Each New Year's Eve, Jon and I celebrate with a dinner out in Seattle. We talk about the year past and set goals, personal and business, for the upcoming year. This year, because I'll be in India for New Year's Eve, we celebrated early at Salty's on Alki at their brunch buffet.

It was a near perfect morning. Sitting at the window overlooking the water, we could just barely make out Seattle through the fog and mist (the weather being the ONLY thing that wasn't perfect). A family of seals played within view for more than an hour. They appeared to be taunting the seagulls and begging us for some of our brunch.

I'm usually tempted to fill up quickly on a brunch but we chose to make this an event since I'd be gone nearly a month. I wanted to savor all the delights so that when I was eating my 20th meal of lentils and rice (as delicious as I know it will be), I could look back and mentally savor the peel and eat shrimp, Belgian waffles, fresh fruit and crepes. Therefore, we spent a good couple of hours enjoying everything we could!

My friend, Victor Janusz, was the piano man as he is for all of Salty's brunches. He stopped by our table and regaled us with stories of holiday cheer and while he was there, the chef popped by – Johnny Depp's brother, as Victor calls him.

Jon and I made lists (do more yoga, go to Germany in the fall, buy a new car) as we always do to kick off a new year. But this meal was bittersweet as it was our last Seattle meal together for a long time. After we visit NJ for the holidays, I'll be off to India and Jon will be returning to Seattle.

Wherever your New Year's Eve takes you, a Very Happy 2008 to you and yours.

Happy Travels!