High style in Cartagena, Colombia

I love getting email from Anthropologie, but especially so when the name Cartegena caught my attention in my inbox today.  

I visited Colombia during my stint in the navy Spring/Summer of 2009.  {I wasn't really in the Navy, but I lived on the USNS Comfort for four months and lived the life of a sailor/humanitarian.}  One of our liberty port-o-calls was in Cartegena, Colombia.  

Anthropolgie shot their latest catalog there so while taking in their gorgeous clothes, I was checking out the scenery to see if I recognized the scenery. 

 Today I'll share a few of my favorite images that I took while wondering the vibrant streets of the Walled City.

 Cartagena {said: Carta-hay-na} is known for Romancing the Stone, though the film was actually filmed in Mexico and bothers the Colombians that Michael Douglas pronounced the city's name incorrectly.  An episode of one of my favorite shows, NCIS, was actually filmed in the real city.  More cool history here.

 Favorite things about Cartagena: the weather, vibrant culture, awesome musicians playing happy music everywhere and really great, inexpensive fresh food from the vendors and small shops lining the streets. 

We were told not to drink the limonada sold on the street, but I couldn't help it.  Bring on the e coli, it was worth the risk.

 Pretty sure the top left image from Anthro was shot on this street shown above.  I didn't include the image I have that is shot from the same angle because I'm in it and look completely wilted and sweaty, a direct contrast to the super cool model above.

The USNS Comfort leaves in April for the next Continuing Promise mission and I so wish I was going along for more adventures on the high seas. 

Getting Around the 405 Closure this Weekend

This weekend in Bellevue, WSDOT will be taking down the old 12th Avenue overpass above I-405 which will necessitate a complete closure of the freeway just north of Downtown Bellevue. The closure will begin at 11 p.m. Friday, April 1st and end by 4 p.m. Monday, April 4th. 

To help reduce the flow of traffic on 405, the WSDOT will also be closing the ramps from east and westbound I-90 to 405.  Suggested north-south detour routes are Bellevue Way and 148th Ave NE. The WSDOT is warning that drivers not actually intending to come into Bellevue should avoid using I-405 entirely and instead use I-5, I-90 or 520.

So if you live in Bellevue, it sounds like a great weekend to *stay* in Bellevue, come say hello to Trisha Quigley at One Main Street and see what's new in town (like the newly opened Uwajimaya). If you live outside Bellevue and you are coming into town, whether to visit us at One Main Street Condominiums or for any other reason, be aware that traffic will likely be a lot heavier than normal and leave yourself extra time.