Nitelite review or rantings of a madman? You make the call!

I told Kimmie I'd guest-post on her blog, but haven't found any time to write. I did, however, find this odd little missive that might pass as a review of The Nitelite. It was tucked into a seldom-used corner of my hard drive. Hmmm...

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Typical Seattle! The maelstrom at 2nd and Pine caused my Up-Armored Urban Assault Umbrella (AUAUAU) to flip-flop, becoming a giant black tulip. Piece of junk.

Bob’s crappy spy gear store is, well, just a waste of my money. In fact, if his sure-fire Eavesdropping Countermeasures had actually worked, I wouldn’t even be in this predicament. But that’s a whole ‘nother story – back to the umbrella!

As you know, I can’t bear to be without one downtown. Nanty Glo, my arch-nemesis, will stop at nothing to have paint dumped on me from above. Paint, or even viler stuff. I NEED the umbrella, clearly.

I continue north, tossing the remnants of the AUAUAU into the construction pit. This is my favorite block in town right now, no paint-dumping here! I stop for a brief moment and savor the sense of peace and quiet a simple hole in the ground engenders in me.

Halfway up the next block, though, and the buildings are becoming menacing. Spies everywhere! Cursed Nanty Glo!

I spot the sign: Nitelite. Half a glance reveals dive bar. Good. A dive bar is perhaps the last remaining place where being a pretentious ass won’t get you anything. Lawyers and politicians, among others, are turds in the punchbowl here. Which means I’m safe.

And surprised! Good food, good drinks poured strong, and good prices. I’d never noticed this place before, but it’s my second home now. Well, until someone finds this and Nanty’s minions come looking…


FOOD: decent to very good, inexpensive. The tamale dinner was delicious.
DRINKS: inexpensive and well-poured cocktails, several beers on tap
PEOPLE: mix of ages, backgrounds, conversations… quite a few regulars, some real characters (includes staff), and best of all, none of Nanty Glo’s minions are about.
BATHROOMS: (pool side only, haven’t been to the bathrooms on the main bar side) Unisex. Can smell of urine (guys can’t aim). Air dryer, no paper towels.
JUKEBOX: pretty much what you’d expect: classic rock, Bob Marley, Motown, Johnny Cash… the dive bar standards.
NOTES: Cash only. Outdoor seating available. Additional room with pool tables and darts is open Wed-Sun.

Pabla Indian Cuisine

You would expect almost any restaurant downtown to be busy at 7:30pm last Friday. Not so for Pabla Indian Cuisine. The other half and I had enjoyed the lunch buffet months ago and we thought we'd give it a try for dinner. People who looked like they were from India were seated at two of the three occupied tables so we took that as a good sign.

Pabla is located at 1516 2nd Ave and it's the closest Indian restaurant to Pike Place Market. The decor is a kooky mix of country kitchen and leopard print wallpaper borders, safari animal print chairs, fake flowers, framed Indian prints and statuary and 1980's lighting fixtures. It is very clean, but it will probably make you laugh.

Service was super slow...it took about 45 minutes for any food to arrive at our table.

The food was good and extremely affordable. We ordered #6 Mixed Appetizers: Samosa, Pakora and Chicken Tikka- $5.99. The fried goodies were yummy but the Chicken Tikka stood out for it's perfect Tandoori cooked flavor and moistness.

#20 Daal Soup- $3.99 was light, delicious and infused with cilantro, like drinking an herbal broth.

#27 Chicken Korma- $14.99 was a little strange looking. The boneless breast of chicken had been cut into large cubes that just didn't look like real chicken. It was of course and the buttery Korma sauce was decadent and rich, with cashews and raisins and that great curry flavor. We asked for medium/hot spice but it was more like medium.

For me the best part of the meal, #81 Garlic Nan- $3.50. Big chunks of garlic on pillowy bread with crispy toasted bubbles, sprinkled with fresh cilantro.mmmmmmmmm.

I had a Taj Mahal beer, a lager with notes of honey that paired well with the spicy, rich food. All in all, Pabla is worth the trip if you've got a jones for Indian. They also have a huge selection of vegetarian dishes.

Banh Mi? Yes, Please!

