Viva Puerto Vallarta!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is more than just a standard cruise ship destination traveling to the infamous Señor Frog's for infinite swigs of the obligatory jello tequila shots. No longer is the art of inebriation and cheap tacos de rigueur in Mexico. Aside from Taylor and Burton's Hollywood glamour which pinned Puerto Vallarta on the map, this energetic and blossoming city while maintaining its original Mexican charm is becoming a hot spot for luxury living, fine dining, and second home to many foreigners and expats, thanks to its warm winter climate, affordable living, and the offerings of a carefree lifestyle in the Mexican Pacific Riviera.

For modern luxury with all the hedonic staples, stay at the ultra private beachfront Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita, a master planned resort and residential community 26 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. These 1,500 acres of land is comprised of luxury resorts including the St. Regis, Norman's championship and Nicklaus' signature golf courses, private villas, assorted beach and sport clubs, wellness and spa centers, a yacht pier, and a small commercial village. If money is no object and you want to authentically experience the lifestyle of the truly rich and famous, for $15,000 a day or $20,000 during high season, you can rent the über exclusive Palmasola, a 25,000 sqft. private villa uniquely designed in curves without corners equipped with 12 in-house staff members inclusive a world class Michelin trained private chef, Peter Lodes, one of the original proprietor/chef of Trio. Established and privileged guests have been head of states, high profile celebrities, and big times wealthy entrepreneurs. Needless to say, high class amenities and diligence to refinement and service are paramount. For sophisticated old world charm and beauty, check in at Hacienda San Angel perched hillside above the Guadalupe Church. This exquisite 20 room boutique hotel is beautifully appointed where you'll feel like a Mexican royalty during your stay. Do no depart without visiting the hotel's lovely restaurant serving Mexican infused international cuisine for a romantic candle light dinner overlooking the gorgeous city view. After dinner, try to snag a vacant bed by the poolside where you can lounge, digest, and spoon feed your sweetheart the Grand Marnier crème brûlée and sip Kahula coffee while playing footsie. If character and seclusion without spending mucho bucks and straying from conventional hotel type is what you seek, go stay at the enchanting private retreat at Jardin del Mar situated between Bucerias and La Cruz. This grand hacienda is right on the beach with a handful of units in different configurations available for rent. Private relaxation and feeling of old Mexican charm is what you'll get. Looking for a home away from home? There are many upgraded private Mexican homes renting out their spacious guest house with a Palapa (thatched roof) and a private bathroom. Staying at a home is the best way to discover the culture and live as the locals do. The owner can share with you a wealth of information about real life Mexico. Lastly, if adventure is not on your plate and pampering and no brainer is more your cup of tea, the Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort is your answer. In Nuevo Vallarta where modern hotel and resort are popping up like Mexican jumping beans, the "Grand All Inclusive" has been recognized and awarded as the best and most excellent. Leave the Pesos in your room and go live a blissful life without a care in the world. Even if you are not a guest, you should reserve an appointment at the world class Grand Velas Spa, a most elegant and harmonious oasis. Prior to your treatment, a beautiful spa attendant will guide you to the hydrotherapy ritual. You will be accompanied and instructed in the order of the various water treatments. First stop is the sauna with your water bottle spray, followed by a quick cold pressure shower, then you enter the most elegant marble steam room which reminds me of a ancient Goddess temple with eucalyptus inhalation, pressure shower again to cool off, the warm and cold plunge lagoon is next, followed by a hot whirlpool, and then finished by a foot bath. Cool off with refreshing green chlorophyll or the delicious sweet red Jamaica flower drink while you lounge on a chaise with cucumber rounds on your eyes and a warm fragrant neck pillow drifting you to bliss land. Hungry? A plate of oatmeal cookies await. For a memorable experience in which you will not find back at home, chose a treatment from the Huichol Collection which incorporates ancient ceremonious rituals and natural Mexican ingredients. The Prehistoric Massage Tukipa is 80 minutes of massage using warm Mexican obsidian stone and regional oil. The therapist starts the procession with a flower foot bath, and then shakes a rain stick making a soothing sound to start the ceremony of your treatment. Here you feel like a Mexican princess to be coronate. Deliberate arrangement of stones and flowers on the massage bed continue the appearance of the ritual. As you remove the stones, disrobe, and crawl into bed, you are asked to shake the rain stick when the therapist may enter and soon you partake in a slice of ancient heaven. The staff's professionalism and the spa's attention to each detail were flawless and impeccable; not one thing was overlooked. The personal catering was first rate where your comfort and wellness is numero uno. Don't forget to grab some star shaped candles, mini bags of nuts and dried fruits, and skin care samples on your way out.

Puerto Vallarta's fourth year of Restaurant Week indicates a prominent fine dining scene. The city lacks ethnic cuisine but fine Mexican and European flavor abounds. This year’s epicurean adventure starts from May 15-31, 2009. If you're in town this spring, be sure to sample this city's many fine culinary talents.

