Tipos/Typos

We've got a new game at work. When we moved to the new office it came complete with it's own cafeteria. This has been a wonderful blessing. The last thing I want to do on a rainy day is forage for food.

The cafeteria ladies are a delight. They're all sassy latino women (Latinas?) and always happy to handle any special request. Extra tuna? not a problem. More bacon? Pile it on! No onion? You got it! Their command of the english language isn't the greatest and that has made for humorous lunchtime encounters for me and my fellow coworkers.

Back to our new game...it's called "Spot the Menu Typo". On a weekly basis the cafe distributes a menu of the weeks options, seen below.

Do you see it?

Now, I am not making fun of anyone's spelling ability here. I'd be lost without spellcheck, I mean...how many S's are there in occasion? Had spell check not just auto-corrected that for me it would have been wrong.

It's just become a running gag around the office (ok, in all fairness...perhaps just my circle of office friends). The first person to find the typo then sends out the pic to the rest of us.

I will say this tho...that Phylli Steak and Cheese sandwich was delicious!

San Fran: The Hotel

In my 13 years traveling I have stayed at more hotels than I can count. One chain of hotels I haven't had the pleasure of staying in is The W Hotel brand. This time in San Fran, I got my chance. Granted, this hotel chain is a little more upscale than I would ever stay in if I was traveling on my dime. But if someone else is paying...I'm there!

I had a standard room, so it was small. But some of the touches were very highbrow.

Mirrored clouds on the headboards.

The art in the bathroom was also much more upscale than you find at most hotels. This piece is just amazing. It made me smile every time I peed.

Fashioned out of vintage airline tickets.

The elevators alone were amazing. Not for their speed, but for their art. The tree is a layered glass effect.

A little tripy, the leaves seemed to move as you did.

One thing this hotel does, that I guess a lot of hotels are going towards is being "Green". Upon checkin they offered me a deal where I could opt for maid service every other day and get 500 Starwood Guest Points for every day I didn't have maid service. Well, I'm not a messy person so I said yes to the deal. What it really comes down to is a way for them to save money on maid services. But who am I to complain. I did get to complain one day tho. 

After being at the convention center for 14 hours, I returned to my room at 7pm to find the maid still cleaning it. I was less than pleased and immediately went down to the front desk to complain. I mean, I had been gone for 14 hours...that maid had plenty of time to get to my room before I returned! The young lady at the front desk was sympathetic, she said, "Sir, how can I possibly make this right for you?" I said, "Well you can give me vouchers for a couple free drinks at the bar while I wait for my room to be ready." Without batting an eye she immediately produced 2 drink vouchers and sent me on my way. Moral of the story...a cocktail or 2 goes a long way towards my happiness.

I liked the cocktail as much as the flower.

That is the Meadowlark. It's a combination of vodka, fresh lemon juice and a lavender syrup. It was very tasty and 2 of these was well worth having to wait a bit for my room to be cleaned.

San Fran: The Food

Let's travel back in time to a few weeks ago. I was in San Francisco. I don't know exactly where any of you might have been. Even if I did know, I 'm sure I've forgotten by now. What I haven't forgotten is all of the wonderful food I was able to sample in San Francisco while I was there.

I have found a new love...don't worry Hubby, it's a burger. A Super Duper Burger to be exact. Around here we have Five Guys Burgers & Fries, but in San Fran, they have Super Duper Burgers, and I have to say...they are super duper! 

You can get a double or a single burger and their garlic fries are to DIE for! Yeah, I ate here 4 times during the trip. Twice was to prove to other people how amazing the place is. The sacrifices I make for others!!!

Heaven on a cute little metal tray!

You really do need that wrapper on the burger in order to eat it. They are so juicy that your hands are a mess till your finished even with the wrapper. A word or warning...if you order the garlic fries, you will smell like garlic through the following day. I woke up the next morning and even my pillow smelled like garlic.

My coworkers and I took the client out to dinner one evening to a delightful little place called oola. Right off the bat, I have to tell you that the service was less than exceptional. We were a group of 10 and they really didn't seem to have the ability to service a group that large. I would guess that a party of 2 or 4 would have a delightful experience here. 

