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A Glimpse of the Hotel Last August, our cruise ship made a stop in British Columbia. It was an Alaskan cruise, but I was pretty darn excited to peek at this beautiful Canadian city.  Our 2-hour bus tour slowly drove by the lovely Empress Fairmont Hotel. We just drove by. That's it! We Bailed Our tour guide was great. But the day was too lovely to be on a bus. Don and I thanked our guide and tipped her well, before cutting out early. We hopped off and took in the view.  We stood in the perfect spot and admired the chateau-style hotel, across Inner Harbour. Statue and Gardens After studying the 118-year-old hotel from across the water, we headed over to explore.  We paused at the northeast corner of the property to enjoy this statue of Emily Carr, with her pet monkey and dog Billie. Carr was born in Victoria and became a well-loved artist/writer. She was born in 1871 and just beginning her career, by the time The Empress was completed in 1908. Just past the statue, we walked between 2 royal-looking stone columns.
A walkway took us through the manicured garden. I wish I'd gotten more photos of the lush growth. Lobby Lounge Once we stepped inside the building, we followed the sound of piano music and found ourselves in a bright and airy lobby.  The classic columns, lamps and palms made a repeating pattern, that made me feel like I was looking into an infinity mirror. Afternoon Tea The lobby was clearly in the midst of Afternoon Tea.  We didn't even think of inquiring about getting a table without reservations. Tea at The Empress is hugely popular and often serves 400 guests on a busy summer day. Since 1908 The Empress has been offering Afternoon Tea since it opened in 1908.  The tables were immaculately set, with an exclusive fine bone china. I craved a little teatime when I spotted those crowns beneath the cup's rim! I thought it might be fun to purchase one in the gift shop, but changed my mind when I saw the price. Oh well, my cup/saucer for $125 probably would have broken in my suitcase anyway. Fireplaces I stopped staring at teacups and took a long look at the fireplaces at both ends of the Lobby Lounge.  I wish I'd been able to lay my eyes on the jade & marble fireplace in the old Bengal Lounge. (Now a breakfast room elsewhere) Before they renovated the British-colonial style lounge, there had been a Bengal tiger pelt displayed above the fireplace. After renovation began, the tiger skin suddenly disappeared. The mystery of the stolen pelt has never been solved. View From Above I had one more fun view of the tea partiers, when I traveled up a pretty wooden staircase to visit the Ladies Room.  What a grand surprise awaited in the upstairs Ladies Room! A fireplace with lounge chairs.  I wish I'd had an old-fashioned compact to powder my nose in those grand mirrors. I love an old-timey powder room! Palm Court After walking through the Lobby Lounge and detouring to the powder room, Don I continued south on the main public floor.  We halted our walk again, to take in some overhead surprises. Crystal chandeliers and a Tiffany-style stained-glass dome! This colorful dome is a replacement for the original, which collapsed during a New Year's Eve snowstorm in 1968! The dome space was boarded up for 2 decades before it was replaced. A Different Kind of Lounge As Don and I moved further from the sounds of piano and teacups, we began to hear lively voices, in a very different atmosphere.  It was just a little past 4:30 when we came upon this space filled with happy energy!  We hadn't come into the hotel expecting to spend time drinking cocktails, but the glowing horseshoe shaped bar was mighty welcoming. Harbor View The barstools looked comfy, but so did the table seating.  Some tables had great views, looking out directly towards Victoria's Inner Harbour. We spotted some empty stools and decided to grab seats at the bar.  The bar was staffed by a good number of upbeat bartenders, wearing the coolest cloth and leather aprons. "Q Bar" It wasn't until the menu was placed on the quartzite bar, that I saw the name of the lounge. The Q is for Queen!  The Empress Hotel was named in honor of Queen Victoria, who carried the title Empress of India, in the final years of her reign. This swanky bar gave a nice nod to Queen V! Pop-Art Portraits From our barstools, we were able to enjoy a few portraits of Queen Victoria.
These massive images were pretty wild with chunks of gold and lots of royal purple! What's New What's Old? The modern portraits and impressive glowing bar are obviously new hotel additions.  I believe the Q Bar was created about 10 years ago, during a 60-million dollar renovation. It was fun to see how the new contemporary touches worked with the old.  This original gothic arch, nicely framed one of the modern "cumulous chandeliers". They were designed to look like clouds rolling in from the harbor. Faux-Wood Painted Plaster I took a quick snap of the gorgeous beams above us and learned later that they weren't actually carved wood.  This was not a new addition. The detailed ceilings were created over 100 years ago and made of intricately molded and painted plaster. Champagne and Popcorn We saw some fun looking purple cocktails being made nearby. But the hotel's own signature cocktails made with Empress 1908 gin, were pricey.  We went for a couple glasses of bubbly and they came with some fun snacks. Champagne and charcoal seasoned popcorn! Very fun and very different than tea and crumpets! Cheers! We made a toast to Queen Victoria and to Canada.  We were very grateful to be welcomed into this special country at a time when our own has not been kind. Hope to Return We didn't have a meal or an overnight hotel adventure, but we had a lovely visit and a drink at The Empress.  We headed down the walk from the main entrance and I looked back to imagine being a hotel guest and sitting on the veranda... I have a feeling this won't be our last visit!
