Seattle. Whee! 

In the thirty seconds or so we had between checking into the hotel and arriving at KCTS for our walk-through, we grabbed lunch in the hotel restaurant, Marazul. I can’t decide if that name is seductive and stylish, or if it sounds like a Ghostbusters villain. It’s a Caribbean / Latin place with an Asian influence, which I dug.

We had very little time, and the staff advised us that the bento boxes were among the quicker items on the menu. I, along with half our party, ordered the Caribbean Bento.

I got an unusually big kick out of eating Caribbean food in an Asian style. I ate jerk chicken with chopsticks. Diversity! I felt like I was in a Firefly episode.

Being the jetsetter I am, I actually have friends in Seattle. Not just one, but two. Bret and Curt, guys I befriended in Skagway, Alaska, in 2005. I looked ‘em up my first night in town.

[Insert previous bathtub post here.]

Hangin’ with Bret & Curt (not Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper) was a blast. I hadn’t seen them in over two years, but it felt like no time had passed. Bret was even wearing the Alaska hat we all bought. I brought mine, but didn’t wear it, because I was having a decent hair day.

They took me to Mama’s, an excellent Mexican restaurant that was a favorite of Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain. We discussed a neverending series of astounding coincidences woven through our lives, which I won’t shock you with here. Afterwards, we walked a couple doors down to a pinball machine-filled bar called Shorty’s. Curt & Bret are both doing very well. I wish I could see them more often. You’d be hard-pressed to find more awesome type folks.

Exhibit A: Bret

Exhibit B: Curt

Taping at KCTS the following two days went smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that there’s really not much to say about it. The KCTS people were nice, the kids were great, and we did some pretty good work. Also, we have concluded that we look sexy in HiDef. (The makeup helped.) Contractually, the program has to be edited within fifteen days of wrapping photography, but we have no idea when the show will air. I’ll let you know when it does, and if you live in Seattle, you can watch us perform Mad About Money on PBS!

We spent Tuesday afternoon walking around Pike Place Market. It was the only moment of great weather, and it was gorgeous indeed. I love being on the water. I miss the smell of the sea.

NTC actor Eric at Pike Place Market

Here we are being forced to pose with people who think we’re douchebags.

Pat and Jon, our NTC Jedi Masters.

The first Starbucks. I got a peppermint mocha.

During our stay, tons of food was eaten, much was drunk, I ate king crab legs and sushi, and boy, do I love Seattle. I hope I get to return someday.