Category: Cuisine

Dinner at Le Grand Véfour

There are many astonishing and multi-Michelin starred restaurants at which one may dine in Paris – Taillevant, Guy Savoy, Arpege, Tour D’Argent, Le Cinq and a few others  – but there is one that, for us, tops them all: Le Grand Véfour.

Taken from a brochure that this restaurant places on each table:

“In 1784, with development work at the Palais-Royal complete, Mr. Aubertot, a café-owner by trade, opened the fashionable Café de Chartres on the site currently occupied by Le Grand Véfour. This hotbed of political chatter soon became the place to be seen, as the Palais-Royal was the ideological center of the movement that led to the French Revolution on 1789.

“During the Revolution, the Café de Chartres became a luxurious restaurant and future headquarters for the post-Jacobin extremists who came to power in July, 1794. Napoléon Bonaparte and Joséphine dined there.

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Napoléon Bonaparte and Joséphine Beauharnais

“The reputation of Café de Chartres reached its zenith during the Restoration, with the arrival of Jean Véfour, who gave his name to the café and oversaw its transformation into a sumptuous restaurant that had all of fashionable Paris clamoring to get into.

“On February 25, 1830, Victor Hugo and his friends dined at Le Grand Véfour to celebrate the opening night of “The Battle of Hernani”, one of the poet’s plays being staged for the first time at the Comédie Francaise.

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Victor Hugo

“During the Belle Époque, the elite rubbed shoulders with the demimonde at Le Grand Véfour, where La Belle Otéro pirouetted on the pink marble tables under the adoring gaze of her royal lovers.

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La Belle Otéro

“Between 1914 – 1945, the restaurant faded from the limelight. After the Liberation of Paris in 1945, the owner of Maxim’s, Louis Vaudable, purchased Le Grand Véfour and handed it on, in 1948, to Raymond Oliver who reigned there for 36 years and restored the restaurant to its former splendor. Colette and Jean Cocteau made the establishment their restaurant of choice and celebrities from the world of art and literature streamed into Le Grand Véfour including Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.

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Colette

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Jean Cocteau

“Jean Taittinger acquired this temple of French gastronomy from Raymond Oliver in 1984 and, after a meticulous renovation, restored the luminous decoration.

“Today, Guy Martin has taken on the task of reversing the ravages of time to fully restore Le Grand Véfour – an establishment that has been at the epicenter of Parisian life for over two hundred years.”

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Guy Martin

On Monday evening, AAC and I dined at Le Grand Véfour – for the 4th time. It is the only restaurant in Paris at which we have eaten more than twice. It’s a culinary and sensory experience that deserves to be repeated.

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AAC, CPA arrives at Le Grand Véfour – let the games begin!

The first thing you notice upon entering the restaurant is the jewel-box splendor of the dining room, the sense of history, and the adventure upon which you are about to embark. The service, from the maitre ‘d who escorts you to your table to the men and women who serve you, is understated, classy, casually correct and almost invisible. It all just somehow happens.

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The dining room as seen from the entrance. Our banquette is at the upper right corner.

You are already aware of some of the luminaries who have dined there over the past two centuries. Some of them have been honored by having banquettes named for them: Napoleon, Joséphine, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Colette, at whose banquette we have sat each of the 4 times we have dined at Le Grand Véfour. 

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Colette’s plaque at our banquette.

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The beautiful place setting 

Once seated, we were offered an aperitif to enjoy while perusing the menu, and it seemed appropriate to commence our evening with a glass of Ruinart Rose Champagne.

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Whetting the appetite, as it were.

The menu, while not large, is extremely diverse and offers a mouth-watering selection of entrees and plats.

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The menu cover

In addition to the current menu, there are a few “all-star” choices, referred to as the “classics”. One of our faves is the duck liver ravioli with truffle emulsion cream: exquisitely thin and delicate dumplings filled with the tenderest duck liver and topped with a light truffle cream. It’s not unlike popping a little heaven into your mouth.

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Duck liver ravioli with truffle emulsion cream

To accompany the ravioli, our sommelier recommended a split of Blagny Meursault 2011 produced by Louis Latour, which beautifully supported the delicacy of the pasta and the bite of the duck liver.

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I love the white Burgundies!

To follow the ravioli, AAC, CPA and I went our own and separate ways: he to have the braised filet of sole with crunchy skin, which was beautifully and lovingly prepared to maintain the delicacy of the fish, and I to have the filet of lamb with parsley root in fine puree, accompanied by butternut gnocchi, with Jamaican pepper juice which was, to put it mildly, a taste sensation, verging on sensory overload. Each of our plats were accompanied by a potato puree au jus – creamy, buttery, and substantial.

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AAC, CPA’s braised filet of sole

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And my lamb with butternut gnocchi

For this course, we switched to a Chateau Peyrat Fourthon 2008, which was a delicious counterpart to both the sole and the lamb.

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Our red for the evening

While we were taking a break after our plats, we stopped to appreciate, yet again, the beautiful dining room:

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It truly is like being inside a beautiful jewel box.

Although we had each ordered a dessert, Le Grand Véfour must have a true sugar addiction, because desserts here are served as a multi-course affair. First came a duet of a block of dark chocolate and a cauliflower mousse (I’m not kidding):

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The dessert marathon begins.

These were accompanied by plates of petits-four for each of us:

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A little something to accompany our chocolate and our cauliflower mousse

Oh, and there was a multi-layer citrus-type cream with a meringue topping that showed up as well:

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Kinda tart, but kinda sweet

Also presented at this point were delicious and very fresh grape and orange gelatin candies:

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So sweet and fresh

At this point, I want you to understand that we hadn’t yet received the desserts that we had actually ordered!!

At one of our earlier visits to Le Grand Véfour, we were astonished and delighted to discover that one of the dessert options was an artichoke crème brûlée, with candied vegetables and a bitter almond sherbet. Fortunately, that’s still one of Guy Martin’s classic creations and it was, once again, on the menu:

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The astonishing artichoke crème brûlée

AAC, CPA chose another classics – the Cube “Manjari”, with orange pepper infusion, which I must share with you in the following photographs:

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The Cube “Manjari”, as presented

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Peeking inside the cube

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The cube reveals all of the goodies inside.

