The Venue for Sushi, Sashimi, and Saki

When it comes to sashimi, there is no place like The Venue!  It is a real pleasure to see the choices of fresh fish and delightful combos being created at the bar.  Since we eat there regularly, Phillip knows my preferences and makes up some of the coolest plates!

Ed loves the fried vegetables and sushi rolls like the Hurricane.  Besides my regular order ( salmom, salmon, and more salmon as the chef chides), I get to try different variations for sashimi dinners. This week, I tried his Sashimi Poki, and let me tell you, I will go back for that again!

It has all the ingredients for a full meal: tender mixed greens, edamame peas, diced cucumbers and tomatoes mixed with Philip's special dressing , and of course, salmon...all this pressed onto brown rice.  It is both beautiful and delicious.

For a special treat, try their Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies; it comes with a white chocolate fondue, marshmellows, and strawberries... definitely worth sharing!

http://www.thevenueclub.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=40

The Vinnoy 2012

The holidays is certainly the time to enjoy downtown St. Pete, and staying at the Vinnoy is easy access to all the shops, restaurants, and parks.  From the lazy rockers on the verandah to the fabulous golf course, the Vinnoy fits the billet.  Ed and I loved our stay and play vacation.

501 5th Avenue NE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 894-1000
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/tpasr-renaissance-vinoy-resort-and-golf-club

Hole #10

Duke a beautiful Belgium

Order up a Princess Carriage, and the lighted horse drawn buggy takes you around town to see the lights.

''Henry'' and ''Duke'' and friends are in downtown St. Petersburg to take you on a beautiful waterfront ride and throughout the downtown area. Times and hours are seasonal and weather can change the schedule, but they are usually here every day. They have two carriages - a Cinderella (which lights up after dark) and a traditional carriage, shown here. Both carriages can accommodate six adults comfortably. Prices are variable depending upon the ride or special event. Reservations can be made along with pricing by calling the cell phone at (816) 215-8613. Come enjoy a relaxing ride that everyone enjoys including Duke and Henry.

Parkshore Grill

There is a fun place in downtown St. Petersburg that I'd love to tell you about!  Right on the beautiful Beach Drive across from Straub Park is a great place to enjoy great American cuisine. What impressed me the most was the warm welcome and the beautiful interior; we chose to sit in the back of the restaurant. From there, we admired the curvaceous lines of the decor, the hubbub of the busy kitchen, and the comings and goings of the eclectic crowd.

Parkshore Grill offers an array of sustainably fished seafood, organic salmon, and organic produce. I don't know why, but that just makes me feel good about what I'm eating. On the first visit, since we had such a hard time deciding what to choose, we already knew we'd be back for a second visit. So, this time we decided to try the Mixed Grill which had filet mignon, Berkshire pork belly, and lamb chops, and for the second entrée, I chose the Seafood Risotto with lobster, mussels, shrimp, cobia, and saffron risotto. I cannot begin to tell you how good they were, of course, we also had the crab avocado salad. I haven't had lumps of blue crabmeat like that since I visited Maryland a couple of summers ago! Not only did that salad taste great, but the presentation was beautiful.

Now back to that mix grill; I guess you could say that filet mignon and lamb chops are on my favorites list, but it was the Berkshire Pork Belly that was the biggest surprise. It was like a heavenly square of the best bacon in the world. There's no real way to describe it except that it is chock full of flavor – a mix of scored crackling and tender bacon. (See links below.) I'm not sure if I could resist ordering that every time I go... maybe I could talk Chef Grant into having that as an appetizer! Anyway, I can also recommend the sides. Oh yeah, we saw those crispy ale battered Vidalia onion stacks go by, and the special scallop potatoes, but nevertheless, we still enjoyed our buttermilk mashed potatoes with our meal.

The grand finale, and it was, was a special sampler of Parkshore grills classic cheesecake, decadent chocolate bar with hazelnut brittle, and a few fresh seasonal berries. Need I say more? Add to that, a couple of wonderful cappuccino coffees, and you will have one of the best dining experiences around.

I was lucky enough to meet their renowned Chef Tyson Grant and our Patissier, Chef Delgado.  It was an exceptional dining experience. Since that evening, we've returned a couple of times and to eat brunch there on a Saturday morning. Nothing like cheese blintzes with fresh berry compote or banana stuffed French toast with maple butter, candied spiced pecans, and applewood smoked bacon. Be sure to start with a mimosa or one of the best bloody Mary's in town. Top that off with a little shopping in downtown St. Petersburg's trendy boutiques, a visit to the Dali Museaum, or Chihuly: http://www.chihulycollectionstpete.com/   and that's a weekend to hang your hat on! 

http://www.parkshoregrill.com/



Mixed Grill





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFuNyiH-Lmg&feature=fvw a delicious recipe for porkbelly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqDDnq4K88o&feature=related Basic Basic idea for cooking porkbelly.



