We stayed here for a wedding weekend, and the first and best thing I have to say about this hotel is that the location is AWESOME, especially for a wedding weekend. There's tons of shopping, restaurants, etc. It's a pretty good trek from the airport though, so you'll want to take that into account.
That being said, let's talk about the hotel. The pros:
-Staff is incredible and very friendly. We had a really late arrival, and they let us take beverages from the mini-mart downstairs at no charge. (It's the little things.)
-Housekeeping was incredibly understanding and helpful when we needed our room cleaned later due to the wedding festivities. They were kind, patient, and friendly whenever we ran into them.
-The rooms are large, comfortable, and the beds were soft. It was like sinking into a cloud.
-The pool/workout area offers water.
-Free parking at a full-service property!!
-We rarely heard our neighbors, if at all.
The "eh":
-The rooms are dated and even though the rooms have been renovated, they still seem dated, and I could see a lot of water damage on our room.
-Our toilet didn't seem to have enough water pressure to flush correctly, and we had to hold it down multiple times. The shower water pressure wasn't that great either, and we were on a lower floor.
-Our door didn't shut completely. Several times we thought we had pulled it closed, and we would come back to find it ajar. Not sure if it was our error, housekeeping, or a combination, but it was a little alarming, to say the least.
-CNN didn't seem to work or be included with the cable package - it was a constant car commercial.
The rooms overlooking the lake were really peaceful, and we would have liked to have one. :) Overall, at a lower rate, I think this hotel is a great value. It's not as nice as some full-service properties, but it is a lot nicer than older Courtyards or Fairfield Inns, and the rate was pretty comparable. I'd go back based on the location and the lake if I had business in the area.
07 November 2011
17 January 2011
I'm OK with OKC!
This past weekend, Boyfriend and I headed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to see the George Strait, Reba McEntire, and LeeAnn Womack concert! Since the concert wasn’t until Saturday night, I proposed we drive down on Friday and make a weekend of it, and Boyfriend obliged.
I was able to get us reservations at the Hilton Skirvin Hotel, and boy, I’m glad I did! The hotel is just as luxurious as the pictures on the Hilton website. The service was absolutely impeccable. Even though our requested room type wasn’t available, the staff was extremely friendly and very apologetic. (They had a large wedding booked on Saturday night.) We had a large room on the 11th floor that was beautifully and comfortably appointed. The beds were new Hilton beds and extremely comfortable – it was like sleeping on a cloud! The bathroom was especially large and there was plenty of room to get ready. The ONE drawback about the hotel was the weak water pressure, but I understand this is an older hotel, and it’s just one of those things. Every time we retrieved the car from valet, they made sure to give us directions AROUND the construction going on downtown and tried to help us find our destination. They would always have the car pulled around by the time we got downstairs. I have zero complaints about this hotel, and it was only three blocks away from the concert hall, so we were able to walk and avoid the traffic! It’s also very convenient to Bricktown and the attractions in that area. Although we didn’t order room service or dine in the restaurant, the piano music coming from the bar was inspiring – it was almost as if we took a trip back in time. I would definitely stay here again, simply basis on the quality of the service received.
Anyway, we arrived a little before 6:00 on Friday, and I wanted to shower before we tried to go out to dinner. Tom tried to call Cattlemen’s to see if we could get a reservation for dinner, but they don’t take them, so we decided to try our luck. It was about 7:45 when we got down to the Stockyards, and we were told the wait was an hour. The restaurant wasn’t that nice and the service we received was quite brusque, so after taking one look at the waiting room upstairs with ONE bartender and a line across the room to get drinks, we decided to try our luck elsewhere. We ended up at Carino’s, which was ok. I had to send my food back because it was stone cold, but the service was friendly and we only had to wait 20 minutes. We had talked about going to a movie, but we were both so tired, we decided to go back to the room and relax.
Saturday morning, we woke up and Tom was ready to hit up the Oklahoma City Science Musuem, as they had an imax, and they were showing two films – Extreme and Everest. We bought tickets to both. ;) Everest was GREAT – go see it if you have the opportunity!! Extreme made me a little motion sick. The imax was really nice though – comfortable seats, clean, and not too loud. It’s definitely on our radar now. We decided to try Cattlemen’s again for lunch, but again, there was a crazy wait and people were lined up outside, so we decided to skip it again. We found a Chinese restaurant and had a late lunch there. By the time we finished, we decided to head back to the hotel to rest a little while before the concert. I fell into a deep sleep for a little over an hour and Tom watched TV.
I got up at 5:30 to start getting ready. I looked SO cute, and I’m so bummed I forgot my camera. (HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!) I wore the DVF skirt I bought for the Britney Spears concert in 2009, a yellow Kate Spade top I bought this past summer, and Camille’s ADORABLE boots. Tom LOVED my outfit, and I did, too. I looked ridiculously cute. Country chic? Maybe? Anyway, we walked over to the arena and were surprised to see how GREAT our seats were. Hello front row!! The security lady in front of us was super friendly, too. She asked if we were on our honeymoon; I guess we had stars in our eyes, lol.
The concert was incredible! Lee Ann Womack sang my favourite songs – I Hope You Dance and Think of a Reason Later… turns out, Boyfriend loves Think of a Reason Later, too. Lol… Reba sang an eclectic mix of old and new songs, and I belted them right along with her. I swear to God my boyfriend thought it was cute. ;) Then it was time for George… oh George, you haven’t aged a bit. He played for awhile, and Boyfriend would take my hands and sing to me. It was seriously cute. (Don’t be jealous.) There was an especially sweet moment during I Cross My Heart.
The thing that impressed me most about this concert was the lack of special effects – none of these artists needed the special effects to be good – you could tell they were ACTUALLY singing, and boy they were good at it! They sound exactly like the CDs. They are really that talented. We absolutely loved it! (So, thanks Mom!!!!)
After the concert, we headed back to the hotel to figure out what our late night dining options were. We barely missed Cattlemen’s (again)… so we ended up at Buffalo Wild Wings and had a smorgasbord of appetizers before heading back to the hotel and staying up way too late talking and telling stories. We slept extremely late on Sunday, checking out of the hotel at exactly noon, and getting back to Dallas at 3:20… which was followed by naps instead of grocery shopping… and scrounging around for dinner, but hey, it worked! ;)
And now it’s back to reality… but weekends like that, they’re pretty amazing, too. ;) I just wish I had pictures to share!
I was able to get us reservations at the Hilton Skirvin Hotel, and boy, I’m glad I did! The hotel is just as luxurious as the pictures on the Hilton website. The service was absolutely impeccable. Even though our requested room type wasn’t available, the staff was extremely friendly and very apologetic. (They had a large wedding booked on Saturday night.) We had a large room on the 11th floor that was beautifully and comfortably appointed. The beds were new Hilton beds and extremely comfortable – it was like sleeping on a cloud! The bathroom was especially large and there was plenty of room to get ready. The ONE drawback about the hotel was the weak water pressure, but I understand this is an older hotel, and it’s just one of those things. Every time we retrieved the car from valet, they made sure to give us directions AROUND the construction going on downtown and tried to help us find our destination. They would always have the car pulled around by the time we got downstairs. I have zero complaints about this hotel, and it was only three blocks away from the concert hall, so we were able to walk and avoid the traffic! It’s also very convenient to Bricktown and the attractions in that area. Although we didn’t order room service or dine in the restaurant, the piano music coming from the bar was inspiring – it was almost as if we took a trip back in time. I would definitely stay here again, simply basis on the quality of the service received.
Anyway, we arrived a little before 6:00 on Friday, and I wanted to shower before we tried to go out to dinner. Tom tried to call Cattlemen’s to see if we could get a reservation for dinner, but they don’t take them, so we decided to try our luck. It was about 7:45 when we got down to the Stockyards, and we were told the wait was an hour. The restaurant wasn’t that nice and the service we received was quite brusque, so after taking one look at the waiting room upstairs with ONE bartender and a line across the room to get drinks, we decided to try our luck elsewhere. We ended up at Carino’s, which was ok. I had to send my food back because it was stone cold, but the service was friendly and we only had to wait 20 minutes. We had talked about going to a movie, but we were both so tired, we decided to go back to the room and relax.
