Calling All Seattleites....

[mikki]

My hubby and I are taking an extended weekend up to Seattle soon and if the weather permits, will rent some bikes. I lived up there in the 70's and early 80's; if my memory serves me, this time of year it is usually pouring, but ya never know!! Could you please direct me to the best bike shops in which to peruse as well as one that rents the best road bikes?

Can't wait for that outstanding Pacific Northwest cuisine!! Our food down here (So Cal) doesn't come close...yum...

Appreciate your assistance.

[rcnute]

Recycled Cycles in the U-District has rental bikes. Lots of shops in the city; I bet you can rent elsewhere, too.

[Ozz]

I hope your trip is a week or so out....we just got some more snow last night! It is not supposed to stick around, but still.... :crap:

Gregg's is the biggest (locally owned) bike shop chain around the store at Greenlake has rentals I think. For perusing eye-candy, Elliott Bay Bicycles at the north end of Pike Place Market is the home of Davidson bikes. Cool shop and nice folks. Il Vecchio is very cool and worth a visit. It is in Leschi, on Lake Washington. Lots of cyclists gather at the Starbucks across the street. Sammamish Valley Cycle out in Redmond is a very cool shop (Serotta dealer) caters to high end racers....

What kind of cuisine do you like? Where will you be staying? My most recent restaurant find is "Spinnase"...very authentic Italian...communal tables....not much for vegatarians, but impeccable service and nice wine list. The kitchen is in full view and there is a bar for eating and watching the cooks.

[mikki]

I hope your trip is a week or so out....we just got some more snow last night! It is not supposed to stick around, but still.... :crap:

Gregg's is the biggest (locally owned) bike shop chain around the store at Greenlake has rentals I think. For perusing eye-candy, Elliott Bay Bicycles at the north end of Pike Place Market is the home of Davidson bikes. Cool shop and nice folks. Il Vecchio is very cool and worth a visit. It is in Leschi, on Lake Washington. Lots of cyclists gather at the Starbucks across the street. Sammamish Valley Cycle out in Redmond is a very cool shop (Serotta dealer) caters to high end racers....

What kind of cuisine do you like? Where will you be staying? My most recent restaurant find is "Spinnase"...very authentic Italian...communal tables....not much for vegatarians, but impeccable service and nice wine list. The kitchen is in full view and there is a bar for eating and watching the cooks.

Thanks both for the input. Ozz, we are staying one night in Port Townsend and then two nights in the Marriott near Pike Street Market. I lived all around Seattle but it was so long ago and things have changed so much that I only know the areas and not what is happening in them.

We LOVE Italian. Thanks for the tip; sounds right up our alley.

And if it snows, we'll just opt for the eye-candy.

[dsteady]

....
We LOVE Italian. Thanks for the tip; sounds right up our alley.


If you haven't been back in a while it is worth getting to Volterra in Ballard. Volterra specializes in Northern Italian game cuisine -- their signature dish is Wild Boar tenderloin. Ballard has changed a lot in the last ten years and Old Ballard ave is a nice place to spend an afternoon strolling/shopping before dinner. (Volterra is on Old Ballard Ave).

I would say Gregg's is probably best for rentals. We've been having nice cycling weather this winter, the storm cycles have ben favorable so far so do check local weather you might get some nice conditions.

daniel

[Ozz]

If you are staying in Port Townsend, then heading to Seattle, are you taking the Winslow-Seattle Ferry? There are a couple bike shops in Winslow....this one looked interesting when I rode past it this summer: http://www.classiccycleus.com

You've probably seen this already...if not, it might be useful: Port Townsend Bicycle Association (http://www.ptbikes.org/)

+1 on Volterra

Since you are down by the Market / Belltown area....I have to throw in a bar owned by one of my favorite chefs: Txori Bar (http://www.txoribar.com/)

For more of a dinner, rather than pintxos, head over to his other restaurant:Harvest Vine (http://www.harvestvine.com/)

Too many to choose from!

