Seattle, a city of alternatives

Mike has challenged me to post less food related columns and delve into other areas...be careful what you ask for.

Saw this story in today's news headlines:
"Very important lesson for drug traffickers: Do not store your half-ton of weed in the backseat of your car.
A Brazilian drug smuggler did just that, police say, and the man was killed when he crashed into a tree while being chased by police ... because the 1,100 pounds of weed came barreling forward and crushed him against the steering wheel."

While in Seattle, we saw a couple of alternative ways to obtain your "legal" herb of choice that may not be as hazardous.  I am not condoning it, just sharing that the pioneer spirit of the Northwest is alive and well.

To your door delivery, let someone else take the risk.

Or get it delivered via a special VW Cani-bus.  

Seattle Sunset Supper, August 16, 2013

Aside from the Space Needle, I suspect the second-most iconic landmark of Seattle is the Pike Place Market.  It was the first farmer's market established in Seattle back in 1907, a long time before the farm to table movement that is fashionable today.  It is open 362 days a year and boasts a most colorful mix of fruits and vegetables, meat and fish and tourist kitsch which draws hoards of tourists and locals alike who can shake the hand of the farmer, butcher, fishmonger, beekeeper or baker selling their goods.

Each year the Pike Place Market Foundation hosts a fund-raising event called the Sunset Supper to support the various services provided to the farmers and their families who work in the market. On one summer evening in August each year the market closes early, the streets are closed, tents are raised and 1,200 guests attend an eating, drinking and dancing extravaganza.  Tickets for the charitable event run from $60 to $100 per person.

The event is largely supported by volunteers.  When we lived in Seattle, Mike and I volunteered for 3 or 4 years and had a great experience.  Part of the benefit of volunteering, a 3-4 hour shift, was you were able to attend the event for free or more recently due to the economy, at a discounted rate.  When we arrived in Seattle this month I emailed the volunteer coordinator and let her know that there were two seasoned volunteers available for her use.  She politely declined and said she would keep our names if cancellations occurred.  Wonder of wonders, a couple of days before the event some volunteers flaked out and there were two slots for Sponsor Tent Set-Up vacant.  We checked out calendar and low and behold we were available to fill in.:-)

We picked up and donned our "volunteer" t-shirts at the appointed time.  The expected and historic chaos of managing over 100 volunteers was evident at the beginning of our shift soon became organized and effective.  We set up tables, chairs, distributed linens, glasses and gift bags and iced copious amounts of beer and wine.  Mike had a near incident with a fellow volunteer in a "lead" t-shirt during the linen distribution process who thought she was speaking to her 13 year old son.  I was proud of his restraint.

The first part of the shift is always fun as tourists pass by and inquire about the event and what is happening. It is still a proud moment to be part of the event and explain the purpose and value to the community even though we don't live here anymore.

The holy grail of volunteering at this event is that you get an early shift which allows you to attend the event in the first half hour which is reserved for the "Sponsor Only" ticket holders.  This early entry gets the lucky few the ability to visit the best tents before it gets very crowded.  The vendors are extremely generous and creative with their donated gourmet tapas sized comestibles and wine and liquor pourings.  Salmon and other Northwest favorites have a strong presence.  My personal favorite this year was a rosemary lavender ice cream although everything tasted amazing.

As with all the other years we attended, the night was magical.  The weather was perfect.  The food, wine, distilled spirits and of course Starbucks flowed freely for 4 hours. We were stuffed, slightly inebriated and enjoying the cover band by the stars looking out over Puget Sound by 10 pm.  A nice walk home, no cab needed, made it a perfect ending to the night.  If you live here and haven't done it, volunteer or buy a ticket.  It is fun and good for the community.

Zoo Tunes

Seattle has a lovely zoo.  It is situated quite near the city, an urban wooded oasis.  Each summer, there is an evening concert series (Zoo Tunes) planned in a large green meadow that is located within the zoo grounds.  The zoo closes a little early and families stream in with picnics, lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy good music under the stars.

