The 5 Point Cafe

For Christmas I got a lunch at the 5 Point Cafe from Michelle and Matt. Obviously they do know the well-documented route straight to my heart....through Bruno!!

Ahhh, gotta love it. And I do.

So I scheduled my monthly lunch at The 5 Point Cafe. Somehow I thought it was across the water to the North and I could drive there. It wasn't and I didn't. It was in downtown Seattle and there's no way I will willingly drive my car in downtown Seattle. Nope!! Ain't gonna happen. Me no likee.....

Having finally found the RIGHT location for The 5 Point Cafe, I found I could get there without having to drive. I'm a gonna do it!!

To me the journey can be as exciting as the destination. Like life itself, moving along the traveling road is, arguably, the most fun of all. 

While I really did enjoy the lunch and the company, it was a lot of fun just getting there. I decided to ride the rails, well, the Link, to the Westgate terminal and then to either walk or take the Monorail down to where the Cafe is.

Even though I ride the Link every working day, I still enjoy being able to sit and read or daydream while the miles go by.

The sights are entertaining and colorful. Here's the Mount Baker Station artwork. 

After an enjoyable ride listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on my iPod while watching the changing scenery, I got to the Westage Mall, the terminal for the Link.

Except for the occasional beating, the terminal is quite pleasant. And, yeah, you can walk right into a Nordstroms from the terminal.

The artwork ain't too shabby, either. Looking down to where you board the Link/busses.

Now, depending on how I felt, I was gonna take the Monorail (which, conveniently, is right across the street from the terminal) or walk the mile down to the Cafe.

I was feeling pretty good and by this I mean my leg wasn't hurting so much I was limping so I decided to walk. OK, OK. I admit it. There was another reason. Besides, everyone already knows how cheap I am. But, doggone it, it cost me $2.25 for a ride from Othello all the way to the Downtown. The stinkin' Monorail wanted to charge me the SAME amount just for a 1.2 mile ride!! I mean, c'mon!! Really!?!

It woulda been kinda cool to ride the Monorail cuz, to top it all off, it was the 60th Anniversary of the Monorail in Seattle. They even have the cars looking like they did back in the 60s.

Fast. Direct. Historic. Expensive....

Except for the obvious difference in trim color, they look pretty much like they did way back then, eh?

So I was walking for a number of reasons. Now, this is funny. I saw this school and stopped to take a closer look and what to my wondering eyes should appear but....

21 rubber chickens hanging in the lower left window of the "Wesley School for girls".

Can you see them? Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. Makes you wonder what they study at the Wexley School for girls. Did you get the second funny here? Look at the sign for the "Wexley School for girls".

Can you see it? Strange, eh? 

Gotta love Seattle. It's an heterogeneous blend of the absurd and the serious.

Case in point, this city vehicle from the Republic of Fremont. Crazy, eh?

Then I came upon this....

Uh, OK. Sure, Aroused Americana Cooking. Not sure I want to know what that's about. I'll pass....I'm going to The 5 Point Cafe.

But, back when people who lived in Seattle were normal, they built some great structures. Especially their apartments. I'd really love to live in a couple of these old apartments for a while. At least get in and see what the floor plans are like. Jeff and Taylor live in a great old apartment in SLC.

You don't see this kinda character in these new monstrosities.

Like this beauty, "The Fifth Avenue Court". 

Hey!! Get a shade and some drapes for those windows, dammit!!

Then I stumbled on this. Love the reflections you get off of window buildings.

I know it's a typically cloudy day but, still, this was a nice shot of a familiar landmark.

Finally, I got to The 5 Point Cafe.

They've been proudly serving the public since 1929. Some of the furnishings looked like it hasn't been changed out since...well, you know. 

They still have advertisements for Rainier, Hamms and Olympia beers. Old....

On the side we sat on they decorated their walls with stickers. A lot of odd, esoteric stickers.

The bar. Plain and simple the way I like it.

And now for the good stuff. Mike had a rough night the night before. He went to Anthony's and they had an all you could eat fish and chips special and he went for it. He overate (hey, he's a guy, OK!) and he was still feeling the effects. What an old man, right!?!

He decided to go light and get a ChickenBurger

and then he subbed the Fries for a salad. 

Geez, Liberals. 

He subbed the Fries for a salad!! 

I mean, who does that!?!

Y'know how I'm a sucker for Reubens and Corned Beef Sandwiches? 

Well, what was I to do when I saw they have 

"HOMEMADE" Corned Beef Hash!?! 

Or, as Mike calls it, Dog Food.

Yeah, I ordered it. Along with a couple of eggs sunny side up and some sourdough toast. Mmmmm, good eatin'.

And I enjoyed it. A lot!!

Best part was, aside from the tax and the tip, it was covered!! Thanks to Michelle and Matt.

Tummy full and feelin' good, Mike and I walked back to the terminal. He rode the busses into the City and so he had to go to the terminal, too.

We walked down 4th and, yeah, I couldn't resist it. 

Hey, there was some blue sky out this time!!

