Francis Bacon

I did some museuming over the holidays. The most powerful works I saw were at the Francis Bacon exhibition at the Tate Britain. While I had seen his work many times before, I'd never had the opportunity to see such a comprehensive retrospective.

To say that it was powerful seems, frankly, weak. Perhaps, emotionally gut-wrenching is more accurate. Because of the immersion that the Tate's retrospective provided you couldn't just move on to the next artist in the gallery. You were compelled to let the feelings wash over you. The imagery portrayed such depth of pain and sadness, it pulled you in - often unwillingly - to his world, his viewpoint.

I will never see his work again in the same way. Bacon offers an important reminder of how hard it can be for some people to smile, to be happy and the need to be tolerant and accepting of those challenges. This acknowledgment of others journeys' is particularly of importance for those of us that have enjoyed a "glass half full" existence and serves to remind that you never know when something's going to knock over the glass.

The Dakota

I've just finished reading Life at the Dakota, by Stephen Birmingham. The book is the history of the famous Dakota apartment building in New York, from its inception in the late 1800s through the late 1970s. Probably not everyone's idea of a great read, but if you're curious about this famous building and New York around the turn of the last century I can highly recommend it.

The only negative is that the book does leave the story wanting. At the end, John Lennon has not yet been shot and the building is facing a series of major economic challenges. Clearly it has survived those challenges, but you are left wondering how things progressed during the last 30 years. Online research didn't provide me with much insight other than the book was reprinted about 10 years ago and includes an afterward that talks about the murder of Lennon.

I remember cutting class in high school the day after he was shot to go to Manhattan and stand outside the building. It was thronged with people, mostly quiet, some singing and the flowers were piled so high at the entrance you could barely see the iron gates. It was a moving tribute to John Lennon and his music.

Mid-Century Modern

Over the last several months I've been picking away at a very fun read, Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living. Brini started out as a local access cable TV star in Manhattan. Her show was picked up the Style Network, which is where I found her.

A mix of Donna Read, Mary Tyler Moore and That Girl, Brini's book offers all kinds of ideas and tips for making life more fun. She's an aficionado of the 1950s, 60s and 70s and the height of mid-century modern design, fashion, food and lifestyle.

So if you're looking for a look back, or just need a good recipe for some classic your mother served at bridge parties, this is a great place to start.

Atlas Shrugged

About a month ago I took a deep breath and picked up Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. A paperback at 1168 pages of pretty small text, I wondered whether or not I could get through this in a reasonable amount of time. I know the book is renowned for it's political statements and it's promotion of Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, but I just wanted to read it to read it.

It was a breeze, in large part because it is a compelling story. It was a little hard to read given the economic crash that was continuing in November from September and October. Much of the story is about the fall of the American economy from over regulation. As you may recall from the news the last few months, Alan Greenspan referenced that Objectivism had in part guided his tenure as Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Certainly plenty to think about, but it does make one recognize that too much of a good thing only leads to trouble. Something to think about as the pendulum swings in the direction of more regulation. Not that I'm saying it's not needed, just that it will be interesting to see if the US government, as well as the other governments around the world, can keep the pendulum of regulation from swinging too far.

London Bridge Hospital

As planned, a few days after we got back from Venice I spent the day hanging out at London Bridge Hospital while Joe had some minor day patient surgery. We have had a couple of direct experiences with the UK health care system, but this was by far the largest.

Before this our experiences with UK health care had been limited essentially to our annual physicals. The National Health Care system does not allow for annual physicals, in fact its approach seems to be one that askews the idea of preventive medicine. We shell out hard cash for the physicals, about £500 each.

For Joe's surgery, he first went to his NHS assigned doctor, who acts much like the primary care physician in the 1980s/1990s -- now tossed -- HMO system in the US. Once the doctor gave the diagnosis, our private health insurance kicked in. The coverage was excellent and easy to navigate and paid 100% of the doctor visits, hosptial, surgery and follow-up directly to the providers. And because it was private and not NHS there was no wait -- the wait for the same procedure with NHS was at least 6 months in our area -- and we were able to choose the doctor and the hospital, ensuring we had an expert. During our search, we were pleasantly surprised to also find that most private doctors disclosed a one price covers all for the costs of the procedure including the hospital fees, follow-up, etc. The surgeon Joe picked is considered one of the UK's top ten surgeons for the procedure.

Being an all private, for-profit hospital -- it's owned by HCA -- meant that service was excellent. Plenty of nurses and attendants and a person who's sole job was to make sure that everyone in the day surgery section was fed when and what they wanted within doctors orders. Plenty of TV, video on demand and a very friendly and helpful atmosphere.

