Restaurants & Bars – Page 16

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Chart House Atop the Tower of the Americas

July 1, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Chart House Restaurant, Tower of the Americas, San Antonio TX — The view at Chart House atop the Tower of the Americas

TRAVEL THERE: SAN ANTONIO’S CHART HOUSE RESTAURANT

If there is one thing I hate, it’s a reviewer that can’t find anything good to say about any place they stay or eat. I wasn’t loving the place we stayed the first night in San Antonio, but I wasn’t going to let that color the rest of my experience.

Going with the Flow

I was the one who wanted to stay in a cheap hotel, but I had high hopes for the rest of the stay. One of the reasons I’d opted for the first night in a bargain was because I really didn’t expect to arrive in San Antonio until late that night, but travel is really all about dealing with change.

I’d expected sight-seeing in Austin, another town I love, but taking the tollway just got me to my favorite city a little faster. Having a meal in the Tower of the Americas had been on my list for a long time and the change in plans gave me the opportunity to do just that.

The Way It Was Before

Way back in the summer of 1968, on a family visit to the Hemisfair, we did not have dinner in the tower. If memory serves me right, I’m pretty sure we didn’t pay the price of ride up the elevator either. I think something like that would have stuck with me. I remember the wonder of walking through all of the amazing pavilions and adored the Institute of Texan Cultures, but all my memories of the tower are from the ground looking up.

In subsequent visits other things kept me from visiting the tower:

budget
bad reviews of the restaurant
not enough time
traveling companions who thought it was a tourist trap

I thought that the “not enough time” issue might come into play on this trip, too. I always have so many favorite things to return to in San Antonio that it’s hard to find time try new experiences. Arriving hours before I expected to, paved the way for an experience I’d wanted to have for a long time.

The Way It Was This Time

With a map, instructions from the hotel clerk and a GPS we set out for downtown San Antonio. Just as the clerk promised we found parking at RiverCenter Mall with no trouble. Somewhere inside my head is a map of the Riverwalk, but it always takes a little while for that map to sync with all the development around the popular attraction. We could see the tower and my mind told me where we should go, but we kept running into obstacles that my old mental map didn’t know about.

It didn’t help that the “You Are Here” map provided by the city next to the river did not have the promised red dot telling me where we were. Still it was only a minor irritation, because I followed my gut around the obstacles and soon recognized we were on the Hemisfair grounds – then all we had to do was look up.

If I was ever in San Antonio with time to kill, I think I’d kill some of it just enjoying Hemisfair Plaza. It’s a very pretty place, but I had my eye on the top of the tower. There was a booth selling elevator rides and the ticket salesmen pointed us to the other side of the tower for the Chart House Restaurant. We sidled up to the desk and asked if they had room for us. To my great joy, they did.

We had to walk back around the tower to the elevator, but this time we were inside. After a short wait and a quick conversation with a couple of guys who were also on their way to dinner, we arrived. From the picture above, you can tell that it was a pretty spectacular experience. The view alone was amazing. The restaurant was also nice.

I’ve been in Dallas’s Hyatt Regency Reunion Tower and the Westin’s Peachtree Plaza Tower in Atlanta, so I can tell you that the experiences are very similar. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the same architect designed them all. I can also tell you that this was not just a me-too experience. San Antonio is a town very different from Dallas and Atlanta. The spontaneous opportunity turned into a evening I won’t forget for a long time.

We were not seated immediately, but that was OK. We hadn’t had reservations and it was obvious that a lot of other people did. What was not OK, was that if I was going to wait I would have liked to enjoy a drink. The hostess pointed us at several groupings of leather chairs and told us to wait. I assumed it would be a short wait. There was an observation deck above, which may or may not have had a bar, but if I’d known we’d be cooling our heels for a while I would have at least gone exploring.

Still, I wasn’t an unpleasant experience. I sat in the big comfy leather sofa and enjoyed the view. I also enjoyed the arriving dinner patrons. Many were dressed to the nines, suggesting the meal was a special event. The restaurant was also recovering from a big busload of diners. Observing them go down the elevator in batches of a dozen was somewhat interesting.

After the noisy bus tour was back on the ground, a sort of calm settled of the restaurant and I smelled a fragrance I couldn’t at first identify. I pointed it out to Deb and we agreed it wasn’t a food smell and kept trying to guess what it was. Saddle Soap!! The leather sofas had been recently cleaned with saddle soap. There was no residue and the fragrance was subtle, but I enjoyed the little smell association game. Finally, they seated us.

