Keto and Visitors....

My sister Debbie came to visit for several days, and we had a wonderful time! Moreover, I did not break my diet even though we visited several fabulous restaurants. We spent lots of time roaming Whatcom County and several days in Seattle. We picked Deb up at SeaTac, and from there, went to have a Chinese Dim Sum lunch at Steve's favorite, Harbor City Restaurant. This was Deb's first experience with Dim Sum, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I managed to dine on short ribs and tripe, using lots of hot mustard, so I wasn't left out. While Deb was visiting, we made most of our meals at home, so it was effortless to continue my Keto without any problems at all. We took her to see the sights around our area, including Blaine Harbor, Peace Arch Park bordering Canada, Deception Pass at Whidbey Island, a ferry ride to Lummi Island, Mount Baker, Whatcom Falls, and the beautiful Birch Bay Park, where old-growth fir trees thrive. On our return from Deception Pass, we took the long way through Chuckanut Drive, meandering past Larrabee State Park. We stopped by Taylor Shellfish Farms to pick up fresh oysters and used them for our evening meal, including oysters on the half shell and oyster stew. Delicious! The drive is beautiful, winding through a hillside that follows the Bellingham Bay coastline. Our visit was great. We sorted through our mother and father's WW2 era artifacts that were saved and protected by them.  We intend to donate everything to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The director appears very anxious to acquire the items, and it would be wonderful if they remained protected long after we're gone, so the effort was well worthwhile. Time flew by, and before we knew it, we were heading back to Seattle. On the way, we stopped to have brunch at AB Crepes in Bellingham. They are delicious, but of course, I cannot eat all those carbs, so my crepe came without the crepe. Steve and Deb both enjoyed theirs. Deb's was savory, and Steve's was sweet.  By early afternoon, we arrived in Seattle for our two-night stay on Capitol Hill at an Air B&B on Mercer St. It was great and perfectly located for getting to all the must-do's in the City. We had dinner that evening at the Palace Korean Bar & Grill in Bellevue. They provide all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ, and we enjoyed introducing Deb to the cuisine. We woke the next morning to a beautiful sunshiny day, perfect for sightseeing. We began our day at a brunch near Pike's Place Market at a restaurant called Bacco Café. The menu was lovely and had several items I was able to choose from. I chose Quiche Lorraine and enjoyed it while leaving the crust behind. Next, we walked right down the hill to Pike's Place Market so that Deb experienced the whole Seattle vibe. From there, we walked further down to the Elliot Bay Waterfront and spent some time looking through the shops and enjoying the sights. Later, we headed to the Space Needle and spent several hours there and perusing the Pop Museum. Then, we took Deb to Ballard to see the Locks. The Ballard Locks are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They are found just west of upper Lake Union and are part of what is known as the Lake Washington Ship Canal connecting Lake Washington, Lake Union, and the Puget Sound. While visiting, we saw several seals and sea lions hunting for salmon. On our drive back, we stumbled into an Indian Cultural Center and visited with the director, who provided a fascinating history that I've linked here. We returned to the house to rest and then made our way back into the City for dinner. We decided to have Indian food at the Kastoori Grill. It had many items that were perfectly acceptable for me, and we thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  Amazingly, these foods were also new to Deb so she had several interesting culinary experiences while we were together.  The next morning we returned Debbie to the airport and said good-bye.  Our visit was like a breath of fresh air and I am anxious for her to come back soon!