Seriously Urban Picnicking at Downtown's Westlake Park

Picnic Spot: Westlake Park, Fourth Ave. and Pike St., Downtown.

Picnic Supplies: Courtesy of Mae Phim Thai Pike (213 Pike St.), ginger chicken + soft drink = $7.95.

Walking It Out: Mae Phim's original location on Columbia has been a lunchtime hotspot for years now, so I was curious about their new Pike Street location, which is only about two blocks from Westlake Park (and may I just say, one of the only places in a five-block radius that isn't a Starbucks).

Their ginger chicken — my Thai standby — is okay but not great. A few too many mushrooms, not quite enough chicken, and a decided lack of subtlety in the spices. What is great is that all their entrees cost $5.95, and each one is big enough for two. To prove it, I ended up stuck by myself on the picnic, but still had enough to share with the sweet old homeless lady that sat down next to me when I couldn't eat any more.

And let me tell you, she was far from the only homeless person around to eat my leftovers, Westlake Park being smack in the middle of downtown. Along with having plenty of shopping spots around to spend that money you saved picnicking on the cheap, it's also a popular al fresco dining spot for all and sundry — I had some trouble finding a good place to sit. The shade under a stand of trees was taken up by a large group of twentysomethings with blue hair and black clothing, the benches had an even mix of parent-child combos and sleeping bums, and the steps across from Westlake Center were taken by older guys who probably own motorcycles. I opted for a seat by the fountain, and just enjoyed the people-watching.

It was actually getting on the sticky side outdoors, so I very nearly sat in the middle of the walkway that runs through the inside of the fountain. However, I decided to leave that to the couple who stopped to make out there.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk It Out: Reuben Sandwiches at… Freeway Park?

Picnic Spot: Freeway Park (seriously) 700 Seneca St.

Picnic Supplies: My Mace, two six-inch subs: A Reuben and Cajun-style turkey, some potato chips, and two sodas. Total damage $20, courtesy of The Other Coast Café, 501 Union Square

Walking It Out:
Freeway Park doesn’t exactly have the best track record. Might have something to do with the string of crimes, including a murder, that took place there a couple years ago. This cleverly designed park offers 5.2 acres of dead-ends and dark corners that offer no chance of escape if you were to be chased by a knife-wielding maniac. When I mentioned to some folks that I was planning on enjoying my picnic spread at the forementioned park, the alarmed response was “You’re not going alone, are you?”

I wasn’t. But to be fair, Freeway Park is sort of… cute during the day. Sure, there’s always a guy washing his clothes in the fountain and the not-so-serene sound of cars gunning it on the freeway, but I don’t feel the need to have my Mace ready to go at moment’s notice as long as dusk hasn't hit. And a picnic perk for those who dress professionally for work: You can avoid getting grass stains on your slacks by grabbing one of the many fold-up chairs that dot the place. (They should also serve as a good weapon if you are accosted.)

The Other Coast Café sits a couple blocks from the park and offers some damn good East Coast-style sandwiches—meaning ultra thin-sliced meat and homemade sauces. I had a Rajun Cajun sandwich, which consisted of turkey, pepper jack cheese, and some spicy salso mayo to die for. It ended up being a little too cheesy for me—kind of like a pizza bagel—so I swapped sandwiches with my partner. His Reuben was what I should have ordered. They use Boards Head pastrami and enough sauerkraut to equip a hot dog concession stand. But I’ve gotta say $9 for a six-inch sub seems a bit steep. I can get an amazing Thai lunch combo with soup, salad, pad thai, rice, and an entrée of choice for like, $7 on Capitol Hill. Despite grumbling about the price, The Other Coast managed to totally rekindle my love for Reuben. And more importantly, I lived through my picnic to tell about it.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (1)

Walk It Out: Alki Crab and Fish Floating Edition

Picnic Spot: The grassy knolls and gravel beaches surrounding Hamilton Viewpoint Park.

Picnic Supplies: A bus pass (or $4), fish 'n chips and a brew while you wait.

Walk it Out: Obviously the pass isn't for consumption, but it's necessary if you want to take a few liberties with the "walking" part. After a long day, the last thing I want to do is trek all over the city looking for a quiet place to enjoy some greasy grub. But an easy float across Elliott Bay for fresh fried halibut and seasoned fries really hits the spot.

Enter the Elliott Bay Water Taxi—the cutest mode of mass transit in Puget Sound, docking a few piers up from the downtown ferry terminal. Transit pass holders embark for free, but other riders have to cough up $3, plus an additional buck for the return trip.

