of course, travelling
(a week and a bit ago) gave me time to think.... which is always dangerous in this head of mine.
it's
no secret that, given the oppourtunity, i'd pick up and move to seattle in a millisecond if the chance presented itself. when i
first travelled there, i simply booked my nearly 2 week trip on a whim - on a feeling that i had always wanted to go. of course there were reasons -
starbucks (my all time fave), the
bill and melinda gates foundation, the way everyone always told me i'd simply
belong there. i was a little nervous, but a lot excited. when people asked why seattle, and why alone, i said,
why not? i gave them the starbucks and B&M gates foundation spiel, but what it was really about, was simply how i felt when i booked that trip - i just felt like i needed to go.
i almost didn't come back.
i nearly cancelled my flight home, and stayed forever. i finally - for the first time in my life - felt like i belonged. felt like i was home. i lost the homesick feeling that i think i had been experiencing my entire life.
of course, my grandmother - who
channels - went to her spirits, and found out that i lived there in a past life, so it sort of all started to add up (not that i necessarily take great stock in this, but it made my parents feel better knowing that if i ever stayed, at least i would be
home). since then, i've tried to get there as much as possible.
so, when a good friend emailed me about his north american tour, and asked me for tips and suggestions on his time in seattle, AND THEN another friend asked me about my faves for him and his gf's upcoming trip there, i was more than excited to share.
people frequently ask me - what do you love about seattle so much? what's so great about it? why would you live there?
intangibly? the spirit. there is something so wonderful about a city of people who truly engage in the community of which they're part. who challenge themselves to be better people, as part of the larger system. who work to live - and not the other way around. the city is not ashamed - yes, they have issues with homelessness and drugs and poverty. who doesn't? but they do not hide this, like they do in many other cities. they embrace it. they work on it. they make it known, and they make it a priority. that is important to me. any city who nourishes the spirit of the artists, the singers, the chefs, the tattooed, the green haired, the corporate, and the environmentalist all in one place - and in a way where they can coexist happily?? that, to me, is heaven on earth.
that is me... though it may not seem it. this is my fave photo from my trips to seattle... the way i sort of disappear into it's being.
tangibly? oh i love seattle. a place where the food is fresh and well respected (i will eat considerable amounts of cheese, seafood, etc. there due to their restrictions on farming, etc.). a place where art is everywhere. a place where their library is one of the most stunning buildings i've ever seen - as a commitment to public access to information. a place where it rains constantly, so the grass is always a beautiful emerald green. i. love. it.
the beautiful public library
some of my favourites?
the area of fremont. it's just a super dope little neighbourhood. mega artsy. lenin statue, trolls under bridges, rockets in the middle of the street, vegan bakeries,
vintage shops galore. it has a GREAT organic bean to bar chocolate factory, called
theo, and they do tours! with free chocolate! ah!
puget sound. stunning. particularly amazing if you hike
over there, and stay until the sun goes down. BEST view of the city skyline
FOR. SURE. it's beautiful.
starbucks, pike's place, beechers cheese. all MUSTS.
but if you do the market, you can kill all of them (and yes - that IS a gum wall).
the gum wall; the market on an equally beautiful, busy rainy day
beechers has literally the
best mac and cheese i've ever tasted in my entire life. i frequently do a
dinner and/or lunch of coffee from starbucks (or
caffe ladro a few blocks over -
great americano) and mac & cheese. to die for. they are
committed to purity and classic styles of cheese making. i'll never forget the first time i went in, and asked about their cheese - i asked if their milk came from organic cows/goats and farms. the girl looked at me and said, 'we don't really believe in the term
organic.... we insist on far stricter quality than that' (
insert me swooning here). we then had a half hour convo on their integrity to classic style cheese making, and raising of animals. they have a photo of every animal they get milk from, on their wall!
cheese making in action; caffe ladro coffee for lunch; mac and cheese and a mariners cap
starbucks - it's
the original starbucks. but anyone who goes to this location can appreciate where it all began. it's a great atmosphere, the employees are happy (and work their asses off), and you can see the grassroots beginning. any skeptic? visit this store. you'll finally get it.
pike place market as a whole? you literally can't miss this.
the pike place fish stand - with a few of my good friends who i made while i was there - is worth it, the guys are great. mini donuts to your left of the main entrance. gum wall, apothecaries, cool vintage stops, and good chowder places. WONDERFUL flowers, and really cool artwork. i usually go on a weekday, because the crowds aren't big, but if you want to full experience, and don't mind a crowd, do the weekends.
my lovely friend jeff and i, who started a convo in the middle of a tues while i vacationed there for the first time, and have been good friends since!
steelhead diner is an amazing restaurant in the alleys
behind the market. best mussels i think i've ever had - their
menu is awesomely down home and non-pretentious. they have a little patio
too. rad! (i also visited their new '
blueacre seafood' last time i was there. awesome. hard to get seats on weekends, but worth it). other great restaurants in the area? the
chowder place (get the sampler) and the
pink door.
steelhead diner mussels and poutine; the pink door
the library (as i mentioned above). oh dear god. PLEASE go see the library. there are no words.
there's also a space near where
the underground tour is (which is my super highly recommended tour to take... if you're into nerdy history stuff
like me) called
pioneer square. it often has public art installations. i always go to see what
they have. last time i was there, they had tons of trees wrapped in brightly
coloured yarn. i usually go to have lunch, read, sit, take photos, write, anything i can do to simply spend time in the sun there. the trees are huge and big and beautiful. it's easily one of my favourite places in the city.
and other little goodies that if you have time, you have to see? the jimi hendrix statue on capitol hill, the aquarium (there's a huge octopus that climbs out of the tank when they do presentations!); myrtle edwards park, AND the olympic sculpture park; the klondike gold rush museum (nerdy, i know. but i got a stamp passport, and there are mannequins!)
it's all simply marvellous. i don't have enough wonderful things to say about the city. i would be there constantly if it weren't so hard for a canadian to get a job there.
if you go, share your adventures with ME!
so first up - if you've never heard deer tick, you've never (a) lived, and (b) read my blog. so, before proceeding, read entry here on deer tick. love. also, read more about them here (gotta love you wikipedia), read some of their thoughts on twitter here, and listen/watch some of their videos here. embrace the love that will blossom and grow.
if you've never seen deer tick perform, there's really no way to describe it - and the fruit bats, and the novaks did not disappoint those only present for deer tick... while they did their own thing (either much more punk, or much more rock), they managed a genre of music between the three bands that was purely rocktastically satisfying. the musicianship was fantastic - the band is an incredibly cohesive one, with talent to spare, including one of my favourite drummers i've ever seen live.
nearing the end of deer tick's set, the other bands joined them on stage - in all their long haired glory. it was sheer perfection to see three of the great rock/punk (ish)/country bands i've ever seen live headbanging to beastie boys. (also never thought i'd use those three genres simultaneously). (ever). we fought hard, for our right to party. and it was worth it.
