About once a quarter - a business term the mister likes to bandy about - we manage to get into Seattle to play tourist. And once there, we always say we need to visit more often...there is just so much to see and do! We started at the market, as usual, but this time instead of loading up on Uli's Sausage or fresh prawns, we headed to Lowell's for breakfast - the views and the food is unbeatable!
Hot oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins with a front row seat to the Bainbridge Ferry...what could be better? After loading ourselves up, we decided to take a little stroll before we shopped so we went to see the new Seattle Library - actually, it's about 4 or 5 years old now - I think, and we've driven by it dozens of times but never ventured in. The SIL, who is an architect, went there shortly after it opened and practically foamed at the mouth telling us how great it was - from the outside in. Of course he would love it - it's filled with stainless steal and concrete - not one bit of fluff to be found. But - we liked it too...in fact, we loved it! It's everything it's cracked up to be...if you get a chance to visit - take it.
Cool. That's what it is. Cool. But perhaps I should spell it KOOL, as in Koolhaas, the architect with a mind-space-continuum-brain who mixed metal fish-net type panels and rip-stop nylon with concrete, color, steel and glass...jumbled it all up and created one of the Koolest buildings this side of the Mississippi. No wonder the SIL foamed!
It has books, too! And if you've ever wondered where all the homeless people in Seattle are...we found them - at the library, on one of the dozens and dozens of free computers...but they won't bother you, they're too busy, presumably, ordering self-help books from Amazon.com.
Walking down 5th Avenue, we headed for the shops. I had my heart set on a new bauble from Betsey Johnson but it was 3 minutes 'till 10:00 and the snooty sales clerk refused to open the doors...and the mister refused to wait. Her loss...oh, mine too! It was a bit brisk out, so we popped into The Georgian Room at the Fairmont Hotel to warm ourselves up - it's so pretty and a bit pricey - but worth it.
Our next stop was the Louis Vuitton Store...just for a giggle...I happen to have in my possession a beautiful eggplant-colored LV wallet - just like the red one pictured below except that mine was a gift from a friend who recently visited China...you don't suppose mine is a fake do you? I'm certain my friend would spend $690 on me...mine looks identical to the one in the LV store...except the stitching in mine is a bit...off...like I said, we went in for a giggle and got it!
Anthropologie, Talbots, Nordstrom, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma. Time for a sit down - we headed for the theater...
Two hours later we were starving - lunch! We walked back towards the market...Macy's, City Kitchen, Nordstrom Rack, Sur La Table...then went down Post Alley to Kells.
We haven't been to Kells for a while - it's a great Irish pub and their corned beef sandwiches are fantastic but I had the Dublin Coddle...a sausage/potato dish that was delish...must try to recreate it at home. Our last stop was Le Panier...chocolate and vanilla eclairs...yummmmm...
Home at last - where the mister opened his Father's Day Gift...
The boy had to hook it up for us and then he preceeded to laugh himself sick watching us "play"...he said, "Mom, I don't know what you paid for this but it's worth every penny!" Everyone's a comedian. It was a great Father's Day for the mister...and for me, too!
