Snapshots from Seattle

I am still recovering from both walking 13 miles in the Rock N Roll Marathon and also traversing Seattle and slowly getting back to writing/internet mode after two days of Seattle exploration. The walk was so fun and inspiring and challenging that I want to do it again, either next year in Seattle and/or another city.

Yesterday I got to see some amazing burlesque at Stripped Screw: Disney After Dark (see some of the official photos by Chris Blakeley on Facebook). Today the weather was blissful, so much so that if it were always like that, I'd consider moving here. I spent about an hour lying on the grass and maybe it wasn't life changing, but it was certainly one of my happiest hours of 2011. See self-portrait below.

I'm having fun exploring parts of Seattle I've seen before an parts I haven't. And learning about things like cupcakes at conveyor belt sushi restaurants! See more photos in this Flickr set. I especially recommend stationery store/art gallery/cool place Paper-Hammer; letterpress fans will especially like it. From Seattle Magazine:

Open since last December, Paper Hammer functions as his urban laboratory for Tieton-made paper products, which are lovingly arranged in a stark, white, gallery-like setting. “The merchandise is very experimental, evolving with the fun and weird designs coming from our studio,” Marquand says. Affordable treasures include gorgeous letterpress coasters ($2.50), hand-bound journals and Marquand’s own invention, cheeky “You As Fine Wine” sweetheart cards (describing people using common wine terms, like “robust” and “full-bodied,” $3.95). The “hammer” title refers to the shop’s selection of handcrafted furniture by local designer Kerry Quint, Marquand’s inventive side tables created out of a stack of recycled books ($250) and, soon, a line of welded steel tables.

Window of Paper Hammer:



I stayed at the Grand Hyatt downtown (found via Priceline) and was SO impressed; my bathtub was luxurious and wonderful, they were extremely courteous and there were apples in the lobby and a Starbucks with great staffers in the hotel, and my poor tired legs and feet were so happy to be tucked into that giant, comfy bed. And I dug this chair, even though I didn't even sit in it:






Grand Hyatt lobby

Bands did indeed play along the way, many of them ones I'd have liked to listen to, but were had to walk very fast, with the occasional jog and sprint, to keep our time (mine was 3:44:50).




my favorite sign was one that said "Go Random Stranger, Go!" but I didn't get a photo of it








post-marathon victory brie and basil waffle from Sweet Iron Waffles




spinach, egg and cheese roll from Piroshky Piroshky




Pike Place=food porn! I ate one of the best pears I've ever eaten. Tried not to gorge myself on fruit.






leather pride flag

There is art everywhere here:












hanging on the wall at a Starbucks