A Big Bite at the Panama Hotel

2/19/18 Panama Hotel and teahouse

The historic Panama Hotel and teahouse is a wintertime favorite for the Friday sketchers. With two floors of cozy chairs and tables, vintage photos, unusual décor, and tasty teas and pastries, it’s a fun place.

During past outings, I’ve always chosen comfy subjects like my food or other sketchers. I’m not sure what compelled me on this visit, but I decided to sit in one corner of the main café area and take on the whole long counter and room. It was like shoving an entire watermelon into my mouth – the proverbial bite of more than I can chew. Still, it helped to remember the principles I learned in Gabi Campanario’s “Pocket Urban Sketching” workshop that I took almost exactly a year ago. Even though I used a spread twice as large as a pocket sketchbook spread, it was a formidable challenge to get it all in. I usually manage two or three sketches at USk outings, but I worked up such a sweat chewing this watermelon that it was the only one I did! 

We had another great turnout, including a couple of new faces, and even a few hardy souls who sketched outdoors!

Vivian is holding my sketchbook for me!

Historic Panama Hotel - Since 1910

Made internationally famous from Jamie Ford's novel "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" , the Panama Hotel has a funky charm--nondescript on the outside but full of history and intrigue. Jan Johnson, a fashion designer who grew up in West Seattle purchased the hotel in 1985 and has renovated it and opened the tea house on the first floor. The shop is fringed with memorabilia and historic photos. They've even cut a window in the floor that provides a view of the basement where artifacts left behind by Japanese as they were forced to leave during the internment.

There were five of us there Sunday drawing in the tea room, escaping from the rain and cold. Disappointingly I only got one drawing done. And just as we were about to leave a woman came out and started straightening things. It was the owner, Jan Johnson. She was delighted to see our sketches and told us stories of some of the artwork in the glass cases. It was really a perfect sketching spot for a wet March Sunday morning. I definitely want to go back.

Sketches and Tea Leaves

            It was really great to see so many new faces at this month's sketch crawl in the International District. I hope everyone who participated in the Good Bones workshop had a good time and will join us in the future.

            Despite the terrible weather, I found plenty to draw at the Panama Hotel. I recently finished reading "At the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" and wanted to take the opportunity to visit the Panama Hotel since it plays a key role in the novel's plot.

            On the outside, the hotel is a nondescript brick building. At the base of the hotel is a tea and coffee house that is packed with artifacts from the building's history.

 

                The most interesting display is a window cut into the cafe's floor that allows visitors to peak into the basement where hundreds of Japanese families stored their belongings before being interned during World War 2. Trunks, books, umbrellas and other paraphernalia lay abandoned.

            The cafe also features a range of historic photos and newspaper clippings that illustrate life in Seattle's nihonmachi (Japan Town) prior to 1942. There is also a wonderful collection of books and art by various post-World War 2 Japanese artists and writers.

            If you ever have a chance to visit the Panama Hotel it is an interesting peak into Seattle's history. The Panama Hotel tea room also serves a wonderful selection of teas and coffee to help keep the Seattle blues at bay. I look forward to seeing everyone at next month's sketch crawl.

 

On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, the Panama Hotel Tea and Coffee House

Out of town sketchers coming to Stephanie's Good Bones Workshop got to see a Seattle style sketch outing..rain and all!  We were hoping today would be sunny and dry as it was forecast at the beginning of the week but you can never depend on the weather report.  So each sketcher had to find dry locations to sketch.  I happen to see Logan and Kay walking and asked where they were going.  They had planned to go to the Tea and Coffee House at the Panama Hotel.   I have always wanted to go there ever since I read "Hotel On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet," an historical novel by Jamie Ford set in Seattle during the Japanese internment.  This was a great opportunity to see the hotel and didn't disappoint.  It had the character and feeling that you would expect of these old historic ID buildings.

Other people had the same idea and soon Jane Wingfield popped in and then Frank Ching.  

Here is my sketch for the morning.