Seattle Thunder Lizard Trip / July 15-July 22

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

< 07.15.2000 - 07.22.2000 >

SATURDAY — FLYING OUT

I've always wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest region. Me and two co-workers, Kevin and Matt, jumped on a plane for a Web Design conference in Seattle. Kevin and I left late Saturday after our companies 5K race for Kids with Cancer and met Matt. The Thunder Lizard Web Design Conference showcased five days of seminars from the best in the web industry.

PICTURES

Approaching Mount Rainier

Brad and Kevin

We found Matt at the bar (surprise) with his friend Brad. After some drinks, we checked cameras for Sunday's adventure.

SUNDAY — ORCA THEATER

Sunday morning, Brad drove us to 30 miles north of the city to Everett where we boarded a day long whale watching tour. Over 80 Orcas whales — 3 families — live in the waters surrounding the Island of San Juan. Free Willy was filmed here. Orcas have complex social behaviors and are magnificent mammals. After seeing them in the wild, you will never visit another Seaworld.

PICTURES

U.S.S. Abe Lincoln in Everett's Harbor
Notice the orange band around the ship? It protects the sea from any oil spills.

Deception Pass

Mount Baker

Gray Whale in the Bay

Orcas Mom and Pup

Another cool Orca Shot

We ate dinner at Anthony's Restaurants on the dock with some folks from the boat. The Salmon melted in my mouth...yum!

MONDAY — THUNDER LIZARD BEGINS

Monday morning began like every morning this week with Starbucks coffee. I wonder what they put in the stuff that makes it so additive? The keynote speaker what Jared Spool of Interface Design. He studies how people surf the web and is extremely funny. Other great speakers included Jeffery Zeldman. He has a Steven Wright, dry sense of humor and his talk was informative and entertaining. Zeldman also works on the Web Standards Project, a coalition of web developers and users. The WSP mission is to stop the fragmentation of the web, by persuading browser makers that standards are in everyone's best interest. Easier said than done.

Two more of my favorites, Myke Ninness, the Photoshop master and Kelly Goto (see Friday) of Idea.com spoke.

After the show, we met the girls from Digitas in New York City. Allison, Wan (looks like Janet, from Real World Seattle) and Mel. Another Mel, English Mel, joined us that night at the bar. After drinks, we had a wild idea to visit the Experience Music Project. Experience Music Project (EMP) is an interactive music museum that Microsoft's Paul Allen built. After shaking twenty bucks out of your wallet, they strap a backpack and this Star Trek device on your waist. Leave it to a Microsoft guy to make a simple idea complex. A better name for the EMP would be the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The entire first floor is a Hendrix museum. I love Hendrix, but it was a bit overboard.

PICTURES

In front of EMP

Group shot in front of the Guitar thingy

After our disappointment, we walked back to the hotel and informed the masses about the Tourist Trap.

TUESDAY — LIZARD/LUNCH/DRINKS

More coffee and speakers started the day. I met Tommy from Boston. We started chatting because I saw the cool logo on his business cards. He joined us for lunch at Pike's Place Market. The Market is the best Farmers Market in America and has EVERYTHING. If you visit Seattle, this should be your first stop. The Flying Fish market, Milagros Mexican and World Spice were my favorites. Shelly from Cincy joined us. She went to SUNY Oswego and knows some friends of mine in Charlotte.

After consulting with our favorite bartender, Alberto, we walked to Isabella for dinner. Another fantastic dinner! Walking back home, this guy in a matchbox car pulls up and asks questions. Ben ended up asking about his car a British Mini, which is one of only 250 made in the States. I think he was just trying to pick up Ben.

PICTURES

Pike's Place Market Shot 1 | Shot 2

Before Dinner

Isabella Dinner

Ben, Shelly and Tommy

Goofy Car

WEDNESDAY — MORE LIZARD AND LOUNGING

We ran over to have lunch at Westlake Village center. I was hit up for money at least ten times in the course of an hour. Ben got stuck with two girls pitching the wonderful products of AMWAY. I'll take the beggars over the fruitcakes any day — at least the beggars are up front and move along.

After lunch, we stopped by Koalas Roos, an Australian store. Matt LOVES Australia and built a website about his travels in the outback. The store owner, Steve, worked for President Reagan as a national security advisor. He bought ten pieces of the Berlin Wall and shipped them to cities around the U.S., interesting guy. Tommy bought a great jacket and Matt got some candy.

Another great shopping place was Chiasso. I am the king of gadgets and Chiasso has every gadget known to man.

After a dinner of Bagels, we said good-bye to Mel and Wan. That night, Rita Wilson, actress and Tom Hanks wife was downstairs. She tried getting a spot at the bar and couldn't. After a glass of wine she was gone. I spent the remainder of the evening in a blur, discussing important things with Mel like the English comedy of Monty Python, Benny Hill and the Young Ones.

PICTURES

The Digitas Girls

THURSDAY — PIONEER SQUARE/NBBJ/ROY'S

After Thursday's conference I headed to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square district and nearby Port of Seattle and visited my friend Jeff. He's got a pretty sweet job as an architect for NBBJ designing Sports Stadiums. He did Milwaukee and Seattle's baseball stadiums and got promoted to airports. I got a tour of his office and we grabbed some beers.

When I got back to the Westin, I had dinner at Roy's with Melissa, Matt, Aaron (the Arkansas boys) and Tommy. After dinner, we made a mad dash to find everyone out at the bars.

PICTURES

The view from Jeff's Office

Jeff

Tommy, Melissa, Matt and Me after dinner

FRIDAY — AQUARIUM/TRIP HOME

The last day of the conference. Kevin and I walked to Pike's Place Market and down to the Seattle Aquarium. It has a cool underwater dome and Sea Otters, but not much else. We had a sushi dinner while Matt and Ben explored Pioneer Square. Giovanna (great name) from Penn State and one of the conference speakers, Kelly Goto, joined us.