Travel Fix

Isla Mujeres - Miles Away from the Masses

2011-05-14T16:09:00.002-05:00

Just a short ferry ride from Cancun lies the tiny island of Isla Mujeres. Cancun may be within sight but it feels 1,000 miles away... you see, Isla Mujeres hasn't been overrun by massive resorts, Hooter's and malls. The island still has a small town feel and in the main town, you can walk safely day or night, get to know locals and eat at many beachside establishments. Minino's, for example, offers great seafood served at tables on the sand. You can kick back, enjoy a Sol beer and listen to these two brothers play some marimba music while you thank God you picked Isla over Cancun.

Latest round of restaurants in Buenos Aires

2011-04-14T23:41:00.005-05:00

Well, I suppose I'll park this list here and update it as my memory reminds me of where we ate during our most recent trip to Buenos Aires. Sometimes it's hard to remember where you ate if you don't write it down. I'll eventually add a bit of insight on each place. In the meantime, enjoy a nice picture of gnocchi (or noquis):

Noquies at Parrilla La Gauchita

Kentucky

Il Migliore

Strada

Parrilla La Gauchita

Pizza Calda

La Tolva

Marcelita y Garcia

Natural Deli

Vinos y Sabores

La Cabrera

Del Carmen

El Progreso

Pampa Picante

You know you're in Argentina...

2011-04-12T13:41:00.004-05:00

Where else but Argentina can you go to the local zoo and find a hot water dispenser specifically made for mate drinkers? Just bring your thermos, yerba and mate and for a few pesos, you can get some hot water. Just pour, sip and enjoy and you look at the llamas and carpinchos!

Of course, if you're little ones aren't drinking mate yet, why not go to a store in Palermo Viejo and pick up their first little mate set? Comes complete with yerba, bombilla and fun pink or blue mate.

New Campo Argentina - Your Taste of Recoleta in Miami Beach

2010-08-22T20:42:00.008-05:00

Driving up Collins Avenue from South Beach up towards North Beach and towards the "upper 60s", one can't help but notice a preponderance of South American restaurants right around 69th street. Turns out the area is popular with South Americans (we didn't know this) where many Brazilian, Argentine and the occasional Cuban restaurant can be found.

We were heading to visit my cousin at a rental on South Biscayne Point Road when we decided to make a quick stop at New Campo Argentino on Collins just south of 71st. What we found was a great little Argentine restaurant (our waiter happened to be from Uruguay, thus the Pilsen) with good food at reasonable prices.

Perhaps getting the Provoleta was not the healthiest choice but it was really good. We made an effort to get a lighter lunch but then blew that out of the water by getting panqueques con dulce de leche - sinful crepes that were irresistible.

If the weather is nice enough, sit on the walk under the shade and peoplewatch. It's a great spot to enjoy a Pilsen and some good Argentine food. Walk next door to the little market to get some homemade alfajores to go and you'll be set.

Bright Lights...

2010-07-29T10:33:00.003-05:00

It may not get more touristy than Times Square but there's just something about the lights and sounds of that big, bright mess that draws people like moths to a flame. You can't visit New York without taking in the lights of Times Square.

Eden Roc a Worthy Alternative to the Pricey Fountainebleau

2010-07-27T10:27:00.005-05:00

The massive Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach is a hot commodity. People line up on Collins and inside the hotel to enter clubs and bars packed wall-to-wall while creditors work on recovering funds after a massive renovation. Rooms typically start at $300 an up... a high price tag to fund a massive renovation.

Yet, next door, the Eden Roc Hotel, also recently renovated (bye bye spite wall) and now a Renaissance Hotel, offers a less pricey but glamorous option to those who want to stay in Miami Beach without the chaos of South Beach.

The hotel has added a new tower, renovated most of the pools, is fixing the hotel spa and has spruced up interiors and rooms. The bar is as glamorous as ever and still shows Morris Lapidus' creative touch.

Here are a few shots from our recent stay at the Eden Roc.

Cantucci worth seeking out... in New York!

2010-07-11T11:07:00.002-05:00

So much updating to do and so much good stuff I can add thanks to some recent trips to London, Rome and the Maremma region of Tuscany. So, let's start with a real quick one... something is better than nothing, right?

I went to New York City about two months ago to meet with a few clients. Great trip - very fruitful! One of the non-business highlights was lunch at a midtown Italian restaurant called Cellini. Now Cellini stands on its own with its regular fare. The

gnocchi I had, while not light by any means, were simply delicious. However, what really stood out in my mind were the cantucci that came with your bill. O U T S T A N D I N G!!! They were delicious - had a light hint of anise that made all the difference in the world. Seriously, I wanted to stuff my pockets with them. I asked if they sold them but, unfortunately, they do not. Too bad... I would buy a few pounds.

Visit them on your next trip to New York and enjoy the food and the delicious cantucci.

Sushi in Houston's Chinatown?

2010-05-11T13:40:00.003-05:00

I was itching for sushi today but finding sushi near my office is not necessarily an easy task. Of course, Chinatown is nearby... and there actually is some sushi in Chinatown. Hokkaido seems to be one of the few places and it's actually quite good and reasonably priced. In fact, not only do they have good sushi, they also offer up free udon and red bean soup. How about that?

If you want to visit Hokkaido, it is in Diho Square at 9108 Bellaire Blvd. It's tucked in the corner of shopping center so keep your eyes peeled and head in for some of this...

Quick Picks in San Francisco

2010-04-16T22:35:00.003-05:00

I just got back from a quick trip to San Francisco. I don't have my camera with me so I'll have to add a new entry later but here are some quick picks from my trip:

Hotel Triton

Yet another reason why I'm starting to find Kimpton to be my favorite small chain. Whimsical, reasonable prices and great little touches for Kimpton InTouch members. You can't beat the location... caddy corner from Chinatown's Gateway Arch.

One Market Restaurant

Two simple dishes was all it took to show me the light as to why this restaurant earned a Michelin star. One of my dishes begged to be licked clean. I went for lunch and ate at the bar but I imagine reservations are strongly recommended at this celebrated eatery.

54 Mint

Located in Mint Plaza, I really loved 54 Mint. It was the Italian feel - every single person I spoke to... from Claudio, one of the partners, to Nicola and everyone inbetween, was Italian. Italian run through and through led to an authentic Italian experience... a leisurely pace and not the most smoothly run operation but, ironically, that's what I liked about it. It was real and the people were fantastic. I had a nice rughetta salad to start and scrumptious octopus carpaccio.

Cafe de la Presse

Was I in Paris? Seriously... this French owned cafe has absolutely nailed it. I had breakfast so I can't speak to the cafe's "real" menu... all I know is that the experience was great. They had the "right" chairs (straight out of a typical Parisian cafe), French staff and just the right feel. If you've been to France before, go here and you'll know exactly what I mean.

Other...

An eminently walkable town, use your feet to get around. So much to see and do. On a related note, to get to and from SFO, be sure to use BART. Roundtrip tickets cost roughly $16.00 and offer a safe, comfortable ride into the center of San Francisco.

Endless Choices in Tuscany

2010-01-20T21:18:00.002-06:00

A visit to the Maremma area of Tuscany is in our future. The more I dig and research the area, the more I realize I face an impossible task of determining what hill towns to visit while there. Small, medieval burgs perched on tufa cliffs, seaside ports, island castles or fortified villages? How do you pick? Seriously, it's just about ridiculous. Here are three candidates... l'Isola del Giglio, Capalbio and Pitgliano (in Italian)

Baked capesante for dinner?

2009-11-16T17:41:00.003-06:00

Fresh capesante or scallops for sale in Venice, Italy

My Friend's Exotic Travels...

2009-11-08T21:46:00.003-06:00

A buddy of mine took a year off from practicing law to travel across the globe... it won't be long before he finds his way back to the states. Until then, he's been documenting his travels on-line. Hundreds of entries and thousands upon thousands of photographs from exotic locales you've probably never heard of. I've just spent the past hour poring through his pictures and I find the journal fascinating. I think you will too... enjoy browsing through Break from the Law

Quality on the Rise at CityCentre and Hotel Sorella

2009-11-06T16:56:00.003-06:00

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the opening of CityCentre in Houston and the accompanying Hotel Sorella. Rightfully so... the mixed use development is beautiful and you can tell everything is being done with quality and design in mind. Restaurants like Eddie V's, Ra Sushi and Straits and stores like Anthropologie and Bailey, Banks and Biddle have already opened. Yard House is set to open this month and soon others like Brio Tuscan Grille and The Wine Loft will open.

We had a chance to stay at Hotel Sorella and absolutely loved the hotel. Sleek, modern design with nice touches everywhere. The lobby has a modern but very inviting look with comfortable seating that also doubles as a continental breakfast area. To the right of the lobby of the Monnalisa bar with a gorgeous interior featuring an elevated firepit and a big outdoor deck with a pool and private cabanas.

The rooms are nice and roomy - over 400 sq ft with views looking towards the west side or the Galleria/donwtown. Everything is just done really well and if you're a fan of interior design, you'll appreciate the little touches they've made - you'll sure notice the repeating pattern found throughout the hotel.

I can't recommend the place enough, particularly since they have some very nice grand opening rates that can have you staying for as little as $99.00.

Facing into the room - plenty of space. The sofa is modular and movable.

Sorella did an nice job selecting comfortable bedding - this is a king size bed.

Looking down into the main plaza on a beautiful night

Live music on a Thursday night in front of the hotel - the Monnalisa set up a bar on the left.

Buenos Aires photography

2009-10-16T16:09:00.006-05:00

If you love Buenos Aires like I do, I guarantee you will get buried and lost in this site - Buenos Aires Photographer. So many interesting subjects and shots... from ugly to beautiful, mundane to extraordinary. As for this photo, I took it on a steamy summer Saturday in February 2009. This couple parked themselves in one of the plazas in Palermo Viejo to get some sun. Two things that made it so Argentine for me are the man's slicked back hair and his ever-present bombilla de mate.

Do you get the feeling I want to only post about Buenos Aires? I should go there more often... that's my take.

Bar La Robla and fileatado

2009-10-07T13:49:00.002-05:00

Well, I can't speak for the food but I can say that I liked the use of fileatado in their sign...

Bar la Robla

Dirección : Viamonte 1615

Barrio : San Nicolás

(54 11) 4811 4484

Bologna to get an upgrade

2009-09-29T23:36:00.003-05:00

Hey... looks like my hometown is getting some good and much-needed press from the Financial Times...

Yet all the developers and planners need to do for inspiration is to look around them. Bologna’s most striking architectural feature is one that many visitors to the city may not even notice: approximately 40km of arcades that line the streets of the medieval heart of the city. One of their delightful benefits is to allow the Bolognese to walk through almost the entire old city without getting wet, snowed on or sunburnt. They make the passeggiata, the evening stroll beloved of Italians, possible in all weathers.
The challenge for today’s planners, developers and architects, Ms Gabellini says, will be to learn from that, “to value the existing architecture by inserting new buildings
into the middle of it. It will be like wearing a beautiful old brooch with a new jacket.”

Killing Time in Cambridge, MA

2009-09-29T22:20:00.003-05:00

So I checked into my hotel in Cambridge, MA this afternoon around 4:00... I happen to be in town for a big client presentation tomorrow. The first thing I did when I checked in was to take care of my e-mail... you know how it piles up when you travel (although Delta now has wireless for a fee on some of their planes). E-mail was checked... changed out of my uncomfortable clothes... and then? Harvard was about a 2.5 mile walk and I just didn't have the time to make a 5 mile round trip. So, I decided to head to the MIT campus.

Why MIT? Granted... everyone I passed was smarter than me... book smart, anyway. Yeah... I was a fish out of water. BUT... I wanted to see some great architecture... some iconic architecture. MIT fits the bill with great works by architects like Alvar Aalto, Eero Saarinen, I.M. Pei and Frank Gehry. Personally, I wanted to see Saarinen's MIT chapel and Frank Gehry's Stata Center. Simmons Hall was also on my list but I opted against it when I realized it was time to head back.

So, here are three great buildings that I saw while walking on campus... if only I had my real camera with me. Part of me wants to walk back over to the MIT Chapel again and take a deeper look. As simple as it was, the building really impressed me.

Eero Saarinen's Kresge Auditorium (1955)

Eero Saarinen's MIT Chapel (1955)

Frank Gehry's Stata Center (2004)

Tapas at Tinto

2009-08-30T21:51:00.002-05:00

There's a new tapas restaurant in town... Tintos Restaurant in the River Oaks Shopping Center at West Gray and Shepherd. We had a chance to check it out last night before heading to a party at the ZaZa Hotel. Very nice! A bit pricey but it had a good dinner menu, very nice atmosphere (we sat outside on the patio) and an excellent wine list. Our selections (not necessarily in this order)...

Manzanas con Queso - $6 (the combination on this dish is really delicious)
Garbanzos y Vegetales - $7 (kind of has an Indian "bent")
Rollita de Berenjena - $7 (like two small stuffed grape leaves - the tomato made the dish)
Croquetas de Jamon - $7 (nothing particularly outstanding but good standard fare)
Pato de Madrid - $10 (excellent combination of flavors but a small portion)

We only had one glass of wine but the wine list with extensive and reasonable - quite a few bottles under $30.00.

I would definitely go back. I really like that that side of the River Oaks Shopping Center "lives". The other side with the new Barnes and Noble looks like crap. Booooo Weingarten.

Lastly, going to ZaZa was an event as usual. The hotel is always the place to see and be seen and there were several events taking place. As usual, the valet line was a bit of a bear but heading down to a private party at the Conspiracy Room made it worth it!

Drawing Inspiration from the Masters

2009-06-30T22:03:00.004-05:00

Wander the endless and cavernous halls of the Louvre and you just might run across a similar scene... an artist meticulously replicating a famous master.

Of course, you don't have to visit the Louvre. This lonesome canvas was in a small museum in Chartres...

Back road finds...

2009-06-28T14:07:00.001-05:00

You never know what you'll find on a back road. This 1960s Oldsmobile was parked next to a shack of a house at about 11,000 ft. near Breckenridge, Colorado.

Three Must-See Beaches in Karpathos

2009-06-16T15:05:00.001-05:00

I'm not about to post any breaking news... in fact, what I'm about to share with you will be shared by anyone who lives on or frequently visits Karpathos. There are all kinds of beautiful beaches on the island... Diakofti, Damatria, Christou Pigado, Lefkos but there are three that are absolute no-brainers:

Apella

Kyra Panagia

Achata

We had a chance to visit all three during our visit and loved all of them. We would probably give the nod to Apella as the most beautiful, even if it is the most remote. Nonetheless, you can't go wrong with any of them. Each has their own feel and all three provide "thrilling" car rides.

Let's start with Apella...