You’d think that would be it, right? Not quite so fast, please.

Once these amazing desserts had been consumed, our waiter is back, first with a large platter bearing a variety of chocolate truffles and fresh caramels (you may have as many as you like) and, also, with the traditional yellow angel food cake, which concludes every meal at Le Grand Véfour:

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The end.

You would think that you’d be ready to explode at this point but, in reality, we were beautifully satisfied. Our three-hour dining experience had come to an end, but the evening was a combination of great food and great theatre, memorably served up for our culinary pleasure. 

Your final thought is that, one day, you will return again to sample the magic that is Le Grand Véfour.

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A last peek from the sidewalk

And, speaking of magic, here’s a last image from our Uber ride back to the hotel as we raced past Place Concorde:

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Paris at about 11:30 PM

 

 

A Night at the Opera

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AAC, CPA; TheCulturedTraveler and Unnamed Guest

So, our Paris adventure continued last night (Christmas) when we attended an opera at the Palais Garnier – Iphigénie en Tauride, by Christoph Willibald Gluck – preceded by dinner at L’Opera, the restaurant adjacent to the historic opera house. So adjacent, in fact, that you can enter the opera house from inside the restaurant – more about that later.

It had always been intended that there would be a restaurant adjacent to the Palais Garnier. But it took almost 140 years for L’Opera to be opened in 2009. The restaurant is where the original carriage entrance was located and patrons were dropped off to attend performances. While architecturally trendy and modern, L’Opera pays respect to its renowned neighbor. Additionally, due to the fact that the Palais Garnier is a national monument, the restaurant’s structure was forbidden from touching any of the existing wall, pillars or ceiling. The cuisine under the direction of Chef Chihiro Yamazaki is modern, yet classic, with an Asian influence. The menu also features many seasonal ingredients.

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AAC, CPA arrives for pre-opera dinner

We were immediately shown to a lovely table and looked over the menu, as we snacked on a delicious amuse bouche, a truffled mushroom mousse. Here’s what we had for dinner:

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Smoked salmon, black radish, red currant, pomegranate and lemony cream for me

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Duck fois gras, apple and arugula jelly, gingerbread for AAC, CPA

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Miso-marinated black cod, kohlrabi with saffron, daikon turnip for me

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Beef tataki, small grenaille potatoes with lemon and thyme for AAC, CPA

Every bite was a taste sensation, generously portioned, very fresh ingredients, beautifully prepared, as you can see.

We opted to skip dessert, as we didn’t need a sugar rush before the opera, if you know what I mean. The cost of the above, with a large bottle of Evian, was just 100 EUR which, we felt, was a bit of a bargain.

CUISINE TIP: L’Opera Restaurant

From there, we went through a black door, down a corridor and, somehow, we were inside the opera house. What’s most interesting – although I probably shouldn’t share it with you – is that we somehow ended up beyond the point at which our tickets should have been scanned for admittance. I hope that no one will take advantage of this information – you know who you are!

Although we had been inside the Palais Garnier many times – in the old days, one could wander around unattended on non-performance days – we hadn’t been inside the building in about 12 years. As we had some time before the performance, we wanted to revisit this amazing building.

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The world famous, Palais Garnier, home of the Opéra National de Paris

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AAC, CPA somehow gets in without having to show his ticket

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AAC, CPA in the grand foyer by the Christmas tree

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The grand foyer and Christmas tree at the far end

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The grand stairway leading to the main floor of the auditorium

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AAC, CPA overlooking the grand staircase.

We had wonderful seats on the main floor, 8th row center.

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AAC, CPA seated and waiting for the show to begin

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The mylar show curtain, which reflected the auditorium.

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The auditorium behind where we were sitting

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More of the auditorium

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The sensational Chagall chandelier

The Krzysztof Warlikowski production of Iphigénie en Tauride was a revival originally presented in 2006. It was a pretty wild affair, presented as a memory play as the now elderly Iphigénie recalls the events of the opera, which was a bit confusing if you weren’t familiar with the story, but never mind. It was very theatrical and entertaining in its unusual way. The performance was sensitively conducted by Bertrand de Billy, who we’ve previously seen at the Met in New York.

While the performance – the last of its current run – was warmly received, there were a very few unhappy attendees who felt it necessary to boo. I rarely approve of booing, but can sometimes understand it if the director and the production are so misconceived that showing displeasure should be encouraged but, in this case, it was unacceptable. I mean you don’t boo the chorus under any circumstances – they’re simply doing their job. There was no ambiguity regarding the principals, all of whom received deserved ovations.

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Curtain call

CULTURE TIP: National Opéra de Paris

And, so, our magical evening at the Paris Opera came to an end. We retrieved our overcoats from L’Opera and called for our Uber. Upon entering our car, we glanced over our shoulders for one last look at the Palais Garnier as we headed back home to the Peninsula.

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Christmas in Paris

Bon jour, mes amis! I hope that Santa was good to each and every one of you. I, myself, felt very blessed today. I woke up next to AAC, CPA and am in the beautiful city of Paris. As Ira once lyricized, who can ask for anything more?

When last I left you, we were about to prepare for our Christmas Eve festivities, starting with a cocktail downstairs at Le Bar Kléber, which was doing a brisk business when we arrived at about 7:00 PM. The barman was very talented and delivered our cocktails with great flourish and enthusiasm.

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The view from our barstools

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Christmas Eve Negronis, mais sur.

IMBIBING TIP: Le Bar Kléber

From Le Bar Kléber, we Uber’ed over to Bistro de L’Oulette, a charming restaurant on the Rue des Tournelles near the Place des Vosges. We’d eaten there a few years ago and have always wanted to return. It’s a tiny little place, probably no more than 12 tables, and has a very friendly and welcoming staff.

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Once we were seated, the maitre ‘d approached with a plate of amuse bouche and offered us an aperitif, and we each opted for a glass of champagne. All were delicious.

As it was a holiday, the restaurant was featuring a 3-course pri-fixe for a very reasonable 52 EUR. The restaurant also has a delightful wine list at excellent prices and a wonderful variety of choices.

