West Coast Flier
Aug 19, 00, 4:19 am
Two weeks and two days in Seattle and Los Angeles...
AS 365 SJC-SEA L 17:53 A 19:52
The agents at SJC were very friendly, and the kiosk check-in worked perfectly. On the down side, I couldn't get upgraded, and the line to get through security was absurdly long. We boarded our 737-400,(N797AS) through both doors, and the plane had the new seats (mine was 23D). Load was 138/138, but the flights was not overbooked, and we departed on-time. After takeoff, I put in ear plugs due to the snoring man in 23E, and took a Nat'l Geographic from the rear magazine rack. A roast beef sandwich with a large chocolate peppermint cookie was served. The whole thing was wrapped in cling wrap and placed on a napkin...no little basket and heaven forbid, no prayer card!!! There was one beverage service and the full can was offered. The F/As were more than happy to provide additional beverages on request. We arrived at 7:35, and parked at gate C-9 ten minutes early.
The bags from 365 came off almost too quickly...they started coming down even before our flight was listed on the carrousel display.
Up in the Emerald City, I enjoyed magnificent weather, with temperatures in the 70s and not even a drop of rain. The first weekend of my visit was "Seafair," which is often associated with hydroplane races. However, the Blue Angels also perform, and I viewed one of their practice runs over Lake Washington. Its always amazing watching those six F-18 Hornets slide right into place (and stay there), especially during the maneuvers where they fly in formation in such unstable positions (inverted and/or with gear down). Their official title is the "US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron," which is more telling of the true purpose of their performances. The "Blue Angels" have a busy schedule, with 70 performances per year.
The "Music Experience Project" was also on the agenda, and being a fan of both classical and modern music, it was quite worth the visit. The structure was designed by Frank Gehry, who also designed this Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA. The architecture of this Paul Allen financed, 140,000 square foot museum is seriously bizarre, as it should be, IMHO. Its very expensive to get in ($20), so I became a "roadie" (out-of-state member), as I'll need several trips to see the whole place (even three hours didn't do it justice). Included in the admission fee is a headset with a high tech controller (called a MEG) that can be pointed at the various exhibits for in-depth information. There are small exhibits on pre-20th Century music, but the focus is on the history of blues and rock. There is a full restaurant, and a theater that houses guest seminars and free concerts in the evening. One enters into the exhibits through the "Sky Church," which features the world's largest indoor video screen (its designed to provide a visual compliment to the blaring music).
I also had time to visit a picturesque town of Langley on Whidbey Island, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone passing through the area. The "Inn at Langley" is a good spot for a romantic (and expensive!) weekend, and the town has a pleasant assortment of shops and galleries. We had lunch at "Cafe Langley," which was absolutely outstanding! I would take the ferry back over there again just to eat at this restaurant, which offers Pacific Northwest cuisine with "Greek influences."
I attended the 8/11 Mariners game at Safeco Field, which was against the Cleveland Indians (Yawn...). Well, the tickets were free, and the seats my friend and I were in normally cost $32. In fact, we even got free parking on the street, so I guess it wasn't so bad http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif . The stadium holds 47,000, and has a retractable roof. Since the weather was good, the only thing the roof did was echo the sounds of passing freight trains into the stadium.
I made my usual journey to Mt. Rainier for hiking. I hiked from the Sunrise Lodge up two the "Third Boroughs" which is a considerable hike (roughly 3.5 hours round trip, if you keep a good pace), and even in this late in the season there were patches of snow along the trail. The views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascades are spectacular, and the trails pass by rock formations, lush meadows and mountain streams.
During the trip, I made time for plenty of biking and water-skiing. Also, on 8/13, I ran in the "Swedish SummerRun" which helps raise money for cancer at Swedish Hospital (my mother had extensive cancer treatment there, several years back). I've enjoyed it in the past, but it apparently was too successful. Way too many people showed up, the T-shirts and water bottles were quickly snatched up, and the volunteer coordinators saw their reservoirs of patience run dry. Its a 5K, with many hills, and I think I'll just give them a donation in the future.
