This Is Not An Hourly Rate

By CLARA BOSONETTO MAERZ For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday, September 30, 2008 Get ready for what could quite possibly be the sale of the year! And, the shortest. For just 80 minutes starting at 8:00am on October 1, a number of the most prestigious and elegant hotels that make up the collection of Leading Hotels of the World will celebrate the company’s founding year of 1928 - and eight decades of hospitality - with a limited number of rooms going for just $19.28 per night, double occupancy. Nearly 100 worldwide properties hotels will be offering the one price sale which represents savings of up to several hundred dollars a night. Here’s your chance to stay in the lap of luxury for a pittance! U.S. locations include: • Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa, Sedona, Arizona • Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, California • The Hay-Adams, Washington, D.C. • The Biltmore, Miami-Coral Gables • The James Chicago • Wheatleigh, Lenox, Massachusetts • La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, Santa Fe, New Mexico • The Alex Hotel, New York City Other leading European destinations include: • Hotel de l’Europe, Amsterdam • Grand Hotel Villa Medici, Villa La Massa or Hotel Regency, Florence • Hotel Lord Byron, Rome • The Taleon Imperial Hotel, St. Petersburg • Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I, Barcelona • The Dolder Grand, Zurich • The Langham, London Other locations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia and South Africa are offered at the same amazingly low price of $19.28. The $19.28 per night rate can be booked for one or a maximum of two nights with extra nights at standard rates. The special rate is valid even over weekends, but those most flexible will land the deal far easier. Stays are valid on this sale price from November 1-December 15. Have a look at the Web site to pre-register for the sale. Rooms at this rate will sell out fast. So, peruse the list of choices and get ready to pre-pay your stays starting at 8:00am on Wednesday, October 1. http://www.lhw.com/1928

Airlines have sunk to a new low

Warning, this is a vent post. I am beyond annoyed with the airlines right now. Unfortunately, we have had a death on my husband's side of the family and we need to get to Oklahoma City/ SW Oklahoma on either Thursday or Friday. BUT, because the airlines are so tight these days with everything down to the last bag of peanuts, they no longer offer bereavement fares for domestic flights. It's international flights only. I am floored by this - I just think that morally and ethically, it is a new low. They are capitalizing on the misfortune and grief of Americans. Ugh, I am disgusted.

Get Your Food Coma on at Fogo

I can't imagine my life without red meat, which is why I will never become a vegetarian. Just can't do it. That being said, it's hard for me not to like Fogo de Chao. I am a diner that loves to have lots of choices, and Fogo is just perfect for that. You don't have to settle on just one thing, and samples of everything are ripe for the taking. Though I'm sure most of you are familiar, Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian steakhouse featuring many different fire-roasted meats, lots of fresh veggies, some traditional and non-traditional sides, as well as a fairly admirable wine list.

Let's start with the salad bar. I love that it's not your standard lettuce/tomato/cucumber kind of place. I'm a huge fan of the parmesan wheel, the endive and butter lettuces, the fat asparagus, fresh mozzarella and the homemade dressings. The ranch is cool and creamy and the parmesan peppercorn has a nice sharp flavor. The basil dressing is to die for as well. The bar is always fresh and is presented quite well. With the many servers they have walking around the place, it is well tended to to say the very least. I also must make mention of the parmesan brioche rolls served at the table. O...M...G. These are flippin fantastic. The bread is so light and airy and the parmesan is perfectly melted within. I could eat like 17 of them.

Now on to the meat. Oh, meat. Fogo serves over 15 varieties of chicken, sausage, pork, lamb and beef. There is truly something for everyone. Personally, I like beef the best so that's what I concentrate on. My attitude is that you might as well get your money's worth. As for the non-beef choices, I prefer the lambchops and the pork tenderloin. I have found the sausage, chicken, and pork rib dishes to be a little less than satisfying... and with so many other choices, I would just rather move on. The top sirloin is a favorite, but nothing, and I mean absolutely NOTHING tops the beef ancho ribeye. I love a little crust on the outside of my red meat, and the ribeye's is mouthwatering. Absolutely nothing could add to it -- it is perfection in itself. Love love love it. The only beef I would really pass on is the bacon wrapped filet... it comes in small chunks and every time I've had it, it's usually overcooked and dry. Not one of their strong points unfortunately. For me it's all ribeye, all the way.

