Seattle's spent the last decade figuring out how to import food cultures without turning them into Seattle Nice versions of themselves. Thai hot pot that actually tastes like Thailand. Buffalo wings that would pass muster in western New York. Korean fried chicken that doesn't apologize for being aggressively seasoned. It's taken some trial and error (RIP to all the "fusion" restaurants that thought adding salmon to everything was the move), but we're finally at the point where you can eat authentically weird food in this city without having to explain what you're ordering to a server who's never heard of it. Capitol Hill's got Thai hot pot now. Belltown's doing proper Buffalo wings with chilled, buttery sauce. And somehow, we've accumulated enough artisanal food vendors at Pike Place that you could spend a whole Saturday just eating your way through the market without hitting the same stall twice.

Not bad for a city that used to think teriyaki and pho were exotic.

February is Seattle Museum Month, which means you can hit up participating museums for half-price with a special pass. MoPOP, the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Flight... they're all in. It's basically the city's annual reminder that we have actual culture here beyond coffee and tech jobs. Grab a pass (they're available at participating libraries and online), pick a rainy afternoon (so, any afternoon), and go look at some art or old airplanes or whatever Nirvana exhibit MoPOP's running this month.

There's a Waikiki Beach on the Washington coast, which is objectively funny. It's not Hawaii (shocking, I know), but it's a decent coastal forest loop if you want to hit the beach without dealing with Alki crowds. January beach walks are underrated... cold, sure, but you'll have the place mostly to yourself.

If you're willing to leave the city limits, February's got guided snow hikes in the Cascades and wine events scattered across Eastern Washington. The snow hikes are legitimately beautiful if you can handle strapping on snowshoes, and the wine events are... well, they're wine events. You drink wine. Sometimes there's cheese. Seattle Met's got the full lineup.

Speaking of leaving town, Washington's got some legitimately good spa getaways if you need to justify a weekend of doing absolutely nothing. Hot springs, fancy resort spas, the whole deal. Perfect for when you've had enough of the city and just want someone to rub your shoulders while you stare at trees.

Morfire on Capitol Hill is doing Thai hot pot the right way... multiple broth options, reasonably priced, and relaxed enough that you won't feel weird lingering over your pot for two hours. It's the kind of place where you can actually taste the lemongrass and galangal instead of some watered-down version designed for people who think black pepper is spicy.

Vindicktive Bar & Wings in Belltown is run by someone who clearly has opinions about how wings should be made (longer fry time, chilled buttery sauce, the western New York way). They've got a Wing of the Week situation going, plus a chopped cheese sandwich that's apparently the real deal. Good spot if you're tired of Seattle's obsession with baking everything.

Tacos Chukis, Pho Bac, Toshi's Teriyaki, Dick's Drive-In, Big Mario's... all the spots where you can eat well without spending more than fifteen bucks. Not news to most locals, but if you're new here or just broke until payday, this is your hit list.

Pike Place Market's free to walk through, and you can easily spend a few hours browsing without buying anything (though you probably will). Piroshky Piroshky, DeLaurenti, Chukar Cherries, Le Panier... these are the vendors worth actually stopping at instead of just walking past. Samples are usually free, and a piroshky is like five bucks.

Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero It's literally named after the city's relationship with precipitation. The wide brim keeps rain off your face and glasses while you pretend you're too tough for an umbrella (we see you). Bonus: it packs flat, so you can stuff it in your bag when the sun makes its biannual appearance. Yes, you'll look like you're about to lead a nature hike. Own it.

HotHands Hand Warmers (40-pack) For the "guided snow hikes" crowd or anyone whose February weekend plans involve standing outside for more than 10 minutes. Cheap, they work, and you'll end up giving half the pack to friends who forgot theirs.

Thats it! The weekend's yours.

We'll be back Monday with whatever Seattle did while you weren't looking.

If you need me, I'll be at Morfire trying to figure out how spicy is too spicy for a weeknight.

- The Drizzle