Dear Drew,
I have no excuses for taking so long to start/finish a post on Seattle. Then again, Picmonkey (fav photo editing [need those filters] & collaging site is basically all about the $$ now so I had to like…google things).
ANYwhos.
After my spring semester ended, I headed to Seattle to visit Carter for about 2 weeks. It was awesommmmme! I’d never been to Seattle before, Drew, and so I was really looking forward to seeing my sister and getting a feel for the city. I’d also stayed at college long enough after exams finished that I was ready (sort of- totally didn’t pack last minute slash almost miss the plane…lolcatz) to return to a coast. And I’ve heard that the West Coast is…the Best Coast, no?
Pike Place (C), Us on the Bainbridge ferry (C), Carter & Buddy #1
Note: (C) = Photo credit goes to Carter
I had a day and a half with Carter before she had to go on a work trip. I got to see her suuuuuper, lovely, and clean apartment (apparently it’s…always like that…?) and have dinner with two of her co-workers (a.k.a. my check-in buddies while she was away #sisterlylove #sisterlysupport #imthebabyofthefamily). Near the restaurant where I ate a Seattle Brat (I didn’t pronounce it with a schwa either when I ordered it…in case you too read that as like a Seattle Army Brat) for dinner, Carter and I owned her co-workers at foosball. It was kind of spectacular. Hmm, yes…I think those 5 out of 7 straight games we won really crystallized our sisterhood for her co-worker friends. I’ll have to find a way to keep up my skills so I don’t disappoint on my next trip.
Alone but unafraid, thanks to my check-in buddies and Carter’s large bag of peanut M&Ms, I began my week of vegging sprinkled with outings with friends living in the area (and surprisingly- not many sprinkles of the H2O sort–ha, that was simply too tempting).
I perused Carter’s bookshelves (a fine collection indeed) and picked out Chocolat. Joanne Harris’s writing is beautiful! It was one of few instances where I saw the movie first (and many times over <3) and then read the book…When I talked to Carter on the phone while making my way through the story I was just like…”WHEN ARE DEPP AND BINOCHE GOING TO GET TOGETHER?” Yikes.
Anywhos. I got to see Ben! Friend and MOTOAAA (Master of the Office Assistants at Admissions), Ben was a superb guide as we walked along the boardwalk and explored Pike Place (of note: an amazing shop selling historic magazine covers and maps where Ben found a MN map we were almost sure Admissions would reimburse us for). For lunch, we went to his favorite salami restaurant, Armandino Batali’s Salumi, and his daughter Gina who knows Ben was there and gave us free soup with our absolutely deeeelicious sandwiches! Huzzah!
Maps, maps, maps, MN!
Ben’s off to study abroad this fall (SOB) so THANK GOODNESS it worked out so we could hang out before he leaves for his adventure!! I think I forgot Carter’s bus pass that day so I appropriately adjusted my brimming enthusiasm for Seattle as I crawled on all fours home to Carter’s apartment. Jk, jk, it was fine– I inadvertently took a break/breath when taking in the bedazzling Seattle Public Library and made it back just in time for a whole lot more of watching DVDs from Carter’s extensive movie collection.
I also got to see my friend David who took the train up from Tacoma! We explored Uwajimaya, an Asian market in Seattle’s International District which my roommate Emma had highly recommended (thank you!), and had a delicious lunch there. I just sort of roamed around the aisles, mouth agape, trying to absorb all the food, pottery, clothing, books, etc. When I felt overwhelmed enough, David and I headed to the Seattle Asian Art Museum to check out their exhibit “Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920-1945.” Located in the serene Volunteer Park, the SAM is a museum I can’t wait to return to.
SAM, Volunteer Park, IS THAT THE SPACE NEEDLE?!
I was again lucky enough to meet up with a third friend from school: Miss Claire! Claire just completed her first-year and participated in Lives of Commitment, the reflection and ethical action group in which I was a sophomore leader. Basically, I was lucky enough to meet Claire and about 35 other fantastic first-years.
Nom nom nom
Anywhos, Claire introduced me to a lot of Molly Moon‘s icecream (she hinted that you can get a ‘single scoop’ but still get two flavors…I went for the double scoop and well, it was delicious…and extremely filling), and we debated whether I should get Jane Austen playing cards at a bookstore I immediately fell in love with upon entry. I ended up not making the purchase (something irks me about buying things that aren’t books in bookstores…which always also have the best non-book things, no?). Luckily, I now know they exist and are still out there.
Thanks Claire :)))
Supasta Claire
Oh yah– when Claire and I were walking around I got to see some RAD street art:
#wow #thismayormaynotbefiltered
Thennnnn….Carter returned and all was right in the world!!! We went to the Experience Music Project Museum (EMP) to check out their exhibit “Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic” and this exhibit on…horror (I’m still too scared to remember). There was a scream booth in a… sort of sound-proof room which we partook in. How often do you get to do that? Or feel as if you’re allowed to just scream? Yah. I thought that was cool.
All (C) except…well for the photo of C taking a photo.
The Northwest Folklife festival was going on in Seattle Center and so we walked through, Carter pulled me away from tie-dye clothing stalls (thanks I guess) and we had lunch amused by folks of all ages testing the International Fountain (the original version of the fountain was built for 1962’s World Fair).
International Fountain (C)
Also for the record the food highlights:
Top left (and then clockwise): Lola’s granola, grilled salmon sandwich from Pike Place, Lola’s donuts, Salumi sandwich and soup!
NOM NOM NOM
Wow. Speaking of/seeing food…am I seeing you and Liz in 15 for dinner?!
More to come. But at least I’ve finally included all the (slash that– Carter’s) photos, so- feeling a bit better.
Love always,
Mo
Two Mugs of Tea 