The Crown Inn

If I had to create the perfect English country inn it would manifest as the Crown Inn in Bishops Waltham England.   Our home away from home during our stay in Hampshire England was  located at the head of the High St. in Bishops Waltham.  The location was convenient to all the shops lining High St. which included, an upscale coffee shop for morning lattes and locals watching, to a grocer selling produce and products from the nearby farms.   Also directly behind the inn were the ruins to the famous Bishops Waltham Palace, a medieval monastery that was, pre Henry VIII, one of the largest in Europe.

The Crown Inn was comfortable in every possible way, the bed was heaven and the bathroom facilities were excellent including the standard British towel warmer.

We enjoyed a full breakfast each morning in the wonderful pub on the main floor, antiques abound in each and every room.  The tables were set with the most wonderful Staffordshire calico plates in every single color !

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A Religious Experience in Venice

There is a pattern that has been forming for some time in my life.   I seem to find kindred spirits where ever I go, even as far off as Italy.  You know what I mean don't you, the kind of person you connect with instantly, and feel as though you've been friends for decades ?  I was so very fortunate, through a former colleague of mine, to be introduced to just such a person in Venice.  It is a stunning story really.   Young American woman on vacation in Venice, meets and falls in love with a gondolier, leaves her home country behind to marry her love and live in a foreign land, just like a movie.

Of course none of this was known to me before we met, although, we had the chance to exchange small conversations on social media and attempt to plan a meeting face to face, I knew nothing about this delightful woman.  I felt so fortunate to know someone who lived in this city I had never been to and to have the opportunity to see this magical place through the eyes of a true Venetian.    

We had decided a lunch and walk in the city would be the perfect first meeting and made arrangements for the day.  Then my dear friend became ill,  quite ill actually, and found herself in the hospital when I arrived in Venice.   Now you must understand the personality I was about to meet, determined is not a strong enough word for this tiny dynamo.  I was very concerned that she should rest and she was just as  determined to keep our date.

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Zum Weissen Rauchfangkehrer: The White Chimney Sweep

One of our dining highlights during our visit to the city of Vienna was a lovely little gem in the Innere Stadt or Old City section near St Stephens Cathedral.  Tucked away on a side street we found a sweet little restaurant with warm and charming atmosphere.  The White Chimney Sweep, one of the oldest and most renowned restaurants in all of Vienna, was established in 1848  as the guild pub for the old Vienna chimney sweeps.  Legend has it that the name is based on a chimney sweep that was having an affair with a pretty baker next door to the pub.  He frequented the bakery so often that he had more flour on his clothes than soot.  He was seen so often at the pub covered in flour that the locals began calling it the place "Zum  weissen Rauchfangkehrer."

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Commanders Palace Jazz Brunch

We have always loved New Orleans, ok,  so not our first trip to the French Quarter, you see we mistakenly began our New Orleans experience on the famous Bourbon St., BIG mistake.  For those who have never had the pleasure we found it to be a smelly, sex show watching, belly button shot doin, peeing on the sidewalk next to the pile of vomit kind of place.  As we first walked down Bourbon St we were convinced (so wrongly) that there was no redeeming value what so ever to New Orleans.  WRONG !!  We have never since that day, after all our sojourns to the Cresent City, once again stepped foot on that famous street.  Instead, in the following days we discovered the deep and delicious history that is New Orleans, the people are open and kind, the history is extensive, covering French and Spanish occupation, and the food...............well don't even get me started !

The New Orleans Jazz parade and second line.  Originating from Jazz funerals, these now celebrate weddings, engagements, and even a divorce !  We saw four of them during our trip, a bachelor party a hen party (bachalorette), and two wedding party's, the public is always welcome to join in, wave your hanky and dance, dance, dance.

During our most recent trip to New Orleans Brian and I attended a Jazz Brunch at the Commanders Palace.  Located in the beautiful garden district on the corner of Washington Ave and Coliseum St. it is only a short streetcar ride from the french quarter.