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Our table was decorated for the holiday.

Four our mains, AAC CPA had medallions of monkfish with a shrimp risotto, and I had medallions of lamp with a parsley crust, accompanied by crisp sauteed potatoes and mushrooms. Both were mouth-wateringly delicious.

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AAC CPA’s monkfish

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My lamb

Oh, and did i mention that we split a split of Joseph Drouhin Aloxe-Corton 2013 which perfectly complimented our entrees. Every bite was a taste sensation.

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A beautiful pairing for our entrees, AAC CPA hides behind the wine.

CUISINE TIP: Bistro de L’Oulette

Following dinner, it was back into the Uber and a quick return to the hotel. By that point, we were pretty tired. We struggled to stay up for awhile and finally gave up the ghost around midnight.

And then we blissfully slept for over 9 hours. It was heaven.

This morning, we went down to Le Lobby, for breakfast. It’s a beautiful room, with a beautiful staff, providing beautiful service.

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The entrance to Le Lobby

AAC CPA went for the 45 EUR continental breakfast which could, in fact, feed us both. I opted for eggs and then I poached some of his goodies.

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A very happy AAC CPA checking out his continental breakfast

While we were eating, we noticed that a guitarist and vocalist were setting up shop right next to our table. We were at first concerned, because we noticed the amplification that accompanied them. However, once they started to perform, it was totally delightful. Their repertoire was a combination of holiday music and American Songbook. It was a really nice touch to provide live entertainment for us.

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Live music 6 feet away from us!

CUISINE TIP: Le Lobby

After breakfast, we decided to take a little constitutional, as the weather is mild today. We decided to check out the competition’s holiday decorations at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel George V. We’ve stayed there on occasion and have always been wowed by the floral arrangements in their lobby. Here’s what we saw today:

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Meanwhile, out in their courtyard:

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Ice blue penguins!!!

LODGING TIP: Four Seasons Hotel George V

‘Tis the season to be jolly, indeed!

And now, it’s time to great ready, once again, to prepare for our 2nd evening out in this enchanted city. The bill of fare: dinner at L’Opera, the restaurant adjacent to the historic Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opera, where we have tickets to see Iphigénie en Tauride.

More to follow!

 

 

 

Bonjour Paris!!

Greetings, Ladies and Germs – we made it!

As it’s now Christmas Eve and, as we got a lot of livin’ to do, I’m going to make this a brief entry with some photos of the past 24 hours, starting at JFK last evening before our magic carpet ride (courtesy of OpenSkies) to the City of Light:

When you’re flying overnight on either British Airways or OpenSkies, there’s an option available where you can eat on the ground before you board the plane, so that you can go right to sleep – good idea, huh?

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I wasn’t kidding!

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And here’s AAC CPA, chowing down on his pre-flight supper

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At the gate, just a few minutes later

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A little preflight Rose Champagne

The flight offered dinner service, but AAC CPA and I opted to have our beds made up and – as the flight time was just a little over 6 hours – decided to get some shuteye. As it turned out there was a lot of bump and grind for a few hours but, thanks to my pharmaceuticals, I was blissfully unaware.

About an hour before landing, I had a little continental breakfast:

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There’s turkey and Swiss cheese inside that croissant, folks!

Once on the ground, we picked up our luggage and Uber’ed into town. It was a pretty great deal and, perhaps, even less than the cost of a taxi.

We got to the spectacular Hotel Peninsula – a stone’s throw from the Arc de Triomphe – in just about 20 minutes and our beautiful room was waiting for us – more about that in a later post. We dropped off our stuff and headed out for a little walk to shake off the jet lag.

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AAC CPA enjoying the sights

Of course, AAC immediately felt peckish, so we headed over to one of our favorite establishments in Paris for the elegant quick bite: Ladurée.

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Yummy, yummy, yummy

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A happy AAC CPA, who knows that lunch is about to be served

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The absolu-delish Club Ladurée

After lunch, our very satisfied AAC CPA and I made our way back to the hotel. And along the way, we stumbled upon this amazing and always surprising sight:

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Is that an amazing photograph or what?

And then, when we got back into our room, here’s what was waiting for each of us:

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And, yeah, there were some goodies inside!

And now, dear friends, it’s time for me to get changed and head downstairs to Le Bar Kléber for a lovely cocktail before we head out for our Christmas Eve dinner.

I’ll be back soon to report on our Paris adventures. In the meantime – whether you’ve been naughty or nice – I wish you a very Joyeux Noël de Paris!

Let’s Spend the Holidays in Paris!

“New York has neon, Berlin has bars,
But ah! Paree!”

Follies, 1971

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Fifi D’Orsay extols the virtues of Paris in Follies

Greetings from a frigid (27° but feels like 18°) but brilliantly sunny afternoon in New York City, where the weather of late has been totally schizoid. We had weather in the teens a few days ago and, yesterday, it was pushing 60°. It makes a person lose faith in weather prognosticators!

But, we don’t despair – we pack. On Friday, we’ll be winging our way to the City of Light, a/k/a/ Paris, for a week of holiday cheer. You may recall, from a former post, that we were originally planning to be in Hong Kong for the holidays. But then there was that hip replacement and cancellation of a trip to Amsterdam. Because we didn’t want to forfeit the Amsterdam airfare (on British Airways), we had to come up with an alternative plan. Et donc – Paris!

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The Champs Elysee all gussied up for the holidays – December, 2014

BA has a subsidiary airline – Open Skies – and that’s how we’ll make our way to and from Paris. We’ve flown them on a couple of other occasions and, if you plan ahead, you can obtain a competitive fare (not now, of course, at the last minute). They have a good business class cabin (referred to, by them, as “Biz Bed”), which gives you a seat that fully reclines so you can get some shuteye on the flight over. Open Skies has a fleet of mostly 757s, and the cabin interiors are acceptable, but could use a redo. However, it’s a way to snag a good fare and fly nonstop to Orly.