Seated at the Top of San Antonio

We were looking north-ish when we first sat down – sort of toward our lovely Microtel. Not that we could pick it out from up there. As the evening played out we enjoyed the view until we were south-ish, but by then the city had disappeared into the darkness and all we could see was the lights. One disappointment was that you cannot see the Alamo for the big Marriot which is attached to the RiverCenter. That would have been quite wonderful.

What was wonderful was the food. The prices were a little steep. Not that they were expensive for what they offered, they were just more than I usually pay for a meal. We made choices around the outskirts of the menu, not so much for the cost, but because that’s what sounded good. And of course, we ordered Margaritas!

I started with Lobster Bisque – thick, creamy and delicious – just the way I like it. It was not the best I’d ever had, but it was a treat. Deb chose a salad and it was HUGE. Our next course was side orders – sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and an OMG order of Lobster Mac & Cheese. Good thing Deb and I had decreed that nothing had any calories during this entire weekend, otherwise we would have just scored about two days worth of them. OH – and we had a souffle for dessert. My mouth and stomach were in heaven and the view was out of this world.

Since this trip was my belated birthday celebration, when we met Cousin Brenda she had a belated birthday present for me. Along with some lovely fragrance gifts for my house, she also gave me one of those gift cards you can use for whatever you want. What I wanted was dinner at the Tower of the Americas. Thank you Brenda. We didn’t have to wash dishes to leave the tower.

Maneuvering back to the car was no problem. My internal map had synced with the city. We did have an adventure getting back to the hotel. First the GPS couldn’t figure out where we were when we left the parking lot and then there was the back road approach to the hotel, but all’s well that ends well – right?

Our next stop? The McNay! You’re going to love it, so come back next week.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

On the Road Again – San Antonio Stroll

June 17, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: SAN ANTONIO STROLL

Any day I’m traveling is a good day. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good hair day. Looking in the mirror for the first time that morning was a startling experience. Maybe I should have just washed my hair again, but instead I decided a few hot rollers would do the trick.

bad hair day, heath TX — The taming of Big Hair!

On the Road Again

Bad hair aside, I was almost giddy at the prospect of traveling. Deb texted she was on her way, so I stacked my luggage outside the garage and went about those last minute things you have to do before you leave home for several days. Hubby was going to be there, so I didn’t have quite as many to do. He’d keep the home fires burning.

My partner-in-crime arrived. We loaded up the car, took a few photos and headed south. The first stop was a brief one in Waco. No sightseeing, even though Waco is a great little town for that. Just a little restroom break, a morning snack and a some gas – then we were back on the road.

The morning snack was pretty darned good. I don’t usually go to Burger King, but it was convenient. Deb had some kind of coffee concoction that was really more like a chocolate shake with a little coffee flavoring. Since we decreed nothing we ate during the weekend would have any calories, I had a cinnamon roll.

Dining and Shopping in Round Rock

Mimi's Cafe, Round Rock TX — Cousin Brenda and the sneaky ‘fro. It’s trying to make a comeback!

Next stop was lunch with my Cousin Brenda in Round Rock. The city’s biggest claim to fame is that it’s just north of Austin, but they also have a pretty good outlet mall. We met Brenda at Mimi’s Cafe.

Can you say Cinnamon Spice Muffin? When they said Cinnamon Spice, I thought Spice Cake, but am I ever glad the waitress set me straight, because I almost opted for a Blueberry Muffin. Instead, out came this amazing pastry filled with walnuts and dusted with cinnamon sugar. My official entree, which was delicious, was a chicken crepe, but the muffin stole the show.

With Round Rock Premium Outlet Mall just next door, we should at least drop by right? We’d thought about making a sight-seeing stop or two down in Austin, but Brenda said the traffic wasn’t worth it. She told us about a new toll road and said we should be headed south by three. That only left us an hour and a half, so we shopped with some very good luck.

This year has been so crazy that even though my bestie gave me a handful of gift cards to Bath and Body Works for Christmas, I had never gotten around to using them. Since this was the first store we saw, I whipped out my cards and went to town. I love my daily bubble bath, but I usually opt for whatever bubbles I can find in the grocery store. The gift cards allowed me to stock up on all kinds of amazing scents the grocery store will never smell.

A few more steps down the sidewalk a few steps were a pair of my favorite clothing stores, Jones of New York and Kasper. The good news was the great sale they were having. The bad news? It was a store-closing sale – and not just those stores, all the JNY and Kasper outlet stores. I can’t tell you how much of my wardrobe comes from those two outlet stores.

