The land of coffeehouses

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Dig it - the GD and I are headed for Seattle this weekend. Family shindig, but a little time to ourselves, we hope. We've got a place picked out to "rank the swank" and we just might be able to go there.

It's only 2 days and nights but I thought you cats could slide the jib on the topic. This is also a note that we'll be gone for a bit, so hang tight over King's birthday.

And yeah, I like the sound of "the GD". :p

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Have a fantastic trip!

[wendybeth]

Have a great time- Seattle's a fun place, even when it rains. Hope it's not too cold- here on the Eastern side, it's frikken freezing!

[Claire]

Have a good trip. :) We like spending a weekend in Seattle from time to time, but we've never done it sans kids, so I can't give you nightlife advice.

I'll have a java in honor of your gracing the NW with your presence. :)

[cirquelover]

Have a great time!

Seattle is a lot of fun, lots to see and do. Alas, like Claire, I haven't done Seattle sans kid in a long time so I don't know any swank joints for you to try, sorry! I used to know all the great grunge clubs though!

[MouseWife]

Ooo, this sounds pretty darn cool.

I can't wait to hear your trip report~this is something I want to do. With or without the kidlets. I want to hear what you can do in two days. {might be my time frame as well if I can swing it at all}.

I want to go to the Soundgarden as well as the {damnit ADD} Rock Music Museum. Claire, what is that called again? I hear it is AWESOME!!

And, what is Pikes' Place Market?

Other than that, coffee coffee coffee. :D

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Last time we went (5 or so years ago) we visited the rock museum, and Pike's market, of course. We had barely any time to see the museum but what we did see was awesome. I'd love to hit it again if I had time but I don't think we'll be able to.

We'll definitely grab some coffee, just to keep warm - it's supposed to go below freezing at night. Brr!

[Ghoulish Delight]

The Experience Music Project. Building designed by Frank Ghery, same guy who did the Disney Music Hall. We checked out the EMP last time we were there, 5 years ago. It is awesome.

This will be about my 6th time in Seattle. It's one of my favorite cities, I could very easily see myself living there. It's also the only place I've actually seen snow falling. It is going to be cold this weekend, but the rain may hold off (ironically, considering how much rain we've been getting here). But the highs are going to be high 30s, lows bellow freezing. Hopefully I can fit enough sweaters in my carry on 'cause I don't want to deal with baggage claim.

[Claire]

We've done almost everything on this itinerary:

http://www.seeseattle.org/visitors/itineraries/sampler.asp

The underground tours were awesome. I've done the Tillicum Village thing a few times....2 times with my grandma and her cronies--I went on a senior citizens tour! :D

Pioneer Square, etc. is awesome, and my cousin Joyce got married at the Arboretum.

Uwajimaya in Chinatown is incredible. We have an even larger one :eek: just down the street from me. I go there for teas and interesting little goodies from time to time. It's one of my all-time favorite stores.

Experience Music Project is fun....depends on what's open. We went in 2002 and they were between exhibits, but it was still worth it. The kids made it hard to experience the whole thing at the time. They wanted to get to the Science Center and go on the monorail again....go if you can spend some time there.

THE LIBRARY!! You must see the library. :D

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/library/ Our friend's construction company did the contracting on it (they did our neighborhood branch, too, and we LOVE it!), and it is SPECTACULAR. Even if CP wasn't a librarian, I'd still recommend it. It's gorgeous.

Okay, that's all.....

~Claire

[Cadaverous Pallor]

We did the monorail, the underground tour, and walked all over the old-town area last time. I have to say the library totally intrigues me. :D Thanks for the heads up!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Ah the good old underground tour. I love it so. It's where you learn that the inventer of the toilet was NOT named John.....but he was named Crapper.

If we get a chance, we want to go wander by the new football stadium. When we were there last, we saw the baseball field (with a game going on, that was fun) and the football stadium right next door was just breaking ground. Considering how cool the baseball field is, I want to see how that turned out.

And a visit to Pike's is almost mandatory. Too bad rainier cherries will be out of season, though. But it's just not a trip to Seattle without seeing flying dead fish!

[wendybeth]

I love the Market! (they sell the Market Spice tea at stores around here now). I need to get back over there when the pass isn't so scary. (It's almost easier to drive over here from Spokane- now that you have to check in so early at the airports, the time driving is virtually the same as the time spent hanging around the terminals+flying time).

[Not Afraid]

UMMMMMM Market Spice Tea - Earl Grey with Lavender.

I adore Seattle. We have spent a LOT of time there, both in the city and taking trips to the Islands (Gulf and San Juan) and BC.

Pike Market is always always always fun, of course, as is the Gallery District/Pioneer Square. (Their First Thursdays event is happening!)

Asian food is ALWAYS good in Seattle. I've heard many good things about Wild Ginger (Belltown). Non-Asian, I also love the Pink Door (Pike Market area).

I had lots of fun roaming Belltown (the hip neighborhood) and Queen Ann (a bit more upper crusty with fine views).

