Graze Charleston describes itself as creative, casual cuisine – and I’ll give it that, the menu was creative and offered a variety of choices from fish to pasta to pork. We dined on a Saturday night, and had made a reservation at 8:30 for a party of two.

It took about 10 minutes to be greeted by the host – the restaurant was packed and people were congregated everywhere. The bar was very noisy and on this Saturday was hosting a very large party with Woo-Woo girls (if you don’t know about the woo-woo girls, you must check out How I Met Your Mother.)
We were seated just in front of the kitchen and heard all the bathroom and kitchen traffic – next time I’d request a seat in the front of the restaurant.

Our server was not very knowledgeable (I ordered a cappuccino and she said we don’t carry those here – it’s milk and coffee, there’s nothing to carry. Maybe I’m being tough, clearly she meant they didn’t have a machine to make cappuccino, but then just say that) and she was very soft spoken – given our location, that meant we had to ask her to repeat the specials several times.

We started with the Spicy Tuna Tataki appetizer with scallions, spicy bean paste and cucumber salad with crispy wonton skins, tobikko and pickled ginger mayo. I did not really enjoy the Spicy Tuna Tataki – the tuna was cut on the thick side and the bean paste was very spicy. The wontons added a little crunch and the cucumbers added much needed acid to an otherwise uninspiring dish.

I ordered the Hearts of Romaine Caesar and was brought the Graze salad. After I sent it back, the Caesar arrived and was very good – and quite large for a starter salad (I would suggest sharing this.) For dinner, I ordered the Wild Mushroom Pappardelle with Split Creek Farm goat cheese, spinach, pine nuts, wild mushrooms and truffle oil. The dish was very, very heavy even though there was a small portion of goat cheese sitting atop the dish. The sauce was thick and creamy. The mushrooms and spinach were very good and the pasta was good as well. I had expected a lighter dish given the description and was a little disappointed with the dish – I couldn’t find the truffle oil.

My friend ordered the Pomegranate BBQ Grouper with Smashed Pea Risotto and Grilled Summer Vegetables. She enjoyed the fish, but wasn’t overwhelmed. The desserts were not on the menu and had to be read several times by our server. Since it was so loud – thanks woo-woo girls – I had a hard time hearing and so we asked for her recommendation. She suggested an amaretto brownie. The brownie didn’t taste home-made and there was no sign of amaretto anywhere in that dessert – so I wonder if we misheard her (but that’s what we both thought we heard) or it just wasn’t a great dessert.

In the end, I would definitely give Graze another chance – I’m going to chalk this one up to a very busy night, an overwhelmed staff and some crazy woo-woo girls.

Spicy Tuna Tataki

Wild Mushroom Pappardelle

It’s hard to imagine that that same people who brought us Olive Garden and Red Lobster are responsible for Seasons 52. If you’ve ever had the chance to visit a Seasons 52, you know that the restaurant focuses on fresh, seasonally available, health-conscious dishes. There are twenty-one locations (several of which open in late Fall 2011 and Spring of 2012).

Seasons 52 offers a main dining area – reservations are highly recommended – and a bar with open seating. On a Wednesday night at 6pm there was a 45 minute wait for dining room seating and a hoping bar!

My colleagues and I ordered the Grilled Steak and Cremini Mushroom Flatbread with fresh spinach and Wisconsin Blue Cheese. It was delicious. The flatbread was crisp and the toppings were flavorful. We also ordered the Caramelized Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese. The mushrooms were served Escargot Style and were very delicious. The flatbread and mushrooms are a great appetizers for sharing with a group.

For dinner, I had the Grilled Turkey Tenderloin Skewer. It’s normally served with vegetable pearl pasta, but because I have a tomato allergy, I substituted truffle mashed potatoes. It was accompanied with haricots verts and a tamarind glaze. The Turkey was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The skewer was wonderful.

