womantraveler

Girlfriends Weekend in Philly

As a womantraveler now working from the West Coast, I'm always in search of a convenient East Coast rendezvous to catch up with longtime friends. Surprisingly, Philadelphia has moved far up the list of choices since I lived there 25 years ago. In two recent visits, I was reminded of the tremendous food options in Center City. What I hadn't expected, though, was stunning hotel adventure, the neoclassical architectural gem that is now the Ritz-Carlton.

Happily Center City is much classier than when I reported from there in the 1980s, when the entertainment core consisted of pubs, cheesesteaks and the Independence Square tourist gaggles led by invisible guides with tall umbrellas. Broad Street is now the Avenue of the Arts, with expansive concert halls, and the regal Mellon Bank, just south of City Hall, transformed in 2000 to the Ritz. The once sooty City Hall has been cleaned up (at least on the outside) and, in the last 18 months or so in particular, is said to have resumed its Ritz-level expectations, so I'm told. The welcoming flute of Prosecco at check-in next to the very uptown lobby was especially welcome.

There's nothing like a night off -- and especially a night at the Ritz -- after a long week of business travel. As a "road warrior" over the past couple years, I've been in the habit of flying out to work, then immediately flying home to unwind on familiar terra firma. But one of the pleasures of business travel is that it takes you places you may not otherwise experience. So a pause to refresh before heading back to the home office is my new habit whenever possible.

My Washington, DC-based girlfriend and I met halfway in Philly and splurged not only for the Ritz but for the club floor. For only about $50 more a night per room, the club floor's amenities more than pay for themselves -- five or six food presentations (actually mini-meals), from breakfast to light lunch to desserts after 8, attentive and extremely pleasant concierge service and kaleidoscopic views of the cityscape from 30 floors up. The personal care is top flight; the concierge even worked with the spa to call in an extra masseuse to fit my schedule even though they were fully booked.

The hotel began as The Rotunda Building, designed by the renowned architects McKim, Mead, & White between 1904 and 1908 at a cost of over $1.5 million. The dome was the largest dome in the western hemisphere when Girard Trust opened in 1908. Its oculus is 142 feet from the floor, the same as Rome's Pantheon, after which it is modeled. There was no skimping on quality, as seen in the more than 9000 tons of polished Georgia marble columns.

We didn't drift far from the Ritz cocoon, but the location is prime for some of the city's best restaurants and shopping. I had already discovered SA VA, the Philly-based designer boutique with very contemporary yet affordable style. Organic, fair trade and a studio right on Sansom Street. It's a place you need to go in, try on and plan to stay for awhile to get a feel for your own personal SA VA style. And last summer, the parade of leggy, thongy women in short skirts, tight capris or shorts -- sporting their precious dogs in oversized pocket books -- offered Center City's best people watching as I spent a warm evening at at a sidewalk table at Parc, the French brasserie on Rittenhouse Square.

This time we opted for Stephen Starr's Butcher and Singer, the upscale steakhouse replacement for the longtime favorite, Striped Bass, on Walnut Street. We were well taken care of and the food absolutely matched its classy reputation. Starr, a music promoter and restaurateur, is an icon of Philly's entertainment industry that a few decades back began offering alternatives to the stuffy Main Line culture by catering to the Baby Boom generation, and now post-Boomer tastes. Another of my Starr faves is the neuvo Latino Alma de Cuba also on Walnut Street. Over on Rittenhouse Square, Parc Brasserie is a traditional French-style bistro - very animated and delicious with a variety of fare and a wonderful wine selection. And when the weather is nice, you can sit outside and people watch. There is plenty of entertainment from the sleek automobiles dropping off people curbside to residents in the swanky neighborhood strolling with their dogs (and assorted friends) in the seen-and-be-seen parading style Aux Champs-Elysees in Paris.  

Girlfriends in Paris: Living Near the Eiffel Tower

Despite frequent trips to Paris, I had always taken the Eiffel Tower  for granted. Both awesome and flamboyant, it's always in the distant background in the City of Light. But during this trip the Eiffel Tower was a friendly a good neighbor just a few blocks away -- always in sight out the window, glowing warmly at night and shimmering each hour on the hour after dark with stunning drama and poise.

The 7th Arrondissement along and around Rue Saint-Dominique was a perfect home base for a week with the girlfriends, an upscale but not pretentious neighborhood, where one of the girlfriends found a well-appointed apartment, fittingly, from Paris Perfect. Another good choice for rentals, used by some friends a couple of years ago, is Vacation Rental by Owner, for Paris or elsewhere. Apartments offer much more space than a fine Paris hotel to relax or work, and at a similar or even better daily rate for both the ambiance and the accessories. It's the only way to experience Paris like Parisians.

