Living: Hotel Hotel Hostel, Fremont, Seattle

Working: WeWork South Lake Union

Laundry: Fremont Clean Express Laundry

This week in laundry I blog from my phone.

For whatever reason, my surface pro is not turning on at the moment. Whether the battery has drained, or yet another software update has rendered the device unusable, I cannot say, and I will have to investigate later. For in this moment my priorities are clear.

It’s a shame really – I thought Microsoft did such a good job with the Surface Pro 3. The experience was great, and the battery lasted hours.

I’ve had a Surface Pro 4 for about a month, and it’s been a huge disappointment. The track pad rarely works, the battery seems to drain quite fast, and I can barely use it without the need for yet another system update. It was good while it lasted Microsoft, but you’ve managed to yet again ruin a good thing going.

If I had the option, I’d switch back to my old Surface Pro 3 – but I don’t unfortunately, due to my rather high rating on the klutz scale.

In any case, with my Surface Pro 4 failing me completely, I’ve resorted to writing a rather long note on my phone.

Today is my last full day in Seattle. It’s beautiful out today – crisp cool air against bright sun and blue skies.

This week has been a true treat. An authentic Seattle experience through and through. Most of the week involved clouds and rain. Surprisingly I enjoyed it. It may have been the 10 months in Los Angeles, but it seems that I miss the rain. I miss the rainy days. I miss the calmness that comes through the overcast. It seems to me to bring out a soft spoken gentleness from the people I interact with. Perfect with an artisan espresso from Milstead & Co, my home away from home this week.

Milstead & Co – my home for this week

I’m not sure if I could survive an entire winter eclipsed by clouds, but this week has been so pleasant through the overcast that I no longer consider it an impossibility.

On this perfect day in Puget Sound I have quite a bit to try and squeeze in. I’m hoping to spend a few hours at the MOHAI, followed by a ferry ride out to Bainbridge Island, lunch on the island, a ride back to downtown, catch the Cornish BFA exhibitions in art and design, and finally get to enjoy a meal with some friends. Or in other words, enjoy the best that Seattle has to offer.

Seattle Cityscape from the Bainbridge Ferry

I’ll probably grab one last cup of coffee before dropping off my clothes after the wash as well.

Shot of Espresso from Milstead & Co

One of the most striking qualities of this city is its integration with nature.

Without a doubt this is a city of industry. The constant construction all around me serves as an obvious reminder.

Construction across from Milstead – people in this town play games of count the cranes

But there is water and recreation everywhere. And the city is nestled on a series of tree soaked hills and valleys with snow capped mountains in the distance.

The Aurora Bridge over the boats on the Lake Union Lock

Nothing seems to capture this notion better than watching an airplane land on Lake Union – the very lake where Bill Boeing started his company that would grow to an aerospace empire – from a grassy knoll in a park that was once a coal natural gas refinery for the city’s gas lamp system.

The Airport on Lake Union

There are trails for biking and running everywhere, and people make good use of them – I myself walked home from South Lake Union – on the edge of the booming Amazon campus – to the north shore of Fremont – a route that took me through the SLU (South Lake Union) urban sprawl, past the overhead network of cable power lines for the cable cars and light rail, to the west shore of union lake along a still under construction bike path, past the house boats under the shadow of the aurora bridge, and finally up a steep set of stairs to the Fremont bridge.

The Freemont Bridge lifts to let a barge pass from the locks to Lake Union

Outdoor recreation abounds – my walk back from work brought me past boating dealers, scuba lessons, kayaking, and sailing opportunities.

After work on Thursday I went to buy a water bottle – I saw that there was an REI near work, and I was in need (mostly due to my higher than average rating on the mishap scale I have a habit of leaving my water bottles in airports, trains, and busses).

Turns out that happens to be the flagship REI store. Complete with an outdoor bike path, urban forest, huge atrium, and two stories of yuppie outdoor eye candy. It was overwhelming. So much so the only image I captured from the experience was this waterfall.

Waterfall at the Urban Ecoforest at REI’s flagship location

Inside I found a $20k camping trailer designed by a former NASA designer, and an Oragami kayak.

I am awestruck at the outdoor recreation opportunities for such an urban environment. It feels like another world here. All week, I’ve been stuck with the desire to crawl into a kayak and practice my escapes and saves – alongside a good bit of inter-island voyaging. But for the brevity of a week long trip, and with the limitation of working 9-6, it’s simply not in the cards.

I believe though for all the splendor that I see here, eventually the novelty would wear out, as with many things. Along the path of my walk home, I can already feel the slippage of the unfamiliar into the understood.

House Boat on Lake Union along my walk home

But the beauty of being on the road is that I don’t have time to let familiarity sink in. By tomorrow, I’ll be on my way, and my daily walk won’t be any more than a fond impression. And Seattle will remain a magic memory.

This week concludes the last of my weekly excursions. From here on, I’ll be focusing on staying in one place for two to three weeks at a time, broken up by onsite client visits.

This has been an amazing week, filled with warm people, welcoming places, great food, and a pleasant peaceful happiness. I’m grateful for the opportunity to enjoy it. And I thank you for sharing it with me here.