Let’s face it. It’s a shit time for the economy. There are some of us who maybe have dropped a bunch of money on something frivolous like shoes, clothes or an extravagant night are now sucking wind, saving money, paying off our credit cards. Others, like myself, are wondering when getting a home loan will not longer require a blood sample and my first born. Either way, everyone is thinking of the economy and their now nonexistent retirement accounts. Merry Christmas, right?
Well, here are a few ideas on how to get you through the holidays without excessively drinking egg nogg.
1) Make something. My mother always made almond brittle during the holiday season. It’s less common than peanut brittle and much tastier, if you ask me. You might need a little inspiration so here’s my mother’s recipe. I place several pieces in a decorative Chinese food to-go container or maybe a pretty tin.
Mom’s almond brittle
1 C. whole raw almonds (unsalted)
½ C. granulated sugar
2 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
Salt
Combine almonds, butter and sugar in a heavy 10 inch skillet. Cook, stirring fairly constantly, over medium heat until the almonds are toasted and the sugar is melted and golden brown (about 15 mins). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Spread the nuts on a sheet of aluminum (make sure you have sprayed the foil with no stick cooking spray). Try to place the almonds in clusters of 2 or 3. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
2) Tone down the festivities
You do not need to serve a 5 course meal in order to enjoy time with family and friends. My friend Robert has a saying. It’s something like “my guests don’t have a better time if I spend 4 more hours on dinner”.
Sometimes just have hours d’ouvres is much more fun then just dinner. Some of my favorite parties have been those that I've asked my guests to bring their favorite appetizer.
3) Try unconventional gifts
One of my favorite gift suggestions this year has been Tastebook. www.tastebook.com is a web site where you can upload your recipes and have them bound in a binder that can be opened. The fabulous thing about Tastebook is that you can put a few recipes in the book and then add more later. They start at $20 so, you could can add your favorite recipe and give it to a friend to complete with their favorites.
4) Bring a hostess gift, not an enormous present
A hostess gift is just that. It’s not meant to be a present that will bust the bank. It’s a gesture to your host. Pick a nice bottle of wine. Places like Trader Joe’s and World Market have really good wines for around $10.
5) Just send cards
My family agreed this year to just send Christmas cards. Since all of us “kids” are grown, we’re not broken up about not getting a gift.
Regardless of your financial situation, simplifying the holidays always seems to make them less stressful, as well.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Christmas Chaos
Growing up Christmas was always my favorite time of year. My mother dusted off her recipes for the seasonal family favorites. The house always looked like Santa threw up in it but, it was a magical time, none the less. For many this is a time of stress. Having to deal with unruly family members can make you feel like you’re in Christmas Vacation.
As much as I try to lead a stress free life, it doesn’t always turn out that way.
The tree is not finished. There are still presents to be purchased and the stores are mayhem (Did you hear about that Wal-Mart worker who got trampled the day after Thanksgiving? What the hell, people?)
What’s a girl to do with all this holiday stress? Just for you, my dear friends, I’m including my famous lemon drop martini recipe. Please feel free to change it and make it your own. CHEERS! And let’s not stress; the holidays are almost over.
Tart Lemon Drop Martini
This is a very tart martini. For those of you who will only drink sweet booze, I suggest you add sugar and maybe leave out some lemon. I know it's tart. It's supposed to be tart.
1 Meyer lemon (squeezed into the shaker)
Approx 6-8 ice cubes
1 Tbsp of sugar (not the hippie raw brown sugar – regular white sugar)
6 oz good vodka (don’t be cheap – there’s nothing worse than a bad hang over)
Put all of the ingredients into the cocktail shaker. If you’re a light weight (and you know who you are) add some water. Shake the cocktail shaker with your index finger on the lid. Shake until the cocktail shaker becomes too cold to hold (AKA: shake it ‘til it hurts).
And VOILA! Family? What family? What turkey? Oh, look I have a fabulous cocktail in front of me. Cheers.
As much as I try to lead a stress free life, it doesn’t always turn out that way.
The tree is not finished. There are still presents to be purchased and the stores are mayhem (Did you hear about that Wal-Mart worker who got trampled the day after Thanksgiving? What the hell, people?)
What’s a girl to do with all this holiday stress? Just for you, my dear friends, I’m including my famous lemon drop martini recipe. Please feel free to change it and make it your own. CHEERS! And let’s not stress; the holidays are almost over.
Tart Lemon Drop Martini
This is a very tart martini. For those of you who will only drink sweet booze, I suggest you add sugar and maybe leave out some lemon. I know it's tart. It's supposed to be tart.
1 Meyer lemon (squeezed into the shaker)
Approx 6-8 ice cubes
1 Tbsp of sugar (not the hippie raw brown sugar – regular white sugar)
6 oz good vodka (don’t be cheap – there’s nothing worse than a bad hang over)
Put all of the ingredients into the cocktail shaker. If you’re a light weight (and you know who you are) add some water. Shake the cocktail shaker with your index finger on the lid. Shake until the cocktail shaker becomes too cold to hold (AKA: shake it ‘til it hurts).
And VOILA! Family? What family? What turkey? Oh, look I have a fabulous cocktail in front of me. Cheers.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A First Glace of Lisbon
The drive from Tavira to Lisbon took about 3.5 hours. If you weren’t driving a POS 2.5 cylinder Ford Focus rental car, I’m sure it would take you less. The scenery on the way from the south of Portugal to Lisbon was a particularly interesting one. Cork oak trees lined the highway on both sides. Apparently, Portugal produces 50% of the world’s harvest of cork. The trees, which are stripped of their bark (which produces the cork) can be harvested every 10-12 years and has a life expectancy of 150-250 years. Please don’t try to cut down a cork tree when you’re in Portugal – it’s illegal. You don’t want to spend you vacation in jail, do you?
Lisbon was not at all what I had expected. I think I was expecting more of a cosmopolitan city, such as Madrid or Barcelona. In comparison, Lisbon is a tad … well, shabby. I know, I know… it’s politically incorrect. But, I think if you were there you might agree that the city was more shabby than shabby chic. Many of the buildings were tiled and many of the tiles cracked and dirtied from years of wear. Also, graffiti seemed to be everywhere, making me feel uneasy about the area in general.
If you want a cultural experience you can stay in charming little hotel that the locals just love. I like a Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons… something to that effect. If you, too, enjoy these high quality/luxury chains, do yourself a favor and do not stay in a charming little hotel. You will be beyond disappointed and a raving b!tch from lack of sleep. A traveling companion (who will remain nameless) likes these sort of out of the way, “charming” places. There were several to choose from… but they weren’t cheap. We settled on 180 Euro a night boutique that was labeled as a “good value” by a very reputable travel web site. (Note: I’ve figured out that a “good value” means that the sheets are clean and you don’t have to share a bathroom with the people down the hall.) Now for $250 bucks a night I would expect to stay in a nice hotel. It might not be the Ritz, but it should be nice.
After an hour of driving up and down the streets trying to find the hotel, we saw a tile sign above the doorway. It looked awful. When I say awful, I mean that I was ready to get back in the car and head to the nearest luxury hotel. One of my other travel buddies first mentioned “Is this neighborhood safe at night?” and then later said “well, they have your credit card info. We should go check the rooms.”
We walked up to the front of the hotel. Old, dilapidated tiles reading the name of the hotel were mounted to the top of the stucco door frame. A locked iron gate stood about 8 feet tall and a speaker box was on the side of the wall. We rang the bell and waited. The woman on the other end of the phone ushered us upstairs. We climbed one, then two flights of stairs. At the top was a large cobblestone courtyard. A large palm tree was the focal point for this garden, while other large trees and vines surrounded the courtyard, providing much needed shade from the hot day.
We asked to see the rooms before getting the key. The woman at the front desk looked shocked. The door man showed up to our rooms. They were clean, simple, not luxurious. I would say that was a 99 buck a night room by European standards, not a $250 a night room. We figured we would make do and stay at the hotel. Later that night I noticed a little dry rot in the floor of the bathroom. Scott had a good point. He said, “For $250 I would expect them to get rid of the dry rot.”
What to do
So, the first day in Lisbon started out shaky. For day #2 we decided to visit St George’s castle. Lisbon is quite hilly so, I was thrilled to take a cab there. Once inside we immediately noticed the enormity of the castle grounds. Now, I’ve been to castles. I’ve been to castles in Austria, the UK, Spain, Germany and other various places in Europe. St. George’s castle put them all to shame. The castle is huge. You could imagine how in its time the castle would be a city in itself.
The view of the Tagus river from the castle is amazing so, be sure to spend some time on the “patio” and take some pictures. When you venture in the castle, you will see that the walls are pretty well in tact. Many tourists walked up the narrow stair cases up to the top of several levels, overlooking the center of the (now open air) castle to one side and the city to the other.
Visiting the castle was a spectacular way to spend the day. I highly recommend it.
Lisbon was not at all what I had expected. I think I was expecting more of a cosmopolitan city, such as Madrid or Barcelona. In comparison, Lisbon is a tad … well, shabby. I know, I know… it’s politically incorrect. But, I think if you were there you might agree that the city was more shabby than shabby chic. Many of the buildings were tiled and many of the tiles cracked and dirtied from years of wear. Also, graffiti seemed to be everywhere, making me feel uneasy about the area in general.
If you want a cultural experience you can stay in charming little hotel that the locals just love. I like a Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons… something to that effect. If you, too, enjoy these high quality/luxury chains, do yourself a favor and do not stay in a charming little hotel. You will be beyond disappointed and a raving b!tch from lack of sleep. A traveling companion (who will remain nameless) likes these sort of out of the way, “charming” places. There were several to choose from… but they weren’t cheap. We settled on 180 Euro a night boutique that was labeled as a “good value” by a very reputable travel web site. (Note: I’ve figured out that a “good value” means that the sheets are clean and you don’t have to share a bathroom with the people down the hall.) Now for $250 bucks a night I would expect to stay in a nice hotel. It might not be the Ritz, but it should be nice.
