But isn’t that so Seattle!?
I explored to Pike’s Place Market this afternoon in search of a seafood snack.
This city is FREEZING COLD!
I found lots of seafood! Oh how I wish I had a kitchen right now! Copper River Salmon are in season!
Guy throws fish!
The market was cool – it reminded me of a cross between the San Francisco Ferry Building and an open market in Mexico – so much hustle and bustle and so much fish juice! I hope the bottoms of my jeans don’t smell..
For my snack, I followed recommendation and went to Beecher’s Cheese Shop where I found just what I was looking for…
Dungeness crab + Flagship Cheese grilled
On this blustery cold afternoon, it was just what I wanted! Crab is so good! [So is cheese!!]
After a short rest, I went to a speaker’s meeting and then to a party hosted by Ziplist, a cool tool that allows you to create shopping lists and recipe boxes for recipes that are easily consolidated across the web by shoppers.
There were lots of people to chat with and lots of delicious gourmet finger foods
The above veggie stacks topped with lemon zest were outstanding, as were the grape cracker bites and crab cakes.
The highlight of the evening was getting to spend time with EMILY whom I have not seen since she was about 20 weeks pregnant! I can’t believe I am beyond that in my own pregnancy already and her little guy is 7 months old!
I can’t decide what is more tired: me or my ab muscles from holding up the baby on my feet all night. King size bed, I am ready!
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
Enjoy Seattle. Hope you get some decent weather. It was super rainy this morning here in Portland and then really sunny. Looks like through the weekend it will get better and better. You might have already said this somewhere but will you get to see Emily this trip?
Hi Kath! If you are in Seattle, you MUST go to Wild Ginger and/or The Pink Door! Wild Ginger has wonderful fresh real food served family style. The Pink Door has fantastic Italian food, and there are silk ariel performances throughout the evening above the tables! Enjoy your time in Seattle, you are just a stones throw from me right now (I’m in Vancouver)!
Are they walking distances from downtown’s core?
Yes I think so – I walked to both when there for a convention staying at the downtown Sheraton. Both are a very short distance from the market.
Wild Ginger: 1401 3rd Ave
http://www.wildginger.net/
The Pink Door: 1919 Post Alley, Pike Place Market
http://thepinkdoor.net/
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Thanks!
I second Wild Ginger- my husband and I have been there when we were visiting Seattle and it was great! Also great- Pike’s Place Chowder- it’s right down by the market, about a street up in the “alley” (that’s actually what the street is called). It’s fantastic chowder but by no means light.
I LOVE Pike’s Place Chowder! It is one of my favorite places to eat and a warm bread bowl of chowder on a rainy day is wonderful!
The Pink Door is my FAVORITE! Make sure to go when they have the trapeze artists… I’m not sure if they’re only there part time?
Sorry about the cold and wet nature of our city right now – who scheduled this conference in the middle of Juneuary anyway? ;^)
yay, glad you got to reunite the beautiful emily. you are 2 peas in a pod.
enjoy seattle!!
I cannot even imagine how exhatusted you are. The time change, the travel day, 3rd trimester pregnant, going to these events and needing to feel “on” and ready to be alert and attentive…Get some rest, Kath!
Oh, Beecher’s… how I love thee!!
Lucky you, Kath, to have the best cheese on the planet on your grilled cheese sandwich!!
And lucky me that they sell it in some stores in N. CA, too!
I like the sign of one fish seller “Give Dad “crabs” for Father’s day!” … I honestly don’t think
they realize there’s another meaning for “crabs”! LOL I wish I can FB (facebook) my family that pic but I know I can’t (it’s a copyrighted affair)… Can I at least tell them about it in words?
I think they do realize
You can FB it – etiquette just says to credit
okay, I will credit your website and date that it was posted… Thank you, my cousins will love this!
Those fish markets look awesome!
grilled cheese and crab sammy? I’m from maryland and I haven’t thought of that!
Those appetizers looks so good. I may have to make an appetizer spread for dinner tonight, along with some wine! Yay, it’s Friday!
I’ve always wanted to see Seattle! So fun with that fish market! The grilled cheese and crab sounds amazing.
Love the sign, “Give Dad Crabs.”
Kath, have you read An Economist Gets Lunch, New Rules for Everyday Foodies by Tyler Cowen. I grabbed it at the library yesterday and it is very intersting so far. In the first chapter he talks about using the economic principle that food is a product of economic supply and demand, so try to figure out where the supplies are fresh, the suppliers are creative, and the demanders are informed. The fish market and cheese shop are certainly perfect examples of his principle. Enjoy the rest of your trip and spending some bonding time with your little guy even before he is born. Tell him to take it easy on you!
I haven’t – sounds neat though!
So far it is very thought-provoking. He is suggesting that “food snobbery” is killing entrepreneurship and innovation and that the food world needs to know that you don’t have to spend more to eat healthy, green exciting meals. His 3 messages are:
1. Every meal counts.
2. Good food is often cheep food.
3. Be innovative as a consumer.
After my first post I read Chapter 3 and one of the sections is called “Fresh and Smelly” about the freshness of foods in supermarkets and how at the Great Wall the seafood section has a much stronger odor than would be desirable in a regular American supermarket. The scent is advertising to Chinese customers but a put off to others. Very interesting!
Love the pics! My friend is from Seattle and it sounds like it’d be such a beautiful place. Glad you’re enjoying the sights!
I love the fish market photos – have a great time!
I loved visiting Pikes Market…we ate a seafood extravaganza that night! Crab and cheese sandwich looks amazing…yummy looking bread! Lots of yummy treats for you to sample…I bet you are not hungry anymore!