Lunch and dinner menus are the same. We've been for both... personally I say go for lunch -- it's $29.50 per person vs. the $48.50 per person charge for dinner. Eat your big meal during the day... maybe when you don't have to go back to work... and save yourself the $20 and spend it on some nice wine. Hubs and I had a half bottle of the J. Lohr Cab with our lunch... nothing super outstanding, but a nice addition to the meal nonetheless.

'Mad Men' walks with 6 Emmys

My new favorite show, Mad Men, won 6 emmys last night. Props to them! I should add that the show's main character, Don Draper, is played by Jon Hamm who is a graduate of the University of Missouri. So, we've produced him and Brad Pitt.... not a bad docket if I do say so myself.

From AMCTV.com:

"It's official. Mad Men is the best drama on television. The show won an Emmy saying as much, in the process beating out contenders Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, House and Lost. Creator Matthew Weiner got his own statuette as well for Best Writing, Drama Series for the pilot "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." (The Best Actor, Drama award went to Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad.) Four other Emmys were awarded to Mad Men as part of the Creative Arts Prime Time Emmys last weekend, giving the series a grand total of six Emmys."

Vegetarian Taco Soup

I needed to use up a few items in my fridge, and with the weather being just a bit cooler in Atlanta (and BOGO chicken broth), I thought a nice soup would fit the ticket. The cream cheese adds just a touch of velvety texture, and the recipe makes plenty for take-to-work lunches. Vegetarian Taco Soup from Blog Soup 1/2 onion, diced 1.5 T. olive oil 1/2 green pepper, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 can diced tomatoes, drained 3/4 box of chicken broth (I think about 3c.) 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed (you can use the whole can if you want) 1 packet taco seasoning 10 jalapeno slices, chopped 3/4 cup of frozen corn or 1 can corn, drained 1 c. mexican blend shredded cheese 4 oz cream cheese avocado and tortilla strips, for garnishing (optional) Heat olive oil in large pot. Sweat onions, green pepper and garlic for about 4 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and seasoning packet, stirring to combine. Add chicken broth, shredded cheese and cream cheese - stir until combined and the lumps are gone. Add the remainder of the vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes on med-low heat to combine flavors. Garnish with sliced avocado and tortilla strips.

Best Place To Blow your Low Carb Diet

The fries at Five Guys are my absolute favorite. I love me a potato, and the best way to eat it, in my opinion, is hand cut and french fried. There are probably 20+ locations in Atlanta now, so there's one right around the corner from you. If you've never been, definitely stop in and order a custom burger as well as a sack of these fab fries. A small (pictured) will easily serve two people and you also have the option of having them cajun seasoned.

I think the UrbanSpoon rating says it all!

Uh Oh

So I have finally gotten on Facebook. Seriously, I do not need another internet addiction. I think it's already too late though.

Richard Blais Leaves HOME

Looks like there may have been a scuffle between Richard Blais and Here to Serve's Tom Catherall. The following was posted on Chef Richard Blais' blog: "So, I have resigned my position at Home as of yesterday. It certainly won’t come as a surprise to many, but for many good reasons I just can’t continue my position there. As an artist, it’s all about creative control. It’s all that matters (at least when it can afford to be all that matters), and the constant struggle between an owner’s view, and a chef’s perspective, has strained me to the point of re-focusing my efforts elsewhere. It’s time to work for myself, and it’s a liberating feeling. I have my current commitments to Bravo/NBC, my creative consulting company Trail Blais and my young family to keep me more than busy. What made my decision very easy were a few uncomfortable meetings, where it was obvious that ownership didn’t value what I brought to the table and were insistent on a very archaic outlook of my position. HOME valued my physical time only, of which at times was limited because of prior commitments. When entering into this partnership, I laid out my full slate of commitments and everything was checked off on and approved. But “in theory” and “in practice” are two different things, I guess. For the record, HOME tallied a four star review, and drove business up from its previous concept by 67 %. It was the first time I achieved those 2 things together. It was the first 4 star restaurant in that company.... and most likely, no, certainly, the last... Home has been full every night with not only people searching out a good meal, but people who were coming for me, whether personally, or creatively, it was pretty apparent that this was a successful concept. It was a chef’s restaurant, a rarity in our city. But it never was the chef’s restaurant, and from the beginning, my most loyal fans knew this. For the first time, it is clear to me, that I am in the position where the guests’ threshold of creativity has reached a parallel with a successful business model. Meaning I think Atlanta is ready for a restaurant that stretches. I know that if it is going to happen in Atlanta, it’s going to happen soon... I hope Home continues with my team in place, as they have been running the restaurant anyway with much of my time devoted to travel. But it was a very simple choice, and for the first time, a decision where money wasn’t an issue. I couldn’t be more pleased and excited. I have FLIP ahead, a project where I am the creative vision, I am booked for 3 months out for appearances, and most importantly, can now take some serious time hanging out with Baby Riley and my wife, who has been working her cream puffs off. As well, there is an interesting opportunity brewing that could mean true artistic freedom."

