Vancouver and Southbound....

The cactus leaves around here don't change color much in the fall. But... they do change colors in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Hubby and I headed north for a lovely 4-day visit to Vancouver and then a 4-night cruise aboard Holland America south to San Diego. Our friends were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and we joined them for a terrific week.

Flying to Vancouver was super easy aboard the in-town airline, USAirways. We love Southwest, but they don't fly to Vancouver. Left Phoenix at 95 degrees and arrived in Vancouver to rain-rain-rain. It was chilly and a bit dreary when we landed, but who cares... it was chilly!!! We stayed at the Sheraton Wall Centre on Burrard Street which was centrally located to everywhere we wanted to visit. Vancouver is a very cosmopolitan city and very walkable as well. Take a peek at the fall colors.

After checking in to our hotel, we headed out to Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug. This little bit of a pub was warm and cozy with a big table in back for our party of eight. Lots of beers to choose from and super-friendly service. We sampled shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, colcannon, poutine, and mini yorkshire puddings (yorkies!) Great food for a little Irish pub. Check them out @ 1033 Granville in the downtown area of Vancouver. Their website has more info at www.johnniefox.ca.

Day Two - bright and early, Jeff and I headed out for a morning walk to Stanley Park. This immense city park sits on 5 miles of shoreline and encompasses not only a beach walk, but a riparian area, rose garden, flocks of Canadian Geese, totem poles, and groves of coastal redwoods too. The hiking trails are marvelous and though it was raining, the canopy kept us dry. There's a nice little Teahouse out on the shoreline, but it wasn't open when we passed. Maybe next time.

We stopped into a place called Miura Waffle & Milk Bar for brunch. This teeny little place serves waffle sandwiches (savory or sweet) and a variety of flavored milks. So interesting and pretty flavorful. We shared an omelette waffle sandwich and a caramel banana waffle sandwich. I haven't ever had anything remotely like this and would definately try making these at home in the future. Who thinks up this stuff?? Miura is @ 829 Davie Street near Hornby in downtown Vancouver.

 

Great dinner this evening too at a place called Zeffirelli's Italian. The ambience upon entering was lovely with low lights and candles, very intimate. The smells from the open kitchen were absolutely heavenly - fresh bread and grilled meats. Our server, Gail, made us feel welcome right away serving from a pretty decent wine list. From the fresh-baked bread through the olives and pesto, to the rib-eye steak and fresh salmon, and the creamy mushroom risotto - we were so pleased. But... the lemon tart was to die for. Really, you should take the time to visit them at 1136 Robson Street, also in the heart of downtown Vancouver. And check out their offerings at www.zeffirelli.com too.

Next morning we rented a car and drove to the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. It may feel a bit touristy, but I have long wanted to conquer my fears of heights and bridges and traipse across this bridge. And traipse I did! We also skipped amidst the giant trees on their canopy walk, and hugged the cliff of the new (and architecturally sound) cliff walk. The weather in October is really perfect for getting out and about and the towering trees were truly beautiful. Great morning adventure for sure. This website www.capbridge.com will give you all the particulars.

 

 

 

Do you ever watch Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network? Well, we do. Guy Fieri visited The Tomahawk BBQ in North Vancouver and we did too. Great little place smack in the middle of a neighborhood. Houses all around and we missed it driving by the first time. It's an easy drive, just a few miles away from Capilano. The decor is traditional First Nations with sculptures, paintings, weapons, and more all around the little place. Lots of burgers to choose from with toppings like fried eggs, wieners, and all the usual trimmings. Really tasty stuff all around. The yam fries were crispy and sweet, but the banana cream pie turned our heads and filled our tummies. We chatted with the owner and he shared a picture of the place when his folks opened it over 85 years ago. What a gem! Check them out at www.tomahawkrestaurant.com. No pics here though, sacred stuff inside.

 

 

Our last good meal was probably the best of the entire visit. It's a warm and inviting little place in Yaletown called The Flying Pig. Luscious scents of garlic and pork as we entered with hungry bellies at lunchtime. We were greeted warmly and started with a few local beers. The amber from Granville Brewing was the perfect complement to my three-pea soup, garlic cheese toast, and crispy brussel sprouts. Jeff's poutine was unbelievable with crispy french fries, creamy cheese curds, pulled pork and gravy all over the place. Did I mention that it was DELICIOUS?? Fly on over to The Flying Pig located @ 1168 Hamilton. Their website can be found at www.theflyingpigvan.com.

