Gourmet Gastronomy

Celebrity Chefs

Each time we go to a new city, Doug loves to spend time looking for the local Celebrity Chef.  It all started when we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas.   We renewed our wedding vows that year also.  (Yes, we have renewed our vows twice - we will do it again, but that is another blog)  So, Doug researched to find the perfect restaurant for post ceremony dining.  He found Chef Julian Serrano’s restaurant, Picasso at the Bellagio. 

http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/picasso.aspx

We took our 2 boys, then aged 11 and 13, for their first 5 star dining experience.  The restaurant was full of Picasso paintings.  We sat outside by the water fountains which provided all of us with great entertainment while we dined.  We were stunned by the food.  It was exquisite.  We decided 

that we would save up for this type of experience each time  we travel.  Incidentally, the boys were captivated by the entire experience.  They learned how to be young gentlemen 

at an upscale restaurant.  It was worth the price!

Tom Douglas

From there, Doug has enjoyed his infatuation with great chefs.  We have enjoyed Tom Douglas restaurants in Seattle. The list is long and delicious! 

http://tomdouglas.com/

The Dahlia Lounge is a Seattle favorite.  They are sustainable and organic restaurant.  You can truly taste Seattle in the seafood and local vegetables.  And the Dahlia Restaurant has some of the best doughnuts around. They are the Northwest equivalent of a beignet.  They are made to order and come accompanied by seasonal jam and vanilla mascarpone.  They are only $7.00!!!  You HAVE to try these little confections. 

http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=dahlia-lounge

Serious Pie and Serious Biscuit are to die for.  Take Pizza and Biscuits and Gravy and place them on Steroids and you have Serious Business!  We were introduced to Serious Pie by our Josh and Monica.  We don’t normally eat pizza unless we grill it on our Weber Grill.  We are not the Dominos Pizza crowd.  So, when Josh and Monica said that they wanted to take us for Pizza, we were somewhat skeptical.  Our skepticism was WRONG!!  As their advertising says:  This is a pizzeria with a bread baker’s soul!  The pizza is baked in a 600º f stone-encased applewood burning oven.  The pizzas are made with charcuterie and artisan cheeses!  Wow!

http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=serious-pie

Serious Biscuit takes Biscuits and Gravy to a whole new level.  They have Fried Chicken Biscuits, Fennel Sausage Biscuits, even Fried Green Tomato and Bacon Biscuits.  You can’t find anything finer and the price is very reasonable.  

http://seriouspiewestlake.com/index.php?page=dahllia-workshop

Gary Danko

We loved  Gary Danko in SanFrancisco http://www.garydanko.com/  We found Gary Dannko to be quite experiemental and somewhat deconstructed.  We truly enjoyed the complimentary amuse bouche and can't wait to go back in February!

Jose Andrés

Many famous chefs have restaurants in more than one city.  Jose Andres, for example, has an entire line of restaurants called Think Food Group. e has just about every type of food imaginable including Spanish (Jaleo) Mexican, (Oyamel) Greek, Lebanese, Turkish, (Zaytinya) European (The Bazaar) and American (America Eats).  They are not just located in Washington D.C. - Tres by Jose Andrés is located in Beverly Hills, China Poblano (a mix of Chinese and Mexican food)  and é (Spanish avant garde cuisine)is located in Las Vegas, 

www.thinkfoodgroup.com/

                                                                                  Standing outside of Zaytinya in D.C.

If the price of dinner at one of these restaurants seems prohibitive, consider having lunch instead of dinner.  Lunch prices are always much less expensive while still providing the same delicious food and excellent service!  We have also found that each of these chefs also have less expensive restaurants.  So, check them out - your palate will thank you!

Musical Pairing

Celebrity Chefs makes us think of Celebrity Composers!  Our music pairing comes from Franz Liszt!  He was such a Rock Star!  He was the first person to play a solo piano recital and was the early sex-symbol celebrity.  Enjoy La Campanella as he is played by the Chinese pianist:  Lang Lang!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIxGUAnj46U

Next week's blog:  Opening the door of the Olympic Peninsula!!!

Gastronomic Decisions

Let’s Eat!

You have selected a new city to explore.  You’ve booked a flight, chosen a hotel, NOW, where are you going to eat? Choosing restaurants can be a little overwhelming.....or disappointing if you don’t have a plan. 

Magazines

We have subscribed to two magazines that help us make great restaurant choices.  Seattle Magazine is one of our very favorites for dining choices in the Seattle area.  Most big cities have a similar type magazine.  These are easily accessible on-line.  We travel to Salt Lake City frequently and instead of having a subscription to that magazine as well, we just look at it on-line.  These magazines always have a dining guide which offers descriptions, prices, and locations.  

