The Palm Terrace Restaurant overlooking Caribbean features international and local cuisine in an elegant, romantic setting. A delicious lunch on open-air terrace began with fresh Spicy Ahi Tuna and an entrée of grilled Mahi-Mahi, Herb Jasmine Rice with stir-fried Vegetables and Tabouleh Salsa. I tried hard not to indulge my sweet tooth but was completely won over by incredibly smooth and tangy Mango-Chocolate Torte placed before me. Who could resist?

Café Taboras is open for those seeking lighter fare, such as pizza, pasta, and other alternative menu items. You can also walk over to Piperade Restaurant at The Fairmont Glitter Bay for a change of scene and cuisine, as this lovely restaurant, with it's Moorish arches and cool ocean breezes, sits so close to sea you can almost feel salt spray on your face. Guests of either property have full signing privileges beBook The Royal Pavilion Onlinetween hotels.

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Kris King, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

Of course, a film festival isn't only about films that you can see. SIFF is also full of filmmaker's forums, where you can go to learn about various aspects of filmmaking industry, network with directors, screenwriters, or producers, and listen in on panel discussions about various states of industry. Even if you don't take time to attend a forum, you can get a taste of how a film came together, simply by hanging out at most films after closing credits and listening to director or star of a film take questions from audience. If this is your focus, however, be sure to pay special attention to program guide and see which films advertise that a guest will accompany screening.

Seattle doesn't have festival party scene that you read about with Sundance or Cannes, but there are some parties. The opening night and closing night galas are part of your ticket for those events and can be exceptional fun. We went to closing night film/gala this year and had a great time. The film was Passionada, directed by cofounder of festival, Dan Ireland and party was at new Elliott Hotel (Hyatt) at 7th and Pine Streets. The working class world of a Portuguese community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and grand lobby of Elliott didn't exactly complement each other, but they were both worth it. And how can you pass up a party where drinks are free, food is good, and you get to bump into stars of film or sit next to guy who inspired story of The Big Lebowski?

Now about those films: I saw 56 films in 25 days. Because of way films are scheduled against each other, it isn't actually possible to see all films in festival. Most of films were new, but festival was also doing a retrospective of last golden age in American cinema (the 70s -- a local theater was also showing 70s films as a festival sidebar), a tribute to cinematographer James Wong Howe, and its regular programming of archival films.

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Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com