World of Books: Wendy + Seattle, Washington

Everyone has their neighborhood bookstore or their local library they call home. Maybe both even. I know I do - in TWO different cities. World of Books if a bi-weekly feature that allows me - and any of YOU - to share the bookstores and libraries you love so much. If you want to be featured on World of Books too, make sure to go HERE and fill out the contact form!

This week on WORLD OF BOOKS Wendy will be taking all of us out West to Seattle, Washington. ENJOY.

I am so excited to be participating in Gaby’s World of Books feature! I remember when I first saw that she was doing this feature and I just thought how cool it was to discover all kinds of fun bookish places in other cities!

Anyway, today I’ll be talking about my favorite bookish places in Seattle! I had to move down to Vegas for dental school (yuck) but I go back home a lot because my fiancé lives up there. Good news is this is my last year so I’ll be moving back next year to all my favorite places! =)

Ever since I was little and watched Beauty and the Beast, I’ve had this dream to one day have that gorgeous library! One of the libraries that gives me that feel is the Suzzallo library at the University of Washington campus. 

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Look how beautiful it is! Granted, the entire UW campus is beautiful but I really love Suzzallo in particular. I spent a lot of time there between classes because they have a café downstairs where you can get food and study or meet and study or chat with friends. But my absolute favorite part of Suzzallo? I think the official name of it is the “Reading Room” but my friends and I always referred to it as “the Harry Potter room”.

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I mean, that looks like it could’ve come straight out of Harry Potter! I love that place. Whenever I went to study in there, I FELT more scholarly just from being there. And if I got too lazy to study, I’d read in there and it was the most calming, relaxing place. I loved that room!

I lived close to campus and my apartment was right by the University Village that housed lots of shops but mostly importantly, the best Barnes and Noble ever. I know, I know, B&N is everywhere but this one was HUGE.

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I spent so much time there. I’d go to the café to study and then go wander to look at books. Sometimes as I walked back from campus, I’d pop in just to browse. It was my favorite B&N ever and then guess what? They decided to CLOSE IT. This happened about 2 years or so ago I think so I was already living in Vegas but I was devastated when I heard that! It was apparently some lease snafu or something. I have not found another B&N I love as much as that one. (Although there is a large one in the Seattle area, near Northgate mall that is gradually moving up my list!)

The Seattle Public Library is one of the coolest buildings ever.

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I didn’t go there as often as my local library since I don’t make the trip into Seattle as much but I had to mention it because it’s such a COOL place! First of all, it’s humongous. Secondly, it’s just super eccentric.

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They have lots of areas to read, lots of computers and just SO many books. It’s pretty awesome.

The library that’s closer to me though, is the Kirkland public library.

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It’s not the prettiest library but it’s relatively new. It’s on the small side but they actually have a good, sizeable YA section so that makes me happy. It’s fun to take trips to the Kirkland library because it’s right in downtown Kirkland. Whenever my fiancé and I walk down there, we’ll stop by the library and then it’s fun to walk around and get food and such. One of my favorite places to read is also in downtown Kirkland – Zoka Coffee.

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The one thing I absolutely LOVE about Seattle is the fact that there are so many amazing coffee shops there. It’s more than just coffee. It’s being able to sit down, enjoy coffee from a legit mug and being in this awesome atmosphere with other people also working, studying, reading, etc. It makes me SO happy! It’s calm and relaxing. I love being able to enjoy coffee and read there!

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I couldn’t find a picture of the inside of the Kirkland Zoka Coffee but this is the inside of the one by UW, and it was right behind my apartment. Just tons of tables and also big comfy chairs. It’s amazing. I love Zoka!

These are some of my favorite bookish places that I like to go to and I hope you enjoyed reading about them!