Photo of the Day: Fireworks on the jdek

Place: The jdek at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids

Day: May 21, 2009

Time: 10:29 PM

My Favorite Old World Wine in the World: Chateau Musar

My French brother-in-law, Raph Blot, gets credit for introducing me to the fascinating Lebanese wine, Chateau Musar. My family and I were celebrating Christmas at Raph and my sister's house in Hong Kong, when out of nowhere, this proud Frenchman and former Bordeaux snob, whips out a bottle of Lebanese wine! To my surprise, Chateau Musar over-delivered beyond my expectation. A few years later, Raph and I, along with our spouses, experienced a vertical tasting of three vintages of Musar at Aureole in Las Vegas. Along with new wine friends, Frank and Betzie Duncan, the three of us tried the 2000 Musar at Mixology at the JW this evening. 

So after three tastings, here's my take on Chateau Musar. The bottle I tasted in Hong Kong (sorry wine snobs, I forgot the vintage) reminded me of a true Bordeaux style wine with a dominant cabernet nose, while the vertical tastings of the '89,'90, and '91 tasting in Vegas reminded me of a fine Burgundy. The 2000 we tasted this evening was mellow with subtle hints of fresh picked cherries and earth from the Southern Rhone. Just like a fine marriage, no matter what age (or which grape shows up), I just can't resist the mysterious character of Chateau Musar. I just love it regardless. 

Read more about the amazing history of Chateau Musar by visiting its website. Better yet, stop by six.one.six at the and JW try a bottle for yourself.

The new Voss at the jdub

I knew I was going to love Andrew's cooking when he brought his own fresh produce from the local farmer's market to his cooking interview. It was a slam dunk strategy. As the new culinary boss at the jdub, Chef Andrew brings with him his edgy approach to seasonal cuisine, using as much locally produced products to enhance his global cooking palette. Visit his blog at http://theculinaryvoss.blogspot.com. Check out his cooking at six.one.six restaurant at the jdub or visit his new "Chef's Garden" on the jdek, the JW's river side deck. Tell him I sent you.

"Nomade" and ArtPrize

The buzz is already underway in the art world with the most ambitious art project launch this year coming from Grand Rapids. ArtPrize, billed as the event with largest art prize totaling $500,000, is inviting global artists to display their art with matching venues in downtown Grand Rapids. You better believe that the JW Marriott, with its stunning design elements and architecture, will be a major venue for ArtPrize artists. Unlike other art competition, the winner of ArtPrize will be determined by the public attending the two-week event in late September. 

I went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park this afternoon to view my daughter's artwork at her elementary school's annual art show at the Gardens. Outside the entrance to the Gardens, a towering twenty five foot steel sculpture by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa, the creator of the Crown Fountain at Chicago's Millennium Park, awaits the visitors to the park. I took advantage of the sunset and snapped a few pictures of "Nomade" as inspiration for ArtPrize.  I cannot wait what is in store for us this Fall. The creative possibilities are endless...

My NYC Restaurants

It was always my dream to spend several weeks vacation in New York City with my wife and three kids. Find a loft in the Village or Soho. Keep the itinerary open while keeping a hit list of must see friends and restaurants. My family used to spend a week over the holidays when my sister and I were in college. Haj, my younger sister, and I, spent the days exploring the seedy Times Square area, checking out bookstores in the Village, eating oversized NYC pizza at every corner and participating in the make-shift card trick table with the goal of outsmarting the dealer and his friends. At night, we returned to the comforts of the Waldorf=Astoria, indulge in room service while falling asleep to the humming of the TV (no 24 hour channels then). On one trip, Haj and I got our first fake driver's licenses in a video game room in Times Square and actually had the privilege of using the ID's in the college bars in Georgetown in DC. Those were the best of days.

Last night, I spoke to my good friends from the Philippines, Leo and Michelline Suarez, who are actually renting a flat  in NYC with their five kids - the stunning Alex, who recently graduated from college, my gorgeous goddaughter, Sam, who will be a college freshman, Marco and Coby, their charming and comedic teens, and the star of the family,Vito, the ten month old addition to the Suarez clan. They are in NYC for three weeks to celebrate Sam's high school graduation and 18th birthday. Yes, very nice parents. 

