Food – Page 13

August 5, 2014

Mooching Around Paris

This photo looks like Sacre Coeur is on a green screen. I was really there!

Kim and I had a relaxed afternoon and evening mooching around Paris the day after Le Tour ended. Kim the extreme cyclist from Austin was a complete stranger when we were assigned to the same room in St Lary Soulan; by Paris we were happy to share a walking adventure together and split the costs of an extra night in our spiffy hotel near L’Opera House.

We started by giving ourselves a little over an hour to speed shop in Galeries Lafayette. Then we began the slow climb up to the Sacre Coeur basilica.

My friend Jane from the Alps gave us a recommendation for a restaurant near there for dinner. (She had met the papa of the chef on her travels and dined there earlier in the week.) We stopped as our whimsy directed including a wonderful toy store. Eventually our hunger was prioritized over shopping.

We climbed and climbed until we finally found the restaurant, La Cremaillere 1900. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful (admired on the way to the loo) and all of the seating was outside in the courtyard on Henri Boulard. We enjoyed our meal and a glass of rose and then moved on to see the basilica.

The Sacre Coeur is very popular more for the view of Paris from the grounds than as a place of worship. I waited for Kim in a seat near the back and watched as people ignored the sign of “Silence, respectful dress, and no photos.” There was even a guy with a Heineken beer bottle cruising through with his family (sold outside on the steps by ambitious “entrepreneurs”). We walked past hundreds of people already waiting on the steps for the sunset.

We sauntered back to the hotel and packed for an early morning departure. I will never be a Francophile and after four visits to Paris I am satiated. After all of the frustrations traveling in France it was fitting that I had one last experience.

The hotel doorman hailed a cab for me and said “Gare du Nord” to the driver. I jumped in and noticed the drivers earbuds and did not think much of it until we started driving down the Boulevard that parallels the River Seine. Hmm. I do not know Paris that well but I did not think we were headed in the right direction. It took a few minutes to dig out my Paris map and establish that we were headed to Gare de Lyon not the train station for the Eurostar chunnel. I asked him if he was headed the right way to Gare de Nord. The driver removes his earbuds and says “Gare de Lyon”. By this time I had no time to spare to catch my train. Ideally we would be pulling up to the station in this moment. I probably shrieked, “NO! Gare du Nord!” He began to insist that the doorman said Gare de Lyon. We argued back and forth while he turned towards the right train station. He said he would only charge me 15 Euros and hurry as fast as possible to Gare du Nord. We pulled up at 9:05 and my train was leaving at 9:15. It took a few minutes to figure out where to find the security entrance and Pierre informed me that I was too late. Fortunately because I was there before the train departed I could get a new ticket for the next train at 10:15 at no extra charge. Huge sigh of relief. This misunderstanding with the taxi driver could have happened anywhere, yet the driver never apologized; he just kept blaming the doorman. So French.

July 22, 2014

Stage 16 in the Pyrenees

Michael Rogers realizes that he has won the stage and sits up and enjoys his first Tour de France win.

I am so excited that Michael Rogers won the stage. He rode a brilliant tactical ride and sailed into the finish with time to celebrate. We were watching from the Izoad bus in the VIP section and we were not sure how close the other riders from the breakaway were so we all reacted with a little bit of shock and worry. So many riders have been caught at the line. Great to see one of my favorite riders from HTC Columbia enjoy his first Tour de France stage win. It was also the first by an Aussie in 2014, so many of my group members were very happy.

We have a new group of spectators to work with Jacinta on world domination. It is a larger group so I am focusing on getting to know a few people each day, otherwise it is overwhelming. Our days are long because we have to get places before the roads close and then the traffic back to the hotel is always challenging. They are made longer because we wait and eat at the same time as the Thomson cyclists. Tonight dinner was at 9:30 p.m.

Once again we have a core group of Australians who keep us going. I have learned a new car game. When you see a yellow car you yell “Spotto.” I am a little suspicious about the rules. When we spotted a tractor and a van, they did not count. But then Phil spotted a photo of a yellow car and it counted.

I had a delightful experience at the yarn shop buying stitch holders. The proprietress was gracious and helpful–she even brought out some wool she thought I had dropped. I asked her for a recommendation for a place to eat lunch. She recommended a place just down the street. It did not open until 12:30 and I was one of many waiting by the time they opened. I guess I am invisible, or my American accent makes me so because I finally gave up and walked away.