Take a look at that first picture - that's Apella as seen from the main road. Wow... I mean wow. The water is simply beautiful - nice and calm, shallow and so clear. There are plenty of rocks for snorkling and wading around and the setting is just dramatic - jutting cliffs to the left and right and a valley rising up behind the beach. It's a wide beach with quite a few sunbeds and plenty of space to stretch out. I really liked the pines in the area - gave it a different and greener look than what many are used to in Greece.

You can rent two sunbeds and an umbrella for 6 Euros from the gentleman at the base of the steps to the beach. He'll guide you to where you should set up camp. There's really nothing located directly next to the beach but you can walk a couple of minutes up the main road to a nice little taverna with a beautiful view. Parking is mostly on the side of the road - no real parking area like you'll find in Achata or in "town" like in Kira Panagia. Just squeeze your car where it will fit (and hopefully turn around). My advice, find a way to turn around and park it pointing uphill so it's easier to get out after you've baked in the sun.

Then there's Kira Panagia...

Everyone loves taking a picture of the church overlooking Kira Panagia. It's really a very scenic spot. What I liked about it was not only the gorgeous beach but the smattering of hotels, houses and tavernas located by the beach. It looks like a very nice place to stay for a few days. The set up in the steep valley just really made an impression on me. Personally, I would love to stay at the hotel next to the church. What a view!

The beach is nice and wide with plenty of sunbeds for rent. I don't know if anyone ever came and asked for us to pay for ours... maybe they weren't paying attention. No tavernas are directly on the beach but you'll find one (Olive Garden) near the church, a place to get a drink at the hotel above the church, a mini-market on the main road and probably a couple of other options. The beach is a mix of sand and rocks and the water is nice and calm, with a beautiful blue color. A great spot to take a dip and, who knows, maybe stay a little longer.

Finally we have Achata...

One of the intangibles I really liked about Achata was the drive to the beach. Achata is the closest of the three to Pigadia. The 4 km drive from the main road snakes through a pretty valley flanked by soaring cliffs. The valley, more gentle than the drives to Kira Panagia and Apella, is dotted by small agricultural plots, wild oleanders and scores of olive trees. There's something more peaceful about it the drive and the cave-riddled cliffs are a sight to behold.

The drive eventually opens up to Achata - a rocky beach lined with umbrellas and two tavernas. The water, unlike the other two, drops off faster so you'll notice just a few steps will have you wading in deeper water. The water also tends to be a bit more active although still a beautiful turquoise color. Two sun beds and an umbrella are only 4 Euros each. For my money, I'd choose the beds run by the taverna on the left (when facing the water). They are newer and the taverna offers a reasonable menu in a nicely restored boat house. The owners are friendly and the pergola is a great spot to catch an afternoon Greek coffee. You'll also have a shot at some afternoon shade when the sun starts shifting in the sky whereas the beds on the right side stay exposed much longer.

Aegean Village - a Karpathos Gem

2009-06-14T14:10:00.000-05:00

It's partially a mystery to me why it's so hard to find information on the Aegean Village on the island of Karpathos. Partially because most of what is out there is in German, Dutch or Swedish... not in English. Then again, given that nearly all English-speaking visitors to Karpathos have ties to the island (ancestors, 2nd generation Greeks, etc.), most of the people visiting the Aegean Village are much much more likely to come from Stockholm or Roskilde than anywhere in the U.S.

Seems to me like a lot of Americans are missing out on an amazing island. For those of us who like to go to places taht are off the radar, that's a good thing. Karpathos is stunning... you'll find beautiful beaches, tidy mountain villages and extremely warm people. In the meantime, Americans and other tourists queue up for dinner in Santorini and Mykonos, paying inflated prices for subpar service. No thanks. I'll stick to an island like Karpathos and in particular to a hotel like Aegean Village.

So, what made the hotel so special? First off, the view... amazing! The hotel occupies a perfect spot on a promontory overlooking Amoopi. To the right is a rock outcropping that frames the area and to the left are the various beaches of Amoopi. A stunning one sits just below the hotel... a two minute walk from the pool area. Beach beds and umbrellas are available for 6 Euros a pair for the day.

The hotel has an on-site restaurant serviced by a friendly crew of Scandinavians - mostly interns and employees from Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands. Given their clientele, they can speak to clients in their native tongues although most conversations are in English since clients also come from Italy. The restaurant also serves breakfast and the bar/restaurant stay open until midnight. Charles, a Swedish chef who previously worked on a cruise ship, mans the kitchen and offers daily specials for lunch and dinner.

The hotels grounds are immaculately maintained. All rooms face the Aegean and have spacious balconies or terraces. Rooms are comfortable and include A/C, satellite TV and tidy bathrooms with showers. Some rooms are larger (the bungalows) to accommodate families traveling together. Most have twin beds (as is the standard in Greece) but some come with doubles. Just ask. Other perks include wireless access and computers for guest use although wireless works best in the lobby.

The beach below the hotel

...and a smaller, hidden nook in Amoopi

Manolis, the owner, truly cares about his guests. We really enjoyed his hospitality and the way he made us feel at home. In part, we keep asking ourselves, why did we come back? So many Greek Americans move to Karpathos and never leave. I understand why...

Our gracious host

Pigadia may have more restaurants and nightlife... Arkasa may be a quainter town... but Amoopi offers several great beaches, shelter from the strong winds, a handful of tavernas and a highly recommended Aegean Village hotel.

A Better Meal than Gyros and Souvlaki

2009-06-14T06:59:00.000-05:00

Most people who visit Athens - whether for a night before heading off to an island or for a week in the city - opt to stay somewhere close to Plaka. The area is charming, walkable and in the shadow of the Acropolis. There's plenty of life and for someone new to Greece, it makes for an easy introduction to the city of Athens.

With the area's popularity comes a touristy side. Food is often marked up and restaurants tend to focus on the more common Greek fare... gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita and moussaka - Greek meals known worldwide. Unfortunately, that means that a vast majority of tourists miss out on more typical Greek meals. They tend to stick to restaurants with pictures of food and marked up prices. It's a shame because there's much more to be found.

I'll fill you in on a restaurant that doesn't fit this bill. While it's not necessarily a secret, it appeals to Greek tastes, has reasonable prices and is off the beaten path for tourists. The restaurant is Mani Mani.

Now... let's start with some background. What does Mani mean? Mani is a region in the Peloponnese in Greece. As someone told me in Karpathos, it is a hard region with hard people - in part because of tough geography and climate. So, Mani Mani focuses on food from this region. In fact, you'll find more dishes like rooster and less (none) like souvlaki.

Anything you order, be it an appetizer or a main course, can be ordered as a half or full order. We started by splitting three appetizers - haloumi (the best we had in Greece), typical Mani sausages with orange essence and a type of fried dough with a local hard cheese. We then ordered dishes that both centered on rooster - my wife had a Greek pasta with rooster, asparagus, mushrooms and sundried tomato and I had rooser served on top of a small Greek pasta. Both were great. Add a glass of wine and our meal was under 30 Euros, less than we would've spent at a touristy restaurant.

Mani Mani is only 5 minutes by foot from the new Acropolis Museum but feels like it is a world away. Located at Falikarou 10 in Makrigiani, Mani Mani is on the 1st (2nd floor) of a restored building. You won't spot it if you aren't looking for it so look for the street level sign and the lit up windows up top.

A Quick Sojourn in Washington DC

2009-05-31T20:34:00.000-05:00

So here I am, sitting in a Washington D.C. hotel room on a Sunday night. I don't like business travel that starts/ends on a weekend but, in all fairness, our consultants do it all the time. I can handle it once in a blue moon.

I'm in town for a national conference and rather than staying at a $200+/night national chain (i.e. Hampton Inn, Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites, etc.), I opted for the Donovan House Hotel. The Donovan is the DC location of the small Thompson Hotel boutique chain. For $189.00/night, I landed a comfortable room in a stylish hotel that is a mere 10 minute walk from the convention center. $189.00 gets you plenty of space, access to a fitness center and you're only a 10 minute walk from this...

Not bad.

Now, I took the super shuttle from BWI to Washington D.C. The cost was $37.00 compared to an estimated $85.00 taxi fare (W-O-W!). Waiting for the shuttle took about 20 minutes and then the ride was maybe 45 minutes long. Thankfully, I was the first stop.

After I checked in, I decided to do some walking... down Vermont to the White House, around the Treasury Building and over to the Ellipse. I thought about walking over to the Washington Monument but decided against it. I would walking further and further from the hotel and I wasn't sure that I felt like it. So, I took a meandering route back to the hotel to where I would pick a place for dinner.

After a few searches on the Washington Post's page, I opted for Luigi's Famous Pizzeria. The editorial review was good enough and the restaurant was easy to find (about a five block walk), inexpensive (My total meal, with tip, was under $20.00) and apparently a Washington staple (in business since the 1940s). How was it? Pretty good... not great but good.

The restaurant had a inviting main dining room with a cozy atmosphere. The sunroom seating seemed a little cold to me and the upstairs room was larger and less cozy. To me, the main room was the spot. I started with a bell pepper bruschetta that wasn't bad and it was only $2.50 for two pieces. The bread echoed what I had read from some reviews - it seemed kind of stale. If it wasn't for the topping, it may not have been worth eating. I then ordered a pizza for one with mortadella, artichoke hearts and green olives. The pizza was big enough for 2 with lots of cheese (far too much for my personal taste) and piled with ingredients. It was a good pizza - heavy - but good. I would go back but not by myself as the pizza was just too much. I topped it all off with an espresso and, again, I was just under $20.00 (incl. tip). Not bad.

The pizza was weighing me down so I headed back to the hotel for an apres-dinner workout. The "state of the art" fitness center (as advertised on the page) includes 4 treadmills, 2 ellipticals and 1 recumbent bike. There's also a weight bench and a set of dumbbells, ranging from 2 1/2 lbs up to 50 lbs. That's enough to get a workout in. I ran through some supersets of compound moves like squats to overhead presses and then called it a night.

Here I am... tomorrow I'll head to the convention. After that, I planning on hoofing it to Union Station where I'll catch a MARC train to BWI. I'll let you know how it went.

Quick Pho Tip

2009-05-14T22:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick dining tip... I decided to check out Tau Bay (not to be confused with Pho Tau Bay) today on the Southwest Freeway - a popular Vietnamese restaurant on the corner of 59 and Beechnut. Excellent place for pho. My boss and I went there for lunch and had two stout bowls of pho for $13.00. Not bad. A majority of the clients were Asian and the service was fast and efficient. Apparently the SW Freeway location is better than the Bellaire location as it is run by the original owner.

Tau Bay
8150 Southwest Freeway
Located in the same shopping center as the Carnaval night club.

Getting Ready to Discover Karpathos

2009-05-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

So, I mentioned Sicily was off... well, where will be be going?

Karpathos

In fact, the page above, hosted by Sven Damm in Germany, is one of the main reasons we chose Karpathos, an island in the Dodecanese tucked between Crete and Rhodes. What a beautiful island! Gorgeous beaches, stunning and sometimes foreboding mountains, traditional villages and reasonable rates. It's also a bit off the beaten path... that means it is off the radar of most of the masses. Good news for us.

The island is certainly larger than Milos but still pretty manageable. From what we've road, most of our time will be spent in the southern half since the northern half is mostly wild and untamed. Getting to Olymbos via the main "road" on the northern half of the island takes 3 hours... apparently three grueling hours.

Anyway, we'll be staying at the Aegean Village (see below) in Amopi at the very reasonable rate of 70 Euro a night for a seaview room. Nice!

All we need to do now is rent a car and we'll be good to go. Otherwise, our stay in Athens will be in familiar hotels... the Athens Gate and the Sofitel.

Two reasons to visit El Preferido

2009-05-05T09:43:00.001-05:00

There are many reasons to visit El Preferido de Palermo in Palermo Soho. Here are two - an ice cold chopp of Quilmes and a picada.

Ready Mady Itinerary in Sicily

2009-05-02T21:24:00.001-05:00

I have to say I was awfully excited about heading to Sicily in September... we would finally visit a part of Italy neither of us had seen and we would be going without relatives. A good plan! We booked our reward tickets, came up with a whole itinerary and made all of our reservations.

Ai Lumi - 5 nigts at Ai Lumi in Trapani. Now, some might ask, why Trapani? Simple... the ferries run very frequently from Trapani to Favignana. If you catch the hydrofoil, you're there in 20 minutes and the hotels cost 1/2 of what they would on the island. Trapani is know for excellent cuisine and it's also close to places like Erice. But Favignana... that's what we were looking forward to visiting. A gorgeous island know by few Italians and pretty much no Americans. It would've been a dream.

C asale Corcella - 2 nights in Scopello. Now, this simple farmhouse not only had an amazing view of the Golfo di Castellamare, it was a nice property, had beautiful rooms and was near the very charming town of Scopello. Everything I had heard about this area was fantastic - beautiful bays in which to swim, small trattorie and the nearby Riserva Dello Zingaro. Scopello is well known for a famous tonnara where one can swim in a gorgeous setting. The town, while tiny, is supposed to be a perfect little place. I was excited about the two days we would spend in this town. Segesta was just around the corner, too.

Casa Ruffino - 1 night in Balestrate at a very highly reviewed B&B. We thought... why stay at a mediocre hotel near the airport when we could stay in another seaside town in a B&B that sounds simply charming. Ahh... another tough one to pass.

Well, conflicts are conflicts and we just won't be able to go in September. In the future, we do have ready-made itinerary all in place. The hotels are selected, the towns are picked out... all we need are new tickets.

Now... that doesn't mean we're out of luck. We will get to go somewhere else...

L'Aquila... before the quake

2009-04-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

Many people outside of Italy may not be familiar with the town of L'Aquila outside of the recent news regarding the town's devastation at the hands of an earthquake. My wife and I had a chance to visit the city with some Italian friends back in 2003. For those woh have never been there, here are a handful of shots from that trip...

A Malaysian meal in London (and a hotel or two)

2009-03-24T18:52:00.001-05:00

I'd love to blog freely tonight but let's just say my internet connection leaves much to be desired.

I just wanted to share my dinner... Satay House at 13 Sale Place near Paddington A delicious Malaysian restaurant located just off of Sussex Gardens. I had a delicious dinner there... Udang Galah Goreng - king prawns sauteed in chilies, peppers, lime leaves, turmeric and coconut milk. Very good flavor - not at all spicy (despite what the waitress told me). Let's face it - spicy in the UK is not spicy in Texas. I also tried a Monarch beer (nice beer from Singapore) and some kind of special Malaysian coffee which tasted like... coffee. If you can, try to get seated in the basement... it is much nicer and hipper than the ground level. Trust me - it's like two different restaurants. Next door was a Lebanese place called Rotana... looked kind of plain and a bit empty but some reviews I found looked good.

