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rebeccmeisterYesterday was the "soft opening" day for the start of the 2024 Coffeeneuring Challenge, something I've been training and practicing for all year long.
A couple of days after I arrived in Seattle, my mom pulled out an old Steno pad notebook for me: the log where my dad would record his weekly coffeeshop bike rides.
One of the things that's mildly encouraged for the Coffeeneuring Challenge, is to come up with a theme. So for this year, my theme will be revisiting some of the coffeeshops my dad visited over his years of coffeeshop bike rides. I may not manage to finish out this theme in its entirety, because there's a limit of 2 coffeeshop visits per week, and I plan to head out of Seattle towards the end of October. But I'd better give things a good try before then.
In any case, yesterday I decided to start by going back to ETG Coffee in Fremont (note, that's a FB link because they don't have much internet presence), a longtime family favorite. After having spent more time in Paris last summer, I have even more appreciation for small businesses that occupy small spaces, such as ETC.
I think maybe they've upgraded from one to two chandeliers? There's another one you can't see in this photo, more towards the middle of the space.
However, at least at this moment, the shop has been rearranged a bit, such that there isn't any indoor seating and you can't really hang around inside to ogle the chandeliers, the sculptural details, or the ceiling painting. There are still the 3 chairs out front, however.
This mug/thermos doesn't fit as well in this holder as my old Bulldog Espresso one did.
I had something of a large breakfast before setting out, so I resisted the temptation to get a thyme-gruyere gougères this time. (I think my sister and I indulged in several on one expedition in the past, because they are super yummy!).
After that, errands.
Well, actually, first I went back to check out the plant shop I'd noticed on my way over to ETG. I think it might be one thatthreemeninaboat mentioned from her recent trip to Seattle? They had giant racks outside containing "rescue plants," and upon inspection I noticed they had a rescue plant that I've been looking for, the satin pothos! So of course I got one. But I do have to wonder how a shop winds up with that many rescue plants.
There were tons of fun things to ogle inside.
Cute terrarium fountain setup with carnivorous plants:
Gorgeous, big, healthy vanilla bean orchids, only $68 each. I am waiting before I commit to trying to grow another one, until I have a better living arrangement for managing orchids. But I can always admire them.
I never knew there were Goth begonias, with amazing spiky leaves??
From there, I of course went over to visit my BFF's at Fisheries Supply. This was a surprisingly low-budget trip for more chip brushes, some Scotch-Brite 7447 scrub pad, and a better paint roller.
Also a good day to stop by Gasworks Park and look at all the boats out on Lake Union.
Someone thoughtfully installed a stationary exercise bike up by the sundial. Can't really beat the views up there, anyway.
It still kind of boggles my mind how this was an oil and gas refinery, now a Superfund site and park and playground.
I was hoping that the Fisheries Supply would have a riffle rasp set, but they didn't. So then I proceeded to go and look at: Artist and Craftsman Supply (they did but it was way too expensive), the University District Farmer's Market (nope, but honestly I wasn't expecting to find them there, I just wanted to check it out), Tweedy and Pop's Hardware (nope), and the University Bookstore (nope). After picking a couple food items up at the HMart, I decided to go through the UW campus on my way home, and was rewarded with a running fountain, small throngs of people, and a faroff view of Mt. Rainier. "The Mountain is Out" all the Seattlites endlessly tell each other, whenever skies are clear enough you can see the mountains.
Today I will travel in the opposite direction. There will probably be more photos.
A couple of days after I arrived in Seattle, my mom pulled out an old Steno pad notebook for me: the log where my dad would record his weekly coffeeshop bike rides.
One of the things that's mildly encouraged for the Coffeeneuring Challenge, is to come up with a theme. So for this year, my theme will be revisiting some of the coffeeshops my dad visited over his years of coffeeshop bike rides. I may not manage to finish out this theme in its entirety, because there's a limit of 2 coffeeshop visits per week, and I plan to head out of Seattle towards the end of October. But I'd better give things a good try before then.
In any case, yesterday I decided to start by going back to ETG Coffee in Fremont (note, that's a FB link because they don't have much internet presence), a longtime family favorite. After having spent more time in Paris last summer, I have even more appreciation for small businesses that occupy small spaces, such as ETC.
I think maybe they've upgraded from one to two chandeliers? There's another one you can't see in this photo, more towards the middle of the space.
However, at least at this moment, the shop has been rearranged a bit, such that there isn't any indoor seating and you can't really hang around inside to ogle the chandeliers, the sculptural details, or the ceiling painting. There are still the 3 chairs out front, however.
This mug/thermos doesn't fit as well in this holder as my old Bulldog Espresso one did.
I had something of a large breakfast before setting out, so I resisted the temptation to get a thyme-gruyere gougères this time. (I think my sister and I indulged in several on one expedition in the past, because they are super yummy!).
After that, errands.
Well, actually, first I went back to check out the plant shop I'd noticed on my way over to ETG. I think it might be one that
threemeninaboat mentioned from her recent trip to Seattle? They had giant racks outside containing "rescue plants," and upon inspection I noticed they had a rescue plant that I've been looking for, the satin pothos! So of course I got one. But I do have to wonder how a shop winds up with that many rescue plants.There were tons of fun things to ogle inside.
Cute terrarium fountain setup with carnivorous plants:
Gorgeous, big, healthy vanilla bean orchids, only $68 each. I am waiting before I commit to trying to grow another one, until I have a better living arrangement for managing orchids. But I can always admire them.
I never knew there were Goth begonias, with amazing spiky leaves??
From there, I of course went over to visit my BFF's at Fisheries Supply. This was a surprisingly low-budget trip for more chip brushes, some Scotch-Brite 7447 scrub pad, and a better paint roller.
Also a good day to stop by Gasworks Park and look at all the boats out on Lake Union.
Someone thoughtfully installed a stationary exercise bike up by the sundial. Can't really beat the views up there, anyway.
It still kind of boggles my mind how this was an oil and gas refinery, now a Superfund site and park and playground.
I was hoping that the Fisheries Supply would have a riffle rasp set, but they didn't. So then I proceeded to go and look at: Artist and Craftsman Supply (they did but it was way too expensive), the University District Farmer's Market (nope, but honestly I wasn't expecting to find them there, I just wanted to check it out), Tweedy and Pop's Hardware (nope), and the University Bookstore (nope). After picking a couple food items up at the HMart, I decided to go through the UW campus on my way home, and was rewarded with a running fountain, small throngs of people, and a faroff view of Mt. Rainier. "The Mountain is Out" all the Seattlites endlessly tell each other, whenever skies are clear enough you can see the mountains.
Today I will travel in the opposite direction. There will probably be more photos.