After an hour of driving up and down the streets trying to find the hotel, we saw a tile sign above the doorway. It looked awful. When I say awful, I mean that I was ready to get back in the car and head to the nearest luxury hotel. One of my other travel buddies first mentioned “Is this neighborhood safe at night?” and then later said “well, they have your credit card info. We should go check the rooms.”
We walked up to the front of the hotel. Old, dilapidated tiles reading the name of the hotel were mounted to the top of the stucco door frame. A locked iron gate stood about 8 feet tall and a speaker box was on the side of the wall. We rang the bell and waited. The woman on the other end of the phone ushered us upstairs. We climbed one, then two flights of stairs. At the top was a large cobblestone courtyard. A large palm tree was the focal point for this garden, while other large trees and vines surrounded the courtyard, providing much needed shade from the hot day.
We asked to see the rooms before getting the key. The woman at the front desk looked shocked. The door man showed up to our rooms. They were clean, simple, not luxurious. I would say that was a 99 buck a night room by European standards, not a $250 a night room. We figured we would make do and stay at the hotel. Later that night I noticed a little dry rot in the floor of the bathroom. Scott had a good point. He said, “For $250 I would expect them to get rid of the dry rot.”
What to do
So, the first day in Lisbon started out shaky. For day #2 we decided to visit St George’s castle. Lisbon is quite hilly so, I was thrilled to take a cab there. Once inside we immediately noticed the enormity of the castle grounds. Now, I’ve been to castles. I’ve been to castles in Austria, the UK, Spain, Germany and other various places in Europe. St. George’s castle put them all to shame. The castle is huge. You could imagine how in its time the castle would be a city in itself.
The view of the Tagus river from the castle is amazing so, be sure to spend some time on the “patio” and take some pictures. When you venture in the castle, you will see that the walls are pretty well in tact. Many tourists walked up the narrow stair cases up to the top of several levels, overlooking the center of the (now open air) castle to one side and the city to the other.
Visiting the castle was a spectacular way to spend the day. I highly recommend it.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tavira and Southern Portugal
The Algarve is the region in the south of Portugal, facing Africa. It was not at all what I expected. We traveled by car from Marbella, in the south of Spain, to Tavira. The hot humid air of Spain was soon replaced by a sweltering dry heat. Also, along the car ride, I noticed that the soil in Portugal is of a red variety; sometimes it's coral, sometimes dark red.We stayed in a Pousada. Pousadas are spread over Portugal. They are former convents, monasteries or castles that have been converted to hotels. After talking with the attendant at the front desk, I learned that the government does provide some sort of funding for restoration of these buildings but, they are managed by hotel management companies.
We stayed at the Pousada de Tavira – Convento de Graca. I must admit to you that I was a bit impressed by the restoration of the Pousada. It had been restored just a few years prior and looked incredible. The rooms were simple, yet classy, and had a soft (but just firm enough) bed with down pillows and comforter.
The first night after the long drive from Marbella to Tavira, we decided to have dinner at the hotel. The menu of the evening was Moroccan cuisine. We were pleasantly surprised by the food. Bream was the served in several ways throughout the 5 courses, consisting of fish with dates, dried nuts and fruits. (I later learned that Bream is a local Portuguese white fish. It actually tasted a lot like sea bass, though I understand they are different species of fish.) The dinner was excellent and the staff was quite nice.
We spent the following day exploring Tavira, a sea side town where you will find snorkeling, fishing and boating excursions available. I’m not much of a sun bunny, or a water person. Rather, the four of us preferred to wander the streets of Tavira, snapping photos and helping out the economy with purchases from yet another Zara.
On the way back to the Pousada, we took a detour and visited one of the golf resorts. The South of Portugal is littered with golf resorts where the weary Northern European traveler can sun themselves and golf. The massive golf resorts and hot weather provide a change from the other variable weather you might find in Europe (especially Northern Europe). The golf resorts are huge; many of them encompass miles of courses, condos, restaurants and hotels.
Once you get out of the resort, it’s noticeable. Portugal is a poorer country than Spain. I was honestly expecting that the countries would be similar. I think that would be saying California borders Arizona so, they are similar.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Return to Espana
After an exciting year of getting engaged, starting a new job and moving 2,000 miles away, I finally went on vacation (thank God). I went back to a favorite haunt, the Marriott Playa Andalusia in southern Spain.
Getting Around
Driving in Spain is always a bit of religious experience - by that I mean that you say “oh God” a lot. The Spaniards, as do most other Europeans, drive like a bat out of hell in their 4 cylinder piece of shit car. Everyone there has a piece of shit car, unless you have tons of money or just want people to think so. They have the POS car because of the fact that parking can, at times, be like bumper cars and door dings are frequent. As usual, I drove. I get car sick, plane sick, train sick, sea sick; let’s just say it’s best if I drive.
My Dad’s girlfriend, Marilyn, told me that I “drive like a local”. I’m not too sure if that’s a compliment but, I’ll take what I can get. Many Americans like to drive within the lines (just like coloring) and can’t seem to grasp the concept that people will go when the light is red and drive in the middle of two lanes. This is why driving in Europe is not for the faint of heart. This is why a close family friend prefers tours. He said that he can’t handle the driving and would prefer that someone else would do it. I guess no one told him he could hire a driver for the day, too.
The Costa del Sol
The south of Spain is fondly referred to as the “Costa del sol”. This scenic area consisting of more condos and golf courses then you’ve even seen, is the home away from home and FAV vacation destination of many Brits, Germans and a few Americans, too. The weather is HOT in the summer. And when I say HOT, I mean it’s freaking’ HOT. The humidity can be surprising at times (varying from degrees of sticky to just plain unbearable); coupled with the high temperatures in July and August, it’s uncomfortable. We traveled in September and it was still on the warm side - temperatures ranging from 80 to 85 degrees.
Many Brits and Germans come to soak up the sun and the heat, escaping from the cold North. Being pasty white, I’ve never been one to sit by the pool. This doesn’t seem to stop the Brits. You can practically feel the heat radiating off of their bodies as the cook in the hot sun and maintain their sun burn for a constant week.
What to do
If you’re a golfer, you’re in heaven. The only problem is that many of the golf courses are expensive (about 150 Euros, or $210) and many of them require a handicap. Being a novice golfer, I was told by my father that those of us infrequent players would be out of luck without a handicap. Oh well…
There are many white cities in the south. The white cities of Spain are famous. Living in close proximity to your neighbors, in the hilly regions, the hills provided protection from invaders. Later, “White Villages” became convenient farming communities, allowing the farmers to live in a protected community. Today the white village, or pueblos blancos, remain. (You can find more information on the white villages of Spain by visiting http://www.andalucia.com/villages/malaga.htm.)
If you decide to venture to a white village, note that the parking can be treacherous. (We had a slight incident in Casares and nearly ended up in the Castle – long story.) Be aware of the giant blue “P”, for public parking, and you should be fine.
My fiancée, Scott was interested in checking out the wines of Spain. Finding a bottle shop in the Costa del Sol is few and far between. Many of the wine growing regions are in the North, not the South. Determined to drink good wine on our trip, we asked the concierge if there was a wine shop in the area.
He recommended a place called “The Museum of Wine” in Mijas. I’ve been to Mijas. It’s one of the white villages. It’s very picturesque. Parking is a bitch. If you visit Mijas, don’t be cheap - park in the parking garage. Trust me, it’s worth the money. After traveling along the A7 highway to and then up a steep grade to get to Mijas only to squeeze your POS 2.5 cylinder rental car into a parking spot the size of a shoe box, a glass of wine sounds like a fantastic idea.
The concierge gave me a map and noted where the “Museo de Vino” is located. White cities are elusive, though. They are deceiving in terms of size and also in terms of where each street is actually located. After a small debate about is it down this street or that, I spotted a cop. In Europe they’re happy to give you directions so feel free to ask. After all, there’s no crispy crème in Mijas; what else is the guy going to do?
We venture up another small narrow street (almost an ally) and there it was. This wine shop is much more then a wine shop. For 15 Euros you can get tapas and 3 wine tastings. Or for 25 Euros you can get 5 tastings and 5 tapas. There were 4 of us who had the wine tastings and, believe me, we didn’t starve or lack for wine.
The tapas started out as typical Spanish hours d’ouvres. Aged cheese, salty ham and spicy chorizo were starters. From there were had the ratatouille with tuna (amazing) and pork with a balsamic reduction sauce. ALL FOR 15 EUROS (including wine). The proprietor of the shop is a wine connoisseur without being a snob. All you have to do is tell him what types of wine you want and he’ll bring out customized tasting, just for you.
Scott and I actually came back a second day and enjoyed tapas and wine. We had nowhere to be all day so, we just talked with the shopkeepers about wine and watched the tour groups from the cruises go in and out of the store. We were asked several times how we got that glass of tempranillo or if we were going to get back on the bus. They were all shocked when we said that we drove our own car and were going to continue enjoying our wine throughout the afternoon.
Here’s the web site for the wine Museum. It’s all in Spanish but, it lists their phone number and address.
http://www.museovinomalaga.org/
More Food
If you didn’t eat enough during your wine tasting/tapas afternoon, you can head west to Estapona. One fabulous restaurant is Tikitano. It’s a challenge to find but, the food is incredible. This culinary gem is actually right on the sand making for scenic lunches and romantic sunset dinners.
My recommendation would be the risotto appetizer. They know how to make it. Being an Italian girl, I know if someone screws up the risotto. Theirs is top notch. Just about anything else on the menu would make your mouth water, as well. I had the sea bass and it melted in your mouth. If you feeling like a big shot, Louis XIII is available for a mere 225 Euros a shot.
Check out the web site for directions – trust me, you’ll need them. And you can make reservations on line.
http://tikitano.net/
More to come from Spain. These are just a few of my favorites and suggestions.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Shoe Alert!
For those of my amigos who have a shoe obsession, I've found something wonderful to share with you. The web site http://www.6pm.com/ carries shoes that are last seasons or discontinued items from zappos.com. They have things like privo's for $25. You can't beat that with a stick. You can feed your shoe obsession AND maintain your budget. How FABULOUS is that?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Isn't this moving thing fun?
