Clarasong ~ You made me go look it up (JCMSUP), lol!
So are these the correct streets?
James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion, Madison, Spring, Seneca, University, Union, & Pike? There's two of each letter except J & P, interesting.

Serendipity42

67 at Edgewater sounds great! We're going to head out right now for their happy hour, thanks!

Serendiupity - it's Pike and Pine. Two P's!

Two J's as well - Jefferson, James.

Okay okay, I can't read a map <G>
Thanks! I will never again get lost in downtown Seattle :)

Serendipity42

Peteandem- We had a smashingly amazing time at Edgewater's lounge, bar 67. We sat outside and it was a brilliant afternoon. We watched the cruise ships leave and parasailing and sea lions frolicking. The happy hour was great; we had the shrimp cocktail and fish and chips with beer and pineapple infused vodka/sake martini. I loved the fusion of modern with natural elements. Such unique decor! We then strolled through Belltown and SO had to stop again for a "15 minute" happy hour at Cellars. That was fun as well because a couple of ladies at the next table overheard us talking about how great Seattle is and how we'd like to move here and they tried to talk us out of it. We had a fun lively discussion with them before dashing off to get to Shrek the musical on time. The show was really fun. Great sets and talent. It was best in the parts where it strayed from the original movie. The skeleton dancing scene is noteworthy. Lord Farquad was spotlessly fabulous. We are enamored with Seattle and I made the observation that Seattleites appear stylish without artifice. You don't see the evidence of surgerization here that we do in Southern California. It is a great visual contast for us.

Ncounty,

Glad to hear you're enjoying as I did when visiting Seattle back in June. I totally can see why you were drawn to move there; I felt if I had been in my 20s and still ungrounded (I have a stable, happy life and job here in Montreal now), Seattle is somewhere I would have like to have settled (se(a)ttled?:)).

DANIEL

Sounds like a wonderful evening, nccounty. :)

Speaking of the two women who were trying to talk you out of moving there, there was a great old grumpy columnist named Emmett Watson (you'll see his Oyster Bar if you wander around Post Alley) who started the Lesser Seattle movement back in the 80's. Also known as Keep the Bastards Out, it aimed to prevent Seattle being taken over by Californians. Didn't work. :D

lol.....yes, the cynic in me quipped to SO after he said that as we left they were talking about what a cute couple we were that they were probably from the Prevent Seattle Growth committee. They said they get 9 months of gloomy dreary weather and everyone wants to move there on a day like today but come back in December and see what we think.

Well, we're off to explore Capitol Hill today and then Bumbershoot.

I'd bet those people were not Seattle natives, rather transplants themselves! I say we have great weather here. It's green & clean, an interesting climate, no terrible extremes of heat or snow. Fresh air off the ocean/sound.

I packed up & drove my car cross-country on a whim of "wanting to live in Seattle" and I'm still here 25+ years later. One of the smarter things I ever did in my life -lol!

ncountry~ I'm glad you're having so much fun here in Seattle!! thanks for the posts.

Yeah, it's dreary here much of the time, but it's great INDOOR weather, and folks don't mind if it's we...we go prepared. We have family who live in different parts of California and they would move home in a minute, should they get the chance..

"unhappy transplants who came here unhappy and stayed unhappy" said SO, lol. They were friendly enough though. It was fun being right in your neck of the woods Suze. Belltown is cool. Have you been to the Cellars? We had fun there.

Today we walked all the way to Capitol Hill. I think it was five miles. We were told by those ladies it was only half a mile up the hill. We were walking from Fairmont hotel area. We walked up Olive Way through a very seedy neighborhood and ended up having Brunch at B&O espresso; nice dining room. Best thing we had was the Greek custard pastry at the end but it definitely needed the whipped cream I asked for on the side. We then walked through the lovely homes on Harvard and Boylston, etc. fantasizing about having the cute little cottage needing total renovation sandwiched between gorgeous tudor mansions. Amazing view! Heading out for Bumbershoot now, will we ever make it there?!!!

I'm glad you enjoyed Six Seven, we loved this place for breakfast each morning when we stayed at the Hotel Edgewater for 3 nights. ***kim*** ((#))

ncountry....I came here when I was 19, and have travelled the world, lived lots of different places, and I always, always come back here.

