The Ritz Carlton Dearborn Takes a Bow

A quiet corner table for two at the former Ritz Carlton's The Grill dining room

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Dearborn...What was once the La Grande Dame of the Detroit society class is quietly taking a bow as she fades into the sunset like the golden Michigan sun on a cold winter night on Lake Michigan. This summer, the Ritz was bought by a new owner committed to transform this elegant beauty into a modern classic. The Henry Hotel, as it stands now, will undergo a major renovation in the next couple of months to give the hotel, and the

beleaguered Motor City, a breath of new life as it undergoes its transformation.

I took these pictures this past weekend to give loyal Ritz Carlton Dearborn guests one final glimpse of the classic interiors before the hotel begins its transformation at the end of December.

"The special occasion hotel," according to The Henry Hotel general manager, Bill Quiseng, " has lost some steam to the younger generation demanding a more modern take on the luxury experience. That's what we plan on delivering when we complete our renovation by next summer."

While I embrace change, there is a part of me that just doesn't want to let go of that turn of the century style hotel this country has embraced for the past century. For me, there is still room for the white tablecloth and table side service, the dinner jackets and ties and the gentleman's dirty martini at the hotel's mahogany lobby bar. Though it's fading quite quickly, I am only hopeful that there will still be a number of hotels that will remain standing as a reminder of the glory days of the twentieth century. 

A bright sunrise is about to wake up on the banks of the Detroit river. A new dawn, that this hotel, and this city, wishes will only last for at least another century.

Her last song

The Grill dining room

The Piano Lounge

Lover's banquette tables

Decorative wall sconce

Two-top table in the Grill

Cozy Piano Lounge

The signature Ritz Carlton lobby's last Christmas

Ballroom pre-function

Ballroom pre-function seating area

The concierge lounge on the 10th floor

The Exceptional Associates at The Henry Hotel

Marty, The Henry Hotel's service ambassador bidding farewell to my wife and family

This past weekend's trip to Detroit was meant to be a low-key and quick overnighter for my family: arrive on Saturday afternoon, go to Ford Field to watch our high school football team play in the state championship, have a late dinner and leave after breakfast the next day. As in previous trips to Detroit, we elected to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn; a charming hotel in this once vibrant part of the Motor City. The Ritz Carlton Dearborn changed flags six months ago
and is now The Henry Hotel - an independent hotel which is part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott. My family always had pleasant stays at the old Ritz Carlton. But our latest experience has redefined personal service beyond our imagination.

Upon arrival at The Henry, I was surprised that Hassan, the doorman, greeted me by name. He did the same for my wife along with a pleasant welcome to my kids. Let's just say that I don't recall ever meeting Hassan in previous visits, so his personal touch was an impressive first impression. Hassan had our keys in hand (another WOW) and escorted us to the lobby where he introduced us to the awaiting  Chris, our bell person. Chris took charge from that point and just like Hassan, he did a fantastic job of making us feel at home. In my room awaits a wonderful display of cheese, petit fours, flowers and a bottle of wine while the kids room had a plate of cookies and perfectly cut fruit. There was a welcome letter from the general manager next to the "Welcome to the Henry" plate of petit fours. Within ten minutes of our arrival, our low-key trip has been transformed into a memorable visit; thanks in part to the personal attentiveness of the staff at The Henry Hotel. 

During our breakfast this morning, the same level of personalized touches greeted us upon our arrival at the restaurant. Jack was a pleasant host, along with our server Patricia and a sleuth of other restaurant staff who graciously serviced our table. My kids are used to "VIP" service given my role, but the friendly attention given to us by every associate we encountered at The Henry Hotel made them feel like celebrities. 

After breakfast, I approached the morning doorman, Marty, who just like last night before we headed to the game, greeted me by name and offered to warm up my car before our departure. Marty, just like majority of the associates at The Henry Hotel, are Ritz Carlton Dearborn veterans. The service foundation is clearly embedded in their DNA, but this time, a spark of enthusiasm and genuine care is evident in their rebirth as associates of The Henry Hotel.