Until now, I have never moved across country. As a matter of fact, I’ve never moved anywhere that’s not within 100 miles of my family. After my Mom died I moved back in with my Dad and have spent the past 2 years enjoying our beautiful family home with spacious kitchen and 6 bedrooms. I love the backyard with grape vines, peaches and blackberries in the back yard. Somehow, I figured it would be just as easy to move down the street as it is to move across country. Now I like to think that my nativity comes from my artificially blond hair and I’m not just stupid. But little did I know what moving cross country would really involve.
First of all, I have a dog named Cava. She’s the best yellow lab in the world. (Yes, I’m one of those crazy dog people that feeds their dog holistic dog food.) My fiancée loves the dog. As a matter of fact he will call and ask how “my dog” is doing, I think just to get my goat a bit. My fiancée also has a cat named Boo Boo. Did I mention that the only thing in the world that Cava hates is cats?
Thank GAWD that my company gave me a relocation package, paying for the move (one less thing to pay for). There was just the issue of getting there. Cava had taken car trips with me before but never for hours on end. The funny thing about the dog is that I don’t think she knows she’s a dog. When we go for car rides she jumps into the front seat (if available) and sits there, looking out the front window. That’s right… she never rides with her head out the window.
One day I thought that if she just tried it, she would love it. We rolled down my street at a snails pace. I quietly, sneakily rolled down the window, acting as nonchalant as I possibly could. I quickly shoved Cava’s head out the window with my right hand, steering the car with the other. After about 2 seconds she shook loose and gave me a look like I had lost my mind. I ended the battle of the open window right there. Why bother? I just turn on the AC and she’s happy as a clam.
Despite Cava’s distain for cats, I thought that after a while, a slight period of adjustment perhaps, that Boo Boo and Cava would learn to love each other. In the meantime, I’ve kept Cava on a leash or the two of them in separate rooms.
Yesterday I was unpacking yet another box in the kitchen when I heard a faint “meow”. I just figured that since Cava was out that the cat was in the laundry room (conveniently behind closed doors). About 10 seconds passed and I heard a louder “MEOW”. At the same time, Cava and I rose to our feet, both realizing that the cat was out. Cava and I left the kitchen, her going one way, me going another. I stopped when I saw the cat, Boo Boo, sauntering up the stairs with a big fat “MEOWWWW”.
Two seconds later, it was on. Cava started with a growl. The cat ran under the kitchen table and Cava followed, snarling and barking the whole way while the chairs at the table wobbled and moved as they passed. I followed, trying to catch Cava, yelling “no, no, no”. But, they were too fast for me. First they were down the stairs and then back up in a flash, the whole time Boo Boo had an expression if to say “what the hell just happened” and Cava was practically foaming at the mouth.
I finally caught Cava on second pass up the stairs; Boo Boo found a hiding place. Cava finally calmed down and I sat down at the kitchen table to catch my breath. I guess this is all part of that “adjustment period” that people talk about when you move in with someone. I just keep telling myself, it’s just like the Brady Bunch but with sans Marsha and sans maid. Just another adventure…
First of all, I have a dog named Cava. She’s the best yellow lab in the world. (Yes, I’m one of those crazy dog people that feeds their dog holistic dog food.) My fiancée loves the dog. As a matter of fact he will call and ask how “my dog” is doing, I think just to get my goat a bit. My fiancée also has a cat named Boo Boo. Did I mention that the only thing in the world that Cava hates is cats?
Thank GAWD that my company gave me a relocation package, paying for the move (one less thing to pay for). There was just the issue of getting there. Cava had taken car trips with me before but never for hours on end. The funny thing about the dog is that I don’t think she knows she’s a dog. When we go for car rides she jumps into the front seat (if available) and sits there, looking out the front window. That’s right… she never rides with her head out the window.
One day I thought that if she just tried it, she would love it. We rolled down my street at a snails pace. I quietly, sneakily rolled down the window, acting as nonchalant as I possibly could. I quickly shoved Cava’s head out the window with my right hand, steering the car with the other. After about 2 seconds she shook loose and gave me a look like I had lost my mind. I ended the battle of the open window right there. Why bother? I just turn on the AC and she’s happy as a clam.
Despite Cava’s distain for cats, I thought that after a while, a slight period of adjustment perhaps, that Boo Boo and Cava would learn to love each other. In the meantime, I’ve kept Cava on a leash or the two of them in separate rooms.
Yesterday I was unpacking yet another box in the kitchen when I heard a faint “meow”. I just figured that since Cava was out that the cat was in the laundry room (conveniently behind closed doors). About 10 seconds passed and I heard a louder “MEOW”. At the same time, Cava and I rose to our feet, both realizing that the cat was out. Cava and I left the kitchen, her going one way, me going another. I stopped when I saw the cat, Boo Boo, sauntering up the stairs with a big fat “MEOWWWW”.
Two seconds later, it was on. Cava started with a growl. The cat ran under the kitchen table and Cava followed, snarling and barking the whole way while the chairs at the table wobbled and moved as they passed. I followed, trying to catch Cava, yelling “no, no, no”. But, they were too fast for me. First they were down the stairs and then back up in a flash, the whole time Boo Boo had an expression if to say “what the hell just happened” and Cava was practically foaming at the mouth.
I finally caught Cava on second pass up the stairs; Boo Boo found a hiding place. Cava finally calmed down and I sat down at the kitchen table to catch my breath. I guess this is all part of that “adjustment period” that people talk about when you move in with someone. I just keep telling myself, it’s just like the Brady Bunch but with sans Marsha and sans maid. Just another adventure…
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Yet Another FAB Chicago Trip
My fabulous fiancé, Scott, suggested that we attend the Frank Lloyd Wright house walk this year. Though I have done house walks before, I had not heard of the FLW house walk. As the name implies, you walk through restored turn of the century homes. What they might not tell you is that there’s a lot of standing, too.
Perhaps they sold too many tickets this year but, every home that we tried to enter had a huge line. I just tried to think of it this way: what else am I going to do on a beautiful Saturday? But, after a while, I got sick of standing and wondered if I had enough culture for the day.
My advice is to wear the most comfortable shoes and clothes that you can and stop for lunch. (Seriously, wear the Nike’s and forgo the cute wedges; you’ll thank me later.) Scott and I stopped at the café recommended in the FLW brochure. Though the café was crowded, there was no wait for a table.
If you feel like helping out the local economy, don’t forget to stop by the FLW home and studio. There are several vendors with the product out. You can buy stained glass kits or even art deco inspired jewelry.
The People
The people who attend such an event should not be classified as normal people. You will not be standing with the unwashed masses of the society, like you do at the DMV. Rather, you will meet the most interesting people at events such as these. They’re educated, they’re into architecture, and they have something to say.
Now, I don’t have any issues with chatting with new people. (As a matter of fact I even passed on kissing the blarney stone in Ireland, as I already possess the gift of gab.) But, for those of you who are shy, feel free to start up a conversation with the people in line next to you. They’re probably very nice and quite interesting.
The Weather
As I’m learning, the weather in the Midwest can be quite variable. We were extremely lucky to have a breezy 75 degree day for the house walk. As we finished up at the last house, dark ominous clouds rolled in. The weather man mentioned that there was a slight chance of rain that day, but I honestly wasn’t expecting it. According to the weather people there’s always a chance of rain, right?
We continued our 10 minute walk to the car and headed back to the hotel before changing for dinner. About a minute after we got to the car it was a torrential downpour. Being from Southern California, I’m not used the variability in the weather. In So Cal it's 75 degrees and sunny all year round. And if it does rain, you’ll see “Storm watch 2008” splattered across the TV screen, even for just 4 inches of rain.
Apparently, heavy rain isn’t abnormal weather for the Midwest (yet another thing I’ll have to get used to). I just keep telling myself that it’s a good thing and dealing with erratic changes in the weather teaches me to be flexible (and keep an umbrella in the car).
Food
As I have previously mentioned, you can get a really good meal in Chicago. There are just a million amazing places there. Scott chose the Chophouse for our first night’s dinner.
The Chophouse is located in the River North neighborhood in a quaint restored Victorian Brownstone. It’s the kind of place where you’d order scotch neat with your steak. There’s a piano bar downstairs where you can enjoy your Cosmo in the dimly lit and terribly busy restaurant. It’s perfect for people watching.
The steak was beyond amazing, however it they are massive. We ordered the creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Each steak is about a million ounces… well, maybe not, but they’re big. The smallest steak is the 10 ounce fillet. With all of the sides it’s impossible to finish it. My suggestion is to share with a friend or take it home for a little midnight snack.
As usual, I brought the camera so that the waitress could take our picture, because I do love impromptu pictures. The people at the table next to us asked if it were a special occasion. One large, burly man said “What? Are you two getting married or something?”
Although we hadn’t told many people about or engagement (as my ring was still being made), I enthusiastically responded “yes, we are getting married”. It was champagne all around and the nice gentlemen next to us treated us to champagne and a toast.
For more info on the chophouse visit their web site: http://www.chicagochophouse.com/
It was another fabulous weekend in Chicago. Scott and I plan to attend the house walk again next year. Maybe we’ll see you there.
Perhaps they sold too many tickets this year but, every home that we tried to enter had a huge line. I just tried to think of it this way: what else am I going to do on a beautiful Saturday? But, after a while, I got sick of standing and wondered if I had enough culture for the day.
My advice is to wear the most comfortable shoes and clothes that you can and stop for lunch. (Seriously, wear the Nike’s and forgo the cute wedges; you’ll thank me later.) Scott and I stopped at the café recommended in the FLW brochure. Though the café was crowded, there was no wait for a table.
If you feel like helping out the local economy, don’t forget to stop by the FLW home and studio. There are several vendors with the product out. You can buy stained glass kits or even art deco inspired jewelry.
The People
The people who attend such an event should not be classified as normal people. You will not be standing with the unwashed masses of the society, like you do at the DMV. Rather, you will meet the most interesting people at events such as these. They’re educated, they’re into architecture, and they have something to say.
Now, I don’t have any issues with chatting with new people. (As a matter of fact I even passed on kissing the blarney stone in Ireland, as I already possess the gift of gab.) But, for those of you who are shy, feel free to start up a conversation with the people in line next to you. They’re probably very nice and quite interesting.