I bought a ham and cheese croissant and a chocolate eclair at a Patissier instead. I chose the place because of the window display with the macarons as paint on an easel. The race finished in Bagneres-de-Luchon. It was decked out with banners and celebrations that I have not seen since England. The crowds are swelling and getting louder too.

July 20, 2014

Finally! Picture Postcard France

Watching Le Tour with Thomson Travel staff in hotel Mercure St Lary Soulan.

Since I arrived in Lille, France for the finish of Stage 4, I have been travelling almost non-stop. Today we drove 8 hours and arrived at our hotel in time to see the end of Stage 15 in St Lary Soulan in the Pyrenees. (spoiler alert) What a tragic end for the brave breakaway! Congratulations to the Norwegian phenomenon Alexander Kristoff with his second stage win.

Took my camera and my wallet and walked into the village. At last! The France you see on television when you watch the Tour de France. I walked from one end to the other enjoying the Sunday afternoon summer crowd. I stopped at Nos Tapas du Terroir for a simple and delicious meal of bread, cheese and cured ham thinly sliced. It is the first great quality meal I have enjoyed in over a week.

The hotel Mercure St Lary is positively luxurious after the ski lodge in Albertville. I feel like I can finally truly rest, relax and recover. Tomorrow is a rest day for the Tour cyclists. All of the Thomson cyclists will be arriving (something like 63!) and they have a “warm up” ride of either 38 or 58 km with some uphill. So glad to be a VIP spectator. Jacinta and Jordi will be rolling in by lunch time with a new group of spectators. I already miss my Australian and American friends from the Alps and I look forward to making new friends.

The best part of a rest day is there is nothing pressing to do–well, some laundry. I have put in a request for a massage in the afternoon. I will do some more exploring on foot. Mostly I will let my molecules catch up with one another.

July 9, 2014July 8, 2014

Chillin’ in Lille, France: Stage 4

It has been go, go, go or allez, allez, allez since July 1 and I was ready to mentally take my foot off the gas pedal. There were challenges with getting across to France on the Chunnel, so I did not arrive until 2 p.m. and I was worn out. I checked into the Best Western Art Deco Euralille and immediately checked the race on the telly. The riders had 135 km still to go and it was lightly raining. I did a few chores and then headed into central Lille to find a place to eat and watch the race.

The rain was getting harder so I ducked into Printemps department store to buy an umbrella. I love travel. Even a simple purchase can delight whether it is trying to communicate with the sales staff in French or watching a little girl run up the down elevator. I continued on towards Boulevard de la Liberte and found the La Table d’Eduard. They had 4 outside tables under an awning right on the street where the race would whiz past.

Ordered what I thought was a ham and cheese sandwich with ice cream for dessert. What I got was spectacularly better. It is such a simple looking place and the food was simply delicious. The “ice cream” was strawberry sorbet with real strawberries and whipped cream in a sundae glass. I enjoyed it immensely, and a delightful little boy near me enjoyed his even more. If this is the low bar in France, it is going to be awesome. I loved how entrepreneurial the proprietors were: by the time the race was ready to go by they had moved all their tables outside and were serving drinks and food for Le Tour fans.

First, though, the caravan comes through as a kind of parade of sponsors. They toss a mountain of hats, product samples and candy at the crowd. A group of younger business men were my favorite group to watch. They were so competitive about catching the swag. They all had King of the Mountain caps by the time the caravan was through.

I introduced myself to the family from London with the Jens, Shut Up Legs signs they had made themselves. Then three blokes from England and Japan who sat next to me needed someone to take their photo with their flags and this led to a delightful conversation about cycling.

The peloton flew by in less than 10 seconds, so it is not about seeing the race as much as it is about participating in an event. As soon as the riders had passed I paid my bill and went a few doors down to a bar where they were watching it on someone’s MacAir. About 10 people huddled around it and watched as Marcel Kittel won his third stage this year (7th overall). He appears unbeatable at the moment when it is a sprint finish. UK favorite General Classification contender Chris Froome crashed earlier in the day. He was safe for time and will need a new pair of bike shorts for tomorrow!

