Author: Tom

Categories
Europe Italy Siena; dine & dance

Siena, Italy: I Terzi, a local enoteca

I Terzi, siena, italy, tuscany, enoteca, wine bar, restaurant, local, hidden, bar, food, chianti, tom lane

Siena, Italy: I Terzi, a local enoteca
Via dei Termini 7, Siena, Italy

An enoteca features wine. Many Italian enotecas have introduced food to accompany their wine. Often the wine touted by the enoteca has been pressed in the surrounding hills; and the accompanying food harvested from the same local region.

Outside I Terzi at 8:15 pm one guy sat at the deserted table on the terrace; the temperature was 50 degrees. His wife and two teenage daughters were inspecting the menu posted outside the entrance. He called,

“Have you been to this place before?” It was almost dark, he wore a ski parka.
“No,” I said, “but those I trust recommend I Terzi over some of the more highly touted ristorante that surround Piazza del Campo and the Duomo.”
“OK, sounds like an endorsement.” Charles, an attorney from NY City gathered his clan, “We’ve only got one night in Siena,” he said as they entered I Terzi.

Why this place appeals to me

Michele, one of two partners in I Terzi, hails from Bari, in the south of Italy on the Adriatic coast. Michele’s grey hair flowed over his ears. He and his partner, Sergio, launched the enoteca in 1995; they added food in 2001. The marble counter at the entrance serves as both the welcome/reservation counter and as the carving board for the huge Bistecca Fiorentina.

Michele and his partner, Sergio, seem to know each guest arriving at I Terzi. Michele recognized me from my earlier visit to reserve a seat. As Michele conversed at a nearby table, he caught me eavesdropping. He turned to me,

“We attended university together,” he said.

I Terzi, siena, italy, tuscany, enoteca, wine bar, restaurant, local, hidden, bar, food, chianti, tom lane
Your table at I Terzi

The wife of Michele’s longtime friend tossed me the look (lo sguardo) indicating she had been the audience for their remembrances before.

How Far Down the Block?
Via Banche di Sopra is the north route, leading to Piazza del Campo from the train station and the bus station. I Terzi lies east and downhill, one block from Via Banchi di Sopra.  [mappress mapid=”10″]

To reach I Terzi visit Nannini at Via Banchi di Sopra 24, departing the front door go straight(east), one block, down the alley Vicolo Beato Pier Pettinaio, turn left on Via dei Termine – you have arrived.

Why you might be nearby?
Siena evolved from the convergence of three ridges leading to the city center; the Piazza del Campo. I Terzi refers to the three ridges that carve Siena into thirds. Each of the three ridges is served by a main thoroughfare. From the north, visitors arriving by bus and train walk along Via Banchi di Sopra towards the center of Siena. Eventually you’ll find yourself amongst these throngs tramping towards the Piazza del Campo.

Lesser Known Facts
I Terzi’s building once known as Torre Rossa, housed Siena’s Ballanti family.

I Terzi, siena, italy, tuscany, enoteca, wine bar, restaurant, local, hidden, bar, food, chianti, tom lane
Wine decorates the dining room at I Terzi

Local Recommendation
I Terzi revises their menu every 15 days. Each day the enoteca offers five starters (antipasti), five first courses (primi) and five main courses (Secondi). Black Cabbage soup (cavalo nero) is a specialty.

Siena lies within Tuscany, and the wine choices cover some of Italy’s best. Chianti wine, produced in the region immediately north of Siena, is frequently dismissed by Americans.

The Chianti is defined by Florence on the north and Siena on the south. Vino della casa, the house wine, is usually Chianti in Siena. It is local, it is pure; relatively free of preservatives, and the first sip is hard to believe. Local fattoria, a country wine merchant, distinguish the fermentation/aging processes as Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva.

The house wine usually has a story; a relative from the country who produces the wine that arrives in a large glass flask (fiascha) ready for delivery directly to your table. The second time you order wine at I Terzi, ask Michele or Sergio to guide you through their selection of 1800 bottles.

Something for Nothing
Take an after dinner stroll through the cafes and lights of Piazza del Campo, host of the twice annual Palio di Siena; a horse race contested by the 17 neighborhoods (contrada) of Siena. Piazza del Campo is only 200 meters from the entrance of I Terzi.

Categories
Europe Florence; Oltrarno enoteca favorites Italy

Florence, Italy: La Fiaschetteria; a local wine sipping place

La Fiaschetteria, Florence, Italy, oltrarno, fiaschetteria, drink, local, hidden, undiscovered, bar, tom lane, river, Italian, artesian, wine, bridge, pitti, language, English

Florence, Italy
La Fiaschetteria: a local wine sipping place
Via de Serragli 47r, across the Arno River, the Oltrarno

After dark in April 2013, in the Oltrarno section of Florence, Italy, four blocks south of the Arno River, I’m saying goodbye at La Fiaschetteria.

(Translated from Italian)
“Arrivaderci Luca, see you next year. Each April, for five years, I drink your wine here at Fiaschetteria. We speak in Italian only. You say no English is spoken at La Fiaschetteria. Study while I’m gone. Next April we’ll speak English. Ciao Luca.” The next day I would travel home to Michigan.

One year later, April 2014, at the front entrance of La Fiaschetteria in the Oltrarno of Florence.

(Translated from Italian)
“Ciao Luca, it’s me, Tom. It’s been a year, I return to speak English with you my old friend.”
In English, I continue, “Have you been studying English the past year?”
Luca says in Italian, “No Tom, non ho studiato Inglese. Parliamo quest’anno in Italiano.”

