014: We’re back, like the Belltown Hellcat roaring down the streets of Seattle, again! The award for Most Annoying Seattleite goes to that privileged a**hole who is getting fined over $1000 per day, in which he posted on IG every time as proof.

Speaking of privileged a**holes, I have a confession to make. I’m selling out. No, I don’t have a new merch line dropping and I didn’t sell my business to BIG NEWSLETTER. However, I am going to blow up the social media timelines with a bunch of sponsored content later this month. It might be that the universe understands I’m going to be unavailable for collabs over the summer, or maybe just a relative shift in how companies are advertising with small creators. But this past month I got multiple email requests for paid collaborations, and I’ve said yes to almost all of them. I got a lot of diapers to pay for.

It might be a dumb, stressful move on my part. Every response email, more or less said: “I’m expecting a baby in June. We need to make the video and have it approved by May 30 for me to complete the project.” So I’ve lined up 4 sponsored videos that I need to complete in the next couple of weeks. I’m not sure how much I should say, but here are some hints for each one:
- Women’s Golf Tournament
- Publicly Traded Healthy Fast-Casual Food Business
- Bike share company
- Local restaurant that also has a seafood company

— Conner Cayson

Mixing Up the Newsletter

It’s a new format here at the Find Me in Seattle Newsletter. Which is actually me saying “I didn’t finish the Seattleites You Should Know article for the week.” Up to this point, I have been ahead 2 or 3 weeks with interviews, and videos.

My original game plan was to get 4 weeks ahead, so I could have a month of newsletters ready when I went on paternity leave. But, I’ve thrown that plan out the window. I only have 1 more Seattleite You Should Know interview in the can, which should be next week. After that, we will see. So this week, I’m asking a question. And there’s a new feature, a poll! Please answer to join the conversation.

Is Ascend Bellevue Overrated or Underrated?

I was very fortunate to have dinner at Ascend Bellevue this week. Located on the 31st floor of Lincoln Square South, the Prime Steak and Sushi restaurant is likely the Eastside’s most high end restaurant.

We walked in through the elevators for our 6:15pm reservation. The view walking up to the host stand is spectacular. I heard multiple groups gasp and audibly say ‘wow’ on the South-facing view, with a perfect look at Mount Rainier. The bar and lounge area was lively, and full. It smelled smokey, which at first was odd, since there’s a fireplace behind the host stand. But looking to our left, the bar is just feet away prepping an endless order of smoked cocktails trapped under glass.

We sat at a big group table on the Northwest corner. The sunset was directly in our faces, with most of the dining room, so the shades were down. About 90 minutes later, when the sun was just cresting the Olympic Mountains, the shades came up, and the view really showed off. This was the first time where I said, ok, now I see why people think this place is spectacular.

THE FOOD

The food was good too, but as you’d expect, very expensive. Their Yelp rating has 4 $$$$ signs. The prices of the steak range from $65 - $275, sides are $20-$30 per item, cocktails are at least $20, beers were $9.50. We decided, based off the recommendation of the host, to create a steak flight. We choose 1 steak from each of the three categories of the menu. It was delicious, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t have definitive feelings as if it was the best in town.

Know what I would go back for? The desserts. This part of the meal felt like fine dining. We ordered three dishes: Magic Mushroom, Skyfall, and Halo. (sorry for not having photos)

The Good Seats and the Bad Seats

If and when I go back to Ascend (especially on a sunny day), I’m sitting in the bar/lounge area. The view towards Rainier is less harsh with the sun, but feels more expansive. The restaurant wraps all the way around the building, and I’d say 20% of the dining tables are on the North facing wall. If I was paying for this meal, I’d be disappointed to sit over there. There’s competitive buildings, like the W Hotel blocking the view and it just feels cramped over there.

Have you been to Ascend? Let me know in the poll.
ANSWER BELOW

Final Rating

OVERRATED.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a very nice dinner there and I’m super grateful to have the opportunity to eat there. It is a place I think everyone, who has the means, go eat there once. Or, at least, go get a drink and experience the atmosphere and view for a little bit. It’s a cool place and I think they are in the right area with the right corporate clientele. It was a nice dinner and the view is remarkable. I can’t think of another place like it in the area. Maybe the Tower Club in Columbia Tower. But I didn’t leave thinking, this was the best restaurant in town and I need to tell everyone to go (I just need to tell all of you). Mostly I’m giving overrated because of my expectations. I have seen every influencer go up here and boast about how incredible it was. The expectations were always going to be too high to match. Which only in writing this now, do I think is unfortunate, and maybe slightly unfair. What do you think?