Postcards from Victoria

It's a tradition for my visit to Victoria, to hop on the 11 am ferry and head to Uchida as soon as I get off the bus in Victoria.

(Note: If you are looking for the source notes for my lecture on Gardening for Bumblebees on Vancouver Island, it's in the post below.)

Tucked in beside the Bug Museum in Nootka Court, it makes simple, fresh, and delicious Japanese cuisine.

Uchida are only open until they sell out, and they were already out of the special when I arrived.

Now I follow Nourish on Insta, and I was so happy to finally get to visit their new digs in the city.

So cozy and airy, with my kind of food, this is my new happy place.

 Turmeric, almond milk and herbal chai make the Imperial Sunrise. I had one every day of my trip!

Yes, I broke my diet for the cashew cheesecake with quince compote. IT WAS WORTH IT! I really want to learn how to make that cheesecake.

Hello, the second floor is brilliant!

You can tell they serve a lot of breakfasts and brunches: maple syrup and brown sugar corner. Also, please note that the sister restaurant to Nourish, Charlotte and the Quail is located in the Horticultural Centre for the Pacific, only a few minutes outside the city and well worth the visit.

Nourish is just around the corner from the frozen fountain at the Ledge.

 

This was the first time visiting Victoria since my friend Donna passed away. I used to visit her here every winter. I thought there would be a real heaviness in my heart, but I actually felt very peaceful and deeply grateful for the memories we shared here.

There she is, the Dowager Empress Hotel.

This was the first time I ever visited the museum. The good thing is you can check your suitcase  and go in and out of the museum all day. This is a great way to spend those last hours before hopping on the bus to the ferry!

 Hello Hairy!

I was so pleased they carried my book in the gift shop that I spent a ton of money buying other people's books! The museum has a coffee shop and I wanted to make sure y'all know there is a really great exhibition on the herbarium just facing the shop. I almost missed it, but it was my favorite part of the exhibition! Also, I recommend breaking the museum visit up into two parts. Do the natural history, go have a snack and then do the anthropological displays, or vice-versa.

And here's my new friend Maisy. She's always ready for her close-up! Special thanks to my hosts who gave me a lovely warm place to sleep and helped make my trip so fabulous.