Okay, y’all. I admit. There’s a lot to be said about streaming videos. No extra clutter on the nightstand or when traveling. No storage issues (well, at least not at the house). And super bonus: no “ohmagosh where I did put that?” Or super-super bonus: no breakage.
But there’s something to be said for getting your entertainment the semi-old school way. And it comes with its own bonus.
Now, I enjoy Netflix as much as the next person. I mean, how many of you already know when Stranger Things Season Two is available? [Here’s a hint: Come home early from Trick-or-Treating this year.]
I love instant access to all the episodes of Fuller House. I’m watching my way through all eleven seasons of FRASIER this month. Last month it was FRIENDS, but you knew that.
But, see, I also love my DVDs and Blu-Rays for one very important reason: Behind the Scenes.
I love picking up a season of NCIS or ER [or the newest hottie I mean, hero, Avengers movie] and having access to bonus features.
Hearing Aaron Sorkin talk about why he wrote a certain episode of the West Wing, or picking up on Iron Man’s special effects . . . Those aren’t things you can get through online streaming.
And I don’t know about you, but I hope *fingers crossed* I’m not the only one who likes the rewind button. I mean, seriously. I’m talking laugh-out-loud or “what the heck was that?!” moments when you just have to experience it again now without waiting for the feed to reload. In writers terms, we call that taking the reader out of the story. That’s no way to keep the momentum!
Sure, you can’t take everything with you. But when you’re going on a trip, you don’t pack the kitchen sink, do you?
And here’s one more reason to love DVDs and Blue-Rays: Sometimes your shows aren’t available.
Okay? Who else cried when Netflix took down FLASHPOINT? And why is Pet Sematary only available around Halloween?
These things are important, people!
Oh, wait. One more awesome reason: I’m told by more than few to prepare for that foretold horror, the worldwide EMP. You know, that moment when the internet and all things attached go down. I know, I know. Let’s for a moment forget the correlation that in such an event my DVD and Smart TV will also most likelydefinitely not work. Let’s just stick to the streaming video for this conversation. Thanks.
So. What’s This Girl gonna do when I can no longer access my Netflix? I think I’ll survive.
I may have to learn how to churn butter . . . But in the event of an emergency, I can string my discs together and find a laywoman’s way to harness the power of the sun.
It’s quite possible I’ve had so much to write that I haven’t written a thing. Okay, true story: I (almost) don’t know where the month of March went. I almost feel like the Beatles’ Here, There, and Everywhere. Oh, don’t get me singing. Just give me some sweet tea or coffee and I’ll calm down.
There was a chaotic beginning in March. Projects up in the air, should I do this or quit that? Bless her glorious heart, after a morning out as we’re sometimes prone to do, Mum asks, “Would you like me to come over and help you clean your house?” Now, Bedford Manor isn’t a messy place. Not usually. But let me throw a few words out for ya: Flu. Cats. Media. Work. Any of these pieces fitting together? So when Mum asks, I do the only thing a responsible, caring, independent, adult child could do. I cried and said, “Thank you!”
The next thing you know, the house is clean, the body is healthy, and I’m on my way to Seattle. Seattle, people! The Emerald City! The land of . . . Well, the land of my children. And coffee. And probably the sixth location mystery in the City Series. Yes, that’s already in the brain. Suffice to say, I picked a good locale for the story I need to tell there. But that’s a separate post and about three years away. [You can wait, can’t ya?]
I spent three and half days visiting Dot and her husband, as well as enjoying some of the town. I flew up on a Thursday, took the tram directly into downtown and walked myself up Capitol Hill and into my son in law’s work. Dot joined us shortly after and from then on it was go, go, go. Here’s the part where I profusely thank my daughter for telling me in no uncertain terms, “Get over your love of heels. Don’t wear them here. You won’t survive.” She was right. My Keds barely kept the kicks alive. And I’m pretty sure I burned calories from alien beings, that’s how funky the legs didn’t work after ten hours of this thing called walking.
Anyway, I digress . . .
From different Starbucks (I mean, that’s not a surprise, right? That’s as obvious as eating beignets when I visit New Orleans next year.) to unique cuisine to family time around the TV watching, you guessed it, Frasier on Netflix . . . It was the best non-working vacation I’ve had in years. [Okay, so the Frasier thing didn’t happen until after we visited the Space Needle gift shop and a saw a mug that said “Good morning, Seattle!” at which point we looked at each other and said “Ohhhhh, yeahhhh” then went home and watched it over popcorn.] [NOTE TO SELF: Get. That. Mug.]
It’s been difficult to narrow down my favorite moments to just five. Actually, I can’t even say these are my top picks. They just happen to be some of my favorite photos. The moments . . . Well, there’s far too many of them for a Five Things Friday post.
In any event, these are my five favorite Instagrammable moments:
Nippers and I frequented the Willy Wonka of coffee places, the Starbucks Roastery. Here we are enjoying a hot chocolate made with real melted chips, not syrup, and a tiramisu topped with chocolate shavings. I might have been a little Type-A for a few hours after indulging . . .
Nippers at the Roastery
This amazing view of Mt. Rainier from the rooftop. This photo doesn’t do it justice. The beauty of the snow above the green above the city . . . And let’s be real: It’s name is Rainier. For my NOLA Swarm, you’ll know exactly why that excites me. Am I right?
Mt. Rainier from the Rooftop
Honey! Dot and I bought a handful of honey sticks from the Farmers market. These naturally sweet treats are good on their own, but we also love adding them to our hot teas. I bought the variety pack – like This Social Media Ninja Bee could pass up that opportunity.
Honey! This Social Bee’s favorite tea sweetener.
Seriously, potato pizza. Serious Pie, from renowned Seattle chef Tom Douglas, is a pizzeria with three locations including one in the Roastery. Dot and Her Man treated me to this amazing, I-didn’t-think-I’d-like-it-but-I-LOVED-it potato pizza the first night. The food and service were so good, when they asked where I wanted dinner the second night, I opted for different pizza, same pizzeria. That was not a mistake. And I’d do it again.
Potato Pizza, seriously? Yes. At Serious Pie.
My goodie bag is full of souvenirs from both the Roastery and corporate Starbucks where they work, the honey sticks, and, no shocker here, how could I pass up a book from the huge two-story Barnes & Noble? I couldn’t afford to buy the purse pen from Tiffany & Co. just yet, so I got myself the next best thing. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote.
Seattle Souvenirs: Coffee, honey, and books.
And since I always love to add a bonus photo or video, here it is. I can’t take credit for this. Ten minutes after arriving at the Roastery I met Cyrus who was kind enough to share his Seattle insights, and noted I came on a good weather day. He then showed me this time-lapse video he took a few days earlier of a storm. I loved the video so much I asked if I could share it and he said yes. He also gave us suggestions of places to visit. I later discovered he’s a real estate agent in Seattle, so of course he has become my Go-To Guy for any touristy ideas I might have. I’m trying to convince him he should start a YouTube channel and share his Seattle. If you agree, drop him a line on his real estate Facebook page. Tell him I sent you. And tell him he needs a YouTube channel.
Well, there you have it. My not-only-top-five for Seattle. What are your favorite travel moments? Share them in the comments.
As always, with some love and a big gulp of sweet tea,
Happy reading.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Sweeten my tea and share:
Buy NOLA, a romantic location mystery, by Molly Jo Realy
NOLA, by Molly Jo Realy
want more?
click the photo to subscribe to Frankly, My Dear . . .