The charm was irresistible. Steps outside our front door were sweets and chocolate shops, the baker, the butcher,  the coffee and tea maker, florists, a grocery store, fresh produce stands, the pharmacist, wine shops, wonderful restaurants, a few clothing stores and, if you must, access to fast food deliveries. In every direction, the Eiffel Tower was soaring protectively.

The 7th Arrondissement is sprawling, embracing the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Rodin Museum, Musee d'Orsay and the Faubourg Saint-Germain -- where diplomats, politicians, writers, haute couture designers and other aristocrats have for centuries lived privately and often luxuriously behind both discreet and dramatic facades. Along Rue l'Universite, high-end antique dealers and art galleries stand forth quietly and proudly. Many years ago I lived for six months along Rue des Saints-Peres on the eastern boundary (our side of the street was the 6th in the St-Germain quarter) and still today I find the dominant 18th- and 19th-century architecture a confluence of the taste and form that is the backbone of the Paris experience.

It's also walking distance from the renowned Bateaux Mouches, the open-air boats that travel along the Seine to see the city and its sights. We recommend evening and we lucked out on a moonlit night.

Here are some dining highlights in the 7th in and around the Rue Saint-Dominique area:

Christian Constant's restaurants -- Among them, Le Quartier Cafe Constant (lunch or dinner, no reservations, 139 rue St-Dominique), Les Cocottes des Christian Constant (deli-style, continuous service, 135 rue St-Dominique), Les Fables de la Fontaine (seafood only, 131 rue St-Dominique) and Le Violon d'Ingres (elegant, 135 rue St-Dominique). Constant is the former chef of The Ritz and The Crillon restaurants and has quite a deserved reputation.

La Fontaine de Mars -- Luckily without a reservation (which is recommended) we landed a small table outside this popular restaurant (129 rue St-Dominique), where President Obama was sure to visit on his Paris sejour in 2009. Recommended by Travel & Leisure, this spot features delicious daily specials; we did, but be forewarned, by 9 pm, which is early for Paris dining, the restaurant was out of the daily special. We opted for a menu regular, the scrumptious roasted duck with mashed potatoes, and we accompanied it with a supple Brouilly, a light red Beaujolais wine from Burgundy.

Le Clos des Gourmets  -- Our parting evening was reserved for this cozy, yet tres chic neighborhood bistro, where the welcoming and intimate atmosphere (and said to be one of Catherine Deneuve's favorites) along with an inventive prix fixe menu match deliciously, at 16 avenue Rapp (closed Sunday and Monday). Here you benefit from the creativity of the chef beyond the often routine bistro-to-bistro dishes.

 

 

 

 

Girlfriends in Paris: Window Shop 'til You Drop

When three lifelong girlfriends rendezvous in Paris, the energy is so high that you just have to get out and shop. Always start with the eye candy that is totally out of sight -- along Avenue Montaigne where wealth and chic prevail in the windows of Versace, Dior, Lacroix and more.  
Quelle entertainment!

We strolled along the avenue from Pont de l'Alma, the bridge closest to the Eiffel Tower and Bateaux Mouches, to the Champs Elysees. We glanced left to acknowledge the Arc de Triomphe and turned right toward the Place de la Concorde and the Jardins des Tuileries. For several hours, we traipsed through the most elegant Right Bank shopping streets, including the majestic Place Vendome, ringed by the elegant Hotel Ritz and jewelers with diamonds of stunning proportions. A delightful and affordable find was Valombreuse, a specialty linen shop along the Rue de Rivoli. Assisted by the English-speaking proprietor, we purchased hand-embroidered pillow covers and tea towels that hinted of Paris without the tacky monotony of most souvenirs and yet a refined memory of our visit.

A lovely place to stop for lunch or tea in the neighborhood is Laduree, which I've written about before, on Rue Royale in the Place Madeleine. (The main Laduree, a Paris mecca known for its macaron cookies, is along the Champs Elysees, and there are other locations worth noting if you're going to be out and about for the day.) Because it was such a beautiful autumn day, we chose to lunch in the stately Tuileries gardens in one of the many outdoor bistros that serve salads, sandwiches and other light fare. At lunch it seems that all Parisians working nearby and a confluence of the city's world travelers will pass by each other in the stately and spacious gardens linking the Champs Elysees and the Louvre on such a harmonious day!

Paris Par Hasard: View from an Ex-Pat

 
Terrance Gelenter is a passionate marketer with a generous spirit, who has turned his love affair with Paris into an experience accessible to everyone through his website, speakers programs and travel planning business, Paris Through Expatriate Eyes. Most recently I ran into Terrance in Mill Valley, California, where he was signing his new book, From Bagels to Brioches: Paris Par Hasard, a semi-memoir, semi-travelogue tale of how and why he made Paris his own.

