All cities are defined by the people who live in them, and there's just an independent spirit in a lot of the people who live in Seattle that is admirable. Seattleites aren't trying to be New Yorkers or Los Angelenos or San Franciscans. Seattleites aren't trying to be anything other than who they are, and that's why I like the city. I took my son Miles on a road trip there, just him and me. He had a little break from school, and I was restless. I think we were in Los Angeles and headed back to New York, and I decided to leave early and go to Seattle. I told Miles, 'We're going to dis- cover Seattle,' and he said, 'Let's go!' I think he was 6 at the time. We spent three, four days there. I rented a car and we went to the top of the Space Needle, went to the Science Center, and did the outdoor things and all of the restaurants. Miles is a New York kid, but he fell in love with Seattle.

tim robbins' seattle essentials

lodging
ace hotel, $65-$175;
(206) 448-4721
w hotel, $199-$1,000;
(206) 264-6000
elliott grand hyatt seattle, $169-$590; (206)774-1234

restaurants
cat's eye cafe, breakfast; $5-$8;
(206) 935-2229
espresso vivace roasteria, coffee shop; $2-$4; (206) 860-5869
palace kitchen, american; $11-$23; (206) 448-2001
patty's eggnest, breakfast; $4-$8; (425) 640-6600
queen city grill, seafood; $15-$25; (206) 443-0975
the rose club cafe, breakfast; $6-$10; (206) 725-3654
salish lodge dining room, american; $9-$98; (425) 831-6517
twedes cafe, diner; $2-$11; (425) 831-5511
wild ginger, pacific rim; $10-$30; (206) 623-4450
zig zag cafe, mediterranean; $8-$22; (206) 625-1146

sights
bill speidel's underground tour, (206) 682-4646
bumpershoot, music festival, august 30-september 2; (206) 281-7788