Is NHS better? It's hard to say. Between what we pay in NHS payroll taxes, plus private health insurance, plus the cost of our physicals we put forth much more cash than if we were paying for our health insurance on an individual basis in the US. That's the down side. On the up side, everyone has access to health care. I'm not sure though that Americans could handle the limits they would have on prevention, testing and access to the latest techniques and drugs that are common with the NHS.

Venice - the last hours

It was our last day in Venice, but our flight didn't leave until early evening so we still had a day to take in a couple of museums and grab lunch before getting on the boat to the airport (which takes a little over an hour).

The museum stop that day was Palazzo Grassi. This museum had an exhibit entitled italics that looked at contemporary Italian art from 1968 through 2008. It's on until 22 March 2009, so if you're in Venice, try to go. After seeing so much art through the centuries, there was something extra fascinating about seeing such recent creations. The palazzo is beautiful as well. We learned that the foundation that supports the museum is rennovating a huge building on the point of the Dorsoduro as a permanent home for contemporary Italian art.

Then we decided to try see if a restaurant we had passed the day before was open for lunch, but first we we went to Santa Maria della Salute. Considered the greatest baroque church in Venice, it was constructed in thanks by those who had survived the plague and held its first services in 1630.

On our way there we passed a small building that was noted in our guidebook. It was the gondola repair shop. A building that had maintained the same function for centuries. It was great fun to just accidently come up it.

From there we went to Lineadombra for lunch. By far the most amazing place we ate in Venice. It's location along the waterfront provides an amazing view of Giudecca, one of the lagoon islands and all the water traffic inbetween. In warmer weather they have a huge deck that juts into the water. They had the best wine list of any we'd seen our entire trip, it went on for so many pages it was hard to focus. Before ordering they brought out the most beautiful platter of the fresh fish of the day -- there were about half a dozen to choose from -- and while they had recommended preparations they were happy to prepare them any way you wanted. We just had wine and pasta and then the most incredible cheese course to wrap things up. The espressos and lemongellos that ended the meal were not on our bill. It was the perfect way to end an amazing week. I would obviously recommend this restaurant, especially if you like seafood, but make it a special occassion meal, because it's not inexpensive. That said, I don't think you'll walk away feeling like you overpaid.

Venice Wanderings Part III

This was our last full day in Venice. Venice like so many cities has it's major sites and then tens if not hundreds of things to see and do once you've covered the top ten or so. We made it a heavy museum day. But first we did some serious shopping.

The night before, we had been wandering about and saw these amazing glasses in a shop window. We headed to the store and bought a set of stemware to be shipped to London. The store is in the Campo San Barnaba made famous in the Katherine Hepburn film Summertime. Elena who helped us with the order was really great and she sent us down the street to meet Francesca, the store's owner and a local architect who has designed the glasses. Madera had lots of other cool kitchen and housewares, but we figured the glasses were enough.

Ca' Pesaro is a beautiful example of Italian Baroque archictecture and houses the city's modern art collection. Compared to the feel of Venice, it was an exhilerating juxtaposition of modern art including Gustav Klimt, Mark Chagall, Paul Klee, Henry Moore and more. Just not what you eyes are expecting to see in Venice.

We traveled back and forth across the grand canal using gondola shuttles. For 50 euro cents you go from straight across one side of the canal to the other, standing in a gondola. It's much easier than getting on a bus or going up to a bridge to cross. And a fun and inexpensive way to get a gondola ride.

Another key stop for the day was the Palazzo Mocenigo. This museum was really interesting as it is pretty much as the family left it about 100 years ago. It's just a tour of the house, its furnishings and its rooms. It was the first time I'd ever seen a bathroom from the early 20th century. This is a good place to look for samples of the old Burano lace.

We had a great late lunch at Muro Pizza & Cucina, Campiello dello Spezier, Santa Croce 2048. We had passed it several times during the week, but thought it looked too chic to be any good. Looks can be deceiving. The service was friendly, the food was creative contemporary without being over the top, the wine list varied and the restaurant was full of Venetians. I would recommend it for lunch or dinner.

After lunch we went to the Basilica San Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. A feast for the eyes with major works by Titian, Bellini, Donatello and many more. It was breath taking.

Padua

There are lots of places in the region of the Veneto that are an easy day trip from Venice by train. We decided to go to Padua. Joe has always had a strong connection to St. Anthony of Padua and I really wanted to see The Scrovegni Chapel and it's Giotto frescos.

Having heard that seeing the Giotto frescoes can be a long wait, we headed there first and got very lucky. It being a weekday and the first week in December, not only wasn't there a wait, but our timing worked out such that during our 15 minutes in the chapel it was just the docent and us. This incredible piece of Italian Renaissance art is lovingly restored and cared for and to be in the room, just the two of us was one of those special moments you will remember for the rest of your life. The ticket to the chapel also includes entry to the city museums including the Museums of Archeology and Painting. The collections are extensive and worth the time.