The kids were pretty much free to roam the city, just as my sister and I did in the eighties. This time, though, they are only a text away from Leo and Michelline. Our main topic of conversation last evening, which I admit is a very typical topic for traveling Filipinos, are the best places to eat in the city. The conversation led to the idea of posting my recommendations on my blog. 

Before you foodie snobs get your undies in a knot for not including the latest "in" spots in NYC, just chill because I am not a food critic nor do I profess to be an expert in the NYC dining scene. However, I am very confident that my choices are undeniably stellar, and best of all, places my friends would truly enjoy.

Babbo - This is my favorite restaurant in NYC. I happen to be standing in front of the hostess when a customer cancelled their reservation. I jumped on that opportunity and booked a table. My younger brother, Brian, who lives in the city and my culinary confidant in NYC, joined me for the memorable dinner. Highlights - everything! The grilled octopus appetizer and the osso bucco were outstanding. But it was the Bucatiniall' Amatriciana with guanciale, hot pepper and pecorino that stole the show.

Gramercy Tavern - I was treated by my contacts at Gourmet Magazine, including Chef Sara Moulton, to a chef's table here. A true culinary institution without the pomp.

The Grocery - A hidden gem in Brooklyn. This tiny restaurant explodes with flavors. The roasted beets and the slow rendered duck breast are top notch.

The Burger Joint - Amidst the glitz of the Le Parker Meridien lies this burger joint with the famous neon light sign and the motto of "if you don't see it (on the menu board), we don't have it." This is the equivalent of Chicago's Billy Goat Tavern. Cheeeeseburger, cheeeeseburger.

Joe's Shanghai - I don't like to eat at "fancy" Chinese restaurants with its gold wallpaper and oversized red lanterns. These places remind me of going to weddings in the Philippines when I was a child where I had to suffer through the endless formalities while my legs endured the torture of wearing gabardine pants. That's why Joe's Shanghai fits the bill. It's very casual, yet it's not a dive. The food is incredibly authentic. The homestyle bean curd is the best I've ever tasted. 

Marlow and Sons - This is another one of my brother's excellent recommendations. A small neighborhood deli graces the front of the building, while the restaurant, with its wooden picnic tables and small stools, occupy the back of the building. Simple, yet tasteful menu. Any restaurant with "Brick Chicken" on the menu deserves my nod. Just over the bridge in Brooklyn.

Elephant & Castle - My family stumbled across this restaurant in the Village during the launch of my brother's book, Full Moon, in 2002.  Locals flock this place. Extensive comfort food menu with the best neighborhood brunch in the city.

Cendrillon - I am so bummed that Cendrillon closed its Greenwich Village location this year to make way for Purple Yam restaurant in Brooklyn. I just loved the fact that I could take my friends to an excellent Filipino restaurant with a sexy address in the city. Owners and cookbook authors, Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, exemplify the best in Filipino culinary writing and cooking. 

The Mandarin Oriental Lobby Lounge - the place for cocktails with million dollar views of Central Park.

The Roof at The Soho House - find a member and hangout at the best people watching digs in NYC. 

And best of all, NYC offers the best in Street Cart Food options.

(Above photo taken at a 2008 dinner party with friends at the Suarez residence in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines)

Photo of the Day: Steel Water and the JW Marriott

Place: The Steel Water Sculpture and the JW Marriott

Day: Mother's Day, May 10, 2009

Time: 5:01 PM

The Spa at Peter Island Resort

During my stint on Peter Island Resort in the 90's, Reef Bay Beach wasn't much of a destination for resort guests. Its shallow waters were too literally too shallow, even for kids, not to mention, very rocky. The quarter mile beach was always covered with seaweed and the occasional garbage dumped by cruise ships. On one end is the makeshift grass helipad, and on the other, the resort's recycling plant. 

Today, Reef Bay Beach is the site of the breath-taking Spa at Peter Island Resort. The 10,000 square foot main building which houses 10 private treatment rooms, steam rooms, boutique, locker rooms, sits atop the former helipad. A two-tier pool and waterfall, two bohio treatment rooms, a hot tub overlooking the now pristine Reef Bay beach surround the perimeter of the main building. An array of fauna and tropical plants complete the manicured environment. Where the dirt road that connected the helipad to the recycling center once stood is now home to the yoga lawn with greens to match Augusta. A legitimate concrete helipad now occupies the former recycling area.