Apparently, someone bought them and decided to get out of the outlet business, to focus on their department store business. That makes me sad, because I am not a department store shopper. I really don’t need any clothes because I still haven’t worn everything I inherited from Mom and Aunt Edie, so I don’t hang out in department stores. I’ll visit an outlet mall, because it’s less hassle and I find real bargains on clearance. Every once and a while I’ll stop by and find a few items at give-away prices to keep my look fresh or to replace something I’ve worn to thread-barrenness. Kasper and JNY have been two of my favorites, I guess because they were favorites of Mom and Aunt Edie.

I did virtually steal a navy blue sundress and a sweater set, because the prices were jaw-dropping. If you have an outlet mall near by, run over there and check out the savings. Gorgeous stuff, great prices.

The hour and a half we had for shopping disappeared into the plastic bags hanging on our arms, so it was time to go. We hugged my cousin’s neck and took her toll road to San Antonio. Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about our interesting stay at an not so marvelous hotel bargain.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

Le Pain Quotidien and the Venice Canals

March 4, 2015September 3, 2015 Jane Sadek

Le Pain Quotidien, Los Angeles CA — **Le Pain Quotidien**

TRAVEL THERE: LAST DAY IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

It was our last day in LA. The family had arrived in waves, and now Bill and I would be the first departing wave. There were only a few hours left. At 1:18 AM, my nephew texted me the location where we’d meet at 10 AM for brunch. At 4:13 AM he texted me to let me know it would actually be 11. The nieces and nephews were keeping different hours than Auntie Jane.

Brunch at Le Pain Quotidien

Before Steven married and moved up to San Francisco, he and Bassem were a pair of young studs enjoying the single life in LA. I can imagine them landing at Le Pain Quotidien to break their fast after a wild night on the town or even for a quiet Sunday morning reading the LA Times.

However, with thirteen people ranging in age from toddler to retired teacher, perhaps we should have gone to IHOP. The little ones couldn’t find anything they wanted to eat and for that matter, neither could I. It was all very healthy, fresh and chic, but I’d been awake since 4:13 AM and I was seriously hungry. Also, we were spread out over several tables in a corner of the cafe and I’m sure our chatter was disruptive to everyone else.

Next Stop

When brunch was over everyone turned to me for our next adventure. I was honored that I hadn’t been disbarred from the family after the Huntington Garden fiasco, but maybe Bill’s telephoned assurance that there actually were amazing things behind the tall hedges saved face for me. Problem was, I’d seen everything I’d put on my wish list except one and I was afraid the Venice Canals might not be appropriate for this huge crowd of people.

I confessed that my bag was empty except for the Canals, but suddenly I had a groundswell of support. Steven and Shannon had courted nearby and Bassem thought the area was amazing. Bill, too, was anxious to see the canals. So we loaded up and headed out.

The Venice Canals

Saturday afternoon with a caravan of cars is not the optimal time to see the canals – still I’m awfully glad they were included at the last minute.

You can’t see much from the car, so the entire caravan had to find places to park. I think that privilege came with a price tag of twenty-something dollars per vehicle. I thought that was outrageous, but everyone else took it in stride.

The Venice Canals is a neighborhood built on a series of man-made canals just a few blocks from Venice Beach. The cute bungalows were affordable back in the day. Now if you’ve got two or three extra mil laying around, you too can live there.

Except for the parking, it actually turned into a great outing for our large group. In ever-changing groups of three or four folks, we strung out all along the canals with everyone strolling along at their own pace.

Venice Canals, Venice Beach CA — Auntie Jane at the Venice Canals

The canals were a real boon to me. I don’t see my grandniece and grandnephew often enough for them to remember me. So, I was about to leave, but they’d finally decided to let me into their special circle. I pushed their stroller around the canals. We made up a silly game to play as we went over the bridges. We laughed, giggled and sang nonsense songs. I’m sure the residents hated it, but I was in heaven.

Farewell to the Golden State.

Finally, we couldn’t put it off any longer. There was a episode of fruit basket turnover as we re-arranged everyone to accommodate Bassem driving us to the airport. We were going to have to return the Maserati to him. I would miss it. My real car is a Nissan.

I’ll share a few more shots of the picturesque canals, but come back next week. Who knows what I’ll have up my sleeve!

