Seattle, USA

We took a short trip down to Seattle to visit our close friends Jenny, Roberto and our Goddaughter Sabrina.  Jenny had planned a surprise belated birthday dinner for Roberto and we were very happy to be there to share in the celebration. We drove down with our other close friends Veronica, Cathy and Mandy, and it was a great to spend time with all of them.  Jenny decided to surprise Roberto and although he knew we were meeting for dinner, he had no idea about the birthday cake or gift.  Jenny make a booking at Salty's Seafood Restaurant in West Seattle (very close to where we used to live) and arranged for us to be picked-up by the Salty's limo from the Fairmont Olympic Hotel where we were staying.  The Salty's limo was very luxurious and comfortable, and the driver gave us interesting commentary about Seattle and the history of Salty's on our way to and from the restaurant.  When we arrived at Salty's, we were taken to what must be one of the best tables in the restaurant - right on Elliott Bay with a direct view of downtown Seattle.  The view was spectacular and we had a great evening, with great seafood and company.

  

David's Surprise Birthday Party

David is celebrating a milestone birthday this year and even though his actual birthday is only in October, I (Sam) thought it would be great to throw him a small surprise party during our visit home.  After all, what better way than to celebrate in Vancouver and amongst family and friends.  After considering a number of different venues in Vancouver for David's party, I eventually decided on the Salmon House on the Hill in West Vancouver and I was able to book the room that they have for private parties.  Unfortunately I had to keep the party small (limited to immediate family and a few of David's friends), as the private room can only accommodate a total of 30 people.  Fortunately the staff at the restaurant were a dream to deal with, so it made planning the party from Singapore very easy.  

Once the menu was finalized with the restaurant, I set about designing a personalized menu with some photos of David taken throughout his life.  It turned out to be a fun project and the end result was great (and fortunately I was able to keep it under wraps from David!).  The lunch included a seafood chowder, salad, and then a choice between Alder-wood grilled Salmon, Seafood Tagliatelle or Alder-wood grilled Beef Tenderloin.  The food did not disappoint and the great West Coast food that the Salmon House is known for was enjoyed by all.  David's chocolate and raspberry birthday cake was ordered by our friends Jenny, Cathy, Mandy and Veronica from reknown chocolatier Thomas Haas and it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. 

The Salmon House on the Hill is perched on on a hill and offers stunning views of downtown Vancouver, the Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park (I knew David would appreciate this).  Fortunately on the day of the party, we had the most glorious weather (blue skies and sunshine, something we had not seen a lot of since we got to British Columbia for our vacation) and the views were amazing.  David was under the impression we were meeting our friend Anjila for lunch and so he did not suspect a thing and was totally surprised. The party turned out exactly the way I envisioned it and it was a day enjoyed by all.