We're in the International District, walking down the street, past the whole roasted ducks displayed in windows, sniffing fried Chinese food and fragrant pho broth, searching for the one thing that seems not to exist in the ID--coffee.
Java Joints of Jet City: Gossip Espresso and Tea
Java Joints of Jet City: Caffe Ladro, Fremont
Seattlest wishes it was at a coffee shop on Saturday, when the snow was falling in swift, wet flakes. We imagine sipping a delicious doppio espresso, protected from the cold and watching the snow fall. Instead, we are braving the pouring rain and have ended up here, in Fremont, at Cafe Ladro. We're wet, cold and crabby. Ladro is bustling with the young professionals crowd. An entire table of six is covered in laptops, another...
At the Cafe of the Kind...
There's a classic science fiction short story called The Country of the Kind by Damon Knight that was published in 1955. The narrator of the story walks around a utopia acting like a huge asshole, disrupting lives and smashing up properties. He thinks of himself as the king of the world because everyone around him is too nice--like enlightened and tolerant and kind--to stand up to him. It's a humane and permissive society, completely free of violence and conflict. For some reason it's reminiscent of Seattle, but that's not why we bring it up.
Are the Mariners Bankrupt?
The Mariners' player payroll will top $100 million in 2007. $111 million, to be more precise, an $18 million increase over last year.
Robert's Surprise
Hat tip to the Slog, since we cancelled our P-I subscription last week--Robert Jamieson wrote a column about how some ads on Craig's List are...hold on to your hat...from PROSTITUTES!!! Yes, apparently people have learned how to use the Internet to sell sex. Does Robert Jamieson live with his parents or something?
Stuff to do in the wake of the Capitol Hill shootings
Hey, Seattlest, this whole "Capitol Hill massacre" has really made me depressed, and I'd like to do something. Can I donate money to the survivors?
Starbucks Eats Hollywood
Obviously you know that Starbucks has been very very successfull at selling coffee. Someday, and you're going to hate this but that won't stop it, we're probably going to call any kind of espresso drink a "starbucks" like people from Georgia call any carbonated beverage a "coke." ("What kind of coke you want? We got Spriiite, root beer, diet, cherry ") They've pretty much got the espresso thing nailed down. Caribou, Dunkin Donuts, independant cafes everywhere: Close down now to spare us the pain of watching you be assimiliated.

