The Inn is a stately, craftsman-style home lovingly restored and meticulously maintained by her owners. Located in a residential neighborhood with friendly restaurants and stores just two blocks away, The Gaslight Inn has a rich palette of interior furnishings such as oak wainscoting, recessed oak paneling, and massive pocket doors separating its many public spaces. The owner's have lavished the property with very tasteful collections of Stickley-style furniture, native American artifacts, regional paintings and a magnificent collection of Murano-style local glass sculptures. Entering the Gasdlight Inn, Two parlor rooms flank a welcoming entrance foyer with an oversized round oak table replete with a large spray of fresh flowers. The paneled dining room with a magnificent quarter sawn oak dining table is accented with alcoves displaying local glass sculptures. The guest rooms are large and well appointed, with overstuffed leather chairs, comfortable beds, flat panel tv'S and attention to detail which reflects the host's many years of experience in the hospitality business. Although it was winter and the outside facilities were closed, the outside landscaped spaces reflect the same level of attention to detail as the rest of this grand Inn.
The Inn was everything we had hoped and more with a fresh, warm breakfast of croissants, scones, fruit jam, butter and piping hot coffee and a selection of teas.
Our room was located on the third floor with a picture window which perfectly framed the Downtown skyline and the Space Needle; something that came in very handy during the 'First-Night' celebration and fireworks set off from the needle.
After unpacking we decided to walk downtown to Pike's Street Market, located about 1.8 miles away (according to our trusty GPS, the famous and frequently maligned 'Lady in the Box'), grabbing our hat and coat we headed down Pine Street for a 30 minute walk to the Market. Did we mention we are in Seattle in winter and it is raining...But, I repeat myself. Seattle in winter is the very definition of rain. Doesn't rain a lot, just all the time according to the locals we met along the way. Thoroughly, uhhh moist from our walk, we find the market and wade in to do that most tourist of attractions, watch Fish throwing and the singing salesmen at the various fish stands who put on a kind of theatrical machismo show to locals who are actually buying beautiful seafood for their New Year's parties. This famous market is packed with great piles of beautiful vegetables, fruit, fresh pastry and breads, ubiquitous coffee stands (did we mention we were in Seattle???), Arts and crafts works reminiscent of the 60's, creatively arranged dried flower bouquets, jewelry, woodwork, crafts and much, much, more.. The whole place reminded us of Paris where produce and patisseries looked like works of art. Booth after booth of items for sale lined this entirely covered water front market which meanders through several buildings each with multiple floors.
The market and the entire harbor front was abuzz with activity even on this rainy and overcast but, perfectly normal Seattle day. According to the guide books, the locals can easily spot a tourist as the ones using umbrellas, whereas, locals wear hats and rain jackets. We walked around the markets window shopping and finally decided on a T-shirt gift for our friend, Dirk. (There is no shopping on this trip since there is no place to store the loot.) Where did we see that rest room? Oh yes, main building, next to the ramp where they throw the fish, then down one floor, on the left and just in time! Pike Street Market is also packed with small restaurants so we decided to try some authentic Chinese food enjoying a great lunch while watching a post-middle aged gentleman two floors below in the Tattoo parlor across the street receive a new tattoo on his derriere. The whole restaurant enjoyed a ring-side seat, so to speak, watching this gentleman's attempt at resolving his mid life crisis. In this experience we learned a valuable lesson... Always get a tattoo at a studio located in a windowless basement, especially if you intend to have it applied to a location not even your closet friends have seen.
Ever adventuresome, we decided to return to the Inn by walking back up Pike Street. Initially, it seemed less steep, but it must have been an optical illusion...or some cheap parlor trick. I think I mentioned we are in Seattle and it is raining? So walkers take note! Also, 1.8 miles downhill expands to something approaching 20 miles going uphill in the rain, when you are already soaked and full of a huge Chinese dinner. I don't know, maybe the 'Lady in the Box ' was speaking meters going downhill and changed to miles for the uphill grind back to the Gaslight Inn? By the Way, we could have taken the #10 Bus which would have delivered us to the Market and brought us straight back to the Inn but no, we're adventuresome... Actually, after 3 days on the train the exercise felt good, but the long nap afterward felt even better!
There are few luxuries in life which can compete with the opportunity for a well-deserved nap at a time convenient to all parties. Comfortable bed, no schedule, old movies on the TV, Bob downloading books on to his Kindle, characteristic Seattle weather outside our window, it was nice to relax in a warm room behind a wall of glass framing a most perfect view of the Seattle skyline.
When night fell and the lights of the city grabbed the skyline, it was like a siren's call to get us out again to enjoy the excitement and adventure of whatever the city presented. We explored the neighborhood for a few minutes before it began to rain again. Seattle, winter, Rain...remember? We found a local bar and were treated like royalty (“Helloooo, stranger, new in Town? Oh you have a guest house in Provincetown? I've been there... Are you near Tea dance?”). Nothing like meeting the locals to raise your spirits and to share New Years. As midnight approached we headed back to enjoy the most perfect view of the fire works spectacle that went on from the space needle. The fireworks were coordinated with a musical score delivered on TV and the radio which really added to the 'WOW' factor. It was an impressive show, but soon after it became clear that the more important show would soon be playing on the back of our eye lids as we welcomed 2010 with a resounding ZZZZZ.
New Year's Day 2010; We are in Seattle and it is, you guessed it, raining. We head out to find a New Year's buffet at one of the local eateries where, again, the 1960's atmosphere and lively young customers provided an interesting backdrop for breakfast and made us realize how living in Provincetown doesn't afford us the opportunity to be around younger people as much as we would like. They have a sense of energy that is intoxicating and bring back memories of lost years when we were that age.
By the time we finished brunch it was, well, you know, Seattle in winter... So we headed back to the Gaslight to pass the day just plain relaxing... reading, processing pictures, downloading books, watching old movies, napping... We were like two sloths hanging from the perfect tree!
We finished our stay in Sunny Seattle (gotcha!) with a superb dinner, again, in a Capital Hill restaurant full of positive energy and good cheer. We got a good nights sleep and were at the train station the next morning with plenty of time before our 9:45am train to San Francisco.
Despite the rain, we loved Seattle and plan to come back for an extended visit when we have a better hat and rain coat. If you compare rainfall in New York City with Seattle you will be surprised that they are roughly equivalent. The difference is in the amount per event. In NYC a storm might bring 1-2” of rain whereas in Seattle it might take a month of daily spritzing to reach the same amount.
However, NYC=frigid & SNOW in January, Seattle = a balmy 40° and rain...Hmmm, You don't have to shovel rain, do you? I've been needing a new rain coat!
Being in the hospitality business ourselves, we have to give a very hearty recommendation to Trevor and Steve and their crew at the Gaslight Inn. It is a class operation, reasonably priced, centrally located and a superb location to spend a night or a week.
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