Dec 18, 2010 - Pike Place, Columbia Winery, etc

Saturday morning starts with the kids playing in the living room.
Charlie tinkers with some toy...

...and Ella gets into all the stuff she can't get into at home - like other people's Christmas presents.

Speaking of presents...

Amanda (or Charlie?) gives Ella an adorable Christmas outfit (which you'll see a lot on other pages).

Wow... Those are little girl pants!

Seriously, what's with all the pictures?

Charlie gets Transformers - Starscream (pictured) and an Autobot motorcycle.

Mimd-morning story time.

Oh, what a doll.
(She knows she's cute.)

Charlie gives his hot latina girlfriend a gift, too.

It's cool. Gaby likes sparkly things.

Then, into the city to brave the windy cold.

First stop (really, only stop): Pike Place Market.

We enjoy the colorful stalls.

Amanda and Charlie check out the wares.
Grim stands there and tries to look as awkward as possible.

Meanwhile, Ella can't really walk or move, so she lays there, warm.

Since it is far from spring, the flower displays are all dried - but striking.

Ah - what we came for... FISH!

Gaby and I enjoy a deee-licious king crab cocktail.

Over to Pike Place Fish to see 'em flying.
(It may be hard to tell, but the lady in the middle is about to successfully catch a large flying salmon.)

Indiana negotiates with the vendor.

Weighing our salmon.

We also get 2lb of [flying] clams.

"Hey, buddy, don't you remember, they called the dog Indiana!?"
"Uuuhhh. Which movie was that?"

While Grim teaches the vendor about how to dress as an American in Dubai, Gaby and Ella play on one of the unexpected staples of Pike Place...

The bronze pig!

A tired Charlie completes the family picture as undoubtedly more fish flies in the background.

We pick up some flowers, head to the first Starbucks (which had like a :30 line that we did not get in),

then head back to the car (with one last parting shot of Seattle).

On to the Columbia Winery.

Manual zoom.
(Gaby shuffled up to get closer.)

Here comes Amanda to help us get our wine on.

Ella enjoys being out of the huge, winter clothes and into a new place.

We enjoy the vino.
We went back to a huge meal of clams steamed in white wine and butter and baked salmon in a light lemon sauce.
The deal was that the men would grill the salmon, but Amanda took pity on us (as it was so cold) - or perhaps she decided she didn't want us to ruin a perfect piece of fish.
In any event, it was a great cap to a wonderful trip.

It was a trip in which Ella made it to her 8th state, got her first stomach bug (so nasty!), wore winter clothes for the first time (bibbers and ski jacket), and got some extended travel time to one place - and loved it.
Thanks, Griffiths (especially Amanda) for the great time!