Navigating Pike Place and Belltown: A Journey of Discoveries, Challenges, and Unexpected Wins
By Lusho Hambiliki
On Monday, June 24th, Cindy and I embarked on an exciting journey to Pike Place Market and Belltown. Our day began with reading the Sermon on the Mount, a routine that always sets a positive tone. With our sample copies of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly packed, we headed to the light rail station, ready for the day ahead.
We were welcomed by a variety of clothing stores at Pike Place and I've been looking for a sundress, so I made stops at some stores we passed. We walked for ten minutes till we reached the center of Pike Place Market, where the lively energy of the visitors and crowds surrounded us.
We explored every floor as we made our way through the busy market, but there wasn't much room for our monitors. Even though there wasn't much space for placing the copies, we were able to place a copy at Pike Place Chinese cuisine restaurant.
After that, we focused on the nearby restaurants, which were also hard to do because of the large crowds and lengthy waits. We decided to change course and headed up to Belltown. Sadly, the majority of the shops and eateries weren't open or didn't accept our copies due to closed regulations.
We reached out to Cindy Safronoff, who suggested we return to the U District to distribute in the local neighborhood. Before heading back, we decided to take a lunch break. I had my heart set on trying chowder at a popular restaurant, but the line was too long. I hope to return soon for a taste.
After some searching, we found a Greek restaurant where I enjoyed delicious Greek fries and Cindy had a flavorful chicken kebab. Having dined there before, it was nice to return to a familiar spot.
Refueled and ready, we made our way back to the U District. Once there, we began distributing copies to the local restaurants, finding them very receptive. We even gave out three free gift subscriptions. One store already had copies of our materials, which neither Cindy nor I had placed, making it a delightful surprise. The owner was happy for us to leave more copies, adding to our successful distribution efforts.
Though the day began with challenges, our perseverance paid off. We explored new areas, tackled obstacles, and ultimately ended the day on a positive note.