My favorite part of the meal are the mini indulgences – shot glass sized desserts. The shot glasses are presented table-side and include choices like Key Lime Pie, Old Fashioned Carrot Cake, Rocky Road, Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse, Mocha Macchiato and Pecan Pie. They were also featuring a seasonal option of Blueberry Cheesecake. I tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse and it was delectable. The small portion was perfect after the meal.

The fact that Seasons 52 is a chain amazes me. The food is fresh, innovative and sophisticated. I love the food and will continue to visit when I find myself in a city with a Seasons 52.

Flatbread

Dessert

One of the things that makes Mai Lee so appealing, is the story of its owner. I first learned about Mai Lee on Twitter from a Zagat tweet. However, I had lived in St Louis back in the early 1990s and never knew about this gem.

From their website: Mai Lee’s story
After escaping a war torn Vietnam in 1980 with my husband and young son, I waitressed at various Chinese restaurants around St. Louis to help make ends meet for my young family. Pursuing the American dream led me to opening Mai Lee Restaurant in 1985 with a full Chinese menu. To honor my heritage, I slowly added Vietnamese dishes to the menu of the then tiny 6 table restaurant. To my delight, our customers welcomed the additions enthusiastically and now Mai Lee is regarded as the very first Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis. It has been over 20 years and although the restaurant has moved from its original location, it is still a family affair. It is a privilege for me, my husband, Sau, and my children, Qui, Sara, and Linda to welcome you to Mai Lee Restaurant. It is our goal to make sure you have a pleasant dining experience as you navigate your way through the unique cuisine of Vietnam.
Lee Tran

We went to Mai Lee with a larger group of 6 people and had to wait about 20 minutes on a Tuesday night for a table. The restaurant, which is located in a large shopping center complex off of the interstate, was noisy and filled with all types of diners.

We ordered an appetizer and variety of entrees and quickly discovered we had ordered a TON of food. In fact, the table wasn’t big enough and the staff promptly brought over another two-top table to accommodate. We started with the make your own spring rolls – what a great concept – but a little challenging for those in the group who had never worked with rice paper before. We ordered the BANH HOI GA NUONG spring rolls which included fresh greens and flavorful chicken. It was up to the diner to wet the rice paper – we were given a bowl of water and a plate of rice paper – fill the spring roll with the greens and chicken and roll it. Making the spring rolls was fun and they were delicious.

We also ordered two soups that came on large burners and could easily serve about 4 people! Lau Sate was a combination of meat and seafood in a coconut sate and Lau De was a traditional Vietnamese Goat Soup – yes, there was really goat in it. We ordered a firepot soup – Lau Thap Cam which was a combination of meat and seafood. In addition to the soups, we ordered the Ga Xao Chau – a chicken stir-fry in lemon sauce with mixed vegetables.

The service was outstanding and we were even greeted by the owner herself –she taught us how to prepare the Lau Sate.

Everything was amazing and full of great flavor. The food was light and satisfying. I would consider Mai Lee one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I’ve been to in the US and definitely reminded me of my trips to South East Asia. I loved Mai Lee and will definitely return on my next trip to St Louis.

In April, the FAA announced new rules to expand the rights of airline passengers, and those regulations take effect 8/23/11. These new regulations include provisions to:
• Force airlines to display all potential fees for services and amenities such as baggage check, meals, and canceling reservations on their websites;
• Refund any baggage fees for lost luggage in addition to current rules which say they must compensate travelers for lost or damaged belongings;
• Increase compensation for passengers bumped from flights and delayed for up to two hours to twice the ticket price, up to $650, and for those delayed longer than two hours to as much as four times ticket value, up to $1,300. Formerly shorter delays brought compensation equal to ticket value up to $400 and longer delays were capped at $800;
• Allow US regulators to fine carriers as much as $27,500 per customer for leaving passengers on foreign flights stranded on a tarmac for more than four hours. (This expands a 2009 rule prohibiting delays of more than three hours for domestic flights by US carriers.)

