Wineries

Things I LoveThings You Should KnowWining/Dining

THE LONG ROAD TO A GRAND OPENING!

 

You know all those parables recited when thinking about starting a new business?  Here are a few good ones:
 

“Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.” -Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder

“The last 10% it takes to launch something takes as much energy as the first 90%.” -Rob Kalin, Etsy founder

 

“Find an unmet need and meet it.” – Ross Perot
 
Every last word recited above was truly experienced during the concept, build-out and opening of The Cellar Beverly Hills (est. Jan 2017).
 
 
And what is this miraculous achievement? Not just “a premier fine wine concierge and storage service,” but: 
 
From on-demand bottle delivery and decanting to James Bond-esque security, our flagship facility introduces a multitude of innovative wine-centric services designed to optimize the collection experience.”
 

 

This is a sample of pre-opening social media (works for me!)

 

So why is The Cellar Beverly Hills relevant here?  Because it is the brainchild of my son Sam.  And the endeavor would in all probability have been stalled (to say the least) without the guidance and financial acumen of the one and only hubby (and Sam’s business partner).  They deserve enormous credit for not only surviving the process but for a job well done.  I even played a part with all the branding, incorporating my “day job” skills.  
 

 

Beautiful wine openers (top) embellished with Swarovski crystals are presented in the leather case above.

 

 

 

Sam’s first foray into wine: Figuring out what to do with our wine at home. Not only did he design the cellar shown at left — formerly a hallway closet (glass doors are open for the photo but it remains a cool 55 degrees in there), but he created an online inventory for us, including when the bottles are best to drink.  We knew he was on to something …

 

It is with great pride and excitement that I share photographs of the space and from the Grand Opening on 1.17.17.   Next time you’re in Beverly Hills, stop in for the grand tour.   Cheers! 

 

Every locker has a beautiful brass plate (top).  The reception desk was conceived and executed by master woodworker Bill Schwalm to replicate a wine barrel and wine press.

 

      

 

At the helm …

 

 

Upper left: bite-size delicious tastes from Divino Restaurant
Above:  Some of the guests.

Left:  It was “all Bialosky hands on deck” leading up to the opening event. Photos: Marvin Stendler
Let’s get this party started!
Things You Should KnowWining/Dining

ROAD TRIP! Part 3 — NAPA & BEYOND ..

This summer’s road trip (click here for previous posts) included Napa for two nights. Happily, the solution to finding great accommodations in Napa without spending a fortune (not easy) was achieved with a stay at the Andaz downtown Napa. We saw first-hand the tremendous building boom occurring in the area. And, if you’re not familiar with the name, Andaz is Hyatt’s “cool” brand, with 10 locations in the US (four in California), and a smattering in other countries.  I see a growth trend and it is understandable as to why.
The top properties in our beloved wine country can easily top four figures a night (Meadowood, Auberge du Soleil, Calistoga Ranch, etc). Staying at a hotel with great bedding, amenities, service plus a location where you can actually walk somewhere wins points in my book.  As a side note, a previous stay there was planned for Thanksgiving 2014, but the hotel sustained quite a bit of earthquake damage and was closed for months. All is quite well now ..
A wonderful dinner was enjoyed with our fellow-foodie-cousins at Redd in Yountville, where we always savor the cuisine of chef/proprietor Richard Reddington. Obviously we were very engrossed in conversation — at the end of the meal, I hadn’t taken any photos! Well, here’s this one of our delicious dessert:
We reconvened for breakfast with a trip to Carneros Center on Old Sonoma Highway. This is an area we would likely have missed had we not been taken there.  Suffice to say, we were happy to see a different part of Napa as we have become creatures of habit on these visits and stay in a pretty concentrated area (Napa, Yountville, St. Helena) when clearly there is so much more to experience.  Breakfast at Southside was fresh, inventive and delicious — well worth exploring this local gem.

 

 

Having been to Napa on many occasions, it was fun to take a more relaxed approach in terms of visiting wineries.  In other words, not feeling pressure to take in a lot in a short period of time is a good thing so one can simply enjoy the area.
The day took us to two wineries:  Peju Province and Biale.  More is not necessarily better, and it was lovely to savor the time at each of these beautiful locations.
From the Peju visit, top are photos from outside the winery; above-it was a good day for red convertibles as we met up with a like-minded visitor; right is a terrific wine carrier (available at different wineries) that holds 24 bottles safely and securely for baggage checking.
         

