One of Seattle's more popular nicknames is that of the "Emerald City." There seems to be some debate as to whether this is due to the city's more than 300 parks or if it is related to the futuristic and unique city skyline that might remind people of the classic city from The Wizard of Oz.
Seattle's location and cultural roots have led it through some interesting developments over time. Equidistant from London and Tokyo, this coastal city has the peculiar flavor of a Pacific city that has truly been molded into a multi-cultural whole. The city celebrates both its Asian and Scandinavian roots as well as the history of the region's Native Americans. Seattle has also been heavily shaped by its location, defined by water. It is surrounded by the Puget Sound to the west, Lake Washington to the east, and Lake Union in the center. Consequently, Seattle's economy developed with a strong base in maritime industries, which continues to today. Always popular with young romantics are the ferry rides, but the waterfront also offers a vast array of commercial, retail, and tourist ventures.
Seattle's ever-changing and eclectic culture can be seen in many facets of the city's existence. Architecture provides the most obvious example of the city's personality. The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World Fair and has become the defining symbol of Seattle. One of the more recent testaments to Seattle's creativity is the Experience Music Project, which features a three-story guitar sculpture. Other well-known architectural oddities include: the red arches of Robert Venturi's Seattle Art Museum, the gilded foyer of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the angles and lines of the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, and the temple-topped Washington Mutual Tower. Seattle also houses the country's largest floating residential community - the houseboats on Lake Union.
For those interested in quality cuisine, Seattle has a number of big names that have pushed them into the international scene. You may recognize Tom Douglas, Kaspar Donier, Thierry Rautureau, Kathy Casey, Jim Drohman, Scott Staples, Christine Keff, and Tamara Murphy. As one might expect from a city as varied as Seattle, the new style of cuisine is eclectic and exciting. Seattle provides a wealth of fresh, seasonal ingredients including shellfish, sweet onions, salmon, mushrooms, stone fruit, berries, and asparagus. Seattle is also well known for their coffee, microbrews, and wine.
Also related to their love of food and history, is the Pike Place Market, which was saved from the corporate moguls who would have destroyed it. The market is now carefully protected and dedicated to preserving its agrarian roots while creating a wonderful venue to share the region's fresh fruits, vegetables, seasonal flowers, herbs, seafood, spices, and cheeses. In addition to the food, the market has a variety of specialty shops, varied restaurants and eateries, and a number of artisans with their fine hand crafted products for sale. Nine acres provide plenty of room to feast your senses on this decadent mixture.
For those people who fancy a cultural experience unrelated to food, try the vast assortment of museums and arts available. Second only to NYC in their total number of performances, Seattle boasts an active arts scene, complete with resident major symphony, opera, and ballet companies (only five other cities in the country can say the same.) Music in Seattle ranges from the symphony to the city's hopping club scene and stops for some jazz and cultural specialties along the way. In the History section, we have highlighted some of the museums that focus on Seattle's history and below we have looked at some of the other cultural attractions the city has to offer.
The other aspect of life in Seattle that cannot be overlooked is the number of large technology and big businesses that call Seattle home including REI, Eddie Bauer, Nintendo, Starbucks, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Amazon.com, RealNetworks, and Microsoft. With these large companies come wealthy individuals who have contributed to a variety of causes, making Seattle a growing center of philanthropy. The city also boasts a number of world-class medical centers and is the national leader in trade with Asia.
The Seattle area has also been the site of dozens and dozens of movies, television shows, and commercials, going back as far as the 1930's. Favorites include:
- Sleepless in Seattle
- Frasier
- Fabulous Baker Boys
- Say Anything
- Starman
- War Games
- An Officer and a Gentleman
Attractions:
Seattle Art Museum (SAM)
SAM has an impressive collection of more than 21,000 objects of artwork. These pieces range from Old Master paintings to African masks to contemporary art of the Northwest. SAM also houses a number of special exhibits and provides tours and educational experiences for students. SAM has a number of free days to make the museum more accessible. Also available on a different site is the Seattle Asian Art Museum featuring Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Southeastern Asian, and Himalayan art. Scheduled to break ground in 2005 and open in spring of 2006 is the Olympic Sculpture Garden. The garden will cover 8.5 acres and provide a new community gathering space while simultaneously rehabilitating the largest, undeveloped waterfront property in downtown Seattle. The park will be a reflection of the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and will house classic, modern, and contemporary permanent statues as well as temporary installations. The park will also provide a venue for musical and theatrical performances and educational programs.
