First Trip to Seattle

While in downtown, we were surprised at all the dogs and dog-related businesses. Getting off I-5, there was a doggy daycare facility and more than a few shops had "Dogs Welcome" signs. We shopped in numerous "dog" stores where shirts, coffee cups, holiday ornaments, everything you could imagine was available with dogs. We noticed dogs tied up to trees while their owners shopped inside, but our favorite was the doggy bakery (see the picture!).

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Even though we had been forewarned, we were still surprised at the cost of parking downtown. We did find several places for compact cars where we could park all day for , which we did. We were comfortable walking just about everywhere we wanted to go and we could have taken a bus if needed. The bus schedule signs are posted all over and easy to follow and read.

Our biggest challenge with driving came from getting the car at the airport from Budget. The person was rude when we declined the extra coverages. She misdirected us to getting the car and I had to stand in a second line for 30 more minutes to get the keys. We'll use another rental company next time.

The facility was practically new. There were 10 buildings, each with their own set of suites. We were located at the far end, in a studio suite. Our room had a king size bed, a 27" screen tv, a couch, coffee table, end tables, kitchen table that served as a desk, and a small kitchenette. The bathroom was larger than most with plenty of room for both my wife and I to get ready in the morning. My wife commented on the fresh smell from the towels.

The hotel lobby was also nice and inviting. There was a large screen TV right next to a gas burning fireplace. In the opposite corner was a desk with an HP color printer. There was a game table, complete with checkers and other couches, tables and chairs, all for relaxing.

The pool was outdoors, which I''m not certain I understand for Seattle area, and had already been closed for the season. There was a hot tub that could be used, but it was way too far from the lobby entrance for use this time of the year. The pool area also included a gas grill, so I could have purchased some of the fresh salmon from the market and grilled it for dinner.

The complimentary breakfast was more than adequate. There was always a nice offering of coffee and tea, and they had several types of cereal. The rolls, muffins, biscuits and doughnuts varied each day which is nice when staying there for an entire week.

On Tuesday nights, the hotel provided pizza, beer, wine and wine coolers. On Wednesday nights, they offered nachos.

In a room off the lobby there was a laundry facility and vending machines. In the next room, there was three pieces of nice exercise equipment (treadmill, bike and stairstepper) and a floor mat. No free weights or resistane type of machines. Just outside the exercise room was a small basketball court.

The people working here were very helpful and courteous. They joined us as we watched the Mariners beat the Indians in the last game for the division championship.

My wife returned home after the weekend and the employees were helpful in scheduling the airport shuttle service for her. They picked her up at 9am for a 1pm flight and the rate was $32. I guess that''s the cost of being so far north of the city.

The only surprise I had was in the lack of ramps. When pulling the suitcase from my car to the room, I had to yank it up over a curb. There were stairs everywhere and only a few buildings that I noticed were marked as wheelchair accessible.

We then noticed the hanging billboard announcing all the food items for sale. On the back was an aisleway with two chrome countertops and stools for the customers.

Jack's Fish Spot is in the public market and is outside. The sitting area is under a roof, but still close enough to the outdoors to have a cool breeze.

The first time we ate here, my wife and I both tried a bowl of the Northwestern Clam Chowder. With our brimming full stryofoam bowls full of soup, we braved the nearly full crowd that was at the countertops to grab the only two empty seats at the back. I had enough room, but my wife was too short for the height of the stool and the location of the countertop. She stood up to eat instead.

The chowder was fabulous. The soup base was not too thick and very peppery. The soup contained huge pieces of fish and potatoes. Other vegetables sank to the bottom and we found them as we greedily ate every bite.

Other seafood was offered, shrimp or crab chowders, mussels, oysters, etc., and people were filling up with all this good stuff.

We liked the chowder so much that we came back the next day to have this for lunch again. Fortunately, some of the small round tables just east of Jack's Fish Bar were open so we could sit down together and enjoy the chowder. I purchased a quart this time and we got two packages of oysters crackers for that much chowder.

I wish I could have brought some of this home with me!