The Oltrarno of Florence for centuries has been home to the artesians of Tuscany; cobblers, frame-makers, artists, jewelry-makers, lace-makers and musicians.

La Fiaschetteria, Florence, Italy, oltrarno, fiaschetteria, drink, local, hidden, undiscovered, bar, tom lane, river, Italian, artesian, wine, bridge, pitti, language, English
La Fiaschetteria is well stocked

Craftsmen and bohemians are served by several trattorias, bars, and just one fiaschetteria. Local residents arrive at La Fiaschetteria each evening to chat and fill their empty wine bottles.

Why this place appeals to me
“At La Fiaschetteria we only speak Italian,” Luca has been telling me for six years. His small fiaschetteria holds only 8-10 people inside. Luca’s patrons flow out the door and into Via de Serragli. There are no other Americans to be found amongst the 7 pm crowd. Luca’s customers, locals who live in the Oltrarno, across the Arno River, hear Luca proclaim that again this year we will be speaking in Italian, seize the opportunity to improve their English. Assisted by wine, we begin to communicate.

La Fiaschetteria, Florence, Italy, oltrarno, fiaschetteria, drink, local, hidden, undiscovered, bar, tom lane, river, Italian, artesian, wine, bridge, pitti, language, English
Looking in from Via de’ Serragli

A woman enters La Fiaschetteria with an empty wine bottle, hands it to Luca and says, “Rosso di Montalcino; riempirlo e un bicchiere.” Luca pours her a glass of wine from the spigot, exchanges the glass for her bottle, places her empty bottle under the tap and fills it with red wine. Her bottle is quickly corked with a barely noticeable press hidden behind the counter. Luca returns her bottle, full of Tuscan red wine and says, “Tre euro.” Translation four dollars.

How Far Down the Block?
Cross the Arno River on the Ponte alla Carraia (the Carraia bridge) heading south, leaving the Duomo and Piazza Repubblica behind. Walk directly ahead (south) 400 meters. One block from the bridge the street becomes Via de Serragli. [mappress mapid=”11″]

Why you might be nearby?
a) You’re in line at the Pitti Palace facing a one-hour wait outside the main gate. It’s getting late in the afternoon. La Fiaschetteria is four blocks away, b) Your wife, tired from shopping, is napping. You’re not tired.

Lesser Known Facts
La Fiaschetteria came to life in 1947 from the ashes of World War II. Luca’s father, with a hand from his grandfather, began serving Florentines. In Florence’s Oltrarno a post war fiaschetteria provided bulk wine for local folks to carry home, a glass at the counter, a place to chatter, smoke and imagine a better world.

La Fiaschetteria, Florence, Italy, oltrarno, fiaschetteria, drink, local, hidden, undiscovered, bar, tom lane, river, Italian, artesian, wine, bridge, pitti, language, English
Only Italian spoken

The great Florence flood of 1966 damaged all Florence. Water stood knee-deep in La Fiaschetteria. After Luca’s father died, his mother, Vittoria, ran La Fiaschetteria. In 1985, Luca, then 27 took over. He expanded the Tuscan wine selection stocked by La Fiaschetteria, stabilized the small interior and carried forward the Oltrarno tradition.

Local Recommendation
Luca shuts down the lights around 9:30 – 10 pm. Stop before dinner.

As La Fiaschetteria closes, consider Ristorante Al Tranvai, a small Oltrarno legend, located on Piazza Torquato Tasso just three blocks away.

Something for Nothing
Italian Language lessons; local Italians congregating at La Fiaschetteria from 5-9 pm plunge into conversation with limited English. An American guest can plunge right back with limited Italian. Add wine and everyone is fluent; no charge.

Maybe Next Year
Filli, blond, buxom and smiling stood alongside the counter as Luca poured the evening’s final glass of wine. It was 10 pm, La Fiaschetteria was closing.

(translated from Italian)
Filli said, “Luca and I will marry in May. We honeymoon in London.”
“But, Luca doesn’t speak English!” I said, “How will he manage in London?”
Filli replied, “Luca will learn English, so will I.”
Luca grinned as he wiped down his bar, ”Si, Tom, next year we will speak in English, Ciao, Tom. Ci vediamo”
“Ciao Luca, next year,” I said and waved goodbye to Luca and Filli.

La Fiaschetteria, Florence, Italy, oltrarno, fiaschetteria, drink, local, hidden, undiscovered, bar, tom lane, river, Italian, artesian, wine, bridge, pitti, language, English
The crowd at La Fiaschetteria flows into Via de’ Serragli
Categories
Europe Italy Siena; dine & dance

Siena, Italy: PRÈTTO; a local place to eat

Pretto, Siena, Italy, Tuscany, restaurant, trattoria, prosciutto, locals, hidden, undiscovered, walk, wine, dining, grappa, cheap meals, pasta, salami, price

Siena, Italy
PRÈTTO; a local place to eat
Via dei Termine,                email:  tamara.pacini71@gmail.com

Places to eat in Italy have historically been tiered by description, loosely ranked from fine dining to in front of the stable; Ristorante, Trattoria, Osteria, Pizzeria, Locanda, Mescita, Bar, Salumeria, Convivio, Pasticerria, Birreria

The waiter at La Torre, a ristorante two steps off Piazza del Campo, the centerpiece of Siena, tossed the pasta on the table within two minutes of being seated.

“Not yet,” I said, “I haven’t decided.”
The waiter replied in Italian, “This is the way we’ve done it for 60 years.”
Change of plan, time to head down the block.

Earlier in the day, Easter Saturday afternoon, PRÈTTO, a hole-in-the-wall prosciutteria, had their door open. Danielle, waived an invite, delivered a carafe of PRÈTTO’s house white wine while assessing life in Siena. She was from Florence. The Sienese and Florentines have a history.

