Quickies
Going Back for Seconds
In March, after a disappointing birthday dinner at The French Laundry, my sweetheart took me to The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton to see if it might restore my spirits. And how! We went again last week (why did we wait so long?), and I can happily report that it was every bit as sigh-worthy and toe-wriggling-ly delicious as the first time. Highlights: butter-poached lobster adorned with shelled peas and a vivid carrot-Szechuan reduction; a tender hunk of veal on a pillow of chanterelle-sweet corn risotto with a crispy sweetbread hat; the hot foie gras; the cheese cart. Ron Siegel, you’re the man.
Feeding My Morocco Fixation
Whenever I start daydreaming about Morocco, I go to My Marrakesh. The fabulously talented Maryam spells Marrakesh differently than I do (I use the ‘c’ spelling) but she LIVES there. She is building a guest house, which I have no doubt will be gorgeous, and which I hope to visit some day (she has peacocks!); perhaps I’ll alternate between here and Ksar Char-Bagh?
You Only Think You’re Committed To Saving the Planet
Yes, I’ve given up bottled water. Yes, I'm increasingly
incorporating more planet-friendly measures into my daily life. No, I
don't deserve a pat on the back... I'm not quite ready to toss out this common disposable paper product. This same lovely family has a great source for locally grown produce.
Oysters at the Cove
Last Sunday, Nick’s Cove in Tomales Bay held its community grand opening. The place was mobbed, as one might expect for this much-buzzed-about project by Pat Kuleto. We nicked a couple of oysters fresh off the bbq and wandered through the main dining room to check out the rough-hewn beams and take in the gorgeous view. Then we promptly skedaddled. We’ll return when there isn’t quite as much danger of having warm beer sloshed on our toes.
Erika at GlamNest has photos of the cabins: Nick’s Cove & Cottages
What is Your Blog Rated?
Via the hilarious Tiffany of the would-be-writers-guild, here’s a fun time-waster: find out what your blog is rated!
When you type in your URL, this nifty little app not only rates your blog, but also explains your rating. Mine was rated "PG" because of the word "cocaine", used in my Taste3 post about Chef Jeff Hendersen (his book, From the Streets to the Stove..., is a sensational read. I finished it in one weekend. If it was a blog, it would definitely be rated "R").
Click This:
Fanny is interning at Pierre Hermé!
Matt has a new photography site!
Have you seen Universe?
I want that pink car.
I want Maryam to be my best friend.
I want to marry Matt.
Posted by: barbara | July 11, 2007 at 01:50 PM
Barbara,
Me too.
On all three counts.
Posted by: Jennifer Jeffrey | July 11, 2007 at 02:17 PM
I am so envious of your meal! I am salivating here. The worst thing is that I now have to go cook our dinner which will be beans and rice and whatever veggies I can rustle up at the last minute. Hrmph.
You are very kind in your words about us. I always feel ten steps behind everybody else--so actually being seen as extreme about something is pretty exciting!
Posted by: The Purloined Letter | July 11, 2007 at 02:53 PM
I want to go to Morroco. I want to marry Jennifer and drive around in the pink car. (No, that's not a euphemism. Heh.) We could tag-team on as-yet-to-be-named PG-themed blog. (My trouble maker words were ass, dyke (probably referring to Betty Van Dyke), and sex (1). Hmph, they missed "asshole" and "greedy bastards"?
Posted by: Tana | July 11, 2007 at 06:47 PM
Love the top photo.
By the way, thanks for the plug!
Posted by: Tiffany | July 12, 2007 at 06:56 AM
Well, squeaky clean me: Hedonia is rated G. Guess I need to start cussing more, dammit. Have you tried Joy's site (http://www.meshsf.com/blogs/restaurantwhore.html)? NC-17 for "fucking (11x) whore (3x) ass (2x) kill (1x)." And I think that's just page 1.
Posted by: Sean | July 12, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Goshfrickingdarnit to heck. I got a G too.
Come on, Sean. Let's get nasty.
Also, Tana: You dyke! (As in Van Dyke, of course.) :D
Posted by: cookiecrumb | July 12, 2007 at 02:36 PM
You guys are killing my PG rating with your comments! Waaahhhh!
Posted by: Jennifer Jeffrey | July 12, 2007 at 09:52 PM
Ooooh, judging from that menu, I want YOUR life. I would just tuck myself into the corner of the Ritz, piping up only to say, "More foie gras please. More lobster please. More risotto please....."
PS From what I can tell from your photo, you may be the most beautiful girl in the world. Matt would be a fool not to marry you immediately. I mean, you cook and you write, too. What more could he possibly want?
Posted by: maryam in marrakesh | July 20, 2007 at 12:24 AM
Maryam - we could always trade lives for a week or two. You could take my reservation at the Ritz, and I could sip mint tea and peruse my/your fabulous art collection. The peacocks wouldn't mind, would they?!
As for Matt - well, he's already taken by a fabulous hunk named Adam. I think Adam would hunt me down and toss me on the grill if I tried to take away his man.
But I can dream, can't I?
Posted by: Jennifer Jeffrey | July 22, 2007 at 10:44 PM