Adios, Los Angeles – Benvenuto, Napa Valley

Last night, we bid a fond farewell to Los Angeles by having dinner at El Comprade on Sunset Blvd. AAC CPA always complains that all he really wants when going out for Mexican food is to be able to order a beef taco and cheese enchilada. These days, there aren’t that many places where you can find these combinations on the menu.

El Comprade is like a throwback to the days when I was attending USC many years ago. It’s a neighborhood place and there’s nothing remotely fancy about it. You’ll come here for flaming Margaritas (I kid you not), huge bowls of Aztec butter (a/k/a guacamole), spicy salsa, those combinations I was just mentioning and, yes, even a Mariachi band. All at prices which feel very 1980s.

After watching the staggering loss of the Golden State Warriors to that inferior team in game 7 of the NBA finals, (which was on full view at the bar), we drowned our sorrows with those flaming Margaritas, guac with chips and salsa and just felt the vibe. Soon enough, the Mariachi band appeared to serenade the diners and our spirits began to lift. El Comprade is filthy with feel-good atmosphere.

Then it was time to order: we did the beef taco/cheese enchilada one better by ordering El Padrino, which includes all of the above, plus a small sliced steak, a side of guacamole, with riced and refried beans on the side. A nice, light meal – all for $17.95!

It was completely satisfying and, after a couple of those Margaritas, we were very happy to Uber back to our hotel to do our final packing and wish LA a fond farewell.

Comprade Margarita
I wasn’t kidding – El Comprade’s flaming Margarita

Guacamole, salsa and chips

El Padrino – something light for your entree

CULINARY TIP: El Comprade – Los Angeles

We were up bright and early this morning and, after a quick bite of breakfast, motored off to the LAX for the quick flight up to SFO. Our driver, whose name we did not catch, was in a chatty mood and, having been in the biz for many years, regaled us with stories of the celebrities who sat in his backseat over the years, including (in no particular order), Thomas Keller, Bea Arthur, Anna Nicole Smith, Rue McClanahan, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan and others. Don’t ask: our lips are sealed!

My sister, Leslie , and her husband, Ron, picked us up at arrivals and we were off to the Napa Valley for 3 days. On the way to Yountville, we stopped for lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa proper. It was the perfect choice. Every morsel was a sensation. We shared a special of fried shaved zucchini which did not need any marinara sauce to make an impression. We had veal tonnato, Caesar salad and a delicious Margarita pizza. Did I mention that the focaccia tasted as if it had just come out of the oven? It was a great way to start our visit to the Valley.

Don G Kitchen
Bistro Don Giovanni kitchen

Bistro Don Giovanni bar at lunch

Bistro Don Giovanni patio

Bar Don Giovanni grounds

CULINARY TIP: Bistro Don Giovanni – Napa

Then it was off to Yountville, specifically to the Hotel Yountville, where we’ll be staying for the next three days.

To be continued . . . . . . . .

Los Angeles – 3rd Full Day in Town

Greetings and salutations from a sweltering Los Angeles. As I write to you, it’s a sultry 92 degrees. AAC CPA and I are ensconced in a lovely poolside cabana at the luxurious L’Ermitage in the 90210 zip code. We just finished a delicious brunch at the hotel’s restaurant, Avec Nous, with our great friends, Amy and Julie, and it was great to to see them and catch up.

Avec Nous at L’Ermitage

Last night we Ubered over to the Tower Bar in the Tower Arms Hotel up on the Strip. We’ve dined there many times over the years and have always been impressed by the swank factor. The place is gorgeous and very sophisticated, the bartenders and wait staff (all of whom do their jobs extremely well) could well have been sent over by Central Casting. And legendary maître d’ Dimiti Dimitrov has always run a tight ship.

Having said that – and while it was a mixed pleasure to return – I have to admit some surprise and disappointment at the lack of dress code in evidence last night. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not one who believes that you have to dress in white tie and tails to go out on a Saturday night. But the preponderance of sloppy t-shirts worn by diners of the male persuasion was just a bit of a shock. Whenever we’ve dined at Tower Bar in the past, the attire was nothing less than casual chic – and this place has been the epitome of chic for as long as I can remember.

The cocktails and dinner were as delightful as ever and our waiter, Ronnie, was perfect: there whenever you needed him, but allowing us to have an intimate dinner a deux.

So, would I recommend that you try out the Tower Bar next time you’re in town? Truth be told, the food is very tasty but, at that price point, there are other places that are just as good. We had looked forward to the whole experience: an elegant, swellagent evening up on the Strip, and our balloon was a bit deflated, sad to say.

Moving on:

Before meeting up with Amy and Julie, we decided to go for a little morning constitutional before it got too hot. Heading west on Burton Way, we ran into a Farmer’s Market just a few blocks from the hotel and decided to walk through to see how they do it out here. We loved it.

In addition to the multitudes of vegetable and fruit stands, there were several bread stands, one stand that specialized in dog food, and a small coterie of goats and turtles in yet another area.

While strolling through, we were beckoned by a very welcoming presence at a stand dedicated solely to balsamic vinegar. The welcoming presence, it turns out, is Chris-Ann, and she gave us a taste of many varieties of her wares: it was mind-blowing. I think my favorite may have been the chocolate flavored balsamic vinegar (to drizzle over your strawberries for a sumptuous dessert). We chatted with Chris-Ann for a good while and really enjoyed both the conversation and the samples.

