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South Coast Plaza
"South Coast, Who Says You Can’t Have It All!"

We open the drapes of our room in the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel to view the bright night city lights, and the swimming pool at The Spa at South Coast Plaza, and finally snuggle into the comfiest bed this side of heaven. What a weekend, what a dream.

We meet in the waterfall enhanced hotel lobby for hosted bar and innovative hors d’oeuvres with a tour of the hotel. Then we are whisked off to the Orange County Performing Arts Center's charming production of "Cats". Broadway's history winner of seven Tony Awards features 20 Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs.

After a divine sleep, one wakes up to quite an appetite. Leatherby's Café Rouge at the Orange County Performing Arts Center is the site for a gourmet buffet breakfast.

Leatherby's Café Rouge, in the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 615 Town Center Drive. Costa Mesa, 714-428-0814

It is time for a little exercise. The Spa at South Coast Plaza is truly out of the ordinary. Facials, massages, body treatments, rescue bath therapy, green tea bath, Ayturvedic treatments, customized treatments, fitness, private training, classes and my every day activity - a marvelous swimming pool.

www.THESPAANDFITNESSCLUB.COM, 695 Town Center Dr,. Costa Mesa, 714-850-0050

Charlie Palmer's restaurant at Bloomingdale's, a new vintage wine shop, offers boutique library and hard to find wine selections at reasonable retail prices.

3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, 714-352-2626

"La Posada Magica the Magic Journey" by Octavio Solis and music by Marcos Loya, is a yearly production for the past 15 years of the South Coast Repertory.

The South Coast Repertory, in it’s 45th season, is a professional resident theatre founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, who continue to serve as artistic directors.

Pinot Provence is one of my favorite restaurants. We enjoy an amazing dinner, prepared by executive chef LuLu De Rolen, of an amuse bouche of mushroom, tomato canary melon, fresh Burrata with basil viniagrette. First course is parmesan and mascarpone risotto, wild mushrooms, truffle oil; second course pan roasted California sea bass, artichoke bangoule, ratatouille, tomatoes Provencal; entrée braised boneless short ribs, Cantelalet pomme aigot’ and dessert golden appke tartan, caramel, vanilla bean ice cream.

www.patinagroup.com 714-444-5900

The Orange County Performing Arts Center and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall offer magnificent performances all year round. Just a few are: Flamenco each fall, Broadway series, curtain call series, jazz club, cabaret series, concert series, family series, dance, ballet and opera.

Coming up:

Academy of Ancient Music plays March 20,2009.The Rat Pack, Live at the Sands will play April 14-19, 2009. There is an amazingly diverse array of theatre in the Orange County Arts Center. 714-556-2121

The South Coast Plaza is always an exciting place to spend a weekend away, park the car, forget it and enjoy one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S. Included are a major symphony hall, a great theatre with ballet or Broadway, two repertory theatres, one of the five best repertory theatres in the U.S., a performance space, and several many star restaurants. And, all within walking distance.

Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel is located at 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA

Santa Clara Wine Country

The Little Known Glories of the Santa Clara Valley

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is one of the all time fun events, but its not the only affair of note in the Santa Clara Valley.

The area has been a fruit basket for a century and a half.

The oldest wineries in California and most of the garlic grown in the U.S. come from Santa Clara Valley. Located about 10 miles south of San Jose, Santa Clara County is still quite rural. Many unusual and interesting places find themselves in this valley.

Native Americans named Santa Clara Valley "the Valley of the Heart's Delight." French and Italian immigrants who settled here during the Gold Rush recognized the rich soils and Mediterranean climate as the perfect place to grow their varietals.

Pedrizzetti Winery has aged and bottled premium wines in Morgan Hill for over 90 years. Their La Fenice (the phoenix) presents a rare premium Barbera. The collection also includes: Merlot, Petite Syrah, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and sparkling wine.

It was here at Pedrizzetti Winery I learned that Santa Clara Valley was one of the biggest growers of mushrooms. Mushrooms stuffed with seafood, cheese, and sausage, served at the winery, were delightful with the wines.

1645 San Pedro Ave., Morgan Hill (408)-779-7389

Dinner was at the lovely Piedmontese inspired stone complex of the welcoming Emilio Gugliellmo Winery. Family owned and operated since 1925, they offer a full selection of award winning premium varietal, sparkling and dessert wines. The pasta, salad and Tira Mi Su were the delicious accompaniments to the wines.

1480 E. Main St., Morgan Hill, (408)-779-2145

Andy’s Orchard a treat for kids of all ages, is a product of a long family history of fruit growing in the Santa Clara Valley. Operated by Andy Mariani, it is situated on a 30 acre farm only 15 minutes south of metropolitan San Jose. Andy’s Orchard not only grows the most flavorful fruit, Andy loves to see the expression on kids faces when they taste his extraordinary produce, Andy also sells dried fruit, nuts, candy, jams & preserves and food gifts.

1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill, (408)-782-7600

Clos La Chance Winery produces the Estate series, the Santa Cruz Mountain series and my favorite the Hummingbird Series: Glittering Emerald Throated Chardonnay, Pink Throated Brilliant Rose, Violet Crowned Merlot, Black Chinned Syrah, Buff Bellied Zinfandel and Ruby Throated Cabernet Sauvignon. Why hummingbirds? Because the vintners discovered hummingbirds frightened away other damaging birds.

1 Hummingbird Lane, San Martin (408)-686-1050

Sycamore Creek Winery is a small family owned and operated winery producing a limited amount of unique handcrafted wines. The old vine cabernet and chardonnay vines are grown on the estate and are dry farmed to produce intense flavors and aromas.

