Sean and I have liked Seattle ever since we first visited with Kathrin in 2012. As far back as our flight through SEA-TAC to get to Glacier National Park, we’d talked about wanting to return for a proper visit, particularly since Kathrin now lived there. The previous year, I’d just barely spent a little time in Seattle proper (although I’d driven through it a few times on that trip). Now it was time for me to sit down, stay a while, stay a week and a half, with multiple friends.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023, Patrick and I checked out of our Bellingham AirBnB and headed south through Seattle to SEA-TAC. He had toyed with going somewhere else—San Francisco, Alaska—but had decided to head home to Chicago.
After I dropped him off, I circled back into the city to do a little work before checking into the townhouse I’d call home for the next eleven days.
Located where Queen Anne slopes down to the western shore of Lake Union, the townhouse had killer views out over the lake.
And there was Rainier, beckoning me as I gaped at it from the private roof deck.
I was very excited to share this space with Sean, Andy, Dan, and Angela. That evening, after unloading groceries to get us started, I talked to Sean while he packed at home in Chicago and I unpacked in Seattle.
Next morning, Thursday, July 27, 2023, I worked a little before heading down to SEA-TAC to pick up Andy and Sean.
Back at the townhouse, they dropped their things, and we set off on the walk down the hill and over the bridge to Fremont to get some lunch.
We wandered around looking at the sights, which included, bafflingly, a piece of the Berlin Wall.
And of course the Fremont Bridge Troll.
Later on, we scoped out Gas Works Park before meeting up with Kathrin and James at Livbud for a really great dinner.
Back at the townhouse, we three guys caught up on episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds before bed.
Next day, Friday, July 28, 2023, was a tourist day for us. Kathrin drove down to the townhouse, and the four of us walked down to South Lake Union and then downtown, ending up at Pike Place Market. Andy, who had never been to Seattle before, needed to say he’d been to the Market.
We lunched, wandered up to Capitol Hill, hit Elliott Bay Books, shopped a bit. Sean and I found an amazing blue leather and wood armchair that is now in our apartment…
Back at the townhouse, James joined us for take out Mexican and cocktails around the fireplace on the rooftop.
Later Sean curated some music videos of new music that the gays and the youths were listening to that summer (“Padam” and “Rush”).
Next day, Saturday, July 29, 2023, we rode a boat. In the morning, James and Kathrin came over and we headed to the downtown waterfront to catch a water taxi across Elliott Bay to Alki, still in the city but directly across the bay from downtown.
Andy gets motion sickness, so he stood facing forward on the front of the boat during the brief crossing. And he did just fine.
On the other side we got lunch from a Hawaiian place near the dock, and then we walked around the point to Alki Beach.
Instead of walking back to the dock, we rented Lime Scooters (Andy rented a Lime bicycle). We all had fun, but Sean in particular loved it.
Back on the mainland, we walked a few blocks to see the magnificent new Central Library building.
Then we headed back to the townhouse, dropped our stuff, and walked on down the hill to Fremont.
Our dinner destination was Dreamland, with tiki drinks, great food, and a gay-adjacent vibe.
Sean’s drink came served in a koala!
Afterward, we met up with Malia at a wine and cocktail bar a few blocks away.
Next day, Sunday, July 30, 2023, Sean, Andy, and I took a Lyft over to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture on the campus of the University of Washington. We met up with Kathrin and James for an early lunch at Off the Rez, an Indigenous restaurant that began as a food truck and now had a physical location at the Burke. Braised bison tacos and frybread? Yes please.
The museum was fantastic. Although small by the standards of Chicago’s Field Museum, it was beautifully laid out and well-curated. I particularly liked that the research areas were visible through floor-to-ceiling windows so that the public could see the scientists at work.
After the museum, we took the train up to James and Kathrin’s neighborhood to see their house. We snacked on charcuterie on their back deck and met Kathrin’s Crow friends.
Later on back at the townhouse, Andy, Sean, and I had pizza, watched Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and packed our things for the following day’s adventure on Mount Rainier.