Puerto Vallarta's best European restaurant hands down is Trio for its consistent flavorful and delicious unpretentious food; many restaurateurs have concurred. German born and highly trained Michelin chefs, Bernhard Güth and Peter Lodes, opened this 4 level restaurant in 1997. Mr. Lodes left to work as a private chef and Swedish chef Ulf Henriksson is continuing the tradition of serving excellent "Mediterranean Food Cooked with Love". According to Güth, to warm the appetite, the Sweet corn soup with peppercorn is served first. It is a delicious vegetable soup bursting with flavor. When was the last time you can actually taste and decipher each sweet vegetable in all its glory? The must try Lebanese salad is baked beet slices with parsley and marinated goat cheese. It is bold and tasty with the beet puree thick as ketchup and flavored with mint and cumin. It’s a standard dish done everywhere but always a winner with fresh ingredients and good flavor. The Seafood antipasto on grilled eggplant & spicy vegetable sauce is fresh and delish. The sauce is made from raw vegetables and spices giving it that interesting contrast with the seafood. If you're a homemade pasta lover, the silky Ricotta spinach ravioli with sun dried tomato coulis and Veal ravioli with green and white asparagus with sauce provencial are not to be missed. The flavor and combination of ingredients are balanced and flawless. For entree, go for the sumptuous Pan seared sea bass with mushroom crust, leaf spinach and red wine butter sauce. To end the perfect meal, indulge your sweet tooth with the Bread and butter pudding with white chocolate ice cream and also the Baked apple. Fans of Trio who want to experience a different kind of cuisine should try the chefs' second restaurant, Vitea. This ocean front bistro is the ideal spot to enjoy the sun set and people watch on the Malecon. While you sip a cocktail, try the Goat cheese crostini with orange and mint sauce: a powerful punch of shower gel like fragrance and impact. The bread rolls with three different kind of dipping sauce were fantastic.

The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta is equivalent to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This boardwalk of people by the ocean is a mandatory stroll. Go to Stefano and Paolo’s La Dolce Vita, the popular Italian eatery with always a long wait on the energetic Ave. Diaz Ordaz. Go upstairs and sit by the terrace which is the prime location to check out the parade of pimped out cars, the lit cruise ships and the Pirate Party Boat with its firework display and see Puerto Vallarta's night life below as you enjoy appetizers of paper thin Carpaccio di polipo (octopus) with arugula and an authentic Antipasto Italiano. The Linguini, zucchini and shrimp dish is absolutely delicious with its just perfect delicate white sauce. Not on the menu, request the chef to make you a linguini with smoked salmon bits with its tasty and spicy white sauce of lemon and spices. For red sauce lover, try the Seafood diabolo pasta. If you crave more substance, order Paolo's creation of the Luna, a moon shaped pizza with mozzarella and blue cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms, and sliced eggplants.

Want fine traditional and regional Mexican cuisine with a twist other than street taco and Tex Mex? El Arrayan is a must visit when in Puerto Vallarta. Entering the pink restaurant you encounter more color inside with art, wall, chair and tablecloth in kaleidoscope. Arrayan is a small sweet and tart fruit and in the middle of the restaurant's indoor courtyard stands this fruit tree. The owner, Carmen Porras, used to work for Trio and had the idea of opening her own when she realized there needs to exist fine Mexican food when she was constantly asked where to find one. Before you delight in a very special meal, relax with El Arrayan margarita, made from the fruit which is the restaurant's namesake. It is a cloudy drink that is light and delicious. For starters, must try is the Jamaica flower quesadilla, meaty in texture and slightly sour due to the plum colored hibiscus. Not adventurous enough? Try my favorite which is the Chaputines taco. They are unique, flavorful, crunchy, delicious crickets from Oaxaca! Never mind that you're eating fried grubs, this is seriously good food. Just think pure protein. Still want a challenge? Try the Yucatan style pig's feet taco. What else can I say besides the delicious pineapple and chili salsa that creates a savory and sweet sensation? If you can't stomach the above mentioned dishes, try the Ceviche colima, a scallop ceviche which is a bit different than the usual fish or shrimp. The Nopales tiernos is also very light and appetizing. Spoon some of this in a tortilla to make a taco of Nopale cactus and Mexican Panela cheese. For soup lovers, the Pozole de camaron is a light broth of shrimp, fish, and chunky hominy corn kernels. The signature dish is the Duck carnita; it is a third of a whole roasted duck with roasted potatoes. Make room for dessert because the homemade Tamarind sorbet is refreshing and yummy. For a slightly heartier dessert, go for the Pumpkin, a candied baked squash with vanilla bean ice cream. Muy Bien!

Still need the Mexican fix? Another absolute visit is the Cafe El Repollo Rojo or The Red Cabbage Cafe. Out in Boonville and God knows where on the Rio Cuale....the trek is definitely worth it, I assure you. As your taxi drops you off in front of this nondescript totally sketchy area, a young Mexican boy opens your taxi door. You already feel like a small time VIP. A man stands behind a half door gate and asks for your name before he opens the bottom gate and lets you enter the restaurant. You discover Frida Kahlo's shrine inside a jewel box of checkered floor, hand made tables, and the owner, Lola Bravo's favorite things all over the different colorful walls. Not only is the place a feast for the eye but especially for the palate. Besides a vegetarian and an international menu offering an American, Italian, and Russian dish, the Mexican menu is delightful. Unique to the cafe is the Spinach salad; it's a small plate of hand chopped parboiled spinach flavored with garlic and olive oil. It resembles think pesto. Served with garlic bread, this is a savory appetizer to begin your meal. The absolutely must-go-for-it is Frida's Dinner. This set menu is what Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo served at their parties. A glass of tequila starts the meal. The Cream of peanut soup was the opening course of Diego and Kahlo's Christmas dinner. This different and tasty opaque tan soup is made from chicken consommé, garlic, and peanuts. The pièce de résistance is the Chiles en nogada which is a celebratory party dish that is an explosion of flavor in the mouth...a dynamite of tastiness. Nogada is walnut and this dish was originally created by the nuns of the Puebla for the Emperor Iturbide. This dish is served cold and spicy with a walnut and pomegranate sauce. One bite is a definite "wow". This complex dish with many ingredients is truly spectacular and no wonders it is a food served during festivities and celebrations. Main course is a choice of Chicken mole or Pollo pipian. Go for the spicy mole where 25 different ingredients were used in the creation of this special chocolate colored sauce. Dessert is flan and a choice of red or white wine to accompany your festive dinner.

