Adventure: Wyoming

Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, is a bittersweet one for me as it marks the day of my mother's death. Rather than wash myself once more in grief, this year I decided to atone for my sins in Wyoming. Autumn is the perfect time to visit the national parks of Grand Teton and Yellowstone, if you can make it before the weather turns icy. In autumn the leaves of the aspen trees turn yellow and red, the animals are all out in force trying to fatten up before the winter, and the air bathes your skin in electricty as you hike through the bush.
Having never visited a national park outside of California, I was surprised to learn that here, the animals are hunted with camera, not rifle. Amateur photographers and tourists scout for wildlife, then pull off to the side of the road, furiously set up their tripods and cameras with the mamajama lenses weighing at least 1/2 a ton, and snap away at the elk or moose or antelope far off in the distance with an intensity to rival any National Geographic pro. Even Big N and I got into the spirit, pulling over whenever we saw a stalled car and asking "whattya got" to tourists already in prime position. Grand Teton did not disappoint. In a span of less than two hours we feasted our eyes on moose, elk, antelope, and bear. Unfortunately, fires closed most of Yellowstone so we'll have to return there on another visit, after I upgrade my photographic equipment and actually learn how to take a decent wild beast shot. Consider it training for the african safari. Here are just a few shots that I hope capture even a glimmer of the majestic beauty of Wyoming.

Minibreak: VEGAS!

I LOVE Vegas. The lights, the glamour, the energy, the over-the-top tackiness, the gambling, the shopping, and the food, and the food, and the FOOD. The Vegas of old with its $1.99 prime rib served lukewarm in a dreary downtown bingo room is no more. In the span of a mile you can now find 16 world class Michelin starred restaurants. Vegas has enticed nearly every well-known chef to open a restaurant.
Recently Big N and I decided last minute that we'd crash our friends' H+M's trip to Vegas to visit friends who live there. We booked a room at our new favorite hotel, the Palazzo. The Palazzo, an all-suite hotel, is on a great spot on the strip, sandwiched between the Wynn and the Venetian. It boasts modern (read: not too tacky) design, and a decent offering of restaurants and shops. On our last trip to Vegas, the Palazzo upgraded us to a 1500 sq. foot suite just for frequenting their hotel on a dead weekend; no such luck on an upgrade this time but even the suite for the masses is spacious and decked out in brown marbles and red velvet furniture, with soft linens and 3 flat screens, plus samples of expensive face creams from the Canyon Ranch Spa (for my ladies out there).

For dinner on Friday I attempted to reserve a table at Vegas's only three Michelin starred restaurant, Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand, but not surprisingly, we couldn't impress the hostess at the best restaurant in town by regaling her with tales of our last minute weekend jetsetting. So we "settled" for one starred Daniel Boulud Brasserie in the Wynn, where I dined on a lovely duo of beef, filet and short ribs, and a crab salad starter. Unfortunately, I got a little happy on wine and neglected to take a single photo, but I do recommend the restaurant. It's upscale but not snobby. They also make a fabulous fig bread (most of mine however ended up on the floor in an unfortunate mishap with the butter).
On Saturday we joined our friends at Hank's, a steakhouse located about 20 minutes off the strip at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. If you dare to drive to Vegas and have a car with you, Hank's is a must-dine. The restaurant is a classy joint with crystal chandeliers and velvet booths, but jazzes it up by pumping live rock music into the dining room. Steaks are cooked to perfection, and the side dishes are phenomenal. My favorite accompaniments to the petit filet were the mac & cheese and creamed corn. Plus the cocktails are pretty fabulous as well. The wine list isn't the greatest but you won't have trouble finding a good cab to go with that steak. We settled on a cabernet sauvignon from the Howell Mountain area of Napa, though the name of the producer is escaping me.

Though I restrained myself on the shopping (even resisting picking up something at the fab Catherine Malandrino store in the Palazzo shoppes), I did manage to leave a winner thanks to my new favorite game: Three Card Poker. Taking advantage of my beginner's luck, I scored a three-card straight flush, which paid me 40 to 1 odds on the bonus. I love that town!