From there we walked our way to the center of town. It's a totally walkable town with roots going back to the Romans and medieval times. We enjoyed the tenor the streets which were setting up for a Christmas market that would open later that day and visited a couple of churches before heading to the Basilica di San Antonio.

The other "big site" we took in, was to wander down to the Prato della Valle, which is considered the largest public square in Italy. It was originally the site of a Roman theater.

Venice Wanderings Part II

We awoke to the most amazing fog that made the view out our window like being in a Turner painting. After breakfast we headed to the Basilica San Marco and the Doge's Palace. There's everything and nothing to say about these amazing buildings rich in the history of the ages that hasn't been said. All I can add is that they will not disappoint, no matter what your expectations.

After an sandwich and some espresso to clear our minds we jumped a Vaporetti, found a seat in the open end of the back of the boat and road up the grand canal. Our DK Eyewitness Travel Guide for Venice has several pages that cover the houses along the Grand Canal making this the best buy for a guided tour of Canal. We road once covering the entire canal in one trip, taking pictures and diligently reading the guide. After that we were able to enjoy and admire, looking up a particular house we were curious about after we got back on dry land. It's fun to ride at night and look in the windows and see the people, beams and chandeliers.

We had a very late lunch, early supper that night at Casin Dei Nobili, S. Barnaba, Dorsoduro 2765. The best pizza we had the entire time we were there, but they only took cash, so we only had enough for a bottle of wine and one pizza. We tried to go back for lunch another day, but were told they don't serve pizza at lunch time. We got some cash and stopped at a small deli to get some wine cheese and olives and headed back to the room early for a long hot bath in the huge tub.

MuranoBurano

On Tuesday there was no high water, and none for the rest of our visit. As Venetians went about the business of cleaning up and drying out, we got transit passes and grabbed a Vaporetti (water bus) to Murano the island famous for its glass. The transit passes are great, total hop on/hop off transportation to almost all the islands in the lagoon and around Venice.

Our first stop in Murano was the Museo Del Vetro, the Murano Glass museum. This was an excellent way to start our wanderings around the island. The exhibits provide an excellent review of the history and progress of glass making artistry on the island.

Murano really is all about the glass. You can take factory tours and shop for glass in what must be 100+ shops. A must visit are the two shops for Venini. It's more of a visit to an art gallery than a store. Everything's for sale, but chances are you won't be able to afford it. What I really liked about this store was you were encouraged to touch, unlike most stores with signs everywhere saying "DO NOT TOUCH". Communing with the pieces that cost tens of thousands of Euros was a great thrill. If you don't have time to get to Murano you can admire a smaller selection of Venini next to the Basilica San Marco.

Regardless of your budget you'll be able to grab a souvenir as prices cover the full range. We bought some double old fashion glasses, a vase and a small hand blown Christmas tree with little glass ornaments you hand on it. Murano also struck us as a nice place to get away from the crush of tourists during the busier season and the restaurants were a little less expensive, so plan on staying for a bite.

From Murano we took a round-about route to Burano. The head housekeeper had encouraged us to see this quaint island. Renowned in the past for its intricate lace, the designs of the past really aren't made anymore, but you'll see examples in the Venetian museums. Today the island is known for the visual appeal of its brightly painted homes. Fun to look at, we walked the main street and experienced a phenomena we started to notice elsewhere in Venice. At the end of the work day, rather than going home, the people would gather in the middle of the streets and piazzas, smoking and talking. The men would make the rounds of the local bars having a single Compari and moving on to the next bar after a smoke outside. We joined in, stopping in a couple of bars for a glass of red wine on our way back to the boat.

That night we had dinner at Osteria ai Schiavoni, Calle del Dose, 3734. They had a good wine list and a nice atmosphere.

Aqua Alta

We awoke on Monday morning to the worst flooding Venice has seen in 22 years, the water level peaked at about 61" - 40" is considered flood level - turning our relaxing holiday into more of an adventure.

After taking pictures from our room and dressing, we headed to breakfast on the ground floor. If you've been to Venice you know that ground floors all have places to put panels in front of windows and doors and keep high water out. The panels in the windows made the dining room a bit surreal. Sitting at the table, looking out the window our eyes were at water level and little waves lapped at the panels in the windows. There was a great deal of activity as the hotel staff worked to keep guests calm and the water at bay. I finally understood why the flooring on the ground floor of the hotel seemed like a solid sheet of plastic. I think that's exactly what is was, some kind of poured composite plastic.

The head housekeeper (a lovely Scottish woman who came to Venice 30 years ago on holiday, fell in love, got married and became a Venetian) assured us that as hard as it was to believe the waters would recede with the tide as quickly as they came. After breakfast she told us where we could go to get some wellies since the waterproof shoes we had brought along were not up to the challenge. Then she fitted Joe with a big trash bag on each leg and taped them up tight. About 30 minutes later he was back with 2 pair of boots - shockingly in our sizes - for a mere €10 each.