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Orange Hill Restaurant

February 25, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: ORANGE HILL RESTAURANT IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

This vacation is almost over, but there’s one more treat I want to share with you, Orange Hill Restaurant. It’s one of my favorite places to go and on this trip I enjoyed my meal with one of my favorite people – the one who introduced me to Orange Hill in the first place.

Friends Tell Friends About the Best Places

My buddy Lizbet and I met in Dallas while working for the same company. She’s an extraordinary person, a great friend and a lot of fun. After I moved to California, she made the move a few years later. She settled in another part of the state and she plans on staying.

The first time I drove down to her part of California for a visit, she took me to Orange Hill Restaurant. She tried to tell me how cool it was ahead of time but I guess I didn’t pay any attention. Now I’m going to tell you, but you’ll probably doubt me, too.

The View’s the Thing

Orange Hill Restaurant is actually up on Orange Hill. Most of Orange County is a flat plain, but right there just past the corner of Chapman Road and Canyon View is a small road with a sign pointing up a hill that promises Orange Hill Restaurant. Even though the address is on Chapman Road, follow the sign. You still have a way to go. Just wait until you’re up the hill to enjoy the view. Orange Hill Restaurant has a great patio and there won’t be any on-coming cars.

At the top of the drive you’ll arrive at a porte-cochères where a valet will park your car. Don’t fall into the koi pond as you admire the unique masonry of natural stone. Inside there’s an elegantly appointed dining room, but you won’t see it. You’ll be bowled over by the view. Spread beneath you like a carpet is all of Orange County.

Sunset, Orange Hill Restaurant, Orange CA — Sunset from Orange Hill Restaurant

But the Meal’s Pretty Good

There’s nothing extraordinary about the menu at Orange Hill Restaurant. There’s nothing wrong with it either. Steak, seafood and for the health nuts – Vegetarian Pasta Primavera. The prices will set you back a bit, but they’re not unreasonable. We ordered a table-ful of food and it was all delicious – but with a view like that, who cares?

Lizbet and I hadn’t seen one another in a long time, so we had a lot of catching up to do. I’m sure our waitress hated us. We camped out for hours. As we sat there in our window seat, the sun disappeared from view and the plain below us lit up. It was quite a sight. I guarantee you, the patio was at maximum capacity.

All This and Fireworks, Too

Here’s one thing I failed to mention – the fireworks. You know how Disneyland has fireworks most evenings right at closing time. Well, guess what! You can see them from Orange Hill. That’s right. Give yourself a pat on the back. If Disneyland has fireworks on any given night, then you can see them from Orange Hill Restaurant.

That’s why, with all of LA and Orange County to choose from, I drove from San Marino to Orange Hill and back to Studio City. Lizbet would have met me anywhere I suggested. Like Moonstone Beach and the Getty Villa, I wasn’t going to miss the chance to share one of my favorite places with one of my favorite people.

All that’s left on this trip is a couple of loose ends. Join me next week for a great brunch spot. Then I’ll have to think of someplace else to go.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Upper Crust in San Luis Obispo

January 14, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: THE UPPER CRUST TRATTORIA IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA

No, I’m not talking about the Central Coast‘s social elite. The Upper Crust is a great little Italian Restaurant on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo.

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

One thing led to another. After I moved to the San Luis Obispo area I researched churches and discovered Grace Church in SLO. At Grace Church, I met Marilyn, who invited me to Bible Study. After Bible Study we went to the Upper Crust. All three of these were pivotal events. Grace Church and Marilyn were foundational to my life in SLO and Upper Crust was my go-to restaurant.

When we wanted pasta, we’d go to Upper Crust. When we wanted a pizza, we’d go to Upper Crust. If we wanted a a salad, a quick bite, a romantic meal, a glass of wine, to entertain clients, to entertain guests… The bottom line was, we went there a lot. Since this was beach country, we went to seafood restaurants quite often too, but for everything else, it was Upper Crust.

THREE WORDS – RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE SALAD

The pizza was good. Their pasta was great. The Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad – to die for. Fresh greens, candied walnuts, out of this world dressing, add chicken if you need protein – OMG. If a had a nickel for every time I ate it, I would at least have enough to buy several more.

I heartily recommend anything on the menu. You can’t go wrong. However, if you leave without someone at the table ordering a Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad, you’ve made a huge mistake. My friend Marilyn always maintained that another place had a better Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad, but she was wrong. In all other things, I thought Marilyn was one of the smartest people I ever had the opportunity to befriend, but she didn’t know her Raspberry Vinaigrette Salads.

