womantraveler

Picasso Show Ends in Virginia, Travels to San Francisco

Sunday May 15 is the last day for the stunning Picasso exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts(VFMA) in Richmond, before it closes and re-opens in the de Young Museum in San Francisco on June 11. The VFMA will be open until midnight Friday May 13 and Saturday May 14.

"Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso, Paris" has been touring only three museums in the U.S. (starting last year in Seattle) while its home museum in Paris is undergoing renovation. The exhibit is singular because it embraces the personal favorites that Picasso kept to shape his own artistic legacy.

Having seen the works in Paris, I found that a new environment provided a fresh way of absorbing them. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, one of the best today in the nation, has expanded dramatically since I lived there in the 1970s -- and the modern new wing is but one example. The deYoung in San Francisco, an exercise both in art and architecture following its post-earthquate reconstruction in Golden Gate Park, will add yet another dimension to the pleasure of experiencing Picasso from June 11 to October 9, 2011.

Curiously I was reminded of my own father's paintings of the era, which I've chronicled in my book about his 1950s watercolors in a Midwestern small town. These two men from vastly different backgrounds were motivated by similar truths but expressed them in wildly different ways -- as I described here after my Richmond visit.

Richmond is a hip Southern city, despite an occasionally overzealous grip on its Confederate roots. Next door to the art museum, you can dive deep into Virginia history -- and in fact much American history -- at the Virginia Historical Society.  Under forward-thinking leadership and physical expansion, the museum now promises "cool things inside." It doesn't disappoint on the historical continuum with its faithful rendering of Virginia's contributions to early American history, the Civil War, newspaper and business archives and photographs.

Among my other favorite haunts in Richmond are the always-new ventures in food and wine in some cool spots in the Fan District downtown and the near West End. My friends and I made a repeat visit to Balliceaux in the Fan, not far from these two museums, for an inventive global dining menu -- locally sourced and sustainably farmed products producing plates pulling from Southern cooking, Mediterranean and southern Asia traditions. Check out some of these selections -- crispy brussels sprouts/verbena olives/spiced nuts (appetizer), tandoori fried cauliflower (small plate), seville orange braised pork belly/toasted farro and black garlic/pigeon peas (small plate), potlikker braised catfish with Virginia peanut-cabbage slaw and Chesapeake oyster rice (main dish) and sea salt-grilled farm hen with beluga lentils, lemon cream and Swiss chard. I have to stop writing and go eat!

Hot, Affordable San Francisco Dining

For San Francisco dining, add these to your palate/palette of the best but exceptional and affordable restaurants. Let's face it, the embarrassment of riches in San Francisco makes it easy to settle for less. Here are some of our recent top pix where from an insider's view you'll do far better than the ordinary:

• Pesce. This seafood/tapas restaurant in super-casual Russian Hill is no secret -- in fact there were lines at its opening. But it's not what you think -- small, local, no frills -- and extraordinary quality. Park within a few blocks on the street or in neighborhood garages. We savored: linguine (not your usual), paparadelle, capesante, zucca, pecoroino tosca. Dig into the menu and find out the details! They're partners with Piqueo's if you're in that part of town amd  La Costanera in Half Moon Bay. Peruvian cuisine rocks for classicism, sophistication and flavor.
• Mohica. South of Market, super-hip but "downtown" Peruvian fusion. Don't be deterred by the neighborhood (a bit industrial) nor the misunderstood Yelp comments -- just do it!
• Ferry Building. This is a dilemma but a fortunate one. Chefs from local eateries shop at the Ferry Building Farmers Market Tuesdays and Saturdays. Or make it easy if you're visiting and peruse the shops and eateries inside.
Here's the list of Ferry Building restaurants and food boutiques, but my favorites are: The Slanted Door (major),Cowgirl Creamery (for cheese from West Marin a la a marketplace in France), Hog Island Oyster Co. (also a la West Marin near the ocean,where they're grown onsite and everyone orders for haute parties), McEvoy Olive Oil (you can't live on this stuff but you can buy for guilty pleasures),and Scharffenberger Chocolates -- you gotta have it for late-night experiences and gifts. They love this on the East Coast.

San Francisco Stalwarts Keep Coming -- and One Sad Going

We solo womentravelers spontaneously checked out two of the three "iconic" San Francisco restaurants featured recently by the San Francisco Chronicle -- and all with women chefs -- Zuni Cafe and Hayes Street Grill (we'll dish on the third, Greens, very soon). Here are some some tips for getting in the door when the evening is booked. Plus, read on for a change of face for another iconic brand...

Tips #1-10: Repeat after me, "smile a lot, be friendly, don't be pushy and have faith." The good karma you're putting out will return to you.

Zuni Cafe: hip and cool, between downtown and trendy Mission and Castro districts. Dinner service starts at 6 pm. What's especially welcoming is that they serve all day. So, walk in at 4:45 or 5, grab a seat in the (very small) bar area, have an appetizer and get on the waiting list for dinner in the bar area. Maybe a 30 minute wait or so, and you can eat from the full menu (more limited lunch menu until the 6 pm change). Specialties -- intriguing wine choices, the freshest oysters this side of the Pacific Rim (which is to say locally in West Marin or not far up in the Northwest) and Mediterannean-inspired featured plates.

