Happy New Year 2010 (and 7 good things from 2009)

I don't know about you, but I'll be hugely relieved when 2009 goes out the door. Let's review the low points of the year, shall we?
-The worst stock market decline since the 1930s (okay, it was sheer panic).
-The end of a decade where the $1000 you put into an S&P Index fund in Jan. 2000 turned into $900 by Dec. 2009 (so much for Buy and Hold).
-Congressional wrangling over a Health Care bill that's turning into something nobody likes (and a view into the legislative process that has been truly frightening).
-Yet another goofball that managed to smuggle a bomb onto a plane (up next--airport strip searches).

Okay, now I'm depressed. So let's focus on the positive.
+Barack Obama was inaugurated.
+The stock market did turn around (and I think it's heading higher).
+Unemployment has slowed.
+Michelle O. planted the first organic garden at the White House.
+Climate change got some serious attention
+Dick Cheney didn't shoot anyone (as far as we know).
++And on a personal note, my 88-year-old Mom survived both back surgery and pneumonia (and let's hope I got HER longevity genes).

So on New Year's Eve, I'll be ready try this festive champagne cocktail (the recipe came from my friends at Sonoma's own Korbel Champagne Cellars).

Stars-and-Stripes (shown above)

1 part Korbel Brut
1 part Cranberry Juice

Salut, everybody. And if you have an equally yummy champagne cocktail recipe, please share it in a comment!!

LA's fab fall foodie fest

Who says LA doesn’t have a heart? The 27th American Wine & Food Festival, hosted by the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation, is held each fall in Los Angeles and serves up a world-class culinary celebration. It all goes to benefit Los Angeles Chapters of Meals On Wheels. With California’s job and budget woes, the need is greater than ever now. Yes, the tickets are pricey but they're a passport to a marvel of feasting and fundraising (and costs should be tax deductible-check with your tax advisor). Stay overnight, tour the backlots, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Beverly Hills and make a weekend of it.

This star-studded festival runs October 2 - 4 and features world-renowned chefs, vintners and spirit purveyors. Don't wait: the event usually sells out in advance, so start your planning and get your tickets now.

Here’s a brief lineup:

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 7 p.m.
Red Hot @ Red Seven Kickoff Event
Location: Red Seven by Wolfgang Puck at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood
Designed to whet the appetites of Festival first-timers and alums alike, this party offers chic eats and innovative libations in an intimate lounge setting. Mingle with philanthropists and foodies alike. Be part of the LA scene.
Cost: $150 per person.

Saturday October 3, 2009 - 5-11 p.m
Saturday Evening Event at Universal Studios Backlot
Location: Universal Studios Backlot.
Includes a Wolfgang Puck VIP Cooking Demonstration, and an unrivaled epicurean feast prepared by world-renowned chefs, superb libations including fine wines and smooth spirits, and a silent auction filled with luxury items - all set to swinging sounds of live bands. Cost: $300

Sunday, October 4, 2009 - 6:00 p.m.
Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner
Location: Spago Beverly Hills
Okay, if you can spend the big bucks, you can hobnob with celebs at Spago Beverly Hills and dine on exquisite dishes paired with select wines. Celebrity chefs who will each prepare one course for the grand gala dinner : Thomas Keller of Bouchon; Dean Fearing of Fearing's at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas; Jereme Leung of Jereme Leung Creative Concepts Pte Ltd; Laurent Gras of L2O; Nobu Matsuhisa of Matsuhisa & Nobu LA; Gina DePalma of Ristorante Babbo. Each Reservations for the Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner are available for $750 per person or $7,000 per table. Call Ellen Farentino, Spago, at 310/ 385-0880.


Details: For info or to purchase tickets, visit www.AWFF.org.

Chilling out on cool rooftops and pooldecks

On these sizzling summer days, I just want to get away and lounge (drink in hand) by a pool or atop a breezy rooftop deck-preferably someplace a lot cooler and more glamorous than my own four walls (booooring).

But the budget (that control-freak) says I can’t afford a weekend stay. So my solution? Drinkies at a glam local hotspot with a pool and rooftop deck.