Another consistent restaurant with authentic Austrian food is Kaiser Maxmillian in the area of Olas Altas. The owner, Andrea, wears his Austrian shirt and jacket every evening to add to the ambience of old Europe. Sit at the sidewalk cafe and enjoy local musician’s serenade as you dine. The soup is the best: White wine soup with cinnamon croutons and sabayon and the Red cabbage cream soup with roasted duck crust potato dumpling. Another excellent tasty dish is the Raviolis with fennel filling, prosciutto, wild mushrooms and tarragon sauce. For an entree combining ingredients that work, try the Seared diver scallops, butternut squash puree, salad of apples and pine nuts, jamon Serrano, and truffle sauce. I brought along two Germans as my dining mate that evening to verify the authenticity and I was told that the Roasted leg of veal, the Wienerschnitzel, breaded pork loin and the Zwiebelrostbraten, pounded beef loin, and the Spätzle, hand made egg noodle dumplings, were the real McCoy. That's a good sign.

Also in Olas Altas, on Playa Muertos, for a most tropical and sensual dining experience, visit La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta's first restaurant back in 1954. You must get a table right on the beach with sand beneath your feet with surrounding tiki torches and candle lights. Your server will come out with a stand plopped in the sand where you can hang your purse. The Poblano and black bean soup with chorizo bread is a half green and half black soup. Try the Pan seared snapper, green asparagus, chorizo, zucchini blossom tempura, soy and sherry sauce. Finish off with the Cheesecake with passion fruit sauce. I recommend this place to luxuriate in an intimate setting to reacquaint with your lover, enjoy live relaxing music, and relish the proximity of the ocean with its soothing breaks. Don't forget to bring a light sweater; you are after all...sitting right on the sandy beach!

Another restaurant in this vicinity is Archie's Wok, very popular for its historical background and locals love the tasty Asian comfort food. Archie, from Philippine, was first introduced to legendary film director, John Houston, where he catered parties at Elizabeth Taylor's home in Gringo Gulch. This eventually led him to become the private chef for Houston in his retirement hideaway at Playa Caletas. After Houston's death, Archie opened in 1986 the first Asian fast food take out with a couple of tables in Puerto Vallarta called Archie's Wok and Deli. After his father's death, the son, Sergio, runs Archie's Wok, now a full restaurant. Two beverages to recommend: the refreshing and pleasant Ginger ice tea which is lemonade based and the Jamaica flower ice tea. Popular dishes among guests are the Calamari fried in a light beer batter, Lumpia which are Filipino eggrolls, the sweet and tangy Spicy shrimp and coconut soup, the tasty BBQ pork rib lets hoi sin style which are perfect in its mini size, the light and healthy Sizzling fish in banana leaves with pineapple relish, the Drunken noodles has an unusual flavor with shrimp and squid, and the generous sized Chiang Mai shrimp which should definitely be eaten with rice. Try to get a table inside the courtyard where you can enjoy the harpist pluck her magic and savor exotic Asia.

If beach and sand is too much since you've had it all day, but still looking for prime view, visit Marina Vallarta's Porto Bello, an Italian restaurant. Sit at the outdoor covered patio to enjoy the marina while listening to live music. As a hardcore spicy eater, I've met my match. If you don't mind major "fuego", go ahead and slather the diced Jalapeno, Habanero and Serrano pepper in olive oil on your bread. This is one powerful punch of flavor and kick.
To cool off the mouth, the Cozze alla Malfitane is really good Mediterranean mussels and so is the Carpaccio di Manzo, beef carpaccio. For main course, the Vitello tornato, marinated veal with light tuna fish sauce and black truffle is molto bene. Two yummy desserts: the Crespella ai cioccolato, chocolate crepes with Bailey's chocolate mousse and the crispy and tasty Philo crepes filled with fruits and Amaretto sauce. Total delish.

Last but not least is Puerto Vallarta's most famous and celebrated restaurant, French chef, Thierry Blouet's swanky Café des Artistes. This is the place where you go for a special occasion, take a date that you really dig, or at least come in for a drink to check out the alluring surrounding. Get a table either outside the enchanting outdoor garden where you're in the midst of a lush tropical jungle with a canopy of greens overhanging or if you have a party of 8, you must reserve the magical private room with hundreds of glass balls hanging. The space is truly schnazzy. For real foodies, go to the more refined Cocina de Autor, a different section of the restaurant where only a prix fixe gourmet tasting menu with wine pairing is served. Make sure to get one of the handfuls of tables up on the terrace rooftop as it is a romantic al fresco with bamboo trees and dangling white orchids covering the sky...don't be alarm when the occasional flower falls on your table. Mine landed perfectly next to my Veuve Cliquot champagne and the second time on my lap. To start off the culinary adventure, compliment of the chef, three mini creations were served on a stone slab. The 3 hours six course dinner was presented with one word regarding service: Stellar. Mucho gracias to Raul Montiel and Bernardo Silva for their service was highly attentive and their being courteous and caring. Oscar award for best service!
The dessert presentation is consistent of Blouet himself, a showman. On a big mirror tray flamboyantly displays a sugar sculpture, the desserts, fancy fruit cutting, a candle light and written in chocolate "Welcome to Cafe des Artistes" or whatever special occasion you're celebrating. Don't forget to bring your camera...

After you fill your tummy, you must also fill your suitcase. For a store where you can find something delightfully Mexican for yourself and as gifts of good quality, Sarafina is your one stop shopping. This 3 rooms colorful Mexican boutique houses clothing for women and children, jewelry and fashion accessories, kitchen and home ware, art work, handicraft, and fun gift items. There is a lot to see as every corner, wall, and floor space is a showcase. Pay attention to the hand embroidered tablecloth or blanket and the hand painted many gift and household items. This place is really fun and is not easy to walk away empty handed.