CENTRALLY LOCATED

Wherever you live or visit in San Luis Obispo County, no one outside SLO county residents will recognize the name of it. Mention Heart Castle or Cal Poly and some people might say, “Oh yeah” – or you might have to resort to explaining it’s halfway between LA and San Fran. The whole county doesn’t have as many people in it as Garland, a suburb of Dallas.

When I lived there, I sold real estate all over the county and Highway One was the main thoroughfare. The Upper Crust is right off Highway One on Los Osos Valley Road. That was an intersection I passed almost daily for one reason or another, so that made eating there or meeting there that much easier. It also means that wherever you go in the area, you won’t have any trouble including the restaurant in your itinerary.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Do not miss The Upper Crust! If you’re driving between LA and San Fran, it is just about halfway and it is worth the stop.

From SLO we drove on to LA. I’ll tell you about that next week.

Accommodations, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

Fireside Inn at Moonstone Beach

December 24, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: PLEASANT STAY AT FIRESTONE INN ON MOONSTONE BAY

Well Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope this is a holiday to remember. I’ll continue with my travelogue.

Fireside Inn at Moonstone Beach in Cambria is now on my list of favorite bed-and-breakfast inns. I think you’d like it, too.

TRIP INTERRUPTED

Several months back I explained how this trip to California went through several permutations before I actually got to take it. Though pretty much everything about the trip changed several times over, I guarded my night on Moonstone Beach with a vengeance. It was one of those experiences that I’d wanted for a long time and I was determined to keep it on the itinerary.

I wasn’t so sure about the accommodations. Though I’ve been doing my booking with Expedia for years, recently I’ve begun to do a lot of research on Trip Advisor. Their reviews seem to resonate with me more than the Expedia crowd’s and I love using the Saved Trips feature for things I want to see while I’m researching. And of course there’s an app, so I can get to the items I’ve saved when I’m out on the road.

There was one small problem with Moonstone Beach. Every single inn sounded perfect. Oh, there was usually one or two people who ranted about smelly rooms or noise or something, but those grumps were sprinkled pretty evenly among my choices. Each time I got online I’d change my mind and Bill wasn’t much help either. Eventually, I chose Fireside Inn, but I have no reasonable explanation for it. I just had to make a decision, so I did.

GREAT ROOMS AND BETTER SERVICE

It was late afternoon, almost evening, when we arrived and the desk clerk made it seem as if he’d just been dying for us to get there. He was friendly in a genuine way, not in a corporate mandate way. He was full of restaurant suggestions and well wishes. He acted like he hoped we’d have a reason to call him so he could visit with us again.

With that kind of reception you want to like your room and we did. It was huge and felt more like a suite. The bathroom had plenty of room for two people and was perfectly appointed. The room itself was down right luxurious. Not in an expensive over the top sort of way, but it made me want to curl up on the sofa in front of the fire.

Speaking of the fireplace, it didn’t work at first, but when I called my friend at the desk he hurried over and jiggled whatever needed to be jiggled. The flame lit right up. My desk clerk fan explained that it would be safe to sleep with the fire going, so we did.

MOONSTONE BAR AND GRILL

Right next door to the Fireside Inn is the Moonstone Bar and Grill. My desk clerk friend endorsed it as a great place for dinner. I remembered having at least one meal there and reviewers had raved about it, so that’s where we had dinner.

The place was jammed and it had been redecorated since our last visit. The menu had also been completely revamped. We were looking to grab a bite and they wanted us to go the full monty. We were tired from driving all day and the noise level was extreme.

So it was not our favorite dining experience of the trip, but I think that had more to do with us than them. The last meal we had there was earlier in the day, so we got to enjoy the view out of the big picture windows overlooking Moonstone Beach. I’m thinking this is a “go-there-for-lunch” place – at least for us.

BACK TO THE ROOM

So after dinner we chilled out by the fire. My only regret about the Fireside Inn is that I only had one night there. I think it deserves at least a three night stay. I lounged on the sofa before the fire jotting down notes from the day. Notes which, by the way, are now packed away in some box while I’m waiting for my house to get finished. I’m writing this from memory rather than my copious notes.

One thing I wanted to be sure everyone understood. This is a casual seaside inn. For me this was a plus – and the rooms are out of this world. However, this is not the Taj Mahal. There’s nothing fancy about the exterior or the hallways. There’s nothing wrong with them either. The lobby is pleasant, but not opulent It’s clear everything is meticulously maintained, but there are no frills. They save the good things for the room and have extreme hospitality instead of Louis XVI antiques.