Closest to me is the swanky Hotel Valencia Santana Row. At Ceilo, a relaxed rooftop wine bar, I can sit beside an outdoor firepit on the rooftop and savor a full-bodied Santa Cruz Mountain Cab while watching the glow of sunset on the Santa Cruz Mountain Range. Or just stretch out beside the gorgeous rooftop swimming pool (wind-sheltered, it’s open year-round). Details: 408/551 0010 or www.hotelvalencia.com


Now, for those whose budget will stretch a little bit further, an overnight excursion to one of these sexy SoCal pooldecks and rooftop terraces can be real urban escape.

Getting Altitude in Beverley Hills

Altitude, situated on the sixth floor of the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, is an oasis above the busy downtown L.A. scene. Exclusive to guests of the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills (and customers that use the hotel’s Ciel Spa), Altitude allows guests to people watch, nibble on Jose Andres cuisine and enjoy the stunning, panoramic views of Los Angeles surrounded by the eye-catching poolside décor designed by Philippe Starck. The all-encompassing pool deck is surrounded by unique and antique inspired, open frames and mirrored frames giving the space a glamorous but whimsical feel. One pool is a reflecting pool with chaise lounges resting in the shallow end. A second pool is a quaint plunge pool, great for dipping and cooling off. Poolside manicure & pedicure service is available as well as beverage and food service.
Details: www.slshotels.com


Andaz West Hollywood

Andaz West Hollywood, located on Los Angeles’ vibrant Sunset Strip and the site of the legendary Hyatt West Hollywood, is home to one of LA’s premier rooftops. The rooftop boasts panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills on one side and the Sunset Strip and downtown Los Angeles on the other, offers sun-seeking hotel guests a beautiful heated pool and daybed seating. Andaz West Hollywood’s rooftop is the perfect place for guests to unwind and enjoy drinks while taking in the sun.
Details: westhollywood.hyatt.com/


Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

The Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, in the heart of the hoppin' Gaslamp District, is home to the hottest pool in the city, with a beautiful crowd lounging during the week and dancing their Sundays away with the weekly Detox party. The oversized rooftop pool features a large bar, fire-pits, private cabanas and bali beds. Details: www.hardrockhotelsd.com

Bon Appetit… Affordable French Cuisine in the Bay Area

By Linda Lau Anusasananan

Fifteen years ago Roland Passot, chef/owner of San Francisco’s elegant La Folie created Left Bank, a casual, lively brassiere that served everyday French classics such as Onion Soup Gratinée and Steak Frites. His prototype has multiplied five-fold with locations in Menlo Park, San Mateo, Pleasant Hill, Santana Row, and Larkspur.

A few weeks ago, Lora (my travel pal and author of this blog) and I visited Left Bank Brasserie in San Mateo. I fell in love with the new menu. There were tempting choices for every taste. Best of all, prices seemed fair. Some even offered great value, considering the quality ingredients and generous portions.

We started with typical French aperitifs Pastis and Lillet as we studied the menu. There were so many appealing choices we had a hard time deciding what to order. We asked recently promoted Executive Chef Brendy M. Monsada (left) for his personal favorites. He suggested the Navarin D’Agneau (lamb stew $18.50) and Halibut with sautéed Calamari, braised in Fennel Broth ($23.50). Both were delicious and generously portioned. In the lamb stew, spring vegetables such as sugar snap peas, baby turnips, and carrots added a fresh lightness to tender chunks of lamb, braised in veal stock and white wine. Olives, sweet cherry tomatoes, and fava beans gave the halibut a Provençal persona.

We were intrigued with the Les Tartes Flambées, described as classic Alsatian thin crust savory tarts. We chose the Périgord ($11.75) simply because I love duck confit. We ordered it as a first course. Out came a 10-inch tart, somewhat akin to pizza. The very crisp, blistered, cracker-thin crust was blanketed with delicious moist shreds of duck confit, mushrooms, and truffle vinaigrette. It was hearty enough to be our whole meal. We had to stop ourselves from consuming the whole tart so we could eat the rest of our dinner.

There were so many dishes I wanted to taste, I stopped by again a few nights ago. I seriously considered the Monday special Roasted Duck å L’Orange ($19.50). A different French classic such as Cassoulet ($19.50), or Beef Short Rib Pot au Feu ($19.95) is offered every day of the week. I was tempted by the three-course Prix Fixe by Passot ($26.50) which that night included Mesclun Salade, Basque Tarte Flambée, and Crème Brulée. I finally chose the regional two-course Tour of France Prix Fixe ($28) that changes monthly.

