Harry's Berries Farm Dinner

If you frequent Farmers Markets in Southern California, chances are you have enjoyed the sweet, juicy goodness of Harry's Berries

Their strawberries taste as if they have been injected with sugar.

All of their products are delivered to local farmers markets within a day of being picked so they are fresh and delicious.

 

 

 

I recently had the pleasure of attending  Dinner on  Harry's Berries Farm in Oxnard.

The dinner consisted of Harry's Berries products such as their green beans, several varieties of their tomatoes, fresh salads, squash quesadillas - even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made with their homemade strawberry jam. Of course there were also huge bowls of different varieties of their prized berries.

 

Dinner was topped off by delicious Dandy Don's Strawberry Ice Cream and sorbet made from Harry's Berries and fresh strawberry pie

 

Harry's colorful, delectable Strawberries.
Pryor Events are definitely fans of Harry's Berries.
                                        

A view of Harry's Berries Farm as night falls over Oxnard.

Summer Flowers

Love the crispness of these summer flowers from Hidden Garden.
Amy and her team always design the most stunning creations.
Pryor Events are big fans of Hidden Garden

Tea at Hotel Bel-Air

Afternoon tea is a special treat that is nice to share with dear friends.
Pryor Events is  partial to the tea at Hotel Bel-Air - one of our favorite locations. Hotel Bel-Air is a tranquil oasis that is part of the city yet worlds away. Every meal is prepared and presented with the highest level of care. Tea is served every Friday and Saturday afternoon.

Their afternoon tea consists of an array of savory and sweets.
The delectable bites include Maryland blue crab with herb remoulade,  house cured smoked salmon with dill cream on brioche, applewood smoked pork belly with wild mushroom duxelle and grilled gruyere on sourdough with shaved black  truffles. Your sweet tooth will be more than satisfied with sour cherry, blueberry and buttermilk-almond  scones with homemade jam and delectable dark chocolate and burnt caramel tarts. Of course there is an incredible selection of loose tea as well.
Enjoy!

Orcas Island

 

I do not typically Blog about personal vacations, however I  wanted to share this magical island. I just returned from spending a few days on Orcas Island. Orcas is part of The San Juan Island chain. Orcas is off the coast of the state of Washington and reached via ferry service, boat or seaplane.

 

 

We spent a couple enjoyable days in Seattle and then took a ferry from Anacortes, Washington - an easy drive from Seattle. It was fun driving our rental car right onto the huge ferry.

   

 We stayed at Rosario Resort. Rosario was everything you would hope to find in an island hotel.

This stunning property was originally built as a private home by  Robert Moran. Moran was the former mayor of Seattle and founder of a huge ship building firm. After he was told he was very ill and would die within a year, he moved to Orcas Island. Mr. Moran thrived on this tranquil island and he lived for many more years. He was a huge presence on Orcas. He built roads and bridges and made sure that much of the island would remain untouched.  

 

 

Rosario provides the perfect blend of comfort and beauty without feeling like it's trying too hard as many hotels do. We had an extraordinary view of the sea. It was especially wonderful in the evening as the lights of the boats anchored in the harbor complemented the sky full of stars.  

You can explore the original rooms of the mansion which now serve as a museum. The resort boasts  a full spa and  indoor and outdoor pools, yet the hotel manages to capture the unassuming feel of this island. Deer roam the grounds, wildflowers bloom and the magic of the sea is within reach.

I was told that the current private owners adored the resort so much they bought it from a large hotel management company several years ago.

My hope is that the room rates will not go up and that the owners will continue to preserve the original charm.

Pryor Events are big fans of Orcas Island and Rosario Resort.

                                       

A very friendly deer enjoying a snack.

A view from the highest point on the islands -  Mt. Constitution on Orcas

 

 The island is  larger than I expected it to be. There are quaint shops and wonderful cafes and restaurants. All of our meals were good but our favorites were Allium and Olga's Café. Our dinner at Allium was quite perfect. Much of the incredibly fresh produce is grown on the island. You will not see a single chain business. After seeing a Starbucks nearly every two blocks in Seattle this was a welcome relief. I am looking forward to returning to this special island.