Lonely Planet Asia — April 2017

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Offbeat Seattle

An endless appetite for displays of creativity,

a musical ear and some truly zany monuments

make Seattle a diverting getaway for lovers

of counter-culture, fun and sights that must be

seen to be believed.

The Seattle skyline, with the

futuristic Space Needle seen

to the fore

Landmarks

Art & sculpture Munchies

This exquisite exposition of the

life and work of local glass

sculptor Dale Chihuly requires a

sharp intake of breath on first

viewing. The masterpieces, split

between an exhibition centre, a

glasshouse and a garden, reflect

Chihuly’s influences, most

notably Native American art,

Puget Sound sea life and boats

(chihulygardenandglass.com; 305

Harrison St; US$2.50).

FREMONT PUBLIC ART

The neighbourhood of Fremont

does bizarre like the rest of the

world does normal. Nowhere is

this more evident than in its

weird and wonderful public art.

The five most famous pieces are

scattered around the southern

part of the neighbourhood

abutting the Lake Washington

Ship Canal. Of particular note are

a provocative bronze statue of

Lenin (cnr N 36th St & Fremont

Pl N); the Fremont Troll (cnr N

36th St & Troll Ave N); and

Waiting for the Interurban (cnr N

34th St & Fremont Ave N).

Hovering over train tracks, in an

unlikely oasis between the water

and busy Elliott Ave, this US$80

million sculpture park shows how

to make the most of limited

urban space. More than 20 large

pieces of sculpture dot the

landscape, including Claes

Oldenburg and Coosje van

Bruggen’s Typewriter Eraser, Scale

X, with its weird blue sprouts

bristling over Elliott Ave, and

Alexander Calder’s 39ft-tall The

Eagle (seattleartmuseum.org;

2901 Western Ave; free).

SPACE NEEDLE

Seattle’s modern-before-its-

time tower built for the 1962

World’s Fair has been the city’s

defining symbol for more than

50 years and over a million

visitors head to its flying-

saucer-like observation deck

each year. Note, if you have a

meal in the rotating SkyCity

Restaurant atop the Needle, the

entry fee will be waived

(spaceneedle.com; 400 Broad

St, Seattle Center; from US$21).

PIKE PLACE MARKET

Century-old Pike Place is a living

community, a cabaret show, a

way of life and an intrinsic piece

of Seattle’s soul. Watch out for

fish flying through the air in the

Main & North Arcades where

fresh produce is piled high; add

your contribution to the artistic

‘gum wall’; and browse shops

that look like they’ve sprung

from a Harry Potter movie

(pikeplacemarket.org; btwn

Virginia St & Union St

& 1st Ave & Western Ave).

EMP MUSEUM

Designed to resemble an electric

guitar, the Experience Music

Project (EMP) is a marriage of

modern architecture and rock ‘n’

roll history. Founded by

Microsoft co-creator Paul Allen,

created by Canadian-born

architectural rock star Frank O

Gehry and inspired by the music

of Seattle-born guitar icon Jimi

Hendrix, it includes a Sound Lab

where you can jam in a studio

(empmuseum.org; 325 5th Ave

N, Seattle Center; US$25).

THE CRUMPET SHOP

Take a treasured British culinary

invention and give it an American

twist (ridiculously lavish toppings)

and you’ve got a compelling

reason to have your breakfast in

Pike Place Market. Join the queue

for crumpets made before your

eyes and embellished with ricotta,

marmalade, pesto and Marmite

(thecrumpetshop.com; 1503 1st

Ave; 7am–3pm Mon, Wed & Thu,

to 4pm Fri–Sun; crumpets US$3).

SERIOUS PIE

Award-winning chef and local

culinary phenomenon Tom

Douglas has taken the down-to-

earth Italian pizza and given it a

gourmet spin in this Belltown

diner. The crowded communal

tables and weird pizza toppings

are popular: here you can enjoy

crusty bases crowned by the likes

of clams, kale, potato, apple and

pistachios (seriouspieseattle.

com; 316 Virginia St; 11am–11pm;

pizzas from US$16).

The Glasshouse is the centrepiece

of Chihuly Garden & Glass

The Seattle Center Monorail takes

passengers to the Space Needle

An array of flavours at Top Pot

Hand-forged Doughnuts

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MINI GUIDE

Those who can walk past this

café without going in deserve a

medal. Top Pot’s doughnuts are

in a different class, and its cafés

• especially this one in an old
  car showroom with floor-to-
  ceiling library shelves and Art
  Deco signage – are equally
  legendary. The coffee’s pretty
  potent too (toppotdoughnuts.
  com; 2124 5th Ave; 6am–7pm
  Mon–Fri, from 7am Sat–Sun;
  doughnuts from US$1.25).

TOP POT HAND-

OLYMPIC SCULPTURE FORGED DOUGHNUTS

PARK

CHIHULY GARDEN

& GLASS