Seattle Travel Notes

It's a serious policy of mine to never enter a skyscraper whose base is considerably smaller than the rest of it. Nice architectural design for daredevils though.

Tired of knitting tea cozies? How about knitting cozies for sidewalk railings? I found some similar knit accoutraments on some trees in the Key Plaza but forgot to photograph the evidence of Seattle's more interesting urban craft projects.

Is this a city-wide project or the work of some insane insomniac?

The Westin Hotel buildings: I love these round buildings but had the uncomfortable random thought run through my head as I took this picture that they looked an awful lot like twin towers. Did anyone stay there yesterday and feel a little nervous twinge?

I kept courting the desire to freak the living shit out of my scared-of-heights self by going up the Space Needle. I circled it at the bottom, had determined to be the brave woman I know I am, and then saw that it would cost me $14.00 to make myself want to vomit. That is something I would only be OK about if I happened to be bulemic. Since my fear of vomiting is second only to my fear of heights, it seemed almost like I'd have to be sado masochistic to do that to myself. I don't enjoy pain much either I decided I was fine just taking pictures of it from the safety of the ground.

This is a costume/party shop mostly featuring "Playboy" brand play clothes (DD breasts required). I looked for a fake Clarke Gable style mustache for BBQ Bob, but all they had were Hugh Hefner masks and fake chest hair. I would rather let Bob continue in his girly-man style than make him into the gross kind of man who prefers playmates with a sick twist of animal parts symbolizing their sexuality. (What's up with that anyway? No, wait, I don't actually want to know.)

This is the Pike's Place Farmer's Market. It was as crowded as the street market Philip and I went to in Tel Aviv. To swim against the tide of people is to perform a little emotional suicide. It was packed with people. I really enjoyed it. I listened to my headphones and just went with the flow. There were incredible dahlias and more produce than I've ever seen in one place.

Lots of fresh fish too. I hope none of it was caught right out in the bay. That water doesn't seem the least bit fresh. I really liked this sign. I'd like it in my house even though I hate seafood.


Some more random observations and travel notes:

• Uncomfortable thought while looking out on the freeway from the airport shuttle: How many of us right here will be dead within the year?

• Uncomfortable thought while walking through the Seattle Airport: If I start screaming and thrashing around right here, I will create mass panic.

• Note to self: When flying Alaska Air, notice that they assign seats or you will be publicly shamed.

• Alaska Air celebrates old time flying styles such as the use of seat cushions as flotation devices; outdoor walks along the tarmac to rickety stairs up to the airplane door, after which you will be publicly shamed for taking someone else's assigned seat. (This must be their way of punishing people for flying with Southwest where seats are never assigned.)

• I am a person with a high proportion of uncomfortable thoughts in my head.

• I like Seattle but I actually think Portland has more style and beauty. Someone at the trade show was saying how he likes both cities but that Portland was like Seattle with an inferiority complex. Interesting assessment.

• Right before catching the shuttle back to the airport I went to the MAC counter in Nordstrom. A very pretty, super nice lady helped me pick out a bunch of new make-up. I haven't bought any for quite a while. My new purchases included two lip glosses: a new item on the airport contraband list. I unwittingly smuggled my dangerous lip gloss through security (I forgot I had them until I was drinking a bland Bass ale in the airport bar, by then it was too late to turn them in.) How did they not see the lip glosses in the x-ray machines? If they're going to go to so much trouble to make airtravel so tedious, the least they can do is actually notice when illegal items travel past their noses. Although, on second thought, that lip gloss was expensive, I'm glad they didn't take it away!

• On the car ride home Max had some interesting thoughts on his mind. Max: "What if salt water was made of spiders?"

• Max: "What if it rained snakes?" (doesn't that sound biblical?) Philip: "I wouldn't like that." Max: "Well, what if it was garter snakes? Would that be OK?"