Another travel note…

Apparently we’ve picked a popular weekend here in Seattle. Not only will the Rock’n’Roll Marathon be on the same weekend as our wedding but t’s also Gay Pride Weekend. 

As part of the festivities, there will be the Capitol Hill Gay Pride Festival on Saturday with live music, food and other activities on Broadway between East Mercer and East Denny Way. This is a just a few blocks north of where the reception and ceremony will be. We don’t think this will impact your transportation too much, however you will likely get to see Seattle’s pride hit the street. 

Remember that there is parking both at Seattle University and Pravda Studios for our wedding guests so please take full advantage as the usually challenging parking area will likely be next to impossible.  And of course allow for a little extra time to get around Capitol Hill. 

Engagement Photos

Kate and I definitely lucked out with our photographer, we are using an old co-worker of mine, Kim Hayes, who is making it big in the Seattle Wedding Photography world. 

We headed up to the top of Queen Anne on May 13th, 2012, grabbed some coffee and smiled (or at least Kate smiled big enough for the both of us). 

Walking by Marshall Park

A kiss in Parsons Garden

Taking in the Galaxy Gold roof on the Space Needle at Kerry Park

Check out all the photos yourself: 

http://clients.kimhayesphotography.com/josephandkate

Bridal Shower

The bridal shower featured a margarita machine and liters of tequila...

Margarita Man

The booze. 

Javier keeping careful watch over the glasses

From Miss to Mrs.

just think of how much fun we can have at the wedding reception!

Our Seattle

While not natives, Joseph and I have spent a lot of time exploring the city that we call home. For those who will be visiting the Emerald City we thought we’d put together a list of some of our favorite spots to enjoy during our wedding weekend. 

Breakfast For those of you staying in Capitol Hill, Smith has a underrated breakfast.  It’s more well-known for its cocktails and dinner which means breakfast isn’t usually that crowded, especially if you get there early.  While the menu described as rustic pub fare, isn’t incredibly extensive, it is delicious, it’s one of Joe’s favorites.

My personal favorite is Portage Bay Café.  With three locations throughout Seattle, Portage Bay offers local, fresh and organic breakfast options.  If you order pancakes and oatmeal, you all get a trip to their toppings bar, full of fresh and in season fruit. This place is not under the radar by any means and wait times especially after 10:00 am can be over an hour.

If you are will to make a pilgrimage for baked goods, Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle is worth the trip. It is the best bakery in Seattle – Joseph and I particularly like their croissants – they are famous for their twice baked almond variety. If you end up going, call us. There’s a good chance we’ll meet you there. 

CoffeeThis is a town known for its coffee. While you all know about Starbucks, if that’s the only place you go for a cup of coffee while you are here, you are missing out.  Joe’s favorite coffee shop is Vivace which if you are stopping by the flagship REI store, is right across the street.  A favorite of mine in Cafe Ladro, there are a number of locations around Seattle, including one just around the corner from our reception site. 

Cheap EatsWith a busy weekend, sometimes you need to just grab a bite on the run, luckily Seattle has lots of good options.  Joseph’s favorite is Rancho Bravo. It’s a taco truck that took over an old KFC and when I use the term took over, I use it loosely – the inside is pretty much unchanged except for a new menu. It sounds and looks a little ghetto but the food is worth it.  My favorite, Marination Station which is also a food truck that opened a non-moving dinning option. I highly recommend the SPAM slider (for real). 

Not-So Cheap EatsIf you have time to get a more expensive meal while you are in town, there are a lot of options too. The Seattle food scene is thriving and hard to keep up with.  However, one of our best dining experiences in Seattle was at Spinasse.  It is rustic Italian food with the pasta made in house which means it is one of Joe’s favorite spots in Seattle. It’s a small place and its recent accolades can make it tough to get a table so call ahead or be prepared to eat late.

One of my favorite spots in Seattle is Quinn’s – they call is a creative take on bar food, I call it delicious. Especially recommended, the wild boar sloppy Joe and the burger.

PizzaClose to the Silver Cloud Hotel is a number of fine pizza options.  Joseph’s favorite in Seattle is Via Tribunali – it’s more the classic Italian-style pizza, cooked in a wood oven. The ambiance of the place also gives Via Trib a big edge.  Nearby you will also find other Seattle classics like, Piecora’s and Big Mario’s for other great slices as well. However, my favorite pizza in Seattle has more of a northwest feel to it at Zeek’s.  There are crazy combinations and plenty of veggies to be found; while there are tons of Seattle locations they are a little bit further afield from Capitol Hill and downtown. 

