"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ Melody Beattie
Last night, Bill and I enjoyed another Valentine's Day meal. On Valentine's Day I surprised him with tickets to see Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan in concert at the University of Northern Iowa. Beforehand, I took him to a restaurant called Galleria de Paco. I've heard so many amazing comments about this place through people and on the Internet. The restaurant has been recognized worldwide and featured in multiple tourism and food magazines as a "must see." Galleria de Paco is known for it's unique dining area... it is located in downtown Waterloo and the owner has recreated the Sistine Chapel in spray paint on the walls and ceiling. It was amazing and breathtaking. The service was everything that you would want in a upscale restaurant, very attentive and they made us feel like we were the only 2 people there. The maitre'd even sat us in a special table at the window. The food... well, where do I start? Bill had a 4-course meal: shrimp puffs with lobster glaze, salad, halibut with spiced Brussels sprouts and finished with a chocolate creme brulee. I had the dilled Salmon with spaghetti potatoes and asparagus which started with an Apple, berry blue cheese salad (yum!) and a couple bites of the creme brulee. Everything was AMAZING, it was the type of meal that you took a bite and closed your eyes to savor the moment. We especially loved the chocolate creme brulee and neither Bill or I like chocolate. We do love creme brulee and thought it was an amazing combination. It was one of the best desserts I've ever had! As we were ending our meal, we were discussing how wonderful our experience was and comparing it to other restaurants we have been to that would be on the same level, Roy's, Oceania, The Dining Room, Linn Street Cafe, Miso on Meramac... We've had our share of amazing experiences. We've been so blessed to have made the memories and had the adventures we have. I don't want to ever take for granted this life that we lead. How incredible that this wonderful meal could lead us into a conversation about how fortuitous life has been to us. The part I'm most grateful for? Sharing these moments with my best friend.
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