Sadigo Court - South Beach

Back in November the ladies got together to try on dresses for Ms. K's impending nuptials. While she wasn't listening, we discussed how we would help her celebrate one last weekend before walking up the aisle. What better place to celebrate than South Beach! Ms. M found is a place to stay. Sadigo Court was our spot for the weekend. The 20th street location was perfect. Just close enough to the fun without being all up in the mix. There are three buildings that make up the hotel. It has an interior courtyard that served as our location for delicious fresh fruit breakfasts and some late night chillin'. Our room was fantastic! It was a two bedroom one and a half bathroom space with a full kitchen.

The master bedroom was well done and had a bathroom and two spacious closets. The bed was also really comfortable! Considering the number of naps we took that was definitely great. The second bedroom was just that - a bed room.

It actually seemed more like a former outdoor patio that is now covered. Not bad though, they definitely slept comfortably in there! The living area was wonderful.

The bed doubled as a couch and we had enough space to dance around and keep ourselves entertained. The kitchen was also pretty spacious. It proved useful when we needed to reheat food or stash the fruit we helped ourselves to during breakfast.

Sadigo Court was a great place to stay. The owner was very friendly and helpful. The location was secure and you needed a key to enter so it was like coming home every time. If you're looking for the fancy high rise hotel, this isn't it. But if you're looking for something that could almost be home, then this is your place!

Hungry yet?

Aloft Hotel Harlem

Wow, I’m really falling behind here. I’ll try to update you on all my meals during my hotel stay. That’s right I’m back in my home! Now that I’ve returned, I can reveal my hotel location. The brand new-ish aloft Harlem. I heart Starwood Hotels so finding one somewhat close to home was great.  There is nothing great about living in a hotel, but the aloft staff certainly did try to make it home for me.

When I arrived on a Tuesday morning, they allowed me to check into my room.  I was impressed with the wireless key entry.

When I entered the room, I was a little taken aback by the compactness of it all.  The sink is only a couple of feet from the door and it shares a side wall/door with the bathroom. 

The oversized shower was stocked with Bliss products so I was thrilled because that meant I got to leave most of my toiletries at home.

The closet faces the sink and it barely fits anything. Certainly not my stuff, I mean I was there for 2 weeks!  

The closet is actually just the backside of the headboard to the monster size bed that dominates the room.  

The mattress wasn’t as comfortable as other Starwood beds I’ve slept on, but I get it aloft is like a baby W Hotel so it’s not quite as fancy.  The views were also very disappointing.

The room had a giant television but the room was so small that the TV definitely dominated and not in a good way. 

My first night there I went downstairs to get something to eat.

The hotel lobby includes the xyz lounge. It is lively at night, but since the hotel was my home – I was not digging the liveliness. The food there was nothing short of awful.  The menu was severely limited to make it worse they didn’t have several of the items on there. I got the sense that the items came straight from the Costco frozen food section. I finally settled on Chicken Fingers. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw behind the door and noticed that my chicken fingers were being popped into a toaster oven. Sigh.

They tasted just as I expected, bland and uninteresting. I was truly disappointed but I should have known better. That was the last night I ate anything from there. Once I realized that my apartment wouldn’t be ready anytime soon, I decided to switch rooms. I moved to a higher floor with a slightly different lay out and a street view.

Always nice to have a bit of a hallway. TV on the wall was also a benefit, but unfortunately I could hear noise from the TV next door and a few channels stopped working during my stay.  Tsk tsk. The gym was wonderful, but I forgot to take pictures. I had plenty of pent up aggression because of my housing situation so I worked up quite the sweat. The machines allow you to hook in your iPod and it even sends the statistics back so you can keep track of your progress. The outdoor area was also pretty nice.

On the nicer evenings, I sat out there pondering why I was still living in a hotel.

Overall my stay at the aloft Harlem was as good as it can be considering the reason I was there. I would have preferred being there under different circumstances and definitely would have liked a shorter stay. The staff was friendly and I obviously loved the Bliss products. Now if only I could get my reimbursement from the people who put me in this situation in the first place and agreed to reimburse me…

Hungry yet?

Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club in the Massachusetts Berkshires

I love my Mama Bear more than words can express and while I find ways to say it, sometimes I express it through experiences. A few weekends ago BH (Before Hotel living) I decided that we needed a Mother-Daughter trip and Cranwell Spa, Resort and Golf Club was the place to make that happen. 

Tucked on a luscious green estate in Lenox, Massachusetts, it was the perfect location for our weekend chillin'. Less than a three-hour drive from NYC, the Berkshires are an excellent location for weekend getaways. I’ve been to the Berkshires a few times before, most recently last summer. We drove up on a Saturday morning and of course our first meal was at Haven Cafe. We then drove to the Cranwell. Although it was still a little damp from the rainy day, it was beautiful.  We stopped at the main house to check in and were given our keys to Beecher Cottage.

The room was enormous. 

