This weekend at the Captain Whidbey Inn was a lesson in luxury.
When I first started attending society events in Budapest, I was seduced by the glamor of it all: the gilded rooms and free-flowing drinks and well-dressed people. I thought I had stepped into a different world, one where the building blocks of luxury fell neatly into place. But after a while, I learned that without the right company or atmosphere, the sheen falls away quickly, and even the most meticulously curated of settings can become stale.
When I arrived at the SCRIBE Winery x Chef Joshua McFadden sunset party at the Captain Whidbey Inn (find their list of Happenings here), new ideas about luxury started to spark. It was in the way I could feel my shoulders relax and my breathing become deeper, even as soon as we pulled into the madrona-shaded parking lot.
And then, down to the dock, our first taste of Scribe wines accompanying the oyster bar, wind whipping through our hair and sending potato chips flying off our plates. It was the easy rhythm as we made our way up to the dining room at sunset, sharing stories over shared plates. And then, after, almost bursting, head full of bubbles, new connections under starlight as we wrapped up in blankets and made conversation with new friends on the sloping lawn. Woodsmoke on the air, water lapping at the shore below, phones lying somewhere forgotten. The luxury came from the flow–of wine and conversation–all at a venue that can’t help but bring its history into the present–an inn with friendly ghosts all around.
My mistake in earlier years was believing there was only one definition of luxury. But, as this evening at the Inn taught me, definitions change with experience. As I continue to explore heritage and boutique experiences around the world, I want to connect you with the ones I find truly luxurious, the ones that will leave you truly refreshed.
Xx Denae
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