Peter Island Resort: Coming Home

My wife and I are back on Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands this week. Peter Island holds a special place in our lives because it's our first home as a couple and my first international posting as a hotelier. Our eldest daughter called Peter Island her home the first year and a half of her life. I was promoted to the Director of Food and Beverage post here by Amway Hotel Corporation in 1993. We lived on Peter Island for almost three years; returning to Michigan in 1996 to help manage the resort from the corporate office until 2000. 

Peter Island is located four miles across the Sir Francis Drake channel from Road Town, Tortola, the capital of the British Virgin Islands. A Norwegian shipping company developed this 1,800 acre private island into a resort in 1971. They built eight A-frame buildings with thirty two rooms, Tradewinds restaurant, and a marina on Sprat Bay. In 1979, entrepreneurs Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos, purchased the island after falling in love with the location during one of their yachting excursions in the crystal waters of the BVI's. 

The resort evolved into a full scale luxury resort with the addition of twenty beachfront rooms, a beach restaurant, three villas, a world class spa and numerous water sports and fitness facilities. VAE of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is now the sole owner of the resort.

I must admit that the resort has never looked better. The lush gardens are in full bloom and continue to provide resort guests with an idyllic escape from the realities of city living. The five beaches are as perfect as I remember them. The new Falcon's Nest Villa is unmatched in scale, design and amenities in the Caribbean. But most of all, the staff who took good care of my family during our stint on the resort, welcomed us back with open arms. It's nice to be home again.

The Red Pool

WHERE AM I ?

The winner gets a jdub iMix CD!

The 5inch Hotel Amenity

Okay, I know what you were thinking. Stop it now. Check out the latest amenity gift JW Marriott Grand Rapids hotel guests may purchase for that special friend or that hip, baby boomer, college friend visiting GR for the first time. Or, why not just buy it because it's simply cool. Let me introduce you to the "jdub" amenity package which includes jdub caps, a JW Griffin key chain and your choice of  a JW disc on very fashionable 5inch.com CD, and an iTunes gift card to burn your fave JW iMixes onto your 5inch CD. Very jdub I must say.

You may also purchase any of the JW Mix collection on Apple's iTunes by going to ilovethejw.com or to iTunes directly. The JW Mix collection continues to grow. Here are the 9 iMixes available so far:

JW Mix: The Treadmill Jam - for that on the road workout.

JW Mix: The Drakkar Noir Mix - re-live your parachute pant days with a splash of Drakkar!

JW MIx: Global Lounge - shake to the coolest Global sounds from Mumbai to Paris.

JW Mix: Weights Before Dates - for the hardcore gym rat.

JW Mix: Rocker Workout - bang your head to the big hair bands.

JW Mix: The Preppy Mix - don your Ralph Lauren polo and Top-siders and shake to 80's.

JW Mix: The Love Package - the perfect accopaniment to your romantic jdub getaway.

JW Mix: Mixology Lounge - chill to the tunes played at jdub's Mixology Lounge.

JW Mix: Holiday Chillout - not your typical Holiday mix. 

Solace Magazine - Forming the Future

I love sexy magazines about design, architecture, fashion, food, travel and business. And believe me when I tell you that my wife is about ready to throw my collection of half-read magazines scattered all over the house out the window. Magazines on my  night stand, on the dining table, in our laundry room, on my desk in the basement, in the back basement bookshelf, in my closet, in the guest bathroom. Add to that the magazines in my "murse" and in my car door compartment - I just love 'em all! Now, I can also tell you that I have only finished one book this year and that's fine by me. Looking at black text just doesn't suit me. I'm a scanner of anything beautiful. I need color, pictures, and squiggly lines all over the place.

Do you remember how it felt to show off your first car to everyone you knew? Well, I had a similar sensation after I received my copy of the Spring/Summer issue of Solace Magazine this afternoon (and I'm not exaggerating, either). Solace is a beautifully designed magazine published by Amway Hotel Collection under the leadership of our Corporate Director of Marketing, Chad Leroux, and the phenomenal designers at Plenty Creative in Grand Rapids. And this latest issue redefines the magazine as a truly world-class magazine. Eighty-eight pages of glossy layouts filled with fascinating features on the "greening" of West Michigan, the people who are making it happen and a convincing pull-out section on why the future is landing in West Michigan RIGHT NOW. 

