Seattle, Week 2, second half, words and pics

Last Half of Week Two Highlights

Day 8: Slow start, since THB had a huge meal, stayed up for a while to aid in digestion, and got up way too early (because THB always gets up way too early). We had thought about making a trek to Mt Rainier NP and maybe a short hike or two below the snow line. Plans are flexible, right? Good thing, cuz DB looks at the weather report and the projection is for snow today….instead….

We run a few easy errands, and decide to walk neighborhoods. Ballard is first: we eat lunch at La Carta de Oaxaca, sharing a tamale lightly seasoned with mole and chicken smothered in a deep mole, both different and very good, fresh tortillas and tamarind aqua fresco, $26.

Then we wander around Fremont. Not much to report, both neighborhoods are very quiet. See pics, of the sky. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS, there’s blue up there! Oh, and since the temp starts out in low 50s, it was a bit chilly until early afternoon.

Decide to take it easy in evening: pupus and gimlets and an episode of The Wire, season 3 (skip season 2)

Day 9: DB is off to spend the day with SNAG conference, THB has a variety of activities. First THB picks up an art purchase from Grover/Thurston Gallery, yet another Terry Terrell piece (no pic, it is wrapped up). Then THB returns to the house and takes a bike ride along the Burke-Gilman trail. Ahhhhh, there’s nothing like taking a ride in the low 50s and the potential for rain. Then in the afternoon, THB plays bridge in a local sectional, finds a partner at the front desk. The guy is very nice, knows a lot of conventions, and OOOOPS seems to be at trick short on every hand. It is a very pleasant afternoon, we don’t score well…and it is raining big drops (and sunny) when THB leaves. Having not bothered with a jacket, THB gets wet.

Then we meet up at the house, and immediately turn around and drive back in Wallingford (remember Tilth? very close…), for dinner at Cantinetta. Another treasure!! Fava beans with shaved pecorino, rhubarb with gorgonzola and almonds, and three pastas: tubes with garlic, chard and chilis; linguini with meat balls; and tortellini with pork filling and charred ramps in broth. Why did we have three pasta dishes? Because they brought the linguini by mistake and THB tried it before deciding it wasn’t what he ordered. All great!! For dessert, warm doughnuts filled with hot liquid chocolate. All these dishes were superb!! Bottle of wine, total $120.

Day 10: Up early for a pair of house tours with the Art Jewelry Forum crowd, in town for the annual metalsmith conference. First, we just manage to fit in another breakfast at Macrina Bakery, this time at the location in Belltown. A gem!!! Brioche, plum snail, and morning bun, and a very weak decaf au lait for THB and … oh, yeah, DB had a triple shot latte (and some of THB’s pastry).

House tours: first a collector in a remodeled house in Queen Anne, with great views of the city and sound. Two of the local artists are there to talk about their work, one of whom, Maria, we had a tour of her gallery show and dinner with last week. House is small and on three levels, and the art looks great! Second stop is at a just-leaving-the-AJF board member’s house in Magnolia who, along with her admin responsibilities, is also a quiet accomplished jewelry artist. She has invited four just-beginning artists, and the five of them talk about their work and backgrounds. And, a house tour, where much of the art is jewelry extremely well displayed. And, she also has great views of the city and the sound.

After we return to downtown, we tour the outdoor sculpture garden just north of downtown; it is gorgeous out, sunny, (DAMN, SUNNY) and in the low 60s. Pieces look great….and we catch another wedding party taking their own pictures. Something tells me they had a pop-up wedding: the first sunny weekend day, let’s get out there and do this thing.

Back to the house to rest up, then back downtown to Restaurant Zoe for dinner. This was where we first stepped on the path to drinking hard alcohol, trying lemon drops. Ahhhhhhhhhh, what a great 5 years it has been! We share an arugula salad, and then small plates of gnudi for DB and a strip steak with extremely thin shoestring potatoes for THB, side of escarole, mandarin drop, lemon drop, and two free drinks on the house (just lucky, THB guesses?), $72.

Book Review: William Golding, a biography, by John Carey. A flattering, chronological, not toooooo psychoanalytic telling of the life of the guy that wrote Lord of the Flies and a bunch of other books that THB believes not too many other people remember reading. LOTF was his first book, written in his 30s while teaching school, and clearly his biggest seller (it is still going strong, 58 years later). It was rejected over and over, and the young editor that finally pushed to publish also saved it out of the rejection pile and fought for it. That made both their careers. The guy won the Nobel Prize, beating out Graham Greene at the time, which to THB seems bizarre. Actually, THB highly recommends Sherry’s bio of GG, read those volumes over this one….and, GG’s books, many of them spectacular reads, even today.

Day 11: Well, back to the norm, the sun does not come out at all today. Nada…zilch….total grayout. At least the temp hovers right around 60 all day. Ahhhhhhhh, the coldest (or is it the wettest?) spring on record (according to THB’s constant monitoring of the weather across this great land). Pre-brunch snacks of Macrina muffin (DB) and scone (THB)

Meg Ford comes over for brunch, bringing a leek quiche (leeks from her garden) and we supply the berries, cherries, and Macrina baguette (how can every loaf THB takes a pic of be missing a heel?). It’s good to catch up, Meg once spent a week with us (artist in residence, literally!) fixing one of the three ceramic/wood pieces we have (the stick figures, see pic) and is a sharp cookie. And, she helps explain the house layout that many of these Seattle bungalows share: Craftsman kits! Many have been expanded over time, and if they didn’t alter the roofline, then you get these sloping closets or minimally refinished attics.

After brunch, THB and DB visit the Frye Museum, the main attraction is a series of videos (and some of the clothes and props from the videos) by a group called the Degenerate Art Ensemble. Must be better in person, the videos are very flat and uninteresting (think Matthew Barney without Serra or Bjork guest appearances…or even with them).

THB takes another bike ride along the Burke-Gilman trail, a few more hardy souls today out there for a ride…one passes THB and comments on what a beautiful summer we’re having here in Seattle.

Dinner at Etta’s, right downstairs from our 2006 house exchange, with Susan B. Coho salmon (DB and SB), roast chicken (THB), spinach salad, grilled asparagus, drinks and a bottle of Newton Chardonnay (good!), $190.

Day 12: Another walk around Green Lake, puttering around, and then DB goes off for lunch with Karen (the person that hooked us up with our current exchangers 5 years ago) and Sally (from second house tour two days ago). THB goes off the Mariners vs Orioles, and with moderate sun (and no rain in the forecast) the giant roof is open (see pics). Lunch: brought sandwich and miscellany, one microbrew, $9.75. The game is mildly interesting…the M’s win, in a sloppy effort, and THB has been to the park before. Note the massive roof! Damn, it’s big! And, it is actually sunny (note repetition, why is THB doing that in an abbreviated update?).

Dinner with art jewelry crowd at Flying Fish. Sweet potato curry seafood dish for THB and tuna for DB, and a shared chocolate and ice cream dessert. With drinks and wine from Yakima, around $140.