The Weather
As I’m learning, the weather in the Midwest can be quite variable. We were extremely lucky to have a breezy 75 degree day for the house walk. As we finished up at the last house, dark ominous clouds rolled in. The weather man mentioned that there was a slight chance of rain that day, but I honestly wasn’t expecting it. According to the weather people there’s always a chance of rain, right?
We continued our 10 minute walk to the car and headed back to the hotel before changing for dinner. About a minute after we got to the car it was a torrential downpour. Being from Southern California, I’m not used the variability in the weather. In So Cal it's 75 degrees and sunny all year round. And if it does rain, you’ll see “Storm watch 2008” splattered across the TV screen, even for just 4 inches of rain.
Apparently, heavy rain isn’t abnormal weather for the Midwest (yet another thing I’ll have to get used to). I just keep telling myself that it’s a good thing and dealing with erratic changes in the weather teaches me to be flexible (and keep an umbrella in the car).
Food
As I have previously mentioned, you can get a really good meal in Chicago. There are just a million amazing places there. Scott chose the Chophouse for our first night’s dinner.
The Chophouse is located in the River North neighborhood in a quaint restored Victorian Brownstone. It’s the kind of place where you’d order scotch neat with your steak. There’s a piano bar downstairs where you can enjoy your Cosmo in the dimly lit and terribly busy restaurant. It’s perfect for people watching.
The steak was beyond amazing, however it they are massive. We ordered the creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Each steak is about a million ounces… well, maybe not, but they’re big. The smallest steak is the 10 ounce fillet. With all of the sides it’s impossible to finish it. My suggestion is to share with a friend or take it home for a little midnight snack.
As usual, I brought the camera so that the waitress could take our picture, because I do love impromptu pictures. The people at the table next to us asked if it were a special occasion. One large, burly man said “What? Are you two getting married or something?”
Although we hadn’t told many people about or engagement (as my ring was still being made), I enthusiastically responded “yes, we are getting married”. It was champagne all around and the nice gentlemen next to us treated us to champagne and a toast.
For more info on the chophouse visit their web site: http://www.chicagochophouse.com/
It was another fabulous weekend in Chicago. Scott and I plan to attend the house walk again next year. Maybe we’ll see you there.
Friday, July 25, 2008
New Restaurant In Orange County (AKA: the OC)
First of all, I’d like to mention that I hate saying “the OC”. I’m not 16 and need to shorten it to think it’s cool. It’s just where I live. One thing that I truly hate about Orange County is that it’s become overrun with chain restaurants and mediocre high priced food. Where there were once charming neighborhood restaurants, yet another California Pizza Kitchen stands. With all of the same food, what’s a foodie to do?
Luckily, a new restaurant has opened in Newport Beach on PCH called Cucina Alessa. This gem of a restaurant features incredible Italian food. Alessandro, the restaurant’s proprietor, will charm you with his Italian accent and love of cuisine. And, you won’t believe this, they actually make their own noodles there – oh, so good. For those of you who have only had the dried, manufactured noodles, I’m sorry. You need to experience the fresh noodles.
I will warn you that parking is treacherous. Try parking on PCH – their parking lot only holds about 5 cars. It’s worth the trouble, though.
Check it out! http://www.cucinaalessa.com/
Happy Eating!
Luckily, a new restaurant has opened in Newport Beach on PCH called Cucina Alessa. This gem of a restaurant features incredible Italian food. Alessandro, the restaurant’s proprietor, will charm you with his Italian accent and love of cuisine. And, you won’t believe this, they actually make their own noodles there – oh, so good. For those of you who have only had the dried, manufactured noodles, I’m sorry. You need to experience the fresh noodles.
I will warn you that parking is treacherous. Try parking on PCH – their parking lot only holds about 5 cars. It’s worth the trouble, though.
Check it out! http://www.cucinaalessa.com/
Happy Eating!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
How to plan a wedding without loosing your mind (or hurting anyone)
You know how the story goes… Boy meets Girl. They fall in love. They get married. Blah, Blah, Blah…Well, for me it was more like girl gets fed up with dating losers and wasting good makeup on emotionally screwed up men. Girl gets dog and they are all set to live happily ever after. Then, … BOOM… like being hit by a Mack truck, Girl finds the guy that she never thought would she find.
And that’s where this episode of “who the hell knew I’d get married” begins. Honestly, I’ve been surprised at how much planning I haven’t done pre-boyfriend, pre-proposal, pre-fiancé. Many of the wedding vendors they ask what I’ve imagined my dream wedding to be. My response of “uhhh…. I don’t know.”, always shocks them. Apparently, I’m supposed to be sleeping with a Modern Bride magazine under my pillow. To be honest, I had no idea of what I wanted with my wedding. After over a decade of dating the wrong guy and dumping them as if I were playing “hot potato”, it hadn’t occurred to me that I’d get married.
So, right off the bat here I've felt like I’m behind in my planning. The good news is that I can plan a party in my sleep. Food, music, drinks, etc…. Piece of cake (no pun intended). When I started planning the wedding I thought it would be the same scenario as planning a party. It sounds simple, right? WRONG. First of all, I have to say that the whole bridal industry is a scam. You but put bridal next to flowers, music, whatever… and it’s double the price. It’s also complicated. It makes planning for a simple, classy, AFFORDABLE wedding near impossible. But, it’s totally doable.
With the help of my wonderful fiancé, I planed the whole thing in a month. Now I’m happily resting upon my laurels and awaiting the big day. (What the hell is laurel anyway? Is that an old fashioned way of saying ass? I digress….) I’ve decided to share my wedding planning wisdom with all of you (yes, I know, I’m very generous).
Rules for Sanity
1) Recommendations
Without recommendations I would be dead in the water and slightly crazy right now. No joke. I’d be mumbling something about DJ, cake, photog, right now and rocking in my chair with crazy hair.
Start with people who had an awesome wedding. Let’s face it, once you reached a certain age you’ve been to more weddings then you’d like to admit. If you loved their pictures, or cake or whatever, ask them who they used and if they would recommend them to you. Most people are more than happy to make a recommendation and many times you’ll get a referral discount from your DJ, florist or whomever.
2) For the love God, make a list
I’m a planner and, as such, I love lists. I would be lost without making a list of everything I have to do with my day. From the grocery store to miscellaneous items like calling the bank about that weird $10 charge, it’s on the list. I love checking things off with a fervent sense of accomplishment. Now you may not be list-crazy like me, but trust me on this one. Make a list. Wedding web sites likes the www.weddingchannel.com and www.theknot.com have lists already made for you (how easy is that?), and you can personalize them to your needs so you don’t forget a thing.
3) Set a budget and then haggle
Everyone has a budget. Even if you’re having a $100,000 wedding (and yes, I’d like an invite) you have a budget. Know what you magic number is for each item (food, music, etc…) and then haggle (yes, it’s ok to haggle). To establish a budget, you can start with http://www.weddingchannel.com/ or http://www.theknot.com/ and use theirs, or you can make up your own.
The main elements are: location (wedding/reception), dress, food, booze, cake, music, photog/video, flowers, and officiant. Generally when you nail down the location they have a recommended vendors list that you can use (once again, using recommendations).
I’ve been pretty honest with people in terms of my budget. For example, I told the florist that I had a $1500 budget and asked what could we do with that. It ended up being more like $1800 but, she was able to work with me and with my price range.
If someone quaff’s or won’t work with your budget, leave immediately. I’ve heard horror stories about women being mistreated at dress boutiques. How horrible is that? Getting married and joining families is stressful enough. We don’t need to be mistreated. They obviously don’t need our hard earned money, do they?
4) Ask for what you want
People aren’t mind readers. If you want doves released, ask for it. Your event planner will figure out how’s it’s all going to work. If you don’t ask for exactly what you’d like, people will never be able to help you or live up to your expectations. And there’s nothing worse then not enjoying your own party.
5) Remember, those crazy women on Bridezillahs aren’t cute.
I’ve known one too many brides that starts screaming “this is MY day” or “you have to do what I want”. Come on, people! We are here to celebrate you and your new life, but that doesn’t mean that you have to behave like a brat. Planning and coordinating a wedding is stressful, but you are a big girl and you can handle yourself with grace. And let’s remember, all of that frowning just means more wrinkles in the long run. And I don’t know about you, but the thought of Botox (and that needle coming out at me) is pretty scary.
So, those are my words of wisdom for today. I hope this was helpful. It’s not easy to plan a wedding but it can be done in a sort period of time, and without medication. Happy planning!
And that’s where this episode of “who the hell knew I’d get married” begins. Honestly, I’ve been surprised at how much planning I haven’t done pre-boyfriend, pre-proposal, pre-fiancé. Many of the wedding vendors they ask what I’ve imagined my dream wedding to be. My response of “uhhh…. I don’t know.”, always shocks them. Apparently, I’m supposed to be sleeping with a Modern Bride magazine under my pillow. To be honest, I had no idea of what I wanted with my wedding. After over a decade of dating the wrong guy and dumping them as if I were playing “hot potato”, it hadn’t occurred to me that I’d get married.
So, right off the bat here I've felt like I’m behind in my planning. The good news is that I can plan a party in my sleep. Food, music, drinks, etc…. Piece of cake (no pun intended). When I started planning the wedding I thought it would be the same scenario as planning a party. It sounds simple, right? WRONG. First of all, I have to say that the whole bridal industry is a scam. You but put bridal next to flowers, music, whatever… and it’s double the price. It’s also complicated. It makes planning for a simple, classy, AFFORDABLE wedding near impossible. But, it’s totally doable.
With the help of my wonderful fiancé, I planed the whole thing in a month. Now I’m happily resting upon my laurels and awaiting the big day. (What the hell is laurel anyway? Is that an old fashioned way of saying ass? I digress….) I’ve decided to share my wedding planning wisdom with all of you (yes, I know, I’m very generous).
Rules for Sanity
1) Recommendations
Without recommendations I would be dead in the water and slightly crazy right now. No joke. I’d be mumbling something about DJ, cake, photog, right now and rocking in my chair with crazy hair.
