Downtown diversions

I had a tough day today. Well, yesterday too. As I was riding the bus home this evening it dawned on me there are diversions right here downtown between bus rides.There's Santa in the window at Macy's. There's the long line of parents with their children waiting to see Santa (straight out of the movie A Christmas Story).
There's the model trains running around the tracks in another window at Macy's. The model train window had airplanes, and gandolas and all sorts of cool stuff moving and spinning.

Seattle in general is doing the festival of lights thing. I walked blocks I don't normally walk. I stood outside shop windows I would never linger at any other time of year. I did change buses at a new corner. The people watching was far more fascinating than usual.

I forgot about the day and being beaten down with mediocrity...until I got home. Now I just want to go to bed. I've another two days of quacking with the ducks for this week, another three weeks for this contract. I feel poorly for these people I work with. This is turning into a hard contract to work through.

In the meantime, I've decided I really like golashes. I may need a pair...but only if they are pink.

Seattle Tourist - Ferry Rides

The sun was shining, actually shining this morning. I understand this is a strange and rare occassion this time of year here in the great north wet. I took my coffee and croissant down to Edmonds Beach. I love Edmonds Beach, and Richmond Beach and Gateway Beach...okay I love the beaches. While I watched the single gull on the beach lurking for a piece of my croissant the ferry came in. Oh, this ferry is one I've wanted to ride from the first time I watched them going in and out this last summer.
I am feeling this morning a bit defeated (read disposal issues) and just unsettled which I won't share here. I drove the three minutes back home, bundled up, grabbed a notebook for writing (okay, so that part didn't work) and headed back to Edmonds. Three hour parking is all I needed.

The view from inside the walkway. All I'm thinking is that it is about time I took this trip.

From the deck the view of the Puget Sound is spectacular, but the pilings are in focus.

206 cars fit on the ferry. At Edmonds/Kingston ferry there are two boats that crisscross the sound - the Spokane and the Puyallup

Coming into Kingston. Is this a sunny, wonderful, perfect day or what?!

Both Edmonds and Kingston have a lovely marina. I love dark hulled sailboats.

In the shadows - long tall sally.

The Puyallup is a nicer boat. Maybe it's newer. The breeze had picked up by the time I was on the return trip. The wind was whipping by so strong around the bow I could feel my glasses move on my face. I walked the decks on the sunny side both coming and going. Soaking it in.

Kingston is a lovely, small, sedate town. Just what I needed today. The view of the houses on the slopes nearby was provincial and inviting. There is a quilt shop on the Kingston side that garnered most of my time, though none of my money. Maybe next time. But, next time I want to bring my bike over to the island and bike through the neighborhoods and wooded areas I could see from the ferry. Best thing, pay one way, the way home is free. A bike is only a $1 premium. An excellent three hours for all of $7. Tourism on a shoestring.

Touristy Times

Hanging out at Edmonds Beach in northern King County this last Friday I watched the ferry going in and out of the area. The dock was out of site from where I was. Today I drove back over, made a concerted effort to see the dock. This is the ferry returning from Kingston on the other side of Puget Sound. Far more interesting in person, I assure you.

Edmonds is a bike ride away from where I live. It's the next suburb over. I've been driving around lately checking out my neighborhood and then going a little further each time. I've driven through downtown Edmonds now three times in the last several weeks. It was time to get out of the car and check it out. Today I played tourist. (I still have nine months of my "Year of the Tourist" left) Basically, Edmonds is in bloom. I just wish it photographed as beautiful as it looked.
Now that I think on it Lavender Festivals are going on all over the area. Between the rosemary shrubs and the lavender baking in the sun all day, this place smells great.

As I walked through a kitchen gadgets shop (always worth going into) I found myself laughing out loud. I may have a terrible sarcastic streak in me, because I am still laughing. The kitchen towel had the cutest circa 1960's Woman's Day woman on it and it read, "Why do I have to get married? I didn't do anything wrong."

