A Unicorn in Canada

St. Michael's Anglican Church

If someone told you that unicorns existed you would probably want to see it for yourself… right?  Well, that’s how we felt when we found out that our good friend the eternal bachelor was getting married.  The wedding was going to be in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario so off to Canada we went so we could see it unfold firsthand!

Getting there

The first thing we had to do was figure out exactly where Niagara on the Lake was.  It’s a good thing Walt waited to get married after Al Gore invented the internet because a quick search of Google and Wikipedia showed us that Niagara-on-the-Lake is in Southern Ontario Canada.  It’s located where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario and is directly across the river from Youngstown, New York. 

Toronto and Buffalo are the two closest major airports and there are pros and cons to both.  With Toronto, it’s easier to find direct flights and you clear customs at the airport but it is more expensive (about $150 more per person for our trip).  Buffalo typically requires a connection and you have to clear customs at the border but it is usually a cheaper option.    

The non-stop flight and the fact that we would not wind up in Buffalo sealed the deal so we got our tickets to Toronto.  (Buffalo friends….I know it is beautiful during the summer….I still love you J!) 

Toronto

Toronto from above

Flying in, Toronto looks a lot like Chicago because it’s a big city on a really big lake.  Going through customs is super easy and the rental car agencies are on-site which is a nice change from the Rental Shuttles we’ve become used to in the States (anyone who has rented a car at Phoenix Sky Harbor knows what I’m talking about…). 

The airport is 20-30 minutes outside of the city and driving there is no different than driving in the States.  We opted to avoid Gardiner Expressway and took Lake Shore Boulevard into the city because it was more scenic (that and I missed the split in the road to stay on the Expressway but it turned out for the best because Gardiner was a parking lot). 

View from Westin Harbour Castle

Because we don’t have any large bodies of water remotely near Dallas, we opted to stay on the lake at the Westin Harbour Castle.  While it is definitely an older hotel (read dated and a little musty in places), it was fine for one night.  We had a corner view junior suite that overlooked the lake and the Toronto Island Airport.  We had a drink at the restaurant/lounge on the 38^th floor that offers panoramic views of the city but I wouldn’t make a special trip here unless you are staying at the Westin. 

Drake One Fifty

Where I would make a special trip is to the restaurant where we had dinner, Drake One Fifty.  Located in the Financial District it was the perfect balance of cool, hip chef oriented cuisine without taking itself too seriously.  When your cocktail menu has creations like Cats Pajamas and Unicorn Dynamite (I’m sensing a theme here!), it has to be good.  They have a large bar area as well as the doors that open to the patio during good weather.  They also have a D.J. that played an amazing variety of music the night we were there.  We had vegetarians and carnivores at our table and everyone said their food was great.  I wish we had something like this in Dallas. 

While the Canadian Dollar is the local currency, cabs and most businesses take U.S. money.  The exchange rate is close to 1:1 with the CAD being slightly lower so they actually like getting U.S. money because they make a few cents on it depending on the daily rate.  Getting a taxi is easy in the main part of downtown and Uber is also in Toronto.  

We wanted to get to Niagara-on-the-Lake by lunchtime so we left the city around 9 a.m. the next day.   Driving in Toronto is pretty easy with two exceptions.  You can’t make a left hand turn before 10 am (which is insanely frustrating) and every major road is under construction.  Despite those challenges, we made it out of the city and were on our way. 

Niagara-on-the-Lake

NOTL Downtown

Traffic on Thursday morning was heavy getting out of Toronto so it took us close to two hours to get there.  The drive was very scenic because the region surrounding Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) is a major agricultural and viticulture region (a.k.a. WINERIES!!!).  There are fresh fruit and vegetable stands lining the highway as you make your way into town and reminded me of summers in N.C. on our way to the beach. 

NOTL has a beautiful main street lined with shops and restaurants.  There is also a main square, which is a beautiful park with several fountains for people to cool off in.  The flowers were in full bloom and the whole town looked like a movie set.  We were there for the peach festival, which was awesome since that is my absolute favorite fruit.  It was like the Bubba Gump of street festivals….peach cobbler, peach tarts, peach smoothies, peach jam, peach on a stick, you get the picture.

Peach Festival!

