Chris L

Elliott Bay is second only to Powell’s Books in Portland as my favorite bookstore on the planet. Seattle is also one of my favorite cities, and Elliott Bay’s prime location on the water in Pioneer Square, near Pike’s Market and downtown, means this can be just one stop in a full day of enjoyment. A great selection of new and used books, a very helpful staff, and a wonderful (and distinctive) cafe… if I lived in Seattle I would probably live in Elliott Bay…

Just as I was about to embark upon my college voyage my parents took me to Portland just to see Powell’s… long an avid reader and aspiring writer, Powell’s blew my mind. I had no idea such places existed and had only dreamed of the diverse kind of people that hung out and worked there. It’s not just the quantity (though there is that) or the hipsters (though they are there), but the vibe of local arts integrated with the big picture. It’s a mecca, a holy place where those who love the intoxication of words come to drink, get drunk, and tell stories. There’s no other place like it. If you love books, reading, authors, writing… you have to make it here at least once. But plan on spending plenty of time there.

This is one of my favorite cities in the country… a vibrant arts scene (art, music, writers), the greatest bookstore in the world (Powells), plenty of coffee shops, more good restaurants than you can ever take in, great scenery all around. People complain about the rain, but they’re crazy. Portland is the place to be!

Relax a bit, go to the state park and walk on the beach or fish off the docks, then have a good bite to eat at the Pesto Cafe… go on the weekend and share a beer and stories with some of the locals.

The falls are gorgeous, lots of trails to walk around, and greast food (with good service) at the Lodge, whether you go for the informal dining area or the formal dining room… reserve a seat by the window!

Kona itself is kind of a desolate, overgrown-lava kind of place. The resorts there are a kind of oasis for rich travellers. But there is a lot to the Big Island, Kona just being a starting place… a dozen micro-climates from desert to rainforest, beaches of all kinds, active volcanoes, observatories…

One thing I can never complain about—San Diego weather. And I love the downtown no matter what people say about it…

I’ve been all over the US and nowhere have I found coffee as good as that at the Alaska Coffee Roasting Company in Fairbanks. People in Seattle think they have good coffee—they might as well be drinking Folgers (or Staryucks)!

A lot of tourist-oriented stuff, but you can’t go wrong with the tea, spices (the little Indian grocer rocks), fresh salmon, and Pierogi. Elliott Bay Books nearby makes life complete.

Seattle is second only to San Francisco when it comes to cities I like. Seattle is surrounded by more beautiful country, and Pike’s Place and the downtown core is almost as nice as SF. But it does rain more than a little, and the people don’t seem as friendly. Oh, and one who broke my heart has stayed there…