Twilight Tourism – Visit the Places Where Twilight Was Filmed.

Have you found yourself falling in love with the Twilight saga? Were you among the first in line to see New Moon? Real fans don’t just want to know all that there is to know about the characters from this hot new film series. They also want to know all that there is to know about the making of the movies. The best way to get that insider information is to travel to the places where the movies were filmed. There are a lot of cool spots that you can visit in these places if you’re a Twilight fan.

Forks, Washington
Forks, Washington was a place that barely made the map until it became the setting for Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight book series. It is the perfect setting for the movie, too, isn’t it? It’s a small town located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, which makes it perfect for showing off daily life as well as dramatic views. It also happens to be one of the rainiest places in the nation. A majority of the filming for Twilight took place here and there are lots of little landmarks that a true fan can check out on a trip to Forks.

You won’t have to look far to find the sights that you want to see once you get to Forks. In fact, all that you need to do is head to the Forks, Washington Chamber of Commerce that was turned into a Twilight Visitors Center last year. They even have a Twilight tour that will show you where all of the hot spots from the movie are located in the town. This small town is populated with friendly people who are all too happy to tell you about the things that you want to know.

Some of the places that you will want to check out while you’re in Forks include The Lodge (the restaurant where Charlie Swan likes to eat), the hospital (where Carlise Cullen works) and the Forks High School. Another popular attraction is, of course, the Vampire Playing Field located near the Quillayute Prairie Cemetery (where the Cullens often spent time). Be sure to book your stay at the Cullen House Bed and Breakfast, which is a charming set of accommodations owned by people who can tell you all that you might want to know about Twilight. Make sure to snap a photo of the famous Welcome To Forks sign located at 550 N. Forks Ave. on your way in or out of town.

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Not all of the filming of the first Twilight movie took place in Forks, Washington. A lot of the movie was also filmed in various parts of Oregon. One of the most beautiful places to visit, which is also shown in the movie, is the Columbia River Gorge area. Locations to see in this area include Multnomah Falls (and the Lodge located here), The Shire and The View Point Inn. Other natural areas in Oregon that you’ll want to check out to see if you recognize them from the film are Indian Beach at Ecola State Park, Oxbow Regional Park’s Sandy River Gorge, and Silver Falls State Park in Sublimity.
Vancouver, Canada
The New Moon movie wasn’t able to be filmed in Forks, Washington for a variety of reasons including funding competition in the state. That didn’t stop the movie from being a hit, though. The filming for this part of the story was done primarily in Vancouver. It’s not nearly as easy to find the Twilight hot spots in the big city of Vancouver as it is in the small town of Forks, Washington but it’s definitely possible to find them if you’re a true fan who knows where to look.

The majority of the filming that was done in Vancouver was done at David Thompson Secondary School. Filming for Eclipse (which comes out next year) will also take place here. A more interesting part of Vancouver that was featured in the movie is the Kitsilano neighborhood which is a combination residential / commercial neighborhood that is bordered by two beaches. Any New Moon traveler interested in seeing Vancouver while enjoying Twilight highlights will want to wander around here. You’ll also want to spend some time in the terrific New Westminster neighborhood, especially at the Paramount Theatre where much of the filming took place. Other spots in the area that are featured in the movie include West Vancouver (where the Cullen residence is located), Surrey (where Bella’s house is located and Whytefield Park (which you’ll recognize from the film).
Italy

True Twilight fans will take advantage of the fact that some of the filming for New Moon took place in Italy and will use this as an excuse to travel to this amazing country. If you thought it was pretty in the movie then you’ll be awed by the beauty of the real thing. The place to go to is Montepulciano, which is a charming medieval town in Southern Tuscany. You might also want to enjoy the opportunity to visit Volterra. The movie wasn’t filmed there but it was originally chosen as a spot where filming might take place so you can look around and see what might have been.
Enjoy your Twilight travels!

Seattle Art Museum – Top Ten Exhibits

Over the holidays, many people will travel to Seattle to visit family, and to explore the various festivities our fine city has to offer. However, during these winter months good weather is hard to come by. It’s either the rainy season, or if you’re lucky and the sun is shining brightly, you may see crystal clear views of Mt. Rainier, Baker, and the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges stretching across the eastern and western horizons, respectively. The only problem is you might still feel like you’re walking on top of those cold mountains. Granted it’s not freezing Midwest winters filled with -1 degree highs, but this year’s December days have reached biting lows of 22 degrees. So, in the spirit of this warm holiday season, we thought we’d discuss one of Seattle’s greatest indoor attractions—the Seattle Art Museum.

