My friend Justin and I need a Seattle tour guide!
We're staying on Monday, July 8 and want a guide from 10:00am-about 10:00pm.
We will pay $150 plus two meals, exhibit tickets, and toll fees, OR $200 and you cover all your own expenses.
We would like to see;
EMP Museum of Music
Underground Seattle
Bruce Lee's grave
Zoo/Aquarium
Pike's Place
Whale Watching
We may not be able to do all this. What we're looking for in a guide are the following;
Know a lot about Seattle and has lived in Seattle for many years.
Dependable and has taken other people around the city before.
Fun person, great sense of humor, and like being a tour guide.
Dependable.
PLEASE contact me directly at heredragondragonATcoxDOTnet
That is an awesome idea!
Paging PaizoCon founder Tim Nightengale! He's been doing that with coordinated groups almost every year. It's how I got to see Pike's Place and the Seattle Underground (which became the inspiration for the Caliphas vampire underground in Carrion Crown's Ashes at Dawn).
:-)
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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I might be able to help out, though I'd need to check with the wife first.
BTW, anyone with an Entertainment coupon book for Seattle can get a lot of "buy one-get one free" coupons. The books are only about 10 bucks now; if you're going to hit even one of the paying admission attractions above, you'd probably make your money back. For that matter, I *have* an Entertainment book and I'd happily give you the coupons for things like Underground Seattle. Even if I don't end up tour guiding, I'm sure we could meet up at PaizoCon and I could give you the coupons there.
As an additional note, the EMP is doing a special exhibit featuring "Fantasy" as their theme, which I'm pretty sure runs through the summer, so that should be pretty entertaining. Their other special exhibits I've been to have been pretty good (AC/DC, Battlestar Galactica, horror movies, robots). I know they mentioned having the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones as part of the exhibit.
@ Cosmo thanks for reminding me about the City Pass
@ Neil...Tim sounds like an excellent choice...,"Yo TIM!"
@Jason...honestly speaking you sound just like the person Justin and I are looking for! Everything you mentioned...EMP Fantasy, and AC/DC (see them), horror movies (we wanted to see anything related to movies as we're both movie "buffs". Also the Entertainment coupon book (I own one for here in my area)! If the wife.job approves send me an email ASAP. Jason you ROCK..RPG Superstar Top 4...You gotta be our guide, so I can get tips for my new GM self!
@Christina it was born out of necessity. I checked with two professional tour guides and I liked to fell outta my chair. They had to repeat their price to ensure I heard then correctly!
We all know GAMERS ROCK and take care of their own! I would much rather always give our cash to a fellow gamer when I get the choice!
I wish I would of thought of asking you all first before calling an Professional tour guide. It would of saved me some time and effort.
Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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Having done this before (once for Hugo Butterfrog Solis, and once for a much larger group (12+ people), it could be a possibility. However, my work schedule is going to be very, very busy in July.
Plus, I'm taking off on vacation to Alaska for 10 days at the end of July, and another 5 days in August to LEGOLAND.
So, while I would love to show folks our fair city again, I'm probably going to lack any more vacation days to do so. We will see.
Now, logistically speaking, if you are only going to have ONE day, you would likely need to group the activities by location.
Pike's Place Market, the Aquarium, and just touring the waterfront could be tackled in the morning, followed by lunch at Ivars or somewhere else on the waterfront, or down in the Pioneer Square area. Either way, we'd be making our way to The Underground tour after lunch, and I'd then head over to the Seattle Center after that (the EMP will close at 7 pm, so I'd be aiming for spending at least 3 hours there). There's also the Pacific Science Center, which could be fun. It might even be possible to squeeze in an Argosy Harbor Tour, but that's a couple of hours, and you are trying to squeeze in a lot.
Hendrix's grave is in Renton, and that's a ways from the focus area. The zoo is also a special trip up to Ballard (but it can be combined with a trip to the Ballard Locks! And Ballard, the stomping grounds of the magnificent Mona and the powerful Bulmahn creatures!). Whale watching...not sure if July is the season for that, and that would be a trip that would take many more hours, at the cost of everything else.
That's what I've got..... I'll see about resurrecting the old Seattle places to see (with links) post that I made for PaizoCons....
Tim
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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You can do whale watching in the summer, but spring and late summer/early fall are the better seasons for it in terms of how many you're going to see. It is also pretty much an all-day commitment, because where the orca pods live is not that close to Seattle (if you were in Victoria, British Columbia, you'd be a lot closer to where the whales are).
Bruce Lee's grave is in Volunteer Park I believe, which is not far from downtown, but I believe they put a fence around it a few years ago. I'd have to look into it to check for sure.