It's been many a year. My heart is here, my children were born here, and no matter what happens, here is where I want to be buried in days to come. The soft air, views, vistas, dark nights, bright days, quiet moments, green trees, water, mountains, city lights, winds, storms, and summer lazy days....who needs more....I love it here.

Well, we certainly can see the charm of Seattle and everything there is to love about it. We had happy hour at the Waterfront Grill right on the water at Pier 70 (?) and had another spectacular dusk with stunning views and gracious service as we enjoyed our beers and mushroom quesadilla. My legs are so weary....we walked all day and walked after dinner from Pier 70 to the Bainbridge ferry site then back to our hotel. The bookstore/library bar at the Alexis hotel looked very enticing but weariness and the comfort of bed was calling even louder. Tomorrow, we may take a water taxi to West Seattle to check out the neighborhoods there....Alki, Admiral, Fauntleroy. I don't know how much we can see on foot but just the ferry ride will be worth doing. We then have lunch reservations at Matt's at the Market at 12:30pm and fly out later in the afternoon. It is a breathtaking city especially when the weather has been as glorious as these last few days.

Hi ncounty - West Seattle is/was my hood. It's great! You can take a shuttle from the water taxi dock up into the neighborhoods at the top of the hill (Admiral, the Junction), and walk down to the water if you're game. Fauntleroy is awfully far to walk but you can definitely get a bus. If you go that direction, you must have lunch at Endolyne Joes - up the hill south of the Vashon ferry term.

ncounty~ My office is in Belltown.
In fact the lot next to Cellars is where I park during the week. Haven't been as it's a new restaurant, not quite on anyone's radar yet (so many other good and favorite places nearby).

And I live on Capitol Hill.
Capitol Hill *is* only a mile from downtown... it just seems like 5 miles because of the hills (haha). Actually Capitol Hill is a fairly large geographic area so from the Fairmont could be anywhere from 1/2 to about 3-4 miles walking and still be on some part of "the Hill".

Don't bother daydreaming too much about property on Capitol Hill. Even those shacks are worth a 1/2 mil! Seriously ;-)

Okay, I'll start daydreaming about a loft in Pioneer Square then! I hear they are still affordable. I am sure we must have done the three mile walk version. It was uphill through a seedy rough neighborhood and we walked all around the residential areas of Harvard and Boylston on the north end past the business district down to past the churches and private school. A guy in the rug store yesterday said you can get a place (about 1000 sq ft) in Pioneer Sq for under 300K. He said the transients keep values down. It is such a cool area.

We did West Seattle yesterday and have to highly recommend....get thee to the Bakery Nouveau ASAP!!! It was fantastic. They won the world baking championship in 2005 and everything was sublime. I had the best quiche lorraine ever and SO loved his broccoli and cheddar quiche. Both were a value at only $3.50 each. The desserts are divine. I had the caramel apple tart and he had a raspberry mousse flaking thing.

Our appetites have been whetted to plan a return trip.....so much left to see and do. We only found out about the underground tour on the last afternoon. Also, the entire region looks fascinating....you could spend years exploring all the nearby towns and islands.

A travel trip about airport transfers: I always research for the most expedient and yet economical way and found it. Bus 194 leaves from Bay 2 just outside the international end of the terminal and it takes you straight from the airport to downtown seattle. Cost is $1.50 ($2.25 at peak); must have correct change. This route takes the freeway and is as fast as a cab. This is one of the reasons I love to travel light. You can get off at 4th and University and walk to many of the hotels or take a quick ride on another bus which is likely to be in the ride free zone. We made our way around much of the city on foot and by bus. To return, you need to get to the underground bus tunnel on 3rd Ave. around Seneca and find the bus stop on the far southwest end for bus 194.

Are you leaving today? Hope not...some fine weather is heading our way...we are going to the beach (we have a home in the San Juan Islands) and will view Mt. Rainer with a glass of wine in our hands, sitting on a piece of driftwood, and remind ourselves that we live in the best of all possible worlds. If you come again, visit Wolf Haven, Mr. Rainer, Snoqualmie Falls, Bellingham, (Chuckanut drive is spectacular), Iwajimiya (China town), Seattle Opera, Space needle for dinner, The Locks, Seattle Art Museum, Arboreatum, etc. (may need a car).

Glad to hear you had such a great trip and that you're planning to return! I live right near Bakery Nouveau which is both a blessing and a curse, LOL--it's so hard to resist, I end up there several times a week.