Seattle and Portland

Hello all, I apologize for my absence. I promise that I was off doing blog related activities though. I was off to the other side of the country visiting friends and family. While I did do some non-blog related things like going to a wedding, shopping at farmer's markets, and eating the best sushi of my life; I also read quite a bit and visited some very cool places.
























First off is the Seattle Public Library, a beautifully modern building that has eleven levels of library awesomeness. Yes it does have the familiar coffee shop and reference desks, but that's where the familiar ends. It opened in 2004 and is a glass, cement, and steel beam monstrosity (I mean that in the best way possibly). I read a review saying that the architects created the design around the functionality of the building as opposed to aesthetics first.



I have to admit that I loved the spiraling non-fiction stacks with the Dewey numbers on the floor, the visibility of all the special collections, and the amount of computers that they had. I did note that I was generally a bit confused about how to get to different levels and sometimes end up in different levels than I had first intended. Regardless, I can't help but think that a person can't walk into without taking at least a moment to ponder the architecture of the space and marvel at how unique the building is.

I also was in Portland, which if you haven't guessed what I'm going to be talking about, then you need to learn about this place fast. Powell's Books aka Heaven. Nirvana. Where I want my ashes scattered when I die. This place is incredible. I don't think that I can build it up enough for you. Used books, new books, books I never would have expected to see within a bookstore, this place had them all. I will admit that I was a bit thrown off by the exterior.



But just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover (which I totally do) don't judge a store by its facade (which I will no longer do). Rooms and rooms filled sky high with books, books that you've never heard of, books that you thought were no longer in circulation, BOOKS! It's like Christmas every day there. I went twice, and I can't wait to go back. Make sure you give yourself lots of time, I went for several hours and didn't make it to half of the rooms there. Portland, I hope you know what a gem you have.



Anyways, as I mentioned before I've done a ton of reading, and I do have things to review. But I seem to have caught a summer cold and my muzzy head won't do the books justice right now. I'm hoping to post sometime soon though.