To tell the truth, I have gotten a little bit behind in my blog-writing. I am not sure why. Perhaps as the weather gets colder in Chicago I quiet down and become more introspective. But let’s cure that. Last week Richard and I went to Seattle, Washington. And even though we had a temporary setback when we missed our plane from Chicago (we did gain the lost 3 hours back at the tail end when our flight from Seattle was scheduled to leave 3 hours later because of some unforeseen problems with the airplane) we “managed” to have fun the rest of the weekend. Here is a list some of our favorites in
Seattle:
1. PIKE MARKET PLACE: It is a public market overlooking the Elliot Bay waterfront. The Market, that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary (opened August 17, 1907), is one of the oldest continually operated public farmer's markets in the country. It is a place of business for many small farmers, craftspeople and merchants. It is deservedly the number one tourist attraction of Seattle. I absolutely loved the fresh produce; the apples tasted like apples as opposed to what you get in most grocery stores. The dazzling dahlias enchanted the shoppers with their countless colors.
One of the Market’s major attractions is the
“flying fish” market where the employees throw fish to one another rather than passing them by hand while loudly calling out the name of the fish that was just purchased, its amount and weight.
Also,
Starbucks Coffee (you know how much I don’t like it) was founded near the Market (at 2000 Western Avenue in 1971). The sign outside features the original logo of the bare-breasted siren that was modeled after a 15th century woodcut. Naturally, it is not the only Starbucks here because there is one on virtually every corner (Starbucks also bought Seattle’s Best and Torrefazione Italia so now they can be on the way to “rule the world.”). If you want something that is less of a tourist-frenzied place but sells good coffee (and local beer) at the Market, go to the Local Color (which also offers free wi-fi access) at 1606 Pike Place.
Naturally, while you are at Pike Place Market it’s “obligatory” to take a photo with the market’s official mascot,
Rachel, the bronze cast pig(gy) bank. Rachel was designed by local artist Georgia Gerber and modeled after a pig (also named Rachel) that lived on Whidbay Island and was the official winner of the biggest pig contest in 1977. Rachel receives roughly $9,000 a year in different types of currency and it is offered to different charitable institutions funded by the Market. Locals make a habit of emptying their pockets and rubbing Rachel's snout for good luck.
TIP: If you want to have a romantic evening in a restaurant where you dine on fresh French food and can view the beautiful sunsets of Elliot Bay, go to
Maximilien’s in the Market (yes, I know I am not supposed to write about tourist traps. I know that plenty of people would say that this place is. Some even remarked on various sites that the service wasn’t great. I don’t know. Maybe it’s not impeccable but the owners and waiters are friendly, the food is fresh, and the view is enchanting.)
2. BAINBRIDGE ISLAND: It is an island in Puget Sound, and is an incorporated city with a population of approximately 20,300. Interestingly, in July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine named Bainbridge Island the second-best place to live in the United States. In order to visit the island the tourist and resident alike can take the Washington State Ferry service from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. The ride takes about 35 minutes to cross Puget Sound and offers a great panoramic view of Seattle. The island is a wonderful getaway from the business of the city where one can go hiking, biking, and just delighting in nature. Additionally, there are lots of lovely little shops and restaurants on the Island. For lunch, we tried to get in
Café Nola but the wait was too long so we chose – our friend’s (
whom we met on our trip to Mexico City) recommendation – the
Harbour Public House (231 Paritt Way SW, Tel: ) instead. The restaurant’s historic setting offers a great view of Eagle Harbour where boats are bobbing and seagulls are windsurfing above. Choose a refreshing microbrew to go with those fish and chips, sandwich or salad. For dinner, our friend took us to
Madoka Pan Pacific Restaurant (241 Winslow Way. Tel: ) that is truly a remarkable restaurant where the menu is “based on the bounty of the Pacific Ocean, influenced by the multitude of surrounding countries and cultures." The chef emphasizes high-quality sustainable products from the Northwest. The food alone here was worth the trip.
3. SPACE NEEDLE and MONORAIL: Obviously touristy but a must, just like the Sears Tower in Chicago or the Empire State Building in New York City. A kitschy, 60s design that was created for the 1962 World’s Fair that offers a wonderful 360-degree panoramic view of the city. It is the symbol of Seattle. The entry tickets make you want to mortgage your house ($16.00 for adults) but the view is almost worth it. We even got to see the majestic Mount Rainier peaking through and floating above the clouds. The Space Needle is surrounded by a park that contains a science museum and a kiddy land that is near the art museum and is a terminus of the Monorail (which was also built for the World’s Fair and runs every 10 minutes depositing you nearby the Market).