Yeah, they need to clean the bird poop off their sign.

Their real claim to fame is their cocktail menu. They offer a lot of prohibition era cocktails that are made with the finest ingredients. I was intrigued by the Dark & Stormy. It's a combination of incredibly dark rum, ginger and lime. It is indeed dark, so much so that I had to light it from behind with a candle to get a photo of it.

A storm is brewing

Pretty amazing cocktail. I need to start making these at home. I just need to find some really dark rum to do it with.

For dinner, I chose their 4 Cheese Mac & Cheese and roasted brussel sprouts. Everything was very tasty, I just wish it had arrived faster. I do have to say...the waiter did keep the cocktails coming, that's a plus. I apologize for the lighting, the cocktails aren't the only dark thing at this place.

I don't remember what 4 cheeses...but does it really matter?

Tender, perfect!

The meal really was delicious. I am so glad I wasn't paying for it. I mean, those cocktails were $12 a piece and I know I drank more than 6 of them. Thankfully the big wigs didn't say a word. Cause if they had I would have answered with, "13 years...last show...pay up!"

That was all of the savory food from the trip. Some nights we were finished so late and I was so tired that I just grabbed a sandwich at Subway. One nice little treat were the cupcakes that the convention & visitors association brought to us. Yes, I ate one or two despite the carbs involved.

At first glance, I thought this cupcake was cussing at me.

Well, I don't travel again until New Year's and that will be to Las Vegas. So I might not have much on-the-road food to talk about until then.

Dinner Out: Thrive!

While in Atlanta, my coworkers and I went to my favorite downtown restaurant, Thrive! 

I have been here a few times in the past and it just continues to be wonderful every time. It's got an amazing contemporary interior and wonderful food. Here is my first Ginger Mojito, a concoction that I recommended to them 2 years ago and they have since placed on the menu.

A classic Mojito using their Ginger Beer instead of soda water...Yum!

Yeah, I had 6 of those...who could resist? Everyone knows how I feel about Sushi, but this restaurant has sushi items on the menu that are flash fried...they fry everything in the South. Because these are gently cooked I don't run into the usual texture problems I have with raw Sushi.

The Dragon Roll!

It consisted of spicy tuna and salmon, avocado and a spicy cream cheese. It is then flash fried for mere moments to perfection. I have got to find a place around here in Maryland that does this!

One More Canada Post: Rogue

While in Vancouver, I ventured out with my coworkers to a wonderful eatery call The Rogue Kitchen + Wet Bar. I can be such a hermit when I'm on the road for such a long time, but I am really glad I took them up on their invitation that night.

Not to be confused with Rogue Brewery in San Fran. Very different.!

It's a charming space located in what was once a terminal of some kind. I'm not sure if it was a railway or seaport terminal. I suppose it could have been both. 

I want one of those chandeliers in my house!

Much like I have with the church, they took a very classic space and updated it with a bunch of very modern touches. I am in awe. Makes me wonder what I could have done to my house with a few hundred grand more (investors???) 

Now, the reason we wound up here is because I was searching for the best Poutine in Canada. For those of you who don't know what Poutine is...they take very crisp french fries, crumble cheese curd over them and then smother them in hot brown gravy. I know...HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!

Rouge was the closest place to our hotel and I think they came up #2. So off we went. They serve an appetizer called French Fries x3, which we ordered for the table You get fries done in the Poutine style, as well as, a set with gorgonzola cream and bacon, and then ones coated in truffle oil with garlic. Amazing!

As if I hadn't had enough Poutine at that point, I had another order brought with my dinner. Here they are with my Grilled Bacon and Three Cheese sandwich. 

Yes, I only got half a sandwich!

Of course, that wasn't enough for me. I also ordered the Tomato Basil Bisque which I dipped the sandwich in YUMMY!

Cheesy, tomato goodness!

So, after eating all of that rich food I was miserable for the rest of the evening, but it was SOOOOOO worth it!

NOTE: You may remember from a previous post that Poutine bears a striking resemblance to the Boo Fries that you find in New Orleans. The only real difference is that in New Orleans they use shredded cheddar cheese instead of cheese curd. Both are delicious in their own way.

