spicetart

Niceland

So it looks like we are set to go to Iceland, Reykjavik to be exact, in the next couple of weeks.  I have no idea what to wear in 35 degree weather, or how to dress a toddler and an infant for the very cold (for all of you from Minnesota, 35 degrees is cold to us sensitive Californians...)

I am excited and apprehensive.  We have not traveled with either kid yet, Ivy went on road trips when she was much younger and there was a substantial amount of crying about being strapped into a car seat for hours on end.  A 10 hour plane ride should be fun!!

I've always wanted to see Iceland, so it should be an adventure, even if we don't get to do it up the way I'd like.  I will let you know if I see any elves or Bjork.

Bangalore or Bust

So a short trip to India has been calendared - it looks like we will go in the middle of July (the coolest time, right?) for about a week.  And we decided to take Ivy.  After much deliberation (on how much easier it would be to leave her at home and how much happier everyone - her, Chris, ME, the passengers of Lufthansa Flight 401 - would be), I decided I just couldn't leave her for an entire week.  Mommy separation anxiety kicked in.

I'm also nervous about her touching everything in the country, especially since she is too young to get certain vaccines.  She's at an age where everything on the ground must be picked up and inspect, sometimes with her mouth.  And then there's the mosquitoes.  Do I sound like a nervous Mom or what?

Our main goal will be to see if we can even live there, or will I be like, "Oh Hell No", the second we deplane (great word, deplane).  We also want to visit the places people like us live, us being expatriates with families and sensitive stomachs.  There are supposedly whole suburban paradises set up just for us types.  I mean, who would want to go to a country and actually LIVE there, amongst the people?  Well, me for one, but everyone assures me that I will want to be in one of these suburban compounds, especially with little kids.  The adventurer in me resists but knows it's probably true.

And then there will be the daunting task of trying to interview doctors and visiting hospitals so that we can make a decision about having the baby in Bangalore.  Though I know more babies are probably born in India daily than in any other place in the world, I am very set in my ways about what KIND of birth I want to have, and from what I have heard, the childbirth practices at the 'modern' hospitals are very different from the US (especially the Bay Area)...like 60% Cesarean Section rate (YIKES), automatic shaving and enema upon entering the hospital in labor (YIKES YIKES) and sometimes having to share labor rooms with other women.  I have done a lot of research and have found a couple of highly recommended places to visit, we'll just have to see how it goes, and how comfortable I am after the trip.

At least it won't be boring, and what is life without adventure?

Getting away.

So I got away, away from it all, for 2 whole days.  No baby, no husband, no cooking or cleaning, no more teacher's dirty looks.  And AND I was a the spa for 6 hours.  6 HOURS PEOPLE!!! 

Plus, it was mostly paid for by my POW (Place Of Work).  Booyah!!  I actually was there because my boss was moving out of a position he had held for a year (my boss rocks by the way, he totally is awesome and rocks and I love him), which means that hopefully we will get a bit more of his time and attention.  This is a man that does 30 hours of work in 16 hours, I have no idea how he manages to do it all but I admire his drive.

Anyhoo, the weekend was a success, especially the Spanish herbal salt wrap and the Sage oil hair mask.  Yee haw.  But could I sleep in? No. No, of course not.  Up at 4:30, 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, you get the picture.  Sleep is forever ruined. *sigh*

Baby, mom and dad all survived the weekend, hopefully that means many more spa vacations to come.

Car Camping with Babies

Can I confess that I am not much a camper?  I really wish I was, I really wish I was all outdoorsy and pee behind a tree comfortable and tent savvy...but I'm not.  I really LOVE the idea of camping, and I often envision my family wearing plaid flannel and rugged jeans, bouncing along a dusty back road in an old beat up Land Rover, and fishing and cooking those fish over an open fire, and the chilrens eating smores and falling asleep on my lap, then going to sleep in their snug sleeping bags, all warm and quiet.  Mostly I picture them quiet.

