Seattle-Pike Place Market: What did you buy?

[silvercrikhix]

Hi, Everyone! We will be visiting Pike Place Market at the end of June 2012. I am wondering what you bought there or wanted to buy but didn't for some reason? :D

[markpark]

Just looked. Didn't buy a thing. For no particular reason.

[cr8tiv1]

If you are leaving on your cruise, I bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for $5.00. They were so bright, colorful, and plentiful.

 

Renee

[Assateague Island Princes]

Gorgeous bouquet of flowers for our cabin, and fresh oyster "shooters" for DH!:D Bought a lovely handmade necklace from one of the outdoor vendors as well - very pretty. Just experiencing the Market is fun - be sure to see the fish tossing guys, they are amazing! But don't make eye contact or they might toss one of those big guys right at ya!;)

[SadieN]

Rainier Cherries (they are colored cream and red), ate them as we were looking around

Blueberry Tea from the Tea shop

Ate a steamed crab from one of the places across the street.

Both DDs got Starbucks (also across the street) at the original store. Check out the logo, a mermaid in all her glory.;)

 

Around the corner is the Nordstrom Rack. Four stories of Nordstrom clearance, 1 1/2 floors just for women's shoes :D

[silvercrikhix]

Thanks for your responses! We are just wondering what we have to look forward to! Hey, SadieN, thanks for the shoe tip......I Love Shoes!!! :D

I'd love to get flowers to bring aboard, but isn't it a hassle to carry them, with everything else going on at embarkation, carry on beverages, electronics, etc? Hmmmmm........

[mapleleaves]

Thanks for your responses! We are just wondering what we have to look forward to! Hey, SadieN, thanks for the shoe tip......I Love Shoes!!! :D

I'd love to get flowers to bring aboard, but isn't it a hassle to carry them, with everything else going on at embarkation, carry on beverages, electronics, etc? Hmmmmm........

 

Now I understand what you were looking for when you asked that question. :)

The Market is quite large; several levels, multiple buildings. There are restaurants, bakeries, shops, plus vendors with stands and booths. You can buy seafood, baked goods, wine, flowers kitchen gadgets, jewelry, etc etc. I only go into Seattle when we have guests; the Market is always a highlight! Then we walk to the waterfront for fish and chips and a ride on the ferry. All for under $20pp.

http://pikeplacemarket.org/

[Casagordita]

The Market can be madly crowded in the summer, but it's still worth a visit. Your best bet is to go early in the day--maybe have breakfast there, at Lowell's or the Athenian (great views, and they open by 7:00 am) or one of the bakeries. Another trick is to go down into the lower levels below the main arcade--fewer people find their way down there, so they're usually less mobbed. There are a bunch of interesting, funky shops there, as well as the hangouts of some of the Market's famous ghosts!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Things I buy at Pike Place Market include smoked fish, including oysters, scallops and mussels, honey, fresh sourdough batards, all kinds of cheeses and a bottle or two of wine.

[CanWeGoYet?]

There is an endless array of products. Besides good fresh produce, I have bought flowers, honey, clothes, and handmade jewelry. Lots of handmade decorative items available. Something I loved but did not buy were these glass dish type items - in various configurations - they were flattened melted liquor bottles. Some were quite pretty depending on the color of the glass. You could choose your favorite brand of spirits if it was available - sounds odd but most of them were beautiful. I liked the green glass ones the best.

[SadieN]

Thanks for your responses! We are just wondering what we have to look forward to! Hey, SadieN, thanks for the shoe tip......I Love Shoes!!! :D

I'd love to get flowers to bring aboard, but isn't it a hassle to carry them, with everything else going on at embarkation, carry on beverages, electronics, etc? Hmmmmm........

 

 

Your Welcome! Here's the map

http://www.bing.com/local/details.aspx?lid=YN926x17871743&qt=yp&what=nordstrom+rack&where=Downtown%2c+Seattle%2c+Washington&s_cid=ansPhBkYp02&mkt=en-us&q=nordstrom+rack+seattle+downtown&FORM=LARE

 

The best was five full racks (not shelves, RACKS!) of size 11 shoes. Couldn't get DD to even look at them.:mad:

[tmt218]

I bought flowers, a small magnet that was a replica of a painting by a local artist, some jellies and a satchal of fresh lavender (it is grown locally). We also got fresh donuts, fruit, and Starbucks(of course) all to eat while touring the sights.

[tmt218]

Your Welcome! Here's the map

http://www.bing.com/local/details.aspx?lid=YN926x17871743&qt=yp&what=nordstrom+rack&where=Downtown%2c+Seattle%2c+Washington&s_cid=ansPhBkYp02&mkt=en-us&q=nordstrom+rack+seattle+downtown&FORM=LARE

 

The best was five full racks (not shelves, RACKS!) of size 11 shoes. Couldn't get DD to even look at them.:mad:

 

 

 

Thanks for the map! I didn't know that they had a Nordstrom's rack. Looks like I need to take another suitcase for my purchases!

[edmusic]

Smoked fish and fresh fruit.

