Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

We said goodbye to San Juan Island and boarded the once-daily ferry from Friday Harbor to Sidney, British Columbia. After passing a rather gruff customs agent, we walked into the town of Sidney to catch the #70 Express bus into Victoria. We climbed onto the double-decker bus after paying with our "loonies". We got a nice taste of British Columbia residential architecture and infrastructure. Everything seemed like a bizarro version of America but distinctly better and more efficient.

After checking into the Magnolia Hotel and Spa located just a few blocks from the Inner Harbor, we went in search for food that was along our Frommer's walking tour. Yelp helped us find a vegetarian spot called ReBar, serving up modern vegetarian fare.

 
 
The interior reminded me of Cafe Sunflower, version 1.0. The menu was eclectic, and we settled on hot dishes to warm us up.

 
Andy's Monk Curry

 
My dumplings. I had serious entree envy after Andy declared that the curry was the culinary highlight of the trip so far.

After the late lunch, we did a modified version of the walking tour, visiting sites like: Trounce Alley, Bastion Square, Market Square, Fan Tan Alley, and Chinatown. One spot that wasn't mentioned in the guide was dedicated as Antiques Alley, unfortunately it was too late in the day, and the shops were closed.

Building up an appetite, we happened upon a gluten-free, vegan-friendly pizza place called the Joint.



Although it was good for my gluten-sensitivity and lactose intolerant stomach, I would say it was okay. I will have to give Victoria two thumbs up for being a gluten-aware city.



View from Thunderbird Park to the Empress.



Sunset in the Inner Harbor.



Our second day started with the deluxe continental breakfast at the Magnolia, then we caught the #72 bus to Butchart Gardens. The hundred year-old gardens are the crown jewel of the Victoria area. It's a collection of one family's Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and Italian Garden. My favorite were the Sunken Garden and Japanese Gardens, and of course, the thousands of dahlias we encountered along the way.



After spending the early part of the day at the gardens, we returned to downtown Victoria, grabbed some food, and walked to Beacon Hill Park to see the Olympic Mountains across the Salish Sea in Washington State. This park is underrated, and we were lucky to get there before sunset to see the views.



On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for a pint at the Swans Brewhouse and ate dinner at the Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant.

San Juan Islands, Washington

The San Juan Islands was officially our first stop in our journey across the Pacific Northwest. Since we're based in Atlanta, we took a Delta flight into Seattle, stayed the night at the Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel (booked through Hotwire), and rode the 6 AM Bellair Airporter Shuttle from the Seattle airport to Anacortes. Just in time to catch the westbound ferry to San Juan Island, Washington.

All the travel went according to plan, and we were able to admire the scenery along the way as the sun rose.

 
We were picked up in Friday Harbor, the main town on San Juan Island, by our B&B host, who provided a wonderful experience.

 
She made me vegan chocolate chip cookies that were to die for (and with a recipe that she came up herself)!

 
Both mornings we had a seated breakfast with the other lodgers, and it was simply divine.

 
The view from our room in the morning was refreshing and serene. Andy and I rented a little car on our first day and drove an entire loop around the island, visiting American Camp on the southernmost tip of the island. This became one of the highlights of our entire trip. In just a short span of space, one can go from prairie to rocky beach to deep evergreen forest.

From there, we drove in a clockwise direction around the island, stopping at Lime Kiln Point State Park, English Camp, and Roche Harbor. Useful maps and resources can be found at the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce.

We found that dining on the island was terribly expensive, so we stocked up at the Kings Market each day for snacks, lunch, and dinner. We were saving our dining dollars to spend in Vancouver later on in the week.

On our second day, we took the ferry at Friday Harbor eastbound to Orcas Island. We rented a car right in Orcas Village straight up the hill from the ferry dock, and continued our drive on Washington State's newest scenic byway.

We made our first stop in Deer Harbor, then to Eastsound Village (stopping at a grocery store for lunch), and drove into Moran State Park. Up the narrow, zig-zagging road to the top of Mt. Constitution, we went up over 2,400 feet to catch the spectacular view that extended all to way to Mount Baker.

