Picture of the Day: Dragon-in-Waiting

The dragon-in-waiting at Floata Seafood Restaurant

Yesterday we went to a concert put on by the Vancouver Recital Society at the Vancouver Playhouse downtown.

It featured a trio of a pianist, cellist and clarinetist performing works by Gabriel Faure, Johannes Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven.

After the concert we headed to Floata Seafood Restaurant for an early dinner as it offers free parking and the food portions are generous.

However, when we got there, we were surprised to discover not one, but two banquets being held simultaneously to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Even though Chinese New Year ended on February 24, some groups are still holding their festivities.

There was even a dragon on poles that was leaning against the wall, waiting to dance around the room held by members of the local kung fu club.

The head waiter was blase when we asked for a table -- he started setting one up at the back of the room of one of the banquets but then changed his mind and took us to the other side, where there was a small room.

In it were stacks of chairs, but a space big enough for six people to dine. So he moved the table over here, throwing a white table cloth over the round table, and a lazy Susan. 

We marvelled at having this mini private room that shielded us from the loud festivities outside -- until the event actually started. We could hear everything because there was a speaker in the room we were in!

Oh well.

The good thing was that we ordered quickly and were served our food before the banquets got started!