Even on a slightly gray day, the 12-minute ride can calm the emotional seas of a long day at work. There's a healthy mix of commuters and tourists and generally enough room to enjoy the view from the deck. By the time you reach the other side, a couple of fillets and a beer is all that's left for an ideal early evening.

There's a Salty's down the way, but it can run a little pricey, even during happy hour, and chances are you didn't wear your cocktail duds on the boat. Alki Crab & Fish has you covered. The fish isn't exactly mind blowing, but they're more than happy to wrap it to go. Beers have to stay in the garden, but it takes awhile for the fish to fry up (always a good sign in my book, no soggy fillets under warmers), so polish off a beer with the same Salty's view for half the price while waiting.

Like eating fish 'n chips inside a Seattle postcard.

Once it's done, have a seat on the grass about three yards away, and listen to the harbor seals, boat horns and the occasional train whistle. For the agoraphobic types who avoid Alki, this park is a couple miles south, and the meat market crowds are usually thinner.

Lick the seasoning from the fries off your fingers, responsibly dispose of your garbage, and hop the boat for the return trip. Ah bliss.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk It Out: Catfish at Judkins Park

By Anna Roth

Picnic Spot: Judkins Park, Central District

Picnic Supplies: Promenade Red Apple Market, 2310 S. Jackson St. Fried catfish + hush puppies + mac and cheese + collard greens = $17.14 (but I kind of went overboard).

Walking It Out: I’d been hearing raves about the fried catfish at the Red Apple deli since I moved to the Central District last November, but I usually spend my self-allocated trans fat budget on spicy strips from Ezell’s. Still, variety is the spice of life, and so I found myself with a group of Red Apple regulars clustered around the hot deli counter, all of us waiting sort of desperately for a new batch of catfish to emerge from the deep fryer. As we stood there, I solicited recommendations for sides, and ended up walking away with a half-pound each of hush puppies and mac and cheese, plus a pound of collards for vitamins. (Word of warning: Make it an early dinner. The deli only produces fresh catfish until 5:30 p.m. When it’s gone, it’s gone.)

I thought the famous catfish fillets, dredged in cornmeal, salt, and pepper and fried until crispy, were merely fine—but then again, I’m not a huge catfish fan, and my dining companion had nothing but enthusiasm for them. The hush puppies, however, were a revelation. I’d always thought of hush puppies as bland pockets of fried dough, but these were super-flavorful, peppery and salty and flecked with parsley, somehow dense and light at the same time. They even give spicy strips a run for their money.

Fried food always tastes better outdoors — something about the fresh air, or maybe the potential (however unlikely) that you’ll work off the zillion calories in a game of Frisbee, flag football, or similar. Judkins Park has plenty of opportunity for worthwhile pursuits in the form of soccer fields and basketball courts; it also has a few shady benches, a million-dollar view of Mount Rainier, and lots of nice grass for napping. For me, it’s got the added bonus of jutting up against Washington Middle School, my alma mater and a welcome reminder that if I survived three years as an awkward, slightly overweight teenage girl, I can survive anything else life throws my way.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (2)

Walk It Out: Flowers and Fancy Bites

I must note that every time I read "Walk it Out," I think of the rap song of the same name by Unk, where he calls out different neighborhoods. Seedy walk it out! would be the cry here, although this picnic turned a bit too upscale for my hood's nickname.

Picnic spot: Prentis I. Frazier Park, 401 24th Ave. E., Central District

Picnic Supplies: One loaf of Focaccia, a bunch of organic green grapes, one d'anjou pear, a small container of "unchicken" salad, one spanikopita and six veggie pakoras from the deli, a bag of Pirate's Booty, two vegan caramel "bites," one Mandarin Lime soda and one gigantic water. Total tab: $19.74. Madison Market/Central Co-Op, 1600 E. Madison St.

Walking It Out: For this year's summer trip to Seattle, my Mom wanted to "sit outside at a pub and drink ale," a request I have no problem fulfilling, special occasion or not. But the string of crappy, gray days this past week diminished our opportunities for drinking and dining al fresco. Yesterday, though, was gorgeous, and the little park we found near my house in the Central District turned out to be the perfect spot for a picnic.

We picked up our grub at Madison Market, backtracking a bit in regards to our final destination. Philadelphia Fevre would've been the logical stop on the way, but I couldn't fathom eating a melty cheese steak in the heat. And let me not talk about the Safeway deli sandwich, which I only eat in secret (or desperation). The aesthetic experience of lazing in Seattle's more pristine parks deserves something a little fancier—even if that just means your grapes look extra plump and juicy.

