I miss being able to walk 2 blocks and have the best ethiopian food in town. Okay, so the sanitary nature of these places may have been questionable, but damn those vegetarian platters were good! They were also big enough that they were often shared with a good pal while we drank ethiopian beer, listened to ethiopian music, and talked about random nonsense. What I wouldn't give to walk out my front door right now and stroll into Mesob for some tasty grub, and a frosty mug.
A few more blocks down the street was Piecora's New York Pizza. I worked at Piecora's several years ago while I was in school, and I had the pleasure of working with some of the most kick-ass, hilarious people. Jae, Mayson, Aron, Lafter, Doug, Jon, Jen...you know who you are. Ritchie Piecora, our boss, was obsessed with windex. Remember the dad from the movie My Greek Wedding who thought that windex could actually heal wounds? 'Nuff said. Anyhow, I only worked there about a year, but I lived down the street in the same 4-plex apartment building for 11 years. I would often walk down the street with my dogs to nab a free slice through the window by the kitchen, and maybe even a nugget of sausage for the dogs if they were lucky. I can't even fathom how many free slices of pie were passed through that window to sustain my broke ass, but I'm still thankful to this day.
Kitty corner to Piecora's, across the Bank of America parking lot, is the Elysian brewery. I worked there too. In fact, I ran over there for my interview DURING a shift at Piecora's. I used to love sitting at the bar eating a fieldroast philly cheesesteak sandwich, sipping on a strong ale, and chatting with the regulars and friends that were so frequently seated around the long familiar bar. The Elysian was so different back then compared to now. This must have been somewhere around 1997, 98...? Everybody was a regular, even the employees. Everybody was friendly. Henry, Eric, Hazel, and even you Dick (one of the owners), I miss your faces, and I miss your conversation.
The Teapot, Than Brothers Pho, Jamjuree, Chutneys, The Ballet, the mexican place upstairs in the Broadway alley building, Glos, The Tamarind Tree, The Green Leaf, Cafe Presse, and Saigon Deli. These were some of the other restaurants within short walking distance from my house which I frequented throughout my 13 years in Seattle. Sure, there are a lot more, but these are the ones that stand out the most because I went to them regularly. I could list some of the more extravagant, less-frequented venues, but my mouth would start watering and my mind would take a stroll down depression lane due to the deprivation of such ammenities in my current culinary-anorexic city. It really kills me that I can honestly only name one restaurant within walking distance to where I live now that I even want to eat at, let alone walk to in this scorching inferno that is my temporary home. Depressing. I have placed such great emphasis on the food, but what I miss even more are the people. Malari, Rick, Lyn, Jim, Flora, Mel, Mac, Melanie, Debbie, Kate, Joe W., Joe A., Emily, Raine, Becca, Rob, Jon, Ang, Julie, Steph, Isaac, Carmen, Will, Mike, Chris, Jeff and so many more.
I haven't even mentioned the multiple bars, and show venues that were also within walking distance of my humble abode on first hill, but that reminiscing is for another day.
Oh, Seattle. You are like an ex-lover whom I got in a huge fight with over something I can't even remember now. I'm sorry we broke up. I'm sorry I'm too proud to get back together with you. Maybe I'll get over it someday, especially since you clearly have .
Taken on the steps of my old apartment building where I lived for 11 of my 13 years in Seattle. Apparently, I was taking the photo since I am not in it.
circa ~1999
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