So Serene

Two room reviews for PEI

We recently went to PEI for two nights and stayed in two different places, Briarwood Inn, Cottages and Loge, near Alberton and Brackly Country Inn in Brackly. Since it was the off season we were able to get the rooms for $110 and $99 respectively.  At both places we got the rooms with the queen size bed and the tub with jets. At Briarwood it was called the honeymoon suite.

We stayed at Brackly Country Inn the first night. When we arrived everything was in darkness and I was thinking, this place is closed, what are we going to do? I took the stairs to the office (this place is not assessable and the rock stairs are a bit of a safety issue) and found a note taped to the side of the office door. It let us know that we were in room six and it was unlocked with the keys inside (as was our receipt with all of our personal information on it). We found a small hallway to room six, there was an open supply closet to greet us which was a disastrous mess and quite a shock to see, then we went through a steel door and took about two steps to the door of our room. At first glance I was delighted, it had rustic wood walls with a large bathroom, a faux fireplace in front of a small couch and corner television with a microwave, mini fridge and Keurig coffee maker.

On second glance, not so delighted; there was no coffee for the coffee maker and so we went for a short drive to see if we could find some but there were no stores around. We turned the heat on before we left as the room was frigid. When we got back it was pitch black dark and the yard light for our room was burned out and so we had to use a cell phone to try and get the door unlocked. It had been a long day and the room was still cold so we went to bed early but the bed was extremely uncomfortable and there were no extra pillows or blankets anywhere to be found. Having the fridge and microwave across from us meant bright lights and humming throughout the night as well as the room was filled with mosquitos and I mean there were dozens. No matter how many we killed there were still more. Then our neighbours arrived and they had the game on and they were arguing and we could hear every word, every door closing, every step, every sound they made. We could also hear the traffic, you wouldn’t think there would be a lot way out there but it was a steady stream and you could hear them coming from afar off and then zoom past (I would suggest a row of trees at the front of the property). I finally got up and took something to make me sleep.

The next morning I had to get ready to go to a wedding. First I couldn’t get enough warm water to have a proper shower. Then I had to try to put my make up on in the dark because the lighting in the bathroom was so bad, I borrowed the one lamp from the one night table and tried to use that but it created too many shadows and so I ended up putting my make up on in the car. GRRR. There was no full length mirror in the place either and so I could not even see what I looked like in my dress. Another thing to note is that there was no thought put into the design or look of the place whatsoever. The walls and furniture were rustic, the bed ancient (something you would put in a little boys bedroom) but the curtains and bedspread were an acetate fabric made to imitate taffeta like a young girl would have in a princess room. The blind on the front window was probably the most expensive fixture in the whole place and it didn’t even go with the room. Also, none of the moldings matched up, there were paint drips on the outlet covers and all the carpentry was very rough, like they had a bunch of friends come over and did it all in a drunken stupor. We did not encounter any staff of any kind while we were there.  

The good things about this place was the price and its location, which was close to Brackly Beach and a short drive away from Charlottetown. It is also beside the drive in which would be a fun thing to do if you had the time.

Our second night was at Briarwood Inn, Cottages and Lodge. 

I’m guessing we were in the lodge part, but I’m not really sure. That was our room pictured above. We had asked for the honeymoon suite as it was the off season and really cheap. The room was big, a separate living room with a full dining area to one side and patio doors out onto a deck with two chairs. Beyond the dining area was a kitchen area with a full size fridge and fully equipped kitchen and there was coffee. The large bathroom was well lit and featured a separate shower and a larger tub with jets. The bedroom was also large with a big closet with mirrored doors. The downside was the bed was tiny and not nice at all. At least they did have extra pillows in the closet but we had to bring our own blanket in from the car. Also, there were notes in the bathroom saying to run the hot water and eventually you would get some, I ran the water for what seemed like ten minutes until I got some warm water. We did get hot water for the tub but never got hot water in the shower.

This place was also very dated, the bed was horrendous and the bedding very ugly. The mouldings in this place did not match up either and were missing in places. There was even one section that had paper towel shoved in under the wall where a moulding should have been. There was also a lose tile in the bathroom, the fridge was very loud and although there weren’t mosquitos inside, there were flies.

The best place about this place was that it was a little secluded, very quiet and it was a short walk to a little inlet where you could watch the sunrise – gorgeous. There were ducks flying overhead and you could hear birds chirping in the distance.

Of the two places I would say Briarwood was the better place to stay comfort wise but neither are places that I would rave about to my friends or be excited to go back to. If I did have to go back I would take my own bedding and something to put on the mattress for comfort.