Saturday morning, we woke up and Tom was ready to hit up the Oklahoma City Science Musuem, as they had an imax, and they were showing two films – Extreme and Everest. We bought tickets to both. ;) Everest was GREAT – go see it if you have the opportunity!! Extreme made me a little motion sick. The imax was really nice though – comfortable seats, clean, and not too loud. It’s definitely on our radar now. We decided to try Cattlemen’s again for lunch, but again, there was a crazy wait and people were lined up outside, so we decided to skip it again. We found a Chinese restaurant and had a late lunch there. By the time we finished, we decided to head back to the hotel to rest a little while before the concert. I fell into a deep sleep for a little over an hour and Tom watched TV.
I got up at 5:30 to start getting ready. I looked SO cute, and I’m so bummed I forgot my camera. (HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!) I wore the DVF skirt I bought for the Britney Spears concert in 2009, a yellow Kate Spade top I bought this past summer, and Camille’s ADORABLE boots. Tom LOVED my outfit, and I did, too. I looked ridiculously cute. Country chic? Maybe? Anyway, we walked over to the arena and were surprised to see how GREAT our seats were. Hello front row!! The security lady in front of us was super friendly, too. She asked if we were on our honeymoon; I guess we had stars in our eyes, lol.
The concert was incredible! Lee Ann Womack sang my favourite songs – I Hope You Dance and Think of a Reason Later… turns out, Boyfriend loves Think of a Reason Later, too. Lol… Reba sang an eclectic mix of old and new songs, and I belted them right along with her. I swear to God my boyfriend thought it was cute. ;) Then it was time for George… oh George, you haven’t aged a bit. He played for awhile, and Boyfriend would take my hands and sing to me. It was seriously cute. (Don’t be jealous.) There was an especially sweet moment during I Cross My Heart.
The thing that impressed me most about this concert was the lack of special effects – none of these artists needed the special effects to be good – you could tell they were ACTUALLY singing, and boy they were good at it! They sound exactly like the CDs. They are really that talented. We absolutely loved it! (So, thanks Mom!!!!)
After the concert, we headed back to the hotel to figure out what our late night dining options were. We barely missed Cattlemen’s (again)… so we ended up at Buffalo Wild Wings and had a smorgasbord of appetizers before heading back to the hotel and staying up way too late talking and telling stories. We slept extremely late on Sunday, checking out of the hotel at exactly noon, and getting back to Dallas at 3:20… which was followed by naps instead of grocery shopping… and scrounging around for dinner, but hey, it worked! ;)
And now it’s back to reality… but weekends like that, they’re pretty amazing, too. ;) I just wish I had pictures to share!
26 September 2010
Hilton Molino Stucky -- Venice 2010
Owing to the fact that I have literally spent the last 3 days at work with nothing to do, I decided it’s time to get cracking on my trip reports from my Italy trip.
The second part of our Italian adventure was spent in Venice, and after spending a lot of time online trying to find the right hotel, I decided to book via Hotwire because I knew we would end up with the Hilton Molino Stucky based on my research. We ended up paying about $150/night for it by using Hotwire.
The first thing about the hotel is that it’s on a separate island from Venice proper in the Guidecca. We read Elton John actually has an estate in the island. We took a vaperetto from St. Lucia to Zattere and picked up the complimentary hotel shuttle from there. It was like clockwork, seriously. The hardest part was simply navigating a crowded vaperetto with our luggage. The hotel shuttle drops you off right in front of the hotel, and we were able to check in immediately. We were given a room in one of the back towers (this hotel is a maze – it was a former mill) overlooking a small courtyard. The room was quite large by Venetian standards and beautifully appointed. After Florence, we relished the luxury of the bathtub, the large marble bathroom, and comfortable bed. The staff was friendly, although not entirely efficient – they run on Italian time.
One thing that concerned me when I read the reviews was the hassle of the hotel shuttle, but truthfully, it was very easy. We could go to Zattere or directly to San Marco on a set schedule. There was also a vaperetto stop within minutes of the hotel when the hotel shuttle wasn’t running. We spent many nights roaming around Venice, and we were still able to get back via hotel shuttle. Additionally, I got up before the hotel shuttle was running one morning to photograph the city, and I was able to catch a vaperetto to San Marco without a problem. There is a period of time during the evening when they take a break, but you can schedule around that. You can get a full schedule from the front desk.
The location of the hotel is fantastic. Venice is very crowded during the day, so it’s nice to have reprieve from the crowds when you return to your room. The hotel was very peaceful and we never heard our neighbors, even though the hotel was sold out while we were there. Breakfast is pricy, so I suggest visiting the market and bringing things back to your room. There is a Billa market within a 5 minute walk of the Zattere stop with reasonably priced groceries. There’s also a wonderful rooftop bar with beautiful views of the city. We never tried the restaurants, but Gianni’s at the Zattere stop was pretty tasty with a varied menu. We had more than a few meals there after a long day of sight-seeing.
Overall, I would recommend this hotel over anything near San Marco, the Rialto or on the Grand Canal. The traffic is just too frantic, and I would tire of fighting the crowds. Plus, you have to contend with the aqua alta throughout the day. The Molino Stucky is a calm oasis and a beautiful place to rest after experiencing the beauty of Venice. The beds are comfortable, the air conditioner works well, the windows open, and the service is very friendly. What more do you want?
And, they have a spa on site so you can pamper your feet after a long day of exploring!
09 September 2010
Florence, Italy -- planning!
Okay, I know. It's been awhile since I checked in. The truth is, the furthest I've been these days in Lubbock. Well, okay, there was a Southern California stint. With no remarkable restaurants. So there.
But next Friday, my mom and I are off to Italy. Florence and Venice. I'm still working on everything, but we do have reservations at one restaurant. And a cooking class.
We'll be dining at the Golden View on Sunday. This is an especially exciting experience, as it's where the girls took me to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I hope it's just as tasty as I remember. They have live music and amazing views of the Ponte Vecchio, so I'm ecstatic to be going back.
Also, we'll be taking a cooking class at In Tavola one evening.
But next Friday, my mom and I are off to Italy. Florence and Venice. I'm still working on everything, but we do have reservations at one restaurant. And a cooking class.
We'll be dining at the Golden View on Sunday. This is an especially exciting experience, as it's where the girls took me to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I hope it's just as tasty as I remember. They have live music and amazing views of the Ponte Vecchio, so I'm ecstatic to be going back.
Also, we'll be taking a cooking class at In Tavola one evening.
02 March 2010
Almyra Hotel -- Paphos, Cyprus
I stayed at the Almyra while attending a wedding of a friend that took place on the property in late November. As tourist season had recently ended, we often felt as if we had the resort to ourselves. Be sure and try the Cypriot walnut specialty offered during check-in – it’s unusual, but very tasty. We had booked a terrace sea view room, and I’m glad we did. We were on the third floor, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. Large picture windows looked out on the sea, and we could open the sliding doors and let the sea breeze in. Rooms were nicely appointed, though I truthfully didn’t notice the TV. We were so busy, it didn’t seem necessary. The bathroom had WONDERFUL products that smelled heavenly. Be sure and take them home with you! Our rate included breakfast, and the options were endless. Everything was fresh and tasty – I couldn’t believe the assortment. Eggs, sausages, fresh yogurts, fruits, nuts – absolutely anything you could desire. I’ve never seen a ‘free’ breakfast like that anywhere in the States. We often didn’t need lunch, because breakfast was so filling. The hotel also handled the catering for the wedding dinner, and everything was WONDERFUL. There was a chocolate torte that was out of this world! We also had a rooftop wine reception, and the appetizers served were very tasty. Everything Alymra does, they do well.
The pool area was so relaxing and peaceful. There are semi-private cabanas and plenty of comfortable areas to lounge in. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t anywhere to sit down by the sea, but the pool overlooks the sea, and the setting is just beautiful.
There were two computers in the lobby available for internet use at no charge. A very nice amenity.
The girls who work in the Toni and Guy salon were so bubbly, friendly, and helpful. They did a great job styling the wedding party.
Everyone we encountered at the hotel was friendly, eager to please, and proud of their country. They were always helpful to provide recommendations, information on the area, and assist with any requests. The service was truly unparalleled, and the wedding weekend went so smoothly, and everything was absolutely lovely.
