Victoria’s Butchart Gardens were on the top of my must see list when I knew we would be heading to Canada.  If you enjoy a beautiful garden and love to dabble in photography, you’ll be in heaven in these manicured gardens.

Victoria

No need to say much, when you’re at Butchart you just wonder around the grounds and sit down every once in awhile and take in the beauty.

Butchart Beauty

Butchart Rose Garden

The rose garden . . . I have no idea how many varieties of roses there were, but they were so precisely labeled in case you wanted to added anything new to your garden.

Butchart Favorite Flowers

Butchart Gardens Tea House The Butchart Gardens Tea House, this will be on my must do list for my next visit.  It looked so charming and I’ve read some wonderful reviews about the Tea.  If you’ve been there for tea what did you think?

Butchart Gardens House A quaint little stone ‘house’ right near the performing stage and indoor merry-go-round.  Reminded me of some cottages I’ve seen in Europe.

Butchart Favorite Flowers Just a few of my favorite flowers at Butchart.  I don’t think I put my camera down the entire time we were walking through the grounds.

Red Flower Butchart Red Flower Red and purple always look great together.  Is it bad that these colors together remind me of The Red Hats Society?

Iris Flower Stunning colors!

Walking the grounds of Butchart was so relaxing and it felt like you had been lifted to another world.  A very pretty world.  So peaceful.  So beautiful.

Tomorrow we will be the last post on our trip which will be my review of the historic Empress Hotel which has just finished a multi-million face lift. Then . . . we will be back to our regular postings on design.  I’ll also  share the fact we’ve been contacted again by HGTV for an audition.

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This day was filled with a trip to Seattle’s Space Needle and other landmarks that will be forever remembered.

From our awesome hotel, The Hyatt House, we walked across to The Space Needle.  We were there first thing in the morning and were some of the first at the Needle.

From the top of The Needle, the view was incredible because the weather could not have been better.  We could see for miles and found many of the city landmarks.

Would  I recommend this expensive experience?  Yes.  Everyone should go to the top of that city landmark at least once.

Seattle

ABOVE – This picture was actually taken from the roof of our hotel the evening of our visit to the needle.

Seattle Ocean View

It was a great view from the Needle.  The weather was perfect!

Space Needle Bugs I spy!  The owner of this building has a great sense of humor, they’ve painted some scary looking BIG spiders on the top of their building.

Besides Seattle’s Space Needle, we then headed to another landmark which was just a couple of steps to Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, just steps from The Space Needle.  If you are a lover of art this is a stop you must make when visiting Seattle.

I’m going to share lots of pictures here just because this gentleman’s art speaks for itself.

Chihuly Glass Art

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Chihuly’s Glass House

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ABOVE – I was able to meet the Fine Art Specialist who was kind enough to take some extended time to talk to me about Chihuly’s works of art, and about his start into blown glass.  I was very intrigued and please to learn that Mr. Chihuly began his career in interior design.

The above small pieces were priced at $5,000 and above, but they were certainly unique and very much an investment.

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Once we finished with our interior tour we were then lead out into the garden where this incredibly creative art continued.

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When you enter the tour you are given some earphones to listen to a guided tour through the museum.  You must have your cell phone with internet access to listen to the tour.

We we finished the glass tour we took a short walk across the park to the EMP Museum, which highlights the entertainment industry.

IMG_3478During our visit there was a Star Trek special exhibition which we paid a little more to enjoy.  Here is Mr. Wonderful making the most of the experience.

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Look at that creative display!  How many guitars do you think are displayed?

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Who hasn’t seen The Wizard of Oz?  Here is the BAD witches hat.

Seeing all of those city landmarks made for a full day, so we headed back to the hotel for some R&R and to pack our bags for our early departure the next morning.

Tomorrow we will cover our time in Victoria, Canada.

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Seattle’s Pike Place Market is somewhere I’ve wanted to go for years so I was so excited about this field trip.  When our hotel shuttle dropped us off right at the entrance of Pike Place we were thrilled to know we would’t have to park a car because it was crowded afternoon.  It happened to be record setting heat that day which not only brought out the tourists but the locals too.

Seattle

I was in heaven, fresh flowers every where I looked A N D they had an abundant display of Peonies a flower we can’t get here in San Diego.  Just look at that display!

We were disappointed that we didn’t see the iconic fish throwing that takes place at this fresh market but with the heat and crowds we certainly understand.  There was plenty to look at I even found some great new suppliers for handmade benches.  Score one for Susan Sutherlin Designs.

Seattle

 

Flowers Make Us Smile

Just look at that great smile!  These beautiful flowers sure made this worker happy.

Seattle Flowers

When we were done with the Market we asked a local for a recommendation for lunch.   Without hesitation we were referred across the street to a little whole-in-the-wall restaurant called Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar.  This little hideaway is tucked away behind some other shops and not visible from  the street, follow the aroma of frying fish and you’ll find it.

Seattle Market

This little seafood bar was only made more charming by it’s menu’s written on brown paper bags and the walls lined with hundreds of beer bottles.

Then there is the family history of Emmett Watson’s, apparently it has been in the family for years according to the news article on the wall.  It is now operated by the original owners son and he is a KICK!  He was waiting on tables, yelling orders across the restaurant and welcoming people to the restaurant with a big fat H E L L O from the kitchen to the front door.  He had a sailors mouth and great sense of humor.

Emmett Watsons Oyster Bar

This was a tiny little place, with very tiny little booths, be prepared to possible split up your party.

Mr. Wonderful and I both had Fish and Chips, and one of us guzzled up a local beer which I was told was great!  I’ve never been a beer drinker.

Piroshky Bakery

When we left our entertaining little cafe, we headed down the street and ran smack right into a line out a door and down the street for this Russian bakery, Piroshky.  Never heard of it, but heck if you can’t beat them (calories), join them.  Mr. Wonderful was kind enough to wait in line and came out claiming the prize, one big sweet roll that was shared among all of us.

Seattle French Bakery

Then we headed down a short block soaking in all the sites (and people) and came across yet another great bakery, Le Panier.  We passed on the calories at this location but it look all of my will power to shelf the tasting until my next visit. The aroma was intoxicating.  You may to add this to your list when in the area.

Then it was time to head back to our hotel and say goodbye to Seattle’s Pike Place.  We were in need of some air conditioning and a nap before dinner.

Over all what I found so interesting about this city was the clean air, the lush green plants, the street entertainment which was like a blast back to the 60’s, and the refreshing fact that there was not the standard mall stores on every corner.

Come back tomorrow when I’ll review the three museum type location we visited in Seattle.  I must admit the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum was my favorite, sorry Space Needle.

Seattle

 

 

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