I still think it's funny.

Friday Night Downtown

It's tourist season in Seattle AND it's Friday night as the "ducks" roll through downtown.  These folks DO get to sit up really high.  They get a great view up there.  I wouldn't have even noticed this particular duck rolls up to my stop light except for the blaring music.  Specifically, "I'm going nowhere.  Somebody help me, yeah."  I look up from the corner where embossed in the cement is the street name (it really is pretty) and I see these captive tourist...going nowhere.  Hey, what can I say...I waved.
Seattle is more full of people at close of business on Fridays than any other day of the week.  The weather has been wonderfully warm lately and sunny for the last two weeks, at least.  People watching has been excellent.  I would have spent some time and found a spot to sit and watch as I have before.  Unfortunately, my new bus schedule is a little more restrictive about when I leave the city.

I love the new buses.  These are commuter buses.  These are comfortable.  I get on the bus in the morning at a Park and Ride.  We make three more stops and get on the freeway.  I really do have a chauffeur.  "To work, James." or sometimes it's "To work, Jane."  Three stops after we get off the freeway and downtown I get off the bus and go find the intercity buses.  This is almost luxury.

My new route has taken me on different streets; past different stores.  I have been taking photos through the bus windows on occasion.  I've about given up on that tact.  On Friday night I walked from the post office (the one on 3rd Street)(and yes, I finally changed my address, yet again) up the street to 4th Street turned the corner heading south to find the first bus stop kiosk that had my numbers. (Do I sound like I have a gambling problem?  Gotta get my numbers, man.)  The store with the windows that make me drool is on that second block.  

I don't know the name.  I never get past looking at the dresses.  This is eye candy.  This is couture that I don't think I'll ever wear, and that's not the point.  The point is, it is really cool.  This dress is my favorite.  It's just like the hat store...this comes from some movie I'd love to see.

Edit:  I found the name of the dress store:  Luly Yang - This woman is incredible - worth a visit to her site - www.lulyyang.com.

Two things to leave you with:

I promise to take down the BeeGee's tune at end of day here Saturday.

And if this Duck thing is interesting - here's the linkwww.ridetheducksofseattle.com

Bus Rides Early Morning

The bus downtown drives past some pretty heavy hitters in the retail world.  I love the window displays.  This one is Brooks Brothers.  Maybe it's the color I like and the cheeriness first thing in the morning.  Window shopping is a good thing.  There are plenty of windows to look at.  

While I still lived in Wisconsin I would drive down to Chicago for the day maybe once every year and a half.  One occassion it was my birthday, that week before Christmas.  Snow was in all the street gutters.  Everyone bundled in their coats and hats and gloves. All the window displays on State Street were worth standing in the cold biting wind to look at.  I spent hours in the Marshall Field's, after watching the Christmas Story in each of the windows.  The Store itself had qualities of a fine museum.  Just keep looking up.

My brother, the tour guide, took me into a furriers somewhere near Marshall's and told the attendant that we would be trying on some coats.  She was so helpful; she knew full well we weren't buying anything.  She could tell we didn't plan on pouring pig blood on anything either. We all relaxed into the shopping of it.  I spent my time feeling each of the furs, the heaviness of the coats, and the cool silk of the linings.   All three of us had a great time.  My brother tried on full lenght coats.  Men's fur coats are too gorgeous.  He looked damn good.  I have, in my lifetime then, worn a mink coat and a chinchilla jacket.  I probably wore some other animals too, I just can't remember which. (some I don't want to remember, snark!)

Every week day, early in the morning, the bus brings me into downtown.   The actual store in front of me as I get off the bus is a Stetson hat shop.  Some truly interesting windows there.  Maybe it's time to try on some hats.  I'll post that photo next week.  I'm sorry men don't wear hats the way they used to.

Hmmm, men's fur coats and fine hats...I may be living in the wrong era.  More probably, I've seen some fine costuming in the movies.  Thank goodness for the movies.