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Chicago’s Cutting Edge Food Scene

Chicago has always been fertile ground for theater, not having to cater to commercial tastes to sell tickets like Broadway. Spanish director Calixto Bieito’s over-the-top production of Tennessee Williams’ Camino Real at the Goodman Theatre is currently the talk of the town, along with Donald Margulies’ intense drama Time Stands Still at the Steppenwolf. Haute cuisine is another matter, however, with the latest Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza, and Weiner Circle taking top billing. That changed dramatically when Grant Achatz came to town and opened Alinea. I reviewed his latest venture, Next, in The Boston Globe this past summer and was wowed by both food and concept. Every 3 months, the menu at Next changes to another part of the world and a different time period. I had the good fortune to dine at “Paris 1906” at the height of the Escoffier period. No surprise that Next was just nominated for Best New Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation. Now Frontera Grill chef, Rick Bayless, known for his innovative Mexcan fare, is getting in on the fun, starring in a dinner theater production titled Cascabel. The limited engagement at the Lookingglass Theatre will run until April 22nd and received favorable reviews from The Chicago Tribune. 

 

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The Maasai Open Their Own Resort

The Maasai are best known for their mud huts. So it might come as a surprise that these tall warriors of southern Kenya have recently entered the hotel business. They have formed a joint partnership with a private safari company, Nairobi-based Art of Adventures, to open Shompole Game Reserve. Shompole is nestled on 35,000 acres of conservation land near the Nguruman Escarpment in southeastern Kenya. The resort only has six mega-sized guest rooms, which comes with private plunge pool and a sprawling lounge area. The main activity at Shompole is game drives, where guests travel through the bush in open-air Land Rovers accompanied by a Maasai tracker. The more adventurous can also go on game walks, sunset trips to Lake Natron to see the flamingos, or evening picnics in the bush.
 

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New Brunswick Week—The Reopening of the Algonquin Resort

First opened in 1889, the Tudor-style Algonquin Resort is one of a handful of classic resorts built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, alongside other gems like Chateau Frontenac and the Fairmont Banff Springs. Based in the charming seaside town of Saint Andrews by-the-Sea on New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy, the Victorian grande dame was in dire need of a facelift. Thankfully, New Castle Hotels and Southwest Properties came to the rescue, purchasing the hotel from the provincial government in 2012 intent on restoring the national treasure. After being closed for 18 months, the resort officially reopened yesterday with a celebratory ribbon-cutting. Unfortunately, I missed meeting the New Brunswick Premier because I had to first make a pitstop.
 
Talk to any local from St. John or Fredericton and mention that you’re on the way to St. Andrews and they’ll tell you to get off Route 1, Exit 45, for lunch at Ossie’s. The lobster-in-the-rough joint is known for its lobster rolls, fried clam plates, and extra-thick milkshakes. Being the Jane and Michael Stern fan that I am, there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity. The lobster roll was a mere ten bucks, with mounds of fresh lobster toppling out of the perfectly toasted bun. After devouring it in a matter of seconds, I drove down the road to another New Brunswick favorite, Oven Head Salmon Smokers. Taking advantage of the salmon farms found in the Bay of Fundy, owners Debbie and Joseph Throne have been smoking salmon since 1986. At President Obama’s inauguration, the smoked salmon came from here. I tried the smoked salmon, salmon jerky, and salmon pate and all were exceptional, the reason why people call with orders from as far as Japan. 
 
Less than 30 minutes later, I arrived at the Algonquin and its signature red roof, which never looked better. Inside the long lounge area and adjacent Braxton’s Bar, there’s now a sense of style that was sorely lacking. Toronto designer Robynne Moncur has added fireplaces, modern chandeliers, and innovative touches like century-old floor plans hanging from the walls. The rocking chairs are still found on the long verandah, now next to outdoor lighting and fire pits. On the second floor, spacious balconies have been added to 16 Patio Suites so that the chaise lounges can be bathed in morning sunshine. Across the street is a large indoor pool, new fitness area, and 3-story water slide. Complimentary bikes are available for a spin and Starbuck’s coffee is available in the gift shop for free. Add the signature 18-hole golf course, outdoor pool, and, of course the exemplary restaurants, boutique shopping, and whalewatching St. Andrews offers, and you understand why folks are excited about having a world-class resort back in town. It’s no surprise that The Algonquin is Canada’s first Autograph Collection hotel, Marriott International’s upscale portfolio of independent hotels.
 