Site SeeingClearly we love food but there’s more to Seattle than just that. There are a number of tourist attractions in Seattle and Joseph and I feel there are two that are especially worth fighting the crowds for.  First off is Kerry Park.  When the weather is clear, it provides a great view of the city skyline with the Space Needle in the foreground.  It’s great for sunset and postcard-like pictures.  Since it’s a little off the beaten tourist path (halfway up Queen Anne Hill) the crowds are smaller.  The famous Pike Place Market is certainly crowded but it’s worth being elbow to elbow with all the other tourists to take in the sights and sounds.  From the buskers, to the flying fish, to the rows of flowers, it’s worth the hassle.  If you are looking for lunch, be sure to stop by Beecher’s for the best macaroni and cheese you have ever tasted. 

In our minds you can easily skip the Space Needle and the Seattle waterfront. Sure the Space Needle is the most famous part of Seattle’s skyline but the line can be long, especially on the weekends and it costs roughly $15 to get to the top (where there is a Starbucks). Better to head to Kerry Park where to view is just a pretty and save yourself the cash and the hassle.  You can also skip the waterfront district.  It’s filled with souvenir shops hawking Frasier and Sleepless in Seattle t-shirts without much of Seattle’s history or local feeling.  If you want to where Seattle’s fishermen really live, head up to the Ballard neighborhood to check out the Ballard Locks.  It’s Seattle’s maritime tradition in action. 

If you are looking for a little culture in your weekend, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is the best known and largest museum in Seattle.  The museum has a wide range of art on display and rotating special exhibits. For me, the highlight of Seattle’s art scene is definitely the Olympic Sculpture Park, located on Elliot Bay; the park mixes large works of art with a beautiful downtown park.  In the summer, there are free outdoor yoga and art classes. 

One of Joe’s favorite museums is the Frye Art Museum in First Hill which focuses on painting and sculpture from the nineteenth century to the present. 

If you are looking to do some shopping while you are in town, the downtown area features a number of large department stores, including Nordstrom’s flagship store.  If you want to experience some more local fashion, there are a great number of local boutiques – there’s a number in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, many of which reflect the hipster nature of the neighborhood. Even if that’s not your style, I highly recommend checking out Retrofit Home.  It’s got unique housewares that you won’t find anywhere else.  Some of my favorite shopping however, is in the Fremont neighborhood about five miles north of downtown.   

If you are literary-minded there are a couple stops that we would suggest, the Seattle Public Library is an amazing stop for book and architecture lovers alike. It is downtown just a few blocks up from the Hotel 1000. Elliot Bay Book Company is a relatively new addition to the Capitol Hill neighborhood and is Seattle’s legendary independent bookstore.  It’s a book-lover’s paradise and has robust schedule of events.   

DrinksSite-seeing can make you thirsty.  Luckily, Joseph and I have spent years seeking out Seattle’s best watering holes. 

Not too far from Seattle University is one of Joe’s favorite bars, Canon.  It is now the home of American’s best bartender, Murray Stenson.  Joe highly recommends trying the flight of Manhattan’s to get any night started.  One of my favorite places to get a cocktail is Zig Zag tucked away in part of the Pike Place Market and is a genuinely sophisticated place to get a drink. 

If you are looking for beer, we also know a few great places as well. Near the Silver Cloud in Capitol Hill the Elysian Brewery serves up craft beers and snacks.  While near Hotel 1000 downtown Pike Place Brewing Company is a great and walkable option.  If you are looking for more recognizable names and are willing to travel, Pyramid Brewing is a bit south of downtown, near the stadiums.  About a 30 minute drive east in Woodinville you will find Red Hook Brewery with beautiful grounds to explore.

If you are also headed that direction, there are a number of wineries in Woodinville as well, including local favorites, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Januik-Novelty Hill and J&M Cellars. 

If you are interested in Washington wines without the drive, the Local Vine is a great wine bar near Silver Cloud. While Purple Wine Bar and Café in downtown Seattle would be a great option for those of you staying at Hotel 1000.

 

Late NightAnd sometimes after a night of celebrating, you need a late night snack. There are some classic Seattle late-night eats right around our reception site. A classic late-night stop is Dick’s Drive-In (don’t worry, you don’t need a car).  The menu is straight forward burgers, fries and shakes but it satisfies the late night craving.  Another Seattle tradition can also be easily found right outside our reception site, a Seattle dog which for those of you who don’t know is a hot dog with cream cheese.  It sounds odd but I swear to you it’s delicious. There are a number of street vendors in Capitol Hill who would be willing to sell you one of these or you can head down the block to Po Dog.

