The other part of our grand celebration of two years together this weekend (see also The East Pointers, by surprise) was a night out at Slaymaker & Nichols, the restaurant a few blocks from us.

This too was a surprise, a surprise made better by Lisa not knowing in advance that, in addition to its restaurant downstairs, Slaymaker has three guest rooms upstairs.

When I’d heard tales previously of others staying overnight in the same city they live, it seemed so absurd. “You have a house!”, I would quietly whisper to myself.

But I can tell you now that slipping away for the night helps create a magic circle that made the weekend all that more special for both of us.

We started the night, surprise once-revealed, with supper in the Slaymaker & Nichols dining room.

We started with cocktails (Mojito Fresca for Lisa; Watermelon Mule for me), and then a meal. I had the Ringleader Burger (bacon jam, roasted shallot aioli, kale, sharp cheddar, tomato, dill pickle, brioche bun, roasted baby potatoes), which was wonderful in all the right ways; I don’t eat beef very often, so, when I do, I want it to be awesome. It was awesome.

Lisa had Mr. Carlson’s Turkey Dinner (herb pancetta stuffing, mesquite gravy, cranberry, gremolata, mashed potatoes & veg), skilfully and willingly modified by the chef for her dietary particularities; she also was impressed, inasmuch as said particularities might have, in less deft hands, resulted in a bland and depressing turkey supper, but the hands were skilled and her meal tasty.

After the show we returned to our overnight room, the General Scott (named after a circus horse). We found it a playful (mildly) circus-themed room with all that we needed. Especially worthy of mention were the very nicely-appointed washroom, with lovely big bathtub, and the turntable with collection of records in the hall (James Taylor, Chet Baker, Jackson Browne, Jackie Gleason).

We went downstairs for a nightcap around 10:00 p.m.; the dinner crowd had thinned out, and the vibe had migrated from supper club to speakeasy.

In the morning we had the option of a breakfast board served in our room from 7:00 a.m., or brunch in the dining room from 9:00 a.m. We opted for brunch (aided by an early morning delivery of French press coffee ready for adding boiling water from the in-room kettle).

The kitchen again rose to the challenge of making Lisa a suitable breakfast, adapting the Turkish Eggs on Toast, which she loved. I had the Let’s Go Mushrooming (cremini, sherry creamed leeks, garlic toast), which was just simply fantastic. The coffee was strong and free-flowing. It was a great finish to the stay.

Service wise, Slaymaker was firing on all cylinders; in an email to the owners this morning I wrote “the entire operation appeared ready to be of service whenever we needed it, without question,” and that was true: so much of what otherwise might have been friction, in a less attentive operation, was offered freely and eagerly. We left with the impression that Slaymaker is a good place to work that attracts good, friendly, helpful people.

If you’re looking to craft your own magic circle in downtown Charlottetown, I can’t think of a better place.