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The Observatory at Grouse Mountain

Raul — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:45:59 +0000

Generally speaking, I don’t go up Grouse Mountain unless I have something exciting to do. Doing the Grouse Grind is something I do once a year just because I have to. I am, after all, a Vancouverite. And it’s a strenuous hike. So, when I go up Grouse Mountain it’s usually for something fun. I had told JT I wanted to try The Observatory (I had eaten at Altitudes Bistro before, but never at The Observatory) for my birthday. Gentleman that he is, he wanted to fulfill my birthday wish, so he made reservations for the evening of my birthday at The Observatory in Grouse Mountain.

First off, you DO want to make reservations. We saved $70 just on the lift tickets to get us up the mountain. I was somewhat shocked at the price, but after all, it’s a nice ride up.

Your Grouse Mountain Admission is complimentary with advance dinner reservations and includes admission to the Skyride and mountaintop activities such as Ranger Talks at the Wildlife Refuge, Scenic Chairlift Ride, and the Theatre in the Sky.

We arrived too late to take in any of the Theatre in the Sky shows, but it was a really beautiful chairlift ride (plus, it’s always about the company, and JT and I always enjoy each other’s company). Besides, we both already knew much about Grouse Mountain (he hikes it regularly, I certainly don’t). The view is simply spectacular from inside the restaurant, and even from outside.

We could have chosen off the menu between a Prix Fixe ($125 with all the pairings, a 5-courses meal much like the ones I’ve had at Chefs Across The Water in Salt Spring Island, Parksville Uncorked in Parksville or Tastes of April Point in Quadra Island) or choosing A La Carte. We chose the latter because (a) JT doesn’t drink and (b) I wasn’t about to do a 5 courses meal for a dinner on a Monday when the next day I have to wake up early for work. It’s a really good value for your money, though, so if you have a chance, you should try the Prix Fixe.

We started with an Appetizer ($16 price point, which is on the higher-scale of Vancouver’s restaurants, from my experience). Having had good experiences with cold soups (I’m a die-hard fan of Spanish gazpacho), I ordered a Squash Velouté with brown butter croutons, pumpkin seed purée and burnt sugar gastrique. JT ordered Vancouver Island Venison Loin with walnut gnocchi, apple, celery root purée, licorice jus. Admittedly, I had just about everything I expected in the squash velouté: a cold mini-soup that was refreshing, sweet and cleansed my palate for a solid main dish. Just as an aside, I did not expect a large portion as velouté‘s tend to be sauces rather than main dishes, but it was interesting having it as a first course.

What annoyed me the most was the lighting, and after that, a screaming baby. As for the lighting, I know it’s lovely for a romantic dinner, and it really enhances the mood, but it made my photos look pretty crappy, even with the Macro setting. Oh well. It was all about the company, and the meal itself. And it was my birthday, so that was what made it all great. On the crying baby note, I did not appreciate having a little baby screaming in the same room, and I’m pretty sure my parental audience will not appreciate me posting this comment. Unfortunately it’s true. I totally understand going out for dinner as a family, and I get it, but it really did detract from my experience. It was, at points, impossible to talk with JT without getting distracted with the little baby screaming at the top of his/her lungs. Luckily it only lasted about 20-30 minutes.

For my main dish, I ordered a Pacific salmon (Ocean Wise, as The Observatory is certified) with 2 types of beans with a bacon reduction (this dish is not available on the website’s menu). Had I had the menu that is posted on the website, I would not have chosen the salmon and would have gone for Mission Trout with carrot ravioli, salmon roe, rose petal sabayon or the Albacore Tuna with bonito onigiri, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, shiso leek emulsion. Hands down. While the salmon was really good (and who can go wrong with bacon), at a $39 per main dish price point, I expected a lot more in regards to presentation/assembly. The green beans’ texture didn’t really go well with a delicate dish like the salmon.