 

                   Near-ripe grapes at Biale Vineyards plus the
cutest book/savvy marketing available for purchase

 

 

 

A wise and decadent choice for a late lunch was at Gott’s on Highway 29 for a delicious BLT and an insanely-divine chocolate/coffee milkshake — perfection with a straw. The picnic table seating offers a chance to sit outside and enjoy the scenery.
Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh … 

 

We took the opportunity the stroll the downtown area of Napa during the evening, with absolutely no plan in mind and it was great.  Very relaxing, checking out the actual residents of the area on this summer night and, for once, not running here and there.  It was a total pleasure.

Our final full day took us to Sacramento (not much more than an hour from Napa) for lunch with the hubby’s longtime family friends/clients and an overdue opportunity to catch up.   Afterwards, we headed south to Stockton for dinner with a friend/client from high school who moved to the area after college and has lived there ever since.   Two stops, two chances to find out about life in these two California cities, and two lovely meals with lifelong friends.  It was a great day.
With Mike & Nita Thomas in Sacramento
The hubby would have opted to head home after the early dinner, but I prevailed and we spent the night in Stockton.  The drive home was a breeze and we were back in LA shortly after noon.  One needn’t venture far — even though we often do — to see amazing sights when one is fortunate to live in California …
This is what a road trip is all about …

 

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Things You Should KnowWining/Dining

ROAD TRIP! (Part 2)

After a couple of wonderful days in Pebble Beach (read about that here), the hubby and I continued north.  There is absolutely no question that a trip to the Bay Area incomplete without a meal at iconic Chez Panisse in Berkeley — always at the cafe. Why the cafe?  Just because I like the choice of what is offered instead of the typical fixed three- or four-course meal. Plus it just seems more casual … regardless, the food is always superb.  Read my post published in The Jewish Journal entitled “If You Had to Pick Just One” .. for my full take.

Since some of the Bialosky family settled in the East Bay, Walnut Creek was the designated spot for a group dinner.  There are a big selection of restaurants, and Maria, Maria provided authentic cuisine in a fun and lively (loud) setting. A night spent in Oakland was the easiest choice for our logistics so we proceeded to the downtown Marriott.  The hotel was fine, but $45 for valet parking (self park was just $10 less) seemed outrageous, and the personnel’s justification that “other places charge that and more” did not begin to make their case.  After a “firm, fair and friendly” chat with manager, the charge was removed.  Sadly, the overall area has a long way to go in terms of enticing visitors, and I’ll just leave it at that.

 
On to San Francisco where we had terrific accommodations at the Palace Hotel, south of Market (SOMA area) and part of Starwood luxury hotels. It is a great location and within walking distance to so very many places. I booked their AAA rate that included the $60 overnight valet parking. Having stayed at a number of high-end properties in the city, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to this one again and again … 

 

          Towering hydrangeas in the Palace lobby ..
 
On this beautiful summer day, we had a reunion lunch (childhood/high school friend) at Scala’s Bistro on Powell Street (recommend!), briefly visited the refurbished SFMOMA, and had an incredible dinner at Boulevard.  I’m not sure why this was our first visit to this restaurant, but it certainly won’t be the last.  After more than 20 years, the place was still packed and the food delicious. We were clearly in the hands of professionals.  Not so great was the walk to the restaurant from the hotel down Mission Street, where the very significant homeless problem in SF was unavoidably obvious.  If these folks could just be provided with public facilities, that would be a huge improvement.
 
 
 
En route to SFMOMA via Yerba Buena Gardens
View of museum atrium from the outside …
And an inside view

 

 

Lunch at Scala’s Bistro with my childhood friend/Bay Area resident Larry Clayman

 

 

Boulevard dinner:  salad with melon and veggies; soft shell crab; entrees of trout and chop; divine desserts … if only I could have hidden a round of their amazing bread from Acme bakery in my coat, the night would have been complete!
Only in SF or NY would this be considered a “bargain”
Ferry Building

 

                    

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And then there was a fun visit to IHOP (why not??) before heading to see the Oakland A’s play the Toronto Blue Jays … but no point in going into this relic of a stadium.  We were just happy to spend time with our niece, nephew and their spouses before heading up to Napa — where this Road Trip deliciously continued!
 