 

 

 

We boarded the Holland America Zaandam in Vancouver for a quick 4-night cruise to San Diego. Thesmaller Zaandam is beautifully decorated with a musical theme throughout. Autographed guitars, a saxophone previously owned by former president, Bill Clinton, and antique pianos combine with an old-fashioned pipe organ and coordinating musically-themed fabrics. I really enjoyed the size of this ship as it was quite easy to navigate and familiarize myself early on. Our cabin was an ocean-view (no balcony) and was quite large with tons of cabinet space and four closets. If I were taking a long cruise, this cabin would be ideal.

 

 

 

Staff was gracious and helpful for the most part and the few bars on board were staffed with friendly bartenders. The food was really hit and miss on this little cruise though in the dining room. The Pinnacle Grill was stupendous however and we dined near the head of the Hotel staff which ensured terrific service I think.

 

We visited only one port, Victoria, for a few morning hours. Victoria is such a pretty city with flowers everywhere. We walked to the Craigdarroch Castle from the port. It was about an hour's walk and we thoroughly enjoyed both the walk and the visit to this 4-story marvel.This place was built in 1890 for coal baron Robert Dunsmuir and his family. Great history and local lore surround this place. I highly recommend a visit.  Craigdarroch Castle is located at 1050 Joan Crescent in Victoria and their website with lots more info is www.thecastle.ca.

 

 

The ocean was pretty calm sailing from Victoria to San Diego and the days passed very quickly. I would sail Holland America again, and I would sail the Zaandam again. But... I wouldn't sail a 4-day with them as we feel they treated this portion of the cruise as a toss-away. If it were your first time cruising you might not notice, but we noticed little things that made us wonder. We overheard staff saying things like, "it's only a 4-day" or "just wait till the next trip, it's longer." Pay attention HAL! Their website can be found at www.hollandamerica.com.

 

Until next time my friends....

:) Deb 





The Girls Take San Francisco!

A trip with my niece is long overdue and we decided on a trip to San Francisco. Mid-August temps in the 60's made for a great weekend with both my mom and my niece. Love them!

After a tricky and convoluted take-off in both Phoenix and Los Angeles, we made our way to the glorious City by the Bay. Our comfortable stay at the Marriott Marquis @ 55 Fourth Street near Union Square couldn't have been more perfect. The hotel is centrally located to all modes of transportation - train from the airport, cable car to Fisherman's Wharf, public bus and MUNI, and the electric trolley too. Of course, our best mode of transportation was our feet and we walked everywhere. You can find this beautiful Marriott and others at www.marriott.com. Information on riding public transportation can be found at www.sfmta.com and www.transit511.org and www.bart.com.

First day in and we wandered through Chinatown enjoying the fast-pace and delightfully friendly shop keepers. There are some true deals to be had here and I saw some beautiful scarves for less than $10 that I wished I had brought home. There's always next time! We stopped into The House of Dim Sum and sampled some delicious barbecue pork buns and egg custard tarts. So tasty. Then we wandered over to the Fortune Cookie Company on Ross Alley and sampled the warm flat cookies too. Of course we had to get a small bag for ourselves and enjoy our forturnes for a day or two.  We had hoped for a sammie at Wexler's on Sacramento, but their kitchen closed at 2:30pm. Sure wish I had seen that on their website!! No problem, we wandered on back towards our hotel and had a delicious meal at Tropisueno's. This authentic Mexican restaurant served up the most delectable trio of salsas with fresh tortilla chips and another trio of beans with our meal. Mom and I shared the Adobe Chicken that was moist and tender with their house veggies. Kris had an enchilada dinner that was truly yummy. I would highly recommend this place to any visitor in the area. Check out their menu, hours, and location at www.tropisueno.com. You'll love it.