The hotel is well-located – a short walk from the Paphos Harbor and within walking distance of several restaurants and shops. We liked Café Vienna and the sushi restaurant across from Alymra. For coffee addicted Americans, there is a Starbucks nearby. The old city center is a short bus ride away, and the hotel staff is happy to assist with those directions. We enjoyed the market, but it packs up early Saturday afternoons.
Overall, we had a wonderful stay, made even better by the welcoming staff and their attention to detail. No complaints here.
The pool area was so relaxing and peaceful. There are semi-private cabanas and plenty of comfortable areas to lounge in. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t anywhere to sit down by the sea, but the pool overlooks the sea, and the setting is just beautiful.
There were two computers in the lobby available for internet use at no charge. A very nice amenity.
The girls who work in the Toni and Guy salon were so bubbly, friendly, and helpful. They did a great job styling the wedding party.
Everyone we encountered at the hotel was friendly, eager to please, and proud of their country. They were always helpful to provide recommendations, information on the area, and assist with any requests. The service was truly unparalleled, and the wedding weekend went so smoothly, and everything was absolutely lovely.
The hotel is well-located – a short walk from the Paphos Harbor and within walking distance of several restaurants and shops. We liked Café Vienna and the sushi restaurant across from Alymra. For coffee addicted Americans, there is a Starbucks nearby. The old city center is a short bus ride away, and the hotel staff is happy to assist with those directions. We enjoyed the market, but it packs up early Saturday afternoons.
Overall, we had a wonderful stay, made even better by the welcoming staff and their attention to detail. No complaints here.
17 August 2009
Berryhill Baja Grill -- Dallas, Texas
Stumbled in here on a Saturday evening for a quick bite, expecting it to be along the lines of Baja Fresh or something similar. We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t. We really didn’t know what to expect though, and we were concerned because the restaurant was empty.
They brought out chips and salsa immediately, and I thought the salsa had a good flavor. It had a good kick, but definitely no bite. Also ordered the mint lemonade, which was surprisingly tasty. I’ve ordered this at Gloria’s a couple times, and the flavors never seemed to blend as well as they did at Berryhill. Very refreshing and cool.
I ordered a variety of their tamales, and my dining companion ordered the corn enchilada, a beef tamale, and the fish taco. He’s from San Diego, so he has high expectations on fish tacos – and he thought they were pretty good. He did comment that it was quite a bit larger than the street tacos that he is used to, but it had a good flavor. He chose to get the fish grilled instead of fried, and is wanting to try it fried next time. He also said the corn enchilada was very good.
As for the tamales – know that they are HUGE. I’ve never seen tamales this big in a restaurant. My only complaint is that the masa was a bit thicker than I like to make them, but the meat seasoning was VERY good. I recommend the pork or chicken tamales, as the bean and beef were a bit bland. The pork was by far the best – very tender, flavorful, and filling. I don’t like to order tamales in restaurants, having been spoiled by homemade ones, but these were very good, all things considered. They are huge though – be warned.
The service isn’t anything to write home about, which is too bad. Our waitress was attentive enough, but she seemed incredibly distracted, and ended up sending someone else over to finish us up when a large party was seated in her section.
As a whole, we were sufficiently satisfied with this experience. It’s in a non-descript strip mall, but they have tried very hard to get away from that image by creating a restaurant with character and a memorable menu. Get the tamales and try the lemonade.
They brought out chips and salsa immediately, and I thought the salsa had a good flavor. It had a good kick, but definitely no bite. Also ordered the mint lemonade, which was surprisingly tasty. I’ve ordered this at Gloria’s a couple times, and the flavors never seemed to blend as well as they did at Berryhill. Very refreshing and cool.
I ordered a variety of their tamales, and my dining companion ordered the corn enchilada, a beef tamale, and the fish taco. He’s from San Diego, so he has high expectations on fish tacos – and he thought they were pretty good. He did comment that it was quite a bit larger than the street tacos that he is used to, but it had a good flavor. He chose to get the fish grilled instead of fried, and is wanting to try it fried next time. He also said the corn enchilada was very good.
As for the tamales – know that they are HUGE. I’ve never seen tamales this big in a restaurant. My only complaint is that the masa was a bit thicker than I like to make them, but the meat seasoning was VERY good. I recommend the pork or chicken tamales, as the bean and beef were a bit bland. The pork was by far the best – very tender, flavorful, and filling. I don’t like to order tamales in restaurants, having been spoiled by homemade ones, but these were very good, all things considered. They are huge though – be warned.
The service isn’t anything to write home about, which is too bad. Our waitress was attentive enough, but she seemed incredibly distracted, and ended up sending someone else over to finish us up when a large party was seated in her section.
As a whole, we were sufficiently satisfied with this experience. It’s in a non-descript strip mall, but they have tried very hard to get away from that image by creating a restaurant with character and a memorable menu. Get the tamales and try the lemonade.
La Cubanita -- Dallas, Texas
After our original plans fell through on a Friday night, we were able to haphazardly get everyone together for dinner around 8:00 at La Cubanita. I was dubious at first, thinking it would be a more pricey version of Cuba Libre, but I was pleasantly surprised.
First off, this is McKinney Avenue, and during peak times, you’re going to have to valet. It’s frustrating, yes, but it’s just part of coming down here. Some areas have more parking than others, but I find it to be less of a hassle, if you just go ahead and valet. I think it is unfortunate that they don’t validate valet, but it’s just part of it.
While we waited for everyone to arrive, the waiter recommended we start off with the mariquitas con Guacamole and a pitcher of Mango Sangria. The black bean dip that was served with the appetizer was extremely tasty. The Cuban salsa was so-so, but it did have a good flavor. Everything was fresh. The Mango Sangria was out of this world. I thought the flavors meshed well together, and it was very smooth. Absolutely incredible. We finished off three of these throughout the meal.
Entrees around the table included the churrasco, the churrasco de pollo, Cuban Lechon Asado, the garlic shrimp, and a side of sweet potato fries. Our waiter recommended the churrasco and the Cuban Lechon Asado as being the best things on the menu. He wasn’t kidding. The churrasco had a great flavor; it was extremely tender, and cooked to perfection. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chimmichuri sauce had an excellent flavor, and it wasn’t overpowering. The Cuban Lechon Asado was so tender; it literally would fall apart with a fork. They served it with a garlic sauce on the side that really added another dimension to it. Very tasty. The chicken was slightly overcooked and dry, but the seasoning was tasty, though admittedly, the steak received more rave reviews at our table. All the sides had good flavor, though it can be a LOT of food. Finally, the garlic shrimp was good – served in a sauce, not unlike the Chimmichuri sauce with an addition of cilantro. The shrimp were tiny, but everything was flavored well. The Cuban flatbread was fresh, too. The sweet potato fries weren’t greasy at all.
La Cubanita has a lot of character, with doors that open onto the patio throughout the restaurant and beautiful lighting during the evening. It has old world charm, reminding me of many restaurants I visited in small towns in Italy. The slight breeze that comes in through the open doors can be refreshing. The dining room is very small, but it’s cozy in a good way. The service was unassuming and prompt. Our waiter was always there when we needed him, but not intrusive throughout the meal. My only complaint is the large television that can be distracting, but it’s not a deal breaker.
As a whole, we felt it was a great experience, though it can be on the pricey side. The food was quality and tasty. If you go, be sure and try the mango sangria. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer night. I haven’t been to Cuban, so I can’t comment on the authenticity, but this is definitely one of the better restaurants I’ve been to in Dallas. Everyone in our party of 6 thoroughly enjoyed it.
First off, this is McKinney Avenue, and during peak times, you’re going to have to valet. It’s frustrating, yes, but it’s just part of coming down here. Some areas have more parking than others, but I find it to be less of a hassle, if you just go ahead and valet. I think it is unfortunate that they don’t validate valet, but it’s just part of it.
While we waited for everyone to arrive, the waiter recommended we start off with the mariquitas con Guacamole and a pitcher of Mango Sangria. The black bean dip that was served with the appetizer was extremely tasty. The Cuban salsa was so-so, but it did have a good flavor. Everything was fresh. The Mango Sangria was out of this world. I thought the flavors meshed well together, and it was very smooth. Absolutely incredible. We finished off three of these throughout the meal.
