Foodie finds in unfamiliar cities

June 13th, 2013 No Comments

Traveling to random cities over the past few years, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the food I’ve found. Granted, I had to hunt for it, but the effort was worth my while with every bite. Below is a collection of places I’ve been referred to, experienced, or just sound right up my alley. Should you find yourself in one of these places, make haste to the bar or a table (reservations can be surprisingly hard to come by) and report back with your findings.

Baltimore

Westbury Kitchen (above, farm to table with a San Fran vibe that exceeds expectations)
Kali’s Court (fine dining Mediterranean seafood)
Kali’s Mezze (more casual Greek)
Flemmings (steakhouse chain that never disappoints for good steak and scene)
Chinhiale (locals love this Italian cafe)
Charm City Cakes (shop of former host of Ace of Cakes)
Faidley’s (best crab cake in town) **just order the crab cake everywhere, EVERY crab cake I had was amazing and I’m a tough critic!
Big Bad Wolf’s House BBQ (amazing smoked chicken)

Charleston

Fig (a city staple that never disappoints)
Husk (Best new restaurant 2011 by BA mag, James Beard Award Chef)
The Ordinary (decadent seafood)
Two Boroughs Larder(homemade ramen noodles are a favorite)
The Orange Spot (brand spanking new coffee shop)

Oakland

Fruition (farm-to-table Italian)
Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen (James Beard Award Winning Chef 2013)
Commis (Michelin starred new American restaurant)
Hawker Fare (chef of Commis Asian street food cafe)
The Cro Cafe (a proper coffee shop for a snob like me)

Denver also has an up and coming food scene, but I haven’t heard many specifics yet. Cities I visited and struggled to find a handful of options: Detroit, Phoenix, and Nashville. If you have suggestions in any of the places I mentioned, please leave them in the comments below.

I would include Houston and Atlanta in this grouping, but I wrote about my favorites frequently. Click here for Houston and Atlanta recommendations.

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Travel Tip #98: The Roadie

June 7th, 2013 No Comments

Nine times out of ten, the wine they serve on airplanes (especially in coach) tastes like rubbing alcohol and gives you a headache after only one little bottle. Can you tweet #notworthit?

Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a nice glass of wine on a flight with your US Weekly or Rom Com on demand? A sweet sauvignon blanc where you can taste the honeysuckle or a robust cabernet with soft tannins. That’s more like it!

Since you’re not going to find that on the plane and you can’t pack your own bottle, we have to get creative. Thankfully airports are going to great lengths to renovate their food and beverage offerings in the terminals. I’m sure you’ve seen a few wine bars popping up amongst them.

My instagram photo gives away where I’m going with this, but getting a wine (or cocktail) roadie isn’t as easy as it sounds. Technically, bartenders aren’t supposed to let you take alcohol off of their premises. Most in Texas could care less, but I’ve found in other cities, they are a little more particular. My tip: sit down at the bar, order a glass, be-friend the bartender, and then politely ask if you can have one to go in a paper coffee cup. If they don’t serve coffee, you might have to hop over to the Starbucks next door, but when you’re popping off the lid at 30k feet, you’ll be glad you made the effort.

Don’t forget to look your bartender in the eye and give him/her a very sincere “thank you” as you push over the signed check with a generous tip. Think of it as paying it forward to the next reader who will want the same favor :)

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You can mark this town off your wish list: Marfa, TX

May 31st, 2013 5 Comments

If you’re not from Texas, you probably only know about Marfa from the pop-up Prada “shop” that’s “there” to highlight the artsy west Texas town. If your a Texan, you’ve heard Marfa is like a cool “Santa Fe” where all of the interesting artists live and should be on a to-do list of local getaways. That’s what inspired my girlfriends and I to make the trek.

After my short stay, I’d like to take this blog post to set the record straight: there is nothing to see, eat, or do, in the town. The artists that go there must hull up in their little commune and not emerge until they’re ready to sell their stuff in the big city.

The run-down town is built around a highway with only one other main street and two decent restaurants, neither of which you can get a reservation at.

We were excited to stay at the famed Thunderbird Inn because we are all huge fans of The Hotel St. Cecilia in Austin (read my review here). But it proved to be just like any other motel, with the exception that the service was far from friendly.