The Gourmet Blends stand, overseen by the friendly Chris-Ann

Had we lived here, we would have walked away with a few bottles. As luck would have it, you (and we) can order the stuff online. Check it out for yourselves.

CULINARY TIP: Gourmet Blends

I know that you know that we’re back, yet again, at our favorite LA hotel, L’Ermitage, and I believe I posted a picture the other day. But that pic was a cheat, not our room. So I thought you might be interested to see our actual digs:

Erm - 01
Our bedroom and sitting area

Dressing area – how about all those mirrors?

Bathroom – part one

Bathroom – part two

Yeah, this place is really cool beans. You might consider giving it a try next time you’re in town.

TRAVEL TIP: L’Ermitage

And now, gentle readers, it’s time for me to cool down. Then we have to think about packing before heading out for our last dinner in town: El Comprade.

Tomorrow: Yountville and the wine country!

And Then There’s Maude

So, we completed our first full day in town with a splendid dinner at one of the hottest restaurants in town – Curtis Stone’s Maude.

Maude Biz Card.jpg
Maude’s business card

The first thing you need to know about Maude is that – unless you plan extremely well in advance, and are extremely lucky, or are related to Chef – your chances of getting in are going to be very challenging. That’s because the footprint of the restaurant is relatively tiny with less than 10 tables, and the online reservation system only opens up about a month in advance and tends to sell out within hours. In our case, we threw ourselves upon the mercy of Christine (a member of the concierge team at L’Ermitage), and she did us proud. As we’re in town for only 4 days, not only did she get us our desired date but, also, our desired time of 8:00 PM. Thank you, Christine!!

Maude - AAC
AAC CPA arrives at Maude

Maude Dining Room
The action in the dining room on a Friday night

Maude serves a multi-course menu which is built around one “star” ingredient and changes monthly. Already this year, Chef has created menus around carrots, potatoes, pistachios, radishes, garlic and, for this month, it’s cherries. Menu prices have been between $125 – $150 per person and are paid in full (plus 18% gratuity) at the time of booking. Beer and wine are offered with dinner and, if you like, you can choose either a “classic” or “reserve” wine pairing at, respectively $115 and $150 per person. Because we are such cheap dates, AAC CPA and I elected to share the premium pairing. It actually worked out great on all counts.

Once you are seated and asked if there are any dietary issues of concern, then the fun begins. The menu is not presented to you until the end of the evening so as not to ruin the element of surprise. Even looking at the menu during the Uber ride back to the hotel, it does not do justice to the experience. The wait staff is excellent and very welcoming and your fellow diners are convivial. Everyone seems happy to be there and to be sharing the experience.

I would have liked to say that I can faithfully recollect everything we ate, but that would be a bald-faced lie. I did take a lot of pictures of the various courses, which I’m happy to share with you, but I don’t recall now all the preparations and ingredients, but I’ll do my best. Mega apologies to Chef and his team. At the very least, you can enjoy seeing the food and the presentation.

Maude Cherries & Fois Gras
Cherries and fois gras sitting on a light cracker

Maude Jicama
Jicama, lovage, elderflowers, cherries

Maude Omasum
Omasum (a/k/a tripe), porcini, anise, cherries

(NOTE: So glad we didn’t know what we eating before we ate it – suffice it to say that each bite was a singular sensation.)

Maude Marcona Almond Soup
Marcona almond soup with cherries

Maude Sturgeon
Sturgeon, which was somehow smoky, in a cherry glaze

Maude Abalone
Abalone with beans, miso and basil and, of course, cherries

Maude Squab
Squab with beets, nasturtium and poached cherries

Maude Parfait
Served with the squab, puff pastry atop something really good!!

Maude Clafoutis
Following the cheese course, clafoutis with cherries

Maude Petit Fours
Followed by petits four

Maude Scones
Still hungry? Cherry scones to take with us.

One of the best parts of the experience is that, although we ate something like 10 courses (I forgot to include pix of the pasta and cheese courses), by the end of the almost 3-hour meal, we were comfortable and entirely satisfied. The progression and size of each course wasn’t excessive but was entirely sufficient. It’s my favorite kind of dining experience: you get to try a lot of things and not feel as if you have to be carried from the table.

So, if you’re planning to be in Los Angeles – or if you live here – check out Maude and try your luck at scoring a reservation. For most of us, you’ll be saving it for a special experience, but you’ll have a very memorable evening.

CULINARY TIP: Maude

Los Angeles – 1st Full Day in Town

Greetings, gentle readers, from the City of Angels. We arrived yesterday afternoon and, so far, are having a wonderful time.

Our trip in from the airport yesterday afternoon was uneventful, except that one can no longer travel on the freeway, as they have all turned into parking lots. But we know how to get around and where all the shortcuts are. Of course, so did our taxi driver, so all was well.

We’ve stayed at L’Ermitage annually, probably going back at least 10 – 12 years. It’s always a pleasure to return here, almost like our southern California home: perfect location, comfortable surroundings, great staff.

The hotel had a major renovation last year so, after we settled in, we went snooping around. Almost every element of the hotel has been rethought. The guest rooms have been totally redone from scratch and are both practical and gorgeous.

