Years ago I wrote what started out to be a quick email to friends who were moving to Seattle. Over the years, the note has turned into a multi-page document and been updated a bit. Here’s what I wrote:
Coffee
For that perfect cup of coffee – Café Ladro in Lower Queen Anne (the café locations downtown are not as good) is located at 600 Queen Anne Ave. It’s a pretty good walk to Queen Anne from the Market, but it’s on a bus-line and it’s up by Key Arena so if you find yourself in that neighborhood and in need of caffeine then it’s worth a short detour. They make an orange cappuccino that is awesome
For more convenient access if you’re near the market, the Tully’s on Elliott just north of Pike Place Market is my second favorite; mostly for the view.
Any Seattle’s Best will always serve you well – the one on 1st and Pike looks across at the entrance to the market flower shop and the big Public Market sign.
The Starbuck’s at Pike Place Market was the first-ever, so you should stop by to see where it all began
Most importantly your neighborhood drive-through espresso stand should be heavily patronized. It is a business that is unique to the Seattle area and needs to be preserved. Besides – it’s not really a rainy Monday morning unless you have gotten (only) one arm soaked at the drive-through and have burned your tongue on too-hot coffee while trying to merge into rush hour traffic….
I could spend every Saturday of my life at the Market….as long as I got there before the crowd of tourists. The butcher on the Post Alley side of the market (the reddish-pink section of the market on this map) is fabulous and the cheese shop near him has cheese from around the world. It’s a great stop for cheese-and-wine party preparations, plus they let you try samples in case you have the munchies. The fruit and vegetable stand just outside this building is really wonderful, and it has the benefit of not being in the main drag that gets really crowded. But with three or four really big produce stands you can wander around and find the best buys or the best looking veggies or whatever inspires you.
If you’re spending the day at the market then sustenance must be found. Fortunately, there are more than enough options. If you’re there really early – go to Lowell’s. Sit by the window and have blueberry pancakes and watch the ferries traverse Elliott Bay. If downstairs is crowded go upstairs, most people don’t know that there is extra seating upstairs (it may be seating by the hostess for lunch/dinner, but it is open for breakfast).
Of course, the ultimate café and pastry experience is at Le Panier – fab French bakery – on the Post Alley side of Pike Place. I always go in with intentions of getting a decaf latte to go and just as consistently end up ordering a latte and fresh-baked French bread and jam, borrowing a section of someone’s paper and losing an hour of my morning. And then getting a package of Palmier cookies to go…
If you’ve missed breakfast or are looking for a more international snack, then stay on the Post Alley side of Pike Place. The Chinese bakery does steamed dumplings called HomBow – dumplings stuffed with sweet BBQ pork – I had these as dim sum in Hong Kong and got hooked. There is also an Italian Cucina that has great soups and pasta salads. And you can’t say you’ve been to the Market if you haven’t had a Piroshky – Russian pastry, either sweet or savory – whatever you are in the mood for. My personal favorite is cheeseburger flavored, but I’ve been told I am weird… If you’ve grabbed lunch to go take a look at what is happening in Steinbrueck Park. One of my best memories is of sitting in the park with a bag full of groceries and a Piroshky watching a steel-drum band play at the park with a backdrop of ferries and para-sailers.
If you have had enough to eat then check out the wares. Saturdays and Sundays the Market hosts all kinds of craftsmen and artists.
It’s a great place to find very-Seattle gifts – jewelry, t-shirts, fleece hats and scarves, photos and note-cards. The flower stalls will leave you with no excuse for not having fresh flowers on your kitchen table all the time – even in the dead of winter. At the end of the main hall, nestled behind the Flying Fish market is MarketSpice –a great stop to pick up hard to find spices and Market Spice tea is coveted by friends of mine all the way over here on the other coast. They have a great selection of loose teas and coffee beans. The wine shop at the corner of Pike and Stewart has a great selection and, if they are not too busy, can give great advice even if you are not buying. It can be expensive, in general, but if I’m looking for a wine for an occasion I like it.
For more affordable wine there is an import store about a block North of the market. I want to call it Cost-plus World Imports, but I fear I may be way off base. You can’t miss it though. It is on the Sound side of Western Avenue a block from the Market. It is the bottom floor of a 5 or 6-story office building.
You’ll find a number of great shops surrounding the market. Seattle Cutlery is a little closer to the Market from the Wine Shop – I take all of my knives there for sharpening. They’re miracle workers.
If you are looking for fun new spectacles, Market Optical is the place to go. They’re expensive but fun and funky.
