Travel Post #2: Seattle

I was in Seattle a looonnnggg time. Well, it was 9 days, but I only had one day between the Pittsburgh trip and this one. I think I was out there right as spring was springing, because there were robins everywhere, and everything was moist and green. I expect it is always moist and green there, but to me, it felt like spring. It was still cold, but sunny and bright, and there were huge trees:



The last one is a weeping giant sequoia, and I think the other two are types of sequoia as well. They were so big and beautiful. The best part of the Pacific NW is definitely the Nature. It is absolutely gorgeous there, and I didn't even get to leave the city at all.

My first weekend was spent in Capitol Hill, near Seattle University.



Supposedly it is the gay area of the city, and also the most alternative, but I didn't think it was too much of either, although I did see a lot of hipsters, so maybe that's what they mean by 'alternative.' I did like it there, much better than when I relocated down to the waterfront, where all the tourists are. It was definitely a more residential place and definitely easy to see myself living there. There are bookstores and coffee shops all over Seattle. Way more than you'd think could survive, but OMG, what a lucky population! Spanky wanted me to get her some espresso beans from Victrola Coffee, which I did, and later, I also got her a hat from Zeitgeist Coffee, which is down in the Pioneer Square area, and is actually pretty great:



That day, I walked all the way down to Pioneer Square from downtown, which was over a mile, I think, and back, all with my laptop on my back. That area would be an interesting place to live too, although not as residential, obviously. I loved this sculpture, and the building in the background:



Also notable down there is the Elliott Bay Book Company, which is huge and awesome, and where I spent a happy hour or so.
Of course, I also saw all the other touristy bits:


The Seattle Art Museum

Pike Place Market

The Seattle Public Library

Again,

And again... Imagine going to somewhere so beautiful to read. That has got to affect how you think of books. And to think they spent all that money on their library. Those are some awesome priorities. Coffee and books. MY KIND OF PLACE. If only it wasn't so far from Florida.

I saw all kinds of hidden treasures too. It was really fun to walk around and just explore. I did go to a couple of yarn stores too. First, there was Stitches, which is really more of a sewing store, but they have a pretty good selection of Cascade yarns, and a couple of other brands too. I ended up getting two skeins of Cascade Magnum, because I wanted to try making the carie cropped cardigan from Fitted Knits. I didn't know that Magnum was so expensive! That's why I only bought two skeins, but I really should have invested in a third, because this is going to be a TIGHT FIT. I think now that I've blocked it, it is going to fit, but I have never seen so many entries complaining about fit and gauge on Ravelry before. I'll do another whole post about the project later, but I wanted to start it as soon as I bought the yarn and realized that the pattern was available online from Knitty Gritty. That meant I had to get a needle in the right size, so off I went to So Much Yarn. They had moved locations, but thanks to Google Maps on my Blackberry (thanks for making me put that on, Spanky!!) and the tourist map from the hotel, I was able to find the new location. It is a great yarn store too, with a doggie! I didn't find any yarn I had to have right away, so I just bought the needle, and went back to the hotel room and immediately cast on. YAY!

So aside from working all freaking week and living out of a suitcase, Seattle is a great place. I definitely want to come back, bringing Spanky, and renting a car so we can go outside of the city and explore the surrounding area a bit more, a la Lolly. I was very jealous of her trip. Mine was much more stressful. I got a lot accomplished, but I missed Stella and my lady and my bed. Home was definitely calling by the second weekend. I got home around 2:15 AM on Sunday night, and had to go right back to work the next day, because that Thursday was trip number three! ARGH.