Hot dogs and "apples" on the Fourth of July

Fireworks light up Lake Union last night as boats crowd the water - JOEY ANCHONDO / THE SEATTLE TIMES Cannonades corrumped, thundered and popped and fizzled, echoing in the canyons between the buildings below us. We watched fireworks from our rooftop roost last night. Above us, below the clouds, bombs burst in the air, flashings of bright multi-colors raining on the boats on Lake Union. It was a spectacle. It was a well catered spectacle by the Apartments' hardworking staff. For ten bucks they served us two glasses of Asti Spumanti, or a great tapped bitter ale, or cab sauv. etc. and a limitless tasty buffet of Buca di Beppo pastas, sandwiches and salads and cake-hole-sized melting lemon wonders.

They barbecued good hot dogs, too. It was a pretty nice party for a 234-year-old birthday, bargain priced. I've said before that the Garden of Eden was actually located at beautiful South Lake Union. It seems that these days the Washington apples are even more tempting for us country boys... So did anyone watch Joey "Jaws" Chestnut yesterday on the tube winning the 95th annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, stuffing his elastic mouth with 54 dogs in ten minutes on Coney Island? Four time consecutive winner of the 2010 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut In 2009 "Jaws" ate 68 dogs.