Another thing to note is that, since these are evening flights, meal service onboard is minimal, as passengers mostly want to get some sleep. For those passengers in Biz Bed, there is a full meal service on the ground at JFK called “Sleeper Service”, which is available in the Terraces Lounge.

 

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Our Open Skies chariot awaits

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The “Biz Bed” Cabin

And as an added treat, Open Skies currently has a promotion that entitles us to a complimentary Uber to and from JFK, so we’ll start our trip off on the right foot.

TRAVEL TIP: Open Skies

So what, you ask, will we be up to in Paris? For starters, we somehow scored the deal of the century at the Peninsula Paris. It’s a new property, under 2 years old, and it’s sensational. Located on Avenue Kleber within 5 minutes of the Arch de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees, it a very convenient base of operations. When we booked last August, the hotel had a promotion wherein you paid for 2 nights and the 3rd night was complimentary; as we’re staying 6 nights, we ended up with 2 free nights. The rates were so low, in fact, that I booked directly rather than reserve through the AmEx FHR program (which features all kinds of giveaways and benefits), as it was still less expensive to book through the hotel.

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Side entrance to the Peninsula

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The spectacular lobby at the Peninsula

TRAVEL TIP: Peninsula Paris

By now, you’re perfectly aware that I’m intrepid when it comes to planning, so I know you’ll believe me when I say that we have all of our evening meals planned. Whenever we go to Paris, we typically have one blowout, super, over-the-top Michelin meal. This year, we’ll return to one of our favorite restaurants anywhere, Le Grand Vefour, a jewel box of a restaurant, originally opened in 1794 and located in the arcades of the Palais-Royal. We usually don’t return to restaurants in Paris, except on rare occasions where we might go back for a 2nd visit. However, our dinner at Le Grand Vefour next week will mark the 4th time we’ve dined there. It’s that special. One of the charming details of the dining room is that the banquettes are named for notable Frenchmen and women: among them, Victor Hugo, Jean Cocteau, George Sand, Emile Zola, Joséphine de Beauharnais and, at the adjacent banquette, General Bonaparte. The banquette we always request is named for the noted French author, Colette (né Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette).

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Le Grand Vefour in the arcades at the Palais Royale

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The jewel-box dining room at Le Grand Vefour

CUISINE TIP: Le Grand Vefour 

Other highlights of our week in Paris:

We’ll be going to the famed Palais Garnier on Christmas night to see a performance of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, preceded by dinner at L’Opera, the restaurant adjacent to the opera house. If you’ve never been to the Palais Garnier, it’s a must – think Phantom of the Opera on steroids.

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The spectacular Palais Garnier

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Inside the auditorium with the famed Chagall chandelier

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The grand stairway to the stalls

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The ultra-Rococo grand foyer

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A scene from Iphigénie en Tauride

CULTURE TIP: Palais Garnier

EG: Restaurant
L’Opera, which is adjacent to Palais Garnier

CUISINE TIP: L’Opera

And, while we’re on the topic of shows, the famed Théâtre du Châtelet has, over the past 10 years, presented over 25 Broadway musicals on its stage. Several years ago, we saw an excellent production of Sweeney Todd and, two years ago, we saw the out-of-town tryout of An American in Paris on Christmas Eve, which opened on Broadway a few months later. This year, the Châtelet is presenting a new production of that old chestnut, 42nd Street – not our favorite show, but a fun way to spend an evening. After all, the show contains these immortal words: “Musical comedy – the most glorious words in the English language!” And the Châtelet always delivers: full (sometimes oversized) orchestra, large casts and it never stints on the glitz and glamour.

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Théâtre du Châtelet

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The gorgeous auditorium at the Théâtre du Châtelet 

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42nd Street at the Théâtre du Châtelet 

CULTURE TIP: Théâtre du Châtelet

Although it’s going to be our 13th or 14th visit to Paris (can’t get enough), we still do a bit of sightseeing on occasion and maybe revisit some favorite places. Because we are Philistines when it comes to art (sad, but true), we decided to avail ourselves of this outfit called Paris Muse, which specializes in private tours in and around Paris. So we’ve booked two excursions: the first will be a 2½ hour Introduction to the Treasures of the Louvre and the second will be a 90 minute tour of Notre Dame Cathedral. We’ve been to both places in the past, but not as an immersive experience. I’ll report back to you and let you know how it goes.

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No caption necessary

CULTURE TIP: The Louvre

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Notre Dame Cathedral

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The Cathedral

CULTURE TIP: Notre Dame Cathedral

We also discovered that one of our favorite museums – the Jeu de Paume, located at Place Concorde and on the edge of the Tuilleries – is currently featuring an exhibit entitled Unrest, which is described as “a transdisciplinary exhibition on the theme of collective emotions, political events insofar as they imply crowd movements in conflict: there is talk of social disorders, political agitation, insurrections, revolts, revolutions, vacancies, riots, upheavals of all kinds”.

Seems like an appropriate time for this exhibit, right?

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Musée Jeu de Paume

CULTURE TIP: Jeu de Paume

Otherwise, weather permitting, we hope to walk the streets of Paris until we drop. It’s a city made for strolling and we intend to show off AAC CPA’s new and improved hip as we make our way through the Marais or the Champs Elysee or the Place Madeleine, especially as we’ll be having a lovely lunch at Caviar Kaspia one afternoon.

So that, in a nutshell, will be our Parisian holiday adventure. I’ll fill in more details as they happen.

Restez à l’écoute et de joyeuses fêtes à tous!

 

 

TBT: Thanksgiving 2015 and a 2016 Update

Greetings, gentle readers, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all. I’m reposting last year’s Thanksgiving entry below, as I thought it would be interesting to revisit where we were last year and, also, to post some thoughts about what makes me thankful.

This year, we’re home in New York. We live literally at the staging area for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our street was closed off last night with all kinds of activity; in fact, I think that some of the high school bands were sleeping in buses just outside of our building. We heard them warming up this morning, just before they turned the corner onto Central Park West to join the parade. I guess it’s a big deal.

When we’re in town on T-Day, I do the cooking, soup to nuts (although we serve neither soup nor nuts.) We have a wonderful extended family who, year after year, join us to celebrate. I have this thing covered and am very organized, thanks to my handy spreadsheet which tells me what to do. I don’t even have to think, just tick off the items one by one and – VOILA! – Thanksgiving!