By the way, I ended up really liking my Paddington area hotel... what a convenient neighborhood. There are dozens upon dozens around here, ranging in quality to meh to extremely nice (Hilton over Paddington). No idea what it was like but the Stylotel looked kind of call. Most of these hotels are small establishments and there all lined up like toy soldiers... one after the other. Usually train station areas are sketchy but this one seemed fine. There are probably 3-4 dozen alone along Sussex Gardens, not to mention other side street hotels.

Oh... and if you're in the area and want to try something different, walk along Edgware Road. It won't take long to realize that the area is a Middle Eastern community... stores selling Arab wares, food, services to Middle Eastern clients and many Persian and Lebanese restaurants, many of which have hookahs available for their primarily ethnic clientele.

An unexpected meal in London

2009-03-23T17:19:00.000-05:00

Tonight I find myself in London... I'm staying at the Hyde Park Radnor, a quaint and affordable little hotel located a mere 2 minutes from Paddington station. The hotel is comfortable and reasonably priced - a mere 65 pounds for a room with a private bathroom. The room is a bit on the tiny side but, when you're traveling on your own, does it really matter? Everything is nice and clean and the location? Well, the location is ideal. Paddington is two blocks away and provides easy access to the tube and the Heathrow Express. Walk two blocks the other way to Hyde Park Square where 80% of the parked cars are Mercedes, BMW or Audis (not to mention a Rolls, two Bentleys and a Ferrari).

Now, for dinner I had planned on going to Crisitini. Unfortunately, the restaurant was hosting a private party and was closed. Edgware was only a few blocks away so my back-up plan was to go to Maroush, a local Lebanese chain. I never made it. While walking down Connaught, I spotted Arturo - a very nice and reasonable Italian restaurant and one that I would recommend.

Monday nights, one can order from the prix fixe menu at any time (otherwise only available as an "early bird" dinner). The three course prix fixe is only 16,95 pounds. I started with a carpaccio di tonno, followed by orata al forno (a delicious white fish) and had a fritella for dessert. I topped that off with a glass of white wine and paid a mere 20.95 plus service of 12,5%. A very good meal and an excellent value.

Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day... a meeting in Swindon, coffee with a partner at Paddington and then an appointment on Upper Thames Street. It will be a whirlwhind but hopefully it will bear fruit.

My Stay in Aberdeen

2009-03-23T11:44:00.000-05:00

Blogger or T-Mobile must think I'm in Scandinavia (it's not that far away) since my login information was in Norwegian. Go figure...

My stay in Aberdeen was a very brief one. I can't add much more than what I provided yesterday since today was devoted to business. I can confirm that Cinnamon was good... I ordered a delicious lamb shank and the nan was the tastiest I've ever had.

The weather in Aberdeen is something else... I woke up to beautiful sunny skies. A short while later, swirling snow was coming down... followed by sun... then rain... then sun... then an awful wind and gray clouds... followed by sun... and rain... well, you get the picture. It seems to change every 15 minutes.

As for the Scottish people, they're probably some of the nicest people I've ever met. If you make it up to Aberdeen, Edinborough or anywhere else in this country, expect to be treated like a friend.

Back to London where I'll be trying out the Heathrow Express to Paddington.

My Quick Stay in Aberdeen

2009-03-22T13:13:00.000-05:00

Many people know Aberdeen as the oil capital of Europe (the North Sea is teeming with oil)... probably 80% of the industry in this city on the Northern Sea is dedicated to the oil and gas industries. It's also not hard to figure out why Aberdeen is called the "Granite City" since everywhere you look, buildings are made out of locally quarried granite. In fact, one could call Aberdeen the gray city and do so without it being a disparaging remark. A vast majority of the granite quarried in the area is a deep gray color so everywhere you look, you see gray... from the gray rainclouds that loom over the city to the gray buildings that line the rivers Dee and Don.

Springtime in Aberdeen feels like it does in Houston when an Arctic front rolls in - cold, gray and blustery. I just spent about an hour and a half walking around town... just getting my bearings and trying to fight off the jetlag. Quite a few people were out and about walking along Union Street - the main shopping road in Aberdeen. Off of Union Street one comes across various side streets and alleys with smaller, quainter buildings and quite a few restaurants and shops. The selection of ethnic food is pretty substantial... Indian, Thai, Turkish, Lebanese, Italian and everything inbetween. A few pubs are thrown for good measure but you tend to see more ethnic restaurants.

I came across some nice areas like the Golden Square, St. Mary's Cathedral, the area near the Art Gallery and Old Aberdeen (courtesy of my taxi driver). The wind made it hard to really stick around in one place too long... it's cold by my standards. Locals? Well... some were covered and bundled up. Others were just wearing t-shirts or short skirts with hose... what!? Freezing... I don't get it.

Two of my colleagues recommended I visit Cinnamon tonight for dinner... a local Indian restaurant. I ran by there earlier and the menu looked good. I'll report back later.

Tasty Update for Houston

2009-03-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

I suppose I've had a few nice meals over the past week. Aside from my usual glowing reports of Mint Cafe' (just had a wonderful lunch there with the family), here are three of the places I hit up and my impressions.

Himalaya - 6652 Southwest Freeway - Nothing new here... I love going to Himalaya. Kaiser has a tendency to push the special for lunch but don't fall for it. Yes, the special is good but the menu has so many other great options. This week? The grilled fish masala - it was unbelievably good! The portion was massive so I had enough for two lunches. While it takes a bit longer for the grilled fish masala to come out, it is well worth the wait.

Shawarma King - 3121 Hillcroft (at Richmond) - Recommended to me by a friend and I'm glad he did. The chicken shawarma was simply delicious and very inexpensive. I don't know what spices they put on the chicken but it has a delicious flavor. I'll be back there, for sure.

Cafe Mezza - 6100 Westheimer - So, I was a bit confused by this place. I had heard so many people talk about it as a delicious Mediterranean restaurant but, the first warning was the front of the menu... "American cuisine with a mediterranean flair" - I suppose that's fine if you're not expecting an authentic Mediterranean/Lebanese meal but I was. So, yes, the food was pretty good but it was suited more for American palates. The hummus was rather bland (similar to the hummus at Hungry's International) and the babaganoush was OK. Overall, it was a nice place and the service was great (our waitress was wonderful) but I probably would go to a number of other places to get a Mediterranean fix before coming back to Cafe Mezza.

The Majesty of Palms

2009-03-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

We love palm trees... their tall gracious look, the way they rustle in the breeze and, most of all, where one finds them - typically in gorgeous tropical locales. So, here are some photos showing off these gorgeous plants...

Near the beach at Las Brisas in Huatulco, Mexico

Close up of a palm frond in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

The city beach in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

By the boardwalk in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Sunset in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

The pool at the Desert Star in Palm Springs, California

Fascinating Sicily

2009-03-11T10:14:00.000-05:00

As I plan our trip to Sicily, the more I read about the island, the more it fascinates me. We will probably end up staying in Trapani as a launching point for Favignana and the Egadi islands and then stay in Scopello for a couple of days and Balestrate on our last night.

There are several islands located off of the coast of Sicily... Salina, one of the isole eoilie, was the location for Giuseppe Tornatore's beautiful Il Postino and this article on its caper festival is excellent. Salina is just 1 1/2 hours away from Sicily and is near other amazing islands like Vulcano and Stromboli.

The famous tonnara di Scopello

There aren't a ton of lodging options in Scopello... some prefer to stay in Castellamare del Golfo but we want to be close to the Riserva Dello Zingaro. So, some of the hotels we are considering in Scopello are:

I think we're leaning towards Corcella although the food at the Pensione is reputed to be amazing!? Tough choice...

Getting down and yummy in Houston with Mediterranean food

2009-03-02T21:13:00.000-06:00

My last post was about food but my suggestions were admittedly not around the corner - more like 5,000 miles away. How about some local Houston suggestions?

Well, let's start with a place I kept hearing about and decided to check out - Russo's New York Coal Fired Pizza (owned by New York Pizzeria). About six months or so, I started reading about Russo's and the greatness of their coal-fired oven. Apparently a coal-fired oven can get much hotter than a traditional oven and it can make a pizza particularly crispy... maybe like the ones I'm used to in Rome? Robb Walsh gave it a good review although his most recent review of Grimaldi's made it evident that Grimaldi's trumps Russo's.

What did I think of Russo's? It was fine... nothing spectacular and really not different from most of the pizza places around town. The atmosphere was crazy - lots of families and kids on a Friday night (who are we to talk... we were there with a child) and the service was attentive... but, again, the pizza was just normal. Let's be honest... it does not come close to the greatness of Dolce Vita.

Now, the main reason I wanted to post a food entry was to post a few of my favorite Lebanese/Mediterranean places around town. Here are a few you can check out:

Mint Cafe' - 2800 Sage, 77056- I've blogged on this place before. We really like going there... Zaid and his parents always treat us well and pay so much attention to our son. The meat dishes are good but the veggie sides are what truly shine. Excellent falafel, too. Try their cous cous (different than they typical cous cous you'll come across at most Lebanese places around town), their delicious stuffed squash or my favorite... the ardishawki (see left)

Cafe' Rita - 755 Dairy Ashford, 77079 - I feel like I have Robb Walsh to thank for so many discoveries around town... this is one. As his review states, Cafe' Rita is Lebanese food with an Armenian twist. The twist is spice... a little bit of heat. The Armenian beef kabobs are simply delicious and the vast selection of sides can be a bit overwhelming... in a good way. The fava beans are excellent as is the Armenian cous cous. Prices are extremely reasonable and, while I haven't tried any desserts yet, they look quite good. George and Rita are absolutely wonderful and they will make you feel at home.

Zabak's - 5901 Westheimer, 77057 - I've only been here once but I had heard so much about the falafels, I had to check it out. The falafels... wow! So good... I agree that they're the best in town. A brother and sister run the restaurant using their father's old recipes (he passed away a few months before the restaurant opened... Allison Cook provides a bit of the story). I'll need to go back to try more dishes and to check out the falafel dishes which, apparently, are really really good.

Cafe' Lili - 5757 Westheimer, 77057 - Lili and her family run a great Lebanese restaurant - the service is always spot on and the food is excellent. I really like their kafta kabob salads and their babaganoush is excellent as is the moussaka. Not a big fan of their lebni - too plain. Still, it's one of our favorites and the coffee at the end of the meal is a real treat.

Fadi's - 8383 Westheimer, 77063 - This is the restaurant that put me on a Lebanese kick. Over the years, we've watched as the first location gradually gobbled up its neighbors and grew to a large restaurant. The cafeteria-style restaurant is a great way for newbies to be introduced to Lebanese food... so many great options and dishes like the veggie sampler are massive. Be sure to look further down the line - some of the best dishes are towards the end of the line.

Empire Turkish Grill - 12448 Memorial Drive, 77024 - This is one of our local haunts - as a Turkish restaurant, their menu leans more towards kabob, all of which are excellent. We typically start with their refreshing and delicious shepherd salad and cold appetizers like their delicious ezme and one of the best lebni in town. Kabob appetizers are large enough that they can be divided by two people - the adana kebab and the tavuk kebab (very juicy) are excellent. For something different, try the lahana samra - stuffed cabbage rolls. Desserts are delicious. Empire is more upscale that the other restaurants I've listed so it might be more fitting for a nice dinner although lunch is a steal at only $8.95.

There are still a few places I haven't tried... Mary's, Shawarma King and Cafe Mezza. They're on the list... but these five places are a good start. If you're new to Mediterranean food, start with Fadi's. If you want to go to someone's "home" to eat, go to Cafe' Rita get to know George and Rita.

My latest culinary adventures in Buenos Aires

2009-02-21T16:31:00.000-06:00

I promised I would write this entry but have slack in following through. So, let's take a look at some of the restaurants I visited on this last trip to Buenos Aires...

Mark's Deli and Coffee House - El Salvador 4701 - This was a two minute walk from Five Cool Rooms... I went here to have a casual lunch and conversation with an Argentine colleague. Good casual fare - large selection of sandwiches (I had one with goat cheese, tomato and apple... really quite good), salads, pastries, coffee, etc. Casual and busy.

Lo De Jesus - Gurruchaga 1406 - Great parrilla in Palermo Viejo with a nice selection of meat dishes but with other specials like pasta and fish. I tried the pacu', a cousin to the piranha and it was simply delicious. Attentive and friendly service and a great atmosphere - upscale environment that isn't too stuffy. Watch out for the bread they bring out with your meal. It can fill you up!? A bit on the pricey side.

At 9:30, the crowd still hasn't arrived at Lo De Jesus

La Cabrera - Cabrera 5099 - An old school parilla with an outstanding selection of meat dishes. Everyone talks about this place and you'll find that you can show up at 9:00 and it will be packed... 9:00... in Buenos Aires. Well, it seems like more than just locals like to go there. So, either make a reservation or be prepared to wait. If you do wait, you'll be treated to outstanding (and large!) cuts of beef at reasonable prices. I ordered a 1/2 portion of bife de chorizo, about 400 gr. It was accompanied by a dozen or so condiments, many of which were delicious. I highly recommend staking out a spot and waiting for the hostess to call your name. Cozy but very busy environment. More food for less money than Lo De Jesus.

Not sure what was better... the meat or the condiments.

Bahia Madero - Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 430 - I had a quick meal in Puerto Madero inbetween meetings. I had originally planned on going to Bice but decided to try a new place (new for me). I like Bahia Madero - it had a reasonably priced menu ejecutive for about 35 pesos that included a drink, main course and coffee or dessert. I wanted something light so I opted for fish - very nice. Great view overlooking Puerto Madero. I would imagine this would be a very romantic spot for dinner.

Coud not have asked for a nice day to eat in Puerto Madero

El Cuartito - Talcahuano 937 - This Tribunales-area pizzeria has been around for over 75 years. I went by for a slow Sunday lunch and I was clearly the only non-local in there. You can opt for a porcion of pizza (slice) or small or large sized pizzas. I ordered a small pizzaiola, an empanada, a glass of red and a bottle of water for under $7 USD. Really really good and just a nice local place. Can't recommend it enough. If you don't have time, grab a slice to go and eat at the counter.

Delicious, filling, cheap and very local - a great combination

Vinos y Sabores - Laprida 1805 - Tucked a few blocks north of Av. Santa Fe, this is a nice wine bar and bistro with a reasonably priced menu ejecutive and a great sidewalk location. I really enjoyed sitting at my shady table on a comfortable summer day. Perfect spot to take a load off and enjoy some coffee or a meal. Right on the border of Barrio Norte and Recoleta.

Vinos y Sabores was a great place for a nice lunch in the shade

Cluny - El Salvador 4618 - I stopped by Cluny for an afternoon coffee and pastry. The coffee was good, the pastry too large and excellent but the service was aloof and dreadfully slow. Yes, it has a wonderful terrace but the waitresses could care less whether you are being taken care of or not. I'm not one to demand much - I'm used to (and prefer) European-style service but the service at Cluny pretty much sucked.