Sunset magazine is the other publication to which we have a subscription.  We read it voraciously looking for that next place to visit in the the Pacific Northwest, the West, and British Columbia.  We have made many dining and acommodation selections based upon this magazine.

Facebook

One of the best suggestions that we can make is to find out where the locals eat.  Start asking questions.  When we have booked our hotel, I go to Facebook.  (Doug doesn’t do FB, but I do!)  I “like” the hotel and send a message to them.  I let them know that we are coming to stay with them.  I then ask what special events will be taking place while we are there.  Someone will always get back with me and tell me what is happening in the hotel or the city.  I’m so pleased with the responses I get from the Hotel staff.  I have found out about Restaurant Week, specials that the restaurant in the hotel is having, and many restaurant suggestions from the people who live and work in the city I’m going to visit.  From there, I go to the restaurant FB page and I am able to see what specials they have coming up.  I usually contact them via FB and go from there.

Concierge

You don’t need to wait until you check into the hotel to contact the concierge.  We like to call the concierge at the hotel prior to our arrival.  We tell them what we are looking for, i.e:  the food we like, the price range, and proximity to the hotel.  The concierge will either send us a list of restaurants before we arrive or will have the list waiting for us upon our arrival.  It is so slick and easy and an especially good idea if your chosen restaurant might have a long wait to get a reservation.  This is one of the reasons that we tip well.

A year and a half ago, I spent a week in Baltimore at a Music Educator’s Conference, staying at the Marriot Inner Harbor at Camden Yards Hotel. 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bwiih-baltimore-marriott-inner-harbor-at-camden-yards/

One of my dear friends was working in the near area and came up to Baltimore to spend time with me and with our high school choir director.  I told my friend, Mark, that I would make arrangements for a lovely dinner.  I went down to the concierge to discuss dining options.  I told him that we would need transportation to and from the restaurant.  I also told him that my friend and I would love to have a very nice dinner with excellent wine options.  He recommended Kali’s Court.  I perused the menu and agreed that it was an excellent choice.  When Mark and I met in the lobby for our ride to the restaurant, we were surprised and amazed that our ride was a white stretch limo, compliments of the hotel concierge and the restaurant.  Too bad Mark’s wife, Terri, and Doug weren’t with us.  Kali’s Court was 

perfect.  The food was divine and the wine list was expansive.  In fact, It has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2002.  

http://www.kaliscourt.com/home.php 

The concierge hit the mark with this suggestion!  (Pun intended!)

Farmer's Market

Check and see if the city has a Farmer’s Market.  This is a great way to eat.  If the city is like Seattle, the Farmer’s Market exists year round.  When you visit Seattle, Pike Place Market is one of the most fun ways to eat and is entertaining as well. Not only will you get to experience the fish tossing, but there is incredible produce and the most beautiful flowers around.  When Doug and I renewed our wedding vows for our 25th anniversary, we bought all of our flowers at Pike Place Market.  The 

bouquets range from $5.00 to $15.00.  We did all of the floral decorations for less than $100.00

While staying in San Francisco last March, we had the best lunch at the Farmer’s Market down on the wharf.  We ate at the Hog Island Oyster Bar in the Ferry Building! 

http://hogislandoysters.com/bars/san-francisco

Oh my heavens!  Fresh oysters on the half shell, huge prawns and ebullient  champagne!  This was a gastronomic dream come true.  Afterward, we went to the Frog Hollow stand and got incredibly fresh fruit to take back to our room. 

http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/frog_hollow_farm.php

Farmer’s Markets are the rage in most cities.  You can eat quite inexpensively and enjoy the freshest cuisine that the city has to offer.  Our little town of Port Angeles has a year round Farmer's Market.

We hope you found some of these suggestions to be helpful in choosing where you will dine as you travel.  Our next blog will have even more suggestions including dining with celebrity chefs.  

Our music pairing today comes from Diana Krall:  Frim Fram Sauce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_6vtAGTE0

Don't miss the next blog:  Celebrity Chefs!!!!

Karmic Gratuity

We save $1.00 bills.  In fact, at any given moment, we probably have $30-$40 in one dollar bills in a little pouch that I have safely hidden.  This little pouch brings Dougie and I a lot of pleasure because this pouch portends an adventure in the future.  We faithfully place our one dollar bills in the pouch so that we can ensure a future excursion.

