This August marks T W E N T Y years since I moved to Seattle. I never thought I’d stay this long.
In July 2005, I flew from Sacramento to Seattle for a job interview at KIRO Radio. A 25 year old news reporter by day, and party animal by night, I carried a suitcase containing a beautifully tailored, dark gray, Hillary Clinton-esque business-lady skirt suit with the tags still on. I told myself if I got the job, I’d keep the suit.
The radio station put me up at a SpringHill Suites, across the street from a 24 Hour Fitness, and I thought, “OH MY GOD, I THINK THEY THINK I’M AN ADULT!” I jumped on the bed, just a little bit.
After my interview, where I looked like a young Republican senator amongst the hoodies, jeans and t-shirts typically worn in newsrooms, I went back to the hotel and peeled off my pantyhose. Eager to check out the city, I walked up Denny Way to Capitol Hill, stopping to ask two older, grizzled construction workers for directions.
“I’m looking for the cool street with all the cute, funky shops, cafes and record stores!”
“Just keep walkin’ ‘til you see the FREAKS!” They looked at each other and maniacally cackled, Statler and Waldorf in neon orange net vests and hard hats.
The street I was looking for was Broadway, and in 2005 it was still home to The Freaks: the artists, the gays, the unfriendly baristas with the pierced faces and sleeve tattoos serving lattes and Americanos to young socialists, hipsters, musicians and street rats who spent hours sitting, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes (you could still smoke inside!). There was Red Light Vintage, the colorful wigs and pleather bondage lingerie for sale at Trendy Wendy, The Harvard Exit screening indie and foreign films, and weekend drag brunch at Julia’s on Broadway.
I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I had never lived in a REAL city before.
I got the job and immediately returned the suit. A month later, I moved to Seattle.
I’ve been thinking about how I want to commemorate two decades living in this city, but the best ideas have yet to bloom.
My mom and my sister are visiting from San Diego, and on Friday I took them to a drizzly Pike Place Market to see the new Overlook Walk. We were planning to make Shabbat dinner that night, and my mom cast her vote for cod. (Cast your vote: how many times do you think I said, “Oh my cod!” that day??)
For years, I’ve had this romantic idea of gathering all of my dinner ingredients at Pike Place Market (ideally, in an extremely precious wicker basket, with a baguette sticking out of my bicycle basket) and cooking a feast with friends.
And there we were! In the market! Surrounded by cod! I didn’t have a wicker basket or a bicycle, but very bravely decided to shop for our dinner anyway.
We approached Pike Place Fish Market where the fishmongers, in their rubbery orange aprons, famously throw fish under the eye of a zillion tourist cell phone cameras. But for once, we weren’t tourists — we were customers! We bought a WHOLE ASS LING COD! And they threw it! Our ling cod! Tourists held up their phones and recorded it soaring through the air. I did too:
Our famous ling cod was then filleted by a chatty fishmonger named Sam, who told me he played a fishmonger in the movie Free Willy. He’s Filipino-American, grew up in Seattle, but when he gathered his family to watch the movie, they learned the filmmakers had dubbed over his voice with a strong Chinese accent. He also played a fishmonger in a Levi’s 501 commercial. He’s still in SAG-AFTRA. Sam wrapped up the bones and the skin and tail in a separate bag so I could make fish stock.
Twenty years in Seattle and I’d never bought a whole fish at Pike Place Market! Well. Technically, I still haven’t — my mom bought it. But I declared this purchase the first commemoration of my 20 year Seattle anniversary — this was an anniversary gift! Everyone knows you gift paper for a first anniversary and ling cod for a twentieth. We bought broccolini, fresh fennel and celery at a produce stand and went home to make dinner.
I made a fennel, celery, blood orange salad with toasted pistachios, mint and Parmesan, with a simple olive oil, lemon juice and zest, blood orange juice, honey dressing.
I baked challah using the only & best challah recipe I’ll ever need. And roasted the broccolini and ling cod simply, with salt, lemon and a little bit of Trader Joe’s ponzu sauce. No photos were taken, every bite was gobbled up. It was fresh and flaky and delicious.
The new episode of Your Last Meal features comedian and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me panelist Paula Poundstone!
Paula’s a wacky lady with a serious sweet tooth — she says Ring Dings make her life worth living, and when I looked up the package, I noticed her headshot coincidentally matches the colors of the box!
Paula tells me about her young, starving comic years when she lived on a Greyhound bus and ate sugar and salt packets for dinner and dessert. If you already listened to the episode, Paula’s episode of The Leftovers is out now!
If you’re new here, my first cookbook Open Sesame was released in November and TODAY is my last scheduled book event — we’re expecting over 100 folks, but there is still room for more if you’re looking for a last minute activity! It’s at the Stroum Jewish Community Center in Mercer Island, WA at 4:30p — click here for details and tickets! You can also buy a ticket at the door. All are welcome!
Here are some links to buy my cookbook! :)
Hope you’re having a cozy weekend!
XO
RB
Just a suggestion to add a segment of wouldja eat it at the end of the leftover segment, I love playing that but most people just say ewewew to me.
Hi Rachel, I showed my husband Sam this article and he told me about meeting you. He admired your Challah bread, told me about your podcast, and how he enjoyed your sense of humor. Fun fact, he’s one of the owners and been there 40 years. Happy to hear you enjoyed your visit!