Here are a few pix of our room:

L'Ermitage Room
Our bedroom and sitting area

L'Ermitage Dressing Room
The dressing room and closet area

The bathroom

Yes, we’re very comfortable here.

Downstairs, there’s a new restaurant, Avec Nous, where we take our breakfasts which, thanks to the AmEx FHR program, are included (or, at least, we get a $60 per day credit). Thanks, AmEx! Thanks, Veronica!!

Avec Nous, L’Ermitage’s new restaurant

Avec Nous Bar
The fancy bar at Avec Nous

We’re also very fond of the rooftop pool and cabanas at the hotel. It’s usually pretty quiet and they’ve installed a bar adjacent to the pool so, should you become thirsty, you’ll find instant gratification. Also, there’s a food menu, should you feel peckish.

L'Ermitage Rooftop Pool
L’Ermitage’s rooftop pool and cabanas at sunset – nice, right?

Anyhoo, after we finished our tour of the new and improved L’Ermitage, it was time to settle down for awhile, a/k/a passing out for an hour or so. It had been a long day and we were looking forward to our first dinner in LA.

Following a refreshing nap, we were ready to clean up and head out. Thanks to the amazing concierge team at the hotel, we were taken in the hotel town car to Sotto, over on West Pico. This place does some serious southern Italian food. It’s located in a so-so area and it’s underneath something else, so it’s not unlike eating in someone’s ground level apartment, only much better.

Sotto - AAC
AAC CPA arrives at Sotto

We were cordially welcomed and escorted to our table. Our waiter, Angela, took incredibly good care of us. Because I’d checked it out beforehand, we knew that we wanted to start with the Chickpea Panella, sort of mashed-up chickpeas and then deep-fried and topped with shavings of pecorino cheese. It was the perfect compliment to the icy cold Negronis we had requested.

Following, we had a 1st course of charred broccolini and spicy pork meatballs which was served over a salad of mixed greens and salata ricotta.

Charred broccolini

Spicy pork meatballs

We then decided to share a primi, in this case a delicious paccheri (a tube pasta) in a sweet and spicy pork ragu with rapini and – get this – fennel pollen. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the flavors were intense.

About this time, we started in on a glass of the most ruby red Montalpulciano, which was a perfect compliment to the pasta and the next course: the guanciale pizza, made with house-cured pork cheek and ricotta and cooked to perfection in Sotto’s wood-burning oven.

Sotto - Pizza
Guanciale Pizza

We had hoped to save room for some made-at-the-last-minute cannoli, but we just couldn’t – you know what I mean. So, our wonderful waiter, Angela, brought us a little box, which was filled with complimentary cannoli, for a late-night snack. How great is that?

Remember how I said that we opted not to rent a car for the first time ever in LA? Yes, friends, we decided to go all 21st century and just Uber our way around town. And it worked pretty darn well, although we almost got into the wrong Uber at the restaurant, which was waiting for someone else. It all worked out in the end however, and we returned to L’Ermitage and literally fell into bed. It had been one long day.

This morning, we were up at a reasonable hour, made ourselves presentable, went down to breakfast and, once again, hopped into the hotel town car, this time bound for LACMA (the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to see a special exhibition: Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium. For those of you too young to remember (and you know who you are), Mapplethorpe was an extremely talented and even more extremely controversial artist in the 1970’s and 80’s. Even after he died of AIDS in the late 1980’s, controversy raged around him. If you don’t believe me, just google Jesse Helms and Robert Mapplethorpe and see what pops up. It’s utterly fascinating.

LACMA
Banners proclaiming the Mapplethorpe exhibit at LACMA
LACMA - AAC
AAC CPA goes to LACMA and checks out the street lamp exhibit

The Mapplethorpe exhibition is at LACMA through July 31st, and we’d highly recommend it. PS. It’s not for the young ones.

CULTURE TIP: Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium

By coincidence, HBO has been broadcasting a documentary about Mapplethorpe, entitled “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures”, which I encourage you to check out. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s extremely rewarding.

CULTURE TIP: Maplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

After all that culture, we were ready for some lowdown activities, so we got ourselves over to The Grove, most particularly so that we could drop into See’s Candies, which is an obsession of ours’. If you’re never sampled See’s, you’re really missing out. It’s like an old-fashioned candy shoppe, and the first thing that happens when you walk in is that they give you a free sample which, as they say, gets the juices flowing. We walked out with over 2 pounds of the stuff.

Although See’s is based throughout California, it’s also available online. If you’re a chocoholic, please check it out, but don’t say I didn’t warn you: this stuff is ADDICTIVE!

FUN TIP: See’s Candies

Then it was time to Uber back to the hotel, change into casual attire, and hit the roof deck pool and cabana. There was an available cabana in the shade, so we snuggled in, ordered a turkey panini, and now we’re just lazing about as I write this blog entry to you.

AAC - Cabana
AAC CPA devours the New York Times from his rooftop cabana

Tonight we’re having a very special culinary experience at Maude. I’ll close for now, but report back to you very soon all about it – it’s going to be the cherries, I’m sure.

California, Here I Come!

Yes, fellow travelers, it’s time to hit the road again. After a 2½ hour delay on the ground, AAC CPA and I are midway between the right and left coasts, winging our way via American Airlines to sunny Los Angeles.

