Seattle, Washington - Does Anyone Know Where to Find a Starbucks?!?

Space Needle

Ah, Seattle, Washington.  The home of Grunge, Starbucks and butt cold rainy days!  I should know I have been there many times and even lived there for a couple months while I was in a show.  It rains…a lot!  More than Portland, Oregon even.  And it doesn’t just rain, oh no!  It is windy and the rain comes at you sideways.  You can’t escape!  I have no beef with Seattle, none, but I don’t think I could live there.  Sorry Seattle, I would still recommend people visit you, I really would!

I was heading up to Seattle to visit a couple friends who were living there at the time who I had known for a few years.

Seattle is Fun!

Seattle isn’t a long drive from Portland, it is about a four hour drive unless I am behind the wheel, then it is three to three and a half.  Angie would be driving, but she went to the same school of driving as I didand besides the traffic jam that always happens in the Tacoma area, we made it in record time.  She dropped me off at Capitol Hill in Seattle and she was on her way.

Brian and Dale were both home and had their friend Natalie staying with them for the summer.  She was very different from the rest of us.

Public Market

Dale had decided we would be going to the Space Needle, not a new idea, but why not?  It was right there!  That and Natalie hadn't seen it yet since she had been there, she was too busy viewing TV, so it was time!

There it was in all its glory; Built in 1962 for the World’s Fair the Space Needle is 605 feet high and weighs a whopping 9550 tons.  It also has the Sky City restaurant on top, but it is way too expensive for our tastes.  That and we were going to see Dale’s show that night. 

Once you see the Space Needle, there isn’t really a lot to do unless you go up it, so we decided to go to the Fun Center which is right under the Space Needle.

Fun Center...Beware!

Everyone wanted to go on the roller coaster but me.  Why?  I get motion sickness and roller coasters are not my friend; rides in general are not my friend.  They wouldn’t let me off that easily and after being harassed for 20 minutes I gave in.  I was a guest in their home; it was time to be a giver; so I gave.

They put me in the back with Brian because Brian knows how I work; which means going into a comatose state with my eyes open staring straight ahead until I am out of danger.  Slowly the roller coaster started up hill, not so bad, I thought, mind you it was only 5 seconds into the ride.  Soon we were taking a corner at high speed; not good!  I don’t know how this happened to this day,but as we took the corner I cracked my head on the pole of the cart we were in, making a huge thud.

Always Say Hi to the Brass Pig

Not a lot happened for the rest of the night, though after Dale’s show we did go back to the Space Needle after me and the rest of the group had had a few drinks.  At the time the pictures seemed pretty darn good, but looking at them the next day, not so much.  One sober person (Dale) in the bunch cannot save bad pictures.  They were really stupid an inane.  The grandkids will be proud!

The next day I said goodbye to Capitol Hill and was picked up by Angie.

Angie's Artistic Space Needle Photo

That and they throw fish.  Yep, the workers toss fresh fish to each other all day long to the delight of the shoppers.  If you think about it, it is really kind of gross, but for some reason amusing, though the smell can be a bit much at times.   Besides fish, you can pick up huge bouquets of flowers, local art, pastries and other assorted goods.  I picked up some freshly made Shrimp Chips! 

Shrimp Chips are a delicacy that you can pick up at almost any Asian Market.  They are a puffed up chip much like a Cheeto except flat and come in many colors.

Shrimp Chips Making it Right!

Well Angie was disgusted and could not be swayed to eat one.  She took one whiff and was done.  That was okay too, because that means more for me!  So we continued our walk through Pike’s Place until we found the brass pig.  It is a custom of mine to this day that I have to either ride or rub the brass pig at Pike’s Place anytime I am there.  If someone is with me, they must do the same or they are ostracized.  Okay, maybe that is going a bit too far, but you will indeed be hazed.  So Angie and I conned someone to take a photo in front of the pig after I had hopped on its back.

Angie really wanted to see the Space Needle since she hadn’t in a while.  I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it since I had met my nemesis the roller coaster there and was still suffering a dull pain from the day before.  She told me she had no interest in going on any rides, so for the third time in 24 hours, I went to the Space Needle! 

It hadn’t changed much, except that it was overcast.  That and I had a fabulous snack to keep me occupied.  Angie and I decided to take a few artistic shots which I am sure five thousand other people had done.  After about ten minutes, Angie was confused as to what to do next. 

"Exactly, was my response, unless we wanted to eat on top."

“Why?”  Was her response, “It is too expensive!” 

I guess word gets out quickly!

Though this trip was pretty quick and maybe a little anti climatic; during the three months I lived there I had many adventures!  Such times as the drunk stage hand trying to grab my goods while we were at a cast party, the hit and run cone incident (nothing illegal transpired, folks), the Walk Gently Man who tried to accost me for apparently walking on the street too hard in my heels and the Chinese food place that had glow in the dark bowling! 

Good times, Seattle…good times…