In addition to these, there are some other rules that the Department of Transportation proposed that go into effect Jan. 24, 2012, and those include:
• Allowing customers to change or cancel reservations within 24 hours of booking without a penalty fee as long as the reservation was made at least a week before departure;
• Forcing airlines to immediately notify passengers of cancellations, diversions, and delays of more than 30 minutes;
• And requiring carriers to display all government taxes and fees in their advertised prices.

When pigs die and go to heaven, they land in Michael Symon’s Lola Bistro on trendy 4th Street in downtown Cleveland.

Cleveland may be one of the most underrated food cities in America, but the options for great food are endless and Lola is the pinnacle for fabulous food.

Forget about getting a table without reservations and if you’re early, expect to wait. But, if you have to wait, the bar offers its wine and beer list on an iPad – and has a great selection. And, the bartenders and wait staff are also very knowledgeable and made great suggestions.

We started our dinner with appetizers and were not disappointed. I ordered the goat cheese and onion tart served with arugula, red peppers and oranges. It was flaky and flavorful and left me wanting more. I would order the tart again. My friend ordered the signature beef check perogi with mushrooms and horseradish. He loved it and said he would order it again (I was unable to taste it because it had tomato and I’m allergic!)

For our main courses, we ordered the scallops with pea yogurt puree, whole peas, lemon, pancetta and carrots. It was beautifully presented equally appetizing. The scallops were cooked with a perfect sear and were delicious. The pea yogurt puree was amazing and mixed very nicely with the peas, carrots, lemon and pancetta. Michael Symon knows how to make pea green look great. My friend ordered the quail and pork belly which was served over a sweet and sour bean salad. He thought the dish was outstanding.

My favorite part of any meal, dessert, was the perfect end to the evening. We ordered the key lime pie. Which was an almost deconstructed version of the classic. The “pie” sat upright on top of a toasted meringue and toasted almonds, it was accompanied by lime mousse and lime sorbet. This is key lime pie done right. And we ate every single bite. We also had the berries with crème friache, champagne gelee and berry jus. The berries were fresh and sweet and the crème friache was the perfect accompaniment.

The service was very good, the wait staff was attentive, knowledgeable and welcoming. The atmosphere is energetic and the dining room was a bit on the loud side.

When I’m back in Cleveland in October, we’ll be going back to Lola. I’m dying to try the roasted peach dessert. Lola is a don’t miss is Cleveland.

Word of Caution on the Photos…for some reason they didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. They do not do justice to the food!! I promise I will get better photos in October!

Bar

Goat Cheese and Onion Tart

Scallops

Key Lime

What’s the best credit card out there? It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for travel rewards, you might want to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

The most advertised Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus offer is their 25,000 point offer, however, there is a better, 50,000 point offer. Both offers require you spend 3,000 in the first three months. 50,000 Ultimate Rewards Points is worth $625 in hotel accommodations or airline tickets.

The Chase Sapphire pays out rewards in Ultimate Rewards Points, which can be redeemed for cash or gift certificates at a 100-point-to-$1 value. Or, if you book travel through the Ultimate Rewards it redeems with a 25% bonus, so instead of 50,000 points equaling $500, it’s worth $625!
Chase also lets you transfer your Ultimate Rewards Points to several hotel or airline loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio. Those are:
• Amtrak
• British Airways
• Continental/United Airlines
• IHG (Priority Club)
• Marriott
• Hyatt
• Korean Air

The Preferred Card also gives an annual points dividend, a great perk. It pays a 7% bonus on your rewards points each year, meaning your rewards will earn rewards themselves, even if you’ve already spent them.

Another great benefit if you travel, is that the Chase Sapphire has no foreign transaction fee, a great benefit for international travelers.

The most amazing meal at the Phoenician Scottsdale came at celebrity Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten J&G; Steakhouse (for those of your die-hard Starwood fans – you’ll recognize Chef Jean-Georges name from his collaboration with the Le Meridien hotels.)

J&G; sits on top of the Phoenician hotel and offers spectacular views of the mountains. The restaurant offers several dining options – the Neighborhood Menu – a price fixed three-course meal – offered between 5pm –7pm, the standard price fixed menu and the a la carte menu.