Niagara-on-the-LakeGolf Club is the oldest golf course in North America.  It’s located on the point so you get great views on each of the nine holes.  There is also a restaurant at the clubhouse with a patio that looks out over the river to Youngstown, NY.  It’s a great spot for lunch even if you don’t give a flip about golf. 

We stayed at Prince of Wales Hotel in the center of town.  It is very old and quaint but the rooms are very nice.  The bathrooms are updated and the rooms were spacious.  There is a great bar and they serve afternoon tea.  If you stay and are lucky enough to get a room with a tall four poster bed, they have a cute little step stool that is placed at the foot of the bed.  

NOTL Golf Club Patio

Yes, all of the flowers look like this!

That is it's cute until your husband  slams his toe into it on day three of our trip claiming he had never seen it (even though it hadn't moved the entire time until he threw it across the room).  There really aren't words to describe the feeling you have when your husband breaks his toe five hours before a wedding in which he is a groomsman.  At this point it becomes a covert mission to get it iced and elevated and your husband medicated so that he can just get down the aisle and back before the bride knows anything is wrong!   

In all seriousness, we would definitely stay at Prince of Wales again but there are other great lodging alternatives.  Several people stayed at the Queens Landing hotel, which overlooks the marina.  There is a great patio area for lunch or cocktails.  There are also lots of very cute Bed & Breakfasts within walking distance of everything. 

Queen's Landing Patio

In the downtown area itself, there are not that many restaurants but there are a lot more within a quick five-minute drive.  Most of our meals were in conjunction with the wedding but we did go to dinner one night at Ristorante Giardino at the Gate House Hotel.  There is large patio, which was very crowded but because of the size of our party and the last minute reservation we were seated inside.  The service was not great and the food was okay.  My guess is that this is a better place to enjoy a leisurely afternoon lunch or to go to with a smaller party. 

Even the squirrels are pretty!

If shopping and looking at beautiful old homes aren't your thing there are also jet boat trips that leave from NOTL that several people in our group raved about.  You apparently go very fast and get very wet which was popular with the kids (both young and old). 

The town sometimes gets pegged with the nickname “Viagra-on-the-Lake” because of its sleepy nature and older resident population.  Things do shut down fairly early but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. 

  

Wineries

Winner:  Best use
of old wine barrel

Ravine Vineyards

Most of the wineries are located very close to one another which makes it easy to visit several in one day and is therefore very efficient!  They are known for their ice wines in this region but also have other varietals such as Chardonnay, Cabernet and Pinot Noir.  According to the locals, this area does not get the lake effect winters that their neighbors in Buffalo get which makes it more conducive for grape growing. 

The first winery we visited was Ravine Vineyards for lunch.  It’s about ten minutes out of Niagara-on-the-Lake and has a great authentic farmhouse feel to it.  They have a big outdoor lawn with ping pong tables and outdoor dining.  The place was packed when we were there so I’d recommend calling ahead.  

Baby Doll Sheep at Southbrook

Southbrook Vineyards was our next stop and it is one of the overall coolest wineries I’ve ever been too.  They create artisanal organic wines and the winery is LEED certified.  Their Poetica Cabernet Merlot was my favorite.  Their wines are very reasonable and are in the $20 - $50 range and you can do a tasting of four wines for $10.  They take this environmental stuff so seriously that they have Baby Doll Sheep that help to keep the fields cut.  The people who work there are great.  Ask for Graham if you go. 

Stratus Vineyards was our next stop and it is clearly the best funded.  The winery is very modern and stark with its black, white and gray décor.  There is a great sitting area outside that overlooks the vines.  They also have some great food and culinary items in their gift shop.  My favorite was the Malbec and the prices here are higher than other places starting around $25 and going way up from there.  They also offer a tasting of four wines for $10. 

Stratus Vineyards

Both of the previous vineyards allowed you to purchase a glass of wine to enjoy if you did not want to partake in a full tasting.  Lailey Vineyards apparently does not have the proper licensing for this which meant that the people who didn’t want to do a tasting had to just watch the rest of us.  They also charge differently for their tastings in that it is either $1 or $2 per taste.  The wines were not as strong as Southbrook or Stratus and their tasting room is also just a small shed. 

Wine tasting is exhausting!

Dessert tasting at Inniskillin

Inniskillin was the last stop on our tasting tour.  They are clearly the most commercial winery in the area as it was similar to going to Beringer or Kendall Jackson in California.  They are known for their ice wines.  I generally find ice wines to be too sweet but they had a sparkling ice wine that I liked.  Of course, it was $120 a bottle and I’m not going to spend that on anything but a good Cabernet! 

