Comfort Food for a Rainy Bremerton Day

After such a beautiful day yesterday as I explored the city of Seattle, I knew that today was going to be completely different in terms of weather.

One of my favorite things in the world is to wake up to the sound of rain. It happened this morning. I love that! Little raindrops knocked on my hotel window all day long.

But eventually, my stomach reminded me that rain couldn’t prevent me from eating a meal. And I knew from previous experience that none of the restaurants that deliver would mange to bring me anything good. So I only had one choice…brave the weather and head outside to find some grub.

This is the street on which my hotel lives. Isn’t this charming?

One of the countless reasons that I love Bremerton so much is the proximity to so many things within walking distance.

This is one of my favorite sandwich shops, for instance, and it is a whole block away from my hotel room. Downtown was busy setting up tents and blocking streets for a festival tomorrow, so it seems that my favorite sandwich shop took the day off as a result.

It’s weird that they didn’t consult me first.

No problem! I will just walk a few more blocks to another restaurant and hope that it is open for lunch! Hi, Navy Shipyard!

I really love downtown Bremerton. It pretty much shuts down at five o’clock, which can make getting dinner rather difficult when living in a hotel room. But today, I enjoyed the cool walk as I wandered for food.

Is this how the ancient nomads felt? Cold and hungry as they trucked along on pavement?

And, luckily, another favorite was open. You know that I’ve been here a lot. But I can’t help it. I enjoy their food and know what to expect.

Today was definitely a comfort food type of day. So I accidentally ordered a hot chocolate. I don’t know who asked for whipped cream…

And I sat back to enjoy a good book while waiting for the rest of my lunch to arrive. Another mini rainstorm passed through while I was inside the Bremerton Bar and Grill today, but I was toasty warm while reading inside.

What more could a girl want?

Well, OK then. I guess I could want a Santa Fe Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I told you that it was all about unhealthy comfort foods today! Look at all of those veggies inside grilled sourdough bread! It looks good enough to eat. And I did. Half of it.

I tried their homemade chips once and have never looked back. I hate to admit that these little guys were one of the main reasons that I was glad to find this place open today. Are homemade potato chips considered comfort food?

Then I continued my big loop back to the hotel. In between rainstorms, of course.

This is the entrance to the shipyard. I’ve always wanted to see if I could get in to look around, but there are armed guards. So I’m a big chicken.

This white building on the left is the Puget Sound Navy Museum, which I visited in March. It was nice enough that I think I will visit it again next time that I’m in town.

So I know that we just talked about lunch, but several hours of reading and enjoying a few cooking shows on the Food Network doesn’t warrant many pictures. So later that evening, it was time to grab dinner.

Welcome to the Toro Lounge. This is my NEW favorite place to eat in Bremerton.

Again, I hesitated because it was a lounge, where no-doubt ordering alcohol is expected. But I just pretended that water was completely normal and enjoyed the pretty flowers while waiting for my food to arrive.

And arrive it did. Holy cow, this place was awesome! The menu consists of several tapas plates and small appetizers for order. I opted to get their Caesar salad, which is one of the best I’ve ever had. I love how they dressed it as whole lettuce leaves. Homemade croutons! Yummy!

But the Truffle Papas Fritas with Curry Ketchup were definitely my favorite thing in this place. They were perfectly salted and perfectly delicious. I’ve never had anything like them. But I approve whole-heartedly.

Of course, always when ordering, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I also ordered their artisan bread to dip in roasted garlic olive oil. I was so full after a yummy salad and fries that I simply had this boxed up to take back to the hotel.

Talk about a yummy snack before bed!

I can’t wait to go back to this place. Who needs to order a drink to enjoy an incredible dinner! The only thing that would have made it better would be to have Hubby sitting across from me to eat most of what I order.

It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve seen him, and I can’t wait to get home to him tomorrow. That is way too long to leave a man to fend for himself in the kitchen.

In fact, while I was gone for work, I received a text message saying he was below two-hundred pounds, and that he was making himself a pan of brownies to try to remedy the situation. He cracks me up. But I couldn’t wait to be home to fatten him back up!

The day ended with some beautiful cloudy shots of the sunset, facing towards the east. I love how the harbor looks at night. And those clouds! Wow!

And off goes another ferry to Seattle. Maybe next time that I’m in town, I will plan for a later day in downtown so that I can see Seattle all lit up at night. Not that I’m already planning my next visit or anything…

Exploring Seattle – A Ferry Ride Home

I had an absolute blast checking out Seattle today. Did you enjoy the stroll? Were there any landmarks that you liked seeing, either again or for the first time?