Pretto, Siena, Italy, Tuscany, restaurant, trattoria, prosciutto, locals, hidden, undiscovered, walk, wine, dining, grappa, cheap meals, pasta, salami, price, Tom LaneNow it was 9 pm, Easter Saturday evening; the door was still open and Pretto was buzzing.

Pretto, Siena, Italy, Tuscany, restaurant, trattoria, prosciutto, locals, hidden, undiscovered, walk, wine, dining, grappa, cheap meals, pasta, salami, price
Inside the entrance

“Ciao, Welcome back,” Daniele called from behind the glass food case, “Accomodarsi; take a seat.” She pointed at a table just vacated. Cured prosciutto hanging from the beams, salame being sliced, ragu heating – perfect. The aging furniture is beyond damage, having previously served at an Irish Pub.

Why this place appeals to me
PRÈTTO is either a Prosciutteria, a Mescita (a tap room) or a Convivio (a banquet hall); depends on what wall you read.

Emmanuelle and his wife Tamara own PRÈTTO. Emanuele explained, “Pretto, in Italian, can mean priest. But in Tuscan dialect, pretto means pure; faithful to the origins, food without chemicals. It was my grandfather’s nickname. He was PRÈTTO.”

Emanuele continued, “Pure like our Sangiovese vino, the vino we offer here at PRÈTTO, our house wine,“ he said. “My neighbor, 83 years old, he was a friend of my grandfather, he still watches over as the wine is made. Makes sure it is pretto, pure.”

Pretto, Siena, Italy, Tuscany, restaurant, trattoria, prosciutto, locals, hidden, undiscovered, walk, wine, dining, grappa, cheap meals, pasta, salami, price
Arriva Francesca

Each day PRÈTTO posts a hand-written menu just inside the door. Food choices are few, everything local. Focus is on the meats; salame, prosciutto, heaping platters (affattati) carved in sight and served on wood planks accompanied by Tuscan cheese. Four choices of homemade pasta are offered each evening.

Emanuele returned, “My grandfather wrote poetry. He inspired me when I was young to try new adventures. Here is one of his poems.” The first two lines read

                        There is another path, and soon I’ll set off
                        Opportunity lies ahead but, I must choose the route.

How Far Down the Block?                           [mappress mapid=”9″]

Siena evolved on the top of three ridges leading to the center, Piazza del Campo. Each of the three ridges is served by a main thoroughfare. Every day throngs walk the three routes, into and out of, Siena. Via Banchi di Sopra is the north route, leading to Piaza del Campo from the train station and the bus station. PRÈTTO lies east and downhill, one block from Via Banchi di Sopra.

Siena, hidden restaurants, Tuscan dining, local dining
Front room at Pretto

To reach PRÈTTO, visit Nannini at Via Banche di Sopra 24, exiting Nannini’s front door, go straight (east), down the alley called Vicolo Beato Pier Pettinaio, one block. Turn left on Via dei Termine – you have arrived.

Why you might be nearby?
a) You’ve had it with the pigeons on Piazza del Campo and got caught in exodus on Via Banche di Sopra, b) Your tour guide is explaining the significance of Piazza Independenza, just 100 meters from PRÈTTO. When the group moves on to Piazza del Campo, lag in the rear and escape to Prètto.

Lesser Known Facts
Emanuale and his wife Tamara formerly operated an Irish Pub in Siena. PRÈTTO just opened April 12, 2014.

There is an Italian gelato chain Pretto; and it’s pretty good. It is not related to PRÈTTO Prosciutteria in Siena.

Local Recommendation
Choose the house wine (vino della casa). After dinner sample Siena’s ricciarelli cookies, or try Florence’s cantucci and dip it in Vin Santo, a sweet wine. Grappa to close the evening.

Something for Nothing
The cafes and lights of Piazza del Campo, host of the twice annual Palio di Siena, the horse race by the 17 neighborhoods of Siena, are only a 200 meter stroll from the entrance of Pretto.

In his poem, Emanuele’s grandfather continued to search for opportunity, he ends;

                                    After a small drop of wine, as my journey resumed,
                                    What I sought in my travel, awaited at home.

PRÈTTO is a place where you feel comfortable.

Categories
Cortez/Anna Maria; Annie's Bait Shop Florida

Cortez, Florida: ANNIE’S BAIT & TACKLE; Minnows, food, Heineken & cigars

Annie’s, Bradenton, Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price

Annie’s Bait & Tackle, Cortez, Florida (Bradenton Beach); An inter-coastal bait shop offering Heineken & cigars.

Why this place appeals to me

Annie’s explains their dining as EXTREMELY CASUAL – it is.

     “What time do you open shop?” I asked Bruce Shearer, owner of Annie’s Bait Shop for the past 18 years.

     “6 am, used to open at 5:30, but no reason any more, not busy in the morning,” Bruce said.

     “How come you’re not busy at 6 am, that’s when fishermen like to head out?”

     “They died,” the owner of Annie’s Bait Shop said.

     “The fish died out,” I asked.

     “No, the fishermen,” Bruce explains. “The old guys, down from Michigan, used to charter a boat for the entire season, one day a week, all winter December through April.  Now, an occasional old guy brings his grandson by once a year to show him what a rod and reel looks like.”

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price
Annie’s sign from out front

Annie’s Bait & Tackle is local, but with a surprising touch of class.

Nancy pulled a cool Heineken from the cooler as I selected a Macanudo cigar from the humidor atop the bait counter.