We dressed and headed out to see what we might be able to see and do. As we walked along, we had to move slowly and carefully plan our route as the water was lapping at the tops of our boots which came just under the knees. We saw lots of people in waders. At Piazza San Marco people were literally up to their chests in water - we learned later that this is the lowest part of the city.

The devastation was incredible. We saw if for days afterwards. Shops that had inventory on the floors; restaurant food and equipment; lots of ground floor residents with all their stuff drying outside; candlelight. It wasn't until we got back to London that we learned much of the city had been without gas, electricity or land line services. Other than no Internet access at the hotel we survived unscathed.

The biggest post-aqua alta challenge was finding places to eat because of the water damage, many eateries were closed. Unlike Rome where your chances of getting a great meal run very high, it's just a matter of what you pay for it; we found finding great food in Venice to be much more difficult. I remember in particular stopping in a little cafe for a late afternoon snack and ordering pizza, it was horrible. Like something made with canned supermarket ingredients and cooked in a toaster oven.

Despite all that was going on, there were still plenty of tourist activities, Venetians being a tough bunch. Our first stop was the Museo Correr, which is the Napoleonic wing of Piazza San Marco, in addition to the collection we had a great second story view of the Piazza. I think whether it's flooded with people or flooded with tourists this makes a great place to get a good view of the Basilica and the Piazza. You can grab an espressro or ice cream at the cafe without having to pay the entrance fee to the museum. The archictecture of the museum itself if worth the visit. Venetian glass chandeliers adorn many rooms. The collection itself is officially the Venetian "civic" museum, but given Venice's rich history the word civic fails to convey the true depth and breadth of this museum.

We then headed to Ca' Rezzonico. I had wanted to go here because our guide book had described it as one of the few Grand Canal homes that was open to the public. At one point the house was owned by poet Robert Browning. Great art, but also great furnishings too. It gives you a real sense of what it was like to live the high life in 18th century Venice.

As promised, the water receded pretty rapidly (most of the photos on this page we taken about 3 hours after high tide). After a rest and refresh in the room, we had dinner at Trattoria alla Fonte Di Marguglio Vincenzo, Castello, 3820 - 30122 Venice. Though very bright, this place was packed with a mix of locals and tourists. We had good pasta and pizza for a reasonable price. Nothing fancy, but good italian food and friendly service.

Venice Wanderings Part I

We started our first full day in Venice sleeping in and having breakfast in our room. It looked wet out there, but nothing like what was to come. We decided to mostly wander on foot and to make our primary goal of the day the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

The collection is a definite must see in Venice even if you are not a fan of 20th Century art. The house, right on the Grand Canal offers the opportunity to see how someone actually lived in Venice in the 1950s, 60s and 70s and how she incorporated the art into her home. You can also get a great look at the Grand Canal from the terrace and grab an espresso at the cafe. The collection held a personal highlight for me, Rene Magritte's Empire of Light. My self-guided art education began with this image, which I had only seen in print prior to this moment.

The other major stop of the day was the Scuola Grande S Rocco. This was an amazing building, which frankly sounds like an understatement. Two "halls" one on top of the other, are covered with Tintoretto's. A moment for a beautiful indoor respite - grab a mirror, take a seat, rest your feet and feast your eyes.

For dinner that night, we tried another recommendation from the hotel for our neighborhood. Il Nuovo Galeon in Castello at Via Garibaldi 1308-1309 was really excellent especially if you like seafood. Our only disappointment came from the fact that we had asked for a place that had excellent risotto or pasta. There was one pasta dish on the menu and no risotto, that said, it's a great little place.

Water Taxi Ride

We spent the first week of December on vacation in Venice. We took a Saturday afternoon flight that landed after dark. We had debated a bit about how best to get from the airport to our hotel and decided to splurge and take a water taxi about €95, versus €24 for both of us to take a water bus.

It was so the right decision for so very many reasons. First it was a 30 minute ride in the cab, the water bus would've been a little over an hour. Second, the water taxis are really nice boats. Finally, and most importantly you arrive in Venice and within minutes of getting your luggage you're on the water, moving fast and you start to feel immersed in the reality of water that is Venice.

We stayed at the Hotel Bucintoro. It was a great hotel. Really beautiful rooms, great service and nice breakfasts. They offered room service breakfast for a small surcharge. Though there wasn't a restaurant, the bar offered coffee and gourmet munchies so it was a perfect place to take a break between touring and the evening out, or after the evening out for a night cap. We also had the most amazing view of Venice from our vantage point on the water and we're steps away from the water bus to the airport as well as all the major Vaporetti routes, making getting around really easy. St. Mark's was about a 15 minute walk and yet we felt like we were outside of the main tourist center and living more among the Venetians. I totally recommend the hotel as well as the location.

