Joining the neighborhood during a night at a Capitol Hill B&B

The forecast was for rain and wind. Perfect weather for browsing funky mom-and-pop shops and cafes, then walking "home'' to relax by the fireplace before heading out again for a chicken dinner and a showing of the original Japanese version of "Godzilla," with English subtitles.

I've always been curious about what out-of-towners discover about Seattle when they see it from a neighborhood bed-and-breakfast instead of a downtown hotel. Now I know.

Forget glitzy hotels, Krispy Kremes, 16-screen cineplexes and high-rise shopping malls (there wasn't enough money left in the travel budget, anyway, once my colleague Kristin Jackson announced plans to spend big on a fancy, downtown hotel).

Give me coffee and the newspaper in front of a bay window, homemade cheesecake from the bakery down the street, a movie in a theater the size of a small cafe and shopping at a store with a sign that says "It's OK for cats to come in.''

I discovered all of this within walking distance of the Salisbury House, a three-story Capitol Hill mansion on 16th Avenue East near Volunteer Park and the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

The house, like nearly all on the street, was built in 1904 by J.A. Moore, builder of Seattle's Moore Theater Seattle. It was once owned by the founders of the Sunny Jim Peanut Butter company. Later, a family raised 10 children here.

Since 1985, it's been a B&B run by mother-and-daughter team Cathryn and Mary Wiese, and visitors from Vermont to Texas sign its guest book.

Check-in wasn't until 4 p.m. so I drove the 10 minutes from my house to Capitol Hill, parked my car out front and set out to investigate.

I've driven though this area many times, but never explored on foot. As I walked through the falling leaves, past big frame houses with wrap-around front porches, I felt like I belonged here.

This was a lot like the neighborhood where I grew up in Ohio, and much like the Seattle I remember when I moved here more than 20 years ago.

A block away along 15th Avenue East, I found hair salons and barber shops; restaurants serving Indian curries and Thai noodles; and shops selling silk scarves, holistic face kits, diamond rings and glow-in-the-dark jellyfish.

At the North Hill Bakery, owners roast their own pumpkins and bake ginger cookies the size of computer discs.

The wine shop next door offers tastings from a half-dozen bottles priced at $10 or less. The pub across the street serves North African carrot soup along with pints of Big Time Hooligan ale.

Four blocks east is 19th Avenue East, where I found Aine Dugan in her Holiday Gift and Craft Shop. She sells and displays the work of artists and stay-at-home moms who do the kinds of crafts you might find at a church bazaar.

Next door is the Kingfish Cafe, where locals brag about how long they have to stand in line for the chance to sample collard greens, buttermilk fried chicken and red beans and rice.

I like a challenge. The Kingfish would be my dinner destination despite its no-reservations policy.

Back at the Salisbury House, I sat in the library by the fireplace and mapped out a strategy as the rain fell outside.

I phoned my husband and told him to leave his office early. We'd get in line at the Kingfish by 5:45 p.m. so we'd be among the first in when it opened at 6.

Then we could take in the 7:30 p.m. showing of "Godzilla" (not to be confused with "Godzilla: King of the Monsters," the cut-up American version starring Raymond Burr) at the Little Theatre next door.

It worked. Maybe it was the weather, but there were only about 20 people in line at the Kingfish when we got there.

By 6:30 p.m., the restaurant was full and there were people waiting in the bar. But we had our table and were eating contentedly from big plates of chicken, mashed potatoes and greens sautéed in apple-cider vinegar.

Nonprofit filmmakers run the Little Theatre next door, and for $7 each we took in "Godzilla" and ate paletas, homemade Mexican-style frozen pops in flavors such as rice pudding, mango, cheesecake and yam.

After the movie, we walked back to 15th to check out the nightlife. This part of Capitol Hill doesn't have clubs or crowded bars, but there are things happening.

We stopped for a glass of wine at the Hop Vine Pub and a mini-concert by a jazz vocalist ($2 cover), then lattes at the Victrola Coffee House. It was still raining when we walked back to the Salisbury House.

We slept soundly under a down comforter in our upstairs "Blue'' room. The next morning we read the newspaper by the fire and helped ourselves to coffee. On the dining-room table was a hand-written note with the breakfast menu: orange juice, fresh fruit, blueberry-banana muffins and quiche with leeks, sage, thyme and brie.

I was ready to move in.

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