Next two stores down is Cielito Linda, for the avant garde jewelry collector. This is not your typical silver jewelry store invading every street corner. This upscale store sells pieces from Jewelry designers all over the world. Elegant, funky, conservative or extravagant, you're surely to find something that suits your particular taste. I bought a big handmade red ceramic heart with many bits of turquoise pieces attached by gold wiring hung on a very long thin leather strap with charms dangling at both end. It’s funky, fun, and made from real organic material.

Speaking of leather, Rolling Stones Leather is the choice store for exotic leather such as sting ray, eel, shark, buffalo, crocodile, and etc. Clothing and accessories can be made to order. Here Gene Simmons, Lou Gosset Jr, Chuck Norris and the biker crowd has shopped. You get the picture.

Looking for authentic Mexican traditional art? The Huichol Collection Gallery houses all things Huichol, an indigenous ethnic group from western central Mexico. Their art is highly colorful, elaborate and even psychedelic with its bright neon colors. Majority of pieces are based on bead art and yarn painting. No monochromatic here and those preferring Zen need not enter. The salesperson will explain to you the symbolism and story behind the design and pieces.

If heavy pottery, over sized sombreros, and tequila is too troublesome to carry back home yet you're still searching for something Mexican, try sweets, a perpetual crowd pleaser. At Con Orgullo Azteca, this candy shop sells Tamarind with chili, the Cocadas de Leche which is coconut, sweet milk with honey, and for your boozer friends or better yet, yourself, the Borrachitos, "drunken candy", which is a sugar jelly roll filled with tequila is an interesting find.

No vacation is complete without some kind of clubbing. At a corner across from the Malecon is where Buddha Bar meets Palm Beach. The Asian inspired Mandala is a happening discotheque with 3 floors including a sleek all white lounges on the roof top. The general crowd gyrates to techno and pop music on the neon dance floor under a giant disco ball and its smaller reflective siblings while pair of giant Buddha figures stares down. A bouncer approves if you may ascend the sleeker roof top with its beautiful people enjoying Latin pop music on a smaller dance floor and getting a view from high above of the Malecon.

For the active traveler who wants to explore and discover, Vallarta Adventures is the premier company catering to all your excursions and the weekend warrior in you. Diving, expedition, whale watching, swim with the dolphins, and cultural tours just to name a few are yours for the choosing. Highlight is the boat ride to Las Caletas, former jungle hideaway of film director, John Houston. A Vegas style production of "Rhythms of the Night” is an exotic and mystic show of dance, music and performance. A backdrop of flickering torches, swaying palms and the view and sound of the ocean as you dine under candle light is your scene as you enjoy your intimate buffet dinner. Once you have arrived on the island, guaranteed you wish you had missed your boat and didn't have to go back home. I wouldn’t mind being a castaway on this lush tropical island.

On that note, take a water taxi to the picturesque quaint village of Yalapa. Visit a hilly Mexican village, chill on the beach, kayak and snorkel, or better yet...walk up to the top to discover a majestic rocky waterfall for an exhilarating skinny dip. Do something spontaneous and rent a boat from a private owner who will sail you to secluded bays and islands. Negotiate beforehand the price and hours before you agree to the private tour.

Back to civilization for some culture, October to April is Puerto Vallarta's Art Walk in which sixteen art galleries open their doors to showcase artists every Wednesday from 6-9 PM. Go browse and admire the innovation and creativity that resides in Mexican artists. Life is an art form. The obvious affluence blended in a third world country makes for a perfect travel destination. High style living, adventure in spirit, or bohemian at heart, it is easy to design the kind of experience you want in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta offers up to date luxury resort living that we Americans enjoy and are accustomed to yet the country still retains its original rustic and ethnic roots. The dichotomy of the contrast is stark and fascinating. This is why we love Mexico.

www.NewportBeachMagazine.com February 2009 Issue

Unknown and Untold Adventure Lies Ahead

The airplane is a time machine of sort that takes you to places where you never expect. You think you're going to XYZ location visiting XYZ and doing XYZ but little do you know that the universe has something very different planned and laid out for you.

Besides the plane's cramped space, annoying traveling passengers, and a sorry excuse for what they serve as "food", this contraption has always been a magical bullet taking me to experiences that I am forever grateful and will forever inbedded in my memory as the happiest time in my life.

My latest adventure was an unforgettable one... here I found where my heart possibly could call home or at least part time, a very special best friend, a budding romance, a work project taking me to new heights, and most of all...a new way of thinking and living that finally after all these years, has given me total clarity and insight of who I truly am and want in life.

I can't wait to see where my life will take me...

Au Revoir Ma Petite...

There comes a time when a parent must let their child go off and travel on their own without parental chaperone or other adult assistance. It happened to me less than 48 hours ago. My 16 years old daughter boarded a night plane. Destination: Paris, France. She will be spending Christmas and New Year in the City of Lights and Maitre of all things sugary. This was not going to college, for a job interview, nor undergoing a special medical procedure.....it was during her winter break from high school. Lucky girl. Nice mom....

Being the parent, I was more nervous than she. I'd categorize her as an indoor cat. Isolated, protected, not certain of her survival skill....I fear on her own, she may end up being on the news. CNN's Headline: American Girl found in gutter near Eiffel Tower. (there is no gutter near Eiffel Tower) Dependant, lazy, and detached...she leaves everything to me when we are traveling together. So, when the opportunity arose that she could travel by herself, needless to say, I was quite weary.

