Seattle Soundings
10.08.2004
Last week, Shelley and I got away from the rigors of settling in to spend a few days in the loveliest city in the West: Seattle! Shelley went up there on Sunday, and I followed that Wednesday evening; we stayed through this past Sunday.
We stayed with KWT and ST, in their new digs in Queen Anne. In fact, they live right across from Larry's Market, which conveniently contains a Peet's coffee stand. Did some toodling around the city, drinking lots of great coffee, doing some shopping, and getting lost on a long training run.
My sister has noticeably developed her counselor's eye. I spent an evening getting a talking to about my use of humor as a personal smokescreen. It's something Shel and KWT have talked to me about before, but they really hit it home this time. Thanks, you two. It's a subject that's been broached before, both by KWT and others, but this was a concentrated exploration of my tendency to do that. Thaaaaaaaanks...;-)
And lest I be misunderstood, KWT doesn't walk around subjecting everyone to counseling techniques; in fact, I'd say that she seems more natural and comfortable about the whole thing than in the past. Seasoned is the word. That, or marinated. Nope, definitely seasoned.
On Saturday, we all went to Ollie's, where we screamed loud and long and quaffed two pitchers of Fat Tire Ale in support of Auburn's crushing Tennessee.
Against all expectation and reason, in Seattle I had the best fried okra I've ever tasted, at a terrific restaurant called The 5-Spot. This place changes its menu every couple of months to offer a new regional taste. We made it there during the Mississippi Delta Blues menu. And, believe it or not, this Seattle establishment got just about everything spot-on. They even served ST his catfish plate on a red plastic tray with a checkered placemat. All we needed was a surly teenager waiting on us, and it would have been just like old times at Allan & Son BBQ in Chapel Hill.
And finally, we stumbled across an interesting bookstore, which seemed only too fitting for ST and I in our illustrious clubical personages. This might become the official bookstore of the Secretary of the Ancient and Venerable Swat and Swoop Club.
Loved the visit, you two. Always a wrench to leave...
We stayed with KWT and ST, in their new digs in Queen Anne. In fact, they live right across from Larry's Market, which conveniently contains a Peet's coffee stand. Did some toodling around the city, drinking lots of great coffee, doing some shopping, and getting lost on a long training run.
My sister has noticeably developed her counselor's eye. I spent an evening getting a talking to about my use of humor as a personal smokescreen. It's something Shel and KWT have talked to me about before, but they really hit it home this time. Thanks, you two. It's a subject that's been broached before, both by KWT and others, but this was a concentrated exploration of my tendency to do that. Thaaaaaaaanks...;-)
And lest I be misunderstood, KWT doesn't walk around subjecting everyone to counseling techniques; in fact, I'd say that she seems more natural and comfortable about the whole thing than in the past. Seasoned is the word. That, or marinated. Nope, definitely seasoned.
On Saturday, we all went to Ollie's, where we screamed loud and long and quaffed two pitchers of Fat Tire Ale in support of Auburn's crushing Tennessee.
Against all expectation and reason, in Seattle I had the best fried okra I've ever tasted, at a terrific restaurant called The 5-Spot. This place changes its menu every couple of months to offer a new regional taste. We made it there during the Mississippi Delta Blues menu. And, believe it or not, this Seattle establishment got just about everything spot-on. They even served ST his catfish plate on a red plastic tray with a checkered placemat. All we needed was a surly teenager waiting on us, and it would have been just like old times at Allan & Son BBQ in Chapel Hill.
And finally, we stumbled across an interesting bookstore, which seemed only too fitting for ST and I in our illustrious clubical personages. This might become the official bookstore of the Secretary of the Ancient and Venerable Swat and Swoop Club.
Loved the visit, you two. Always a wrench to leave...
