This morning’s coffee was much anticipated. Seattle is known, fairly or unfairly, as the city of coffee. The starbucks products get a “I’m Local” sticker around here. And Olympia Coffee delivered with sophisticated roasts and the best almond croissant I’ve ever had. We started the day right, in other words.
Seattle’s first sister city was Kobe, Japan. There are a number of Japanese Gardens in the city of various sizes and with various focuses; after coffee we chose to spend some time in the Kubota Garden as a representative sample. We’re no experts, but it seemed to be a great one, with carefully curated views and paths and small discoveries everywhere. Kubota is billed as a Japanese / American garden; there are some hardcore purist gardens as well but we really liked the integration of the Japanese style with some American vegetation. It was marred only by the continual discovery of chicken (?) bones in surprising places such as deep within bushes. If you need to find a chicken bone, please call Georgia, she is very good at what she does.
There is an instagram-famous yarn shop in Seattle which hand-dyes all the yarn on location. The variety and depth of color is truly amazing. Having earlier solicited the favorite colors of Maggie and Sanwal (and seeing the future a little, discerning their head sizes tomorrow), Rosie picked out yarns to be made into hats for them. She also talked shop with the owner, who was just then in the process of dyeing. The previous sentence is a fun one to say out loud.
These activities were sans hosts; some people have to work, you know? We reconvened after work and met their adorable cats. Sayonee warmed up immediately, bringing us a toy to play with, but Saya was a ghost. She is not fan of dogs, we have learned. They’re lovely cats, full of personality and not bitey.
Then dinner — crispy garlic chicken and phad thai — the former so spicy my lip is still tender, but so delicious as to be utterly worth it. The latter with wontons, an innovation that really needs to make its way east. Then back to the rental for ice cream and some Rogue beer, which I have been dreaming of ever since Astoria. Finally a walk on the shores of Alki with Mt. Rainier reflecting the pink of the sunset. It’s nice here.
Oh — and happy anniversary to us. Today marks the end of our 15th year together. Here’s to 15 more :)
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