Also, while I totally get why servers recommend a particular type of cooking style (e.g. for my salmon he advised me that it would come medium rare and I asked him to ask the chef to bring it up to medium well), it’s my dinner and it’s my food, so I do not appreciate being told what style my food should come (he did mention JT what he thought was the right cooking point for his dinner. Fine, that’s alright – not me). For his main dish, JT ordered Fraser Valley Duck Breast that was presented with ravioli and a greens salad (not the herb spätzle, cauliflower, hazelnut velouté that I expected from the online menu).

While from my write-up it may sound as though I didn’t have a good experience, that’s not the case at all. I did love The Observatory. The food is great, the service is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC (one of the servers took several photos of JT and me until we were satisfied with the outcome and how beautiful the evening showed on the photo), and the view is bar-none. That I am picky (sometimes annoyingly so) and that I like my food a certain way and an environment where I can eat without being disturbed, it’s also true. But I am pretty sure that having a baby that little and that was screaming to the top of their lungs is such a rare occurrence, it’s just unfortunate it happened on my birthday.

Verdict: Would I recommend eating at The Observatory at the top of Grouse Mountain? Absolutely. It’s an experience you must have at least once in your lifetime. And I’ll definitely be back, particularly when I see a different menu that I might want to try out.

I do love the fact that The Observatory is so focused on sustainability.

Sustainable Dining: We are dedicated to sourcing the finest and freshest regional ingredients available, creating memorable dining experiences.

Ocean Wise & Green Table-Certified: We are proud to be a member of Ocean Wise, a conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Look for our ocean-friendly options highlighted on our menus. All the restaurants at Grouse Mountain are also certified by the Green Table Network, which puts sustainability on the menu through innovative solutions that measurably reduce the impact we have on our environment.

And the view is simply spectacular. My photos don’t do justice to how beautiful Vancouver looks from the top of Grouse Mountain. Dining out at The Observatory in Grouse Mountain is something you must try, definitely. I’m glad I did, and I’m glad JT took me there for my birthday.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our dinners on his own dime, as he was taking me out for my birthday. Grouse Mountain did not know that we were coming for dinner so I’m sure we did not get any special treatment. As always, I retain editorial control at all times of anything published on my blog.

Feliz cumpleaños, mamá! (happy birthday Mom)

Raul — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:30:09 +0000

This year, like last year, I’m lucky to have my Mom here in Vancouver with me for her birthday. I’ll be taking her out for dinner (not sure exactly where, last year we did I think Quattro on Fourth Avenue, and this year I might do the same, but different location (maybe Gusto Di Quattro in North Vancouver). For me and my Mom, really where we eat or what we do to celebrate is kind of irrelevant. The most important thing is just to spend time with each other.

For me my Mom is my rock, my confident, my best friend and the person who inspires the most to work hard. On your birthday Mom, I just want to tell you how proud and honored I am to be your son. Much love always and I hope you enjoyed your visit with me and also with my brothers in Calgary and Los Angeles.

Feliz cumpleaños, Mamá!!!

Happy birthday, Melanie Hoyt! (@discolights)

Raul — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:03:57 +0000

The magic of Twitter brought me close to another friend (based in Chicago), Melanie Hoyt. I started reading Mel’s blog as it was focused on figure-skating. You all know how much I love this winter sport (perhaps the one I love the most – yes I know, I should love hockey but…ANYWAYS). While I missed last year’s opportunity to see Mel, I had a chance to meet her this year as she came for the Four Continents tournament, held at the Pacific Coliseum (PNE). To be quite honest, Mel was definitely the way I imagined she would be… smart, funny and a delight to hang out with. She’s a great photographer and I look forward to spending more time with her when the Winter Olympics are held here in Vancouver. Happy birthday Mel!

Happy birthday, Jeremy Latham!

Raul — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:30:38 +0000

Credit: Tris Hussey

I had the pleasure of meeting Jeremy Latham through our involvement in the Vancouver tech community. While definitely not as much of a Canucks fan as Jeremy is, I’ve learned a lot about hockey from our conversations. Given the current geographical distance (Langley-Vancouver) and our work schedules, it’s hard for Jeremy and I to hang out relatively frequently. But when we do, we have a total blast.

