Friday drive to Edmonds and Rick Steves welcome event.

Every year Rick Steves has an event in Edmonds, WA.  He brings all his tour guides over from Europe and they had a big planning meeting.  Then it ends with a time open to the public.  The guides get to talk about their tours and the countries and places they go.  He calls it his "Test Drive a Tour Guide".  It is all free.  If you have been on a tour the previous year there is a reunion party.  You can reconnect with your guide and maybe other people in your group.  Sharon, Kris and I have been several times in the past.  

On Friday, January 26th, Sharon left her place at 10 am and stopped and picked up Kris and then me.  We were on the road by 10:30 am.  It was an on & off rainy day but not pouring.  We stopped in Chehalis for lunch.  That was about half way.  We have been to Jeremy's before and like it.  We each had half a sandwich and a very delicious mushroom chowder. 

 

We left Jeremy's and continued on our way to the Holiday Inn Express in Shoreline, just north of Seattle.  We settled in and then relaxed with some wine.   

We had a 5 pm reservation at Anthony's restaurant.  It was right on the bay.  Luckily it was still light enough when we got there, to actually see the bay.  We decided to go with their special dinner.  It was a 4 course meal for cheaper than if we had just gotten the entree by itself.  And we split a bottle of wine.

a ferry going by

For dinner, we each had the shrimp cocktail, I had the blue cheese and shrimp salad, Kris & Sharon had the Caesar salad.  Kris had the shrimp and salmon duet for entree, Sharon had the lobster fettuccine and I had the steak.  Delicious.  I think we were each happy with our choices. 

For dessert we could not decide so we ordered one of each of the choices and they gave us extra spoons.  Chocolate sundae, Bailey's chocolate mousse and burnt cream.  My favorite was the burnt cream.  

Ahhhhh.

Then we drove into Edmonds.  We went to the Welcome event.  Rick Steves talked about 6 different countries tours:  Italy, Sicily and Ireland then we had a break with light appetizers and wine.  Then he talked about France, Spain and Portugal.  During the breaks the woman from Ireland and the man from Italy sang.  Very enjoyable.

Rick Steves

France, Spain and Portugal guides.  The middle one is Federico, who was our fabulous guide.

Federico

You may wonder about this picture.  On the main street leading up to the Center of the Arts, where we our event was,  there were LED lights actually in the street.  It almost looks like an airport landing field.  Lights to guide the way.  It looked cool.  

We headed back to the hotel.  What a fun day.  Nice of Sharon to be driving.  Kris was the navigator and I just got to relax.