As an Elvis Presley impersonator rocked through The King's collection of hits - along with other party favourites such as Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline and John Cafferty's On the Dark Side - the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown's annual Christmas party was such a rocking party that no less than Burnaby's power couple, Mayor Derek Corrigan and Burnaby-Deer Lake MLA Kathy Corrigan were swinging and grooving on the Crystal Ballroom dance floor.
Politicos of all stripes were there in force, from councillors Paul McDonell, Sav Dhaliwal and Pietro Calendino, to Liberal MLAs Harry Bloy and Richard Lee.
Add in prominent Burnaby firefighters Jeff Clark, Miles Ritchie and Mike Hurley, along with Tourism Burnaby head Matthew Coyne, Burnaby RCMP Staff Sgt. Major John Buis, B.C. Seniors Games director Wayne Peppard and SFU's athletics director of advancement Steve Lewarne and you have the makings of the party of parties in Burnaby.
Hilton general manager Ed Jaskula, along with trusty staff Evelyn Gut, Adrienne Sutherland and Jackie Jones, were the hosts for the party that featured some of the best food and drink choices in recent memory.
Executive chef Tong Lim was overseeing the dining part of the festivities and his work on the scallops station was exquisite. The beef tenderloin sandwiches were also a hit, as were the ravioli, but the biggest hit and hence, the food station with the biggest lines, was the sushi station.
Everything from salmon and tuna sashimi to custom rolls was available to the ravenous crowd.
No good sushi can be eaten without a good drink, and with four different custom martini selections on offer - apple, candy cane, gingerbread man and chocolate - there was something for everybody.
The dessert and coffee table filled the lobby outside the ballroom and that area was quite popular amongst the crowd looking for quiet conversation.
The party even impressed Eda Koot, general manager of the rival Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre, who was present because of her involvement last summer with the B.C. Seniors Games.
Koot said that while the Delta doesn't have a similar Christmas party, Tuesday night's event may have her and her staff looking into a summer block party concept for next year.
Elvis provided some stunning entertainment all through the night, even performing on the table housing the martini station.
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