Then, a couple of blocks up there was this....popsicle. Y'know, all the money they spend on art you think they could get some, y'know, art. 

Seriously? A popsicle?

On the way back, I sorta concentrated on the 'street art'. The posters and the paintings.

Just so you don't think everything in Seattle is disturbing, here's my favorite. It's an ad but it's well done and good to look at. 

Gooooo, Wells Fargo!!

I think I mentioned the Link terminal is in the Westgate Mall. Pretty nice but, for reasons I've already explained (vis-a-vis the Monorail) I won't shop there.

But Mike wanted to give me a 'smell' treat so he detoured me to Lush. 

It's a boutique shop where they make their own soap. And, yeah, it smelled good.

Geez, this costs more than a pound of Corned Beef.

Seriously, I can get three bars of Irish Spring at the Dollar Store for a ..... dollar.

Then I stumbled across this store. Marbles, the brain store. Reminds me of a joke. Guy walks into a Brain Store to get a new brain. See's one for $250 and asks about it. Salesman says it belonged to a Chemist and because it was used so much it only costs $250. The guy sees one for $500 and asks about it. The salesman says that brain was owned by a Nuclear Physicist and, because it was used so much it was going for just $500. Finally the guy see a brain over in the corner with a $5,000 price tag. Wow, says the guy, why is that one so much. The salesman says that brain belonged to a liberal Congressman and it's so expensive cuz it was never used.

Hahahahaha....

Then my camera's battery went dead.

Sounds like the end of a Country Western Song.

Good food, good company, good times.

Hooah!!

On a Food Hunt!!

I blame it all on Joe and Sara. They got me a Panini Sandwich Maker for Christmas and I've been having fun with it ever since.

It's been idle for a couple of weeks while I researched local delis where I might be able to get some pastrami and corned beef. I found a couple and today I set out on my quest to get me some good food. Hooah!!

After running some errands, I was off headin' up Rainier towards Seattle to my first stop: Oh Boy!! Oberto. 

I had the idea that this might be a deli that, you know, sold meats. Uh, yeah, they sell meat but it's all either jerky or some kind of pepperoni or sausage. That was it. 

I did get a sample of some jerky on sale but, y'know, I've never been a big fan of jerky.

OK, no problem. A minor setback. I had spotted another Italian Deli and Bakery about a half-mile before I got to Oberto's so I drove back there to check it out.

And, I FOUND IT!! Pastrami!! I was so excited I ordered two pounds.....

Then I asked about the prices and the nice young lady pointed up to these....

Holy crap!!! 

Can you see it!?! Can you see the price for Pastrami down in the lower right corner...

Pastrami.....$11.19.....A POUND!!!

(are you kiddin' me!?!)

OK, that was pricey....so I asked, while I still had a voice, how much is the corned beef? 

Can you see the price for the Corned Beef.....$9.19 a pound. 
Not as bad but, cheezz, still not good!!

Ok, my apologies to Safeway for cussing them out for charging $11 for a 3-lb Corned Beef brisket. I didn't know it was so doggone expensive. That's a great price and guess where I'll be buying my Corned Beef from now.

They also had a great bakery there. All kinds of delicious looking bread to explore. 

Could ya spend some time in here?

But enough. I had some Pastrami and some Gouda and was off to my next stop. I was still wantin' some Corned Beef.

Next stop, Bob's Quality Meats in Columbia City.

Nothing elaborate....looks like a neighborhood deli, right? However, they're closing January 20th to the 25th for some renovations. Seriously, I wonder what they could do to improve on this?

Above is a shot from the door and below is a shot towards the door.

Here's their menu board. Man, when did it get so doggone expensive to eat? I asked for two pounds of Corned Beef. It was like $5.50 a pound. They cut it in the back and when he brought out the cut it was closer to 3 pounds than 2. I went ahead and got it and paid over $16 for it. Again, I'm sorry for every evil thought I had about Safeway being a bunch of Highway Bandits.

I hope they don't change the doors. They look like originals.

Man, if I were a cook, I'd love a place like this. I can eat....I just can't figure out how to prepare it and serve it.

Snoopin' around, I found "The Original Kimchee Girl". 

Wow, really? Pure and Natural? 

Uh, no thanks.

After getting my Corned Beef (OUCH!!!) I decided to try the little bakery a couple doors up from Bob's. The Columbia City Bakery was callin' my name....

It was pretty busy there and they were more like a coffee shop with pastries than a bakery. Still, I found some breads there.

Here's the eating area. Not a large counter for selling but I guess they're making money.

Here's their service counter. Sorry for the blur. They have a basket set on the counter full of breads. I picked out a dark New York Rye for the pastrami. I've already tried it with some butter and it was yum, yum, delicious.

Ok, I was done. Adios, ya'll. I was about $33 lighter but I had a half-pound of pastrami and a half-pound of Gouda Cheese plus an Aragiano loaf from the Italian Deli. Bob's contributed the (over) two pounds of Corned Beef and The Columbia City Bakery kicked in a New York Rye.

Yeah, I like to eat. I just gotta find a place near a bakery and a cheap deli. 

Hooah!!