I spent the day exploring Seattle (Warning: a number of touristy things in this post). Part of what I wanted to do was explore all the parts of the Emerald City that people had told me about. Of course, no trip is complete without a visit to the Space Needle.
Rather than going inside the Space Needle, which I heard was not as glamorous as they make it out to seem, I decided instead to go to Chihuly Gardens. Dale Chihuly is a famous glass sculptor and is known for his glass blown works of art at this museum.
The moment you enter the Gardens it seems as though everything has a life of its own. Beautiful baskets inspired by Native American art, large chandeliers with curved arms and bulbous legs, and plate-like flowers are hung from the ceiling.
Every half hour or so, one of the museum docents holds an informal tour of Chihuly's works of art. The piece to the left was made using a cone-like metallic mold that the molten glass was blown inside. The curves/texture of the glass were the result of hours of painstaking effort to get it just right.
Perhaps one of the coolest rooms in the entire exhibit is of Chihuly's chandeliers. There is a cool movie at the end of the museum exhibit where you can see how he assembles these works. A wire frame cylinder hangs from the ceiling, and one-by-one his assistants take the bulbous and curved glass pieces and thread one end through the frame. The end product is a masterpiece that looks more like Medusas serpentine hair than any chandelier I have ever seen.
I also had the opportunity to meet up with an old friend, Kevin. Kevin was my roommate more or less for two years in undergrad. He took me to see some cool places like the first Starbucks in Pikes Place, the yachts near South Lake Union, and we even got to go inside the Amazon Go (beta supermarket). Pretty crazy! Amazon employees whizzed past us, picking up snacks and groceries off the shelves and walking straight out.
Also, huge shoutout to my good friends Rina and Krystal for hosting me in Seattle. From hosting awesome Rains study breaks and early morning coffee/bagel breakfasts, you both are the best!