Seattle: T-Minus Six Days

Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen,

As you know, in about six days, I will be in Seattle Washington spending a three-day weekend. I spent a few days in Seattle when I was about six years old, helping my Aunt move from there to LaCrosse, Wisconsin (cool town filled with beer, brats, & cheese) but all I really remember is it rains all the time and they have a Monorail. So I looked into some of the cool things that my companions & I (JL Clyde, Randy Randy, and Mom a.k.a. Suzy K'tar) could check out…though probably not all of them given our time there. Here's what I've come up with…

Space Needle - Easily the most identifiable icon of Seattle…and I went to it when I was a kid…but I honestly don't remember too much about it…because I was a kid. You may wanna check out the link to the website. They have webcams and all the details that you'd want about the place. The elevators shoot you up to the Observation Deck 520 feet above Seattle in 41 seconds to get a full 360-degree view of this musical metropolis.

Experience Music Project & Sci-Fi Museum - Located next to the Space Needle is the Experience Music Project where you can learn all about the experience that is music…and interact. It's like a Children's Museum for kids of all ages. Guitar Galleries, oral history, Hendrix, and anything else you could want to do. There's also a Science-Fiction Museum for all of us nerds…and the Sci-Fi Hall of Fame with 2007 inductees like Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) and Ridley Scott (Blade Runner & Alien director). It's truly a nerd wet dream come true…except maybe for that one with the female cylon from "Battlestar Galactica"…but I'll let you know if that's part of the tour.

Rain - Who doesn't sing to run around singing in the rain? Well, with roughly 300 days a year of at least partial rainfall, Seattle is the place for that.

Monorail - Yeah, one of my few memories from Seattle…but it'll take us from the Seattle Center over near Pike Place Market. It stops by a mall if I remember correctly. Anyway, I'm sure you're all singing along with me to that timeless Simpsons classic "Monorail" anyway. Please continue. "Were you sent here by the Devil?" "No good sir, I'm on the level."

Pike Place Market - Flying fish, neon lights, fresh produce & seafood, basically the only place you wanna get crabs in Seattle. Can't wait to check this place out. I hear good things…and I'll probably be hungry by this point…and I'm eating me some seafood. Maybe some fresh Pacific Salmon…or lobster…or some sushi…because oooh baby, I like it raw. RIP ODB BBJ DMcG!!!

Myrtle Edwards & Olympic Sculpture Garden - Beautiful park with pedestrian & bicycling trails along Elliott Bay and there's a 8.5 acre sculpture garden too. It's also the start of the Waterfront Street Car Route…and near the hotel…so it should be awesome if we find time for it. I love me a sculpture garden…because I can interact with the art a little bit…if I keep an eye out for Five-Oh.

Seattle Aquarium - As mentioned several times, I like my aquariums…especially if they have a sushi bar inside of them…so that I can taunt the fish and feel like KING of the Food Chain. Friday & Saturday are the last days of Octopus Week…then Sunday is "Family First Sunday; Crabs! Crabs! Crabs!" Sounds…interesting. There's whale watching stuff…and sea otters. Did you know that they eat more than 25% of their body weight each day? Cool beans. Fun AND Educational.

Waterfront Park - Also located along Elliott Bay and on the Waterfront Street Car Route, this is another beautiful park founded in 1885 and apparently has a cool bronze fountain. Should be worth a little stop.

Pioneer Square - "Pioneer Square features over 20 city blocks of Victorian Romanesque architecture, more than 30 fine art galleries, over 200 unique and independently-owned shops, and the entertainment epicenter of Seattle's nightlife." Should be worth a stop with a sales pitch like that. There's also all the new stadium there for the Seahawks, Supersonics, & Mariners. Last time I went, there was the Kingdome…and Steve Largent was still a player. Yeah, it was a while ago.

Chinatown-International District - "It's the only neighborhood in America where Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asians live and work together, side-by-side. Whether you're looking for unique retail gifts, hard to find specialty wares, ethnic-specific social services, Asian art and culture or the best and most affordable cuisine in town - we hope you enjoy your stay." Where all the Asian girls at? Can a brother get a massage?

Seattle Public Library - I'm told by JL Clyde (literary nerd) that this is the coolest library in the world. We shall see.

Seattle Art Museum - The SAM has a special exhibit of Roman Art from the Louvre so that should be cool to check out. There's even a "SAM After Hours" program…but don't get too excited. It's basically discussion on the exhibits, gallery talks, spoken word readings…and then some music by DJ…and to go with the Roman Art theme, maybe I can talk those art geeks into an incredible orgy…complete with grapes and suckling pig. That may be the night entertainment.

Ferries to Victoria - Okay, this probably isn't going to happen due to time constraints…but it'd be nice to do for next time. Take a ferry ride to Victoria, British Columbia and see otters, seals, whales, all that along the way…and then I hear that Victoria's a beautiful city. I mean…they are getting the Olympics here in two years, aren't they?

Anyway, that should be a full weekend…and I'll be sure to have pictures & stories when I come back. As for what happened last night, nothing much. I'm trying to figure out where I stand with Foxy...but I'm not stressing over it. She seems to still be a little uncomfortable around me...but it's understandable because I'm a big dude...and a little...we'll say eccentric. Anyway, today's gonna be fun with the family followed by "Sweeney Todd" and who knows what else? Wish me luck y'all...and have a great weekend yourself. Peace!!! Drive responsibly!!!