Heaven is in Oregon

This past July Charles Communications put together and participated in the ultimate tour of the Willamette Valley through the recommendations and hospitality of Archery Summit Vineyards. We spent a couple of days immersed in good wine, food and a very laid back, luxurious lifestyle (yes the two do exist together!)

The trip started with an exploration of the food truck scene in Portland, which locals claim was buzzing well before the trend hit the nation. Portland has created food truck 'pods' where you can find Korean tacos, falafel, fish n' chips and curried rice bowls all in one spot. All without having to chase the trucks around the block.

Dinner that evening was quite the departure from the morning victuals and was spent in the Archery Summit caves, where winemaker Anna Matzinger and winegrower Leigh Bartholomew hosted a library wine tasting to pair with a local feast prepared from neighboring farms. The Archery Summit Pinot Noirs have evolved gracefully over the years. The standout wine of the night was 2002 Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir. The fruit was lively and fresh, but with maturity and nuance that only comes with age.

The next morning, having spent a blissful night of sleep at the beautiful Allison Inn & Spa, guests were given the ultimate tour of Archery Summit's five Estate Vineyards - by air, naturally. Two-by-two we were lifted off the ground via helicopter for an aerial tour of the Dundee Hills, with Mt. Hood looming in the background. Watch video here.

The vineyard tour was followed by a hands-on opportunity to learn about the art of blending with the talented female winemaking duo. Anna and Leigh explained the unique characteristics that the terroir of each of the single vineyards produces in their wines and how to use our beakers, calculators, or just our palate alone to create our own signature blend of 2009 Pinot Noir. The Renegade Ridge Vineyard produces black fruit tones like boysenberry where as the Looney Vineyard has a bright, cranberry rhubarb quality. We could have been there forever trying the endless combinations of aromatics, fruit, texture, finish etc. Once each person was happy with their personal blend they were bottled, corked and labeled for storage. I'll let you know how the Charles Communications bottle turns out in when it's time to drink it in 12-20 months. If we can wait!

Our stay was capped off with an unforgettable meal at The Jory, the restaurant at the Allison Inn & Spa. I am still thinking about my salad. Yes, a salad. Frisee, duck confit and a farm egg were a decided Northwest take on a French classic. So. So. Good.

We encourage everyone to spend some time in Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley. It is unmistakably NOT California wine country. When you're there be sure to stop by Archery Summit to say hello to Anna and Leigh and their great team.

Wine made from light?

We Danes are known for a lot of things. Big dogs, buttery pastry, a certain young lady with a fish tail where most of us have legs. But even though Denmark seems to have this kind of eclectic brand, wine doesn’t seem to fit in this picture. But maybe that's about to change - at least global warming is working in favor of my countrymen's struggle to turn Denmark into a real wine country. It's probably only known to a few people out side Denmark, but we do actually have a EU-defined quota of vineyards of no less than 222 acres. That's less than a third of the Robert Mondavi Winery's possessions, and less than 0.005 percent of the total wine grape acreage of California. During my summer vacation in Denmark I got to visit one of the 44 commercial wineries in Denmark, called 'Lille Gadegaard' and located on the small island Bornholm far east of the rest of Denmark in the middle of the Baltic Sea. There, I was lucky enough to get to talk to winemaker Jesper Paulsen who will be harvesting his 10th vintage this year.

Throughout these 10 vintages Jesper Paulsen has only bottled 3 vintages of wine, which he considers suitable for sale. The rest has been distilled to brandy except for the 2004 vintage, which was bottled and labeled 'Not suitable for drinking - works best as decoration'. To his own surprise he actually sells a few bottles of that vintage every year. At CCA we blind tasted his '2007 Syd' red wine based primarily on the Rondo variety, and though there's no doubt that the wine is well made and completely unflawed, the fruit in it just doesn't allow the wine to really excel. With the past 10 vintages in mind, Jesper Paulsen has now decided to replant his vineyard with varietals known to do well in the northern German regions with similar cold climates.

Bright summer nights On another small Danish island with the romantic name Lille¸ (Little island) another winegrower, Hans Lund Hansen and winemaker Anders Selmer have had somewhat more success doing just that by growing varietals such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner and Solaris. The result is a beautiful dry white wine, with a floral nose and flavors of white flowers and peach. Winemaker Anders Selmer explains that what Denmark lacks in terms of warm temperatures, it makes up for in terms of light. With its northern location Denmark has long summer days and short, bright summer nights and according to Anders Selmer that's more important than warm temperatures - since it's light, not warmth, that catalyze photosynthesis in the plant.

