Posted 5/18/2012 1:34pm Updated 5/18/2012: 9:05pm – Today, workers began assembling the wheel portion of the new Seattle Ferris Wheel. It was the first opportunity I got (or anyone got, really) to see the size of the wheel against the backdrop of Downtown Seattle, and I am happy to report that it doesn’t look as out of place as I had feared that it might. Even though the wheel is...

The Space Needle Company is in the process of adding a new attraction to the Seattle Center grounds called “Chihuly Garden and Glass”. What is a Chihuly? Dale Chihuly is an artist who was born and raised right here in the Puget Sound region. Dale’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide. He has been the recipient of many awards, including ten honorary...

What can I say about the Hat n’ Boots that hasn’t been said before? In Oxbow Park, in the neighborhood known as Georgetown, sits a giant cowboy hat and a pair of boots. Wikipedia gives the following explanation: Hat ‘n’ Boots is a roadside attraction and landmark in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Built in 1954 as part of a Western-themed gas station,...

It’s been a busy day in Downtown Seattle. Parades, trees, stars … face it, this is the place to be when Christmas kicks in. We’ve got our own Manhattan thing going on, without being surrounded by obnoxious New Yorkers. If only we could build a moat at the Oregon/California border. Ah well, when I get voted in as first president of the great nation of Cascadia, it will be my...

These photos were taken from Victor Steinbrueck Park.

After the Bite of Seattle on Saturday, we decided to do some tourist stuff, and what Seattle attraction is more touristy than riding The Ducks? Unfortunately, for whatever reason, nothing ever goes 100% smoothly for yours truly. After paying for our tickets, a lady at the base of the duck insisted that some of our folks line up for a shot. I politely declined, choosing instead to take my own...

On Saturday, I walked from the nerd cave to Alki Beach via the West Seattle Water Taxi. The Seafair Pirates were landing in West Seattle, and I didn’t want to miss the excitement. Shortly after 12:30, the pirates made their way across the Puget Sound and began their assault on Seattle as 5,000 onlookers stood silent and emotionless. The only thing I could hear as the buccaneers made their...

Today, I checked out the Lions Clubs Parade of Nations. This event was billed as the “Largest Parade in Seattle”, so of course, I had to go and see it. Now, I wish I could say that I had a good time, but unfortunately I did not. Instead, I argued with old people for about half an hour before giving up and leaving. The conflict started as soon as I arrived. We (my family and I) approached the...

I just got back from the fireworks at Lake Union, and it was a great show. As a matter of fact, this particular show is one of the top rated displays in the entire nation. It’s late (it took nearly an hour to get a streetcar at the park), so I’ll just throw up the video for now and type something up tomorrow. Happy 4th. Enjoy the...

Ack, I stayed up all night rendering a super-long video. Why? I just don’t know. Below is about 80-90% of the entire Seattle Zombie Walk. I included the entire thing out of respect to the walkers who may want to see themselves. The mainstream news generally provides 10-15 second excerpts so it’s a crap shoot as to whether or not the zombies will be able to see themselves on...

After chasing gay men around on Sunday, and chasing gay men around yesterday, today I decided to do something completely and unambiguously heterosexual. I rode two ferries. Just try to misconstrue that. I rode one ferry for half an hour until my face was dripping wet with moisture, and just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, I jumped back on and did it again until I was fully...

Fremont, Seattle. The self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe”. Home of Getty Images, Adobe Systems, a statue of Lenin, and Nirvana’s “Bleach” album. It’s also the location for one of the more unusual parades in the USA. Even though it was wet and a bit cold today, thousands of people turned out for the annual Fremont Solstice Parade, an event designed to...

I recorded this two days ago after narrowly avoiding two terrorist attacks at Pike Place Market. After the Space Needle observation deck, the fish throwers are perhaps the largest single tourist attraction in all of Seattle. I am fortunate to get to see them several times each week, and I often stop to watch for 10-15 minutes at a time. This practice is so bizarre that you cannot help but be...

