Traveling Vistas

New York. Sunset, the City illumined by a staccato brilliance of light and shadow. The refractive edge of the grid revealed. A beautiful and humbling image.

Seattle has a beauty of its own. The downtown rises from the Sound in a succession of grades, some so steep, I avoid them on slippery days.

Nestled in a black leather chair, a favorite glimpse was from the high tech conference room of one of Seattle's hallowed firms. From this vantage, the view West offered three Seattle 'cultural' venues -- set like ducks in a row: Benroya Hall, designed for acoustical perfection, and featuring performances as far ranging as the late Nina Simone and the Heart sisters; SAM, a museum renowned for returning art stolen by Nazis to its rightful owners; and The Lusty Lady, its triangular marquee edged with pink and emblazoned with puns, jutting playfully at SAM.