This level of care is no surprise to me given who has taken the helm at The Henry. The awareness of guest names (and what they look like), the genuine welcome and fond farewells are signature gold standards from general manager Bill Quiseng. This 30-year hotel veteran epitomizes customer service in the fact that wherever he goes, his associates have no problem embracing his service philosophy of providing a one-of-a-kind experience for their guests. True luxury can only be experienced and Bill Quiseng wrote the book about it. Bill was formerly with the Inn at Bay Harbor, a Renaissance Hotel and Resort in northern Michigan. He started his tenure at The Henry Hotel this summer and has been given the task of transforming the hotel into a viable business in the years to come. The hotel has begun their guest room renovation, and in the next couple of weeks, will embark on renovating her public spaces and restaurant into a more modern feel than her current interiors.

It is always sad to see an old gem fade away. Thank god for the new owner of this hotel for he sees how "old gems," with a little care (and money), could transform a weary beauty of a hotel into taking on a whole new life. But be reminded that even the best looking hotels loses its beauty without the genuine care of associates. At least for now, The Henry Hotel doesn't have to worry about the latter. 

Travel Essential: Clear 4G+Mobile USB

Accessing my blog at Chicago O'Hare

My wife and kids give me a hard time because I travel with a bag full of technology and equipment. If Steve Jobs happens to sit next to me in a plane, he would be pleased to know that I usually travel with my Mac Book Pro, 2 to 3 iPods (depending on the length of trip), a Bose headset and an Oakley bag (both items bought at the Apple store). Add

to that my Nikon D-40 SLR, and most recently, my Canon PowerShot G-12. That's just how I roll.

While I do most of my work and blogging inside my hotel room or in the hotel lobby where I am able to have access to the internet, my new found travel companion has been a godsend on long airport layovers and at hotel's with overpriced internet charges. Clear has asked me to test drive their new Clear 4G+ Mobile USB Series S device for the past couple of months. I expected a USB device the size of a brick, which I have seen with many travelers, but instead, I received a tiny round device the size of a squash ball. Definitely more my style.

I have been weary of using airport wireless service because my wife's laptop died after some weird virus affected her computer at O'Hare. Perhaps it's just paranoia on my part but I certainly wouldn't want that to happen to my Mac. So on my latest trips to New York, Chicago and Miami, my Clear mobile was my sidekick. I had no problem accessing the internet at the Hotel Gansevoort in the middle of midtown Manhattan.  On my trip to Miami, I got stuck at BWI for four hours. I took advantaged of the down time by catching up on my backlog of emails. This surprised my assistant, Sharon, because I usually never send her emails and work during my travel days. Gone are the days of light workload when the boss is away. My travel days now mean more work for Sharon; something which she finds very amusing.

While the 4G service is limited to a handful of states, the 3G service is very sufficient for my needs. The Clear mobile USB was easy to install and connects online pretty easily. I can only imagine this service becoming more popular and more available in the next couple of months. So far, so good. 

But it was this weekend when I finally conceded that I cannot live without my Clear mobile USB. My family and I drove to Detroit to watch our local high school team compete for the state football championship (which they won). My three kids brought their iPods and listened to their tunes. While I jammed to my music set, my wife borrowed my laptop, and with the assistance of my Clear mobile USB, she blissfully researched the kid's Christmas presents online for two hours without any interruption from the kids and the internet service. A happy wife is always a welcome treat.

If you are looking for a Christmas stocking stuffer for your traveling spouse, I would highly recommend this tech gadget as a good alternative to that argyle sweater you were thinking about. 

Plug and play. Simple. 

And it folds for easy storage

JW Marriott Welcomes "Svelata"

Mia Tavonatti's Svelata glass mosaic masterpiece is currently displayed inside the JW Marriott Grand Rapid's rock wall entry. Svelata claimed second prize among over 1,800 artists in this year's ArtPrize competition. Michigan native

Tavonatti, who currently resides in Santa Ana, California, spent 2,700 hours creating Svelata.