Her grandmother and I took her to the airport. On the drive to the airport, at the airport, and while waiting with her in the airport, she received a mega dose of lectures, speeches, instructions, and warnings. We accompanied her until she enters the plane and the sight of her was no more.

Inside I was very excited and happy for her as I can imagine for a young girl traveling to the most gorgeous city in the world and without the annoying mom and micro managing granny....this is her first taste of freedom and adulthood. Bonjour Paris....!

As a mother nevertheless, I still needed to give the appearance of genuine concern and harrass her one last time until I see her again in 10 days.

I am confident that she will be fine. She has no choice. I am not there to help her. She must grow. Traveling alone does that....

A Vegan's Nightmare

As a professional traveler of sort, I do my homework before I board the plane to my far flung destination. The most important research is finding the best eats.

I will hunt and trek far and wide to experience life's greatest pleasure: masticating foreign comestibles.

I purposely go to Bologna, Italy just to taste the food to see if it's all that plus a bag of chips. This city is renowned and celebrated for its cuisine. The meat Bologna, Bolognese sauce (meat sauce), the Parmagiano Reggiano cheese, the different types of pastas are all produced from this little old city of Bologna. Needless to say, there are many fine dining establishments which I must partake and to spend a small fortune so that I am fully satisfied in knowing that my life purpose has been fulfilled.

Diana is a famous old restaurant which is a must-go-to. It is not trendy nor contemporary but a Bolognese Institution.

I am not looking for schnazzy hotspots where Italian fashionistas frequent. On the contrary, I am looking for a restaurant where the old school fine diner go to get their fill. Diana epitomizes classic traditionalism at its finest. The servers, all male, are dressed in impeccable white jacket with black slacks and black tie. They are older gentlemen who pride in their work and more than likely have been at it for decades and decades as Italians usually have one job for life.

The ambiance is genuine classic old school. There is a coat check where I don't need to lug my heavy winter coat. The furnishings and decor are veritable European. The table setting is class. Real heavy cotton linen with napkins to match. Fine sturdy plate and glass. Solid oversized silverware. A plate of assorted most whimsical shaped Italian bread awaits on my dining table.

My server, Franco, arrives with a big handsome looking menu. You open it and it's all in Italian. Good sign. This ain't no tourist joint. I'm here to order the most traditional dish from Bologna. So I order the boiled assorted meat and organ, aptly named the Bollito Misto. This feast of a dish is a carnivore's delight or a vegan's nightmare. The chef comes out with a rolling serving cart with a huge kitchen pot containing the assorted animal carcass. He dishes up snouts, tongues, and other assorted organs and animal meats. I think to myself as he lovingly puts a suspicious looking blob of gelatanous meat on my plate, "hmmm....this doesn't look so hard to make..dump recycled animal parts in big pot of boiling water. Serve."

After he departed with his creation on wheels, I spoon up some green sauce on my plate next to the bland looking pale meats. "Okie dokie..let's try Miss Piggy's nose." I cut a bite size piece, tine in meat, raise fork and insert food in mouth. What happened after that unforgettable. The flavor was overwhelming! It's not a salt or sweet or tart issue. It's an intensity issue. That was one fucking strong tasting meat! Last time I had to actually remove food from my mouth was eating sausage meat in the former Soviet Union. These meats are not rancid nor bad...it's extremely strong and intense in its flavor. A definite acquired taste. I'd describe it as the pungency of strong body odor. Granted, the regular meats ie. non organs, are fine and tasty especially with their assorted sauces.

I'm satisfied. I came, I order, I ate. My job is done.

French Dessert is Just Like Sex

In life, there are definitely some things that are as pleasurable and rewarding as sex. It's high up on the hierarchy.

A sexy pair of satin Louboutin, an inviting cozy Japanese seaweed bath, a luxurious Fendi beaver coat, or a deep tissue massage from Igor's strong Russian hands are all fine and dandy but total child's play compared to the sophisticated and fine art of patisserie à la Française.

I'm talking about the really, really, really, expensive, beautiful, decadent designer French species. Not the mediocre and plain Jane variety available en masse. This is reserved for the true snob and unapologetic elitist: a connosieur with a major sweet tooth.

Experiencing a royal French pastry is a sexual encounter of the first and unique kind.

The selection from a dessert menu or decision making in-situ is love at first sight. Your heart palpitates, knees weak, and your mouth salivates. A little boner to be. Anticipation awaits.

Why is it that the French can evoke romance on something so banal that's made from flour and sugar?

Looking at the carb-filled beauty is like eyeing your lover. You shop and decide which you'll take home to ravish and devour. Next you buy it. You have to court it. It's not cheap. We're talking like $10-$ 15 a piece. You say it's not that expensive? You must put it in perspective. It is expensive. It's a personal size dessert.... for God's sake. It's a glorified donut or a fancy decked out bon bon. It's wearing its finest French couture and dabbing its rarest fragrance made from the most exquisite and rare Bulgarian rose. It is well educated and from the finest breed. It is coy and sassy. It's flirting seductively to you. It is saying " look at me, admire me, undress me slowly, give me little fun nibbles to tickle and arouse me, slowly lick me and savor my cream....when you can no longer control yourself, then devour me whole until you are wholly satisfied and can no longer do anything but dream and sleep".

After experiencing an orgasmic French delicate pastry, one can no longer settle for anything less. Welcome to Expensive French Pastries Anonymous. Only the best and most beautiful will suffice. Like a gorgeous man or woman, you fully appreciate the exotics and treat it like precious gem for they are a true luxury and the ultimate treat where it is worth the travel to find. An elegant addiction indeed.

Tea Time is Quaint Time

Punk rockers, the London Bridge, and Queen Elizabeth conjure images of England.
But Tea Time is the perennial favorite...or at least it sure is mine.