Entrees around the table included the churrasco, the churrasco de pollo, Cuban Lechon Asado, the garlic shrimp, and a side of sweet potato fries. Our waiter recommended the churrasco and the Cuban Lechon Asado as being the best things on the menu. He wasn’t kidding. The churrasco had a great flavor; it was extremely tender, and cooked to perfection. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chimmichuri sauce had an excellent flavor, and it wasn’t overpowering. The Cuban Lechon Asado was so tender; it literally would fall apart with a fork. They served it with a garlic sauce on the side that really added another dimension to it. Very tasty. The chicken was slightly overcooked and dry, but the seasoning was tasty, though admittedly, the steak received more rave reviews at our table. All the sides had good flavor, though it can be a LOT of food. Finally, the garlic shrimp was good – served in a sauce, not unlike the Chimmichuri sauce with an addition of cilantro. The shrimp were tiny, but everything was flavored well. The Cuban flatbread was fresh, too. The sweet potato fries weren’t greasy at all.
La Cubanita has a lot of character, with doors that open onto the patio throughout the restaurant and beautiful lighting during the evening. It has old world charm, reminding me of many restaurants I visited in small towns in Italy. The slight breeze that comes in through the open doors can be refreshing. The dining room is very small, but it’s cozy in a good way. The service was unassuming and prompt. Our waiter was always there when we needed him, but not intrusive throughout the meal. My only complaint is the large television that can be distracting, but it’s not a deal breaker.
As a whole, we felt it was a great experience, though it can be on the pricey side. The food was quality and tasty. If you go, be sure and try the mango sangria. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer night. I haven’t been to Cuban, so I can’t comment on the authenticity, but this is definitely one of the better restaurants I’ve been to in Dallas. Everyone in our party of 6 thoroughly enjoyed it.
06 July 2009
Breadwinners -- Dallas, Texas
I had been to Breadwinners for lunch, but I’ve heard that breakfast/brunch is truly their forte, so when I had company in town over the 4th of July weekend, we decided to give it a try. We arrived around 11:00 on Saturday morning, and we had a short wait until our entire party arrived. We opted for the patio, as we had a dog in tow and they are a dog friendly establishment.
The hostess was very efficient, but definitely not much on personality. I expect the crowds get overwhelming on the weekends – even on a holiday weekend, this place was hopping. Once we were seated, the service was good. The waitress even brought out a water dish for the pooch.
The various breads they brought out before the entrees were fresh and tasty. There wasn’t a crumb left of any of them, especially the pumpkin and tomato breads. Everyone’s meals were exceptional – BW’s Benedict, the Farmhouse, and Julio’s Huevos were the favourites around the table. I opted for the classic breakfast, and it was TONS of food. There was more than enough bacon. I definitely prefer the brunch potatoes here to Café Brazil’s, but Charlie Palmer still has the best potatoes in my opinion.
Presentation isn’t much, but the food is tasty, fresh, and served warm. The prices are average for this area, and I think the quality surpasses other cafes around Dallas. The orange juice tasted extremely fresh. If you want to do traditional breakfast, Breadwinners is definitely where it’s at.
The hostess was very efficient, but definitely not much on personality. I expect the crowds get overwhelming on the weekends – even on a holiday weekend, this place was hopping. Once we were seated, the service was good. The waitress even brought out a water dish for the pooch.
The various breads they brought out before the entrees were fresh and tasty. There wasn’t a crumb left of any of them, especially the pumpkin and tomato breads. Everyone’s meals were exceptional – BW’s Benedict, the Farmhouse, and Julio’s Huevos were the favourites around the table. I opted for the classic breakfast, and it was TONS of food. There was more than enough bacon. I definitely prefer the brunch potatoes here to Café Brazil’s, but Charlie Palmer still has the best potatoes in my opinion.
Presentation isn’t much, but the food is tasty, fresh, and served warm. The prices are average for this area, and I think the quality surpasses other cafes around Dallas. The orange juice tasted extremely fresh. If you want to do traditional breakfast, Breadwinners is definitely where it’s at.
25 June 2009
Jiang's -- Dallas, Snider Plaza
We had read a lot of positive reviews on this place, so we decided to try it out for dinner on a week night. The staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, which is why I hate to mark this place as average at all. Our glasses were continuously filled, the waitress was friendly, and the service was prompt. The food was simply okay -- nothing spectacular. They brought us a basket of won ton chips with our soup. We both had won ton soup -- the broth was good, but the won tons were lacking flavor. For entrees, we chose the beef with broccoli and the mandarin chicken. The nice thing about Jiang's is they don't smother the food in sauce. The broccoli on both dishes also appeared to be steamed, instead of frieds. I thought the flavor of the Mandarin Chicken was good, but it definitely didn't need to be labeled as a spicy dish. The beef with broccoli was so-so. The owners have tried to make it nice, but it doesn't have much in the way of character or ambiance. They seem to do a steady takeout business though. Parking was no problem -- plenty of 2 hour spots on a week night. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, it just didn't live up to the hype.
24 May 2009
Paddling my kayak alone, day three
Sunday mornings in London always start slower for me. Usually, I stay out late on Saturday evenings, photographing the beautiful London night. I like to sleep in on Sunday mornings, paying homage to the Grosvenor House bed monster.
Once I got up and around, I decided to head to the Sunday morning art market that runs along Bayswater Street. Not much had changed from the February market, except the artist I was looking for wasn’t there! I was so disappointed. From there, I decided to soak up the beautiful London weather in Hyde Park. It was seriously a beautiful day – the whole weekend was beautiful. I bought an ice cream cone from a vendor, and I sat for hours, legs stretched out, watching the families and children enjoy the beautiful day. It was so relaxing. I just wanted to stay out there forever.
From Hyde Park, I caught a bus and headed to Westminster Cathedral – there is a difference. It’s beautiful, too, but not quite as stately or ostentatious as Westminster Abby. It was nearing time for vespers though, so the bells were ringing. From there, I walked back towards Victoria Station and headed off in the direction of Buckingham Palaca, hoping to jog my memory from my layover in London. I found the Royal Mews, but nothing else looked familiar. After visiting Buckingham Palace, I walked along the mall through St. James Park, which is quite a bit larger than I thought. It’s an interesting walk along the path though – many beautiful buildings.
As I made my way to Westminster, with hopes of watching the sunset over the Thames, I encountered a writer who stopped me to talk about how I had the most positive energy surrounding me. We chatted for awhile – photographer to writer, and I continued on my way. I bought postcards from a vendor, found a bench in front of County Hall, and spent another hour, soaking up the beauty of everything. From there, I decided to head down to the Tower of London, another beautiful place to sit and enjoy. I love the Tower Bridge, and on late Sunday afternoon, it seems like you have the place to yourself. Lovely.
As the night started to cool down, I hopped on a bus to St. Paul’s. It was completely deserted. Rarely will you ever be able to stand in front of this beautiful structure and feel as if you are the only person in the whole world experiencing its beauty. I made it Trafalgar Square (again) as the sky was beginning to turn purple, and I watched twilight overcome Big Ben in the distance. Beautiful, beautiful moment.
It was time to look for dinner by then, so I hopped on a bus until I found Chinatown. I proceeded to follow my nose from place to place until I had my fill of Asian street foods. I must have walked miles that day, but never even felt them pass. I decided to call it an “early” night, stopping off at a grocery for my last bit of chocolate before retiring to the hotel around 10:00.
London is such a beautiful city, because the old favourites are always standing strong, tried and true, but there are always new neighborhoods to explore. This time it was Chinatown. Last time it was Seven Dials. One day I’ll make it to all the places in London – or perhaps I won’t. That way, I’ll always have a reason to return. I did a lot of thinking on this trip and I made a lot of decisions about my personal life.
There’s no better place for contemplation than a park in London when it’s 70 degrees and sunny.
Oh, beautiful world.
23 May 2009
Paddling my kayak alone, London Day 2
Saturday morning, I woke up feeling well rested and ready to take on another day in London. First order of business: a memory card! I decided to head to Piccadilly Circus, because I figured I would be able to find something there since the tourists are out in droves. I found an independently owned photo shop, and I chatted it up with the owner. He knew my camera and told me a lot of things about it – then he showed me what he had in the way of memory cards. 40 pounds later, I had a 2 gig memory card. OUCH. I have learned to never make that mistake again.
However, he was a kind soul, and I felt better patronizing a local business. He even took a couple of pictures of me with my camera to show some different features and lighting.