And that's exactly what the Co-Op is for. It's hard not to have a little orgasm standing among the produce there. Having just visited my favorite Co-Op in the world, in Mount Vernon, MM's deli stood up to my expectations, which correlate with the prices. If I'm going to pay $7.99 a pound for fake chicken salad, it better taste pretty fantastic! There was no method to our madness, as we grabbed little bits of whatever looked appealing. I also believe that no trip to MM is complete without some Pirate's Booty. It didn't look like a lot of food for $20, but I think we made out like bandits.

Continue reading "Walk It Out: Flowers and Fancy Bites"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (1)

Walk It Out: Latin American Edition

Picnic Spot: Triangle Park, Beacon Hill

Picnic Supplies: ABC Supermarket, 2500 Beacon Ave. S., with a pupuseria and taqueria inside. El Mexicano Saborico yogurt, fresa flavored; three pupusas con todo; total tab: $7.40.

Walking It Out: Pupusas are to El Salvador what tacos are to Mexico, pizza is to Italy, tapas are to Spain, and fast food is to America: snack food, a way to ruin your dinner. Basically, they’re a thick tortilla made of masa de maiz (corn dough) filled with quesillo (Salvadorian cheese), chicharrones (fried pork), and/or frijoles (beans). The result is a bit like a cheese, bean, and pork pancake, which is way more of a gut bomb than it first appears. A proper pupuseria (pupusa stand) will hook you up with vinegar-soaked lettuce and carrots to dump on top along with a healthy dose of salsa. Pupuserias are as ubiquitous in El Salvador as Starbucks in Seattle. And they’re cheap — like, fifty cents a piece.

At the ABC Supermarket on Beacon Hill, the pupusas are a little more expensive — about two bucks. But hey, this is America. Stuff costs more here. Like the rest of the neighborhood, the ABC Supermarket is a combination Southeast Asian and Latino store. Besides pupusas, there are a ton of snacks I haven’t seen outside of those regions of the world, much like the strawberry-flavored yogurt drink I used to wash down the dough, cheese, beans, and pork. And lastly, at the checkout line, there’s the small pleasure of listening to two people who are new to English communicate in English.

Jefferson Park is apparently getting an overhaul but Triangle Park, just two blocks south of ABC, is a much more tranquil place for a picnic. Nobody was there for my pupusa eat-off, but that’s a rarity. It’s small but right in the center of the community. A flier says that a piñata party is planned for this weekend. Everybody’s invited. And, in an ode to the diversity of the community, the invitation is printed in English, Spanish, and Tagalog.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk It Out: Go Chasin' Waterfalls

Picnic spot: Waterfall Garden Park, 2nd & Main

Picnic supplies: My right hand, 8" Italian sub, normal potato chips, medium Fanta orange (total tab: $9.20), Jimmy John's, 102 1st Ave., 521-9500, PIONEER SQUARE.

Walking it out: Jimmy John's used to have a simple, seemingly unimpeachable strategy: locate stores near college campuses, make sandwiches quickly and rather inexpensively, ring up, serve, repeat. No more — Jimmy John's franchises have now invaded the interiors of major cities, at big-city prices (still affordable, mind you, but having to bust out a 10-spot for the aforementioned spread seems a bit much). But here's what I love about 'em: Whereas a six-inch sub is too little and a foot-long a tad gluttonous, eight inches is the perfect length for a sub in one sitting. And the speed with which JJ's crew cranks these sandies out is absolutely fucking amazing — I had my Italian Club within 60 seconds of ordering. So with that price comes remarkable efficiency, at least.

You could say the same about United Parcel Service. Founded in 1907 right here in Seattle, UPS's drivers aren't just born with those tight asses and rippling calves, they develop them on the job, racing up stairs and through alleys like blue-collar superheroes. The whole show's enough to make a Seattle Weekly calendar editor swoon — and maybe even get her honey hole pruned.

Turns out, UPS first hung its shingle at 2nd & Main, at a location that's now home to Waterfall Garden Park, which is essentially a cozy urban courtyard with lots of water rushing over a rock wall. Given its intimacy, it occasionally functions as an urban rest stop for those lacking permanent shelter, but during lunch, it serves as respite from the grind for Pioneer Square's relatively tie-free fleet of knowledge workers. The only real problem is the lack of a dress code that winks at history; park patrons should, after all, be required to wear brown.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (3)

Walk It Out - Burke Gilman Playfield

Picnic Spot: Burke-Gilman playfield

Picnic Supplies: Metropolitan Market, 5250 40th Ave. N.E., 938-6600.

Picnic for Two : Rosemary potatoes and shrimp pasta salad from the market's kick-ass salad bar, fresh raspberries, two Izze sodas, and two Mexican wedding cake cookies from the market's equally kick-ass bakery came to $17.14 total.

