Trip to Pacific Northwest 2017: Day 5/8

Good Morning

Jeremy' s birthday breakfast

It was Jeremy’s birthday!
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We woke up, got ready for the day and headed to Randy’s Restaurant, a classic diner filled with aviation collectibles. Model planes hung from the ceiling in almost every possible nook and cranny. Display cases modeled war medals, small plane models, war badges and so much more. It was really neat. The decor otherwise was very late 60s/early 70s pop culture.

Jeremy ordered an omelet, called “planes” in this diner, with a coffee. Me? I got a breakfast combo. It included scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes and hash browns. I had water. Everything was very yummy.

After eating our breakfast, we looked around at all of the items displayed  around the diner. 

Rebecca and her breakfast

Seattle, Washington

Then we hopped in the car and went to The Emerald City. We ended up parking in a ramp right across the street from the Space Needle, which was in some ways convenient, and other ways not so much.

We walked over to the Needle and headed to the ticket kiosk. We ended up purchasing the Day and Night tickets, which meant we were able to go up twice. We explored the Gift Shop for a bit, which encompassed the entire main floor, and about 15 minutes later we joined our 12:30 loading group to go up to the viewing deck.

What a view!  We circled our way around the observation deck, taking in the city skyline of Seattle, and its metropolitan area. We could see the bay, with all of the piers lined up to the side. We could see capital hill. We could see these gigantic paintings of spiders on the roof of the armory down below. We could see a giant fountain. A park. Downtown. Everything.

Space Needle

Jeremy and Rebecca on the viewing platform of the Space Needle

Seattle from the Space Needle

Space Needle Viewing Deck

Jeremy virtually jumping off of Space Needle

We went back down, done with our first trip up to the space needle. We decided to explore the immediate area because it was a type of center with a lot of museums and areas to look at and explore.

We went down the path and around the block to the giant fountain we could see from the deck. There was loud music playing, a type of dance music with tribal elements. The water was reacting to the music in ways that it would stop shooting up when the music stopped, but otherwise it seemed to do its own thing. The fountain sat in the bottom of this bowl carved into the cement, like one of those things you drop a penny in and watch it go round and round until it drops in the hole in the middle.

International Fountain

We got up and continued walking towards the Mo Pop, the museum of modern pop culture. We took some photos at the Mo Pop. The architecture of the building is very interesting. It’s almost like multiple buildings forged into one.

Jeremy in front of the Museum of Modern Pop Culture

Rebecca in front of the Museum of Modern Pop Culture

We found the park we could see from the Needle, and there was a very tall slide that we wanted to go down. Being the adults we are, we did. This wasn’t your typical park though. We had to climb our way to the top. I videoed Jeremy climbing up this tube of ropes. Once you reach the top you have to turn yourself around and cross a rope bridge. Then you go down the slide. They definitely make you work for your fun!

Jeremy on the playground

After he came out of the slide, I handed over my camera and climbed up the tube. It was quite claustrophobic, considering the tube was probably made for a small child and my womanly ass was trying to climb my way up. While I climbed I imagined a few scenarios of getting stuck and not being able to make it to the top, of falling, and of getting tangled. This did not help.

I made it to the top, and had to struggle to get my ass and adult body up onto the platform. The bridge was scary for me. I hate heights, and a rope bridge isn’t exactly the most sturdy thing in the world. I crossed it anyway, and went down the very tall slide. It was worth it.

Rebecca coming down the slide

We decided to walk down to the piers straight down from the needle. We went into a coffee shop called Uptown Espresso. Jeremy ordered a short espresso. I ordered a cappuccino. Jeremy ended up drinking both.

We walked along the waterside. We came upon a crane that had just caught a fish and got to see it swallow that sucker down. Our timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Crane catching a fish

We got to see the Ferris wheel. We continued walking along the pier through a construction zone and then turned left to go toward Lola’s where we had lunch. We had to walk up a steep hill to get to Lola’s, but the food was very good. Jeremy ordered a lamb burger which was served with chickpea fries and garnishing. I ordered a lamb kebab which was served with these crunchy red potatoes and pita bread. We stuck to waters for lunch. We decided to use the restrooms since the place was obviously well kept. It was the fanciest bathroom I had ever seen.

Jeremy enjoying lunch

Rebecca feeling full from lunch

We walked back down the hill to Pikes Market and we very confused. We couldn’t see the market from where we were, but we were next to the “entrance”. Note to any future travelers, you have to walk down the street a bit, and all of a sudden it transforms into a market place.

Jeremy in front of the sign for Park Place Market

It was very cool seeing everything that was on sale. Jeremy ended up buying a T-shirt with metallic print showing the first Starbucks. There was a lot of fresh seafood for sale, fresh farm produce, and a lot of small touristy shops.

Another note to the future travelers: there is no logical way to navigate Pike Place. There was a lot of of turning around and going back to take a different turn to view more shops.

Pike Place Market

We crossed the street to look at more shops.  We found Starbucks. Of course we went in and ordered coffees and the barista told us about the roastery up the street. It was on the same block as where we were going for Jeremy’s birthday cake, so off we went.

Public Market Center sign from inside Starbucks

We stopped in a few more shops but didn’t buy anything on the way to the roastery.  It was, by far, the coolest Starbucks in existence we have had. I wish they had more places like it, but also knew that wouldn’t be good for our wallets. We bought little espresso mugs and a bag of their whiskey brew, which we got the last bag of.

We went down the block and went into Tango. We sat down, ordered Jeremy’s tres leches cake. I asked the waitress for a candle, and the staff individually wished him a happy birthday. I thought that was very nice. Jeremy made his birthday wish, blew out the candle, and enjoyed his cake.

Jeremy enjoying his birthday cake.

After his cake it was time to visit the space needle again. We walked back to the needle and went up for the evening view. The lights  of the city skyline glowed and we got to enjoy the last bit of the sunset before it went completely dark. We headed down to the Gift Shop and purchased a set of 6 high ball glasses with different scenes of Seattle painted on them.

Space Needle at Night

Jeremy on the Space Needle viewing deck

Seattle at Night

Neither of us were hungry enough for dinner, and we were both tired by the point. We decided to head back to our hotel. After spending some time there, hunger started to hit us.

We went to dinner at a local eatery called The Boiling Crawfish. We ordered the number nine, which included crab, crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, scallops, clams and oysters. We were very, very stuffed on seafood by the time we were done eating.

We took our full bellies back to the hotel, put on Will and Grace, and I fell asleep almost immediately.