Monday, July 1, 2013

Pike Place Public Market, Seattle, WA



A highlight of my recent trip to Seattle was the exact same venue that I remember so fondly from my first visit: Pike Place Public Market. I love fresh urban markets. When I lived in Chicago, I would occasionally go to Wisconsin and enjoy the Milwaukee Public Market. Pike Place Public Market is large in both size and variety of items sold. Located right up against the waterfront, the Market gives you a feeling of being out in the elements while situating you clearly in the heart of downtown Seattle.

When I still lived in Chicago, I read news articles about plans to renovate, even to re-imagine, Navy Pier as a public venue. I have thought for a while that Chicago should take some inspiration from Seattle and make Navy Pier a large fresh market. Of course, some features could remain, like the IMAX Cinema and the excellent Chicago Shakespeare Theater, but it would be great to see Navy Pier serve as a place to buy fresh, locally grown produce and shop for quality art created by local talent. Maybe such an idea will come to fruition, someday.


The Market is always crowded with customers and visitors just wanting to check out the scene.


Arts and crafts, such as jewelry and art prints, are sold at the Market, along with quality foodstuffs.


A bountiful harvest...



The festive colors of fruits and vegetables.


Rainier cherries are some of the best.


I love the fragrance and the sweet, bright color of citrus, combined here with the beauty of apples and other fruit.


A wide variety of pastas and grains.


A rainbow of carrots piled high in abundance.


This might be an odd time to confess that I have an intense dislike of all seafood. Yes, it's true, and normally a sight like this above, and the three photos below, would sicken me, but when in Rome...






Another photo of that famous sign, but here in the clear blue of day.

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