We spent the evening back in at the Trumpeter Inn with our new Portland-based friends over some scotch and food from Kings Market. They gave us tips for the Oregon coast portion of our trip which would be the final leg of our journey.

Our next time to the San Juan Islands, I hope to visit Skagit County (on the mainland), Lopez Island (which is part of the SJIs), and Langley on Whidbey Island.

Dan's Wedding, Edgartown, MA - Part V

We arrived on-site of the wedding and reception and were immediately blown away by the location. The event took place in the neighborhood of Tower Hill, an exclusive enclave of residences. I didn't think it could get any more exclusive in Martha's Vineyard! Despite the exclusivity, the wedding and reception was understated and elegant much like the bride.

I really liked the cheery color combinations that couple had chosen. The food was thoughtfully chosen, and I was amazed by raisins still on the vine.

 
 
I loved the tulips that popped up in the occasional flower arrangement.

 
The bride arrived in a dramatic fashion. The "Man of Honor" and Groomsman set out into the harbor to pick her up from a catamaran and rowed her to shore.

 
The lovely Mr. and Mrs. Dan Heacock.

 
Hors d'oeuvres were plentiful, and my favorite were the figs and walnut gorgonzola.

 
Dinner was light and tasty. I had the vegetarian option of spinach salad with sliced peaches.

 
Green beans, israeli couscous, wild mushrooms, and parsnips rounded out the meal.

 

Touring Edgartown, MA - Part IV

As much as I like sitting around the house while on vacation watching football, we took advantage of the few hours we had prior to the wedding to take a closer look at Edgartown. Frommer's publishes some nice walking tours on their site, which we happily followed.

In front of the Dr. Daniel Fisher House.

 
Old Whaling Church.

 
Vineyard Gazette.

 

 
 

Edgartown waterfront.

 

Martha's Vineyard, MA - Part III

The wedding festivities began with a "Welcome to the Vineyard" Party at the bride's parents' house in Vineyard Haven.

 

The house overlooks the Vineyard Haven Harbor. The views were unbelievable and magnificent.

 
The Loyola roommates on the beach.

 
Roasting marshmallows on the beach.

 
I mentioned sailing as a huge past time in Martha's Vineyard. A lot of the conversations happening around us sounded so foreign. Lots of stories about rowing and regattas. I think I'm going to have to take a course now!

Martha's Vineyard, MA - Part II

We arrived on Martha's Vineyard a day early to take advantage of the sites. Greg drove us and the Zimmers (another college roommate) out to Gay Head to see the Aquinnah Cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse. We passed lovely stacked stone walls and beautiful and serene beaches.

 
The Loyola roommates near "Lobsterville".

 
After our leisurely jaunt to the upper island, we drove into Edgartown, the main town on MV, for lunch. We were drawn by the waterfront patio and the menu of the Atlantic Fish & ChopHouse.

 
Sailing's a big deal in these parts.

 
 
 
 
Although seafood is the name of the game on the island, I was able to find freshly prepared vegetables, like this amazingly succulent asparagus.

 

Getting to Martha's Vineyard, MA

Andy's college roommate, Dan, was getting married on Martha's Vineyard this fall. We never pass up on a destination wedding, so we made the trip up to Massachusetts from Atlanta.

Getting to Martha's Vineyard (MV) is surprisingly easy. We arrived in Boston's Logan Airport and took the Peter Pan bus to Woods Hole. The bus dropped us off right at the Woods Hole Harbor, where the Steamship Authority offers an hourly ferries to MV.

We had about a half hour to spare, so we stopped in the appropriately named, Quicks Hole for a speedy bite.

 
I loved seeing the many varieties of hot sauces they had on hand.

 
Black Bean Baja Bowl.

 
And we're on a boat heading to Martha's Vineyard!

 
Another college roommate of Andy's, Greg, picked us up on the island, and we found our way to our rental house that we found on VRBO.

 
The house is located a little off the beaten path, but it was less than 10 minutes away from the wedding and offered a rustic and secluded retreat.

 
For the six of us staying in the cottage, it was comfortably furnished and most importantly, didn't break the bank!