12775 Uvas Rd., Morgan Hill, (408)-779-4738

Gilroy Gardens is a most fascinating event. California’s only horticultural theme park is also an amusement park, with over 40 gardens. including a butterfly exhibit inside the giant Monarch Garden, honey bee exhibit, musical market show, learning shed, Claudia's Garden, Rainbow Garden, Camellia Garden, Holly Garden, South County Backroads Garden and the extraordinary Circus Trees. The world’s strangest trees were originally grown and created by Axel Erlandson, son of a Swedish immigrant. Inspired by observing a natural graft between two sycamore trees, Erlandson began to shape trees using intricate techniques. His techniques resulted in woven wonders made from living wood. The branches were carefully bent rather than cut and became complex and compound designs. They must be seen to be believed.

3050 Hecker Pass Hwy., Gilroy (408)-840-7135

Goldsmith Seeds technical team has 252 years of growing and technical expertise. The result is the most beautiful display of plants to be grown from seeds, the plants are most likely available at your local nursery.

Gilroy, (800)-549-0158

Fortino Winery has a long history of premium, affordable wine dating back to the early 1800’s in Calabria, Italy, where the Fortino family originated. In 1970 Ernest Fortino founded the winery in Gilroy and the winery is now run by fourth generation Fortinos. The winery facility encompasses more than 80 arces with a wine cellar that accommodates over 1000,000 gallons of cooperage.

4525 Hecker Pass Hwy., Gilroy (408)-842-3305

Solis’ Winery winemaking goes back to the turn of the century combined with modern technology to produce award winning wines. The selection includes: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chadonnay, syrah, sangiovese, barbera, Johannisberg reisling, muscat canelli and zinfandel.

3920 Hecker Pass Hwy., (408)-847-6306

Santa Clara Valley is definitely worth at least a two day visit and its only a 4 ½ hour drive from L.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival takes place the last full weekend of July, this year July 25, 26, 27. Make that a full four days of fun.

The Madison, Great For Any Holiday

The Madison, Long Beach, is synonymous with elegance, from the Italian Renaissance palace like ceiling, to the crystal chandeliers, it’s the most beautiful restaurant in southern California.

Ask to sit in one of the huge brocaded fan shaped booths set against the wall, you’ll feel like royalty. Unfurl your napkin and enjoy.

Chef Rey Tovar prepared a lovely dinner typical of The Madison: Lobster & prawn handmade three inch raviolis, with a lobster bisque; Baby arugula & duck confit salad tossed in a lemon vinaigrette with strawberries, goat cheese, garnished with candied walnuts;

The entrée Lamb Wellington was served with herb roasted Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes with turned vegetables and a mint lamb reduction sauce;

Madison chocolate cake is an incredible flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce and Crème Anglaise.

The Madison has a full menu of delights.

The Madison is located at: 102 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, 562-628-8866

Guiness record Caesar salad in Tijuana

HAIL CAESAR !!

On October 20, 2007, Tijuana broke the Guinness record for the biggest Caesar salad weighing 3,287 kilograms and measuring 60 meters long by one wide.

Chef Jeff Young at Alexander Valley Vineyard, Sonoma County, California

Alexander Valley is ablaze with fall color like Monet‘s palate. Pinks, oranges, reds, yellows, greens, chartreuses, the valley is splendid with a background of dramatic cloud billowing skies. I think I am in a painting.

Perhaps the setting inspires the artistry of Culinary Director and Chef Jeff Young of Alexander Valley Vineyards as much as the amazing estate garden set high up on the eastern slope of the valley. Alexander Valley is rainy in the winter and has a dry growing season with cool nights, perfect for growing grapes and produce. Chef Jeff and Director of Hospitality Toni Echols plan luscious and exciting menus and events year round to be presented at the Alexander Valley Vineyards.

Talking with Chef Jeff about his visions of food is always enlightening. “I try to use produce from the estate garden and create around that.” said Chef Jeff.

The abundance of the produce is remarkable, and even if there were not enough, all of Sonoma County is a garden spot. Events might be a luncheon in the garden, an evening wine tasting with hors d’oeuvres on the winery porch, a warm dinner in the historic adobe, or evening events in the mysterious, but inviting cave. Chef Young’s cooking is seasonal. The abundance of green beans and figs inspired this recent menu and recipe. All the wines are Alexander Valley Vineyards wines.

Chilled Corn Soup With Lobster Avocado Soup * 2005 Estate Chardonnay ***

• Pepper Grilled New York Steak With Cognac Sauce Rosemary Roasted Potatoes Green beans
• * 2002 Cyrus *** Cyrus Alexander’s Fig Tart

* 2005 New Gewurz Pepper Grilled Filet Mignon Steaks with Cognac Sauce

• 4 beef tenderloin steaks, 6-7 ounces each Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1⁄4 cup chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 1⁄4 ounce can beef broth or your own stock
• I/2 cup cognac Brush steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Leave covered at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat And add shallots.
• Saute until tender, about 4 minutes.
• Add brown sugar and stir for 1 minute.
• Add cognac and flame, (remove pan from heat, add cognac and ignite).
• Add beef broth or stock.
• Reduce to 3⁄4 cup.
• Add cream and cook for 2 minutes.
• Cook steaks on a hot grill to desired doneness.
• Remove steaks from grill and let rest for 6 minutes, (I use my microwave for this).
• Platter and cover with sauce.
• Serve with rosemary roasted potatoes, your favorite vegetable and Alexander Valley CYRUS. Serves 4

Alexander Valley Vineyards Box 175, Healdsburg, Ca 95448 800-888-7209

Last update Fri March 25, 2011 11:55 AM