Ah, Seattle. When first I spied you in the summer of 2005, you gave me day upon day of warm sunshine, making it seem as though your tendency toward rain was all myth and bunk. It was a wonderful romance we had, and I’ll never forget it.
Sunny Seattle
Yet like so many flings begun without thought for the long-term, we soured, and this time, you’re grouchy, distant, mad about something you won’t communicate. And you rain, rain, rain, barely getting into the high 70s, so that I feel your chill down to my bones. Where did we go wrong, Seattle? How could I have offended you so much that you feel this is your choice, to be so unforgiving? I wanted to live in your confines; your state gave me the other corner instead. I’m doing the best I can, honoring your lakes and your downtown, reveling in your curvy streets and dynamic nightlife. I’ve attempted to support your economy as a faithful visitor, and if you’re a little nicer to me I promise I shall return many times. Unless that’s not what you want.
View from Lake Washington
Don’t push me out, Seattle. Let’s try to start over.
It’s been great, weather notwithstanding, to be back here, visiting an old friend from graduate school, and making little forays into the city. My bad knee is definitely hampering me too much, but I’m doing what I can and I certainly look forward to the day when I can run around a city again, sniffing out the fun offerings and things to see.
Susanne is out on the other coast at a conference and we’ll rendezvous tomorrow at the airport before heading back to Wallyworld for its annual Fair and Frontier Days. Insert picture of Susanne sneezing at all of the livestock, and heck, maybe we’ll head out of town again and do some exploring at a few of the local apple and pear vineyards. I sure would love to bake a fruit pie and try to make the kitchen feel more like home.
Getting from these separate corners of the state — and there’s a whole lot of nothing in parts of the middle, for sure — is mostly achieved via one mountain pass, which shuts down frequently in winter. It’s not exactly reassuring to see “Chain Tie-On Area” signs and “Grade 5% next 2 miles.” The road in summer seems straightforward enough, though I wouldn’t chance it without brakes you’re sure will work well. And it’s a great view, though I don’t think that’s Mount Rainier we can see off to the west, but some other less tall peak. I need to research that.
I wandered around town yesterday, amused that there’s a neighborhood here called Capitol Hill. They’re very proud of their neighborhood name, and it must have some cache, because you see it everywhere.
Trader Joe's
Later I drove down to the Pike Place Market, looking for some fun window shopping, but primarily looking for a parking spot under $10. It was not to be found in the walking distance I can currently handle. And I’m sad to say that Dilettante Chocolates has closed its Capitol Hill location, but only temporarily as it opens a new shop down the street next month. Still, I need to procure some on this trip, so I’ll venture out to the one downtown later today.
In the afternoon I met up with my friend and we shared a bit of ethiopian take out at park on Lake Washington. In the east nobody would be out in the water in weather like this — we love our warm Atlantic, even if it does produce awful hurricanes and tropical storms. The Pacific just never seems to heat up over here. But hey, native Seattle-ites will run down the feet-slicing rocky shores, climb up onto a floating dock, and springboard off into the icy water, loving every minute of it. I look on in horror and amazement. And once again feel like I’ve ventured into some foreign country over here. Everyone is so used to needing their black leather jackets and faded jeans they don’t actually change into something else when the temperature is 95F. They just go about their business sweating their asses off, and man, it has got to produce some funky leather smells after a while. So perhaps a dip in the frigid lake works for them after that, who knows. But the water looked pretty, and I really like it when busy cities have their leisurely parts. And Seattle seems to have plenty.
Two boys with Pith helmets
Trans/plant/portation 
Ethiopian food ROCKS. I have only eaten it at one place, Meskerem in DC. But I have eaten there a number of times and the food was always awesome!
I don’t get real food out in the boonies of PA. Except for maybe shoo fly pie. That’s yum.
What is shoo fly pie, exactly?
Shoo fly pie! I have one in front of me right now as a matter of fact. Ingredients: Flour, sugar, water, molasses, shortening, leavening. So, basically sweet molasses goop in a crust.
Ooh, nice. I am planning on making a plum tart this weekend, but that sounds better. My favorite pie book is Sweety Pies — they have great recipes like lemon chess pie, granola pie, rice pudding pie, really interesting stuff. And do you know what they have out here? Wild huckleberries! Have you ever eaten a huckleberry? I have not. I think I may have to go exploring in Oregon next weekend…
By the way, Meskerem is some of the best Ethiopian food in DC. Good taste, you have!
The good taste kudos belong to Dave McGuire (remember him?). He was a regular there and routinely dropped $100+ tips for the waitresses. When he took me, we got the best service I have ever gotten in a restaurant!
More money than sense that boy, just the way I like em. So why did I end up with a guy with no sense AND no money? Sigh…
Oh, and I have never eaten a huckleberry. We do, however, have wine berries out the WAZOO on our property. Alex and the girls picked a bunch and made a pie with them while I was at your wedding in fact.
They are supposed to make very good wine – I even found a recipe that included cinnamon. Both me and my neighbor are hobby winemakers so we plan to have a ferment-off at some point. You know, when we have free time
Hey cubbie buddy,
Been enjoying your Blog! Glad to see you arrived safely. Miss you here at work. Your official nameplate will probably be arriving shortly. We’ll make a shrine for you!
Robin
I miss my work buddies! I hope you will send me a picture of any shrine made to me, and I will post it up here. 🙂 And how typical is it that my nameplate will arrive after I leave the building? HA. How are things over there, meanwhile?