Things We Can Learn From A Dog

I have this list on my fridge and I love it. It always makes me smile to read it. In honor of the nature of this post, I'd like to introduce you to Sunnie, our French Bulldog:

She is the lurve of my life! THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM A DOG: 1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride. 2. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. 3. When loved ones come home, run to greet them. 4. When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience. 5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory. 6. Take naps and always stretch before rising. 7. Run, romp and play daily. 8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. 9. Be loyal. 10. Never pretend to be something you're not. 11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. 12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. 13. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. 14. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. 15. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. 16. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. 17. When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 18. No matter how often you are criticized, dont buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

Frou Frou Friday

As I begin this post we are t-minus 50 minutes from Friday, which has prompted me to share a few nuggets that I've enjoyed this week that might add a bit of flair to your weekend. Please enjoy. 1. Hubs and I have recently joined a wine club at our neighborhood WineStyles. There are 4 or 5 locations in Atlanta and several around the country. Hubs happened to wander into the one around Perimeter one a few weeks back. It's a small wine store and all the wines are organized by style, or flavor if you will: crisp, fruity, bold, rich, etcetera. It's a nice way to buy wine; most bottles are priced between $10-$25 and the staff is quite knowledgeable about the bottles they have on hand. You are welcome to taste anything they have open: 3x 1oz pours for $2 ...or 6x 1oz pours for $4 is a steal in my book. Guess which one I usually opt for. We joined their club and I am glad we did -- for a bit of cash per month (that we'd spend on juice anyway), we get 2 bottles of wine each month, 10% off the purchase of any other bottles, discounts on tasting parties and some other nice bennies. For $35/mo, it's not a half bad deal. I like to drop by and taste what they have open because it's kind of like going out, but you're not having to do the whole deal of going to a bar. 2. While I was there this week, I happened to pick up a bottle of the following: This is an Australian Cab/Merlot blend and it is a great bottle for under $15. As you can see from this iPhone pic I am enjoying it as I write this post. It is Australian so it's got some nice berry notes. 3. If you are looking for a great app to take to a party or just to enjoy at home, you must make this, courtesy of my friend Leslie at Elite Entrees. She is a superb personal chef and will certainly be more than happy to cook for you should the need or want present itself! In her words, make this.. and then "sit back and rake in the compliments." Fabulous Apricot and Chicken Bruschetta 1 baguette Apricot preserves 3 oz of roasted chicken 3 oz of thin prosciutto Fontina cheese-about 6 oz Preheat oven to 350. Slice baguette into half inch slices and lay on baking sheet. Toast in oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove and let cool a few minutes. Spread half a teaspoon or so of apricot preserves on bread. Top with a slice of fontina cut to fit. Return to oven for a few minutes to soften the cheese. Remove and top with a little bit of the roasted chicken, followed by a portion of the prosciutto. *note from author: also makes a tasty sammy!

Happy Birthday Luvah

Check out my boyfriend singing on Letterman last night. It also happened to be his 33rd birthday. Astrology.com quotes Virgos as being modest and shy, meticulous and reliable, practical, diligent, intelligent and analytical. On the dark side....fussy and a worrier, overcritical, harsh, perfectionist and conservative. I don't know about you, but he can fuss over me any time. Note the scruffy face. YES.

