Seattle Weekend Stuff
On Friday, Ray and I went out and saw Broken Flowers at the Landmark Harvard End Theater in the Capital Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The movie sucked. It had a lot of promise, tons of actresses I usually enjoy, and it starred Bill Murray, which usually sells me on a movie even if nothing else about it seems worth wasting my time on. Broken Flowers, though, might as well have hired any actor looking for a part, as long as he would promise not to have a personality. The end of the movie felt a lot like the creators just got bored and said, "I'm out of ideas. Let's just stop here, before it get's any worse." This approach may have worked if it weren't sort of a mystery. I was very disappointed.
The theater, on the other hand, was increadibly cool. It's a tiny little two-screen art house, with balcony seats, on a cute little side street right off the main drag through Capital Hill (Broadway Ave). From the street, it looked a little like an old house, and in deed when you entered the lobby, it felt like walking through someone's old parlor, with a fire place and antique chairs and couches around a coffee table. The auditorium had a very old timey feel to it, too, but the sound and picture were excellent. (If only the movie had been excellent, too!)
On Saturday, we returned to my favorite dog park. Seattle has about 9 or 10, but the one in Magnusson Park is about 9 acres and has a beach on Lake Washington where the dogs can play in the water. I love it, and Riley does to. You should see him bolt for the water as soon as he gets close, swimming around like some kind of sea otter, and just so happy. I can't help grinning just thinking about it.
Yesterday, civilization finally arrived at our Seattle abode. We got the stereo set up in the bedroom, the entertainment center set up in the living room (our living room furniture arrived Friday), and the last of the kitchen boxes emptied, and we barbequed on our balcony. It feels like a real home now ... although -- and I'll admit this is a little strange -- I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm on a kind of scouting expidition. I feel like I have to hurry up and learn as much as I can about the city and surrounding area, so I can report back to folks in the midwest. In part, I know it's because I wish I could convince people to come to visit, and even move out here. I don't know anyone here, but I still feel intent on making my home entertainment-friendly. But there's kind of more to it than that. I don't know.
The theater, on the other hand, was increadibly cool. It's a tiny little two-screen art house, with balcony seats, on a cute little side street right off the main drag through Capital Hill (Broadway Ave). From the street, it looked a little like an old house, and in deed when you entered the lobby, it felt like walking through someone's old parlor, with a fire place and antique chairs and couches around a coffee table. The auditorium had a very old timey feel to it, too, but the sound and picture were excellent. (If only the movie had been excellent, too!)
On Saturday, we returned to my favorite dog park. Seattle has about 9 or 10, but the one in Magnusson Park is about 9 acres and has a beach on Lake Washington where the dogs can play in the water. I love it, and Riley does to. You should see him bolt for the water as soon as he gets close, swimming around like some kind of sea otter, and just so happy. I can't help grinning just thinking about it.
Yesterday, civilization finally arrived at our Seattle abode. We got the stereo set up in the bedroom, the entertainment center set up in the living room (our living room furniture arrived Friday), and the last of the kitchen boxes emptied, and we barbequed on our balcony. It feels like a real home now ... although -- and I'll admit this is a little strange -- I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm on a kind of scouting expidition. I feel like I have to hurry up and learn as much as I can about the city and surrounding area, so I can report back to folks in the midwest. In part, I know it's because I wish I could convince people to come to visit, and even move out here. I don't know anyone here, but I still feel intent on making my home entertainment-friendly. But there's kind of more to it than that. I don't know.