Thank goodness at least one of us is employed in a 'real' job that has perks like conventions and stuff. The AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) was in Seattle, a city I'd never visited before. So, with Loni practicing her presentation, and me as 'spousal baggage,' we took off for
the Northwest. Checked into our budget hotel (don't ask), which had large rooms, ancient furniture, the loudest clanking and groaning elevator in this hemisphere, but a decent 'free' breakfast and a view of the Space Needle. The walking route to the convention center took us past (1) the local precinct station, (2) the local erotica emporium, and (3) seven Starbucks. We first had to go hang the posters of the 'papers' that Loni and colleagues were submitting. We had hauled them up in rollup tubes that barely fit in the overhead on the plane. Having spent all day traveling, we headed for the marketplace and what was billed as Seattle's 'favorite' restaurant. Of course we should have known better than to eat in a tourist trap, but . . . Suffice to say that I sent my meal back with instructions not to replace it, helped Loni push a few bites around on her plate, and left no tip. The next few days (while Loni attended the convention) I watched perhaps the best weekend of football ever, including the infamous USC-Notre Dame
game with the not-so-phantom push of the QB into the endzone. Found a terrific watering hole over by the Space Needle with several dozen t.v.'s, arterio-death food, and a bonanza of draft beers, so all was good for the baggage. I did take one day to walk and bus all around to see what there was to see in Seattle, which is quite a lot. Great city for a convention. Our food quality went way up with a seafood place down on the wharf and an italian bistro uptown. Major wallet hit, but that's why the cheapo lodgings. Got a free meal off the Red Cross at a very upscale pan-Asian place that I was very glad not to be springing for. Except for that first night, great eats in Seattle. After the convention ended, we took off on the ferry for Victoria, which we hadn't seen since 1977, when we were touring Canada in our VW bus-camper, and Loni 6 months pregnant. Much more style this time. Stayed in the best B&B we've visited -- Abigail's Hotel. That's Loni in front of it. The inside does justice to the outside. Timbers everywhere, nice 'library' where they serve wine and eats in the afternoon, and where guests
gather in the evening before heading out to dinner. Walking distance to the main part of town, but out of the traffic. No qualifiers for this one, it was perfect! Had a great pub dinner one night with plenty of suds, and an elegant ($$$$) one in an Italian place with lots of ambiance and no attitude. Surprisingly for October, Buchart Gardens was spectacular, as you can see. That's Loni in the black coat and white hat on the path. Back in Victoria, we wandered around the parliament building and got an impromptu briefing at the entrance to one of the chambers by a distinguished-looking gent who turned out to be one of the legislators. Somehow I can't see that happening in the U.S. When we were in Victoria back in '77, we splurged on a dinner at the Empress Hotel. They don't serve dinners anymore, but they do still have the High Tea every afternoon (which costs double what our dinner did back then). What the heck, we need to act like swells every once in a while. We did manage to finish the entire tray and enough tea to float a boat.
After Victoria we went back to Seattle for one night, as our return flight didn't leave until late the next afternoon. I had booked what was billed as Seattle's most charming B&B, with the improbable name of the
Chambered Nautilus Inn. I did a review of the place which pretty much sums up our experience there. You can read it, with pics, by clicking on the link, which takes you to a TripAdvisor page. The result of all the lugging that I describe there is that I now have a disc problem in my neck. Lawsuit! Not.
the Northwest. Checked into our budget hotel (don't ask), which had large rooms, ancient furniture, the loudest clanking and groaning elevator in this hemisphere, but a decent 'free' breakfast and a view of the Space Needle. The walking route to the convention center took us past (1) the local precinct station, (2) the local erotica emporium, and (3) seven Starbucks. We first had to go hang the posters of the 'papers' that Loni and colleagues were submitting. We had hauled them up in rollup tubes that barely fit in the overhead on the plane. Having spent all day traveling, we headed for the marketplace and what was billed as Seattle's 'favorite' restaurant. Of course we should have known better than to eat in a tourist trap, but . . . Suffice to say that I sent my meal back with instructions not to replace it, helped Loni push a few bites around on her plate, and left no tip. The next few days (while Loni attended the convention) I watched perhaps the best weekend of football ever, including the infamous USC-Notre Dame
game with the not-so-phantom push of the QB into the endzone. Found a terrific watering hole over by the Space Needle with several dozen t.v.'s, arterio-death food, and a bonanza of draft beers, so all was good for the baggage. I did take one day to walk and bus all around to see what there was to see in Seattle, which is quite a lot. Great city for a convention. Our food quality went way up with a seafood place down on the wharf and an italian bistro uptown. Major wallet hit, but that's why the cheapo lodgings. Got a free meal off the Red Cross at a very upscale pan-Asian place that I was very glad not to be springing for. Except for that first night, great eats in Seattle. After the convention ended, we took off on the ferry for Victoria, which we hadn't seen since 1977, when we were touring Canada in our VW bus-camper, and Loni 6 months pregnant. Much more style this time. Stayed in the best B&B we've visited -- Abigail's Hotel. That's Loni in front of it. The inside does justice to the outside. Timbers everywhere, nice 'library' where they serve wine and eats in the afternoon, and where guests
gather in the evening before heading out to dinner. Walking distance to the main part of town, but out of the traffic. No qualifiers for this one, it was perfect! Had a great pub dinner one night with plenty of suds, and an elegant ($$$$) one in an Italian place with lots of ambiance and no attitude. Surprisingly for October, Buchart Gardens was spectacular, as you can see. That's Loni in the black coat and white hat on the path. Back in Victoria, we wandered around the parliament building and got an impromptu briefing at the entrance to one of the chambers by a distinguished-looking gent who turned out to be one of the legislators. Somehow I can't see that happening in the U.S. When we were in Victoria back in '77, we splurged on a dinner at the Empress Hotel. They don't serve dinners anymore, but they do still have the High Tea every afternoon (which costs double what our dinner did back then). What the heck, we need to act like swells every once in a while. We did manage to finish the entire tray and enough tea to float a boat.
After Victoria we went back to Seattle for one night, as our return flight didn't leave until late the next afternoon. I had booked what was billed as Seattle's most charming B&B, with the improbable name of the Chambered Nautilus Inn. I did a review of the place which pretty much sums up our experience there. You can read it, with pics, by clicking on the link, which takes you to a TripAdvisor page. The result of all the lugging that I describe there is that I now have a disc problem in my neck. Lawsuit! Not.
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