BREAKFAST WAS AMAZING

We woke up refreshed with the fire still blazing. It was one of those memories that sticks with you long after you’ve forgotten what you ate at that expensive restaurant. We got ready for another day on the road and wandered over to the breakfast room.

What a nice experience! Breakfast was served buffet style, so you could get whatever you wanted. They didn’t have anyone cooking fresh eggs and such, but they did have a fresh pancake machine. I thought that was cool, because most places have a waffle machine. I ate with a growing appetite and everything was delicious.

The room itself is next to the pool and the day was warm enough for them to have the french doors open. Crisp linens covered the tables and I liked the ladderback chairs. Everything felt comfortable and homey. Did I mention the food was delicious?

We climbed in our car and continued down Highway One, exiting at Morro Bay. We were about to wander down memory lane. Come back next week and wander with us.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Beautiful Big Sur CA

December 10, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Nepenthe, Big Sur CA — Sculpture at Nepenthe in Big Sur

BEAUTIFUL BIG SUR

You don’t need me to tell you that Big Sur is a beautiful place to visit. There’s a reason it’s one of the top destinations in California. However, I do need to tell you about a few of my favorite places along the way.

Nepenthe

Nepenthe is at the northern end of Big Sur, a little ways south of Carmel. I have a hard time explaining this place to people. It’s mostly a restaurant, except that it’s not just a restaurant. The view is remarkable and the food is good, but it’s more than that. When I pull off the road and into their parking lot I always feel like I’ve been granted entrance into another world. There are all sorts of legends attached to the place and at least one movie was filmed on site. You just have to go. That’s all that I can say.

A part of the attraction, for me, is the Phoenix Gift Shop. It’s bigger than a mere gift shop or at least it seems that way and they don’t carry your average souvenirs. I’m sure you can buy t-shirts and ball caps with Big Sur splashed all over them, but that’s almost beside the point. They have handcrafted musical instruments, artisan jewelry, lots of books, unique wind chimes and the list goes on. Don’t neglect to go downstairs. That’s where they have the clothes.

I aspire to buy all my clothes at The Phoenix. Everything is handmade, unique, unusual and/or exotic, but none of it is weird. Does that make any sense? It’s the sort of thing that makes people want to ask where it came from, but not for the wrong reasons. It’s all out of my price range – not in the sense of couture pricing, but it costs more than it makes sense for me to spend, when I don’t have any room for anything else in my closet. It’s like if my house burned down, I’d go there with my insurance money to start all over, because most of what I’d buy doesn’t go with what I have.

However, I usually buy something. This trip it was a t-shirt. It had been marked down enough times for me to feel like I stole it. Now that I’m home I love wearing my find. People always comment on it and when I tell them where I bought it, they’re always jealous.

Ragged Point

At the southern end of Big Sur is Ragged Point. It’s sort of an inn/restaurant/gas station/snack shop/photo opportunity. Call it what you will, I always stop. I’m usually in need of a break and Ragged Point has an absolutely jaw-dropping view.

I have eaten at the restaurant, but I didn’t on this trip. It’s been an uneven experience. Great one time, horrid the next. While we were there, someone said it had new ownership/management and was going through a sort of Renaissance, but don’t hold me to that.

There’s a nature trail that wanders down to the edge of a cliff – that’s where your jaw will become unhinged. We sort of stroll down there and back. A nice little break.

San Simeon

Most people go to San Simeon to visit Hearst Castle and that’s a darned good reason to go, but I saw the sprawling estate frequently when I lived on the Central Coast, because everyone who came to town wanted to see it. The tour takes a lot of time and the price of admission discourages casual visits.

Just north of the Hearst Castle is a scenic overlook that looks over more than just sand and sea. Elephant seals have chosen it as their home. They aren’t very pretty and the smell is somewhat foul, but the sight of all the huge animals laying on the beach is pretty amazing.

The Day Draws to a Close

We woke up in San Francisco and at day’s end we were drawing close to Cambria, where we had reservations for the night. Come back next week and I’ll tell you about one of my favorite places in the world: Moonstone Beach.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Can You Say Ghiradelli?

December 3, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Bill enjoying a Cannery favorite in Monterrey.

Winning and Losing In Monterey’s Cannery Row Restaurants

One of the best things about Cannery Row might just be the food. With twenty-five dining possibilities to choose from, we still struck out – but dessert was delightful!