“Need a cutter?” she asked.

Nice touch; a $7 cigar does not offend my yearning to go local.

How Far Down the Block?      From McKechnie Field spring training home field for the Pittsburgh Pirates it’s a nine mile drive.

From mid-crossing on the Sunshine Bridge spanning the entrance of Tampa Bay it is 37 miles to Annie’s Bait & Tackle.[mappress mapid=”8″]

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price
Cortez Road Bridge from Annie’s Veranda

Why you might be nearby?      Social demands on Longboat Key have you seeking somewhere local to sip on a cold beer.  Grab the tender from somebody’s yacht and zip north to the Cortez Road Bridge, following the channel into Annie’s immediately northeast of the bridge.

Lesser Known Facts      Bruce Shearer once sold 15,000 bait shrimp daily to the fishermen pushing off from Cortez into the Gulf of Mexico.  Fishing in 2014 isn’t the same as the 1980’s, Bruce moved with the money.  Annie’s Bait Shop now serves cold Heineken with their signature Grouper Sandwich on the ten bar stools, four indoor tables or dockside on their … well, it’s just a dock..

Bruce, a refugee from Michigan – now proprietor of Annie’s Bait & Tackle, headed south in the late 1970’s with a stash of $1,800.  He stands the afternoon watch at Annie’s these days

Local Recommendation

     “What’s the specialty?” I asked.

Nancy, who came down from Cincinnati, was on duty at Annie’s. She said, “The Grouper Sandwich, 100%.”Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price

Nancy was right.

Something for Nothing      Park your car, lace up your running/walking shoes and head over the bridge towards Anna Maria Island.  Round trip from Annie’s n the east side to the base of the bridge on the West side and back is 1.5 miles.  Continue on the Gulf, extend your exercise routine and return to Annie’s thirsty.

Categories
Florida Fort Lauderdale; SNOOZE, the hotel

Fort Lauderdale: SNOOZE; a boutique hotel featuring just the essentials

Snooze, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beach, undiscovered, hotel, A1A, deck, on the beach, beach, kitchen, boutique, waking path, jogging, ocean view, price, locals,

SNOOZE; a BOUTIQUE hotel featuring just the essentials.

Fort Lauderdale, FL        

     “Who owns Snooze?” I asked,

     “I do,” Robert said from his stool behind the small check-in counter.  Robert, once a London-based

      real estate investor focused on hospitality, had become an Owner/Registration clerk.  No uniform 

      required.

     “Nice place, great location, a bang for the buck,” I said.

     “Bang for the buck is our target.  Provide upscale essentials, just the essentials,” Robert said.

 

Snooze is located on the A1A strip in Fort Lauderdale Beach, far enough from the

Snooze, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beach, undiscovered, hotel, A1A, deck, on the beach, beach, kitchen, boutique, waking path, jogging, ocean view, price, locals,
View from room 301

honky-tonk strip that only traffic sounds and Atlantic waves can be heard through your open window.  A 2nd floor deck offers box seats to view the fruit of A1A; the morning parade, afternoon bikinis and the stream of classic cars.

Why this place appeals to me.  The view, the refrigerator, the cleanliness and the walking options.

Snooze is the best of the Roger Miller’s 1960’s tune, “No phone, no pool, no pets …”  But Roger didn’t sing about offering the essentials; wine glasses, a corkscrew, refrig/freezer and three tables – one for work, another for vitals, and a 3rd for stuff!

How Far Down the Block?     [mappress mapid=”7″]

A 1.1 mile walk south on A1A to the Bahia Cabana bar on the inter-coastal.

Just step outside to join the A1A parade.

Far enough down the block to be out of range from the Spring-breaker throngs trying to resurrect the Elbow Room.

Why you might be nearby?

You’ve stayed at the Fort Lauderdale Ritz Carlton and this time you want to go local.

Snooze, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beach, undiscovered, hotel, A1A, deck, on the beach, beach, kitchen, boutique, waking path, jogging, ocean view, price, locals,
Room 301

The Pillars is too wonderfully serene.

Lesser Known Facts

Snooze was formerly the eighteen room Ocean Holiday Hotel, distinguish by its flamingo pink exterior. A 360 degree view roof-top deck is planned for summer 2014.

Local Recommendation    Upscale local, walk two blocks to the Pillars for an evening glass of wine. 

Consider a cab ride to Casa D’Angelo for an Italian dinner.

Local, local; See if Jimmy Buffett stopped at the Bahia Cabana for a beer and takes the stage.

Something for Nothing

Snooze supplies free WiFi, free beach chairs, beach towels and umbrellas.  Each morning God and Mother Nature provide the A1A parade.  Two of everything joins the parade just after dawn.  It is not possible to feel uncomfortable or out-of-place strutting on A1A at 9 am on a March morning.

Categories
Nelson; THE SAILS, boutique hotel New Zealand

Nelson, New Zealand: The Sails; a boutique hotel

Nelson, New Zealand

The Sails; a boutique hotel

The Sails Nelson, NZ
Sunrise at The Sails


Why this place appeals to me:     The owner/operators Max and his wife Robyn are hands on; chatting as they fold towels inside the overhead door of The Sails laundry facility.  Max and Robyn live on-site.  The Sails is somewhat unknown as it opened new in Dec. 2012.  The Sails sparkles.

Each room has full kitchen amenities, superb coffee service, full glassware and silverware, a small deck and a glass and chrome bathroom. 65 channels are provided on an LCD TV.  Wi-Fi is complimentary.  Max enthusiastically acts as de facto concierge at The Sails; advising on events, dining and drinks.

