Kicking It around San Juan Islands

As recently as last month, the stars aligned to make it possible to meet my kid in Seattle. Our flights landed about the same time, hers from Anchorage and mine from San Diego.

Initially we were going to splurge and enjoy a few days in Victoria, B.C. by pampering ourselves at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. While we both enjoy being spoiled, we also like afternoon tea and planned to indulge daily during our stay.

It was all set until I called to book the float plane tickets to cross the sound. Timidly, the receptionist whispered the weather was going to be “stormy” and said she “wouldn’t fly in those conditions;” well, let’s just say, “I got it.”

Which is why I immediately canceled the Empress and booked Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands instead. It does require a bit of finesse to get there. However, once connected with the Island Airporter, the pressure was off. Tara would meet us at the airport on Friday, drive us to the Ferry Terminal, drive aboard and then deliver us to our B & B. Easy peasy.

Our last-minute trip got us the last double room for the 3-night stay at the Friday Harbor Grand Bed and Breakfast. The B&B provided gluten-free, milk-free breakfast fare that included freshly baked items plus as a bonus, eggs just gathered from the chicken coop.

Evening treats included warm freshly baked cookies at 7 p.m. daily followed by a piano concert with a glass of wine in the parlor. As it turns out, our amenable host and town celebrity, Farhad Ghatan, is an accomplished pianist/harpsicord virtuoso as well as chef.

To my delight, we arrived the same weekend as the Friday Harbor Documentary Film Festival. Many thanks go to the Executive Director, Karen Palmer, for responding quickly to set me up with a press pass as she extended every imaginable hospitality to us both.

Of the many films up for viewing, we indulged ourselves with as many as we could schedule, including one submitted by a fellow guest, Phil Grabsky. His entry “Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers” turned out to be a favorite. His other short films can be viewed on his website, https://seventh-art.com/, for a nominal fee. I for one am looking forward to seeing his documentary about Edward Hopper, my favorite illustrator. Grabsky has done four documentaries a year for several years, often winning awards along the way.

“Founded in 2013 on San Juan Island,” the film festival continues to be supported by the Pacific Islands Research and Education Institute as a means to “enlighten” the local environment of the frailties of the Pacific Rim. For details and submission information visit https://www.fhff.org/.

Elizabeth can be reached at [email protected].