23 Years

~erica

Today Ryan and I are celebrating our 23rd Anniversary (well, I'm up for it but he's sleeping, it is a weekend after all). I told him we needed to go to Taco Bell for dinner tonight and have Burrito Supremes since that's what we did our wedding night.

Friday Ryan surprised me with a night out in Seattle (as much of a surprise as it can be when you have to make arrangements for 5 kids who have Driver's Ed and baseball tournaments going on). I didn't cheat but I had pretty much figured out what we were going to do...

We got a Groupon deal on tickets for the Smith's Tower Observation Deck in Pioneer Square. It was the tallest building in Seattle for a long time, I remember when you could see it from the freeway, before all the skyscrapers started going up around it. Because it's right in the middle of Pioneer Square you are looking down on Seattle history;

The Alaskan Way viaduct that's soon to be no more

Cool sign. It says it was established in 1882. So either this building was built before the 1889 fire and survived or it was a new building after the fire and the business moved into it.

Qwest Field with Safeco Field right behind it. The day was hazy and bright.

King St. Station

The observation deck was totally fenced but it was still open enough that you could see everything. I don't like heights and I was fine.

The Space Needle. I've been up in it several times but for the history, ambience, and a better view I recommend Smith Tower (plus it's about half the price, even without the Groupon deal)

Bremerton and Bainbridge Island ferries with the Olympics in the background

Union Station, across the street from King St. Station but the pictures got out of order and I don't know how to fix them on here without reloading them.

The Chinese Room in the Tower. The room was decorated for Mr. Smith (of Smith-Corona typewriters) by the Empress of China as a goodwill gesture. The ceilings are ornately carved and painted. There were carved jade panels on the walls as well. The building is very ornate throughout. It still has an elevator operator. The floors are tiled with tiny white and blue hexagons and outside the elevator the floor number is done in the blue tiles. The ceiling heights are really low, even I felt tall.

  

The Smith Tower from outside the Klondike History Museum. The observation deck is at the base of the pyramid cap. The top is a 3-story apartment.

Being homeschoolers and never missing the opportunity for a field trip, even without the kids, we also went to the Klondike Museum. It's a free museum in Pioneer Square that is run by the National Parks Service. It was interesting. About 70% of the gold from the Klondike ended up in Seattle. We'll be going back there with the kids since we still need to do a Search-it-Out Washington State History year (I've been planning on it for the last 6 years and we keep putting it off).

We went to Pike's Place Market. On one of the few spring days we've had, going to the market on a Friday at lunch time was pretty crowded crazy. I wanted to check out Le Panier and see if I could find French Macaroons. As you can see they had them! They were spendy treats but after trying to make them myself, I didn't mind so much. I got chocolate, lemon, strawberry, and orange. They are yummy and very pretty to look at, I almost think I should have gotten green instead of the chocolate but even for a picture I won't give up my chocolate.

Lunch at Ivar's so I could have a cup of clam chowder. I rarely eat chowder or fish & chips so eating them on the waterfront was a treat.

Ryan asked if we had time could we please tour Safeco Field? There were only 3 of us on the 2:30 tour and we got to go EVERYWHERE! The tour is a whole 'nother post.

I had to take a picture of our bathroom at the Hyatt Grand in Pioneer Woman style! The tub was huge, I was just sorry I didn't bring a book because it called for a good book, bubbles, and a candle (the lights dimmed so a candle wasn't necessary).

We walked across the street for dinner at Gordon Biersch. Garlic fries, spinach salad, and steak.

But the evening was just starting....

We saw Mary Poppins at the Paramount! It's my all-time favorite movie and I was pretty sure it's what we were going to see. I promise I didn't cheat but a couple of weeks ago I was on google and a sidebar came up with Mary Poppins opening at the Paramount May 12th so I KNEW that was where we were going. It was magical, enchanting, awesome, wonderful, all the superlatives you can think of!

Saturday we returned to real life with a bump, we did our Costco shopping on the way home, met the kids back at the house for lunch, Ryan headed to bed, and I did homework until it was time to go back to the ballfield for Jonah's game.