The Sails is a bit of a splurge at NZ $160 for thrifty travelers, but worth the price.

The Sails Cocktail hour
Cocktail Hour at The Sails

How Far Down the Block?     Six blocks from the bus station on Bridge Street in the center of Nelson; your likely arrival point as there is no train service in/out of Nelson.  From the bus station it is a 100 meter, half-block walk to Trafalgar Street, lined with a choice of pubs and restaurants. Turn the corner north and walk five blocks to The Sails.

Why you might be nearby?     A) You fell into the gravitational pull of the Marlborough vineyards, B) You were cold and Nelson is reported to have consistently pleasant weather.

Two of New Zealand’s top offerings are featured in Nelson; cycling and brew pubs. And they compliment each other.  Confer with the locals in choosing a ride, make sure it passes by, then ends with a proper pub.  Paved bike trails run along the ocean, up the rivers leading into Nelson and into the low mountains surrounding Nelson.

From The Sails it is a quick, uncluttered ride to join the cycle trails.    [mappress mapid=”5″]

Lesser Known Facts:     Max worked for IBM, based in Connecticut, USA for fourteen years.  Max got his start in hospitality developing pubs and restaurants; selling when the establishments achieved success.  He bought the site for The Sails and oversaw construction of the hotel.

Local Recommendation:     The Saturday morning market in downtown Nelson.

If you turn the wrong way where Bridge Street meets Trafalgar after leaving the bus station, you quickly arrive at The Vic, Mac’s Brewpub on Trafalgar Square in Nelson. Stop for a beer.

When traveling I take along baseball-style caps scripted with Traverse City, Michigan – my hometown.  For extraordinary service, a cap is awarded.  The cap does not replace tips or accolades, it is an added acknowledgement.  Max was awarded a cap for his exceptional facility and guest service.

Something for Nothing      The Sails provides two bikes on site for use by their guests.  Not the same quality as the cycle rental options nearby, yet perfect for a 90 minute exploration of Nelson.  The Sails offers laundry service for guests for $8.00 a load; an appreciated touch for frugal packers.

Categories
Martinborough, restaurant COOL CHANGE New Zealand

Martinborough, NZ: COOL CHANGE; a restaurant & bar in wine country

Cool Change; a restaurant & bar in Martinborough, New Zealand, 30 minutes south from Highway 2, New Zealand’s Wine Trail

What appeals:  On Tuesday, a lot of eating and drinking places in Martinborough close.  It was Tuesday and Cool Change would be open that night … and they had a bar.  Too few upscale NZ eating establishments have a bar; drinks are served at the table.

Jimmy, Cool Change’s afternoon barkeep, touted the special to be served later Tuesday evening; the platter of roast lamb served with Martinborough veggies and NZ potatoes. Two migrants from Minnesota sipped late afternoon beer at Cool Change’s bar.  He said they hadn’t been back since they left seven years ago.  She said they didn’t plan to ever go back.

Tirohana Estate; a boutique vineyard less than a kilometer from Memorial Square in Martinborough, offered white linen, their own wines,  veggies from their garden and the promise of top-notch service.  Tirohana Vineyard should have been an easy choice, but Cool Change was … more local.

Today's Special, Cool Change, Martinborough, NZ
Tuesday’s Doings

And Jimmy had already poured me a NZ pale ale.

How Far Down the Block?

If you’re driving Highway 2, the NZ Wine Trail, Martinborough is a 17 kilometer jog south – a pretty drive. Places never mentioned in travel books intrigue me.  Cool Change, located across the Kitchener Street from the well publicized Martinborough Hotel, was below guide book radar.

[mappress mapid=”4″]

 

Why you might be nearby?

You have been tasting at the vineyards surrounding Martinborough.  Quality vineyards stretch into town, their entrance a short walk from Memorial Square.

Lesser Known Facts

The name Cool Change was inspired by a change from city life and influenced by the Little River Band’s tune.

Local Recommendation

Returning at 9 pm, Cool Change was booming.  Platters of lamb came forth from the kitchen; every bar stool had been claimed.

Jimmy the barkeep morphed into the evening Maître D’, yet was easy to locate. His evening dress was the same as his 4 pm look; Venice Beach surfer dude circa 1968 featuring a loose white tee shirt, over-the-neck dirty blond hair and a three day growth. Diners in Cool Change’s dining room signaled for Jimmy’s attention.

My roast lamb platter had been reserved that afternoon.  Jimmy waved, confirming my lamb platter and pointing at an open table.

At 10:30 pm the dining room crowd had thinned, the bar in Cool Change still hummed.  A tri-athlete and a birthday guy sat side-by-side encouraging each other to drink beer.  Jimmy returned to the bar, he set a shot of Jameson Irish, neat, in front of me and said it was on the house.

Cool Change, TC cap
Service Award
Traverse City Cap

When traveling I take along baseball-style caps scripted with Traverse City, Michigan – my hometown.  For extraordinary service, a cap is awarded.  The cap does not replace tips or accolades, it is an added acknowledgement. Jimmy, the barkeep/Maître D was gracious during the brief award ceremony.  He set the cap atop several bottles behind his bar.

Something for Another Day

At 7 am, Wednesday morning not a car drove down Puruatanga Road as I jogged past Tirohana Estate.  How many diners did they serve last night?  Next trip, maybe.

I turned the corner and trotted into Martinborough, past Cool Change.

Cool Change, Martinborough, New Zealand (2)
Cool Change for the Lamb Platter
Categories
New Zealand Summer is Missing

New Zealand Summer; January 2014

New Zealand Summer;  January 2014

January is summer in New Zealand, the equivalent of July in North America.  Halfway through three weeks of exploring NZ my weather question was whether I would push on with the rest of the trip.