The reality is, as I discovered last weekend camping in Big Sur at the Ventana Campgrounds with the whole fam-damily, that I have a love-hate relationship with the great outdoors.  I love the fresh air, and the quiet of being under giant redwoods, the crackle and warmth of the campfire, and the fact that in the evening we have real conversation instead of zoning out in front of the TV.  I love the food prep and dish washing collaboration, and the day trips to hike or beach comb or whale watch (or, in our case this trip, the hour trip where we drank cocktails and ate french fries!).

Then there are the parts I hate.  I hate smelling like smoke for days, and having dirty, brown snot from dust and soot.  I hate the pitch blackness and piercing silence, but I hate the baby waking up and screaming even more and when waking up, finding it so dark that I couldn't tell which way was up or even figure out where the hell she was.  I hate HATE having to pee in the middle of the night and having to hold it until the baby wakes up for the morning and then having to hold her while I go.  But I hate even more that if I have to pee so bad that I have to get up, I hate knowing that I will have to put shoes and clothes on, unzip the tent, and walk on crunchy gravel with a flashlight in the cold and dark and all alone.

That said, my family made some awesome food, grilled ribs, corn, asparagus, tortelloni salad and fresh sausage, and the best breakfast burritos I've ever had.  And the coffee - damn that was some good coffee.  Was it made better by the fact that we were camping?  Or because it is a chilly morning outside?  Or because I barely slept (3 hours that night, maybe)?  I don't know, but that goes down in the Coffee Hall of Fame.  Credit goes to my brother-in-law, Paul, who put coffee ground for a cone filter in the press pot and made a camping version of Turkish coffee.  Heavenly.

And Ivy did well, and at least for the first night she slept longer than she has ever slept.  Not that I was able to sleep during that time, but you gotta love those kinds of firsts!  And my niece and nephews were perfectly happy rolling around in the dirt and making mud pies (my niece did remind us that we can't eat mud) and were not in the least bit bothered by all. that. dirt.  So, good!  Maybe one day I won't be bothered by all. that. dirt.

So will I do it again?  Yes!  Why?  I don't know!  Maybe because I loved the time spent with my family or because I love a challenge.  Regardless, there will be camping in my future, and it has to get easier, right?

And a month later...Maui

How do you spell spoiled rotten? F-O-U-R S-E-A-S-O-N-S

After our mediocre stay at the Hyatt on Kauai, I was really looking forward to our stay at the Four Seasons. We had booked it purposely at the end because I knew I wanted to end the honeymoon on a high note.  On a previous visit to Maui, I had spent a wonderful afternoon at the beach in front of the Four Seasons (Wailea Beach) and had lunch at the hotel, and it was during that visit that I made a note to myself to try to come back when I won the lottery.

From the second you drive up to the hotel, you are treated like Master of the Universe. Not just lei-ed, but Chris even gotten a Man Lei (leaves not flowers). We had called the Concierge from Kauai to make reservations at restaurant I wanted to try, so when we checked in, our itinerary for the week was printed out. I was stoked. So we had a partial ocean view and boy do they mean partial, like standing outside on your tip toes partial view. But the room was so friggin fantastic that I just didn't care about the view. 600 square feet, 200 of it was the bathroom alone. We were just awed by this room, so of course when we saw the incredible welcome gift, we were giddy like little schoolgirls. A nice bottle of champagne and a plate of chocolate fondue with strawberries perfectly stacked and 4 choices of sprinkles - coconut, pistachio, toffee bits, fancy sugar. So right away, we popped open the champagne, lit the fondue pot to heat the chocolate and sat on the lanai as the sun set. After only 2 hours there, the experienced topped what we had experienced at the Hyatt (not to constantly bash the Hyatt but it is hard to spend that kind of money and not get first class treatment).

The next five days were spent snorkeling, reading and eating.  I think I went through 3 books in 5 days, The Kite Runner being one that no one ought to miss, an amazing book.  We also went to 5 restaurants, my reviews follow.  By the way, all these places need reservations...

