Good Times 2011–Part One

You know what?  2011 was quite a good year!

• Happy 2011 – nothing like ringing in the New Year with a great friend and an all night party!

January

• Started photography class – really interesting.  I’ve forgotten everything I learned.
• Thai at Home Cooking Class – I’ve raved about this class all year long.

February

• I met Chibi at a dinner party – little did I know that naked little Xolo was coming to be my new roomie.
• Chinatown grocery shopping – such fun.  I really need to do this again.
• Snowpocalypse – doesn’t Mother Nature know it doesn’t snow in Victoria?

March

• Chibi arrives – and never leaves. :)
• Culinaire Victoria 2011 – foodie fun at it’s finest.

April

• Chibi’s One-Monthiversary – clearly we’re a couple now.
• Curry Party – complete with delicious chick pea curry and refreshing Kachumar salad.

• Hockey playoffs start – and so do my incessant posts about the Canucks.
• German Sparkle Party – you know you want to listen to that nutty song over and over again. 
• Sooke Harbour House – one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had, complete with lovely overnight stay and gorgeous views.  {Part One} {Part Two} {Part Three}

May

• Empress Afternoon Tea – nothing but the finest finger sandwiches for my Mom!
• Backyard Shrimp Boil – bet you didn’t know this is actually where Michael and I met.  That dog in the photos?  Yep, that’s his Burl.  :)

June

• The one where I sneak in a mention of our first date – but don’t give you any details.  mwahaha.
• Trip to Vancouver – complete with Canucks Cup fever!
• {Post One} {Post Two} {Post Three} {Post Four}

• Tragedy Strikes – when the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup.
• True Spirit – stupid people rioted, lovely people cleaned up.
• V.I.C. Fest – local wine, local beer, local art, local music, local food, good friends and good times.
• Fernwood Bites – more local food, more local wine, more good friends and good times.

Wow, all of that went down in just the first six months.  If I ever complain of being bored please refer me back to my own blog. 

Part Two tomorrow.

Sooke Harbour House–Part Three

In addition to the amazing dinner and fabulous room at Sooke Harbour House I was also treated to a fun tour of the Inn’s gardens and edible landscape.  Almost all of the produce served in the restaurant is grown right there on the property…some in gardens, some in greenhouses. They also have an offsite farm!  You can read all about their environmental commitment here.

Garden tours are available to any guests (or non-guests for $10) but because Jane was there in an official capacity she arranged our own private tour.  She also knows Byron Cook, head gardener, from previous visits and interviews.  Byron has been with SHH for 23 years!

It’s a bit early in the season just yet, but I was amazed by the number of interesting greens, edible flowers, and unheard of herbs he showed us.

The grounds are absolutely full of fun sculptures and such.

Kiwi tree!

Deer eat most of the tulips so they had to resort to planter boxes or behind deer fences.  I didn’t realize tulips were edible.  But now that I look back I see there were tulip petals on our desserts!

Almost everything on site is edible.  Byron handed us little leaves to nibble along the way.

Into the greenhouses…

Jane doing her thing…

Bay leaves for the guests…

Violas for salads…

Even if you never have the opportunity to stay or eat at Sooke Harbour House, make the drive and wander around the grounds.  The gardens and views are beautiful, serene, and so very West Coast.

{Sooke Harbour House – Part One}  {Part Two}

Sooke Harbour House-Part Two

At first glance you might think that Sooke Harbour House isn’t so much a resort as it is someone’s big, comfy farmhouse.  I guess it really is just a giant beach house…with guest rooms for everyone!

It’s so homey! Almost every inch of the hall walls are covered with books or art…

Each room has a rustic, West Coast theme.  Our room for the night was #27…”The Raven’s Nest”…one of the Bird’s Nest Supreme King rooms.

Being the guest of honour, Jane had the amazing King size bed…

Which I tried to steal. :)

I had trouble getting a good photo of the amazing carved tree “growing” from the hand carved bed frame.

Every room has a food burning fireplace.  We were actually kind of thrilled to have chilly weather so we could have a toasty fire.

Dividing the sleeping area from the living room is a gigantic soaker tub…complete with ocean view. 

Since this room can comfortably accommodate 6 people if needed, the bathroom is quite large with two sinks, a huge shower area, and a deep claw foot tub.

The light was gone by the time I climbed the little spiral staircase to the loft area where I slept…but it was cozy and private…and would be perfect for a group getaway or kids room with it’s twin beds.

At 2am I climbed down the stairs to retrieve my fresh baked cookie from the wet bar. :)  They provide port as well but we never got to it.

In the morning we had breakfast served in our room.  This might be some of the most lovely French Toast I have ever seen…encrusted in chewy whole oats and topped with warm maple syrup, apples and grapes.  If only I could actually consume that much food at 8am!

In the morning light I was able to get a few shots of the view from our balcony…

Overall Sooke Harbour House is not a fancy place but it is a place that takes pride in providing a personal, comfortable, professional, West Coast experience.  Quality of service is clearly their goal…without being pretentious or complicated.  I could have easily stayed for a whole vacation and really fully relaxed and let my cares melt away.

(Of course, the in room facial I ordered probably helped with that!)

{Sooke Harbour House – Part One}  {Part Three}