Quality Time

A dear friend of mine, who I have had the serenity to have known over half my life, has spent considerable time living abroad and exploring the world. Whenever she returns to the Emerald City in-between adventures, we see each other periodically, usually at whatever party or event I'm hosting, and once in awhile we do spend time one-on-one, but those times usual end up being not as frequent as we intend. In our hearts, we know we will always be there for one another and no matter how much time or distance passes, we will see each other's bright smile sooner or later. My friend is set to embark upon another adventure in the upcoming weeks and we've agreed not to let time slip away from us and to make the most of the days remaining until then.

Last week, we brunched (at Tilikum Place,) then headed over to the Frye Art Museum, took in a bit of frankincense and Italian-inspired architecture at the much gilded St. James Cathedral, stopped for espresso, browsed books at the newly re-located Elliot Bay Book Company and meandered through the streets, both meek and grand, of Captiol Hill toward Volunteer Park.

Unfortunately, we arrived as the conservatory was closing, but the Asian Art Museum was still open for an hour so we opted for a quick visit. While at the art museum we discovered a brochure describing various lectures on Asian art with an upcoming one on the art and architecture of India. (A while back, my friend had left to visit India for a few weeks and ended up being away from the Emerald City for a few years!)

Last Saturday, we attended that lecture and it was amazing. A highlight of the presentation is that the speaker opened my eyes to spiritual and philosophical concepts that have manifested themselves in both architecture and urban design. Saturday University is the name of the lecture series and there were only a handful of others attending that appeared to be around our age, the rest of the auditorium was a significantly older crowd as one might expect to see at such an event on a sunny, early Saturday morning.

After the talk, our intellect was on fire and we kept discussing what we had just learned as we wove our way, once again, through the streets of Capitol Hill headed to a yet-to-be-determined spot for lunch. We ended up at a Vietnamese cafe and ate outside, taking full advantage of the glorious autumn sunshine. While we waited for our food R & B and Pop hits of days gone by (Beyonce, Britney, T-Pain etc.) played on an outdoor speaker and we both couldn't help but sing along (Apple-bottom jeans/Boots with the fur...) and bob our heads as we reminisced on times gone by.

After lunch, we were still hungry, for more knowledge. We made our way up to Elliot Bay Books in hopes of stumbling upon another lecture, no such luck. We reversed course and headed downtown with the Klondike Gold Rush Museum as a destination in mind. (It's the only National Park that's indoors!) Along our way to Pioneer Square we popped in to the Central Library, again in hopes of finding another lecture. One was about to start in half an hour in celebration of To Kill a Mockingbird, which also included a screening of the film, but we didn't want to be indoors for so long on such a sunny day.

We ended up at the Chinese Room of the L. C. Smith Tower (Thank you S.W.) and took in a Google-Earth-like view of the Emerald City. I pointed out various buildings and told my friend a few anecdotal stories of their histories. She shared with me childhood memories of various venues within view. The air was warm, the breeze on the 35th floor balcony was gentle and we couldn't help but linger long wondering aloud what is to become of the land beneath the viaduct, as well as what deconstruction and renewal our own futures might hold in the year to come.

Eventually, we took our leave and swiftly descended in the manually operated, 1912 Otis elevator back to earth and wandered through Pioneer Square, stumbling upon the Saturday Market in Occidental Park, before ending up at the Klondike Museum, where we read in-between the lines of the what was being presented to us and created our own narratives of the featured Sourdoughs. We did catch a short film on the history of the Yukon Gold Rush. In a particular scene they showed a line of men climbing a mountain, each with an average of 50 pounds of gear on their back. My friend and I couldn't help but remark, since they all were already in a line up the side of a mountain, wouldn't it have been more efficient if they formed a human conveyor belt and passed goods and supplies from person to person (Chinese-Fire-Drill-style,) instead of each person carrying so much heavy gear by themselves then dropping it off and having to go back down the mountain and do it all over again?