 

Someone must have yelled “lean” instead of “cheese”!
Niece Jen and nephew Mitchellhere

 

International TravelThings I LoveThings You Should KnowWining/Dining

AFRICA, PART 2: CAPE WINELANDS NOT QUITE NAPA … YET

When one has the good fortune to be just a few hours from the world-class Napa Valley, it is easy to become a bit jaded in terms of whether another region can compete.  But when the hubby and I arrived in Franschhoek, outside of Cape Town (see previous post), it was time to rethink that premise. Certainly the accommodations at La Residence rank atop the most superb experienced in our travels .. and that is saying A LOT.
From La Residence:  the entrance; staff greeting us; our vineyard suite and looking our to the main pool.
Pool for the five vineyard suites; our accommodations and the bar provided.  Don’t see what you like; Just ask!
From the welcome crew awaiting us on the portico to our vineyard suite, one of five total (this one belongs to owners Liz & Phil Biden) plus 11 rooms in the main building, I have now declared (only somewhat in jest) that I am never leaving.  The beauty is just staggering, not to mention everything included — bar stocked to “our pleasure,” amenities galore, fireplace, private garden, and on … I am embarrassed to admit this wasn’t even our first choice — that actually was Delaire Graff (comments below).

 

Bath drawn by the amazing staff; breakfast laid out by a roaring fire to ward off the morning chill; news summary provided plus an assortment of reading glasses just in case …

 

Two days is a wholly-inadequate amount of time to enjoy the wine country. Between the principal areas of Franschhoek and neighboring Stellenbosch, there are more than 300 wineries of varying size with more opening all the time. Comparisons to the wine country of Northern California are inevitable. The surrounding mountains are higher in the Cape area, and the weather is more tropical.  Both regions have a mix of enviable soil, open vistas and non-stop visitors coming through.
 
The biggest difference regrettably is I’ve never known Napa/Sonoma wineries to have barbed-wire fences surrounding their properties.  Nor are there spaces where undeveloped land is home to virtual slums — open-sided “housing” with no evidence of the most basic conveniences about which we Americans don’t give a second thought. There are lots of small children milling about. The circumstances are heartbreaking. That is not unique to the wine area; we saw much too much of it when driving in other areas of the Cape.  
 
The wine area of Northern California always appears to me to be “manicured,” even in areas absent a winery.  That is another difference compared to the Cape area where undeveloped land is every mix of weed and debris. 
 
That said, there are ultra-luxurious properties around the Cape — certainly La Residence (one of five properties making up The Royal Portfolio) — plus Delaire Graff, the latter developed and owned by British billionaire/jeweler Laurence Graff.  It is an exquisite property with just 10 accommodations and two phenomenal restaurants: Indochine and Delaire Graff Restaurant.  We had a wonderful dinner with great service at the latter on our last night in the area.
On the grounds and elsewhere, there is an impressive collection
of these enormous Dylan Lewis sculptures.
The other sought-after restaurant is The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.  The tables are offered to hotel guests first, and then to outsiders.  We were thrilled when our wait-list booking was confirmed just hours before the requested time slot.  For a party of two, no two dishes within a course are the same (we swapped a bit after being served). Thankfully a printed menu was presented with the bill so I could read what was just consumed.  Many of the ingredients incorporated were both regional and unfamiliar with inventive presentations. The staff is meticulously trained, yet it was challenging to understand most of the personnel because they speak a variety of dialects. Right now the exchange rate of South African rand is extremely favorable to US dollars which is definitely a benefit to us, but not so to the country.

 

Franschhoek Motor Museum: South Africa’s answer to Jay Leno is the collection of 300 cars owned by the Rupert family.  There are 80 cars on display at a time.  Above is the trolley we took to tour the main grounds of this estate, including the winery and private track above where the cars are routinely driven.
Clockwise from upper left:  the first Ford Model T in South Africa; a Cord; the source of the family wealth (tobacco); the buildings display 80 cars at a time (rotated every six months); a Bugatti
Early 20th century touring cars; celebrating 100 years of BMW; collection of Mustangs
That Aston Martin works for me; five of their 15 Ferraris; our
guide/docent was extremely knowledgeable.  Only the five mechanics on staff are allowed to even start the cars, let alone drive them.

