Seattle's Best Everything

Mr. Pickle loves librarians, and he loves tagging along with them on conferences. True facts. He headed over to Chicago and then spent January 21-25 in Seattle, Washington (a state he's never been) with Karla. In addition to library business they drank yummy drinks, went on adventures all over the place, and Mr. P even met some pickle friends!

The ALISE conference ponders... 

Always the beautiful question.

 

Mr. P met some Britt's Pickles! FREE SAMPLES. Live cultured foods are his best friends; they're smart.

They visited the EMP Museum, which was AMAZING! Hey Doctor Who fans, check out that Dalek! Mr. Pickle was all over the music installations and pop-culture fun.

Hello tasty brew at the Gordon Biersch Brewery.

Time for Mr. P and his friends to enjoy more tasty eats. Pike Place Chowder hit the spot. Apparently there's a legacy behind this place.

Market time, market time.

No loitering? Yeah, right.

SHOWGIRLS! What? Mr. P, I hope you were covering your eyes. Only $1 for video peeps though.

No trip to Seattle is complete without some Pearl Garden & Sound Garden in your ears. Mr. P forgot to pack his flannel shirt. D'oh!

Where are we?

Mr. Pickle is a BIG fan  of public transporation. (Here's a secret: Mr. P doesn't pay anything on his travels. He has special privileges anywhere he goes. But he doesn't let it go to his head. He's very grateful.)

He sure celebrates libraries and librarians! He travels with them to lovely places.

Mr. P's still not sure if this really is Seattle's Best Coffee.

The needle points upward! Seattle's famous needle. It's not for sewing, silly Mr. Pickle.

Hot Mama! Many Hot Mamas. Oh my, Mr. P was a bit overwhelmed with all of the attention they gave him. They were a little to sassy for him though.

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And so ends another STELLAR trip with lovely folks. Thanks, Karla for all the fun!

Next up he's headed back to Cali! 

He's got some free time coming up after that. Where will YOU take him?! 

Putting the P in the U.P.

A northern Michigan trip for Mr. Pickle! Michigan is his home base, but he hasn't done much exploring in it. Immediately after returning from Paris, France he joined Darla (and James and Henry) and headed Up North to join Eby (and Ginger) for a bit of Northern Michigan fun from October 1-7. He first landed in Suttons Bay to visit Eby and Ginger at Hemlock Creek Farm and to hang with their pigs. Eventually they all traveled to the Upper Peninsula to soak in the majestic Lake Superior and visit the Tahquamenon Falls. Mr. Pickle's liver got a workout in between adventures. This was prime time for fall colors and OH MY it was pretty...
 

 

 Visiting Eby's pigs at Hemlock Creek Farm in Suttons Bay.

 

Gnome-like mischief, witnessed by ceramic pics.

Sippin' the fine Tandem Ciders. Mmmmm.

Mr. P dining with THE Henry at Towne Plaza in Traverse City. 

One of many drinks. Talk about fermented pickles. 

A stop at Deadman's Hill in the Jordan River Valley in Warner, MI.

Graffiti and trees and a pickle at Deadman's Hill. (See how it says DANG?)

DANG, Mr. Pickle, look at that view! Look at those lush colors. 

Drink stop at Dixie Saloon before crossing the Mackinac Bridge into the UP. 

Mr. P and the Mighty Mac! 

Overlooking Lake Superior at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River.

Well, it's not a gator attack, this time it's a giant bear at the gift shop! He just can't escape the sharp jaws of these critters.

Mr. P and PASTIES at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery. Typical Up North. Typical Eby.

Mr. P is helping Darla dig around graves at Mission Hill Cemetary. Darla is realllly good at finding dead people. Mr. Pickle is not so much into genealogy.

A pickle-sized gazebo!!

A pickle-sized boat! He mans the HENRY T. I wonder if Henry J was amused...

They spent a lot of time on the beach of Lake Superior near Brimley. Oh, Lake Superior, so vast.

Um, that's a lot of water.

Bacon for breakfast, of course.

Mr. Pickle visited the top of the Point Iroquois Lighthouse in Hiawatha National Forest in Brimley, MI.

Lighthousing around.

The old lighthouse light. The sign says DO NOT TOUCH. SHARP EDGES. I guess Mr. P came out unscathed.

Mr. P loves meeting other stuffed friends on his travels. This time around he met a celebrity! Smokey the Bear!! In a lighthouse, no less.

Lunch at Clyde's in St. Ignace before heading over the bridge and back home.

The Mighty Mac and the mighty Mr. P headed back to SE Michigan. 

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Such a fun trip with fun people. And those fall colors! Those waterfalls! Swoon. 

Until next time...