The beauty of this magazine is it doesn't scream "hotel advertising" like most branded hotel magazines. In fact, I would categorize this pub as a true representation on what the region is all about and what it is slowly, but steadily, transforming itself. From a former manufacturing state into a creative oasis for medical research, green initiatives and an art mecca for mid-size cities. It's an exciting time in West Michigan and the latest issue of Solace Magazine puts a much deserved exclamation point to the region's rebirth.

As I write this entry, my copy of Solace Mag is proudly displayed on my coffee table in the living room alongside Metropolis, Surface, Dwell, Travel and Leisure and Saveur magazines, to name a few. Not bad for "little 'ol GR." Not bad, at all.

The Lumber Baron at The Amway Grand Plaza

The Lumber Baron inside the Pantlind Lobby at the Amway Grand Plaza is still one of my favorite lounges in the country. Cocktails simply taste better when you're inside this very classy joint. Floor to ceiling mahogany wood, original Hollywood Studio photos of famed actors and singers, impressionist Mathias Alten paintings, soft leather seating, an antique French fireplace and, of course, a magnificent selection of wines and liquor. 

The original Lumber Baron Bar was the site of the trilateral summit between US President Ronald Reagan, Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1981. The management of Amway Hotel Corporation closed down the Lumber Baron in 1996 to make way for it's GP Sports Restaurant. AHC donated the original Lumber Baron furnishings to Grand Valley State University. The new and more refined Lumber Baron opened a few years later. Just like it's older dining sibling, The 1913 Room, the Lumber Baron remains one of those bastions of timeless design and architecture worth appreciating (and enjoying with a glass of wine) during one's lifetime.

   

The Boston Marathon

Today marked the 112th running of the Boston Marathon. For the 26th year in a row, a non-American won the famed race. Deriba Merga of Ethiopia emerged as the victor with a time of 2:08:42. American Ryan Hall came in at 3rd with a time of 2:09:40. In the closest women's division finish, Salina Kosgei of Kenya, edged out Dire Tune of Ethiopia by a mere second and 3rd placer Karla Goucher of the US by less than 9 seconds. 

There are two reasons why I've decided to write about the Boston Marathon. 

First, Grand Rapids is hosting it's 5th Grand Rapids Marathon on October 17 and 18, 2009. The 2009 Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon has seen a 20% increase in participation every year since 2004. The renaissance happening in downtown Grand Rapids with the development of the Medical Mile, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the JW Marriott, the new Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts (UICA) and the numerous downtown restaurants and bars, the city is primed to continue to host bigger and better events downtown. It would be quite a coup if Grand Rapids could eventually be one of the better marathon venues in the world. The creation of the West Michigan Sports Commission in 2007 is helping pave the way into making this city into a very marketable sports destination for both professional and amateur events.

Secondly, it has been twenty three years since an American has won the Boston Marathon. Grand Rapid's own, Greg Meyer, won it in 1983 with a time of 2:09:00. It amazes me that only 18 seconds separates Greg Meyer's time in 1983 from Deriba Merga's time today. 

On a more personal note, see the picture of the Brooks running shoe above, that's a gift from Mr. Meyer himself (Greg, do notice that I've actually "slightly" worn the shoes). Before you make any assumptions about my running skills, let me stop you there because I hate to run, and even if I did, my chances of beating Greg Meyer's record is the equivalent of Charles Barkley matching up with Tiger Woods to win The Masters. Nada. Greg moved back to Grand Rapids last year take on the Foundation job at Aquinas College. He was formerly at the University of Michigan Foundation in Ann Arbor.  Greg is also the poster athlete and organizer for Michigan's largest and most successful running event, the Fifth Third River Bank Run held every year in May.

I actually ran the River Bank Run in 2007 - achieving the two personal goals I set for myself: no stopping and finish my first race(and so far my only) under the alloted time so my name could be officially published in the results. I admit, it was only a 5K and I made the cut-off time by seconds! But, I did it. 

The Blue Lake

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Lubina a la Sal: Spanish Sea Bass Baked in a Salt Crust

We became very good friends during our early hotel career days at the Mayfair Regent Hotel in Chicago in the late eighties. I was the Maitre D' at Le Ciel Bleu restaurant, and my friend, Suzanne Heiniger, a Swiss hotel intern, assisted me at the podium. We religiously went out every Tuesday evening for a year - a different restaurant each week; from a hole-in-the wall in Bucktown to fine dining temples in the Gold Coast. Travel and food connected us. So when her invitation to her wedding at the elegant Hotel Byblos in Fuengirola, Spain, arrived a few years ago, I knew that it was an event I couldn't miss. 

