The other Vancouver

We spent the holiday weekend in B.C. with Mom and Dad. Despite the two-hour wait at the border to get into Canada, the trip went smoothly.

Highlights include a fabulous Indian dinner at Vij's, a fun bike ride around Stanley Park, a lot of wine and a quick lunch in a Chinatown diner. We did lots of walking. While at the Granville Island Market, Mom got the idea of having a picnic, so we bought some smoked salmon, gorganzola cheese, olives and dolmas. Made for a nice lunch in the park.

While the food at Vij's was just as great as last time, there was another part of that experience that my mom and I will be talking about for a while. As we sat in the bar waiting for our table and drinking our first bottle of wine, I kept looking at a familiar-looking guy at the next table. Then, I finally realized I knew him from TV. I asked my mom if he looked familiar. Then, just as the hostess came to get us for our table, we realized who he was: Charlie (Dule Hill) from "The West Wing"! IMDB will have to do, we didn't go all paparazzi or anything.

We did have our camera at other points, though. Here are some pictures:

Seth at the totem poles in Stanley Park.

Totem poles.

We call this The Strut. Amy loves the eager "walk" signs in B.C.

More from Stanley Park.

Amy channels her inner fellow Oklahoman, Shannon Miller, by performing a flawless dismount from playground equipment in Stanley Park. Gotta love the bicycle helmet.

Us in Stanley Park.

Tim and Linda in Chinatown.

Amy takes charge of lunch plans. Tim and Linda are probably thinking, "Where are they taking us to eat now?!"

If you don't know who or where this is by now, too bad.

Downtown from Granville Island.