I visited the museum this past Sunday afternoon, and although parking was an absolute pain at 11am during shopping season, I managed to finally find an open spot after a good 20 minutes of turning down one-way streets! This was the perfect time to stop into one of Downtown’s many festive coffee shops for a cup of dark coffee, hot chocolate, or an eggnog latte.

Some quick facts about SAM:

• Located at east corner of 1^st and University
• Suggested donation is $15
• Hours – Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 5pm; open until 9pm on Thursday and Friday
• Closed Monday and Tuesday
• No pens or cameras allowed!
• First floor TASTE Restaurant and SAM SHOP
• 1^st Thursday of each month is free
• Check SAM website for after hour tours and events

 

When I visited, and through the 2009-2010 winter season, the featured exhibits were: Michelangelo Public and Private; and Alexander Calder: A Balancing Act. Michelangelo’s exhibit was especially awesome. Among the amazing art were preliminary sketches from his painted scenes of The Last Judgment, Expulsion from Paradise, and hand-written correspondences between him and aspiring artists of the age. Calder was the American artist who invented the mobile, and his exhibit features large and small, perfectly balanced mobiles he made with metal, brass, wire and paint.

Yet there was so much great art! Below is a collection of the pieces I enjoyed most from my SAM experience. UNFORTUNATELY, pictures aren’t allowed so I ended up just taking pictures of a few of the pamphlet hand-outs which I share below.

 

1.  Some/One, Do-Ho Suh, 2001.

This warrior’s gown is made with rows of linked and shiny, stainless steel dog-tags and it spreads out in all directions across the floor. In person it looks to be fit for a 3-foot wide, 9-foot tall Goliath. This piece stands in the center of the Burden of History exhibit which showcases how artists have succeeded in creating something exciting and new in the present, while feeling challenged by an already extensive collection of art through the ages.  

 

2.  Esperanza, Freeing the Figure exhibit. I liked this painting because it was very soft and feminine. It’s a no-face nude woman lying on her side. The thick, impressionistic strokes of beige made me feel like I was at a beach.

 

3.  Imogen Cunningham photography; Everything Under the Sun exhibit, and other photographs. These collections were really great because they were all very touching and sentimental. Two photographs that stuck out for me were one of a 90-year-old man holding his walking stick and staring at the camera, and another black and white self-portrait of Imogen Cunningham lying nude on her stomach in a field of wildflowers.

 

4.  Sea Change by Jackson Pollock, This painting is supposedly based off of Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest. It was very exciting with a variety of color drips and splashes, and if you look closely you can see all of the different textures, layers, and dried blobs.

 

5.  Fishing Boats at Etretat, Monet, 1885. This peaceful impressionist painting is of colorful and large wooden rowboats resting safely ashore, while a teal green sea foams in the background.

 

6.  Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast, Bierstadt, 1870.

Believe it or not, this piece was painted before Bierstadt had ever set foot in the Pacific Northwest; he painted by word of mouth. Yet still he captures the majestic beauty of the haystack rocks, a glorious sun breaking through the clouds, and an untamed wilderness spilling out over seaside cliffs.

 

7.  Wati Kutjara (Two Brothers Dreaming), Tjapangngka, 2004.

Can’t you see it? They’re hunting, pitching a tent, and sleeping!? This particular exhibit was great because many of the pieces told stories using dots, lines and designs. Still there were other less abstract, intricate pieces, like Regina Willon’s, Sun Mat, which brings colorful weaving patterns to a painted surface. 

 

8.  A Celebration by Georgia O’Keefe. The blue and white clouds and spirals in this painting is said to capture the feeling of rapture, and may have been painted after Georgia’s marriage to Alfred Stieglity, who was known for his photographic cloud studies.

 

9.  Michelangelo

This was a great exhibit, which really gives viewers an insight into Michelangelo’s private life and practice. I also saw how he was truly a master of the human figure and movement, as all of his sketches even show ligaments and muscles.

Along the walls there were a few personal quotes. Here are a couple of them:

“The money spent on preliminary drawings pays off a hundred to one.”

“I’ve finished that chapel I was painting. The pope is quite satisfied.” Letter to father regarding Sistine Chapel.

This was from a different part of the museum but also from him: “A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.”

Supposedly, Michelangelo considered himself divinely inspired and his talent God-given. Yet finding his preliminary rough sketches (most he burnt) shows how much work Michelangelo actually put into all of his pieces as well. You can learn more on the SAM website as their art historian gives a small lecture on the exhibit and an informative tour.

My favorite parts of this exhibit were: models of the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment paintings; his many rough sketches; and a very stern and sensitive, life-size print of The David.

