Labor Day Weekend

I got here just in time to get a long weekend off!

On Saturday the 4th, I got up and braved the process of getting license plates for the Cruiser. I had braved the Department of Licensing for my driver's license the day before. Yes, you get your license and your plates from two different sources here. I will say, that the wait wasn't as long either place as I've had at the DMV in California without an appointment. All in all, not too bad an experience. The other funny thing is that when you go to get your license plates, they give them to you right then and there. No waiting for them to arrive in the mail at a later date!

The evening of the 4th, Lisa and Linda took me out for my birthday to a wonderful little restaurant called Julia's in Wallingford. We poked around the streets after dinner and found what may be the most profound piece of wisdom I've seen in some time; certainly since I've arrived in Seattle:

On Sunday we poked around Capitol Hill--had beignets at Oddfellows, browsed Elliott Bay Books, made my first visit to a Value Village, and then went to Volunteer Park.

Fremont Street Market, Lake Union, and the Ballard Locks

Sunday the 28th was a full day. It started out with the Fremont Street Market. I'd been before, and it appears to have actually grown since the last time I was there. Lots of typical vendor-type stuff--jewelry, food, art, and some antiques. It didn't take too long to make our way through that, and someone gave us a flyer for an "ice-cream cruise" on Lake Union while we were there. So we decided to head that direction.

After negotiating one-way streets, no turns allowed, and "closed for construction" obstacles, we finally made our way to the dock just in time to catch the 2 o'clock sailing. It was a fun little cruise. We went past Gas Works Park, saw a lot of houseboats, including the one from Sleepless in Seattle, and the orange soda float was yummy too. Following that, we still had time, energy, and daylight left, so it was off to the Ballard Locks!

The building with the circle around it is where I work. :-)

The Quest for Carolyn's of the Pacific Northwest

For those of you who know my love of Carolyn's Cafe, the quest has been on since I got here to find a suitable substitute.

The first week I was up here I found a place only a block away that touted the best hollandaise in existence. I tried it. They lied. I won't be going back. Besides, they don't carry Dr. Pepper and the service just wasn't friendly. I know...I can't hold everyone to the same level of friendliness and service as Carolyn's, but c'mon--could you at least smile?

I tried a different place the following weekend and it was ok. The service was fine. The food was pretty good. I might go back. We'll see.

There is a place that I went to on one of my trips up here during the past couple of years called the Buzz Inn. It's pretty good. The people are nice and the food is pretty good. It's a bit of a drive to the closest one--not like the mile to Carolyn's from my last place of residence. I won't go to the Buzz Inn every weekend like I did Carolyn's, but I'll probably go back again. At some point.

Suffice it to say, the quest continues.

Miscellaneous thoughts

A friend of mine sent me a text and asked, "What have you gone to see?"

My response: "So far, a couple of parks, some good restaurants, an art fair, and IKEA."

I've now visited IKEA twice. Pretty sure it'll be several more times before this is all said and done. I gotta work on this guest room...

More weekend stuff

So, my idea about this blog was to tell stories and show pictures of some of the things I get to do now that I've moved up here. The apartment is great, the job is great, and as I've told numerous friends over my lifetime, I work to live--I don't live to work. That's not to say that my job is not important, and I am THRILLED to have a job that enabled me to move up here, but when it boils right down to it, it's about the weekends. Right? (My friend Joel will argue this with me, but I think he's beginning to learn.)

The weekend of the 20th I joined my friends Lisa, Linda, and Alicia (Lisa's niece--still in town) for a visit to an art show -- Fresh Paint: Festival of Artists at Work -- at the Port of Everett Marina. Following that, we drove through the city in search of some of the pianos that were located on the streets for a thing called "Street Tunes". Here are some pictures from that day...

Yes, this one is in honor of my little Ted whose little head I miss terribly. By the way, if he's making money on Teddy's bags, where is it??!?

The Job

I started the new job on the 16th of August. It was the start of the new pay period, so it made sense to do it that way. I am located on the University of Washington campus. I took some pictures from my desk with my phone camera. From the 18th floor.

I am the Data Manager for an organization that specializes in research and strategy for improving child welfare. I'm working with a great bunch of people and having a good time doing it. And the view isn't half bad either, eh?

The first weekend

Nicole and I took a break from unpacking on the Monday before I started work and went for a drive. She was really terrific about showing me the main streets and educating me on how the numbers work, which is pretty straightforward--and also which streets change names at which point and get me where I want to go. I'm getting used to the NW/NE/SW/SE designations and I'm getting pretty good at finding my way home. Probably the most important thing to know.

We drove around the Greenlake area, had a late lunch at Duke's Chowder House, but before that we went to a park along the beach--I'm pretty sure it's called Golden Gardens. I took some pictures.

As you can see (for you naysayers and bah-humbug-it-rains-all-the-time-in-Seattle folks), it was a beautiful day!