I think this car says it all. Is Marfa: Artsty? Kinda. Cute: Not so much? Overall, none of us were impressed, especially after the 9 hour drive it takes to get there from Houston!

Now, do you see where I’m coming from. Marfa just ain’t worth it y’all.

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How to get more luxury out of your vacation without spending a lot: Part 4 of 6 from Gary Leff

May 24th, 2013 2 Comments

Gary’s Tip #4: Sign up for the program.

By now, you’ve read several of my posts of MTM. so you must realize there are a few methods to my madness: loyalty programs being one of them.

Even if you sign up for a loyalty program RIGHT BEFORE you make a reservation at a hotel or fly an airline, do it. You have nothing to lose only points to gain. You might even realize you like the brand and want to frequent them more often. The tip applies from big chains to little boutique brands. Always make sure you’re a member of their loyalty program and give your frequent guest number with the reservation. Save those points! You can track them easily at free sites like AwardWallet.com.

Also, don’t worry about redeeming points as soon as you have enough for a free something. Having points can often get you the best values at some of the most expensive hotels. For the same points that the Grand Hyatt New York would have cost me, I spent New Years at the Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris and then in February at the Park Hyatt in the Maldives (think $900 per night for each). I never would be able to stay at such expensive hotels if I were paying cash, but by collecting my points I can and do all the time.

For other posts in this series and more tips from Gary, click here. If you travel often,follow his blog for regular tips and current deals. The man is an expert at discovering loopholes, online mistakes the airlines and hotels have to honor, and how to manipulate the fine print. You can feel free to tweet him questions @GaryLeff. He’s super sweet so don’t be shy.

(Photo: View from W Resort Koh Samui, where you can use Starwood points. Mary’s review here.)

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Lazy day hotel room workout

May 20th, 2013 No Comments

On the road, unless I can find a good studio nearby or the hotel gym is well-equipped, I usually decide to take a couple days off to let my body rest. Recovery is an important part of building strength.

On the other hand, we’ve already discussed that even in foreign countries, we still have TONS of fitness options at our disposal. Sometimes am just flat out lazy. I’ll try to make excuses as to why I can skip it. I think most of us fall into this camp.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I post about vacation workouts when summer rolls around. Traveling for work or other obligations makes exercising a different story. You know you shouldn’t detract from your normal regimen/level of intensity. And still, motivation is the hardest part about the whole endeavor.

Such was the case on my recent quick trip to Louisville. The gym at the hotel was awesome, but I didn’t have a lot of time to exercise…I wasn’t in the mood….but I knew if I got my blood pumping I would feel better. (The previous day’s activities needed purging if you know what I mean.) So I went back to the blog and found this video to get me started. No excuses, I just did what Richard told me to do. (I miss BLAST900 so much!

**Click here to watch a video on how to train your body to do pushups NOT on your knees.

Once I got going, I kept thinking of exercises to add in: tricep dips, a variety of crunches, hip raises, etc.

Before I knew it, I had completed 20 minutes of exercising AND felt a hell of a lot better (as expected).

A few other options to get you going:

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How to get more luxury from your vacation without spending a lot – Part 4 of 6 from Gary Leff

May 3rd, 2013 4 Comments

Gary’s Tip #4: Tipping Works

If you haven’t done it yourself, you’ve heard about people “greasing the guy” to get something better, faster, harder, longer, you get the idea. I know this seems like an amateur move, but when it comes to hotels, it works.

I once checked into the “full-committed” Bellagio, and knowing what I know, was sure there were better rooms for my wife and I to rest our heads in while in Vegas. So when I handed over my credit card to the front desk clerk at check in, I did so with a $100 bill tucked underneath. I was staying four nights, and simply said, “I was wondering if you had any upgrades available? I’d love one of the big penthouse suites.” She saw the $100 and started typing. We ended up in the lap of luxury with two bedrooms and FIVE bathrooms! The average nightly cost to me? $25 for the upgrade on my $139 rate booked through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts which already included free breakfast.

If she couldn’t have done anything I’d have taken back the $100. If all she could have offered was a fountain view, I’d have swapped it for a $20. You can’t do this everywhere, but tipping big in Vegas made me feel like Frank Sinatra. Word is that it works in New York as well, but don’t try it in Tokyo — tipping is offensive in Japan!

