Seattle Waterfront and Sculpture Park

We head up to Seattle for dinner at our favorite French restaurant in town, Le Pichet, explore some of the waterfront, and visit Chihuly Gardens to see the spectacular glassware.  We first walk from our hotel over to Pike Place Market and wander through the market and down to the waterfront.  The area has been recently rebuilt with new street orientations, bike lanes, parks, restaurants, stores, and neighborhoods.  We walk on the new walkway along the water to Olympic Sculpture Park.

Along the waterfront

The Olympic Sculpture Park transforms a nine-acre (3.6 hectare) former-industrial site into a space for art.  The park is owned and maintained by the Seattle Art Museum and is filled with a variety of sculptures in a setting with incredible views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.  We wander.

Olympic Sculpture Park

From the park, we head over to the Space Needle (built as a centerpiece for the 1962 World's Fair), view some of the art in that area, then stroll back toward Pike Place Market, passing a lot of great artwork in the streets and on the buildings.

Sculpture near the Space Needle

With views of the Space Needle

Art in the streets

And, a whimsical downspout

The walking has brought us to dinner time and we stop for a cocktail at The Nest, overlooking the harbor, and then walk down the street to Le Pichet, where we share warm purée of salt cod with garlic (and toast on which to spread it) and a roast chicken.

Cocktails at The Nest

View from The Nets

Purée of salt cod with garlic

Half a roast chicken

What a great meal and a great afternoon in Seattle!