The trip began early on the morning after St. Patrick's Day. I'd been at O'Connor's the night before but managed to pull myself from bed in time to catch an 8am flight from JFK. The excellent GALAXY QUEST served as the in-flight movie. I guess the use of the word excellent is stretching things a bit. I was trapped on an airplane. And it was too early in the morning to open the box of McSweeney's #4 I'd gotten Thursday night. A quick thumbing through the Oscar Prediction issue of Entertainment Weekly and I was well on my way to starting the trip in a peaceful manner. My Delta flight touched down in Portland and I spent an hour waiting to make my connecting flight to Seattle. I walked around the airport for a bit and young guy who had a ten hour shift ahead of him decided to search my backpack when I passed through security. I'm not sure what he was hoping too find. It was filled with various camera and power supplies and magazines and no Sharpies. I'd want one of those markers later. I decided to make the trip with a beard and long, shaggy hair. I thought the look would help me fit in with some sort or imagined Pacific Northwest style.

Nicole, my friend from college, picked me up from the airport. It was only 1:30pm, but it felt like 10pm. Well, I now remember it as feeling like 10pm. All that air travel nonsense about jet lag isn't just cliche. My bag was the first off the conveyor belt - I wouldn't be so lucky on my return trip.

Nicole and Sam (who was in New York the week I was in Seattle) live on Capitol Hill. Should I call them hipsters? Sam plays in two bands and Nicole works for a museum. My first introduction to Seattle, other than the amazing view from the freeway was the walk down Broadway (after a much needed lunch and pint at the Elysian Brewery). The guidebook I picked up the next day warned me that I'd run into "more nose rings and goatees on Capitol Hill than anywhere else in the Pacific Northwest." You can add New York's East Village to that list. I just felt like laughing. Where did all this "alternative" nonsense come from? Do people still dye their hair all sorts of crazy clown colors? They do in Seattle. But I can overlook that. Everyone was amazingly friendly.

From Capitol Hill, Nicole and I walked downtown past the Paramount Theatre (Jamie Foxx was to perform the following night!) I got the tour through the Pike Place Market and found myself shocked at the size of the seagulls. I think I wanted to call them pigeons. I hadn't escaped thoughts of being in New York.

It was late afternoon once we found our way to the waterfront and the giant cookies offered by Cinnamon Works were gone for the day. The shops had closed. I was not at all disappointed that I had to settle for a very rich brownie. Nicole and I planned to go out after we got back to her apartment (an apartment with gigantic windows and a view of the Space Needle). I fell asleep at 7:30pm.

	The next day was made up of more touring - overcast skies - and a ferry ride. The start of the day was a trip to Shawn's neighborhood - we met her for a super long brunch at the 14 Carrot.
The long brunch was a result of a packed restaurant and really tasty food - sourdough pancakes! The long wait for food in Seattle had begun. No one seems to be in a hurry and service isn't a priority. Everyone smiles, though.

Next on the list? Pioneer Square.

A quick visit to the Kingdome. Now imploded. I left town a day too early!

The UPS Waterfall park.

Shawn and Nicole prepare for the Ferry Ride to Bainbridge Island. Shawn by giving into my whim to venture into the Doc Marten's Store and Nicole by getting mad at Ms Pac Man for stealing her quarter.

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