Thursday, September 30, 2010

Belle Vue Bed and Breakfast Comox Valley Vancouver Island




Belle Vue B&B hdas location, location, location! Belle Vue has it for sure. Walter and Haideh are the first to tell you how lucky they are to have found this home. Located at the end of Coral Road, this special piece of beachfront property overlooks Georgia Strait. At night we could see the sparkling lights of Campbell River on Vancouver Island on our left and Powell River on the Mainland on our right as we looked out over the water from the hot tub by the sea. By day the beautiful Coastal Mountains, Mitlenatch Island, and Texada Island are visible. It is quiet and serene at Belle Vue. Walter and Haideh are congenial hosts and very well organized. They suggested a plethora of things to do and they have directions to many local attractions printed and ready to go. Breakfast was superb. We started with blueberry-banana bread with chocolate drizzle followed by a fruit cup with ginger and toasted almonds. It was so delicious. Is your mouth starting to water? As the grand finale, Haideh served a mushroom spinach vol au vent with hollandaise sauce and Westphalian ham. More gourmet food! We are so spoiled!!

As the B&B was full, we were unable to view the other rooms but you can see them on their website. We were told by Walter that our room is the mid-sized one. Well, it certainly has more room than we anticipated. There is a large sitting area and a queen size bed as well as a large ensuite bathroom. Our room opened to a common deck that overlooks the garden and ocean. At the end of the deck are steps down to the hot tub, garden and rocky beach. Our room was well appointed with a TV and DVD player, bar fridge, an extensive book library and games, as well as coffee and tea supplies. We slept well under a down duvet with the sounds of the ocean to lull us to sleep.

After breakfast we met the rest of the family, their dogs Tip and Pocos. Tip is the elder statesman of the house and very well behaved except when teaching Pocos the puppy new tricks. The new arrival is only nine weeks old and full of P and V. We had fun watching them play and Ron took lots of pictures. For a Pictorial on Facebook of Comox accommodations, click here.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

La Pause Band B Comox Valley Vancouver Island




La Pause is on the western outskirts of Courtenay. True to its name there is plenty of room to take pause in this spacious home on a large private rural property. In addition to the B&B which has three beautiful and tastefully decorated rooms, the property boasts a swimming pool, hot tub and infrared sauna. We had arrived at a mini-resort! David Innes & Lucille Doucet, our host and hostess took great care of us. David is a photographic artist and has a studio on site (The Creekside Gallery). His work is very good and his gallery is worth a visit, even if you don’t stay at the B&B. Lucille is a gourmet cook and made us a phenomenal breakfast. Lucille prides herself on using fresh wholesome ingredients, many of which are organic, and uses her culinary skills to create breakfasts that leave guests satisfied and anticipating the next morning of their stay. We started with grilled peaches filled with a mixture of sour cream, agave syrup and Lucille’s homemade granola. Do we have your attention? It just got better! Then we were treated to fresh peach scones. They were so delicious that we took extras in a doggie bag for a snack on the golf course. We finished with baked French Toast filled with berries and fruit. It was so good! Pomegranate lime juice, tea and coffee rounded out this truly gourmet breakfast.La Pause also prepares delicious breakfast for guests with special diets-vegetarian; dairy-free; celiac; and gluten free.La Pause has a lot of special touches and extras are evident throughout. Long distance calls are free within Canada and the US. Robes, extra towels and sandals are provided for use in the pool, hot tub and sauna. Laundry service is provided for a small fee and there is a well organized and informative guest directory in each room. La Pause has a well equipped guest lounge with a coffee and tea bar, books, music and comfy chairs to relax in or visit with guest from around the world. We felt very much pampered at La Pause. David and Lucille also have a retail store in the B&B, selling health-related products that they have researched and use personally. To view a Facebook Pictorial on this B&B, click here.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Kairos Guest Suite Bed and Breakfast Comox BC




We found Kairos at the end of a dead-end street, providing exceptionally quiet surroundings. Our hostess Linda Magnuson came out to meet us and show us her property. Kairos is a one-bedroom, very private fully furnished guest suite with a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom, with everything needed for an extended stay. There is even a washer and dryer in the suite. Linda provides lots of thoughtful extras like fresh flowers, fruit and chocolate, and even a popcorn popper with gourmet popcorn! A private entrance leads out to the back yard and a labyrinth where you can relax or meditate. A private patio area overlooks the garden. Kairos is at ground level with only one step into the suite, which makes toting luggage easy. Breakfast is self-catered so you can eat whenever you want, with an ample choice of breakfast supplies, including free range eggs, fresh muffins and croissants for our stay! The kitchen is amply equipped to prepare other meals as well. The cozy living room is complete with a gas fireplace and desk with wireless Internet access. There are books, DVDs and an informative binder of local attractions and restaurants. The bedroom is furnished with a queen bed and soft linens. Kairos is within walking distance of many shops and services. It is near the Comox Village Centre and the Comox Marina. This is a great location for a personal retreat or getaway. You will be the only guest at Kairos, further enhancing your privacy and quiet. Check it out, you will be glad you did.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

The Wine Barrel-Victoria BC




Last evening we attended the fall wine tasting event at the Wine Barrel in downtown Victoria. Fabulous wines from Gray Monk Estate Winery were featured. Food parings were provided by Manu's French Pates. This great little wine store is well worth a visit and Manu's cheeses were exceptional. I brought home a chunk of 3 cream brie from Quebec. It is amazing. We enjoyed many of the wines presented. Check it out.