Rest assured there is no need to be in a purchasing mood to enjoy the Market and the surrounding area. There is always entertainment to be found: chat with the vendors, enjoy the view over Elliott bay, or let yourself be amused by the talented (or at least bold) street artists and musicians who frequent the market. My personal favorite is the gentleman who rolls an upright piano down the brick sidewalks at Pine Street. The piano itself isn’t exactly concert hall quality, but the man can play.
Festivals & Events
The Bite of Seattle is scheduled for late July each year; held downtown at Seattle Center. The Bite offers food tastings from many of the Seattle area’s best restaurants as well as wine tasting featuring Washington State Wines. Entertainment runs throughout the day. Originally, I loved the opportunity to taste the best of the local restaurants. More recently it seemed to have migrated towards ballpark food fare instead, but recent advertising promises a return to the real tastes of Seattle.
Summer concerts held on at South Lake Union Park offer a great twilight view and lots of fresh air. Past-year feature artists included Chris Isaak, Melissa Etheridge, B.B. King and Steve Winwood. Other great concert venues include Chateau St. Michelle Winery amphitheatre – lawn seating and great wine. Who could ask for more?
Seafair is held each year in late July!!! Kick-off events include the Milk Carton Derby at the south end of Green Lake. Downtown Seattle hosts the torchlight parade. And the Fleet arrives a little later. Both the hydroplane races and the air show will be held at Lake Washington!!!
Bumbershoot remains one of the best opportunities for people watching ever! It also is a great opportunity to take in some culture and soak up some sun (or whatever weather Seattle is dishing up in early- September…). Held every year at Seattle Center on Labor Day Weekend, Bumbershoot offers something for everyone, with events simultaneously running on 8 different stages, in both indoor and outdoors arenas. They have stand-up comics, musicians, dance troupes, gymnasts, and clowns and just about everything else you can imagine.
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is held in April every year. If you miss the festival then make the trip up Route 20 anyway just to look at the sea of color in the fields near La Conner, WA– a great stop either on your way to or from Whidbey Island.
Eating Out
Bear in mind that most of my dining out experience centers around places I could (a) walk to and (b) eat alone at comfortably, so I hope you have the opportunity to expand my “best of” list.
Metropolitan Grill is, hands down, the best restaurant I’ve been to in Seattle. But you guys already knew that, I’m betting
Wild Ginger, at 1401 3rd St, serves fantastic, although pricey, Asian-Fusion cuisine in a sleek, modern Asian environment. The restaurant is located near Benaroya Hall, so it is a great pre-/post-Symphony stop. If you want a quick-bite, the Satay Bar at the back of the restaurant offers quick service and a view of the chefs.
La Campagne (the upstairs restaurant, which I’ve never been in) or Café Campagne (the downstairs restaurant, same menu I believe, but a more casual, intimate environment) is located on Pine Street and Post Alley – near the north-end of Pike Place Market. This place is spectacularly French – rich, foods and a wine list that I can’t read – as well as bit of a snobby-French attitude. I adopted the same habit I used in France, begged for forgiveness for not having been raised to speak the right language and ordered everything they told me to. It was expensive but sumptuous.
The Pink Door – Italian Cuisine served in a circus atmosphere. Both times I’ve been here I’ve had great meals, but the reviews are all over the map, so it may not be consistent. It is a guarantee for an interesting evening though. First time I went they had wandering minstrels, the second time they had a woman performing on a trapeze above diners. The décor is eclectic and the entrance is literally an unmarked pink door off of Post Alley (roughly across the alley from Kell’s Irish Pub). Summer seating is available outside. You can sit by the flower boxes spilling over with impatiens and overlook the late-night action at the Market.
Ray’s Boathouse in Ballard is located next to Shilshole Marina and offers fabulous seafood and even more spectacular Sound and Olympic views. Sunset dinner here is a great way to make a night out an event to remember.
Of course, if you are looking for the best Mussels, Mussel chowder or the Best Cheeseburger on the face of the earth you will have to go to Whidbey Island – to Toby’s Tavern in Coupeville. The floor tilts, and the ceiling has a 5-man racing skull on it. Best of all, their very own microbrew, Parrot Head Ale, is made by a friend of mine (formerly a Prowler NFO).
For a day at the ballpark, pre or post sporting event refreshments are available at multiple locations near Safeco field. Pyramid Ale does booming business, offering bar food and local micro-brew. The outdoor beer gardens on game-nights have held many fans captive while the first pitch was being thrown out.
A little farther from the stadium, located just off Pioneer Square is F.X. Mcrory’s. While they offer a multitude of beers on tap and great bar food, their featured offerings include a selection of bourbon that is unmatched and a raw bar that offers the best oysters around. They also serve their French fries with tartar sauce (The way god intended them to be eaten, but only the Northwest seems to have figured that out!), so you have to be happy about that.
