For more on Seattle and Seattle Restaurants, see our Seattle web page.
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02/14/09 - Review of Maneki

We have finally reviewed Maneki, a Seattle Japanese classic. For over a hundred years they've been serving great Japanese food with a serious emphasis on seafood. We loved it. For more details and ideas on what to order, read our Review of Maneki.

Keywords: seattle, restaurants

12/07/08 - Our Flight From Seattle

These are some photos taken from a Kenmore Air Cessna Citation en route from Boeing Field in Seattle to Fairchild Airport in Port Angeles. As usual, the light was spectacular, and the mountains were most cooperative.






 

Keywords: port angeles, seattle, flying, kenmore


Wheat, on its way east

11/21/08 - The Seattle Waterfront

One of the things about Seattle is that it is a working waterfront, and it is a working waterfront that isn't hidden off somewhere where you can't see it. That means that there is a major grain elevator that loads wheat delivered by rail onto grain ships right on the jogging trail in Elliot Bay. There are container ship loaders punctuating the harbor. There is also Mount Rainier, a ghostly presence on certain days. Look carefully at the latter two pictures, and you'll see it.

You can see Rainier over the container ship loaders to the left

Here's a better view of the mountain.

Keywords: seattle, mount rainier


Some autumn color from Queen Anne - They've got move that power line pole.

11/20/08 - Seattle Update

There are just a few miscellaneous pictures from our visit to town showing some autumn color, a harbor sunset and a new arrival.

The harbor at dusk

An old friend from Washington DC is coming to Belltown.

Keywords: seattle

11/19/08 - Little Hawaii

Now and then you see pockets of Hawaiian influence in Seattle. There's the Kauai Family Restaurant down in SoDo. There's also a bit of Hawaii in Queen Anne. They say "Hawaii no ka oi", there is no place like Hawaii, so we imagine that Hawaiians like to bring a bit of it with them.

Some Hawaiian imagery in an apartment lobby

The name says it all

Down on 1st Street

For an ex-pat, a home away from home

It may be institutional brick, but it is on Aloha Street, so it counts.

Keywords: hawaii, seattle

11/18/08 - View From The Ferry

We've been in Seattle. Here's a view from the ferry. Yes, we were going to fly, but that's a long story.

Insert a picture here

Keywords: seattle

10/27/08 - A Quick Trip Into Seattle

We made a quick trip into Seattle and flew Kenmore Air. It was a great flying day, and we had window seats, so here a couple of pictures from our flight, and one picture from Seattle proper. It seems that summer is over in the city as well.

Dungeness Spit

The Dungeness River - Can you see Dungeness Valley Creamery down there?

A city scene

Keywords: dungeness, dungeness spit, flying, seattle, autumn, kenmore

10/07/08 - Enterprise Rent A Car Park, Follow Up

We wrote to Enterprise about their little park near Seatac airport, and here is the response we received:
Thank you for your inquiry. Officially, we call our park a Japanese Rock Garden. We wanted to beautify the un-useable area infront of our business, so we developed this area into the garden about 3 years ago. Thank you for noticing our efforts improve the Sea-Tac strip, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!
It was nice to get such a good answer so quickly. Then again, we've always had good luck when dealing with Enterprise Rent A Car. We won't suggest taking a trip to Seattle just to see this park, but it is worth a peek if you are in the area.

Keywords: seattle, flowers

10/04/08 - Enterprise Rent A Car Park

When we stay near Seatac airport in Seattle we often walk by a small vest pocket park on International Boulevard near 190th Street. There is a big Enterprise Rent A Car sign, a driveway and this park surrounded by a high metal fence. International Boulevard is the main airport strip, so it is mainly hotels, fast food restaurants, convenience stores, long term parking lots and the like. None of this is much to look at, but Enterprise has this peaceful looking little park, right on the main drag. In fact, their main operation is a half a block down that driveway, which might have something to do with this little park. Granted, we have never seen anyone in this park, and we can't figure out how to get in ourselves without the key or climbing the fence, but it still offers an oasis of calm and peace, right along the main frenetic drag.

A place of peace, kind of

Keywords: seattle, flowers

09/09/08 - Seattle Flight

We often fly into Seattle on the local airline Kenmore Air. They fly little nine seat propeller airplanes from Fairchild Airport (CLM) a bit west of Port Angeles to Boeing Field (BFI) a bit south of Seattle. They are awfully convenient, and we often get spectacular views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. We took these on a later afternoon flight, heading home.