Here’s our table set and ready for action:

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving

And here’s our bird, just before going into the oven:

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My 15⅓ pound beauty waiting to be roasted!

And here she is, post-oven:

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Just 2 hours, 40 minutes later!

Starting off the festivities with a chilled aperitif, I think:

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The holidays are a time to cherish and celebrate with good friends and family

Oh, and here’s what we had to eat:

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So, that’s what we did today. Just finished the dishes and putting our feet up and relaxing – turkey sandwiches, anyone?

And here’s my TBT blog from last year:

Greetings from sunny St. Maarten. And happy Thanksgiving to those of you who observe/celebrate it. AAC CPA and I went into town for all of 15 minutes to purchase some Belgian chocolates as a gift for our wonderful concierge, Jola. She has taken such good care of us. Then we got back on board as quickly as possible. The ship is fun today because most of the passengers are off exploring and we have the run of the place. Woo-hoo!

St Maarten
A gorgeous St. Maarten beach

Our butler, Alex, has already been here to start setting up for our Thanksgiving feast, as we’re hosting our group chez nous. We’ll be 8 for dinner. Alex did a preliminary setup, and he’ll be back later to put the finishing touches together. We’ll start with cocktails and hors d’eauvres at 7:00, followed by the all the Thanksgivings fixings at 7:30, served buffet style, as I want everyone to have as much or as little of everything that they desire. Pumpkin pies for dessert, natch. I, of course, have already started my prep work and the turkey just went into the oven. (Truth or dare?)

Celebrity Child
True or false: Is this me prepping the turkey?

So is Thanksgiving a day of reflection for you? Do you take stock and count your blessings? Or is it just another day where we all eat too much and pay for it on Friday?

For me, I tend to be overly-analytical about everything in life so today’s just another day to do more of the same.

However, in these dark and dangerous times, I think it’s a good idea to consider who and where I am at this point in my life. Am I measuring up? Do I have what it takes? Am I headed on the right path?

Here’s where it stands for me:

I have AAC CPA and we both have our health. That’s first and foremost. Added to that, we’re extremely fortunate to have the resources that allow us to live this lovely life (which, in turn, provides fodder for this blog) which we never ever take for granted. We have the added blessing of getting along famously with both of our families (I think that may be a rare thing), and a circle of friends, who keep us amused and on our toes. And, I think, there’s real affection there, too.

We have very good and dear friends in London – they know who they are – who just had a bit of a close shave in the London tube. Thankfully, they’re all right and nothing really terrible happened. But they wrote to tell us about it and to ask if we were having 2nd thoughts about our upcoming trip to London. (Yes, gentle readers, we’re somehow returning to London – our 3rd time this year!! More on that very soon.) I replied with no hesitation whatsoever that we wouldn’t dream of cancelling our trip. We love London and the thought of spending Christmas there is simply irresistible.

And herein is the real thing for which I’m most grateful today: AAC and I live in NYC and were there on that terrible day in September 2001. Then and there, we made a vow to each other that we would never put off anything that we wanted to do, whether it was to read that book, see that play, try that new restaurant, or get on a plane or ship and hit the road. In these uncertain times, we try not to live in fear but, rather, to live our lives fully and enjoy them to the best of our abilities.

I didn’t mean for this post to turn into any kind of sermon, so mea culpa if it came off that way. It’s just my way of saying how truly lucky and blessed we are.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Crystal Symphony – 1st Full Day on Board

Well, after almost 22 hours door to door, we finally arrived on board Crystal Symphony last night. As you may recall, we had that lousy 7 1/2 layover in London, and then boarded our BA flight for Lisbon. There was a little bit of excitement at baggage claim where we thought our luggage was missing but, fortunately, it appeared at the very end.

We were met by Crystal representatives who transferred us to the ship and by 8:00 PM we were ensconced in our beautiful cabin #1022. It was like seeing a dear old friend again. Of all the times we’ve sailed on Symphony, we’ve only had 4 cabins, all on deck 10. It’s always wonderful to return. And the cherry on top of our sundae is that Sebastian is our butler. We’ve sailed with him before and it’s great to see him again. He’s the best (to which he will reply: “The best in the west”). And there it is.

1022
So great to be back in our favorite cabin, 1022.

(I’ll give you a tour a little later in the cruise.)

We were just in time for dinner, and it was great to see old friends in the Crystal Dining Room, starting with Remi, who runs the show down there and our headwaiter, Roland, who always takes such good care of us and tolerates our multiple requests for food which isn’t on the menu. As always, we have a lovely window table, midship on the starboard side. At the next table, we ran into Lynne and Garry, two dear friends with whom we’ve sailed many times. Looking forward to spending some quality time with them.

We had a delicious dinner last night. Food is always a big highlight when you’re on a ship. The pix are a bit on the dark side, sorry about that:

aac-cdr
AAC, CPA anticipating a delicious first dinner on board

ahi-tuna
Seared Ahi Tuna w/Wasabi

veal-ribeye
Wisconsin Veal Ribeye w/Potatoes Dauphinoise

apple-tart
Apple Tart a-la-Mode

After dinner, we took a stroll on deck 7 – the promenade deck – one of our favorite places on the ship. For some reason, it doesn’t get much use and we love it for strolling or jogging. Here is our AAC, CPA last night – yes, that’s an almost full moon above him:

aac-on-board-1st-evening
1st night on board – lovely, right?

Then it was time to return to the cabin to unpack and get some zzzzzz’s. After all, we’d only slept about 4 hours on the redeye to London and, with the time difference, we were a bit sleep-deprived. 

So we got into bed and, literally, passed out for about 8 hours – it was sensational!!

Got up a bit after 8:00 AM, pulled ourselves together and came up to Lido Deck for some breakfast. It’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces amongst the crew, all of whom came up to say “Welcome Back”. Not only that, but they remember us by name, which is a typical Crystal habit.