On Day Two, a 6.3 quake brought down the Hobbit Eagle that had loomed over the concourse the Wellington’s airport.  On Day Four in blew Cyclone June, on a two-day buzz through New Zealand featuring 80 MPH winds that smacked the North Island.

It was Day Nine in New Zealand, the weather summary consisted of two days of cyclone winds blowing 74+ MPH, each of the other seven days the wind achieved gale force rank; a velocity easily appreciated when it’s in your face.

Napier, New Zealand: Day Nine

Napier is touted as New Zealand’s prettiest city.  Located on the shore of Hawke’s Bay, Napier is also credited with being one of the sunniest and warmest climates in NZ.  Vineyards thrive.  Napier lies between the 39th and 40th degrees latitude south; a southern hemisphere counterpart to Baltimore or Kansas City.

        “Sawadee,” said the waitress at Thai Chef, a Napier restaurant. Sawadee means Hello in Thai.  Thai dominates ethnic food choices in New Zealand.  The Thai Chef had been recommended by a local woman who refused to suggest a second choice – despite the Thai Chef being locate two kilometers from downtown Napier.  
    
        “It’s cold,” I replied.  Napier  was overcast, it reminded me of Michigan in winter. I had run from the car to the entrance of Thai Chef.
       
        “Isn’t it a nice change to have the cool weather,” the waitress said.

 

How Far Down the Block?     Masterton, NZ:  Day Ten

Highway 2 is New Zealand’s Wine Trail.  Highway 2 heads out of Napier, reputed to be NZ sunniest town, and leads into Wellington, 250 miles south.  Along the way villages featuring wine and food beckon.  In the wine village of Masterton along Highway 2 the overnight temp dips to 2 degrees Centigrade; that’s 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Only the sheep were dressed for the weather.

Why you might be nearby?     Picton, New Zealand; Day Twelve

On January 30, the temperature topped out at 68 degrees in Picton.  The day had been cloudy.  Just after 6 pm a 60 MPH blow swept through the village, cleaning the streets.  I sat at a picnic table in the courtyard of the Escape to Picton Hotel for the twenty minute assault; pretending it was summer.  After the wind settled, a New Zealand beer seemed appropriate.  The brew pub was only a three-minute walk.

        “I’ll have the pale ale,” I said to the barman.  He wore a shabby short-sleeve shirt. I wore a short-sleeve shirt, a long-sleeve shirt and a sweater. The barman was barefoot, I was not. 
        “Nice day,” the barman said.  He pulled the tap, the pale ale refused to pour.
        To make the barman’s day easier I said, “I’ll take one of the other brews if that tap is a problem.”
        The barman said, “No, no, the hot weather today has our tap system misbehaving.”

 

Lesser Known Facts     Weather terminology in New Zealand

Sam Wallace, the breakfast weatherman for TV One in NZ, delivers their morning forecast.  Sam’s style suggests he studied under Biff America, a local TV character in Summit County, Colorado twenty years ago.

Sam’s weather vocabulary differs from US terms.  Brilliant means sunny.  Fine translates as partly/mostly cloudy.  Chilly warns of really cold weather.  Kiwis use the word chilly in chilly bin – a picnic cooler.  What Americans call an ice box.

When Sam says, “Today we’ll experience explosive cyclogenesis,” he is advising that a cyclone with extremely colds winds will hit.

There is no such thing as a prevailing wind in NZ.  The wind blows from all directions.

Local Recommendation    Locate an Irish Pub so you can fortify with a shot of Irish Whiskey before bedtime.

A Kiwi in his 80’s tries to explain NZ weather to a small group of visiting complainers huddled inside Churchill’s bar, found inside the County Hotel, Napier; a rare real bar.

The experienced NZ man, a fruit grower of many years, ties the vagrancy of his weather to cricket, New Zealand’s impact on WW II, and the Marx Brothers.  None of those present, not even Grant the Canadian bartender, can interpret his musings. But, we were inside, it was warm and the beer taps were functioning.

Something for Nothing      NZ provides universal health care.  It is intended for Kiwis only, unless the foreign traveler is injured in NZ due to an accident – slipping on the ice for instance.

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New Zealand Russell; old hotel, older drinking club

Russell, New Zealand: RUSSELL BOATING CLUB; a drinking place from another time

Russell Boating Club; a drinking place from another time located in Russell, New Zealand, Matauwhi Bay, the Bay of Islands

What Appeals?   The deck hangs over the bay, the bar offers a decent choice of booze and a satisfying selection of New Zealand beer. But, at the Russell Boating Club, it’s the characters.

Russell Boating Club, Drinking restricted
Drinking Restricted Rule not enforced

When locals tell a good story, the main characters often do the telling.  Sometimes in a really local place, you step inside their community.

In France refugees from the 1960’s are known as soixante neuf’s – sixty-niners.  One foot stuck in 1969, the rest of their self dealing with 2014.  These entertaining peeps are defined by what they are not; they are not fat, not well groomed, not impressed by wealth and not subject to silly drug laws.  They are the same entertaining folks we hung with in college … 69’ers in the Bay of Islands had found each other at the RBC at 5 pm on January 23, 2014.

On the deck outside the Russell Boating Club a slender man with gray hair, trimmed brush cut style, aged skin and an ear-ring sits on the bench of a picnic table.  He leads the dialogue with eight of his sailor/drinkers – all wearing colorless jackets and faded Bermudas. Two beers rest in front of the speaker; one finished, the other half drained.  This is their community.