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live. High tea with a glass of champagne for 1 person is without exaggeration around US $75. Without the bubblies, it's about $50. Some may add a main course so consider another $20 or so. Naturally I am referring to the most reputable and elegant of establishments, not your local pub where a Lipton teabag and a biscuit will call it a day. One has to do tea when in London. I'd place it as must-do as visiting the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. That's how important it is. Tea time is an English tradition and institution. It's a lifestyle.

Does the high price tag justify a pot of tea with some dinky finger foods? Absolutely indeed! The real cost is only a fraction since there is nothing of great monetary value. Couple tablespoon of tea leaves and a whole lot of sugar, flour, and butter cost nothing however what one pays for is the refined ambiance and the formal civility it brings to life. That my friend, is what tea time is all about. It's quite reflection while connecting with your tea time mate...and what better way to do it than in front of a 3-tiers display of goodies. Delicate assorted finger sandwiches, scones with homemade jam and cotted cream, mini pastries like tiny object d'art and a fragrant pot of flower fruit tea or if one prefers, a robust masculine variety is such a lovely partner.

After you book your flight to London, start reserving tea time at the The Ritz Carlton, the legendary hotel. During Christmas season....you better make that inquiry before Halloween!
...and please...dress nicely for God's sake! I recommend after shopping at Harold's, go visit Ladurée which is on the floor with its gourmet food section. It's a gem of a place to relax, eat and soak in the beauty that is this French gourmet tea house with its exquisite pastries and gorgeous gifts available for purchase. The decor is opulent.

A formal elegant tea time makes you feel like royalty!

A Trip to France On A September

I returned from Europe after a day of delay while traveling in hell! My three planes were broken thus creating cancellation and multiple delays for me. I felt like I was in a scene of a bad surreal B movie...that's not mentioning the imploding of a bomb at Charles de Gaulle Airport, confiscation of expensive French hair cream, excessive weight baggage fee, and other miscellaneous hassles, nervous break downs and endless waiting!

On a positive side, I got my sugar fix in Paris of pastries, bakeries, and other assorted confectioneries... where my waking moment was hunting for the best eats. I traveled through Paris by foot and bicycle determined to confirm the best creperies, mille feuille, baguette, and other delicate goodies to nurture my soul and belly. I was a walking carb-filled-human. On a savory note, fois gras, frites and ducks were quite often my staple diet when I wasn't stuffing my face with ingredients ending in -ose. Every single day away from USA... I ate well. Although I wouldn't necessarily described it as "healthy". I didn't eat much vegetables and fruits, unless you count the strawberries, raspberries, and thinly sliced apples gloriously glazing my tarte de fruits. My food consumption could easily be categorized in one of the following food groups 1.) cheese 2.) meats 3.) pastries and 4.) breads. And maybe French fries should be the fifth group.
When in travel, I don't believe in being healthy....I believe in being HAPPY!....merci beaucoup....

While the main purpose of the trip was to attend a 3 part Jewish extravaganza of a wedding, I also took the opportunity to visit long distant friends. But, before I tell you more...have any of you been to a real live Jewish wedding? It's totally party central with flying dancing chairs, broken glass, tons of food!!! Can you say Mazal Tov!

As many of you know, one of my mission was to see our French friend in Bordeaux...and here are the tales of my visit with special attention to food as it is my raison d'être.

What a great pleasure it was to see Madame Christine Vandame who lives in Merignac, a suburbia town just a hop and skip away from Bordeaux. Without a doubt, her family was definitely a highlight of my 20 days sojorn. I stayed with Christine and her family for 4 nights.
As I got off my train from Arcachon...(more on that later), I didn't see Christine. I wandered around and around when I saw a lady in a car waving at me. Excitedly I waved back and walk towards her but noticed how much she had gained in weight and started to wear glasses...but oops...I realized it was not her and was relieved for Christine's sake!
I continued to walk around a bit whilst checking out the little train station of Pessac when finally I hear my name and I as I looked up, I see pink. Pink scarf and pink shoes. I was so happy to see her and we hugged like old buds. She seemed so petite...I didn't realize she was that petite...or maybe it's me inflated and bloated from too much flour, sugar, and butter. Blame it on the chocolate éclairs and clafoutis and then endless baskets of all-you-can-eat baguettes.

A little time later, Val (Marina Dominguez's daughter) joined us at the train station for a little threesome. She is a pretty 20 years old UCSD student studying in Bordeaux for the year. The three Musketeers get into Christine's white Peugeot and the Bordeaux adventure tour begins!

Bordeaux is a beautiful city in southwest France filled with great monuments and architecture also divided by a river. It's like "petite Paris" sans Eiffel Tower and all that jazz. That morning, we three ladies played tourists. Christine had just returned to France not too long ago, Val had only been in Bordeaux for 3 weeks, and this was my first time in this part of France.
But first, we must consume food....and masticating the comestibles we did at a beautiful restaurant Cafe Louis in the center of Bordeaux. We decided to take the later tour because when in France, one must take a leisurely lunch without haste and angst. None of this fast food business where your order arrives after 2 minutes of ordering and then to be wolfed down in 5. We toured Bordeaux on a convertible tour bus while discovering its beauty and history. After an hour of this very chillin' bus ride, Christine left to pick up her children from school so Val and I roamed the city. After walking the long Rue St. Catherine where cheap and trendy clothing stores reside, we took a coffee break sitting outside a cafe. When it was time for us to go, we took the tram to Christine's house. Unlike the Paris underground metro, Bordeaux has a better alternative...the tram. In defense of Paris, the city is much bigger thus requiring a more elaborate infrastructure of a public transportation. The tram only has 3 lines where the metro has 13 not including 3 rapid lines going to suburbs. My first night, Christine prepared for us a very French dinner of fois gras with toasts, duck with wild mushrooms, naturalement what's a French dinner without an assortment of cheese, apricot tart and a hazelnut chocolate something dessert....all to be washed down by both white and red wine. Val and I dined with Christine, Herve (her husband), Herve's aunt Guillane and their three small angels: Nelly, Lola and Louis who sat at their own little table and chair outfitted with a violet toile table cloth. After dinner, we relaxed in the living room with a cup of tea. A very nice soiree of friends and food, indeed.

