Runs with knives!
Wendy & I just got home from a short trip to Chicago. We went so I could participate in the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Annual Industry Conference. Wendy went along for the ride and to take in the sights of Chicago. The conference was…
From August 8-12, 2008, Wendy & I were in lovely Houston Texas to attend the wedding of a friend of mine. Why they chose to get married in TEXAS in AUGUST is beyond me, but we had a great time despite the oppressive heat and…
This review was written by Wendy.
I spent 7 nights at the Iberostar Cozumel with my brother in the beginning of September, sandwiching luckily between Gustav and Ike. This is a perfectly nice hotel on a mediocre beach but nearest the best scuba diving reef I’ve seen. Skip to the end if you’re easily bored; stay with me if you want all the details. I have stayed at the Barcelo Beach and Dreams Tulum resorts in the Mayan Riviera and at the Barcelo Palace in Punta Cana for all-inclusive reference.
We booked through our local travel agent Anna at OK Travel, GoGoTours was the group. Flew American Airlines right into Coz, laying over in Miami. The second leg into Coz is on a little turboprop, but it was very smooth. Nice to land right in Coz and not have to deal with the Cancun madness and ferryboat ride. No problems with the flights or airport, van from Olympus Tours was there to bring us to the hotel. It’s about 20 m south of the airport, quite a ways from town. Check in was a breeze and our room was ready. We were in 8114, nearest the beach and the pool on the South side. It was quiet and clean, small as others have noted but perfectly acceptable. The closet does not give you a lot of room to spread out clothing, but how much stuff do you need? It’s not a fancy place. The minibar was full and the safe worked fine. Each room has a nice balcony and hammock out in front. We did find some tiny ants in the bathroom, but they didn’t seem to bite and were nothing more than a minor annoyance (and my Deet skin spray did not deter them at all).
On Wednesday, October 8, I found myself in Cleveland Ohio for a work-related event. Once that event was finished, the evening was my own, so I went to LOLA BISTRO, one of Iron Chef America Michael Symon’s places. Despite not being able to make a…
During our trip to Las Vegas in November, 2009, Wendy & I split off from the group (Ron, Dave, Ted, Tracy, Julie, and Terry) to dine at Hubert Keller’s Fleur de Lys in the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. We decided to indulge in the…
During our trip to Las Vegas in November, 2009, Wendy & I split off from the group (Ron, Dave, Ted, Tracy, Julie, and Terry) to dine at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace Hotel & Casino.
Everyone had decided to see a Vegas show, but we all wanted to see different shows, so we did! Tracy & Ted saw Human Nature, Julie, Terry, Ron, and Dave saw Penn & Teller, and Wendy & I saw Mystere. Before the show, Wendy & I dined at Spago, where we did the 6-course tasting menu (we decided to forego the wine pairings because we wanted to stay awake for the show!).
(Our table was between the chandelier and it’s reflection in the mirrors in the photo above.)
The menu was as follows…
Margarita Flambe, Burratta Cheese, Cherry Tomato, Basil Pistou
Duo of Sashimi, Yellowfin Tuna, Albacore Tuna, Crispy Rice Cake, Chili Ponzu Sauce
Soup and Salad, Mushroom Bisque with Pear and Prosciutto Salad
Ricotta Gnochi, Black Truffle Butter
Lup de Mare, French Sea Bass, Eggplant Salsa Verde, Peppers, and Black Olives
Short Ribs, Mashed Potato, Autumn Vegetables
Apple Babka (stuffed French Toast), Citrus Cheesecake, Graham Cracker Crust, Figs, Blood Orange Sorbet
Despite not having the wine pairings, this was one of our favorite meals this trip. The scope of the tasting menu was outstanding, the preparations were precise and highlighted the specific flavors of each ingredient, and the presentations were delightful. Plus our server was very nice – personable and not at all like the droids that you usually find in Vegas.
I’ve lived in and around Cincinnati Ohio for most of my life. I was born on the west side of the city, moved back to the east side where I spent my childhood, rehabbed a house in northern Kentucky (just over the river from downtown…