Sarento's On the Beach
This place had been recommended to me by my boss and a foodie attorney at work, so we had to try it.  At first I was skeptical, I tend to be way pickier than most people and recommendations from people who are easy going often fall flat.  Also, it is part of the Best Western Maui Oceanfront Inn, which is usually not a good sign for a restaurant.  But I had read that it was part of the same restaurant group that owns Nick's Fish Market at the Fairmont Kea Lani, which, although I have never been to, I always hear great things about.  It turns out my fears were unfounded, as we were very happy with our entire dining experience, from the perfect service to the good, and HUGE portions of food.  Located between Wailea and Kihei, Sarento's is a beachside restaurant (like 20 yards from the surf), basically a covered porch with full west facing sunset photo opportunities.  If you do go here, this is one to get a sunset reservation at for sure.  They serve mostly traditional Italian food, with some twists - I had an amazing Gazpacho with Grilled and Chilled Shrimp and Avocado Butter ($11.95), followed by schnitzel over arugula salad (they call it Cotolette Capricciosa - Herb Coated Veal "Milanese Style", White Truffle Oil Vinaigrette ($30.95) but we know it's schnitzel.  It was pretty good but a little too breaded for my taste).  Chris got a Caesar because he always has to get a Caesar ($9.95) and the Spaghetti and Filet Mignon Meatballs ($29.95 and way, way good but enough food for 4, a waste really because we couldn't take it to-go).  Now that I see these prices I think "Holy crap!" but everything at restaurants in Hawaii is expensive, so you sort of have to give up worrying about it and make sure half your budget is for food (unless you are in a condo and can cook at home).  Sarento's also has an exceptional wine list, especially compared to what most restaurants in the Islands have, but the prices are shocking, reminding you that, yes, everything comes here from the Mainland and beyond, so give us your money.  Boy do we save money by not buying wine right now.  Reservations highly recommended.

Mama's Fish House
I know that this place is exceptional but I felt like such crap the night we were there that I just really could not enjoy it.  I managed to get a nasty sunburn under an umbrella, I have no idea how.  The best we can figure is reflection from the sand, because I was not out in the sun for more than a couple of minutes, but when I was under that umbrella my leg felt like burning.  Sure enough it was.  Note: wear sunscreen even when under an umbrella.  So I was in extreme pain, and just could not relax for dinner.  Everyone else seemed to be having a great time, so I would highly recommend it! Mama's is generally know as the best food in Maui.  And the atmosphere of the restaurant is personal and friendly and romantic, it is right on the beach but on the other side of the island so, while you will see the colors of sunset, you are on the wrong side of the island to see the actual setting of the sun.  For some reason dining during the setting sun is very important in Hawaii.  I suck for not enjoying it.  Food was very good, order any fish special, as were the cocktails (and juice, WOOHOO!) just do it sunburn free.  Reservations highly recommended.

Spago at the Four Seasons
Spago is Spago, this is no exception, but it was the most mediocre meal out we had in Maui.  The service was impersonal and scattered, and we felt a bit like everyone was new.  The food was good, but unforgettable, I had a salad I think.  The sunset was great, but didn't help that this restaurant seems to rely on it's name to attract people, because it sure isn't using its food or service.

Pacific'O
I spent a lovely afternoon here last year by myself, and so I told Chris we had to go back.  Just south of downtown Lahaina, it is right on the beach with a great patio that overlooks the surf school lessons.  Sadly, my great meal was not to be repeated.  Each of the dishes we had just missed the mark.  I basically got what I had had the time before and none were great this go around (KALUA QUESADILLA - Imu-style shredded pork, roasted peppers with pepper-jack cheese with Maui onion salsa and avocado puree. $9.00, SHRIMP WON TONS - Prawn and basil won tons served with a spicy sweet & sour sauce and Hawaiian salsa. $12.00), but you can't win em all.  The view is unbeatable and the wine-by-the-glass list is the best we saw in Hawaii, but expect hit-or-miss food.  The service was at times rude, and always scattered.  Maybe dinner is more together.

