On Saturday morning I called my sister and asked her if she was up for a little adventure. She said, yes. Yes, just to be clear, is always the right answer. I told her we were going to track down a little Europe in Ballard. C. said to me: what does that mean? I said: you'll see.
<a title="Bauhaus Ballard by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14192187947"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14192187947_66e860f5f3_z.jpg" alt="Bauhaus Ballard" width="100%" /></a>

I a lucky that my sister is a good sport. A really good sport.

I picked her up and we stopped by BevMo and Fred Meyer. Neither of these stops were really related to pretending we're in Europe. We spent an embarrassingly long time in BevMo. Basically we walked up and down every isle of an over-sized liquor shop. commenting on all of the alcohol. In Fred Meyer, I picked up a crazy assortment of things: new pink nail polish, pickles, pickled veggies, green olives, balsamic vinegar, as well as an orange, a lemon and a lime. My sister spent the whole time laughing at me.

I bought her a big bag of pretzels so I think we're even now (but maybe I should have bought her two bags to be on the safe side).

Then we drove back to Ballard.  I found a spot and parallel parked perfectly on the first try. I've never owned a car in my adult until moving to Seattle in October so things like this still bring me joy. Frankly, I hope they always will.

<a title="Mr Gyros by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14192297547"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5534/14192297547_032fd749ac_z.jpg" alt="Mr Gyros" width="100%" /></a>

<a title="Falafel Sandwich at Mr Gyros by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14377795164"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/14377795164_0371d4193d_z.jpg" alt="Falafel Sandwich at Mr Gyros" width="100%" /></a>

We walked by Mr Gyros and I said: let's stop for a falafel sandwich.  We decided to split one. It was perfect and even better was the fact that we stopped by at like 2:45 and the shop closes at 3pm so we were inside eating falafel and watching other people get turned away. Your disappointment at being denied Mr Gyros makes my falafel sandwich taste that much sweeter. (Yes, I'm a horrible person.)

Half a falafel sandwic later, we wandered down the street to Bauhaus Coffee. We ordered little cappuccinos because we were pretending to be fancy and European.
<a title="Menu at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14355633816"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14355633816_3c7defc82f_z.jpg" alt="Menu at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>

<a title="Coffee cups at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14377768514"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3900/14377768514_8a73eb421c_z.jpg" alt="Coffee cups at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>
I ordered 8 oz. which seems pretty spot on for Europe. C. ordered the 12 oz. cappuccino. I raised my eye at her--that's too big to European. She gave me this look: I'm not actually in Europe. I am in Ballard.

I let it go.
<a title="Chairs at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14375365521"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3850/14375365521_b50f860db1_z.jpg" alt="Chairs at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>

<a title="Me at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14398819233"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5278/14398819233_4444a6a11a_z.jpg" alt="Me at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>

<a title="Me at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14192073830"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/14192073830_e66592def9_z.jpg" alt="Me at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>
We drank our coffee out front.  Bauhaus makes a damn good cappuccino.
<a title="Cappuccino by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14398865953"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5509/14398865953_fb8f14b17a_z.jpg" alt="Cappuccino" width="100%" /></a>

<a title="C. at Bauhaus by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14378674435"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3923/14378674435_efac2d1bea_z.jpg" alt="C. at Bauhaus" width="100%" /></a>
My only complaint? Look at the size of this spoon. Really, I require a little teaspoon to drink a little cappuccino.
<a title="Little coffee, Big spoon by Carolyn, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/14377183472"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14377183472_c71822a99b_z.jpg" alt="Little coffee, Big spoon" width="1005" /></a>