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Dining in DC

We had two memorable meals in Washington at Jose Andres restaurants, Zaytinya and Jaleo, both near the National Portrait Gallery. We enjoyed Zaytinya last time in DC and it was just as good on this visit. The restaurant features small plate Mediterranean fare like hummus, falafel, baba ganoush, fresh seafood, and a charred brussel sprouts dish that was wiped clean by our foursome in record time. Jaleo is more standard Spanish tapa fare like chorizo, paella, a tasty ham and cheese sandwich, and perfectly rendered shrimp. On our last night, after the graduation ceremony, we headed to the waterfront in Georgetown for another sublime meal at Farmers Fishers Bakers Restaurant. The eclectic menu features everything from crab dib and mussels served in eight different sauces to sashimi-style tuna, ahi poke salads, and steak frites. Washed down with microbrews and shots of smooth Tequila to celebrate, it was the perfect way to top off the graduation celebration with Ami.
 
Another week, another niece graduating from college! This coming Sunday we’ll be celebrating with Sarah Schechter at Wesleyan University. A talented artist with an insatiable appetite for art history (much to the delight of my art historian wife), Sarah has a future as colorful as her canvases. She’s already had one exhibition in Brooklyn and we look forward to seeing many more shows. Also, ActiveTravels travel consultant, Amy Perry Basseches, has a son, Jake, graduating from Wesleyan on the same day. So big kudos to Jake, especially after completing his 100-page senior honors thesis. You deserve that trip to South America! 
 
After the graduation, we’re headed with my brother to Brooklyn Sunday night to see an artist we love in this family, the British DJ, Leon Vynehall. Then we’re spending two days in the city to see the Chihuly exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden. I’ll be back next Thursday. Thanks for being patient with my sporadic scheduling! 
 
Photo by Melanie Jermanok 
 
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New Flights from Boston

If Vienna, Paris, and the Florida Keys are on your wish list, and you fly in and out of Boston’s Logan Airport, you’re in luck. Beginning in February, American Airlines will launch a direct flight from Boston to Key West. Austria Airlines will begin Boston’s first-ever direct flight to Vienna beginning March 29. And bargain European airline Level, which we flew last April to Barcelona, will add flights between Boston and Paris in May, with fares beginning at $140. Love those direct flights! 

 
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A Memorable Tapas Crawl in Madrid

We met Marcy Forman, co-owner of Valesa Cultural Services, one of our preferred ground operators for clients headed to Spain, at the lobby of our hotel, Gran Hotel Inglés. Marcy has lived in Madrid for over 20 years and one of her favorite things to do is bring friends on an authentic Madrid tapas crawl. We started at Casa Toni, known for its crispy lamb tripe, an older specialty that’s hard to find in town these days. After downing the tender meat, we strolled around the corner to my favorite stop of the night, Casa del Abuelo, known for their tasty garlic shrimp. The dish comes out sizzling with a hefty chunk of bread, and is best paired with a short glass of sweet wine. Then it was off to La Campana, known for its fried calamari served in a large bun, bocadillo style. Next stop, the splashy Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid’s main public market, serving everything your heart desires, from acorn-fed Iberian ham to razor clams to fried croquettes, all washed down with sangria or cerveza. Our final stop was Chocolateria San Gines, in operation since 1894 and known for only one item, fresh out of the oven churros. Order a half-dozen, thin or fat, and it’s served with a steaming hot coffee cup of chocolate that many customers drink after dipping the churros. Sublime! We had so much fun with Marcy that we took our daughter, Melanie, on the exact same tour the next night. 

 
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La Loma Jungle Lodge, Isla Bastimentos, Panama

I’ve had my fill of snow this winter in Boston. So now I’m dreaming about the warm weather and an upcoming trip to Jamaica. This week, I’ll delve into my favorite eco-resorts in the Caribbean and Costa Rica. The sustainable tourism movement has grown leaps and bounds in the past decade. No longer can you simply throw compost in the back of a Marriott and call it an eco-resort. To be green, destinations have to offer indigenous culture and food, encourage outdoor recreation that highlight the region, curb greenhouse gases that impact the environment, and involve the entire community in the tourism effort. Many resorts even go a step further by helping to support local school systems and food banks. These five lodgings are green in every sense of the word. 

Increasingly, the small eco-retreat design that made such an imprint in Costa Rica has slipped farther south into Panama. On an archipelago in the northwestern part of the country, a short boat ride from the town of Bocas del Toro, is a three-cabana lodge socked in the middle of the verdant jungle and surrounded by a working cocoa plantation.  All of the cabins at the Jungle Lodge were created from fallen trees and inspired by the architecture of the local Ngobe Indians. The employees are also local, including your guide through the rainforest and beach to see sloths, armadillos, small crocs called caimans, and the graceful blue morph butterfly. At dinner, lobster and conch will not be served, as the owners try to use only sustainably harvested fish like yellow jack. Rates are $110 per person a night, including three meals, the boat ride over from Bocas town, and some of the excursions.

 

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