Suzanne and Urs, her husband, hosted a welcome reception and dinner at a quaint seaside restaurant in Torreblanca for our first night. The highlight of the dinner is when the manager and the server paraded the Lubina a la Sal by our table. It was the most magnificent display of simple food done very well. The manager cracked the salt crust as if to signal the guests to gather around the prize. The salt crust cracked open like the shell of a hard boiled egg with each whack. The fish was then served with fresh lemon and Spanish olive oil. It was the most succulent fish I ever tasted, especially with the aroma of the sea and the sound of the waves crashing in the background. I swore to myself that evening that I will make the salt crusted fish a part of my culinary repertoire. 

While I cannot replicate that moment of mediterranean delight in the middle of my kitchen in Grand Rapids, the following recipe from Mario Batali's "Molto Italiano" cookbook comes close to the final product.

WHOLE FISH BAKED IN A SALT CRUST

Makes 6 servings:

4 pounds (or more) Coarse Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

2 large Egg Whites*

One 4- to 5- pound Sea Bass, Salmon or Snapper, cleaned and scaled

Lemon Wedges

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees

2. Pour the salt into a large bowl, add the egg whites, and mix vigorously until the salt is evenly moistened. Spread one third of the salt mixture over the bottom of a large rectangular or oval baking dish big enough to hold the fish. Place the fish on top, then cover it with the rest of the salt mixture, making sure it is completely covered. 

3. Place the baking dish in the oven and reduce the heat to 400 degrees.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish - the rule of thumb is 10 minutes for every inch of thickness at the widest part. Remove from the oven.

4. Crack the crust open at the table with the handle of a knife or a small hammer (what the heck - use a huge mallet for show), and lift it off. Fillet the fish, and serve with lemon wedges, drizzling olive oil over the flesh.

* Former JW Marriott Grand Rapids sous chef, Frank Gort, now with the JW Marriott San Francisco, showed me the trick to determine the best ratio of salt to egg whites. While helping the kitchen prepare for the JW New Year's Eve 80's bash, he told me to use enough egg whites until I can form a snowball with the salt. To follow chef Frank's guideline means using more than the 2 egg whites noted in this recipe.

La Cabrera, The Best Meat in Buenos Aires

Nothing beats a slab of Argentinean beef, cooked medium rare with sprinkles of salt and fresh cracked black pepper. That's it. No thick sauce. No "artsy fartsy" presentation. Just perfect meat . Simple. And if you happen to be in Buenos Aires, La Cabrera, in the vibrant Palermo Soho neighborhood, is the Alpha and Omega of carnivorous temptations. There are a lot of good restaurants in which you can devour a good piece of meat in BA, but none can top the quality of the beef combined with good wine selections and a bustling late-night restaurant scene than at La Cabrera's.

I first visited La Cabrera on my first night in BA last December. And it was a family affair - my tango dancing mother, Chita, who resides in Paris but calls BA her home in the winter; my Hong Kong based, globetrotting sister, Haj, her husband, Raph, and their two boys, Zach and Matt (and yaya Vicky, too); the Gotham duo of Brian, my brother, and his girlfriend, Vivian; aunt Shannon from LA; and of course, Elena, my wife, and our three kids - Margaux, Jules and Francesca. We arrived at La Cabrera around 10PM; without reservations. We were finally seated two hours later, slightly buzzed from the couple of bottles of complimentary champagne we consumed during the ordeal. We quickly forgot about the long wait as soon as the massive amount of meat was sky-lifted from the open kitchen to our table. Ramekins of glazed onions, mashed potatoes, roasted garlic and sauteed mushrooms accompanied the filet, the blood sausages, the leg of lamb. Raph ordered bottles of the luscious Catena Malbec. We were content and the price was surprisingly reasonable (around $30 per person plus wines) It was delicious all the way around.

To show our respect, we returned to La Cabrera on our last night in BA. This time, armed with a 9:30 PM reservation (which we were seated immediately) and several bottles of our favorite Argentinean Cabs and Malbecs we purchased from, Hugo, the wine vendor around the corner from the loft we stayed in. By midnight, the kids were back in the loft, and the adults were on their way to the next late-night haunt in BA.