The rehearsal dinner was held at Trius Vineyards.  They are located on the road leading into Niagara-on-the-Lake so it’s very easy to find.  We had a great room that looked out over the vineyards.  There is also a lot of outdoor seating for the restaurant.  The food was very good.  In fact there was a unicorn roast (ok, it was just the groomsman roasting the groom but I had to keep with the theme!)  

Niagara Falls

Panoramic view of the Falls

I’m not usually a big fan of large crowds in touristy places but how can you be this close and not go to Niagara Falls?  Unfortunately, we waited until Sunday to visit so it was very crowded.  You can visit from either the U.S. or Canadian side but we chose the Canadian side (since we already in Canada…duh). 

Howdy Folks!

It’s easy to find.  All you have to do is look for the huge hotels and casino signs rising about the trees and you will know you are close.  Visiting the falls is not for the lazy as parking is a 10 minute walk from the falls and another 15 minute walk to the boats that will take you right up to the falls (Hornblower is the Canadian boat). 

Hornblower Cruise (yes, that
really is a boat)

There is a tourist center at the end of the parking lot where you can sign up for tours, watch a movie and take an elevator behind the falls.   Tickets for the Hornblower boat ride have to be purchased at the dock.  Before you stand in line for 20 minutes to purchase boat tickets, check to see what departure time they are selling.  Even though we were there before 12pm, they were already selling the 2pm time slot.  Because we were flying out that night we did not get to go on the boat. 

Since the boat ride was out, we did the next best thing.  We had lunch at the outdoor patio restaurant overlooking the falls.  Food in places like this usually consists of cardboard pizza and gelatinous nachos but we were pleasantly surprised. 

Restaurant at Niagara Falls

After lunch, it was time to head back to Toronto to catch our flight.  Luckily, the airport is between NOTL and the city so it only took us about an hour and a half to get back. 

Traveling Home

Important note, if you rent a car in Toronto make sure you know what terminal you are departing from BEFORE you get to the airport.  There are two separate rental car locations, one at each terminal.  If you do happen to wind up at the wrong one, they very nicely let you back out of the parking lot and direct you to the right location. 

Every airline and airport advises travelers to be at the airport at least two hours prior to international departures.  In Canada this is really important because U.S. Citizens pre-clear customs in Canada and it takes time.  I watched them turn back a guy who was at customs under an hour prior to his departure because they said he didn’t have time. 

Once you check in with your airline, you will be directed to U.S. Customs.  They have automated kiosks now so you don’t need a customs form if you have a U.S. Passport.  The bubble gum chewing guy monitoring the entrance apparently couldn’t be bothered to tell us that so it took a large group of us a few minutes to figure this out.   The machines are super easy to use.  All you do is insert your passport, answer a few questions and have your picture taken at the kiosk.   A paper ticket will be printed out and you take that and your passport and continue through immigration.

(Note:  this is different from the Global Entry Program.  There are different lines and machines for people enrolled in that program.  I would let you know how works but my appointment to finalize my GOES application was not until the day AFTER I got back from Canada.  Typical.)

Summary

Overall, this trip was amazing.  The bride and groom got married, we ate lunch outside in August (this is a very big deal if you live in Texas) and we shared some good food, good wine and great fun with friends old and new. 

Baltimore - A Lot More Than I Thought

When I was young, we traveled to Baltimore during the summer months for my mother’s work.  I remember going to the Inner Harbor, eating in Little Italy and being hot.  It was fun but was not exactly my ideal vacation as a teenager. 

As an adult, the Baltimore I’ve read about is one where Cal Ripken’s mother gets kidnapped and people get murdered in record high numbers.  Needless to say, I was less than thrilled when I saw that this year’s American Association of Justice conference was going to be in Baltimore.

Well, it just goes to show that when you have very low expectations you can sometimes be pleasantly surprised. 

Baltimore was a lot cleaner than most large cities and who doesn’t love being near the water.  That being said, you really need to do your research in advance to know which neighborhoods and streets to stay on and more importantly, which ones to avoid. 