 

The proverbial take away is go, go, go to this wonderful and fascinating country.  The Cape winelands may not be the Napa Valley just yet, but you are certain to enjoy the scenery, great food, hospitable people and some excellent wines — in particular Pinotage, which happens to be South Africa’s signature variety, which we greatly enjoyed.  It is a cross between the Pinot Noir and Cinsaut grapes  and was developed in South Africa in 1925 … cheers!
Rust en Vrede — the land dates back to the 1600’s
Ernie Els — one of the country’s best golfers and pretty good vintner

 

 

Things I LoveU.S. TravelWining/Dining

PASO ROBLES VINEYARD WEDDING

Weddings are generally happy occasions, but some are just downright joyful … and a recent family wedding definitely was the latter.  All the elements were there: gorgeous setting (HammerSky Vineyards in Paso Robles); beautiful bride and handsome groom; wonderful weather (unseasonably mild); and the feeling that this couple is in it for the long haul.
First the location.  I have written about Paso Robles in a previous post — i.e., it is now what Napa was many years ago, minus the crowds.  PR doesn’t yet have the great eateries of Napa and probably won’t for a long time, but it is easier and closer to access from So. Cal., plus it is about 30 miles inland from Hearst Castle and the gorgeous coastline.
Most of the guests stayed at the Paso Robles Inn, a fine hotel (but for the rock-hard pillows).  One cannot beat the location, across from PR’s main town square, and the rates are affordable.  For a more luxurious stay, I would opt for Summerwood Winery & Inn, where many of the wedding party stayed and site of the morning-after brunch.  It is close into the main part of PR, but with the feeling of truly being far away, a win-win. The addition of many amenities: wine tasting, home-made breakfast, evening appetizers, etc., are all a big plus in my book.
Full disclosure:  I won’t be totally objective in describing the main event, because it’s family — specifically the groom is my nephew and the ceremony was officiated by his sister/my niece — a true family affair. On top of that was meeting my great niece for the first time — daughter of the officiant, granddaughter of my sister, niece of the groom.  Got all that??
L-R:  Grandma Janie; great auntie Margie with Doron
wearing her “My Auntie Rocks” t-shirt gift from us —
nice touch for our very first meeting … 
For the wedding, guests were taken via shuttle to the vineyard, about 20 minutes from downtown PR. HammerSky Vineyards has become known as a prime wedding destination. Owner (and still-practicing dentist) Doug Hauck and his wife Kim have owned the property for less than 10 years, but have created a real gem. Doug was a hands-on presence at the wedding, answering questions both about his wines and the venue.

 

 

Top:  The setting
Above:  The ceremony
Below left:  Placecard & Menu
Below right: The table
Some of the offerings:  Risotto; roasted vegetables;
lamb; scallop in carrot puree
The ceremony was beautiful, emotional, funny, and very personal as stories were shared, vows spoken, and Jon & Lauren became Mr & Mrs Grauman.  It was then on to special cocktails, wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres before being seated at tables of different sizes for dinner.  As the sunlight faded, candles were lit and lights hung from the trees were illuminated for a beautiful effect. Music played a bigger-than-normal role in the event, as the groom started out in the music industry and has very close ties to this day.  I’m happy to report it was a good mix and there was plenty to dance to for everyone’s tastes.  There was an after party, and even an after-after party (I’m told), but that was for the others….
The aforementioned brunch at Summerwood was the perfect ending to the event.  Delicious food, casual gathering, idyllic setting.  And another visit with the aforementioned great niece, Doron — too bad we had to share her with lots of other family members!  She lives in Seattle so the next visit will be in December and I look forward to that.
Niece/officiant/new mom Jenna; baby Doron; our daughter Hannah

 

 

So congrats to the newlyweds!   Here are a few quotes on marriage, with which you can either have a laugh or take to heart … 
 
“I had an exciting time.  I married for love and got a little money to go along with it.” ~ Rose Kennedy
“Married men live longer than single men. But married men are a lot more willing to die.” ~Johnny Carson
“All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner.” ~ Red Skelton
“When marriage works, nothing on earth can take its place.”  ~ Helen Gahagan Douglas
Things I LoveU.S. TravelWining/Dining

BEST WAY TO END THE SUMMER (WARNING: Do not proceed on an empty stomach!)

With the end of summer fast approaching, and the son and daughter about to gain full employment (please God), a family trip was in order.   Where to go?  Well, that would be nirvana/heaven-on-earth/the foodies’ paradise … aka Napa Valley.

 

Wonderful eggplant parm for the first dinner in Napa ..