Pike Place Market
This is the nation's oldest, continually operating farmer's market. Over 250 merchants, 100 farmers, 100 street performers, and 200 craftspeople make this a bustling, vibrant attraction. See above for more information.
Fremont
If there were a single place that could capture the eclectic, funky nature of Seattle, Fremont would have to be that neighborhood. A sign proclaiming, "Welcome to the Center of the Universe" is the first hint to the unwary that they have wandered into an area of the city destined to leave its indelible mark. Oddities abound.
The Rocket - The Fremont Business Association recognized the need for a suitable landmark that would do justice to the Center of the Universe. There was much debate as to what such a landmark could be, but the answer became clear with news of the dismantling of a 1950s cold war era rocket fuselage. The Rocket was promptly acquired and after several years in storage and an embarrassing failed attempt, scientists were able to display the 53-foot rocket in 1994. The rocket also bears the Fremont crest and famous motto, "De Libertas Quirkas" - "Freedom to be Peculiar".
Fremont Troll - This friendly fellow occupies the space under the Aurora Bridge, a product of the Fremont Arts Council in 1990. The 18-ft giant is crushing a Volkswagen beetle in one hand. He also gets to be the guest of honor at the roving party that begins under the bridge October 31st each year, and has come to be known as "Trollaween". Revelers then wander away to see the other sites of Fremont.
Statue of Lenin - This statue was created by Emil Venkov, a well-known Slavic artist, whose bronze work is exhibited throughout the United States and Europe. Venkov was commissioned to create this statue of Lenin, but rather than going with the traditional statue of him holding a book or waving his hat, Venkov expressed his view of Lenin as the violent revolutionary by showing him surrounded by guns and flames.
Lewis Carpenter was an American veteran teaching in Poprad. He found the statue toppled there after the revolution in 1989. Determined not to let a piece of art of such skill and bold honesty be destroyed, Carpenter mortgaged his house to acquire the statue and bring it back to the US. It is displayed in Fremont only temporarily and is for sale. While is remains, however, it serves as a valuable reminder of an important period in history. As the Fremont Chamber of Commerce points out, it is "tangible proof that art does outlive politics."
Interurban Sculpture - Perhaps the best-known statue(s) would be the Interurban Sculpture, which commemorates the light rail line that used to connect downtown Seattle with all of its neighborhoods. The statue depicts five people and a dog standing under a shelter. The sculpture has become a watershed for Seattle's creativity and fun-loving mischief as countless people dress and redress the statues to celebrate weddings, birthdays, farewells, popular causes, demonstrations, and any other host of things that they think up. The only rules are that there are no commercial messages and that the statues be cleaned up when a display is done. Richard Beyer was the creator of this famous group, and there is a rumor that the face of the dog is that of Arman Napoleon Stephanian. The man was famous for his "dogged" persistence in starting the Seattle recycling program that has now been copied nationwide.
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
The first museum in the world devoted to the genre of science fiction opened its doors in Seattle on June 18, 2004. The museum explores science fiction in literature, movies, television, and art, and challenges visitors to think about the implications of the medium. While entertaining, science fiction can also challenge people to explore different ideas about relationships, dealing with other forms of life and different cultures, and responsibility for technological change. The new museum is striving to help people enjoy science fiction from within such a framework.
University District
The University of Washington is housed in a park-like 700-acre campus, known to the locals as "U-Dub." As might be expected from a college town, low-priced restaurants and pubs abound along the "Ave" (University Avenue). The University Bookstore provides the cornerstone for a thriving shopping scene, and young people wander the streets and sidewalks in droves.
Seattle Center
The Seattle Center was first created for the 1962 World Fair. It has become the center of many of Seattle's most important festivals and events and expresses the interests and passions of the city. The Seattle Center sees more than 10 million visitors pour through it each year for countless events, some of which are highlighted on the Events page. Permanent fixtures of this 74-acre park include the Seattle Opera, Intiman Theater, Paul Allen's Experience Music Project, the Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle.
Sources:
( http://www.seattle-travel-services.com ) (Accessed June 15, 2004)
( http://www.fremontseattle.com ) (Accessed June 21, 2004)
( http://www.seeseattle.com/visitors ) (Accessed June 21, 2004)