What I LOVE About Canada: Giant Spinning Globe

Another cool thing I found in the convention center. It spins! Now I don't know if it spins exactly at the rate our real planet does? But it was Hella Cool!

What Irks Me About Canada: Toilet Drinking

Apparently drinking out of the toilet is a big problem in Canada. So much so, that they had to warn me every time I stepped up to a urinal or toilet bowl.

I think it's really great that they use non-potable water to flush their toilets. Even someone who is against the environment as much as I am sees the point in it. I think it's a great idea to use slightly unclean water to flush really unclean stuff.  But do they really think I'm going to be drinking from a toilet any time in the near future? I think not!

What I LOVE About Canada: The Olympic Cauldron

Ok, Ok, I don't want to sound all down on Canada. There were some pretty cool parts to the trip as well. The Convention Center is located right next to the plaza where the 2010 Olympic Cauldron is on display.

Here is it early one morning. I just love it, one of the best Olympic Cauldron designs ever! I wish they made a miniature version as an oil lamp (Anyone know where I can find one?). Now the only thing that could have been better than just seeing it is seeing it lit. Ta Da!

Yes, they lit it just for me. Seriously tho, I found out that it costs 10K to light this thing for 3 hours. I wasn't ponying up that kind of cash...even if it was in Canadian currency. Thankfully, I didn't have to. They held some sort of fundraiser on the plaza that day and someone else paid to light it. AND the only better than seeing the cauldron lit...seeing it lit which Stormtroopers posing in front of it!!!

I don't know why they were there, but their costumes were aamazing. They even had electronics that changed their voices to sound like Stormtroopers. Star Wars and the Olympic Cauldron...great day!

What Irks Me About Canada: Mayo

I recently spent some time in Vancouver for work. I believe I have mentioned prior how much I really don't enjoy international travel. That being said, Canada is just international enough to irk me.

First lets talk about condiments. I asked for Mayo and this is what I got.

Not Mayo! Close, but no cigar.

I'm beginning to think that Mayonnaise doesn't exist in Canada. Every time I asked for it I got some slightly off version of it. Most of the time what I was offered was some sort of flavored Aioli. Now I like a flavored Aioli as much as the next guy...but sometimes I just want plain uncomplicated mayo.

Now That is One TALL Drink of....Coffee???

So, here I was in San Francisco for work. Thankfully, there are more Starbuck's per capita in this city than there are stray dogs. Don't get me wrong...I'm not a HUGE fan of the franchise(I don't brew it at home), but when I'm traveling, it's a common denominator that I can always depend on.

Anyway, at one of the 6 Starbucks within a block of the convention center, I stumbled upon this.

Coffee GIANT!

This guys is like 8 feet tall! And he's working with Coffee Midgets, so it makes him look outrageously tall. Keep in mind, in that photo he's actually bending over a bit! I felt a little sorry for him, I mean, he had to bend down to hand me my change! I also can't imagine him comfortably living in a house or apartment with conventional ceiling heights. I looked for signs of him having often bumped his head.

Indy…and I don't mean Jones!

I recently spent some time in Indianapolis for work. I have come to find that Indianapolis is one of the countries most under rated cities. Of course, having just hosted The Super Bowl, I'm sure that may change.

First, let's get the unpleasentries out of the way. I was attacked by this horrible monstrosity!

Sent to the Emergency Room in fact! Fine, ok…I did it to myself, but that horrible rack was an accessory to the crime. See that seemingly innocent central bar? Well it wound up rammed into my chin. Blood everywhere! 

I won't frighten you with the original image of the wound, but here it is all glued up by the ER staff. Yes, don't I look scruffy? I wound up looking even more scruffy because I couldn't shave around the wound.

Ok, enough of the bad stuff. Here is the fun stuff. On our first day there we ate lunch at a wonderful place called The Noodle Company.  As it turns out we wound up eating lunch there every day. They offer some great selections. Noodles and sauces and additives galore! The coolest thing is that you can assemble your own creation from any of the ingredients on their menu. It is a custom orderers delight! You can check out their menu at the link above. What was funny tho, as we exited the restaurant, someone had gotten a little creative outside as well.

Isn't he cute? I imagine that the carrot was originally his nose, but to me it looks more like he's barfing it up. Those creative Indianapolisians!