Here are the websites for both places if you want to check them out further.

http://www.briarwood.pe.ca/  

http://www.countryinn.ca/ 

October Movie List

It is almost October, there is a nip in the air and the trees are starting to change their leaves. It is time for pumpkin everything, warm cozy sweaters, hot chocolate, ideas for Halloween costumes, crock pot meals and evenings at home watching all our favorite before Halloween movies. I have such a long list of favorites that it takes me the entire month and I usually don't make it through the whole thing every year. Some of these are old family favorites and others are a bit more mature. Grab a warm blanket, a cup of something warm and the remote.

 

End of Summer Movies

I’ve seen many movies lately, Pete’s Dragon, Bad Moms, Suicide Squad, Sausage Party, Ben Hur, War Dogs, Sully and Snowden. None of these were fantastic or held my attention and none of them made me want to run right out and write about them. 

In fact Sausage Party was horrendous and I am embarrassed to say I saw it. I actually detested it. 

War Dogs was boring – so boring I wanted to bang my head against the seat in front of me. It was literally a wasted two hours of my life that I can never get back. A friend of mine thought it was good but he enjoys real life stories and I prefer to be entertained. 

Pete’s Dragon would be great for kids but it was a little slow for me. The main actress is the woman who also played in the latest Jurassic Park movie and she did a much better job this time around. 

All through Suicide Squad I was thinking why is it that the woman has to dress like that. Her feet must be killing her and she must be frozen solid because they would have either had to make the set warm for her or regular temperature for everyone else who were fully clothed and even wearing jackets. This distracted me from the actual story line. 

Bad Moms was amusing, more so because I watched it in a sold out theater and hearing everyone around you laugh makes you laugh as well. It’s not a movie I would want to take my kid to or run right out and buy but I did get a laugh out of it. 

Last night I saw Sully, it was fine, more like a documentary than having any entertainment value. I was not their target audience for sure but I went with a friend because she wanted to see it, and I’m glad I saw it but as I said before, it was a little dull. The theater was sold out but it was a sea of white hair. I swear I was the youngest person there with the exception of one young boy who went with his mother. 

I’m waiting for something good – something really good and sadly these are not them.

London Fog Trench Coat

This super cute London Fog Trench Coat was in an email I received alerting me to the fact that it was on sale.

I liked the jacket but not enough to spend that much money, as it isn't a staple or classic color. I thought it would be cute with jeans and black boots to run to the movies or the mall. Or I could wear it with a little black dress to dinner out or church. I could also wear it with black dress pants and a white blouse to work. It doesn't go with everything but it is a nice change from the everyday classics.

Then I found this one at the local thrift store for under $10! 

It's not double breasted but it is very similar and of a very good quality. You have to love those thrift stores!! Go out and find your own treasure.

Thrifty Plaid, Cozy Sweaters & Vests for Fall

I’m loving this plaid trend that has been happening over the past few years. Being from the country and loving nature I’ve always been drawn to plaid and now it is available everywhere. With the weather turning cool and the sun setting earlier and earlier I felt like pulling out the cozy clothes. It’s time to get ready for bonfires, walks in the fallen leaves, corn mazes, and pumpkin everything and these clothes are perfect for all of those things.

Almost all of the following pictures are of clothes I found in local thrift stores. Most of the scarves only cost $1.25. Hope you find some fall inspiration from these and hit your local thrift store for some bargains.

First is this pink vest which I couldn't leave in the store. It's not as versatile as the others but it does give you a pop of color.

I think I will pair this one with a plain gray scarf and matching boots.

Here is the same vest with a cozy white sweater - great for wearing to the theater on a cold evening out.

And here it is again with a cozy plaid scarf.

And another plaid scarf!

How about with a denim shirt underneath.

Next we have a reversible vest, red on one side, black on the other, two vests for the price of one. This would be a great item to take if you were going on a fall trip, say around the Cabot Trail.

This scarf came from Winners, it's the only one I bought that wasn't thrifted.

No plaid here, but a cozy sweater underneath.

Add a colorful scarf and you have a whole new look.

How about a denim shirt and a red plaid scarf. I will wear the red and black vests with black boots.

Here it is with some plaid shirts.

And some plaid scarfs.

Here is a green vest which comes with a removable hood. I sometimes wear this with a wheat colored sweater as well. I'm still looking for a plaid scarf or shirt that will go with it.

This white vest is my favorite and I love to wear it with a light snow fall as well if it isn't too cold.

Here it is with pink gingham.

And more plaid shirts.

I love the white vest as it can be mixed with any color. I wear a multitude of sweaters under it and can pair it with brown, black or even gray boots.

10 Cheap Romantic Ideas for a Disney Vacation

At Disney you can have a fairy tale wedding or help with your proposal, these are the epitome of Disney romance. I saw one of these proposals first hand one night while we were at Fantasmic. There are also all kinds of things you can pay extra for such as flowers in your room, different excursions at your resort and the awesome Safari at Animal Kingdom. But, if you are the average couple who just wants to sneak some romance in on your trip and not spend a lot of money, the following suggestions are for you.