Eclipse di Luna - Dunwoody

I tried Eclipse di Luna - Dunwoody this past Saturday night with friends new and old. We had tried to make a last minute reservation on Open Table, but it seems they don't take weekend reservations after 5p on the same day. Oh well, cocktail time! The decor in the space is pretty granola; the ceiling has several Pier1-esque hanging lanters and I think I spotted a few Christmas ornaments too. My favorite part was the large wooden tables - I like that farmhouse feel. For a Saturday night, this place was definitely hoppin' and vibrant -- people were everywhere. Tapas is probably one of my favorite ways of eating. I love all the small plates and just having little nibbles and noshes here and there. There were three of us, and all in all I think we ordered about 8 tapas which ended up being a perfectly sized meal. I'll go through all of them quickly here: Queso Frito con Miel: Fried goat cheese with honey. I think I'm the only foodie in the world who doesn't love goat cheese, but this was good. I liked the bit of caramelized crispiness on the outside. Aceitunas y Almendras: Assorted spanish olives and marcona almonds. Loved the almonds. The olives were a bit salty for me - I prefer a fresher less salty olive. Quesos Espanoles: Spanish cheese tasting served with dates and a chili honey. The machego was fantastic and the chili honey.... omg. I will be making it at home. Elote al Fuego: Fire roasted corn salad in endive. Light and slightly creamy... it had a fresh summer flavor. The sun dried tomatoes were a nice addition. Ejotes Crujientes Peixinhos da Horta: Sherry battered flash fried green beans with sea salt. Good, but kind of bland. Needed a dipping sauce. Empanaditas: Black Bean & Banana filled Savory Pastries with Spiced Caramel. Lovely. Great for the salty/sweet fan. This was one of my favorite dishes. Costillas Espanolas: Spanish-style Ribs in Aged Balsamic Vinegar. The aged balsamic was perfect; it made the dish. I am really loving aged balsamics on meat lately. Brocheta de Bistec: Beef Tenders with Chimichuri. Tender but nothing out of this world. I would have preferred the chimichuri with a bit more spice. Service Overall: The service was a B overall. Not too bad but not stellar. Our waiter had on a Georgia Bulldogs t-shirt, untucked with a pair of jeans and he was another profuse sweater. Not my fave, but he did take good care of us. Price-wise, this place is hard to beat. We each got out of there for around $25 including wine. I love tapas and it's nice to have several tapas restaurants to choose from in Atlanta. I'll definitely be going back to try more nibbles... especially one of their paellas.

Fake Out Take Out: Chinese

Here's a little fake out take out action for when you're craving Chinese. Don't let the length of the ingredient list scare you... it's just lots of good-for-you veggies :) Pineapple Fried Rice from Blog Soup makes 4 entree servings or 6 side dish servings 2 c. brown rice 2 c. water 1 can pineapple chunks 1 can diced water chestnuts 1/2 c. green peas 1/2 c. corn 1/2 c. shredded carrots 1/2 onion diced 6 or 7 baby ports, sliced 1 c. snow peas 1 clove garlic 1 chicken breast, diced into small pieces 3 T. canola oil 2 T. hot sesame chili oil Emeril's Asian Essence Soy sauce Sesame Seeds (optional) Boil water and add rice. Turn down to low and allow to cook. Fluff with a fork when done. Meanwhile, heat the oils in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, garlic and onion; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add vegetables, pineapple chunks and water chestnuts and sprinkle with Essence. Continue to stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender. Toast sesame seeds in a warm pan. When vegetables are cooked to your liking, combine the rice and the stir fry. Add soy sauce. Continually taste until the rice is seasoned to your taste. Top with toasted sesame seeds. Pair with some Chung's vegetable egg rolls and you're good to go!