Nordic food trend It's too early to tell, whether Denmark will eventually become a real wine country. Claus Meyer, chef and co-owner of the Lille¸ Winery and the restaurant Noma, which recently was awarded the first place in the 2010 San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurant Award, recently offered winemaker Jesper Paulsen a piece of advice. He suggested for him to make wine based on berries that grow naturally in Denmark, such as red and black currant, raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries. That's also the idea behind Noma's success: To use ingredients sourced locally and process them using a mix of traditional and modern methods to create world-class gourmet food and wine. Jesper Paulsen took his advice and is now producing sparkling wine based on red and black currant and a still wine based on strawberries. Personally, I prefer Jesper Paulsen's berry based wines, but I'm sure that with the right selection of grape varieties he will also be making great white wines some years ahead.

Jesper Paulsen, Danish owner and winemaker at Lille Gadegaard Winery in front of his Rondo vineyard

Oakland Fires Up the Burners

Being a Bay Area resident, one learns quickly that more than any other cultural obsession be it music, fashion, politics, San Francisco is a food town first and foremost. And while San Francisco certainly can claim the title of one of the leading culinary towns in the country, nearby Oakland across the bay has recently come on the scene with exciting restaurants popping up like porcini after a fall rain. Ever since my New York days when I'd take a subway two hours out of Manhattan for killer Moroccan food, or my college days in Washington DC when I got to know all four quadrants of the city in my culinary quests, I've always been eager to venture afar in the name of gastronomy. Recently, I met up with my friend super star (literally) chef Rick Corbo who is laying out plans for his restaurant Pizzeria Zanna Bianca in Jack London Square, opening next year, and decided that it was time to see for myself what all the fuss is about. Like movie reviews, if enough friends tell me to see a certain flick, then it's a go. In the case of Oaktown, which is its local nickname, there were far too many signs telling me to head east young woman.

One Friday recently I rounded up the food-obsessed team at Charles Communications and after taking polls with my foodie friends, we drew up a short list. Ably guided by Oakland resident expert and green guru Anna Hartman, we set off for a culinary treasure hunt. First on the list was Bocanova, a pan Latin restaurant right on Jack London Square that serves a menu inspired by the heritage of the kitchen crew featuring dishes from Mexico to Argentina, infused with California accents. Although the interior beckoned with its warm colors and rustically elegant decor, we opted to sit outside on a cloudless day, and enjoyed halibut ceviche, roasted sunchokes, plantains stuffed with queso fresco, and Huarache with pumpkin, bacon and sage. Huaraches have become one of my favorite Mexican dishes since I moved to San Francisco, it's a fried masa base with a variety of toppings and is so called as it resembles the shape of a sandal aka huarache in Mexico. The fairly priced wine list with mainly Spanish and South American offerings gave us tempting choices to pair.

Flora was our next stop, formerly the Oakland Floral Depot building, an Art Deco landmark located on Broadway across the street from the newly renovated Fox Theater, another great Deco building in its own right, another of my favorite features about this town. There's an old world glamour about Oakland which has a more human scale with its architecture, and the spirit of creativity is alive and vibrant. It reminds me of the way New York was in the mid 80s when the restaurants were packed with creative people of diverse backgrounds all sharing great food in a convivial way. Flora in particular reminds me of New York's Odeon back in the day, both design and vibe wise. We tried the Yellow Tailed sashimi with hot chili oil, seabeans, sesame seeds, scallions and radishes, the arugula, dried Calimyrna figs, fennel, and toasted almond salad, a killer sandwich of seasonal grilled persimmon, Explorateur brie, swiss cheese on a French baguette and a glass of Bandol rose, pretty heavenly.

The next stop given the gorgeous weather, and our need for a break from sampling so much good eats, was a stop at the newly renovated Lake Chalet, right on Lake Merritt which is a unique given that it is the largest lake within an urban area in the U.S., 3.4 miles around, covering 155 acres in downtown Oakland. It's ringed with lights giving it a holiday and European atmosphere year round. The same folks who renovated the Park and Beach Chalets in San Francisco are behind this project housed in the old municipal boathouse and there are a number of choices from casual to fine dining within the complex. Much like the other Chalets in the group, they brew their own beers on premise and have a solid but unadventurous menu. I wasn't overly impressed with our service which was less than attentive, as the outside bar area was geared to those who wanted to see and be seen, but it's probably a fun place for big groups.

