The Empress Fairmont on Victoria Island

The Empress Fairmont on Victoria Island, British Columbia

Unbelievable waffles served for breakfast in the main dining room- too pretty to eat!

The Tea Room

Ready for tea anyone??

First Course at Tea of Strawberries and Cream

China in the tea room - available for purchase in the gift shop!

Bird's Eye View from our window!

Chef on roof garden watering herbs and vegetables for the restaurant.

Honey Bees on Property making honey for the hotel's restaurants.

Gardens on the Empress Fairmont Property

Rose from the large rose garden on the Empress grounds.

Victoria Island is only accessible by air or sea, so we took a huge ferry boat over from Vancouver.  Arriving on the island, we drove to Victoria and checked in at the Empress Fairmont, a true grand dame of historic hotels.  You step into the lobby and are transported back in time to the  early 1900's. Beautiful details abound, such as the crown embellishments and old Canadian mail drops.  The gardens are beautiful to wander through and the hotel provides a relaxing experience.  A must do is the Empress Tea- a true legendary experience.  Several seatings are through out the day and it is served exquisitely.   I love the fact that the hotel restaurants grow herbs and vegetables on the roof and harvest their own honey.  Presentation of the food was glorious and inspiring,  the taste divine.  There are several restaurants in the old hotel, each offering different menus, from Indian inspired cuisine to local fare. Victoria was our 2nd city to visit on our west coast trip and my favorite. Antiques are plentiful, especially crystal, silver and china.  The views are breathtaking over the water and the town is charming.  More to come later on this special place. 

Sad for our Roses

4 weeks ago

 Today the roses in front of the house

 Today- the roses on the side of the house

A new rose bush brought over to us by our neighbors across the street- what a sweet gesture.

It was going to be a bumper crop of roses this summer.  With a warm spring, the roses in May were in their glory. We have never had blooming roses in May and we were thrilled,  The leaves were larger and darker and glossy- perfect specimens. I am so happy that I took lots of pictures of the beautiful flowers in May.  We were rushed to pack and  move my daughter to Virginia. My husband wanted to make sure the insects stayed away from the roses while we were away.  So he quickly grabbed the spray and gave them a good dose!  Unfortunately, the herbicide was the same size bottle and  color cap as the insecticide and you can guess the rest.   He  was hoping they would revive, but as I returned home from Vancouver without him,  I realized that it is not going to happen.  So I am on the hunt for roses- heading north to Wisconsin- I just have to get some before he gets home from his business trip.  This is very sad- those roses are his passion.  The neighbors brought over 2 roses and set them in the rose garden because they felt so bad.  Maybe if I can find large ones, we can have roses again by the mid summer.  I am hoping that the soil is not contaminated- if anyone knows  how herbicides affect the soil- please let me know.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia

The Steam Clock in Gastown

Quaint Street of Shops in Gastown

 The Grandville Public Market in Vancouver

Look at the way these fruits are stacked with such precision!

Unbelievable selection of pastas for sale!

Fileted Salmon display over a wide variety of oysters for sale.

 Bakery Goods at Grandville Market

Herb Infused Vinegars

 Gorgeous bouquets of flowers for only $15

  Watermelon Salad at Lift - a restaurant on the water with wonderful views!

Scallop Appetizer at Lift in Vancouver

A selection of desserts at Thierry - a boutique coffee and pastry shop!

Mr. RTH and I just returned from a west coast trip, visiting four cities in 11 days.  We started in Vancouver, British Columbia, then Victoria, next Seattle and finally San Francisco.  It was going to be a "foodie trip" as we wanted to explore the wonderful food markets in three of these cities.  Vancouver's Grandville Public Market was my favorite- it was compact and had everything  imaginable under one roof. The bouquets of flowers were large and amazing, the food presented in interesting ways, and unique vendors were found.  Maison Cote was a purveyor of wonderful infused salts and oils, such as merlot salt or raspberry rosemary salt.  

The city is surrounded by water on 3 sides and is modern, but has some historic areas such as Gastown.  The street is quaint, somewhat touristy, but I did manage to find a couple of interesting stores on Water Street.  A few antique stores are sprinkled throughout this area too!   My favorite dining experience was at Lift, a waterfront restaurant located near Stanley Park.  In addition to a  spectacular view, the food was plated beautifully and delicious. If you ever visit the city, put this restaurant on your list, along with the Grandville Public Market.  Go early, because it does get very crowded in the middle of the day.