Pacific Grill
We ended up eating here for the breakfast buffet everyday and for dinner once and dessert once.  This place has a Caesar salad that is now in the Top 5 of best Caesars we have had.  For some reason, a place with a great salad gets top points from me.  They also had considerate and quiet service, they were prompt and professional but let you enjoy your meal. Often hotel restaurants are nothing special, but this place really impressed us.  And we put someone's kid through college by dining there everyday.

Things that we recommend not missing on Maui:

1.  The Olivine Pools - Not unlike the Queen's Bath on Kauai, a seaside, clear pool, constantly  refreshed by the churning ocean complete with fish and warm water.  In a Mars-like setting on the north-eastern coast, it is a bit of a hike down to the pool, which is great because as sad as it is, a 10 minute hike deters A LOT of people.  There were about 5 other people there when we were.  Bring your snorkel.

2.  The Pipiwai Trail - This is a hike on the South end of the island (south-west) past Hana and in the shadow of Haleakala.  Get there early to avoid the crowds.  It is a medium hike, where you go from brush, up through guava groves and cows, under huge trees, to the top of a waterfall, over bridges, through bamboo forests, across the river, to end at the bottom of a different waterfall.  A totally kick-ass way to spend a few hours.  Bring water, a snack and good bug stuff.  From here the road west (not back through Hana) is drivable contrary to what you have heard, and shows you the dry, volcanic side of the island that you never hear about.  A great view of Haleakala from here.  Plus, there are cows.

3.  Snorkeling the Aquarium - A challenging hike over sharp lava, following a barely marked trail, leads you to calm pools full of thousands of fish.  We had this place alone for most of the morning.  This is south of Wailea, in the Ahihi Marine Reserve.  Go very early for a chance to see dolphins.  We saw none.

Well, I can't imagine that you want to read more about our honeymoon.  This is a food blog afterall!

Calamari on a Beautiful Day

Is it possible that there is a more beautiful place to live? Well, probably, yes, however, it's hard to beat the California coast on a sunny spring Sunday. We arrived at the coastal access to Big Basin Redwoods State Park around 10:00 after a leisurely drive down Highway 1. It was perfect out, clear and cool and windy, perfect. After some confusing moments trying to find the trail, we trekked up from the coastal marshes, through the redwood forest, forded a stream and meandered back along a developed equestrian pathway. Rancho del Oso is a hidden gem, do yourself a favor and check it out. And if that's not enough, across the highway sits Waddell Beach where kite surfing and windsurfing is the sport of choice. Nothing quite like watching wet-suit clad folks battling the wind and sea just to get in the water.

So what's the most obvious snack after a great day like that? Why, fried calamari and a beer of course. On my way down to the coast, we passed a fish market advertising fresh, cheap salmon. I often hear that fish on the coast is fresher and cheaper than what you get in the Big City, so I figured this was a great chance to see if that was true. The minute I walked into the fish market, I turned right around because I had forgotten my camera in the car. I needed it 'cause there were fish everywhere!

Everything fishy a girl could want, catfish, salmon in every shape possible, whole octopii, whole halibut, bay and sea scallops, squid, clams, oysters, fillet-o-this, fillet-o-that, it was awesome!! I finally decided on a beautiful fillet of salmon and a pound of scallops. Stay tuned for what I do with those tasty sea creatures...

Of course, right next door is a little place called the Flying Fish Grill, with local and national write-ups featured on their door, and a sign claiming "Best Fish Tacos" ever or in the world or something. I figured it was worth a shot. Alas, I decided to skip the tacos after asking if the "secret sauce" had mayonnaise in it and getting the answer "it's ranch dressing" (I guess the secret's out), and I went straight for the fried calamari. I am sucker for good calamari (har har), even if it is hard to find, it's always worth a taste test.

