day 3: mount rainier and seattle

The next morning, we headed out to hike an area near Paradise called Bench and Snow Lake trail.


It started out as if we were walking around in someone's wonderful garden leading to a secret house.


Rainier in the background.


Farther down the way, a lake...


And it was a stunning view of Bench Lake, with Rainier in the background. Breathtaking! Apparently Bench Lake is so named because the flat area around the lake is called "The Bench." I wish there was one for me now to sit upon.


And...the other side of the lake. So lonely without Rainier.


So clear! So inviting! Yet so freezing.


We continued our hike up, which became a little steep and tiresome.


Crossed a log. I love log crossings! I want to specialize.


I can start practicing now, yes?


And thar' she is! A most exquisitely turquoise lake, clear as day and kind of creepy.


Remains of a glacier from the Tatoosh Range were melting right into it.


Peer into its eerie shallowness! Sunken trees were like strange corpses.


This very lovely area also had two nice campsites.


But no camping for us. Matt wanted to traverse this area full of rocks, which looked frightening to me, and I swore I heard some creaky noises as if the rocks were all going to release upon us!


We traversed, hopping across larger rocks, and spied a waterfall across the way.


Goodbye, Snow Lake. Time to hike back and find a spot for lunch.


Apparently this bugaroo has done the same on our car.


Our last afternoon in Rainier before heading back to Seattle to visit my sister, Scott and Peloton.


Back in Seattle...Pearl Jam's recording studio in the neighborhood.


First order of business, after a most delicious iced coffee at Fremont Coffee, were some pies at, well, Pie. Here, an English meat pie. Very meaty and very Englishy...


...and then a sweet pie: pineapple meringue.


Some entertainment from Peloton the puggle doggie.


Before dinner, some wine tasting at Almquist Wine & Spirits, which makes 12 single varietal wines and one blended, all from Washington grapes.


I concur, it's tasty.


Next door, dinner at Book Bindery, which is the southern bank of the Ship Canal in what used to be a book bindery.


The inside reminded me of a Hamptons/Connecticut style, although it really was supposed to resemble a reading room. But we sat in the greenhouse.


A gingery lemon cocktail for me.


A goat cheese tartlet amuse bouche.


The herbed butter with bread was outrageously good.


Scott started with the farro salad: quinoa, mint, compressed cucumber and lemon oil.


My sis had the compressed watermelon with caramelized pork belly and a basil-coconut sauce. A lot of compression going on here!


And Matt had a special appetizer of the evening, which was a fluke crudo with radishes and cucumber. There were several hilarious moments as the excellent waitstaff told us all the components of our meal in great detail, even explaining the positioning and shapes of things: squares placed in the center of the plate, and a sauce just around the perimeter. It all reminded me of that episode of "Portlandia" where the couple asks about their farm-raised chicken or salmon.


So when my bowl of chilled white gazpacho with dungeness crab, pickled grapes and Marcona almonds came around, I had a great moment of hilarity. Before the soup was poured by the waiter, he explained the pile of ingredients in my bowl. "This ring represents the components that make up the gazpacho: the grapes, almonds and crab." Ring?! Represent?! Nevermind mind that they actually ARE the components. No, no. Here, my friends, they represent the soup. Love it. Then, as he proceeded to pour forth the sacred liquid from his little pitcher, he warned me, "I will now obscure the components." Nooooo! I cannot eat obscured food! Must...see...everything! (It all, by the way, was delicious.)


Sister had the caramelized sea scallops with chanterelle mushrooms, green asparagus and bacon jam.


Scott enjoyed the seared halibut with brandade, radishes and a piquillo pepper vinaigrette.


Matt had the duo of rabbit: bacon wrapped loin and stuffed leg with summer corn, herb spaetzle and maple-bourbon jus.


Once I emerged from my curtain, I enjoyed my entree of Anderson ranch lamb with house made falafel, young artichokes and a lemon chickpea puree. All delicious, although I could have used a little more puree and falafel! Or maybe that was just the falafel pita in me talking.


And for dessert, a very lovely strawberry cream financier. A wonderful meal that was a far cry from mountain lodge-style, gravity-defying clam chowder.