May’s menu from the Loire Valley featured Artic char (below, right) with a soft coral color similar to salmon set on a bed of white and green asparagus in a delicate sorrel sauce. A regional cheese followed. The handmade goat’s milk cheese, Le Chevrot,, came with cherry compote, candied pecans, and toasted baguette slices. My husband opted for his perennial Left Bank favorite, Moules Florentine (steamed mussels with spinach and white wine $11.75). A huge bowl overflowing with petite mussels is a meal in itself.

I can’t wait to go back again and explore the menu further. Dining at Left Bank tastes like a trip to Paris, without the plane ticket!

About our guest writer: Linda Lau Anusasananan is a freelance writer/editor and recipe developer. She was a food writer/editor and recipe editor at Sunset Magazine for 34 years. Currently she is working on a Chinese cookbook and http://jadesauce.com/blog.

Passport to spring in Sonoma's Dry Creek wine valley

In a short note to me this morning, my friend Elaine wrote all about her garden in the south San Francisco Bay Area. It sounds lovely, with roses bursting into bloom and the promise of sunflowers, tomatoes, and homegrown corn to come. She concludes: "Springtime in Northern California is something else, isn't it?"

She's absolutely right. I was up in Sonoma County's Healdsburg this past weekend, with my foodie friend Linda, and came to the exact same conclusion. Springtime here is something else. We were lucky enough to go to the annual Dry Creek Wineries Passport event; it's really an 'open sesame' to fabulous wine and food at 54 wineries all over this lovely little valley. And just to clarify, the Dry Creek Valley sits outside Healdsburg (just north of Santa Rosa), at the northern end of Sonoma County. From San Francisco, the valley is about a two-hour drive north on U.S. 101.

The weekend's impressions from my wine-splashed notebook:

Man, everyone is having a blast--it is one big moveable feast. And the food is sublime. The Dry Creek Passport has been called one of the first of these mass open-house type Passport events, and it has to be one of the best (although, full disclosure, I've never been to the one in Amador or the Santa Cruz Mountains). You get really top-notch food from chefs like Charlie Palmer of the Dry Creek Kitchen to BBQ Bob (I watch him roast a whole pig on a giant spit) preparing the food. Each winery offers something different food-wise, and some even have themes, from a circus (complete with performers) to a Mardi Gras.

Linda and I both get lots of recipe and party ideas. And of course, we buy a few bottles of vine: the wineries are pouring the good stuff and some is only available here at the wineries.

Some standouts: Alderbrook, with roasted pork sliders and three types of Zinfandel; Ridge Winery, for paella and outstanding Lytton Estate Syrahs; Mauritson Wines, with the Sauvignon Blanc with a taste of exquisite Togaroshi crusted fried Tomales Bay oysters, then the fantastic 2006 Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel (one of Linda's faves). The gardens at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery are in their full glory (shown above), and I detour from the tasty Eldorado Gold (a Sauternes-style dessert wine, blend of 76% Semillion and 24% Sauvignon Blanc) to take a quick turn in the garden and snap some pix. Bella, with its circus performers and hilltops views.

One of the nicest surprises is Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate, tucked high on a side road in a lovely, Mission-style manse, complete with Moorish-style window, belltower, and courtyard fountain. Here, we get the idea for a unique party dessert: a snow cone, topped with Syrah syrup and drizzled with a mole-like (Mo-lay) sauce: simple, refreshing, and divine! And Dutcher Crossing Winery , whose cutting-edge winemaker is Kerry Damsky, with it's distinctive style; I love the elegant, claret-style Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Linda notices how much organic and biodynamic winemaking is going on here, especially at smaller wineries like Truett Hurst and Unti Vineyards, a small producer of Italian-style varietals. And Quivira Estate Vineyards and Winery has practically taken over the front 'yard' with raised beds filled with veggies, flowers, and the like. We pass one winery that even sells fresh eggs.

Thing is, these are all small-lot, artisan-made wines and all family owned (with one exception, Ridge). I'm planning to come back on a normal weekend (not busy Passport Weekend), when I know visitors get the chance of face time with the winemaker. But, ah, to be in California's Dry Creek Valley now that spring (and Passport Weekend) is here!

