Category Archives: Seattle, Washington

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Outdoor Adventures

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Ever since we got to Washington, we’ve seen the out-doorsy. Even more than Texas, where I couldn’t believe how out-doorsy people were when I moved there. In TX, you run around the highways, in WA, you’re on them. So since we really need to keep up with these guys, and since we haven’t left the house since we took my parents to the airport, MK and I

went

kayaking.

It sounds like So! Much! Fun! right?

Well, we get in our little tandem hoopty ride, and we set off. In the wrong direction. After scooting ourselves to the lily pond area (finally!), I realize we are directly under a giant freeway that I have not had siesmically tested. I *might* have panicked, just a little. Silly, I know. I got better. We saw a heron.

We were out all afternoon, spying on the little duckies and such. It was tough going, against the tide and all that. And in a harbor, with giant yachts. That splashed you. I just realized my arms are really tired…

This is a stock photo, we decided not to bring the camera. No one really wants to see how I had to do all the work…
kayaking

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Sad But True

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The last 48 hours have been spent mostly in bed. And cleaning a little. I only ate one meal since my parents left, since they kept us fed, and fed, and full and fed. Out of all the new restaurants we tried, the Pike Place Pub and Brewery was definitely my favorite. They sell 10% alcohol beer, party time. We also had chowder and clams and burgers and I actually managed to cook a few times on the roof.
I’m going to have to run twice a day for the next 100 days to undo the party damage. My only redeeming move was not eating at the baseball game. I saw more of this city this past week, and have to admit that my parents have been the most hard core visitors we’ve had yet. They never napped. I even had to take a time out one afternoon, I couldn’t keep up.

This weekend in Seattle for some reason Monster was handing out free drinks. I can only imagine my Mom and Dad were sneaking out when they said they were going to bed to find some and had three a morning or so.

This isn’t our picture, but I found it and couldn’t stop laughing, Mom REALLY loves Wally:

wally red sox
www.bostonbaseball.com

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Didn’t See Coming

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There are quite a few things that I experienced at the baseball game Saturday that I was surprised by. The Red Sox winning for the first time at Safeco Field, well, that’s because Mom and Dad were there.

But the 38 ceremonial first pitches? I’ve never been to the beginning of a game. They’re long. I had no idea that more than one person per game throws a ball for no reason. Especially since they weren’t famous people.

Barry Bonds hit the tying home run on his mission to record break. I didn’t expect the entire crowd to boo louder than if they’d put Bin Laden’s picture up. The footage ran on all the screens twice and the crowd was quiet at first, then couldn’t let everyone else know loud enough the distaste they think of Bonds with.

People NOT watching the game was a little obnoxious too. I know in the cheap seats they’re there for the ‘rally fries’ but we had some super primo seats and those people are just there for seat fillers.

Then, post game, what do people do? Go to sleep. Not us, but people do. Silly baseball.

safeco

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Blue Angels

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This weekend, Seattle comes alive with Seafair, a huge, long running celebration. There are Naval Officers everywhere, and there will be a fireworks show Saturday. Currently practicing flybys over my head on my building, the Blue Angels are part of the party.

It’s truly one of the most breath taking things I’ve seen, the speed and noise is really impressive. This week has been full of block parties and parades, and culminates with the hydroplane Chevrolet Cup and the Blue Angels. It’s rumored a pilot will throw out the first pitch at the game, but I’ve never even made a game on time…we’ll see!

ba.jpg

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Been So Long

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It’s been so long since I’ve had any visitors, that the house was a lot harder to clean this time around. That and our beach gear is permanently in the living room so we’re constantly prepared, we bought enough food for 25, SOMEONE drinks more than 2 twelve packs of Diet Coke a day, and I’ve had a pretty busy week. I’ve gotten myself on a (earmuffs, this is a dirty word) SCHEDULE, where I get up early, run, shower, make breakfast, clean, write, and catch an ER episode before lunch and activities. Might not be much of a life to you…but I’m loving it.

So what do I do? Interrupt it to play host to some VIP, very important parents.

playing host
www.hisuitestampa.com

More good Seattle times with company, yay!

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Party In Review

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You remember last week I was losing sleep over this little party. It was fine. If not terribly exciting. It did get pretty busy and we met the nice guy who for some reason seemed excited about being the social chair for the building, and also was very excited about yoga. And getting me to do yoga.