That first night we asked the hotel for a recommendation for really good pizza and were direct to this amazing, very locals, pizzeria called Al Tosi Grandi at Castello 985/A - 30122. We only had better pizza in one other restaurants in Venice, but we had to eat with lots of tourists there.

Vanilla Black

On Thanksgiving Day I had a great lunch meeting with a colleague at Vanilla Black. Tucked away on a side street off a side street, but just a few steps from Chancery Lane tube stop on the Central Line, it's small - but not tiny - , crisp and welcoming.

All the food is vegetarian, but of a calibre that reminded me of the vegetarian tasting menu at Cityzen at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, DC. Everything was incredibly creative, beatifully presented and the kind of food that makes you want to savor every bite. The wine list is substantial and the service was with a bright smile. It's all linens and silver.

I can't wait to go back. The only thing that disappointed me is that they aren't open on weekends, just lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday.

Fat Pig

It was a play, though I'm not so sure it deserved to be. Sammy had a chance to take in a few theater moments and I joined him for this new comedy. It did, as billed, explore our attitudes and relationships toward overweight people and it did offer a laugh or two, though not at the expense of fat people.

The acting was excellent, I blame the script. The play starts a bit slow and then just as you are getting to know the characters and begin to think the play is going somewhere, it abruptly ends.

Based on the accents and the actual words, I think this is a new American play. All I can really say is that I was greatly relieved that we had got the tickets at official London Tkts for half price.

Canterbury

My friend Sammy was here from the States for my birthday. We took one day to day trip to Canterbury. It's an easy day trip from London. About £20 and 90 minutes on the train out of Victoria station, which offers plenty of departures and returns. You can easily cover the key sites of Canterbury and still have time for tea in a day.

There is of course is the Cathedral itself, which can easily take a couple of hours to stroll through and experience. Standing at the spot where Thomas Becket was murdered almost 850 years ago was an incredible experience. The architecture is amazing and the grounds are just beautiful, make sure you leave plenty of time.

From the train station, you walk along city walls first built by the Romans and pass an ancient mound. From there it's off to the center of town where a stroll down St. George's Street can help you imagine what it might have been like to be in Victorian or even Medieval England. Some amazingly old architecture, cobblestone streets all conspire to give a real sense of romance.

Our train conductor had suggested we make a point to get all the way to the West Gate - it's that the end of St. George's Street, which turns into St. Peter's Street about halfway down - for the views of the city. It was good advice.

We wrapped up the day with high tea at Tiny Tim's Tearoom. Not nearly as fancy as a London high tea - and not nearly as expensive - but very nice and the pastries were amazing. We looked at several tea rooms before deciding on this historic venue, a well-made decision.

Hungarian Roots

After I had about 48 hours in London, Joe and I headed to Budapest for a long weekend in late October. The focus of the trip was to meet up with my parents, my Uncle Albert and my cousins Betty Ann and Eileen for a trip to the Lake Balaton region in search of our family roots.

Before we met up with the family, we had a chance to really relax in Budapest. This was our first time to return to a vacation spot, having done the tourist highlights, leaving us to simply enjoy the city and the people.

Our first full day we did some off the beaten path museuming. Our first stop was the Vasarely Museum, named for Victor Vasarely, who founded the Op-art movement in Paris in the 1930s. It was fun to see things one might associate more with the 1960s than the 1930s. The museum building itself is worth the price of admission. An amazing ancient building of giant wood beams and soaring ceilings.

From there we headed over to the Szepmuveszeti Muzeum (the Fine Arts Museum) to tour the permanent collection. We also took in the temporary exhibit featuring Ferdinand Hodler, one of the leaders of European Secessionism. I'm really enjoying getting to know and understand Secessionist art, a school of art I didn't even know existed until I moved to Europe.

After the museum we had a really nice meal at a restaurant with a big deck on a little pond called Robinsons. It's just steps from the museum. Good Hungarian food and very nice service. The perfect place to sip some soup, have some wine and rest your feet.

Our other big, chill-out highlight was the spontaneous stop at "The Bar" at the Four Season's Gresham Palace. A wonderful jazz quartet was playing with a singer. Our quick cocktail turned into muchies and a bottle of wine. Given the value of the Forint these days, it was a bargain.

Zirci & Balaton
The family headed first to Zirci, the town where my Grandmother - my Father's mother - was born. It was a very successful first step. We found what we believe is the house where she was born, met a distant relative and toured the church, the Zirc Abbey, where my Grandmother was most likely baptized.

For me, the highlight moment in Zirci was in the cemetary, where I got to stand with my Dad, at the grave of my Great-Grandfather, our namesake.