I walked leisurely to my hotel and took a hot bath. I have been enjoying a relaxing evening catching up with my children and friends and writing this blog. Stage 5 I will intentionally watch on television because the weather is supposed to be ugly and it is a challenging course to reach without a car. Plus I need to do a few more chores.

It was great to participate in the Trek Tour and it is just as sweet to travel alone and to chill a little. I made a new list of goals: 1) get the playlist for the music played by the various caravan sponsors (the music at le Tour is terrific) 2) interview the sponsor liaisons (the women who pass out the bouquet and kiss the winner on both cheeks); 3) Sleep through the night.

June 18, 2014

Asheville: Jewel of a Town

Tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains is fun little Asheville. It may be home to “America’s Largest Home” (Biltmore Estate), but the town feels small and is a great mix of fun and funky.

Curious about the Biltmore Estate, I researched it on-line and experienced sticker shock: $50 per adult if you buy the ticket in advance. Since I was not certain I would be able to spend enough time to see the house and grounds I decided to forgo any advance purchase savings. It probably is not fair to Biltmore that I am seeing it just after revisiting Yosemite. The National Parks are such a deal by comparison. The National Park fee is $20 per carload and only $10 for motorcycle, pedestrians, equestrians or cyclists.

Still I plonked down my $59 to see the gardens and the house.

I really liked the grounds at the Vanderbilt “country home” Shelburne Farms in Vermont. Frederick Law Olmstead designed the gardens and grounds for both. The gardens are lovely and well maintained; however, they pale next to the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I was a little less excited about the house furnishings, or the multiple gift shops and cafes that offered the same ol’ same ol’ for a lot of money. Biltmore also suffers from excess in the same way its West Coast cousin Hearst Castle does. In today’s second gilded age, it is tough for me to celebrate that a family of three had this as their primary residence.

Purl's Knitting Emporium front window — Purl’s Knitting Emporium front window

Allow a lot of time to drive out of the Estate and back into town. It only took about 10 minutes to get into downtown and find parking. I wanted to check out the knitting store Purl’s Yarn Emporium and the bookstore Malaprops Bookstore and Cafe. I enjoyed both and all of the shops and street musicians in between.

Ribs at Louella's Bar-B-Que — Ribs at Louella’s Bar-B-Que

Buskers outside Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe — Buskers outside Malaprop’s Bookstore and Cafe

I wanted to catch up with my friends Chris, Angie and sons. We made arrangements through Facebook to meet up for dinner. We met at Louella’s Bar-B-Que, a local casual dining spot in North Asheville. Yum! I loved my BBQ chicken with hush puppies, squash casserole and cucumber tomato salad. Plus we ordered delicious deviled eggs!

Deviled Eggs at Louella's — Deviled Eggs at Louella’s

I was staying at Hotel Domestique in Traveller’s Rest, South Carolina and it was an easy 45 minutes down Highway 25/26 to Asheville. The next day my neighbor on Amtrak expressed her enthusiasm for Asheville and suggested I check out The Spa at the Grove Park Inn. I can envision a garden tour with my Auntie J from Charleston to Asheville. With a day at the The Spa!

June 13, 2014June 14, 2014

Hotel Domestique Almost Perfect

Due to my own planning errors I was driving the four hours from Raleigh, North Carolina, and calling Robert at Hotel Domestique to give me directions because my phone was almost out of juice and I could not rely on Google maps. (Forget the pathetic Dollar Car Rental map). Robert was very gracious. “Drive carefully. Don’t worry about the time. I’ll be here.” AT 1:00 a.m. I pulled in exhausted from driving through torrential rains and navigating on smaller highways with a minimum of signage. (I like more encouragement along the way). He carried my bag to my room and opened the wooden door with a real key. This was my first impression:

Comfort at Hotel Domestique — Ahhh, comfort!

The next morning I woke up to the sound of music wafting up from the dining room where a delicious complimentary breakfast is served. The decaf coffee was really, really good. Very rare occurrence. My poached egg was done just right. I was tired and excited to get out on my bike. The front desk said they would set me up with a GPS programmed with one of the shorter rides. Oh, and the co-owner of the hotel (and inspiration), George Hincapie, was going to be leading a “climb” if I wanted to join them. Umm, thanks but no thank you. (I couldn’t imagine keeping up with George Hincapie or the sleek group of Toronto cyclists (average BMI 18).

