When even a convent in Olympia began to seem expensive (egads), Seattlest settled for a trip to the mysterious region called "unincorporated Snohomish County," also known as "our parents' house." We would take a vacation, damnit, even if that meant a weekend of sitting in our high school bedroom-turned-guest-room, noshing on Trader Joe's brie, and contemplating the tiny nature reserve just beyond the rows of strawberry plants in the back yard. more ›