Jeremy is sweet, talented, and overall, a great contributor to the Vancouver tech world. We had a fantastic time at Northern Voice this year, and at WordCamp Whistler, when we did a road trip (thanks again for driving us Jeremy!) with Karen Hamilton. It was one of the most fun road trips I’ve ever had! On your birthday, my best wishes to my friend Jeremy – hopefully we’ll get a chance to get a small group of friends together and have a drink. Hope you have a wonderful day, Jer!

Happy birthday, Mom604!

Raul — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:42:37 +0000

I became friends with Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) through our blogging activities, and I had a chance to meet her Mom last year, a bit after her birthday (which is technically, today).

Last night I took the opportunity to hang out for a very short bit with Mom604 (whom I hadn’t seen in a while, probably since late September 2008) at the Vancouver Opera. Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive early enough (due to previous commitments) and we couldn’t spend more time.

Rebecca’s Mom reminds me a lot of my own, and I can appreciate that both of us have been raised with a great appreciation for family and a deep understanding of how important it is to make time for your loved ones, and to be there for them.

I look forward to that breakfast in Surrey soon, in the mean time, Happy Birthday, Mom604!

Happy birthday, brother!

Raul — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:04 +0000

A few years ago (we’re closing in on almost 8 years if my memory serves me right) I met an amazing young man, who was working in his PhD under the same supervisor that I was working on (although we completed our PhDs in different universities). Even though we were born and raised in different countries, our upbringing was pretty similar. Our parents (both his and mine) are amazingly loving, very warm-hearted, caring and supportive.

A wonderful twist of fate brough him to Vancouver and he’s lived here for some time now. We share a lot of the same musical tastes, a love for good food, a really strong sense of loyalty and friendship and a knack for very similar research goals. Not surprisingly, we are interested in research problems that are not only challenging but also relevant to society at large. Today, Earth Day, is coincidentally his birthday. Interestingly enough (and given that the Earth is a global system) our research is focused on issues that are complementary (he is an expert in energy and I am a specialist in water issues).

Our friendship has strengthened through the years and has solidified to the point where I call him now my brother in soul. He has been my rock when I’ve needed him, he’s called me on when I’ve made a mistake and provided comfort and support when I’ve been down. He has celebrated my triumphs and consoled me when I’ve failed. And he never lets me get away with any faulty logic. Our families are now close as well (my Mom and my brother who have met him absolutely adore him) and have even met each other.

On this day, and every day, I just want to tell you, my dear brother in soul, how glad I am to have you in my life, how proud and honored I am of being your friend, how happy I am that you have found a soulmate in CS and how excited I am to be an uncle later this year. You are a gem, and I am very, very lucky to have you in my life. Love you lots.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy birthday, Andy Peatling!

Raul — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:11:05 +0000

Andy Peatling

I met Andy Peatling (a UK-born, Vancouver-based developer and currently Social Engineer for Automattic, the creators of WordPress) a year ago or so, at the first Vancouver WordCamp. At the time, I clearly remember he asked me “are you on Twitter?”. At the time, I had just started to use the microblogging platform, not knowing it would become such a pre-eminent part of my life. And at the time, I didn’t know that Andy was such a talented developer. Not that I really needed to know that, either, heheh!

Credit: Miss604 on Flickr

Also, at the time, I didn’t know I’d become friends with Andy, considering that our professional careers are rather divergent. For developers and geeks all over the world, he is better known as the creator of BuddyPress (a WordPress Multi-User framework, better explained as Facebook meets WordPress). But for me, Andy Peatling is a good friend, someone whose company I enjoy, be it having beers at Public Lounge on Main or geeking out at Northern Voice, or simply chatting on IM. I don’t need to be a geek, and I don’t need to see all my friends all the time. That’s one of the things I have come to realize about the geek world… you don’t necessarily need to be in the same place, and you can still remain close to your friends.

I’m going out for dinner tonight for dinner with Gus, Tanya and Russ, but I will remember to have a few drinks to your health, Andy. I appreciate your friendship and look forward to seeing you sometime soon. And enjoy your birthday!

Happy birthday, Gus!