[silvercrikhix]

Your Welcome! Here's the map

http://www.bing.com/local/details.aspx?lid=YN926x17871743&qt=yp&what=nordstrom+rack&where=Downtown%2c+Seattle%2c+Washington&s_cid=ansPhBkYp02&mkt=en-us&q=nordstrom+rack+seattle+downtown&FORM=LARE

 

The best was five full racks (not shelves, RACKS!) of size 11 shoes. Couldn't get DD to even look at them.:mad:

 

Oohhhhh.......I have giant size 11 feet! :D Thank you so much for the map and shoe tips!!!! Lucky us used our frequent flier miles for 1st class upgrade on the way home and we can each bring 3 suitcases, no charge.......woo hoo.....I'll be there FOR SURE! I am looking forward to the PPM! The glass sounds great, too!

[colbeez]

It is nice to just walk around. The bakeries are good.

Check out the cream and red cherries.

[cdamion]

I don't recall buying anything there. I do like to go there to wander and people watch. I also like to watch them throw fish at the fish market - haven't seen that anywhere else I've been.

 

Also, sitting at any of the restaurants others mentioned is a great way to spend time.

 

Across the street is a news stand that has newspapers from lots of cities.

[DDMau]

When we go, I like to go down into the lower levels and look at the little shops.

When I buy something it's either flowers or bakeries goods.

[silvercrikhix]

Thank you all for sharing your PPM experiences. It sounds like a great way to pass a half a day before we sail. DH is not so into all the shopping, but I bet a Beechers large Mac n cheese will keep him occupied for awhile....LOL! Looking forward to our time there, sounds like breakfast, shop and then lunch! :D

[SeattleCruiselover]

I bought all of my meat, spices and veggies there Oops......wait a minute....I live here.:D

[Sparkle 123]

My favourite stall has to be Chukar Cherries, We went there as part of the Savor Seattle Pike place food tour, the chocolate covered cherries are delicious, lots of different flavours, the Pinot Noir chocolate ones and the amaretto rainers are to die for. Last time we were in Seattle I spent over $70 at their stall!!:)

[silvercrikhix]

I bought all of my meat, spices and veggies there Oops......wait a minute....I live here.:D

 

LOL.....I need new spices...what stall/store do you prefer for these?

 

My favourite stall has to be Chukar Cherries, We went there as part of the Savor Seattle Pike place food tour, the chocolate covered cherries are delicious, lots of different flavours, the Pinot Noir chocolate ones and the amaretto rainers are to die for. Last time we were in Seattle I spent over $70 at their stall!!:)

 

Sounds like a great item to snack on while sailing past the beautiful Alaska scenery! Mmmmmm......

[Casagordita]

LOL.....I need new spices...what stall/store do you prefer for these?

 

SeattleCruiseLover probably has her own favorite, but I can tell you mine: World Spice Merchants, down on Western Avenue, right behind the Market. The quality and freshness of their spices is just amazing, and I'm not the only one who thinks so--they have a collection of business cards from all the chefs and restaurant buyers who shop there, and it includes many of the top restaurants in town. The staff really know their products and can give you great advice. And the place smells so good, sometimes I go in there just to take a whiff!

[WisconsinFan]

We bought the big bouquet of flowers for $10 for the cruise. My DH told me I had to carry them around for the day (I bought one for my parents cabin as well). The embarkation photo all you could see was flowers!

 

Also got a latte from the original Starbucks!

[Casagordita]

For what it's worth, I'm going shopping there this weekend, and here's my shopping list:

 

hazelnuts from the Holmquist Hazelnut Orchards day stall (they're usually there, down in the day stalls in the north end of the Main Arcade, on the west side of the aisle)

 

sausage from Uli's Famous Sausage (west side, around the middle of the Main Arcade--I'm buying andouille to make jambalaya, but even if you're far from your kitchen, you can buy a grilled sausage on a bun for lunch)

 

cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery (down near the fish-throwing guys at the south end of the Main Arcade--one of the great cheese-makers at the Market)

 

deli meats from DeLaurenti (at the south end of the Main Arcade--fantastic deli and cheese counter, and all sorts of fancy imported foods)

 

landjäger from Bavarian Meats (in the Pike Place - North End building--DH loves the stuff!)

 

cane syrup from El Mercado Latino (in the Corner Market & Sanitary Market--great place to find all kinds of Latin American and Caribbean groceries)

 

If I need any fruits and veggies, there are lots of choices, but my favorite is Sosio's Fruit and Produce (around the middle of the Main Arcade, west side)

 

I was just at World Spice Merchants, so I won't need to go there, but that's one of my regular stops, most visits to the Market.

 

I'm meeting a friend at Seattle Coffee Works; we'll probably want lunch at some point, so we might go to Uli's, or the Market Grill, or Pike Place Chowder, or maybe just graze on stuff we pick up at Mee Sum Pastry or Piroshky Piroshky or Mr. D's Greek Deli or Beecher's Handmade Cheese.

 

So the question isn't so much what can you find at the Market, but what can't you find! I've lived in Seattle for almost 19 years, and I'm still discovering things there that I never saw before. I love going this time of year, when there aren't quite so many of y'all there (we love our visitors, we really do, but going to the Market at the height of summer, when there are several large cruise ships at the docks, well...it does make me see the good side of our cold, rainy winters!) My best advice is to go early, take your time, and poke around in all the odd nooks and crannies and levels and outlying buildings. You never know what you might find!