Start with people who had an awesome wedding. Let’s face it, once you reached a certain age you’ve been to more weddings then you’d like to admit. If you loved their pictures, or cake or whatever, ask them who they used and if they would recommend them to you. Most people are more than happy to make a recommendation and many times you’ll get a referral discount from your DJ, florist or whomever.
2) For the love God, make a list
I’m a planner and, as such, I love lists. I would be lost without making a list of everything I have to do with my day. From the grocery store to miscellaneous items like calling the bank about that weird $10 charge, it’s on the list. I love checking things off with a fervent sense of accomplishment. Now you may not be list-crazy like me, but trust me on this one. Make a list. Wedding web sites likes the www.weddingchannel.com and www.theknot.com have lists already made for you (how easy is that?), and you can personalize them to your needs so you don’t forget a thing.
3) Set a budget and then haggle
Everyone has a budget. Even if you’re having a $100,000 wedding (and yes, I’d like an invite) you have a budget. Know what you magic number is for each item (food, music, etc…) and then haggle (yes, it’s ok to haggle). To establish a budget, you can start with http://www.weddingchannel.com/ or http://www.theknot.com/ and use theirs, or you can make up your own.
The main elements are: location (wedding/reception), dress, food, booze, cake, music, photog/video, flowers, and officiant. Generally when you nail down the location they have a recommended vendors list that you can use (once again, using recommendations).
I’ve been pretty honest with people in terms of my budget. For example, I told the florist that I had a $1500 budget and asked what could we do with that. It ended up being more like $1800 but, she was able to work with me and with my price range.
If someone quaff’s or won’t work with your budget, leave immediately. I’ve heard horror stories about women being mistreated at dress boutiques. How horrible is that? Getting married and joining families is stressful enough. We don’t need to be mistreated. They obviously don’t need our hard earned money, do they?
4) Ask for what you want
People aren’t mind readers. If you want doves released, ask for it. Your event planner will figure out how’s it’s all going to work. If you don’t ask for exactly what you’d like, people will never be able to help you or live up to your expectations. And there’s nothing worse then not enjoying your own party.
5) Remember, those crazy women on Bridezillahs aren’t cute.
I’ve known one too many brides that starts screaming “this is MY day” or “you have to do what I want”. Come on, people! We are here to celebrate you and your new life, but that doesn’t mean that you have to behave like a brat. Planning and coordinating a wedding is stressful, but you are a big girl and you can handle yourself with grace. And let’s remember, all of that frowning just means more wrinkles in the long run. And I don’t know about you, but the thought of Botox (and that needle coming out at me) is pretty scary.
So, those are my words of wisdom for today. I hope this was helpful. It’s not easy to plan a wedding but it can be done in a sort period of time, and without medication. Happy planning!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The Rockies’… In 48 Hours
After months of careful planning and strategic shopping for a skip tip to Colorado, I heard from my boss that my plans had changed. Rather than flying home to LA, I would need to take a flight from Denver to St Louis for training for a week, making efficient packing almost impossible (SIGH). I decided to power through, continue with my ski trip, and just leave early (quelle tragedy).
Here’s something to remember in Colorado. HYDRATE! Denver isn’t known as the mile high city for nothing… it’s literally 5280 ft above sea level! For those of us who reside at sea level, adjusting the altitude can be treacherous. If you’re drinking like a fish it will hit you like a ton of bricks. If you’re skiing, watch for signs of altitude sickness. There’s nothing worse than having the ski patrol escort you off the mountain in one of those cocoon things. (How embarrassing!)
My cohort and childhood friend, John, and I looked forward to our ski trip. Growing up, John and I frequently went on family trips to Mammoth. His family and mine would share a cabin and enjoy hot chocolate, good food and penny poker (my uncle and dad taught my brother and I how to play poker but we were only allowed to play for pennies). John and I had not been skiing since the Mammoth days and were anxious to get back on a mountain. After spending one full day getting acclimated to the climate, we headed to the hills for skiing.
Rather than spend 2 nights in a ski resort and then trying to get back to the airport (schlep, schlep, schlep) we chose to stay in downtown Denver and take the ski train. What, you may ask, is the ski train?
The ski train is the most fabulous thing ever for those of us city folk who love to ski. Many ski resorts offer little in terms of life après ski; very few restaurants, entertainment, etc… The ski train starts in downtown Denver and takes you to the foot of the slopes in Winter Park. It then picks you at the same place at the end of the day. Problem solved!
John reserved two tickets for us in the club car. Not only do you get fed on the way there and back but you also get drinks on the way back. (I was disappointed to find that they will not let you drink on the way up to the mountain. I did have my heart set on a mimosa, but also understood they don’t want people doing a Sonny Bono reenactment on the mountain.)
As always, keep in mind that you can rent gear on the mountain and don’t necessarily need to schlep your ski’s boots and poles circa 1985. They have new ones there that you can rent.
Check out more info on the ski train at: http://www.skitrain.com/winter.html
Oh, and keep in mind that the train does run during the summer, for those of you who are just a little bit crunchy and love hiking and such.
John and I stayed at the Marriott Downtown Denver. The rooms were quite nice and the restaurant was good. I must say, though, that the cosmo’s there were top notch – do try out the bar. The concierge at the hotel recommended “The Chop House” for dinner and made 8:30 reservations for us. After a full day of skiing and a 9 am flight the next morning, I decided that a good dinner (and getting to bed early) would be just the thing.
We arrived on time and were asked to have drinks in the bar while we waited (no more than 5 minutes) for our table. Once seated, John and I quickly decided on the seafood cocktail (consisting of crab and shrimp cocktail) and another drink.
After 45 minutes we wondered if someone had gone to the ocean to get our crab. Chatting with the manager resulted in scurrying about, extra cornbread and finally the delivery of our appetizer. Another hour passed (keep in mind it’s now 10PM) and there’s no steak to be found. Again, John and I had a discussion with the manager, people scurried about 10 minutes, and voila our steaks arrived.
It turns out that our entire meal was free of charge (including the drinks). Perhaps they were having a bad night. Regardless, the meal was just alright. On the way out we saw the entire name of the restaurant “The Denver Chophouse and Brewery”. I don’t know why, but that moment, I felt that we had just eaten at an upscale BJ’s.
Instead of the Chophouse, try the Palace Arms in the Brown Palace Hotel. This old world restaurant is a favorite of John’s. http://www.brownpalace.com/dining/palace_arms.cfm
The next morning I met John for a coffee and goodbye’s before he headed off to the slopes – and before I headed to the airport for training (dun, dun, dunnnn). I’m sure we’ll meet again for a Colorado ski trip. Next time, however, it will be longer than 48 hours.
Here’s something to remember in Colorado. HYDRATE! Denver isn’t known as the mile high city for nothing… it’s literally 5280 ft above sea level! For those of us who reside at sea level, adjusting the altitude can be treacherous. If you’re drinking like a fish it will hit you like a ton of bricks. If you’re skiing, watch for signs of altitude sickness. There’s nothing worse than having the ski patrol escort you off the mountain in one of those cocoon things. (How embarrassing!)
My cohort and childhood friend, John, and I looked forward to our ski trip. Growing up, John and I frequently went on family trips to Mammoth. His family and mine would share a cabin and enjoy hot chocolate, good food and penny poker (my uncle and dad taught my brother and I how to play poker but we were only allowed to play for pennies). John and I had not been skiing since the Mammoth days and were anxious to get back on a mountain. After spending one full day getting acclimated to the climate, we headed to the hills for skiing.
Rather than spend 2 nights in a ski resort and then trying to get back to the airport (schlep, schlep, schlep) we chose to stay in downtown Denver and take the ski train. What, you may ask, is the ski train?
The ski train is the most fabulous thing ever for those of us city folk who love to ski. Many ski resorts offer little in terms of life après ski; very few restaurants, entertainment, etc… The ski train starts in downtown Denver and takes you to the foot of the slopes in Winter Park. It then picks you at the same place at the end of the day. Problem solved!
John reserved two tickets for us in the club car. Not only do you get fed on the way there and back but you also get drinks on the way back. (I was disappointed to find that they will not let you drink on the way up to the mountain. I did have my heart set on a mimosa, but also understood they don’t want people doing a Sonny Bono reenactment on the mountain.)
As always, keep in mind that you can rent gear on the mountain and don’t necessarily need to schlep your ski’s boots and poles circa 1985. They have new ones there that you can rent.
Check out more info on the ski train at: http://www.skitrain.com/winter.html
Oh, and keep in mind that the train does run during the summer, for those of you who are just a little bit crunchy and love hiking and such.
John and I stayed at the Marriott Downtown Denver. The rooms were quite nice and the restaurant was good. I must say, though, that the cosmo’s there were top notch – do try out the bar. The concierge at the hotel recommended “The Chop House” for dinner and made 8:30 reservations for us. After a full day of skiing and a 9 am flight the next morning, I decided that a good dinner (and getting to bed early) would be just the thing.
We arrived on time and were asked to have drinks in the bar while we waited (no more than 5 minutes) for our table. Once seated, John and I quickly decided on the seafood cocktail (consisting of crab and shrimp cocktail) and another drink.
After 45 minutes we wondered if someone had gone to the ocean to get our crab. Chatting with the manager resulted in scurrying about, extra cornbread and finally the delivery of our appetizer. Another hour passed (keep in mind it’s now 10PM) and there’s no steak to be found. Again, John and I had a discussion with the manager, people scurried about 10 minutes, and voila our steaks arrived.
It turns out that our entire meal was free of charge (including the drinks). Perhaps they were having a bad night. Regardless, the meal was just alright. On the way out we saw the entire name of the restaurant “The Denver Chophouse and Brewery”. I don’t know why, but that moment, I felt that we had just eaten at an upscale BJ’s.
