Seattle

When Renee Erickson opened her first French-inspired restaurant in Seattle, Boat Street Café, she was barely out of college, winging it in a major way with the support of friends and family, but not much else. Fast forward a few decades, and she has become a cornerstone of Seattle’s food scene, with a James Beard Award and heaping platefuls of national accolades.

From salmon and crab to berries and wild mushrooms, the Seattle region’s natural resources make it an eater’s paradise. For visitors, a week eating here can feel like a fantasy — but how do you capture all those magical bites and take them home? I can’t beam you back to your favorite restaurants, but I can tell you that some of Seattle’s best bites actually do travel well.

Airport food is tough. You’re often lucky to pick up an overpriced, pre-packaged salad or sandwich. The same goes for food souvenirs. They’re usually the most appreciated by friends at home, but when it comes to convenience, they’re not ideal — edibles are often hard to pack and even harder to get through security.

Hedgebrook is a retreat center for women writers located on Whidbey Island in Washington, not too far from Seattle. Their purpose is to offer women a quiet, beautiful space, surrounded by nature, so they can direct their energies towards their writing. Called radical hospitality, the staff is dedicated to providing an atmosphere that nourishes and supports the creative process.

Seattle is undoubtedly a city of neighborhoods, from the shady streets of Pioneer Square, to the cozy cafés in Capitol Hill, to the family-friendly brick streets of Ballard, to all the mini neighborhoods in between. It’s in those little corners that you’ll find the city’s most amazing food — the delicious evidence that Seattle’s become a cornerstone of the national food scene. Here are my favorite neighborhoods, and what I can’t miss when I’m there.