Lots of people want to say hello on my trip to Seattle next week, so I thought I’d better let you all know the public parts of my itinerary. This is mainly a trip to relax, eat seafood, meet family and old friends, so there’s a problem of priorities. Most of my time will be spent a bit further south than the Big City—my family lives in Auburn, and I grew up in Kent—so these are tentative times and places where I’ll be available in metropolitan Seattle. I might have to revise my schedule if family events come up—if I do, though, I’ll mention it on the blog.
Sunday, 1 July, 3:00-8:00: I’ll be at the Seattle Freethinkers’ Picnic in Woodinville. I don’t know that I’ll stay there the whole time, though, and might head back early. First day back in the Northwest with Mommy and my baby brothers and sisters, don’t you know.
Tuesday, 3 July, 8:00: I’m planning on dropping in on the Seattle chapter of Drinking Liberally, at the Montlake Ale House, and which is hosted by Nicholas Beaudrot and somebody named TheHim. As usual, I’m driving a ways to attend a Drinking Liberally meeting, so I’ll have to go easy on the Drinking part and get a double-helping of Liberally.
Friday, 6 July, whenever: We’re just going to indulge in downtown Seattle — cruise the bookstores, maybe hit up the aquarium, see the tourist traps (Ye Olde Curiosity Shop still exists, I presume? Maybe we’ll stop by Seattle Center and stare up at the Space Needle), Pike Place Market, the University district, etc. We’ll need to fuel up at lunch, so there’s an opportunity to catch up with us there, and we’ll definitely want a leisurely evening meal where we can rest our tired feet. I’ll try to name some specific places from the previous Seattle thread when the date gets a little closer—but basically we’ll be somewhere in center city Seattle.
I was also hoping to get a picture taken of me peeing on the Discovery Institute’s building downtown, but I hear that’s illegal nowadays (I also hear they have cement sidewalks instead of wooden slats, and the streets are paved; everything has changed since my youth), so I may have to settle for merely shaking my fist at it and scowling ferociously.
Sounds like fun! Enjoy!
And remember that you can get a ticket for jaywalking there…
Our menage is back from Madison, Wisconsin. LotStreetWiz rehearsed the Ironman bike course twice and I found a bookstore that specializes in mysteries, altho’ one C. J. Cherryh novel had slipped in.
I would pay money for a picture of you peeing on the D.I. And never you mind the concrete. If enough of us pee on it, it will erode.
Hummm… since I live right next door to Cottage Lake Park, I may have to wander over to the Seattle Freethinkers picnic.
Check out this bad taxonomy (for those who care) on CNN…
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/06/27/last.generation/index.html
The journalist wrote homosapiens instead of Homo sapiens.
The Seattle Aquarium is newly remodeled, just opened. Good timing.
There is very little I wouldn’t do for a picture of PZ peeing on the D.I. How about it, guys? We do a donation drive, á la “Drag Scalzi’s ass to the Creation Museum”. If we raise a certain amount of money for the National Centre for Science Education, P-Zizzy has to soil the hope of Christian America – and take a snapshot of it.
Heck, we could even pay his fines…
Aw, man. You’re coming to Seattle just when I’m leaving for Yellowstone. Have a great time–and maybe even some decent weather.
Be sure to have your picture taken next to the Experience Music Project, architectural proof that, DI or no, Seattle is no friend of intelligent design.
I love Seattle’s tourist industry for having the best sense of humour I’ve ever encountered. There’s the comedian guides of the Seattle Underground Tour, but I loved the pimply-faced adolescent who ran the elevator of the Space Needle. During our 4 second elevator ride to the observation deck, he said, “if you look to your front you’ll see our authentic 1962 bricks.”
A couple of suggestions, you _godless_ devil!
Meatloaf dinner at The Central — downtown on 1st, near Pioneer Square.
Go to Alki and order “The Greek” at Pegasus pizza.
If those two fail, _take a cab_ to the Pyramid brewery across from Allen’s monstrosity downtown. Fresh IPA is a good thing.