There was no real explanation about why we were so delayed at JFK this morning. There was, apparently, a huge buildup of planes that were unable to take off. Yes, it was raining, just a bit, but is that any excuse? Geez, Louise.

AAC
AAC CPA settles into AA #1 bound for Los Angeles

So, we finally took off, libations were served (Bloody Mary’s, Tito’s on the side, please) which, for some inexplicable reason, were accompanied by biscotti. Where are my warm nuts??

Then there was a bruschetta omelet, accompanied by sausage, fresh melon and a biscuit. I was hungry, and it was tasty (enough).

Now I want to tell you about our itinerary for the next 11 days. We’ll be in Los Angeles – a much maligned town, if you ask me – for the next 4 days. Then we’re flying up to San Francisco and motoring to the wine country – Yountville (in the Napa valley), to be precise. After a few days in that paradise, we’re spending a long weekend in San Francisco. We’ve made this trip many times – it’s our annual west coast swing – and we couldn’t enjoy it more.

So what will we do for fun? There will certainly be a lot of eating; in fact, our dance card is filled every night with some very interesting dining establishments. I’ll tell you about them as we go along, but I’ll give you a little preview of our dinner tomorrow night:

We’re going to a place called Maude (“and then there’s Maude!”), which is this very hot restaurant in Beverly Hills. Helmed by chef Curtis Stone (“Top Chef” and “Around the World in 80 Plates”), the restaurant features a set multi-course menu that changes monthly. Each menu features one “star” ingredient: for June, it’s cherries. From what I’ve heard, we’re going to have a pretty fine experience.

Curtis Stone

DINING TIP: Maude

There will also be some culture on this trip. For instance, tomorrow morning, we’re going to LACMA (the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to see one of two Mapplethorpe exhibitions which are currently on view in the Los Angeles area. (The other is at the Getty.) As Mapplethorpe’s art was somewhat divided into two camps – as I imagine the exhibitions will likewise be – it’ll be interesting to find out which one we’re going to get. Stay tuned.

Mapplethorpe-01
Mapplethorpe by Mapplethorpe

CULTURE TIP: Mapplethorpe at LACMA

We’ll be staying at our favorite local hotel, L’Ermitage, located on Burton Way in Beverly Hills – just a few short blocks from Rodeo Drive, in fact. When we were last there – almost exactly a year ago – the place was in the midst of a major renovation, which was completed some months ago. At that time, we were shown a model of the new guest rooms, and the hotel has stepped up its game in providing a luxe experience for its lodgers.

L'Ermitage

TRAVEL TIP: L’Ermitage

We’ve also made a pretty dramatic decision regarding our LA sojourn: for the 1st time ever, we’re not renting a car but, rather “Ubering” our way around town. We’ve had friends who say it’s the only way to go. Between car rental fees, valet parking and hotel parking charges, this has got to be a good deal, right?

So that’s our little trip in a nutshell. Now it’s time to watch a flick, so I’ll stop here. I’ll be back soon with reports on our travels. Keep an eye on this space and have a lovely day.

TBT: Kyoto and the Hoshinoya

Greetings and salutations!

I know that lots of peeps celebrate TBT on Thursdays, but I say why not Throwback Tuesdays? That way, you get thrown back 2 days earlier. Win-win, right?

So today, ladies and germs, I want to share with you an amazing experience AAC CPA and I had in April 2014 when we were visiting Japan. We had flown to Tokyo so that we could have the great pleasure of sailing back to Los Angeles aboard the beautiful Crystal Symphony. (Sound familiar?)

Whilst making our travel plans, we were told by our fellow travelers – nay, commanded – that we could not visit Japan without seeing Kyoto, for almost 1,100 years (794 – 1868) the capital of Japan.

We heeded their advice and had a marvelous adventure. Being train aficionados, we elected to travel from Tokyo Station to Kyoto via the famous Shinkansen, a network of high-speed trains, aptly nicknamed the “Bullet Train” because, I surmise, it travels faster than a speeding bullet. The distance between the 2 cities is 319 miles, which we covered in 2 hours, 18 minutes, or at an average speed of about 138 mph.

Before arriving in Tokyo, we’d contacted our hotel’s concierge to arrange for round-trip tickets on the Bullet Train, so everything had been reserved for us in advance.

On the morning of our departure for Kyoto, we walked the short distance from our hotel into Tokyo Station and to the departure track for our train. We arrived with a comfortable 15 minutes to spare. As we were waiting, we noticed a brigade of young women impeccably dressed in what appeared to be Jackie Kennedy pink suits. (Does my memory betray me, or do I also recall matching pillbox hats as well?) In any event, we wondered who they were and what they were doing there. The answer wasn’t long in coming.

AAC CPA gets ready to board Nozomi 21 bound for Kyoto

As our train pulled into the station and the arriving passengers departed, these ladies rushed on to “refresh” each car of the train, making sure that each interior was perfectly tidy and clean. When we entered the train a few minutes to find our reserved seats, the car was indeed neat and spotless. We later learned that, should a seat cushion be stained, it would be immediately replaced.

Amtrak: Please take note!

Need I mention that the train departed absolutely to the minute on time? Once we cleared central Tokyo, the train started to pick up speed, which you could totally feel, but not in an unpleasant way. With the majestic Mt. Fuji in the distance, we enjoyed the quick journey to Kyoto. Snacks and beverage service were available, if desired.