 

10.  Adoration of the Shepherds; and The Last Supper, Light in the Darkness exhibit. In the spirit of Christmas and all, these paintings were cool to look at.

 

That’s it for my Top 10! Vist SAM to check out these great paintings and more. Maybe your favorites will be the porcelain plate room, the Native American totem pole collection, or costume designs made from thrift-store sweaters!

Theo’s Chocolate Factory Tour in Fremont

Fremont is home to: giant rock trolls, blue bridges, ivy hedges shaped like a brontosaurus family, colorful boutiques, book stores, restaurants, and a high-energy nightlife. As I snack on a Chai Tea Milk Chocolate bar, I am pleased to mention that this fun-filled, artsy neighborhood plays host to a red-bricked chocolate factory as well—Theo’s Chocolate Factory.

The scientific name of chocolate, Theobroma, literally translates into ‘Food of the gods.’ Everybody loves chocolate. Seinfeld star, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, placed chocolate as number 3 on her list of “Things I can’t live without,” right behind number 2, her family, and number 1, her husband. And chocolate probably comes in second only to wine on the Lord’s “Earth: Top 10” list. Chocolate is said to have originated in South America, and like an Israelite’s fruitful grape vineyard, seed-filled cocoa pods symbolized life and fertility to ancient Mayans.

You’ll learn more facts like this during the informative first half of the tour. But before going on here’s a brief background of this special company. Theo’s Chocolate Factory was launched in 2006 by founder, Joseph Winney, whose first job was drying cacao seeds on a chocolate farm in Central America. Although the company is technically still an infant, Theo’s has already achieved nation-wide prestige and garnered numerous culinary awards.

Theo’s has been featured in numerous magazines including ‘O’, Food & Wine, and Bon Apetit; it was also mentioned as the “Snack of the Day” on The Rachel Ray Show, and was the winner of Time magazine’s first-ever “Conscientious Chocolate” Eco-Epicurean award. In addition, Theo’s flavored chocolate bars can be found in Whole Foods throughout the country.

Yet despite high demands, Theo’s still operates according to the ethics that made it stand out in the first place. Theo’s is the only chocolate factory in the United States to make certified fair-trade and organic chocolate, meaning that the chocolate farmers in Central America who they buy from are paid well, and that all of their various cooking ingredients are 100% natural, containing no synthetic agents.

In addition to being ethic-based, all-natural, and public-friendly, Theo’s makes delicious and inventive chocolate. Classic flavors include orange, mint, cherry-almond, and chili; while Theo’s fantasy flavors include Coconut Curry (rich and spicy), Coffee and Vanilla, Nib Brittle and Fig Fennel Almond. There’s also the 3400 Phinney Bar (named after the factory address in Fremont), which is milk chocolate liquor mixed with toasted and salted bread bits sourced from a local bakery. Much of Theo’s chocolate is extra-dark, and some bars contain as much as 91% cocoa. Typical store-bought candy bars only have around 12%.

Confections like Big Daddy’s or Rose Caramels, and seasonal chocolates such as Ghost Chili chocolate caramels sprinkled with red and gold chili flakes, or Gingerbread Spice chocolate bars (which we noticed were in the works during the tour) are only sold in Theo’s Seattle store.

The second half of the tour takes you into the actual factory where you get to see which machines do what. It’s a 16-step process from bean bag to the shop, but there are a few steps pictured below:

For the finale, we taste-tested savory confections in the kitchen, and watched as workers painted on the faces of chocolate-covered marshmallow bats and ghosts.

This tour is perfect for kids and adults. Even the information session is fun because it’s filled with questions that kids can answer and chocolate samples to taste. Nicole was very energetic and liked hearing from all different ages. This is one of the best tours around, and at $6 it can’t be beat. Plus, if you’re like me, this pleasant tour will help you to finally overcome “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” nightmares!

Click here to reserve your spot on a tour, or to check out special in-house “theonista” events like Chocolate University, Friday night movies, and other seasonal gatherings.

Ride the Ducks Seattle – Many Hats…

How many feet deep is Lake Union? Where can you find a cigarette-burned guitar originally owned by “Layla”’s Eric Clapton? In what part of Seattle did the first pioneers settle? What are the names of the sculptures decorating the Space Needle’s lawn? And where in Seattle can you find the country’s largest butterfly exhibit? You’ll find out all of this, and much more during one of Seattle’s “Ride the Ducks” sea and water tours—and all to the tune of The Bee Gee’s, MC Hammer, Frank Sinatra, and more.

