Seattle 2015

We stayed at the Maxwell Hotel, just one block off the Seattle Center, home to the Space Needle, new Chihuly garden and glass museum, science center, monorail, and so much more--we could easily have spent another three nights or more in Seattle.  Although we have been here several times, one forgets how magnificent the city is.  Our first night we dined in the Seattle Center near the Chihuly display, and had a delicious meal, but were entranced by what we coud see of the Chihuly exhibit from the outside looking in.

It was warm, and as we explored the Seattle Center, passing the large fountain,children were running and splashing in the water:

We had a fun trip the next morning, using the Maxwell's free shuttle service, to Pioneer Square to enjoy the humorous Seattle Underground tour, something we had never fit in before.  I knew about the fire and the city re-building itself with fill and raised streets, leaving the first story to become the future underground basements and sidewalks.  We lunched at a New Orlean's cuisine restaurant spot, and then caught a train back to Westlake Center, and the end of the monorail that could take us to Seattle Center. At the Center, we first explored Chihuly during daylight, then had dinner at the Space Needle--delicious but expensive; best steak EVER-- and later returned again at dusk to see Chihuly's works at night.

 The museum features Dale Chihuly's works as well as depicting his life and growth as an artist.  The pieces are impressive, from the huge glass flowers and abstract organic/biologic works below

to the orange floral growth in the huge greenhouse:

To the garden entwined glassworks lit for evening display:

The next day was spent at the Pike Place Market sand the pier with the ferris wheel,which we rode before walking back to our hotel--5.6 miles of walking that day!

The next day is cruise departure day and off we head for Alaska!

San Diego Explorations

Liz and I are visiting Helen in San Diego, and today we explored a little of Balboa Park.  Our friend David Miles, trainee docent for the Museum of Art, took us on a visit through three sections of the museum that he has studied, explaining in wonderful detail about the background and history of an art piece and the period of the artist, known and unknown.  He is in the first semester of a four-semester long docent training, and I can see why learning to be a docent is so intensive at this wonderful museum!  It was quite informative and enjoyable.  Afterwards, we lunched at the nearby little plaza restaurant, then David had to hurry back to his afternoon docent training session.

We wandered back to our car via the small sculpture garden--in which the piece below is featured:

The small garden reminds a little of the much larger sculpture garden at MaryHill Museum on the Columbia Gorge, another "must see" for anyone interested in art and which is shown in this blog from a few years past--I should talk to David about MaryHill if he has never been there.  I would like to re-visit MaryHill after the recent Museum expansion there.

Yesterday, we hiked along a nature trail on the strand going to Coronado--the bird/wildlife preserve protected by the Navy is along the entire length of the trail, and fenced off to protect from human intrusion.  It was lovely day, and we saw plenty of birds, jack rabbits, and other critters. 

After the hike, we lunched at the Coronado Hotel--lovely and the food was great!  It was a nice break after helping Helen do a little more packing and sorting of household items as she prepares for the last of her new carpet installation.