How Far Down the Block?   Four blocks from the base of the pier in Russell, New Zealand.  The pier is Russell’s hub.  Follow Matauwhi Road out of town, when the road turns left, continue straight on.

Why you might be nearby?   A) You are staying at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel and you want to go local. B) While sailing New Zealand’s Bay of Islands a cyclone strikes; you need the protection of a Hurricane Hole. Matauwhi Bay is your refuge.

Russell Boating Club, Dinghy Dock
Dinghy dock
Russell Boat Club

Lesser Known Facts:   The sole display of social stratification within the RBC community is revealed at the dinghy dock.  Twenty dinghies are tied up at the Russell Boating Club; ten dinghies are powered by a small outboard motor, the other ten rowed in. Those rowing have to time their return trip based on the in/out flow of the 11 foot tide.

Standing at the bar, Ida Bircher, bartender, responded to her customer, “If you want help, don’t ask my husband.”  Community advice.

Ida, an Irish rover, sailed into Matauwhi Bay and the Russell Boating Club two years ago from Fort Lauderdale by way of Australia.  Ida controls how quickly beer is served. When asked to repeat her name, she said, “Ida. Like in Ida good time.”

Local Recommendation    Meals are served at the RBC on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.  The price is a fraction of nearby alternatives.

A dinghy carrying eight was being rowed towards the RBC dinghy dock; the boat rode low in the water.  As the overloaded dinghy approached a hunched senior sailor, doing the South Pacific on a 24-foot vessel, scurried to help.  After a successful disembarkation, he passed by and whispered, “I’d rather assist on the dinghy dock than have to jump in.” Community wisdom.

Something for Nothing:   A) Feel young again at the Russell Boating Club without the cost of drugs. On this Wednesday eve in January 2014, the youngest person in the RBC was 51 years. B) Parking is free; either at the dinghy dock or in the lot for autos.

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New Zealand Russell; old hotel, older drinking club

Russell, New Zealand; The Duke of Marlborough Hotel & Restaurant

The Duke of Marlborough; a hotel and restaurant in Russell, New Zealand                 

Throwback hotels with a bar full of stories grab me. The Duke’s history is the history of New Zealand; a well-kept wooden hotel, serving New Zealand food on their harbor-view porch. Located two steps from the base of Russell’s pier in the Bay of Islands, thirst is soon solved.

The Duke lies four hours north of Auckland by car; only a cyclone blocked the path. In the Atlantic basin, a tropical cyclone is known as a hurricane, after the ancient Central American deity of wind, Huracan. In the Northwest Pacific Ocean windstorms exceeding 74 MPH are called typhoons. In New Zealand cyclones are just cyclones.

Tropical Cyclone June arrived in Auckland the day after the 6.3 Wine Trail earthquake rattled me awake from an afternoon nap.

Waterspouts and low vertical wind shear are side effects of tropical cyclones; glad to be driving, not flying, to Russell.  Rain from the Cyclone June will be intense, but the 80 MPH winds should blow all rain right off the windshield.

How Far Down the Block?  The easy route north from Auckland international airport is Highway 1, with a final jog down Highway 11.  Two options will conclude the trip; either a car ferry from Opua with a final 8 mile drive into Russell, or continue north on Hwy 11 to Pahia, park the car and grab the people ferry for at 15 minute voyage to the pier in the center of Russell. The Duke of Marlborough lies at the base of the pier, along the Strand.[mappress mapid=”2″]

Russell is the quiet, proper, and affluent alternative to nearby summer holiday destinations.  In the 1830’s it was New Zealand’s epicenter for prostitution, whaling and the first Christian church.

Why you might be nearby? A) You’re meeting your sailboat for the late January Regatta in Bay of Islands; B) take an overnight break on your drive to 90 mile beach in the far north of New Zealand.

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The Pier
click me

If you’re staying at Eagles Nest where, rooms start at NZ$2,300/night and need a real people fix, The Duke is a five block walk down Tapeka Road. Don’t be conspicuous.

Lesser Known Facts:  The Duke was the first establishment licensed to sell alcohol beverages in New Zealand; however, not having a license did not deter competitors in 1840.  In 1840’s Russell was known as the Hell Hole of the Pacific. The Duke of Marlborough was called Johnny Johnston’s Grog Shop

Local Recommendation:  Reserve a table on the porch overlooking the Strand for dinner; consider the Fish & Chips – the Duke turns this peasant dish into fine dining.

Cocktail hour take a bottle of NZ wine, drive the eponymous road to Long Beach – less than a mile from your room at the Duke.  Be couth, bring a take-away cup and sip from a bench on the grass strand along the shore of Oneroa Bay.

Russell, 7 am
Russell at 7 am

Something for Nothing:  In the early morning hike (known as a tramp in New Zealand) to Tapeka Point overlooking the Bay of Islands.  You can shorten your tramp by driving to the end of Tapeka Road, park the car and tramp the final 800 meters to the point.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Auckland; Thai food New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand; Mai Thai Restaurant

How to locate Mai Thai Restaurant

Auckland

The Airbus A330 approached the International Date Line at a speed of 550 MPH, the carriage began to shake, the seatbelt sign flashed on, the flight attendants scurried to their jump seats.  The Airbus rocked for two full minutes, then went smooth. Just like that DeLorean shook in Back to Future.  We had busted through the International Date Line. Friday 8 pm became Saturday 8 pm. I thought they made up that shaking business just for the movie; neat.

18 hours in a jet plane, across the equator, landing in New Zealand; my reservoir was depleted. A one hour, late afternoon nap on my second day in Auckland would be the final step required to restore me.  A few minutes after slipping into REM sleep, my hotel bed began vibrating, very pleasant, yet I didn’t recall a vibrate option.