I choose the Neighborhood Menu and was taken on an amazing culinary adventure. I started with the Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Shitake Vinaigrette. It was so fresh, crisp, tasty and a great way to start the meal.

My main course was the Slowly Cooked Salmon sitting on top of Warm Potato Salad and Sugar Snap Peas reduction with fresh horseradish shavings. The salmon was cooked perfectly and was mouthwatering; the warm potato salad was flavorful and had just enough bite from the beautiful snap pea reduction and horseradish. I am still dreaming about the snap pea reduction.

The meal was capped by a sinful and decadent Warm Chocolate Cake dusted with powdered sugar with Caramel Ice Cream on a bed of salt. When you cut into the warm chocolate cake, the center poured out perfectly.

The meal was truly amazing and quite a deal at only $38 (plus taxes and gratuity). I highly recommend you visit any Jean-Georges restaurant around the world – you won’t be disappointed.

The Sheraton Tribeca is a recently opened hotel and you can still see the signs of newness – rooms are in great shape, bathrooms are near picture perfect, common areas are updated and don’t show any signs of wear or tear yet. But at the same time, the staff also seems new – it was hard to get a question answered (I was transferred to 3 people before getting an answer), I was not recognized as a Platinum member of the SPG program, was not told about the concierge lounge or any other benefits.

My experience with check in was less than idea. I arrived and was greeted by the front desk staff. She began the check in process and then answered a call. Instead of telling the caller she was with a guest, she stayed on the phone and helped them – for about 10 minutes – before getting back to checking me in. When I suggested to her that perhaps she could put them on hold and finish what she had started with me, she was rude and sarcastic with her answer.

My room was as small as a shoebox, but it’s Manhattan, what else do you expect? The room was very clean and in like-new condition since the hotel is still so new. The bathroom was also small, but the shower was nice and had great water pressure. There was ample space for things like hair dryers, bath products and plenty of plugs. The layout of the room was a bit odd – but not horrible. If you weren’t careful, you could trip over yourself. The view from the room was spectacular and the window opened just slightly – a new perk if you enjoy the “fresh” air.

I ordered room service on my first night since I got in so late (they’re only open until 11pm) and there were very quick. The order wasn’t correct when it arrived, but they immediately fixed it and were very pleasant and helpful. The food was average – about what you’d expect from room service – and very expensive.

Since I wasn’t informed about the concierge lounge at check-in I inquired the next day and was told about the 21st floor lounge. I visited at the end of the day for and was very underwhelmed by the appetizers they were serving – cold, shriveled cocktail hotdogs and something that looked like a mini-quiche but tasted nothing like it. I was equally disappointed by the breakfast options – Hampton Inn’s breakfasts are better. Frankly, the Element at Times Square (Starwood’s new Eco Chic brand inspired by Westin) offered appetizers and breakfast that were 10 times better than the Sheraton Tribeca and you could get the same thing the Sheraton offered in the concierge lounge at a Hampton or Holiday Inn. The only beverages offered in the lounge during my stay were coffee, tea, Coke Zero, Diet Coke and Wine. No water.

Aside from the disappointing food in the lounge, the space was laid out well, had ample seating and several computers. The best part of was the outdoor patio/deck with seating, umbrellas and a remarkable view of the city. The lounge would be a great place to meet with colleagues or relax outside.

Another great plus for this hotel is its proximity to great restaurants like David Burke’s Kitchen – a short block away – and many other sidewalk cafes, trendy restaurants. There is a subway station ½ block away from the hotel entrance and cabs were pretty easy to catch.

Checkout was quick and easy and the concierge was very helpful with directions. The bellman hailed a cab – which took about 5 minutes – and loaded my luggage.

I’m not sure if I would choose to stay at the Sheraton Tribeca again. I enjoyed the fact that it’s very new and clean, but there was nothing special about the hotel that would draw me back. I would personally rather stay at the Element – which is also very new, has larger rooms and better benefits.