Next morning Saturday, Christine and I drove back to Bordeaux for a 2 hours historic walking tour. The English speaking tour guide was sick and instead of waiting for a replacement which can take a while to find, we decided to go with the French speaking tour guide. I think he's gay. When the tour was over, Christine needed to leave so I met up with Val. My new buddy and I walked around Bordeaux for a place to eat. We were also in search of a Bordeaux specialty, the cannele. Little treasures of this region. Later we met up with Christine. That weekend was Europe's heritage weekend where all public places, government institutions, museums and monuments are free to the public. That evening we three girls sat on the stone ground inside the courtyard of the Customs Museum watching a delightful concert of young people singing and playing instruments. As I sat next to Christine enjoying the lovely choir....my thought wandered off of how great it is to live in France where every corner is history and beauty. Even inside this courtyard I was admiring the great stone wall and it looked exactly like a movie scene from Mozart's day where you can imagine people in horse drawn carriages and villagers shopping for their daily bread walking through town. The juxtaposition of modern clothing and cell phones reminded me that I am back in the 21 st century.
After the concert, Val left for the evening to join her friends of clubbing so Christine and I continued on our heritage evening events. We went to another courtyard where a giant screen played in black and white the history of Bordeaux. We soon tired of it so we left to dine in a restaurant where I had eel and Christine had sweetbread...which is the thyroid gland of a cow I suppose. Quite tasty! Just don't think about it..... the hormone producing organ! After dinner, Christine was sweet to give me an evening tour of the city but as hard as I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes open. Not even a dangling piece of cake could keep me up. Bordeaux is beautiful by night with all its blue, green and pink light showcasing the city's treasure.

The following day, I took a bus tour by myself for wine tasting and lunch. We visited wineries producing what is one of my favorite wine: the delicious sweet sauterne. A wine tour is a must do in Bordeaux similar to a beach tour is a must in OC. I visited three different chateaux and tasted their delicious nectars produced on site. For lunch, it was a delicious meal of fois gras with red berry gelee, main course was chicken with asparagus puree mousse and braised endives, assortment of cheese, and a personal size tarte tartin to finish it off.... naturally all accompanied by 3 different sauterne wines which all kind of taste the same to me with varying degrees of different fruit notes. As I return from my wine tour trip and waiting for Val at the Tourist Office....low and behold..I bumped into someone I know from California! This lady and I exchanged our schedule of when we would be in France but we never thought we could actually meet given the time and places where we would be. What a truly small world it is. Val comes to meet me and we walk Bordeaux for a bit before meeting up with the Vandame family at their house.
We all drove to a great park with a lake and chateau in Merignac. We spent a lovely lazy Sunday afternoon with the kids. Lola on rollerskates, poor Nelly who fell and scraped her toe while she and Louis were just being kids, Val and I dozing on the grass in front of this yellow chateau while a duo plays classic music. As I slumbered, I was awaken by a small person crawling on my back...not sure who it was but glad I woke so I could see how other French family spent their day off. We decided to head home and as we walked back to the car passing a retreat of a garden, Herve shows us indigenous trees and things. Val returned home as she needed to prepare for school the next day. For dinner we ate at the Vandame's backyard. The kids all had their baths and were squeakily clean in their pj's and wet braided hair. Dinner was a potato tart and mache salad. Comfort food is always very satisfying.The kids were very excited about the vanilla and pistachio ice cream.

I am having too much of a great time discovering this great region so I decided to prolong my stay for just one more day. The next day, Christine and I drove to St. Emilion which is an hour away to a charming medieval town producing serious famous world class wines. St. Emilion is full of chateaux and wineries. Since we arrived early in the morning, we were able to snag a great parking space. Christine and I walked the cobblestones of this quaint little town. As we descended the slope of the village, we took a brief repose at a cafe while admiring the tall bell tower and other medieval architecture while waiting for our tour to begin. We visited a catacomb and an underground church built underneath the main church. All this art history talk and following a group around was making me hungry and tired. Lunchtime! My favorite time! We went to a recommended restaurant where we sat in their inside courtyard patio. Christine had the fois gras mousse and the chocolate therapy! We both had a glass of first growth red wine from St. Emilion at 10 Euros a pop ($15) so you know this ain't no two buck chuck! After a real satisfying lunch of eggplant filled pastry on salad and entree of pork for me, we took a little choo choo train where it took us to the outskirt of the main village to tour the chateaux and wineries. I got off earlier to tour one winery while Christine continued on and then had to drive back home to pick up the kiddies. As I remained in St. Emilion, I continue touring and walking this charming place where time stood still and I imagined what life was like back then.....narrow streets, cobblestone ground, little shops and restaurants, churches here and there, little central squares, all in chateaux land. Oddly enough, I thought of the black plague and monks in brown robes. It was time for me to trek to the train station and return to Bordeaux. I was so looking forward to this evening because Christine was kind enough to fulfill a request of preparing Raclette for dinner. I didn't get to eat this Swiss specialty when I was in Switzerland this time. I did however at least got to eat cheese fondue where I think I got drunk from it. (just kidding) The kids and I are having a grand ol' time melting the cheese, scraping it off from a mini wooden spatula and smearing the melted light yellow goo over our little boiled potatoes, assorted sliced meats, and cornichons....we had some green salad and .....to end it all, country style fromage frais with cream and brown sugar was for dessert. Delish! Oh did I mention the beautiful little canneles Christine thoughtfully bought? Merci Christine for getting these little yummy treats that has become my infatuations. These little Bordelais beauties are to die for and have become my new love! Who needs a boyfriend when there are canneles waiting for you to devour? They will love you back because you love them!
Christine and Val were witnesses to my addictions for these little sweet puppies....as I was constantly buying them when I would have chance encounter. Pascal is to blame for my new addiction since he introduced it to me. I will sue him for my weight gain, puffy face, and painful withdrawal symptoms...