Hobbit Land was shaking at 6.3 intensity.

The TV news folks predict 23 aftershocks will continue to quake New Zealand for a couple of weeks. The quake center lies 250 miles south of Auckland, alongside New Zealand Highway 2; The Wine Trail. This paved path leads from Hawks Bay into Wellington, the capital; my driving route five days hence.

At some vineyard along the Wine Trail, I’ll sip wine, watching the mountain tops jiggle; a New Zealand peep show. 

Mai Thai RestaurantMai Thai, across Street

Walking the sidewalks of Auckland, the multi-culture is remarkable. Thailand is not the largest émigré community, but they influence the dining options.

Mai Thai            As you enter Mai Thai    you will  be welcomed with the Wai, the Thai greeting consisting of a slight bow, with palms pressed together prayer-like. White linen covers the tables, superb spicy Thai food.

How Far Down the Block?

A half block away from Mai Thai, the largest structure in the Southern Hemisphere, Auckland’s Sky Tower, looms.  Sky City, anchored by its tower, is the easiest destination to locate while exploring a new city anywhere in the world.

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Why you might be nearby

The Sky Tower complex features a Casino and two large hotels.  It is surrounded by several first class eating and drinking spots.  A four block walk and you arrive at the restaurants and bars of Viaduct Harbor. Sky City is a major confluence for busses serving metro Auckland

Lesser known Facts

Prepping for my trip to New Zealand, three tastes kept tempting me; seafood, lamb and Thai.  Lamb ribs, a featured appetizer at the Depot, were my first taste along with the local Epic pale ale.

I washed the huge serving of green-lip mussels for lunch at the Auckland Seafood Market with a six-glass tasting of NZ red wines.

Mai Thai Restaurant was recommended by 1) an Irish bartender while serving me a Tullamore Irish Whiskey, straight-up and 2) a Kiwi from Christchurch, a Microsoft guy who commuted to Auckland weekly.  Their recommendations sealed the deal.

Local Recommendation

Around the corner on Federal Street, 200 feet from Mai Thai, lies The Depot, for fresh oysters and NZ wine on tap.

Something For Nothing    Freebees

In New Zealand, if you’re a senior 62 years or older, lots of stuff is free or discounted.  First step is to buy a New Zealand Senior card for $39 – I did this before leaving the states.  Best free service for seniors in Auckland is the bus system.  The City link, Inner Link and Metro Link serve rings of the city – like a metro tour bus without audio. Bus 767 hugs the coast on the ride to Mission Bay and St. Helier’s, both locations have a seaside walkway and several ocean view eating drink spots.  I’d live here in January-March

 

Categories
Michigan Sawyer; a microbrewery

Sawyer, Michigan: GREENBUSH BREWERY; a stop off I-94

Downtown Sawyer, Michigan

How Far Down the Block?

The Tap Room at Greenbush Brewery is a half mile west of Exit 12 on Interstate I-94, just across the rail tracks in downtown Sawyer, Michigan. A two-minute zig. The Tap Room is located right next to the railroad crossing on Sawyer Road, the main street.

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Why you might be nearby

  • You are driving between metro Chicago (80 miles) and Northern Michigan (240 miles to Traverse City, Michigan).
  • You’re gambling at the Four Winds Casino (13 miles) and only have $10 remaining.
  • You’re at the Warren Dunes State Park (2.4 miles) and it’s raining.

Lesser Known Facts

Corvette Central, restoration parts maker, was founded in Sawyer, Michigan.  Greenbush stores its ales across the street from the Tap Room in a former Corvette Central site. Fork lift trucks porter barrels of beer across Sawyer Road from the storage house to the Tap Room.

Silas Sawyer built a saw mill in 1854, giving his name to the town.  His product was transported to the Chicago market from Greenbush pier, just a few miles away on the Lake Michigan shore.

Founder Justin Heckathorn, FOO (Financial Operations Officer) is a refugee from banking, and a former colleague of mine.

Founder Scott Sullivan, HMFIC (Head Man For Information Control), apprenticed as a furniture maker, website developer and home brewer.

Recommendation

Deep in the warehouse lay several barrels of Cream Stout aging in wooden barrels Greenbush Tap Roomthat once ripened Rye Whiskey. This Greenbush ale, called Delusion, is tapped annually.  Delusion might be sipped as an “after dinner” beer.  The Rye taste of the smooth dark stout suggests a cigar and political conversation.

Something for Nothing

Tasting sessions, often gratis, are conducted throughout the Midwest.  Here is the current schedule; verify your age, then click events.

 

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Before the Trip, Curb your Enthusiasm Other Stuff

Curb your Enthusiasm while Packing

Sheep clothes

Place your carry-on travel bag on the bed, open it. Estimate the holding capacity in days (PD for mathematical calculations – packing days), clothing folded and compressed.  Proceed to the laundry room.  Estimate the capacity of the bin of your washing machine in days; based on the size of the travel bag on your bed – stuffed full.  Two days for my carry-on.  Mathematically WMV (Washing Machine Volume). 

If your journey provides a washing machine(s) along your route (WME, washing machine encounters), the clothing being lugged in your travel bag can be reduced.  Mathematically this travel equation is 

Days Gone/ (WMV+WME) = PD

For example: Your eight-day stay in St. Bart’s includes washing machine access on two days.  All mandatory travel wear for dinner each evening, the beach each day has a minimum useful life of eight days.

The calculation;         

8 Days gone/ (WMV of  2 + WME of 2) = 2 PD (pack for 2 days).

CARRY-ON