Raul — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:25:41 +0000

Credit: GusF

I met Gus about a year ago at a Third Tuesday event, my very first one as a matter of fact. Frankly, at the time I didn’t know we were going to become such good friends. I think you never know the gems that come to your life until you spend some time with them.

Gus and Russ have managed to make me feel part of their family, and both of them (and obviously especially Gus who is the birthday boy) have an amazing array of qualities. Not the least, an appreciation for good food, great friendships and, strangely enough, we like the same kinds of colognes

Wishing you all the best todays and always Gus, much love, many hugs and have a wonderful beginning of your 20sr, because as you know, 40 is the new 20

Happy Birthday, Arieanna!

Raul — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:03:27 +0000

Credit: Ianiv and Arieanna (Flickr)

Twitter and my blog both have brought me many good things, and one of them is new friends. Ianiv and Arieanna Schweber are two of the great friends who are also very involved with the Vancouver tech community. We have had the opportunity to hang out not only at local Vancouver social media/tech/PR events but also outside those avenues.

We recently went to Bin 942 and Browns Social House in West Vancouver, enjoyed some retail therapy at Pacific Centre and had dinner at The Red Sea Cafe. I was also lucky to enjoy Ianiv’s birthday party with them (even though I was really, REALLY sick that weekend).

I’m very glad that you and Ianiv are in my life, Arieanna, and I do sincerely hope that you have a wonderful birthday. And of course I’ll come to your birthday celebration even if, erm, I’m NOT on Facebook

Happy birthday, Airdrie!

Raul — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:00:00 +0000

So it turns out that I missed a great birthday party, but everyone knows it’s because I was in Mexico, otherwise, not even a hurricane would have made me miss it! Just wanted to wish Airdrie a very happy birthday, hoping we’ll celebrate upon my return with some sort of MargaritaCamp

Airdrie, you’re a great woman, an inspiration and a good friend. AND on top of that, I love Lip Gloss and Laptops Can’t wait to do a guest appearance talking men’s grooming/cologne stuff! Derek and you are two of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and I cherish your friendship greatly.

Here is a virtual birthday cake for you Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Dave Thorvald Olson!

Raul — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:57:36 +0000

Better known as Uncleweed or DaveO, Dave Thorvald Olson is one gem of a human being. Thanks to Rebecca (who wrote one of the sweetest happy birthday posts I’ve read in a long time), I met Dave, first through our blogs and then in person at EPIC 2008.

Dave invited me to be a guest blogger on HappyFrog, a FrogSquadder. Dave has provided me with much needed sage advice and comfort words when I’ve been down and wanted to quit blogging. And it has been Dave who has always encouraged me to branch out, become a podcaster as well, etc. He has connected me to many social media for social change folks. One of his most inspiring roles as a moderator really had me at “f!ck stats, make art!”“.

Below you can find one of Dave’s appearances at The Lab with Leo Laporte.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPQgJhmFMPk]

As very appropriately indicated by Rebecca, DaveO is an inspiration, a friend, a brother and a champion to many of us. To you, my friend, I raise a glass of tequila. Happy birthday Dave.

Happy birthday, Derek!

Raul — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:58:35 +0000

I started reading Derek K. Miller’s blog over a year ago, and I would always come back here and there for updates, particularly as he writes about topics that are rather near and dear to my heart.

In addition to all the stuff Derek has written about, he often provides advice to newbies on podcasting, blogging, photography, even Mac geekiness. Besides, in case you didn’t know, Derek is the co-host of Inside Home Recording, along with Paul Garay. And he has a great sense of humor. Besides, Derek’s even been Scobleized!

Derek’s viewpoints are visionary and I was blown away by his recent interview with the CBC’s Spark on the concept of a digital legacy. I consider both Derek and Airdrie my friends, and had a chance to hang out with them a couple of months ago. Good times indeed.

Today I read on Twitter and on his blog that he is turning 39, and I figured I’d send a big shout out. But hey, don’t drop the happy birthday wishes here – go to his blog and say “Happy Birthday”. Enjoy the bachelor week, Derek, and celebrate as much as you can!