In the meantime, here I am on Lido Deck, soaking up the warm sunny weather, as I write to you.

lido-deck
Up on Deck 11 – Lido Deck

mac-air
My MacAir – where all the magic happens!

Just having a lazy day – our great friends, Lynne and Garry found us here on Lido Deck and we hung out, got caught up and had a bite of lunch. I have to remember to pace myself, gentle readers, as there is so much food all around me all the time. And it’s a 13 day voyage.

Along around 2:15, it was time for the muster drill. That’s the point at which all of the passengers make horse’s asses out of themselves and parade around in their life jackets. I supposed it’s a good idea that we know what to do it we hit an iceberg or something. In any event, here are a couple of candid shots of those near and dear to us:

aac
AAC, CPA – clothes horse – models his stylish life jacket

lynne-garry
The suddenly camera-shy Lynne and the debonair Garry

So that’s it for now, mes amis. We sail at about 4:00 this afternoon, or in a little over an hour. The captain has already advised that we’ll be passing through some “weather” this evening, so we’re off to a fun start.

Stay tuned for further adventures.

Until then  . . . . . . .

 

End of An Era: The Four Seasons Shutters

Yesterday afternoon, AAC CPA and I had what was the last lunch served at the fabled Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagram Building in New York City. (More about that later.) Tonight at around midnight, the restaurant will close forever. Since its historic opening in 1959, the Four Seasons has, arguably, been the most famous restaurant in the world.

Four Seasons - AAC arrives - 2016-07-15
AAC CPA arrives for the last lunch

My history with the establishment goes back over 40 years, when I first arrived in New York City, having just completed university in California. I was introduced to the Four Seasons in the fall of 1974, when I was taken by a mentor/friend of mine, Bill Konkoy, whose responsibility it was to show me the sights. We reserved a table in the Pool Room and it is impossible not to be impressed by the walk from the reception/bar area, down that long corridor, past the Picasso “Le Tricorne” tapestry (recently removed in an acrimonious dispute between the owner of the Seagram Building and Alex von Bidder and Julian Niccolini, the owners of the restaurant) and, finally, into the Pool Room. What a thrill!

Four Seasons Pool Room 1970s
The Pool Room ca, 1974

Four Seasons Le Tricorne
Picasso’s “Le Tricorne”

It had been Bill’s intention that we would order off the pre-theatre prix fixe menu but, after glancing at the a la carte menu for a moment, he took a “what-the-hell” attitude and we ordered as we liked. By today’s standards the meal was inexpensive but, back then, we spent beaucoup bucks – money very well spent.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the place, it was perhaps the first “total concept” restaurant. Designed by architects Philip Johnson and Mies van der Rohe at a cost of over a then unprecedented $4,000,000, the restaurant immediately became the anchor of the brand new Seagram Building, located at Park Avenue and 52nd Street. In the beginning, the space was intended to be a bank or, perhaps, a car dealership. Fortunately, those plans never materialized and, instead, a great restaurant was born.

Aside from the up-to-the-minute architecture, which has never lost its luster and has, in fact, been landmarked, every piece of furniture, chairs, tables, banquettes and more, every piece of crystal and flatware, the chargers at each seat, was designed for that space. It was all perfectly integrated. And more: owing to its name, there were subtle changes of décor for each season, and certain menu items would be swapped out as well.

Four Seasons Bar
The bar with the fabulous bronze sculpture by Richard Lippold

Now here’s the thing: the food at the Four Seasons was good, sometimes great, but I don’t think that’s why you went there. You went to the Four Seasons for the total experience. Somehow, you were always made to feel special at the Four Seasons.

I’ve accumulated a lifetime of memories at the place:

To celebrate our 1st anniversary, AAC CPA and I dined there together for the first time. It was a magical night.

When, 9 years later, we were deciding what to do for our 10th anniversary, there was no better place to celebrate than at the Four Seasons. We worked with then manager, the indispensable Julian, who effortlessly stewarded us through the planning stages. For those of you familiar with the restaurant, we took the adjoining private rooms on the mezzanine level behind the Grill Room – the smaller room for cocktails and the larger room for a sit-down dinner for 20. The night arrived and AAC CPA and I were greetings our guests when the late Mike Wallace (of 60 Minutes fame) arrived, strode right over to the bar and ordered a dry martini. AAC CPA and I exchanged a nonplussed glance and I decided to go over to introduce myself. Mr. Wallace looked a bit startled and quickly realized that he had crashed our party. He was there that evening because Eric Sevareid (the famed CBS journalist and elite war correspondent) had retired that day and was guest of honor at a party in another part of the restaurant. Mike looked around with a kind of “oops” expression on his slightly bemused/embarrassed face, murmured “I guess I’m at the wrong party”, and made a hasty exit. Our party, by the way, was a complete success, our famous uninvited guest notwithstanding.

Four Seasons 10th Anniversary Party
Our 10th anniversary party at the Four Seasons

The number of family celebrations are too numerous to count: family and friend’s birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or just stepping out for a night on the town.

AAC CPA and I hosted his late brother, Paul, and his wife, Ann, on the occasion of their 40th anniversary. The Four Seasons always sent over made-to-order cotton candy whenever a special occasion was being celebrated. Ann wasn’t crazy for it, but appreciated the gesture.

Speaking of which: We took AAC CPA’s great niece and nephew, Sloane and Tyler, to a cooking class a few years ago, after which we all sat together at a very long table in the Grill Room and ate what had been prepared during the class. Sloane and Tyler had made quite an impression on the kitchen staff and they were taken back after lunch to play with the cotton candy machine.

Four Seasons Tyler Sloane
Tyler and Sloane display their cotton candy creations

And then there were the New Year’s Eve lunches. Quite frankly, AAC CPA and I have always felt that New Year’s Eve is highly overrated, especially in New York where the price of everything seems to triple on that night and don’t get me started on trying to find a cab. So a long time ago, AAC and I decided that the civilized thing to do was to have a wonderful lunch at the Four Seasons, come home, and let the amateurs take over.

Four Sesaons - AAC 2015-12-31
AAC with a proper Negroni, New Year’s Eve 2015

We were there this past December for our last Four Seasons’ New Year’s Eve lunch. Our favorite waiter, Giuseppe, took such good care of us. In fact, he spoiled us rotten that day. Mille grazie, Giuseppe.