To be sure, Terrance gets around, a true Paris flaneur. With the force of his personality and his engaging style, he is quite a resource on some of the most authentic and appealing Paris haunts -- and he shares all this with friends and visitors to the City of Light through his website and programs. I particularly like his recommendations for bistros and other dining spots. For many years Terrance has held court among Francophiles in the San Francisco area, providing wine gatherings, lectures and other social and cultural events to bring together the area's many French-speaking and French-loving people. Now he's fully ensconced in Paris, and although I've never participated in his tours or programs there, I can vouch for his recommendations based on my own 30 years visiting and, for a time, living in France.

Among Terrance's favorite destinations -- and mine -- is the St. Germain des Pres quarter on the Left Bank.  This is the one place I always return for coffee at the Cafe Flore, lunch or dinner at Fish la Boissonnerie,  wine tasting at La Derniere Goutte and oysters at L'Atlas.  Within a few blocks of each other, these lively and colorful spots draw Parisians as well as visitors, and you can stroll without spending a euro (of course that's hard to do because the temptations are so great!) and yet have a full day or evening of entertainment.

A good place to start in 6th Arrondissement is at the intersection of Carrefour de Buci, with narrow streets providing a bustling collection of outdoor cafes, oyster bars, art galleries and flower stalls. It's a place to stroll, eat and sip wine or cafe. The shopping along these particular blocks, except for the art galleries, is fairly touristy, though. (More sophisticated and unique shopping is available a few blocks in the other direction, still in the 6th, but accross Boulevard St-Germain.) One of the best historical and cultural guides to this Left Bank area (and the rest of the city) is Thirza Vallois' Around and About Paris book series. Her insider's view of all the arrondissements transforms walking -- which is the only way to get around the heart of Paris -- into an educated adventure.

Eat, Sip, Shop: Girlfriends in Paris

Eat, pray, love your hearts out, Julia and Elizabeth. Undistracted by men -- though we love them -- the girlfriends are off to Paris for a week. As the wise yogi once told me (actually I think she was a buyer in the Eileen Fisher department at Macy's), a good scarf, purposeful flair and proper enthusiasm for food and wine are what it takes to have des vacances incroyable in the City of Light with the gals.

Expect the unexpected! That is the theme for the Womantraveler.

This particular journey begins September 21, 2010. I, a writer, have just published my first book about my Dad's paintings in my Ohio hometown, Vernon P. Johnson's Watercolors of 1950s Small Town America. Our Paris host, a college chum, is not only taking excellent care of herself but inviting her friends to join in, and our other pal, also college chum, has been packed for a week, with all possible options accounted for, as we would expect of her. We all know about navigating through relationships -- in and out of them and back into them again, or not -- a la Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia. Who says that longtime friends aren't the very best???

This will be my fifth trip to Paris over the past five years, and you who have followed me know that you're in for a treat. As Eric Maisel wrote in A Writer's Paris "As a writer, you are built to explore. You were born to run off to the sea, to visit the world's great cities, to investigate the hidden corners of unfamiliar cultures. Therefore, one day, you'll wake up in your Paris bed and cry, 'My god, Rome is only an overnight train ride away!'"

Girlfriends (or solo womentravelers), come follow us for our preparations -- and the actual week of rendezvous. Now that the euro is more affordable, let's get started with le shopping. 

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.

Carmel Is Carmel -- and Pebble Beach Is Steps Away

Carmel, California, is not what it used to be -- but it is still Carmel (or properly, Carmel-by-the-Sea). After all, Clint Eastwood was mayor for a while and he is nothing if Mr. Integrity. Just because I knew it one way (back when) doesn't mean that you can't make it your own now. Rather than the haute arts colony of the '70s and '80s, Carmel today seems to waver between tired vintage old money that is so declasse in the post-recession and tacky overpretentious new money that is dreary anytime. Unfortunately I react to Carmel today as just another tourist trap -- but I keep going back because of its extraordinary beauty and surprising charm.

There is nothing like the Northern California coast and its idiosyncratic villages and towns perched on bluffs. I've traveled the East Coast from the top of Maine to Key West, and its welcoming beaches and beach communities are welcoming and intoxicating. The Northern California coast is rugged and makes you work -- and the pleasure is all the greater for the effort.

I was fortunate to be hosted by a dear friend at Pebble Beach late last spring. The weather changes daily on the California coast, and we had fog and chill, so I wasn't motivated to blog about it. What you learn living in California is how counter-intuitive the weather is compared to the East Coast -- in other words, make no assumptions! Now that the late winter is slowly sneaking in some lovely spring days, I'm thinking about Carmel and the California coast again. it's time to see the wild and rangy shoreline before the fog locks it down again over the summer. 

