Coaching for Pizza: A Solo Day in Seattle, Let's Take a Walk

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

I was on my own for most of today as Mark Johnson had to fly to Sacramento for business for the day, his wife Susie was also working and Laurie was safely back in Camarillo.

Early morning coffee run

Mark always gets up early each day to buy Susie and any guests in their home their favorite Starbuck's coffees.

Since Mark had to leave the house today at 4:30 a.m. to catch his plane at Sea-Tac Airport, I volunteered to get Susie her coffee in his absence.

Of course, I first stopped off at my favorite donut shop in Seattle, Top Pot Doughnuts, for a maple bar to properly start my day.

After getting our two Starbuck's and bidding Susie a good day, I started my day's activities by walking over the Montlake Bridge on my way to the Metro station near Husky Stadium to head downtown.

A single scull on the Montlake Cut

A really old light on the Montlake Bridge

The Metro only cost me $1 as I am a proud Senior Citizen.

BIG clock at my downtown Metro stop

My timing was good as the top attraction on my agenda opened at 10:00 a.m. sharp.

I was now headed, via the Monorail, to the Seattle Center, home to the 1962 Seattle Century 21 World's Fair.

Seattle's iconic Space Needle

was built for the World's Fair

as was the Monorail

My first stop of the day

It was originally known as the Seattle Music Experience and was funded by the late Paul Allen.

The MoPop building was designed by

Frank Gehry

Who the heck are these guys?

Pop culture stars of some sort to be sure.

Crazy confluence of

art and architecture

Gehry definitely thinks

outside the box

The first exhibit that I entered

Liked this poster

If I was a true Pearl Jam fan,

I'd know who this is

But I'm not and I don't.

The second exhibit room

Spooky

Laurie's favorite fantasy movie

NOW we're talking!

Straight from the St. Peter's Basilica

I saw the original in

Milano's Duomo

Splash down

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

He gave me nightmares for days after seeing him on the silver screen back in the early 1950s.

Thanks to my Aunt Katica for taking me to see this seminal horror flick when I was a only seven years old.

Guitar Tower

As I mentioned, this site was originally known as the Seattle Music Experience.

Seattle's own Jimi Hendrix

He once played in our own back yard

Laurie and I saw him in concert at the nearby Seattle Center Arena back in the Spring of 1969.

Another of Seattle's famous bands

I'm with Nirvana on this one

The Hulk

Thor

There was a Marvel Action exhibit open today too.

Much easier than going to Confession

INDY!

A cool building that houses the

Seattle Center's Food Court

Seattle Center's Dancing Fountain

complete with music

A fun place to sit and enjoy on a warm Spring or Summer day.

One last look at Frank Gehry's creation

Back on the Monorail,

I headed back to the

Pike Place Public Market

More Chili Pepper Wreaths

The Pike Place Public Market

was busy today

Another reminder about returning

to Italy soon

One of Seattle's GREAT hidden

coffee shops

Their Mystery Mocha was exceptional!

I was now on Seattle's Waterfront

heading to one of my favorite spots to dine

Wait, could those beans aid you

to jump over Trump's wall some day?

EUREKA!

A cup of clam chowder, an order of fried clams and fries and a Diet Coke, please.

And oh, so good for you too!

After a good lunch, I kept on walking into the heart of Seattle's oldest area, Pioneer Square.

Old meets new

I arrived at Seattle's origins

Chief Sealth was the chief of the local

Suquamish and Duwamish tribes

in the mid-1880s

The corruption of his name became the city's eventual name, Seattle.

The Merchants Cafe on Pioneer Square

offering FIVE CENT Havana cigars!

Damn it, they were closed.

The Smith Tower

Until the 1960s, its 462 foot height and 42 stories mad it the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

Now it only ranks 21st in height in the city of Seattle.

Come give me a hug!

NO WAY BIG BOY,

BACK OFF!

Modern Day Heroes

I love the quirky things on sale

at this vintage sports clothing store

If you are a Japanese Major League

baseball fan, then this is THE place for you

Another random, interesting old building

This Gold Rush is what really

boosted Seattle's economy near

the turn of the 20th Century

Seattle's King Street Train Station

It looked classy inside

This dragon is a reminder that

I was now in the International District

that was Seattle's traditional China Town

Inside of Seattle's Union Station

located just across the tracks from

the previously seen King Street Station

I got back aboard the Metro for the ride back to the University of Washington stop and found that I still had time to walk on campus one more time.

The view of Frosh Pond with

majestic Mount Rainier in the background

I never tire of the sight of the

Henry Suzzalo Library

George Washington

A cool, crisp Fall day on the

UW campus is not to be missed

"The Empire Builder"

He brought the Great Northern Railway all the way out to Seattle in 1889 which helped boost the city both culturally and economically.

This statue of Hill is on the UW campus where he once made the keynote speech at the opening of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition that was held at what is now the campus of the University of Washington.

These four columns were part of

the UW's original building in

downtown Seattle

They are seen here at the campus' idyllic Sylvan Theater.

Lafayette Memorial at the same

Sylvan Theater

As fate would have it, we are going to see the Lafayette Leopards play an American football game at West Point, New York against Army's Black Knights on Saturday.