BoBo Hotel & Restaurant - Guatemala 4882 - What can I write about the BoBo that I haven't written before - always an oustanding experience. The service is typically outstanding and the food is to die for. I highly highly recommend the menu' de degustacion... five delicious courses, all accompanied with wine. The price is a little steep for BsAs standards but it is so worth it!

One of five delicious courses at the BoBo

El Preferido de Palermo - Jorge L. Borges 2108 - On the same block as the BoBo is an old school lunch counter style restaurant called El Preferido de Palermo. It's been there since the 1950s and is a great place to grab a quick bite, a picada or a Quilmes. I made the mistake of going here before going to La Cabrera. Still, I really liked it... the owner reigns over his kingdom behind the counter, ringing up customers while waiters scurry about. A local favorite.

A quick picada at El Preferido before heading off to dinner

Speaking of picadas, while I didn't eat there on this trip, I definitely recommend stopping by Wela Pulperia in Buenos Aires Design for a bite to eat. We did this twice on our past trips - perfect place to nibble and get some sun.

Reviewing Five Cool Rooms

2009-02-10T20:44:00.000-06:00

Now that I'm back in Houston, let's talk about Five Cool Rooms, my most recent hotel in Buenos Aires. Given that I had a choice where to stay, so long as I stayed within a certain limit, I opted to find a place in Palermo Soho. My preferred hotel, the BoBo, wasn't available so I tried a few different hotels and settled on Five Cool Rooms.

Let's start with the location - everyone talks about the location. It really is ideal... just two blocks east of Plaza Serrano and located in the middle of just about everything - restaurants, boutiques, bars - everything! Just two doors down is another hotel, SoHo All-Suites, as well.

The service was cordial although not "dazzling" like the BoBo. The front desk staff were always willing to help and to provide some insight although I can't say they would really go out of their way. Next to the front desk was the lounge area with a TV, books and cool furniture. Outside were a patio, some chairs and a hammock. A nice area to hang out, particulary on cool comfortable nights. Up two flights of stairs was the breakfast area, terrace and jacuzzi. Breakfast was relatively straightforward but provided everything I needed for a quick stay.

I opted for one of the large rooms (#101 on the ground floor) at $150 USD/night. The room had plenty of space - cool, minimalist furnishings and a reasonable amout of storage space. The bathroom was nice and open with a very large shower but no bathtub (don't really care about that). The bed was very comfortable and the A/C was more than effective - it actually would get pretty cold. Wi-Fi was available pretty much anywhere on the property and I would use my laptop in the lobby area, in my room and on the terrace. I can't speak for the other rooms but would pass the small rooms often and, yes, they were quite small. Spend an extra $20-30/night for a bigger room.

Overall, I was pleased. Given my later experience at the Presidente, Five Cool Rooms was a great hotel and I would definitely recommend it. The location is ideal, the rooms (so long as you upgrade) are reasonable and the overall experience made the expense worthwhile.

New experiences at great eateries in BsAs

2009-02-09T10:49:00.000-06:00

I tried a few "new" (new for me) restaurants on my this last trip to Buenos Aires. I'll post reviews later but, off the top of my head, here are the ones I tried...

Lo De Jesus
Mark's
La Cabrera
Bahia Madero
El Cuartito
Vinos y Sabores
Cluny
El Preferido de Palermo

That includes some old school classics like El Cuartito near Tribunales/Retiro and some newer places like Vinos y Sabores in Recoleta. My favorite meal was at the BoBo... not new to me but still deeeelicious! Stay tuned for more. In the meantime, here is a big plate of Pacu' from Lo De Jesus...

Working Around the System

2009-02-08T07:38:00.000-06:00

As you know, my flight from Buenos Aires to Houston was canceled. Mechanical problems, they say. Well, apparently they added a new flight today to accommodate those who are currently stuck in Buenos Aires since there's only one flight a day. The new flight leaves at 10:30 and there's a second (normal) flight that leaves at 11:50. All the passengers from yesterday's flight who weren't placed on other airlines are scattered among two hotels - the Presidente (shabby) and the Panamericano (for First Class customers).

Originally, they had told us they (their remise service) would pick us up at 7:00 for the 10:30 flight. I said... I'd rather be picked up at 6:00, knowing that the "crack team" at the airport will be trying to handle two flights. Well, someone else heard me and they asked for 6:00, as well. This morning, when I went down to ask when I had to check out, he said we could stay until they pick us all up at 6:00. All? Us? Sounds like my idea spread to others. What does that mean? I no longer have an advantage of getting ahead of the masses.

So, what am I going to attempt to do? I made a reservation with First Class Transfers to pick me up at my hotel at 5:00. Yes... I know... that will get me to the airport around 4:45 minutes early. Besides, I have to foot the cost - AR$150 - not cheap but it's a good service. Why would I do this? Well, let's think about this...

1. Continental will have the personnel to handle one flight (slowly) but will have to process two flights.

2. Now the immigration tax window will have to be able to process one additional wide-body flight... that's a couple hundred passengers.

3. Once you get through that line, you've got to go through the notoriously slow security line.

Given all that, I have no problem going to the airport early... just so long as tonight isn't cancelled, as well.

We'll see...

On a less-serious note, if you're staying in Palermo Soho, you should make it a point to go off the beaten path to Atipica - located at El Salvador 4510 near Scalabrini Ortiz. It's a great little boutique filled with handmade items from local artists - jewelry, art, housewares and more. The owner runs the Trendy Palermo Viejo blog and is very friendly. Her prices are reasonable and there is a really nice selection of items that you wouldn't normally see in other stores.

Signs that your hotel is a dump

2009-02-08T04:47:00.000-06:00

You go to the airport to check in for your flight from Buenos Aires back to Houston and realize the line isn't moving at all. You wait and find out... the flight has been canceled. After two hours in line, you finally get to the front, get a new flight and are given vouchers for your overnight hotel.

Here are some handy signs that your airline-provided hotel is a dump...

1. It's ranked #237 out of #273 hotels in Buenos Aires

2. It has radio dials attached to the bed. The last hotel I visited that had this was a one-star hotel in Mainz, Germany (which, admittedly, had more charm than this four-star hotel). Note: I can't find a coin slot for pesos. That's a positive!

3. Your writing desk folds out of the wall

4. You have most of what you need to make a milanesa

5. You feel the need to put your suitcase against the room door so you can hear if someone comes in the room at night.

Which begs the question... do you take the free hotel or do you try to find something on your own. At midnight, you probably suck it up but if it was much earlier... that's a call you've got to make.

Great blog on food and travel

2009-02-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

I somehow stumbled upon the Ms. Adventures in Italy blog in Italy and boy am I glad I did. If you look food and you like travel, this is a great blog. Lots of interesting stories on locations in Italy and other must-see spots like Turkey... you'll see that this person takes the types of photos I like to take... photos of food! I love the shot she took of the halva.

I'll pitch in with my own food photograph, just for kicks... a simply delicious rabbit dish from a restaurant in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

A little more Qatar

2009-01-25T23:06:00.000-06:00

Just a few days after I posted something on Qatar, Tracy Burnett from the Houston Chronicle posted something about Qatar on her blog...

Going Back to the Beach? But Where oh Where...

2009-01-25T22:36:00.001-06:00

So we're thinking of taking another beach trip later in the year and, to save some money, I'd like to use miles. Given our last experience with hurricane season, we're going to stay away from the Caribbean, Mexico and the like. Places in the South Pacific are probably off, too. So, that has us thinking about going back to Europe. The question is, where? There are so many options...

How does one choose? When your options are pretty much wide open, it's a lot harder than you might think.

Would a return trip to Greece make sense? Quite possibly...

Maybe Greece is the way to go. We were so impressed by Milos that a similar island would be right up our alley. Folegandros just keeps jumping out. Conde' Nast called it Greece's best kept secret back in 2004. Honestly, Folegandros is awfully high on my list right now.

BUT... what about beaches in Italy. Puglia has so much to offer... I haven't seen the land of the trulli since I was 5 or 6 years old. Yes, I can still remember them. Then there's Ponza. My cousin clued us in to Ponza and it apparently is a fantastic little island. Of course, the Emerald Coast of Sardegna is high on our list. As is Calabria. Ugh!?

We've pretty much ruled out the French Riviera - yes, Monaco, Cannes and St. Tropez are all glitz and glamour but, the beaches? Well... not what we have in mind. Grand Canary was great last year and we've thought about checking out other islands in the Canaries like Fuerteventura but we think we want to try another spot. Spain does offer other islands worth visiting like Menorca and Formentera. Besides, we could add a trip to Madrid to visit my cousins. Just can't pick...

Stunning mountaintop scenery high above Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

So... that's a lot to choose from (haven't even brought up Malta or the Dalmatian Islands). Stay tuned... when we pick, you'll know. I'm thinking Folegandros may win but it's too early to pick favorites.

So long, for now, Rainbow Room... and discovering Muscat, Oman

2009-01-03T19:51:00.000-06:00

Back in 1996, I had a chance to return to New York City on behalf of my boss at BMC Software. At the time, I hadn't been back to Manhattan since I was a small boy and the city always held a great fascination for me. I've been back about a dozen times since then but the city still fascinates me. One of the highlights of that trip was a visit to the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. Our business meeting was held there and the experience was fantastic. I still remember taking in the view of the city from the 65th floor - amazing.

Well, it looks like part of the Rainbow Room, the Rainbow Grill, will be closing temporarily due to the economic downturn. A staple of the Manhattan nightlife for 75 years may be no more. Sad. Let's hope things pick up and the restaurant is fully open once again.

On to a complete unrelated item, I was reading something about Muscat, Oman today and it made me want to do some digging on Muscat. Apparently, it is a rarely visited but amazing destination in the Middle East.

From Shaw Travel

Not much is available online so here are a couple of brief pieces on Muscat:

Muscat, Oman: An Undiscovered Middle Eastern Treasure

Driving to Muscat from Dubai

Prepping for a trip to the Middle East

2008-12-30T20:22:00.000-06:00

Given that I will probably be traveling to Dubai on business in the coming months, I thought I would pick up a copy of Customs & Etiquette of Arabia and Gulf States from my local Barnes & Noble. Fascinating little book. I really found it interesting to read about the protocols and etiquette when visiting someone's home, insight on hospitality, Bedouin culture, etc. Since Saudi Arabia may be on the itinerary, as well, I want to make sure I've brushed up on the proper way to behave and interact with my business colleagues. Oh, and speaking of Dubai, rumor has it that a new hotel, Palazzo Versace, will soon open... the hotel, owned by that Versace, will likely have, get this, an air conditioned beach. Is this any surprise in the resort town that brought us the world's first seven star hotel or the world's largest indoor ski resort?

Holy Crap!?

2008-12-17T11:54:00.001-06:00

Ah, well... speaking of mountains...

wingsuit base jumping from doubleA on Vimeo.

Travel + Leisure's New List... and BsAs in sight?

2008-12-15T22:44:00.000-06:00

The January issue of Travel + Leisure started arriving in subscribers' mailboxes and includes a list of their top 500 hotels in the world. I can't link to the list, yet, but rest assured it will show up online in a matter of days. As you can imagine, with 500 hotels to choose from, you'll see most of the names you would expect. I ran through a quick search of the list and spotted three that I've frequented... the Hotel Amigo in Brussels, the Grand Hotel in Rome and the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. All three were no-brainers to make the list. Other "wish list" hotels made the list... places like the Llao Llao in Bariloche, Argentina.

The Famed Llao Llao Hotel near Bariloche

Speaking of Argentina, it looks like a business trip to BsAs is in the works. Our client has preferred rates with the Intercontinental Hotel - a nice place in an unfortunate microcentro location. Given my choice, I'm going to look elsewhere. So long as I can keep our nightly rate at or below the Intercontinental, I'm sure I can swing a place in Palermo Viejo or Recoleta. While I may lean on a well-known boutique hotel like the bobo or Five Cool Rooms, I might try out one of the new boutique hotels that's landed on the BsAs scene... maybe Mine Hotel Boutique? I've read great things about Tailor Made Hotel and 248 Finisterra but the Las Cañitas locations are a bit inconvenient for this particular trip.

We'll see...

UT Opens up a First-Class Hotel

2008-12-05T10:39:00.000-06:00

It looks like The University of Texas has decided to open up an on-campus executive conference center and hotel... and what a hotel it is. For the little economic recession unfriendly sum of $279.00, you can book a standard king room at the hotel. Is the hotel worth it? Absolutely...

Why? If you happen to be going to a Longhorn game, staying on-campus (and not in a dorm, of course) is simply invaluable. Roll out of the room... walk to the game... watch the Longhorns win... and then head back. So easy. It was a breeze for the 7:00 PM kickoff on Thanksgiving night. Given our late arrival time on campus, we didn't have time to go check into a hotel further afield.

And the hotel is actually really very nice. The common areas are first class, there are multiple on-site restaurants (the breakfast buffet is relatively good - cost is reasonable for a hotel like this) and you simply can't beat the location. From what we could tell, the hotel not only had Longhorn fans but other guests who were simply enjoying the new digs.

A few thoughts... spend some time in the relaxing courtyard - a minimalist but very well laid out space with plenty of comfortable seating on the edges. Behind the check-in area, there's a very nice seating area where you can drink coffee (purchased at the nearby coffee bar) and watch some TV. Valet parking is $12.00/day and, ironically, self-parking is higher with in-and-out priveleges.

What else? That's all I can think of... it's a really nice hotel and would gladly stay there again when my economic circumstances warrant. Keep in mind, though, that UT has started something called the Santa Rita Society. While I can't see that they'll sell too many memberships during lean economic times, this may eventually make rooms harder to come by.

And not just occasionally, but at every regular season UT home football game for at least 15 years, you will be guaranteed the right to share the home game experience. You will enjoy the rewards of impeccable service, a concierge at your beck and call, complimentary amenities, a destination restaurant (The Carillon), a sports café (Gabriel’s), exceptional room service, rooms available for private parties – in addition to being near world-class museums, shopping and all that The University and Downtown Austin have to offer. It is a unique opportunity to network in an unparalleled setting, to form lasting relationships with like-minded social, business, educational and government leaders who – like you – are members of this by-invitation-only, inner circle known as the Santa Rita Society.

Room licenses and Santa Rita Society memberships are limited to 250, so you must act quickly. Single rooms (for two people) and a limited number of suites are still available.

Venice: Cold and Foggy in November... but Worth It!

2008-12-01T23:15:00.000-06:00

Our November 2005 trip to Venice was a bit chilly - yes, it even snowed - but it confirmed to me that the best time to visit Venice is during some of the colder months. Problem is, the water isn't always cooperative. The acqua alta can put a damper on anyone who wants to wander across San Marco.