Three of us girlfriends/Womantravelers took a 30-minute walk across the renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course (instead of driving along the renowned 17-Mile Drive) through the mist and chill, and layered-up, I've come to enjoy that wintry trek along the Pacific. Carmel's charm, enhanced by bottle-green cypress trees leaning away from the wind and multi-multi-million bungalows, was an eerie pleasure.  

Parking in-season is frustrating in Carmel, which clearly would like to remain private, so put on your comfortable shoes and walk. You can pop into stores, walk down the hill to the beach, and you might have an artist sighting in a studio not listed on the tourist map. Inspired by the awesome beauty, the fabric of Carmel artists is happily more resilient than the T-shirt shops.

Here are some things to check out in Carmel:

Shopping: Besides the art galleries every where you turn, pop into the luxury homestore Jan-de-Luz. The owner is French and so are the linens. You can get your tea towels embroidered the same day. Augustina Leathers is not your typical Western leather shop, although their belts and buckles are flashy enough to fight off any Texan. The Carmel Drug Store is a fun and funky modern-day apothecary (meaning, lots of hilarious cards).

Dining -- Cantinetta Luca: antipasti courses, long list of Italian wines by the glass, happy hours that are not called happy hours, and an inventive Italian menu; or the always-delicious high-end West Coast Italian chain, Il Fornaio in  the Pine Inn Hotel.

Fine art -- the museum-quality Oliver, Elliot and Sebastian Fine Art is a must-see, but act serious because their clients are.

Golf -- There are public courses in the area, but for special access to the inner circles, try these golf academies: Ben Alexander Golf Academy at Poppy Hills, Pebble Beach, and Pebble Beach Golf Academy.

Lodging: La Playa Hotel down close to the Pacific Ocean is  the "grande dame" of Carmel, Mexican-Colonial decor, with balcony vistas and open views. Cozy yet plush rooms, suites and cottages are worth the splurge -- and good deals can be found so take a close look. Inn at Spanish Bay at Pebble  Beach -- an indisputable luxury!

Napa Valley's CIA Cooking (the Other One)

Wine inspires, but food sustains in the San Francisco Bay Area, so the Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA) in Napa Valley is a must-do for cooking classes. And they're quick and easy -- 1 to 2 hours. This ongoing series of classes the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena makes it easy to actually develop a small skill in the midst of experiencing the marvelous vineyards.

We girlfriends were jaunting through the Valley one spring day and discovered the Spring Table series at Greystone, the former home of the Christian Brothers Winery. Classes are Friday-Monday and a demo is held the first Tuesday of the month. The 1-hour public cooking demonstrations ($15) include the recipe and tasting while the 2-hour hands-on cooking classes (75)consist of a 30-minute lecture, 90-minute cooking and tasting with a glass of wine. Classes in May, for example, include "Terrine of Salmon with Spring Vegetables," "Lamb Carpaccio with Greek Feta Cheese, Black Olives, Lemon Vinaigrette and Mint Oil" and "Sweet Pea Ravioli with Sauteed Pea Tendrils." I'm getting so hungry I don't think I can finish this post!

There are also Wine Enthusiast classes and elegant dinners at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, which you can check out on their website.

Spotted by Locals: European Insiders' View

We heard about Spotted by Locals, a smart new website on which local handpicked bloggers dish out tips about cool spots, both traditional and offbeat, to visit in their own European cities. So we tested Paris, which we know pretty well, and, bien sur, our favorite Left Bank resto, Fish la Boissonnerie, was one of the features. Plus, les Parisien bloggers suggested ways to experience some of the typical sights in new ways, such as the picturesque gardens Luxembourg and Jardin des Plantes.

Not that some of these recommendations wouldn't be in a typical guidebook, but the perspective is definitely "from the ground up," where everyday people enjoy something fabulous that outsiders are not going to find easily unless we have their lens. You feel like you're talking to someone you know, who's sincere and believable, and there are maps to help get you to their choices. This is a site to use as part of your broader searching -- it's not all-inclusive, but a welcome peak into an authentic experience. Bravo!

Napa Valley Wine Country's Carneros Inn

Splurging for the best room (one of the east vineyard-facing Vineyard View Cottages) at Napa Valley's Carneros Inn was worth the stretch price, especially the outdoor shower and vineyard views.    Now in off-season there are deals worth considering across the property for a peaceful winter get-away. There's lots of good buzz about the place, most of it worthy. Besides the privacy, we especially liked the patio with overhead heaters, the fireplace, French doors and flat screen TV/DVD/CD combo. I'm told by Womantraveler friends that a girlfriends spa visit at the Carneros Inn tops the list in the highly competitive Napa Valley spa scene, including a room for the day for relaxing and changing. On another visit to the Valley, simply stopping for a glass of wine at the outdoor lounge was a delightful treat. Just inside was the highly rated Farm restaurant -- we can't vouch for it directly but the word of mouth is tantalizing.