I did see George Hincapie arrive and greet some other guests who were friends. I suddenly felt awkward about meeting him with the only agenda “meeting someone famous who I admire.” If you are not familiar with George Hincapie’s resume… he is best known for being an exemplar “domestique”. This involves working your fanny off for the general classification rider (Yellow Jersey). He has worked for several Tour de France overall winners, most controversially Lance Armstrong. He has just published his own memoir, The Loyal Lieutenant. I like him best for his time on Columbia High Road, the team based out of San Luis Obispo most famous for being the most successful lead out train for sprinter Mark Cavendish. The hotel restaurant is called “17” for his 17 Tour de France finishes. This boutique hotel is styled after a modern (up-to-date) French chateau complete with vineyards. It is already popular with cyclists across North America.

I took off on my own ride and discovered how ill prepared I am for the Yorkshire hills. I have my work cut out for me!

More of my view from room at Hotel Domestique

view from my room balcony at Hotel Domestique

I returned and cooled off on my balcony, showered in the amazing bathroom and went downstairs to rustle up some lunch. I really, really wanted to try the restaurant for dinner. Alas, they do not serve until after 1 a.m. They do not have a lunch menu so much as a collection of paninis. I chose the goat cheese and spinach with tomato spead. It was yummy and hit the spot.

Listening to the car radio for hours educated me about the literal and figurative divide between South and North Carolina. The hotel is located near Traveller’s Rest. I learned from my new friend Pleasure Sawyer that this is in Upstate where Charlestonians go to get a break from summer heat. It is close to Greenville, SC. Hotel Domestique is also close to Asheville, North Carolina. However, it might as well be a world away. People in Asheville are quite happy to be from Asheville and when I stopped at a terrific local bookstore (for later post on Asheville) and they did not carry George’s book and had never heard of him.

I loved my time in Asheville and got back to the hotel around 9. The parking lot was full and a party was in full swing. I asked the front desk clerk if I could get a cup of decaf from the restaurant and she had me follow her to collect it. She pointed to a large group of festive people and said, “George is having a few friends in tonight.” I was ready to go to my room, pack up my stuff for my early morning launch back to Greensboro at 4 a.m. I was tucked into bed at 10 and the party was still in full swing. The music was clearly discernable in my room and when people left the party and said their farewells in the lobby it sounded like they were in my room. Suddenly the french doors to my balcony were not such a great thing. At 11:15 I called my pal Robert at the desk and asked if the party was ending by midnight. He offered to ask them to turn down the music and I dithered. I could hear the much quieter breakfast music so I was not sure it was worth it. Then Habitat for Humanity called me to ask for a donation! Argh. Now I was really awake. I used all of my relaxation tricks and the next time I woke up and checked my phone it was completely quiet and 1:15.

One lesson I learned at a Model United Nations conference in college. If the people making the noise in a private party at hotel would just invite their neighbors… the neighbors will likely say no (if they are like me) and will resent the noise so much less.

I was out the door with my farewells to Robert about 4:10 a.m. I had a 3.25 hour drive to the airport to return my car in Greensboro, then a quick trip by cab to the Amtrak station (because they are never co-located, right?!) When I stopped for breakfast at 6 and called Robert and asked him to have the manager to call me to discuss the noise.

Around 10:30 I got a call from Webster. He apologized and asked me more specifics about my experience. It was a great example of above and beyond service. Of course, sleep deprived should never be mentioned in the same sentence as hotel. He even said he would bring it up with his boss George. Wow. And he comped my last night. Wow! Did not expect it. It was a relief because I love this hotel. I want to be able to recommend it unreservedly. Since Webster asked such detailed questions I bet they address the noise situation and they made it right for my situation.

Come on back y'all, you hear. — Come on back y’all, you hear.

I will definitely stay again. However, I will fly into Atlanta or Charlotte and drive a lot les! And I will use their hotel’s excellent road bikes.