Our last stop was Zza's Trattoria also on Lake Merritt, right on Bellevue Avenue. Zza's is a nickname for Morezza's and to my surprise, it's been around for 20 years: ¦it looks like it's new and hip to me. We knew we'd love it right away when the waiter brought over a margherita pizza, put it on the table and said, it was a mistaken order at another table and it was on the house, nice! I was duly impressed by the wines by the glass list which was truly global, Hungarian, Slovenian, Italian, you name it, very well chosen and fascinating wines. I enjoyed a dry Furmint from Hungary and couldn't have been happier. We tried the Sputini Tre olives/almonds/pickled vegetables, the salumi plate and several pizzas that truly satisfied. Hard to believe we still had room after all day dining but as they say, we have only one stomach to give!

So many other places are on the short list for Oakland, Commis, Pican, Dona Tomas, Cafe Van Cleef, Mua and one place that intrigued which was truly an old Oakland landmark would be a stop by Heinold's First and Last Chance bar at Jack London Square built there in 1883 from the timbers of a whaling ship. Appetite whetted!

Biking Through the Bay

No one wants to look like a tourist in their own backyard.

For my good friend Katie's recent birthday, we decided to rent bikes and bike from Pier 39 to Tiburon. A hearty brunch would await us at Sam's, and we would take the ferry back to San Francisco. The bike ride is advertised as a leisurely weekend activity that anyone can partake in! From the Blazing Saddles website

"It's easy pedaling on the new and scenic National Park Bike Path from Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll cross the bridge on the sidewalk, then coast downhill into Sausalito for fabulous seaside dining before catching the ferry back to San Francisco. But if you haven't had enough fun, the ride only gets better from there! Visit some of the world's tallest trees in Old Mill Park and continue along the Bay to the picturesque town of Tiburon from where you can also relax on the ferry back to San Francisco."

Here, we look leisurely:

Then came the inclines....

What they don't tell you is that the "easy pedaling" to get on the GGB is in fact difficult, uphill, and alongside traffic! Fortunately, the GGB was lovely. It was not too windy and it was a gorgeous day. I think if I was driving on the GGB and watching myself slowly pedal my way to the other end, with the real cyclists blowing by screaming "LEFT", I would have had a great laugh.

Sausalito was also gorgeous and could not have been more cheery. I badly wanted to stop at Horizons and take the ferry back from Sausalito to Pier 39. But it was not going to be me, the girl with Britney Spears blasting via Blackberry from the fannypack of the bike, to throw up the white flag.

We finally arrived in Tiburon, pedaling up and down hills in residential Tiburon, not knowing if we were going to end up at San Quentin or at Sam's, which I was convinced was simply a mirage.

Shout out to Blazing Saddles for taking care of our bike rental needs. But don't count on them to tell you what you are getting yourself into. Why they give you a choice to wear a helmet or not is beyond me.

Another shout out to Emily for the great photos. If not for her apathy to appearing like a tourist, we would not have proof that we survived this feat!

Our amazing view from the Ferry....

A Splended Spa Secret

Many people think that a massage is merely an expensive day of soft pampering. I’ve given up on those massages at the high priced, ‘zenned’ out, lavender filled spas. Most the massages have been just OK, and at $150 for an hour I would get far more pleasure in my own home with a bottle of Krug, some good music and a foot massage by my three-year old daughter. For some reason, she thinks this is fun too, so who am I to stop her? Is that bad?

But in all honesty, our bodies do need massage to help rid the us of those nasty toxins. Historically speaking, spas used to be integral part of general health care and have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire. As for the root of the term spa, there are two theories: one is that spa is an acronym for the Lain phrase salus per aguae meaning ‘health through water’. While others believe the word comes from the Belgian town of Spa which has been known for its baths since Roman times.

