Seattle 3/3

We had half the day in Seattle before needing to go back to the hotel to go to SEA TAC.  

The MarQueen was built in 1918 as the Seattle Engineering School, it was used to retrain blacksmiths to work at the Ford assembly plant at Lake Union.  It is historical, and cute.

We started the day somewhere else that was totally new to me, wandering next to Lake Unions houseboats.  I gave the driver the address to the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat.  The only way to see this particular houseboat is by water vessel, but it gave us a starting point.

Surprisingly this area is NOT packed with tourists.

Some of these homes sell for millions of dollars, while others sell for... less.  

When we return we would like to rent one on Airbnb.

It was recommended by numerous people that we visit REI while in Seattle, since this is where REI was founded, in 1938, and we are happy REI members.  

The store is huge.  

There is even a Ranger Station inside.

No, there is not a pizza place.  We stopped in, again, at Masonry Pizza, for a margherita pizza. 

Yep, it was that good.

Before we knew it we were back in SoCal.  

It was a quick trip but so worth it.  

Hmmmm, where to next?...

Seattle 2/3

Hey!  It's the birthday boy!

Our day started off at Maritime Pacific Brewing Company in Ballard (point A on the map below). 

Ballard is home to more breweries than any other Seattle neighborhood (or even any Portland neighborhood).

Just a short five minute walk away, our next stop was Lucky Envelope Brewing (point H).  They had some very interesting beers, even some brewed with different cereals.  Populuxe Brewing was recommended for cutting edge beers.  I don't know what is more cutting edge than Count Chocula Red, but we were not about to find out.

Seattle is known for their ciders and Lucky Envelope always features guest ciders on tap (the one on the left).  It is very light in color, but not light in taste.

The last stop of the afternoon was Stoup, point F.  

It was meant to be, they brew It's Your Birthday IPA, and have an upstairs kid free zone.

It's Your Birthday. 

Although the Ballard Locks are one of Seattle's top attractions, I have never been.  

Thousands of migrating salmon pass through the fish ladder each summer.  This coho was swimming solo, in the tail end of the migrating season.  If you are fishing for a rating, on a scale of 1-5, I give it a 5.  

Opposite the fish ladder are the Ballard Locks.  The locks were built in 1917, to allow transport between the Puget Sound and fresh water lakes like Lake Union and Lake Washington.  

We found a highly rated pizza place, Masonry Fired Pizza, just a block from our hotel so this is where the evening ended.  

Bring us our pizza please...

They even had homemade confetti cake ice cream!

Happy birthday, Eric!

Seattle 1/3

Our hotel, MarQueen Hotel, is located in Queen Anne, which seems like a central place to stay.  Before our 10:00 am time slot for the Seattle Space Needle we walked through Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park.

Birds were going crazy over this seal, who was flaunting his hunting skills, repeatedly throwing his breakfast into the air.

You may be thinking, "wow, what luck you are having with the weather", but as far as I am concerned this is typical Seattle weather.  I have visited Seattle five or six times and it has yet to rain.  People say there is a break in the rainy weather, but I will instead go with my much more exciting conspiracy theory.  Seattleites paint an untrue picture about the dreary weather to prevent more people from moving here.

Just like the Eiffel Tower, the Seattle Space Needle was built specifically for the World's Fair.

Sure, it may be touristy but it has the best views in the city on a clear/typical Seattle day, plus we are tourists.

There are two giant arachnids on the roof of the Seattle Center Armory, which only can be seen from the top of the Space Needle.

I could only handle being up there for 20 minutes or so but it felt like the whole thing was falling over and we had to rush to the elevator.

Luckily for us there was no breeze.  With each ten mph of wind the Space Needle moves two inches. An employee at the top said that in 50-60 mph wind gusts you can see water sloshing in the toilet.

No thanks!

Our next stop was Pike Place for lunch.

Piroshky Piroshky is amazing, and well worth the wait, whatever the wait may be.  It could be the 15 minutes that we waited, or an hour, just be patient. 

I went with cheese and potato piroshky while Eric got beef and cheese.

We both wished we would have got two, but we had other places to enjoy on our taste bud tour.

Beecher's spicy mac and cheese is divine (and once again, well worth whatever the wait is).

We went upstairs to a not-so-touristy coffee shop, Storyville Coffee Company, for foam art cappuccinos. 

Yes, the original Starbucks in located in Pike Place but I like to support non corporate coffee, and who wants to wait in that line, next to the world's most hideous logo?

Throwing fish picked out by customers is a tradition in Pike Place.  People probably wind up with odd fish choices, choosing whatever fish is furthest away from the scale...  That is what I would do at least.

Before walking to Pioneer Square we stopped into Old Stove Brewery for homemade chips, broccoli and hot cheese dip.  Oh, and a few beer samples.  

I am not sure if we went to all the best places in Pike Place, or if all food in Pike Place is amazing... But so far, so good.

We walked to Pioneer Square along the waterfront.

Pioneer Square is Seattle's oldest neighborhood.

This iron and glass pergola was built in 1909, for people to wait for the next cable car (to escape the sun, I assume).

Art and sculptures are everywhere in Pioneer Square.  We also came across many current and future homeless people. Apparently Pioneer Square has numerous shelters around, so this is their backyard.  It was fine, but maybe because there is security hired to keep watch in all of these little parks.

We watched the sunset from the top of the Space Needle.  We paid an extra $10 for the Day/Night pass, which means that you can return after 5:30 pm.   

Mount Rainier glows at this hour.

Our last stop of the evening was dinner at Bizarro in Fremont, with my dear friend Cicely, whom I have known since I was about 3 years old.

💘  Happy ALMOST birthday, Eric.  💘