Surprises of a Surprisingly Balmy Winter Weekend

We had planned to spend Sunday exploring the Columbia City neighborhood and catching the new Star Wars movie at the vintage movie theater in the area, Ark Lodge Cinema. Because it was such a nice day, Mike turned our plans upside down and suggested a walk in a park instead.

We first had lunch in the Georgetown area, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle. The area does not seem fun and safe from the highway, but there are surprising pockets of really interesting shops and restaurants! Because we've been eating a lot of Asian foods at home and around our neighborhood lately, we were hankering for simple but well-crafted sandwiches. We headed to Hitchcock Deli the moment I found out that they cure their own meats and ferment their own sauerkraut.

Hitchcock Deli - Charcuterie Case

Being a huge Reuben fan, Mike was not going to pass up trying their hot pastrami sandwich with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing. It was the lightest Reuben sandwich we've ever had. The meat was tender and the kraut was crunchy and mild. I had the Cuban B, which is composed of the house made porchetta and smoked ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles. It was heavier than the Reuben but very satisfying. The meats really make all the difference. Rather than wrestling with stacks of mass processed meats, you savor sufficient rich morsels that intermingle with other fresh ingredients. The meats are definitely fatty, but the sandwiches are so well-balanced with the other components of the sandwiches that we finished our lunch without feeling like taking a nap.

Cuban B with Potato Salad and Pastrami Sandwich

Pastrami Sandwich

Cuban B

While finishing up on our lunch we noticed an arcade across the street called Flip Flip Ding Ding. Of course we had to check it out!

Flip Flip Ding Ding Arcade

It's a fairly compact two-story pinball joint that serves beer. It's pretty divey, but definitely a fun place to play a few games if you're in the neighborhood.

Next, we headed to Seward Park across I-5 from Georgetown. Seward Park is a peninsula that juts into Lake Washington and faces Mercer Island. I had no idea that the park has the best views of Mount Rainier that we've seen so far in the city! This would be a great place for picnics in the Spring or Summer.

View of Mount Rainer from Lake Washington at Seward Park

View of Mount Rainer from Lake Washington at Seward Park

As we walked by the forest, we heard a constant hollow thumping. Naturally, we followed the sound and found that it was a woodpecker!

Searching for the Woodpecker

Woodpecker at Seward Park

I'm excited to see what other birds we'll spot at the park come spring time!