The Seattle Traveler

One of the best ways to get a good view of the city is from the observation deck of the Smith Tower. 
The building of the Smith Tower was revolutionary in many ways.  Around its steel framework was wrapped a white ornamental terra cotta.  This product is so dirt resistant that the building exterior has only been professional cleaned once – in the 1970’s.  The rest of the time, the Seattle rain keeps the building clean. 
Very little wood was used in the construction of the Smith Tower, which was seen as heresy to a city noted for its timber barons.  Instead, …read more

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Where do airplanes come from?
Well, if you’re visiting the Seattle area, there’s only one answer to that question:  Boeing, of course.  As the saying around these parts goes:  If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going!
Boeing’s plant at Paine Field (about 30 miles north of Seattle) is home to The Future of Flight & Boeing Tour.
The Boeing factory tour allows you to see the flight line where the 747, 767, 777 (and soon the 787) are made.  On the tour you will walk through part of the largest building in the world by volume — some 472,000,000 cubic feet.  It takes room …read more

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Sometimes the best traditions are ones that grow and change over the years.  That’s certainly been the case with the Festival of Poinsettias at Molbak’s Nursery in Woodinville. 
Now in its 31st year, the festival was originally a one-day open house where visitors could see beautiful poinsettias as they were growing.  The one-day open house then grew into a weekend open house, giving more people a chance to see the poinsettias.  Now, it’s become a six-week festival, this year featuring over 42,000 poinsettias across 52 varieties.  Every single plant was raised in Molbak’s special growing facility.
At the heart of it all, …read more

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Details:  The new Pacific Marketplace in the main terminal at Sea Tac Airport provides food with a view.
 
Photo credit:  flickr

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Do you long for an old fashioned Christmas?  If so, you’ll want to step back in time at the Western Washington Fairgrounds are transformed into a Victoria village for the 19th annual A Victorian Country Christmas Festival.
You’ll find old-fashioned streets, lined with over 560 Victorian stores, where you can shop for unique gifts.
Or you may want to get lots of holiday ideas and inspiration at the Demonstration Theater.  You can learn to create handcrafted gifts and cook gourmet meals, in the quick and fun demonstrations, and you’ll inspired to try some of these new ideas.  A schedule is here.
Or, you …read more

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One of the best things about Alki Beach in West Seattle is that although it is a popular tourist spot, it is even more popular as a place for locals to hang out.  So whether you’re visiting, or live here, it has something for everyone, and is a place you’ll want to check out.
In November 1851, Alki Beach was the landing site of Seattle’s first white settlers.  Chief Seattle greeted the settlers, and his tribe helped them build shelters to guard from what would become the notoriously cold and wet Seattle winter.
Alki was eventually turned into an amusement park, named …read more

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It is the holiday season’s quintessential performance – the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s staging of the Nutcracker.
This year’s performances run November 24-December 28th, and if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, you’d best not put it off any longer. 
This holiday story of a magical storybook world has captivated audiences of all ages, with its wonderful blend of costumes, sets and choreography.  
The story is a classic one:  A little girl’s dream of a fantasy world, a triumph of good over evil, and the happiness of a beautiful woman finding her Prince.  It’s the constant blurring of the lines between fantasy and reality, …read more

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Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect on the many thing in life that we are thankful for.  Here’s a peek at some of the things on my list:

Good health.
Family, friends, and friends who are like family.
A chance to write about travel, and share my interests with readers around the world.
A sense of wonder and curiosity.
Good food, good wine, and good friends to enjoy it with.

Make your day be filled with much to be thankful for.
Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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At the foot of Pier 54, right next door to Ivar’s Acres of Clams, is one of the oddest, most compellingly weird shops that I have ever entered — Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.  It’s part museum, part store, and has been a part of Seattle history for over 107 years.
There’s a story behind the store, just as there’s a story behind the items in the store, and at the heart of it all is a man named Joseph Standley.  As a third grader, he won a prize for having the neatest desk.  The prize was a book about the wonders …read more

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Are you in the mood for a little holiday offering at your local theater? 
Here’s a listing of holiday-themed performance around the greater Seattle area:
5th Avenue Musical Theater:  White Christmas.  Performances:  November 28th-December 17th.  Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30 pm.  Thursday & Friday 8 pm.  Saturday 2 & 8 pm.  Sunday 1:30 & 7 pm.  1308 Fifth Avenue, Seattle.  http://www.5thavenue.org/
ACT Theater:  A Christmas Carol.  Performances:  November 24th-December 24th.  Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday 7:30 pm.  Friday & Saturday 8 pm.  Saturday & Sunday 2 pm.  Kreielsheimer Place, 700 Union, Seattle.  http://www.acttheater.org/
ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery:  Voices of Christmas.  Performances:  November 30th-December 24th.  Wednesday-Saturday 7:30 pm, …read more

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