My second stop was, of course, Leicester Square, for Saturday evening theater tickets. Again, I got hosed, lol. They advertised the tickets as being discounted, but the price I paid was higher than the face value. GRRRRR. I ended up with tickets to Sister Act, which was schedule to open a week later at the Palladium theater – another massive theater by London standards. I did get a good seat though – row L, front and center.
My third stop was Waterstones books, on a mission for the lovely Julie. Her daughter, Ava, loves the Ladybug books, and apparently they are really expensive in the US. They are 2-3 pounds in the UK, so Julie sent me a laundry list of the books she wanted for Ava. Two stores later, I had collected all of them. I decided to wander down Oxford Street to get back to my hotel, and there was a festival going on for the release of Night at the Museum. It was crazy! There was a parade and vendors and TONS of people. It was fun to see how caught up it everyone got, though it made navigating the streets a little difficult.
From there, I dropped off the books at the hotel and decided to head to Kensington Palace and Gardens. I had walked through this area on my first trip to London and embracing my inner nostalgia, I decided to head back. It was a beautiful day in London, and I wanted to be outside, soaking it all up! The gardens were BEAUTIFUL, and I loved photographing the beautiful flowers. There were also a few sweet old couples muttering sweet nothings to each other, so I just sat and watched. What a beautiful moment to share. You just wonder what their stories are and how they ended up there, too. At least, I do. ;-) I did spend quite a bit of time trying to stay far, far away from the bees though. They were out in numbers! I guess they enjoy beautiful weather, too.
I headed back to the hotel to rest my feet and get ready for the show. I always have a hard time remembering that London has a 7:30 curtain time for most shows. I headed down Regent Street to find an Italian restaurant that was written up in my guidebook, but I couldn’t find the side street for the life of me. I decided to see what was around the Palladium, and guess what I found? Wait for it… Bella Italia, again. I realized that I was probably bordering on the absurd visiting the same restaurant again, but they had outdoor seating and I knew the food was good. So, away I went. I did decide to order something different this time – I ordered their pizza, and it was excellent! Light and tasty, just like Italy! After dinner, I had a bit of time to kill, so I headed to the Apple store to check my email for free and ponder the beautiful iMac.
Sister Act was absolutely nothing like the movie with none of the same music – that was disappointing. BUT, as a standalone show, it was AWESOME. The cast was PHENOMENAL. The woman who played Delores, played by Patina Miller, had a set of pipes. She was SO talented. She is going to go FAR, trust me. It was a really fun show with beautiful sets and costumes, though it was inappropriate in the way that only British musicals can be inappropriate. It worked though – the show was excellent. I don’t know if it will make it to Broadway or not, but the London theatre scene LOVED it. They were on their feet before curtain calls even started. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a show that was as well received as Sister Act. The notable exception being Guys and Dolls, but the critics HATED that. It may not have any humdingers, but it’s still an entertaining show, once.
After the musical, I boarded a bus for Westminster Abby for my evening photo rounds. Unfortunately, I seemed to get off at the wrong stop, so I had quite a trek. Luckily, I know my way around fairly well, and I managed to get over there. I spent awhile taking pictures of Big Ben, wandering on both sides of Westminster Bridge. A guy and I made eyes at each other, but I started to get uncomfortable, so I headed off. He was probably a nice enough lad, but I was just dubious. I’m so not that girl. I don’t do well with it, at all.
I hopped on a bus shortly after midnight to head back to the hotel, knowing that the fountains at Trafalgar Square usually turn off at midnight. I stopped again at the Tesco Station and bought chocolate to enjoy back in my room. When I arrived at the hotel, there was clearly a big event going on – men in tuxes and women in the most gorgeous evening gowns I’ve ever seen. I pondered going to sit in the hotel bar and people watching, but I decided I really didn’t have the appropriate attire, so I retired for the night. Another beautiful day in London… and beautiful men before bed to boot! ;-)
22 May 2009
Friday in London -- paddling my kayak alone...
Friday in London always starts the same for me. Heathrow Express to Paddington, black cab to Grosvenor House, and off to the West End for theater tickets and to email my mom from the visitor's center. I had planned to see what was available at the TKTS booth and play it by ear. When I arrived, there wasn’t much of a line, but there wasn’t much of a selection either. I headed across the street to another ticket outlet and picked up tickets for Wicked. I had hoped to see Dirty Dancing or Jersey Boys, but the seats weren’t too great, so I chose Wicked. Haven’t seen it in London, so it seemed like a good choice.
From Leicester Square, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and head to Kensington. On my first overnight trip to London, I stayed in a little hotel off Kensington High Street, and I wanted to go back and make sure everything is the same. There’s also some fun shopping off the High Street, including Laura Ashley. Everything is still the same – and The Muffin Man is still there! I was thrilled! The Boots (think CVS or Walgreens) over there is really nice, too. They even carry YSL cosmetics. Unfortunately, they didn’t have their prices listed, so I couldn’t compare costs. I wandered along Kensington High Street, pondered purchases at Laura Ashley (if I had only remembered that there’s a VAT refund!!), found a TJ Maxx (in London? Really?!), and eventually hopped on a bus headed towards Harrod’s for lunch. Believe it or not, Harrod’s has food stalls that are reasonably priced and tasty! I also wandered through the beautiful children’s department and lamented the fact that Kimberly is having a boy. They had the sweetest little girl clothes! It’s so fun to just wander around in there – I’ve been multiple times, and I always get lost, and I’m confident I haven’t seen a FRACTION of the whole place.
I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the show, with the idea that I might just grab a pre-theater snack, and do a meal after the show. However, my stomach was disagreeing with that idea from the get go. The Apollo Theater isn’t as close to the West End as the other theaters, so I didn’t know of anything near the theater. As I started to wander, a branch of my little Italian restaurant found on my last trip caught my eye. Bella Italia it would be.
I decided to start with an appetizer of the Garlic Grossini, which was basically breadsticks served in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic. They were fairly tasty, but I know they have to be terrible for me. It did help to curb my appetite a little though. I ordered my standard – the linguine rustica. It was very fresh, warm, and the flavours were WONDERFUL. This is the best pasta dish – rich with flavor. One thing I love about the Bella Italia restaurants is how cosy they are. You just get a warm feeling from the moment you walk in the door. I spent the meal reading a newspaper and enjoying the company of myself. The waitress was incredibly kind.
Wicked. Oh Wicked, what can I say? I love you so much, but you just don’t seem to work with British accents. The staging was beautiful, the music is incredible, but the cast with British accents just doesn’t work. That being said, my discounted ticket was center stage, row T, and I had an excellent view of everything. The Apollo Theater is HUGE by London standards, so you’ll want the best seats you can afford. They had a water globe for sale that I haven’t seen anywhere else, and I seriously considered buying it to commemorate my trip. I decided it might be a hassle with TSA though.
After the show, I figured I’d walk from Victoria to Trafalgar Square to Westminster on a photo walk. Switched on the camera to photograph the Billy Elliott Theater and it started flashing at me: “NO CF card”. I FORGOT MY MEMORY CARD.
I wanted to cry. And kick myself. And I knew exactly where it was. Back home in my card reader.
First item on Saturday’s agenda: buy memory card.
I headed back to Grosvenor House by bus, stopping at the gas station for a PowerAde and a chocolate bar. Oh how I love European chocolate.
Luckily, my comfortable bed and beautifully appointed room soothed my feelings about forgetting the memory card. Grosvenor House is seriously the happiest place on Earth, though I am disappointed they got rid of the free computer in the lobby. You can now use the business center upstairs -- at a price.
"No minute gone ever comes back again. Take heed and see ye nothing do in vain." -- clever saying on a clock tower off Marlborough Street (shown above).
21 May 2009
Paddling my kayak alone, London 2009
This was my second trip to London this year, and I ended up paddling my kayak alone, as Mary Beth had plans to visit a spa for the bank holiday weekend, and no one else wanted to come with me. I had originally planned a trip to Copenhagen, but when AA offered their DEQM promotion again, I changed my ticket and headed to London town.
I ran by DFW early Thursday morning to check about an upgrade. No dice. I headed back to the airport around 4:00 that afternoon and asked about standing by for the 7:15pm flight. No standbys on international flights. (It's worth asking, right?) So, I headed to Reata for dinner, bought a day pass for the Admirals Club, and settled in for a couple hours of reading and email checking in the lounge.