And that’s just the start.  There’s tons more to do, see, eat and drink, not to mention the fact that you’ve got a wedding to attend.    

A Travel Note

Our wedding is taking place the same day at the Seattle Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon. While we don’t expect this will have a large impact on the weekend, there are a couple things to consider.

Please book your travel arrangements early – there will be lots of people coming in from out of town for the same weekend, the earlier you make your reservations the better. See our post about booking rooms in our block for more information. 

The course for both the half and full marathon starts near the Space Needle and goes through downtown into south Seattle back along the waterfront and finishes back at the Seattle Center.

This means that where the wedding and reception are being held, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, will be mostly unaffected. Most road closures will occur early Saturday morning but will be opened by the afternoon at the latest. 

For those of you staying downtown, there may be some impact getting in and out of the area.  2^nd Ave will be closed from Jackson the Broad Street from 6:00 – 9:00 am.  We suggest familiarizing yourself with the road closures. We also suggest allowing yourself a little bit of extra time to travel around on Saturday, even after all the roads have been reopened there will still be lots of jelly-legged runners wandering around Seattle.   

Invites Are Out!

It’s feeling pretty official, we mailed the invitations this weekend.  We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Seattle in June. 

Let’s Get Mauied

The tickets have been purchased and images of Mai Thais are starting to cloud our vision – we are going to Maui for our honeymoon. 

We are looking forward to some sunshine and quality beach time. We are going to snorkel, bike down Haleakala and stand up paddle board and that’s just to burn off the calories from all the shave ice we plan to eat. 

If you would like to contribute to this amazing adventure, we have registered with Traveler’s Joy.     

Bridesmaids

Maid of Honor: Teresa Worstell
Teresa and I met because we joined the same sorority at University of Oregon. While I don’t recall our actual first conversation, I know we quickly bonded over our shared love of our New Balance 803s. In fact there’s even a photo of just our feet from that year, shoes continue to be a shared passion. We also quickly found that we shared a similar outlook on life, finding the humor and joy in even the most mundane things. We roomed together junior year and found ourselves up late and analyzing just about every aspect of our lives, making trips to Taco Bell and studying at Sherri’s.  She keeps me updated on the latest in robot music and make up and I do my best to keep her up on pop culture while she’s in medical school at OHSU. While I’m incredibly sad that we don’t live in the same city right now, I’m incredibly proud of her.

So tough




At Kim's wedding

Bridesmaid: Kim Nicholson

I met Kim in a freshman seminar at University of Oregon called Journey to the Self. More than once I caught myself rolling my eyes at our kooky professor and was happy to see that Kim was too. She lived in the same dorm as a few other girls in my sorority who convinced her to rush sophomore year. I was delighted when Kim joined Kappa Delta and eventually became my “little sis.” I didn’t have much to teach her since Kim was older than me but the seeds of a strong friendship were sown. When I first moved up to Seattle in 2005, Kim and I were two single girls finding our way through our first apartments and first jobs outside of the comforting world of college. We’ve trained and run three half marathons together.  And, most importantly, she, along with her now husband Dan, introduced me to Joe at that Halloween party all those years ago.   

Toasting New Year's



Toasting running 13.1 miles

 


The three of us at Barn Dance 10 years ago!



Bridesmaid: Elisabeth Pisano
As her name suggests, Liz is Joseph’s younger sister. As a younger sister myself, I feel like Liz and I often understand each other. When Joe and I first started dating, I could tell that he was very close to his family and I knew it would be important to get approval from Liz, since she was the only local family Joe had.  Luckily, Liz is pretty easy to get along with. We quickly discovered that we had way more in common beyond just being little sisters – a love of all things pop culture and strikingly similar taste in TV, movies and books, a love of good food and even better drinks (if it weren’t for her I wouldn’t know what a French 75 is and that would be sad). 

Wine tasting in Oregon



Really tasting the wine



Proposal

The proposal did not go as planned. At all. But luckily Kate still said yes. 

It all started with my sister and parents planning an elaborate trip to Paris for Christmas 2010, and since Kate was pretty deep into our family already, she was also invited. Which became a bit of a struggle for her, as she would be missing out on Christmas with her own family. So we planned for Paris for about 6 months, having meetings with friends who had recently been there, scrouing the internet for tips and places to go when we could sneak away from the rest of the Pisano family. And I got it in my head that I was going to propose to Kate in Paris, because I really wouldn’t have to do much. Paris would do all the romantic work! 