…another winning post title!
Here’s to reuniting w/old friends…enjoy (and don’t overexert your third trimester self!)
I love Pike’s Place Market! Your pictures are making me miss home!
That cheese and crab sandwich looks amazing! I may have to make one of those for myself! Isn’t it so fun to visit local haunts when traveling? Are those cheese curds they are gathering together?
Ahh I’m desperate to go to Seattle, it looks like a fun city! Enjoy yourself!
Seattle is probably my favorite city in the U.S. – such beautiful scenery, and the people are laid-back and friendly.
Oh wow, that seafood market looks amazing! I bet the fish is all so fresh. It’s too bad you can’t buy anything to take home!
Have you ever read the book “Fish” based on the attitudes of people at the market? Short and very interesting.
I haven’t
I’ve always wanted to visit Pike Place and see Seattle! It looks so beautiful
Fabulous pictures! Do you remember when Laura got fussed at for touching a fish? (She was three so maybe you don’t remember.)
I don’t!
My husband and I would love to travel the country just eating at different restaurants and such–that would be sooo awesome!!!
I am sure that Seattle has great food! Enjoy!!!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
I love Seattle. It’s been so long since I’ve been! I definitely need to get back there soon.
Have a great trip!
You are giving me so many ideas for when I visit Seattle! The finger food looks beautiful (and delicious!)!
check this post out too! http://delishhh.com/2010/03/11/if-you-only-had-a-weekend-in-seattle-where-would-you-go-and-eat/
ummm this is exactly what I needed, thank you!!
my friend is currently preggo with twins and another mom recommended these camisoles to her to help ‘support’ the weight of the babies. I hear they’re addicting. Maybe these would help on days you’re standing a lot??
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/shimera-seamless-tank-2-for-48/3090717?origin=keywordsearch&fashionColor=Blue+Spectrum&resultback=187
CooL!
Ahhh… we went to Pikes Place twice last August when we were in Seattle and it was sensory overload! And I agree- it was torture to not be able to buy some of the fish to take home and cook up! And the huge bouquets of flowers too- amazing!! The later it gets in the day, they lower the price dropped. When we were there in the late afternoon, it was about $5 for a bunch bigger than your head. I almost got some just to enjoy in the hotel room for a few days!
Have fun!!
That crab and grilled cheese sandwich sounds so good!! I love, love, love crab. Wish it was more affordable! Appetizers look good too, and I hope you and Emily had fun!! Enjoy!
Welcome to Seattle! Sorry about the weather, we call it June Gloom. Our summer does not come until the 5th of July
Have fun exploring!!!
Wow, what an awesome sandwich!
That sandwich looks and sounds amazing. More details, please … I would love to replicate it at home. Was it chunks of plain crab meat, or more like crab salad? And what sort of cheese was it?
Enjoy Seattle! I’ve always wanted to go.
It was like shredded crab and a really good white cheese with a very light white sauce – all toasted and buttered
Sometimes you can find Beecher’s Flagship cheese in Whole Foods!
Born & raised Seattlelite right here (who’s been reading yours & Emily’s blogs forever! I do get jealous of the warm weather down in your neck of the woods sometimes though
)
Welcome to our beautiful, albeit rainy, city!!
We just picked up some of the wild copper salmon…We wait for it all year and then stuff our faces for weeks without being sorry one bit about it, it’s that good!
Taking a ferry and visiting the surrounding islands on a clear day is absolutely amazing. The San Juan Islands are breathtaking and so are the surrounding mountains! I know it’s been crappy here this week, hopefully the sun will come out before you leave- everything kind of sparkles when it does- cuz ya know, the entirety of Seattle is usually covered in rain drops lol.
Welcome to the Rainy City! You missed our nice weather a couple weeks back
If you have time for brunch, head to Portage Bag Cafe (in the South Lake Union area) or Etta’s in Pike’s Place (a Tom Douglas restaurant). And if you get out of the downtown area, Paseo’s in Fremont has the BEST Cuban sandwich around. Make sure to get extra napkins though. Enjoy your visit!
*Last comment should read Portage BAY Cafe, not Portage Bag :/
Welcome to Seattle! I highly recommend The Pink door, it’s one of my absolute favorites. Also did you see the original Starbucks coffee shop down the street from Beecher’s? Pretty fun. If you like gourmet pizza you should try Serious Pie – it’s a Tom Douglas restaurant, and you can’t visit Seattle and not eat in one of his restaurants!
http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=serious-pie
Also for late night dessert and drinking chocolate try Le Pichet:
http://lepichetseattle.com/home/
Enjoy the city!
Just found your blog love it!!! Welcome to Seattle too!!
Welcome!! Loved your restaurant recs!
Love the pictures!! Makes me miss Seattle! If you get a chance, check out Chukar Cherries in Pike’s Market for some great natural Washington cherries and other snacks!
Ah, the Public Market is a blast! I went once and was so amused by the guys who throw fish. It was really crowded when I went, so we mainly just explored but didn’t buy much, though now I wish I knew about that grilled cheese sandwich. MMMMM that sounds good.
Love this post. Seattle is one of my top of the list places to visit so I loved seeing bits of it. The fish market looked brilliant and that toasted sandwich. Wow. Love crab and to have it grilled with cheese sounds amazing.
Hahah I’ve never been to Seattle for more than an hour, but I know exactly what you mean with fish juice. Thank goodness king beds don’t mind
FYI, it’s Pike Place market, not Pike’s Place. It’s named after the nearby street & the (really common) extra apostrophe & s is a huge pet peeve for a lot of Seattleites.