May 21, 2014May 21, 2014

24 Hours in Portland

Recently spent 24 eventful hours in Portland for my friend Lisa’s birthday party. I flew in on Saturday morning in time to meet friends Dale and Erik for brunch. We texted back and forth while I was riding the MAX red line in from the airport. We settled on Mother’s Bistro and Bar. We enjoyed a delicious brunch and a great catch-up conversation. We walked to Powell’s for a book shopping expedition. (Hooray for Powell’s shipping service!) Then split up to go our separate shopping ways.

I promised other friends, Jen and Leslie, I would meet them at their hotel for a drink before the birthday party. I had a couple of hours to walk a couple of miles with my shoulder bag to my hotel in NW Portland. I was about 2/3 of the way to my destination and feeling a little foot sore when I spied a tea house in the middle of “nowhere.”

I entered the tea room and my spirit was immediately refreshed. After consultation with the barrista, I selected Kandy, a black tea described as “fragrant and intense, yet light in liquor, named for one of the sweetest towns in Sri Lanka.” My pot of tea was refreshing and I did a bit of tea shopping in anticipation of UK Sarah’s upcoming visit.

I continued hoofing it to my hotel (wishing I had brought my Brompton bike afterall). My hotel, the Silver Cloud Inn, was worth the effort: great price, spacious room, and good amenities.

I took a Radio Cab to the Sentinel Hotel and met my friends in the majestic lobby and lush bar. The cheese platter was the perfect amount for three to nosh on.

Lisa Goren is a very talented health care speaker, super smart, and wickedly funny friend. Over 50 of her lovely, funny friends gathered to celebrate her birthday. The food, the talent show, and the Ruby Jewel ice cream made an evening to remember.

The next morning some of us gathered at Clyde Common restaurant for a late breakfast. So much good food! The restaurant is next door to the super hip Ace Hotel. After a good long visit I caught a ride to the airport and was on my way to back to Sacramento.

With just 24 hours you can still literally get a taste of Portland and have Portlandia type experiences. Case in point, one of my cab drivers engaged me in conversation and shared his 2 pager on what’s wrong with the world’s economy. I would go back to Portland in a heartbeat.

Whole wheat pancakes with strawberries throughout makes for yummy goodness.

IFragrant and intense, yet light in liquor, this blend is named for one of the sweetest cities in Sri Lanka.

May 17, 2014May 12, 2014

Amazing Mac&Cheese at Homeroom

We arrived by bike and the sheer effort to get there created an appetite worthy of the Homeroom’s famous macaroni and cheese. We signed in because even at 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday there was a line. We waited about 20 minutes during which we drooled over (at a safe distance) the outside diners’ food. Mulitple friends had insisted that Austin try Homeroom with raves about the mac&cheese so we waited with much anticipation.

We decided to split an order of mac&cheese so we could also enjoy fresh asparagus in balsamic vinegar and save room for dessert. There are many variations to choose from and we went for the Macximus–a Greek inspired recipe with artichokes, spinach, feta cheese and we added chicken. Both the asparagus and the mac&cheese were delicious. We may not have had a lot of room for dessert and yet we were anxious to continue the dining experience. We ordered banana cream pie (in a mason jar) and a brownie sundae with caramel sauce. Both were incredibly satisfying. Now we were full.

The food is reasonably priced and makes an affordable urban dining spot. The service was excellent, and the decor in keeping with the theme of the schoolroom. The food may be inspired by the idea of food we loved in school, but I do not remember any of my cafeteria meals tasting this good!

4OO 4Oth Street, Oakland, CA 946O9 • (p) 51O.597.O4OO • hours: Sun-Sat 11am-1Opm, Closed Monday

May 10, 2014May 11, 2014

Urban Bicycling in Oakland, California

Needing to stage a trial run for my Le Tour adventure I arranged to meet my friend Austin for a day of cycling, eating, shopping and fun in Oakland. I barely made it to the Davis station before the train’s departure. The station manager helped me purchase my ticket and directed me to the right car. I pushed my Brompton onto the train and folded Black Beauty and stowed her on the luggage rack. I was a little nervous about leaving her on her own as I climbed the stairs to my seat.

Riding the train is so much more fun than driving. 1. No traffic. 2. I can use the time to finish my book, or stare out the window; either way it is very relaxing. 3. My round trip ticket cost $54 for an adult fare. If you compare to the mileage ($0.56 per mile equals $72.80) plus bridge toll ($5.00) plus potential parking fees.

