Two posts in one day? An abundance of reflections and photos, indeed!
It wasn't too far before dinner when we got to our hotel on the Thursday. Once settled into our rooms at Predator Ridge, we got ready for dinner
and headed up the hill to what I have to assume is a sister resort property: Sparkling Hill Resort and Spa.
No, no spa for us. Alas. That is so often welcome. No, we were headed there to dinner at PeakFine.
PeakFine was, well, fine. For a resort that wasn't inexpensive (I had explored that as an option for staying), it really banks on the view more than anything. The service was alright - pleasant but young and not polished. The drinks were fine. The food was fine - my zucchini starter was more of a green salad than I had thought it would be,
but the burger was delicious (and sorry to Van and the others - burgers in Canada are well done, that's that).
I thought the decor could have been a little less generic. But the views over Okanagan Lake were wonderful,
and we did have a good time. We grabbed shots of the surroundings before
and after dinner
as well as a few of the hotel itself
- I know that Conrad was really into some of what he saw. It was a nice evening, though, truly.
Once we came back down the hill, Robert, Conrad, and I headed to The Range and sat at a corner of the bar for a nightcap. And then, finally, it was to bed.
Our plan for Friday? Next to nothing. I mean it. We're past the age where we have to do do do and go go go while on vacation. So my morning consisted of a walk
by myself,
then another when Robert joined me.
I snapped some shots of the resort
and of the flora
(Saskatoon berries!!)
and enjoyed a moderate little bit of exercise before and after my morning decaf lattes.
Eventually everyone was up and at 'em, and I think I may have then napped, but the day was underway. So we had Robert and Courtney come to our room where our balcony was more spacious, and among the five of us, we spent a few enjoyable hours from about 11ish onward drinking
the wines we had picked up from Monte Creek the day before,
enjoying what sort of "charcuterie" we could cobble together from the little resort store,
plus some local white chocolate.
By mid-afternoon, it was naptime again. We really made the most of the cloudiest day on the trip!
Dinner was a short drive away, down the hill to Lake Country for dinner at Block One, the restaurant at 50th Parallel Estate Winery.
It was easily the best meal of our time in the Okanagan: good cocktails, an interesting menu, good service, a cool setting, lovely views, tasty food. I'd happily recommend it, and it was interesting that, by coincidence, one of Robert's colleagues back in Colorado had done so!
We took vineyard photos before heading to our table.
A black Manhattan for me, their version,
and some bread
and olives
and a tomato/plum/burrata salad for us all to start with.
Since the restaurant recommended family style, we took it to the extreme, ordering the ribeye on the bone for the five of us to share.
It took a little while to come out, but it was a great choice - and a good value! We may not have needed the carrot dish on the side, but it was far from unwelcome.
I didn't get a clear shot of dessert, alas. The dinner was wonderful, and the drive home on a dark country road with deer making appearances was only moderately harrowing.
That brought Friday to a close. No nightcaps for anyone, that was it. To bed, and a last full day in the Okanagan to come.
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