Instead of the Chophouse, try the Palace Arms in the Brown Palace Hotel. This old world restaurant is a favorite of John’s. http://www.brownpalace.com/dining/palace_arms.cfm
The next morning I met John for a coffee and goodbye’s before he headed off to the slopes – and before I headed to the airport for training (dun, dun, dunnnn). I’m sure we’ll meet again for a Colorado ski trip. Next time, however, it will be longer than 48 hours.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Beautiful Santa Barbara
I love Santa Barbara. I’m sure you all have figured out by now that I love the coast. The ocean is so calming, so peaceful. In Santa Barbara you can enjoy the peaceful, calm ocean… and great wine. No, it’s not as popular as Napa, but Santa Barbara has some fantastic wineries that are really worth checking out. If you’re cheap like me, you probably prefer a good $10 bottle for every day and maybe a $20 bottle for a special occasion. I just don’t believe in paying 50 bucks for a bottle of wine when there are $10 bottles that are perfectly good. (To answer your question: No, I’m not a full fledged wine snob… just a tad.)
In addition to the great wine, Santa Barbara is just damn beautiful. The city has always been a bit of a haven for the artsy type. Every weekend along the coast road (Cabrillo) vendors set up booths filled with hand made jewelry, art, photography and much more. My boyfriend, Scott, picked up a copper wind chime/swirrley thing. (It’s really interesting. You hang it outside and it swirrles around in the wind.) With the temperate weather, it’s so nice to just stroll along Cabrillo and perhaps pick up a lovely print to remind you of your fantastic weekend in Santa Barbara.
Keep in mind Santa Barbara is a college town. There will be (GASP) people partying. State Street is the main drag in terms of food, drink and shopping. There are some incredible places to eat in Santa Barbara. If the noise of State Street is too much for you, there are lots of other options.
Where to Eat
Most of the tourists head for Stearns Warf. There are lots of restaurants and kitschy shops that are more than happy to take your money. The locals don’t go there. The locals go to the second, smaller pier. If you walk north past the Warf, it’ll be about another 15 minutes by foot. (Not to fear! The weather is fabulous so you won’t mind the walk.)
Once you reach the smaller pier, I recommend stopping by Brophy Brothers for clam chowder and cocktails. Watch out for the restaurant, though. Literally you can blink and miss it. This small local’s spot is so popular that people literally start lining up before it opens.
Check out their web site for more info on their unpretentious atmosphere and FAB food:
http://brophybros.com/
Another place worth checking out is The Palace (located at 8 East Cota Street). I’ve eaten at the Palace several times; they’ve been around for years. Their Cajun cuisine is complimented well by their strong drinks (especially the martinis).
A wonderful option for first timers is their combination platters which include: chicken, coconut shrimp, blackened catfish, steak with Hollandaise sauce (uh… yum) and bread pudding with a whiskey cream sauce for dessert. (Warning: that’s a LOT of food.) Scott and I both ordered martinis and were shocked when they showed up in mason jars. (We were happy that the restaurant was within walking distance of the hotel. )
Their bread pudding and muffins were so fantastic that I bought the recipes for $5. Their menu is on line.For more info: http://www.palacegrill.com/
Where to Stay
There are endless teeny tiny hotels and B&B’s. I thought I’d be adventurous and book a room at a new B&B. Then I read a review. They allow dogs… and there’s no limit to the number of dogs. Enough said. The hotel web site may look fantastic but, keep in mind the wonderfulness of Photoshop. My advice is to read reviews and make sure the place will not be a dump. (For reviews, I start with http://www.concierge.com/. They list hotels by price and have everything from a cheapey hotel to the Ritz.) There’s nothing worse then having an awful trip because you haven’t slept in 4 nights.
After looking at other hotels and waffling about perhaps trying someplace new, I decided to stick with a place where I’ve stayed before. The Eagle Inn is located about 2 blocks from Cabrillo (a 10 minute walk to the beach) and 2 blocks north of State Street. This charming Spanish style Inn is located in a quiet residential area. This is good to note because hotels around State Street can get quite noisy.
The Oceana was another option. Yes, there’s a hotel in Santa Monica called the Oceana. It’s owned by the same company. This hotel is huge. The property must span an entire block. Though I haven’t stayed there, the room rates look reasonable for the area and the property looked very well taken care of.
Wine, Wine and More Wine
A few weeks before our trip to Santa Barbara, my boyfriend enthusiastically called to tell me that he arranged for a wine tour. He also mentioned the name of the tour company: Captain Jacks (no joke). As the story goes, the owner of the tour company lost his eye to cancer and his buddies started calling him “Captain Jack” (arrrr). Who knows if this story is true? Regardless I figured that any tour company called “Captain Jack’s” and has an eye patch as their logo has to be fun.
We decided on the 4 hour wine tour (for $50), fondly referred to as the “booze cruise”. Your tour guide picks you up at your hotel and drives you around to local tasting rooms. There could be worse ways to spend a Sunday.
We were the first couple to be picked up. The second couple looked to be in their early to mid 20’s. After we went around the car, introducing ourselves, we heard a voice from the back of the car. “I’m just letting you guys know, I’m here to get wasted.” At least he was honest.
As it turns out, Scott and I (in our early 30’s) were the old farts of the group. The two other couples were in the early 20’s. With three very diverse couples, it was a lively bunch.
The first two wineries were our favorites. Summerland is a charming little town just south of Santa Barbara. The Summerland winery tasting room is located on the main drag. I had never been there but, it might be interesting to visit Summerland. The wine was good. The Zin and Pinot are my favorites there. Like many wineries, Summerland has a wine club. You receive 2 bottles of wine every other month for about $45 a month (including shipping).
The second winery we attended was the Santa Barbara winery, which happens to be one of my favorites. The negrete is a fantastic wine, as well as the Syrah. They, too have a wine club for $60 every other month. I couldn’t resist. I signed up.
The tour ended with a trip to the Warf Vintners, located on Stearns Warf. It was a beautiful day for the fantastic location. The Warf Vintners is, as you can imagine, located on Stearns Warf and has many fantastic wines. Their wine tastings start at $10.
I would do a Captain Jacks tour again. The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable about wines. And you certainly meet interesting people on a wine tour.
http://www.captainjackstours.com/index.html
Here are a few things you might want to keep in mind about Santa Barbara. During the summer it’s a mad house. There are lots of tourists there for the main reason that you or I would go there. It’s beautiful, relaxing, fun and there’s a ton of wine there! As with most places, the hotel rates increase in the summer time. Try off season, instead: Jan, Feb or even March is beautiful. It does get damp and foggy there. So, don’t forget a jacket, and try some fantastic wine just for me!
In addition to the great wine, Santa Barbara is just damn beautiful. The city has always been a bit of a haven for the artsy type. Every weekend along the coast road (Cabrillo) vendors set up booths filled with hand made jewelry, art, photography and much more. My boyfriend, Scott, picked up a copper wind chime/swirrley thing. (It’s really interesting. You hang it outside and it swirrles around in the wind.) With the temperate weather, it’s so nice to just stroll along Cabrillo and perhaps pick up a lovely print to remind you of your fantastic weekend in Santa Barbara.
Keep in mind Santa Barbara is a college town. There will be (GASP) people partying. State Street is the main drag in terms of food, drink and shopping. There are some incredible places to eat in Santa Barbara. If the noise of State Street is too much for you, there are lots of other options.
Where to Eat
Most of the tourists head for Stearns Warf. There are lots of restaurants and kitschy shops that are more than happy to take your money. The locals don’t go there. The locals go to the second, smaller pier. If you walk north past the Warf, it’ll be about another 15 minutes by foot. (Not to fear! The weather is fabulous so you won’t mind the walk.)
Once you reach the smaller pier, I recommend stopping by Brophy Brothers for clam chowder and cocktails. Watch out for the restaurant, though. Literally you can blink and miss it. This small local’s spot is so popular that people literally start lining up before it opens.
Check out their web site for more info on their unpretentious atmosphere and FAB food:
http://brophybros.com/
Another place worth checking out is The Palace (located at 8 East Cota Street). I’ve eaten at the Palace several times; they’ve been around for years. Their Cajun cuisine is complimented well by their strong drinks (especially the martinis).
A wonderful option for first timers is their combination platters which include: chicken, coconut shrimp, blackened catfish, steak with Hollandaise sauce (uh… yum) and bread pudding with a whiskey cream sauce for dessert. (Warning: that’s a LOT of food.) Scott and I both ordered martinis and were shocked when they showed up in mason jars. (We were happy that the restaurant was within walking distance of the hotel. )
Their bread pudding and muffins were so fantastic that I bought the recipes for $5. Their menu is on line.For more info: http://www.palacegrill.com/
Where to Stay
There are endless teeny tiny hotels and B&B’s. I thought I’d be adventurous and book a room at a new B&B. Then I read a review. They allow dogs… and there’s no limit to the number of dogs. Enough said. The hotel web site may look fantastic but, keep in mind the wonderfulness of Photoshop. My advice is to read reviews and make sure the place will not be a dump. (For reviews, I start with http://www.concierge.com/. They list hotels by price and have everything from a cheapey hotel to the Ritz.) There’s nothing worse then having an awful trip because you haven’t slept in 4 nights.
After looking at other hotels and waffling about perhaps trying someplace new, I decided to stick with a place where I’ve stayed before. The Eagle Inn is located about 2 blocks from Cabrillo (a 10 minute walk to the beach) and 2 blocks north of State Street. This charming Spanish style Inn is located in a quiet residential area. This is good to note because hotels around State Street can get quite noisy.
The Oceana was another option. Yes, there’s a hotel in Santa Monica called the Oceana. It’s owned by the same company. This hotel is huge. The property must span an entire block. Though I haven’t stayed there, the room rates look reasonable for the area and the property looked very well taken care of.
Wine, Wine and More Wine
A few weeks before our trip to Santa Barbara, my boyfriend enthusiastically called to tell me that he arranged for a wine tour. He also mentioned the name of the tour company: Captain Jacks (no joke). As the story goes, the owner of the tour company lost his eye to cancer and his buddies started calling him “Captain Jack” (arrrr). Who knows if this story is true? Regardless I figured that any tour company called “Captain Jack’s” and has an eye patch as their logo has to be fun.
We decided on the 4 hour wine tour (for $50), fondly referred to as the “booze cruise”. Your tour guide picks you up at your hotel and drives you around to local tasting rooms. There could be worse ways to spend a Sunday.
We were the first couple to be picked up. The second couple looked to be in their early to mid 20’s. After we went around the car, introducing ourselves, we heard a voice from the back of the car. “I’m just letting you guys know, I’m here to get wasted.” At least he was honest.
