That could well be a start for "Part II."

Hunt

K'man,

It's the same thing in Hawai`i, London, Rome, Sydney and many other cities. The Immigration services have a standing order - if his wife is not with him, do not let him in!

I ride her coattails, more than anyone knows. [Grin]

Aloha,

Hunt

Well, when it is all said and done, I feel that sleeping in one's own bed for more that two nights, is highly under-rated. We actually pop a bottle of Champagne, when we finally return for a week.

While I love the dining, say Hawai`i in September, Blackberry Farm in May and December, Dijon, FR in May, San Francisco 12 - 30x per year, New Orleans in October and then London in October and April, being home is GREAT!

Hunt

It would be our honor, and our pleasure.

Thanks,

Hunt

Going back some years, I had the best Crabcakes, of my life (growing up on the Coastal Gulf South, near New Orleans), on the North Shore at Ola. However, and as fate would have it, my wife's Crabcake was spoiled, so totally inedible. They were from two batches - one great, one bad. Such is life.

Still, MY version, the good one, was head and shoulders above ANY version that I have had in the entire Tidewater Region, or even New Orleans, during Blue Crab season.

Too bad that both of us did not get the batch, that I did.

Hunt

Interesting. I would not have anticipated a very large population of Navajo, Zuni, or Hopi in Hawai`i. OTOH, who would have anticipated that Phoenix, AZ would have a large enough Polynesian population, to have an annual festival, and who would have thought that the winners of the Makahiki Festival would have been living in Aurora, CO, USA, ready to perform for my 50th birthday.

We DO live in a very multi-cultural world.

Mahalo,

Hunt

OK, that is my Number 8. Good one!

Hunt

Number 1 - loud patrons, who are drunk
Number 2 - loud patrons, who are not drunk
Number 3 - loud patrons, with loud children, run amok
Number 4 - loud, whining patrons, who wish to elicit sympathy
Number 5 - patrons with loud flatulence
Number 6 - patrons with silent flatulence
Number 7 - patrons who find a major fault with every menu item.

OK, that does it for now, but there are probably many others.

Hunt

The first thing that comes to my mind is great Southern & Low Country Cuisine, like Vidalia. Next would be full-gamut French, like La Paradou (when open). However, there ARE some nice FR treatments, but with atypical ingredients. Carolina (fill in the blank, whether Eastern NC, Western NC, Eastern SC or Western SC) BBQ will be missed.

You will not find ramps, and will be hard-pressed to locate "stone-ground grits."

OTOH, you will have seafood items, that you might never have dreamed of.

There will be missing ethnic offerings, but likely some that you never thought of.

You will likely never find a Philly Cheesesteak (that matches the original), but then even in DC, one would have to search. AZ Frybread will be nowhere to be found.

My suggestion is to explore new cuisines, and treatments, and do NOT try to recreate "home." Since moving from New Orleans 30 years ago, I have yet to find a perfect NOLA Seafood Gumbo, outside my wife's kitchen. Such is life, and I can fly to NOLA, when I have the time.

Enjoy, and much aloha,

Hunt

You know, if I could ONLY convince my lovely young wife to send me my "allowance," I think that this could be accomplished!!!!! [Grin]

Until then, I suppose that I must take what I can, when I can. At least I manage to add in a couple of days on O`ahu, even if we are spending the time on another Island.

Right now, September looks good - 5 nights on the North Shore, with 4 nights in Waikiki. Best that I could do this year, which will see two-dozen trips to SFO, plus Washington DC (4x), Blackberry Farm (2x), London (1x), Burgundy (1x), Sydney (1x) and probably both Omaha and New Orleans. By my count, that is 130,000 airline miles.

Maybe in 2014?

Aloha,

Hunt

Yep, and that is why I am not a fan of almost anyone's rating scale. Now, a critical posting of the full characteristics might lead me to wine A, or a similar posting might lead me away from wine B, but in the end, it is MY palate, that counts - at least for me, and only my tasting will reveal what I like, or do not like.

Hunt

I have not had such misfortune, BUT did attend a trade-tasting some years ago, with the title of "Reserve vs Regular - What is the Difference?" In that break out session, a US wine maker posed the "Reserve" wines vs their "regular" offerings. Unfortunately, at a point in pouring the side-by-side wines, a bottle, of the Reserve, that was badly corked, was introduced.