The Desperation Dilemma

We made a mistake. You shouldn’t wait until you’re starving to pick a place to eat and you certainly shouldn’t make that decision while staring into a Ghiradelli Ice Cream Shop.

We’d stayed too long in the Turkish Bazaar. We wanted a Ghiradelli chocolate shake. We needed to have lunch – but we couldn’t drag ourselves very far from the ice cream shop.

Louie Linguini’s

Yes, we should have eaten seafood. We realized that while we were trying to make up our mind. We even walked over to The Fish Hopper, but it was crowded and loud – and there was a wait. We settled for Louie Linguini’s.

You know me. I can usually find something good about every place we go. Sometimes that’s just not possible. I confess, we went because the price seemed reasonable, there was no waiting list and Ghiradelli was downstairs. Our first clue should have been the lack of a waiting list. People were hanging off the rafters a few feet away at The Fish Hopper. Maybe we thought Louie’s was a rare hidden gem or an undiscovered treasure. It wasn’t. The view was good, but the ambiance was wasn’t. The price would have been reasonable if the food had been better, but it wasn’t. And the service…or should I say, “What service?”

Drowning Our Disappointment in Chocolate

We love Ghiradelli. We love Monterey Bay. We love Cannery Row. Therefore, enjoying a chocolate shake on the Cannery Row Ghiradelli Ice Cream Shop Patio, overlooking Monterey Bay, was like heaven squared. Bill’s happy face in the picture above tells the whole story.

We had one of those vacation moments. You know – where all the hassles of travel melt away and you think, “This is worth the effort.” The day had been a little chilly and grey, but the sun came out long enough for us to enjoy our shake. Someone selling CD’s filled the air with Mayan native flute music. Every where we looked were examples of the local flora and fauna. People were laughing and kids were playing chase. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

Heading on Down the Highway

As much fun as we were having, we needed to get on down the road. We’d already paid for our room on Moonstone Beach and we were at least three hours away. So, we walked back to our car and headed south on Highway One, driving right past Carmel, another favorite of ours on Highway One. There’s never enough time to do everything that you want.

Come back next week and I’ll tell you about some things we did make time for.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Last Bites of San Francisco

September 17, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: THE LAST BITES OF SAN FRANCISCO CA

The time to head south is drawing close, but let me tell you about a couple more meals in San Francisco.

Not Your Dallas Goodfellas

On Saturday night after Pinot Days we hung out at my nephew’s condo. Confession: I’m not good at hanging out. I feel like I need to be DOING something – so I read while we hung.

However, I was quite happy to put down my Kindle when the Goodfellas Pizza arrived. You need to know that a Goodfellas Pizza in San Francisco is a whole different thing than your Goodfellas Pizza in Dallas. I haven’t been to the Dallas Goodfellas, but browsing around on the internet it was easy to tell.

The important thing to remember when ordering Goodfellas Pizza in San Francisco is that you only need to order a slice. Heavens know what we would have gotten if we had ordered a whole pizza. As my nephew went around taking orders, he tried to impress upon each of us that we could each have whatever we wanted, because you ordered it by the slice. There was quite a bit of haggling as the other guys tried to convince my nephew that we should all just agree on a type of pizza and order one. What eventually arrived was an array of huge pizza slices, but each slice was more like three slices. There was plenty of each type of pizza and more to share.

Sunday Night at Vicoletto

There’s one more thing you need to know about the area of San Francisco called North Beach, where my nephew’s condo is located. Another name for the area is Little Italy. That explains why in the few days we were there we ate so much Italian food.

On Sunday night we walked to Vicoletto’s. Like the other restaurants in the area, this is a small, neighborhood-type restaurant, greatly removed from anything resembling a chain. Most of the world was still wherever they were after America played a playoff game in the World Cup – and it was a Sunday night. However, Vicoletto’s was not hurting for business.

What they were suffering from was a lack of waiters. For reasons that were never exactly clear, our waiter was the only waiter for the whole restaurant. It might have been a small place, but it wasn’t that small. A large party of perhaps twenty lined one side of the restaurant and then couples were sprinkled about the rest of the room. then there was the four of us.

For being the only guy there, our waiter did a good job, but it was obvious he was stretched. The lack of waiters had no effect at all on the food. It came out hot and seriously delicious. We’d brought our own wine and paid a corkage fee. Their food and our wine made for a wonderful experience.

One of the things I liked best about my nephew’s North Beach digs is the whole walking to the restaurant experience. the walk there whets your appetite and the walk home helps digest the food. I like my house in Texas with a yard and garage, but there’s nothing wrong with having the world within a few blocks of your home either.

