My daughter took no chances on forgetting this morning, booking down the hallway before I even opened the door to the garage. So while Gus & Balsmic, Bernard, Baby Ralph, Curious George and Pierre stayed at home I was joined by Miriam, my wife’s favorite of the animals.

Where to go in this edition of take-your-daughter’s-animal-to-work day? Well, with the start of a new “water year” (and thick cloud cover) as harbinger of winter, my thoughts turned to books and reading. Did you know Seattle is one of the most literate cities in the US?

If you’re thinking books in Seattle, Elliott Bay Book is the place to go:

Located in the heart of the historic Pioneer Square District, Seattle’s original business neighborhood, The Elliott Bay Book Company is home to over 150,000 titles, set on cedar shelves in a series of inviting, exposed-brick walled rooms.

And go we did.

Miriam followed me to my genre of choice (history) and sat while I browsed a bit.

Afterward, she waited patiently as we dined on Curry Corn soup and espresso in the subterranean Cafe. It’s quite dark down there – the perfect moody place when grey skies and rain play overhead.