dinner at maybeck's in san francisco

I had a wonderful dinner last night with my dear girlfriends to celebrate my birthday.  My friends really pulled out all the stops--starting with, it was a surprise!  I was to meet Judy downtown at 5:00 and then, see what would happen. We began with a nice glass of wine at the Four Seasons. We then took an Uber and arrived at Maybeck's on Scott Street in the Marina. Inside, my friends had set up the private room with flowers and place cards and candles--it was beautiful!

Wednesday night Maybeck's features Beef Wellington and if that is not fantastic enough, at 7 pm promptly, you are invited into the kitchen where chef Eric Lowe talks about the preparation and makes the first cut into the Wellingtons---they were a thing of beauty!  Back at the table, we started with grilled/smoked artichokes with remoulade and halibut crudo with chili/lemon olive oil.  The Beef Wellington was served with black truffle au jus---creamed spinach was served on the side.  The beef was so tender you could cut it with your fork.  My dear friends continued the surprise with a cake made by SusieCakes on Chestnut Street, with a sweet butter cream frosting just like you remember from childhood and the perfect birthday cake!  Truly a wonderful evening I will never forget!

eiffel tower restaurant in las vegas

I just had a wonderful birthday weekend in Las Vegas.  Mom came down to San Francisco and we flew to Las Vegas and into it's crazy 110 degree heat. We stayed at the MGM, a marvel of a hotel, with lovely rooms, great beds, amazing pools and so much to do, you might never leave the property. But we did, and we had an exceptional birthday celebration at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel.  The Eiffel Tower is on the 11th floor over looking the fountains of the Bellagio in one direction and a scenic expanse of the strip in the other.

Serene, in soft colors and wrapped in 360 degrees of glass (with no glare or heat, amazingly), you experience perfectly executed classic French cuisine with expert service.  We dined on crab stuffed avocados, baby lettuces with toasted hazelnuts, lemon vinaigrette and the creamiest goat cheese I have ever had.  Pan-sauteed trout with meuniere sauce and wild rice and the paillard of salmon were divine.  We finished the meal with silken creme brulee all washed down with lemon drops--not that French, but damn tasty!  An elegant and delicious spot amidst the desert heat and glitter.

birthday celebration in san francisco, monterey and carmel

 

 

It was my birthday last weekend and my parents were here to help me celebrate.  You plan and plan and anticipate and prepare it seems (and is) for weeks, and it is over in the blink of an eye. But what a great time we had.

Mom and Dad came down to the San Francisco Design Center on Friday to visit me and get a tour of the Showcase and Galleria. We also went to Restoration Hardware which is truly one of the most beautiful showrooms in the city.  We had a delightful lunch at Perry's--I had delicious ahi tuna poke tacos and mom's chicken/avocado BLT was very good as well.  A little shopping, relaxing and off to dinner at Sodini's in North Beach.  As you may know, I love the old school restaurants and Sodini's is one of my favorites in North Beach--a little slice of history started in 1907.  Start with the calamari or mixed frito misto.  I happily move on to my favorite dish, the fresh clams and linguine, a creamy dish of garlicky goodness. You also can't go wrong with the carbonara or tortellini and the pizzas are devine.  A couple glasses of smooth Merlot doesn't hurt either.  Stop for gelato down the street, Sodini's doesn't take reservations and they don't serve dessert, they just do dinner very well.

Saturday, we went down the coast, stopping at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, enjoying a great key lime pie at lunch at The Fish Hopper on Cannery Row in Monterey, down 17 Mile Drive and into Carmel.  On the way we stopped at the farmer's stands outside of Watsonville.  We picked up artichokes, strawberries, grapefruits and the most amazing crisp/sweet red cherries--I am still enjoying them.  I just wish great weekends like this lasted as long.

a birthday and bartel's giant burger, redding ca.

Just got home from a wonderful weekend in Redding to celebrate my aunt, Sara Resse's, 80th birthday.  Sara is an elegant lady and Bank of America veteran who doesn't look or act her age--beautiful inside and out.  Happy birthday Sara!

My aunt Jan and uncle Roger picked me up from the airport; of course we were hungry and Jan suggested Bartel's Giant Burger, a family favorite and a Redding institution since 1975.  The great thing--it's not fancy, just the perfect fluffy (wrinkled) bun on a perfect medium patty, with cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion, or a fat, split polish dog, you choose, plus fry sauce.  Both are perfection.  Opt for a creamy frosty freeze cone or shake to add to the decadence--an American classic--yum!  The family birthday get-together--one of the best ever and one great family!

thanksgiving in crescent city, ca.

Well, I had a wonderful visit in Crescent City over Thanksgiving. We did a traditional menu for 13 with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, salad, green beans, cranberry relish and gravy. We had one smoke out when the turkey pan juices hit the bottom of the oven—but that just adds to the fun, right? It was my brother Rick's birthday as well and he had his favorite dessert, pumpkin pie.  The 30 candle?  What's up with that?
Mom and I did a little pre and post Thanksgiving shopping, stopping for lunch at the Chart Room at the Crescent City harbor. The Chart Room is known far and wide for its beer-battered fish and chips, a massive plate with 6 pieces of fish for $9.95, or 3 pieces for $5.95.  The price alone is amazing!

My cousin Keith supplied us with fresh crab and we had a crab feast a couple of nights. Keith's birthday was on the 27th and we went to a lovely dinner party for him at the beautiful home of friends, overlooking the harbor in Brooking's OR. The highlight was Keith's favorite dessert, German chocolate cake, scratch made by his girlfriend Katie. She is an amazing baker. I look forward to our next family adventure—they are always special.