Head down to the gate around 8:00pm. See my name on the upgrade list. Go ask agent if it's my name. She confirms it is and says they really need my seat. Asks me how I'd like to pay. I offer up the least expensive option -- denied. My ticket is booked into a different class. I offer up cold, hard cash. Denied. It's $5600. I mention the six magic words. She smiles, hands me my new boarding pass, and I'm on my way. No cash left my pocket. Incredible. Absolutely incredible.
We boarded around 8:30, and I settled into my biz seat, visions of being able to rest peacefully and waking up refreshed dancing in my head. I've said it once, I'll say it again. American Airlines' business class far eclipses the business class I experienced on United in February. The menu is better (though on this trip I only managed to barely stay away and enjoy my ice cream sundae), the IFE is exceptional, and the service is stellar. I cannot say enough good things about AA business class. The lie flat seats are comfortable, the blankets are soft on the skin, and the new amenity kits are GREAT! This girl has been converted to an AA flyer for life. They definitely have the superior product and service when it comes to AA vs. United.
As I said, I managed to stay away just long enough to enjoy an ice cream sundae before falling asleep. I can promise you we weren't even two hours in flight by the time I nodded off.
I woke up just in time for breakfast and I enjoyed my fresh fruit and yogurt before filling out my arrivals forms. We landed at Heathrow around lunchtime, which is a bit later than I like to start my day, but the sun was shining and within minutes I had boarded the Heathrow Express to Paddington.
Final Destination: Grosvenor House -- my favourite hotel in the world.
14 May 2009
Chelsea Flower Show -- London
Closing weekend of the Chelsea Flower show will occur while I am in London. I will have to attend.
21 April 2009
Mi Piaci -- Dallas
I studied abroad in Italy, so I'm generally pretty harsh on Italian restaurants. My cousin had her birthday at Mi Piaci in the wine cellar, and I cannot say enough good things about the experience. If you want to have a private, intimate dinner with a few friends, consider Mi Piace. The setting was incredible -- the main dining room is beautiful as well, overlooking beautiful fountains. Definitely a great date restaurant.
We started off with several appetizers that were brought once everyone was seated. They had arranged the meat and olive tray, bruschetta, calamari, and a shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was beautifully seasoned and quite large by Dallas standards. I'm not a big shrimp person, but these were incredible! The crackers served with the various meats also had a great flavor and were fresh.
I ordered the linguine putnanesca, and it was very tasty with fresh ingredients. There were definitely more vegetables than pasta, but the pasta was perfectly cooked and not overpowered by too much sauce. I wish there had been more of the oven dried tomatoes though. Also popular among our group was the Penne all'Arrabbiata, which was ordered by 3 people who were repeat patrons. The Ravioli al Funghi was ordered by two and enjoyed by all. Every single meal was perfect and there wasn't too much left! They have an extensive wine list available.
They allowed us to bring in our own birthday cake, though they did charge a serving fee of $2pp -- no big deal. The service was fantastic -- they kept our drinks refilled and responded to requests quickly. It was a completely relaxing evening, and we never felt rushed by the server.
Altogether it was a perfect private experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to impress.
We started off with several appetizers that were brought once everyone was seated. They had arranged the meat and olive tray, bruschetta, calamari, and a shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was beautifully seasoned and quite large by Dallas standards. I'm not a big shrimp person, but these were incredible! The crackers served with the various meats also had a great flavor and were fresh.
I ordered the linguine putnanesca, and it was very tasty with fresh ingredients. There were definitely more vegetables than pasta, but the pasta was perfectly cooked and not overpowered by too much sauce. I wish there had been more of the oven dried tomatoes though. Also popular among our group was the Penne all'Arrabbiata, which was ordered by 3 people who were repeat patrons. The Ravioli al Funghi was ordered by two and enjoyed by all. Every single meal was perfect and there wasn't too much left! They have an extensive wine list available.
They allowed us to bring in our own birthday cake, though they did charge a serving fee of $2pp -- no big deal. The service was fantastic -- they kept our drinks refilled and responded to requests quickly. It was a completely relaxing evening, and we never felt rushed by the server.
Altogether it was a perfect private experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to impress.
14 March 2009
Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day Three
Saturday ended up being a really low key day for us. Mom actually slept until 9:00, so we didn’t get up and get going until after 10:00. We decided to head to Chinatown for lunch, because I had been wanting to try soup dumplings for a long time. We ended up at Joe’s Shanghai, and unknowingly ordered two orders of the pork soup dumplings. WAY too much food. Two people can easily split one order.
For those of you who are curious, soup dumplings are Asian dumplings filled with pork and broth. You bite off the top of the dumpling, add a soy-ginger sauce to the broth, and try and eat the thing without squirting it everywhere. Very tricky, but especially tasty. They are served in a bamboo steamer, so they stay warm while you eat the others. We easily made a meal out of these.
After exploring Chinatown, we headed over to Chelsea Market – another staple on our visits to NYC. Mom and I buy a lot of oils and spices here because it is so much less expensive than at home. We also like buying the fresh pasta from the Italian market, because it’s so much more fresh and authentic than anything we can get in Texas. Unfortunately, both of my vices (Italian cookies and chocolate) were out of stock, so I couldn’t blow my diet. ;) Laden with bags once again, we grabbed a cab back to the hotel.
I ended up taking a nap Saturday afternoon, because I hadn’t slept exceptionally well on Friday night. Mom ended up napping too, and we slept until around 4:00. We got up, showered, and did our make up before heading to dinner. I decided to take her to one of my favourite places in Hell’s Kitchen, Empanada Mama.
Empanada Mama is a TINY restaurant with maybe 10 tables in the entire place, but it’s so tasty. I decided to try their pork empanadas this time, and they were even better than the beef I had last time! Incredible! Mom had the spicy chicken and the Cuban. We also ordered a medium pitcher of their red sangria. TASTY! Although… it was a LOT of sangria for the two of us. We had SEVERAL glasses, which helped keep me warm. ;) After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and got dressed for the theater.
We went to see Phantom of the Opera, as it’s definitely Mom’s favourite show. We had second row, center orchestra seats again. While I love Phantom, I was most disappointed with this cast. It was one of the weaker casts I’ve seen. However, I love the story, and the music is SO powerful, it’s hard to be truly disappointed. It was also Broadway Cares week, so I was able to get a new autographed poster for a donation to BC. (The prices have come down in this economy, lol.)
After Phantom, we headed to Sardi’s for our traditional post-Phantom dessert. As always, I ordered the profiteroles. They were especially good this time. We always do that, and anytime I have someone in NYC and we go see Phantom, I take them to Sardi’s after. It’s always fun to try and guess the celebrities from their caricatures on the wall. The service has always been good, too. I don’t know how their regular food is though.
For those of you who are curious, soup dumplings are Asian dumplings filled with pork and broth. You bite off the top of the dumpling, add a soy-ginger sauce to the broth, and try and eat the thing without squirting it everywhere. Very tricky, but especially tasty. They are served in a bamboo steamer, so they stay warm while you eat the others. We easily made a meal out of these.
After exploring Chinatown, we headed over to Chelsea Market – another staple on our visits to NYC. Mom and I buy a lot of oils and spices here because it is so much less expensive than at home. We also like buying the fresh pasta from the Italian market, because it’s so much more fresh and authentic than anything we can get in Texas. Unfortunately, both of my vices (Italian cookies and chocolate) were out of stock, so I couldn’t blow my diet. ;) Laden with bags once again, we grabbed a cab back to the hotel.
I ended up taking a nap Saturday afternoon, because I hadn’t slept exceptionally well on Friday night. Mom ended up napping too, and we slept until around 4:00. We got up, showered, and did our make up before heading to dinner. I decided to take her to one of my favourite places in Hell’s Kitchen, Empanada Mama.
Empanada Mama is a TINY restaurant with maybe 10 tables in the entire place, but it’s so tasty. I decided to try their pork empanadas this time, and they were even better than the beef I had last time! Incredible! Mom had the spicy chicken and the Cuban. We also ordered a medium pitcher of their red sangria. TASTY! Although… it was a LOT of sangria for the two of us. We had SEVERAL glasses, which helped keep me warm. ;) After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and got dressed for the theater.