Still, there's more to Venice than the San Marco district and, well, let's face it... it's a bit of a gamble. If you can handle the possible risk, then I still say that Venice during a month like November or January is a magical place... cold, foggy and relatively quiet. Tourists crowds are scarce and great deals can be found throughout the city - whether you're after a luxe option or a wonderful little hotel like the Ca' Del Brocchi in Dorsoduro. Finding a gondoliere is an easy task and you can even negotiate a fair rate - something you certainly can't do during the "swampy" summer months when hordes of tourists are qeueing up for a ride.

Plenty of Elbow Room in November

The Colors of Downtown Houston

2008-11-22T20:41:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, we went to the Via Colori festival in downtown Houston. Apparently this was the third year the festival had been held though it's the first that comes to mind. Held in other cities like Scottsdale, AZ and Columbus, OH...

The festival will showcase more than 175 artists who will create original masterpieces on the street in a pastel medium. From creation to completion, festival-goers will be able to watch as artists turn asphalt into art. Food, beverages, entertainment and children’s activities will round out this spectacular fall weekend in Sam Houston Park and the surrounding streets of Bagby and Allen Parkway.

It was a gorgeous sunny day with highs in the 60s so just walking around Houston while viewing some amazing work was truly enjoyable. The festival runs for one more day and is sure to return in 2009. Below are a handful of shots from the event...

Treasure Trove of Travel Photos

2008-11-22T09:39:00.000-06:00

By now, you've probably heard the news that Google is hosting the Life Magazine photo archive online... over ten million images of every historic subject you can imagine. It's fascinating stuff and a terrible time waster if you want to really dig.

Give then purpose of this site, I thought it would be cool to post some tourist and travel related images.

TWA Stewardess in 1933

American tourist and his guide in Paris, 1957

Cafe patrons in Buenos Aires in 1961

Tourists visiting ancient ruins in Greece in 1959

Musicians entertain travelers in Mexico City Airport in 1958

Hello Kirchner

2008-11-10T15:18:00.000-06:00

Seems to me like porteños have elevated the use of stencils for graffiti to a whole new level. From still-scarred areas of the microcentro to the buzzing streets of Palermo Viejo, you're likely to come across all kinds of random stencils. Many, if not most, are of a political nature, while others are just odd or amusing. This stencil plays Hello Kitty off nicely with (at the time) Nestor Kirchner. Turned out to be a relatively timeless design now that pension-hungry Kristina is in power. The other stencil was located on a bank building in the microcentro - site of some of the fiercest rioting during the Argentine crisis.

Exotic Food Options in Houston

2008-11-08T22:05:00.000-06:00

How about some food updates for Houston?

Let's start with some bad news - one of my favorite Houston restaurants, Bice, is no more. According to My Table's web page, the upscale Italian restaurant restaurant recently closed. I saw this confirmed on the B4-U-EAT web page, as well. Not sure if the economy is to blame or a somewhat poor location. Either way, it's a loss for Houston's dining scene.

Now... let's talk about places that are definitely open. The first is Himalaya... a Pakistani restaurant located at 6652 Southwest Freeway, on the northwest corner of the intersection with Hillcroft. The food at Himalaya is wonderful - so flavorful, abundant and reasonably priced. The family-run restaurant offers a wide selection of dishes. Kaiser and his wife are always willing to provide insight on what to order. The last time I went, I ordered goat keema (he described it as being like goat chili) and daal fry. So many delicious complex flavors and quite a bit of fire, to boot. The special is usually a safe bet and offers a taste of different flavors. I've ordered mutton before, as well, and it was out of this world. Now, should you choose to eat there, the atmosphere can be a bit lacking but, let's face it, atmosphere is not why one goes there. It is all about the food. For more on Himalaya, a 2005 Robb Walsh review in the Houston Press provides more insight.

Since we're talking ethnic food, let's talk about Phoenicia Specialty Foods at 12141 Westheimer. What can I say about this place? If you like Mediterranean food, Phoenicia is heaven. I still can't believe I haven't mentioned this place before. I thought of it earlier today after nibbling on a date filled maamoul (a cookie filled with date paste).

So... how can I describe it? In many respects, Phoenicia is like a typical grocery store - produce, a butcher, bakery, deli, etc. The thing is, you'll find products you would never run across in your typical Kroger. How about a butcher that offers kakta kabobs or soujouk links? Or a bakery that offers delicacies you would typically find in a Lebanese pastry shop? And a deli that has 6 different types of fresh feta cheeses from Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria as well as homemade marinated string cheese like you might find at a Bosnian restaurant. Of course, you'll have an endless selection of packaged goods, aisles of exotic sweets and even a counter where one can buy various tobacco products to be used in a hookah.

If you're a foodie or just curious about new cuisine, I would just suggest you go check it out and enjoy walking around and taking in the place. I guarantee you'll find something of interest. Check out some pictures of Phoenicia on the she eats blog.

Italy - Always a Cell Phone at Hand

2008-11-05T14:46:00.000-06:00

This scene cracked me up when I fist saw it because it was so Italian. That is, in Italy, everyone has a fascination with cell phones... the country has one incidence of cell phone usage on the globe with articles even noting that adolescents often have multiple cell phones. As early as 1999, there were more cell phones in use in Italy than landlines... similar to cell-phone crazed Finland. It could be because landlines are ridiculously expensive in Italy. When I call my aunt in Rome, she's always in a rush to get off since calls are metered, like traditional cell phone plans. Anyway, watching this scene unfold in Villa Celimontana in April 2008 had us laughing. So normal to Italians but so typical, too. Certainly the children and the pony are unfazed.

Let Your Taste Buds Take You Back

2008-10-29T22:27:00.000-05:00

Just this past week, one of our good friends in Italy commented to me that he felt one of the best ways to get to know a culture or a people is through their cuisine. I couldn't agree more. In fact, when we travel, I make it a point to eat local delicacies... a full-blown parilla in Buenos Aires, tiritas in Zihuatanejo or geschnitzel mit roesti in Zurich. Mmmm... geshnitzel.

OK... my mind and taste buds are wandering. Anyway, he made a very good point. In fact, not only can you enjoy local cuisine while on a trip, you can bring that local cuisine home with you. For example, during our July trip to Zihuatanejo, I made it a point to pick up a 750 gr bag of sea salt for a mere 30 pesos. You read that right... 1 1/2 pounds of sea salt for about $3.00. While in Paris, we saw 1 kilo bags of fleur de sel French sea salt for under 2 Euros. To me, using food products from another country make it easy to relive memories from a trip over and over. Just this week, we started a meal by cracking open a jar of locally grown olives we purchased in Milos, Greece. Tonight, I seasoned a batch of broccolini with a bit of fleur de sel de Camargue purchased in France.

You get the picture... so, here are some of the culinary items we've purchased during some of our trips to spark some ideas on what to pick up on your next trip:

A jar of chimichurri herbs in Buenos Aires
Wine in Italy, Greece, Spain, Argentina and, yes, even Canada.
Local spirits like Nocino or Amaro d'Abruzzese in Italy and local rum in Gran Canaria
Chocolates in Switzerland, Belgium and in Bariloche, Argentina
Parmigiano in Italy
Shrimp seasoning in New Orleans
Maple syrup in Quebec
Lizano salsa in Costa Rica
Rosa mosqueta in Bariloche, Argentina
Oils in Italy and Spain
Red salsa mojo in Gran Canaria
Delicacies in the food halls at Harrod's in London
Bricks of Lavazza espresso coffee in Italy

Seek out a local grocery store, take a look at various local products, particularly those that don't look familiar and pick out a few to take home. Just make sure you're not bringing back anything that might get you on the wrong side of customs. Soft cheeses, packages of prosciutto, foie gras, etc... a quick look a the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol page will shed some light on what can't be brought back.

Buenos Aires - Dirt Cheap Days are Long Gone...

2008-10-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

I love coming across new blogs written by expats living in Argentina. While not "new" per se (they've been there for ten weeks or so), Discover Argentina is fun to read... all about a couple from New York City who moved into a furnished apartment in Palermo. My favorite entries are their "Random Observation" entries... picking up on the little odds and ends of Argentina. Some are about the food...

Empanadas are everywhere! They have empanada speciality stores; they’re delivered by the pizza places; sold in diners, grocery stores, pasta stores, etc. I’ve eaten more empanadas in my time here, than throughout the rest of my life. I initially thought all empanadas were the same, and bought them from the supermarket at least once a week, but then last week we had empanadas from Gourmet Empanada and I realized what I’ve been missing. I know now that I will never be able to eat a supermarket empanada again.

While others are about things we noticed and found particularly funny, as well...

As you walk down the street here, you might notice some cars that have jugs half-filled with some type of liquid sitting on top of the roof. We’ve seen this many times and have finally figured out what it means. (Well, ok, we didn’t actually figure it out, we asked our Spanish tutor, Marco, what it meant.) Ready? It means that the car is for sale. Yep, that’s it. I guess a sign in the window is just too simple. The benefit of the jug though is that it is much more visible than a sign when walking or driving by.

So, that sounds kind of odd but we started spotting those, too, and had to ask a taxi driver what that was all about. This was a car we saw for sale in Palermo Viejo:

Now, while the dollar keeps making big gains against the Euro, the Pound, the Argentine Peso and other currencies, things aren't as cheap as they used to be. More people are starting to notice, too. Inflation in Argentina has been quite heady - causing prices to shoot up. While cheaper that most major cities in the world, the dirt cheap prices of just a few years ago are starting to disappear. In 2006, our favorite BsAs hotel, the Bobo Hotel, used to charge $90/night for their smaller rooms. Today, those rooms will set you back $165/night. Popularity comes with a price, I suppose. The political situation hasn't been stable either - witness my earlier posts on the mess earlier in 2008. Now Cristina has her eyes set on raiding private pensions. Fun stuff... can't say it tempers my enthusiasm to go back but some of the shine has rubbed off.

Chestnuts roasting on a Roman fire

2008-10-21T09:20:00.000-05:00

One of my most vivid memories of my childhood in Italy is the smell of vendors selling warm chestnuts during wintertime. I guess the old song about chestnuts roasting on an open fire still rings true in Italy. To this day, you can wander the chilly winter streets of cities like Rome and buy a rolled up paper cone of warm chestnuts - a great little snack on a wintry day. Here is a picture of my cousin getting his fill on a cold November day in 2005...

"Are you going to South San Fraaanciscooo..."

2008-10-15T19:51:00.000-05:00

When you don't have any vacations planned, even a simple business trip can be refreshing. Today, I find myself in South San Francisco... that's the city of South San Francisco, located within spitting distance of San Francisco International Airport.

South San Francisco isn't know for much from a tourist standpoint. It bills itself as the birthplace of the biotech industry and is home to biotech giant Genentech. Otherwise, I can't tell you what there is to do in this town. I'm located in a business area, not really next to downtown South San Francisco. I did, however, take a jog from my hotel over to the Oyster Point Marina. From there, I connected to the Bay Trail and where it goes from the marina to Point San Bruno. I really only went as far as the Oyster Point Pier where a handful of fisherman were basking in the sun. To the left, you could see San Francisco in the distance. To the right, planes taking off and landing at SFO. The weather was perfect so it was nice to just get away from the hotel and explore.

Below are a couple more photos taken during my little jaunt...

Oyster Point Marina
Oyster Point Pier

Heading West...

2008-10-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sitting in a President's Club, while far far better than sitting in a general waiting area, can get old when you do it for a couple of hours. I'm connecting through McCarran Intl in Las Vegas on my way to San Francisco. I'm about to have my first experience with Ted, the airline that one fellow passenger on Continental referred to as the airline that almost brought down United.

McCarran is a very nice airport - everything seems shiny and brand new, probably paid by some pretty stout gaming taxes. That's my guess anyway. Plenty of shops and a handful of restaurants abound... and more Starbucks than I've seen in one terminal. Of course, there are the ubiquitous slot machines... no shocker there. Rather than dropping a few quarters in a slot machine, I decided to temporarily pause my mid-week Starbucks diet and get a latte. Ahhh...

Next up... South San Francisco

Staying in Athens

2008-10-13T22:17:00.000-05:00

Our time in Athens was awfully limited... essentially only two nights, one when we first arrived and one when we were on our way out. We wish we'd had a chance to see more of Athens - particularly in the daytime - but that wasn't on the agenda for this trip. I would imagine that our next trip to Greece might involve some extra time in Athens. At the same time, I think to myself... who am I kidding? The thing to do is get to the islands as quickly as possible .

Well, whether you're limited on time or you will be in Athens for quite some time and want to be in the thick of things, we would recommend a hotel like the Athens Gate Hotel. The hotel is usually ranked in the top 5 on TripAdvisor. It is stylish, reasonably priced for a 4-star hotel in a major European city and, simply put... it has location location location. On one side, you have the temple of Olympian Zeus. On the other side, the Plaka and an unbelievable view of the Acropolis. Really... what an ideal spot.

We paid a bit more to get a Double Executive Room - we thought that might give us more space but that didn't quite seem to be the case. The room was relatively small but not out of the ordinary for a European hotel. The piece de resitastance was the marvelous terrace view.

Service was excellent and the full breakfast was more than enough to keep us happy. It was great to relax on the terrace while looking up at the Acropolis. Unfortunately, by 9:30, we had to bolt from the hotel and head to the airport to catch our flight to Milos. Unfortunately... what am I talking about? We were heading to Milos.

Anyway, you get the point - great hotel, stylish decor, outstanding location, reasonable price and a great breakfast. If you do stay there, let us know what the park is like by the hotel - looks like a great area to explore. For us... next time!

Nerdy Hurricane Heads to Los Cabos

2008-10-08T22:32:00.000-05:00

Anyone seen the latest tropical update? It appears Hurricane Nortbert is heading towards Baja... read that right? Norbert! Sweet... what kind of a name is Nortbert? You get the feeling that when Norbert was just a young tropical depression, he used to get picked on by Ike. And Katrina? Yeah... she wouldn't be caught dead in public with Norbert. His only friend was Gustav, a foreign exchange storm.

Oh well, I guess Norbert had an inferiority complex so he's now a powerful category 4. Let's hope for the best in Baja.

Assuming Los Cabos rides out the storm without a problem, let me make a small suggestion. If you happen to be heading to Los Cabos, my suggestion would be to either stay in the hotel corridor, where many beautiful hotels are located (our favorite is the Melia Los Cabos, now the Dreams Los Cabos, or near San Jose Del Cabo. San Jose Del Cabo is the original colonial town whereas Cabo San Lucas is the touristy, less authentic town. I'd rather opt for a more authentic experience than a party town known more for Carlos n Charlies, Cabo Wabo and "The Office". That's just me... that's what I look for.

When we stayed by San Jose Del Cabo, we stayed at the Royal Solaris, an all-inclusive hotel. It was nice but not where we would normally stay. BUT... it was free which made it wonderful. The only problem... being there in February. I guess that's OK if you're from Jersey and you're used to cold Februaries but, those of us from the Gulf Coast like a little warmth with our beach experience.