4. VICTROLA COFFE ROASTER (310 E. Pike Street): Needless to say that it is much better than Starbucks. A really good coffee house where the owners are pre-occupied with quality and passion for coffee. It is obvious that they take pride in their coffee. As they describe it on their website, every morning they gather – since 2003 when they began roasting their own coffee “because we wanted to have a direct hand in the quality of our coffees before they made their way into the espresso hopper or the French press. Armed with passion and a desire to learn that continues to influence everything we do, we committed ourselves to the task of sourcing, roasting and preparing the finest coffees available.” Need I say more?
5. PIONEER SQUARE (101 S. Main Street): Pioneer Square is the neighborhood where Seattle was founded in 1852, following a brief six-month settlement at Alki Point. It is now a National Historical District. The neighborhood is paved with cobblestones and populated with tiny little shops, galleries, coffee shops, and bookstores such as
Elliot Bay Book Company that has the reputation (justly so) of being one of the finest book stores in the Northwest (I venture to say that probably in the country). This purveyor of books is a true gem with its hardwood floors, exposed beams, and huge, built in bookshelves with a multitude of books that leaves you in awe. As you walk around and browse through the books you’ll find hand-written notes attached to certain books with thoughts and/or remarks by the staff. I could have spent an entire day here; simply a must. While the bookstore does house a coffee shop I recommend you to go to
Café Umbria – a block away (320 Occidental Ave. South) – that was established by an Italian family in 1986 and serves outstanding coffee creations.
6. SERIOUS PIE (316 Virginia Ave.) and LOLA (2000 4th Avenue) RESTAURANTS: Sorry to say but I was not familiar with Tom Douglas who is apparently a well-known chef in the culinary world (I guess one could say the Emeril of the Northwest … sorry, Mr. Douglas!). But after our visits to two of his eateries, I can safely say that he that the accolades that precede his name are well deserved. Both
Lola’s (named after his mother in-law, I believe, offers a Greek-inspired menu that combines local northwest ingredients with Mediterranean freshness and simplicity.) and
Serous Pie (serving rustic pizzas that are “brought to life on this blistered crust, lightly textured but with just enough structure and bite, and with exactly the right amount of “serious” toppings”) offer food that are made with fresh, in-season ingredients that not only warm the soul but fill up the hungry stomach.
(Sorry, the pictures are taken with my phone and as you can see they are not very good!)
To tell the truth, I have gotten a little bit behind in my blog-writing. I am not sure why. Perhaps as the weather gets colder in Chicago I quiet down and become more introspective. But let’s cure that. Last week Richard and I went to Seattle, Washington. And even though we had a temporary setback when we missed our plane from Chicago (we did gain the lost 3 hours back at the tail end when our flight from Seattle was scheduled to leave 3 hours later because of some unforeseen problems with the airplane) we “managed” to have fun the rest of the weekend. Here is a list some of our favorites in Seattle:
1. PIKE MARKET PLACE: It is a public market overlooking the Elliot Bay waterfront. The Market, that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary (opened August 17, 1907), is one of the oldest continually operated public farmer's markets in the country. It is a place of business for many small farmers, craftspeople and merchants. It is deservedly the number one tourist attraction of Seattle. I absolutely loved the fresh produce; the apples tasted like apples as opposed to what you get in most grocery stores. The dazzling dahlias enchanted the shoppers with their countless colors.
One of the Market’s major attractions is the “flying fish” market where the employees throw fish to one another rather than passing them by hand while loudly calling out the name of the fish that was just purchased, its amount and weight.
Also, Starbucks Coffee (you know how much I don’t like it) was founded near the Market (at 2000 Western Avenue in 1971). The sign outside features the original logo of the bare-breasted siren that was modeled after a 15th century woodcut. Naturally, it is not the only Starbucks here because there is one on virtually every corner (Starbucks also bought Seattle’s Best and Torrefazione Italia so now they can be on the way to “rule the world.”). If you want something that is less of a tourist-frenzied place but sells good coffee (and local beer) at the Market, go to the Local Color (which also offers free wi-fi access) at 1606 Pike Place.
Naturally, while you are at Pike Place Market it’s “obligatory” to take a photo with the market’s official mascot, Rachel, the bronze cast pig(gy) bank. Rachel was designed by local artist Georgia Gerber and modeled after a pig (also named Rachel) that lived on Whidbay Island and was the official winner of the biggest pig contest in 1977. Rachel receives roughly $9,000 a year in different types of currency and it is offered to different charitable institutions funded by the Market. Locals make a habit of emptying their pockets and rubbing Rachel's snout for good luck.