Day Two had us heading out to the Golden Gate Bridge (via the bus) and taking a walk out to the middle. The day was pretty foggy and misty, as is usual for San Francisco, and we loved it. Coming from 112 temps in Phoenix, this was a treat. Take a peek...

 



We hopped on the MUNI bus stop right at the bridge/toll plaza stop and rode to Golden Gate Park. I have never been here on my trips to San Fran and really wanted to see it. We saw about one-third of this gorgeous city park. It's very similar in its beauty to Central Park in New York, but I can't gauge the size comparison. We wandered through the blooming rose garden, and into the Japanese Tea Garden. You'll need to fork out $7 to enter here, but it was well-worth the price.

We had a lovely snack at the Tea Garden with sushi, small sandwiches, and warm miso soup. That was very welcome as the temps were in the high 50's and we were a bit chilled. This garden was tranquil and lovely and wandering here gave us such a sense of calm. We continued our stroll through Shakespeare's Garden...

Took a ride on their magnificent 1914 Carousel....

And walked meditatively through the AIDS Memorial Grove...

A truly beautiful park set amidst the hub-bub of a big city. Truly lovely experience.

My mom was interested in visiting Haight/Ashbury, the center of peace and love and hippies in the 70's. I had to oblige her and we strolled on and on and up and down and up and down towards the area known as the Haight.

We passed by some beautifully restored Victorian homes in all shades of pink, yellow, turquoise, and purple. We even saw the house where the Grateful Dead resided back in the day.

Haight and Ashbury convene on a corner crowded with tourists and photographers. There are wonderful little shops with antiques, resale clothing, eateries, and bookstores. You'd probably find the odd head-shop here too I would imagine. We had a wonderful snack at the Crepe Express right off the corner and I couldn't have been happier!

Our feet hurtin' - especially Kris and we wandered on back towards our hotel. Dinner was a trip to Mel's Drive-In right around the corner from our hotel. The decor was darling, and we had high hopes, but I'd have to give it a "C" for our dining experience. The service was really good, and the juke box on the tables was fun too. But the hamburgers were a little bit over-done and the chili was pretty spicy. My salad was okay, it's hard to mess up a salad. But I can't overly recommend this place to you. Just my humble opinion.

Day three took us for a very long walk uptown and then towards the wharf. We passed the home of Danielle Steele (author) and strolled down Lombard Street, the windiest street in the world.

What a marvel! Next destination was Fisherman's Wharf for lunch, shopping, and snacks. We had lunch at Boudin Bakery - delicious! They are touristy but so yummy and you can watch them baking the bread. Love those animal-shaped breads, the sandwiches and soup, and some very tasty cookies. Try the macaroons dipped into chocolate for a wonderful treat. We saw Pier 39 and viewed both Alcatraz and the local sea life.

Of course we shared sundaes at Ghirardelli Square and my mint-chocolate chip sundae with dark hot fudge couldn't have been more delicious. There are some cool little shops here and some street vendors as well. I got a couple of pairs of adorable earrings for $5 a piece. We'll see how they last, but they're pretty cute. The line for the cable cars was about 30 minutes long, but I've seen longer lines on previous visits. Right below Buena Vista on Hyde we boarded the cable car and I got to ride on the outside standing up like a tourist giggling all the way to Union Square. Love love love it!

We shopped in Union Square and in the Westfield Shopping Centre right around the corner from our hotel. We even had dinner in the dining hall downstairs - an upgraded food court for sure.

Our last morning had us out on a lovely walk to Yerba Buena Gardens. We stopped into St. Patrick's Church next door and their morning mass was very nice. The church is historically re-built after the 1906 earthquake. The original was built in 1851.

The Samovar Tea Lounge in Yerba Buena Gardens was one of the best brunches I have ever had. I enjoyed the Chinese Tea Service (one of several available) with blood orange spiced tea and smoked duck with veggies. The tea cookies were a bit dry but the green tea mousse and rice pudding were both dynamite. We loved the Chinese dancers in this park and the ambience of another smaller city park within a bustling city. There were a few street people here, but hey - it's San Francisco! The city was filled with street people... on the street, in the alleys, on the buses too. That's the grit of life.

Loved this trip with my mom and my niece and can't wait to do it again. Love you both.