Assuming Norbert doesn't go all postal on Los Cabos, here are some places to check out while there...

Wandering the side streets of San Jose Del Cabo

Snorkeling in Santa Maria Bay

Horseback riding on Las Mananitas beach

Visiting the Main Square in Los Cabos

Visiting Kleftiko in Milos

2008-10-06T10:37:00.000-05:00

Yup... the power is back but all this gloom and doom about the economy makes one think about great past vacations. Greece is still fresh on my mind, clearly. Once things pick back up, Milos will definitely be back on my target list.

One absolute must to visit in Milos is Kleftiko. Located in the southwest corner of Milos, Kleftiko is a protected cove of stark white rocks, cliffs and arches that was once used by pirates to raid ships sailing past Milos. The only way to reach Kleftiko is via private boat, sea kayak or a chartered day trip. It's hard to describe the place without visiting in person.

We took a full-day trip with the Mama Maria, a sailboat we found in the port town of Adamas. Our group consisted of 20 or so tourists (mostly Greek, Italian and French) and a crew of 4 - Giovanni, Kostas and their friends. The tour took us from the port all the way around the northwest and southwest of the island down (with a stop inbetween) to Kleftiko. We enjoyed nearly five hours day, just lounging, swimming, taking a dingy into the various caves and snorkeling into the caves around the area. It was nice and quiet - maybe four boats, at most. No one was playing loud music or getting hammered - just taking in the peace and quiet of a truly stunning area. The tour was 50 EUR per person and included snacks, coffee, drinks and the by far the tastiest Greek salad we tasted in Greece.

Here are a few more pictures of the experience...

Good food in New Braunfels

2008-09-29T10:18:00.000-05:00

Being without power for 13 days is harder than you think - even the most basic things are thrown off kilter and you suddenly find that you have to do everything you can before it gets remotely dark outside. Otherwise, it's lantern-time.

That being the case, we opted to flee our powerless situation this past weekend and head up to New Braunfels. Of course, the power came back on on Friday night and, like Thomas, I didn't believe it until I put my fingers in the holes of His hands... we saw the light on Sunday. All is good again.

But... while we were in New Braunfels, we had a chance to eat at some great little places. Most are well-known but, if you haven't been to NB before, you may not immediately know where to go. The area offers the oldest dancehall in Texas, the oldest bakery in Texas, BBQ, home cooking, Mexican and much more. So, here are four places that benefited from our power outage:

Huisache Grill - 303 W. San Antonio - You wouldn't find it unless you knew to take a little dirt backroad next to the railroad tracks. Once there, you'll find a great wine bar and restaurant with a peaceful garden, a nice selection of wine and some very good food. We make it a point to eat here any time we're in New Braunfels. Excellent food.

Crosswalk Cafe - 489 Main Plaza - Right on the main square, this is a great place to get your coffee fix or to grab a light breakfast or lunch. Never overflowing but usually abuzz with regular clientèle. Great place to grab a spot outside and enjoy a nice espresso.

Grist Mill - 1287 Gruene Road - Telling someone about going to the Grist Mill is far from sharing an "inside tip" but, again, if you haven't been to New Braunfels or Gruene, it may not be as obvious. So, make it a point to go to Gruene, put your name on the potentially long waiting list and look forward to eating at a local landmark. When you're done, see who happens to be playing at Texas' oldest dancehall, Gruene Hall.

Union Street Station - 512 E. San Antonio Street - This tiny place is a great place to catch up with locals. Not far from Schiltterbahn, Union Street Station offers breakfast all day as well as sandwiches and other casual and country cooking. 50+ omelets are on the money and, if you get there at the wrong time on a weekend, expect a long wait. Prices are nice and cheap and you get plenty of food.

Motoring Around on Milos

2008-09-23T17:42:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to post so much about Milos but, simply put, being without power for 11 days makes it kind of tough. I suppose I could sit and write one blog entry after another from work but that might not be too wise. So, when I can, I'll post a tidbit or two until I can actually get online and post more.

Let's talk about something very worthwhile in Milos - renting a car. While there, we rented a car and used it to go all over the island. Since we stayed in Pollonia, access to good transportation was a must. From Pollonia, we would regularly drive to Plaka (the island's hilltop capital), Adamas (the island's main port) and beaches like Yerontas, Tsigrado, Firiplaka and more. Without a car, I would imagine it would be just about impossible to go to places like Klima, a picturesque fishing village on Milos Bay and an absolute must-see.

Now, we rented from Sea Sun Sophia - why Sea Sun Sophia? Simply put, they are the only agency on the island with automatic transmission cars. They are few and far between so, if you want one, that's who you need to contact. We paid 60 EUR/day for a Hyundai Matrix (included insurance).

You'll occasionally see people riding around in dune buggies or four-wheelers but they were slow and tended to clog up the roads. Mopeds? I wouldn't... no way you can drive to Yerontas on a moped - it's a rocky dirt road. Not ideal moped territory.

So, what can you access with a car that you can't access with public transportation?

Remote beaches like Yerontas

The stunning white rocks of Sarakiniko

Wrong turns that lead to this remote overlook near Vatos

The charming fishing village of Klima

Pining for Milos

2008-09-17T09:01:00.000-05:00

One week ago, this was our view... Firiplaka Beach on the island of Milos. After our numerous flight cancellations, delays and the current aftermath from Ike, last week seems like last year.

In case you happen to be going to Milos, Firiplaka is definitely a beach worth visiting - gorgeous shallow waters, a long and varied beach with fascinating colors and easy access with a beach bar. You can access Firiplaka by taking the same road to Tsigrado. At the fork, just turn right to Firiplaka. The closest part of the beach includes the beach bar and rentable chairs/umbrellas. Walk further down the beach and past the jutting rock and you'll find a rockier beach with fascinating formations and a few scary nudists.

Ever Evolving Travel Plans

2008-09-15T14:55:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of keeping work and vacations completely separate. In my opinion, there should be a massive gulf (or ocean, really) separating one from work while on vacation. Typically, I leave my laptop at home and turn off my phone's e-mail capabilities. I don't want anything to do with work.

This time, we actually brought my laptop to Greece - the agreement was to not open Outlook so I couldn't read any work e-mail. I kept my end of the agreement. However, when Ike was about to hit and all travel plans went out the window, my laptop turned out to be a lifesaver. Combine that with Skype and the ability to make plenty of calls to Continental for $.02 a minute, we were able to constantly work on travel plans when everything was going to pot. Simply put, I would strongly recommend bringing a laptop when traveling on vacation - just be sure that you have the willpower to stay away from work or just leave it off unless you really need it. If you make the commitment to not work, as I did, you can do it.

Our travel plans have constantly evolved... essentially, we'll end up home 3 days after originally planned. Our flight from Athens to Paris took off without a hitch. After that, things got confusing. Our Paris to Houston flight was cancelled for two days. That left us in Paris for two nights. OK - not a bad place to be. On the day we were supposed to fly back to Houston, we found out our flight to Houston was cancelled again. We shifted to a flight to Newark (that included an overnight stay) with plans to then fly to San Antonio. Newark was fine (that's 3 unplanned nights in a hotel) but we later found out that getting a car in San Antonio to drive to Houston was impossible.

San Antonio was out so we worked with three ticket agents at the Continental ticket sales counter to then switch our flights from eTickets to paper tickets (I guess that's what they had to do to make the change) so that we could fly from Newark, via Nashville, back to Houston. The next day, when we went to check in, we were told that we essentially didn't have tickets on anything... Nashville, San Antonio, zilch. Hmmm... OK, not great. So, the agent started fixing the mess the last 3 agents had made. She worked over the phone with someone from Continental and actually found us seats on a direct flight from Newark to Houston - something we thought was virtually impossible. From what we know, flights should be taking off and landing in IAH so we should arrive back shortly after midnight on the 16th. Our original plan was to be back in Houston on the 12th. Juuuust a slight delay.

Wow... fun stuff. It's hard to keep sane but we made the best of it, enjoyed a bit of time in Paris and Roissy (more on that later) and tried to keep a sense of humor without strangling each other. Soon, I'll be able to post some pictures from the wonderful island of Milos and our stops in-between.

Hotel Gift Shops and Absurd Prices

2008-09-14T18:13:00.000-05:00

What is it about hotel gift shops that they feel the need to gouge customers staying at hotels? Some items are simply overpriced - little travel size deodorants for a few dollars rather than the usual 99 cents. Today, however, I spotted a new one... while staying at the Newark Airport Marriott Hotel, I came across a package of two generic diapers (some no-name brand) for $5.00. Now, let's think about the math. That's $2.50 a diaper. We usually buy a pack of 110 Pamepers diapers (I believe that's what size they are) for $30.00... that's $.27 a diaper... so, the hotel gift shop charges 9x more for a no-name diaper than Target. Wow... nice! Besides, as if two diapers can help... you usually need more, just in case.

Moral of the story - be sure you have extra supplies. We learned that on this trip as our 8 night vacation ended up being extended by 3 nights.

When Life Hands You Lemons

2008-09-12T16:53:00.000-05:00

Greek adventures, stunning beaches on the island of Milos, crooked Athenian cab drivers, precarious mountain roads, layovers in a surprising Roissy and hurricanes... so much to post, so much to catch up on. I'll have some great tips coming up in the next few weeks with plenty of pictures of fascinating places like Tsigrado, Yerontas and Klima.

Our trip to Milos was an absolute dream and our journey began to draw to a close with some unexpected twists and turns. This is what is so great about traveling... you never know what to expect. More to come soon... in the meantime, the next time you get stuck at Roissy by CDG in Paris, don't fret - the tiny little town actually has a bit to offer the weary traveler.

Tragedy in Madrid

2008-08-20T22:29:00.000-05:00

The more I read about the Spanair crash in Madrid, the more it bothers me. As you know, a Spanair flight was leaving Madrid for Las Palmas on Grand Canary. Last year, my wife and I flew Spanair from Madrid to Las Palmas. It just strikes close to home, particularly when you read about how the passengers died burned alive. Terrible, just terrible. Tragedies like this can't stop one from flying but they do give you pause.

May 2007 in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

New Yorkers Get a Closer Shave

2008-08-19T20:37:00.000-05:00

If you take shaving seriously (that is, if you don't like butchering your face and coping with hellacious razor burn), then you may be familiar with eShave - a great online store focused on all things shaving. I visited the eShave page tonight to buy some preshave oil only to find that eShave now has a retail presence. Located at 993 B 1st Avenue in New York City, New Yorkers now have a brick and mortar location to pick up eShave's shaving sets, badger hair brushes and shave creams. Lucky bastages. I'm a big fan of eShave. This may sound goofy but, simply put, once I started using their products, I consistently get close, comfortable shaves. Nope... I'm not a paid spokesman - just a really happy customer. Check out the store next time you're in midtown Manhattan.

Excellent Service at Arco D'Oro

2008-08-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

Good service in a restaurant should be expected but great service should be rewarded. Other than a generous gratuity, what better way to recognized an excellent effort by letting others know about the experience? And our experience last night at Arco D'Oro was an indeed outstanding.

Simply put, we arrived a bit early knowing that we needed to eat before we fed our baby boy. Such is the life of parenthood - eating around your child's schedule. Despite not having reservations on a Friday night, we were placed in a nice booth that made it easy to accommodate us with our son. Throughout the night, we were waited on very attentively - not only by the wait staff but by the maitre 'd who frequently checked with us, spent quite a bit of time talking to us and simply made us feel very welcome despite having an eleven month old in tow. Some nice restaurants would do the opposite and make it clear that "uninvited" children on a Friday night were simply not welcome. Arco D'oro, on the other hand, made us feel like VIPs. That did deserve a generous tip and, as promised, a kind word.

This week we'll be trying out the new Ristorante Cavour at the Hotel Granduca - we'll be enjoying a night out sans baby. The restaurant has a mere 7 tables and has a reputation for impeccable service. Early reviews have been very positive - we'll see how our experience measures up.

Long overdue food options in Zihuatanejo

2008-08-06T18:41:00.000-05:00

As you know, we spent a few days relaxing over the 4th July weekend in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Despite a day of bad weather thanks to a tropical depression, the weather was mostly nice - if not a bit humid. Still, during our stay, we had a chance to enjoy some great local restaurants.

La Casa Vieja - authentic Mexican food - delicious completely unhealthy barbacoa on Sundays. We ate there twice... the second day, Sunday, was just us an local families enjoying Sunday lunch. Really enjoyable. Best tortillas we had anywhere in Zihua.

We loved the atmosphere (and the food) at La Casa Vieja

La Perla - Great beachside restaurant in Playa La Ropa - really a perfect spot and the tiritas were out of this world (think ceviche but strips of raw fish)

Tiritas on the beach... yum!

Kau Kan - One of the best restaurants in Zihua. It was pouring while we were there so we didn't enjoy the patio. A tropical depression was just off the coast. More of a romantic/formal restaurant than your typical area restaurant. Pricier, as well, but not ludicrous by any means.

Cafeteria Nueva Zelanda - located in downtown Zihua. Nice place for a traditional Mexican breakfast or to just grab a plate of fruit and yogurt.

Bistro Del Mar - Beachside location on Playa Madera. Our hotel's restaurant. Morning service is terrible but they really shine at night. Very romantic spot. Find out the specials... we had a red snapper for two that was huge and so good.

The delicious red snapper special for two at Bistro Del Mar

La Ranita - You'll never find a web page for this three table breakfast spot. It's located across from the Bistro Del Mar and next door to La Rana "supermarket" (teeny tiny but handy). The family-run place serves made to order breakfasts, sandwiches and other quick and easy fare. A nice place to grab a bite if you're in the area.

A few locals recommended Doña Licha Restaurant to us but we never made it there. Supposed to have a great "plato de la casa" with a big hunk of beef, fresh cheese, etc.

Cool Airport T-shirts

2008-07-24T10:43:00.000-05:00

I came across a cool T-shirt yesterday while waiting for my flight back to Houston from San Francisco. Red White and Beer (yup, that's their name), has a complete line of t-shirts inspired by old school luggage tags. I picked up the SFO shirt because I liked how it wasn't your typical, "Hi, I went to San Francisco... or New York... Topeka, whatever" t-shirt. I'm looking forward to the FCO and EZE shirts but there are plenty of other great ones available and more on the way...

Ghost Towns

2008-07-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

I've always found ghost towns to be fascinating... wandering among the ruins and rubble of a place that was. You'll see them dotted across the states and, though not referred to as ghost town, across more historic places in countries like Italy, France, etc.

Anyway, the AP published an interesting article called Explore the History and Mystery of Ghost Towns that I found worth sharing. Below are some pictures taken in California's Coachella Valley and in Joshua Tree National Park. The first four are from Joshua Tree, three not too far from the Jumbo Rocks and one from the Lost Horse Mine. The last two (different buildings in different locations) are from various spots in Palm Canyon.