When I first moved to Seattle I was looking for a place to get cheap, delicious, cheap, authentic, cheap, ethnic food. I read about Saigon Deli in a local paper and decided to check them out. The Vietnamese restaurant is located in the Little Saigon section of the International District at 12th and Jackson. The paper recommended I try the Banh Mi sandwich. It cost $2.00. I was hooked.

The delectable sandwich comes on an 8 inch crusty fresh French roll and has julienned cucumber, carrot and pickled daikon, cilantro, thin slices of jalapeno, yummy mayonnaise dressing with black pepper, and the meat or tofu filling of your choice. I have tried the red pork (which is amazing and tastes like a combo of barbequed pork, jerky and bacon) and the tofu (equally as good but saucier). They offer other meats but I have had no need to try them. I have found my fave and I made a vow to eat a Red Pork Banh Mi from Saigon Deli every time I'm near the neighborhood, which is not often enough now that I live downtown.


They have lots of other delicious looking Vietnamese food in hot trays at Saigon Deli, and the prices are fantastic. But I can't bring myself to try them because the Banh Mi has a spell on me. DO NOT CONFUSE THIS SAIGON DELI WITH OTHERS NEARBY...they are not as good, in my opinion.

Step into the Future: Seattle's "KOOL" Library

The Seattle Central Library located downtown at 1000 4th Ave. is one of, if not the most, amazing architectural sites in the city. Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, the building’s exterior walls and ceiling are made almost entirely of a honeycomb metal mesh that encases angular glass with views of city streets and surrounding buildings and glimpses of Elliott Bay and Mt. Rainier.



The interior is futuristic with the main feature being the “Books Spiral”. Four of the eleven stories of the building are arranged in a gently sloping spiral, allowing people to move from one level to the next without taking the stairs or elevator. I prefer riding the neon lit escalators through the open spaces and checking out the various viewpoints within the building.

Another futuristic feature is the book return tube that carries materials through a clear tube via conveyor belt to the computer automated sorting area. Oh yeah, the library has books too... and lots of free computers (400) for you to check your email, update your Facebook status, write your blog, etc. And the coffee shop is a great place to meet a friend for a quick cup.

Best People Watching in Seattle

Due to visiting family and a west coast road trip, I haven't posted in awhile so I have some catching up to do to get current!

Wanna take a load off, grab a snack and do some "real people" watching? Look no further than the Golden Arches corner of 3rd and Pine across from Macy's.

This place is a veritable Cirque de Seattle so be prepared: downtown workers in "Seattle Suits"*, street kids with neon-colored hair and their dogs with neon-colored hair, non-street kids with neon-colored hair, old ladies with neon-colored hair, tourists with loaded shopping bags, locals with flower bouquets in hand coming from Pike Place Market, cross dressers, hipsters, homeless...

Try to get a seat by the window. This corner has major department stores, social service centers and bus stops so there's lots of pedestrian, loiterer, cyclist, bus & cab action/interaction.

People here are friendly. My counter guy was having the time of his life gossiping and joking with his female co-workers in Spanish. He had pink cheeks and lipstick, thick black eyeliner and mascara and he handed me my change with a dramatic flourish and a wink. I turned down a "free" hot fudge sundae being offered me by a homeless man sitting at the adjacent table. Even the dude with the dreads hanging to the floor talking to his imaginary friend was in pleasant conversation. On my way out, the street kid with blue hair asked for a dollar, I searched my pocket and realized I only had a twenty so I said sorry, no. He said that's OK, have a nice day!

Where else can you have all this fun for under $5?


*"Seattle Suit" is a term I coined for what most professionals wear in Seattle in Fall, Winter and early Spring. The outfit consists of slacks (Dockers or something similar in black or grey or jeans), a blouse or sport shirt and a North Face type jacket, preferably in black. Black shoes or boots. This is the same outfit for men and women. Anyone choosing to wear a "real suit" will be looked upon as an uptight freak.

Kenny G-Spotting! :-)

No, seriously, I was walking to the ATM at the market and there he was
getting some bread at 3 Girls Bakery! Kenny G! My first star sighting.
This is his butt or lack thereof.

Old Naked Man Update

It's 10:52pm. I just came up for a smoke after having a few beers at the Nite Lite with the other half. Old Naked Man was just
pulling his red blanket over his naked self. His light is on. All is right with the
world! :-)
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Sent from my iPhone