Author: leh

Seattle Day Three: Downtown

[rDay363 / Seattle Day Three / Tuesday]

I’m stuck in my fantasies; I don’t know whether I would want to live in the Seattle Library (they might not allow that) or in one of the old hotels/apartments in the International District. Or in the warehouse and industrial area of Ballard where I saw the gaggle of old Volvos.

20160322-DSC_8028

So on the day of our visit to Velouria, we continued to walk around downtown. One of the highlights was lunch at the deli at Uwajimaya (where we shared a table with Jeffrey, who invited us to sample his pickled radish.).   

Seattle Day Three: The 522 Express

[rDay363 / Seattle Day Three / Tuesday]

Think it’s problematic photographing out a car window? Try a Sound Transit bus.

So Kim & I get up early, walk in the drizzle from the motel to the bus stop suggested the day before by Ivi. It’s the 522 Woodinville Express, or something like that, running from Bothell to downtown Seattle in just over thirty minutes. Only $1 for seniors.

Seattle Day Three: Velouria

[rDay363 / Seattle Day Three / Tuesday]

Velouria (I almost always hear in my head Ray Davies’ “Victoria” from the 1969 Kinks song; go ahead, sing along) was a must-do destination during last week’s Seattle junket.

We took the express bus from Bothell (more about that adventure later) and walked up and down the hills of downtown Seattle, eventually meeting up with ever-beautiful and always-gracious Chika and her most excellent store (the brick-and-mortar part of the operation).

Now,  shopping for clothing and jewelry and “stuff” is not normally for me — inspecting the Lamborghini parked down the block was more like my thing — but Velouria is special. It is like an art installation … and it is. Everything makes you want to stop and look more closely. I was especially drawn to the photo-miniatures and the Airstream charm, but there were zillions of other objects that cried out to be gifted.  We couldn’t resist coming home with some goodies.

Do it: Shop Velouria!  Also on Instagram and FB, and probably elsewhere.  And in case you missed it, Velouria was the subject of a recent Seattle TV piece.

Seattle Day One: First Contact & Relating

[rDay361 / Seattle Day 01 / Sunday]

As soon as we secure our lodgings in Bothell, we make cell contact with Ivi, plug in the GPS and set sail down the freeway and across the streets to Seattle, the Ballard District, specifically. Ivi is on the corner to flag us in. We disembark, then make for the gathering spot of the Seattlites, the famous Duplex, where Ivi tells us that she has cooked up a fast meal for all. Everything has to move along quickly, as Melissa is about to head out to prep for her theatre performance (and Kim and I will see her there a bit later). In the meantime …

Here we take a look around The Duplex and its custom remodel by artists/designers Chika & Jared, undoubtedly made possible with the input of Lisle.

Then Jared takes us on a tour of his incredible workshop — the HQ of Small Crafts Studio, established after his stint as a founder/principal of Tactile.

Next, Rohit tells us about his latest adventures in his architect life and shows us around the house occupied by himself & Melissa & Ivi.

Seattle Day One: Hitting the Road

[rDay361 / Seattle Day 01 / Sunday]

We said adios to Charlie-Wag, then hit the road early in the morning. Exercising the usual windshield photography, practicing back-button focus on the way. Landed in Bothell mid-afternoon. All photos here were seen through the windshield or side window, or into a mirror. Helps pass the time. Stay tuned for the next step, but don’t expect anything to necessarily be in chrono order.