Why is this filed under “digital pity”? Because I don’t have any reliable Internet access! Oh, sure, I can go to a Starbucks and pay $6/hour for it. I could walk seven or eight blocks to the public library for it. Hell, I can even walk to Kells for it, but I can’t get a lock on an Access Point from my temporary apartment and DSL/Cable seems to be a special request, and that’s irksome. That’s why it’s under “digital pity”.
And now for some observations of my first 24 hours in downtown Seattle:
No one knows me here, offering me an anonymity that I’ve never had in CT. That’s sorta neat, actually.
Beer costs the same and is just as tasty.
Good pizza is hard to come by, it seems – saw a place today that serves “Italian or Mexican!”… *sigh*
There’s a local gelato place a block from where I am – and yes, they make their own gelato – that is better than any I had on the east coast or in Vegas. It was on par with what I had in Italy, but without the body search by Customs.
The Japanese food is better here, too, especially when there is a place that serves it in your building and allows you to go there in your slippers, if need be.
Delis aren’t as bad as I thought they would be, which is a bonus.
Tully’s is just as present in downtown as Starbucks is.
If New England gave you three seasons in a week, Seattle gives you every “normal” weather condition in a day: sunny, mostly/partly sunny, mostly/partly cloudy, and some scattered light showers. Nippy if the sun is hidden; hot if it’s not.
No hot women take the bus here either, making a case that it’s a universal constant. At least they don’t on the weekend… more research might be needed.
Tourists still love the Public Market.
The ocean water moves a total of four degrees between all four seasons [I picked that up from a bloke on the plane yesterday, but it make sense given how far north I am]
It’s still wicked light out, at 9pm.
Having two peep show type bars within walking distance is just as much a temptation as the nudie bar that I used to live near in Derby [at least it was a temptation until they threw me out one random night, the wankers]
The gelato place also serves affigato di gelato, which allows me to taunt my sister endlessly.
People here walk only when the cross walk sign tells them too.
The Public Market closes at 6 on Saturdays.
I will be buying beer after 8pm and on a Sunday, just because I can.
There’s a random store in the Public Market that sells single shoes – as opposed to a pair – but their current inventory didn’t help to balance out my footwear collection. [Long story that – if you have to ask, it won’t make sense!]
I have jet lag, for the first time in my life. And it pisses me off because I’ve been out here countless times and didn’t have jet lag. I’ve been to Milan and Hong Kong: no jet lag. I move to the west coast and have jet lag.
I blame the jet lag on the lack of exercise last week – I need to find the fitness room for Monday morning.
Pizza Bear in Bellevue supposedly has “Real New Haven Pizza”
Now THAT needs to be looked into.
Happy landing!
But do the delis sell Boar’s Head? It was something we had withdrawl for until they opened a Lowes Foods that carries it here in NC.
And what about bread? Good bakeries with decent rolls (Portugeuse preferred) are not to be found here, as is fresh seafood.
Funny some of the little things you take for granted.
Best wishes for much happiness and success!
@Steve – Pizza Bear seems to have won awards for their “thin crust pizza” so there MIGHT be something there.
@Kevin – Hm. I’ll have to look into Boar’s Head stuff but I do know that the deli in my current building is pretty top notch. I did ask for a hard roll yesterday but the worker mentioned that by Sunday night, they always had a bread shortage. As to the rest of the “sandwich” stuff, I actually have another entry in the hopper that goes a bit deeper into that :)
In your travels, you should see if you can find one of these:
http://www.wesh.com/technology/3417537/detail.html
I bet it will piss you off! :-)
Boar’s Head: got it. It’s actually offered in the small deli that’s attached to my building. Also bought a bottle of beer from them ON A SUNDAY. *dance of joy*
As to the iCommode, I’ll piss on it until they get a patch out for it, making the door close quicker :D
Although you can buy beer on Sunday, you can’t buy vodka or any other hard alcohol :( Welcome to Seattle, and to MSDN, Randy!
@Laura – Thanks ;) I heard about that, actually… state run liquor stores for the hard stuff? New York had a similar setup too, where beer and wine were separate from other alcohol but hell: if you can get enough beer, you won’t care much about the restictions!