(MR note: I have to say, I’m not sure how you would ask for your money back…but if you said so Gary, I would walk off a cliff so I’ll stand with you on this one.)

For other posts in this series and more tips from Gary, click here. If you travel often, follow his blog for regular tips and current deals. The man is an expert at discovering loopholes, online mistakes the airlines and hotels have to honor, and how to manipulate the fine print. You can feel free to tweet him questions @GaryLeff. He’s super sweet so don’t be shy.

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Meet my travel gurus

April 26th, 2013 No Comments

Finally we get to meet the man behind all of the travel wizardry! This is Gary Leff who has been writing a guest series here on how to get more luxury out of your vacation budget without spending a ton. I’ve been posting about him for years now, along with every other reputable publication that features travel. This man works magic when it comes to wheeling and dealing to get the most out of airline miles, hotel deals, loyalty programs, you name it. Before you fly or plan a trip, always check his blog.

I also learned Gary is one of the sweetest men on the planet. His wife is a very lucky lady!

Paul Brady used to be my travel editor at The Huffington Post and has recently moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor at Conde Nast Traveler. Yay for Paul! We met for the first time yesterday in Bryant Park since the weather decided to play nice. Check out his travel features that focus on travel tips and news as well. A couple of my favorites: 10 best travel destinations now, and biggest buzz-worth destinations with the best value.

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Historical landmark makes for hip hideaway in San Fran

April 19th, 2013 No Comments

Before I dive into this lovely hotel, can we talk about the fact that San Francisco has a beach? It was COLD as all get out (I sound like my mother), but it’s pretty remarkable. I took this picture so I can attest to that.

Following is my latest review for The Huffington Post. It’s not a masterpiece, but I had to write it because the Inn at The Presidio is such a unique destination, especially considering it’s on main land San Francisco and not in Merin county or The Valley. Usually I have you click through to Huff Po, but I’m going to post the whole thing here because I’m not a fan of their new slideshow feature.

“Historical landmark makes for hip hideaway in San Fran”

Have you ever noticed new hotels don’t spring up often in San Francisco? Come to think of it, there aren’t many good hotel options at all, in my opinion. So when I heard the first new hotel since 2009 had opened in April of last year and won a spot on Fodor’s Top 100 hotels list already, we passed on our St. Regis reservation to stay within the walls of The Presidio, an old military base at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge that turned out to be so much more!

To begin, I think we can all agree this might be the most unique and impressive view you’ll find from a hotel room in San Francisco. What I found I loved most about the Inn was not just the accommodations, but more so the natural landscape and historical preservation.

The lush land at the norther tip of San Francisco has been used for military purposes since the 1770′s. The US Army didn’t regain control of it until 1874 and finally established it as a permanent military base in 1849 during the Gold Rush.

The Inn, formerly the bachelor’s quarters called Pershing Hall, was recently renovated according to LEED standards with a simple, modern aesthetic that honors its history.

Located in the center of the Presidio property, the lodge has 22 rooms total, 17 of which are 3 room suites with views of the bay. Military accessories make reference to an officer’s quarters; you feel as though you could be asked to suit up at 0-six hundred.The living room has a gas fire place where we enjoyed the complimentary artisinal breakfast we brought up from downstairs. While the bathrooms appear suitable, the LEED certified water pressure makes you want to get in and out of there as quickly as possible.

Rates range from $195-$395.

The natural elements are actually the best part about your Presidio experience. You can hike the hills, walk to the beach at the base of the golden gate, play 18 holes on the public course, enjoy a glass of wine by the fire pit, or just take it all in while rocking on the front porch. Houses surrounding the natural preserve can go for as much as 25 million dollars for a reason!

Click here for information and an interactive map to help you plan your day.

If you aren’t staying at the Inn, I still highly suggest a visit while you’re in town.

The Presidio Social Club, located down the road from the Inn, is actually a hip hangout for locals. After our hike through the hills, sitting on the back patio sipping rose, I felt like I was in Napa! The only giveaway was the food; I’d say the dishes are just average. At night the restaurant, decorated like a diner, becomes quite a scene. If you’re want a table, make a reservation in advance.

You’ll find two of my favorite shopping and dining districts: Marina Blvd (top right) and Fillmore Street in Lower Pacific Heights. Great boutiques and local eateries that will blow your little foodie mind! Pop into any of them, you can’t go wrong.

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