Sushiland

Thanks to our wonderful host and hostess (who were gracious enough to let us stay at their pad when they're not even here), we didn't have to put much thought into our schedule today. Upon our arrival yesterday, one of the first things we saw was a handwritten note from Molly on the dining room table. It read: "Fun day trip: (1) Coffee shop for morning fix - Turn L out of house to coffeeshop (after park); Seattle Center (2) Take #2 bus @ corner of 34th & Union (1 block past coffeeshop)..." and on and on and on. She detailed our entire day, including the Space Needle, a skate park, lunch at Sushiland (yes, awesome name), and a trip to Pike's Place Market on the monorail. My favorite instruction: "@ market, buy ingredients for dinner back @ our house... or else, if lazy, find a good restaurant to eat at @ market," followed by a list of all the places to find the best ingredients at the market. Molly, you rule!

Here's some of the touristy stuff:

Pike's Place... Yes, we saw some flying seafood, but the produce was just as impressive. Golden raspberries, mmmmmm....
What's that you say? $17 per person to ride the elevator to the top? Hmmmm... we'll get back to you, Space Needle. (But as you can tell from our stern, disapproving expressions, it's not looking good.)

And here's where good tips from the locals really pay off. Um hello, Sushiland? True - there have been many businesses over the years that have fancied themselves an actual land unto themselves. First there was Disneyland, but eventually, it wasn't enough, and we needed an entire world of Disney. Since then, there have many lands and worlds, and in some extreme cases, even celestial objects of much greater magnitude (e.g. Golf Galaxy)! My own personal favorite has got to be the Northeast's own Planet Self-Storage (imagine, if you will, an entire planet where there's nothing but endless self-storage bays - beautiful, isn't it?), but I suppose Condom Kingdom should earn an honorable mention.

Anyway, under normal circumstances, Sarah and I probably would have walked by the plain, inconspicuous, industrial-looking building that is Sushiland, but Molly and David had told us it was not to be missed. And now as I look back with the advantage of 20/20 hindsight, I mean... it is a whole land... of frickin' sushi!

The best part about this place though, is that every seat in the house is situated right up against a conveyor belt (yes, an actual, continuously moving conveyor belt!) that loops around the room, transporting the platters of freshly butchered fish around to all the diners. It's basically like a Lazy-Susan times a million! The mini-plates are color-coded according to price ($1.00, $1.50, $2.00, and $3.00), and there are about 30 different items to choose from, including rolls, edamame, tempura veggies, and pieces of sushi. By the end of lunch, we each had compiled a stack of 8 plates or so.

I've never had to think on my feet to snag a spicy tuna roll in my life, and it really brought me back to a distant time in my ancestral hunter/gatherer past. As strange as it may sound, it was quite an ingenious concept, as illustrated by the look of thoughtful contemplation on my face in the photo below:


Here is another shot of said conveyor belt. Like an umpire making the split-decision between the runner being safe or out at home plate, just imagine the adrenaline coursing through your veins as you make your own call: Pick up that octopus salad before it slips away!
-Josh