Photo of the Day: Atrium Lobby at The JW Marriott Grand Rapids

Place: Atrium Lobby at The JW Marriott Grand Rapids

Vibe: Luxury in Unexpected Places

Photo: Michael Buck Studios

The Hierarchy of Pork

I love pork! Americans love beef. Filipinos love pork. Any kind of pork - chicharon, pork belly, pork egg rolls, pork chops, and my favorite, the lechon or roasted pig. If you happen to know my doctor, please don't tell him how much I love the pig! Heaven is a meal of crispy lechon skin, meat, steamed jasmine rice and Mang Tomas All Purpose Sauce. 

When I thought I've tasted everything pork, my foodie friends, Luigi and Luli Bernas, introduced me to the Pritchon last year. Pritchon is a whole pig, deep fried and served with pita bread and a cornucopia of sauces (pictured above). This is the Filipino version of peking duck but ten times the size and flavor. It's cholesterol in a pita bread - but worth every bite.  

Anthony Bourdain - The Pork Guru of all pork lovers proclaimed the Heirarchy of Pork in this order: 3rd place is Puerto Rico, 2nd place is Bali, Indonesia, and in 1st place, the ultimate Mecca for the best Pork in the world, is the Philippines! Check out Tony's food network show and blog on the Philippines and see for yourself what this former chain smoking, lambanog drinking chef, is talking about. 

A Modern Event

I received an invitation to an open house this afternoon for A Modern Event - a collaboration between the most sought after florist, event planner, photographer and cake designer in West Michigan. The JW has had the pleasure of working with Modern Day Floral, In-Any-Event by Jodi Bos, Ben Harrison Photography and Sweet Cakes Design in staging several of the best events in the city; mostly as independent vendors for our clients at the JW. To see all four independent companies merge into a one stop shop for brides, corporate planners, and frankly, even hotels, is definitely an aha moment. A big congratulations to Jenn, Jodi, Ben, Laura and Barb "The Cake Lady" for a fantastic idea. We certainly look forward to seeing more of A Modern Event at the very "Modern" JW Marriott Grand Rapids.

Go Green! Go White!

Place: six.one.six restaurant inside The JW Marriott Grand Rapids

Date: April 4, 2009

Time: 6:16 PM

Vibe: The bartenders at the JW created the Spartan "S" Wall in support of the Michigan State University basketball team's appearance in the 2009 NCAA Men's Final Four.

The Suite Spa Cart at The JW Marriott Grand Rapids

I was so thrilled to see the USA Today publish an article on The Suite Spa Cart at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids last Friday, April 10, 2009. The Suite Spa cart was the creation of the husband and wife team of Victor and Vickie Bennett, the operators of the Vasaio Life Spa inside the JW. It is quite a simple concept (just like all great ideas!). Why limit yourself to a massage in your guest room when you can literally have the spa brought up to your room? There are three things that I love about this concept - 1. It is simple for the therapist to transport the cart and the massage table (which connects to the cart). 2. The guests can have more service options - from manicures, pedicures, facials to a full body massage. 3. If you're like me, I just want to slide into my hotel bed for a long nap after a massage and not worry about getting dressed and then trooping myself through the hotel lobby to get back to my room. Now that's what I call "room service." 

The great news...the JW Marriott Grand Rapids might be the first to introduced the Suite Spa, but Vasaio is offering franchising opportunities for their Vasaio Life Spa and Suite Spa Cart concepts. This is a concept all luxury hotels should offer as a standard spa amenity to its valuable guests. 

Photo of the Day: Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago

Place: Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago

Day: Easter Sunday

Date: April 12, 2009

Time: 4:29 PM

Cav Wine Shop and Cafe, Fort Bonifacio, Philippines

Place: Cav Wine Shop and Cafe, Fort Bonifacio, Philippines

Vibe: The "it" restaurant in 2008. Excellent wines by the glass including first & second growth Bordeaux's. Minimalist yet colorful setting.

Eat: Contemporary flavors with top-notch presentations.

Must Have: Beet Salad and the Pork Belly.

Photos: hotellife@flickr

Hotel Tugu Bali, Indonesia

Place: Hotel Tugu Bali, Indonesia

Vibe: A dreamy escape.

