Playing Tourist

Yesterday I took a trip to West Seattle to be a tourist for a while, with mom. On our wanderings around town, I came across a music shop called Easy Street Records. From the outside, it felt like one of those places you don't fit in unless you know someone or look and act a certain way. But the minute I went inside, it felt like I belonged there. It wasn't one of those new, shiny places, but a real haven for music lovers, a place that would have "regulars" but wouldn't cater to one particular crowd or another. A woman that worked there told me the used CDs were upstairs, and along with shelves upon shelves of some of the greatest rock and indie artists, there were all sorts of people, brought together by music. Everything from a mother and her kid to the music junkie from down the street. To top it all off, in the background they were playing my favorite CD by the Strokes, Is This It. They didn't end up having anything I was looking for, but they did have another album by the Strokes that I'd thought about getting, Room On Fire, so I bought it. Partly to help support a great local business.

You really should check it out. They even have a yummy coffee and cupcake shop across the street, Cupcake Royale, and at least two cute used bookstores up the road. My kind of neighborhood.

Photo: The view from a lookout by Alki Beach. I'm surprised I'd never been there--the views were incredible (and look at me, starting to take pictures again)!