The restaurant was started by Emile Commander in 1880 and has only changed hands a few times in the entire history of its existence.  With the many awards decorating the walls of this restaurant we knew we were in for quite the experience.  Voted NOLA's #1 restaurant three years running and bragging 6 separate James Beard Foundation awards, we were not disappointed.  From the very start we were blown away by the service, the word genteel was created to describe this establishment.  As we were escorted to our seats through the rooms of an old antebellum mansion every employee we passed stepped aside politely and said "welcome in".

The service was beyond what we are use to, the food as well, southern creole fusion, incorporating all the fresh seafood the gulf had to offer.  The brunch had a very festive feel with balloons and the traveling jazz band that visited each table for a short performance.

Eggs Jean Lafitte
this is the link to the menu, have a look !

http://www.commanderspalace.com/_asset/0xkx91/09-06-14brunch.pdf

 My appetizer,  Fig and foie gras cinnamon roll, with a sunny side up quail egg and candied pecans.

Funny enough, the gentlemen playing the guitar is from Maine, he use to play at the Red Stallion in Carrabasset Valley !!  

When asked for a request we said "know any Mills Brothers ?"  and sure enough, Up a Lazy River was our gift for the day.

Real pecan pie !!!!

The day was such a treat, and we will be sure to return to this treasure of a restaurant when we are once again in New Orleans, more on that later.

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An Anniversary

During our recent trip to Grand Cayman, Brian and I celebrated our 12th year of marriage.  This was a last minute, impromptu getaway that turned into a very relaxing and quite magical trip.  We stayed at one of our favorite places, The Westin on seven mile beach in Georgetown, smack dab in the middle of it all yet very quiet and relaxing at the same time.
Our history with the island is vast, Brian took me here for the first time in 2001 and introduced me to scuba diving, I was certified for open water diving on the East End of Grand Cayman.  The years that followed saw two to three visits a year for dive trips with friends from Michigan, and close to 300 dives logged on the deep Cayman trench.  We were chased off the island during a stay at Rum Point by  tropical storm Isabella, and we watched in horror from afar as Ivan engulfed the island and destroyed nearly everything.  We visited six months post Ivan for a group dive trip hoping some of the money we spent there would help in the recovery.  Each visit now feels like coming home, even though things have changed so much in 13 years, there is still that distinct Caymanian feel that sets it apart from all other Caribbean islands.

The temperatures and humidity in August in Cayman tend to keep the crowds at bay, which is just the way we like it.  The traffic in Georgetown is low, tables at restaurants are plentiful, and there is always a chair and umbrella available on the beach.  I did not dive on this trip, but I gladly stayed back while Brian walked up the beach to catch the boat each morning.  This was only after he had schlepped the paddle board we had rented for the week down four flights of stairs.............yes........everyday, morning and night, you see it didn't fit in the elevator and we couldn't just leave it on the beach !  My hero, he is beyond kind to me and really made sure that this trip was filled with fun activities.   Oh and by the way, The Waterman surf shop in Georgetown, http://www.waterman.ky/#!theteam/cq4e   , great place to rent a board, sign up for SUP yoga or Paddlefit, learn Kiteboarding or wake boarding, or buy a great swim suit.  Our aussie friend Damian was beyond helpful with our latest rental, delivering the board to the hotel and picking it up when we were finished.

 An anniversary wouldn't be complete without a romantic dinner together, its one of our favorite ways to celebrate.   There are many wonderful places available on Grand Cayman for fine dining, a couple of years ago we enjoyed Eric Ripperts restaurant, Blue at the Ritz Carlton.  The food was memorable but the atmosphere for us was a bit cold.  I did a bit of research before this trip and I remembered a restaurant that we couldn't get a reservation at the last time we were on Cayman.  The Grand Old House is located in the  original structure of a stately home built  in 1908 for a prominent Boston business man.  A restaurant since 1960, the establishment is now owned by a group of caymanians and has one of the best wine cellars on the entire island.  The most intriguing aspect of the wine list for us was the amazing collection of Castarede  Bas armagnac.   Castarede is one of the oldest armagnac trading houses in the world, established in 1832 and located in the Bas Armagnac region of France,  it  has cellars over 100 years old.  The Grand Old House has bottles of armagnac dating all the way back to 1881.  The price for a shot is by request, but for a mere 230.00 CDI you could try the 1893 vintage.  We had discussed which year we would try for a couple of weeks before our trip.  I had thought 1912 would be fun, the year the Titanic sank, you know a toast to those lost at sea, or perhaps 1953 the year of Elizabeth II coronation, maybe 1929 the year my Dad was born  ?  It really was fun to try to come up with a year that would be the most interesting for us both.