I got to stay at the brand new J.W. Marriot in Indy. It was built for The Super Bowl. Wasn't even there this time last year when I visited. I was afforded a corner suite and access to the Concierge Level of the hotel. For those of you who haven't experienced a Concierge Level, it's pretty darn cool. It's a lounge that offers breakfast, evening cocktails and food, and then later dessert. I didn't eat dinner out once while I was in town! Here are some of the sweet treats I enjoyed from the lounge.

3 Tier Chocolate Mousse, Apple Tart and a Brownie

For Valentine's Day…Awwwwww

Cookies and Strawberries and Macaroons…Oh My!

So, I didn't lose any weight in Indianapolis, not a ounce! But that's ok, it's winter and I can hide it under sweaters.

On the way home, I got to the airport way earlier than I needed to. What does that mean? Hit the bar! Right by my gate I found a wonderful little bar…too convenient! Here I ordered a Bloody Mary.

Yep, that's a pickle!

I have got to give them points for garnish. Usually it's a piece of celery or a lime wedge and an olive. But this place sunk and entire dill pickle into their drink. It really turned it into breakfast. I think the only way it could have been more of meal would have been to have sunk a piece of bacon and a fried egg in there. It was yummy! I had 3 of them and then slept very nicely on the plane.

Class

It can mean many things. It can be something you have, something you go to for it's educational value, and often...something far too many people are without on a daily basis. For the purposes of this post, I am talking BUSINESS CLASS!

United Airlines. I did not take the picture.

It has been far too many years since I had Premier status on United Airlines. Back when I was last in the "club" you were sometimes given free upgrades out of economy seating into business or first class seats. Now the program automatically upgrades you if there are seats available based on all kinds of statistical minutia that I don't even begin to comprehend.

This was my first time actually getting the upgrade, and ya know what? I slept through it for the entire flight to Chicago. I didn't drink myself silly on free booze. I never even cocked my foot rest. The reading lamp went entirely unused. The light snack that was served...not to me! I was snoring I'm sure.

I did, however, take full advantage of the massaging lumbar support. You set it to the maximum level you wish to be supported and then...like magic, it inflates and deflates in what seemed to be a random pattern. I can't really attest to that because, well...I was asleep! What I can tell you is that I had the most restful 2 hour nap on a plane that I have ever had in my 13 years of flying. I slept so soundly that I even dreamed. About what? I have no idea! That is how perfectly sound asleep I was.

Promotion!

Some of you may not know yet, but I was just promoted at work. I am a manager now! Not only do I have 10 people to boss around (well 8, I have to hire 2), but I have an office now. Here are some bare bones pics of it.

The entrance

As you enter, my desk to the right

Further to the right, guest seating!

I really did luck out as far as offices go. No window, but really…what would I be looking at? A parking lot, that's what!

So, once I get to decorate it, sometime mid February, I'll post pics of that so you can compare.

The Stinking Rose

Here it is, my #1 Favorite Restaurant in San Francisco. The Stinking Rose.

Here,  it's all about Garlic! I can't even begin to imagine the sheer amount of garlic this restaurant uses on a daily basis. All I know if that for 3 days after eating a meal here, you reek of it! To help with that, they bring a sinful appetizer to the table. It is made of slow-roasted garlic, olive oil, spices and a tiny bit of anchovy.

This concoction spreads onto the bread like soft butter. It's so yummy, that you almost want to spoil your dinner just to eat a pan full of this. They also provide a delicious Pesto on the table.

Mix that with the roasted garlic and it is pure heaven! My favorite dish here is the ravioli.

It is stuffed with garlic and served with a cream sauce and cilantro. I love how colorful it is. So, if you ever find yourself in San Francisco, be sure to check this place out.  You won't be sorry…but the stray Vampire might be.

NY NY It's a Hell of a…Sink?

For the past 3 days I have been in The Big Apple for work. Nothing exciting to report in regards to the trip…it was a one day affair, "Set it up, tear it down" sort of thing. What was rather nice is the hotel I was staying in. The Hotel Gansevoort Park Avenue (yes, you have to specify, because there are 2 of them. I went to the wrong one first. It's in the Meatpacking District and also very nice and a lot closer to all of the stuff I wanted to do while I was there, but I'm not bitter…much) is an amazing boutique hotel.