From Zirci we headed over to Lake Balaton, which is a very large lake and a summer tourist spot. At a little restaurant we met up with my Dad's first cousin Magdi. You could feel the hesitancy of the question in the air, "are we really family" and then a sense of confirmation. After lunch, Magdi graciously took us (and our tour guide and driver) to see the lake and then to her house for a glass of Hungarian sparkling wine. It was magical, especially for Magdi, my Uncle Albert and my Dad.

Anniversary Celebration
In a couple of weeks my parents will be celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary. Since we'll be about 3,000 miles apart when it happens, Joe and I took them out for a wonderful dinner at Pava at the Gresham Palace.

It was a beautiful evening of many courses, incredible Hungarian wines and Hungarian influenced Italian food. The perfect way to wrap up a great weekend for us and a European tour for my parents.

Beyond Belief

Last week I finished reading Beyond Belief by V. S. Naipaul. This was an amazing read that taught me about a part of the world and a culture I really have very little knowledge of.

It is a follow up to his book Among the Believers. The premise is simple. In 1979 he spent significant amounts of time in Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan and Malaysia exploring Islam and the relationship people of these countries have with this religion and, at times, its accompanying politics.

In Beyond Belief, he repeats the journey in 1998 and speaks to many of the same people. This juxtaposition of time really helps one to see the evolution of Islam in these cultures and gives a refreshing human perspective to this important force in our contemporary world.

If you are looking to learn more about Islam or any of these countries, this is a great place to start. Don't expect a page-turner, but do expect to find yourself deep in thought.

DC Dining

At the beginning of this month I was in DC to take care of a bunch of personal stuff. I, of course, got together with friends and did some eating and drinking as well as some great shopping at the Leesburg Outlets. Yes, it was great to be in the land of American consumerism once again.

Locanda Cucine Meditalia
I started my restaurant crawl meeting my friend Katie and her soon to be husband Chris - a totally inspiring love can be magical couple - at Locanda on Capital Hill. The restaurant had opened shortly after the move to London and since it was in a location that had been several places I had really enjoyed eating over my years on the Hill, I was anxious to check it out.

The decor was cool, the place was loud and everything when you entered said fun. However, my first glance at the wine list told me this was going to be an uneven experience. The selection was good, but along with the prices, unnecessarily pretentious. This, as we immediately found out, went with the service, which on top of too much 'tude, was also way too in your face. We ordered some prosecco and turned our attention away from our insistent waiter toward the menu.

The peppers stuffed with goat cheese, raisins, olives and pine nuts were a lovely start and went wonderfully with the prosecco. Katie and I both had the ravioli of the day - sweet potato - and they were amazing. The pasta was perfection, the sweet potato flavor lovingly balanced with the light sauce. Unlike the wine prices, the menu prices are extremely reasonable for the level of cuisine.

Since we didn't want the conversation to end, a cheese plate was in order. The cheeses were good, but not wowing. If I'm on the Hill for dinner I will go back, but I won't be going out of my way to get there.

On a side note, Katie and I met at Sonoma before meeting Chris for dinner. I loved hanging out drinking and eating there when I lived on the Hill. One of my last great night's out in DC was there, but it's clearly way past its prime. I can't even recommend it for a glass of wine, let alone a meal. Perhaps the location is cursed, for over 20 years no restaurant has been able to make a real go of it there.

Grand Cru
This is an amazing hidden gem in the Ballston section of Arlington right near my office. I ate there several times this trip. The food is exceptional, and there are a range of dining options. The menu always features tapas and hearty vegetarian salad options with lunch time sandwiches exchanged for cheese and chocolate fondue as well as a wider range of entrees at dinner.

Additionally as a retail wine outlet, it has an extensive selection of wines by the bottle and a team of servers who are passionette about them. The wines by the glass list always includes a few flights to choose from or you can pick something off the shelf to have with your meal for a modest corkage fee. Make sure to say you want to be a member to get a discount on the fee.

The food and the service are consistently high quality and well-priced. The only thing I can't figure out is why more people don't eat there, but that means you never have to wait for a table.

Mio Reprised
If you've been following the blog, you know that last time I was in Washington my friend Suzanne and I had an amazing meal at Mio. Unfortunately the reprise with Janine and Martha was not as attentive or inspired.

All three of us ordered the chef's tasting menu with the wine pairings. The food was excellent, but it wasn't as exciting as it had been last time. I was particularly struck that the first and second courses both featured "smoke" flavor, which is heavy and weary on the palate for two courses on a tasting menu. I did really enjoy the first course which was sweet potato pudding with a smoked froth "topping".

The real problem was the service. We never seemed to be able to get anyone's attention. Our wine glasses remained empty for extended periods of time. When food arrived, it was as if they suddenly remembered the wine and rushed to get it in front of us and then just disappeared again.

