06.22.2023

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Today’s Forecast

Remembering our ‘Sleepless’ days

How Seattle has changed since ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ debuted

A GIF from the movie "Sleepless in Seattle" with Meg Ryan's character saying "It was like... magic."

Yeah, we feel you, Meg Ryan ... er, we mean Annie. | Photo via GIPHY

Wakey, wakey, romcom fans. Thirty years ago, Nora Ephron’s “Sleepless in Seattle” debuted and became a huge sensation, helping to put our city on the Hollywood map.

There had been a few flicks filmed here before, but nothing with the city’s name so central that it’s still a catchphrase. (Try telling any out-of-towner that you have insomnia and see if they can avoid making the joke.)

A lot has changed since the early 90s when people had landlines, precocious kids could book flights on their own, and Tom Hanks had a full head of curly hair. Let’s take a romantic look back.

Seattle metro area population

1993: 2,351,000
2023: 3,519,000

Amazon would become a small online bookstore a year after the movie came out — the big population boom was still more than a decade away.

Major pro sports teams

1993: Mariners, Seahawks, Sonics
2023: Mariners, Seahawks, Kraken, OL Reign, Sounders, and Storm

Only the Sonics had won the city a championship when “Sleepless” came out.

A view of Seattle's Key Arena with the Space Needle in the background — Way before Climate Pledge, this had once been the center of the Seattle sports universe.
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Photo via WikiMedia Commons

Bumbershoot lineup

1993: Barenaked Ladies, Naughty By Nature, Violent Femmes
2023: Sleater-Kinney, Band of Horses, The Revivalists

Grunge had only recently begun during the early 90s.

Sam’s floating home value

1993: ~$550,000
2023: Likely $3 million+

The house in the movie sold for $2 million in 2014, but is likely worth much more now, if recent trends are an indication.

The floating home from "Sleepless in Seattle" with various boats surrounding it and housing complexes in the background. — The “Sleepless in Seattle” floating home is on South Lake Union (though interiors were shot in a studio).
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Photo via @denis_denisdenis

View of I-5 from the Yesler Way overpass

1993: Tall buildings with the Columbia Tower prominent.
2013: Tall buildings with the Columbia Tower prominent and an extra street lamp.

Our skyline has changed pretty dramatically overall, but this view has remained remarkably steady.

Cost to fly to New York to meet the love of your life

1993: ~$300-$500 round-trip (based on averages)
2023: ~$300-$500 round-trip

Hey, totally worth a shot.

Asked

What was your favorite “Sleepless in Seattle” local shoutout?

A. The scenes at Pike Place
B. Exterior floating home shots
C. Sam’s date at Dahlia Lounge
D. Basically, that it always seemed to rain

Reminisce with us

Events

Thursday, June 22

Marcus James | Thursday, June 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Ada’s Technical Books and Cafe, 425 15th Ave., Seattle | Free | The Seattle author and LGBTQ+ rights activist will discuss his latest horror novel “Instructions in Flesh” and the connections of vampire myths to queer themes.
Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Taylor Swift | Thursday, June 22 | 6:30 p.m. | Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle | $30-$65 | Embrace the catchy melodies and angst of Taylor tunes under soothing candlelight.

Friday, June 23

Champions of Change | Friday, June 23 | 7 p.m. | Climate Pledge Arena, 334 First Ave. N., Seattle | $10-$1,000 | Seahawks legends Doug Baldwin, Cliff Avril, and Michael Bennett host this celebrity basketball game with proceeds going to local nonprofits.
Kirklandia Waterfront Wine Festival | Friday, June 23-Sunday, June 25 | Times vary | Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland | $40-$60 | Sip on local libations while enjoying live entertainment, games, and views of the waterfront.

Saturday, June 24

Run and Walk with Pride 2023 | Saturday, June 24 | 9 a.m. | Seward Park, 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. S., Seattle | $20-$35 | The 41st annual event raises money for the nonprofit Peer Seattle and lets participants choose between 4K and 8K loops (or a virtual run).
Gobble Up | Saturday, June 24 | 12-5 p.m. | Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave. N. , Seattle | Free | Shop for local food products — including macarons, forest-infused spirits, and cooking sauces — at this show from Urban Craft Uprising that gets into the holiday gifting spirit early on.