After hanging out at the Broadway Farmer’s Market yesterday, I turned right on Pike Street and walked the short mile to my other official “home” market: Pike Place Market. Yesterday, Pike Place was hopping. It was Mother’s Day and “Flower Fest” was in full bloom (corny pun intended), and it was hard to look anywhere without seeing folks carrying bouquets of...

Today, I visited the Seattle Gum Wall. What is the Gum Wall? I assure you that it is exactly what it sounds like. On Post Alley, under Pike Place Market and next to the box office for the Market Theater, sits a wall literally covered in chewing gum. The gum-sticking “tradition” began in the early 90′s when audiences for “Seattle Theatresports” began sticking gum and...

Before Donkey Kong, before Asteroids, before Pac Man … heck, before Pong … there was pinball … genesis of mainstream electronic gaming. Few people are aware of this, but ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball. From Soho down to Brighton, I must have played them all. However, I’ve never seen anything like it in any amusement hall — this deaf, dumb, and...

When I got back to my scooter at Seattle Center today, I realized that I had a full hour and fifteen minutes left on my parking sticker. Not wanting to hand the money over to the parking gods for nothing, I decided to roll down the hill and spend some time at one of Seattle’s great parks … Olympic Sculpture Park. Olympic Sculpture Park is at the far northern end of the Seattle Waterfront,...

From 1991 to 1994, Nirvana ruled the airwaves, Seattle became the capital of the universe, and the world hasn’t been the same since. In my opinion, it’s been all downhill from there. A video at the EMP this weekend said something to the effect of “There hasn’t been another geographically based music genre to emerge since grunge. We’ve all been waiting for one for the past 20 years,...

While looking for Thomas Wales Park today, I made a turnout in error and was greeted with this totally unexpected view of Gas Works Park. Only in Seattle can a wrong turn have such inspiring repercussions.

Built in 1985, the Columbia Center is the 7th tallest building in the USA, and at 932 feet, it is the tallest building in the entire Pacific Northwest. The building has 76 floors, 46 elevators, and the antennas on the roof bring the total height to 967′. While the Space Needle is Seattle’s Statue of Liberty, the Columbia Center is our Sears Tower. Our Empire State Building. ...

Seattle has perhaps the most beautiful waterfront in the known universe. On a clear day, glaciers hover in the distance as ferries criss-cross the sound, while the Downtown skyline towers in the background. It’s just stunning. Unfortunately, the waterfront does not get as much attention as it probably deserves. This may be due to the odd geographic disassociation between the Waterfront and...

I used to laugh at the notion of a “Webmaster”, but it’s not nearly as bad as a “Market Master”. Why not “Market Overlord”? Seriously, what egomaniac comes up with these terms? Something seems unnatural about needing a permit to busk, but I imagine that Pike Place would be overrun without them. It’s clearly the most lucrative place in the Pacific...

Yesterday morning I decided to take a ride to the other side of the ship canal. I saddled up, crossed the Fremont Bridge, greeted the Troll (he remembered me and asked if I had lost weight … nice guy), cruised Ballard a bit, and then on a whim, decided to head over to the locks. Now, I’ve passed the Ballard Locks many times from the outside, but I’ve never actually parked and gone...

Today was the warmest day in 139 days. Seriously. Don’t ask me why, but 60 Seattle degrees are equal to 90 “anywhere else” degrees. It’s the first day of 2011 that the temperature has cracked 55, and since everything is relative, I felt oppressively hot all afternoon. Frankly, give me 50 degrees and rain and I am golden, but I am trying not to be a hater. Instead, I...

I was surfing YouTube a few minutes ago, and I stumbled across a video from Internet Celebrity Chris Pirillo, fellow resident of the “Seattle Area” (I’m not sure if he lives in Seattle proper or not). In it, he gives his “Top 10 Things to Do in Seattle”, which I have transcribed as follows: 1: Fremont Troll 2: Olympic Sculpture Park/Gas Works Park 3: EMP/Sci Fi Museum 4: XXX Root Beer...