Keywords: seattle, atmosphere, flying, kenmore

08/04/08 - Volunteer Park In Seattle

As part of our long term project to explore Seattle, we recently visited Volunteer Park and climbed the early 20th century water tower which serves as a centerpiece. There were some pretty nice views of Seattle, Lake Washington, and the area.

This red brick and iron work style dates from the late 19th century and early 20th century, and epitomizes a golden age of civil engineering.

The Seattle skyline

Guess

Keywords: seattle

07/15/08 - Seen In Seattle

We aren't really sure of what to say about this sign. We didn't see any squirrels, but clearly someone has a squirrel problem.

Drivers Stop for squirrels

Keywords: seattle

05/23/08 - Seattle and Txori

We have just returned from a lightning trip to Seattle. It was an odd trip. If nothing else, our cellphone died. On the upside, we made it back to Txori and had a wonderful meal, just when we needed it, and we checked out the Seattle Art Museum Sculpture Park. The sculpture was very 60s evoking Claes Oldenberg and his giant lipsticks, but more witty. We were impressed by this steel tree, or is perhaps aluminum. We were also impressed by the field of lupines at its feet, all natural, and mostly in bloom.

Keywords: seattle, restaurants, art

05/08/08 - The Space Needle

We've been in Seattle the last few days. Here's the view from our room. That's the Seattle Space Needle, one of the great retro-future artifacts of our time, and it still looks wonderfully futuristic.

Keywords: seattle, art

05/08/08 - REI's Gardens

We were shopping for portable water purification gear, so naturally, we headed over to REI. They even have solar powered UV water purifiers. We use UV to purify the already rather pristine waters of Lake Crescent, so we were attracted to this. REI closed the deal with a special sale price, even lower than the version without the solar panel.

The photo is of the REI garden, which is a great way to get out of Seattle and into the country for a few minutes. It isn't quite the real thing, but it's a great conceit.

Keywords: seattle, shopping

03/19/08 - Tamarind Tree Reviewed

We really liked Tamarind Tree, a great Vietnamese place in Seattle. We haven't explored the International District all that much, and we have been disappointed in Vietnamese food in the past. Now that we've found Tamarind Tree, we are planning to do a bit more international exploring and to eat a bit more Vietnamese food. For more details, read our review.

Keywords: restaurants, seattle

02/02/08 - UPS Waterfall Park In Seattle

We are fond of urban oases. They are the mark of a real city. Last November we noted the Seattle Art Museum exhibit of a nurse log on life support. This month, we noticed UPS's Waterfall Park near Pioneer Square. It's on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Main Street, and if you are looking in the wrong direction as you walk by the gate you might miss it. Walk through the gate and you enter another little world of water and moisture and greenery. OK, Seattle has water and moisture, but the park is its own little world.

Apparently, this was the site of the first UPS office, back when they were called American Messenger Service. The park was built in 1977 by one of the founders of UPS. For a tiny bit more info, and perhaps a picture or two, try here or here.

An urban oasis - waterfall park

Keywords: seattle, kale, waterfall

01/12/08 - Seattle: More Kaleberg Reviews

We have lately been amazed at Seattle as an great food town. Restaurants have been opening at a good clip, and our list of places we just have to try keeps growing longer. We took advantage of the holiday season, and some Kenmore Airline flight discounts to get into town and try out a few new restaurants.

We've posted FIVE new reviews, and that took some serious eating. Three of these are in Pikes' Place Market, which is just riddled with dining options, so it was high time we checked a few of them out. Which was our favorite? It might have been Quinn's. After all, we are suckers for meat, but Matt's and Chez Shea are up there as well.

Chez Shea - a romantic and elegant restaurant with romantic and elegant food in Pikes' Place Market

The Local Vine - a stylish champagne joint in fashionable Belltown

Matt's in the Market - the classic hole in the wall is worth looking for, even if they've remodeled

Quinn's Pub - more than a neighbor hood eatery, a true meat city

Steelhead Diner - a promising contender, a tribute to the 1980s

Keywords: restaurants, seattle, kenmore

12/10/07 - Welcome To Seattle

We often fly to Seattle on Kenmore Air. They have regular service to Boeing Field from Port Angeles. The views of the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, and Seattle vary with the weather. Since Boeing Field is just south of the city, we often get a nice view of town on our route. Check out the view on our last trip.

Click for the Quicktime movie

Keywords: port angeles, seattle, kenmore

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