Hayes Street Grill: white table cloth and "older" crowd (for the most part, Baby Boomers and their parents, but welcoming to all). Said to have "the best seafood" in San Francisco. Maitre d' running around with his hair on fire and lines nearly pushing out the door. Walking in is not a guarantee, but it can work. So we put our names on the list for the small bar area and waited patiently, for 35 minutes. People pushed in front of us, nonobservant customers took a bar stool or two, we kept smiling at the waiters, hmmm...And then, two great seats, right in front of the bartender, who took fabulous care of us. Be patient, gals, the rewards will come. Fish cooked all ways, choice of many sauces or none, steamed vegetables, diverse wine list, great service. Even when there were empty tables, the maitre d' wouldn't seat guests early because he wanted to make sure there were servers available to attend them well. This is a well-run destination that you can count on. Future planning tip, because it's near the ballet, symphony and opera, tables tend to open up after 7:30, when the neighborhood locals come in -- and the mood is more convivial and relaxed. 

Greens (our opinion coming soon): still a top choice after founding chef Deborah Madison, who was influenced by Alice Waters, who is one of Obama's "kitchen cabinet." This high-end vegetarian setting has kept to its roots, supplied by the organic gardens of the San Francisco Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm in Marin County.

Speaking of organic, sadly Bill Niman's revolutionary vision, humanely and sustainably raised meat at Niman Ranch, has changed hands. Great idea, popular brand, high-end chefs as clients...but no profit. Niman himself is gone from his Bolinas, California ranch, but the name continues with the new owner, Chicago's Natural Holdings. Just wanted to make sure you knew that. Darn -- loved those Niman Ranch hot dogs my brother used to grill in the fireplace back East. Sort of sad to see the idealist bought out by the corporation, but let's remain optimistic about the quality.

LA Dining -- Recession Proof?

What economic turndown? Los Angeles restaurants were jammed last weekend when Womantraveler cavorted for food and wine experiences. Despite recession fears, it took three weeks to get a late (for LA) reservation for three at Fraiche in Culver City, which was full when we arrived for the 8:45 pm call and hopping until we left at 11-ish. We were delighted with our appetizers and main courses, including baby beets salad, monkfish "francaise," steak frites and papparadelle (and, naturellement, to add to the luster, a real French server).

Earlier in the day for brunch at The Rose Cafe in Venice (on the Santa Monica border), there was also a short wait for the popular neighborhood haunt (and where egg-white omelets compete with any I've had ever).  An impromptu call to Campanile for Sunday brunch worked but tables stayed filled with comers and goers of all ages, including families with young children. Campanile (meaning "clock tower") and its next-door partner La Brea Bakery have been stylish stalwarts since 1989, occupying a onetime Charlie Chaplin space that suggests LA fantasies with cool, comfort, creative menus and attentive service.

We are not naive. We know that people are spending their money on essentials, not optionals, but among those accustomed to eating out, dining in great restos is an essential. Let's hope it continues.

Other recommended upscale casual West Side LA dining tips -- and definitely call ahead for reservations:

• Bottle Rock wine bar in Culver City 

• Upstairs 2 (with wine-compatible dinners Wed-Sat only), an addition to The Wine House, LA's largest wine store, on Cotner Ave. just off the 101 Freeway 

• JiRaffe Restaurant in Santa Monica, a terrific venue for prix fixe dinners at the Monday Night Bistro ($38 a person and reduced quality wines) -- and always popular for business dinners 

Nespresso -- What Else?

If George Clooney declares coyly "Nespresso, what else?" on French television, bien sur, we are in complete agreement. Actually we were already in the know, having discovered the hip Nespresso boutique along Paris' Champs Elysses one damp April afternoon.  From then on, our coffee habits back in the US changed totally. Womantraveler threw out the drip coffee machines and bean grinders for daily espressos from a Nespresso "Le Cube" machine. And her friend started drinking espresso (in decaf doses) for the first time.

Let's be clear -- this transformation in daily coffee routines comes from a major coffee drinker who has tried virtually everything over the years. Nespresso's magic and utility lie in a smart combination -- cool style, prepackaged coffee capsules (notably of excellent flavor and intensity), absence of messy coffee grounds, very reasonable price and easy online ordering. While Nespresso-style high-tech compression machines from several international manufacturers range from less than $200 to more than $700 in various colors and shapes, each cup of coffee is 55 cents at current prices. That's a steal -- especially when it includes the choice of latte or cappucino. All this without steam and the potential of high-compression espresso-maker explosions (which happened to me once and left a strong impression).

Nespresso's unique system has been around since the late '80s but only now is reaching the US, with the first boutique stores in Manhattan, DC, LA and soon to be San Francisco. Some machines are available at gourmet shops, such as Sur la Table.

An assortment of 12 coffee varieties offers single-shot and double ("lungo") sizes, all prepackaged. Four quick steps -- turn on the machine, fill the water container, plunk the prepackaged capsule into its slot and push the button. The hermetically sealed aluminum capsules maintain complete freshness. They are color-coded and resemble the thumb-size coffee creamer pods used in coffee shops and fast-food chains. I also bought an "Aeroccino" milk frother, which plugs into an electrical outlet and steams or foams milk within a minute. I reorder at minimal cost and two-day (or less) shipping. La voila!