Seattle Grace

A year ago I was blogging from a Worldcom conference in Amsterdam--this year the meeting was in Seattle. Same tulip growing weather, but no canals. I had a great time networking with PR folks from around the world and as always, I also managed to squeeze in some local fun!

We stayed at the Sheraton which was a short walk to the fresh fish and flowers of Pike Place Market and the first Starbucks. Of course, I got the mandatory cup of Joe and took it shopping to Seattle's own Nordstrom's. I also rode the Monorail over to the site of 1962 World's Fair to get a view from the Space Needle. Mt Rainier looked amazing! But, the real reason for my trip to this area was the Frank Gehry designed Experience Music Project. The fun, colorful building did not disappoint! The exhibit was also exciting--I learned to play the guitar, drums, keyboard and mix music in one hour! I wonder what native son, Jimmy Hendricks, would have thought of my music...

Our hotel was also very close to the Seattle Art Museum which was on my list of places to view the glass art work of Dale Chihuly. I met Chihuly 15 years ago at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and fell in love with his Studio Glass movement. The artist is from Tacoma originally.

Speaking of Tacoma, my Dad was stationed at McChord AFB in Tacoma in 1950. He joked that the Air Force would probably send him as far from his home in Pensacola as possible--and they did. He has spoken fondly of the area all his life, and so I drove down on Saturday to check it out. I stopped off to see Snoqualmire Falls, of Twin Peaks fame on the way for a bit of NW nature.

I thoroughly enjoyed the downtown arts center in Tacoma! The Museum of Glass had a theater for resident glass blowers to work and I could have watched them all day. I struck gold on my tour of Chihuly works. He designed a pedestrian bridge full of his pieces including the seaforms pictured above. I even had lunch at the bar in the Swiss Tavern, where Chihuly used to eat every day. He loaned the owner 8 large pieces to decorate the bar. I sat next to metal worker who said that he worked with the artist to protect the large glass pieces currently hanging in the courthouse.

Last week was a winner -- from bonding with cool international PR pros to great cultural experiences and a taste of nature. Think I'll go have a cup of coffee and relax...