And finally, the Royale Cupcake with 4 locations in the city.
What to do after you’ve unfinished unpacking boxes
Take the Seattle Underground Tour. The tour guides are an absolute riot and the tour offers a unique look at the city’s history, architecture and city planning, as well as a bawdy discussion of the city’s phantom textile industry. Apparently, “seamstress” was the listed profession of many of the unmarried young women who found work in the areas surrounding the turn of the century mills.
Visit the Seattle Aquarium, located on the waterfront. Besides the usual marine creatures, the Seattle Aquarium actually has a petting pond where you can (if you like sea-creatures) reach down and touch them.
Go to the Ballard Locks to see the fish ladder when the Salmon are running. I can’t for the life of me remember when this is…but I’m sure the locals can tell you. The ladder at Ballard has glass walls so that you can watch the fish climb between the lake and the Sound. It’s very cool! And there are nice gardens nearby.
Go people watching at the Experience Music Project (EMP) – you don’t even have to go in. The building alone is weird enough – it’s a Frank Gehry building – the architect who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (which I love) seems to have lost his mind on this one… You can park down by Seattle Center or ride the monorail from Westlake Plaza.
Check out what is showing at the Burke Museum in the U-District. I love this museum’s temporary shows, although I find the permanent galleries deadly dull. While I was there they had the absolute best Earthquake exhibit I’ve ever seen. They also held a showing of the Shackleton Arctic Expedition Photos – breathtaking!
Wander Pioneer Square. This area has a great collection of art galleries, bookstores and antique shops, which are all kind of plunked together randomly over several city blocks. I always seem to find something I must have inside a store that, from the outside, didn’t seem to have anything that enticed me. First Thursday of the month Art Walks include works from existing galleries, displays in Volunteer Park and sometimes Seattle Art Museum events.
Bring your roller blades, skateboard or running shoes out to Alki Point in West Seattle. It’s not exactly a boardwalk, but it is the closest thing that Seattle has along its shoreline.
Excursions
Once you’re tired of Seattle, then it’s time to hit the road. My absolute favorite town to lose a day in is Langley on the South end of Whidbey Island, although I have a difficult time describing that town’s appeal. It has some great shops – a glass-blowing shop, a neat antique store and little store that sells estate jewelry and china. I love the park with life-sized statues of a boy and his dog. The bronzes are so real, I’ve found myself greeting them in passing on more than one occasion. The view of Saratoga Passage from the park there is lovely and tranquil.
Once Christmas is in the air it is almost mandatory that you make the trek East on Route 2 to Leavenworth (that’s Leavenworth, Washington, not the Federal Prison in Leavenworth, Kansas – I had a problem with that misinterpretation when the headline in the base newspaper read “Singles Go To Leavenworth”…). I’m sure you’ve been there to see the Alpine Village that does Christmas like it was meant to be done, but even if you have seen it before, their tree-lighting is just the ticket to get you in the Christmas spirit.
If you don’t feel like venturing through the Cascades for a little Christmas spirit, go down to the ferry terminal and watch the ferries, with their Christmas lights gliding across the sound
Get on a ferry to anywhere… The trip to Bremerton on a sunny day is worth the fare even if you just ride over and ride back. Make sure you admire the Seattle skyline as you retreat from the city and hope for a view of Mt. Rainier as you come around Alki Point. Take the ferry over on a Sunday after noon then walk from the ferry terminal across the Manette Bridge and have a micro-brew and a bucket of clams on the deck of the Boat Shed. If it’s not an outdoor- bucket-of-clams kind of day, ask for a table by the fireplace and have a glass of wine from their excellent wine list.
The Bainbridge ferry offers a shorter trip to the West Sound and a little more activity within walking distance from the ferry landing, if you feel inclined to leave the car behind. The town of Winslow is the perfect ferry-terminal town. Lots of little shops and some nice restaurants for anything from pizza to haute-cuisine. There is also a great yarn shop tucked in off the street (on your right if you turn left after getting off the ferry – almost to the end of the business block). They’re wonderful about helping you with projects and serving you tea.
If you’ve decided to keep your car with you on this excursion and could use a good meal, the Bistro Pleasant Beach is a converted old Tudor home overlooking, not surprisingly, Pleasant Beach.
Another, great West Sound destination, a short drive from the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal is the town of Poulsbo. In addition to a collection of art and antique shops, this Dutch-rooted town offers a great opportunity to get out on the water. The harbor at Poulsbo is extremely well protected, and, while still tidal, is much tamer than the Sound. This makes it a great location for kayak lessons. Rentals and lessons are available in town. An hour on the water offers some good exercise and spectacular views of the coastline and wildlife.
