Let me jump back in time here and run down memory lane real quick. Overall, I liked Seattle a lot, I know people say it’s just like Austin- I figured it wouldn’t, because no place I ever have been even comes close, but it really is. Lots of weird people, Stevie Ray Vaughan on the radio, active bikers and skate boarders everywhere getting totally extreme, a few crazy bums here and there to mix it up, awesome food, and things to do. Now the weather – it was in the upper 70s while all my friends are baking in the 100s in Texas. Let me check, yup in the face – if you have anything left of it from burning off in that heat.

Now Wednesday morning we went to the infamous Pike Place Market, we did this Savor Seattle tour which I also thought would be cheezy and lame but it was pretty cool. Our tour guide was Erik, he was rocking a pretty lengthy Salvadore Dali mustache, for some reason he wore a kilt, made fun of “pants wearers”… and he also carried a pink Mary Poppins umbrella so we could see him in the crowd of people that just stop and don’t have a clue as to what they are doing.

On the tour we had these hilarious earpieces that allowed us to hear Erik as well as look like secret service folks/futuristic robots sent from the future. We got to sample the following local foods:

  • Fresh donuts straight off the Donut Robot 5000 at Daily Dozen Doughnuts
  • Some wacky cinnamon tea at MarketSpice
  • FISH THROWING and various smoked salmon at Pike Place Fish – these guys also made fun of Erik’s mustache multiple times so I thought that was pretty funny
  • Probably the best peach, cherries, and nectarine I’ve ever had at Frank’s Quality Produce. Also, just FYI – Alison had never had a fresh cherry before so congrats to her for accomplishing this feat at age 30. Yup, never had a cherry before. We’re tearing walls down here people. Crazy!
  • Awesome chowder at Pike Place Chowder. Erik tried to tell some story (I wasn’t paying attention) about this place winning all the awards so after talking about them winning he asked us what happened the next year. I loudly suggest they lost (trying to hype up our group) but I was wrong. This place never loses. Shame on me. Also skip the seafood bisque, we give it 2 thumbs down, double up on the chowder.
  • Sampled some various cherries at Chukar Cherries, plus some peach and cherry salsa which sounds gross but is pretty good.
  • I don’t really really even like cheese that much (my mom likes to claim I’m allergic to it) but Beecher’s handmade cheese was pretty good, they make a killer macaroni and cheese there.
  • I saw this Russian joint on the food network so it was cool to go to Piroshky-Piroshky, they make some kind of soviet hot pocket with different items in them. We had the potato and cheese, as well as apple cinnamon. Perestroika!
  • Last we stopped at Etta’s Seafood, which is owned by Tom Douglass, a chef here that evidently is on every cooking show on tv, and he also owns like 17 restaurants here. They love this guy here, he makes a good crab cake too.

Pike Place Market Sign

2024

My tron earpiece. I'm from the future

Fruit stand. Best Fruit Ever.

Fish market

Our guide Erik strikes a pose