Metro Market is tiny and a bit too pricey for my usual grocery shopping needs, but for a one-time deal, such as, say, a picnic, it's actually not too bad. I mean, when is the last time you got half a pound of shrimp anything for $3? Exactly. And the Food Network wishes they'd thought of these rosemary potatoes, which have been a favorite of mine for years. Definitely one of the better-quality picnics I've ever eaten, though comparing a two-person jaunt on a gorgeous afternoon to group family outings featuring my yearly recommended intake of charcoal with my burger is probably not entirely fair.

Walking It Out: There is a little path connecting the Metropolitan Market's parking lot and the Burke-Gilman Playfield, so your picnic spot is literally steps away. The place is lousy with random picnic tables, as are parts of the Burke-Gilman Trail, which runs behind the building. If you prefer to sit on the grass like my picnic pal and me, there are plenty of trees providing nice shady picnic spots. Just be sure you guard against the temptation to instigate a pinecone fight...especially if you're with me.

When you're done eating it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to the trail if you feel like a walk, or an equally short distance back to the car if you're lazy or short on time. If nothing else, just sit and watch thousands of people dressed in teeny-tiny shorts on car-priced bikes whiz by, yelling "on the left" every couple minutes or so. It's surprisingly entertaining.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk It Out: The Steps in Fremont

Picnic Spot: On the steps at the end of Evanston Ave N., FREMONT.

Picnic Supplies: Royal Grinders, 3526 Fremont Place N., 545-7560, www.royalgrinders.com

Picnic for Two: Two sandwiches, each with a free drink, plus two bags of chips and a tip came to $20.

The gigantic sign outside of Royal Grinders reads “GELATO,” and it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I even realized they sold sandwiches. Now I’m kicking myself for not discovering them sooner.

The friendly guys who work there were happy to explain that the "marinara sweet chile sauce" was basically a tangy marinara sauce and then assured us that everyone likes it. They also took their time making the sandwiches, which was encouraging. I can’t tell you how many sandwiches I’ve seen haphazardly slapped together before my very eyes while I’m standing there wondering, “You know I can see you, right?”

After getting the subs and picking out our chips and free drinks, it was only a couple of blocks to the Fremont steps, located along the Burke Gilman at the end of Evanston Ave N. It’s the perfect spot for watching passing bikers and joggers, plus it’s nice to see the boats drift by on their way to or from the Fremont Bridge. We got a couple of friendly on-board waves and even a horn blast.

Continue reading "Walk It Out: The Steps in Fremont"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk it Out: Volunteer Park Cafe

Picnic Spot: Interlaken Park

Picnic Supplies: Volunteer Park Café, 1501 17th Ave. E, 328-3155. (Click on "contact us" for a good map.)

Picnic for One: Chicken-Apple Salad ($7.25), Strawberry-Mango-Papaya Lemonade ($3.50), Chocolate-Ginger Cookie ($1.75), total $13.63

Volunteer Park Café (VPC) sits sandwiched between (surprise!) Volunteer Park and Interlaken Park. Though the former offers grander views of Seattle, the latter is more mysterious, with its twisty rainforested paths. And if your picnic day is sabotaged by clouds that form and puke forth in the time it takes you to get to VPC, like mine was twice, Interlaken’s trees also double as cover.

On first blush, VPC is a pastrymonger’s dream. (I’ve stocked up on figgy maple scones and raided the cute cookie pails many times before.) But if you can get your tongue off your chest and lift your eyes to the lunch board, you’ll find a long list of salads and sandwiches, all of which are available to go in sturdy boxes. I may have created a few traffic issues, frozen in place with decision anxiety, but I eventually settled on greens topped with chicken-apple salad, and a summer lemonade that encouraged me to ignore the rain.

Continue reading "Walk it Out: Volunteer Park Cafe"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (1)

Walk It Out: Hop, Skip and a Jump from Ballard to Beach

Picnic spot: The beach at Golden Gardens (or just one of the benches along the Shilshole marina if you’re too lazy to walk that far.)

Picnic supplies: Sunset Hill Green Market, 6405 32nd Ave NW., 784-7594, Ballard.

Picnic for two: My brother once said of my cousin Kari and I, after we demanded he join us for Into the Woods, "you're like Frasier and Niles or something." My grandmother, ever exasperated at my manners and dress, would certainly beg to differ. But not wanting to disappoint my brother's high assessment, we decided to create the snootiest picnic we could from the limited deli selection at this tiny Ballard market. It also couldn't require utensils or a bottle opener, which I had forgotten. No small task. We settled on Ryvita dark rye crackers, Honey I’m Home's roasted garlic chevre spread, grapes, a walloping bottle of La Fin du Monde beer in honor of Kari's pending study abroad in Quebec, and a bar of 3400 Phinney Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate by local confectioner Theo for dessert. Our little feast was $24.40 after tax.