As always, I Seattle showed off its many great features, and I look forward to returning at Christmas.
AS 365 SJC-SEA L 17:53 A 19:52
The agents at SJC were very friendly, and the kiosk check-in worked perfectly. On the down side, I couldn't get upgraded, and the line to get through security was absurdly long. We boarded our 737-400,(N797AS) through both doors, and the plane had the new seats (mine was 23D). Load was 138/138, but the flights was not overbooked, and we departed on-time. After takeoff, I put in ear plugs due to the snoring man in 23E, and took a Nat'l Geographic from the rear magazine rack. A roast beef sandwich with a large chocolate peppermint cookie was served. The whole thing was wrapped in cling wrap and placed on a napkin...no little basket and heaven forbid, no prayer card!!! There was one beverage service and the full can was offered. The F/As were more than happy to provide additional beverages on request. We arrived at 7:35, and parked at gate C-9 ten minutes early.
The bags from 365 came off almost too quickly...they started coming down even before our flight was listed on the carrousel display.
Up in the Emerald City, I enjoyed magnificent weather, with temperatures in the 70s and not even a drop of rain. The first weekend of my visit was "Seafair," which is often associated with hydroplane races. However, the Blue Angels also perform, and I viewed one of their practice runs over Lake Washington. Its always amazing watching those six F-18 Hornets slide right into place (and stay there), especially during the maneuvers where they fly in formation in such unstable positions (inverted and/or with gear down). Their official title is the "US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron," which is more telling of the true purpose of their performances. The "Blue Angels" have a busy schedule, with 70 performances per year.
The "Music Experience Project" was also on the agenda, and being a fan of both classical and modern music, it was quite worth the visit. The structure was designed by Frank Gehry, who also designed this Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA. The architecture of this Paul Allen financed, 140,000 square foot museum is seriously bizarre, as it should be, IMHO. Its very expensive to get in ($20), so I became a "roadie" (out-of-state member), as I'll need several trips to see the whole place (even three hours didn't do it justice). Included in the admission fee is a headset with a high tech controller (called a MEG) that can be pointed at the various exhibits for in-depth information. There are small exhibits on pre-20th Century music, but the focus is on the history of blues and rock. There is a full restaurant, and a theater that houses guest seminars and free concerts in the evening. One enters into the exhibits through the "Sky Church," which features the world's largest indoor video screen (its designed to provide a visual compliment to the blaring music).
I also had time to visit a picturesque town of Langley on Whidbey Island, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone passing through the area. The "Inn at Langley" is a good spot for a romantic (and expensive!) weekend, and the town has a pleasant assortment of shops and galleries. We had lunch at "Cafe Langley," which was absolutely outstanding! I would take the ferry back over there again just to eat at this restaurant, which offers Pacific Northwest cuisine with "Greek influences."
I attended the 8/11 Mariners game at Safeco Field, which was against the Cleveland Indians (Yawn...). Well, the tickets were free, and the seats my friend and I were in normally cost $32. In fact, we even got free parking on the street, so I guess it wasn't so bad http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif . The stadium holds 47,000, and has a retractable roof. Since the weather was good, the only thing the roof did was echo the sounds of passing freight trains into the stadium.
I made my usual journey to Mt. Rainier for hiking. I hiked from the Sunrise Lodge up two the "Third Boroughs" which is a considerable hike (roughly 3.5 hours round trip, if you keep a good pace), and even in this late in the season there were patches of snow along the trail. The views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascades are spectacular, and the trails pass by rock formations, lush meadows and mountain streams.
During the trip, I made time for plenty of biking and water-skiing. Also, on 8/13, I ran in the "Swedish SummerRun" which helps raise money for cancer at Swedish Hospital (my mother had extensive cancer treatment there, several years back). I've enjoyed it in the past, but it apparently was too successful. Way too many people showed up, the T-shirts and water bottles were quickly snatched up, and the volunteer coordinators saw their reservoirs of patience run dry. Its a 5K, with many hills, and I think I'll just give them a donation in the future.
As always, I Seattle showed off its many great features, and I look forward to returning at Christmas.