The Glass Blowing Community is equally divided Chihuly and everyone else Chihuly created a multimillion-dollar market for glass as fine art, built a mass-production company to sustain it.  The video below is from Tacoma Glass Museum which does not have any of the Chihuly work on display even though he was born in Tacoma.  There is a walkway and old train station in Tacoma that has some of his work displayed from different periods in his life.  This is a day trip riding on train and/or bus so you get a transportation adventure along with great “hot shop” tour

When Ownership takes Action and Fans show appreciation a team wins.  

Among the World Ranks

The lore of Seattle supporters reaches far beyond the Pacific Northwest. The attendance average of 43,144 would rank near the top of all the professional leagues worldwide. In Major League Baseball, Seattle's average attendance would ranks third. The average would be sixth in the English Premier League, fourth in Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A, and 11th in the German Bundesliga.

Ballard is a small community within Seattle which is home port for the fishing fleet of Alaska.  Every spring starting when I was 13 I would crate 3 months of food, stage camping gear and hang/repair nets in Ballard to support my annual fishing trip to Bristol Bay Alaska .  I would live on beach and fish in 22 ft skiff delivering salmon to tenders with names like Dorthea and Earling Jr. who made Ballard their home port. Fishing alone on the Nushagak , Naknek and Kvichak rivers was a lonely endeavor for teenage boy living in a tent on the beach and the only form of communication was an AM Radio which could pick up KNBR from San Francisco late at night.

Unfortunately back in 1960 we did not have digital cameras or smart phones, cameras were made by Kodak which poor farm boys did not own. This little clip is me taking the sight, sound and motion of Ballard today to trigger in my mind the solitude, hard work, fear and lost love of those years.  I picked the Moby song "Wait for me" for a reason aside from the hours of hard work and sleep deprivation you lived with the realistic fear the love of your life would be gone when you returned home.  Solitude and the mind can be very cruel when fishing alone in Alaska and this occupation continues to be for the young who can live with fear, solitude and lost love.

When you visit Fisherman's Terminal in Ballard look at each boat a little differently, think of the untold stories each boat could tell - Fear, Hard Work, Solitude and Lost Love.

 Pike Place Market is the city’s center for fresh, locally produced food. Established in 1907 to connect citizens and farmers, the Market continues its "Meet the Producer" tradition with a year-round farmers market and locally owned bakeries, seafood, dairy and butcher shops. A nine-acre historic district, the Market features one of the largest craft markets in the country, featuring local, handcrafted goods. The Market is home to more than 200 independent small businesses.

Seattle is rich in music. There are many places around Seattle where street musicians play. If you walk around downtown Seattle you are bound to run into at least one. Whether it's for money, or for pure pleasure, we would like to give credit to these talented musicians. Join and support Undiscovered Seattle talent.

Classic Iconic Americana

The Space Needle is the internationally recognized symbol of Seattle which was completed in December 1961.  Seattle does not have antiquities such as the Sistine Chapel which opened 1483 but we do have our share of Americana built since 1950’s.  This can be found at Seattle Center which is reached from downtown on the original Monorail.  From the Space Needle you get a panoramic view of Seattle communities and is a great way to reconnoiter the city before you venture out of the downtown. The Fun Forest still has bumper cars and roller coasters which is insignificant when compared to mega complexes like 6 Flags but it is a great slice of Americana and you still win stuffed toys at the shooting gallery.

Seattle Center is home to EMP/Pop Culture Center and has a very exciting All Summer Long Exhibit. “Woman That Rock - Vision Passion Power”. Four semi-trucks worth of artifacts, over 70 Powerful women in music and a great experience for you and all.

Seattle Center is home to blown glass museum featuring local artist Dale Chihuly who is considered by many to be founding father of blown glass in the Northwest and possibly USA

Plan on making it a day long trip it is crowded on the weekends so plan accordingly. 