AAC CPA settled in and ready to go

All-in-all, a very pleasant trip.

Upon our arrival in Kyoto, we were met by a private guide and driver we had engaged to show us the sights, and suffice it to say that we saw some amazing things.

But what I really want to share with you is our experience staying at our ryokan (or traditional Japanese inn). Thanks to the oft-mentioned and fabulous Veronica at AmEx Platinum, she arranged for us to stay at the amazing Hoshinoya.

The Hoshinoya at night

When, by mid-afternoon, our sightseeing was over for the day, our guide dropped us off at what looked like a small enclosure adjacent to a tranquil river. As it was raining and a bit cool, we were immediately offered hot tea and a Japanese cookie. Within a few minutes, we were escorted from our waiting area to a small river boat. From there, it was a 15-minute ride down river to the Hoshinoya.

Our boat driver taking us down river to the Hoshinoya

Being greeted on our arrival

We were met at the dock and escorted to the check-in area and then to our lovely rooms, which consisted of a living room overlooking the river and separated by shoji screens from the double-futon bedroom. Adjacent was a lovely bathroom with a birchwood soaking tub. Next to the tub: a bottle of Saki. It was explained to us that, while it was certainly OK to drink the Saki, it’s real purpose was for soaking in the tub. Let me tell you: it was a fair exchange – after a long day of travel and sightseeing, it was delicious to soak in that Saki-filled tub.

Our living room with river view

Double futons in the sleeping area

AAC CPA in the Saki-filled birchwood tub

Hoshinoya has a very well-regarded restaurant and chef (Ichiro Kubota) and we elected to have dinner there. When we were shown to our rooms, our host showed us two sets of pajamas: one for sleeping and another fancier set to wear around the premises. Also included were Japanese sandals and a slicker. We were encouraged, if we so desired, to wear our “going out” pajamas to dinner and we thought that was a great idea, especially as we were traveling light and it was still raining.

So we got ourselves all done up in our fancy pajamas, sandals and slickers, and made our way to the restaurant, assuming that – because it was a Monday evening – the restaurant would be quiet and we’d have an intimate dinner.

Well, we were half-right.

As we entered the restaurant, we could hear a somewhat boisterous group singing a Japanese version of “Happy Birthday”. And guess what? Everyone there was fully dressed: jackets and ties for the men, fancy dresses for the ladies, and AAC CPA and I schlumphing around in our pajamas!

However, we were taken away from the other diners and shown into our own private glass-enclosed dining room, which was surrounded by a beautiful garden in full bloom. It was magical and like being in our own private world.

The Hoshinoya offers a multi-course dinner, which one of us was excited to sample. Someone else begrudgingly agreed to go along with it (no names, please). There were just a couple of hiccups along the way, for instance: when the uncooked octopus leg made an appearance at the table and somebody shrieked in response. But, mostly, we had a wonderful dinner with wine and saki pairings and the most discreet and attentive service imaginable.

Upon returning to our rooms, which had been turned down for the night, we immediately fell into bed (that is, we fell into futon) and had a lovely night’s sleep – it was so quiet, except for the sound of a light rainfall, that you couldn’t help but be lulled to sleep.

Foggy and mysterious early morning river view

The next morning, we had the option of ordering breakfast in the room (at an additional charge), and we totally took advantage of it. A discreet knock at the door at the appointed time, and we were greeted by 2 smiling faces. They came in, reconfigured the furniture for dining, and prepared our breakfast for us. We were totally charmed by the service and the food was delicious.

Our breakfast is prepared for us en suite

And a lovely breakfast spread

After breakfast, we made preparations to depart, as we had another half day of sightseeing before boarding our Bullet Train for the return trip to Tokyo.

AAC CPA on his way back to our river boat to reenter the real world

A stay at the Hoshinoya is not inexpensive – it should rightly be considered a “splurge” – but it is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So it turns out that we were given great advice, which I now pass on to you – our brief visit to Kyoto and the Hoshinoya was an enchanting experience and not to be missed.

TRAVEL TIP: Hoshinoya – Kyoto

Recap: Antarctica and South America

I hope you didn’t think that I’d forgotten about you – after all, it’s been almost 2 weeks since my last blog entry. The truth is: after being away for 3 weeks, it took me awhile to return to normal (whatever that is) life.

So I hope you didn’t miss me too much (actually, I hope you missed me and my posts a lot), but now it’s time for TheCulturedTraveler to get off his – ahem – backside and get to work.

Therefore, I thought that today’s post should be a “highlights” replay. After all, I’d have to say that we had an amazing time on this latest adventure. If you were following me throughout Buenos Aires and aboard Crystal Symphony, you’ll most likely be familiar with what you’re about to see. But what the heck, right?

Enjoy!!

Luggage for 3 Weeks
It took this much baggage to get us from “here” to “there”.

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The fabulous Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Hotel

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2nd favorite meal in Buenos Aires, and a 5-minute walk from the hotel

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Quiz: What song did Evita sing from this balcony?