The smell of newly-chewed bubble gum was in the air as Captain Clam Chowder boarded our amphibious vessel and introduced himself. “Raise your hand if you had dinner before getting on here,” he said to a less-than-energetic crowd. It was the last tour of the day; the sun was starting to set; the fall air was beginning to turn crisp. As I was seated in the far back, he put me in charge of the safety-donut and fire extinguisher. He also had us all hang our hands outside the open-air “windows,” and then informed us that these were our emergency exits. He mentioned life preservers, put on his trusty hat, and we were off…

“Check out the legs on that one!” he said as we passed by the Space Needle. Needless to say, our captain was a funny guy, although as it was the end of the day, we took some warming up. We passed by the Seattle Center, the Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum, and the 9-acre sculpture park near 1^st and Western. Thankfully, Captain Clam Chowder pointed out a large silver, aluminum tree, so I now know where not to stand during a lighting storm. Ba-dum-cha!

A late afternoon drive along Alaskan Way as the sun shines along the water with a breeze in your face is a delight. We passed the Edgewater hotel, made famous by the Beatles claiming they could fish from the windows of their hotel suite. Fisherman’s Wharf was bustling at this time with after-work comradery; we passed the Seattle aquarium, and the ferry  and Canada/Alaska cruise terminals. All the while being inundated with fun-filled Seattle facts. We even started to play an interactive Starbucks game.

As we drove by Qwest field, Chowder started to blast the Monday night football theme music , which made the new stadium seem even more massive. After leaving the “sports district,” we drove through Pioneer Square, where we passed the entrance to Seattle’s underground tour, and where I saw the prettiest Quizno’s sub shop I’ve ever seen. MMmmm,  Sammie’s. An umbrella of maple trees shade these streets, and older brick buildings line them. Meanwhile, I believe in Miracles, plays over the speakers, and MC Hammer is next…

As we passed by the Seattle Art Museum’s “Hammering Man,” and America’s longest-running Farmer’s Market, Pike’s Place, the bus started to get more energetic. Maybe it was the fact that our little land-boat was maneuvering its way around towering glass skyscrapers turned golden from the sun; or was it the moon-walking pedestrian who waved to us? Nah, I think it was because “Ah, ah, ah, ah, Staying Alive” came on.

That’s called a Quacker. Yours for only $2!

After a rock-n-roll , 31 MPH drive along Highway 99, and a glorious view over the Aurora Bridge, it was time to test out our sea legs. The Gilligan’s Island theme song played as we neared the boat launch. It was a quick and easy transition, and as our vessel began to float, Captain Clam Chowder passed back a drain stop, asking the passenger behind him to, “find out where this goes for me?”

So what, the University of Washington’s crew team was moving faster than us, all the better pace for us to soak in the ride, and take pictures!

 

 

After watching the sunset fade behind the Seattle skyline we headed back toward home-base. Not without playing a lively, Name-the-Seattle-Connection trivia game first. When we returned we were greeted by more staff who offered us prints of the photos we took before boarding. I didn’t buy one, but definitely good memorabilia for those that did.

And if you’re wondering: 34, EMP, West Seattle, Black Lightning and Moongate, Pacific Science Center.

Activities and Parkour at Seattle’s Gasworks Park

The first of a Pacific Northwest Fall day can be just as beautiful as the first coming of a refreshing spring. The other day I went jogging. I was wearing long sleeves but all in all it was a very nice day. Yet there came a brisk wind and all of the sudden dried and crumpled orange maple leaves started whirling around the paved street, and helicopter leaves twirled down from the sky. This year Seattle has enjoyed one of its best Indian Summers. Practically all of September was sunny which is saying much. Now at the beginning of October, purples, reds and oranges are starting to mix with our Evergreens, slowly easing us into the spirit of carved pumpkins, spiced cider, and Thanksgiving. I thought before I picked out Halloween candy, now was a good time to visit one of Seattle’s most popular weekend parks.

In 1962, a massive gas plant went out of business on the north end of Lake Union. The city of Seattle purchased the 19-acre plot, and 13 years later Gasworks Park was opened to the public. It was genius. The boiler house had been turned into a picnic shelter, the exhauster-compressor building masterfully became a children’s play barn of painted pipes and machinery, and the remaining components sprouted out from the lawn like giant pieces of urban park-art. Today, Gasworks is one of the most popular parks in Seattle. Thousands of people gather here to celebrate Seattle’s annual 4^th of July celebration, featuring an elaborate fireworks display set off from a barge in the middle of Lake Union. Still thousands more arrive throughout the year for picnics and Frisbee, stunning views, and on windy afternoons to climb the Gasworks kite-flying hill.

Surprise, surprise, I had never actually been to Gasworks, making this park all the more spectacular for me. When I first arrived I was drawn to the colorful play barn I’d read so much about.