Boy, did I order right. So lightly battered that you could see through the rings and see almost no breading (a rarity, actually) and so lightly cooked that the calamari broke at the first chew. It still had that nice bite that tells you, yep, it's squid, but it was tender without a touch of rubberiness. Happiness! My only complaint: not enough squigglies (tentacles) which is my favorite part. Maybe next time, I order the tacos, hold the ranch dressing, maybe their claim is correct. Although I will have to get a side of calamari, with extra squigglies.

Flying Fish Grill
99 San Mateo Rd. Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 (650) 712-1125

Half Moon Bay Fish Market
99 San Mateo Rd Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 (650) 726-2561

Fresh Cheese in Action

So Tuesday I wrote about my visit to Point Reyes, and Biggles wrote about his heathen adventures in the sand with chicken, but what would a trip to Point Reyes be without a stop at Cowgirl Creamery? Just off of main street in Point Reyes Station, Cowgirl Creamery is in a beautiful, old renovated barn. Part of the Tomales Bay Foods group (a cool history of their beginnings in 1993 is here), Cowgirl Creamery consists of their cheese making facility and cheese counter, and shares the barn space with a natural fabric clothing boutique, an organic produce stand, and a healthy foods deli. The main attraction is easily the windows that overlook the cheese makers doing their thang. We got their just in time to see the process from curds to, um, cheese formed things. Just see the pictures.

My favorite of their cheeses is the Mt. Tam, I could easily put away the whole thing in a sitting.  It's a smooth and buttery triple-cream cheese that just melts in your mouth.  I've also tried the award winning Red Hawk and decided that I am not quite at the advanced cheese tasting level to enjoy this cheese.  It's a washed-rind cheese so it's got that -WOW- that's a kicker of a cheese, yeah!  They call it "fully-flavored" - can't argue with that assessment at all. Red Hawk won Best-In-Show at the American Cheese Society's Annual Conference in 2003.  Impressive.  Go pay 'em a visit.

COWGIRL CREAMERY AT TOMALES BAY FOODS
80 Fourth Street
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Phone (415) 663-9335

You can also find Cowgirl Creamery cheeses at their store front in the Ferry Building and at Whole Foods, Draegers, the Pasta Shop and probably at Andronicos.

Flowers and Pie

What do you do after a 5-mile wildflower hike down to the ocean and back? Well, you eat pie of course. Actually, a bacon cheeseburger, a Boont Amber and then pie. Hunting for wildflowers really works up an appetite. Or was it the mile practically straight UP, through bogs and marshes with squishy mud and wet socks? Ah, the natural beauty of Point Reyes is not to be compared. That fresh ocean air gets all the juices flowing, and meat and sugar is a well-deserved reward.

The Station House Cafe is along the main strip in Point Reyes Station, and, from the outside, looks like a regular small-town diner. But entering through the lush backyard, you see that this is not your typical restaurant. The menu is full of the normal lunch fare, hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads, but also includes a variety of oysters, steamed mussels, spanikopita and meatloaf. The menu actually made it hard to choose. Another plus for the Station House is that their beef, pork, and lamb is from Niman Ranch, their chicken are fresh Rocky or Rosie chickens, their bread is La Brea Bakery bread baked fresh every day, and they bake corn bread and popovers throughout the day. They also have an organic garden in the back. All these things meant I didn't want to leave until I had tried everything on the menu. Alas, I chose a bacon cheeseburger (I mean it had a whole wheat bun, how could I NOT choose that?) It came with country fries, which I'm not a huge fan of, so I got my usual, salad on the side with vinaigrette.

You know how every now and then you have one of those food moments, when the thing you are eating becomes the center of your sensual universe and all of your senses are focused on the wonder of this one thing? Yeah, it was like that. Perfect, thick bacon, perfect burger, and perfectly accompanied by pickles (a necessity). It's now in my top 5 best hamburgers ever.

