From the Darkness Into the Light

The Big Man upstairs has been turning on the hose pretty
heavily here recently, hasn't he? He sure let loose for a
while today!

It's funny, but I have always enjoyed the minute-by-minute nature of Western Washington weather. You never know where it could go from one hour to the next. I think that's why I love spring so much. Steve Poole says it's going to be a wet one throughout the day, then boom! The sun pushes the clouds aside as if to say, "Okay, okay. They've had enough. Here ya go."

Today was certainly interesting while I was working at Top Pot Doughnuts on Capitol Hill. It had been raining all day. Suddenly, you hear God REALLY turn on the hose. You look outside and it's truly a sight to be seen. Not too long after, you're shocked to see the sun come out and shine down on the neighborhood.

Not too long afterward, the sun decides
to stop by and say hi!

What's your take? Do you enjoy the shifting patterns of weather? Do the seasons make a difference to you? 

A Healthy Workout Reminder: Baby Steps!

It's my first vlog! Here's a quick word on my thoughts on the process of getting back into shape. More directly, it doesn't happen immediately. 

Just Stopping To Smell the Flowers

If there was a better day to go down to Pike Place Market than this last weekend, I'd like to know about it. With the Flower Festival in full swing for Mother's Day, I'm pretty sure there were about a thousand varieties of flowers I'll never be able to name. Row after row of every shape, size, and color, for once the Festival had the market smelling more like Mt. Vernon's fields of flowers than the fish.

The Festival was the center of the action this weekend, but I couldn't help but play tourist and catch some other aspects of the market that make it so great! 

Rows upon rows of the best freshly cut, regional flowers are on display at Pike Place Market.

It's never a trip to Pike Place Market without a shot of
the Public Market sign. It's a pretty good indication of
the number of people that were there!

For the longest time I've wanted to pack up an Alaskan King Salmon. It's just too bad I can't finance a loan.

It never fails to impress me the array of colors coming from Pike Place's vegetable stands. 

More of the same from the other side of the street. Fresh and delicious produce ripe for the pickin'!

Killer lunch at the Athenian Inn, one of the first establishments in Seattle to get a liquor license in 1933. The blackened chicken club is out of this world.

Wednesday Evening Surprises

My buddy, Jim Bergem, missed by birthday this year, Saturday, April 28. I told him it was just fine, seeing as I pretty much missed it myself. Nonetheless, he texts me this morning asking if I wanted to catch a suite at the Clink for the Sounders and LA Galaxy match. "Free ticket, free drinks, and free food in the suite," he said. "What's not to love?!" One cannot argue with such logic.

What a great view of the pitch from
the Tulalip Casino suite at the Clink
for the Sounders - Galaxy match
Wednesday night!

What a night. We were treated to hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, mashed potatoes, salad, a quality selection of beers, and one of the best and most comfortable views possible from the Tulalip Casino suite. Even better, the Sounders whupped up the Galaxy to the tune of a 2-0 shutout, with Fredy Montero scoring on a freaky-naughty shot from waaaay downtown, top-shelf left from the right side, just out of the goalkeeper's reach. One of the more amazing shots I've seen on a long time. Leave it to Fredy and the Sounders to provide top-level entertainment on a great Wednesday night.

For those of you who have not made the trek to SODO to catch a Sounders match, I cannot stress enough how bad you should go. The energy level, not to mention the sound the crowd provides, just isn't the same in other Major League Soccer cities. The great underwear spokesman himself, David Beckham, has said he's never seen such rabid, maniacal fan support since his days in the European leagues. For those of you that don't get it, that's about the best compliment you can be given as a soccer fan outside of Europe.

While in the hallway heading to the Tulalip suite, I had
to get a photo in with my childhood icon, Curt Warner,
former running back with the Seahawks in the '80s.

An added bonus was walking by the Seahawks' Ring of Honor member posters on the way to the Tulalip Casino suite. Former Seahawks running back Curt Warner was my absolute IDOL growing up. I knew every stat, lived and died every game until he left for the Rams in '90. I was heartbroken, but my team moved on and I with them. What a great shot of the shifty fella, am I right?

Many thanks to Jim for inviting me, and our friend Linda for making tonight a great night at the Sounders' pitch! 

P.S. Just so you know I wouldn't leave ya hanging, here's the brilliant shot from Montero, top shelf left. Siiiick.