Kilted Walking Tour of Seattle

[Retro Red]

Great pics! I knew that the Pike Place Market mascot was a pig, but I never found out why a pig was chosen.

Rachel is the Market’s bronze piggy bank, and for the past 21 years, she’s raised over $120,000—that’s a lot of bacon! Money collected in Rachel buys services for low-income people at the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Senior Center, Preschool and Downtown Food Bank. Legend has it that you can rub her snout and make a donation for good luck.

(copied from www.pigsonparade.org)
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[Retro Red]

Home stadiums for the Seahawks & Mariners
Qwest Field & Safeco Field, respectively


a busy port...


Close-up of clock & tower at Starbucks Headquarters


Mecca of the caffeinated

[Retro Red]

St James Cathedral


Inside a hidden gem...
In front of the waterfall in Waterfall Garden Park. This is where we had lunch, which we had picked up at a bakery in Pioneer Square. A lovely, secluded oasis that effectively isolates you from the surrounding urban environment. This privately built & maintained garden sits on the original site of the United Parcel Service.


Everybody gets in on the act...
Besides my wife, my sister & neice joined us on our walking tour. (L-R: me, wifey, neice, sister)


This one is for you Beatles fans out there...
This is the Edgewater Hotel where the Beatles stayed during their visit to Seattle on their 1964 American tour - Room 272 - & where they famously fished from their room's window.

[ardchoille]

Rachel is the Market’s bronze piggy bank, and for the past 21 years, she’s raised over $120,000—that’s a lot of bacon! Money collected in Rachel buys services for low-income people at the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Senior Center, Preschool and Downtown Food Bank. Legend has it that you can rub her snout and make a donation for good luck.

(copied from www.pigsonparade.org)
.

I could use a bit of good luck.. I'll have to rub her snout and make a donation

[ccga3359]

Wonderful photos, I can almost smell the aromas from Cafe Nervosa. Love the tartan but cannot name it.

[Retro Red]

Wonderful photos, I can almost smell the aromas from Cafe Nervosa. Love the tartan but cannot name it.

'Tis the official tartan of me home state - Arizona!
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[Retro Red]

Original Starbucks sign
The original sign hanging outside the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market. For you Starbuck aficianados, you'll notice this sign is unique; no other store has one like it.


Where it all started...
Storefront of original Starbucks. We didn't even try to go inside because as you can see the place was packed & folks were lined up way down the sidewalk just to get in!!!


Wifey & I with Rachel, the Pike Place Market mascot

[Retro Red]

Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park
I think this qualifies as the most unlikely setting for a national park I've ever been in - inside the former Cadillac Hotel. Just seemed kinda odd to see park rangers patrolling their park inside a building. A great little park, though, that gives a lot of insight to the events that helped establish Seattle. Oh, & sorry for the tiny picture, but I missed getting a pic of this place, but wanted to include it here.


A couple-a dummies...
Me & a mannequin in front of the new Utilikilts Flagship Store


Home of Utilikilts


Paying homage
A Utilikilt Original was my first kilt (I now own 5 UKs) & started me on the road to freedom. I of course had to stop in to the Flagship Store & pay my respects.


A mini-Rabble
I know this pic has already been posted, but since meeting Kyle & Don came at the end of our walking tour, I thought a rerun was in order. A long walk builds up your thirst!



That concludes the walking tour of Seattle. There were a bunch of other places we went to on the tour that I didn't take pics of, but I hope you enjoyed these that I did take.

Next up - the Museum of Flight!
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[Panache]

RR,



You look great here in the utilikilt and the hat standing tall with good posture, but Steve V. really needs to do something about that dummy. Its vacant glassy eyed expression and far too bright red wig aren't very appealing. It might put off potential customers.



Glad to see your hair growing back, and that you and your lady had such a good time in Washington.

Cheers

Jamie

[Hamish]

Congratulations, Retro, on a superb set of photos which brought back happy memories of my stay in Seattle back in 2003. I went up/over there especially for the Utilikilts 3rd Anniversary Party which was actually held out in the country, at Duvall. The new Utilikilts flagship store looks absolutely marvellous - what a step up from the one I knew in a somewhat dilapidated warehouse, north of the city! I currently have 11 Utilikilts in The Kollection (although some have now been archived, including my first: an early Workmans which Steven Villegas actually made himself in 1999/2000).

Whilst I knew that Starbucks was born in Seattle, I had no idea that it was IN Pike Market - and I must have walked past that branch half a dozen times without knowing that.

I must get back to that city sometime. Thanks again.