View from the Sheraton Tribeca

The Phoenician Scottsdale is part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection of hotels. The Phoenician is tucked into the Sonoran Desert near Camelback Mountain. From the moment you arrive at the Phoenician, you’re greeted by exceptionally trained and hospitable staff members. From the valet to the bellman to the front desk staff, the level of service is notable. I arrived around dinner time on Friday night and was quickly checked into my room.

As a Starwood Platinum member, I’ve become accustomed to complimentary room upgrades. However, there were no upgrades available at the Phoenician when I checked in. I was assured that my room had a lovely view – and it did. I was located on the third floor of the hotel and my room was quite large and had a spacious balcony ( with room for a lounge chair) that over looked the gardens and pools. I was not told about any of the Platinum features offered at the hotel and had to call the concierge to inquire (she happily told me about the free internet and complimentary water – which I had to order ).

The thing that stands out most about this hotel is the level of service from almost all of the staff (It’s hard to be perfect, but the Phoenician comes pretty darn close!) If I had to rate the service, I’d give it a 99.9% (I had one waiter who disappeared after he took my order and never returned until it was time to collect the check – having said that, the other staff made up for his disappearance.)

The hotel room had a king sized bed and very luxurious linens. There was a small living area with couch, chair and desk. The desk had a great view of the mountains. The bathroom was very large with a shower, sunken bath, two sinks and private toilet. There were two very comfortable robes and plenty of large bath towels in the bathroom. The shower had great water pressure and the bath products, called Remede – a Canadian brand – were great (I think I found a new shampoo!)

There are 9 pools at the resort – which was great because I could always find one without splashing children at play. The spa – The Center for Well Being (check out my post about the spa and salon)– and salon – Salon Mila – offer a variety of relaxing services (more on those later). There is a cactus garden – which had it not been 109 degrees I might have enjoyed – I did take a few touristy cactus photos for the collection. The Phoenician boasts a $25 million dollar art collection and if you take a guided tour of the collection, you will receive complimentary tickets to the Phoenix Art Museum or Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (if you’re trying to avoid the scorching temperatures outside, museums are a great way to do that. The hotel also has a 27-hole golf course and tennis complex (I don’t have much to report on those – except they looked very well kept.)

In addition to the amenities the resort offered, there were 11 restaurants and lounges. I had the opportunity to visit a few. Relish Burger Bar, located above the golf club, is a casual restaurant with reasonable prices and amazing burgers. I had a Kobe Beef Burger with mushrooms and onions and a side of garlic fries. It was delish! The burger was cooked perfectly and the fires were perfect. The manager told me that the fried pickles were a house specialty, but I was too stuffed to try them. il-terrazzo is an American-Italian styled restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Diners can choose from indoor or outdoor seating. I sat outside Saturday morning around 7am for breakfast and it was bearable, however, I made the grave mistake of sitting outside Saturday night in nearly 108 degree roasting heat. The service at the restaurant is impeccable and everyone greets you by name. The staff works together to make sure your every need or desire is taken care of. I had a variety of meals at Il-Terrazzo – breakfast was always great. I tried the Pecan Waffles with bourbon syrup – very nice – the lox and bagels, deconstructed and very filing; and the American Breakfast (two eggs, potatoes and sausage or bacon) it was the most standard hotel-style food I had the entire weekend. For dinner Saturday night, I dined outdoors at Il-Terrazzo – a serious miscalculation on my part. It was so hot that it made it hard to enjoy my meal. However, I did order a Ceaser salad to start – and it was very good, followed by veal ravioli in a sage wine sauce. They were delicious. They offered dessert, but it was too hot to stay outside.

