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A Month of Celebrations

July is a very busy month for us in our family.  We have multiple birthdays, our anniversary, the 4th of July...plus, it's summer and great weather so there is so much to do.  The month is only half over and I already feel like I've been celebrating non-stop.  But it's great and I feel like summer is now in full force which is my favorite time of the year.  Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday by meeting my friend , Marge, for lunch at a favorite spot - Ivar's Salmon House.  You can't beat the views here and it's like sitting out on a boat eating your meal since you're so close to the water.  In fact, many people pull up in their boats to come here to eat since there is a "parking lot" for boats.  

There is so much activity to watch, another reason we like it here; like the University draw bridge going up and down (and so glad we're not in the backed-up traffic which I have been many times! LOL)


Marge and I have been friends for 59 years, since second grade, if you can believe that.  Getting together on our birthdays is always a priority and we have so much fun.  Last year was hard because of the pandemic and I remember even parking lots were closed at parks because they didn't want people to gather.  The city made it so hard for us to see each other and stay socially distanced.  I'm glad that is over.  It seems like this summer is extra special because we missed so much last year.  Cheers to lifelong friendships.


I came home for a couple hours and then off again for my dinner celebration.  Bruce, Nick and Nick's friend, Jeff, who is like a member of our family all went to the Mariner game and sat in the Diamond Club that includes all-you-can-eat food and drink.  So, I figured they wouldn't be that hungry for dinner so I reserved a space at another favorite restaurant, Salty's, that is walking distance to our house but instead of a table, I reserved the fire pit.  Salty's is also next to the water taxi that the guys take to the Mariner games and an easy walk for them after the game.   My neighbor (who I often walk around the neighborhood with when we feel like some exercise) joined us along with my sister and her husband. 



It was actually too warm for a fire and we all ended up eating lots of food, despite the guys sitting in the Diamond Club.  But we all loved the coziness of the circle sitting around a fire pit instead of a table and it worked out just fine. We will probably do this more often.  The food is incredible at Salty's which is why it is one of our favorite places.  Since it was my birthday, I got their complimentary signature White Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberry Coulis.  It's my absolutely favorite cake.


Nick ordered their Black Forest Roulade that everybody split that was amazing.  (I also split up my cake for everyone to try since they give you huge portions.)


Add a nice after-dinner coffee drink of Spanish coffee and there you have it! Amazing.



The dinner food was also wonderful.  I had their Louis Louis salad


and an appetizer of prawn skewers.  Heavenly. 


Since we were sitting around the fire pit and not a table we thought it might be hard to eat but it really wasn't too bad.  We all enjoyed it a lot. 


Three days before this, we were also down at Salty's celebrating Nick's birthday.  Since Sachiyo and the kids are in Japan visiting family, our celebrations are a little more quiet but we are trying to make the most of it. Nick has never been to Salty's in the summer or had their signature cake so it was a given this is where we were going and it worked out perfect after a day of the guys playing golf.  
 

I spotted the fire pits there during our dinner which is when I got the idea to sit there for my birthday instead of a table.  Nick enjoyed his first complimentary birthday cake at Salty's and we also ordered a piece of Key Lime pie for us to share.  


For appetizer, we ordered their shucked oysters which is one of the items they are known for and since it was Thursday, it was One Buck Shuck Oysters Night so we couldn't resist.  Love them!


After dinner,  we took a stroll along the water between Salty's and the water taxi to take in the beautiful evening and views. 








We eventually went home and Nick played with his new golf clubs he got for his birthday as we sat around our own fire pit. 


This is what summer is all about. 












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