Why collect these bills? One of the reasons we collect the one dollar bills and place them in the pouch is because it reminds us that we am PLANNING our next trip.  We're not merely hoping that there will be a trip in the future - we are make sure that a trip will happen.  And to be honest, just knowing that we have a trip in our future means that we can do just about anything on a daily basis.  Traveling is THAT important to us.  (yes, the bag is Kate Spade - my husband gave me a “Mrs.” necklace for my birthday and it came in this bag.)

So exactly who are these dollar bills for?  Doug and I decided years ago that tipping was something that we could afford to do.  We can’t make million dollar donations or put someone’s child through college (although the work that we do with the Choir and Band Booster Scholarships has certainly helped make college more affordable for MANY music students .)  But, we can tip well when we travel.  

Housekeeping

I wonder about how many people consider tipping the housekeeper.  I’m not just talking about the housekeeper who brings an item to your room.  Or tipping the housekeeper because you are staying multiple nights.  Doug and I have made it a habit to tip every time we stay at a hotel even if it is only one night.  We tip anywhere from $3.00 to $5.00 per night.  You may ask why we tip?  Simply put, these people work hard and usually make minimum wage.  They are doing a service for us and we want to reward that service.  It is really that simple.  Again, I realize that I won’t be able to make their rent payment with my tip, but, when they see the money lying on the bed, they will know that someone truly appreciates the good work that they do.

Valet

I think it goes without saying that when the valet brings your car around, you give him or her a tip.  We just like to do it every single time they bring our car to us or they park the car.  When we are in Seattle, we use the valet a lot.  We are in and out of the parking garage many times.  So, those one dollar bills come in very handy.  

Bellman

Most of the time, we carry only 1 small suitcase per person, so we don’t need a bellman.  But, when Jasmine travels with us, she is much more high maintenance. She requires a baby bed (yes,that is really what I call her dog bed - she is my baby, after all.)  Jasmine has her own tub of supplies.  She needs her food, her babies, her tennis balls, her dinner bowl and water bowl, her harness, her leash, and her blankie.  Oh dear, you must be a little worried about how spoiled our daugher, I mean, our dog is.  Well, you might as well know that since the boys are grown and we have no children at home, ALL of my maternal instincts have gone into taking care of Miss Jasmine.  But, I digress.... With all that Jasmine needs to have with her for a lovely hotel stay, we need a bellman.  So, we tip that bellman when he/she brings our “luggage” to the room and when it is taken to the car after our trip.

Concierge

We don’t often utilize a concierge in Seattle.  But, when we visit a new city, the concierge is often one of our best friends.  Refer to our champagne experience at the Library Hotel in our last post.  We recently returned from a glorious trip to Washington D.C.  We stayed at the Sofitel Hotel.  If you are ever going to Washington D.C., this is a must stay for you.  http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-3293-sofitel-washington-dc-lafayette-square/index.shtml 

The Sofitel Hotel is merely a couple of blocks away from the White House and is on the same street as one of the bike share locations.  We will be writing about this amazing service in another blog.

The concierge at the Sofitel Hotel was outstanding.  He was personable, knowledgeable and able to get things done.  We were there during Restaurant week and we wanted to try out several of the Jose Andrés restaurants.  Germaine made this happen.  He took care of us from the beginning of our stay to the end of our stay.  We enjoyed his friendship and we benefitted from his vast knowledge. When he discovered that we have a son going to Yale and a son who is in the Peace Corps, he asked for parenting advice for his 5 year old daughter.  We enjoyed talking about education, parenting, and raising great children.   So, of course, we tipped him well.  We wrote a note and left a very nice tip in an envelope for him.  

Wait Staff

Tipping the wait staff is something most everyone does.  We like to tip well if we receive great service.  It’s usually 20% - sometimes more if the service is extraordinary.  But what constitutes great service?  My Dad used to say that his water glass needed to be filled at all times and the service needed to be quick.  But, we like it to be a little more in depth than that.  First of all, we want our wait staff to be pleasant and personable.  The wait staff is the liason between the chef and the customer.  This one person can make or break a dining experience.  There’s nothing worse than feeling like you are an imposition. 

The wait staff needs to know the menu.  At almost every new restaurant, we ask the waiter or waitress, “What is your favorite food here?”  We love to hear a delectable description of the food they enjoy most at their own restaurant.  We want to know how excited they are about the food that they serve.  We almost always choose their selection.

An excellent waiter or waitress will have no difficulty dealing with dietary concerns.   If we want something prepared without butter, the request should be welcomed and ensured that the food is delivered as requested.  The ideal waiter or waitress magically appears.  They are there when you need them and they aren’t there when you don’t.  It is intuitive.  It’s almost a supernatural power.   