The most amazing meal came at celebrity Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten J&G; Steakhouse (for those of your die-hard Starwood fans – you’ll recognize Chef Jean-Georges name from his collaboration with the Le Meridien hotels.) J&G; sits on top of the Phoenician hotel and offers spectacular views of the mountains. The restaurant offers several dining options – the Neighborhood Menu – a price fixed three-course meal – offered between 5pm – 7pm, the standard price fixed menu and the a la carte menu. I choose the Neighborhood Menu and was taken on an amazing culinary adventure. I started with the Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Shitake Vinaigrette. It was so tasty and a great way to start the meal. My main course was the Slowly Cooked Salmon over Warm Potato Salad and Sugar Snap Peas reduction with fresh horseradish. The salmon was cooked perfectly and was mouthwatering; the warm potato salad was flavorful and had just enough bite from the beautiful snap pea reduction and horseradish. The meal was capped by a sinful and decadent Warm Chocolate Cake with Caramel Ice Cream on a bed of salt and powdered sugar. The meal was truly amazing and quite a deal at only $38 (plus taxes and gratuity). I highly recommend you visit any Jean-Georges restaurant around the world – you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve visited Scottsdale for three-years running and I think this will be the last dead-of-summer trip to the desert. I got to witness first-hand a sand storm (amazing and scary at the same time) and temperatures that soared above 110! I would absolutely return to the Phoenician hotel anytime – the food was superb, the service exceptional and the pools were stunning – all very good points!

The Mountains at the Phoenician

Palm Tress at the Phoenician

Sand Strom on the horizon

Phoenician Room

Cactus Garden

Veiew from the Balcony

I made great use of the Center for Well Being during my stay at the Phoenician Scottsdale. I splurged on several treatments including a Thai Foot Massage with Thai White Dirt and Lime scrub (surprisingly refreshing); a neck, shoulder and back massage – Anna, the therapist, was great; a facial – not the best facial I ever had, but certainly not the worst. I’m not sure the facial was worth what they were charging for it though.

I also got an Ice Cream manicure and pedicure – I choose peach “ice-cream” scented products (this mani/pedi was the same price as the standard mani/pedi) and didn’t really stand out other than the smell of the products. I get a manicure and pedicure at least twice a month and I’ve paid a full-range of prices – from the exorbitant to the ridiculously low –and I’d rank the manicure/pedicure services at the Phoenician at exorbitant and over-rated. The service was good, but not excellent – which I expect at a resort like this. There was nothing special about the salon area – where they offer mani/pedi and other nail serives, the polish choices were limited, and the atmosphere wasn’t very relaxing.

I would absolutely recommend the massage services – Anna especially – and never thought twice about the resort rates I was paying. If you like to pamper your feet and legs, the Thai Foot Massage is a great way to go. I was taken back to Thailand for at least 50 minutes! The spa was very relaxing and offered a variety of classes and services throughout the day. I had hoped to try Thai-Chi, but it’s only offered on Thursdays.

The women’s locker room was very clean and stocked with great creature comforts (lotions, shampoos, etc…). The showers stuck out for me – the water pressure was amazing and I could have stayed in there for hours! They also offered a hot and dry sauna (not sure why you’d need that – just step outside and sizzle!), hot tub, relaxation/meditation room, plenty of water, iced-tea and hot tea (again, the hot tea was lost on me.) I did take time to enjoy the relaxation/meditation room. It was comfortable, had plenty of sunlight and a very relaxing fountain. Use of the spa facilities is complimentary with any 50 minute service. I was a bit surprised by the fake flowers used to decorate throughout and couln’t quite tell if the greenery was real or not. Overall, the atmosphere was one of relaxation.

I’ve now been to the spa at the JW Marriott Scottsdale, the spa at the Fairmont Princess and the Center for Well Being at the Phoenician. I like the spa amenities at the JW Marriot the best – they have a full-size pool, restaurant, and very spacious locker-room. The variety of services at the Phoenician definitely stands out among the three. However, if you’re looking for the most luxurious spa, head to the Fairmont Princess. The nail services at the JW Marriott far outshine the Phoenician – and in fact, if I had to do it over again, I’d head over to Bliss at the W Scottsdale for nail services in the future.