We spent some time lounging on the arm-chairs which felt chaise like because of the foot stool. 

We then took a complimentary shuttle to the spa building. Woweee! Luxury like I've never experienced it before. The building is beautiful. It includes an indoor pool, a gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and so much more. The locker room is fantastic and includes wonderful seating areas.

We went into the waiting room which included a fireplace and comfy chairs for some mother-daughter chatting. The massage treatment was phenomenal and it was clear that my therapist was well trained.

After the session Mama Bear and I walked back to Beecher. We relaxed for sometime before heading to dinner (more on that tomorrow). The next day was beautiful and we spent some time in the gym and walking around the estate.

It was a wonderful weekend escape and a perfect place to get lost. I love my Mama Bear and was thrilled to be able to share that time with her...even if it was a few weeks before the holiday. Happy Mother's Day!

Hungry yet?

The Westin Memphis Beale Street

Many meals have come and gone since my last post.  Alas I’ve been working EV-ER-Y-DAY.  LITERALLY. I’ve been chained to my desk essentially every day, but I did take a quick work trip down to Memphis.  I was hoping I’d get time to look around maybe visit the Lorraine Hotel, a museum or two and of course Graceland.  I should have known better.  14 hour workdays doesn’t really allow for much in the way of museum visits.  At least I stayed at a pretty sweet hotel!  Generally I heart Starwood hotels. Westin only comes second to W hotels.  I checked into the Westin Memphis Beale Street on Monday night.  The lobby is expansive and offers lots of seating space.  The hotel is located directly across the street from FedEx Forum so I imagine it must get pretty busy in there.  My room was standard but well done.

The king bed which I only slept in for about 8 hours between two nights L was extremely comfortable and I wish I spent more time tucked in there.  The floating night stands were pretty cool and the ipod dock was a plus.  The desk is where I spent most of my time. 

The chair was comfortable enough to sit in for 5 hours the night I arrived.  The room is also equipped with an arm chair, but I used it to store the many binders I brought with me so I don’t know how comfortable it was.  It was definitely sturdy though!  The bathroom was very spacious. Initially I was disappointed when all I saw was a shower.

Although the double shower head was a plus.  Once I opened the door all the way, I saw there was also a tub! Sweeet. 

Although I didn’t actually use it, I just don’t think it’s right to have a bathroom without a tub.  The business center was also very nice. They have 3 computers, a desk to plug in your own laptop and a printer! Sorry left my camera in my room so no pictures.

I wish I had more time to relax at the hotel, because it definitely seems conducive to just that. They didn’t have a spa which was a bit of a disappointment but it’s not like I would have had time to go.  I may be returning to Memphis pretty soon and hopefully I’ll be staying here again.  The hotel restaurant was fantastic, but more on that later!  I must say the entire time I was there, all I could think about was this song...

Hotel Palomar Washington, D.C.

Thanks to Jetsetter, I got an excellent deal on a hotel in DC and decided to visit VBRAT et. al.  I have stayed in other Kimpton properties and while the themed rooms can be a little disturbing, I generally like the hotels.  I arrived at Hotel Palomar earlier than anticipated but the staff was kind enough to let me check in.  My room was definitely palatial. 

There was ample workspace – which I reluctantly used for more of the weekend than I care to admit.  There was also lounge space, which my friends certainly enjoyed.

The king bed was definitely much appreciated after some pretty late nights.  The bathroom was massive and I could have definitely fit an air mattress in there! 

The staff was friendly and responsive, especially when I had to call about the woman next door who was singing opera – I kid you not.

Kimpton hotels are also known for their complimentary Happy Hour, which was very popular in this particular location with a selection of various beverages and a good place to get the night started.  I definitely recommend Hotel Palomar if you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive place to stay in a trendy DC neighborhood.   

VBRATS M. Night Shyamalan do Washington, D.C.

I'm in the Nation's Capital for the night and a little bit of tomorrow for training so I can learn how to write the best brief, but more importantly tonight I hung out with my besties!!!! I've known most of these peeps since freshman year of college, but many of them joined the VBRAT (for the record V&R were not there so really it was BAT M. Night Shyamalan) crew after the fact.  VBRAT is the first initial of the names of a good group of friends from undergrad.  As our group grew, we tried to add other initials that would still form a word, but didn't quite work (too many consonants) so somehow M. Night Shyamalan got thrown into the mix.  Alas, on this blog, I try to refrain from identifying people by their given name and merely use a last initial so it won't be too easy to figure out who they are.  The dinner table was for a group of 10 and there were some people missing so this might get a little complicated.

I arrived at Union Station at 6:08 on the 2163 Acela from New York.  Since this is an imitation travel and food blog, I can't help but comment on various aspects of DC, so please forgive me.  Skip the next few paragraphs if all you care about is the food.