So I spoke with my parents, and we hatched an elaborate plan. My mother would carry our family ring to Paris with her (Elisabeth, Kate and I were flying separately from Seattle and they were flying direct from San Francisco). She would then hand it over early in the trip, I would do my thing most likely in front of the Eiffel Tower on the hour when it lights up and really makes a girls dreams come true. I spoke with Marilyn, Stan and Kerry the week before we left, telling them that I was going to propose to their daughter in Paris and everyone was very excited. 

Then disaster struck.  

Europe was hit by quite the snowstorm. Heathrow was shut down, people were spending nights sleeping on the floor. Flights were getting cancelled. Elisabeth, Kate and I were checking the British Air webpage every 15 minutes. My parents flight was direct to Paris, and their flight was going. Our flight through Heathrow was also flying, however Heathrow to Charles De Gaulle was cancelled, so we could only get as far as London, only to spend the holiday in the airport. The three of us decided that instead we would rather drive down to California and spend the holiday with Kate’s family. 

But now what about this ring? Speaking with my folks they decided to leave it on their dresser in their bedroom, so that I could pick it up when we dropped my sister off at home. 

So now instead of an 9.5 hour flight thinking about how to propose in Paris (where the city did all the work), I had 2 days of driving and had to come up with some sort of backup plan. 

We left the same day we were supposed to fly, and spent the night at our friends Stacy & Ray’s house in Eugene. I talked to Ray about his thoughts, and we hatched all sorts of plans, but none of them really felt right, though we did have some great burgers and beers that night. The next day was the long haul fro Eugene to San Mateo. I had quite a few hours to think through things and decided that once we got to San Mateo I was just going to ask. But I had to do it with Kate alone, so I needed a plan to get her out of the house and on a quick walk. 

When we got to San Mateo, I told Kate that I needed to stretch my legs a bit, and would like to go for a quick walk around the block. We had been in the car for roughly 10 hours so it only made sense. But Kate wanted to get back on the road down to Los Gatos to meet up with her parents. I kept pushing, and said told her there was a nice park two blocks away, and that I really needed a stretch since I was the one doing all the driving. So we went for a little stroll. I pointed out random things in the neighborhood while we walked, we talked about how weird it was that we were in San Mateo instead of Paris, and started to try and figure out some logistics of getting presents for people we weren’t expecting to see. Then we got to the park. 

We started walking through the park and I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a ring box. I didn’t even have a chance to say anything before Kate started crying. Mostly out of shock, as she was taken completely off guard, but I believe some of the tears were also happiness. I believe the first words out of her mouth were “what are you doing?” which quickly turned into yes. 

We headed back to the house, and Elisabeth was waiting for us, and would have had champagne chilled had we not blocked the other car in with mine. we took a photo of us and sent it off to our family in Paris and then headed to Los Gatos. Stan and Kerry were very excited to receive us, I don’t think they expected me to propose yet, so there weren’t sure if they should be super excited, or just excited to see us. Luckily Kate walked into the front door, hand and ring first, which took any question out of their minds. 

Moments after she said yes, and a 10 hour car ride.

While it wasn’t exactly the Christmas that we were expecting, it did turn out to be quite a wonderful holiday!

Groomsmen

Best Man: Sam McDonald

I met Sam McDonald my freshman year of college at Seattle University. He was a fellow 4th Floor Campion resident in those days and we became fast friends. So much so that we decided to be roommates our Junior, Senior and our first post-graduate year (in what was the best apartment in Seattle, until they turned it into a condo). We were both business majors, so we had a lot of our classes together and spent most of college studying. That and we spent the beginning of each week crafting elaborate e-mails for our Thursday night parties and hosted two epic Quadstock parties. We still see each other regularly, and though we don't have schoolwork to discuss, or parties to plan, we still figure out exciting topics to toss around. Mostly politics and changing the world.

Sam was my ride to the Halloween party where Kate and I met for the first time (see "how we met" post). Sam was also there when I got my first call back from Kate, since she screened my original call. Sam approved. And luckily Kate approved of Sam. 

Sam and Kate approving of one another.

Groomsman: Matt Zampella


I also met Matt Zampella my freshman year of college, though I had been hearing rumors about him all through my time at Bellarmine. I was friends in high school with his best friend Alex, but that never prepared me for what to expect when I first met Matt at Seattle University.