In the barn, I also noticed a group of young guys, agile-as-animals, leaping from some of the machinery. I had an inkling as to what they were practicing—I had seen the opening chase scene in Casino Royale, and a news special on this sort of thing in Chicago. So I started talking to them, and asked if I could take some pictures. “He’s who you should video,” they said, pointing to Alexander, of the strong and humble type, who had recently moved to Seattle from Russia.

It’s called Parkour, and it turns out that Gasworks Park is the Seattle groups’ favorite place to hold practice. It also turns out that I had arrived on a special day for them—they were participating in Parkour’s first ever “Global Climate Jam,” and were holding a 2-hour public training session, as were hundreds of other Parkour groups in other vicinities throughout the world. To learn more and see a map of world participants visit: Parkour Generations, and be sure to check out Parkour on YouTube to be amazed.

As I walked down to the lake, I noticed couples picnicking, and others enjoying books on a blanket of grass. Once I reached the pebbly shoreline, there was no one around except a group of geese preening and basking in the sun, and there seemed to be a hundred sailboats out on the lake.

The next place I checked out was the famous Gasworks Park kite-flying hill. There was already a crowd gathered at the top, and I could see a colorful butterfly and pterodactyl soaring high overhead.

There is also a sun dial lying flat at the top of the hill. And to save you from inner-turmoil in trying to figure out how to read it, there is an instructional plaque in the southwest corner of the platform. The easiest way to start is to find the current date in the innermost oval and look in the direction of your shadow (cast by either the sun or the moon). Aside from a few dates where you have to make adjustments for daylight savings, it’s perfectly accurate!

The wind was blowing around 15 mph that day, and there were about 7 families who managed to get their kites to ride the breeze while I looked on. This (more than The Kite Runner, even though I loved that book) made me want a colorful kite to fly of my own, and brought back nostalgic memories of flying kites on the beach at Ocean Shores. I think I’m going to go to Gasworks Park Kite Shop in Wallingford. They’ve got kites of all shapes, colors and sizes, and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff, so says Yelp.

Aside from these colorful kites, sea planes flew overhead. Most likely they were toting passengers to and from Vancouver, B.C. or the San Juan Islands, and probably were out for some aerial sightseeing of Seattle and nearby mountains as well. What a beautiful day for it!

Seattle Coffee of the North

Day 2 of Seattle’s Best Cafes:

Just now, as I sit down to write this among decaying sunflowers in the shade on this lovely September afternoon, to my delight a massive hawk has decided to settle in a tree above me. This can happen often in the Pacific Northwest—eagles and hawks abound in the skies above the many large, salmon-rich puddles we like to call lakes.

After this surprising intro, I think I could use another coffee, and I have just the one in mind…

4. Caffe Ladro – 2207 Queen Anne Ave

I started off Day 2 of my coffee extravaganza at the place Seattle Weekly readers voted “Seattle’s Best Café” in 2007, and presently it’s in the 2009 running to be voted Evening Magazine’s “Best of Western Washington.” The original Caffe Ladro in Upper Queen Anne opened in Seattle in the late 90’s, and has continued to flourish ever since. Now there are 13 locations throughout Seattle and a few of its neighboring cities. Friendly barista, Ryan, recommended that I try their signature drink, the Medici, and described it as an orange-flavored mocha. I had an enthusiastic go.

Yum! What a delicious drink. My favorite so far! The subtle orange balances very well with the chocolate and coffee; you’ll even find a genuine orange twist at the bottom of your cup once you’re through. I’ve heard some people recommend it as an after-dinner drink, yet it suited me just fine on a rainy fall afternoon after perusing the streets of Upper Queen Anne. Even on hot days you can enjoy it iced.

Like so many Seattle cafes, Caffe Ladro was ultra-artsy inside. A line of art ran along the hallway toward the backyard patio, and 3-pronged copper fans with a wing-span of about 9-feet circled below the ceiling.

5. Café Solstice at 4166 University Way NE

The fifth and final café I reviewed was voted Best University Café by urbanspoon.com. It’s Café Solstice, located in the University of Washington district of Seattle. The big, black-cratered moon above the door beckons you inside, to a dark and spacious lime-green and crimson-walled interior, sparked with colorful lights that hang above the large counter. I think that if I were a barista this bar would be the dream. It just looked like they chose to be there, and not at all like they were trapped. I was coffeed out for the day (yes, I’m a wimp), but all the better because I was able to try the white-chocolate banana bread recommended by another barista named John. He explained that everything here was actually made in Solstice’s very own bakery, and pointed to an adjoining door towards the back. Unfortunately, around 6:30 when I arrived, they had stopped serving hot food, but I hear they have a delicious grilled cheese and tomato soup combo.

