Early Bird Dinner Date?

I arrived earlier than scheduled last night at SeaTac, grabbed my $15 checked bag and waited patiently in the misty cold for the #174. Stopping intermittently at obscure spots on the path to downtown made me wonder what these people were doing getting off the bus near warehouses in the middle of the night. Were there actual homes or apartments around here? I couldn't really see much of anything, however, so let the pondering pass me by, eager to approach the lights of the city, that now unavoidable view of Qwest Field.

Aimée met me on the dark and lonely intersection of 4th and Pike. Such a strange city with so much happening and progressing, yet with a downtown nightlife that wreaks mainly of homelessness, fear and schizophrenia. I don't know. I don't have the answers.

We headed up Pike to Bimbo's (linked with the ChaCha) to grab Shane's keys, say hi and thanks to Jesse and Al, and catch up over nachos and a couple of beers. Yes, life is surreal. Yes, do you too have that wandering feeling? So what are the reasons behind all of these tragedies? There must be a reason, right? We're waiting to discover it. What if there is no purpose for it? What if it's just the cards we've been dealt? She said it feels it happened within a matter of seconds. Like we're living in another country. What happened? Everyone is going through something right now. So many tragedies. But instead of everyone hoarding what they have left, shouldn't we all be working together to help each other out? Why doesn't anyone trust each other anymore? Age of Aquarius? Moving along…

After a quick trip to QFC for juice and yogurt, Aimée dropped me off at the apartment, in a great, older building with one of those elevators with the squeaky brass accordion gates. A hot bath and a few book pages later, and I was off to sleepy land.

Today is another day. Back to the majestic Stumptown Coffee Roasters for a French-style bagatelle with butter, and a latté with rice milk. The Notwist playing overhead, the pssshhhhhaaaaa of steam, the clack clack clack of the espresso bean grinder, and me happy to be back in the rainy city.

Later on that day…

Now having a luscious rose milk tea at ShinkaTea on E. Olive. Lovely and delightful. I'll have to come back here and check out the dim sum menu before I head back East. Noshed with Severine on The People's Pub's $4 grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup combo earlier alongside some fried pickle wedges. Happy hours are going crazy across the board. Be sure to check them out in your neck 'o the woods. Many offer free apps and lots of discount drinks. Early bird dinner date, anyone? Bon appétit!