TIP: If you want to have a romantic evening in a restaurant where you dine on fresh French food and can view the beautiful sunsets of Elliot Bay, go to Maximilien’s in the Market (yes, I know I am not supposed to write about tourist traps. I know that plenty of people would say that this place is. Some even remarked on various sites that the service wasn’t great. I don’t know. Maybe it’s not impeccable but the owners and waiters are friendly, the food is fresh, and the view is enchanting.)
2. BAINBRIDGE ISLAND: It is an island in Puget Sound, and is an incorporated city with a population of approximately 20,300. Interestingly, in July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine named Bainbridge Island the second-best place to live in the United States. In order to visit the island the tourist and resident alike can take the Washington State Ferry service from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. The ride takes about 35 minutes to cross Puget Sound and offers a great panoramic view of Seattle. The island is a wonderful getaway from the business of the city where one can go hiking, biking, and just delighting in nature. Additionally, there are lots of lovely little shops and restaurants on the Island. For lunch, we tried to get in Café Nola but the wait was too long so we chose – our friend’s (whom we met on our trip to Mexico City) recommendation – the Harbour Public House (231 Paritt Way SW, Tel: ) instead. The restaurant’s historic setting offers a great view of Eagle Harbour where boats are bobbing and seagulls are windsurfing above. Choose a refreshing microbrew to go with those fish and chips, sandwich or salad. For dinner, our friend took us to Madoka Pan Pacific Restaurant (241 Winslow Way. Tel: ) that is truly a remarkable restaurant where the menu is “based on the bounty of the Pacific Ocean, influenced by the multitude of surrounding countries and cultures." The chef emphasizes high-quality sustainable products from the Northwest. The food alone here was worth the trip.
3. SPACE NEEDLE and MONORAIL: Obviously touristy but a must, just like the Sears Tower in Chicago or the Empire State Building in New York City. A kitschy, 60s design that was created for the 1962 World’s Fair that offers a wonderful 360-degree panoramic view of the city. It is the symbol of Seattle. The entry tickets make you want to mortgage your house ($16.00 for adults) but the view is almost worth it. We even got to see the majestic Mount Rainier peaking through and floating above the clouds. The Space Needle is surrounded by a park that contains a science museum and a kiddy land that is near the art museum and is a terminus of the Monorail (which was also built for the World’s Fair and runs every 10 minutes depositing you nearby the Market).
4. VICTROLA COFFE ROASTER (310 E. Pike Street): Needless to say that it is much better than Starbucks. A really good coffee house where the owners are pre-occupied with quality and passion for coffee. It is obvious that they take pride in their coffee. As they describe it on their website, every morning they gather – since 2003 when they began roasting their own coffee “because we wanted to have a direct hand in the quality of our coffees before they made their way into the espresso hopper or the French press. Armed with passion and a desire to learn that continues to influence everything we do, we committed ourselves to the task of sourcing, roasting and preparing the finest coffees available.” Need I say more?
5. PIONEER SQUARE (101 S. Main Street): Pioneer Square is the neighborhood where Seattle was founded in 1852, following a brief six-month settlement at Alki Point. It is now a National Historical District. The neighborhood is paved with cobblestones and populated with tiny little shops, galleries, coffee shops, and bookstores such as Elliot Bay Book Company that has the reputation (justly so) of being one of the finest book stores in the Northwest (I venture to say that probably in the country). This purveyor of books is a true gem with its hardwood floors, exposed beams, and huge, built in bookshelves with a multitude of books that leaves you in awe. As you walk around and browse through the books you’ll find hand-written notes attached to certain books with thoughts and/or remarks by the staff. I could have spent an entire day here; simply a must. While the bookstore does house a coffee shop I recommend you to go to Café Umbria – a block away (320 Occidental Ave. South) – that was established by an Italian family in 1986 and serves outstanding coffee creations.
6. SERIOUS PIE (316 Virginia Ave.) and LOLA (2000 4th Avenue) RESTAURANTS: Sorry to say but I was not familiar with Tom Douglas who is apparently a well-known chef in the culinary world (I guess one could say the Emeril of the Northwest … sorry, Mr. Douglas!). But after our visits to two of his eateries, I can safely say that he that the accolades that precede his name are well deserved. Both Lola’s (named after his mother in-law, I believe, offers a Greek-inspired menu that combines local northwest ingredients with Mediterranean freshness and simplicity.) and Serous Pie (serving rustic pizzas that are “brought to life on this blistered crust, lightly textured but with just enough structure and bite, and with exactly the right amount of “serious” toppings”) offer food that are made with fresh, in-season ingredients that not only warm the soul but fill up the hungry stomach.
(Sorry, the pictures are taken with my phone and as you can see they are not very good!)
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