are your favorite places to escape to on a dreary Seattle day? I’d love to go visit them!

Curious about the Conservatory? Click here to visit their website.

Happy Halfway-to-Friday day! I’ll be back on Sunday with another blog post, but if you’d like some diversion before then, come say hello on Instagram!