Won't You Be My Neighbor II

I've been walking around my neighborhood quite often these last few evenings and have been breathing it all in. July seems to have arrived very quickly tho the dregs of pre-spring were rather dreadful and bitter for a few specific reasons, I've found myself smackdab in the midst of a mostly lovely summer and I hardly recognized it'd arrived so soon.

I walk all over the Queen Anne hills and have yet to cement my route cuz I keep looking for challenging paths and another new street to discover. There are so many darling porches just aching for a swing or an old table by which to dine on homemade pancakes during a lazy Sunday morning, flowers scattered here and there and arranged with clever landscaping that strike me as I walk by - lilacs, something that smells similar to earl grey tea, roses, hydrangeas, lavendar, grass.. ahh.. I love the smell of freshly mowed grass.. nothing says summer is here as boldly in my opinion.

There are those out walking their little dogs, the random whoorish kitty rolling all over the sidewalk just dying for a rub on her belly, the family out having a mini barbeque on their front steps or the gentleman wearing the bolero hat and playing something Spanish sounding on his acoustic guitar. Toys scattered in fenced yards give away the children at play and their parents who care less about appearances and more about fun. Front doors are left wide open for the occasional breeze that wanders in meekly like a stranger looking for a bit of a handout and wanders away to test its luck next door and on down the street.

Joggers spurn the sidewalk and run down the middle of the quiet side streets, cyclers pant for dear life in their racing spandex - and I feel sorry for both sets. I'm walking fast, but I have time to absorb my surroundings and make mental notes to come back for longer visits for various reasons: there's a newly discovered taco joint that might have dinner-time potential, a girly gifty store with earrings and ribbons perfect for Saturday afternoon window shopping, a decadent bakery when it's treat time, a sexy salon, and a divey neighborhood bar that comes equipped complete with divey neighbors.. just for a start.

I think Queen Anne is my favorite district so far in which I've lived in Seattle - and having been here 10 years now, I've been around, baby. Ballard is a little far away and you can't walk anywhere, tho the downtown area has shaped up; Capital Hill has its edgy and bustling life bursting around it, but it can give you the creeps when someone semi-follows you back to your apartment (which happened once) and in the summer, when you have your window open for a bit of air during the night, you're more than likely going to be assaulted with quite the sexual noises orchestra from all the other open apartment complex windows; Madison Park has 2 ways to go back and forth and for one of the most affluent areas of the city, they sure spend a lot of the time driving around - it's just constant traffic; The top of Fremont had potential, but it was too close to 99, one of the main thoroughfares to and from downtown and not close enough to anything else worth moving my feet towards; North Seattle was near the mall, I-5 and 99, cheap rent and a nice walk to Greenlake, but there were no sidewalks and even tho I was always near a good sale at Nordstrom's, there wasn't anything original nearby that sparkled.

Queen Anne stands tall - literally one of the steepest hills in this city I believe - like the proud girl she is - residential and homey right in the middle of the city-ness where I could walk to any number of concerts and events at Key Arena, take a short elevator ride to the top of the Space Needle or simply just admire the view of Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound.

I love this city tho I've considered leaving it a time or two.. the weather can be depressing and wear on a soul that may need a bit more light therapy than Seattle can offer, but this is a truly beautiful summer season so far and I really can't complain. Come on over for a visit. I'll make the hummus if you'll man the barbeque, ok?