number eleven: madison beach

i think eleven is my favorite number to write out. eleven eleven eleven eleven.

ok, now that's out of my system i think.

eleven eleven. ok, for reals now...

i think today goes down as one of the best saturdays in history. well, in my own personal history. i'm sure there have been other saturdays in history that are more significant. but i'm self interested, so eff those other saturdays, i know you're all dying to hear about my day. clearly, since you're reading this.


my morning isn't important, but where i wound up i think is. if you're from seattle, you know how perfect this city is in the sunshine. and once the weather warms up, i guarantee a post about why i think seattle summers are utterly wonderful. but on a perfect day, regardless of the season, when there are fluffy clouds out and it's bright enough to warrant sunglasses, the streets become a playground for observation rather than something you dash across to get out of the rain.

today the sidewalks, parks, benches, and even rooftops were crowded. and in the best way. they were crowded with fellow emerald city patrons in love with this city. as i was driving down to madison beach though capital hill (i apparently take the longest possible route anywhere) something i noticed more than anything was the abundance of smiles. something i'm learning about spending so much time talking to people not from this area is this behavior seattle folk have called the seattle freeze. apparently, we're all bitches. yeah, and they're not just talking about the people who live in capital hill. but today, i didn't see a trace of that. people were actually smiling at each other. i smiled at a lady crossing the street and felt that little bit of magic between strangers. i forgot how wonderful that is.

as mentioned, i wound up in madison beach. specifically i met danielle and hilary for lunch at cactus and had the most wonderful quesadilla in the world. and any opportunity i have for girl talk is likely to make any day pretty damn wonderful. but after lunch is when the glory of my day really took hold.

the girls had to leave for danielle to go meet her new boyfriends parents (EXCITING!!) so i decided to take advantage of the weather with the world's best wingman: man's best friend. mac my puppy is pretty much the cutest, least obedient, most easily distracted pup in the world. but he makes for damn good company on the seattle streets- he even manages to poop when there's no one on the same street as us so when i'm a bad owner and forget bags i don't get chewed out for not cleaning up after him. warning: there's a big dog dump on 42nd and lee.

so mac and i took it to the streets. madison beach is an adorable little pocket in the city. because you're pulled away from downtown and the freeway, it really is like being in a different city. there's even free parking. and there's an open expanse of water with other puppies playing. and in the summer, the popsicle man comes through.

the real thing i love about this neighborhood are the homes. they're incredible. a combination of classic crafstman and bungalo stacked right next to contemporary design. i love neighborhoods like that, without a consistent look so each house you walk past gives a new experience. i am in love with houses, hence why i spent my afternoon wandering the streets and staring. and wishing i'd brought my camera to take pictures of strangers houses. the whole time, mac wandered along with me and only jumped all over two people.

all the while, the sun was shining and people were smiling.




i never thought i'd be the kind of person to talk about the weather. but today was perfect. it's days like today that make me sure that i can't live anywhere else but this city. and i hope someday i'll trick a man into marrying me who will be able to buy me one of those pretty houses i spent my afternoon obsessing over.