Things to do in Seattle when you're forced there for bad reasons for a week?

[fonpr]

Take the tour underground!

[bakersfieldchimp]

I know I mentioned this the last time someone asked about visiting Seattle, but it bears repeating. If you hit up the Pike Place Market, make sure you stop at Piroshky Piroshky. It is delicious.

If you head up to West Seattle I also highly recommend Circa (basically at the cross streets of California and Admiral). They're my favorite breakfast place around here.

Also worth checking out is Central Cinema, which is sort of in the Capitol Hill neighborhood-- they're an awesome indie movie theater/bar hybrid. Tickets are super-cheap, the food is tasty, and they're always showing pretty cool stuff. The Everything Is Terrible dudes are going to be there tomorrow night for a special showing of their new DVD.

www.central-cinema.com

[not that clay]

I'm with you on Piroshky Piroshky.

Oh yeah, Bumbershoot is this weekend too. For me it's always  been complete fucking nightmare, but some people like it. Last time I went I waited  (2006?) in line for 90 minutes to see Eugene Mirman, and 10 minutes before his set started they let people in from the end of the line, and I didn't get in. So I waited another hour to see Demitri Martin. Turns out Demitri Martin isn't that funny after you've been waiting for two and a half hours. Bumbershoot's a blast if your time is completely worthless.

Patton Oswalt is doing all three nights, so I'm tempted anyway.

I forgot to mention it before: Sonic Boom in Ballard is a pretty good record store.

[mackro]

i feel like a bum for missing this thread the first time.

I'd add Fremont to all of the above too. Main things there:
* Theo Chocolate factory tour.  Hopefully you like and aren't allergic to chocolate. If neither, DO THE FACTORY TOUR!  It's around $7 each(?) but it more than pays for itself in the best durn truffles you'll ever be offered.  There's tons of chocolate products there too.
* The Fremont Troll
* Jive Time Records
* The Antique Mall, which has an extension of Jive Time, other record resellers, and a whole bunch of thrift/antique stuff
* Nectar / The High Dive : occasionally great live venues
* The Fremont canal walk along the Burke-Gilman trail.
* The Lenin Statue
* Tawon Thai near the downtown Fremont bus stop is very good thai

(EDIT: * DUH. I forgot Paseo up the hill in North Fremont.  One of the best sandwiches you'll ever have.)

Not sure if you want to go events at all, but here goes:

Bumbershoot is happening this weekend.  I started a thread on that here already. Keep in mind that economy tickets will let you into the Comedy stages.  But it will be very crowded. So if you want to avoid crowds, avoid Bumbershoot. There's no way around that.

And there's Penny Arcade Expo happening this weekend too. I think that's sold out too, though.

Pavement is playing the Paramount Theater on Sunday.

Megadeth, Slayer, and Testament are playing the WaMu(?) Theater tonight.

[mackro]

OK one more crucial and kinda risky thing on the food tip...

THAI TOM

It's simply the best Thai place in the U.S... I've been to many. Thai Tom wins.

It's in this tiny hole in the wall off the Ave in the U District... south of 47th(?) St. NE on the west side. Right across from Cellophane Squared - another record store.  They have a small menu, but what they do with that menu is miraculous.

Get seats by the booth near the cook. The flames will erupt by the range.  DO NOT UNDERRATE THE SPICE RATING.  A one-star at Thai Tom is like 3 stars anywhere else.  So you're gonna have to like spice.  They serve your dish in a bed of rice in these amazing giant ceramic leaf bowls.

On top of that, the food is cheaply priced.

So the risky part: there have been reports of cockroaches there by some people. I've been there many times, have even tried to look for them, but have not seen them.  Hopefully they clean start and end of day, as they haven't been shut down by authorities ever.

Also, they take cash only.

But I mean:


EDIT: ok I looked and they apparently have been shut down a few times. Like I said, you need to be brave but you will certainly be rewarded.

[mackro]

Oh yeah, DURHEY! Ted Leo + Rx plays the Vera Project (all ages) on Wednesday September 8! don't think the show is sold out yet.