[dave thompson]

Depending when you're in town..Seattle International Bicycle Expo, March 14 & 15. http://www.cascade.org/EandR/expo/index.cfm This is a pretty big deal, the largest bike show on the West Coast and one of the largest in the country.

[Ozz]

Depending when you're in town..Seattle International Bicycle Expo, March 14 & 15. http://www.cascade.org/EandR/expo/index.cfm This is a pretty big deal, the largest bike show on the West Coast and one of the largest in the country.
Dave, you forgot to recommend "Schuckers" for a restaurant! Excellent, BTW (seafood).

Are you coming over for the bike expo?

[CaptStash]

I would recommend Recycled Cycles over Greggs. Nicer folks in my experience and also a better location as they are right off the Burke Gilman trail and some nice cycling.

You might also try giving Speedy Reedy a call. They are a smaller shop geared to triathletes, but may have some loaners they can set you up with.

Let us Seattleites know when you are in town. Maybe we can hook up for a Serotta group ride. It would be a good excuse to finally put some faces to names anyway.

CaptStash....

[dave thompson]

Dave, you forgot to recommend "Schuckers" for a restaurant! Excellent, BTW (seafood).

Are you coming over for the bike expo?
Ah yes, Schuckers. I'll be there for both the Expo and a dozen Wescott Bay yearlings too! Plus we have to get some rain gear for our cycling trip in Europe.

[Kevin Grady]

Elliot Bay Bikes on Western, just north of the Pike Place Market. I don't think they rent, but if you're out sightseeing, don't miss the home of Bill Davidson's frame shop and Bob Erickson's incrdible collection of classic bikes. Recycled Cycles is also a must for both renting and dumpster diving for old (and fairly new) parts/frames/bikes

South of Pike Place, in the Pioneer Square area is a very fine restaurant, Al Boccalino, intimate traditional italian fare. If you don't see it on the menu, they will make something for you. A treat to go to once a year.

http://www.igougo.com/dining-reviews-b130151-Seattle-Al_Boccalino.html

[Ken Robb]

Les and I had fun in Coupeville and Gig Harbor last summer. The most outstanding meal we had was at a BBQ joint in Oak Harbor run by (I'm not making this up) a former talent agent from LA who wanted to raise his kids in the real world. He lives in a big old Victorian in Coupeville now.
Mikki, I can't believe you can't find good restaurants in SoCal. If there aren't as many as in the Bay Area there are more in San Diego alone than I have time and $$ to frequent. We eat dinner in restaurants about 3 times a week.

Here's a hot tip: Go to the Getty Museum and eat in the restaurant there. They are only open for dinner one night (Sat?) but the lunches are outstanding, the view of the city and hills is good. and the prices are fair. If I lived in the area I would go just for lunch frequently.

[dave thompson]

My hubby and I are taking an extended weekend up to Seattle soon and if the weather permits, will rent some bikes. I lived up there in the 70's and early 80's; if my memory serves me, this time of year it is usually pouring, but ya never know!! Could you please direct me to the best bike shops in which to peruse as well as one that rents the best road bikes?

Can't wait for that outstanding Pacific Northwest cuisine!! Our food down here (So Cal) doesn't come close...yum...

Appreciate your assistance.
Mikki:

Here's my 2 Pesos worth. When you go to Italy eat Italian, in China you sample the Chinese food. In Seattle there's a saying: When the tide is out, your table is set. So in Seattle it's seafood! Depending on the season. fresh Dungeness Crab, clams, Geoduck, Salmon, Trout, Oysters from 13 different locations, and on and on. There are many terrific seafood houses in and around Seattle. it would take weeks to try them all.

I left the Settle area 12 years ago and every time I go back, like for the Seattle Bike Expo, seafood restaurants quake in their boots when they see me coming. I do like my seafood!

[mikki]

OH my gosh, we will be eating our way through Seattle!! (talk about whale sightings....). Absolute LOVE salmon and crab and plan to eat pounds of it while there.

I thank everyone so much for all of your fantastic input. There is NO referral better than from locals!!!!! The restaurants look fantastic and you have excited me about the bike shop perusing.