After exploring the Klondike, we made our way back downtown and I tended to a weekly floral installation, after which, we enjoyed a pair of scrumptous cocktails at Vessel (Thank you K.L.) and were treated to an array of fresh market fruit, gourmet cheeses, and charcuterie from Salumi (Thank you C.B.) With Vessel being my home away from home, it comes to little surprise whenever I run into a friend there, which I did.

After sating our thirst and appetite, we had nothing on our agenda until 9:30 that evening at SIFF Cinema, and again began to wander the streets once again, ending up at the terminus for the South Lake Union Streetcar or as most Emerald City denizens like to affectionately refer to it "The S.L.U.T.," with the "T" representing trolley. While on the streetcar we were surrounded by a rather jovial group, it appeared as if they had been imbibing. Three gentlemen and two ladies, both of whom were expecting.

"Whoa! Is that a raccoon?!" One of the guys asked, referring to the raccoon tail I recently embellished my key chain with. "What's that in your pocket?" He continued.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I slyly replied. His friends all started giggling.

"You asked for it," one of them teased him.

My curious inquisitor was tall, good looking and wearing decent designer denim. "I guess nobody wants to let a pregnant lady sit down!..." he shouted to the streetcar riders and two gentlemen sitting behind us, got up and left their seats. The inquisitor's friends did point out there were several vacant seats in other parts of the car. Then one of his friends pointed out that the inquisitor's zipper was down.

"Hey, why did you have to spoil the show?" I quipped, "I know you're pregnant and all, but there's a reason why I wasn't giving up my front row seat."

Everyone started laughing, except for the inquisitor who bowed his head sheepishly to conceal his blushing. "Awww, look, he's embarrassed," teased one of his friends.

"So, where ya going?" The inquisitor tried to recover.

"We don't know, wherever the SLUT takes us, Hooters?"

We all ended up disembarking at South Lake Union Park, but headed in different directions. I didn't realize that yesterday was the grand opening of the park. It's a cute park, with quite a bit of promise. (Might be a bit better if it had a beer garden, just sayin'...) Once we had our fill of the unforgettable fragrance of fresh fertilizer we decided to head uptown along Mercer, but somehow went under the wrong underpass and ended up at Seattle Center.

As we crossed the Center's campus we noticed tents above the Fisher Pavilion and heard live music. We went closer to investigate and it was Festa Italiana. We watched as a few couples mambo-ed on the dance floor and just marveled at how much goes on in this city in one day before making our way to The Sitting Room for another round of drinks and another little bite to eat (Thanks D.,) after which we headed over to SIFF Cinema (Thanks A.G.) where they are showcasing a series of new Spanish cinema.

The movie we saw, After, was a bit dark and intense, but quite evocative in making one reevaluate if the life they is true or not. In some ways it tied everything back to the lecture we saw in the morning on how, sometimes it matters little if what we do is deemed as good or otherwise, ultimately, the important thing is putting one's heart into the action at hand. I'm so thankful to have had spent a glorious day with the company of a dear friend and all of my heart.

View from the Top (x2)

Going up?

"Is that a barista drink?" 

I had just sat down and was waiting for my fellow tour guide to arrive and join me for coffee, as we always do before giving our tour, Design Details (http://seattlearchitecture.org/,) as a man in a plaid shirt, jeans and aviator style eye-glasses, shoulders raised giving him almost a hunch-like appearance, and holding the day's newspaper approached me and asked, "Is that a barista drink? Can I have your free drink?" The man didn't appear down-and-out, and though he was dressed like a hipster, my feeling was he had been dressing as such for the last twenty to thirty years or so and not a follower of any particular fleeting fashion fad.

It wasn't that early, but it was Saturday morning, at 8:30, and my soy latte hadn't quite kicked in. "Uh, I suppose...," I replied.

"This weekend, if you buy a barista drink, you get one free," he explained.

"Can I have your free drink?" he continued.

"Sure," I responded, still not fully comprehending what was going on. The gentleman went up to the cashier and asked if he could have my free drink and was informed the free drink had to be ordered while the original order was placed. The man started to get a bit upset so I tried to soothe things over, "It's okay, my friend is on her way. How about you can have her free drink?" I suggested. This seemed to work; he calmed down, took a seat and started to read his paper.