All of which brings us to our last lunch yesterday afternoon. We had decided on a whim that we needed to eat there one last time. I was able to secure a table in the Grill Room (which was where the “Power Lunch” came into existence), and so we climbed the steps to the 2nd floor one last time. Julian was there to greet us – “Welcome back” – and we were escorted to a lovely table.

The atmosphere was slightly surreal and somewhat frenzied. There were several paparazzi moving around the room taking lots of pictures. At one point, a table had to be brought out and set up for a last minute arrival: Charlotte Hunt, travel manager at Blackstone, accompanied by Jay Cheshes, who posted a column of this last lunch for The Daily Beast.

There was a bit of levity when we asked for a couple of Negronis (our favorite and the best cocktail ever) straight up and very well chilled. Our server said that she hoped there was still some gin left in the restaurant. (WHAT?) When the drinks arrived a few minutes later, they looked positively warm, were served in a white wine glass and there was a marsichino cherry in the bottom of the glass. That was one of the oddest things ever. Our server was mortified and had to explain that: 1) she couldn’t find any martini glasses; 2) she couldn’t believe that she had put a cherry in the glass; 3) she had, on many occasions, served that very cocktail to Philip Johnson (sans cherry, of course). Apparently the closing of the Four Seasons was affecting the staff in strange ways.

We asked her to replace the Negronis with a couple of Campari and sodas, which turned out to be fine.

About those missing martini glasses: our waiter explained that, over the past few weeks, diners had been leaving the restaurant with mementos of the place; in other words, they were stealing the restaurant blind. It was obvious to us, as their signature bread baskets, salt and pepper shakers, and more, were nowhere to be found. Seriously, people!!

Julian was working the room, as always, and at one point, was wearing a Four Seasons construction hat (a new location for the Four Seasons has been chosen, just a few blocks away, and will open in late 2017 or early 2018). We enjoyed observing all the antics in the room, the table-hopping, the paparazzi. It was simultaneously fun and a not a little bit wistful.

Four Seasons Hardhat
Julian models his Four Seasons hardhat

After enjoying our replacement cocktails, we ordered a lovely lunch: Crisp Shrimp with a stone-fruit mustard and an Ahi Burger with Mango Salsa and fries for me; Artichoke Salad with Burrata and Maryland Crab Cakes (a signature dish) for AAC CPA, all of which we enjoyed very much. 

Four Seasons Crisp Shrimp - 2016-07-15
My Crisp Shrimp with mostarda di frutta

Four Seasons - Artichoke - 2016-07-15
AAC CPA’s Artichoke Salad

Here’s the final Grill Room lunch menu:

Four Seasons Grill MenuAll good things come to an end and we settled our bill, thanked our waiters, and said “au revoir” to Julian. But we had one last thing to do.

We took a final stroll from the Grill Room, down that corridor (now naked and a bit forlorn without “Le Tricorne” on display) and went into the Pool Room. Of course, the first person we ran into was Giuseppe. We thanked him for taking such good care of us over the years, took a last look around and that, as they say, was that.

Four Seasons Pool Room - 2016-07-15
The Pool Room – July 15, 2016

And, so, a great institution is shutting its doors for good. I could bitch about the circumstances that forced the restaurant to close (a multiyear dispute initiated by the owner of the Seagram Building), but that won’t change anything.

If all goes according to plan, a new Four Seasons will open in about 18 months. I have mixed emotions. Nothing can compare with dining in this iconic space. On the other hand, Julian, Alex and their staff have forged many wonderful relationships with their diners over the decades and that’s what will remain.

In the meantime, I’ll just say thanks for the memories.

Four Seasons Alex & Julian
Alex von Bidder and Julian Niccolini, immortalized by The New Yorker.

PS. For better or worse (there are arguments to be made on both sides), all of the non-architectural elements will be sold at a private auction on Tuesday, July 26th at the restaurant. The highest bidders will come away with furniture designed by Philip Johnson and Mies van der Rohe, serving dishes (and more) designed by Ada Louise Huxtable, even the Four Seasons illuminated signs from the entrance will be on the block. A set of four Four Seasons ashtrays (one for each season) is estimated go for between $500-700 or a dozen custom water glasses from $300-500! I’ve already registered (and have an assigned paddle number, if you please) and hope to come away with some memento of our many years at the Four Seasons. Stay tuned and we’ll see what happens.

AUCTION TIP: The Four Seasons Auction

 

Memo from Glenmere Mansion

” . . . . a weekend in the country,
How amusing,
How delightfully droll.
A weekend in the country,
While we’re losing
Our control.”
Stephen Sondheim

Good evening and greetings from Glenmere Mansion in Chester, New York – a mere 75 minutes from Manhattan. This is our 3rd visit to this enchanted hostelry and we couldn’t be happier to be here. The occasion is the 10th anniversary of our very dear friends, A and K, who we met aboard Crystal Serenity on an Atlantic crossing back in 2013.

About Glenmere Mansion: Designed by famed architects, Carrère and Hastings, Glenmere was built in 1911 for multimillionaire Robert Wilson Goelet (1881-1966). Goelet’s charge to his architects was to think “Tuscan villa”. The mansion was built on a hilltop overlooking a lake amid hundreds of acres purchased by Goelet. The stunning gardens surrounding the estate were originally designed by Beatrix Jones Farrand, America’s first major female landscape architect.

Glenmere Goelet

Glenmere was sold during World War II and became a resort hotel; over the years, the hotel sadly fell into disrepair and, eventually, was seized by the local authorities and a tax lien was placed upon it. 

In 2007, the mansion and estate was acquired by Alan Stenberg and his partner, Daniel DeSimone, whose inspiration it was to restore Glenmere Mansion to its former glory. It took several years to complete the multimillion dollar project and you can see all that was spent from the moment you arrive. 

In fact, Glenmere Mansion is held in such high esteem that it is a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux which, at present, has only 530 properties worldwide.