We had attended several of these concerts over the years we lived in Seattle, so wisely Mike had pre-purchased tickets for Trombone Shorty for August 7th. We had seen Trombone Shorty once before at the Portland Blues Festival and knew they were a jammin' band.  He describes himself as a "Vocalist, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, philanthropist. Hard-edged funk, hip-hop beats, rock dynamics and improvisation in a jazz tradition."   I can't speak for his  philanthropy but his funk is on par w/ James Brown.

On this night, we were treated to a bonus because JJ Grey & Mofro was the warm up band for Trombone Shorty.  JJ Grey's band is from Jacksonville, FL.  It was a perfect, breezy Seattle summer night that that took us right down through the French Quarter on a party float.  Add them both to your playlist and you will not be disappointed.

When you turn 50, you get two posts

The day of Mike on August 21st began with a homemade pancake breakfast with two toppings and bacon.  Topping 1 was a pureed blackberry syrup I made from some of the remaining seasonal berries available from the farmer's market.  Topping 2 was a caramelized bourbon syrup recipe that we had on our list to try.  Who would not enjoy, butter, brown sugar and bourbon melted down to a rich amber glaze.  It was not 5 o'clock anywhere, but we ate it atop our hotcakes.  I did not have a candle to light for his birthday wish, but the breakfast was enjoyed fully without it.

Bob's Red Mill pancake mix made fluffy, substantial pancakes.

For those of you worried about our caloric intake and my obsession with food blogs, after such a large breakfast we skipped lunch in preparation for a special birthday dinner.

We did however walk downtown at lunch time to listen to some live music.  Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys played a rockin; set of roots and country swing.  Not the type of music we would normally go listen to but these guys had the audience dancing and every foot tapping.

Outdoor concert in the courtyard on a sunny Seattle afternoon.

Staples and Fancy is a simple italian-inspired restaurant, one of several establishments owned by local chef Ethan Stowell.  One of the unique options at this restaurant is a chef's choice "Fancy" menu which provides a multi-course feast of seasonal dishes just for your table on that night. It was a reasonably priced option so we agreed to put ourselves in the hands of the chef.  The restaurant, located in Ballard is in a funky old building with an exposed brick interior and an open kitchen where you can see the food being prepared.  

After the server opened our "special" bottle of Amarone we brought with us, the family-style meal began with several tasty appetizers.

Arriving right on time after the final ceasar salad leaf had been delightfully consumed came a bowl of homemade pasta with a salty pork red sauce...they had me at salty pork. It was delicious.

The main course was a beautifully prepared and presented plate of seared sea scallops.  They were large, perfectly crusted on both sides and sweet as lobster or crab. I know they are known for their pork and beef entrees which were not part of the chef's tasting menu on this night, but neither of us felt like we were missing out because the scallops were just that damn good.  Of course there was a birthday dessert for the birthday boy.  A fig tart topped with gelato with candle arrived to top off the meal.

Thanks to all of you who called (some who sang), e-mailed and sent birthday cards and wishes.

Back to the Emerald City

We left Portland on a gray, rainy day.  It was the only one we experienced the whole time we were there.  The rain did not stop us from trying one more of Portland’s well known breakfast diners, Byways Café.  My biscuits and gravy and Mike’s omelet were more than worth the walk there and back in the misty rain.

3 or so hours later we arrived at our old stomping grounds in Seattle.  It feels both comfortable and strange to be back.  The city looks pretty much the same, but with more traffic and silhouettes of cranes reaching into the sky.   The city seems vibrant and booming which is great to see.  We are looking forward to revisiting some of our old restaurant favorites (Top Pot Donuts, Red Mill Burgers and Salumi) as well as finding some new ones while here. 

We unpacked and settled into our new digs for August in Belltown.  Our little one bedroom loft condo is well-located only 2 blocks from the Space Needle.  It has a very cool rooftop deck with deck chairs, an umbrella and 2 gas grills.  We missed grilling, so we will take advantage while here.  Belltown is a little gritty by Seattle standards, not a tourist destination, but more of a “pass-through” while traversing between the landmarks of Pike Place Market and the Space Needle.  

View from rooftop deck.

On our second night, we walked to a free music concert at the Mosaic Park at the foot of the Space Needle.  Despite the drizzle earlier in the day, there was a generous audience turnout and 3 great bands.