So like I said, I’m done with the fancy spas. Four years ago, while I was in Los Angeles with some friends, I was introduced to Korean massage. We drove into Korea Town and parked in large lot that overlooked a golf driving range on the top of the covered parking lot. Strange indeed but I was again reassured that the Olympic Spa would not disappoint. The building is nothing fancy and very basic, clearly there’s little spent on decor. You order a trio (a scrub, massage and hair wash all for the fair price of $80) from women at the front desk who do not speak any English. Clothing is left in the locker room and you enter a steamy room filled with several soaking tubs, it truly is another world. After spending a good hour steaming all your impurities from life’s vices, you’re escorted to a long line up of massage tables. Drop your inhibitions because every crevice of your body will be scrubbed leaving you with the shiniest epidermis you’ve ever seen. While the scrubbing can be painful, at the same time you feel as though you are ‘turning over a new leaf’ or washing away your past sins. This is all followed by one of the strongest and deepest massages that will rock your world. I’ve never felt so clean and void of toxins. Maybe it was the dirty layer of skin which was scrubbed off my body or the cold and hot soaks that made your skin tingle, or the masseuse that climbed on my back and made every bone in body crack. Whatever the case, I was hooked.

Back in SF, I mourned the fact that we did not have a Korean Spa. In my travels to NY, I found a Korean Spa which was slightly more expensive ($120) but offered the same blissful treatment that I received in LA. Juvenex spa is located above a Karaoke bar in the heart of NY’s Korea Town (almost as strange as the golf putting course but I promise you can’t hear anyone singing). I indulged myself in what I considered to be a spiritual ritual on any occasion that found me in NY or LA, however late last year my dream came true. The beautiful Imperial Spa opened up in San Francisco, not by a driving range or karaoke bar but next to a KFC on Geary. For a paltry $80 you get the works.

This is not for the faint at heart but if you like to scrubbed, scraped and you're willing to surrender to this ancient spa ritual, then this is for you.

Eat at Floyd's: The Pelican Bar in Jamaica

Recently I was lucky to chance upon a watering hole that’s truly right in the water. You don’t belly up to this bar, you sail to it (you could also swim, though it would take longer). And while there’s no menu, an incredible meal can be had as well. On a trip to Jamaica’s tranquil and less traveled south west coast is the town of Treasure Beach. During the two and a half hour drive that winds south from Montego Bay’s airport, our driver, O’Neil, advised us to check out the Pelican Bar, merely saying it was in the middle of the water. Taking his advice a few mornings later, we arranged the visit through Jakes, our low key-high charm resort. We were merely told to walk down to the beach and meet our ride.

As promised, at the tiny beach we met our gregarious captain, Bernard (sporting a Boston Red Sox cap, but insisting, in case we were from NY, that the B stood for Bernard) and first mate, Zeb, sporting a “Mr. Nice Guy” T-shirt that I soon figured out was the uniform of the eponymously named boat that would take us to our destination. Bernard and Zeb helped us scramble over some rocks and wade through the shallow water to board the brightly painted Mr. Nice Guy.

We set out in a south-westerly direction and were lucky to have some dolphins for company for part of our route. After about 30 minutes of motoring, the Pelican Bar came into view. Situated about a half mile from shore, it is a wonder of carpentry and creativity. Balancing on a set of thin, almost insectile stilts was this round hut surrounded by nothing but water.

We docked the boat, swam up to the Bar and climbed its wobbly stairs. Inside was an empty bar and no furniture other than a table and wooden bench. The bar’s sole decoration was a plaque from of all people, the band Little Feat, acknowledging Floyd, the bar’s owner, for creating one of the coolest places to have a beer in the whole Caribbean. There were of course no windows, no doors, and no facilities But there was plenty of charm in hanging out in what’s best described as an aqua tree house. Outside in all directions was nothing but sparkling turquoise water, below, if you peeked through the floorboards, you’d catch glimpses of fish and stingrays. Above, the pelicans who perch on a nearby reef and give the bar its name, were circling overhead, angling for lunch. What’s true in Manhattan was true here: location, location, location!

As we were soaking in this Robinson Crusoe bar adventure, Floyd and his sous chef/first mate arrived in yet another colorful boat, toting a cooler full of beer and another full of provisions. As the cooking commenced, we jumped into the waters for a quick swim around the bar. Once back inside and within minutes of opening our first Red Stripes of the day, we could smell the zesty aroma of Caribbean spiny lobster tails cooking over charcoal. Soon enough we and our fearless crew were feasting on lobster in jerk sauce with steamed vegetables over coconut rice. Using little more than a bit of backyard barbecue equipment and, as we say in the restaurant industry, fresh and local ingredients, Floyd had cooked us the most memorable meal of our trip. Tipsy, stuffed and thrilled, we swam from bar to boat for the return trip, and with a smoky puff from the motor, the Mr. Nice Guy was off.