My long anticipated, long delayed blog re: THE SHINS!!!
(and the Pacific Northwest and Vegas, part one)

Back in February, to celebrate a new job and before I actually started it, I decided to take a last minute trip, by myself, to see my favourite band, The Shins, two nights in a row in two different cities I have never been to. I know, I'm awesome.

I arrived in Seattle/Tacoma, WA airport at 1:23 pm on February 19. I took a cab to my hotel, Mediterranean Inn on Queen Anne in Queen Anne.

It was nice. They let me check in early which was even nicer. I immediately ditched my stuff and headed out to explore Seattle. I started out going north on Queen Anne and west on Mercer towards some water. I saw some cargo ships and rainy weather, nothing special. Then I went up 1st to Olympic where I saw this:


Isn't it so cute?! I want one just like it someday, except a hybrid.

I made it back to Mercer and headed east toward Seattle Center, where the Space Needle is and a monorail to Westlake, which I took after I called everyone I knew after I totally freaked the eff out after I saw this:

You know what this means right? It means I saw The Shins perform in Easy Street, up close and personal and almost got to meet them. I was going to ask them for a ride to Portland the next day to save on train fair but they had to dig out before anyone could talk to them. But everyone who showed up for the free show got a bitchin' poster with all of their signatures, which I promptly had custom framed with my first paycheck :) But I am getting ahead of myself...

After I was done wigging out, I continued to Seattle Center, saw the Space Needle, some really cool structure art and carnival games and rides. I fought the urge to ride all the rides and got on the monorail instead. I saw Westlake, bummed around and went back to Queen Anne and had dinner at Phukit, a Thai restaurant highly recommended by some dear Seattlite friends, Craig and Suzie. Thanks guys, it was delicious. Bedtime, day one over.


Day two: February 20. I had breakfast at Five Point, where almost everyone was still drunk from the night before, including the staff. The jukebox rocked!!

Then it was a walk to Olympic Sculpture Park where I finally trusted someone enough to give them my camera and have them take my picture with something cool.


I then took the waterfront streetcar to Seattle's most famous tourist attraction, Pike Place Market where they throw fish at Pike Place Fish Company and make the best crepes of all time at Crepe de France.



I signed the guestbook :)

After the market, I hauled ass back to Easy Street Records, watched the free show and then ducked into TS McHughe's for an afternoon drink. The beer selection was killer and I had a Black Velvet, a Snakebite and a glass of made in house Ginger Ale. It was pretty much the best Ginger Ale in the world. Maybe the universe. There were some cool dudes who were bragging about winning a trivia contest the night before. I asked them what some of the trivia questions were, they then posed them as questions to me which I answered no problem. They bought one of my drinks and invited me onto their team. I declined.

The taps and bottles.

The decor (my kind of place!!!)

I went back to my hotel to sleep it off before The Shins show at Paramount Theatre that night. Paramount is beautiful, so beautiful. Google it. The opening band was a husband and wife act called Viva Voce. He played drums, keyboard and harmonica and she shredded multiple guitars. They both sing too. Talented. During the kick arse concert, I met a brother and sister duo from Seattle, MaryEllen and Matt. We all became fast friends and they invited me for pizza after the show. We went to Capitol Hill for said pizza and then to Broadway Grill where I had an amazing ice cream brownie sundae.

They then gave me a ride back to my hotel...hospitable what?!!! Thanks guys :) Other than another night's sleep and a cab ride to the train station the next morning, that does it for my Seattle adventure. On to Portland...