Karma

Tipping is almost a way of building good karma.  What goes around comes around.  When we finish a concert with our high school music ensembles, we LOVE it when a parent writes an e-mail and says something positive about the concert. This is OUR tip!  We feel gratified when we find out that something our students performed or something we did touched someone else.  So, we know that leaving a tip can change a life.  We truly hope that comes back around to us.

The music pairing for today’s blog comes from Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle.  Those of you who really know us, know that this was Doug’s selection.  We are including the entire album, “One From The Heart.”  This comes from the Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0iXGt4syp8

Coming up next:  Selecting a Restaurant In A New City!

Boutique Hotels

For the past 6 years, our sons have lived in Seattle while attending the University of Washington.  Our children have been our favorite people with whom we love sharing our time.  But, to be honest, college dorms and apartments are NOT the boutique hotels that call to us.  Instead, we started out on a search for lovely places to stay in Seattle.  One of our very favorite places is the Hotel Vintage Park.  It is an ideal place for the Gaileys to rest their heads. 

The Hotel Vintage Park, a Kimpton Hotel - a Wine Based Hotel

http://www.hotelvintagepark.com/index.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand-Local%20Offer-Exact&utm_term=hotel%20vintage%20park%20seattle_50805780-VQ6-23424427135-VQ15-1t1-VQ16-c

We love this hotel and we have many reasons for our love affair.  First, (and maybe foremost?), this hotel offers a complimentary wine tasting every afternoon from 5 to 6.  It is held in their quaint and small parlour.  The parlour has a beautiful fireplace and very comfortable couches.  Each night, the Vintage Park staff chooses a Washington Winery to pour.  They showcase a white wine and a red wine - the best that the winery has to offer.  The chef at Tulio (the lovely restaurant attached to Vintage Park) provides a tasty appetizer or tapa to pair with the wine.  

Interesting People You Meet

Imagine sitting down with a glass of Cabernet,relaxing while you gaze at the gently burning logs in the fireplace.  You are seated next to a woman who is a linguistics expert from Iceland.  You introduce yourself and ask what brings her to Seattle.  A captivating dialogue ensues and you find yourselves exchanging e-mail addresses and promise to keep in touch.  This is one of the very many experiences we have had during the wine tasting hour at the Vintage Park Hotel.

Jasmine

The Kimpton Hotel chain is not just dog friendly, but they are dog enthusiasts!  As you enter the lobby and turn toward the receptionist desk, you look to your left and you see a welcome sign - not for you - but for your dog, Jasmine!  Welcome Jasmine!  When we book a room at the Vintage Park Hotel, they know that Jasmine will be joining us.  The bellmen have a jar of treats for their canine guests and Jasmine knows this fact all too well.  She sits (like a well behaved guest) and everyone fauns all over her!  Up in the room, there is a special bed and bowl, complete with a treat, waiting for Miss Jasmine!

Facebook Specials

Another thing that we love about the Kimpton Hotels is that they have facebook specials.  They will reveal a code word that you are to say upon check-in and the concierge will send a special treat up to your room.  My favorite has been 2 glasses of port and sea salt caramel chocolates!  

Library Hotel in NYC

Several years ago, Doug and I took a lovely trip to New York City without our, then, young sons.  We knew that we wanted to stay at a boutique hotel.  Don’t get the wrong idea.  Boutique is not just synonymous with small.   Boutique hotels are usually smaller.  But, they are more exclusive, intimate and luxurious.  And the staff to guest ratio is a huge bonus!  It has been our experience that boutique hotels have many amenities that make them very pleasurable.  

We decided upon the Library Hotel.  http://www.libraryhotel.com  The hotel is obviously a library themed hotel.  The rooms are set up on the Dewey Decimal System.  Each floor is dedicated to one of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System including Social Sciences, literature, Languages, History, The Arts, Religion, etc.  The rooms have extensive supplies of books and the art explores a topic relating to the floor’s category.  This hotel offers a daily Wine and Cheese Reception as well as a complimentary continental breakfast.  We were so enchanted.  We worked closely with the concierge to arrange our trip.  One evening, upon our return from a Broadway musical, the concierge asked us if we would like our complimentary bottle of champagne set up in our room or up in the roof-top garden.  What luxury!

Boutique hotels offer a grand and personalized experience to your travel adventure.

As music teachers, our travel is often coupled with concerts and live musical performances.  We know how much music enhances everything.  So, with that in mind, we’d like to offer a pairing of music to each blog post.  Billy Joel’s Scenes from an Italian Restaurant offers us a “bottle of red, a bottle of white.”  And after all, we drank our bottle of champagne on the root of the Library Hotel after seeing Twyla Tharpe’s Musical, “Movin’ Out!”  Enjoy! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au74rR9lIYQ

Next up:  Tipping!