It was a beautiful weekend. Full of sun shine and fun. I spent Saturday morning in the garden and getting the house in order and packing our over night bag. I smiled and sang my way through all the chores and before I knew it I was done and we were on the road.
Wilmington Delaware is an hours ride south of us and truth be told not a place we would ever have thought of as a travel destination. If it weren't for the wedding reception we were attending, the Hotel DuPont and Wilmington would still be unknown to us. We arrived at the hotel a few hours before the reception and checked in. Once we were dressed and ready we took a short walk around the area to check it out.
What caught our attention first and foremost was how clean the city was and how empty. There was no one on the streets and sidewalks. No cars no people. Well a few but not what you expect in a city. All the shops and stores were closed and it wasn't even 5 :00 in the evening yet. There didn't seem to be tourist walking about or getting dinner. There were restaurants but they didn't seemed to be doing any business and some didn't appear to be open. Maybe Wilmington comes to life after 6:00. I don't know because once we stepped back in the hotel we didn't come back out again until mid morning. In the morning after a awesome brunch I took a little stroll and got a few pictures.
Once again it was like the city was locked down tight and no one was home.
The strangest and some what startling thing happened Sunday morning. I took a picture of a big beautiful church that had no people in it except one lone soul walking up the steps.
No Sunday service seemed to be happening at all. As we are leaving the city to come home I asked Dzia to stop at a corner coffee shop I spotted so I can get a coke for the ride home. The sign on the door said open for business, I push the door open and walk in. There is some sort of bible study going on at the first table and few other tables I notice are full and no one has a coffee or other drinks. I don't give it all that much thought and walk over to the soda fridge and grab a bottle. A lady walks up to me and says excuse me but this is church and we don't sell anything on Sunday. I say okay put the soda back and head for the door. Now I am already a little taken a back by this because there was no sign or anything to let a stranger know that on Sunday this is not a coffee shop. I was really surprised when I get to the door my path is blocked and I am being invited to join a table. I smile and say no thank you I am just traveling through and wanted a soda. The lady still didn't move but instead once again invites me to join a table and she will get me water. I say NO THANK YOU and push my way past her and get my self back in the car. I was so flustered I couldn't even tell Dzia what had just happened and why I was unsettled. I kind of just babbled something stupid. We do eventually find me a soda while getting a little more view of this empty empty city. I wonder where the people live because we never saw houses or apartment buildings. I saw a few windows I think might have been apartments above the shops but I saw less than a dozen of them.
Really a strange place. Beautiful but strange.
The wedding was just absolutely stunning. The bride and groom were beautiful and handsome, the dancing enjoyable to watch, the food was spectacular. It was indeed a joyful celebration. Sorry for the lack of wedding photos but I was having trouble getting the settings right for the light in the room and the photographer I was standing next to suggested that it was because my camera sucked. I don't agree but really didn't want to fuss any more so I put my camera away and enjoyed the party. I see why the Bride and Groom picked the Hotel DuPont as the venue.
This hotel is glamorous beyond words. Our room was grand. We had a lovely view, a comfortable bed, a large luxurious bath tub, and nice sitting area for enjoying our morning caffeine.The bell boys and valet parking weren't hard to take either.
As nice as the rooms were the lobby and ballrooms were even better. Every thing was ornate and opulent.
Nothing in this hotel is low key, and they manage to make it all work together elegantly making everyone feel regal and special. The staff matches the hotels elegance with their friendly, and efficient attention to each and every guest. While the city itself is not one I would like to revisit, I certainly wouldn't mind revisiting the Hotel DuPont.
" What Was Dinner " When we got home Sunday afternoon I couldn't do anything other then sit on the couch and not move. Tired is an understatement. I slept like a champ in that king sized perfectly firm hotel bed but I was still tired when we got home. I did manage to walk out back and look at the garden. Our neighbor and friend Tom stepped over to the garden and asked what we were doing for dinner. Without missing a beat I said coming to your house. Then it dawned on me to ask whats for dinner.
Yep that's right sea food, not just seafood but the kind that everything goes in one bowl and is mixed together. That meant I couldn't even eat around the seafood. I brought some Johnsonville Brats for myself and was happy with them and dessert. I have seen Paella made on cooking and traveling shows but never seen it made in person. There are a lot of steps to the dish.
The end result is very pretty and from the way everyone scarfed it down I'd have to say tasty too. I will give this a try some day without the seafood, or since the seafood goes on last I may make half and half so everyone gets to enjoy. I asked Tom for his recipe but like most good cooks he just does it, nothing is written down, there are no measurements he just knows when it is right. So I went looking on the internet and found a dozen different recipes for Paella. I picked the closet to what I saw Tom make last night.
This looks like a good party dish as well as a good healthy meal.
Cheery Monday to you! Thank you for stopping by.
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