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"Restaurant & Atmosphere" We found those 2 words were written in the menu, under the restaurant's name! We definitely ended up enjoying some good atmosphere with our meal, at Napoletano's!  It was last October when Don and I joined my bro and sis-in-law for lunch in Rome. Buildings As we approached these cafe tables, I admired the old buildings, with shutters and iron balconies.  The people sitting near the old buildings looked content with the atmosphere on that pleasant day. But it wasn't the charming 200+ year old buildings they were focussed on. Inside the Building The restaurant's atmosphere inside the yellow building was bright and modern, but very vacant.  There's a reason no one was sitting inside. View of the Pantheon! The outside seating was in high demand, because each table had an outstanding view of one of Rome's most romantic piazza's... one that happens to be home to one of Italy's most notable monuments! The Pantheon!  I'm still not sure how we snagged a table that day! Our view of the famous temple-turned-church was hard to beat. Piazza della Rotonda Piazza della Rotonda is an intimate square on the north side of the Pantheon. There are numerous restaurants surrounding the piazza, but I'm guessing Napoletano's has the best location. We had an ideal view of the Pantheon and the fountain with its Egyptian obelisk.  The people watching was very lively and entertaining. 1,900 Year Ago As we enjoyed this view in 2025, I did some wondering about how this temple was built! The Pantheon, with its massive dome was completed around 125 AD. How did they get the idea to have a 9 meter hole in the dome's center? Are there other temples with openings that let in rain and light? I remember being in awe, visiting as a kid with my family... and wishing it would rain.  I also wondered what surrounded the temple nearly 2,000 years ago. I read later that the ground level was 6 feet lower, then. You would have climbed steps to reach the columned portico. 200 Years Ago This same view in the early 1800s would have been more chaotic than lively. The piazza was a cluttered marketplace with taverns, sheds and temporary stalls. I can just imagine the sounds and smells. Shouting vendors, birds in cages... smells of fresh fish and mud and manure!  It took many years and many pushy popes to get the messy markets removed. Smells in 2025 This is what I smelled while sitting at our table!  Our mushroom pizza was just right! The classic Neapolitan pizza crust was soft and thick. Prosecco Don and I made sure to have a little bubbly with our lunch.  In honor of Audrey Hepburn's character in Roman Holiday! 73 Years Ago On a hot summer day in 1952, Piazza Della Rotonda was crowded with film crews and curious spectators, when Peck and Hepburn filmed this scene at G. Rocca's Cafe.  Joe ordered cold coffee for himself and champagne for Ann. Sadly we couldn't dine at Rocca's. The temporary cafe facade was created for the movie, not far from where we dined at Napoletano's. There's no such cafe. Luna! We saw no movie stars while we enjoyed our lunch. However, our server Luna was quite the comedian!
I don't think he meant to knock over my Prosecco. But the way he handled it with great comic timing, just added to the fun! Cheers to Great Food & Service Karen, Chris, Don and I all agreed that the service and food was unexpectedly good!  We knew we needed to lower expectations when we chose to dine at this touristy location near the Pantheon. We assumed we'd pay more and possibly not get the best food. We were wrong. Lasagna I heard no complaints from Karen about her hot and cheesy lasagna.  14 Euros was a decent price for lasagna, at a restaurant that attracts tourists. I remember no details about the meal that Chris ordered. It's been nearly a year!  But he looks mighty pleased here, as he twirls his spaghetti with pesto. I remember we were all happy with our food! Post Meal We eventually left our wonderful table in front of the orange-yellow building. I'm sure another party was quickly enjoying our spot!  We headed across the piazza, with plans to peek inside the Pantheon.  Unfortunately there was a mass in progress. So we just enjoyed the sounds instead. A muffled blend of music and chants, coming through the open doors. Rocca's? Since we couldn't go inside the Pantheon, I needed one more little memory before we left the piazza. I looked at my phone for the address I'd pulled up earlier.  At Via della Rotonda 25, we found a clothing shop. This was where Rocca's Cafe had been created for Roman Holiday, in 1953. A perfect end to our lunch adventure, before we moved on with our day!
