This vacation needs some adult supervision

Kari and Ashley were still under the weather last night.  Katie and Grace spent a little time at the pool then went to bed.

I went exploring.  There was some good and bad.

The good.  Japonessa Sushi was across the street from our hotel.  I ordered the sushi platter.

The middle left was Toro, tuna belly and it just melted in my mouth.  The bottom right is a tuna packed in salt and a couple other ingredients and cured.  I have never had that style before and it was amazing.  I left feeling pretty full and relaxed.

The Bad.  I went to Pike's brewery and pub.  It was pretty dead for a Saturday night.  This should have been my first clue.  I saddled up to the bar and ordered a Scotch Ale, supposedly the best beer on the menu.  I was suppose to be a little smoky at the end.  I would describe it like trying to drink the liquid smoke used in bbq.  Yuck.  The only thing that allowed me to choke it down was my conversation with a German electrical engineering student from Düsseldorff.

Finally, I went to bed.  Feeling guilty I got up this morning and went for a run.  Here are some highlights

Pioneer square, Seattle's original neighborhood.  At least that is what the sign said.

The street next to Safeco field for the best DH ever

1st Ave on the left is the Pioneer building where you can take the underground tour.

The kilts store.  Not sure my patients would go for me in a kilt.

Like finding a Needle in a haystack

Saturday in Seattle started with a grumble.  "My throat hurts" is what Ashley grumbled in the dark.  Everyone was still a little tired from the fight and the sickness.  Kari bounced about 1/2 way back. Ashley didn't bounce she sunk.  This made our day very interesting.

Kari and Ashley spent the morning in the room trying to get better.  Kari a lot, Ashley not much at all.

Katie, Grace and I took off to hit Pike's Market and meet my mom, sister, brother-in-law and niece for the day.  They cruised in from WI and MT.  After a quick light rail ride, they were ready to party Seattle style, minus the weed of course.  We checked out the market, fish throwers, grapes and cheese making.  People from Wisconsin cannot get enough cheese.

Mini Donuts

Gum Wall

After lunch at Ivar's down on the pier was very satisfactory.! After that the teams split up, Eva, Wendy, Keith and Marisa back to their hotel to complete check in.  Grace and Katie to the pool.  Ashley and Kari to an urgent care in the greater Seattle area.  I went to the concierge's desk for dinner plans.  After that I went to the City Target pharmacy to await further instructions and make small talk.  Eventually, Ashley was diagnosed with strep.  Kari returned to rescue Katie and Grace from the pool.  I continued to stand guard at the city Target pharmacy until the amoxicillin prescription arrived.

Now we had a plan.  Ashley and Kari will be quarantined to the hotel.  The rest of us would explore Uptown and the Space Needle.

Go Pro

Keith, Wendy and Marisa

Funny hats in the gift shop 

Marisa rockin the Space Needle

Mom and I rockin the Needle

At the park Ninja Warrior Style

Katie in on the NW action 

EMP museum

Dinner at Collections, monorail ride home and bed.  Tomorrow we are cruising!!!

Beast mode in Seattle

The Anseth's arrived in Seattle at midnight Minneapolis time.  After a cab ride and some unpacking, everyone was tucked in around 10:30-11:00 PST.  No one really excited to get up so I grabbed my shoes and went for a run out and back along the sea wall.  Little overcast and 60 degree mad for a very pleasant run.

Here is the skyline from the run.

When I returned, everyone was up and generally ready to go.  Pike's Market all proclaimed and with that we were off.  We sample the pleasures of the market, Texas sized donuts, cotton candy grapes, mangos, peaches, beef jerky, jam, preserves and chocolate pasta.

Gum wall 

After this picture things went downhill.  Ashley and Kari began to feel sick.  Ashley went back to the hotel and crashed.  Kari took Grace and Katie to the pool but she crashed as well.  Grace and Katie enjoyed the pool, hot tub and fire pit at the hotel.  They had little interest in the rest of Seattle.

Given the situation, I did the only thing any sane man could do.  I LEFT!!!!!!

First stop.  Alial Fital and its CEO, Gibran Hamdan.  I buy polo shirts from AF all the time.  I was in Seattle and decide to meet the man behind these shirts.  I stopped by the studio and spent almost 2 hours taking with him about his start, his design process, his direction and his life.  It was a great time, like seeing an old friend.  

After I left AF, I crossed the street and found a great little sushi place while I waited for my Uber.  Nothing like a little afternoon refreshment.

After that I went wandering Seattle and saw and learned several amazing things.

1.  No place in the world has more 

    people selling kettle corn than the 

    street in front of Century Link Field.

2. Shopping for a Kilt would be more fun 

    if someone was with you.

3. Pioneer square is full of ping pong and 

    chess hustlers trying to separate rubes

    from their money.

4. Smith tower is old and the observation

    deck is closed.  Nobody working there

    seems particularly happy.

The Sky Observatory at the Columbia Tower was the highest point in Seattle for pictures.

From here I checked out the King county court house and then head back down to the hotel.  On the way, Kari texted me to pick up some Tylenol and Advil.  I met a couple old friends there who offered to help make the night better

Kari and Ashley went to bed.  Katie, Grace and I tried to close down Seattle with limited success.

Sushi

This is the first of many salmon which will be no match for us.

Sleepless in Seattle

The Anseth family is off for one last summer adventure.  Hanging at MSP terminal 2 waiting for Sun Country to wisk us off to Seattle.  Everybody is smiling now.  We will see what they look like when the plane lands in Seattle at midnight.  Keep your fingers crossed.