Saturday, February 17, 2007

So it's been just one wonderful day here in Seattle, Washington. It was bright, clear, and sunny and people were out and about in pursuit of all kinds of Saturday adventures. Our day started 9 am at the Hotel Vintage Park. We woke up to the clean, crisp air that you only can get in Seattle. We had slept quite well in our superbly sheeted and pillowed wonderfully comfortable bed that is just one fabulous feature of this lovely, lovely hotel. We rolled over and dialed room service who appeared ten minutes later with a steaming tray of scrambled eggs, toasted bagels, hot coffee and cream. We showered and headed up the street to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

There was a red-headed guy giving a drum concert on the street that was particularly cunning. He used upside down empty Costco detergent tubs and sat on a little waste basket as he pounded out a compelling and happy beat. He had three wine bottles poked into the side of an upside down milk crate that he used for melody. Really a good concert! People were out and running here and there, all smiling; my guess is that they were happy to be without umbrellas. Whatever the reason, the infectious mood of the street further inched our well being reading up the scale and left us with great anticipation.

We ducked into the convention center and rode up 4 floors to the cavernous exhibition hall. The show is well organized and was particularly pleasant this year, as there were very few strollers but honestly? just what has gardening become in Seattle? The exhibition gardens were the epitome of more money than sense. This year there were vintage cars in the gardens and people DANCING? Would Vita Sackville-West have settled for this nonsense? I think not.

The garden culture is so hip, so keen and so SO in Seattle that it's become a form over substance exercise with the tekkie billionaires fouling the koi pond, so to speak. With their contrived and gauche interpretations of how really rich people garden, this show gives you the impression that real gardening is about real consumerism. Let's be completely clear: the polished granite chaise lounges just didn't connect with me. Serious. Granite slabs hewn into the shape of chaise lounges and polished. Ah, god. The California people are completely at home with this type of embarrassment. I am praying that no one from Philadelphia or Boston was here to see this.

But the guy selling the lily bulbs was there as was a guy with rain barrels so all was not lost. Had wet burritos at Taco del Mar downstairs. Saw some killer quilts on the wall by the escalator. Saw the orchids. Still smiling from that. And yes, I did get a few, well maybe several, antique botanical prints. When I die there is going to be one hell of an auction.

And so now we'll walk in the soft, slightly bracing evening air and hope for a few stars. Later, we'll have dessert and sip champagne. Is there any other time or any other place other than this night and this place?


JBelle
On Location
Seattle, Washington

9 comments:

MarmiteToasty said...

Wow, sounds like you had a wonderful time....... shame about how some gardening ideas are going to the dogs aye?.. :(....

And how strange that you have a gardening show in a building...... was there stuff outside in marques to?.... most of our 'country garden shows' are outside in the open with the flower stalls and displays in huge marquees.....

One day you will have to come over and we will 'do' The chelsea Flower show........ I so miss doing the shows with our nursery.... jebus give me soil and plants and Im anyones for a fiver LOL

Wish I could been there.....

x

Anonymous said...

Well, there is always this place and this time...

If I've said it to you once I've said it a thousand times, you are leading a blessed lifetime this go round, my friend. (And don't tell me we all are because some of us have "better hands" than others, tis the way it is for whatever purpose.)

What lovely images these words of yours brought to my mind's eye and heart.

Mmmm, thank you.


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Anonymous said...

Hello Jbelle. Good day to you. I have seen traces of your footprints on our mutual comment trails, and thought it would be polite to pay you a visit.

What a beautiful description of a day! I could imagine it all.

And I hope the night stars were bright and the champagne was good...

MarmiteToasty said...

ps........ god woman I LOVE the flow of your words...... you are one special person..... in many ways

(((JBelle)))) love ya x

x

... said...

Antique botanical prints? Ok, you should check my wife's pockets, should we ever visit your place.. really.

JBelle said...

first, yes. Antique botanicals. Have collected them for about 15 years. Most are 300 years old. They are lovely. sigh. Got a bunch now; can't buy much anymore because there is no room anywhere. I have botanicals in every room in my house except for the den and the master bedroom. The den, I know you're going to ask, is my children's artwork. Framed and matted and fabulous. In fact, absolutely fabulous. Their portraits hang in the bedroom.

The champagne was lovely indeed and the walk splendid. We caught the very late showing of 'Breach'. whoa. whoa. whoa. WHOA. The buzz is true: role and performance of a lifetime for Ryan Phillippe. Chris Cook and Laura Linney also blew the doors off the joint.

Finally, the garden show: the show was in huge, immense cavernous buildings built on Interstate 5 and they have all kinds of nooks and crannys. I propose this: I meet you in London in May for the show this year and you meet me in Seattle for the show next year. This would be an unforgettable experience to be with someone who actually knows and loves the garden as I do. Pleassse? We'll go down to Beaverton and I'll run ya around the NIKE world headquarters...let ya climb the wall at the flagship REI...World Music Experience (are you experienced?)...? you know it'd be fuuuunnnnn.......

green libertarian said...

I would love to go that show some day.../sigh


Rain barrels? Do you know that by Department of Ecology Regulations you are not legally permitted to collect rainwater that falls on your property?

Yep, it's true. Course everybody ignores the law, but it's on the books.

JBelle said...

is this because of the mosquito thing? Master Gardener curricumlum taught by WSU endorses rain barrels?

talk to me. whaaaaat's up?

green libertarian said...

It's not really enforced. Seattle City Office of Sustainability recommends rain barrels. They tried to get the law changed last year, didn't quite make it.