E.W.V. Part IV: Gig Harbor, Tacoma and the Mariner's

The next day in our Washington adventures included Tacoma, Washington- my semi-original home (I was born in VA... I know. I'm a North American cocktail but hey- aren't we all?) and my OTHER Washington home, Gig Harbor.

Gig Harbor is full of trees and beauty. I forgot how truly pretty it is there. As Scott put it: "From your high school to your old church to your old house, you were surrounded by beautiful woods!"

I especially like the Harbor that my middle school overlooked:

Then, we headed to Tacoma. Just so you all know, I grew up in the GHETTO. The "hood" as some call it. Those that know me would laugh at this since I claim white collar suburb Boise, Idaho my home, but I really did spend my young years in the Hilltop of Tacoma. It's where all the drug deals are done for Seattle. I've shocked Scott with my nonchalant stories of drive-by shootings and robberies, but he says I have a tendency to exaggerate (nah...) and I don't think he really believed all my memories. So, it was GREAT to be able to drag him into the Hilltop in all of it's Pawn Shop glory and take him by my old house:

We also went to Frisko Freeze- home to the GREATEST milkshakes, fries and burgers you've ever had. Seriously. You might THINK you have a great burger joint, but you ain't never been to Frisko Freeze.

Can you tell I was excited?

Next, we visited my cousin Aura at her salon in downtown Tacoma and ran into my friend's mom randomly. This is why I love Washington. There's so many people I know and love! The nostaligia continued as we checked out my mom's old high school:

You may recognize this from the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. Yeah, that's where my mom went to prom in the '70's. Go Tigers. I love it.

We also stopped by Union Station to check out the glass museum, but due to a quickly depleting vacation budget, just looked at the glass outside. Still beautiful though.

To relive my childhood, we took a trip to Pt. Defiance Zoo! I can't tell you have many field trips I went on to Pt. Defiance. I found out Pt. Defiance is the biggest park second only to Central Park in New York, which is pretty impressive.

Later that night we headed into downtown Seattle to go watch the Mariners at Safeco Field. Honestly, Safeco Field is my most favorite building in Seattle. And I know, I know, my Mariner's have not been doing so great lately but I grew up in Washington during their glory days. When I was a kid, I knew the batting line-up and I cried when Tino Martinez went to the Yankee's. I've never forgiven Tino. He broke my heart.

But THIS day, because WE were there, the M's hit a homer and won the game. That's my boys!

All in all another successful day- even if this one was mostly full of nostalgic sight-seeing. More incredible things coming up... I think now that I don't have a phantom internet connection that keeps going in and out, I'll just post the rest today and get it over with :)