Anniversary Minibreak: Santa Fe

For our first anniversary Big N and I celebrated with a mini-break to Santa Fe. Santa Fe, if you've never been there, is a completely unique experience. Nestled in the high desert of Northern New Mexico, the town stays true to its rancho roots, with old adobe buildings at every turn, and rich painted landscapes that cross the rolling desert sky. We stayed at the Encantado Resort, a brand new Auberge property just outside Santa Fe in Tesuque.
Upon checking into our "casita", a private bungalow with desert sunset views, I was greeted with a fragrant bouquet of roses and fire lilies sneakily arranged by my husband. (He's good). Our first full day we spent in the old town of Santa Fe, visiting the art galleries. Santa Fe boasts the second largest art market in the US, behind NYC. There are hundreds of galleries around the city featuring local and international artists of paintings, sculpture, and mixed media. I purchased a small modern painting by Katrin Moller, entitled Gemaltes 48, from the Gebert Contemporary gallery. Big N found a few sculptures he's considering, more on that to come. On a friend's recommendation, we ate at The Shed, which features excellent New Mexican cooking and delicious red and green chili sauce.

The next day, after huevos rancheros on the veranda, we drove up to Taos, about 2 hours from Santa Fe. The drive takes you farther north through old rancho villages along the way. We spent some time admiring amazing hand-woven blankets from artisans in the Chimayo Village. For 8 generations these weavers have mastered their craft. We couldn't resist ordering a custom multi-colored blanket for our bedroom. In Taos we visited Native American pueblos, churches, and a couple of fly fishing shops. On the way back from Taos we took the low road along the Rio Grande, ending up back at our hotel to dine at the amazing restaurant, which mixes New Mexican cuisine with seasonal faire.
On our last day, we decided to check out a ranch for sale between Santa Fe and Albuquerque before heading back to the airport. The owner, Dean (a sharp witted Texan whose office is next to Val Kilmer's, the next gubernatorial candidate of New Mexico), drove us by jeep through the backwoods alongside sleepy villages to a 100 acre ranch. Half a mile of the Pecos River runs through the canyon at the bottom of the ranch, 400 feet below a cliff that overlooks the river and thousands of acres of Spanish land grant property. The ranch, while beautiful, is obviously meant for hearding livestock by rough and tumble cowboys, and isn't quite as suited to a couple of city slickers.


Though I wish we had another day or two to spend getting to know Santa Fe and its culture, we enjoyed our mini-break and intend to return in the future. Santa Fe offers a unique opportunity to explore the history of the old and mostly untouched Southwest, but in a luxurious style to which I've become accustomed (thanks to my husband, who knows how to spoil me).

New Zealand Footnote: Tallest. Burger. Ever.

We picked up this "Works Burger" at the only place to eat (literally) in a sleepy fishing village called Ngawi at the southern tip of the North Island near Cape Palliser. It contains, from bottom to top: bacon, tuna steak, ham, burger, chicken patty, onion ring, fried egg, and trimmings. It cost NZ$12 (about 7 bucks). Big N ate the entire thing, without dropping a single topping. Talented. He tells me it was delicious, but my hands were too small to hold the thing together so I had to take his word for it.

New Zealand Part 3: Our Best Day

Fisherman everywhere flock to NZ's lakes and streams searching for the biggest trout in the world. It's the fly fisherman's Mecca because the fish are huge but challenging to catch. The waters are so clear they can see you coming from a mile away. Big N and I had been practicing for weeks on our fly casting. We were ready.

Most of the trip we spent wine tasting, bike riding, hunting for restaurants, visiting quaint sleepy towns, enjoying the expansive vistas, hiking in the bush on "tracks" as the kiwis like to call them, and just enjoying the gorgeous scenery. But our best day by far was the day we chartered a helicopter (a Eurocopter/Aerospatiale AS350 or a "squirrel", which I know well as Eurocopter was a former client) for some heli-fishing.

We hooked up with our guide, Simon, a kiwi with intimate knowledge of the local streams and the local trout. He picked us up from our B&B and whisked us off to the heliport to meet our pilot, Carrey. There the adventure began. We put on our waders, then took the helicopter to our first stream.
Simon would spot the fish ("got a fish, got a fish, got a fish"), then Big N would carefully stalk the fish upstream and cast to it at Simon's direction. Keeping his line tight and even, the fish would do one of three things: nothing (not hungry), bite, or spook and swim upstream. Throughout the day we had a few bites, but the crafty fish would wiggle off Big N's hook. So the helicopter would pick us up and we'd press on, looking for the next stream and the next big trout, often spotting our prey from the air.
During our trip we saw some of the most beautiful terrain on this earth, including hanging glaciers and turquoise tarns (or small lakes made from glacial waters). We ate lunch at a tarn only accessible by helicopter and dined on delicious sandwiches, homemade breads and chocolates, and of course, sauvignon blanc, supplied by Simon and his wife, and then made a final stop at a breathtaking glacial waterfall.