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Favorite and most elegant meal in Buenos Aires

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Seeing Buenos Aires with Pedro, one of the best tour guides ever

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Visiting La Boca (in the rain)

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Teatro Colon: one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses

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Crystal Symphony in port as seen from the Park Hyatt Hotel

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Repacked and ready to embark Symphony

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AAC CPA on deck for the 1st sunset

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Gorgeous sky 1st evening at sea

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Breakfast al fresco 1st full day at sea

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Family Negronis on the 1st formal night

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Formal Shoes

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The Virginia Gentlemen – Bar none, best entertainment on the voyage

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Invited to have a cocktail with the Captain in his quarters

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The beauty of Tierra del Fuego National Park

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AAC CPA at the end of Route 3 – 11,090 miles from Canada – the lowest piece of land in the world

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More yummy food on Crystal Symphony

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First look at Antarctica from our balcony

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AAC CPA appreciates the view

Antarctica - Penguins & Seals
Penguins and sea lions (photo courtesy of Nancy Shafran)

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A delegation from Palmer Station arrives for a visit

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More sea lions just hanging around

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Cruising around Antarctica at about 8:30 PM

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And about 3 hours later! It’s still light out!!

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AAC CPA welcomes you to the Falkland Islands (and its lovely weather)

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But we enjoyed another amazing sunset at sea

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And AAC CPA conjured up a full moon for your viewing pleasure

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Back by popular demand: The Virginia Gentlemen entertain in the Crystal Cove

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Welcome to Puerto Madryn

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This product is sold in the local market

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Late night at sea: full moon on a deserted Promenade Deck

And another gorgeous day at sea as seen from our balcony

Approaching Montevideo, Uruguay

A private field trip to Juanicó

Enjoying a private lunch at the vineyard

The wines we tasted at lunch

Disembarking Symphony for the last time (those smiles are FAKE)

AAC CPA back at the Park Hyatt for 9 hours before the flight home

AAC CPA hunkers down for the 10+ hour flight home

Postlude:

All-in-all, we had a fabulous trip. Visiting Buenos Aires for the first time was a total delight. As a dear friend of ours’ puts it: “BA is beautiful – a bit shabby but, like some aging countess, still elegant”. So true. We learned that Argentina is a country that, in all things, is in a perpetual pendulum swing. We had the benefit of an outstanding tour guide, enjoyed several memorable meals, accompanied by some amazing Argentine wines (let’s hear it for the Malbec!), and just marveled as we walked through the city.

Then we had the great pleasure of returning to Crystal Symphony for 2 weeks. Having sailed on Crystal many times, it’s like returning home. The Crystal fleet is elegant, beautiful and has a crew that has but one goal in mind: to insure that you have the best time imaginable.

The days we spent in Antarctica were so memorable for the things we saw and which are hard to capture on camera. You’ll just have to take my word for it: you must see it for yourself.

Finally – and I know I’ve said it before – we live to travel and we travel to live. It’s a truism that we must get outside of our shells (and, sometimes, our comfort zones) and go exploring. Whether it’s on land, sea or air, there is so much to see out there and we diminish ourselves if we don’t take the opportunity to visit new places, whether it’s the town next door, the state across the border, the other coast, or another continent.

Give in to your own personal wanderlust and go a-traveling!

PS. Here’s how we know we’re back in NYC and the vacation is over:

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Montevideo, Uruguay – A Day at Juanicó

Our last port – yesterday – was Montevideo, and we wanted to do something special. We decided to arrange – with the help of Crystal Symphony’s concierge and shore excursion manager – a visit to the Juanicó winery (dating back to the 19th century), located about 45 minutes from the port. Our excursion included a driver, round-trip transportation, a tour of the winery, and a private lunch with wine pairings.

We had a wonderful time.

Our driver, Alvero (who spoke no English), picked us up at the ship and we arrived at Juanicó right at 11:00 AM. We were greeted by our guide, Dianela, who showed us the vineyard and explained how the wine was made. Having made many visits to the Napa Valley and the Paso Robles wine region of California, we’re very familiar with the production (and consumption) of wine. Daniela was a wonderful guide and we enjoyed the tour, which lasted about 45 minutes.

Here are some photos of what we saw:

Juanico Building - 01
The main building at Juanicó, where we were to have our lunch

Touring the Grounds - 01
Touring the grounds with our guide, Dianela

Vines - 01
The vines, the grapes of which will eventually be used to produce cabernet sauvignon

Grounds - 02
Some of the grounds surrounding the winery

Wine Vats - 01
Part of the production plant

Bottling the Wine
Assembly line production to bottle, cork and label the wine

This building was built by the Jesuits back in the 18th century

Following the tour, we went back into the main building and Dianela showed us the private wine cellar, down some very rickety stairs. The cellar was being prepared for a special dinner that evening.

Stairway to Cellar
Scary stairway to the wine cellar

Cellar - 01
Wine is stored in these casks from 1 – 3 years.

Cellar - 02
Setting up for a fancy dinner in the wine cellar

While we were in the cellar, Dianela showed us a very special place: the Wine Library, a secured area of the cellar in which are many very fine bottles of vintage wine are stored. Dianela unlocked the door and told us to go inside and choose a bottle as part of our wine tasting. How does one choose from so many treasures?

Wine Library - 01
Dianela helped us select the perfect wine to accompany our lunch

Wine Library - 02
Daniela displays a 2004 Don Pascual Merlot – the unanimous choice

Wine Stairway Family Photo
Ascending the stairway – much easier than descending

Once we got back upstairs, we were shown to a beautifully laid out table next to a huge picture window overlooking the vineyards where we were to enjoy our lunch.