And what is a delicious hamburger without pie? Triple Berry Pie with Straus Whipped Cream.  I was in heaven, this flaky, dense, tart pie was a symphony of flavors, and I don't even really have a sweet tooth.  You must order this when you go.  Or the butterscotch pudding, I think I'll have to try that next time.

The Station House Café
11180 State Route One (Main Street)
Point Reyes Station, California 94956
415.663.1515

Walking in LA: Part 2

So what do you do after a late night out of fine food, wine and conversation??  Why you wake up early and go to breakfast!

My favorite restaurant in all of LA is The Rose Cafe in Venice.  This place has the perfect combination of all things that please me.

1. Huge outside patio in the back with umbrellas for shade when it's hot and heat lamps for when it's cold, and overflowing with lush plants.
2. Great breakfast special in the front cafe, $4.00 for a plain croissant with brie and marmalade and a great cup of coffee.  Any place that understand that brie should come with breakfast pastry is the kind of place for me.
3. Deli case full of fresh, seasonal, unique and healthy salads and entrees.
4. Interesting and local art and artists.
5. Cool little store that sells the kinds of things that I want but don't need.  Still, I love to look and touch.
6. Parking lot in the back.

The front cafe is where one can order a snack or a coffee and sit at high tables and chat or read or people watch.  The back cafe is a sit down restaurant, with some inside seating and the huge, wonderful patio I spoke of in #1.  This is where I go for breakfast if I go for breakfast.  I always order one of two things...

1. Salmon Florentine - Salmon, Spinach & Roasted Tomatoes in a Puff Pastry with a Dill Hollandaise Sauce
2. Ham & Cheese Omelet - Prosciutto-Ham, Swiss, Cheddar & Goat Cheese with Chives, with potatoes au gratin and wheat toast
3. Chris ALWAYS gets the Eggs Scandia - Poached Eggs served on Croissant with Lox and Dill Hollandaise

Just writing about it makes me dream of the food, that's the kind of place it is.  And once I saw Luke Wilson there, that was cool.  Check it out.   

Rose Cafe
220 Rose Ave.
Venice, CA
310.399.0711

Walking in LA: Part 1

Randy Newman and I both love LA.  And we have the same last name! Coincidence? *cue Twilight Zone music*

I recently drove the 5.5 hours down the lovely I-5 to Santa Monica where I spent the weekend eating, drinking, rowing and, well, I got my hair cut.  The drive down was gorgeous, thunder and lighting, everything green and in bloom...SPRING!!!!!

I got down there just in time to have a wonderful dinner with my friends at Joe's on Abbott Kinney in Venice.  Abbott Kinney is the hipster part of Venice, and of the Westside really, where the exact same thing is happening that is happening in many rundown cities across our great nation.  Gentrification.  Not a bad thing generally, as just blocks away, parts of Venice are known to be kind of tough and are indeed, rundown.  But all that is changing and hipsters and thirty-something couples and rising young actors need places to live and eat and drink, dammit, hence the revival of Abbott Kinney.  History time!!! In the 1900s, Abbott Kinney had a vision to create Venice-of-America, and set to building the city and the canals, using Venice, Italy as the model.  A few of the canals still exist today, many were paved over and are now roads (booooooo), but they are somewhat mucky and green, but they have paddle boats and arched bridges so I love that about Venice.  Venice was a huge resort draw for a while, but after a chain of unfortunate events, (fires, death, the usual) Kinney's vision of Venice-of-America started to fall apart.  *fade to late 1990s* Soaring housing prices to the rescue!

Despite my cynicism, I love Venice.  Perfect weather, close to the beach, a great walking town and a few very shining stars in the culinary world.

Joe's is crowded every night, but we were able to get a reservation for 8:30.  And like Spiderman, I arrived just in time.  Joe's does everything seasonally which is just how I like to eat, don't give me tomatoes in January please, just don't.  Keep reading for a few of the highlights...

Joe's Restaurant
1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291