I'll check with the missus and see what we can do. I'll let you know. :)
(alas I don't have my Science Center membership - a couple of PaizoCons ago I took a few people around on a mini-tour, crossing over with Tim's group part of the time)
It looks like whale watching is out for the obvious reasons. I doubt I would also want to see Hendrix's grave but just Hendrix items. I'm hoping the EMB has some Hendrix stuff.
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Hey Monk Player
A couple of cool things in Seattle.
1. Ride the ducks. I know...it's a bit gimmicky, but these guys know their stuff about the city. Tickets are solid and if it's a nice day you get to see and learn about some pretty cool Seattle history.
2. The underground tour is cool and again, another good stop for the Seattle history. Here you will learn a ton about the origins of Seattle and the very gamer-esque story of the founding fathers.
3. The smith tower Wishing Chair. One of the many cool quirks about Seattle.
4. The pike place market isn't about a guide. It's about getting lost for no reason other then to explore. DO NOT GET SUCKED INTO ANY OF THE FOOD OPTIONS IN THE MARKET! At least not for a meal. Trust me...I'll explain below.
5. Ballard/Fremont/Capitol Hill/Queen Anne. These are your four districts of buzz and what makes Seattle iconic. Sure there are a few other cool places...but...heh, these are the night life spots.
6. Jazz alley, if that's your grove. This guy is a rollin' touch of trigger on a tremble of trouble. http://www.jazzalley.com/artist.asp?artistid=1224 AKA the old guy has pedigree.
7. Food! Let's consider a couple of things. A Paseo sandwhich is heaven and worth the wait. Northwest pizza joints...I recommend pegasus on Alki beach...but thats "across" the bay. Next you have Salumi's. Some of the best butchery around. Great meats...great meats. And for a solid dive bar...all you have to do is duck. I...I should stop here, there are so many great places. Just don't settle for whats nearby...plan your meals in this city and you will be thankful for it.
8. Between the EMP, Space Needle, Museum of Flight, and anything else...pick the EMP and attached Sci-fi museum. They are always cool and can take up a great part of the day...tie in back to number 1, ride the ducks is across the street from this place in the heart of the Seattle City Center.
9. So many more things for later...but those are a couple of ideas.
@Jason thanks for the exciting news on Hendrix! Whoo HOO!
@Big Kyle you have some very good ideas. We haven't thought about were to eat! Mayall is pretty good but I like his guitarist a lot more!
Big Kyle would you like to be our guide if Jason can't do it?
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I wish I could commit to being your guide...but as it is paizocon cuts into the middle of my busiest season all year long, as I wholesale fireworks for a living.
The days afterwards are all about logistics and clean up...so I'll be the VC on the phone between tables telling folks where to move what when ;p
I might be able to roll around with you folks for a day...but I can't commit to anything right now until I see how the fireworks season is shaping up.
Well I hope, as mentioned earlier, that Jason can be our guide. ;) I was looking for a backup if he can't do it.
Hey Monk,
I will second Big Kyles food suggestion of Paseo. Sweet monther of god that is a good sandwich! And since its in Fremont definatly check out the fremont Troll.
I would forgo whale watching. A: It would take up most the day B: you might not see whales due to the season.
Also EMP just opened a new exhibit Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic exhibit
http://www.empmuseum.org/at-the-museum/current-exhibits/fantasy-worlds-of-m yth-and-magic.aspx
It hope it remains a fixture through the summer.
Ballard Locks are very interesting. I've never seen anything quite like it.
If you like beer than the NW is an awesome place to live. We have a ton of microbreweries and there is always the tap house that has over 100 brews on tap. But as a gamer I'd recomend the Elysian Brewing Company, where you can down a mug of Dragonstooth Stout.
Ballard Locks are very interesting. I've never seen anything quite like it.
If you like beer than the NW is an awesome place to live. We have a ton of microbreweries and there is always the tap house that has over 100 brews on tap. But as a gamer I'd recomend the Elysian Brewing Company, where you can down a mug of Dragonstooth Stout.
If you visit the locks, be sure to see the fish ladder, where you can watch salmon returning from the ocean and moving upstream!
And while you're in the area, you can do a pub crawl of Ballard's many microbreweries.
The Ballard Locks..hmmm. a boat passage channel. That may have some interest but I do live by the ocean.
Beer is a great suggestion but I don't drink. I do like the idea of seeing the salmon. Does anyone know if they swim upstream during July? That sounds really cool!
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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Hi guys,
Sorry for the long delay but finally pinned the missus down for yea/nay, and she says yea, so Tour Guide Barbie am I!
Food options are many and varied, so if you provide some genres I can steer you in the direction of the places I think are the best around town for food of those types.
You not drinking coincides nicely with me not drinking, as I don't think any pub-crawling would be on my recommended list since I wouldn't have the first idea what to recommend as something worth visiting.