It was a gorgeous day. And, while I didn't catch my giant trout, Big N caught a majestic 4 1/2 pound beauty on the fly on the Greenstone River. The fish put up a nice fight, and was rewarded for his efforts when we let him go. I've never seen Big N happier. He was downright giddy. Thanks to Simon and Carrey, it was a day we will never forget.

Tight lines my friends, tight lines.

(Check out the quick video, below).

New Zealand Part 2: Foodie and Wino Heaven

So what about the food and wine you ask? During our trip we visited 4 major wine regions (Auckland/Waiheke for Bordeaux varietals, Martinborough for Pinot and Sauv Blanc, Marlborough for Sauv Blanc and some Pinot, and Central Otago for mostly Pinot) and tasted until our teeth were purple. We dined on freshly picked produce from local farms, freshly caught fish from nearby seas, and freshly slaughtered lamb from neighboring ranches (they're cute but too delicious to pass up, I make no bones about being a carnivore). We splurged and ordered the decadent tasting menus with regionalized wine pairings at nearly every restaurant in which we dined. And best of all, we did this all at $.53 to the dollar thanks to the delightful exchange rate these days. What could be better?!?

I must admit I had low foodie expectations thanks to Big N's stories about the awful food he ate a decade ago on a trip to Australia. Thankfully, we were dead wrong. New Zealand food is awesome, wine too, which is good because NZ wine is all you're getting there so you best enjoy it. We found wonderful and unique restaurants in every city we visited. Here were a few highlights:

Lamb three ways (below left) and pork belly with blood sausage and grilled peaches (below right) at Mudbrick Restaurant on Waiheke Island

Razor thin Blue Fin tuna with apples and duck liver ice cream at Herzog Winery (left)

The favorite wine pairing menu was at the Tirohana Vineyard restaurant in Martinborough.

As for wineries we visited, the favorite cellar doors were:

Ata Rangi in Martinborough, for having the best overall portfolio, especially Pinot and even a fantastic Chardonnay, plus very friendly service (below, right)

and Te Whare Ra in Marlborough for being a daring husband and wife team and staying true to their ideals on just 25 acres, plus the awesome wine, of course, especially the aromatics

And the favorite bottles:

Tirohana Pinot, Martinborough, 2006

Ata Rangi Chardonnay, Martinborough, 2006

Te Whare Ra Gewurstztraminer, Marlborough, 2008

Huia Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2008

Chard Farm Sauvignon Blanc, Central Otago, 2007

Felton Road Pinot, Central Otago, 2007

New Zealand Part 1: Breathtaking Country

It's difficut to summarize how amazing New Zealand is with just a few photos and a blog post, but I feel compelled to try. From the moment we stepped off the plane we knew there was something special about the land, the people, and the culture that make up New Zealand. Auckland is a bustling but pristine city filled with kiwis anxious to introduce you to newly crowned knights (we met a "Sir") while insisting that you join them for a pint at the pub. Just a short ferry ride away sits Waiheke Island with its up and coming warm weather vines and amazing restaurants and scenery.









(Mudbrick Restaurant and Vineyard on Waiheke above at left; looking back at Auckland from Waiheke at right; click to enlarge)

Martinborough was our second stop, just inland off the eastern shore of the North Island. A sleepy town with world class pinot vines and wine country restaurants, we stayed in a lovely bungalow at Parehua in between cow pasture and vineyards, and rode our bikes from winery to winery filling our baskets with the best of new world pinots.









(Riding bikes outside Parehua in Martinborough above left; view from our bungalow above right).

After that we drove (on the left side of the road mind you) to Cape Palliser, at the southern tip of the North Island, getting stuck behind a flock of a hundred of New Zealand's 40 million strong sheep, and spent a quick night in Wellington, the capital.

