Seattle/Tacoma airport. Gate B6. Waiting to board.
I caught a public bus from the waterfront to the International district this morning. As the bus driver and I greeted each other, my heart felt a little flutter as I held back my honest reaction to him that occurred as the thought, “HOLY SHIT YOU LOOK LIKE DAVE GROHL!!!”
I just spent three well lived days in Seattle with my mom. I’ve been here twice before but just for short periods of time. Once when I was in high school to look at colleges and another time with my brother on our way back from Canada. As a big fan of rain and overcast skies, I adore the Pacific Northwest. And I am an even bigger fan of the music that has come out of this pocket of the world. Special kudos to Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Death Cab for Cutie. I love being in places where music movements came from. I spent one day in Liverpool a few years ago and it was like experiencing ten birthdays all at one time.
On Wednesday I caught an early morning flight out of LAX and made it to Seattle by 10:30. My mom gave me specific instructions on how to catch the lightrail to a bus station and then a bus to the Edgewater Hotel where she and my aunt were waiting for me. I was famished by the time I got there so we all walked over to Pike’s for lunch. It was a beautiful and warm day with so much for the senses to take in.
My aunt left us after lunch to fly back to Los Angeles and my mom and I took on part of the city by foot. We walked around Pike’s Market and Pioneer Square, in and out of the many tiny independent bookstores, shops, and cafes. Somehow our feet just took us where cool spots without much planning or navigation. Nice and easy. We stopped into an Irish Pub called Fado for a break and had some cider that was on tap. Yummmmmy.
We had a elegant dinner at our hotel right after sunset with white wine and seafood. The Edgewater Hotel was a fantastic choice. When researching accommodations my mom sent me the link to this place and when I read the BEATLES stayed there, that was enough for me. They uprgraded us to a lovely room with a fireplace right on the water. SO relaxing and comfortable. We called it an early night. I was exhausted from getting up so early and walking all day.
Thursday was spent around the Seattle Center and hitting up the number one thing I wanted to see- the Experience Music Project. It’s a rather small museum but I can spend hours there reading things I already know and have already seen but this stuff never ever gets old. (I’m so happy cause today I’ve found my friends... ) And I very much enjoy being me walking around this museum thinking about how I’ve actually had conversations with some of these people - Dave Grohl, Krist Noveselic, Eddie Vedder, Ben Gibbard - who were individuals part of creating not just music, but a change in music. I’m not saying they are actually my friends but as I get older the degree of mental separateness from them decreases and that is a good feeling. I may be standing in there looking at a Nirvana display in a museum but in my heart I am experiencing them more as human beings that were great musicians, instead of these stories you hear about on TV and in books. Before leaving I also got to play some guitar in the jam rooms which made my fingers happy.
The Space Needle was right next door so we took the lift up for a great look out on the city and water (oh what a beautiful view....). We walked back to out hotel in a light rain and watched the fog roll in. We decided the perfect dinner would be chowder and salad. With perfect timing we got back to our hotel to see a Beatles cover band playing in our hotel lobby. It was just the Lennon and McCartney of the band but they sounded great and the hotel had Beatles themed drinks and appetizers. I was impressed in their ability to span the Beatles collection and how they included quite a few of the lesser known numbers.
Friday was a cold and sunny day of walking, shopping, and eating downtown. (I don’t mind the weather I’ve got scarves and caps and sweaters....) We started the day with wheatgrass shots and an apple cinnamon roll for breakfast. We stopped into chocolate shops, department stores, boutiques, and malls. My favorite part of the day and perhaps best meal of the trip was a late lunch at an Italian restaurant called Barolo. We enjoyed a three course meal served by Robert Downey Jr.’s doppleganger. We even managed to see the Social Network a very large theater. We spent our last night relaxing in our hotel room with veggie sandwiches.
My mom left early this morning. Before I packed up I took a walk along the waterfront and up to Pike’s Market to get some tea enjoy some last moments of observing the streets of Seattle. What a great city. It doesn’t have the appeal that would make me want to live there, but definitely a city worth getting to know. The people are friendly and personable, the streets are easy to navigate, public transportation is efficient, and best of all there is a natural sense of culture, art, and history in the atmosphere. (My mom in front of the first Startbucks -->)
Three days was just enough. I am happy to be going home. Lots to look forward to.
Thank you Mom and Seattle.
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