We met a firefighter who helped fight those Australian fires, which was neat. We saw two people we knew, and time flew by. I had left dinner in the oven (good escape plan) and we were done in a little over an hour and a half, full of other people’s wine that was better than what we brought (also a good plan).

The strangest thing to me about the event was that before anyone would really talk to you, they wanted to know what floor you were on. They would point to other people also on your floor that they’d met, as if that is cause for celebration and best friendships. I’m the type that doesn’t really want people to know where I’m at in case I’m doing something that’s bothersome or that I shouldn’t be…
It was a very nice party and kept with my favorite thing to do around here, meet people I’ve absolutely nothing in common with and let them talk.

party time
www.romeoandjuliet.com

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Bite Of Seattle: It Bites!

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That isn’t really the tagline, of course. I think it should be. The paper and friends were abuzz with this thing. I swear to you, they said 450,000 people go over the two days. We even saw a friend walking down the street headed there, who urged us to get there asap. We had been ambivalent but decided to see what the deal was. The second day we headed over early to not have to fight the masses.

What does it sound like to you? Good food? Gourmet perhaps? Free samples? Tasty treats to help you learn about the city? That’s what we thought. None of the above. It was really another street fair, with the same soy candle and sarong stands you see at those sort of things.

And fair food.

We were shocked. It was the same garbage as every other place, with the exception of Serious Pie, the VIP pizza place we’ve enjoyed. So we wandered for maybe 45 minutes – it was big – got some free Mentos, and walked back home laughing. Every morsel there, no of which were free, was probably the future cause of someone’s heart attack. MK noted how he doesn’t understand why we wonder where obesity comes from. Everyone was pigging out like there was no tomorrow. Junk food everywhere. Rows and rows. Just not for us.

fair food
www.griffingeographics.com

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The San Juan Island Trip

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Monday night I went out. Against my better half’s wishes. Teehee, I’ll be fine, it’s just girls night, I thought. But even though I refrained from going crazy, and MW had me home and ready for bed by 10, I had the hardest time in the universe getting up at 4am. But I made it, somehow, to the car, and promptly fell back asleep. An hour and a half later, I somehow made it from the car to the upper deck of the ferry, and fell asleep for another hour and a half. But MK took pictures. So you see more than I did.

Here are the pictures.

At 8am, we’re in a mausoleum. Huh?

THE MAUSOLEUM(scroll halfway down for story).

We drove a bit and stopped in Roche Harbor. I think it was beautiful, but since I was already in trouble for being so sleepy, my nose decided to bleed profusely for an hour just to please my husband. I missed a little of that too.

Real sign from the trip:


Moving right along, we go to various spots around the coast of the island to see the views, and hike. We stop at the viewpoint where you see orca whales. We’re too impatient. We called it good at ‘eagle’. MK got a great pic of it. We drove back through a few more stops and a lavender farm, which was all the island, and we headed back to port, Friday Harbor.

The little town was busy busy, most likely with tourists ready to go back where ever they came from. It was just that kind of an island. Done by two, ferry at six…unless you waited 4 hours for the whales.

The only thing to do in town, and the thing we were the only people NOT doing, is eat ice cream. We looked at the boats and wandered as slow as possible to kill time before the ferry, weaving in and out of stores and treacherous ice cream dangling children. And adults. I don’t even like ice cream and was really nervous that it was mandatory and we might receive a fine if we weren’t careful…

The ferry had cars pull in backwards, which I thought was neat since I couldn’t have done it.

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I Have One

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MK and I went for a walk last weekend and stumbled upon the 7-11 turned Kwik-E-Mart right by the Space Needle, 3 blocks from our place. Yippee super fun. They’re in New York City; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Burbank; Los Angeles; Henderson; Orlando; Mountain View; Seattle; and Bladensburg, Md.

kwik e mart seattlewww.farm2.static.flickr.com

It was cute to see all the kids having their parents take pictures and etc. We were on our way to the Bite of Seattle so we didn’t stop, and since they aren’t selling Duff Beer, well, the novelty was in the decoration.

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Summer Festivals

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Just when I thought I’d exhausted the weekends of running around to various summer fun…I really think Seattle has more of this stuff than anywhere.

I’ll be at either

The Kirkland Festival

The West Seattle Festival

or

The International District Festival.

festival pic
www.sausalitoartfestival.org

All these to do’s on the “quatorze juillet“. Happy Bastille Day “Fête Nationale“!