We decided to make the drive this time so off we set up Highway 5 (Hwy 1 is obviously more scenic but we wanted to get here sooner).    After a brief stop for lunch at Harris Ranch (instead of all the fast food along the way), we were happily ensconced at Silverado Resort & Spafor 4 days …

 

Happy-day-after 24th birthday!

 

Hotels in the general Napa area have gotten really pricey, so I’m considering these digs as pretty much a “bargain” when taking into account the spaciousness (we’re in a 3-BR condo), full kitchen (for breakfast and snacks), multiple pools plus being right on the golf course for gorgeous scenery.   As this is really high season – end of summer and Labor Day weekend – I made dinner reservations in advance and left our days open.



Our first full day began with randomly heading up the Silverado Trail for a stop at Robert Sinskey Winery.  Wine tasting before lunch? 

Lone melon in the garden!

 













No problem.  And if Sinskey is good enough for The Barefoot Contessa to have made it part of her show, then it’s good enough for us.  Actually we were out of their wonderful wines at home so a small purchase was in order, as it was at our next stop — Groth Winery.     

Hmmmm, serious consideration of wine list.

 










Chef Richard Reddington — pretty brilliant!

Across the valley and south to Yountville for lunch at Redd Wood.
Now open more than a year, this is the second restaurant in Napa by renowned chef Richard Reddington (we’ll be dining at his eponymous Redd our last night here).  Reddington, who was executive chef at Auberge du Soleil prior to going out on his own, clearly learned from many of the legendary restaurateurs under whom he trained over the years.  His food is just downright delicious with a touch of fun … Redd Wood is located next to one of the newer boutique hotels in Yountville — North Block Hotel –so guess where you’d be having breakfast if you stayed there! And by chance we were able to say hello as he came out — not because we were there but to greet the grande dame of the area, Margrit Mondavi (as in wife of the late Robert and please don’t ask me how I recognized her ..).  It was great to pay our respects to him and prepare him for our visit on Friday … 


Life-size “Pinterest” board/art installation at Redd Wood



I would be remiss not mentioning the corn soup at lunch — a small amount offered with compliments that was cold, light, and can only be described as a corn milkshake.  It was wonderful … and the pizza was to-die-for!  

Burrata and tomato salad with micro greens

 

Corn soup aka “milkshake”!
Fig/leek/goat cheese pizza

 

Beet and ricotta raviolis



That evening was was spent at Mustards Grill, a location described in a previous blog post.  What was noteworthy besides their fun signage and the always-delicious food was the staff … they are serious about the food and preparation, but enjoy themselves at the same time.  That made for a wonderful evening (not to mention the nectarine/fig/blackberry cobbler with buttermilk ice cream …)  


 

Two happy campers!

 

 

My halibut with roasted tomatoes

 

Aforementioned cobbler plus another decadent chocolate/hazelnut concoction ..

 

 
Harvest time!


Serious wine tasting/buying was on the agenda the next day, including Shafer, Clos du Val, Stag’s Leap and a totally off-the-map winery named 
David Fulton.  In between we had our Thomas Keller fix with lunch at Bouchon (GREAT) and then up to Dean and DeLuca.  As with previous visits, the hubby works with their personnel to put together a case of wines that are generally available only here in Napa.  Many of the wineries’ production is so small that everything is consumed locally (Fulton produces under 400 cases per year as an example).  That case will be a welcome delivery back home. 

Me and my girl ..

 

 

Diced nectarine/arugula/granola salad

 

Could not miss these .. 

 

Bouchon Bakery’s take on a classic (managed to pass up)



















 

Westie sighting in Sonoma (we have two at home)

After a very casual night, we headed to Sonoma for a walkaround the town square before going to Santa Rosa and lunch at Guy Fieri’s Johnny Garlics (he wasn’t there …).  We did a big sweep north and then west and ended up back in Calistoga after getting the full flavor of the area.  First stop was Duckhorn, followed by Cuvaison and Joseph Phelps.

View from Joseph Phelps’ terrace

 

Post-wine-tasting scene at Phelps — that’s a lot of glasses to wash!

 

27 years and counting … 

The last evening coincided with our anniversary and it was a pleasure to dine at Redd in Yountville with cousins.  By that time, honestly I was ready to surrender and savor the thought of a return visit .. We flew home (the son drove on to Vegas) after another fun visit with family in Danville, and completed the trip with a celebrity encounter at the Burbank airport…

 

Amy Adams with Hannah