Glenmere Entrance
Arriving at Glenmere Mansion

Glenmere - AAC Arrives
AAC CPA has arrived

As soon as we drove up, the mansion’s butler, Charles, came right out to meet us. If we didn’t know already know Alan, we’d swear that Charles ran the place – he’s extremely knowledgeable about everything Glenmere, and has the knack of anticipating what you want and/or need, sometimes before you do. He’s that good.

Glenmere - Charles
AAC CPA and the indispensable Charles

While Charles took care of our luggage, we went to check-in. Michelle at reception told us that, thanks to Alan, we’d be upgraded from our usual #16 (there are only about 19 or so rooms in the place) into the Master Suite. (How lucky are we?) Charles got us into the private elevator and we ascended to the top floor and entered our digs for the weekend.

Glenmere Elevator
Private elevator to the Master Suite

We knew, from past visits, that every inch of this place has been thoroughly and lovingly thought out and impeccably designed, but we were still unprepared for the sumptuousness of the Master Suite. We later realized that the “formal” entrance to the suite is on the floor below, after which you ascend a gorgeous staircase. The suite has a master bedroom with en suite bathroom which features a free-standing bathtub (rubber duckies included), a steam-shower and (even in July) heated floors. Down the hallway is the beautiful living and dining room. Outside the living room is a private terrace, which runs the entire length of the suite. Thank you, Alan, for your generosity!

Manor Suite Entrance
Lower entrance to the Master Suite
Manor Suite Hallway
Master Suite Hallway
Manor Suite Bedroom
Master Suite Bedroom
Glenmere Tub
Bathtub with rubber duckies
Manor Suite Living Room
Master Suite Living/Dining Room
Manor Suite Terrace
Master Suite terrace overlooking the Cortile

After settling in, we met the boys for lunch in the mansion’s Cortile (or inner courtyard). We started with a perfectly chilled bottle of an Italian Rosé, followed by salads and – for one of us with a real appetite – a chicken and waffle sandwich with lots of French fries. Everything was delectable.

Glenmere Cortile
The cortile (or inner courtyard)
Glenmere - waffle
The chicken and waffle sandwich
Glenmere Nicoise
Salade Nicoise

After lunch, it was time for a walk around the grounds. In addition to the gorgeous pool area, there’s a loggia (which was set out with jigsaw puzzles and games), the bocce ball courts, the tennis courts, the croquet lawn (all very Gatsby, don’t you think?) and, finally, the fabulous spa, the main feature of which is one of only four authentic hammam spas in the entire United States. If spas are your thing, Glenmere is where you want to be.

Glenmere Formal Gardens
The formal gardens

Glenmere Pool
The pool
Glenmere Hammam
The fabulous hammam

Then we came back inside to snoop around the common areas of the mansion: Frog’s End (the more casual restaurant where we’ll be dining tonight), the library, which has a wonderful collection of books and more games, the “living room”, where cocktails are served each evening, the Supper Room (the more formal restaurant, where we’ll be dining on Saturday night) and, finally, the China Room, which is available for private dinners. The thought and care that has gone into every detail of every room is absolute and complete.

Glenmere Supper Room
The Supper Room

Glenmere Terrace
AAC CPA on the terrace

Before I forget, I want to put in a word for the Glenmere staff. Alan and his partner, Dan, have assembled an outstanding group of local professionals who are here for one reason only: to insure that you have a memorable visit. We remember many of them from past visits and some of them have been here since the mansion opened in 2010.

So now the rain has stopped and we’re going to have another walk around before inviting the boys up for cocktails in a few minutes.

Stay tuned for more details of our Glenmere adventure.

To be continued . . . . . . . 

PS.
Glenmere Sunset
Another perfect Glenmere sunset

 

Hotel Yountville

Good morning and greetings from Yountville, where we just finished both our morning constitutional down the main street and a delicious breakfast in the Hotel Yountville restaurant, Hopper Creek Kitchen. If you’re planning a trip to the wine country, and Napa Valley, in particular, I cannot recommend a better place for you to stay than Hotel Yountville for a few days.

Yount AAC
AAC CPA at Hotel Yountville

First of all, Yountville is a town of amazing charm. The population is around 3,000 (give or take), and you couldn’t ask for better weather or a more peaceful community. If you choose to stay at Hotel Yountville, you’re already on the main drag – Washington Street – on which all of the town’s fine restaurants are located: the aforementioned Ad Hoc, Redd, Bottega, Bouchon (not to mention Bouchon Bakery), and the famed French Laundry, all of which are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. 

Interesting side note: Just across the street from the French Laundry is Thomas Keller’s public garden, in which he grows many of the fruits, vegetables and herbs that he uses in his several local restaurants. It is a working garden and you can go for a stroll and observe the locals tending the garden. It’s very impressive.

Back to the Hotel: When we stayed here exactly a year ago, we had such a good time that we decided to book it all over again and requested the same accommodation – an elegant 1-bedroom suite with private veranda. I thought you might like to see what it’s like:

Yount LR
The living room
Yount BR
The bedroom
Yount Bath
The bathroom
Yount Tub
Soaking tub located in an alcove off the living room
Yount Patio - 01
Private veranda
Yount Patio - 02
Another view of the veranda
Yount Patio View
The foliage just outside of the veranda
Yount Swag
Waiting for us on our arrival

The Hopper Creek Kitchen, open during the day, serves up the best breakfasts of any hotel in our experience.

Check it out:

Hopper Creek Kitchen
The main room

Hopper Creek Patio
The patio at Hopper Creek Kitchen
Hopper Creek Menu
The breakfast menu
Hopper Creek Omelette
The seasonal omelette with home fries and cinnamon-raisin toast
Hopper Creek French Toast
Amazing French toast
Hopper Creek AAC
AAC CPA in a post-breakfast sugar stupor

The hotel is also outfitted with a spa and swimming pool. There’s a bar located in the main lobby, as well as another bar poolside.

Hotel Yountville is elegant and beautifully appointed, as well as being centrally located in the Napa Valley as you go traipsing from one winery to another for afternoon tastings and/or tours, and is a short walk from some of the best restaurants in the wine country.

TRAVEL TIP: Hotel Yountville