Snooze: Rooms on stilts, outdoor tubs, daily floral turndown. 

Eat: Overindulge with traditional Balinese cuisine served by a very friendly staff.

Must Have: The best Nasi Goreng on the island

Must See: The Propreitor's Amazing Art Collection

A friend of mine from New York, Tammy Peters, introduced me to Hotel Tugu Bali after returning from one of her PR trips to Indonesia. She was befriended by the proprietors, Anhar Setjadibrata and his lovely wive, Wedya Julianti. Tammy couldn't stop talking about this place. I finally had the opportunity to visit Hotel Tugu Bali after I convinced my sister, Haj, to celebrate her wedding here. 

Hotel Tugu Bali has all the amenities you can expect from a luxury boutique hotel. But what separates Hotel Tugu Bali is Anhar's incredible collection of Balinese and Javanese art which serenades her guests at every turn. Hotel Tugu Bali is a museum first, a hotel second.

Photographs cannot do justice to this place. Wood columns, twenty feet high, support the alang-alang roof. The mythical Balinese Boma creature scares away evil spirits inside the main hut. Twenty six suites are nestled above the lotus ponds that grace the lush surroundings of the hotel. This is as close to heaven as you can get.

The JW Chef School

Here's the scoop... gather a group of professionals - designers, bankers, sales people - tell them that the annual strategy meeting is at the JW. Then hit them with the big surprise! Instead of another meeting, the team is going to be competing in a cook off with each other - Iron Chef Style. Welcome to the JW Chef School. Forget the whiteboards and powerpoints. Don an apron, arm yourself with some kitchen knives and cook away like your life is depending on it - because you and your teammates will be eating everything that you make. 

This is the new team building exercise. No culinary experience necessary. You will be guaranteed a big surprise at the end. The JW Chef School - where we leave the cooking up to you. 

Contact: Phil Weaver at The JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Telephone 616.242.1500. Email phil.weaver@jwgr.com

Photos: hotellife@flickr

The California Grill, Walt Disney World

Place: The California Grill, Walt Disney World

Vibe: The perfect spot to view the daily fireworks at the Magic Kingdom while indulging in fantastic food and libations. Sit at the sushi bar and let chef Yoshi do all the work. 

Eat: The best at Walt Disney World - from the apps to the desserts. 

Must Have: Yoshi's Sushi

Photos: hotellife@flickr

Granducato Hotel, Campi Bisenzio, Florence

Place: Granducato Hotel, Campi Bisenzio, Florence

Vibe: Perfect getaway for couples. Quiet, tree-lined surroundings. About twenty minutes from the craziness of Florence.

Snooze: Surprisingly modern bed and bath amenities.

Eat: Locanda Restaurant is a fine example of Tuscan cuisine in a very cozy atmosphere. Try the Octpous and the Filet. Very good Tuscan-centric wine list.

Photos: hotellife@flickr

Ristorante Locanda, Florence

Campi Bisenzio, Florence - Locanda is the signature restaurant at the Granducato Hotel. Above is the absolutely memorable four course dinner their chef, an instructor at the Etoile Institute of Culinary Art in Venice, prepared for me -- Octopus, Ragu, Filet and Tiramisu. View more pictures at hotellife @flickr.

The Coolest Hotel Opening

Fourteen days before opening day is a significant milestone for any Marriott hotel opening. At T minus fourteen or T-14, the Marriott opening task force assembled from the best Marriott's in the country arrives at the new hotel to assist with all the training and preparations for the big day. The JW hosted a "JW Culture Day" at T-14 complete with speakers from Marriott International and a surprise appearance by Mr. Richard DeVos, co founder of Amway Corporation and owner of the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. At T-15, The JW invited the families of our associates to a JW Pep Rally and Open House to give them a first glimpse of the hotel. 

It was the most invigorating fourteen days of bonding for the opening team. The JW did a lot of great things to promote the opening, but by far, the coolest thing the hotel did was to do a 14 day countdown using the brand new building as the backdrop. Erika Johnson, Brand Experience Manager, Joel Berghorst, Assistant Rooms Manager, Lisa Vandenberg, Housekeeping Manager and Colleen "CODA" Davis, Marriott Task Force, along with their teams, orchestrated the effort. The hotel's efforts paid off after Marriott International awarded the JW Marriott Grand Rapids the award of "Hotel Opening of the Year" for 2007.