So Amanda had been planning this experience for a year or more
(since before our 4 year anniversary! I thought it would be sooooo fun but it was expensive so it wasn't something that we could do just for a normal anniversary). This year I finally gave her the go ahead
(not entirely true. He did say financially we could afford to do it, but I wasn't waiting for him to tell me it was okay to do this for our anniversary :) ). It was suppose to be a surprise but I figured it out before the day arrived. I would like to thank Amanda's Mom for making this possible. She came and watched Ella while we were away.
Here is just a quick run down of what happened...
Amanda had it scheduled a couple of months in advance. We were going to stay in the Anniversary Inn
(a themed bed and breakfast!) closest to Temple Square. (There are two Anniversary Inns in town.) This way we could keep the car parked and walk to the various sites. Well, on the MORNING of the first day of our stay
(actually within 2 hours of check-in), they called us and told us that due to construction they wanted to move us to their other site
just a few minutes away, driving.
This was the itinerary of our Anniversary Getaway. We would stay 2 nights in the Anniversary Inn Bed and Breakfast, each night in a different themed room. On our first night we would eat at a restaurant that we had a $25 gift card for that we got on restaurant.com for $2. The second day of our getaway we would spend time at Temple Square visiting the sites. I wanted to tour the Beehive House especially. Then we would do a session at the Salt Lake Temple before going to dinner at The Roof Restaurant in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Our last day we would check out of the hotel and then I would spend the rest of the day with my mom while she was in town.
(I hope that Amanda will look through this post and put her thoughts in.)
They are in italics
One of the nights we ate at 'The Roof', a restaurant on the top floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Earlier that day we went to the Salt Lake Temple. Before that we did some Temple Square sight seeing. We ate at the Lion House Pantry, a cafeteria style restaurant
(so good! The food was very filling and not very expensive), we toured the Beehive House, and we made sure we could find 'The Roof' restaurant
before our reservations which was good because we ended up being there just on time. That is where the above picture is from.
This is a table that was near ours. I didn't think of taking a picture before we sat down so I had to take a picture of an empty table. After all, who would want to look at a picture of a messy table?
This part I was able to keep a surprise. When I called and made the reservations I specifically requested to be near the window so that we could have a great view of temple square. I also made sure our reservations were late enough that we could see the Temple all lit up. We were also lucky and got to see the preparations for the annual Temple Square Christmas lights! They were working on them and for a bit parts of Temple Square was lit up too!
They had a pianist with a glued on smile. As you can see, the piano was unique
(acrylic!). It was nice having a live pianist play in the background of our dinner.
She was actually very good. She hardly used music and was able to hold a conversation with the meat carver while she played!
This restaurant was a gourmet buffet. The food was pretty good, nothing spectacular. They tended to have normal foods like pasta and meat dishes but they doctored them up with spiciness which I cannot handle normally let alone while pregnant. The big major part of the food was their dessert buffet! There was so many desserts to choose from! Different things too that Jared and I hadn't tried before like creme brulee and flan (I didn't try this). My favorite parts of the restaurant and probably what makes this restaurant such a great one is the live piano player and the view of temple square. Breathtaking!
ROMEO and JULIET SUITE
This was the breakfast included at the hotel. We stayed two nights. The food was the same but on the second morning I requested for both my drinks to be hot chocolate!
The food was actually pretty good. We were each able to choose 2 beverages ranging from juice to cocoa, we had our own individual fruit parfaits, and then we shared a cinnamon roll and a croissant filled with ham and cheese.
My Juliet, she is so good to me!
And you are to me, my Romeo!
I discussed ideas of making the room into a studio apartment.
The bed was up on this balcony and there was a huge TV directly in front of it. To the back of us, under the balcony, was the tub and shower. It was really pretty!
SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
This was the second room. The bed was in the tree.
There was also a fish tank that was pretty even though they had only one color of fish. Yellow I believe.
Each room came complimentary with Sparkling Cider and Cheese Cake!
It was a good two night, three day trip. My wife thought I was loony. We all know she is right.
I guess I was a bit blah at first. It was my first time sleeping away from Ella and the rooms were so decorated, it was a bit overwhelming for me. I warmed up though and was able to enjoy myself.
Well, there it is. It isn't much of an explanation but at least it is something. Hopefully Amanda will add some spice into it before anybody reads it.
(spice, I don't know. More of an explanation, yes indead :) )