My wife and I enjoyed a quiet picnic lunch served in bento boxes (something I started fifteen years ago!) on the spa patio. We followed that by relaxing in the tub; reminiscing our days on the island. The addition of The Spa and the Falcon's Nest Villa has reassured Peter Island Resort's position as one of the top luxury destinations in the Caribbean.

The Dove Restaurant: A Foodie's Delight in the BVI

On an earlier trip to the BVI last month, my wife joined Paul and Judy Rydburg, the owners of the resident charter sailboat on Peter Island, the Silmaril, for a birthday celebration at the Barfly restaurant in Road Town. Undoubtedly surprised to finally see a charming bar in Road Town, it was the Barfly's sister restaurant that caught her attention as a place I would certainly value as foodie's delight. The Dove restaurant is steps away from the more famous Pusser's Outpost Pub on the waterfront. It is nestled on the lower level of a gingerbread-trimmed cottage with the Barfly above it. The two restaurants is connected by a cozy outdoor deck, which according to our server, Ashley, is the expat hangout on the weekends. 

It didn't take long for me to confirm my wife's affirmation. The Dove's menu has everything that I love to eat: Steamed Mussels, Pork Belly, Escargot, Sushi and Foie Gras for starters. Entree selections include Jumbo Prawns, Halibut, Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Dry Aged Rib Eye. I could have settled on a 5-course appetizer menu, but the thought of back to back indulgence of Pork Belly and Foie Gras will definitely send my cholesterol level to stratospheric levels. 

I settled on the Ginger Honey Pork Belly with Crispy Wonton and Pickled Daikon for starters and the Halibut with Lemongrass Butter Sauce, Black Sesame Risotto, Green Beans, Golden Beets, and Ginger Vinaigrette. My wife ordered the Jumbo Prawns with Rosemary Orange Glaze, Vodka Potato Puree, sauteed Fennel & Carrots and Basil Butter. 

The verdict : MEMORABLE! The Pork Belly was so succulent worthy of Anthony Bourdain's blessing. The Halibut was moist with subtle hints of lemongrass. I also liked the idea of the "exploding" black sesame risotto overflowing from an espresso cup. The Jumbo Prawns, while just as fantastic as the Halibut, could have used a few more pieces, especially for the $37.00 ticket.

My hats off to the Dove's American chef, Travis Phillips, for raising the bar (extremely high) in the BVI. I'm looking forward to the Foie Gras on my return trip. What the heck, I'll order the Pork Belly, too.

Photo Of The Day: The Barfly Bar

Place: The Barfly Bar, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Date: April 28, 2009

Time: 8:01 PM

Pusser's: A BVI Institution

Living on a luxury resort located on a private island has its perks: you have fantastic water views outside your house, you can go to the beach everyday, you eat great food and you get to meet wonderful and interesting people. It also has its drawbacks: you are dependent on the resort ferry to experience some sort of civilization outside of the island, you can't walk to a Starbucks or your nearest Barnes and Noble, all the restaurants and bars on the island closes when the last ferry departs at 11 PM, and "people watching" means watching TV in the resort library.

Pusser's, across from the ferry dock in Road Town, Tortola, is that one bastion of familiarity where expats, like myself, escaped the realities of island living. While very British in theme and decor, the menu is a slice of good 'ol American bar comfort food - pizza, burgers, nachos, wings. It's high-octane cholesterol food accompanied by "Painkillers" concocted by heavy pouring bartenders equate to a heavenly experience for the island expat. It was, as I remember, a "luxury" experience.

It was quite delightful to experience this BVI institution during this trip after a decade of absence. Nothing has changed. The pastel facade has withstood all the hurricanes, the British Naval decorations inside remain unscathed, the gift shop in the back of the restaurant looks exactly the way it appeared in 2000. Even the servers look the same. The town drunk was still standing at the end of the bar, just as I remembered him ten years ago. 

Below is an excerpt of Pusser's history from its website. I thought I'd save you one click so you can enjoy your Painkiller in peace. 