We then took a ferry to the South Island where New Zealand really shines. Our first night was spent in the Bay of Many Coves located within the Marlborough Sounds. The Sounds are hundreds of coves, inlets, and peninsulas within the Cook Strait between the South Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Bay of Many Coves Resort was remote as can be, it only accommodates 34 guests and is accessible only by a 30 minute water taxi ride. Our villa was hidden within the bush but still on the crystal waters that make up the coves. See here for YouTube travel video.

Another short drive (keep left) to Marlborough, which produces Sauvignon Blanc that rivals Bordeaux. Here we stayed at Old Saint Mary's Convent, a lovely Victorian convent turned B&B with its own chapel and vineyard. More wine tasting (see Part 2) and bike riding among the vineyards. (Convent, below)
Finally it was off to Queenstown in the Central Otago region, which is arguably NZ's most beautiful area, nestled between glaciers, crystal turquoise lakes, streams containing massive 10 pound trout, more vines, and yes, several Lord of the Rings filming locations. Here we stayed at our favorite place, Pencarrow B&B, owned by a Texan husband and wife team who once travelled the world as the personal pilot and flight attendant for Prince Al-Waleed, the Saudi Arabian Warren Buffet. They were warm, gracious, and generous, and we spent most of our days marvelling at the sights and our nights sitting drinking wine and listening to the stories of our hosts.
(View from our room at Pencarrow of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, below left; and hand feeding fallow deer on Lord of the Rings film site [Two Towers, Rohan battle scenes for your nerds out there], below right)









Our trip was nothing short of epic. I wish I wrote down the name of our cabbie in Bermuda from five years ago so I could thank him for planting the seed to travel to this glorious country. New Zealand is the last place on earth that we humans populated and in this case the cliche about saving the best for last is very much true.

New Zealand Adventure

On our first trip as a couple nearly five years ago, Big N and I visited Bermuda and while there we encountered a very cool local cabbie who had traveled the world and visited over 100 countries. We asked him which trip was his favorite and he responded unequivocally and without hesitation, "New Zealand" (in a cool British/Caribbean type accent). Ever since then Big N and I have planned to go down under to kiwi land and tomorrow we're finally going to where the sun rises (it's in the first time zone after the international date line).

We start our trip in Auckland on the North Island, then head to Martinborough to taste New Zealand's finest pinots, and hit up the capital city of Wellington. After that it's off to the South Island to take in the majestic sights of Marlborough Sounds, ride our bikes through the vineyards of Marlborough where they make primo Sauvignon Blanc, then head south to New Zealand's adventure capital, Queenstown, where a helicopter will drop us off in nature heaven for some fly fishing action. I've been practicing my fly casting on our pool so I'll be prepared to catch the 6 pound trouts, naturally.

All that separates us from this amazing adventure is the longest airplane ride imaginable. Do you still need a prescription for Ambien?

New Years at the Cabin

The Core spent 5 amazing days at the cabin in Arrowhead over the New Years holiday. This was our 4th New Years in a row and each year gets better and better. We all arrived at the same time, slipped and slided on the black ice to get to our parking deck, marveled at how much snow there was this year, threw our bags down, examined all the new changes to the cabin (our contractor has been working overtime), changed into comfy clothes, and then--- we settled in and let the pure sensation of ultimate relaxation wash over us.

For five days I think I left the cabin twice, once to go grocery shopping (2 carts filled to the brim, oh yeah), and once to cruise around Arrowhead village for a little bit. The rest of the time I spent reading, playing games, enjoying the snow, drinking, and, of course, cooking.


I made all the comfort tummy-warming foods I could think of, including braised short ribs, roast chicken, carnitas, apple pie, baklava, cinnamon rolls, etc. etc.

Sage made a legend-wait for it-dary 15 pound prime rib. He cooked it the way his father used to by toppling it with kosher salt so it would stay moist and tender in the oven. It fed the 8 of us, plus my parents and brother who were staying over for the night.
We had a wonderful time, and enjoyed having a few visitors come up, including my family, Kerouac, and Big N's friends Hagen (5 points for anybody that can guess why I'm calling E "Hagen"), Hagen's wife Cyprus, and their 3 year old twins Qing and MeiYu. Qing and MeiYu had their first experience sledding. They were adorable. I marveled at their adventurous spirits as they went down the slope again and again without fear.
Already we're looking forward to next year.