Executive Chef Tyson Grant and chef Delgado



 http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/dining/content/steve-westphal-tyson-grant-add-dali-museum-cafe-their-downtown-st-petersburg-empire



Oystercatchers

Oystercatchers at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay is worth making reservations for a sunset dinner for two - or more. (The beautifully landscaped, winding drive to the restaurant was lovely to see.) We started the evening off with Oyster Soup that had East Coast oysters, frizzled leek, and truffle oil. You could say that I'd probably order anything with truffles; truffle oil, truffle dusted, etc. Next, we ordered an Oystercatchers Salad - watercress, frissee, stone fruit, grilled ricotta salata, and blueberry vinaigrette, and  the Roasted Hearts of Palm. Both were excellent. Adding a favorite bottle of wine, their fresh baked bread, and the fantastic view sure made for a superb start to the evening.



Warm and delicious dessert!



Oystercatchers' Salad





Oyster Soup





Mixed Grill



The restaurant ambience was quite romantic and the staff were superb. The room was modern and airy. Our waiter slipped in and out to drop off water, fill our wineglasse, and attend to our needs without us hardly noticing his comings and goings. For our entrées we chose the Seafood Mixed Grill with fingerling potatoes, grilled vegetables, and sauce rouille. The presentation of the meal was beautiful. I would say one concern was the fact that the food, including the vegetables, had that smoked taste. Although Ed enjoyed it, I felt that it was too pervasive through the whole meal. I think I would have enjoyed the vegetables more without the smoky taste. I did not think to ask the waiter if that might be a possibility, but next time I will.

The other entrées going by looked amazing also. It was really nice to have Sven, the executive chef, come and ask us how our meals were. In mentioning the taste, for me, was a bit too smoky, the chef offered to re-cook my meal. Of course, I had enjoyed the meal enough to just take him up on his offer of a lovely dessert. They really seem to care about their customers. Coffee and a glorious sunset was the topper.

Max, our server, told us the Sunday brunch was worth another visit. We are definitely going back.

For their menu :    http://www.americascuisine.com/florida/tampabay/oystercatchers/menu.aspx

For a preview and pic of a spectacular sunset check out their gallery:  

http://hyatt.com/gallery/oystercatchers/site/#/restaurant/

Juneau, Alaska

Taku Glacier

Juneau, Alaska - helicopter view.

Juneau is Alaska's capital and the third largest city, and although it is on the North American mainland, it can not be reached by road.  Our cruise ship nestled in their port, and just visible across the Gastineau Channel in this picture, gives you a great view of the city's layout. Juneau is quite compact so most of its attractions are within walking distance. Look for as many as 20 signs around downtown that will detail the city's fascinating history. Although not my favorite stop for shopping, it is the primo spot to take a helicopter excursion to land on any one of the several glaciers.

We chose ERA Helicopters, who give a fantastic narrated tour.  I'll tell you up front, I was nervous about going up in a "bubble" over mountain peaks with weather that was iffy... at least it looked somewhat rainy/cloudy where we were headed.  But, our pilot quickly eased our fears, and we relaxed as we  took off for Taku Glacier.  The views were heavenly!  The ease with which our pilot, AKA Jack Bower, flew the copter was impressive and was not like flying in a small plane: they maneuver easily through clouds, rain, and they land so gently!  I decided that if I were to get a pilot's license, it would be for helicopters.

Over the peaks to Taku Glacier

Taku in sight!

We are on the glacier's snout!

It is interesting to note that Taku Glacier has a small calving, a normal geological process of breaking ice sheets and a documented rate of advancement since 1988 at 17 meters a year.  Taku covers 261 square miles and is about 57 miles long - all the more reason to take a helicopter ride to see it all!

Following the Taku through the mountains.

A highway of sheering ice!

In awe of the view!

Sad that it was over so soon.

I was overjoyed by this adventure and would highly recommend it to all!

http://www.eraflightseeing.com/content/e3/e18/e32/

ERA Flights do provide shoe covers for traction, but if you have hiking boots or Sorel boots like mine, you will be fine without them. I stayed warm on the glacier with a parka, hat, and gloves.  In town, I did not wear the hat or gloves because the temps were never colder than 55 degrees. We all enjoyed the climate even when it drizzled.

After being dropped off in town, we headed to Hanger on the Wharf to eat.  Wild Salmon was the deal for me while others ordered locally caught Halibut. Strolling back to our ship, we met other cruisers who had a great time touring Mendenhall Glacier or who went on the whale watching tours. Juneau is a great place to observe Eagles and marine life from its timbered slopes to its rocky shores. In fact, mid-May through mid-September is their peak season of tourism, the return of the humpback, gray, and orca whales, when bears come out of hibernation, and salmon spawn. 