The music was pumping in this café, as they have the kind of indie-gem mixes playing in the stereo that only college guys are able to make. They also have a raised couch section that doubles as a stage for bands and flamenco shows on special evenings. Wine, beer and loose-leaf tea are sold here. There’s also a miniature library stuffed with World Book encyclopedias, the annotative collection of Shakespeare, and cooking books; and a neighboring shelf is packed with board games ranging from Mousetrap to Chess, which the latter I’m sure UW graduate students enjoy while sipping a nice glass of Chardonnay. To be sure, this is a place you don’t want to leave. Especially if you’re some college kid looking for a date, excellent coffee, good music, or just plain friendly conversation with John the barista, while sitting on one of the counter’s comfy bar stools. To top it all off, there is also an excellent happy hour featuring $3 pints of Elysian ale from the local brewery on top of Capital Hill. John knew Solstice like the back of his hand, and had probably been “interviewed” before. Both the Seattle Weekly and the Stranger have given Café Solstice solid reviews and its an easy drive from most downtown Seattle hotels.

Coffee Art + Chocolate + Music = Happiness

Day 1 of Seattle’s 5 Best Caffes…

The most coffee I drink in a day is one cup. Aside from late-night, college paper-writing pounding sessions, and cappuccino blizzards, coffee just hasn’t been on my list of priorities. I often wonder why??? I’m from Seattle, everyone around me guzzles it, and yeah, aside from the slight perspiration it induces, I enjoy the smell, taste and energy of coffee. Its appeal is kind of like wine to me; I really appreciate coffee expertise. To make a long story short, I found myself examining the Seattle caffe scene, and I created a mission for myself—to visit 5 of Seattle’s best coffeehouses in 2 days. By doing this, not only would I get a chance to get to know Seattle’s prestigious coffee scene, I might also figure out just why coffee and I aren’t better friends.

1. Victrola – 411 15^th Avenue in Capital Hill.

I began my two-day coffee binge in Capital Hill at Victrola coffee house. I had read online about the in-house, coffee-art competition that Victrola had held in mid-August, and saw all of the great pictures of the latte art that baristas from around the area had created. So, when I got to the counter, I made sure to order something that would look pretty. As the time came for Marcie to embellish my hazelnut latte, nerves were up. I was waiting with a camera around my neck to snap a photo, but when the moment arrived for her to do her magic I had to look away…

“Okay. It’s ready,” I finally heard her say. When I turned around, there waiting for me in a big, white mug was a beautiful latte masterpiece.

For food I had The Dillinger sandwich, toasted with prosciutto, provolone, greens and tomato. It was pretty good, but I do always loathe paying more than the Subway $5 for a sandwich. In addition to a bunch of coffee drinks, Victrola also sells beer, featuring Hale’s Mongoose IPA and Pike’s Naughty Nellie Golden Ale, both of which are brewed locally.

2. Caffe Vita – 1005 E Pike St.

John helped me out at Caffé Vita and hooked me up with a Macchiato. A Macchiato is an Italian-inspired drink, and is a shot of espresso stopped a bit early so what you drink is the smoothest and sweetest of the brew. Then an ounce of steamed milk and foam is added and walla! The word Macchiato is Italian meaning “to mark.”

Although the Macchiato was great, the main reason I came to Caffe Vita was because, like so many others, I’d heard of a delicious new partnership that has emerged this year between two of Seattle’s best roasters: Chocolate + Coffee = Happiness. It’s the talk of the town—1^st Friday morning coffee and chocolate pairings sponsored by Caffé Vita and Theo’s Chocolate; even the NYTimes has mentioned it. This free cupping and tasting event is held at Caffe Vita and gives the public a chance to sample specialty coffees from around the globe, paired with the perfect chocolate liquors made from roasted exotic cacao seeds. You can read more about it at: www.taleoftworoasters.com.

Theo’s Chocolate has been featured in magazines all across the country for their delicious chocolate; however, I noticed that they were also mentioned in this week’s edition of The Stranger for hosting Jane Goodall as she promotes her new book about bringing animals back from extinction. That’s pretty amazing for a chocolate shop if you ask me!

3. The “Original” Starbucks at Pike Place Market.

My last stop of Day 1 was at the most popular Starbucks in the world–the Pike Place Market Starbucks. I didn’t go into this caffe because, c’mon, by now we all know that Starbucks is really cool. This Starbucks is well-known for being the original, numero uno Starbucks; however, recently I heard a rumor that this isn’t entirely true. The original is said to have been built across town in a different Seattle location, but then burnt down shortly after. So that means that this is actually Starbucks #2, and though is may be the oldest, it’s not the original.