Sunday, June 25

Seattle Pride Parade | Sunday, June 25 | 11 a.m. | Westlake Park, 401 Pine St., Seattle | Free | Floats galore led by Grand Marshals Ijeoma Oluo, Lavender Rights Project, and Mx. Pucks A’Plenty will run downtown along Fourth Avenue.
MoPOP Culture Connections: A New Artist Workshop | Sunday, June 25 | 1-4 p.m. | Mini Mart City Park, 6525 Ellis Ave. S., Seattle | Free | Artists guide attendees in creating visual art around a word or expression from pop culture.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Sports

A whopping five OL Reign players have been named to the US Women’s National Team roster for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Megan Rapinoe, Alana Cook, Sofia Huerta, Emily Sonnett, and Rose Lavelle are all headed to the big tourney in Australia and New Zealand that starts Thursday, July 20.

Transit

Washington State Ferries recently announced that several routes will not be restored to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. The Fauntleroy, Vashon Island, and Southworth routes will continue on a reduced schedule due to staffing + vessel shortages. (KING 5)

Arts

The Fremont Troll’s about to have new relatives. Danish artist Thomas Dambo plans to install giant trollish sculptures throughout the region — including in West Seattle and Ballard — starting this August. Thomas’ “Northwest Trolls: The Way of the Bird King” is backed by the Allen Foundation. (GeekWire)

Legacy

Renowned local real estate developer H. Jon Runstad died on Tuesday at the age of 81. The founder of Wright Runstad & Co. developed ~20 million sqft of building space in Seattle — most notably Rainier Square and the 1201 Third Avenue tower — over the course of his decades-long career. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Closed

The downtown Amazon Go store at 920 Fifth Ave. has closed. Amazon had opened the convenience store in 2018, the second location for the concept that utilizes “just walk out” technology. There are still three other Amazon Go outposts in Seattle. (GeekWire)

Travel

This is pretty fly — Alaska Airlines debuted its newly renovated D Concourse lounge at Sea-Tac Airport. Upgrades include a new barista station, paintings by Coast Salish artist Louie Gong, and ~50% more seating. It’s the third major lounge project the airline has completed at Sea-Tac in 2023. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Drink

Elysian Brewing is hosting its first-ever Dust Fest on Saturday, July 15. The street fest at Airport Way in Georgetown will include 45+ IPAs from Elysian + other local breweries, live music from the likes of Devendra Banhart, a hot dog eating contest, and more. Tickets are $35.

Open

Pioneer Square’s got a juicy new shop. The Lemon Grove at 165 S. Jackson St. specializes in vintage apparel like sweet old school sports gear, kids clothes, and even furniture. It’s open Tuesdays- Friday, 1:00 p.m.-7:00 pm. + Saturdays-Sundays, 10:00 a.m.- 7:00 pm.

Development

Ringing up a new Bell Street

Designs revealed for Waterfront’s Bell Street project

A look at what Bell Street would look like with a pedestrian bridge and protected bike lanes near the Seattle Waterfront.

Designs for Bell Street tease a perspective toward the Waterfront with an upgraded pedestrian bridge. | Photo via Waterfront Seattle

Ah, we love the smell of fresh watercolor renderings in the morning. Belltown residents can peer further into the future of their neighborhood now that Waterfront Seattle has released early designs for its Bell Street project.

The two-block stretch between Elliott Way and First Avenue is part of the larger, $781 million Waterfront development that aims to create comfier east-west connections from Belltown to Pioneer Square.

This section of the project includes:

New protected bike lanes + sidewalks
Direct access to Elliott Way from Lenora Street via an updated pedestrian bridge + elevator
Intersection with a traffic signal at Western Avenue + Bell Street
Seating and a gathering space at First Avenue + Battery Street (called the “front porch” to Elliott Bay)

The next step is to get designs about 60% done so the project can proceed for a 2025 completion date. You can give feedback on how things are looking so far.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Gabe

From the editor

This may be a shock, but until very recently, I had never seen “Sleepless in Seattle.” My verdict 30 years later is that it still holds up as a classic romcom and gives me floating home goals.

My hottest take: it was a prequel to “Frasier,” since it involved a phone-in psychologist and the future Niles Crane.

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