Where We Stayed

Camden Yards from Hilton

Since we were in town for a convention, we stayed at the Hilton Baltimore.   As far as these types of places go, it wasn’t too bad.  It’s across the street from Camden Yards so you can get some pretty cool views of the game when the Orioles are in town if you have a room on that side.  If not, see if you can get access to the Concierge level on the 18^th floor as it looks directly out over the ballpark.

Like any other big city, parking is expense at the Hilton so if you rent a car or drive be prepared to shell out big bucks each night (about $40 per night).  Uber has a large presence in Baltimore and we never had to wait more than five minutes for a car so I would recommend that route (especially so you can enjoy some cocktails in this fine city!). 

The Hilton is a ten-minute walk to the Inner Harbor down Pratt Street and fairly safe since it is a tourist attraction.  Across the street are several sports bars/pubs geared towards the Orioles and the convention center adjoins the hotel via covered walkways.  Because it is a convention hotel, it’s probably a good idea to check the event calendar and see what conventions are in town (like whether you want to be part of the Bronycon 2014 crowd for example….Google it.)

Where We Ate

We were there for six nights and I was very surprised at the quality and variety of restaurants in this city. 

Woodberry Kitchen – One of the coolest restaurants I’ve ever been to.  It’s located about 10-15 minutes away from downtown in an old steel mill and is definitely worth the trip.  It has a great outdoor fire pit and dining area as well as a very fun bar and indoors dining room.  Everything is farm to table but they take it more seriously than most because if it doesn’t grow within the region they typically don’t serve it.  I wish I would have realized that included lemons and limes BEFORE I ordered my vodka soda…. oh well.  I managed to drink it anyway!  The crab cakes were the best I’ve ever had.  I still can’t figure out what held the crabmeat together because there literally was no breading or stuffing. 

Phillip’s Seafood – Thankfully, this is the only restaurant I ate at in the Inner Harbor.  They have a large outdoor area called the Crab Deck, which is a great place to sit if the weather is nice.  The only downside is that the awning is red so by the end of your lunch you are only seeing things in hues of red.  It’s a typical seafood restaurant but better than most of what I call the “tourist trap” ones. 

Miss Shirley’s - I never go to the same restaurant twice in the same city during the same trip.  Never.  Ever.  Until I ate at Miss Shirley’s.  This place was off the hook good.  The menu had so many creative combinations of local and southern delicacies that it was hard to decide. 

Spicy Shirley

On my first trip I had the Southern Slammer Sandwich, which is two pieces of sourdough bread filled with fried green tomatoes, bacon, avocado, cheese and a fried egg.  On the side?  Stone ground grits with diced bacon.  Now, to make sure I was being somewhat health conscious I also ordered the Spicy Shirley which was garnished with green tomato, okra, peppers, olives, lemons and limes (maybe they use them all and that’s why Woodberry Kitchen doesn’t have any???).   The second trip was Chesapeake Po’ Boy which was crab cake, Tabasco Bacon Onion Jam, lettuce and tomato.  OMG….I might have to go back to Baltimore just to go eat at Miss Shirley’s!

One the weekends, the wait to get in can be long.  They have a very strict seating policy and won’t seat you unless your entire party is there.  This includes having five out of the six of you present while the other is visible running down the street towards you.  They have a sign (a.k.a. “the fine print”) posted on the check in podium that advises of this.  No matter how much one of your party (not my husband) yells at the hostess, tells them that nobody looks at signs and says it the stupidest thing they have ever heard, they do not bend.   Ironically, the humor of this situation was lost on the group of lawyers I was with.   Oh well, even if they spit in our food it was still tasty!

Little Italy – Little Italy is a neighborhood near the Inner Harbor lined with row homes and some amazing Italian food.  We love Italian food so it’s no surprise that we ate in Little Italy three times while in Baltimore.  While they were all good, I would rank them as follows:

• La Scala -  one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve ever been too.  It’s in a row house and has several floors as well as an outside balcony.  The ambiance makes you feel like you are at an Osteria in Italy.  The Caesar Salad is great (but not the thing to order for anyone interested in kissing their date at the end of the night….lots of garlic!).  The Fettuccine Verdi alla Bolognese isn’t the noodles with meat sauce you are used to.  The spinach pasta is fresh made and the sauce had a tomato cream that made it creamy but not too rich.  The menu has a wide range of non-pasta options as well. 
•  Amicci’s – this is a great casual place for Italian.  The food was better than most lower end