If you really want to explore the Olympic Peninsula, then your visit won’t be complete without a stop at the Sequim Animal Park. The park is home to a freakish collection of animals, many of which are rumored to be retired movie stars (of the animal variety….). If memory serves, the Sequim Animal Park was the retirement home to Gentle Ben. I think they sell day old bread at the entrance, if you don’t happen to bring your own, and you can feed the animals at the peril of your own windshield. You won’t need an auto-glass technician, but it does take a certain amount of elbow grease to get the worst of the buffalo slobber off.
For outdoor adventure, your trip to the West Sound won’t be complete without a trip to Hurricane Ridge, located in Olympic National Park off of Route 101 (which circumnavigates the National Park) in the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula. The Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center is 17 miles south of Port Angeles. The road to get there is open 24-hours a day during the summer and open when the ridge is open during the winter – meaning mostly weekends, weather dependent. Call 360-565-3131 for information. The ridge is named for the frequent 75+ mile an hour winds that buffet the ridge. That, complemented by the annual 30 feet of snowfall, can make it a bit unwelcoming in inclement weather. I have only been during the summer (where it was great fun to enjoy a mid-June snowball fight). If you are braver than me, I understand you can rent snowshoes or cross-country skis at the visitors center and hike in that way.
Escape to Victoria. It is the most romantic city I’ve ever visited. Butchart Gardens are a must see and tea at the Empress (or a neat scotch in their Tiger Room….or is it the Bengal Bar…you’ll have to discover for yourself) adds elegance to an average day of strolling and window-shopping. Breakfast or lunch at Murchies Tea Company is a must. As you are wandering, be sure to explore the narrow alleyway and tiny shops of the city’s Chinatown. While I love the Empress, a night’s stay can be a bit of an investment. As an alternative, the Day’s Inn Victoria on the Harbour is situated on the waterfront, two blocks from the Empress. Great location, but nowhere near the cost. For a more indulgent stay, Abigail’s Hotel bed and breakfast gets rave reviews.
Road trip to Vancouver. Vancouver offers big city bustle with a Northwest twist. On a walk along the waterfront you’ll see every kind of marine activity from otter and puffin to cruise ships and float planes. The promenade at Canada Place is a nice place for a stroll and as well as a bit of a history lesson. Signs posted along the railings of the walkway provide interesting narrative on both what you are looking at and what you would have seen a hundred years ago. Stanley Park has the world’s best aquarium with a great killer whale performance and an underwater view of Beluga whales at play. If you want to continue your road trip North, head for Whistler resort, which offers skiing 10 months of the year and golf and tennis during the summer. Head up in July and ski on Blackcomb glacier in the morning and play a little tennis or sit on the deck in shorts and a sweater with a beer that afternoon. Whistler village itself offers accommodation within walking distance to the ski lifts for both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains as well as the local restaurants and night-life.
Mount Rainier offers a huge variety of terrain for hiking, camping, snow-shoeing, skiing, whatever… I have oddly never been during the summer, but have cross-country skied and snow-shoed in wintertime, so my experience is limited. The Nisqually entrance is located in the southwest corner of the park and offers year-round access to the park as well as the best approach to Paradise, which offers some great trails and, if the weather is cooperating, some spectacular views. Snowshoes can be borrowed from the park service (for a small donation to the park) at the Jackson Visitor Center. Crosscountry skis can be rented in town (any of the small towns along Route 706).
The Bare Necessities
There are some things that are just hard every time you move. You know what I mean; hair stylist, auto mechanic, dentist. And for all of these needs I can be of very little help. Here’s what I know:
For hair: Le Salon Paul Morey – I went to Sherrie while I was on NIMITZ, but was perpetually growing my hair out while on LINCOLN. She was still there 2 years ago, so I would bet that she is still there now.
For shoes (the one more pair that you really, really need): Nordstroms – I’ve never been there when they weren’t having a shoe-sale
For shoes (the ones you leave nose prints on the store-front display window over): Maggie’s on 1st Avenue in the 1900 or 2000 (?) block.
For auto mechanics: I had great luck with the privately owned, junkyard repair shops (like Bob’s VW Repair and Salvage). They’re way cheaper than the dealerships and they’ll tell you if they think you really need to go to the dealer for certain work.
For groceries: Safeway and Pike Place Market.
For exotic groceries: Central Market in Poulsbo.
For Mariners/Seahawks Parking: The Coast Guard Station (sorry – if you don’t have a military sticker this won’t work for you…)
For What’s Doing: The Seattle Weekly – always well connected to what’s happening…
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April 10, 2010 at 3:08 PM
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