travelogue babble - Sooke
Dec. 17th, 2011 03:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
salixbabylon1) Did I say that my stupid love of ferries was vindicated when we made the 1pm ferry to Vancouver Island at 12:55? Yeah, not so much on the trip back - we were here at 12:25 for the 1pm and MISSED IT. Grr.
2) It's not a big deal, because I am still feeling totally zen from two days at the Sooke Harbour House. We mostly did a whole lot of nothing, which is, of course, my most favoritest thing to do. We took a nice brisk (cold!) walk out to the end of Wiffen Spit (not whiff-n-spit). A local preschool had decorated a tree midway out with homemade ornaments and stuff, and the path out had "hidden" laminated pictures of the 12 Days of Christmas items. Fun!
3) The people at the B&B were so nice, and everything was just *nice*. Not like crystal and silver elegance like the Empress, but cozy and delightful. The room had a bottle of champagne to welcome us, and port, chocolates, and cookies every night. Breakfast was delivered to the room, standard protocol, and every room has an outdoor tub or jacuzzi, indoor steam shower, and fireplace. It's cozy, homey luxury as opposed to stiff elegance. We had a tour of the gardens in the morning, and then just relaxed and steamed/saunaed/bathed the rest of the day. (Oh, and there are infrared saunas on each floor.)
The bath… I have to talk about the bath. It’s a sunken tub, outside, big enough for two cozy people or one to spread out. It’s a regular tub so you can use the LUSH bubble bars which made an actual literal FOOT OF BUBBLES! Like, elbow to fingertip, and higher at the edges. It was in a patio enclosed on three sides, with the other side open to the garden and, beyond, the beach. So you’re laying there in hot water, steam rising up through the bubbles, the sound of waves in just off the patio… Utter bliss. Best bath of my life, hands down.
I want one of those tubs at my house. I wonder how hard that would be to get set up…
4) The food... *swoon* Foodie heaven. The first night I made the mistake of drinking far too much - two whole glasses = twice my usual! I had the local greens salad which had a lovely interesting dressing and crispy bits that turned out to be fried porphyra seaweed. G had a tomato fennel blue cheese soup that he enjoyed (blech - tomatoes).
Firsts were a fillet of sole for me, crispy and delicate melt-in-your mouth, and some kind of yummy mushrooms (chanterelles?), and sauces. G had duck confit lasagna, which he said was only lasagna in the loosest sense, but delicious - and pastaless?
Seconds were unfortunately overshadowed by the fact that I wasn't tipsy, flushed, or giddy - I was fucking *drunk*. I had a fish I can't remember other than that it was good and that it was tuna, and G had a pork tenderloin with a barley risotto. We both had the chocolate square for dessert, which I *do* remember (I know, I know - priorities!). It was a layer of chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache, with blackberry puree. Most of the time mousse is either too sickening sweet or avant garde/film noire/swanky-pants bittersweet chocolate that isn't sweet at all and just bitter. This was the perfect balance.
Last night I managed to stay sober by limiting myself to one glass of wine, a rose' pinot noir that was very drinkable, which is what I like in wine.
First course was the salad for G, and a soup that I think was parsnip, spinach, and apple but tasted mostly like split pea that was fantastic.
Seconds we both got the ballotine of chicken, duck liver, and fennel. I was not terribly impressed with the texture or flavor, but it benefited a lot from the berry sauce nearby. The real standout was the shredded savoy cabbage with bacon that was fantastic. Like, I hate cabbage, and I would order this all by itself. It was that good.
Note: I really need a cookbook that covers these sorts of delicious sides and sauces. Most of the how-to-cook-vegetables cookbooks I have are vegetarian. I am totally okay with frying things in lard, I just want it to taste good! Maybe there's a chapter in Julia Child...
We also got the same main course - wild pheasant, with more yummy sauces and some cranberry-type relish. We finished with a hazelnut mousse square for me, with some fruit, and a creme brulee with quince poached, pureed, and syrup for G. A bit lighter dessert, but equally good.
5) What? I like food. And my jeans aren't any tighter than they were two days ago, so it's fine. ;) My travel-diet concept is to eat breakfast with protein, healthy snacks for lunch, some walking, and an indulgent dinner that doesn’t leave you feeling stuffed. It works for me, and usually my scale says I weight less when I get home, so win-win.
6) 10 days is too long for an unfocused vacation, I think. Ready to go home, but still have two more days. Decided to spend them in Seattle, hopefully hook up with a friend and maybe check out a museum or something... Pics coming soon!
2) It's not a big deal, because I am still feeling totally zen from two days at the Sooke Harbour House. We mostly did a whole lot of nothing, which is, of course, my most favoritest thing to do. We took a nice brisk (cold!) walk out to the end of Wiffen Spit (not whiff-n-spit). A local preschool had decorated a tree midway out with homemade ornaments and stuff, and the path out had "hidden" laminated pictures of the 12 Days of Christmas items. Fun!
3) The people at the B&B were so nice, and everything was just *nice*. Not like crystal and silver elegance like the Empress, but cozy and delightful. The room had a bottle of champagne to welcome us, and port, chocolates, and cookies every night. Breakfast was delivered to the room, standard protocol, and every room has an outdoor tub or jacuzzi, indoor steam shower, and fireplace. It's cozy, homey luxury as opposed to stiff elegance. We had a tour of the gardens in the morning, and then just relaxed and steamed/saunaed/bathed the rest of the day. (Oh, and there are infrared saunas on each floor.)