Lunch Table
Sitting down to lunch

Lunch Table View
And our view

Wine Tasting
The 6 wines we sampled at lunch, including the very special Don Pascual merlot

As Dianela poured the 1st and, a bit later, the 2nd wine, she presented us with a tray of meats, cheeses, olives and bread – a wonderful start to our lunch.

Lunch Appetizer
A little something to get our lunch started

Then, for our 1st course and our 3rd wine, came individual quiches with a fabulous pear and blue cheese combination, incredibly fresh plum tomatoes and delicious greens.

Lunch - 1st Course

Next up, paired with the 4th and 5th wines, came a tenderloin of beef served with a delicious wine reduction and grilled vegetables.

Lunch - 2nd Course

During this course, Dianela presented the Don Pascual Merlot, which perfectly complemented the beef.

(By the way, we were encouraged to ask for seconds on any of the wine(s) that we enjoyed.)

Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another morsel, dessert appeared.

Lunch - 3rd Course
Individual cheesecakes topped with fresh fruit

By the time we’d finished dessert, it was time to return to the ship. We thanked Dianela for a delightful experience and departed.

45 minutes later, we were back aboard Crystal Symphony.

Cost of the Juanicó tour (exclusive of transportation), 3-course lunch with 6 wine pairings was $90 per person. We thought it was quite a good bargain. The wines are perhaps not the quality that you’ll find in California or France or next door in Argentina, but they were delicious and this excursion was one of the highlights of our 3-week vacation.

Should you find yourself visiting Montevideo, I would highly encourage you to arrange your own excursion to Juanicó. It will be time well spent.

TRAVEL/CUISINE TIP: Juanicó

Crystal Symphony Crew: An Appreciation

Good afternoon and greetings from somewhere between Puerto Madryn, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay (our last port city before disembarking on Wednesday in Buenos Aires).

Today, I want to celebrate the wonderful crew of Crystal Symphony. We’ve sailed on the 2 Crystal ships a total of 11 times (and counting), and the crew on these vessels is unsurpassed. On Symphony, the passenger to crew ratio is 1.7 to 1, which means that you are going to be very well taken care of while you’re aboard.

My focus will be on the crew members with whom we interacted over the past 2 weeks. I will have missed a few I’m sure (and apologies to any I’ve not mentioned here), but you’ll get the idea.

Starting with our cabin crew:

Raja - India

Here’s Raja – our butler. When you’re fortunate enough to travel on the penthouse deck, you will have a butler assigned to your cabin. Raja has been terrific, always cheerful, always ready to help. The butlers’ service can include packing and unpacking, making reservations for the specialty restaurants, taking care of special requests. One of those requests was putting together a cocktail party we hosted in our cabin last week. Raja rose to the occasion, delivered invitations to our guests’ cabins, worked with us to develop the menu and made sure that the party was a great success. (It was!)

Vida - Lithuania - Catherine - India

And here are Vida, our assistant stewardess, and Catherine, our stewardess. Twice a day (morning and evening), they take care of making up the cabin. They are both delightful, friendly, and do their jobs extremely well. (What are we going to do on Thursday when we have to make our beds and clean up after ourselves? It’s going to be a very sad day, I think.)

Next to the cabin crew, the folks down on Deck 5 take care of a myriad of things we needed while on board.

Natalia - Chief Concierge - Portugal

Here’s Natalia, who is the chief concierge. We’ve sailed with her before. Last year, when we needed a reservation at a restaurant in Lisbon during a port call, she took care of it for us. This time, she helped to arrange a private visit to a winery in Montevideo, as well as set up our private transfer when we disembark in Buenos Aires. She’s great.

Merlii - Estonia

And here’s Merlii, who manages shore excursions. She went to great effort to finalize the plans for that winery visit we’re making in Montevideo, which turned out to be no easy task. She also arranges for the huge selection of shore excursions that are offered on every Crystal cruise.

Paula Jean - USA

Paula Jean is your go-to person if you want to book your next Crystal cruise. There’s a great incentive to booking while you’re on board, as you get an extra Crystal Society credit. We’ve just booked 2 back-to-back river cruises (not until 2018!!), and Paula Jean explained that by booking back-to-back cruises, we’d get an extra 5% discount. Remember that when you’re booking your cruises!

As I’m sure you’re well-aware by now, Internet connections can be extremely challenging when traveling by ship. Crystal ships have Computer University on board, with a dedicated staff ready, willing and able to help you with any computer issues you may have.

Jessie - Tech Concierge - Philipines

Here’s Jessie, who runs Computer U (and put up with me over the past 2 weeks, no mean feat)!

Perhaps the most talked about part of any cruise is the food. Crystal is very well-known for the excellence of the food on board (the gala buffet lunch is being served as I prepare this post), and the execution and service is outstanding.

Remi - Poland

Here’s Remi, who is our Maitre ‘D on this cruise. We’ve sailed with him many times, and he is outstanding. He always manages to assign us our favorite table (midship starboard window table), and he makes sure that the Crystal Dining Room runs like a fine-tuned Swiss timepiece, which it does. He’s also a wonderful conversationalist on many topics and we’ve had many enjoyable chats with him. He’s also quite knowledgeable about fine restaurants all over the world.