I am printing out your comments so we can look everything up while there. Also plan to see some of the glass museums.

Mikki

[Ozz]

For whale sightings, you need to head up into the San Juan Islands....west side of San Juan Island near Lime Kiln State Park is the best place unless you hire the whale chasers......I mean "charters" out of Anacortes :rolleyes: .

I did some camping with the family there last summer and we saw a pod of about 20 Orcas swim by.....along with the helicoper / power boat / idiot escort. Beautiful and sad at the same time....

[mikki]

Yeah Ozz, just reading your experience reminds me how much I loved living up there. My favorite place to live was on a lake in Sumner. It was a cabin and my sister sent my nephew and niece out to live with me because they weren't doing well in school in Michigan. Little sis Mikki didn't know any better and volunteered to be their guide. (I was only 6 yrs. their senior). Our "kitchen" overlooked the lake (windows on all sides) and on a clear day, we could see Mount Rainer at the end of the lake. Nearly every morning there were deer or various critters in our front "yard". We lived in harmony with them; they didn't run away when we left to go to school each day. This time in my life is one of my best memories and my niece and nephew taught me alot about acceptance and creativity during the year they live with me. (I was in junior college).

I miss the earth, the open space and the various wildlife that the Pacific Northwest offers.

Can't wait for the weekend!!

[dave thompson]

But ya can't miss the traffic! It's increased exponentially over the years, both in volume and lack of courtesies.

Our getaway when we lived there was our boat. We moored it in Lake Washington during the winter and Anacortes during the rest of year,though the San Juan and Gulf Islands and to the Desolation Sound area were prime for me.

For you Ozz: We used to moor in Roche Harbor then take the dinghy to Westcott Bay to the oyster farm and pick the oysters that were 'just right' right from the pens. Or from our moorage in Anacortes it was only a very few miles from Saddlebag Island where we'd throw a crab trap in, wait maybe an hour, then pick through the Dungeness we brought up in the trap, keeping the two best and cooking them on board.(I'm drooling while typing this)

[bironi]

I've been in Olympia for the last 5 years, but my friends up north recommend Sammamish Valley Cycle. It's not in Seattle, but Greggs is, and sucks by most people's opinion (mine included), very arrogant attitude. I would amend Ozz's comment on Sammamish, by saying that the shop also caters to Randonneurs.

There is good eating in Port Townsend. Just ask around town, the locals are friendly, but then you probably know that already.

Have a great time, and I hope the weather cooperates.

Byron

[CaptStash]

Since you will be staying right there, one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood is Matt's in the Market. Little place and Matt himself cooks for you. Fantastic!

Also any of Tom Douglas' restaurants are fabulous. Etta's is right there by the market. Try the roasted beets with bleu cheese. My oh my!

CaptStash....

[dsteady]

Okay, since we're still on the subject I have to recommend my friend's restaurant: Kappo. This is the upstairs, private dining room of Chiso which is a sushi restaurant in Fremont.

At Kappo, Taichi, the owner and chef, cooks directly in front of you. A pre-fixe menu of the freshest local fish and seafood and some warm, savory dishes as well. He's very good at finding local product from sustainable fisheries. One of the best things I ever had there was Fraser River Sockeye nigiri that had been harvested off of Lummi island from a local reef net fishery. It tasted like King, still very fatty.

He's usually got some good oysters in and he does a great Geoduck saute. My favorite dish of his is a Matsutake mushroom and Dungeness crab soup (more of a broth) that comes in a little tea pot. It's awesome.

You'll need a reservation and it's $100 a head (more if you want to pair each course with Sake) but I think it's well worth it.

daniel

[rwsaunders]

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery located at 5th and Union (downtown). Great folks and everything is baked on site. Their morning pastries are the reason that I need to ride. There is also a great Russian pastry shop in the Market.

www.specialtys.com

[dsteady]

S.... There is also a great Russian pastry shop in the Market.

www.specialtys.com

"Piroshki Piroshki" God, those are good.