After seeing the piece from a distance, I thought it was a very nice painting. It wasn't until I was a few feet from the work did I realized that it was a glass mosaic art. 

Svelata will be displayed at the JW Marriott until the end of February 2011.

Konbanwa GR! Japanese Master Chef in Grand Rapids

Our hostess from the Grand Rapids Sister Cities International,
Jennifer Brown and Marcy Yanus

I have managed to make it to Cygnus 27 for two days in a row - first for the restaurant's famous Sunday Brunch and for last evening's very special "Konbanwa GR" dinner hosted by the Grand Rapids Sister Cities International and their respective Omihachiman committee members. A wonderful crowd of Sister Cities supporters, city power brokers and
even to the honorable Japanese Consul General of Detroit, Kuninori Matsuda.

The star of the evening, however, is Omihachiman's very own Master Chef, Akihiro Kotani. Chef Kotani leads the five restaurant brigade at the Hotel New Omi in Grand Rapid's Sister City of Omihachiman. With a skilled knife and a host of assistants, Chef Kotani produced a stellar line-up of very traditional Japanese dishes to educate and inspire the diners to the rich history and traditions of Japan.

The beautiful setting atop the Amway Grand

Scallop Sashimi at the reception

Sister City themed chopsticks

First Course: Sakizuke - silky Sesame Tofu with Tonburi, Radish, Greens, Wasabi & Dashi

Second Course: Otsukuri - Tuna, Yellowtail and Scallop Sahimi

Third Course: Yakimono - Magnolia Leaf Wrapped Salmon and
Japanese Beef with Onion, Green Onion, Mushroom and
Decorative Vegetables

Fourth Course: Awase Zakana - Toro and Chicken with Seasonings

Fifth Course: Gahan and Tomewan - Matsutake Mushroom Rice and Miso

Delicious Miso

Sixth Course:  Mizumono - Choujifu French-Toast style with Vanilla Ice Cream,
Warabi Mocha and Kinako

Joe and Susan Camp

Janet Korn and Gretchen Minhaar

Amy Young, Doug Small and Sally Zarafonetis

Master Chef Akihiro Kotani displaying his knife skills

Sake

Chef Otani and Hotel New Omi General Manager, Tsutomu Iwahara

Kimono display

Seasonal Sunday Brunch at Cygnus 27

I love breakfast! Don’t get me wrong. I get excited about a perfect BLT or the finest cut of prime beef like everyone else. But there is something about getting up early for a nice piece of crispy bacon or Filipino corned beef topped with fried eggs that make waking up worthwhile for this night owl. Once in awhile, my family craves a nice brunch on Sunday instead of our usual Sunday ritual of korma, jalfrezie and naan.  On the occasion of my birthday,

my family and I got ready early enough to hit the first seating of Cygnus 27’s famous Sunday Brunch at the Amway Grand Plaza. Early for us is 11AM and that’s pushing it a bit.

It has been about five years or so since we had experienced Cygnus 27’s brunch. The days of the chafing dishes and ruffled tablecloth on the buffet table is long gone. The more modern approach of small plates and a host of selective antipasto, salads and mini desserts are in. The omelet station is still the big hit but instead of crowding the buffet lines with a horrendous amount of hot items, you can now order small plates of Braised Oxtail, Prime Rib of Beef and even Five Spice Quail to whet your brunch appetite.

My kids didn’t waste anytime hitting the egg station and dessert station first. After filling up on their favorites, they just kept returning for little nibbles of bacon, sushi and French toast. I decided to try out the small plates of Braised Oxtail, Quail and Prime rib with fries; which the kitchen placed on a plate for easy consumption. Instead of the omelet station, the kitchen prepared a soft poached egg for my half order of eggs benedict.

While there weren’t any shortage of food options, it was the wonderful bloody mary bar with an assortment of spices and hot sauces that sealed the deal for me. With a bowl of towering celery stalks and marinated shrimp to top off the bloody, there is no question that we will be back for more brunches.