  

  Little Italy

  places, they had a full bar with specialty cocktails and the most expensive wine was $35.  You can wear shorts, jeans, etc.  They also have a few tables for al fresco dining.
•  Sabatinos – I’m not sure this place will ever be the same after our party of 15 stormed in there after spending several hours at the open bar (I mean, AAJ opening cocktail party).   There were several other tables in the room when we arrived but for some reason they all finished up about ten minutes after our arrival.  Go figure!  Anyway, the food was good and the staff was very patient as we carried on with our shenanigans, including a game where we all had to come up with an Italian name and if we didn’t refer to someone by their Italian name then they had to drink.   In short, if you have a loud group of drunken knuckleheads who are craving Italian then this is the place to go.  

Fleet Street Kitchen – this cute restaurant focusing on locally sourced cuisine is located near Harbor East so it was great to get away from the tourists of the Inner Harbor.  We had a large group so we sat in the Tavern room.  The menu has some pretty creative takes on ordinary items.  I had steak but would order a seafood dish next time.   

13th Floor Restaurant – We had a private event at this restaurant, which is at the top of the Belvedere Hotel.  The views across the city are pretty cool especially at sunset.  The food was not great but I realize it’s hard to do great food for 50 plus people at the same time.  However, I’d definitely go for a cocktail at sunset. 

Owl Bar

Owl Bar – Ok, so we only had drinks here after eating at the 13^th Floor Restaurant but it was very cool.  It’s located on the ground floor of the Hotel Belvedere and is beautiful inside. 

Pratt Street Ale House – located across from the Convention Center this place gets quite a bit of foot traffic but the food is surprisingly good for this type of place.  They also have a wide-ranging cocktail menu and a ton of outdoor seating, which is great for people who have been stuck in meetings all day. 

Frank and Nic’s West End Grille – we went for lunch one day and the food was fine but probably would have been much better after nine innings of beer at an Oriole’s game. 

Things to Do

Orioles!

Camden Yards - Even if you don’t make it to an Oriole’s game, this is a fun stadium to see.  Eutaw Street becomes a pedestrian walkway at the stadium and you can walk through and looks at statues, shop, etc. when there isn’t a game.  

Inner Harbor – there are several boats/ships located here as well as the Aquarium.  If you like chain restaurants then this is also the place for you because they are all here….Kona Grill, Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, Five Guys and the list goes on. 

Annapolis

Fells Point – located on the other side of the Inner Harbor and Little Italy, this is a fun area full of restaurants and bars.  Ladies, the streets are cobblestone so leave the stilettos at home unless they help balance you out after several drinks!

Annapolis – Just a short 40-minute drive from Baltimore, Annapolis is definitely worth checking out.  It’s the state capital of Maryland so there is a lot of history but it’s right on the water too so there are tons of beautiful boats and waterfront dining options.  Also check out the Naval Academy.  They have a Visitor’s Center and museum as well as a beautiful campus right on the water.  Make sure you bring your ID though because since it’s a US Naval Base you need it to get on campus.  However, if you forget yours there are some nice benches outside.  Our friend can tell you all about them as she spent some quality time there waiting for us. 

Overall, Baltimore had a lot more going for it than I thought.  I’m not going to schedule another vacation there any time soon but if another conference takes me there, I won’t complain!

The Streets of San Francisco - 2013

When you live in Dallas, TX, there is only one thing to do during the summer.  Leave.  So, we packed our bags and headed west in late July.  First stop, six days in San Francisco.  

Getting There

We flew into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) because it's closer to downtown.  You may be able to find cheaper flights into Oakland or San Jose but you could pay more for ground transportation unless you are willing to try BART (their mass transport system) or Super Shuttle (which will inevitably stop at every other hotel in the city before dropping you off at yours).  

Where We Stayed

Once again, we were traveling in conjunction with a conference so we stayed at the host hotel which was the Hilton Union Square.  Overall, it was a good location because of it's proximity to restaurants and shopping.  Our room was on the 34th floor and we could see the Golden Gate Bridge when the fog wasn't too thick.  One downside about this hotel is that it backs up to the Tenderloin District.  If you aren't familiar with this area, suffice it to say it's not a place you want to visit unless you are a heroin addict or a hooker.  