Thankfully, there are more reasons to check this place out. One is because it’s the only spot that still uses the original two-tailed mermaid as its logo. And another is because of the great music found here. Whether it be a 5-part a capella group, or a 3-piece band, rain-or-shine there’s always one of the Market’s best musical acts drawing a crowd around this Starbucks’ front doorstep.    You can walk to the Original Starbuck’s from most Seattle boutique hotels. 

That’s it for day 1! Stay tuned next week when I review 2 more caffes in North Seattle!

Pike Place Market – Golden Rays

The Seattle sun blessed the worried Northwest with its presence again, but the forecast predicted heavy rain for Labor Day weekend. Since the weather wasn’t good my last trip, I decided to head over to Seattle (while I still had the chance) so I could write about what Pike Place Market really has to offer. Summer-time Pike Place is the greatest, even though colder days can always be warmed, literally and figuratively, with a visit. I drove this time, and when I parked a friendly man offered me his window ticket so I didn’t have to pay the meter, and so his hour and a half of extra minutes wouldn’t be wasted. I gladly accepted—how nice! As opposed to the first intake of my last visit (coffee in hand staring at frozen fish), this time my first sight was of a police-horse munching on some grass in Victor Steinbrueck Park. There were even some pigeons nesting in the warm grass nearby, which is unusual because they’re usually scavenging near the benches and picnic tables. This park is on the north end of the Market, and it’s so great to eat fresh produce here, read a book, or take a quick snooze. Many days there are musicians playing up front by the tables and water look-out. There’s also a friendly man selling Kettle Corn and lemonade.

Strolling down the outdoor sidewalk of vendors there were a few that caught my eye. One was a Chinese man who makes signs in 15 minutes, translating anything into beautiful Mandarin characters using black calligraphy ink. Sample signs hung on the chicken-wire wall that read, “Mike Loves Julie,” or simply, “Jessica.” One artist had compressed glass wine bottles, and turned them into kitchen ornaments. Each had a unique logo and was garnished with a hay bow around its neck. Other vendors were selling leather handbags, wooden garden signs, and unique jewelry.

I got to chatting with another artist who had watercolor prints and originals on display. He said he specialized in painting nude female figures, and also liked to challenge himself with water scenes. One vibrant print was of a crowd of rowboats floating atop the ocean at sunset; and his latest piece was a collection of colorful, Coy fish swimming underwater.

Inside there were a lot of delightful booths. The first stand I stopped at featured home-made, painted light-switch covers made of clay in all shapes and colors. Some had intricate designs carved into the borders, and others looked like Red Alder leaves, and were painted in rustic, fall colors. There was a professional spoonmaker, and Market penmaker. There was a table laden with inscripted stones. Some had funny sayings on them like, “YOU ROCK!” and “At least you’re not as old as this rock!” Others had inspirational quotes, and still there were larger rocks with more practical engravings like, “Please remove your shoes.”

Walking through the open-air promenade of Pike Place there’s a couple things you’ll always see—fresh produce and flowers. But farmers also bring their home-made spreads to sell, such as berry jams and honey; another vendor packages up dried snacks from his hazelnut orchard. I stopped by a Honey Farm booth and bought 4, 25-cent honey straws—one each in rootbeer, peach, pink lemonade and honey clover. There were also   whole jars of wild blackberry, rum spice, espresso, and spiced apple honey.

I spoke with a young flower arranger from Maika’s Garden about her family-owned flower farm in Carnation that has been selling flower bouquets at the Market for the past 19 years. She said that some of the senior flower arrangers had been there for more than 20 years.

Unlike my last trip, today was a great day for peach and nectarine samples from Sosio’s Fruit Produce. I also chatted with one of their produce experts and he explained that orange and red-crusted lobster mushrooms are on the harder side of mushrooms, so their rich, meaty flavor does well in soups. In addition to the great fruit samples and friendly staff, Sosio’s always has a wide assortment of unique produce, such as purple cauliflower and raspberry beans.

To refuel, I stopped by the Athenian Restaurant, famous for being the bar in Sleepless in Seattle where Tom Hanks and his construction friend sit and discuss current dating trends. You might remember the friend saying, “Hellooo, Diane! Take a look at these swatches!” Anyways, since they offer beer and food, and are one of the restaurants in the market to offer widespread views of the sound, I stepped on in. I tried the Athenian Gyro, which features lamb sausage from Uli’s Famous Sausage stand (which I sampled from on my previous trip), and washed it down with Manny’s Pale Ale—a delightful, hoppy and crisp micro-beer brewed in West Seattle.