We went to see Phantom of the Opera, as it’s definitely Mom’s favourite show. We had second row, center orchestra seats again. While I love Phantom, I was most disappointed with this cast. It was one of the weaker casts I’ve seen. However, I love the story, and the music is SO powerful, it’s hard to be truly disappointed. It was also Broadway Cares week, so I was able to get a new autographed poster for a donation to BC. (The prices have come down in this economy, lol.)
After Phantom, we headed to Sardi’s for our traditional post-Phantom dessert. As always, I ordered the profiteroles. They were especially good this time. We always do that, and anytime I have someone in NYC and we go see Phantom, I take them to Sardi’s after. It’s always fun to try and guess the celebrities from their caricatures on the wall. The service has always been good, too. I don’t know how their regular food is though.
13 March 2009
Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day Two
Friday morning, we woke up around 8:00 and Mom was craving breakfast. We did a little research and ended up at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. The food was standard breakfast fare, and certainly no more expensive than what I pay at Café Brazil in Dallas, and most definitely better than what I had at Café Rouge a couple weeks ago in London. However, the real treat at Ellen’s Stardust Diner was the entertainment.
All the waiters and waitresses are most likely aspiring Broadway stars, and they sing while waiting on you. These guys and girls are truly talented, singing a myriad of oldies that everyone can enjoy. I figured this place would be a bit of a cliché and not worth its salt, but the singers were truly talented and made for a fun morning.
After breakfast, we set off for some serious shopping at Bloomingdale’s. We started on the top floor and worked our way down. I found two Ralph Lauren dresses in stock for $70 each, and the sales girl located another one I wanted in my size and offered to have it shipped to my house. Mom ended up with approximately $2000 worth of clothes for less than $300. No lie. With all the discounts, coupons, and sales, she saved a TON of money. Why can’t I ever find deals like that? Mom and I were both excited, because we were able to buy things in smaller sizes. Our weight loss is paying off. Mom also decided to get a makeover at YSL, since I let her try some of my products and she LOVED them. We spent a couple hours there and decided to take a cab back, instead of lugging our purchases through the streets.
After dropping everything off at the hotel, we headed downtown to Anbar Shoes. This place is incredible. They sell overstocks and last season’s shoes at a marked down price that continues to go down every 15 days or so. They had a pair of $700 Manolo’s for $249. I bought a pair of Lily Pulitzer shoes for spring for $125. The store is divided up by color, and prices range from $29-299. I saw several shoes that I would have loved to take home with me. I settled for the Lilys though, because they will go with so many things I already own and they will be great all spring and summer.
It was nearing 5:00 when we headed back uptown, so I suggested we go ahead and do dinner and beat the pre-theater crowds. We ended up at John’s Pizzeria, one of our favorite restaurants in the theater district. Within 30 minutes, there was a line out the door and starting to head down the block. It was just as good as always though.
We headed back to the hotel to get ready and stopped by the Center Stage Bar in the hotel to have a drink before heading down to the Nederlander Theater to see Guys and Dolls. The drinks were EXCELLENT, but very pricy at $14.00 each. The bar is in the middle of the hotel lobby, so it’s not really an intimate place, but it did the job. At 7:30, we headed towards the Nederlander, arriving in time for the show, but not so early that we had to wait in line.
Guys and Dolls was a fun show, though admittedly, it didn’t seem like it was ready to open. Both Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham looked a little lost on stage at times. THAT BEING SAID, Lauren Graham is BRILLIANT as Adelaide, and the show was really well done. I know a few people haven’t liked it, and it got trashed by the critics, but it’s a new spin on an old classic. The audience LOVED it, especially during Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat. I’ve never seen such enthusiasm from the crowd as there was during the curtain call. This is not an audience who hated the show, proving that critics don’t always know what they are talking about. It just goes to show that we don’t need the sex, violence, and language to have a good show. It’s a fun show – see it with a discount, they’re readily available on Broadwaybox.com.
After the show, my mom and I hung out at the stage door in hopes of getting Lauren Graham’s autograph. We did! She and Kate Jennings Grant were both very personable and signed autographs for awhile. Oliver Platt didn’t stay as long, but he did sign a few. We were so excited about getting Lauren Graham’s autograph – we absolutely love her on Gilmore Girls.
Not a bad Friday the 13th for us!
All the waiters and waitresses are most likely aspiring Broadway stars, and they sing while waiting on you. These guys and girls are truly talented, singing a myriad of oldies that everyone can enjoy. I figured this place would be a bit of a cliché and not worth its salt, but the singers were truly talented and made for a fun morning.
After breakfast, we set off for some serious shopping at Bloomingdale’s. We started on the top floor and worked our way down. I found two Ralph Lauren dresses in stock for $70 each, and the sales girl located another one I wanted in my size and offered to have it shipped to my house. Mom ended up with approximately $2000 worth of clothes for less than $300. No lie. With all the discounts, coupons, and sales, she saved a TON of money. Why can’t I ever find deals like that? Mom and I were both excited, because we were able to buy things in smaller sizes. Our weight loss is paying off. Mom also decided to get a makeover at YSL, since I let her try some of my products and she LOVED them. We spent a couple hours there and decided to take a cab back, instead of lugging our purchases through the streets.
After dropping everything off at the hotel, we headed downtown to Anbar Shoes. This place is incredible. They sell overstocks and last season’s shoes at a marked down price that continues to go down every 15 days or so. They had a pair of $700 Manolo’s for $249. I bought a pair of Lily Pulitzer shoes for spring for $125. The store is divided up by color, and prices range from $29-299. I saw several shoes that I would have loved to take home with me. I settled for the Lilys though, because they will go with so many things I already own and they will be great all spring and summer.
It was nearing 5:00 when we headed back uptown, so I suggested we go ahead and do dinner and beat the pre-theater crowds. We ended up at John’s Pizzeria, one of our favorite restaurants in the theater district. Within 30 minutes, there was a line out the door and starting to head down the block. It was just as good as always though.
We headed back to the hotel to get ready and stopped by the Center Stage Bar in the hotel to have a drink before heading down to the Nederlander Theater to see Guys and Dolls. The drinks were EXCELLENT, but very pricy at $14.00 each. The bar is in the middle of the hotel lobby, so it’s not really an intimate place, but it did the job. At 7:30, we headed towards the Nederlander, arriving in time for the show, but not so early that we had to wait in line.
Guys and Dolls was a fun show, though admittedly, it didn’t seem like it was ready to open. Both Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham looked a little lost on stage at times. THAT BEING SAID, Lauren Graham is BRILLIANT as Adelaide, and the show was really well done. I know a few people haven’t liked it, and it got trashed by the critics, but it’s a new spin on an old classic. The audience LOVED it, especially during Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat. I’ve never seen such enthusiasm from the crowd as there was during the curtain call. This is not an audience who hated the show, proving that critics don’t always know what they are talking about. It just goes to show that we don’t need the sex, violence, and language to have a good show. It’s a fun show – see it with a discount, they’re readily available on Broadwaybox.com.
After the show, my mom and I hung out at the stage door in hopes of getting Lauren Graham’s autograph. We did! She and Kate Jennings Grant were both very personable and signed autographs for awhile. Oliver Platt didn’t stay as long, but he did sign a few. We were so excited about getting Lauren Graham’s autograph – we absolutely love her on Gilmore Girls.
Not a bad Friday the 13th for us!
12 March 2009
Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day One
Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: Doubletree Guest Suites, Times Square
My mom and I were originally booked on a 1:20 departure to LGA, but when we got to the airport at 11:45, our flight had already been delayed until after 2:00. The kiosk offered us a confirmed flight change on the 12:15 flight for $50, so we decided to take it, not knowing how late the other flight would eventually be delayed. This flight would get us into NYC around 4:40. Since we weren’t checking bags, this wasn’t a problem. We cleared security and ran off to SkyLink, since we were in the wrong terminal… of course.
The flight was boarding when we reached the gate, and we weren’t able to get seats together. However, we were on the flight, and that was all that mattered. I didn’t get lunch though, and since I had gotten up at 4:00 to go into the office that morning, I was pretty hungry. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to the bag of nuts I had packed in Mom’s bag either.
When we got to the airport, we called Carmel Car Service for our scheduled pick up. They were there promptly, and despite the fact we arrived during rush hour, the car service only cost us $24, thanks to the handy $4 off coupon that we got off their website. We were settling into our hotel well before 6:00, and I called Ruth’s Chris to see if we could move our dinner reservation up from 7:45, and they agreed, giving me a 6:45 slot.