There is a small window on the corner and the line was outside. People were shoulder-to-shoulder backed up up from the window, lined up against the dessert display case and back around past the eating area for Jack's Fish Bar. The line moved quickly; I believe we only stood there for about 15 minutes. Of course, we had ample viewing and decision time while waiting for our turn to order.

Even though we were full from lunch, neither of us could resist some of the available options. My wife immediately picked out the pumpkin cookies, the cakelike cookie made with pumpkin and full of nuts. The employee at the window initially thought my wife wanted the sugar cookie that was decorated as a jack-o'-lantern, but we pointed out the ones she wanted.

I had a terrible time making a decision. I didn't want anything too sweet, and was torn between several different delicacies. I just bought one of each so that I didn't have to make a choice. My wife offered to take a bite of each so she could sample other items, and I shared with her. Most of the goodies--cookies and smaller desserts--were priced from $1 to $2. Pieces of carrot cake and the larger desserts were priced over $2.00.

Three Girls Bakery also offered a variety of bagels and breads. Other people in line were buying up the sourdough bread and getting it sliced and wrapped. The bagels were 55 cents and the smaller round loaves of bread started around $3.

Of course, we had to return to this bakery again on Sunday to get our dessert fix. It was well worth the time waiting in line.

Parking around the restaurant was challenging. There was a lot just across the street with a cost of $9 for the entire evening. Flat rate, no exceptions. This was still our first afternoon in Seattle and I was not familiar enough with the area to have been searching much further for other parking.

We were seated at exactly 5:45 with prompt service inquiring about drinks. The restaurant offered a lengthy wine list and the waiter was very helpful in making some suggestions. As we were all making similar choices, he reccommended a specific bottle of wine that would be more cost-efficient than individual glasses and would probably be acceptable to all four of us. He was correct.

We ordered two appetizers to share between the four of us. The calimari was cooked wonderfully, not too greasy and the spring rolls were just right.

The dinner menus are typed up daily, based on the fresh fish available. I selected an assorted seafood offering served over pasta. My wife had mahi mahi. The food was served in a reasonable amount of time on very large plates. In addition to the fish, my wife had serving of mashed potatoes, seasoned with herbs for an excellent taste and steamed vegetables. The dinner plates were oversized with the food centered in the middle of the plates.

For once, my wife ate just about everything on her plate. She usually has enough left over for me to have a fair sampling of her dinner. Not this time.

We decided to try a dessert and as I should have expected, my wife chose the apple crisp for us to share. She always picks that dessert. Never the dark chocolate or deep rich brownie that her cousin had. No. She had to go with something more healthy, like fruit. However, when the dessert arrived and I tasted it, I was pleased with her selection. The apples were tart and the sauce was sweet, all under a large scoop of rich ice cream. She was so busy visiting with her cousin that I think she only got three bites. I polished off that dessert quickly.

The food was superb, the service was excellent and the atmosphere was terrific. The only issue I had with this restaurant was the quantity of food. I'm usually full when I leave a restaurant, but I wasn't this time. Fortunately, we purchased some fresh fruit and snacks at the market earlier in the day, so I filled up with that food when we returned to the hotel.

This restaurant is located just at the ferry landing in Mukilteo where the ferry crosses to Whidbey Island. On a Sunday evening, the traffic was not bad and we quickly found the restaurant. Parking, as we've learned, can be a bit challenging, but this time, it was free.

Outside the restaurant is the Ivar's fast food, offering all the fried fish and french fries for a lesser price. I was a bit disappointed at first because I thought the hotel personnel had directed me to an informal fish fry rather than a seafood restaurant. Fortunately, I noticed the restaurant sign just past the frying area and we entered into the restaurant.

It was very empty. Maybe Sunday night is just not a popular time for eating out. Regardless, we were surprised at the number of open tables and lack of restaurant patrons.

We opted to sit back in the lounge and watch some of the ballgames on the television (trying to catch the Chief's score). We had eaten a late lunch so were not overly hungry. My wife and I decided to order a couple of appetizers rather than a dinner. We each selected a different type of chowder and a different cocktail. One of the chowders was a tomato base and the other was a milk base. They were good, but not great. We also had a small sourdough roll served with the soup and real butter. The shrimp cocktail was very good, full of shrimp and other vegetables. The crab cocktail was even better, with big pieces of crab. I don't think I can eat that "artifical" crab meat that is sold at our hometown grocery store anymore after having this much delicious fresh crabmeat.