Monday morning we got up early and hit the road. Come back next week and find out about the incredible scenery on Highway One.

ART, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Museums, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The de Young Museum at Golden Gate Park

August 25, 2014September 28, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: ON THE MUST-SEE LIST

This trip to San Francisco was my second, so I’d already knocked out these San Francisco points of interest:

Jane’s Must-See Attractions in San Francisco

49 Mile Scenic Drive
Lombard Street
Fort Point Historic Site
Golden Gate Bridge – up close and from a high rise building in the Financial District
Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 and Embarcadero
Telegraph Hill‘s Filbert Steps and Coit Tower
Cliff House and Seal Rocks
Dinner at McCormick & Kuleto’s at Ghiradelli Square and dessert at Ghiradelli.
The Palace of the Legion of Honor and Lincoln Park
Presidio and The Palace of Fine Arts
China Town

Golden Gate Park

I’m convinced I saw the very best of San Francisco on my first trip, but that didn’t make me any happier about missing Golden Gate Park. We actually got into the park, but it was the end of the day and both the driver and the navigator were exhausted. So the park was a must-see for this trip.

At the top of my list in the park was the de Young Museum of Fine Art, so that’s what I plugged into the GPS. Last time we’d been to the park we didn’t have our electronic buddy, which explains why we were so disgusted and disgruntled. This time we did have it, but we ran into another problem. The GPS was telling us to turn into the park at one location and there were all kinds of signs telling us we couldn’t. Finally we found a sign directing us to enter for de Young parking. Victory!

deyoung brochure07242014 — Instead of folding it up and putting it in my pocket, I should have studied the map. Following my nose wasn’t a good idea.

The De Young

I confess, I don’t do spontaneous well. By the time I visit a museum, I’ve usually studied the map ad nauseum and know exactly where in the museum I want to go. Having not had the opportunity to do that, we walked into the de Young and followed our nose. Unfortunately, at the beginning, our nose didn’t lead us to much stuff we really wanted to see. Maybe that’s the reason so many people claim they don’t like museums – they’ve been following their noses around!

Different strokes for different folks, but we all know what we like. Bill and I are less fond of modern and tribal art than we are traditional figurative art. Bill told me to just put up the map and enjoy myself, but that wasn’t very good advice. We saw every piece of modern and tribal art in the museum, before we found our good stuff.

Now once we found our good stuff we were plenty happy and we took a long time perusing delightful pieces. Here’s a few samples:

Rainy Season in the Tropics by Frederic Edwn Church

Petunia by Georgia O’Keefe

California Spring by Albert Bierstadt

Not everything was paintings. There were some sculptures and decorative arts, but these were the postcards I picked up in the gift shop.

After our tour of the art, we went up in the Hamon Tower. The view was actually quite amazing. The light was not cooperating, so we didn’t get a good shot of the city vista – which would blow your socks off – but this picture gives you an idea of what you see directly below, when you’re up there.

Food Time

To my list of favorite places to eat in San Francisco I’d like to add the de Young Cafe. Its a nice crisp modern sort of place that sits next to the Sculpture Garden. Outside is patio seating and there were people sitting out there, but it was a little chilly for my Texas blood. While we ate, we were serenaded by a big orchestra playing in the Temple of Music across the street. It doesn’t get much better.

Kudos delivered, I’d like to have a do over. This is one of those cafes where you really should have some sort of idea of what you’re doing before you actually get to the selection part. They have a card menu to order from, they have pre-made snacks and sandwiches available to browsse and then they’ve got a sort of coffee bar, but that has a blackboard menu that you might miss before you get around to ordering. So, if you ever go, check out ALL the options before you make a selection.

One Last Thing

Everybody but me probably already knew this, but if you’re also out of the loop, San Francisco actually has TWO Museums of Fine Art. The Palace of Legion of Honor and the de Young. The Palace is out by Lincoln Park and may be one of the most impressive buildings I’ve ever seen. I know the view from the portico is certainly one of the best. The grounds were covered with brides having their pictures made with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

If I only had time to see one of the museums, I would choose The Palace, for two reasons. One being the spectacular nature of the venue. The other being that the art is more classical. Also, now that I’ve seen them both, I think I’d be quicker to return to the Palace. I wish I’d had time for the special exhibition of Impressionist portraits they had while I was there. However, you should take time to see both at least once and then choose your favorite based on your own taste.

After our meal we headed out to explore the rest of the park. Join me next week to check it out.

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