I walked back to the ferry station and watched a beautiful ferry depart. Yep. It was going back to Bremerton. That’s OK. I don’t mind waiting in a crowded terminal to wait for my next ride an hour later.

My people-watching quota is never met.

In a sad moment, I took one last glare-free picture of the city beloved by me. Goodbye, sweet, sweet Seattle. It’s probably going to be a few days before I get to see you again.

Sniff sniff.

It is incredible how much cargo gets moved through this city. Look at this giant parked at the harbor to get unloaded by the octopus crane! And, just outside of the main harbor, several more humongous ships await their turn to get unloaded.

It’s all a logistical miracle, I tell you.

Do you remember how there were only a few cars in line this morning to head over to Bremerton on the ferry? Well, now look at everyone trying to go home! You would think it was just after the work bell rang, or something.

I know the schedule for ferries leaving from Bremerton, but I apparently haven’t paid much attention to the return trips. Now I have this schedule, forever burned in my brain. I love that I hope to use it a lot these next few years!

I waited inside until the mechanical counters released to let me through to wait for the next ferry to Bremerton. I am sitting on a concrete bench. Who thought that was a good idea during the design process?!

I waited patiently for the next boat by soaking up the views and marveling at such a wonderful day in the city.

Here is another cargo ship, waiting to come in for his turn!

Here comes my ride home! That lower deck is where all the cars, bikes, and motorcyclists ride. Usually, the passengers come up top for better views during the hour-long ride over to the city. About twenty minutes out from arriving, the loudspeaker tells everyone to return to their vehicles in anticipation of arrival.

It is all a well-oiled machine, I tell you.

While my ferry saunters into the dock, I admire the other ferry about to leave for Bainbridge Island. Lots of people commute into the city. It’s probably the only affordable way, really.

I am wearing a present from my boss’s friend, who has a headphone company about to start up. The sound is amazing, and I listened to John Denver on my trip back to Bremerton this evening.

It was appropriate music for just such a crossing.

Is it weird that I really did wave goodbye? People around me didn’t seem to mind. Though they did avoid eye contact for the rest of the trip home…

There were plenty of pretty sights from the ferry to be seen as we chugged along. My feet appreciated that they were up on a bench and no longer walking the streets of Seattle.

How pretty is this?

And this? It’s almost like my trip into town was heralded by angels. Yes, it was that much fun, thank you very much.

I said goodbye to this bridge this morning. That already seems like so long ago! At least it signals that Bremerton Ferry Station is coming up next!

Well, hello, Bremerton Naval Shipyard. You look rather dashing in this evening sunset, don’t you?

Hi, Bremerton! It’s great to be “home.”

We are getting closer to the ferry dock. I don’t think that they care quite as much about the surrounding areas here, since there aren’t giant wooden guides to help the boat captains steer to the loading dock.

Maybe Bremerton is just more laid back about everything!

Another shot of the shipyard, a little closer in. This was the largest dry dock in the world for three decades in the early 1900s, just so you know.

Almost there. A little closer. A little more now.

We had company for the docking process. With the perfect weather and boats to be seen, I would be hanging out in the harbor today, too.

If I was a seagull and all.

The hydraulic ramp lowered for us peeps to disembark. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Beep beep beep.

And then, I walked home! My room is on the top floor. Can you see it?

Downtown Bremerton is so pretty. I guess, if I absolutely had to, I could be happy living here, too.

Exploring Seattle is done at last. What did you think?

Exploring Seattle – A Walk Through Downtown

Today, we continue exploring one of my favorites cities. We’ve already taken the ferry over from Bremerton, seen Pikes Place Market, and visited the Space Needle.

Now we get to visit Pioneer Square, some beautiful downtown buildings, a little more Pikes Place (again), and grab some delicious late lunch. Are you game?

I managed to find a more quiet street as I left Seattle Center and headed south towards the rest of town. As I walked along, I passed many neat little shops and restaurants. I wouldn’t mind trying Belltown Burger or Dos Amigos next time that I’m in town!

And many old buildings were admired as my walk continued. I loved this one in particular. This thing could be getting close to one-hundred years old! It just makes me imagine life back then. What was it like?

And can I please live here?

5th Avenue ended up being the perfect street to explore. I loved the peace and quiet…for a few blocks, anyway. Aren’t these tree-lined streets just gorgeous! You really can’t beat Seattle in the summer.

Not that I’m planning on making any permanent changes or anything, but this is probably where I could shop for some groceries a few times a week. You know. To supplement the forty-pounds of veggies and fruit purchased at Pikes Place.

No fish purchases will be made, mind you.