At first I didn't know if I would be able to finish everything, but I managed. I even finished off my wife's chowder and cocktail. I was comfortablly full at that point.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs lost their football game.

I was greeted by the hostess who was able to seat me immediately. The restaurant had both booths and tables. I was at a booth that did not have an ocean view. There was an upstairs area with balcony dining, but that was closed the night I was there.

The restaurant was very clean. The restroom was remarkably clean, not even smelling like a restroom. The mirror was spotless and the chrome polished. This is not a new building but is very well maintained.

The usual chips and salsa were brought to the table right away. The salsa was distinctive, with it's own flavor and spices. I almost kept with my week-long promise of eating seafood every day with temptations of ordering the seafood fajitas. Instead, I ordered Chile Verda for dinner. The meal was served relatively quick and the amount of food was generous, but not overwhelming. The food was very good, with the right amount of spices and seasonings. I eat quite a bit of authentic Mexican food in Kansas City, so I'm rather selective about the restaurants. This one certainly met all my criteria.

I did not order dessert, but the restaurant brought out a small triangle of fried tortilla sprinkled with cinammon sugar, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberry sauce. Yum. Very good.

Boeing has numerous signs leading from highway 526 to the tour center. We did not have any problems on the Boeing campus to the center as everything was well marked. The tour center opens at 8:30 with the option of purchasing tickets for that day's tours. The cost is $5 per person ($3 for seniors and children) and you must be at least 4'2" tall to be on the tour. During tourist season (which must end before October) advance tickets for a specific tour can be purchased for $10 if you don't want to take a chance.

The tour center has displays showing the history of Boeing, including the time periods where purchasing airplanes was low so the Boeing production crews made furniture instead. The gift shop is a separate building and the prices are pretty steep. Boeing employees can make purchases using payroll deductions according to the signs. I wonder if they got a discount too? Restrooms are also in an external building. The tour literature reminds everyone that restrooms are not available on the tour and to please use the facility before the tour begins. Additionally, nothing can be taken with you on the tour - no purse, cell phone, electronics etc.

The tour used to inlude a view of the manufacturing floor from a 75" catwalk, but that was not available while we were visiting in October. The tour guide stated that it will be available again in a few months.

We rode a bus over to the building and then took an elevator to a viewing area over the manufacturing floor. The guide identified the different planes on the floor and pointed out all the aspects of the building. There is not heating nor air conditioning. With all the heat from the lights, running equipment and people, there is no need. Air conditioning is done by opening up the big doors.

We boarded the bus again for a driving tour of the finished planes. It was a sunny morning and two of the planes had pilots ready to test out the newly manufactured aircraft. That would be a scary job, taking the plane up for the first time!

The tour guide was very knowledgeable, sharing information about the facility, the company, various airplanes and answering people's questions.

Hopefully the catwalk will be included in the tour again. I would have enjoyed that aspect. However, it was still worth the $5 cost.

The proprietor was very friendly and accommodating. He was not in a rush at all. There was a beautiful longhaired black cat asleep in a cat bed on the far end of the counter. While admiring the cat, I heard stories about its "mousing skills" and ability to keep the vineyard free from the smaller rodents.

Wine tasting cost $2 a person, and the wines selected for tasting were on the board behind the counter. I decided to try some wines before we made our purchases. While tasting the wine, I was told that the grape varieties grown on the island are well suited to the maritime climate and that they yield distinctive white wines. This climate is similar to northern France.

While on my third sample, another group of customers came into the store and also wanted to sample some wine. I told the proprietor that I would wait for the rest of the group to try the first three wines so he could share the wine information once as a group. My offer was graciously accepted.

Before tasting the red wines, we had a sample of a crystal-clear product from the vineyard. It was water from the well, the water used by the vineyard. It was pure and clean. One of the other ladies in our group had two full glasses of just the water!

The cost of the wine varied by type. We purchased rhubarb (yes, the red vegetable that is usually in a strawberry pie!) wine, as it was very unusual. Unfortunately, because of the current liquor laws, wine cannot be shipped to Kansas; so we made minimal purchases.

