...for about 60 hours.
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by PAM
You wouldn't think we'd visit Seattle and not be in Starbucks, would you? No, of course not! That's what I thought. At that point, however, we did give up on getting our caffè latte at the famed first Starbucks store
at the Pike Place as it was always crowded, and dine-in was not allowed. I wonder whether the long queue was out of interest in the place, the love for coffee and/or caffeine, or just to stay warm, given the cold weather. It seems that the motivation for establishing Starbucks was to overcome the cold that is constantly hovering over the 'rain city'. Rather than merely enduring the cold, one can look forward to a freshly brewed coffee that is both good and unique. And, as Seattle was growing into this world-renowned hi-technology base, those creative engineers and tech-guys need caffeine to keep their inventive adrenaline flowing. So, yeah, it makes sense for coffee to be the city's 'official beverage'. And this must be why Starbucks happened!Finally, a Starbucks Latte!
Anyway, after spending nearly two hours at the Space Needle, given that we only had two hours to continue our touristic activities before heading to the airport, we decided to go for the practical option: meet with my former student at the Starbucks Reserve Seattle Roastery. This way, we can hit two birds with one stone. As it turned out, it was a great decision!
It was my first time to visit a Starbucks Reserve Roastery. I found out that there are only six in the world, and they are found in Seattle, Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Milano. The Reserve in Seattle is the first to open. It is in a 100-year old building in the Capitol Hill district of the 'rain city', which opened in 2014. From the outside, it looks every inch a building from a different generation, indeed. The only indication that it was from this generation is the prominent Starbucks logo, embossed prominently at the façade of the building, above the cornice of two column, and the Starbucks Reserve Insignia of a star and the capital letter "R" below it. Of course, when one peeks through the glass walls of the building, the interior is completely a structure from a future architecture and engineering. As such, the structure looked like a beautiful mix of marble and teak wood,
which framed the interesting scene of industrial coffee making and people enjoying their coffee inside the building that can be viewed from the outside through big glass windows. The place oozes hip culture vibes, coffee science and mastery of coffee brewing, and that ambiance of relaxed and friendly atmosphere.The Starbucks Reserve Seattle Roastery is awesome, period.
And, speaking of relaxed and friendly atmosphere, I had the great pleasure of meeting again my former student from two-and-a-half decades ago after our last meeting from almost exactly one decade ago! He was this kid who was unsure whether he was pursuing electronics engineering out of passion or just merely spinning his wheel. A decade later, he found employment with a global tech giant and has been trotting the globe with his young family while honing his skills in photography and some extreme sports. He has reached a point these days, in which his satisfaction with his work and family life security are getting him excited to reach retirement so that he can dabble in other interests. He said, "I am happy to have reached that point when I can say, I have enough." And yet, he continues to work hard, reinventing himself constantly. Needless to say, I am a very proud former teacher! We met in Dallas, TX about twelve years ago while we were both traveling. He hasn't stopped traveling and enjoying some adrenaline rush in new adventures. I did stop for a while but I hope to resume traveling, too - soon, hopefully. Therefore, I hope for the COVID-19 pandemic to relent soon.
It is fitting that the Starbucks Reserve was our last stop in my mini vacation in Seattle with my sister. It kind of summarizes what the city is all about: a great deal of daring and innovation, a departure from what is common and just popular and into creating a new culture, overcoming a challenge viewed through the scope of small-mindedness towards transformation and reinvention of one's self, and respecting the environment and to try to coexist together. For its current advancements and stature, Seattle is an uncomplicated city, and I loved it!
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Photo credits: All the photos used in this post are mine.