"Rum and the sea are inseparable, and no rum is more akin to the sea and the sailor than Pusser's Rum–the Original Navy Rum. For more than 300 years, from the earliest days of wooden ships and iron men, sailors of Great Britain's Royal Navy were issued a daily ration–or "tot"–of rum by the ship's "Purser" (corrupted by the sailors to Pusser's). Prior to 1740, the men's daily tot of Pusser's Rum was a pint a day, which they drank neat, that is without water! Before battle, they were issued a double 'tot', and always after victory for a job well done! From 1655 to the 19th century, Pusser's Rum was one of the few daily comforts afforded those early seamen of Britain's Navy as they fought around the globe to keep the Empire intact and its sea lanes open. It was not until July 31st, 1970 that the Admiralty Board abolished the daily issue of Pusser's Rum. "Times had changed", they said as they concluded that "in a highly sophisticated navy no risk for margin or error which might be attributable to rum could be allowed". And so it was that the daily issue of Pusser's Rum, which had stood the test of time as the Navy's longest serving tradition for over 300 years, was cast aside like a piece of flotsam and jetsam where it lay quietly until 1979.

In 1979, Charles Tobias–entrepreneur, global sailor, raconteur–sought to resurrect the Pusser's Rum tradition. He obtained the rights and all the blending information from the Admiralty, and formed Pusser's Ltd. on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and began bottling and selling this storied spirit in 1980 to the public for the first time. (Prior to then, it was restricted to the Royal Navy). British Navy Pusser's Rum is the same Admiralty blend of five West Indian rums as issued on board British warships, and it is with the Admiralty's blessing and approval that Pusser's is now available to the consumer.

The Royal Navy Sailor's Fund, a naval charity more commonly called the "Tot Fund" receives a substantial donation from the sale of each bottle of British Navy Pusser's Rum. Aside from the fund's original bequest, the Pusser's contribution has become the fund's largest source of income.

Today's Pusser's Rum, known as "the single malt of rum" is still produced in exact accordance with the Admiralty's specifications for rum. Unlike most rums, Pusser's uses no flavoring agents. It is 100% natural. In 2001, Pusser's was awarded the "Gold Medal - World's Premier Dark Rum" at the International Wine & Spirits Festival. In 2003, Pusser's Rum won a "Double Gold Medal" at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Gold Medal at the same festival in 2005.

Charles Tobias continues today as CEO of Pusser's and its legendary rum, which is said by experts and epicureans alike to be rich and full-bodied, with an unsurpassed smoothness due to its natural ingredients. Pusser's costs a little more because it is more expensive to produce. It is predominantly a "pot-stilled" rum. The distillation process is similar to that used for single malt scotches, which produces greatly enhanced flavor. Served neat or on the rocks, or mixed in a famous Caribbean inspired recipe–such as the Pusser's Painkiller®—you will enjoy the full and natural flavor of Pusser's Rum - and will really discern the big difference between Pusser's and all other rums!"

The Falcon's Nest Villa: A $24,000 per night slice of Paradise

I've seen a lot of gorgeous villas in my hotel career, but none, so far, can match the over-the-top amenities and setting as the Falcon's Nest Villa at Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands. I knew this wasn't an ordinary villa when after stepping into the first bedroom, I asked the villa manager whether the bedroom was the master bedroom given its spacious size, walk-in dressing room, private office, outdoor deck and a bathroom that surpasses the bathrooms at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. His reply was simply that "all our six bedrooms are master bedrooms."

Just imagine the scale: 26,000 square feet nestled 350 feet on a bluff overlooking the Caribbean, a 4,000 square foot outdoor playground complete with an infinity pool, waterfall with a grotto, a swim-up bar and outdoor kitchen, six master bedrooms with private outdoor decks, a private spa room, fitness room, a glass great room, bar and wine room, state of the art kitchen, and of course, comfortable quarters for your private chef and nanny.

You better start cashing in on your 401K right now if you were thinking about experiencing the Falcon's Nest this upcoming holiday season. The price tag : $24,000 a night or just $4,000 per night for each couple. However, I'm sure there is a two-week minimum for the holiday season. Well, you can at least enjoy the pictures!