The Hilton is mainly a convention hotel so the lobby can be slammed in the morning and evenings. This can create havoc at the cab line around dinner time and at the Starbucks in the morning so plan accordingly.    

I've stayed at the Westin St. Francis on previous visits to the city.  It is certainly a more charming hotel than the big chain Hilton but the rooms can be very small.  

Getting Around

Like most big cities, cabs are everywhere but can be hard to hail depending on time, location and weather.  Luckily, there are many different options other than the bus.

My favorite is Uber which is an app you download for your smart phone that allows you to request and pay for a car online.  When you need a ride, just click your app and you can see what cars are available in your area.  For just a few dollars more than a cab, you can request an SUV, a town car or Uber X which is smaller car like a Prius or other hybrid.  It's great when there is a crowd or weather.  Needless to say, we got more than a few dirty looks from folks in the cab line at the hotel when we walked out and immediately got in our Uber ride each night!

You can also take Lyft which is an on demand ride sharing service which is also booked via an app on your smart phone.  We never used it but the Lyft cars are easily identifiable thanks to the giant pink mustache on the front grill (yep, you read that right).

What We Did

Haight Ashbury - Hendrix House

After years of thinking I was too cool for stuff like this, I've become a big fan of the "Hop On/Off Bus Tours" you can find in most large cities.  Our first afternoon we took the Gray Line tour which picks up right outside of the Hilton, takes less than three hours and hits most of the main sights in the city.  It also takes you across the Golden Gate Bridge which provides great views of the city on the way out of town.  On the way back to the city though, it is freezing ass cold on the top deck of the open air bus as you cross back over the bridge!

Sea Lions

It doesn't get much more touristy than Pier 39 but it's worth checking out if you have never been to San Francisco.  There are a bunch of restaurants and stores to browse through and you get great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.  The Aquarium is also located nearby.  You can also see sea lions sunning on the docks.  It's amazing how long you can watch these creatures try and knock one another into the water.  Everything from bottled water to sunscreen is much more expensive in the Pier area so keep that in mind.

We were in town during baseball season so we headed to AT&T Park for a Giants game.  The stadium is on the water and so you get some great breezes which means it can be a bit chilly in the shade.  The food and beer selection at the ballpark is much better than what we have in Texas.  Craft beers, calamari and shrimp at a baseball game definitely made the game worthwhile.  If you go to a day game, grab a drink on Momo's patio (located across King street from the park) after the game for some great people watching.

America's Cup Pavillion

The Louis Vuitton Cup was taking place when we were in town.  This is the qualifying race for the Americas Cup so part of the downtown waterfront had been renovated to host the America's Cup Pavillion.  In addition to a large store, there were a lot of restaurant and lounge areas as well as an amphitheater which is hosting some great acts this summer and fall.  An added bonus was seeing the yacht owned by the founder of Oracle.  The America's Cup runs through September so if you are in the city during this time frame definitely check it out.  Those boats define the term "bad ass".

Oracle CEO's "boat"

We went to an event at the Exploratorium which is a museum of science with lots of interactive exhibits and displays.  If you have kids it would be a fun way to spend an afternoon.  Even if you don't have kids it's worth checking out.  Although to be fair, we were there for a closed event (i.e. no kids) and we had cocktail service so that may have tempered our opinion a bit!

If you are into shopping, you don't have to venture far from Union Square.  Neimans, Nordstrom, Macy's and more all line Union square.

Where We Ate

Lunch

Johnny Foley's Irish Pub & Restaurant is a better than average pub and a good choice for lunch if you are looking for something near Union Square but not in the middle of everything.  Another decent lunch choice is Jasper's Corner Tap which is located in the Serrano Hotel.  The french fries here are out of this world and look like they would be great choice if you had been out late the night before.

If you are looking for a great "ladies who lunch" place, then the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus is it.  Yes, you will pay over $20 for a small plate of lettuce but it's really not about value at Neiman's is it?  No, it's all about the experience.  The Rotunda is located on the fourth floor and has an amazing ceiling and overlooks the main entry way of the store.

Dinner

On our first night we were looking for something fun and casual but with good food and drinks.  Burritt Room + Tavern definitely hit the mark.  It is part of Charlie Palmer's group of restaurants and is located in the Mystic Hotel, a few blocks up from Union Square.  We opted for an early dinner and when we arrived around 6 pm, there was a trio playing in the bar for happy hour.  They have craft cocktails including the "Pick Your Poison" option where you give them your choice of spirit and an idea of what flavors you like and they create something for you.  I had the steak and my husband had the pappardelle and it was a toss up as to which was better.

