9:00 am – Got up, got ready, got our lives together

10:00 am – Got in our Lyft on our way to meet Alex Waltz at Pike Place Market at 10:30. Turns out our route took us right past his house (we were there only a couple hours earlier). We called him before turning on the highway and he was standing right there at the corner! He hopped in so we shared the (free) ride together. Good karma #muledeer #elephantseals #sealions

10:30 am – Pike Place Market at the heart of downtown Seattle. We walked all around all levels of the market, which was hustling and bustling on a beautiful Sunday morning. We saw the famous bubble gum alley, fresh food vendors, a brewery that Lelchuk loves, and much more!

12:00 pm – Lunch at Jack’s Fish and Chips Spot across from the main market. I had clam chowder and grilled tuna steak with fries and green beans.Very fair prices for an incredibly delicious meal.

12:45 pm – Failed geocash attempt at a fish-shaped fountain by the harbor.

1:00 pm – Walked by the Northwest Chocolate Festival. $20 to go in – no dice. We went to the roof and got a great view across the lake.

2:00 pm – Arrived the Space Needle by walking from downtown. We decided to buy the package of tickets for the Space Needle and Chihuly glass museum.

2:15 pm – Chihuly glass museum. UNREAL. Some of the most beautiful pieces of art I’ve ever seen, and far and away the most incredible glass work. The garden, lush with nature’s beauty and Chihuly’s glass sculptures, were a real highlight of Seattle.

3:30 pm – Successful geocash find outside the science center!

4:00 pm – Seattle Space needle. I did this attraction when I was there this past May (for the Gower-Ruchel affair), and it was just as beautiful. We also got to explore the restaurant a bit, which rotates ever so slowly, thus giving the diner a full view of Seattle and its surroundings. The food is supposed to be superb as well.

5:00 pm – Seattle Center for some snacks and a rest. The Croatian Festival was going on too. There was a street performer that made a ton of kids crack up outside. To be young again…

6:00 pm – Took the monorail back to downtown Seattle. In the West Lake (?) shopping center a little kid asked if Alex and I were brothers, so of course we said yes. He said he could tell “by our hair,” which is a polite way of saying that we’re both big and therefore look the same.

6:30 pm – Back to Pike Place Market for oysters!…But it was empty.

6:45 pm – Anthony’s Pier 66 Diner for happy hour snacks – cheap drinks, oysters, crab dip. Good times.

8:00 pm – Back to “The Ave” for dinner at Thai 65 with my cousin Derek. The Alexs got the buffet, I got pad thai. Better than Anna’s Thai from Portland, but still not up to Thai Dish standards.

8:45 pm – Cailin Henley joined us at Thai 65!! One of my favorite Rochester people who I hadn’t seen since graduating in 2012. What a good person! And so kind of her to go out of her way to meet up with me.

9:15 pm – Bye to Waltz and Cailin! Back to Derek’s to relax and get an early night.

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