I may go back, but only with one other person and only if I can sit at the chef's counter.

disney spin

Today I finished Spinning Disney's World, by Charles Ridgway. I had really wanted to like this book for many reasons on many levels, but it was so hard. First, it's written by a person who on the pages just seems like a nice old man. A grandfatherly type of person. Second, it's Disney, there's so much opportunity for magic. Third, it's about PR, what I do.

It pretty much failed across the board. I often found Ridgway's turn of phrase a bit offensive toward woman, those less attractive, different cultures, technology. Perhaps that was part of the grandfatherliness of his personality, but I didn't find it endearing. The stories, while chronological, jumped all over the place and didn't create a yarn, as much as spilling facts and celebrity names into paragraphs.

The Disney magic was there. The ideas behind the parks and their realization reminded me of my childhood visits to Disney World. Ridgway started his work at Disney the year I was born. But in a way, his everything is magical at Disney, and there was never a dysfunctional team moment, makes it all a bit of fantasyland.

When it came to PR, I didn't find it all that informative. If anything there was too much waxing nostalgic for the good old days when journalists were given front row seats, people used manual typewriters and women were secretaries.

My sense is that if Ridgway hadn't been at a global brand like Disney for 40+ years, the book would never have gotten published.

dysfunctional 5

Earlier this week I read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. A typical business book that structures a story around some very basic common sense themes. That said, it was short, easy to read and as rarely happens with these things, it didn't bloviate much.

This made it easy to digest and left me feeling energized and reminded of what the best parts of the best teams can be. It made me a bit nostalgic too, for a PR agency job I'd had for several years in the late 90s/early 2000s where I had the privilege to work with the most functional team of my almost three decades of professional life.

The thing I liked best about the book is that it's easy to see not only how this applies to the professional world, but to the personal one as well. The five dysfunctions are the same dysfunctions that cause relationships to fail and families to pull apart.

diamonds

Before heading back across the pond, we had Sunday champagne brunch with Joe's nephew Ed and his new fiancé Lindsay. We ate the Grenville in Bay Head. The setting was beautiful, but the food was a real disapointment.

No matter, it was really about having some time with Ed and Lindsay and toasting their engagement. Originally we had planned to go to Great Adventure on Saturday, but Hurricane Gustav and a pulled muscle in my back squelched that. I was really looking forward to riding the world's fastest roller coaster, the Kingda Ka, maybe next time.

The Inn at Cochecton

What can you say about the Inn at Cochecton, the name we use to refer to the place where our friends Jeff and Fernando live in New York State. A 19th century farm house, organic gardens, apple and pear trees, acres of woods and walking and a recently aquired adjoining meadow and barn, all make for an amazing back drop to one of the best amateur chefs I know.

After saying hi to Alban, the not so new puppy, we gorged ourselves on fresh tomatoes and cucumbers (what the Brits refer to as "raw pickles). We then toured the barn and checked out the progress in the food gardens.

The next day the big event was a bonfire in the new meadow. We filled the tractor wagon with chairs and tables and food and went to the meadow. Great food and great fun. Fernando made amazing empanadas.

nj.ny

After DC, I headed to New Jersey for a few days of telecommuting from my parent's deck, before putting down the BlackBerry and taking some real time off. It was great to see the folks and friends. After Joe arrived we had a great trip to New York state to visit friends who have an amazing 30 acres with a 19th century farmhouse, barn, fields and woods.

It was very grounding all the way around. When I arrived at my parents, my Mom was having "the ladies" for a couple of days. These are all women I've known since before I was born. It was great to see them all together, looking so happy. Cotton, who is a yoga instructor held a great yoga session one afternoon on the deck, it was very special for me.
Dark Knight
One night "the ladies" went to the movies so Dad and I went to see the Dark Knight. It was great, if a bit long at almost 2.5 hours. I enjoyed seeing the parts that had been filmed at the Battersea Power Station that I see out my bedroom windows in London. It's definitely not a kids movie, very dark indeed and well done. But I suspect if I wasn't a Batman fan, I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

Dad and I also grabbed dinner one night with my cousins Gavin and Lara and their amazing Mom, Dona, at the Squan Tavern, a Jersey Shore institution of pizza, pasta and all things "Jersey-Italian".

Joe arrived at the end of the week and we kicked things off with dinner at our friend's Mike and Cor's. We hadn't seen them since we met in Rome earlier in the year so it was really great to catch up.

Benjamin Franklin - An American Life

I had wanted to read a biography on Ben Franklin in part because of a long time curiosity about this nascent period of the US that he helped to shape. Also, as someone who grew up a few miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now lives in London, I wanted to know more about his perceptions of these places as well as the French Court.