You might also think about whether you want to venture outside of Seattle at all; if you do, a visit to the XXX Root Beer and Boehm's chocolates in Issaquah is neat, and if you're going there it's only about another 15 minutes up I-90 to Snoqualmie Falls, which is very pretty.
Yea Jason! Hmmm..Jason the XXX Root Beer and Bohem's chocolates for the missus sounds great. We will have to be at the airport at 10:00pm. A couple of our fellow gamers suggested,"I will second Big Kyles food suggestion of Paseo." so can we fit this in? So here is a list of interested items Jason;
Definites;
EMP Museum of Music
Underground Seattle
Pike's Place
Paseo (if in area)
Troll (how can a gamer miss seeing a Troll?)
Possibles: (based on location/convenience):
Bruce Lee's grave
Zoo/Aquarium
XXX Root Beer/Bohems
fish ladder/salmon watching
Jazz Alley is really good idea. If can find a band that plays music like Stevie Ray Vaughn/Hendrix then TOP of the list!
Wishing Chair
The Ballard Locks..hmmm. a boat passage channel. That may have some interest but I do live by the ocean.
Beer is a great suggestion but I don't drink. I do like the idea of seeing the salmon. Does anyone know if they swim upstream during July? That sounds really cool!
June–July is the Sockeye run—you might want to contact the Locks as it gets closer to the date to see if they have an idea how dense the run will be around PaizoCon.
If you're excited about Paseo, I've heard it's better to get there early in the day, since they sometimes run out of the most popular items. But if you know about when you'll arrive, you can also phone in orders ahead of time to avoid some of the wait.
Do Not Miss Paseo's.
At all. Worth the wait.
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Call 'em, if you are going to see the troll...you can call them from there.
More importantly...you either want the most popular option, which they will know what it is, or the press. They are both....om nom nom nom.
They are closed on mondays however...so...meh!
If you go there after 2 pm you should be okay, otherwise call for a pre-order. Also...if you order 6 or more sandwhiches...they have a 10% extra charge for "large groups". It's......silly, but avoidable.
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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It's true, alas, Paseo is closed Monday at both locations. I hadn't thought of that. Ah well, plenty of other delights to tempt the palate.
If you like Chinese, Din Tai Fung in Bellevue is a delightful spot that's a bit different from the usual cuisine, featuring delectable "soup dumplings" as well as really good noodles, fried rice (no, seriously, it's really good), and other dishes. In the International District, you also really must try the barbecued pork and side pork at the Kau Kau BBQ. It is an absolute revelation and makes you wonder "Wait, *THIS* is what BBQ pork is supposed to taste like? Where have you been all my life!" :)
Damn it, I keep meaning to go to Din Tai Fung...
Call 'em, if you are going to see the troll...
What is this Troll of which you speak?
Call 'em, if you are going to see the troll...What is this Troll of which you speak?
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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"Wait, *THIS* is what BBQ pork is supposed to taste like? Where have you been all my life!" :)Oh, you need to get to NC Jason ... ;)
Been there, and all over the south (except Florida) - heck I lived in Nashville for 13 months and my ex-wife was from Columbus, GA, and we visited down that way a few times, and had some great (and also not-so-great) BBQ.
In this case, though, I was referring specifically to "BBQ pork" in the Chinese style. This is not dry, pink, bland chips of nothing. This is rich, moist, succulent, sweet, sticky, intensely porky... just dayum... I want some now! :)
I recently made crispy Chinese pork belly at home... It was delightful.
I've lived in the past for several years next to Memphis, Tn, so having better bbq than theirs will be a challenge. I tried Japanese pork and didn't like it.
WHOA...!!! Bow's down to the GREAT Erik Mona as he enters the room,"Oh great and powerful OZ!"
I will explode because Hendrix has always been my favorite guitar player (I unfortunately wish his lifestyle would of been um more docile) as he was INCREDIBLE. However, I'm only 48 years old and never got to see him play, so to see his exhibit will be very emotional for me. It's as close to meeting Hendrix as I will ever get.
Seeing the Hendrix exhibit was the very first thought I had when I learned that PaizoCon was in Seattle.
Well I just watched last week's PBS Antique Roadshow that was filmed in Seattle! part of the show was at EMB and the Hendrix exhibit! WHOO DOGGY! They showed the pants Hendrix was wearing at Woodstock (very conservative estimate of value 6 figures+). The EMB exhibit looks AMAZING! What a bonus to gaming at the con to be able to tour EMB. Yea! I sure appreciate your recommendation Jason (and other people) to be sure to see the EMB!
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Hmm, maybe I should start a service for visiting gamers. :)
Chris
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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The Reptile Zoo is a lot of fun. I've been with a group from my school, and the "Reptile Man" who runs it also does birthday party reptile shows that I've been to a couple of times.
The BBQ smelled pretty good, but I have never tried it. I'll have to stop in next time I'm heading up Highway 2.