As it turns out, Scott and I (in our early 30’s) were the old farts of the group. The two other couples were in the early 20’s. With three very diverse couples, it was a lively bunch.
The first two wineries were our favorites. Summerland is a charming little town just south of Santa Barbara. The Summerland winery tasting room is located on the main drag. I had never been there but, it might be interesting to visit Summerland. The wine was good. The Zin and Pinot are my favorites there. Like many wineries, Summerland has a wine club. You receive 2 bottles of wine every other month for about $45 a month (including shipping).
The second winery we attended was the Santa Barbara winery, which happens to be one of my favorites. The negrete is a fantastic wine, as well as the Syrah. They, too have a wine club for $60 every other month. I couldn’t resist. I signed up.
The tour ended with a trip to the Warf Vintners, located on Stearns Warf. It was a beautiful day for the fantastic location. The Warf Vintners is, as you can imagine, located on Stearns Warf and has many fantastic wines. Their wine tastings start at $10.
I would do a Captain Jacks tour again. The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable about wines. And you certainly meet interesting people on a wine tour.
http://www.captainjackstours.com/index.html
Here are a few things you might want to keep in mind about Santa Barbara. During the summer it’s a mad house. There are lots of tourists there for the main reason that you or I would go there. It’s beautiful, relaxing, fun and there’s a ton of wine there! As with most places, the hotel rates increase in the summer time. Try off season, instead: Jan, Feb or even March is beautiful. It does get damp and foggy there. So, don’t forget a jacket, and try some fantastic wine just for me!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Meet Me in St Louis
This costal “big city” girl ventured out to the Midwest in February, of all things. A very dear friend swayed me with the possibility of 4 days (sans work) full of adventure and lots of cocktails. Needless to say, I was leaving on a jet plane.
As always, I did the compulsory research on my new destination. I was a tad skeptical, given that I haven’t spent a lot of time in the Midwest. Sure, I’ve been to Chicago, but haven’t ventured out into the Midwest much more from there.
I did some reading up on my new found vacation spot, like a good little tourist. St Louis is actually known as the Gateway City because it represents the division between the Eastern and Western US. The history of the city is fascinating, and I won’t bore you with all of the historical details. (After all, you can Wikipedia “St Louis” yourself.) I will say, though, that I was pleasantly surprised to find such an interesting history. I’ve found that the history of the city lends to the vibe of it.
The first was the weather check; the HIGH of the day, the first day there, would be a balmy 38 degrees. (Yes, that’s Fahrenheit.) Of course, the first thought I had was that it would be a FAB excuse to wear my mother’s mink. After a few trips to llbean.com to make sure that I had appropriate attire and wouldn’t freeze my tush off, I was ready.
I honestly thought that there would be blizzards and snow piled up on the side of the road. But, that was not the case; the weather was really not that bad. Out of the four days I was there, I was only terribly cold one of them. The other few days I dealt with it and, wore warm clothes.
What To Do
We started out the trip by going to the St Louis Art Museum. The slogan “dedicated to art and free to all” describes the mentality of this museum. Unlike many museums (especially in big cities) the St Louis Art Museum is FREE. That’s right, kids, it’s free to the public. There’s a rotating exhibit where they do charge an entrance fee, however we didn’t venture in that exhibit.
I was pleasantly surprised by the art that was in the museum. There were several Monets, Van Goghs and I believe a Pissarro. With three floors of paintings, an Asian collection and a mummy exhibit, there’s plenty to see. The museum is located in Forest Park. The park itself is massive and houses not only the museum but the science center, the zoo and other fun places to see. You can find more info at: http://saintlouis.art.museum/
Given my love of flowers I just couldn’t miss the Orchid Show at the St Louis Botanical Gardens. I must admit, it does have a funky location. You drive through a residential neighborhood and BOOM, there’s the entrance to the botanical gardens. Though it doesn’t look that big from the outside, it’s actually quite massive.
We did attend the orchid show which was in a room smaller than I thought it would be, but absolutely packed with orchids. It was amazing to see how many plants were tucked away into small spaces. The orchids ranged in size from enormous to teeny tiny and they were just amazing. In addition to the orchid show we visited 2 hot houses. While the first was nice, the second was incredible.
If you go to the botanical gardens you must go visit the Climatron. I know, it sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. It actually simulates a rain forest. With really interesting things like blue and green neon poison frogs, unusual vegetation and waterfalls, you have to check this out for yourself.
The orchid show is running through April so, get your tush down and check out these amazing flowers! For more info see: https://www.mobot.org/default.asp
Where To Eat
Knowing my love of Italian food, my dear friend took me to Charlie Gitto’s “On the Hill”. As we drove through the neighborhood, Italian flags hung from the light posts. We passed several independent (and perhaps family owned) restaurants that looked incredible. Though it looks like a small café from the outside, the inside is actually quite large. With low lights and Sinatra playing softly in the background, I could tell this was my kind of place.
I ordered the fried ravioli as an appetizer; St Louis is actually known for their fried ravioli. I was quite surprised to find that it was mostly meat ravioli, which were very petite, served with a marinara sauce. It was different than those my grandmother used to make, but it was good.
I followed that up with the ciopino. It was fabulous with the tomato broth and baby scallops. Trust me, just give it a try. For more info on this charming restaurant go to their web site.
http://www.charliegittos.com/Default.aspx
After four fun filled days in St Louis, I was reminded that every city has its own culture, and experiences. The Midwest in the winter really isn’t bad (it was quite fun, actually), but I would have never known that if I hadn’t gone. The best part about travel is figuring out what interests you and when to go back.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Une Petite Cafe
Friday night my cousin and I ventured to a quaint French café for our bi-weekly gab fest. We eat there quite often; it may have something to do with the garlic fries with Cajun aioli sauce.
As we enjoyed our salads, I noticed 3 guys setting up their instruments right next to us. I envisioned us screaming at each other for the rest of the night. (And yes, I do realize that even having that thought qualifies me as being "old".) C’est la vie!
We were both pleasantly surprised to find that the music was not only enjoyable but intoxicating. We sat there for several hours, while we listened to the music.
I finally asked Christine, “What IS this music?” It was very French, very Parisian café and enjoy your Bordeaux while wearing your beret. (Oui.) I wasn’t too sure if it was the wine but, I so enjoyed the music that I was bound and determined to find out what exactly it was.
After spending just a few minutes online, I found it. The music I heard is referred to as Jazz Manouche (or “gypsy jazz”). This type of instrumental jazz was said to be started by guitarist Django Reinhardt in Paris the 1930’s. A typical jazz manouche ensemble consists of a few basic elements: an upright bass, 2 guitars and perhaps a violin. The guitars are played with a particular technique called “la pompe”, which is the equivalent to staccato with a piano.
There’s a bit of dark connotation associated with jazz manouche. This could be the gypsy heritage of this music. Though I didn’t make the connection at the time, the style of guitar almost reminds me of a flamenco concert I attended in Granada… but not.
I quickly found that I was not the only one who appreciates gypsy jazz. The itunes store has a quite extensive collection of gypsy jazz. Check it out… and don’t forget to wear your beret. Oui, Oui…
As we enjoyed our salads, I noticed 3 guys setting up their instruments right next to us. I envisioned us screaming at each other for the rest of the night. (And yes, I do realize that even having that thought qualifies me as being "old".) C’est la vie!
We were both pleasantly surprised to find that the music was not only enjoyable but intoxicating. We sat there for several hours, while we listened to the music.
I finally asked Christine, “What IS this music?” It was very French, very Parisian café and enjoy your Bordeaux while wearing your beret. (Oui.) I wasn’t too sure if it was the wine but, I so enjoyed the music that I was bound and determined to find out what exactly it was.
After spending just a few minutes online, I found it. The music I heard is referred to as Jazz Manouche (or “gypsy jazz”). This type of instrumental jazz was said to be started by guitarist Django Reinhardt in Paris the 1930’s. A typical jazz manouche ensemble consists of a few basic elements: an upright bass, 2 guitars and perhaps a violin. The guitars are played with a particular technique called “la pompe”, which is the equivalent to staccato with a piano.
There’s a bit of dark connotation associated with jazz manouche. This could be the gypsy heritage of this music. Though I didn’t make the connection at the time, the style of guitar almost reminds me of a flamenco concert I attended in Granada… but not.
I quickly found that I was not the only one who appreciates gypsy jazz. The itunes store has a quite extensive collection of gypsy jazz. Check it out… and don’t forget to wear your beret. Oui, Oui…
Saturday, January 19, 2008
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Tony Bennett wasn't the only one with a love for the city. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world. I’m not alone. Everywhere I go I end up chatting with someone who loves the city. (Even itunes has an "I heart San Francisco" collection! Leave it to those smart Mac users to put a SF music collection together.)
With five star restaurants on every street and first class shopping, San Francisco is a fantastic weekend jaunt. If you're a "foodie" and you've never been to San Francisco, just go ahead right now and open another web browser to expedia.com and book your flight now. I’ll wait….
I was first exposed to San Francisco when one of my best friends moved there. As a true "city girl" and one from southern California, I didn't understand the question John posed to me when I inquired what I should wear. "Do you have any fleece?"
Do I have any WHAT? Will we be hiking? Would I be forced to (GASP) CAMP? What WAS he getting at?
"John, Honey, what do you mean?" I replied.
After a second of silence, he asked again if I had fleece. I laughed silently to myself and wondered if I would need to peruse the LL Bean catalog before I left for San Fran.
I just replied, "John, it's AUGUST".
We went back and forth for quite some time discussing my fleece, or lack thereof. I had apparently never heard the quote (allegedly) from Mark Twain "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco."
I went to San Francisco sans fleece and understood why he asked the question. The weather in San Francisco can be quite variable. It can be cold, rainy, foggy, just drippy, or absolutely gorgeous. What a lot of people don't realize is that one of the coldest times in SF can be late summer/early fall, when the fog rolls in. For those of us who find fog to be a fascinating natural phenomenon, you'll find lots of it in SF.