By bizarre coincidence, I’m also going to be in Seattle this coming weekend. Maybe I can stop by at the picnic. :)
One thing on your list that has changed a LOT since your younger days is the U-district. Back when I first moved here in 1984, the Ave was *the* place to hang out, grab cheap food, cruise the numerous record stores, and well, hang out. If that sounds like the Ave you remember, then I’d suggest not going there on this trip lest you’ll have to replace those memories with today’s harsh reality.
If you can’t piss on the DI, how about hitting them with cognitive dissonance. Take all of your books by DI fellows along, and politely ask if they could be autographed. You could even gushingly tell them that you’re Jonathan Wells’ biggest fan.
Bob
P.S. Abc – you’re showing your own ignorance. It’s Homo sapiens. :-)
PZ: enjoy Seattle. Here’s a fascinating story of a linguist researcher who became an atheist because of an amazon tribe that just didn’t “get” the bible: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/16/070416fa_fact_colapinto?currentPage=all
“Go to Alki and order “The Greek” at Pegasus pizza.” –#10
oooohhhh soooo goooood.
or even the white pizza with myzithra cheese.
yummy!
(Alki is our playground here in West Seattle.)
You had to plan this trip for just when I’m going to be in Montana. I’m sorry to miss out on the festivities, though the first thread did give this new transplant to Seattle ideas for places I need to get to.
Can’t pee on the DI building? What went wrong in the land of the free? You could always inflict symbolic indignity in a Monty Pythonesque manner by farting in its general direction, and telling them so in a French accent.
The “comedian” Tom Green made a video in Seattle, in which he repeatedly rubbed his butt on the sign for Swedish Hospital (my birth alma mater!) while chanting “My bum is on the Swedish”.
I didn’t find it funny then, but I suppose you could legally do that while chanting “My Bum is on the Creationists”. Be sure to film it.
Go ahead! You’re a celebrity, so it’s OK!!
Hey Apikoros, I was born there too. Amazing.
Well, enjoy my hometown, PZ – and definitely take some humorous pictures by the DI building. A Michael Moore-style drop-in would also be great, but I don’t know if any luminaries would be there to receive you.
When you decide to come to Tennessee, let me know. Actually, scratch that. You don’t want the religious extremist here to know your where-abouts.
Been to Seattle exactly once in my 66 years, for 4 days in the fall of1999. Had remarkably good weather and nothing to do but wonder about. Even being an old fart, I had this incredible urge to find grunge, having seen Nirvana and liking them and all (stay young thru music plan). In some bar I had not been able to get into Friday night to to excessive body count, early Saturday morning I found some soul who told me where I could hear grunge that very night. Further, it was withing walking distance of the motel I was staying in. Being vain, I did not want bulges in my pockets (shorts and t-shirt), so I had only $$$ and no wallet. I waited in a very long line for over 90 minutes and finally got to the door where the bouncer asked this bearded 58 y/o WASP for his ID. He refused to hear my plea and I was rejected. No grunge for YOU !!!.
But that did not sour my fond memories of Seattle.
http://www.greenwoodspacetravelsupply.com/
http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/
http://www.chaihouse.com/
And Señor Moose, the best Mexican food Seattle has to offer, on the corner of Leary and 20th in downtown Ballard.
The latter three are each about two minutes apart. Ballard has become the best part of Seattle by a fairly wide margin. This just in from a voluntary shill for the Ballard chamber of commerce.
Suggestion – sneak in through the underground. (The only entrance I know says “Men’s Bathhouse.” Use caution.)
This is a bit out of the way, but if you find yourself up for a bit of a drive, head up to North Whidbey Island and check out Deception Pass, if you haven’t already. Beautiful sight. About 8 miles north of me. Just head up I-5 (not “the 5”, god that irks me) and take exit 230 towards anacortes, and stay on 20 until it turns south for Whidbey.
Or you could take the Mukilteo ferry, but timewise it’s going to be about the same…