Seattle: Birthday Dinner at Scout

Dinner at Scout within the Thompson Seattle hotel was delicious. I ordered the rather manly dinner of a New York Strip Steak and when it was placed before me, this whole scene came together. This image could double as a promotional photo for my ANA cigar box purses, don't you think?

Our birthday celebration filled the 2 tables inside Scout's indoor wooden gazebo. The design definitely makes the party seem private while still being accessible. 

We took our time, enjoyed great drinks, a lovely meal and a chance to catch up on conversation. I highly recommend this chic spot in Seattle.

Seattle: Shrimp and the Space Needle

After shopping the Urban Craft Uprising at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, we walked a few blocks over and had a delicious Mexican dinner at Cactus. 

I found that a generous portion of shrimp fajitas and a view of the Space Needle was all I needed to sustain me as I rehashed and reviewed everything I had seen at the craft show (poor Dan). What I loved, what I thought was unique, what vendors should do to improve their booths, you know, the normal Friday night dinner conversation. As a seasoned art show attendee and a potential craft show participant in Seattle, Dan knew that I needed to articulate what I saw. The show was terrific

It was a great evening. I love living in a city full of creatives vibrating at their own frequency. I also love a not-too-expensive dinner within view of our iconic Space Needle.

An Evening on Lake Washington

I can't think of a gesture more kind than inviting someone from out of town, over for dinner.  You can find every type of restaurant under the sun in the Seattle area, but none can rival a casual dinner on someone's deck.  When the deck overlooks Lake Washington, even better.

Hotel living is fine in doses, but the square footage you have access to is "small x small."  Going to a home for dinner and moving in and out onto the deck felt wonderful. 

We could really breathe here.  Fresh air. No hurry. A delicious meal of grilled teriyaki beef, asparagus with lemon and a big bowl of fresh fruit. An Angel Food cake was the perfect ending to a very peaceful meal.

Bill Gates lives on Lake Washington, so I gave a little wave when this large boat when by, just in case. I owe a lot to Bill in terms of technology and I am interested and proud of the work he and Melinda are doing at The Gates Foundation. 

Look at the tip of Mount Rainier (above) glowing from the sun.  It turned colors as the sun set and we stayed until the last bit of light was gone. We are so thankful for the generous spirits in Seattle. I will always remember this lovely evening on Lake Washington.

Seattle: Montalcino Ristorante in Issaquah: Heavenly Halibut

My dinner at Montalcino Ristorante in Issaquah, Washington was the best meal I have had in a long long time. Heavenly Halibut, if there is such a thing.

The Montalcino, a darling Italian restaurant tucked on a side street in Issaquah, is a gem not to be missed.  A new friend tipped me off to this lovely restaurant and suggested that I book a table for a romantic dinner for two.  I am so glad I did!

From the reservation link on their website, I was happy to see that they use Open Table, an online restaurant reservation system that I love to use when I travel.  What I like is that my name, cell phone etc. is already in my Open Table profile, so when I log in and make a reservation, all the confirmation work is done for me.  Bravo. 

Okay, back to the dinner.  We were seated at a table for two in the window, and the two dinner specials sounded so good, we ordered them both.  Dan had a lamb dish (roasted with tomatoes and love) that he devoured and I had halibut with lemon risotto and spring vegetables.  I.Loved.It.  The fish was light and delicious. The risotto was flavorful and creamy, and the vegetables (carrots, roasted squash and broccolini) were perfectly cooked. It felt like it should have been our anniversary dinner. 

The meal was definitely expensive, but we really enjoyed the ambiance, service and of course, the meal.  We looked at each other over the candlelight and agreed that we will go back as soon as possible.