Matt was present at many of the parties that Sam and I threw, we even hosted a birthday party for his lovely wife Naomi at our place. Where we really bonded was over such things as Steak Night at his house, as well as the action packed blockbuster Bad Boys II. There was even a short period where we worked out together, which was really a ruse to grab subway sandwiches and watch How I Met Your Mother with him and his wife.

I also have Matt to thank for my love of Manhattans. It was at his wedding that a few friends and I decide that we were old enough to start drinking real drinks, and therefore decided to try out a brown liquor cocktail. And shot his bar bill through the roof.

Matt, Naomi and chest hair.

Groomsman: Chris Crazybull

I met Chris when I was in 7th grade. He is one of my oldest friends, even though we don't see nearly enough of each other anymore. Chris was moving down to San Mateo to live across the street and I was introduced to him and his brother while we watched Point Break, which naturally made for a great introduction. 

Chris was there to help share the awkwardness of life, girls and high school, discussed over long games of billiards on his pool table. Chris became a part of our family, coming over every Friday for our spaghetti and meatball dinners and having long conversations with my mother and father. He became the Native American son that my parents never had. 

Whenever Chris and I get together these days, we easily slip into our old roles as great friends looking out for one another, though the topics vary slightly from the old days. Chris is now married with 3 beautiful kids, and spends a lot of time at sea as an office in the Navy. I am starting to embark on my marriage to Kate and now have a job and a house and all that goes along with being a respectable adult. But deep down... we are still those two kids who bonded while watching Johnny Utah learn to surf and shoot bad guys.

Chris and JW.

Where to Stay

For those of you traveling in from out of town, we have blocked rooms at two lovely Seattle establishments, The Silver Cloud Hotel – Seattle Broadway and Hotel 1000. 

The Silver Cloud – Seattle Broadway is right across the street from Seattle University which means it is just blocks away from both our ceremony and reception sites. In addition to being within walking distance of our wedding, the Capitol Hill neighborhood offers a different side of Seattle outside of the Market and the Space Needle - where the locals go to eat, drink and catch live music. 

To reserve a room online

1.       Visit their website at: http://www.silvercloud.com/broadway.php

2.       Select desired arrival and departure dates and search for availability (rooms are blocked for both Friday the 22nd  and Saturday the 23rd)

3.       Type in “Group ID” BEN-PIS

4.       Type in “Password” BEN-PIS

5.       Complete reservation with your credit card information

To reserve a room via phone

1.       Call the hotel at (206) 325-1400 or Toll Free at (800) 590-1801

2.       Ask for the “Benkoski & Pisano Wedding” rate and the group ID “BEN-PIS”.

We also have rooms blocked at Hotel 1000 in downtown Seattle. It’s a short drive or a cheap cab ride away from both the ceremony and reception sites. The downtown location offers more of the classic Seattle experience within walking distance of the famous Pike Place Fish Market and the first Starbucks. And don’t worry there’s still plenty of great restaurants, bars and coffee to be had here too. 

To reserve a room

1. Call the hotel at (206) 957-1000
2. Ask for the “Benkoski & Pisano Wedding” rate

Please note, rooms are blocked for June 22nd and June 23rd at both hotels. If you are planning on coming in early or extending your stay, discounted rates will not apply. It's probably best that you call the hotel rather than book online in this situation as well, noting that room block for the 22nd and 23rd.  

Alternatives

If you are looking to do VRBO, Airbnb or another rental site, the wedding is taking place in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle with the ceremony and reception site within walking distance of each other.  It is also easily accessible by cab from the downtown, Belltown, Queen Anne and Fremont neighborhoods. It’s a bit further from other neighborhoods, like West Seattle and Alki (where there are a lot rentals) while easily doable, we might recommend renting a car.    

Registry

Registry

Macy’s

Macy’s is a pretty standard place to register, since they have everything that a new young couple might want. Plus they are always having a sale. 

http://www1.macys.com/registry/wedding/guest/?registryId=626969

Crate & Barrel

There are a few items that took us quite a while to compromise and pick for our life together, and Crate & Barrel was the place that had those pieces of silverware, and dinnerware that we feel will live with us a lifetime. 
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/Gift-Registry/Guest/View-Registry.aspx?grid=4792467

Honeymoon

Since we have set up house for a few years now, we thought if you didn't want to get us a blender (which, hey, we still need) you could help give us the gift of a wonderful honeymoon.  
Traveler's Joy