Alright, now we’re getting back into some of the action. The quiet has disappeared into some busy downtown streets. I love it. And I love the shape of this building. I wonder what it would be like to live in a big circle?

And this building on the corner reminds me of that one in New York City not too far from Central Park. Oh, how I love NYC.

This was a nice little outdoor park, which was packed with people. The Duck Tours also made a stop here, so it made for some pretty good people-watching while I waited for the light to change to allow me to cross the street.

Another Starbucks. They are everywhere up here!

Just for the record, Seattle’s Best has way better hot chocolate.

I actually sat here on the corner on a cement ledge near a building. It felt great to give my feet a temporary rest while enjoying the variety of people who live in and visit Seattle. It was such a wide gamut of people! Very entertaining!

It wasn’t until after I stood up and continued my walk that I saw the tiny “No Loitering” sign above where I had stopped to rest. Oops!

While sitting to watch people, I thought about how funny it would be to run into my boss. Not five minutes later, I heard a, “Micah?” as I walked down a street. My boss and some friends had come into Seattle to explore today, and we just-so-happened to bump into each other.

Isn’t that crazy? This gigantic, busy city, and I run into the only people I know. It was actually kind of fun. And I got to thank them for my wonderful job, yet again, which was allowing me to explore Seattle on-foot today.

This was a busy part of town, but I loved every second. I also loved how they framed out the street corners with the cross street names. One could never use the “I got lost” excuse here!

Some more pretty buildings. I would ditch my car if I moved to a downtown like this, but this place also obviously houses car parking, too. Who needs it?!

I’m lucky to not be a person who needs a Hard Rock t-shirt in every city visited. Otherwise, I would have a scary amount of t-shirts at home! But here was Seattle’s Hard Rock.

For those who have always needed to see it.

And now we know…that living here truly could be a reality for me. A Target in downtown Seattle?! I’m set!

I walked down to 1st Avenue once again and got pretty close to Pikes Place Market. It wasn’t nearly as crowded as it was this morning.

So I got a few more quick pictures before heading out again towards Pioneer Square.

I love this picture.

I don’t know why this place is so magical for me, but it is. I really love being here. Not like Disneyland-magical. But it is special to me nonetheless, and I’m so glad that I could visit it today.

OK, enough sentimentality. As we near Pioneer Square, lots of neat buildings border the streets. And I love all of the mature trees, too!

This is Café Bengodi, a famous eatery located in the city. While waiting for my crosswalk, I snapped a shot of it for you. I was on the look-out for a yummy place to eat right about now, but Italian didn’t sound good to me. So I plugged along, looking for something special.

I thought about stopping here at Merchants Café. They claim to be the oldest restaurant in Seattle. I even checked out the menu outside. I always feel kinda silly eating in pub-like restaurants, since I don’t drink alcohol.

As a result, I decided to pass by this place for a late lunch as well.

I loved this old lantern that had been updated with neon. Who would have thought that combining old and new could be so cool?!

This is what I always imagine when I think of Pioneer Square. It is a very fun, hip, and eclectic part of town with lots of shops and eateries. My stomach was growling right about now, so I was on the look-out for somewhere to grab a bite.

You can even get married in Pioneer Square, if you so desire. Their sign cracked me up. I don’t know who would find this inviting enough to actually see what’s inside, but I’m sure many people do!

Glory glory! I think that I’ve found where to eat my late lunch! It is called Delicatus, with an emphasis on the “cah” in the name. I had to see their website for help on how to pronounce it.

I knew that proper pronunciation was necessary in honor of the delicious food.

Since the weather was so beautiful, I opted for an outside table. It was fun to talk to people as they wandered past. This part of town wasn’t quite as busy as the Space Needle or Pikes Place, so it was actually an enjoyable scene to eat my meal.

I love their sign, too. Check out their menu. Can you see why it was such a hard decision to pick what to eat? And when you’re hungry, everything sounds better. But I knew that I wanted to try something new.

So I got the Gypsy Rose Lee, which had prosciutto, mozzarella, sweet balsamic vinegar, and tomatoes. It was a twist on a Caprese Sandwich, and I loved it.

Even the chef/owner came out to ask me how I liked it. I had to tell him the truth…that I was coming back every day, for the rest of my life, forever.

I also got their mustard-seed potato salad, which was good but a little too spicy for me. Maybe I’m just getting old? The entire meal was incredible, and they wrapped half of my sandwich up for me to enjoy later.

With a happy tummy and tired feet, I knew that it was time to start moseying towards the ferry station. I kept smiling as I thought of all the fun had today.

Man, I love my job.