Next early morning I took the train back to Paris. I almost missed my trains but luckily Christine sped drove me with the 3 cuties in the back and all turned out well. Nobody got hurt, I didn't miss my trains and the kids got to school on time I hope!

Christine's children:Nelly, Lola and Louis.....were little joys. Herve was such a gracious host and man. It was truly a pleasure to spend some time with them all. I was most impressed with the love and unity of this family.
The Vandame family was very hospitable and very kind to me. I truly enjoyed the city but most of all what I hold dear in my heart the most was being with Christine and her loving family. I was very happy and felt welcomed... I had a great time wit them!

I also did visit one of my best buddy, Piero Acampora in Geneva which some of you Italians may know of him. He is doing well and misses the beautiful Californian sunshine. He lives in a wonderful flat with high ceiling and spacious rooms just right in front of the water fountain jet on Lake Lemans, Geneva. Piero and I had cheese fondue on my first night and what a sport he was for partaking with me since it's not particular his cup of tea....My time in Geneva was short but the visit was well worth it knowing I got to see il mio amico Piero! Piero came back from work twice to make me lunch of what else.....Italian raviolis and tomatoes, Italian meat and cheese drenched and drowned in olive oil.

I also visited Pascal, Raffster's former boyfriend whom I met and hung out with several times while he was visiting California. He lives in a resort beach town of Arcachon, just shy of 45 minutes from Bordeaux. He owns a gelato store and yes...I did try every flavor...all delicious 20 of them!

Pascal was a happening former model. Not only was he hot...but this guy is a fantastic cook...thanks to Raffy for showing him the right way! God bless our Raffy! His homemade fresh pasta will make me look at pasta differently now! He spoiled me with his cooking. How can I now eat pasta from a box? Please allow me to indulge in more food talk...if it's not apparent to you gals..yes, ...I am obsessed with food. I was a starving Ethiopian kid in my last life after I was the beheaded Marie Antoinette making people "eat cake"...haha...

This French man who speaks beautiful Italian made me one dinner of oysters, fresh homemade pasta with pesto (see photo), baked sole fish, endive salad and fruit tart pastries. On that note, the sexiest Italian language I've heard is in my humble opinion, Piero's. He wins first place in "The Most Sensual Spoken Italian". Pascal comes in second. Notice that both their names begin with "P". P stands for pleasure, pleasant, pretty, and perfect Italian!

Arcachon is a beachside resort town where the population quadruples during summer, otherwise it mainly has older retired folks inhabiting this little sleepy cute town. It is famous for its sand dunes and beaches. Here oysters are a main catch. The houses there has a very esthetic architecture totally specific to Arcachon. To me it looks like a cross between a Victorian and a colonial Tommy Bahama island style. Postcard pretty and quaint.

Last dinner with him was fois gras with champagne (I told you I ate a lot of this stuff...it's basically pure fat) homemade pasta with clams that we both dug (more on that later), and I have food coma because I can't remember the rest??? Are you guys getting fat from just reading my eating tales? Oh yeah....homemade flourless chocolate cake and some other store bought chocolate pastry. Yes...each meal I consumed on this trip exceeded 10,000 calories easily!
I will never forget the experience of going on a boat to an island to dig for clams and oysters. When was the last time you had to "work" for your dinner? That night as I helped Pascal prepare for our scrumptious dinner, his friend came by to borrow a professional deli meat slicer. Marco invited me to join them the next evening for a gourmet dinner of feasting food they had brought back from Spain. Sounds like my kind of evening party...let's get the elastic pants out!!!! I was so tempted to stay another extra day just to attend this carnivore eat fest but I had already delayed in going to visit Christine due to the boat ride but to stay an extra day again for a food party? hhhhhmmmmmm.......very tempting indeed. Eenie meenie miney moe.....should I stay for the food party or go to Christine's???

One last word about canneles: it was Pascal who got me hooked. When I first given this sugar filled carb drug...the first one was the best: crunchy and crispy on the outside and soft and luscious in the inside. After that one, I couldn't find one that was as perfect as the first. I had experience less than perfect when the entire thing was nothing but soggy rubber. Like an addict, I would spend $3 a pop to satisfy this craving and on a tormented hunt to find that first love again...perfect out and in. My first one will now become only a distant memory and will forever hold a special place in my heart and mouth.

Back to Paris....I may have to in two years find a successor to my position as I may very well be living back in the land of Eiffel Tower and pain au chocolat. I was the most happiest being alone soaking in the Parisian vibe as it fills my whole being. It is amazing how with a good pair of support shoes, it can transport you in different worlds according to where you travel and happen to end up. Chic, bohemian, artistic, trendy, Asian, Arabic, African...it's all yours if you are willing to trek and hunt. How irresistible is this charming and romantic city that holds a mystique. Imaginations and dreams are immediately conjured and hearts start to flutter and sing upon the whisper of the word....Paris. N'est-ce pas?