I happened to have arrived early, and one of my "test wines," the Reserve, was topped up by that bad bottle. I quietly pointed this out to the representative (a family member, and Director of Marketing). The response that I got was, "well, many in the room will not get what I have to offer." Bogus! The site of that tasting offered both of their wines, on the list, and a replacement(s) could have been received in moments. Still, that representative was not in favor of that. As it turned out, half the room was trying to follow along with a corked version (the Reserve) vs the "regular." That was the very last time that I bothered to ever order that producer's product. If the Director of Marketing, and a family member, did not care enough to replace the bad example, then they do not deserve MY $.

As for Brett, there can be good examples, and also bad examples. So very much will depend on the specific wine, and its characteristics. In the right place, and in limited quantities - OK. Over do it, and all is not good.

Hunt

"Social media?" What is that?

I would also stay very clear of ANYTHING that the US Govt. is even thinking about. The farther, the better, for me.

Actually, I do not imbibe in any alcoholic beverages, own no guns, drive a Chevy Volt, and only eat leaves and twigs. Pay no attention to me, as I vote Democrat and give all of my money to that cause...

Hunt

Interesting. We had the pleasure of dining with Chef Matt Taylor, at NOCA, on three occasions, and love it. The first, we had guests, who refused to do the "Tasting Menu," but returned the next night, just to do that. We then returned about 4 weeks later. We greatly enjoyed those last to occasions, and Chef Taylor garnered our respect for his dishes. We were greatly saddened to learn that he had left Eliot and NOCA, as we enjoyed the menu so much.

Wishing him the best of luck, and will try to get to MSK, ASAP.

Hunt

That "Kitchen Nightmares" episode was the weekend subject for some foodies, and us.

It will be interesting seeing how things sort out. After we saw the Gordon Ramsay episode, the Amy's Web site went down, or was closed (?).

Let's just say that we did not rush to Shea & Scottsdale (actually a bit to the East), to see for ourselves. We resisted.

Hunt

Just paid US $85 for a 4 oz. Kobe Filet, and it was great. Passed on a US $ 125 for Wagyu filet, and it was only 6 oz. Just did not seem like a "deal."

Hunt

PS - the best #5 Kobe only figures in at #3 in my "all-time filet" list, and Wagyu (whatever) is at about # 8. The ultimate happened to be Big Island Beef from the Island of Hawai`i, and number 2 was just Colorado Beef.

Once, there was a time, when several game fish, such as Redfish, or Speckled Trout, were not restricted. One could catch almost unlimited quantities of each, with no problems. That is not the way that it is now. Many things have changed, and prices in restaurants have changed too.

The US $50 seems high to me, BUT it could depend on the season, or other considerations. As mentioned, things have changed.

Once, it was normal for a fisherman to boat a dozen "Bull-reds," in the late Fall, or Winter, and the same for "Rat-reds," maybe two months on either side of that. That has changed, and the same can be said for "Specks," too.

While US $ 50 does sound high, I would pinch myself, and whisper, "things have changed."

Hunt

I am VERY "old school," and also more of a "wino," BUT the Carousal Bar has always been a draw for me. Going back, and over many years, we had our "board meetings" there, and each was great fun, with enjoyable drinks.

Now, others will have to bring you up to speed on today, and will also have to comment on the gamut of drinks. OTOH, we did spend a few afternoons at Hurlingham Club London, UK), which claims to have invented both croquet and Pimm's Cup. Not sure that I believe the hype, but who am I to argue?

Enjoy,

Hunt

Unfortunately, the Hunts will not be there, though we would greatly love to be.

We are trying to fit a "long weekend" into the mix for 2013, but are not having that much luck. My "young wife" has a very hectic travel schedule, as per normal, and we are spending about 20 weeks in San Francisco (would opt for NOLA, but corporate office is in SF... ).

Most of all, we both wish you the absolute best, and pray for a review of your trip. We know that where ever you dine, the reviews will be insightful, and enjoyable.

When we CAN manage, I will find a way to secretly mention the dates, just in case we can manage a "meetup," even if such gets me suspended here - frowned upon, and I have never understood why?

While we love dining in NOLA, and try to manage to do so, at least twice per year, such would be greatly improved upon, if we could share a meal, or two, or three, with fellow CH's.

Most of all, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, and enjoy greatly! So sorry that we will not be there to toast the happy couple.