So Cool...

2008-07-09T10:58:00.000-05:00

This has to be one of the coolest videos I've ever seen...

Blustery Times South of the Border

2008-07-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

Heading to the Pacific side of Mexico for the 4th? Looks like a potentially active weekend may be ahead. Maybe... maybe not...

Some great restaurants in Rome

2008-06-30T21:51:00.000-05:00

This entry is about two months too late so you'll have to excuse me if my memory has faded a bit. Still, I made it a point to collect a few business cards when visiting restaurants in Rome. Here are a few that I would recommend and two that I wouldn't.

Colline Emiliane - Via Degli Avignonesi 22 - A 77 year old restaurant that serves up delicious cuisine from my hometown of Bologna and the region of Emilia Romagna. We visited for lunch with my aunt and a group of friends. Both my wife and I stuck with pasta for a main course and then I nibbled on my friend Gianfranco's beef with mostarda (not the mustard you and I know). All excellent. Located just off of Via dell Quattre Fontane and around the corner from Piazza Barberini. The place is small and we saw people turned away so reservations are recommended. 06 481 7538 or 06 48 02 80 70.

La Bottega Del Caffe - Piazza Madonna Dei Monti, 5 - Located in what was once the ancient Suburra of Rome in the Monti, La Bottega Del Caffe is perfectly located in one of the main piazze of the area. It's typically one of the busier spots in the neighborhood and offers up a nice selection of wines and a good mix of entrees. There's plenty of seating outside but you'll find that you need to get there early on a nice evening. Service was a bit surly when we were there. Still, my gnocchi absolutely hit the spot on a cooler day and the cheese platter made for an excellent starter. 393 931 1013

Dagnino - Galleria Esedra, Via V. Emanuele Orlando, 75 - Located inside the small 1950s era Galleria Esedra is Dagnino, a pasticceria and cafe' specializing in cuisine from Sicily. My grandfather used to come here on Sundays to pick up pastries. Anyway, we spent a lot of time here since it was located right across from The Grand Hotel. The desserts - like cassatina siciliana - were to die for. I really recommend the cassatina. You can also order wine, ice cream and more. There are a handful of seats inside but most people hang out in the "outdoor" seating area within the galleria. Depending on your waiter, service can be pleasant or relatively aloof. One of the waiters, Gennaro, pointed us in the right direction to an excellent pizzeria... "da Tito". 06 48 18 660

"Da Tito" - Via Venezia 21 - This small and busy pizzeria was a gem in the midst of an area relatively frequented by tourists. As mentioned, Gennare, our waiter at Dagnino recommended it and we're glad he did. Pizzas were reasonably priced and the house wine was relatively good. They did a nice job of accommodating us with the baby although it was a bit cramped. Definitely a place worth recommending. Just off of Via Nazionale on Via Venezia. 06 474 0832

Ristorante Tullio - Via S. Nicola da Tolentino, 26 - This Tuscan trattoria, first opened in 1950, came highly recommended by the Touring Club guide for Rome. Prices were listed as reasonable but I found that they were a bit high for what one received. The antipasto misto was a bit overboard for four people - way too much food - get half of what you think you need. Still, the carciofi alla romana were so tasty. I had tuna with beans - relatively straightforward and quite pricey for what I received. Is it a good place to eat? Yes. Is it a good value? I can think of plenty others. Located just up a side street from Piazza Barberini. 06 474 55 60

Trattoria Cadorna dal 1947 - Via Raffaele Cadorna, 12 - This trattoria is located on the back side of Piazza Sallustio, on a street parallel to Via 20 Settembre. This was the first restaurant we visited on our most recent trip to Rome and we found the service to be very friendly. The quickly brought us a high chair and were very helpful with the baby. We started with bresaola and then both ordered heaping portions of pasta. I'll admit that we were jetlagged and quite tired that night but the pasta really hit the spot and was a welcome way to return to Rome. Would gladly return on our next trip. 06 482 7061

La Matriciana - Via del Viminale, 14 - This is one of those classic Roman restaurants like Carbonara or La Capricciosa. The restaurant's specialty is, as you can imagine, bucatini alla matriciana. It's located across the rationalist-style Opera House of Rome. We had a very enjoyable lunch sitting outside on a gorgeous spring day. It was perfect. I started with rucola and tomato salad - very refreshing - and then had the bucatini. They were tasty, even if the sauce wasn't exactly to my expectations of amatriciana. Go figure. The house wine is recommended. 06 488 1775

...and now, ones I wouldn't recommend.

Life Ristorante Pizza & Wine Bar - Via Delle Vite, 28/30 - Located in the area around Via Condotti, the restaurant rakes in plenty of tourists. Indeed, it does have a nice modern atmosphere. The pizza selection looked to be very impressive but our pizza was a big disappointment. The mushrooms didn't seem to be cooked right and the pizza was very soggy. We ate it and dealt with it but wouldn't go back. Not what I look for when eating pizza in Italy.

Ristorante '34' or "Al '34" - Via Mario de' Fiori, 34 - Our friends were recommended this restaurant by their hotel. Admittedly, a great location, just a few steps from the Spanish Steps and on the cross-street of Via Mario de' Fiori. It does have a great location. The food was OK. The service was atrocious. None of the waiters were Italian and they treated most of the customers with contempt. When it started raining, the argued with us that it wasn't raining. Diners were packed like sardines, too, and the focus was to move us out. Cannot recommend it.

Getting to know tango and Buenos Aires

2008-06-27T08:50:00.000-05:00

One way to start to understand Buenos Aires is to get to know the tango. You'll notice, as I've stated before, that the tango is truly ingrained in the culture - not just in streetside tango shows for tourists but throughout the city.

To know tango in Buenos Aires, you should get to know three names. The first is Carlos Gardel, a 1930s era tango singer who died in a plane crash and is been revered to this day. The second is Astor Piazzola, a tango composer and musician who many feel revolutionized tango. The third, though not Argentine, is Gotan Project, a multinational group from Paris that has modernized tango.

Here is your quick crash course...

Carlos Gardel

Astor Piazzola

Gotan Project

Voice: Worth Listening

2008-06-23T18:08:00.000-05:00

Can't believe I waited so long to post this entry but a few weeks ago, we headed to one of the best new restaurants in Houston during date night - VOICE Restaurant and Lounge at Hotel Icon. Early reviews and the word on the street about the restaurant tend to be glowing. Michael Kramer has brought some wonderful new flavors to the Houston dining scene. The wine list is very extensive and is reasonably priced, much more so than Bank's previous offerings. My wife ordered the venison sous vide and I ordered the Alaskan halibut although we swapped plates. I'm glad we did - the venison was excellent. The forest mushrooms made an excellent a la carte side dish. Dessert was a delicious warm apple crisp. Next time I would like to try the tasting menu but our first experience was really very very good. Oh, and by the way, if you haven't stayed at Hotel Icon, it is rightfully one of the top rated hotels in Houston.

More insight on Zihua

2008-06-23T18:04:00.000-05:00

This article from the San Diego Union Tribune may be a crusty three years old but it provides a nice general overview of Zihuatanejo and it's relationship to neighboring Ixtapa.

Staying Fit and Classic Cocktails

2008-06-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

I've talked about being a fan of Craig Ballantyne and his Turbulence Training web page. One of his recent blog entries included some more good tips on taking care of yourself and staying fit while traveling. It's not the first time I've referenced him and probably won't be the last...

But I don't stop thinking about my fitness and DIET when I'm gone. However, most guys and gals use travel as an excuse for eating junk and skipping workouts. But travel is NO EXCUSE for bad body behavior.All it takes to succeed is a little planning. In fact, here's what I've done to stay on track while spending time in the airports and stuck in 13-hour per day seminars.

Read his entry for some good insight that is not hard to apply.

On an unrelated note, one of our favorite things to do when visiting New York City (although it's been a while) is to check out some classic cocktail bars. I'm not talking about your run-of-the-mill meat market; rather, the classic landmark cocktail bars that have been around since the 40s or 50s. Places like the Monkey Bar in the Hotel Elysee and Bemelmans in the Carlyle Hotel. Bemelmans is simply one of those places that must be experienced - the whimsical illustrations that decorate the bar's walls, the extremely knowledgeable bartenders, the outstanding service. It's a great place to start or end an evening. The Monkey Bar has a completely different feel - much more lively, less refined but still a classic art deco bar. My dad used to hang out there in the 50s and he'd probably find the place a bit too loud today. Bemelmans, on the other hand, would probably be more his style.

Changes Afoot for the Greek Islands

2008-06-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

It wasn't that long ago that I was writing an entry about our future trip to Athens and Santorini. I had listed a few hotels that we'd chosen in Athens, Oia and Kamari. Well... let's edit that last entry. Santorini is out... Milos is in.

Why the change? Simply put, fares to Santorini are absurd - and when I say absurd, I mean around 400 Euros for two people on a little puddle jumper of a flight. Sorry... just doesn't make sense. Yes, we could take a ferry if we had a ton of time but, unfortunately, our trip will be somewhat short. Fortunately, accommodations on Milos were available and our flight, for two people, will be roughly 170 Euro. Much better. Much more reasonable. Besides, in Milos we'll have free rein to run around the island, explore one of the islands 70 beaches and just relax in a much more casual environment.

So, what hotel did we choose? We opted for the soon-t0-be opened Melian Hotel, run by the owner of the Villa Notos hotel in Adamas. Are we going out on a limb? You bet... the Melian will open in mid-June so not many pictures are out there. We've seen renderings here and there, have a good idea of the location and are banking on the reputation of the owner of the Villa Notos. Local Milos experts have also vouched for the owner's reputation so that helps.

Besides a more Greek experience, fewer crowds and better prices, what makes Milos special? These pictures, all from Milos is for Lovers, should explain the many reasons...

Northern Europe's Influence in Bariloche

2008-06-02T09:28:00.000-05:00

One of the must-see destinations in Argentina is Bariloche, located about a 2 1/2 hour flight from Buenos Aires, this alpine wonderland near the Chilean border is a real jewel. The full name of the town is San Carlos de Bariloche - located in Patagonia, it offers visitors all kind of fun activities - skiing, white water rafting, mountain climbing... you name it. One of the things I most liked about Bariloche was the strong European influence (as is the case in Argentina). What you'll see here is a strong northern European influence in the architecture, the cuisine, the chocolates (lots of chocolates) and the people. It really is an amazing place to visit.

A Different View of Houston

2008-05-29T21:16:00.000-05:00

Random pictures from this past Memorial Day showcasing some of Houston's random, sometimes odd and sometimes beautiful fabric.

From A to Zihuatanejo

2008-05-28T14:50:00.000-05:00

I recently posted a little entry on the resurgence of Acapulco. While only a few hours away and at the other end of the alphabet, Zihuatanejo is about as far as you can get from glitz and glamor. While not the sleepy fishing town some claim it to be - over 80,000 live in the area - Ixtapa's neighbor is a casual and low-key alternative for those wanting to relax and escape massive resorts and all-inclusives.

We had been looking at both Acapulco and Zihuatanejo and will head to Zihua sometime this year. Of course, Zihuatanejo has been in the news lately as several recent and very rare shark attacks have placed the Mexican resort area on the map. I'm not worried... either I'll surf in the bay if there is a big swell, possibly swing by Escolleras or just enjoy my time on the beach. Troncones won't be on the itinerary.

If you're looking for a place to stay in Zihua, a few places consistently come up as top-notch hotels. Unlike nearby Ixtapa, there are only about 400 hotel rooms in Zihuatanejo - probably as many as you might find at the Las Brisas or the Barcelo'. You won't find mega-resorts. You will find small, personalized, family-run hotels. La Casa Que Canta, while absurdly expensive in a town like Zihuatanejo, is consistently named one of the best hotels in Mexico. Some options to consider...

La Casa Que Canta - One of the highest-rated hotels in Mexico
Hotel Las Brisas Del Mar - Our choice
Villa Carolina Hotel
The Tides - Formerly Villa Del Sol

A Few New Tastes in Houston

2008-05-27T11:45:00.000-05:00

Tried out a couple new restaurants over the past week or so...

Aga's - An Indian/Pakistani restaurant at 11842 Wilcrest. So, my colleague told me about a great Persian place near the office and I said, great, I love Persian. Persian turned out to be Pakistani and, you know what, I still liked it. The place itself is cavernous so they must host a lot of banquets. I was a bit blind going in but the owner steered me to some good choices. I had the Aga's Masala Chicken (tasty and the right amount of spice but very bony) and a great Dal Fry. It was actually too much. The Nan was giant but delicious.

Andrea's - 12513 Westheimer - I had heard a lot about this place from my parents and found that it was OK. It sounds like they're still dealing with some service issues but it wasn't bad although there were some hiccups. The food was good, not great - not what I had anticipated, particularly since the two owners are Italian. Next time, I would try some pasta (my wife's pesto dish was excellent).

Cru' - 9595 Six Pines Drive in The Woodlands - We were in The Woodlands for a variety of reasons and went to Market Street to do some shopping, etc. We stopped in Cru' for lunch - while more of a wine bar, the place has a good-sized menu for lunch and dinner. Prices were a bit high for both wine and food, particularly for what you get. My seared ahi tuna salad had the smallest portion of tuna I've ever seen. Service was average and it seemed like the restaurant (a chain) spent more on the atmosphere than anything else. Recommended? I don't know... probably not. I can think of much better wine bars/restaurants in Houston.

Fasting = Less Jet Lag?

2008-05-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

At least that's Harvard's claim for mice who are heavy travelers...

Traveling to exotic places is great--except when you first get there and collapse from exhaustion and jet lag. But you may be able to beat jet lag; you just have to skip eating before you leave home.
A new Harvard University study suggests that fasting may fight drowsiness.

A Bright Future for Acapulco

2008-05-21T14:58:00.000-05:00

Acapulco... once the hub of the international jetset eventually lost its luster and the magic that attracted visitors from all over the world. The past few years, though, have smiled kindly upon ACA. The city is bouncing back as classic hotels like Las Brisas are renovated, new, hip boutique hotels are built and spectacular restaurants teem with patrons. The prospects for Acapulco look much brighter as this March article from the New York Times attests.

The "Beauty" of The Wedge

2008-05-16T09:41:00.000-05:00

There's an outside chance we may hit southern California this summer. As a bodyboarder (and I'm sure I'll bring my boards), I have this minor itch to go check out the Wedge. Part of me things I ought to at least catch a wave or two while there - the other part of me thinks I'll crap my pants if I see it on a heavy day.

If we do go, I may not hit the wedge but I definitely want to check out Del Mar or some other good spots. The only places I've hit in SoCal are Del Mar, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

Here is some footage of the Wedge eating a few people and then spitting them out...