We also had a specific team that took care of our table:

Bruno - Portugal

Here’s Bruno – our headwaiter. We were bummed when we boarded to find out that Bruno’s section ended a table away from ours’. But, after making a special request to Remi, Bruno became our guy. We’ve also sailed with him before and he’s been great tending to all of our special dining requests: steak tartare, Dover sole, kosher roast chicken, Crepes Suzette, etc., all of which he executes with great flair and good humor.

Marjan - Serbia

Marjan is our senior waiter and we really like him. He’s attended to all of our dinners in the Crystal Dining Room and is extremely professional and fun to be around. He’s also very good at making recommendations about what to eat.

Stanko - Serbia

Stanko is our assistant waiter and he, too, is just excellent. These guys have their act down and the do it really well. And we very much appreciate that they kept the cauliflower off of my plate for (almost) the entire voyage.

Ilija - Croatia

Ilija has been our sommelier and he’s extremely knowledgeable about wine. I probably haven’t mentioned it yet, but Crystal instituted an “all-inclusive” policy back in 2012, which means that, among other things, your wine and spirits are included in your fare. While there’s also a premium wine list from which you can order at an additional charge, the complimentary wines have improved every year, and there is a large variety of them from which to choose. Ilija has been a great resource in acquainting us with these wines, always making the perfection recommendation depending on what we were eating on any given evening. It was also interesting to hear him describe the various wines (and he’s very generous with the pour).

Now you won’t always be eating in the CDR, as there are 2 specialty restaurants, Prego and Silk Road. Here’s Paolo, who manages these two restaurants.

Paolo

He’s the go-to guy should you want to book the specialty restaurants.

On Lido Deck, you can order food from the Trident Grill every day from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Here’s Gabriel who’s one of the short-order cooks:

Gabriel - Philippines

I’ve mentioned in other posts that there are many watering holes wherein you can dip your beak should you be thirsty. One of them, Crystal Cove on Deck 5 features a pianist for your listening pleasure several times a day. Here’s Gordon, who you’ll find at the ivories playing your favorite melodies:

Gordon - Pianist

Last – but definitely not least – I want to highlight the guys who work up on Lido Deck, both inside and out, who – many say – are the heart and soul of the ship. These are the guys – and there are many of them – who will bring you drinks and food and are always ready to help you, but they’re more than that. When you first meet them, they ask you your name, which they then commit to memory. But they’ll remember you, not just during your cruise, but on the next cruise you take and on the cruise after that. How they are able to manage that, I’ll never know but somehow they do.

Here are just a few of the guys on Lido Deck that we’ve come to know over the years:

Allan - Philippines
Allan

Dio - Philippines
Dio

Kiko - Philippines
Kiko

Ricky - Philippines
Ricky (in his Crystal Cove evening garb)

My favorite anecdote about these guys happened back in 2012 on Symphony’s sister ship, Serenity. We had first sailed on Serenity in 2005 with my sister, Leslie, and her husband, Ron. The guys on Lido Deck were very friendly and attentive and we made several new friends on that voyage. So, now it’s 2012 and we’ve just boarded Serenity for another crossing, this time from Barcelona to Miami and we’re taking our first stroll on Lido Deck. One of the guys, Jun (with whom we’d sailed back in 2005), strides up to us and says: “How’s your sister, Leslie?” Well, I was just gobsmacked (and wouldn’t you be, too?).

And this – I believe – is the Crystal difference. Everyone on the crew with whom we’ve come into contact delivers that same commitment of service and friendliness which, I believe, keeps us coming back year after year.

I’ve only been able to share with you a few of the many crew that are aboard, but I want you to know that the service we’ve received from these few is indicative of what you can expect and we give our sincere thanks to them all.

A Quick Sunday Post

Good afternoon, everyone. We’ve just departed the small port city of Puerto Madryn. Our cruise is beginning to wind down now: one more sea day, one last port (Montevideo, Uruguay), and then we disembark where we began – Buenos Aires – on Wednesday morning. Can you believe it?

Anyway, here are a few images from the past 24 hours that I thought you might enjoy – nothing earth-shattering or life-changing, but just for your enjoyment:

Saturday afternoon: rough seas developing – Promenade Deck closed due to high winds. The intrepid AAC CPA and I snuck out on Deck 11 aft and took the following shot – great poop deck action, right?

2016-00 - Rough Wake

Here’s a shot of the full moon as taken from the Crystal Dining Room on Saturday night. The wetness on the large window is due to the fact that we were having 20 foot waves hitting the ship, several of which crashed right into that window, causing AAC CPA to jump into the air each time it happened. It was very dramatic. Nice moon, though.

2016-01-Full Moon

2016-02 - Tartare

And then our headwaiter, Bruno, appeared to prepare an encore presentation of his famous beefsteak tartare. It was beyond delicious.

After dinner, it was supposed to be showtime in Galaxy Lounge, Deck 6 forward. But the rock and roll was SO intense, that the show had to be canceled at the last minute. The ship’s cruise director, Paul, literally had to sit down on the stage (so he didn’t fall over) to explain that it was too dangerous for performers to come out on the stage. In this case, the show must NOT go on!!!

We crept back to our cabin – the pitch was really fun – and attempted to get ready for bed without falling over too much. And then we were rocked to sleep!

Sunday morning and here we are in Puerto Madryn, Argentina.

Puerto Madryn Tourist