We decided to fly out of Seattle for this flight to London, because it was piles cheaper than flying out of Vancouver, and a great way to bypass the Olympic onslaught they’d predicted for this date. What I hadn’t factored into the plan was that it would also add more fun into the plan. We booked Amtrak, cleared customs in Vancouver and did the clickety-clack all the way down to Seattle, arriving in time to check into the brand-new Hyatt Olive 8.  So named because of its location at Olive and, you guessed it, 8^th.

 The Hyatt has stepped it up a notch with this one. LEEDs certified, simple and elegant design and cool arty photos. Our room, a study in café au lait walls, black built-in desk, and dark-framed sliding windowed doors touched up with some very subtle mossy greens, gave it that Zen-like feel that the W and Opus hotels tend to pull off so well. It’s kind of like living in a Dwell magazine layout. Urbane and groovin’ with a 10 out of 10 on bed comfort.

 In all that great design I felt like they missed one thing…it’s my pet peeve in just about every hotel, so they’re not alone on this one. I also recognize it sounds like a pretty tiny grievance and on the scale of overall comfort, I agree, but still…how about some hooks in the bathroom? One is simply not enough. I have a hanging toiletry bag, my nightie pre-shower, along with a multitude of other reasons…

 In the morning, we left our bags and headed out to find some breakfast to follow up on the in-room coffee. Stumbled upon Bacco’s at the corner of 1^st & Stewart. Divine cappuccino with the perfect crema and the right proportions, like they actually knew what they were doing. 

I had an amazing vegetarian omelette and Kevin the challah bread French toast. Tons of fruit with his and piles of perfectly seasoned veg in mine. Can’t quite recommend the spot enough. When you go, just order the one juice to split. At $4.50 for a 16 oz fresh squeezed combo, it’s well worth the price. The whole place just had that Europe-bistro thing going on, fresh food and good ingredients. It should be such a simple forumula but so many places just don’t pull it off. Not to mention it’s only a short, steep block up from the Pike Place Market.

Altogether a lovely walk around the area, poking into shops and with enough time to get back, get our bags and then do an easy two-block walk from our hotel to the WestLake stop. Seattle’s new light rail is only a 36 minute ride directly to the airport. Not bad for $2.50 each.

I’m writing this now from our Thistle hotel at the Heathrow airport. I’m in that zombie-like state that makes me think I can start to understand theories of time collapsing on itself or wormholes in space or something  Eintsteinian like that, as evidenced by the question I asked the server when she brought my Stilton and cracker plate, “Can you tell me the date please? Is it Tuesday or Wednesday?”  To her everlasting credit she was completely nonplussed by the question. Maybe it happens a lot in this airport limbo zone.