1.  Eat at the Rose and Crown at Epcot. Make your reservation about an hour before the Illuminations show and ask to be seated on the patio – tell them you are willing to wait. They will let you wait for about an hour. This is a fantastic way to see the light show and it is very romantic. If you are travelling with another family you can take turns caring for the children so each couple gets a dinner out on their own. We did this while vacationing with my sister-in-law and her family and it was a fantastic time with my husband, the food was excellent, our waitress recommended drinks and dessert and the show was fantastic, as always.

2.  Watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the Polynesian Resort. Take the boat over to the resort before the fireworks start, get a dole whip from the food court located behind the pool area, and select a spot along the water where you can see the castle. If you are early enough you might get the lone hammock, if not it is a good idea to take something to spread on the grass as it might be damp after a rain or from dew. The parade of lights glides through this lagoon before the fireworks start as well. (We were staying on one of the Disney resorts so we were able to take the bus from the Polynesian to Epcot afterwards, where they had extended hours.) We have seen the Magic Kingdome fireworks from a few different locations and I enjoyed this spot immensely.

3.  Get matching shirts or hats or some other matching souvenir. I’ve seen lots of couples wearing the Mickey top hat and Minnie veil, which are adorable. There are also many coordinating Disney t-shirts that are great for couples. We wore matching costumes for the Disney’s not so scary Halloween Party and there are many DIY Disney shirts you can make before you go.

4.  If staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort check out the lagoon, take an early morning stroll along the beach, watch the sunset from the hammocks or take a late night swim in the pool. The main pool is closed at night but the smaller ones, closer to the rooms, are not and they are usually empty – just respect that families are sleeping and keep it quiet. It is usually quite quiet there in the mornings as well if you want to have breakfast at one of the small tables near the pool area – much more romantic than in the busy food court area.

5.  Sneak a kiss in the dark on Space Mountain – just do it before it starts going quickly – remember safety first. We don’t want any emergency dentist appointments!  Hold hands on the boat ride to Magic Kingdom. Remember to take moments to show each other you care wherever you can find them. These two secluded spots are at the Caribbean Beach Resort and they are perfect for a little alone time. If you are travelling with another family, take turns going to fill the refillable cups and take your time getting them :)

6.  There are some shaded, quieter paths through the center of Animal Kingdom where you can stop and smell the flowers, check out some flamingos and even a waterfall. These paths are great for catching your second wind and taking time to enjoy each other. There is also a garden area at Epcot in the Canadian section which is a nice place to slow down as well. Disney has fantastic gardeners and you can find a quiet spot at most of the resorts and parks.

7.  Make sure you stop by the Germany Pavilion in Epcot and buy a pickle ornament to put on your Christmas tree. They box them in tissue paper for you and I brought two home in my luggage successfully. This is a German tradition which we have adopted and now every year we play find the pickle after the tree has been decorated and it also reminds us of our wonderful trip together. Getting a Christmas decoration on each of your vacations is a tradition a friend shared with me and I love the idea.

8.  One thing about staying on a Disney resort is the ability to go back to your room after lunch, sit around the pool, in a hammock or even have a nap. Relax for a couple of hours before heading out for more fun. This is a great way to catch your second wind and we have wonderful memories of quiet pool time away from the crowds. I think this time is critical for having a stress free vacation, especially if travelling with children. It is easy to want to cram as much as possible into your day but you will enjoy everything so much more if you aren't exhausted.

9.  Have the dessert. All the Disney restaurants I’ve tried have been excellent; I love the character meals, the elaborate themes and the wonderful desserts. There are no calories on vacation right? Take the time to enjoy meals together, you need to sit, take a break and refuel. Talk about all the things you’ve seen that day and what you would like to see tomorrow. I highly recommend the Disney dining plan. I love that it is paid for ahead of time and you don’t feel the penny pinch at the time. Dining at Disney is part of the magical experience. Check out allears.net for restaurants you and your special someone would find romantic.

10.  Eat at Flame Tree Barbecue. It doesn't have the most fabulous food but the scenery makes up for it. You eat outside here and if you go all the way to the back you can sit overlooking the water. Very few people go all the way down there and so it is usually quite quiet and peaceful.

These are just a few suggestions and most of them you can do with children, especially if you are travelling with another family. And don’t forget, have your pictures taken together – everywhere. You are going to want to remember these moments. Plan ahead and carve out some time for yourselves, this is the most magical place on earth after all.

Check out these post as well: 
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/06/busch-gardens-vs-animal-kingdom.html
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/06/tips-for-visiting-sea-world.html
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/03/seuss-landing-at-islands-of-adventure.html