Remember The Time

“Do you remember the time, when we fell in love…?”

In keeping with our “S” place themed vacations, Gloria and I got to enjoy a 4 day trip to Seattle at the end of January. We found a great deal with our flight via American Airlines, and stayed at the Doubletree by Hilton – Seattle, thanks to Chisom’s recommendation. The hotel gives delicious complimentary chocolate chip cookies!

The landing was quite scary. After flying in circles for nearly 30 extra minutes because of the haze, the pilot let us all know that he was cleared for landing. Somehow, he cut through all of the haze and fog and suddenly we hit ground. It must have taken some skill to get us down safely. After some time waiting for the shuttle, we were on our way.

We started our exploration immediately after a quick meal. The first stop was the Seattle Art Museum. The light rail public transportation system is very efficient. Getting around the city without a car is entirely possible.
The museum was quite interesting. I always enjoy a good display, and Seattle’s museum did not disappoint.

After the museum, we took a stop across the street to try some of Fran’s Chocolates. Their salted caramels were fantastic.

There was even an entire face made of chocolate. I wonder how long it took to make…

During the evening, and in general when it is not so foggy (which seems to be rare), Seattle is quite the beautiful city with very nice views.

Our next stop was to eat at Cellars Grill and Lounge. Gloria had some dinners and events planned for the trip, with some nice Google offers and deals. I went with the Classic Cheese Burger with a side of fries and a long island iced tea. They make the long islands strong here.

The next morning was incredibly foggy as expected. Just to show how foggy Seattle can get:

It was time for a quick breakfast before venturing out more. On a whim, we decided to stop at Dave’s Diner. I was VERY happy with this choice. I decided to go big for breakfast and get the Mother Lode, which consists of and 11 oz. chicken fried steak, gravy, two eggs, and a biscuit. I added hash browns for a truly great breakfast.

After a brief rest at the hotel and checking out the heated pool and hot tub, it was off to see the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra.

Before the performance, we had some extra time to spend at the famous Pike Place Market. There were so many food choices, people, and things to try and see here. It was quite amazing, and overwhelming.

Texas sized treats. This place also had very tasty cookies.

The actual orchestra performance was very exciting, and one of the better ones that I have seen.

We then decided to stop by the Space Needle just to at least see it up close. Many of the locals warned that it is a just a tourist trap and not to spend money/too much time there.

Eventually it was time for dinner. We had a reservation at Tinello. I went with Rudy’s Red pasta with meatballs. Unfortunately, Gloria’s meal was not enjoyable for her.

There was no real plan for the final day. We happened to be in the city the day of the NFC Championship Game, Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers. Andy and Prateek also were around and visiting Seattle this same weekend (nice coincidence), so we went to The Westin Hotel for drinks and to watch the game. I was thinking of getting tickets for Gloria and myself, but in the end I couldn’t justify the $1500 per ticket for a reasonable seat.

Finishing off at a local Thai restaurant, Gloria and I went back to the hotel, as our flight back to Dallas was early in the morning and the city was way too hype about the victory over the 49ers for us to stay out in all of the craziness. This trip was very nice.

Gloria’s Pic Stitch:

Overall, I might like San Francisco the most of all the places Gloria and I have visited so far. We will see how that changes though, with the next trip coming this summer to Ibiza, Spain. Well that’s all for now. Next post: birthday celebrations, my experience mentoring a beginner programming class, and SXSW. Until then.

Song of the post: Michael Jackson – Remember the Time (Funk LeBlanc Remix). I’ve always felt certain songs shouldn’t be touched, but this remix…is really good. Enjoy.