We were invited to take a tour of the vineyard and to walk around the area. It was peaceful and beautiful.

As I type up these journals, I am sipping on a glass of the white wine from this vineyard.

The building is easy to locate as there are numerous signs all along the waterfront in downtown Seattle. The ticket booth had a short line, but we were quickly able to purchase our tickets ($9 an adult). The different fish tanks were easily accessible and the information pertaining to the fish, water type, water temperature was easy to read. In various places around the tanks, kids could examine models of the different fish scales and octopus legs.

Many of the sea items were from Puget Sound. My favorite was the octopus. Very impressive. My wife liked the Leafy Seadragon and was not able to take a picture as the sign said that flash pictures would scare the fish. The lady next to us did not care as she took a flash picture even after being reminded to turn off her flash. Some people...

The second building is an environmental building, with sectioned off areas that emulate the different shore lines. They are full of fish, sealife and birds. Walking down a plank, we viewed the salmon ladder and listened to the various information on salmon from birth to returning home.

From there, we progressed into the dome. This was a mostly glass area under Puget Sound, with excellent viewing area of the ocean. There were floor level windows as well as windows all along the top. A bench is set up round the perimeter, facing the glass so people can sit and view the underwater life.

The next area was the otter and seal area. We watched them play underwater and the moved up a ramp to see them above water. We were so close to these animals.

The person at the ticket booth said that the tour takes about an hour. Ours was a bit longer as we lingered around the displays that we enjoyed. When we returned to the hotel, my wife found a coupon in one of the pamplets that she had picked up at the airport earlier that day - buy one admit ticket, get one free. Even so, we both thought it was well worth the $9 price each.

For first time visitors to Seattle, it's almost imperative to visit the Space Needle and at least take the elevator up to the Oberservation Deck (called O Deck). We stood in a short line to purchase our $11 adult tickets. Senior prices and children prices are lower. We did notice the roped off area to address longer lines of people waiting to buy tickets, so we were fortunate to only wait for a few people ahead of us in line.

After entering the building, a security guard asked to examine my wife's purse and our other sacks. He did a thorough job as he unzipped the side pockets and pulled everything out. After we cleared security, we walked up the ramp to the elevator.

We were on the next ride up to the O Deck. The elevator was full and the conductor asked everyone to make room so that the children could be up to the front. The glass sides of the elevator provide a direct view during this 43-second ride. My wife is not overly keen on heights so she was at the very back of the elevator. I was right up there in the front, directly behind the kids.

The outside deck has an unobstructed view (except for the cables) so we could see for miles. There were large markings in the concrete flooring just like a compass, showing the directions. Inside, there were displays at each direction point (north, south, east and west) naming and describing some of the easily identifiable buildings and landmarks. That information was great.

There was a small coffee shop in the inside deck, and tables for relaxing while enjoying the view.

The elevator ride down stops in the gift shop (no surprise) but we were not able to find salt and pepper shakers. My wife collects these and wanted a pair that were fashioned after the Space Needle. Fortunately, she found a pair at the gift shop in the airport.

We walked around the outside grounds, watching people on the carnival-type rides and enjoying the evening. The Space Needle is open 365 days a year and is open until midnight on the weekends.

We arrived promptly at 9am and had to drive down to the end of the block for parking. The church was absolutely full. The ushers offered to direct us to the basement where we could watch the service on television, but we opted to sit up in the choir loft instead.

This is a small building with two rows of about 20 pews. Approximately 5 adults can sit in each pew. The choir loft was full with a small singing group and the rest blocked off for people like us.

The church building was originally built in 1919, but the entire inside had recently been redone. The walls were freshly painted and the carpet was new. There were four windows in the church, not stained glass, but etched with animal and fish figures that represent the animal life in the northwest.

We are from a large parish, so the intimacy of the smaller church was wonderful. People sang and prayed out loud. No one left early. The church remained packed until the service was completely over.

We shared our compliments on the beautiful service and warm community of this parish with some of the people who walked out of the church with us. This hour of celebration was a wonderful example of the Catholic community.