.jpg "50 Shades of Grey Road Trip")
A Tour for Tourists of THE Sex Novel of the Year
Like many gals, you’ve read the book 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James. The book has been taking us prisoner, reading until we finish, and giving us all something to think about. But why spend your time thinking? You are itching to do something. Maybe your palms are twitching with excitement, knowing you need to do this. It’s time to do it!
Pack your bags and take GalTime’s 50 Shades Road Trip! Be sure you invite some of your best galfriends who have read the book and who are down to discuss the book, in detail with no hard or soft limits, as you take this beautiful and exciting trip through our beautiful part of the United States. Heck, rent an Audi and see how you can handle it.
Start your road trip at Location 1: WSU, Vancouver. Don’t forget to hit "play" on the playlist provided at the end of this article for the perfect soundtrack for this unforgettable trip.
Washington State University, Vancouver Branch Campus: With the college’s motto, “Stay Close. Go Far.” WSU Vancouver offers students the opportunity to study at the university level while staying close to home and on a smaller campus than in Pullman, Washington. Ana must have chosen this college to attend because it a beautiful campus, set close to the busy town of Portland, Oregon and active student life. She must have also known that while there may be 50 shades of Grey, there is only one shade of crimson.
Location 2: Heathman Hotel: While the next logical stop would be Clayton’s Hardware store, no such store exists. You’ll have to just imagine what it would be like to stroll down aisles picking out zip ties and tape for a handsome customer like Christian. So instead of learning some more DYI lessons in hardware, we find ourselves at the beautiful Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Christian would have nothing but the best and this hotel is luxury at its finest. I suggest getting a room here for the night and eating dinner in their restaurant. It’s up to you if you reserve a private room, but if it’s just you and your best gals, order some champagne and start discussing. As you enjoy yourself, do not to drink in excess and get a good 8 hours sleep for the next day of driving and discovering. When you leave the hotel the next morning, be sure to take elevator 3 and try searching for Ana’s scattered wits.
Location 3: Portland Coffee House. It seems this cute little coffee house is closed now, according to Yelp, but you can visit another intimate coffee shop near the Heathman, Café Viale. Be sure to order yourself some English Breakfast Tea, with the bag out, no sugar, and weak. Also, look both ways before crossing the streets. You know how Portland bikers can be.
Location 4: Escala, Seattle. Now unless you have your own Charlie Tango at your disposal, you’re going to want to drive north to Seattle from Portland. I-5 will take you most of the way to our next destination, Escala. During the 3 hour drive, discuss with your road trippers about their thoughts on why Christian is 50 shades of Grey and what would you do in Ana’s situation?
Photo of the Penthouse at Escala. Photo Courtesy of EscalaSeattle.com
Escala is directly in the middle of the action in the downtown area of Seattle. Near theaters, restaurants and with one of the most beautiful views in the city, this is where you live if you are only comfortable with the very best. Christian probably owned a 3-bedroom apartment, as readers know what he used the 3 bedrooms for. And from the thirtieth floor, this is the best of the best at Escala. If you’re in the market, go take a look since there are homes available for purchase. If you don’t happen to have around 1.5 million dollars, then take a look at the website for a visual.
At this time, our journey has come to an end. Being able to see the actual places E.L. James had in mind while writing the novel can give you good insight and increase comprehension of the book. Listening to the music mentioned in the book, along with songs that match the book’s theme, also enhances the reading pleasure. We hope you enjoyed your 50 Shades Road Trip, as we aim to please.
Playlist
- S&M by Rihanna
- Adagio in D Minor by Alessandro Marcello
- Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon
- The Flower Duet by Delibes
- La Traviata by Verdi
- Break Your Heart ft. Ludacris by Taio Cruz
- Bringing Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake
- Pachelbel’s Canon
- Slave for You by Brittany Spears
- Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis
- Toxic by Brittany Spears
- Prelude in E-Minor (op.28 no.4) by Chopin