It's a bit cold, but I LOVE the locks that are near the University. Also, you can rent a canoe at the Uni and paddle thru the arboreatum. Maybe for the next trip in a balmier climate.

Taking a [short!] drive to Mt. Ranier, Snoqualmie Falls or even Rosalyn (Northern Exposure anyone) can be fun.

You only have a short while, and there is so much to choose from! It's a great city and one of my Top 5.

[MouseWife]

Oo, the underground tours! I think I saw those on the Travel Chanel. I want to do that! And the EMP!

Just a thought, GD, if you haven't already done so, thermals dude. Thin, light weight. They make some really nice super thin and warm ones for both men and women {microweave or something like that? More costly than the regular type but...}.

Less room to take up than more sweaters and actually, most of the time won't the sweaters be covered by your jacket?

I finally saw real snow fall in Yosemite. I enjoyed it immensely. I would sit at the window and just watch it fall. When I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I saw snow. :D

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yeah, most of our time will be taken up celebrating my great aunt's 100th birthday. But we're going to do our best to make time for ourselves. We're not going to be renting our own car, rather hitching a ride with my parents. But there are always cabs and busses, and I'm sure we could have use of the car for the night life, it's not like my parents are going to be bar hopping.

[libraryvixen]

I have to say the library totally intrigues me. :D Thanks for the heads up!

I'm on my way to Seattle in May for a wedding. I, too, plan on visiting the library because it's the only place that can be completely new to me, but I feel like I'm home. :D

[Prudence]

Okay, now I feel totally lame. All this talk about how cool Seattle is and I haven't even done have the things listed -- and I've lived here for 29 years! I haven't even seen the new library. But I have some serious philosophical differences with the current city librarian, so that's part of the reason. (That, and I think she's a .... not very nice person.) I should go play hometown tourist more often. The football stadium (now Qwest field) is nice, but locals aren't fond of the EMP. (Much comparison to vomit.) There's a great Mexican (coastal, not greasy cheese) cafe in the U District calledAqua Verde (http://www.aguaverde.com/) and a very modern-swanky hotel called The Watertown (http://www.watertownseattle.com/) where you can get free themed "carts" in your room with games, spa stuff, bar ware, etc... Downtown's revived a bit lately. It's improved even since I worked there about seven years ago. More Thai restaurants that you can shake stick at. Seriously. It's like all we do is get Thai food.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Just wanted to say that I hope you two have a safe and wonderful trip!

[MickeyLumbo]

sounds like an awesome trip. be safe, have fun, stay warm and get swanky!:)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Ok, when I first saw Claire's link I couldn't see the pics due to computer trouble at work. But now I checked out some of the slideshow...amazing! I really hope we can make time for it.

I'm packing as many sweaters into my bag as I can.

[Jazzman]

I hope you guys have a great trip, and a safe one. Our PNW "Shut-everything-down!-It's-the-storm-to-end-all-storms!" snow storm is supposed to hit this weekend. Whether it does or not, we'll see. But if it does, I hope it doesn't strand you guys. Take care!

For my Emerald City tips, I offer up the following;

The Wallingford Pizza House (http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?c=r&ven=628&s=nws). There's nothing quite like a dome pizza. Definitely worth the trip.

If you dig trendy shopping, the U-Village in the U district (UofW) is pretty cool. Kinda cookie cutter, but still worth a visit.

The antique shops under the viaduct are pretty neat too. Lots of cool finds there.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

We hit up the library, and it was the most! Claire, thanks so much for the awesome tip! My in-laws dug it as well. :D I took a ton of pics as if I were visiting Buckingham Palace. I was very impressed with how functional the place was. Brought out my big geeky side. :D

We hit up a bar/club in Pioneer Square called J&M's for a bit one night. We didn't have much time but it was a cool, old school place. And it wasn't full of teens either. We drank a bit and danced to a DJ that played House of Pain and Young MC. ;)

We had no time to Rank the Swank, sadly enough. Next time we'll rent our own car instead of being at the mercy of others.

It was cold, rained a bunch, and that was groovy too. Gotta dig the local vibe. It was nice to step off the plane in Long Beach though. ;)

[libraryvixen]

We hit up the library, and it was the most! Claire, thanks so much for the awesome tip! My in-laws dug it as well. :D I took a ton of pics as if I were visiting Buckingham Palace. I was very impressed with how functional the place was. Brought out my big geeky side. :D

Welcome back!! If the library is anything as wonderful as I think it is...
my library will be looking like an outhouse!!

[Claire]

We hit up the library, and it was the most! Claire, thanks so much for the awesome tip! My in-laws dug it as well. :D I took a ton of pics as if I were visiting Buckingham Palace. I was very impressed with how functional the place was. Brought out my big geeky side. :D


Good! :) It's really incredible! I've seen quite a few people taking pictures in our library branch (same contractor, same ideas, muuuuuch smaller scale) this year....they're gorgeous buildings! Take pictures! They're so functional and really beautiful.