"Boutique", that's a fashionable way of saying the rooms are spectacularly decorated, but pretty darn small and a tiny 2 ounce bottle of Rum is gonna cost you $10. (But I needz my rum!)

Of course it also means you are treated to a certain level of opulence. Here is what my (small) room looked like.

Don't be fooled, I could barely walk between the chair and the bed.

You also tend to get a nice selection of toiletries. No Bath & Bodyworks stuff here!

Not to mention how delightfully they are displayed.

On to the sink…(I didn't forget the title of the post)

TOTALLY OUT OF PROPORTION! I couldn't comfortably walk around my room, but I could fit both of my legs into the sink (go on, try wiping that visual image out of your head). What is up with that? I mean, that could be a baby coffin for all I know! Despite being that huge, it was still possible to splash water out of it while rinsing your face.

It's a true testament to the fact that the designer didn't "live" in the space before submitting it. No one needs a sink that large! Just wasted space…they could have put in a smaller sink and thereby given the bedroom more space. Why does no one consult me on such matters? The world (or at least this hotel) would be a better place if they did!

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

I was recently in Orlando, FL for work and had the opportunity to eat at my favorite restaurant there…and drag my coworkers along with me. Cafe Tu Tu Tango is nestled in between all of the tourist traps on International Drive in Orlando. I was sure that it too was a chain of 100's of restaurants all over the country, but NO! It is a one of a kind gem, just the sort of restaurants I enjoy finding.

Yes, it's all bright colors!

The thing that makes Cafe Tu Tu Tango amazing isn't just the food. They bring in local artists who not only sell their completed wares, but create them right there. The night we were there 2 painters we at their easels and a jewelry designer was in the house. In addition, every piece of art in the restaurant is for sale. I saw some amazing pottery I would have loved to get if I'd had a way to get it home safely. Eating and shopping, 2 of my favorite past-times under one roof!

The food is  best described as Tapas. It's small plates, but is not your usual Spanish Tapas. In addition to the regular menu (which I highly suggest you peruse) the chef creates weekly specials that are out of this world delicious.

My dinner, I forgot to take a pic of my dessert.

I had the Southwest Chicken Flat Bread and the Pork Medallions. One of my coworkers got the short ribs and another got the Black Bean Soup, which I have had and can tell you is out of this world amazing. She liked it so much she ordered a second cup! For dessert I got the Cheesecake Pops. They take incredibly rich cheesecake, cut it into triangles and dip it in chocolate, then chill it and stick it on a lollipop stick. Every bite is a cold lesson in decadence.

So, if you find yourself in Orlando having a Disney or Universal lobotomy. Take the time to stray from the parks and seek out this little gem of a restaurant. They don't take reservations, but I requested "Preferred Seating" through OpenTable and the 5 of us were seated within 5 minutes of arriving at the restaurant.

Schweet! Suite

Ok, sometimes I complain about the amount of travel I have to do for my job. This time I could complain about a lot of things having to do with this trip, but one of them is not the room the client gave me at The Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. This, ladies and gentlemen...is my suite!

I call that The Porn Sofa. Imagine the possibilities!

This is the view as I came in the door. There is a great little nook in front of the smaller window where the desk I'm writing this post from is located.

What can I say? The Porn Sofa really dominates the room

This the view towards the bed and the HUGE picture window. I should also point out that if I could find a way to bring that curvy lamp behind The Porn Sofa home with me...I would!

The shower and vanity...nice, but wait for it!!!!!

BAM!!! The jacuzzi tub! I have been in it twice. It's delightful. I might just have to get one of these for my  house one day. The coolest thing is that I FIT IN IT! I can almost lay out flat and float!

Oh, I almost got too caught up in the interior. Here is my view!

The sign, and all of The Strip in the background!!!

It's not often that I get perks like this when I travel. Usually the client throws us in whatever hotel they happen to have comp rooms in. So when it does happen it's a special treat. A treat I am hoping to take full advantage of.

Gotta go...The Porn Sofa is giving me it's "Come hither" look!