Georgia may have some redemption for not selling booze on Sundays

"GEORGIA’S MERLOT-TO-GO LAW EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2008 Allows Atlanta Restaurant Diners to Take Home Unfinished Bottles of Wine ATLANTA (July 1, 2008) – Effective, July 1, 2008, Georgia’s “Merlot-To-Go” law goes in to effect allowing guests to take unfinished bottles of wine purchased with dinner home with them. Guidelines of the new law are simple: guests are allowed to take one (1) partially consumed bottle of wine home per person; guests must have purchased and consumed something to eat on the premises and consumed a portion of the bottle of wine with the meal; wine bottle must be securely re-corked and sealed in an approved wine to-go bag (provided by restaurant) by a restaurant employee; a dated receipt for the bottle of wine and meal must be attached to or placed in the sealed bag; and the guest must place the sealed to-go bag in a locked glove compartment or a locked trunk when driving home." ~Melissa Libby & Associates

Food Studio Closed

I was sad to walk by Food Studio yesterday on my way to a meeting at the King Plow Arts Center only to see that it is closed. This just might be the one that got away -- I was really looking forward to trying it. The space is now dedicated to special events; I hope I'll be lucky enough to attend one there sometime soon. I'm sure the folks at Fifth Group will make sure to do it up right. It was my first time to King Plow though, and I loved the facility. The rough brick and farmy-industrial style is so soothing to me.

Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante

We took a particularly picky out of town guest to Dolce seeing as they offer quite a few vanilla selections on their menu. I had visited Dolce once in the past for happy hour where I had sampled the bruschetta...It was below average, and to be honest I wasn't expecting too much more from the full meal. However, being Italian food, I figured it couldn't be too bad, right? Even though my expectations weren't high, I had to lower them considerably when we were barely greeted by the less-than-friendly hostesses. We arrived for our 6:30 reservation right on time to find the restaurant less than half full. In a situation like this, I think it's reasonable to be seated within 5 minutes of arrival. Apparently this was quite the difficult task for the hostesses, as they sat and pondered over the restaurant layout for nearly 15 minutes while the crowd at the door grew. We were finally seated around 6:45. There is nothing more annoying to me -- and to most diners I know -- than this situation. At this point I was in need of a large glass of wine. Dolce's design is sexy and plush. I do like the round leather booths; however the bar area leaves something to be desired. Most of the seating in the bar area is on one long large leather bench, so you can't really circle up to talk to your friends. The noise level on our Tuesday night visit was WAY out of the ballpark and I wished they would have turned it down 50 decibels or so. They did have a nice crooner there, however... voice as clear as a bell but he needs to learn how to turn that amp down a notch. We started out with a fritti misto which had some shrimp, calamari, zucchini and sweet potatoes. The mix was a nice change, however the same old sweet asian and italian red sauces were a bit of a bore. The foccacia bread served with oil and vinegar was quite lovely though. My husband and I split the chopped salad, which was advertised as lettuce, tomato, mozzarella, salami and avocado with a balsamic dressing. Our salad arrived sans avocado, and was just meh. Nothing special at all. For my entree, my guest and I both had the lobster ravioli, one of the house specials. It had a nice light cream sauce and good size pieces of lobster on top and inside the pasta. Spinach was added for color. The sauce was noted as a saffron champagne however I didn't get the taste of either. Okay dish, but again nothing special. I'd say about a 5 out of 10. My husband had the duck tagliatelle which arrived grossly undercooked and undersauced. The pasta was sticking together in huge clumps and really was quite unappetizing. It's a rarity, but we decided to order dessert this time as the waiter mentioned they had a chocolate creme brulee made with chevre. I was so excited for this as I love chocolate creme brulee and most restaurants only serve the vanilla kind. Welllllll, this was probably the biggest disappointment of the night as our brulee arrived vanilla and not chocolate. We still managed to have a few spoonfuls, but since I was anticipating chocolate it was less than satisfying. Overall I would give Dolce a D+. It is a chain restaurant - that much is evident in the food. The Hollywood ownership and interior decor gives the restaurant a nice sugarcoating... but once you get below that it's pretty darn bitter.

Move Over China

...because The STL is in town! Hip hop on over and pay a visit to my friend Heidi, author of the brand new Fabulous in the STL! You will not find a better perspective anywhere on how to raise a gorgeous child, run a business and manage a husband all while doing it in a pair of fabulous Charles David heels behind the wheel of a pimpmobile rollin' on 20's. Hides, congrats on the new endeavor - this one's for you! (well, I'll probably have a sip too.)