Howdy, Denver!

Well, I wasn't sure what to expect of Denver, being that all I've ever heard about is the Great American Beer Fest held here every fall. Call it a cross between Phoenix and Portland, with friendly locals, good food, terrific culture, and great beer. Enjoy my re-cap of our 3-day weekend.

We stayed at the Residence Inn in downtown Denver and that is where the friendly service all started. Greeted by one of the nicest ladies we've ever encountered at a check-in desk really got the good vibes of this anniversary weekend started. (It's #28 if you're counting!) The room was so cozy with a comfy bed and living/kitchen area. They have a breakfast buffet but we didn't try it - sorry, other plans. This Residence Inn is located at 1725 Champa Street and was a great central location to walk everywhere we wanted to go. Check out this cowboy right next door.

First up on our itinerary was Breckenridge Brewing Company located at 2220 Blake Street. Great service here, very cool a/c working (it was a brisk 92 degrees outside!) with cold frosty beers. We enjoyed the restaurant as well; hubby had a good bison burger, and I had a yummy blat (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avacado) on wheat. Very good start to our walking tour.

From here we headed over to Falling Rock. Now this might have been my very favorite place - as far as ambience is concerned. The walls are covered with beer and liquor bottles and old-timey taps too. Here's a couple of shots of their decor. Love it!

The wait staff was uber-friendly, my Dry-Dock beer was cold and frothy and we enjoyed relaxing in their over-sized couches. It was like drinking with your best friends, and I was! Falling Rock is located at 1919 Blake Street - don't miss it!

Onward to One-Up right next door at 1925 Blake Street for some skee-ball, pinball, and human-sized Jenga game. We were strolling early afternoon and it was still pretty warm so sitting outside wasn't the greatest idea. The jenga bricks are a bit worn and could use some sanding and my wonderful hubby felt I need a shot of Jaeger. Who doesn't love Jaeger?? A couple of cold beers later I lost to Mr. Smith in pinball but redeemed myself in skee-ball. This place has a great feeling to it and I bet late nights - it's packed. Here's a snap of their outdoor Jenga game.

And here's the love of my life...

From One-Up we headed over to Freshcraft for a little afternoon snack and boy was I glad we did. Located at 1530 Blake Street (see how easy Denver can be?) we went for another Dry-Dock beer and some deep fried pickles. Now I don't know about you but deep-fried pickles I can NOT pass up. These gorgeous little coins of spicy goodness were peppery and hot. The beer of course could not be beat and the service was again superb. What is it about you Denver that you are so friendly? Could it be the water? Or the beer? Not sure but this wonderful attitude is pervasive and very welcoming here in the mile-high city.

Next stop was Great Divide Brewing Company located at 2201 Arapahoe, still well within walking distance. Their beers were also quite good. Jeff enjoyed a sampler and I had a refreshing raspberry wheat. Chill.

Isn't that a refreshingly delicious looking glass of beer. It truly was. Great Divide was a hip and happening place - very popular with the 30'ish crowd for sure. Happy hour was packed and new relationships were blossoming in every sun-filled corner. Aaahhh..... One of Zach's friends used to work here and she was spot-on recommending it to us. Very tasty indeed.  

Last foodie stop of the evening was right around the corner at 2148 Larimer Street and home to Biker Jim's. Oh my heavens... hot dog heaven! Your choices here include everything from bratwurst to veal wurst to rattlesnake/pheasant and on to reindeer sausage with everything in between. There are wild inventive toppings for your dogs and side dishes like Biker Jim's Baked Beans and Deep Fried Mac 'n Cheese.

Who can walk out of a place like this and not sample the delectable goods. The buns were soft and held the dogs beautifully with no soggy-ness like some buns. I had the rattlesnake/pheasant covered in some kind of cactus accoutraments. Hubby had the reindeer, and both were delicious. Service was good here but also a bit snarky. We didn't care at a bit 'cuz the food was that darn good.  It looks as if they have a small bar here but we opted for the cold and frosty root beers instead. Biker Jim's also has a food truck hangin' out downtown near the Colorado Rockies' Coors Field Stadium. Check it out...