Walking it out: I used to live near Sunset Hill Green Market, about as far West as you can find groceries before ending up in Puget Sound. Around the corner on 64th, you can almost see the tops of the yachts moored at Shilshole. But a row of houses stands between you and the water so I’d never really wandered past the store. Kari and I were determined to find a way through, but even dodging through someone's yard was prevented by tall fences and hedges.

We were starting to give up on our visions of beach picnicking when a helpful neighbor directed us down what appeared to be a private drive. To the left, shrouded by greenery, was a staircase straight out of The Secret Garden—if you blurred your vision and pretended the graffiti was flowers.

Continue reading "Walk It Out: Hop, Skip and a Jump from Ballard to Beach"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)

Walk It Out: Maruta + Georgetown Playfield

OK, imagine some sun....think reeeeeeal hard. Now imagine a well worn 16 inch softball in your left hand and an aluminum bat in your right. The Georgetown playfield just went through a complete overhaul, and the result is a top notch ballfield-slash-soccer field.

There's ample room around the field on the grass, and plenty of free, unscheduled use of the field. (Don't be afraid of us "haggard, 30 something Georgetown types" if we're tossing around the pigskin. (to quote Mike Seely) We're very friendly.) With the train rolling and whistling by, you can pretend it's your own personal Safeco.

Get your picnic dollar's worth by stopping in at Maruta Shoten first. Maruta is the best little Japanese food market in the city. For $20, I outfitted my picnic with:

1. California roll
2. Assorted sashimi (hamachi, sake, maguro)
3. Katsu bento box
4. Crunchy nut snacks
5. Pocky!
6. Cold beverages, iced tea and beer

Actually, the total was $20.55, but I had to have my Pocky. Just add a blanket.

(** PRO-MOVE: If you wait until after work for your batting practice, all pre-made sushi goes 50% off at 5pm sharp at Maruta. But sharpen your elbows because you'll see plenty of people lurking for the clock to strike.)

Maruta Shoten (click for Google map)
1024 S. Bailey St.
Mon-Sat: 9:30a to 6:30p
Sun: 10:00a to 6:00p

Georgetown Playfield
4 blocks north at S Homer St. and Corson Avenue S.

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (1)

Walk It Out: Buu Dien

Walk It Out is a new, weekly Voracious feature on impromptu picnicking around Seattle.

Picnic spot: Danny Woo International District Park, at 221 6th Ave. S.

Picnic supplies: Buu Dien, 925 S. Jackson St., (206) 233-9001. INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.

Picnic for two (or three): Four sandwiches, two iced coffees, and a soymilk came to $16.50. Plus $3 to feed the meter, if you're driving.

This Vietnamese deli on Jackson doesn't look like much, though they'll fill you up on the cheap. All the banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) are $2.25 a pop, from tofu to BBQ pork and chicken. When I visited, the selection was extremely limited. No BBQ pork, no Chinese BBQ (I wanted to taste the difference), no chicken, and just enough tofu to make two sandwiches.

Each sandwich is prepared on a soft roll with mayo, pickled sticks of carrot and daikon, cilantro, and jalapenos. Squares of fried tofu dotted one sandwich, while the other contained chewy, red Chinese sausage. Both types were placed inside the counter-top oven and heated, which I'd never seen done with banh mi before.

Continue reading "Walk It Out: Buu Dien"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (2)

Launching Walk It Out -- Al Fresco Dining in Seattle: Market Grill

In the hopes that the weather will be good this summer, this week, we're launching a weekly Voracious feature on impromptu picnicking around Seattle.

Picnic spot: Victor Steinbrueck Park, northern end of Pike Place Market.

Who goes to Victor Steinbrueck Park for the view? OK, sometimes I do at lunch time, though today's misty gray skies were quite the comedown after the glory of the weekend. Given the grottiness of the facilities, I mostly go to the park for the voyeurism: the senior class trip mugging for group photos, the homeless guy meditating on different pages of his Bible, office workers peering over the Sound to counteract the effects of staring into a lighted box all morning.

Picnic supplies: Market Grill, 1509 Pike Pl # 3, 682-2654.

Picnic for two: Two sandwiches and a Coke, plus tip, costs $26. Napkins, forks, and straws included.

Continue reading "Launching Walk It Out -- Al Fresco Dining in Seattle: Market Grill"

Topics: Walk It Out

Permalink | Comments (0)