Benjamin Franklin - An American Life by Walter Isaacson was easy to read for the most part, constructed more as a great story than documenting a time line (though the book is very well documented). While I was pleased to find that I knew most of the key facts about Franklin and the time, I learned plenty.

On the personal side of things I didn't realize that the Franklin men were essentially a line of "illegitimate" children, nor did I know that Franklin had such a reputation as a womanizer.

On the historical side, it was fascinating to gain greater insight into the political influences the drove the division between British Colonial America and the British. I never knew that many Americans had tried to keep the US a part of the British Crown until the last possible moments. Nor did I know that it was as much Parliament's response as well as the King's that drove the US to delcare its independence.

Franklin's time in France, which, when I was a child in grammar school, was positioned as duty to country also was a great deal of fun for Franklin whose reputation as an inventor and scientist made him famous in France before he ever set foot on its shores.

If you are considering reading the book, don't let the number of pages put you off. The last 150+ pages are footnotes and mini-biographies of all the players.

Komi

Before I left DC for New Jersey, I got together with my friends Janine and Martha for an incredible dinner at Komi. Located on 17th Street NW in DC, not an area known for incredible cuisine, the dining room is intimate and minimalist, just like the food and the service. The restaurant has a reputation for locally sourcing all its food and stands out in part because the chef/owner, Johnny Monis (one of Food and Wine's 2007 Best New Chefs), seeks no publicity. Rather it appears he prefers to build Komi's reputation on food and service alone.

The one rigid moment -which you instantly get over - is that everyone at the table must have the same dining experience...the two-course, three-course or the degustazione. We picked the degustazione, which was described as approximately 28 tastes of the chef's whim, and paired it with the sommelier's pairings.

We then experienced a seemingly endless array of tastes made all the more exciting because each of us always had our own "taste". Most of these were one to three bites so by the time the pasta and entree courses arrived there was still room for more. The presentations were consistently minimalistic, focused on the bites themselves and were as beautiful to look at as they were to savor. The staff were extremely knowledgeable, detail-oriented and more than happy to repeat descriptions as well as answer more specific questions about various flavorings and preparation techniques.

While I suspect you can easily enjoy a two-course meal it seems a shame not to plan on the full experience. One of the things that Martha, Janine and I talked about was how this was a nice twist from our Mini Bar restaurant experience. At Mini Bar the courses come fast and don't allow much time for conversation, in part because when you aren't eating, you're watching the preparation. At Komi we were afforded plenty of conversation time during our more than three hour dinner and coffee.

A definite will return restaurant for me. Reservations are definitely recommended. If the plan is for a romantic diner ask for the two-top in the window.

my-o mio

Last Tuesday I went out to dinner with my friend Suzanne in Washington, DC to Mio. Definitely a not to miss experience. The creative food and great service are enhanced by a passion for food that seems to permeate everyone who works at Mio.

We sat at the two seats that are part of the open kitchen. If it's just two people don't miss the opportunity to sit here and be in the middle of the fun, including getting a chance to talk with Stefano Frigerio, the executive chef. Stefano is really friendly and down to earth and seemed to enjoy all of our questions about incredients and preparation. As a bonus, Stefano, and his sous chef, are really easy on the eyes.

We had the chef's tasting menu. Stefano was happy to create a vegetarian version for me. Dinner started with a small salad of assorted cherry sized tomatos that had been skinned and tossed with a light dressing. It was accompanied by a pesto moose. It seemed like he had taken a very smooth pesto and pushed it through a whip cream maker.

For the second course I had a chilled beet soup and Suzanne had a ceviche that she raved about. My soup also came with deep fried zucchini flowers, which were the only disappointment of the meal. The taste of oil totally overwhelmed the flowers and the tempura, a minor transgression.

Next we had a basil pesto risotto. Suzanne's had a king prawn with a delicious string bean and pine nut salad on top, I just had the salad. It was presented in this great white china bowl with a lid for the "reveal" moment.

For the last major course Suzanne was treated to a trio of suckling pig - a stuffed loin, 3 small ribs and a piece of deep fried head cheese. I had a huge, peeled tomato stuffed with goat and manchego cheeses on a bed of really delicious tomato sauce.

For every course, including dessert Stefano personally explained what he was serving. I think he liked us, because for dessert we were treated to a trio of full sized desserts: an incredible pana cotta with a latin flair using almonds and black sesame seeds to give it a great flavor and a luxurious bluish-purple color; a chewy brownie with cinnamon ice cream; and carmelized topped rice pudding atop a layer of peach salad.

We did the wine pairings which was fun as always for me because I drink things I don't usually try. Even though I drink it all the time, the Pinot Noir that was served with the second course was excellent.

Manuel Iguina the owner also took time to talk with us at length, telling us about the restaurant and his passions for food and service. I look forward to going back.