Three Houston Treats

2008-05-14T18:12:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, we had a chance to eat at three restaurants we had never tried before - edit that, two for my wife as she had been to Andre'. Regardless, two of the three were restaurants we had been wanting to try for a long time - So Vino and 17*. Both were excellent.

Andre' - What I really like about this place is the outdoor patio at Uptown Park. Great location! Both of us had salads which were quite tasty and the desserts are delicious. A great place for a light lunch or early dinner. A second location is open at 2515 River Oaks Blvd.

So Vino - We've gotten to know the chef at So Vino and had talked to him many times about the restaurant. Well, we finally made it there for dinner on "date night". We started with a plate of mixed cheeses - the highlight was a truffle cheese, sottocenere al tartufo, that took me back to Italy. A delicious crab cake then paved the way duck for me and shrimp angel hair pasta for my wife. The star of the show was a sinfully delicious cranberry bread pudding. It's a must! The restaurant's main focus is wines from the southern hemisphere but all major producing countries are represented. Bottle prices were quite reasonable.

*17 - Much has been written up about *17 since it opened in the Alden Hotel - reviews have gushed about *17. We had tried on two other occasions to eat there but had to cancel our reservations. Not this time. We chose *17 as a nice place for a Mother's Day brunch. Mimosas were overpriced but not why we visited. We split a delicious flatbread as an appetizer and both ordered their frittata - a great brunch option. Service was crisp and attentive and the atmosphere is refined and elegant. They did a great job of accommodating our baby, as well. It would be a nice place to visit in the evening, sans baby.

Scenic Vieux Montreal

2008-05-14T14:09:00.000-05:00

To visit Montreal without visiting Vieux Montreal would be a crime. Here is a shot of a 18th century restaurant, one of the oldest in Montreal, located near the waterfront. We took this shot after a long day spent wandering this wonderful city.

This makes no sense to me...?

2008-05-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

The Chronicle has a lengthy Q&A article related to passports, new passport cards, entry rules, etc. on their web page. What I can't understand is why anyone who wants to do any type of international travel, even on a quick cruise from Galveston to Mexico, wouldn't get a passport? To me, it's a no-brainer. You have it when you need it and it's valid for a decade. Why not get one? Yes, it costs more but average that out to $9-10 a year and it's a pittance, really.

On an unrelated note, fares keep going up. I've been poking around summer fares to various places... I was surprised to see fares spike to over $700 for places like Seattle and Portland, despite Saturday night stays. Even typically inexpensive LAX is $300+ before taxes. Granted, I'm loyal to one airline so I can hoard miles but I know fares have been on the rise with other carriers.

What We Learned in Italy

2008-05-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

Each country you visit with a baby teaches you a little bit more about traveling with children. Having traveled to Huatulco with our baby, we had notched Mexico on our belt. Italy was our second international trip and we learned a few things along the way.

Restaurant Conveniences - High chairs are not as rare as one might think... at least not in Rome. We found that probably 80% of restaurants had a high chair. Note: that's high chair, not chairs. The varied in size from normal to rather large and without a safety bar. Still... chances are you might find one. You'll also find local waiters extremely accommodating. Foreign-born waiters did not seem to be as nice or willing to help but we only encountered this at one place, a rather run-of-the-mill tourist stop that I wouldn't recommend. As for changing tables? Not going to happen. We had to change the baby on miniscule bathroom counters, on chairs in the back of a restaurant (thank you to the owners of La Matriciana) and in other random locations (see the picture of my hard at work). Either prepare to let your baby sit in a soiled diaper or be open to creativity.

The Flight - A few simple revelations here. First and foremost, buy your child a seat for the flight. Yes, yes, I know... "but it's expensive!?" AND it's safer - much safer for your baby. Besides, your child will have an easier time sleeping in their seat and you can occasionally have two free hands. If you're worried about lugging a car seat, get yourself one of the items I mentioned in one of my previous entries. We used a Pac Back. Second, if you can, book a bulkhead seat. You'll end up with more legroom, no reclining seats in front of you and, if you're on a big plane, tons of space to play, as you can see...

Packing - Pack more than you need when it comes to basic supplies for the actual journey - diapers, formula, baby food, etc. and have a good stash in your carry-on bag. Better to have too much stuff in transit for your baby than not enough. Let's put it this way - you can't buy diapers or formula in Newark Airport while waiting for your connecting flight. Once you get to your destination, you can go to a local market and stock up. Our baby learned to love Plasmon baby food. Second, bring a couple of new toys for the baby. They'll keep them fascinated. You don't have to spend a mint... just find a couple of $5.00 toys and they'll be happy.

Making the Process Easier - Work as a team. I don't really know how else to put this but have each person focus on certain tasks, split the duties and keep your cool.

Basking in Luxury in Rome

2008-05-06T11:16:00.000-05:00

...and we're back from Rome. It was a great trip and just the right length - 9 days. By that point, we were pretty much ready to head home and our baby boy had enough of the travel stroller and wanted to get back to his plush UPPAbaby. Granted, the McLaren Volo is a great travel stroller... light, folds easily and sturdy. It took a beating on the cobblestones of Rome and came out unscathed but I'm sure it gets old after a while.

So, I'll start with a quick hotel recommendation. One caveat, though... we were blessed to get an incredible rate via a family connection so don't think we could normally afford this place (I wish); however, if you have more money than you know what to do with and want to spend plenty of it for a luxurious stay, we would highly recommend the St. Regis Grand Hotel near Piazza Repubblica. It is worth every Euro.

Everything and I mean everything was outstanding. We had a spacious Imperial Room which had plenty of room for all of our stuff as well as a crib for the baby. The bed was a dream - soft and very comortable and the bathroom was cavernous, particularly by European standards. Service was impeccable and the staff at the Grand Bar, the doormen, the concierges and the maids all went way out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. Honestly, it was ideal. The hotel is well-deserving of it's inclusion on the 2007 Conde' Nast Gold List and its *****L rating.

Drowning in a Sea of Travel Guides for Rome

2008-04-21T22:47:00.000-05:00

Finding a good travel guide can be a daunting task, particularly when you're planning on visiting a popular destination like London, Paris or Rome. Frommers, Fodor's, Rick Steve's, Insight Guides, AAA, Knopf, Michelin, Eyewitness Guides, Moon, Let's Go, Lonely Planet, Time Out, Baedeker... the list goes on and on. It's hard to make heads or tails from one guide to another.

Well, when it comes to Rome, I've gone through a few... having visited Rome close to ten times in the past 12-13 years, it's good to stay on top of what's new in town, new museums, etc. With so many to choose from, how do you know where to start? To begin with, I'm not a fan of Frommer's or Fodor's. Yes, they serve their purpose but, for me, I like to see some pictures. Show me what I'll be looking at - give me some visual perspective. Both guides typically fall short although I like their online presence. For my money, there are two that I have found particularly useful for Rome.

If you can find one - and you can find used ones on Amazon.com - one of the best guides out there is published by the Touring Club Italiano. Now, there may be current ones but the one I have is this older version. Well-written, good information, concise and it often lists places that most guides overlook. I really like this one. Of course, if you read Italian, you can pick up an Italian version but I know that only so many people have this luxury. If you're in Rome, check out the local Feltrinelli or Arnoldo Mondadori and you might find some Italian guides translated in English that will be worth your while. You never know...

Ever since buying my first Time Out guide for a trip to Buenos Aires, I've been nothing but impressed by Time Out's informative guides. Good insight on neighborhoods, hotels in all classes, restaurants and much more. They just work well and the one for Rome is no different. Recently published version also include Time Out Rome: Eating & Drinking Guide (wish I had a copy of this handy) and the Time Out Shortlist Rome. If the Eating & Drinking Guide is anything like the Cheap Eats in London guide, I would imagine it is priceless.

What are some of your favorites? Are you partial to funky little guides like the Wallpaper City Guide to Rome, big standards like the Eyewitness Guide to Rome or specialized guides like The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Rome? (my wife has this one... it's a great little pocket guide)

Travel Plans... what travel plans?

2008-04-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that some consider me a bit crazy... yes, crazy in a variety of ways (sure, I'm kind of quirky) but definitely crazy for my family. I love my wife and my big boy and have found that as a new dad, my train of thinking has changed a bit, as well. Part of that has been the desire to protect them and ensure that I take care of their well-being. Of course, that can be manifested in a variety of ways. The most recent way had to do with our forthcoming trip to Argentina... or should I say, our recently cancelled trip to Argentina.

Now, wait a minute... didn't I recently cancel a trip to Rome to go to Argentina? Yes, I sure did. So, here's the crazy part... I've canceled our trip to Argentina to go to... well, Rome!? The reason, for me, is simple. The political situation in Argentina is starting to grow a bit dicey for me.
I might find it tolerable if I was traveling with just my wife but bringing a baby into the picture changes things.

You may have seen recent new stories about the 21 day protests that took place when Cristina Kirchner's government decided to increase taxes on various agricultural products. 21 days of largely peaceful protests across Argentina but protests and blockades that nonetheless led to food shortages in many markets in cities like Buenos Aires. Food shortages... OK, not good with a baby. Now, as I mentioned, the protests were largely peaceful, save for the ones attended by a certain Luis D'Elia who has become a kind of a two-fisted mouthpiece for the government. D'Elia is seen as a thug and the fact that he has been showing up and disrupting protests is not good. This was particularly the case the day after he was captured by the media punching a demonstrator during a rally. One day after breaking up a protest, there he was, standing next to Kirchner during a speech in which she denounced the protests taking place.

On April 2nd, the farmers decided to take a bit of a cooling off period for 30 days - a time when they could work with the government to negotiate some kind of a resolution. To date, the government has mostly thumbed their nose at the farmers and has now started suppressing free speech, going after the media (even government-friendly papers) and even confiscating truckloads of cattle from farmers. It seems like some of Argentina's ugly history is starting to resurface. Pity that a country with so so much going for it, with so many resources and wonderful people always gets stuck with terrible governments (albeit voted in by the people).

If you ask me, what's to say that the whole issue won't start back up? I'm not an alarmist but I'd rather go somewhere where I don't have to carry anxiety about the well-being of my family. Call me a chicken little... whatever... I'd just as soon not have to think about it and just head back to Italy. Yes, I'll have to suck it up and sell a kidney to pay for everything with Euros but, at the end of the day, I'll pick security and peace of mind over lower prices. Argentina will always be there and we will go back... just not in the coming months. Besides, while Italy has its own set of issues, it doesn't have this set of issues.

For us, it's back to Rome. In the meantime, read A Texan in Argentina's blog for more insight on the current situation...

Laying Our Heads in Greece

2008-04-08T22:16:00.000-05:00

In no way is our trip to Greece around the corner... far from it. Still, I can't help but thinking about the trip and longing for a few days on a Greek Island. That being said, while our trip is far away, our hotels are all in place. Here are the hotels we picked and why...

The Athens Gate Hotel

Our first night in Greece will be spent at the Athens Gate, just around the corner from Plaka, in the shadow of the Acropolis and next to the Temple of Zeus. Simply put, great location, "reasonable" rates for what you get and it's in line with our style and taste.

Bellonias Villas on Kamari Beach

Following our flight to Santorini, rather than heading straight for the caldera to stay somewhere like Oia or Imerovigli, we'll be staying at the beach at the Bellonias Villas in Kamari Beach. Located right on the black sand beach, Bellonias Villas receives great reviews and looks right up our alley - relaxing and spacious. We really wanted to be on the beach for the majority of our time in Santorini. We can always visit the caldera but, when we look at what is important to us, sitting by a pool and enjoying beachtime ranks high with us.

The Golden Sunset Villas

Now granted, you can't visit Santorini and not spend at least some time on the caldera so we decided to spend one night at the Golden Sunset Villas. Everything we've read said that Oia was the place to be - quaintest town on the caldera and the best sunsets. So, we picked the Golden Sunset Villas due to the nice rooms, the owner's reputation and it's privileged position in Oia. If we feel like more time in the water, we can always take the stairs down to Ammoudi beach.

Sofitel Athens Airport

A 6:40 AM flight pretty much guarantees a strong yearning to stay by the airport. So, to make it easier on ourselves, we'll be staying at the Sofitel Athens Airport. Not cheap but worth the price. We'll also have easy access to a train that can take us straight into Athens for the evening.

Hip Haunts in Palm Springs

2008-03-31T14:15:00.000-05:00

One of the best reasons to visit Palm Springs is to take in the overwhelming amount of great architecture. From the early work of Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra to the countless Palmer & Krisel-designed houses, there's more than enough to see over several trips.

If architecture is on your mind, then you should make it a point to stay in an well-designed hotel, right? We've stayed in three different hotels in Palm Springs and toured two others.

Desert Star Bungalows - The bungalows were known as the Desert Star Inn the three times we stayed there. When Steve and Misako Samiof sold the hotel to move to Costa Rica, a new owner gave the hotel a fresh facelift and raised rates a bit. Still, they're in a tranquil neighborhood and each bungalow is nicely furnished with period pieces. Our recommendation? Stay in Bungalow Number 5.

The pool at the Desert Star

Villa Royale - Of all the hotels listed in this post, the Villa Royale is the only hotel that doesn't have a mid-century pedigree. It's a 1930's Mediterranean-style hotel but it oozes charm and typified Palm Springs before it's 1950s heyday.

Orbit In / Hideaway - What a great pair of hotels. The Orbit In really perfected what a Palm Springs mid-century hotel should look like. Great furnishings in the rooms, a very cool pool scene and evening cocktails. If you can get past the sticker shock, the Orbit In is a great bet. Slightly more affordable but equally hip is the nearby Hideaway.

The Orbit In - Pricey but Worth it!

Caliente Tropics - A 1964 tiki-themed hotel that is better for families or lower key stays in Palm Springs. Not as hip as the Orbit In or charming as the Villa Royale, the Caliente Tropics has its own vibe. If you're into tiki and polynesian style architecture, this is where you will want to stay.

Polynesian Style at the Caliente Tropics

Now... there are other mid-century hotels in town and if you don't like the choices I've listed, these might do the trick for you.

Del Marcos Hotel - 1947 hotel designed by William F. Cody
Horizon Hotel - 1952 hotel also designed by Cody and just restored
Movie Colony Hotel - Albert Frey-designed gem from 1935
Ballantine's Original Hotel - Once a sister hotel to the Movie Colony - similar in style
Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs - Glammed out resort once owned by Gene Autry and Merv Griffin. Jonathan Adler design.
Hope Springs Resort - Former sister hotel to the Desert Star - Cool spot in Desert Hot Springs.
Desert Hot Springs Motel - John Lautner masterpiece from 1947
Miracle Manor Retreat - Spa-themed hotel in Desert Hot Springs
Sagewater Spa - Another spa in Desert Hot Springs
A Place in the Sun Hotel - 1950 hotel designed for the movie's production crew

How's that for choices?