The bath… I have to talk about the bath. It’s a sunken tub, outside, big enough for two cozy people or one to spread out. It’s a regular tub so you can use the LUSH bubble bars which made an actual literal FOOT OF BUBBLES! Like, elbow to fingertip, and higher at the edges. It was in a patio enclosed on three sides, with the other side open to the garden and, beyond, the beach. So you’re laying there in hot water, steam rising up through the bubbles, the sound of waves in just off the patio… Utter bliss. Best bath of my life, hands down.
I want one of those tubs at my house. I wonder how hard that would be to get set up…
4) The food... *swoon* Foodie heaven. The first night I made the mistake of drinking far too much - two whole glasses = twice my usual! I had the local greens salad which had a lovely interesting dressing and crispy bits that turned out to be fried porphyra seaweed. G had a tomato fennel blue cheese soup that he enjoyed (blech - tomatoes).
Firsts were a fillet of sole for me, crispy and delicate melt-in-your mouth, and some kind of yummy mushrooms (chanterelles?), and sauces. G had duck confit lasagna, which he said was only lasagna in the loosest sense, but delicious - and pastaless?
Seconds were unfortunately overshadowed by the fact that I wasn't tipsy, flushed, or giddy - I was fucking *drunk*. I had a fish I can't remember other than that it was good and that it was tuna, and G had a pork tenderloin with a barley risotto. We both had the chocolate square for dessert, which I *do* remember (I know, I know - priorities!). It was a layer of chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache, with blackberry puree. Most of the time mousse is either too sickening sweet or avant garde/film noire/swanky-pants bittersweet chocolate that isn't sweet at all and just bitter. This was the perfect balance.
Last night I managed to stay sober by limiting myself to one glass of wine, a rose' pinot noir that was very drinkable, which is what I like in wine.
First course was the salad for G, and a soup that I think was parsnip, spinach, and apple but tasted mostly like split pea that was fantastic.
Seconds we both got the ballotine of chicken, duck liver, and fennel. I was not terribly impressed with the texture or flavor, but it benefited a lot from the berry sauce nearby. The real standout was the shredded savoy cabbage with bacon that was fantastic. Like, I hate cabbage, and I would order this all by itself. It was that good.
Note: I really need a cookbook that covers these sorts of delicious sides and sauces. Most of the how-to-cook-vegetables cookbooks I have are vegetarian. I am totally okay with frying things in lard, I just want it to taste good! Maybe there's a chapter in Julia Child...
We also got the same main course - wild pheasant, with more yummy sauces and some cranberry-type relish. We finished with a hazelnut mousse square for me, with some fruit, and a creme brulee with quince poached, pureed, and syrup for G. A bit lighter dessert, but equally good.
5) What? I like food. And my jeans aren't any tighter than they were two days ago, so it's fine. ;) My travel-diet concept is to eat breakfast with protein, healthy snacks for lunch, some walking, and an indulgent dinner that doesn’t leave you feeling stuffed. It works for me, and usually my scale says I weight less when I get home, so win-win.
6) 10 days is too long for an unfocused vacation, I think. Ready to go home, but still have two more days. Decided to spend them in Seattle, hopefully hook up with a friend and maybe check out a museum or something... Pics coming soon!
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-18 01:09 am (UTC)I'm glad you are having fun wandering. I've found I can't take too long of a vacation no matter whether there is focus or not. Even with having a blast on the cruise, it was 5 days and by the last day, I was ready to go home.
I wandered around Seattle a few years ago. I liked it. If it hadn't been so bleepin' cold, I may have stayed. Of course, I was there in the summer and kept my sweatshirt with me the whole time, so that was a no-go.
ENJOY YOURSELF, DARLING!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 04:33 am (UTC)I'ts been cold. Not too bad, but... weird. *g*
no subject
Date: 2011-12-18 01:31 am (UTC)And I like that travel diet idea. Maybe I should try it for the New Year like a regular diet... lol
And I've never been to a B and B... Was there a lot of people at the place, or only a few, or just the two of you?
I love going on the metro rail (I live about two hours from D.C. so we went to the Natural History Museum a lot growing up, but I've only used the metro rail like five times, and I feel that is the most enjoyable part of the trips... ) and enjoy museums as well... Not much into art museums though... I don't seem to have deep thought-invoking feelings while looking at art, other than to say pretty, oh, and ah....
In fact, your Friday posts are much more interesting than the Art museum I went to for Art History... lol
I can't wait to see the pics... Did you get some of the room itself?
I can't wait! Sincerely,
S
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 04:40 am (UTC)My new diet plan for the year is "if it's not delicious, don't eat it." Should save me a lot of crappy carbs.
The B&Bs were all a little different. Mostly it seemed like one couple every 3 or 4 rooms - so the places with 8 rooms, there were 2 couples, and so on. Those were weekday, off-season of course, and they can be pretty packed during the peak times. It all depends on the place, I guess, but we were lucky enough to feel like it was quite private.
I haven't been to DC yet, although probably in the next year, since I have some twin neices to meet.
More pics coming, but not of the room at Sooke Harbour house. But you're in luck - there's a web gallery: http://www.sookeharbourhouse.com/room-21-the-hummingbird-room/
no subject
Date: 2011-12-20 05:41 am (UTC)The wooden hummingbird is quite cute!
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Date: 2011-12-18 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 04:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-18 06:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 04:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-18 11:14 am (UTC)*loves and smooshes*
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Date: 2011-12-19 04:55 am (UTC)Thanks for reading!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-18 09:44 pm (UTC)*hugs* Glad you're having such a wonderful time!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 04:56 am (UTC)