Colorful and Curious It was about 2:00, when Don and I laid eyes on this colorful sign.  The curious name of the restaurant was enough to lure us. The Journey In April 2026, the 30-mile journey from Ft.Myers to Captiva Island took over an hour. That included a relaxing drive over the Sanibel Causeway.  We passed through Sanibel Island before reaching the 3-mile island of Captiva. The lack of stoplights and high-rises made everything feel very retro and calm. Bright! My view during the drive was mostly green. Dense tropical vegetation, blocked views of luxury homes. Then we arrived and I spotted the restaurant with its brightly painted exterior. The whimsical vibe with carnival colors, did not have a calming effect, but it did have a fun one!  There were no sun-faded colors on the property. All looked fresh. It was so quiet on a Wednesday afternoon, that I worried it might be closed.  We were lucky that it was open at all! We didn't know that it had reopened 9 months before, after a 3-year renovation, due to Hurricane Ian damage. Since 1979 The Farquharson family opened Bubble Room in 1979. It was a private home first, back when there were more casual cottages than grand estates on the island.  Originally meals were served in a 24-seat space, in the front of the home. Today the restaurant serves on 3 stories, in 5 distinct dining areas.   They offer outside dining as well and weather was lovely... ...but we'd read about the curious interior. We spent a little time wandering outside before heading in get a table.  The stripes on the bridge and awning were very circus-like. I sort of felt like I was walking on a giant Candyland board game. Bubbles! I wasn't sure how the business got its name, but I spotted bubbles painted on the fence.
I later learned that the business got its name from the retro bubble lights that can be found throughout the rooms. Inside! Once we stepped inside, it was time to start absorbing the wild and curious decor. Over 3,000 pieces of vintage memorabilia! BIG pieces!  A young woman standing near the desk greeted us with a big smile and a "Merry Christmas!" I guess that must have startled me, since my photo looks a little shaky! She invited us to follow her and we did. We headed to the red stairs, near the camel.  We climbed a few stairs and enjoyed a better view, of Alice and her Wonderland friends.  At the top of the stairs we reached a cozy space, packed with whimsical toys that bordered on creepy.
And then we spotted the viewing terrace or whatever you want to call this quirky balcony. It offered a view of their most well known room. Christmas! It was quite an odd little display in the room below. No diners, no tourists, just characters and props.  I'm pretty sure that even the guests who don't celebrate Christmas, find this kitschy Christmas theme pretty fun.  The elves look a bit like aliens in my photo. My camera does not do this scene justice. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea We followed our hostess past an impressive old school sea-diver! He stood next to a small trolley with a table inside. Maybe I should ask for the trolley table!
But as we stepped inside the Nautical Room, I figured it would be more fun to be surrounded by under-water-themed props and antiques. There were booths along the decorated wall. Framed vintage photos above and built in fish tanks, below. I believe the tanks were actually connected.
Each table was set with red and green cloth napkins. There were endless curious objects displayed below the glass table tops. A little bit of Christmas for each table!  We were given a booth near a ship's wheel and beneath colorful, glass fishing floats. Ordering Our server arrived wearing a boy scout shirt ( I guess) and Mickey Mouse ears. She had the perfect personality for the atmosphere. She seemed genuinely happy.  She handed us menus that were almost as entertaining as the vintage Christmas decor beneath the glass. Fun Names & Flavors The names and descriptions helped me work up an appetite.  I thought about Bing "Crab"sy Crab cakes or Bubble Burger. Great names! But when I saw the list of 10 desserts, I ordered less to leave room for dessert. Onion Soup and Chicken Sandwich We came for the entertaining atmosphere, but as it turns out my food was delish!  My soup featured a slow-cooked beef broth, with caramelized onions, homemade bread & melted Swiss. The topping of thinly sliced fried onions was almost dessert! It was an added treat that my crock of soup was resting on a doily. It's been a while since I've been served food on a doily!
Don shared a little of his chicken sandwich with me. I love how the Christmas icicles glow beneath the red plate! Between lunch and dessert, I gave myself a little tour of the 3 dining levels. There were lots of surprises on the stairs. I passed a lurking Humphrey Bogart as I headed up.
And odd trio of marionettes amused me, as I was coming down! More Tabletops I paused in some empty dining rooms and studied the decor, for a little inspiration.
I honestly have so many crazy treasures at home, I could create a similar table! Bar Time Bubble lights above the bar...  ...red and green lights reflecting off the shiny ceiling! The SS Bubble looked quite festive, coming towards me from the Tunnel of Love.
I appreciated seeing characters like Howdy Doody, Betty Boop and Mickey Mouse, since they are actually older than me.
I feel really old, when I see kitschy vintage decor, that's actually from my kids' childhood! After spotting some Wizard of Oz figures and a Shirley Temple movie poster, I headed back to the table.
It was time to settle down and order the food that the restaurant is known for. Orange Crunch Cake I had read a little about this massive three-tier cake before we arrived.  The moist yellow cake was layered with brown sugar almond crunch and orange cream cheese icing!  I took 1 bite and exclaimed, "Happy New Year!"
A perfect finish to our funny little lunch adventure! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
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