As we were heading back to our hotel we spied a book store called "The Tattered Cover." I love cozy old independent book stores and this one was truly special. New books, used books, benches, couches, chairs, corners, cubicles, magazines, refreshingly good coffee & tea... need I say more?? 



If you've ever been to Powell's House of Books in Portland, this one is a bit smaller and cozier. I found that I might even prefer this new find and make it my favorite along with my local Changing Hands. Check it out at 1628 16th Street in lower downtown Denver. I noticed that they had two other sites in the Denver metropolitan area. Find out more at their website http://www.tatteredcover.com/. Even though I do own a Kindle, I still love the feel of a book in my hands when reading. If you do as well and you find yourself in Denver, check them out.

Exhausted yet? We were and headed back to our hotel to get up and wander on Saturday morning.

Hubby had this entire weekend planned as a surprise for me and I had no idea what we would be seeing or doing. First thing this morning we headed over to the Delectable Egg for breakfast. Now, it was good enough. But, it reminded me of a very clean and smaller IHOP. They even had hoddles of coffee like IHOP does. This is a chain eatery and there are a few scattered throughout Denver. If you're hungry and have a big family with you - it's decent.

Our morning walk took us through some interesting and gorgeous neighborhoods. We wandered past immense brick churches, huge old turn-of-the-century homes, and tiny apartment buildings as well. I love seeing how homes look when they are well-loved and cared for. But, I also enjoy street art and culture and lots of youthful activity. Denver has it all in the surrounding environs.



Through their Cheesman Park and into The Denver Botanical Garden we strolled. Grandma Kay used to always tell us to go to the botanical gardens in California. Not a cool idea for a couple of 20'somethings, but these two 50'somethings love them now. This garden has a very navigable strolling path with a huge variety of landscapes, flowers, trees, shrubberies, sculptures, and seating areas. Oh, and their strawberry lemonade is killer.

I loved it. And I love Jeff for thinking that this would be someplace awesome for the two of us to stroll through.

This day was a 7-mile walking day and my legs were feeling it, but we pressed on towards The Molly Brown House and Titanic Tour. What a lovely afternoon tour through this mid-1800's home decorated in period with stories of Titanic throughout. Our host had a nice spiel, yet a bit practiced. The Molly Brown House is located at 1340 Pennsylvania Street in Denver and their website can be found at www.mollybrown.org. A great visit, especially if you love Titanic lore.

Heading back to downtown Denver and some food. We loved the visit to Freshcraft on Friday and decided to head there again on Saturday. Again, great food with terrific friendly service. The Ahi Tun Salad was amazingly fresh and delicious and hubby enjoyed the Turkey Sammy on a Pretzel Roll. Of course we had the Dry-Dock beer again with some of those deep-fried pickles. Hell, I walked all day and surely deserved it!

Sunday took us to breakfast at a fantastic little place called Snooze. Don't snooze through this place my friends. Our wait was 30 minutes but I can guarantee that later in the day it's even longer. This funky little corner spot serves up hot delicious coffee with both savory and sweet breakfast tidbits. Hubby had a sausage and egg sammy on (another) pretzel roll and I had the pancake trio. Of course I did. My choice of three pancakes from their menu of chocolate chip, fresh strawberry/nutella, sweet potato, pineapple-upside down cake, red velvet, peanut butter/banana... you get the idea. I chose my three faves and ate almost the entire plate. Service here is swift and friendly, and the meals are portioned appropriately. That's one of the things I loved best. Who needs enough food for four at every seating? I like a meal that's apportioned just for one... me. Check out Snooze - really it's one of the best breakfasts I've had in ages. Snooze is located at 2262 Larimer near Coors Field. Yumm.

After breakfast we headed over to the Denver Art Museum. What a delight! Seven floors of art dating back to pre-Columbian times. We read that there were over 68,000 pieces housed here and I believe it. Another glorious piece of culture right in downtown Denver. You can visit the Denver Art Museum at www.denverartmuseum.org. You won't be disappointed.

We had a lovely weekend in Denver and enjoyed so many of the sights and sounds and eateries. I would definitely love to plan a return visit ... maybe in the cooler months though.

Till next time when I return from San Francisco...
:) Deb