"Is your friend single? Does she have a fiancé, a boyfriend?" he asked.

"Uh... I'm not certain. We've never really discussed such things before," I tried to deflect.

"Of course you wouldn't think to ask," he quipped, implying he was aware of my sexuality. "How old is she?" he continued.

"I'm not sure, really, late-twenties, I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. "She's getting ready to start grad school, soon." I added. The gentleman smiled, chuckled to himself and got a gleam in his eye.

My friend showed up and I swiftly facilitated the procurement of the gentleman's complimentary beverage. While he left to use the restroom, I muttered under my breath to my friend, who is indeed single, "If he asks, say you're a lesbian, and we're leaving as soon as your drink is ready."

"What?" She was so confused Before we could sneak out of the coffee shop he returned from the restroom.

"Do you ever watch bull fights?" he asked.

My friend and I looked at each other, "Uh, no, not really," we mumbled.

"There's a matador and a bull, and the matador fights the bull and he has a red cape and raises is up and down and says, 'Olé. Olé!'" With his stiff arms he demonstrated just how he would flash a cape in front of a charging bull then turned, took his seat, resumed reading his paper and enjoying his free latte.

Barely controlling our giggles, we swiftly left the premises and took a detour to the Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) office in case he might decide to pursue us.

"Olé, olé!" We laughed to ourselves and I relayed to her my encounter with the gentleman prior to her arrival.

At the office, while catching up on the latest happenings of the foundation and each other's lives my friend received an incoming phone call. "Who is T. M.?"

I got so excited, I almost lost my breath. "That's the attorney who has the office at the top of the N.L. Tower and took us up there on our last tour!"

"Hello?" she answered. "Hi, yes, we do have a tour today. That'd be wonderful. We'll see you around 10:15, 10:20. Thanks. Bye." Apparently we were going up to the top yet again. My spirits were lifted as the N.L. Tower has always been one of my favorite buildings in the Emerald City and it had taken me almost 31 years to get to the top and here I was, four weeks later, about to go up again.

Completed in 1929, the N.L. Tower is the Emerald City's quintessential Art Deco skyscraper. Sleek, tall, and self-assured, with seemingly endless vertical lines, it speaks of an optimism prevalent in our country during the Age of Jazz, as our nation asserted itself at the forefront of the international stage after the outcome of the First World War. Created to resemble a mountain (built of granite, marble and over 30 different colors of flecked bricks, all of which gradually become lighter the higher in elevation,) adorned with snow-capped peaks (of terracotta,) and evergreen trees (metal spandrels,) this "mountain," even has a "cavern" (the rather dark and narrow main lobby, sometimes referred to as having the appearance of the domain of a "civilized caveman.") Intricate, hand-carved brass window frames, mullions, doors, and on the interior, ceilings, elevator frames and plaques adorn this modern temple to commerce and industry. Everywhere your eye rests exquisite detail can be drunken in and enjoyed, and the same patterns, motifs and level of craftsmanship can even be found on the top of the building, both on the interior as well as the exterior.

When our tour began my excitement and enthusiasm got the better of me, and my often prevalent shy, demure side (at least in the presence of strangers) faded into the background of my subconsciousness. Knowing that my friend and I were invited back to the N.L. Tower, filled me with such solid confidence at the impression we left with our last tour a month prior, I immediately jumped right into the swing of things as our current group departed the office. Never once looking at my note cards, I shared with our small audience my comprehensive knowledge of the area's local lore, the history of various buildings, the people involved with shaping our skyline and also pointed out often overlooked details that make a building or a space that much more special.

The N.L. Tower wasn't the only skyscraper we ascended that day. Our tour terminated at the L.C. Smith Tower in Pioneer Square, where we, once again, were invited up to the observation deck near the top of the historic building. The Architecture Foundation has a on-going partnership with the Smith Tower, and the Tower's Historian is also a dear friend of mine, as well as an inspirational mentor. All-in-all, it was a bright finish to what appeared to might have possibly been another gray day. The old adage: "It's always good to have friends in high places," certainly proved true on this day.