Seattle - Two days is not enough

It was easy enough, "Tweet us a photo where you spotted the Seattle Holiday truck to @CKNW for a weekend in Seattle" so I did.  I was attending my Christmas Party at the Brew Pub in Surrey City Center when they were having the Surrey Tree Lighting Ceremony when I spotted fun truck.  It was white with a Seattle Sky line display made up like a Woodwards Window.
A week later I received a tweet from the promotions gal at CKNW extending congratulations and asking me for my email so she could send me more details about what I had won.
As I read down the list I became more excited because not only did I win two night at Inn at the Market, I won a lot of other goodies as well.
Suddenly I had to work two nights into a busy Christmas schedule because the prize expired in January and wasn't valid for New Year's Eve.
I quickly booked a day off of work and invited my two young teens along for a quick adventure down to Seattle.

They had never been to Seattle before so they didn't have any expectations.   The Inn at the Market Hotel impressed me right away while I was making reservations and had to ask for a room large enough for three.  It was no problem for them to upgrade me to a "Market View" with two queen beds.  Valet parking was included and I later found out parking in Seattle is expensive and sparse.

Our Market view suite at Inn at the Market on Pine and 1st Ave.

We arrived before noon on Sunday morning and unpacked out clothes.
We looked at the map of Seattle and decided the Savor Seattle Market Tour was our best bet given we were famished and wanted to visit the market anyhow.  I called the front desk and they got us on the 2 pm tour.  I had to pay $39.00 for the additional kid.
We all met at Starbucks on the Corner of 1st Ave and Pine.  There were 11 others and our guide, Satana was a drama major.  We all put on our audio packs and he flipped open his bright pink umbrella and we were off on our Pike Market Adventure.

Our Tour getting underway.  Savor Seattle Market Tour

Daily Dozen Mini Donuts

Tea Shop

Sampled Salmon and watched them toss fish.

Brass Pig that stopped a run a way taxi and saved lives.

Fresh fruit and veggies available

After our tour ended a couple of hours later, we decided to relax in our room and make dinner  reservations at El Gaucho Steak.  We had a gift card to use in the prize package and the restaurant was within walking distance from our hotel
The dining experience was wonderful for myself and my kids.  We all dress semi formal and were seated in the middle of the room.  It was busy for a Sunday night which is a good sign.  It is a good idea to check out the menu online ahead of time to get an idea of what is available.  I noted the four dollar symbols so I knew it was a pricey restaurant.

We enjoyed several appetizers including soup and salad and some wonderful tender steaks.  The grand finale was the flaming Bananas Foster.  Once can't miss this table side show of Rum and Banana liquor being set a-blaze with a healthy spoonfuls of butter and brown-sugar stirred into a golden brown liquid of sinful mouth watering Carmel glaze.  Two fresh bananas are simmered in the sauce and artfully scooped onto plates with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.  The remaining sauce is quickly poured over the ice cream and bananas and then I forget what happened after that because I seemed to have been lost in the flavor and aroma of bliss.

Bananas Foster at El Gaucho Steak.


To be continued............