Green Lake is one of my three best places to enjoy the sun in and around Seattle.  When runners talk about getting together for a run often it is Green Lake also you can find the premier runners shop on the perimeter of Green Lake.  You can rent a bike from Gregg’s Cycle, paddle board, kayak, boat from Green Lake Boat Rentals.  There are six restaurants around lake with great outdoor seating on sunny days and the PCC has a great deli for those days a picnic on a blanket fulfills your sunny day fantasy.  Meeting a friend is easy at any of the six coffee shops.  Green Lake is the safest place to enjoy yourself without the hassles of in city sun bathing.   Bus service to Green Lake is very good street parking is a problem on weekend sunny days.

Alki is our Lido di Venezia throughout the history of Seattle this has been a destination for fun in the sun.  Bus service is very good including free bus service up to West Seattle and the Water Taxi back to Seattle.  Parking is limited so plan on walking a long ways or taking the bus.  I lived on Alki for a few years and always laughed when the police cleared everyone off the beach at 10:00 PM and on some nights there would be sirens, flashing lights and bull horns all trying to clear off the beach some fun loving youth.  Also somewhat comical is the strict enforcement of a “cruising” ordinance which limits how often you can drive up and down street along Alki.  Early evening until 10:00 PM Alki is just one big promenade of people walking, bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading and cruising in cars, motorcycles which are all pimped out, expensive or vintage.  It gets steamy on a hot summer night and should be on your list of things to experience.

Jetty is not technically in Seattle but is an easy drive and is a day trip. My experience with Jetty was as a Kiteboarder but hundreds of people head to Jetty on any sunny weekend. The fun part is the ferry ride over arrive early because there are a limited number of free tickets. Take everything you will need there are no concession stands on the island it is very rustic but that is what makes it fun.

         Airplane to Seaplane - Monorail to Light Rail - SOV to HOV - Bus to Ride Sharing - Water Taxi to Ferry

If you are new to the USA or Seattle transportation is a challenge. Much of the growth of Seattle and its "bedroom" communities has taken place in last 40 years and transportation is around the Single Occupant Vehicle. Retailing moved from downtown Seattle out into suburbia with its "strip malls" and mega shopping centers. In last 15 years Biotech and Software businesses established themselves in downtown Seattle. The under 30-year-old technology professional then created the housing and public transportation demand downtown Seattle. The different regional governments launched projects to resolve the shortage of transportation with little coordination and limited effect. When you compare Seattle transportation too centrally planned European public transportation there is no comparison. 

When you arrive at the Airport near Seattle you have two options for transportation the first one is a cab which can cost $40-60 dollars the other option is the new Light Rail to downtown which is $2.75. The Light Rail is good if your destination is downtown.

Word of caution just like any large city do not look confused the city is safe but panhandling is pervasive and goes from very aggressive too sad. Mental Institutions closed and patients went to the streets. It is all very sad but you cannot change it so avoid eye contact or hesitation if you feel like you need to help look for the "authorized panhandler" selling a daily magazine "Real Change" and $1.00 and above is proper.

The bus service is very good until 10:00 PM a good example is Alki Beach which is cleared by police at 10:00 PM and you cannot find a Bus. The bus is low cost $2.75 will get you anywhere in Greater Seattle Area the low cost also attracts many homeless people and often they have “no boundaries” so be prepared to move or stand.

You cannot get a Taxi by raising your hand you will need to call the Taxi Company. Make transportation part of your adventure I have put together this video of many of your transportation options from Airplane to Seaplane, Rail to Light Rail and SOV to HOV

                                                                       Links to remember
Taxi Fares in Seattle 
Bus Service
Names of Cities and Neighborhoods (there is a difference)
Ferry Schedule

Seattle Waterfront has always been a tourist attraction it is where you catch a Ferry to San Juan Islands or a water taxi to West Seattle.  While the water front Dinner Cruise is not as scenic as the Lake Como Italy Cruise the food is better than the flounder served on Lake Como cruise.  There is another dinner cruise, Tillicum Village, which takes you to an Island where Native American prepared salmon served in traditional fashion.  The Seattle Waterfront now has a new attraction “The Seattle Great Wheel” which provides a wonderful perspective on waterfront and downtown.   Parking is very limited so plan on using public transportation or walking.