North Beach is the place to go for Italian food in San Francisco.  I have found that restaurants located a couple of blocks off the main drag are better and that is definitely what we found at Vicoletto.  Its a small restaurant with a modern feel.  The zucchini and meatball appetizers were so good and so fresh and the rolled lasagna is a must have.  The owner is from Italy and it felt like we were visiting his home rather than his place of business.  There are also some great wine choices that won't break your budget.

View from Slanted Door patio

The Slanted Door is a San Francisco staple.  Located in Ferry Building #3 you get great views of the light show on the Bay Bridge in the evening.  There are some great shops in the ferry building so go a little early and do some shopping.  I've been to Slanted Door several times and have never had anything I didn't like.  Everything is family style so just let your server guide your journey.  Don't miss the lychee cotton candy for dessert though.  Even if you don't like cotton candy, it's worth the price to see the presentation.

Dinner at the Waterfront Restaurant is a great choice if you are looking to dine overlooking the water.  It also has a great view of the Bay Bridge but unlike the Slanted Door, it is a standalone restaurant.  The menu has a good balance between seafood and meat and the casual yet elegant ambiance is a nice change from most of the more touristy restaurants you will find near Pier 39.

Nightlife

Pandora Karaoke bar was a post dinner stop one night.  The music and accompanying videos were so bad that they were awesome.  Remember the K-Tel commercials featuring the generic couple walking hand in hand by the lake?  Well, they live on in the music videos found at Pandora.  Whether it's singing or making fun at those who are singing, anyone can have fun at a karaoke bar.  Of course, the law of inverse proportions has never been illustrated more clearly...the worse a person sings, the louder he or she will sing.  The secret to a successful visit is two-fold:  make sure at least one other person is drinking more than you and make sure you are the one video taping your friends, not the other way around.

Travolta

Chambers at the Phoenix Hotel is definitely a hot spot but it is on the edge of the Tenderloin district.  The setting is very cool and has a distinct rock'n'roll vibe.  It felt like I was part of a scene in Almost Famous while we were sitting out by the courtyard pool.  If you go, take Uber and have them drop you off in front.  When you leave, don't hang out on the street.  Wait inside for your Uber driver to call you.

If you are looking for someplace where you are less likely to get shot, The Redwood Room at the Clift Hotel is a great spot.  It has redwood paneling and just feels cool (the hotel is owned by the same group that has the Delano in South Beach and the Mondrian in LA).  We actually saw John Travolta the night we were there.  The bar turns into more of a club later in the evening so keep that in mind depending on what you are up for.

Our trip out west was off to a great start.  Next stop:  Napa, Sonoma and Bodega Bay

Santa Fe, NM - Feathers, Leather and Chiles....Oh My!

I love visiting and learning about new places but sometimes revisiting a city can be just as much fun.  That why I was excited when my husband had a conference in Santa Fe, NM this past spring.  It had been over ten years since my last visit and I was excited to reintroduce myself to the city.   

We were there over the weekend and I was happy to see that it’s still a charming yet lazy place with a lot of character and history.  The weather in May was perfect and while there were people around, nothing was too crowded.  However, I was a little surprised to find a large population of skateboarders zipping in and around the tourists near the Plaza.   I saw more than one near miss over the weekend which was not something I was expecting to encounter. 

Getting there

There are two main ways to get to Santa Fe.  Most people fly into Albuquerque and rent a car because the one-hour drive is easy.  However, AA had recently announced non-stop service from DFW so we opted to fly directly into Santa Fe.  

There is one important difference when you fly directly into Santa Fe.  American Eagle (not American Airlines) provides the service and they fly small planes.  The small 40 person regional jets with the tape recorded safety announcements that conjure up images of Charlie Brown.  If you aren’t familiar with flying in and out of mountain locations, let me introduce you to a very important travel formula:

Small planes + turbulent mountain air = years off your life

Despite some serious doubts on my part about our arrival, we finally landed.  To say the airport is small is an understatement.  When you deplane, you enter into the “main terminal” through a small door.  The luggage carousel located immediately inside is really just a table with some rollers on it (you know, the kind the TSA uses to put your luggage on before it gets radiated.  Maybe they got a good deal when the TSA had budget cutbacks).  When luggage is delivered, they simply open a window and push the luggage down the table.  I hadn’t seen a terminal like that since Wings was on T.V. in the early nineties.  