Austin and I exchanged emails earlier to share ideas about places to go and things to see. I have been collecting Oakland travel articles from Sunset Magazine and other publications. It was 9:30 a.m. and we set off on our bikes to Temescal Alley, featured in two magazines. Have you noticed how some places get all kinds of attention and then you go and wonder what the fuss?

We parked our bikes and stepped into Doughnut Dolly for a creme filled donut. Dolly has a focused approach to doughnuts–you select either raised doughnut with granular sugar or powdered sugar, then select a filling and they inject them and they are ready to go. It’s an interesting idea and we munched our doughnuts on a bench outside. We compared our Yelp rating systems and I like Austin’s. One or two stars neither of us bother to review. Three stars we would go back if friends all wanted to go there. Four stars is awarded to a great place we would return to if we were in the neighborhood and five stars for a fabulous place that we would go out of our way to visit again and again. Doughnut Dolly was a 3 for me and a 3.5 to 4 stars for Austin.

We took off on our bikes to Telegraph Avenue towards downtown Oakland. We made a U-turn to stop at the Bee Healthy Honey store. We both love bees and are fascinated with beekeeping. It is a lovely shop and smelled like hamsters (pine shavings from the newly constructed hives reminded us of a clean hamster cage).

Continuing on our way we took a slightly circuitous route to the Oakland Museum. I have been meaning to go to this museum for years. We looked at the current exhibits and decided we really wanted to see the Giant Robot exhibit. My Crocker Museum membership includes a North American reciprocal benefit so I did not have to pay the $15 entrance fee. The “SuperAwesome: Art and Giant Robot” exhibit was super awesome.

And when did museums step up their quality of their cafe dining? I bought a bowl of sweet potato pistachio soup at the museum’s Blue Oak Cafe and it was delicious. Note to self, bring protein to eat with donuts to avoid bonking from sugar rush and plummet.

Next we rode around Lake Merritt. The trails around the lake are not exactly bike friendly. We stopped at one point for a march organized to keep attention to the plight of the kidnapped girls in Nigeria. By this time we were feeling peckish so we began riding our bikes to Homeroom, a highly recommended eatery in another part of Oakland. (Review to follow in next post). We departed from the recommended route on Google Maps and discovered that Google Maps bicycle routes had probably been saving us from big hills. Black Beauty’s brakes work. I also discovered Oakland has not paved some of their streets for decades (think cobblestones) and the Brompton is a comfortable ride. By the time we got to the restaurant we were ready for a good long lunch break.

We had one more stop: a yarn store called A Verb for Keeping Warm at 6328 San Pablo Avenue. The yarn and fabric store is terrific and we enjoyed a good browse and a little shopping.

At this point we were close to the Emeryville train station and we pedaled there. The return train trip was very relaxing and just as easy to travel with my bike. The day made a successful test drive.

I have to figure out a lightweight option for locking the Brompton. And my bike repair classmates feel I should always keep my Brooks bike saddle with me. I am also very interested in the foldable helmet that my friend Hetta brought to my attention.

Children's book author Austin Lan was my bike buddy — Children’s book illustrator Austin Lan was my bike buddy

May 6, 2014April 30, 2014

Let’s Go to Hip Winters, California

The city of Winters just keeps getting hipper and hipper. Located in Yolo County (on the edge of Solano County), it hugs Putah Creek and offers the charm of small town with very cool community life.

It is a cycling hub with Mike’s Velo City bike shop, and several places to stop for coffee or breakfast including Steady Eddy’s. It has an impressive restaurant to citizen ratio. My favorite is Ficelle with tapas and other delicious small plates.

Putah Creek Cafe is a great diner that also serves Sunday dinners. It says pies on the awning, but I have not found pie available the times I went (disappointing!). The Buckhorn Steakhouse is an institution and terrific. We celebrated a family birthday the other night; the service was off the charts and my rack of lamb was so good I was gnawing on the bones to get every bit. Steakhouse prices, so we will save it for celebrations.

There is a crowd of young people who are starting wineries and breweries and cheese shops. First stop: Turkovich Family Winery for wine tasting.

They even have a yarn store, a fabric/quilting store, and a piano on Main Street!

Adapted from a post that first appeared on Bay Delta Tourist blog.