Grand Getaway

Last weekend, my family went to the Grand Hotel, on Mackinac Island, for the weekend.

There are no cars allowed on the island, so the main forms of transportation are horses

And bikes.

We spent Thursday afternoon walking around downtown

It had just rained, so the light was beautiful :)

We had a casual dinner at The Jockey Club (delicious) on Thursday night. 

Spent Friday walking around downtown some more.

Then, we had dinner in the main dining room on Friday night.  The Grand Hotel has a long-standing tradition that after 6 pm, all men must be in jackets and ties, and all women must be in dresses or "very nice pantsuits."

 

Even Ian and Avery :)

We do family pictures when we're all up there, since there aren't many other times that our family is all together AND dressed up.

BoBo!

Mi familia

The whole family

Such a good looking family :)

Dining room

Fancy shmancy. 

The main dining room's menu includes a lot of really big French and Italian foodie words.

You get 5 courses: Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Main Course, and Dessert

I had Grilled Pineapple with Whipped Marscapone and Wildflower Honey Syrup (pictured), Beef Broth with Sherry and Herb-Mallow Celestine, Vine-Ripened Tomatoes and Buffalo Mozzarella Pearls with Ginger-Balsamic Vinaigrette, Garlic Roasted Prime Rib of Beef with Creamed Spinach Brioche, and Blood Orange Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce.

Yes. That IS a lot of food. No. I did not eat it all. Yes. It WAS absolutely delicious.

We left the Island on Saturday night after dinner at The Gate House (The Grand's "sports bar" restaurant- at the bottom of the hill.)  The Ferry ride back to Mackinaw City was FREEZING, but there was the most beautiful sunset I've seen this side of Piatt Lake.  I'll end with a few pictures of that.

(Jenney: I am SO SORRY that my horizons aren't on a third. I'll try to do better next time. *cowers*)