A Very, Very Good Vodka Fest With Gin! :: New York City

Last week at Valbella Restaurant in the too-cool-for-school Meatpacking District, I tasted some amazing vodkas. Of the dozens of world class vodkas presented, and many were very, very good, these were my favorites: • Hamptons Banana Vodka with its yummy, ripe banana nose and it’s long rich finish. It was a 2004 Gold Medal Winner…

Whole Foods Market Goes Whole Hog in London, England.

The landmark 80,000-square-foot flagship store, which opened the other week in London, England, is the first Whole Foods Market in Europe and marks a major step in expanding the company’s brand beyond North America. So don’t you think that means that their stock should start moving in the right bloody direction (which yes, I bought…

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Foie :: Cafe Majestic, San Francisco

Cafe Majestic is part of San Francisco’s longest continuously running hotel, The Hotel Majestic. In its first incarnation, dating back to 1902, the mansion was home to Milton Schmitt, a turn-of-the-century railroad magnate. Later, this elegant Edwardian served as the permanent residence for actresses Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Haviland. Numerous dignitaries have slept in…

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Think “Tibbie” for a Perfect 2-Daycation. Part 1 :: Tiburon, CA

I sent an “instant message” to Muffin*, my pal from college with an invite to come join me in Tiburon for a 2- Daycation. Her quick response? “I’m in.” A few days later I pick her up at SFO and we take the endlessly long ride from San Francisco to Tiburon. Try only 15 minutes—now…

NYC’s Foodie FIlm Fest

NYC’s Foodie Film Fest :: Featuring “Asparagus, A Stalk-umentary” How fun does this sound? The first annual New York Food Film Festival — a summer-long event featuring animation, short films, and documentaries about food — kicked off Thursday, June 14, through Saturday, June 16, with a series of films about regional American hamburgers. The festival…