For dessert I sucked on a clover honey straw and stared out the restaurant’s second-story window watching a parasailor in the sun. The faint silhouette of the chiseled and snow-capped Olympic mountain range served as a backdrop, and the boats left sparkling, saltwater wakes along the Sound.

Pike Place Market – Silver Days

I got off the metro bus at the University Street underground tunnel stop, and grabbed a hot mocha in Benaroya Hall’s lobby-Starbucks for my 3 block walk, and beyond. Although the weather’s still cloudy when I arrive, the sight of the Market is always refreshing, especially in the summertime when all of the adorning plant-life is full of colorful blossoms.  

 

 

Walking up to the market there’s an expected crowd around the famous fish stand that features 8 (15 at Christmastime) men in fishing waders and hats. It’s so fun to watch these guys toss seafood around in the air. Walking by I hear a low-baritone, “4 King Crab legs,” bellowed in unison after some lucky patron places an order. What’s even more awesome is that when a whole fish is bought and flung behind the counter to be wrapped in newspaper, whether or not the slippery King Salmon or Red Snapper is actually caught (I mean, it usually is), the mood never changes; the air is always thick with big laughs and camera flashes.  

 

 

 

Since it was a bit dreary outside, I decided to avoid the main open-air promenade, and venture down the aromatic hallways and explore the lower levels of Pike Place. I pass a flower shop, and today they have a doorway-stand of blue roses. There’s a table packed with rows of packaged dried apricots, papayas, strawberries, and bananas. Jewelry cases are filled with a wide variety of accessories. From matching tin-man earrings, or sterling silver cross-pendants and chains, to unique owl and butterfly rings filled with colored stones of peridot, amethyst, onyx, and amber. I continue perusing, and wherever I am it seems I can always hear the faint sound of music in the breeze.   

 

 

 

 

In an airplane I once watched a special on “bizarre bazaars,” and remember the baskets of milled, exotic spices that filled the city-center market of Istanbul. Walking along the corridors I see MarketSpice; this great store has been selling ground spices, teas and coffees since 1911. 

 The lower levels of Pike Place are packed with great shopping. There are book stores, candy shops, antique and curiosity trade stores filled with everything from pink glass swans and old clocks, to framed bats and butterflies. There’s a busy barber shop, with old-fashioned red, white and blue-striped columns trimming the doorway. Penny Pincher machines stand outside the Pike Place Magic Shop. You’ll also find vintage clothing and jewelry, and parfumeries filled with medicinal teas and incense sticks. 

 

 

 

 

At this point, I definitely needed something to eat. I had tried a sample wedge of sausage from Uli’s, smelled chocolate pasta noodles at station No. 8, and walked by canned pickle stands and a few oceanview restaurants. Now I needed to eat the sustenance! Luckily, a stool opened up on an R & R platform, and I was able to eat my packed lunch on a wooden counter overlooking a very gray Puget Sound. It had started to rain, and through the streaming window I could see burnished-orange cranes standing off the southern shore of the industrial inlet, and white ferries looked like legos as they toted passengers to and from the islands. 

 

 

Back on the top floor, I could see many people grievously prop open their umbrellas, while some kids seemed to be okay walking around with balloon hats. As I weaved around the faded-teal columns propping up the roof of the upper floor, I was feeling a bit glum that it had started to rain as I was expecting the sun to break through. All of the sudden, I heard someone very energetically singing: “Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.” As I got closer, I could see a couple of long-haired, smiling musicians standing atop plastic crates, dancing around, and belting that Monkeys tune out while cars sloshed over the glossy cobblestone street behind them. Rocky Raccoon came on next, and I had to give them 50 cents in dimes. Although they were lacking John Lennon’s fantastic harmonica for this song, they did boast an accordion. On this note, I headed for home.

 

 

Make Seattle’s Alki Beach Your Living Room – wtF?

It was a beautiful Sunday at Seattle’s Alki Beach.  I was enjoying sunshine and a good Stephen King book, when I noticed a woman and her gang of assistants unloading about 25 chairs onto the beach.  This was followed by about 5 tables – all at the front of the beach blocking anyone’s view.  You can see in this pic they had no trouble setting up right on top of other beach goers.

Now we’re all in favor of fun at the beach and a good party – but where does this cross the line?  Basically – this was a full stop catered party – taking up a huge amount of space (and no people for hours – watched by a “sentry”).  This was a 25 person party – is a 100 person party ok too?  Public beaches are precious – and we’d encourage everyone to be considerate and realistic in what makes sense.

This woman seemed to be going a bit too far.  Note the umbrella going up too at one of the many tables.   wtF?