Seattle - Washington State - page 128

MARKETS
Pike Place Market Pike Place Market is one of Seattle's most famous land-
marks and tourist attractions. It shelters not only produce vendors, fishmongers,
and butchers, but also artists, craftspeople, and performers. Hundreds of shops
and dozens of restaurants (including some of Seattle's best) are tucked away in
nooks and crannies on the numerous levels of the market. With so much to see
and do, a trip to Pike Place Market can easily turn into an all-day affair. See also
the sightseeing listing on p. 104. Pike St. and First Ave. & 206/682-7453. www.pikeplace
market.org.
Uwajimaya Typically, your local neighborhood supermarket has a section of
Chinese cooking ingredients; it's probably about 10 feet long, with half that
space taken up by various brands of soy sauce. Now imagine your local super-
market with nothing but Asian foods, housewares, produce, and toys. That's
Uwajimaya, Seattle's Asian supermarket in the heart of the International Dis-
trict. A big food court here serves all kinds of Asian food. 600 Fifth Ave. S. & 206/
624-6248. www.uwajimaya.com.
RECREATIONAL GEAR
Filson This Seattle company has been outfitting people headed outdoors ever
since the Alaskan gold rush at the end of the 1890s. You won't find any high-
tech fabrics here, just good old-fashioned wool, and plenty of it. Filson's clothes
are meant to last a lifetime (and have the prices to prove it), so if you demand
only the best, even when it comes to outdoor gear, be sure to check out this Seat-
tle institution. 1555 Fourth Ave. S. & 206/622-3147. www.filson.com.
REI Recreational Equipment, Incorporated (REI), was founded here in Seat-
tle back in 1938 and today is the nation's largest co-op selling outdoor gear. The
company's impressive flagship store is located just off I-5 not far from Lake
Union and is a cross between a high-tech warehouse and a mountain lodge. The
store is massive and sells almost anything you could ever need for pursuing your
favorite outdoor sport. The store also has a 65-foot climbing pinnacle, a rain
room for testing rain gear, a mountain-bike trail for test-driving bikes, a
footwear test trail, even a play area for kids. With all this under one roof, who
needs to go outside? Up on the top floor is a cafe with an outstanding view of
downtown. 222 Yale Ave. N. & 206/223-1944. www.rei.com.
SALMON
If you think that the fish at Pike Place Market look great but that you could never
get it home on the plane, think again. Any of the seafood vendors in Pike Place
Market will pack your fresh salmon or Dungeness crab in an airline-approved
container that will keep it fresh for up to 48 hours. Alternatively, you can buy
vacuum-packed smoked salmon that will keep for years without refrigeration.
Pike Place Fish Located behind Rachel, Pike Place Market's life-size bronze
pig, this fishmonger is just about the busiest spot in the market most days. What
pulls in the crowds are the antics of the workers here. Order a big silvery salmon
and you'll have employees shouting out your order and throwing the fish over the
counter. Crowds are always gathered around the stall hoping to see some of the
famous “flying fish.” 86 Pike Place, Pike Place Market. & 800/542-7732 or 206/682-7181.
www.pikeplacefish.com.
Totem Smokehouse Northwest Coast Indians relied heavily on salmon for
sustenance, and to preserve the fish they used alderwood smoke. The tradition