Palazzo Las Vegas

This weekend Big N and I celebrated our 6-month anniversary. Acting on a whim, we decided to celebrate in Las Vegas. We drove up Saturday morning, and were pleasantly surprised when upon arrival the Palazzo upgraged us to a 1500 sq foot suite. I guess Vegas really wants to treat their fewer customers right these days.

For the first time ever I didn't gamble once while there. All we did was shop and eat -- my kind of fun!! (Incidentally I bought a gorgeous Miu Miu bowler and Louboutin boots, both on sale of course. Every now and again a girl's gotta splurge). For the eating part, we decided to make it a Mario Batali weekend- dining at his new restaurant in the Palazzo called Carnevino for dinner, and Enoteca San Marco in the Venetian for lunch on Sunday.

Carnevino, as its name implies, is all about meat and wine. Our sommellier hooked us up with a fantastic 2005 Sandrone Barbera d'Alba from Piedmont to go with our appetizer of Proscuitto di Parma Riserva (aged 18 months) wrapped around gnoccho fritto (think puffed up dough squares). The Barbera was bursting with floral notes, cassis and violets, sweet but spicy. For dinner I had the most fabulous Osso Bucco with saffron orzo and Big N had the tasty crusted filet. Our bottle of 2001 Terralsole "Riserva" Brunello di Montalcino set off both plates very nicely. It was spicy and dark, with wonderful earth, cassis and tobacco hits on the back palate. By the end of the night we were stuffed and satisfied.

At Enotecca San Marco the next day, in St. Mark's square in the Venetian, we ordered salads, wine and cheese. The format of the restaurant is very cool, allowing you to choose wine and cheese flights, and to sample plates of traditional Italian light fare. None of the whites we had were spectacular, but it was fun to pair them with the cheeses we sampled. The Robiolo Bosina cheese was phenomenal- a cow and sheep milk blend that is soft with a light edible rind. It was so good I asked the waitress to jot down the name of it for me.

Driving home we both realized we need to be spontaneous more often. So I made a list of all the places we can go for a weekend minibreak when we're feeling spontaneous. And no, I don't see the irony of that at all.

Eating in St. Louis

This weekend my husband and I went to visit friends in St. Louis. Not to bore you with details of my mini-break, I'll simply tell you about a few of the delectable things we ate.

After arriving late (thanks to my blunder not leaving enough time to check our bags and being bumped on standby, twice), our friends D & A took Big N and I to a charming Scottish pub called the Scottish Arms. I had lamb shank with Bubble & Squeek (potatoes), A had the Steak & Stilton Pasty, and Big N, had the Sheppherd's Pie. But by far the winner of the evening was the Cock-a-Leekie pie that D ordered, a take on chicken pot pie with creamy soup, leeks, and puff pastry sealing in all the steamy goodness. It was delicious, and warmed the belly in the 25 degree St. Louis weather.

Night 2 we ate at a hip restaurant called Niche. The chef there is Gerard Craft (voted by Food & Wine this year as a best new chef). We each ordered the tasting menu. Winners on that menu were the scallops with popcorn jous, the "Reuben", which consisted of Rye flavored gnocchi, pickled cabbage, and beef tongue, and the lamb sous-vide with cauliflower puree. For dessert we had a the coconut kulfi, a first for me. I'm told that "kulfi" is a type of ice cream made from sweetened condensed milk. This one had a toasty coconut vanilla flavor. Needless to say it was rich but fantastic. Sweetened condensed milk tastes better than chocolate to me. We all enjoyed every one of the five courses, which were just the right portion size, however it was the sorbet served before the final course that especially caught my attention. The flavor was granny smith apple with rosemary. It was a beautiful shade of frosty green, was nice and thick, and had almost a minty apple quality to it. Wonderful. Both A and I decided to try to duplicate the recipe in our respective kitchens and report back. More on that to come.

Despite the cold, we had a wonderful time in St. Louis. We especially enjoyed D's home made Chai lattes. D made them by adding carefully measured quantities of cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, clove, and black peppercorns and mixed them up in his mortar and pestle. He added the spices to water flavored with fresh ginger, let those boil for a while, and finished it all off with black tea and milk. The chai made my belly warm and soothed my aching lungs. I will be sure to make D's chai concoction in our home this winter.