My flight to Seattle was set to arrive around 10:37 p.m. on Monday, and as excited as I was, I was sad thinking about not being able to admire the beauty of the city as I was arriving because it would be so dark.

I have never been more glad to be wrong.

The city was beyond beautiful at night! So clearly through the clouds I was able to see the entire skyline where blue and green-lined buildings stood tall, lit in celebration of the Seahawks’ recent Super Bowl victory.

A city full of pride

Being the music lover that I am, when I found out I was getting the opportunity to go on this work trip to Seattle, I was thrilled. But what truly amazed me was how the team at Raising Cane’s planned and executed this entire event in such a short period of time.

We got a Super Bowl winner on Sunday, which determined both the location of the event and the guest of honor. Travel plans were sent out, we flew out Monday night, and by Tuesday afternoon, we were at the event.

Hats off to Olivia, Shayna, and the rest of the Raising Cane’s team, truly.

Now back to the music

I was absolutely buzzing at the thought of being in the city where some of my favorite “Dad Rock” groups were formed—Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, the whole grunge scene.

As I exited the plane and felt the cold and rainy Seattle weather for the first time, “Lithium” by Nirvana was blasting in my AirPods, and I was instantly hit with goosebumps—a result of both the unfamiliar cold and the frisson the music sent through me.

Outside of the Raising Cane’s event, I made it my mission to see as much of Seattle as I could while listening to as much Dad Rock as I could.

Tuesday I was up bright and early… well, early for me. My first and only stop of the morning was Pike Place Market. 

I didn’t plan on being there all morning, but the place is a maze! Everywhere I turned, there was a new hallway with more shops, more food, or another street with more art.

It was sensory overload, and I was obsessed!

I first ventured into a souvenir shop hoping to find some cool stickers or a small collectible to take home to my family, and it was in this shop that I learned about “The Great Gum Wall.”

If you have never been to Seattle, the Gum Wall is literally what it sounds like: it’s a wall, actually two very large, very long walls full of pieces of chewed-up gum that have been accumulating for I can’t even imagine how many years!

Was it disturbing? Yes.

Did I contribute to the wall? Obviously, yes!

The Gum Wall leads right into the market, where I frequently stopped to sample cheeses, fresh apple cider, and the most gorgeous-looking fruits I’ve ever seen.

On my way out of the market, in the front entrance, was a man playing an upright bass, and though I had one of my headphones in listening to 90’s grunge, something about the tune he was singing caught my attention.

“Where I go, I just don’t know. I got to got to gotta take it slow.”

What are the odds! He was singing The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I stopped to hear him finish the song before hopping into an Uber back to my hotel.

It was the perfect end to my excursion and put me in the perfect headspace to prepare for the Raising Cane’s event.

My main focus on this trip was this event, after all. I got to sit in on a press conference with Super Bowl Champion quarterback Sam Darnold and watch him work a shift at Seattle’s very first Raising Cane’s location. 

It was amazing to see such a dedicated community come together, and honestly, incredible for someone like me, so early in their career, to witness something this big and get the chance to connect with so many people.

After a quick change back at the hotel and watching the sunset through the amazing view from my room at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Seattle, I decided to check out The Seattle Great Wheel on Pier 57, which was actually suggested to me by the lovely worker at one of the fruit stands at Pike Place.

It was nighttime again in Washington, and the views from the top of the 175-foot Ferris wheel were breathtaking. Coming from El Paso, Texas, I’ve never been surrounded by so much water, and to have it there, literally right underneath me, was insane.

I again chose to take in the moment, with AirPods in, listening to Paramore, which doesn’t really fall into the Dad Rock category, but they’re still my all-time favorite band.

I wanted to really soak this in and remember how blessed I felt to be in this place and to have these people in my life who made moments like this possible.

From beginning to end, this trip, although quick, was so rewarding. From being steps away from a Super Bowl Champion to conversations with industry professionals to experiencing a new city all alone, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!