We enjoyed wonderful service during dinner from our northern italian/german/french waiter Nino.  Very interesting life story he shared, translator Mom, country to country, speaking four languages himself.  Oh the life of a 24 year old............one can only dream.  Nino was kind enough to give us some tips regarding our pending trip to Vienna, he even went so far as to prepare some "Gluwein" (pronounced glue-vine) for us.  This is something that we should seek out in the cool October temperatures on the streets of Vienna, a mulled wine that will appear with the fall season.  Thanks Nino !

Now for the magic.  During our meal a harp player came into our dining room, he played a tune at the next table and then came over to play for us.  We were asked if there was anything we would like to hear,  how about something classical ?  Well three notes into the piece it is obvious that he is playing Pachebels Canon in D, the song I walked down the aisle to.  Brian denies prior planning or bribery, it is just a simple case of kismet, one of those moments in time that you have to grasp and hold tight to before it evaporates, and then thank the universe for the love.  Once I stopped sobbing and could see my husband through my tears I realized he was misting up too.
The only thing left was dessert and armagnac, but which year ?????  Well the decision was made, I wanted something to drink that was bottled before I was born and Brian would like to celebrate the year of his birth.  Smooth, sweet, a hint of smoke, vapors that clear the head,  1960 was a good year.

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Dining with Florentines

 

The food in Tuscany for us was unsurpassed anywhere so far on the entire globe.  We are wondering if any of our future sojourns will prove us wrong, but we are very willing to continue the hard work and research such that it is.

Looking back on our recent trip to Italy conjures up so many delicious visual and olfactory memories.  While contemplating and  planning our next adventure Brian and I took the time to compare notes on our most memorable gastronomic moments in Florence.  We both agreed hands down, and simultaneously I might add, that the liver pate in the nearby deli over the Arno was TO DIE FOR.   Funnily enough we both shouted  out "olives !!!" at each other when we mentioned our next favorite food.

 Of course we cannot forget to mention our dinner with the Florentines where we were treated to the experience that is bistecca alla fiorentina, Florentine steak.  This lovely group of locals, one of which is related to my dear friend Heidi, met us at our hotel and walked us through Florence to their favorite restaurant.  Mind you this was a place that locals eat and one we never would have pulled out of our hats if left to our own devices.  The language barrier was a small challenge I had very little Italian and Paola Romanini and Monica Matteini were much more successful with their  English thank goodness.  Regardless of the small barrier, there was amazing food, fabulous wine and huge belly laughs throughout the night.

  The Tuscan porterhouse steak was better than any beef I have ever experienced, served pre-cut on a wooden platter, a delicious juicy piece of meat.  Our Italian friends were brilliant in their wine choices, saving us stumbling through the wine list, and Brian and I had the chance to taste our first grappa, a sweet warm liquorish tasting grape based brandy you dip biscotti into.   I cannot say enough about the warm and embracing welcome we felt from this lovely group of locals, after dinner they walked us all the way back to our hotel so that we would not get lost.  Along the way while passing through the Piazza della Repubblica we were given the chance to ensure our return to Florence.  Near the Loggia del Marcato Nuovo, know by locals as loggia del Porcellino we met il porcellino himself.  A bronze fountain of a boar dating 1634 sits adjacent to the market, it is said that by rubbing il porcellino's snout you will once again in your life time visit Florence.  By the appearance of the pigs nose Florence will be a very busy place for some time to come.  We happily gave the snout a hardy rub, and put a coin in his mouth to drop through the grate below for good luck.    Thanks Paola and Monica for a wonderful evening, you were both kind beyond words and Florence would not have been as memorable without our "dinner with Florentines."

Grazie ai nostri amici fiorentini, inviamo il nostro amore a tutti voi.

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