Seattle March 2015

Seattle 

March 2015

Back to Seattle for a somewhat unplanned trip. My 90 year old aunt had passed and it was an opportunity to visit with cousins, some of whom I haven't seen in 40 years. Would I recognize them? Would we have anything to say to each other? It truly was a reunion of

family and we broke bread and busted open bottles of wine, eating delicious Carolina ribs and playing the card game Taboo until midnight. Laughing, talking, sharing, debating, it was old family turned new friends. Even the second cousins joined us with their eloquence and intelligence, they fit right in and I wished for my own kids to be there to share this family friendly moment. 

We began Thursday night at the Tacoma home of my second cousin Amy and shared in memories of our departed and met new friends from their decades of acquaintances. With all the commotion they asked us to stay for post memorial pizza and we enjoyed delicious pies with them all. I realize I didn't ask where they were from which is a blog info oversight. But it was Tacoma and it was fantastic.  

Friday we toured the city taking in the over priced and underwhelming Music Experience followed by an amazing fresh pasta "experience" at Il Corvo. Famous for their home 

made pasta, you join the line early out the front door and stand in the geographical center of the small restaurant to order lunch then find a now open table. Amazing and reasonably priced, don't miss this place during its limited 4 day a week schedule.

Later Friday, we met family from Teresa's side, her sister and our beautiful niece met us at Ivar's in Mukilteo north of Seattle about 25 miles north which on a Friday evening was Los Angeles travel time of over an hour. Don't confuse this place with quality local seafood. But it made a nice place to have drinks with a view. Then back to West Seattle to join my cousins at a beach home they rented to have time together. We talked late into the night and had a blast together. 

Saturday was set aside to visit with a retired nun friend who had recently moved to the Providence house there, which is where she started her journey some 70 years earlier. Sister Rose was as spry as ever and gave us the grand tour before breakfast at Salty s on Alki Beach.  We didn't know it was brunch only so sisters Caesar salad only lunch was disproportionately priced. It was worth the company and time together by far and the chamber of commerce views across the bay to Seattle were spectacular.

We dropped sister back at her new home and headed back to the cousin beach house to kill a couple hours pre-flight back to L.A. 

2 trips to Seattle in just a few months was not the plan but it is a wonderful city with lots to do and when the weather is right it is spectacular.