Union station is a mad house, but not too difficult to navigate if you've been there before.  Between the movie theater, food court and shopping plaza, there's a lot to do when your train is delayed.  There's also a taxi stand.  We got in a taxi that cost way more than practical.  First I noticed that the meter started at $3.50 and there was $5.00 of extra charges.  I couldn't help but ask why we hadn't moved yet and we already owed $8.50.  He told me that the $3.50 base is the starting fare for one person.  There's $1.50 for each additional passenger (two coworkers) and, get this, a $2.00 trunk fee.  I had no choice but to laugh in his face when he said trunk fee.  It is exactly what it sounds like.  A fee for using the trunk. Best part is, he doesn't actually have to get out and help you with your bags, he just has to press the button that opens up the trunk then you have to remember to close it after you haul your crap in there.  Real classy D.C., real classy.

After the $17.00 cab ride, I arrived at my hotel.  Me and the Topaz go waaaay back.  I believe July 2006 was my first stay in this Kimpton boutique.  Generally, I get a king room because they are the same price as queen.  There's free wifi, a big huge mirror, sitting space and a desk.  Love it!

I suggest you request a room across from the elevator.  This is the first time I stayed in this particular room and it's fantastic.  Views of N Street (not that there's much to see), nice big sitting space and a separate changing area before the bathroom.  Yup definitely my kind of space.  Also as a Kimpton rewards member, I got a $10 minibar credit.  Nothing like a nice cold 1.5 liter of Aquafina when you wake up at night dying of thirst :)

So after checking in, I high tailed it to 19th & Q to meet the crew.  As a New Yorker, I had no choice but to walk however I know quite a few DC/MD/VA natives that would have hopped in their gas guzzlers and circled the block 4 times before they found a parking spot.  Anyway, I was really excited for dinner because Mr. I's birthday is on Wednesday and at the request of his Ms. S (they're engaged!) I bought him a birthday cake.  Not just any cake, but you'll see that later.

Raku has a large outdoor patio space that would have been ideal any day last week, but on a night like this, sitting in the sun room was perfect.  There were a few libations to kick things off but the real fun didn't start until we started ordering.  While I did not sample everything on our table, I'm hoping those that did will leave a comment to let you know whether it's worth your time.  Without further ado, I present the dishes.

Philadelphia Roll, while I was insulted that Mr. F, Mr. S and Ms. G ordered this roll, I couldn't help but smile that Mr. F was finally trying sushi!  I didn't sample the roll but I would love to hear what Mr. F thought after his raw fish experience.

Along with his Philadelphia Roll, Mr. F also ordered what I've decided is Pad Sew UPDATE! I checked the website and it's likely Kway Teow, (wide flat rice noodle, bok choy, bean sprout cilantro with sweet soy sauce) although Mr. S believes its pad thai.  Jury's still out on what it is so Mr. F, I'm hoping you'll resolve the dispute.  The broad noodles, bok choy and lack of egg led me to believe that it's Pad Sew, but perhaps I'm mistaken.  Whatever it was, it looked good.  Mr. F's love for cooked food prevented him from letting me partake.

Mr. K and his Ms. S (yes these two) ordered quite the spread.  Crunchy shrimp, crunchy eel, crunchy salmon and deluxe spicy tuna.  Deluxe spicy tuna has pretty much everything the sushi chef has thrown into one roll.  It was fantabulous.  The spice, freshness of the tuna and the delicious flavors had me wishing this was my entree not theirs.  Luckily, they had enough on their plate and didn't miss a couple of pieces :)

Mr. I's Ms. S ordered an assortment of rolls that looked quite tasty, but there was so little on her plate, I didn't have the heart to ask her to sample it.  I will note that she did not finish it.  After getting a little past half way, she decided to sample Mr. I's Spicy Yellow Curry.

They switched plates and Mr. I used a fork and knife to eat the sushi rolls.  First time I've ever seen that, and I sure hope it's the last!

Mr. W-M ordered chicken pad thai.  It looked so good and was right across from me.  But Mr. W-M guarded his plate like a hawk and I didn't have a chance to taste it.

I kept it simple and ordered salmon cucumber and shrimp tempura.  The salmon was really fresh.  Had I known it would be so good I would have ordered sushi or sashimi.  The shrimp was standard fare and they didn't have any special sauce to go with it.

Mr. N ordered the Red Dragon Roll and some other suspicious looking roll.  While the dragon was looking mighty good, Mr. N was not interested in sharing so I just stared at his plate curiously.  How was it Mr. N?

After all our entrees were cleared and we were full, it was time to bring out the big one.

And by big, I mean the colossal Cookies n Creme Cupcake.  That's what they call it after all.  Biggest frickin cupcake that I've ever seen.  Crumbs is no joke and I'm glad I was able to pick this up in New York and transport it to DC.

After cake, we went to Circa which was too crowded and ended up at Gazuza.  While I'm not a hookah smoker, some of my friends are so it was nice to find a place that was very laid back to hang for the rest of the night.

As always, it was a pleasure DC, I'll be seeing you again soon.