It’s about twenty-five minutes from the airport to downtown.  There are a few car rental options including one or two you have likely heard of.  There is also a shuttle service which is to airport shuttles what Wings was to airplane travel.  For example, when we were booking our reservation our driver had to ask for money out of petty cash so that he could stop for gas.

Where We Stayed

La Posada Lobby

We stayed a few blocks off of the Plaza La Posada de Santa Fe.  It is a great location and feels like Santa Fe….it has a historic lobby, a saloon style bar and a great patio with an outdoor fireplace, which was perfect for the cool New Mexico evenings.   The property is laid out casita style with a couple of main rooms in the main building and a great lawn in between which hosts all kinds of events. 

Our room was located in the main building and was huge.  It had a sitting area, walk in closet, full size bath, shower and bidet.  Yes, bidet.  Who knew the Pueblos were such fans of the French?  Overall the room was fine but everything was extremely old and worn (which in my book is much different from charming).

Yes, this picture is from our
 trip to Santa Fe, not Paris

Our room was also located directly upstairs from the bar.  This made finding our room after a few cocktails much easier.  Unfortunately, it also meant that we felt like were still part of all of the action because of the noise level.

The bottom line is that La Posada is a nice resort with perfectly acceptable accommodations.  However, if you are looking for a luxury hotel, I would encourage you to look elsewhere.  The Four Seasons recently opened a property and La Fonda has undergone fairly extensive reservations. 

Restaurants

There are some great restaurants in Santa Fe….as long as you like green chile, tortillas or cumin.   That’s not really my thing but there are still some fun places to try. 

We ate twice at Café Pasqual, a local institution.  Dinner was good, not great. Although we had reservations, our party was seated an hour late.  They only have one table for a large group and since the people with the early reservation opted for an extensive visit over coffee, we had to split our group in two.  In such a small restaurant it would have been nice if they would have at least let the other table know that there was another group waiting.  Maybe the handling of this situation left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended) but I thought the food at dinner was average.  

Cafe Pasqual - easy to miss
if you aren't careful

Brunch was another story.  A last minute decision, we went without reservations and had to wait about 45 minutes for our table.  There is a great little coffee shop next door to Pasqual’s where we grabbed a cup of coffee while we waited.  The food at brunch was fresher and tastier than dinner.  Try the breakfast quesadilla or huevos barbacoa and you won’t be disappointed.  

The Shed on Palace Avenue is a great spot for lunch.  It is in the middle of the historic area and has a small courtyard and is great for a Saturday mid-day cocktail.  The food is traditional New Mexico cuisine but they also have a good selection of salads and burgers.  

If you are looking for a green chile alternative, try dinner at La Casa Sena.  They have a great outdoor courtyard as well as an elegantly casual dining room.  The menu still tends toward Southwestern but not as overtly as most other spots in town.  For example, I had the halibut which was paired with quinoa, slaw and had a sweet glaze.

To Do

If you are into silver, turquoise, moccasins, Native American art, bronze and anything with feathers, downtown Santa Fe is definitely for you.  There are a ton of gift shops and clothing stores (including chains like Chico’s) in the Plaza area.  The gift shops are heavy in New Mexico culture and the clothing stores have a focus on all natural fibers and sustainability.  

To truly appreciate Santa Fe, you need to go gallery hopping on Canyon Road.   There are some quaint galleries for the average sized budget as well as opportunities to drop five to six figures on some art.  It's fun to spend a couple of hours simply wandering through the galleries and talking to the locals.  

Several people in our group visiting Ten Thousand Waves which is a spa fashioned after a Japanese spring resort.  The reviews were good but I personally prefer a more traditional resort spa.  

Finally, if you are looking for a big nightlife scene, Santa Fe is probably not the place for you.  While there are a couple of bars, most of the town shuts down early. 

In Summary

Santa Fe is a city like no other in the U.S. and everyone should go at least once if they have an opportunity.  The key is figuring out how long to stay.  For me, two days was more than enough time to get a feel for the town.  For others who have a greater appreciation for art and the Southwest, a longer stay may be in order.