Details: For the dates of next year's Dry Creek Passport Weekend ($120 for two days, $70 Sunday only), check with the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley at www.wdcv.com. Or, since spring has just begun, create your own Dry Creek weekend wine tour. Check with the Sonoma Wine Country tourism bureau for lodging and dining suggestions.

Mai Tais and memories in a San Francisco institution

If you grew up in the Bay Area, you’ve probably been to The Fairmont’s Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, in San Francisco. Their Mai Tais are legendary, and the Pacific Rim Asian cuisine isn't bad. But its really the unforgettable (and somewhat campy) atmosphere that everyone goes for: a faux-tropics setting complete with rainstorms, thunder, and lightning. The place is one of the earliest 'Polynesian palace' bars (dating to the 1940s and designed by a Hollywood set decorator).

A live band performs on a floating stage on an indoor lagoon. And it was green before that was a political statement: the dance floor is made of wood reclaimed from an old schooner.
We've heard rumors that this tiki torch haven may be closed, as the hotel owners are considering a condo conversion that would edge out the tropical wonder (we're waiting to hear back from the company). In any case, you should probably check it out while you still can. Try to go for Thursday and Friday night’s Happy Hour buffet (mini shiitake eggrolls, chicken wontons with chili sauce, Kalua pork garlic noodles, and more); at $9.50 plus one-drink minimum for the all-you-can-eat extravaganza, the price isn’t bad. It’s one of those institutions that everyone has a memory of (my Mom remembers dropping in after a day of shopping along Union Square).

Details: At 950 Mason St., atop Nob Hill. Click here.

Have a Tonga Room memory? Tell us, by leaving a comment.

St. Patty's Day secret: a new way to sip GUINNESS®

Hello tall, dark, and handsome! The icon of Ireland is celebrating its 250th anniversary: GUINNESS® stout was established in 1759 in Dublin. And there's no better time to lift a tall glass of the cool, dark beverage than today: St. Patrick's Day.

In the past, the tasty beverage was promoted as (get this) a health food, as shown in the period poster at left. But what is in it? “Our key ingredients - other than inspiration - are roasted, malted barley, hops, yeast and water,” says the website.

It looks black, but if you hold the drink up to the light, you'll see its really a dark ruby red; the malted barley is roasted much like a coffee bean, which is what gives the drink its deep color.

GUINNESS® stout has never been quite as popular with the gals as it is with the guys, in part because "it's so heavy" as my friend Dierdre says. So here's a way to lighten up and still have your stout: blend equal parts GUINNESS® and champagne for a delicious little drink called a Black Velvet. Helloooo handsome!

Poster image: courtesy GUINNESS®

Inauguration Day cocktail idea

Tomorrow's the day!
Okay, so you're going to drink the same bubbly that'll be served at the Inaugural and are ready to par-tay like the folks in DC (see Korbel Champagne Cellars post, Jan. 9). But you want to dress your drink up a bit (or, dare we say, make it a bit more healthy)? Try these festive champagne cocktails. 

Stars-and-Stripes (shown at right)

1 part Korbel Brut
1 part Cranberry Juice

Presidential Punch
3 oz Korbel Brut or Extra Dry
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Blue Curacao 

Alan sends along another cocktail idea: "I think the Eggnogurlibation (pronounced "Egg-Nog-Your-Li-Ba-Tion) ought to be the official drink of the Inaguration. Make sure it is spiked, with whatever floats your boat."

Obama's Inaugural bubbly

I'll have what he's having.
If you can't attend the Presidential Inaugural but want to feel like you're there, now you know what to toast the new president with. I just got word —it's now official (and as I hinted at in my earlier post). On January 20th, Korbel Russian River Valley Natural Champagne will be served at the Inaugural Luncheon (immediately following the Swearing-In Ceremony) and raised in toasts to the new Obama administration. 

This will be the seventh Presidential Inauguration in which Korbel Champagne Cellars has been selected for this honor—from the 1985 Ronald Reagan inauguration through the inaugurations of George Bush, two for Bill Clinton, George W. Bush twice, and now Barack Obama.

This one may be the most historic event yet.