Hunt

We have started a few nights at HWAK, and then moved to La Mer. My biggest complaint with that, is the wine list between the two locations. OTOH, depending on whom you are meeting at HWAK, before you retire to La Mer, it CAN be just fine... [She knows who I am speaking of.]

We have not made it to Azure yet. It has been a "too many restaurants - too little time" situation, but we hope to rectify that deficiency in Sept. Heck, it took me 8 years to get back to Michel's at the Colony Surf, and I am glad that I did get back. Somehow, I cannot help but feel that some MAJOR Chowhounds greased those skids... OTOH, we greatly enjoyed our meal, and that was not what we had encountered years before. Regardless, that meal was awsome, and our collective minds WERE changed, so all is well.

We have only done the Mai Tai bar early, before even heading back to the room, to shower and change, for dinner. Nice, but it was inserted into an afternoon, so probably not a great test.

Aloha,

Hunt

I just lost a similar contest, with a prize, that I really wanted, when I confused a US Rhône wine, with the French counterpart. I got the OZ version, but mixed up the US/French wines. Unfortunately, it was all, or nothing, and though I had nailed every other test, that cost me the biggie, by 1 "stinking" point. I was second... [Cry]

The sommelier admitted that each of those two examples were each atypical, so a guess was better than a tasting, but such is life.

Hunt

Robert,

You are SO correct. I was in a group of "tasters," where we did 12 wines. The test was, as mentioned. Most missed the majority of the examples. When done, only one taster, out of about 100, was correct 100% of the time. When done, the host discussed each of those 12 wines. They had been chosen, based on none being typical of their Region, or their varietal. He had chosen a Syrah, that tasted like a Zinfandel - a Cabernet Sauvignon, that tasted like a Merlot - a Pinot Noir, that tasted like a Syrah, and the list goes on, and on. The choices were atypical, in every way. Not sure how anyone (even one taster) could have nailed all of them?

When I conduct a critical tasting, I try for examples that DO typify New World vs Old World, one Region vs another, a particular varietal vs another, a vintage vs another. I do not try to "trick" my audience. I do not believe that it should be some sort of "parlor game," and want my audience to get some ideas of what wines SHOULD taste like, and not try to find examples that are not the norm. [I still think that the one taster, who claimed to get a 100 score, was either drunk, or had help.]

When tasting atypical wines, I try to provide a "control," such as a Pinot Noir (almost always Domestic - USA), that might pose itself as a Syrah, and then a Syrah, with some of the same characteristics. I try to "educate," rather than obfuscate. No fun in that, IMHO.

Hunt

K'man,

You are so correct on the tables at La Mer. Personally, I have dined an many, and my favorites are overlooking HWAK, for their wonderful show. The view tables, overlooking the Pacific, are not up to the task, IMHO, but are nice, depending on the timing. Still, I always reserve those overlooking HWAK, and never have been disappointed.

Now, many cite AW's King St. restaurant, regarding a view, but for me (a Mainlander), the view of Moana lighting up, is not a bad view.

The same could be said for Chef Mavro's. A frosted window, looking out on King St. is not the ultimate, regarding a view, but when it's raining, that can be cool too - so long as the "Chef's Tasting Menu," and the "Sommelier's Pairing" are great that night. Maybe with enough wine, I can find "beauty" in any view - even if it is a David Lynch thing... [Grin]

Hunt

"Save the ink!"

Hunt

Sort of like an interview with a specific wine retailer:

1, Find the good stuff, and put it into my cellar.
2. Find the bad stuff, write a great review, sell it to the unsuspecting, and finance #1.

Hunt

JoeBob,

Sorry so late to the party.

How much sparkler do you need, and what is necessary price-point?

You have two Costcos near you, and IIRC, they each have a fair list of sparklers.

From what I recall, I would go with the Veuve Yellow Label, if that is not too far above the desired prices.

Aloha,

Hunt

[Edit] I had no idea HOW late to the party I was. Hope that the event, last year, went well. Duh!

Gruet IS a very good "domestic" producer, but JoeBob is in Hawai`i, so the selections might well be limited.
Hunt

Aloha BC,

But what was the temp on Nov 5, 2012?

[Wink, wink]

Hunt

Yep, and I did not realize that the OP was from 2007!

Still, one should see the Ramsay episode, just for background.

When I last went to their site, it was down, but maybe just for maintenance?

Hunt

You might wish to check out Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares," before you commit.

Good luck,

Hunt