Kris and I are in Seattle this weekend for the launch of Embracing Grace: A gospel for all of us. We had never been here until last Spring, and loved it so much, we wanted a day to wander around when we scheduled the launch here. I should say “slosh around in the rain.” The humor about how much it rains here, and all the banter back by the natives that it only rains when others are visiting, is probably true.
But I’ll say this about Seattle: it has the best…

Coffee (we stopped at a Tully’s for we think its famous competitor scorches those beans)
Bookstore: Elliott Bay Book Club is my favorite book store in the world
Scenery: I’ve not been in a big city that is so beautiful (when you can see it) with its cities on hills and trees and rivers and lakes and bridges
Fish: we love Pike Street Market and watching those guys toss fish
Open market: we wandered through the market and Kris got her favorite jellys and jams for her morning breakfast. The Italian place that sells all that genuine truffle stuff was a treat.
2d best chowder: I don’t think Boston’s clam chowda can be beaten, but Seattle does a fine imitation.
North Park is my favorite school on earth, but we took a hard walk around Seattle Pacific this morning (I had not seen it and we wanted to wander around there some), and I can see why the locals come to this school.
I wonder how my friend, Kermit Zarley, a professional golfer, even learned to play golf up here with all the rain. I’m guessing he learned to play in the wind, the cold, and the rain — and that made him even better when he got down to Texas where it was hot and dry. I’m also guessing learning to play on hills and down hills makes you even better on the flatlands.
If I lived here, I’d be a fisherman and mountain hiker and bird watcher. I’d also be a lot Greener than I am now.
Seattle, just outside Chicago, is the best. (But, I’m not counting Italy in this one.)
Thanks to Mercer Island Covenant Church for having us.