Seattle - Part 2

Food food food, food food food seems to be the main focus of all of my USA and Canada blogs, but I swear I wasn’t 100% food focused.

Ok, maybe 95% food focused.  But I was really good at combining food with other things.  Like people.  Lots of people.  All of my old peeps from Seattle!  You know you have a good group of people when your hosts leave you this as a welcome present upon arrival:

A big purple candy dildo.  From my straight friends Rob & Ellie.  This wasn’t even the work of the gays.  Oh Rob & Ellie… you devilish angels…

Rob & Ellie were the beneficiary of a few bottles of alcohol and all of my Hanukkah decorations when I left Seattle.  Nearly 3 years later, one of my bottles remained.  They were saving it for me!  Either that or it was their subtle way of saying “How the fuck can you drink this shit, Phill?” But I love me some Sheridan’s so I gladly enjoyed a glass or four on the rocks.

There were lots of events where various groups got together.  My mates from Sydney – Kathryn and Karen – both live back in the States, in Seattle and San Diego, respectively.  So, Karen flew up and Kathryn and I got to show off a bit of Seattle to her.  It’s a bit strange being a tour guide in a city where you no longer live, but it was a blast hitting up some of my old favourites.  We spent a big chunk of our time in the Fremont neighbourhood, checking out some of the sights like the Center of the Universe and the famous Fremont Troll (as seen in 10 Things I Hate About You).

Aside from catching up and showing a bit of Seattle to my old friends from Oz, I got to bring a bit of Oz with me to show to my old friends from Seattle.  And there’s no better way to have a bit of Oz than with a Tim Tam in your mouth.  Eric was keen to try a Tim Tam Slam, so he boiled up some hot chocolate and gave it a go quickly before dinner.

Don’t worry:  the Tim Tam didn’t spoil our appetite for dinner.  There was still room for Mexican food (as always) with James and Justin.

We got the old “harem” together for sandwiches one day, along with harem-leader “D-List”.  Ok, so his name is Dave.  But Lisa & Lisanne and the rest of the harem call him D-List because it fits with his last name and sounds cooler.  Don’t you agree?  Also, “the rest of the harem” is Ellie but she’s not pictured here because she had another dinner engagement that night but thankfully was able to organize a big dessert for all of us!  Hostess with the mostest!  The harem reunited, and it felt so good.

Matt and Ryan also joined us for giant sandwiches that night, and Ryan even got a giant pickle (hehe!) and a side of cole slaw because apparently the giant sandwich wasn’t enough.  This is why I am friends with him.

And Dave came too!  (Not to be confused with D-List Dave – this is another Dave.  I have lots of Daves.)

I had a happy hour one afternoon and was joined by Bonnie, Allison, and Leah for a mini-Birthright trip reunion!

And of course, my trivia team reunited to kick some ass and take some names (and come in third place to each win a shot of Jagermeister which I think we all regretted in the morning).  Our trivia team consisted of me and my boys (John, Nick, and Dave):

And Alli, who so graciously took me to get a brekkie burrito on her day off when all of my other mates were at work:

And yet another Dave, Nick’s new boyfriend (well, new to me since I left), who I was constantly scrutinizing (as I do) and judging to ensure he was up to quality.  He decided to Ke$ha it up at karaoke after trivia.

Ok, he gets a point.  But don’t tell him that.  I want to keep him on his toes.  If dude wants my approval, he needs to work for it.

Or bring me chocolate.  That usually works too.

Special thanks to Rob & Ellie for hosting me for four nights, John & Alli for hosting me for one night, Karen for flying up all the way from San Diego, and to the whole gang (pictured and not pictured) who came out to hang out and make my Seattle reunion an amazing one!