The calm after the chaos
Karen on 08 11, 2007
So, I’ve only been in Seattle a short time, but last week I officially became a hostess. My longtime friend, James, whom I’ve known since my days in high school in Illinois, flew in for the weekend. I was juggling entertaining him, studying and finishing up a 15-page research paper for my Seattle University master’s course. But I vowed to be as accommodating as possible since he was kindly visiting me using airline vouchers (originally intended for his honeymoon) that he was redeeming after he and his fiancée split several months ago.
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He spent the last four days of a 10-day whirlwind trip to California in Seattle. It was slightly disappointing that I caught him at the tail end of the trip since he was running on fumes (i.e. Rockstar & Monster energy drinks!), and it didn’t help that he was missing his girlfriend terribly. We wormed our way through most of the obligatory tourist staples the first day of his stay here, including Pike Place Market, which reminded James of the outdoor markets in Venice Beach with its plentiful goods, ample street muscians, and aisles spilling with guests of every stripe.
Of course, we enjoyed colossal java and a succulent salmon dinner on a gorgeous night in the Space Needle and grabbed a ferry to Bainbridge Island, but we didn’t promenade along Alki Beach or Volunteer Park, which made me feel a pinch guilty. What irritated me most was that I couldn’t get us squeezed in on the Ride the Ducks of Seattle tour. Considering the popularity of the tour, I should have nabbed tickets in advance, but last week was just one of those durations where I felt frazzled and completely and utterly swamped with freelance writing and school so my pre-planning suffered. However, we managed to delight in some Fremont watering holes with some of my new friends here. It is clear in the heart of the hubbub why the Seattle neighborhood is revered – it is artsy and hip, yet polished.
To cap off James’ final day in the Emerald City, instead of dropping by Seafair, which didn’t pique his interest, we scalped tickets to the Boston Red Sox/Mariners game (Mariners lost) Saturday since we both had always been clamoring to see the Red Sox play in person and James was enthusiastic about experiencing Safeco Field. He couldn’t contain his shock regarding how the Seahawks’ Qwest Field and Safeco were built adjacent to each other, as opposed to the professional sports stadiums in Chicago, which all are inconveniently scattered at opposite ends of the city.
Since I’m relatively settled, and placidity has begun to set in, I’m planning on hopping on the bus for a full day to get acquainted with the numerous routes around the city, and so I won’t rely as heavily on my car. I’ve been reticent about caving to a “bus day,” but I have to do it eventually so I might as well go for it before the gloom descends. Plus, the trip planner feature on the city’s Metro Online site makes the task less daunting.
In the midst of my various endeavors, I also discovered several more quaint shops, including Remedy Teas, a sleek eatery/café which offers fabulous organic teas, few coffees, snacks, sake, wine, beer and a simply chill atmosphere in Capitol Hill (down the street from Victrola Coffee). Still, keep the suggestions coming!
About the Author: Karen Kirr
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speaking of a chill atmosphere…how you loving this summer weather! are we the only city outside of anchorage that you need gloves in august?
Hi Meek,
The weather here is amazing! I have to head back to Chicago this week for a wedding and I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle the humidity, lol! My friends back home have told me they can barely stand being out of the air conditioning for very long since it has been so blistering hot there!
yeah, well good on you for digging this place.
i’m just acting the sarcastic and petulant bit b/c i was born a sun baby and have struggled in climates like this my entire life. i spent 8 years loathing in vancouver (bc) and now that i’m back in the pac northwest the winters kill me, the spring teases you with a good week and then the summers aren’t hot so for me, this is just how i’m coping—i vent (whine).
my take on high humidity is this…nothing a short haircut and a strong deoderant can’t manage.
Yes, well, I guess the grass is always greener on the other side, right? Any climate that is not overly extreme I embrace, simply because Chicago’s weather drove me crazy for so many years. The winters are so brutally cold! But petulance is fine – everyone feels that way about particular places/climates.
Not sure if you mentioned it- but have you been to Mt Rainier National Park or Olympic National Park yet? One of the great advantages of this area is that we are within one days drive of two National Parks! If you want to visit better go soon, the mountains fill with snow as early as September around here.
I’m an ex-midwesterner as well and I have to say that the beauty of the Cascades and Olympics is not comparable to anything back home (sorry Missouri).
One thing I miss though is thunderstorms, not sure if you’ve noticed yet but electrical storms are exceedingly rare around here. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard thunder, after living here two years. Maybe that’s a good thing, but I always found the drama of a good midwestern thunderstorm exciting, it helps clear the head and keeps you humble (as you are crouching in the basement).
Hi Eric,
Yes, I visited Mt. Rainier National Park last year with a friend. We had a perfect day; it was amazing. We went at the end of September. I sure don’t miss those electrical storms, they always gave me a slight scare, but I have a few friends who absolutely love them. I guess I’ll miss the tornado warnings though.
Hi,
I’m a long-time Chicagoan (10+ years) looking to maybe relocate to Seattle in a few years (once my schooling is complete). Your perspective is quite valuable to me, so thanks!
Hi Catherine!
Thanks for stopping by RCG – it’s a site that helped me immensely (and still does) before I moved here. Dustin, Ardell and Co. know everything under the sun, er or clouds, about Seattle and real estate. I am glad to be of help. Let me know if you have any questions. One thing I would stress to you about my experience here is that I feel so much safer here in the city of Seattle than Chicago. I am going to blog on a sort of list of initial top 10 distinct differences regarding CHI vs. SEA so stay tuned. Enjoy your upcoming autumn in CHI, that was always the weather season I savored there. Take care.