Belltown Bent

Plane train

Cargo trains are always coming and going, loaded with colorful containers full of the usual cargo stuff. But every once in awhile, what looks like a wingless jet airplane rails its way through Belltown.

These BNSF passengers are Boeing 737 fuselages making their way from Boeing's commercial airplanes facility in Wichita, KA, to the Boeing assembly plant in Renton, WA (satellite view). These 100+ foot wannabe jets are sealed up with yellow tape and plastic inserts and attached to special carriers at three spots which will eventually become landing gear struts.

Learn more about these "low flying aircraft".

T.R.A.S.H.H.

Ah yes, the Thursday Regatta Appetizer and Sauce Happy Hour.

That's what we celebrate when the Elliott Bay Marina holds the Thursday evening regatta. Their rules are simple - fun rules, boats can't bump, and their are no protests. Our rules are similar, except we allow bumping.

The race course is pretty much the same each week - down to Belltown (sort of) and back. Appetizers and beverages (sauce) may vary.

Paradise on a patio

Ray's Boathouse Cafe is surely a little slice of heaven. Scrumptious food, generous beverages, blissed out guests, and a panoramic view of an active Puget Sound, backed by the dramatic horizon of the Olympic Mountains.

Soaring eagles, curious harbor seals, and a never ending procession of working and pleasure boats all compete with conversation and cuisine for attention. Really, I couldn't make this up.

This entry could easily be categorized as "Travel" - it's only 5.6 miles away, but we always feel like we're on vacation when we go there. Or, it could have been "Periphery" because, even though we all share a Seattle address, it's Ballard that deserves bragging rights for Ray's, not Belltown.

Revisiting the Anhinga

From the upper-left hand corner, all the way down to the lower-right, you can't get much further away from Belltown.

But, not much more than an hour from Miami, and minutes from the Everglades National Park main entrance, the .5 mile Anhinga Trail seems a million miles away. It is one of several trails available in the Long Pine Key area of the park.

Anhingas, gators, and herons, oh my.

New view

60 feet high, 350 feet wide, 452  400 pound panes of glass, 1.1 miles of cabling, and the ability to flex up to 5 inches in any direction, the Curtainwall Window brings the outside into Sea-Tac Internationals Airports new Central Terminal.

The 90 tons of glass and 5,800 feet of artfully deployed cabling make up the largest window of its kind in North America. Designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, Ltd., this stunning feature affords travelers a commanding view of the airfield, making 4 hours delays, such as the one we experienced recently, pass more pleasantly.

Last one out, turn off the lights

It's not like they didn't know this was coming. DHL acquires Airborne Express, and gradually cuts 1,000 Seattle-based jobs as they concentrate operations in south Florida, Arizona, and Texas.

They announced that over a year ago. Now they're done and gone, and the building is empty. Couldn't someone shut off the lights?

Riding the Underground

Somewhere in the woods of Western Washington, not too far from Belltown, accomplished BMX riders spend countless hours digging, sculpting and manicuring dirt into a series of challenging jumps and chutes - all to experience the joy of a few seconds of soaring, spinning, and speeding through the air. No crowds, no sponsors, no problem. Just the love of air.

Edgy Edith

Edith Sitwell was aristocracy, eccentricity, and controversy all rolled up into one provocative and progressive poet, author, and performance artist.

This giant (6' x 3' x 3') bust, appropriately named "Giant Edith Sitwell Bust" by David Jacobsen, is part of the West Edge Sculpture Invitational, displaying works by 37 artists, outdoors at the Harbor Steps, through early September.

The "West Edge" is the name merchants came up with in 2001 to brand the area between Belltown and Pioneer Square. Honk if you've heard of it.

Magic light

The sun is getting low in the sky. The black brick wall overlooking a 1st Ave parking lot is in the shadow of the building on the west side of the street. All the light, and all the color, save the glowing grafiti, is reflected back from the west-facing windows of Belltown's newest prestige address - Cristalla, at 2nd and Lenora.

It's amazing how a black brick wall can be awash with color that isn't there. Even if you realize where it's coming from, the responsible front of windows doesn't hint at the purple and teal light bathing the black brick. 30 minutes later, it was gone.

One big bon voyage!

The NCL Norwegian Star, as seen from 1st Ave and Broad St., literally blocks half of West Seattle from view. One huge floating hotel, the 4 year old ship is over 3 football fields long, more than 15 stories high, and is carrying about 3,000 people.

There is one crew member for every two guests at capacity - 1,100 to 2,240, enough to staff 10 different restaurants, a theater, 11 bars and lounges, sports courts, a department store, and an Internet Cafe (hi folks). That's enough to make a guy want to stay home, fix a gin and tonic and check out the bridge cam.