We stayed the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square, and it is the most disappointing hotel we’ve stayed at in the Times Square area. We are regularly in NYC and have stayed at many hotels in the theater district and around Times Square. This hotel is extremely average in all categories, except for service. When we arrived, we were upgraded to a conference suite by a very friendly gentleman at the desk. All the staff was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome in their hotel.
The room itself was very dated in decor, though they have upgraded the beds. The bathroom was large though, and the Neutrogena amenities were replaced every day. The windows offered a panoramic view of Times Square, and you could shut the lights out with the shades at night.
We had a drink in the lobby bar one night -- the drinks were good, but very pricey. $14 per drink is a little steep, even for New York. The lobby bar is beautiful, but as a previous poster mentioned, it's not private or secluded -- it's right in the middle of the check in/out madness and next to the elevators.
The elevators were faster than I expected, and we rarely had to wait very long for an elevator, even though we were on one of the higher floors.
The wi-fi was TERRIBLE while we were there. It faded in and out, and often didn't work at all during half of the stay. At $12.95/day, I expected better.
Overall, it's a pleasant enough stay at the right price, but had I paid the $3000 they were asking for New Year's Eve 2008, I would have been severely disappointed. However, it is not one of my favourite hotels in the area, and I don't know that I would return. The hotel is rather bland.
At any rate, we headed to Ruth’s Chris for dinner, and it was superb. The service was exceptional. This is the second time I’ve visited this location, and I’ve been impressed both visits. Mom ordered their prix fixe dinner with the tomato salad, a filet and shrimp, and a chocolate mousse and berry dessert. I ordered a petite filet au poirve and ate most of her dessert. I know it’s terribly cliché to go to New York and eat at a chain restaurant, but I have been wanting to take Mom to Ruth’s Chris for a LONG time, and I was craving their au poivre sauce.
After dinner, we walked back to the hotel. I tried to convince Mom that we should grab TKTS tickets and head to a show, but I was unsuccessful. We went back to the hotel and unwound for the night.
Hotel: Doubletree Guest Suites, Times Square
My mom and I were originally booked on a 1:20 departure to LGA, but when we got to the airport at 11:45, our flight had already been delayed until after 2:00. The kiosk offered us a confirmed flight change on the 12:15 flight for $50, so we decided to take it, not knowing how late the other flight would eventually be delayed. This flight would get us into NYC around 4:40. Since we weren’t checking bags, this wasn’t a problem. We cleared security and ran off to SkyLink, since we were in the wrong terminal… of course.
The flight was boarding when we reached the gate, and we weren’t able to get seats together. However, we were on the flight, and that was all that mattered. I didn’t get lunch though, and since I had gotten up at 4:00 to go into the office that morning, I was pretty hungry. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to the bag of nuts I had packed in Mom’s bag either.
When we got to the airport, we called Carmel Car Service for our scheduled pick up. They were there promptly, and despite the fact we arrived during rush hour, the car service only cost us $24, thanks to the handy $4 off coupon that we got off their website. We were settling into our hotel well before 6:00, and I called Ruth’s Chris to see if we could move our dinner reservation up from 7:45, and they agreed, giving me a 6:45 slot.
We stayed the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square, and it is the most disappointing hotel we’ve stayed at in the Times Square area. We are regularly in NYC and have stayed at many hotels in the theater district and around Times Square. This hotel is extremely average in all categories, except for service. When we arrived, we were upgraded to a conference suite by a very friendly gentleman at the desk. All the staff was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome in their hotel.
The room itself was very dated in decor, though they have upgraded the beds. The bathroom was large though, and the Neutrogena amenities were replaced every day. The windows offered a panoramic view of Times Square, and you could shut the lights out with the shades at night.
We had a drink in the lobby bar one night -- the drinks were good, but very pricey. $14 per drink is a little steep, even for New York. The lobby bar is beautiful, but as a previous poster mentioned, it's not private or secluded -- it's right in the middle of the check in/out madness and next to the elevators.
The elevators were faster than I expected, and we rarely had to wait very long for an elevator, even though we were on one of the higher floors.
The wi-fi was TERRIBLE while we were there. It faded in and out, and often didn't work at all during half of the stay. At $12.95/day, I expected better.
Overall, it's a pleasant enough stay at the right price, but had I paid the $3000 they were asking for New Year's Eve 2008, I would have been severely disappointed. However, it is not one of my favourite hotels in the area, and I don't know that I would return. The hotel is rather bland.
At any rate, we headed to Ruth’s Chris for dinner, and it was superb. The service was exceptional. This is the second time I’ve visited this location, and I’ve been impressed both visits. Mom ordered their prix fixe dinner with the tomato salad, a filet and shrimp, and a chocolate mousse and berry dessert. I ordered a petite filet au poirve and ate most of her dessert. I know it’s terribly cliché to go to New York and eat at a chain restaurant, but I have been wanting to take Mom to Ruth’s Chris for a LONG time, and I was craving their au poivre sauce.
After dinner, we walked back to the hotel. I tried to convince Mom that we should grab TKTS tickets and head to a show, but I was unsuccessful. We went back to the hotel and unwound for the night.
10 March 2009
Persistence and the great ticket search!
My persistence has finally paid off! I found Mom, Ashley, and I tickets to see South Pacific at Lincoln Center without having to use a broker or ticket service! For weeks, Telecharge (the official box office) has listed this show as sold out. Today, while making the rounds to check tickets for Jersey Boys, Wicked, and South Pacific, I found tickets 5 rows from stage almost center orchestra!!!! I can’t wait! We’ll be seeing the Sunday matinee. How FUN is that?!?
Moral of the story?
Don’t ever give up. :-D
(This happened to me while looking for Wicked NY tickets in 2007... Sold out, sold out, sold out, until 2 premium seats opened up.)
Moral of the story?
Don’t ever give up. :-D
(This happened to me while looking for Wicked NY tickets in 2007... Sold out, sold out, sold out, until 2 premium seats opened up.)
05 March 2009
Mother/Daughter NYC Trip
In one week, Mom and I are headed off to New York City for a long weekend. Several times throughout college, we spent my spring break there, and Mom has been missing that trip, so off we go. We’re going to see the newly opened Guys and Dolls with Lauren Graham and Phantom. I’m working on tickets to Jersey Boys, South Pacific, or Wicked… though admittedly, I am hesitant to go through a broker. It’s truly unfortunate that New York passed the legalization of scalping, because ticket prices have climbed even higher than usual. I’d really love for Mom to see Jersey Boys, but not at $250/ticket. I could buy premium seats from the theater for $300/each if I wanted to pay that. It used to be that you couldn’t sell for a certain amount over the face value of the ticket. Now all that is gone. Grrrr.
I am looking forward to our trip, but truthfully, I go to New York so often that it’s hard for me to be REALLY excited. I told Mom that we need to look into going elsewhere after this. I’d really love to take her to London, because she would love the West End theater, and we could mix it up a little. Maybe next year.
I still have a lot of holes to fill in on our schedule, but it’s a start I suppose.
March 12, 2009
March 13, 2009
March 14, 2009
March 15, 2009
March 16, 2009
I am looking forward to our trip, but truthfully, I go to New York so often that it’s hard for me to be REALLY excited. I told Mom that we need to look into going elsewhere after this. I’d really love to take her to London, because she would love the West End theater, and we could mix it up a little. Maybe next year.
I still have a lot of holes to fill in on our schedule, but it’s a start I suppose.
March 12, 2009
- Arrive LGA, transfer to hotel
- 7:45 – dinner reservations at Ruth’s Chris
- Empire State Building or Top of the Rock
March 13, 2009
- Shopping day!
- Chelsea Market
- Dinner – tentatively Empanada Mama, Hells Kitchen
- 8:00 pm – Guys and Dolls, Nederlander Theater
March 14, 2009
- Late lunch at Peter Luger's, Brooklyn
- 8:00 pm – Phantom of the Opera, Majestic Theater
- Dessert at Sardi’s after the show
March 15, 2009
- Costume Institute at the Met
- 3:00 – South Pacific, Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center
March 16, 2009
- Lunch at Grimaldi’s, Brooklyn
- Walk back across Brooklyn Bridge
- Transfer to LGA, flight home
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