The attire in San Francisco is whatever you want it to be. There are those that are quite granola, quite geen and leaning to the left. There are also the elite from Pacific Heights that show off their classic duds. All groups congregate in peace on the 7 square mile city which is San Francisco.
Being a snooty-ish type of person, I do wear my fur to San Francisco. After all, we wouldn’t want to catch a nasty cold while on vacation. While some GASP at the fact that I wear fur to such a predominately liberal local, I can assure you that I’ve never had any issues. I received more dirty looks in Chicago than San Francisco in regards to the fur. I honestly believe that the San Franciscans really don’t give a hoot. They all just continue to do their thing. See, we all really can just get along!
Food and Shopping
In terms of food, SF is unsurpassed in the quality of the food. One of the fantastic things about SF is that anyone can just stumble down the street and come upon a true gem of a restaurant.
The only thing that I like better than good food and good wine is good shopping… well, good shopping before the good food and good wine (don’t do that in reverse). If you too enjoy this sport, I highly suggested the Ferry Building at the Embarcadero. This historic building was originally built in 1889 and used as a transportation hub for those arriving by train or by ferry to San Francisco.
After the opening of the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate bridge, the building was rarely used. In 2003, the Ferry Building was restored and became a center for high quality food and merchandise vendors. Where it once was a shabby run down building, it’s now a bustling trendy spot where once can leisurely stroll and check out all of the vendors. One of my favorites is the Cowgirl Creamery. If you like cheese, do yourself a favor and stop for just a little taste.
Another fun idea is to do a little wine tasting amongst your visit to fabulous places in the Ferry Building such as the Stonehouse Olive Oil Shop. The Ferry Building Wine Merchant carries most kinds of wine. One of my favorites is the Neauvou Bougelias. It’s seasonal, so you might be in luck and perhaps not. Regardless, give it a shot. You might be pleased. For more information on all of the shops and restaurants at the ferry building, check out their web site. http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/
Another key shopping site is Union Square. If you’ve never been, it’s a must! With Macy’s, Nemans, a Levis Store and everything from Fresh to Sampsonite a few blocks away, this is shopping Mecca. After you’ve broken a sweat shopping at Union Square, venture over to the Neman’s café for a lobster club sandwich and a fabulous view of Union Square.
If you prefer a more out of the way restaurant, I have a few recommendations. Jeanne D’Arc is located in the Cornell Hotel-just a block up from Union Square. This petite restaurant, located in the basement of the hotel, is a little treasure with traditional French cuisine without the traditional French attitude. The Fix Prix menu is fabulous and for $30 a person worth every bite.
Another favorite of mine is the Nobb Hill Café at 1152 Taylor Street. If you’re on Hob Nobbing on Nobb Hill (as the saying goes) this charming café offers wonderful Italian food and wine at a surprisingly reasonable price for the quality food. Note: they do not take reservations so, plan on waiting for a table or simply eat early.
After enjoying a fabulous Italian meal at the Nobb Hill Café, walk 2 blocks up the hill to the Mark Hopkins. The Top of the Mark is a historic bar located on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel. In 1939 the penthouse of the hotel was transformed into a cocktail lounge with a 360 degree view of the city.
You can enjoy cocktails, and breakfast, lunch or dinner throughout the week. They also have a martini menu with 100 martinis for choose from. With 100 martinis to choose from it has to be a fantastic place, don’t you think? Most nights of the week there is live entertainment. I will say that if you’re planning on going to the Top of the Mark during the weekend, I highly recommend a reservation. Waiting for a table can be treacherous.
For absolutely fantastic Italian Food, I highly recommend Farina. Located in the Mission District, this charming restaurant offers more than just ambience. The food is authentic Italian, and it's incredible. I've always been a pesto lover, however their pesto is SO incredible that I nearly asked for the recipe. Rather than being overly oily or lumpy, the pesto (served with fresh pasta) is almost a basil puree with a hint of pine nuts.
If pesto isn't your thing they also have traditional Italian "focaccia". You might be suprised that traditional Italian focaccia actually translates to a thin crust pizza with proscutto, especially in Northern Italy. I figured this out quite quickly when I ordered focaccia, while in Milan, and what looks like a pizza came to the table. The waiter insisted that it was focaccia. Who knew?
The fillet is also incredible with what seemed to be a balsamic reduction sauce, mashed potatoes and a thick sizzing pat of butter on the fillet itself. Bon Appetito!
These are just a few of my favorite things to in the city by the bay, but the possibilities are really quite endless. Now go ahead, book that flight and find favorite things of your own to do in San Francisco.
With five star restaurants on every street and first class shopping, San Francisco is a fantastic weekend jaunt. If you're a "foodie" and you've never been to San Francisco, just go ahead right now and open another web browser to expedia.com and book your flight now. I’ll wait….
I was first exposed to San Francisco when one of my best friends moved there. As a true "city girl" and one from southern California, I didn't understand the question John posed to me when I inquired what I should wear. "Do you have any fleece?"
Do I have any WHAT? Will we be hiking? Would I be forced to (GASP) CAMP? What WAS he getting at?
"John, Honey, what do you mean?" I replied.
After a second of silence, he asked again if I had fleece. I laughed silently to myself and wondered if I would need to peruse the LL Bean catalog before I left for San Fran.
I just replied, "John, it's AUGUST".
We went back and forth for quite some time discussing my fleece, or lack thereof. I had apparently never heard the quote (allegedly) from Mark Twain "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco."
I went to San Francisco sans fleece and understood why he asked the question. The weather in San Francisco can be quite variable. It can be cold, rainy, foggy, just drippy, or absolutely gorgeous. What a lot of people don't realize is that one of the coldest times in SF can be late summer/early fall, when the fog rolls in. For those of us who find fog to be a fascinating natural phenomenon, you'll find lots of it in SF.
The attire in San Francisco is whatever you want it to be. There are those that are quite granola, quite geen and leaning to the left. There are also the elite from Pacific Heights that show off their classic duds. All groups congregate in peace on the 7 square mile city which is San Francisco.
Being a snooty-ish type of person, I do wear my fur to San Francisco. After all, we wouldn’t want to catch a nasty cold while on vacation. While some GASP at the fact that I wear fur to such a predominately liberal local, I can assure you that I’ve never had any issues. I received more dirty looks in Chicago than San Francisco in regards to the fur. I honestly believe that the San Franciscans really don’t give a hoot. They all just continue to do their thing. See, we all really can just get along!
Food and Shopping
In terms of food, SF is unsurpassed in the quality of the food. One of the fantastic things about SF is that anyone can just stumble down the street and come upon a true gem of a restaurant.
The only thing that I like better than good food and good wine is good shopping… well, good shopping before the good food and good wine (don’t do that in reverse). If you too enjoy this sport, I highly suggested the Ferry Building at the Embarcadero. This historic building was originally built in 1889 and used as a transportation hub for those arriving by train or by ferry to San Francisco.
After the opening of the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate bridge, the building was rarely used. In 2003, the Ferry Building was restored and became a center for high quality food and merchandise vendors. Where it once was a shabby run down building, it’s now a bustling trendy spot where once can leisurely stroll and check out all of the vendors. One of my favorites is the Cowgirl Creamery. If you like cheese, do yourself a favor and stop for just a little taste.
Another fun idea is to do a little wine tasting amongst your visit to fabulous places in the Ferry Building such as the Stonehouse Olive Oil Shop. The Ferry Building Wine Merchant carries most kinds of wine. One of my favorites is the Neauvou Bougelias. It’s seasonal, so you might be in luck and perhaps not. Regardless, give it a shot. You might be pleased. For more information on all of the shops and restaurants at the ferry building, check out their web site. http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/
Another key shopping site is Union Square. If you’ve never been, it’s a must! With Macy’s, Nemans, a Levis Store and everything from Fresh to Sampsonite a few blocks away, this is shopping Mecca. After you’ve broken a sweat shopping at Union Square, venture over to the Neman’s café for a lobster club sandwich and a fabulous view of Union Square.
If you prefer a more out of the way restaurant, I have a few recommendations. Jeanne D’Arc is located in the Cornell Hotel-just a block up from Union Square. This petite restaurant, located in the basement of the hotel, is a little treasure with traditional French cuisine without the traditional French attitude. The Fix Prix menu is fabulous and for $30 a person worth every bite.
Another favorite of mine is the Nobb Hill Café at 1152 Taylor Street. If you’re on Hob Nobbing on Nobb Hill (as the saying goes) this charming café offers wonderful Italian food and wine at a surprisingly reasonable price for the quality food. Note: they do not take reservations so, plan on waiting for a table or simply eat early.
After enjoying a fabulous Italian meal at the Nobb Hill Café, walk 2 blocks up the hill to the Mark Hopkins. The Top of the Mark is a historic bar located on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel. In 1939 the penthouse of the hotel was transformed into a cocktail lounge with a 360 degree view of the city.
You can enjoy cocktails, and breakfast, lunch or dinner throughout the week. They also have a martini menu with 100 martinis for choose from. With 100 martinis to choose from it has to be a fantastic place, don’t you think? Most nights of the week there is live entertainment. I will say that if you’re planning on going to the Top of the Mark during the weekend, I highly recommend a reservation. Waiting for a table can be treacherous.
For absolutely fantastic Italian Food, I highly recommend Farina. Located in the Mission District, this charming restaurant offers more than just ambience. The food is authentic Italian, and it's incredible. I've always been a pesto lover, however their pesto is SO incredible that I nearly asked for the recipe. Rather than being overly oily or lumpy, the pesto (served with fresh pasta) is almost a basil puree with a hint of pine nuts.
If pesto isn't your thing they also have traditional Italian "focaccia". You might be suprised that traditional Italian focaccia actually translates to a thin crust pizza with proscutto, especially in Northern Italy. I figured this out quite quickly when I ordered focaccia, while in Milan, and what looks like a pizza came to the table. The waiter insisted that it was focaccia. Who knew?
The fillet is also incredible with what seemed to be a balsamic reduction sauce, mashed potatoes and a thick sizzing pat of butter on the fillet itself. Bon Appetito!
These are just a few of my favorite things to in the city by the bay, but the possibilities are really quite endless. Now go ahead, book that flight and find favorite things of your own to do in San Francisco.
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