This year, June 2010, we missed the salmon who were late, did not see bear, and missed the pod of whales as we came in to Juneau because we were on the wrong side of the ship while dining!  Go figure. We did not, however, miss the beauty of the mountains, icebergs, glaciers, sea lions, otters, eagles, jelly fish, or even the hummingbirds. (I can't attract hummingbirds at home in my Florida garden, but they came to visit us on our deck at the back of the ship in Alaska!  Double go figure!)

The Palm Restaurant in Tampa

The Palm Restaurant is surely one of those experiences that keep you coming back for both their service and menu choices with new specials every month.  We have enjoyed going enough to have joined their 837 Club which has been a real value.

Even upon entering The Palms you know you are in for a personalized dining experience when the front staff welcomes you and escorts you to your reserved table.  If you visit often enough, they know you by name, seat preference, and even the wait staff you prefer.  As for belonging to “the club” that steps it up a notch! 

Special occasions are my favorite, and I will tell you a little story.  When I took Ed there for his birthday, I had ordered ahead of time a large lobster (a gigantic 6 pound female lobster- they have the best tail) for us to split.  When we arrived, the staff took us to our table and wished Ed a great birthday…they knew and seemed delighted we chose to celebrate with them!  Our favorite waiter, Adrianna, knew we did not want bread nor the croutons on our Ceasar salads (she really remembers that kind of thing!) and proceeded to parade out the lobster for our inspection, much like they do for the wine selection, and presented both front and back of that baby.  It was huge, blue, and very fresh!  We also ordered a filet mignon medium rare to split.  Our bottle of wine was discounted $20.00, another perk of the 837 Club, so this really became one of our favorite birthday celebrations.

When the lobster came, cooked this time, it was shelled in front of us and laid on a warmed plate.  I did not even have to touch the shell.  It is nice to be all dressed up and smell pretty…and stay that way after eating lobster.  Of course, our steak came out perfect; they certainly know their rare and medium rare.  The wine, the food, and the service were exceptional.  But, the sweetest part of the night came when we ordered our Cappuccinos.

We were on a low carb diet, so we do not order desserts either, so Adrianna came with the staff and a beautiful serving of fresh berries and a Happy Birthday written on the plate!  Now that was special and unexpected.

The Palm is a place we often take guests, or my husband takes clients for the business lunch (double points!).  I’ll let you check into their membership and menus, etc.; they are a primo steakhouse worth a visit!  

Click here: http://www.thepalm.com/index.cfm

or check facebook:    http://www.facebook.com/PalmRestaurant  

Skagway, Alaska

Train car 202

Our first port on our Carnival Spirit cruise was Skagway (skaguay), and right across from the ship was our train for the White Pass & Yukon Route excursion!  Wow, we'd have to tour the town after our ride through the gold-rush country.  It was already filling up, but we (Ed, his brother and wife, and a friend and his daughter) lucked out by passing through several cars before finding car 202 (this is top secret info for my readers)) - it was the handicap car, but we had it to ourselves!

Lake Bennet, Canada

Here you can see a glimpse of Lynn Canal where our ship is docked.

As we chugged our way along, it was both exciting visually and relaxing.  The view from the top of the summit was breathtaking, and so very different than Florida's tropical scenery.

We learned much on this narrated ride up to the border of Canada/USA, and that we'd reach the summit at 2,865 feet elevation where the gold rush stampeders could pass only if they had a years worth of food and supplies. Needless to say, the gold-rush brought all sorts of "crazies" into this town, and the hardships were many.  The stories of the loss of human life, horses, etc., were sad...and all for money.  Did you know that Nordstrom and Trump's great grandfathers got their start up here with the gold rush?  Turns out Trump's grand daddy owned a brothel up there somewhere!  Nordstrom used his gold earnings to start a shoe store (knowing that women love shoes) so he could find a wife, and eventually lead to the famous Nordstrom Department Store.

USA/Canadian border

Besides the wonderful pics (too many to paste in here), there was some wildlife to see: from eagles to some type of otter.  We were all on the look-out for bear, but did not see any from our train car though others had reported seeing one.  At the summit, our train turned around, and as usual, many people enjoyed standing outside between the cars.  It was cold enough to need coats and see our breath; the air was so clean smelling and refreshing.

In town, we decided to stop for early dinner at a place called Stowaway Cafe.  You should check out the Jimmy fries and dippin' sauce!  We also enjoyed a meal of King Crab, though as it was explained, is still flash frozen on the fishing boats because they stay for days to get their quota.  Most of us have seen Deadliest Catch, so we enjoyed the crab anyway.  Other fresh catch of the day choices are listed - the salmon is always a favorite.

Skagway from our deck on the ship.

Fun store in town.

Well. Skagway is a fun little town.  There is the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - a great museum, and the well known Red Onion Saloon.  As for shopping, there were lots of deals on T-shirts and souvenirs, and you can't get lost; its that small with only a few main streets.  I have one disclaimer - I loved shopping the most in Ketchikan, so save some money!

The next blog will cover Juneau, Alaska.