The Ritz Carlton Dearborn Takes a Bow

A quiet corner table for two at the former Ritz Carlton's The Grill dining room

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Dearborn...What was once the La Grande Dame of the Detroit society class is quietly taking a bow as she fades into the sunset like the golden Michigan sun on a cold winter night on Lake Michigan. This summer, the Ritz was bought by a new owner committed to transform this elegant beauty into a modern classic. The Henry Hotel, as it stands now, will undergo a major renovation in the next couple of months to give the hotel, and the

The Exceptional Associates at The Henry Hotel

Marty, The Henry Hotel's service ambassador bidding farewell to my wife and family

This past weekend's trip to Detroit was meant to be a low-key and quick overnighter for my family: arrive on Saturday afternoon, go to Ford Field to watch our high school football team play in the state championship, have a late dinner and leave after breakfast the next day. As in previous trips to Detroit, we elected to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn; a charming hotel in this once vibrant part of the Motor City. The Ritz Carlton Dearborn changed flags six months ago

Travel Essential: Clear 4G+Mobile USB

Accessing my blog at Chicago O'Hare

My wife and kids give me a hard time because I travel with a bag full of technology and equipment. If Steve Jobs happens to sit next to me in a plane, he would be pleased to know that I usually travel with my Mac Book Pro, 2 to 3 iPods (depending on the length of trip), a Bose headset and an Oakley bag (both items bought at the Apple store). Add

JW Marriott Welcomes "Svelata"

Mia Tavonatti's Svelata glass mosaic masterpiece is currently displayed inside the JW Marriott Grand Rapid's rock wall entry. Svelata claimed second prize among over 1,800 artists in this year's ArtPrize competition. Michigan native

Konbanwa GR! Japanese Master Chef in Grand Rapids

Our hostess from the Grand Rapids Sister Cities International,
Jennifer Brown and Marcy Yanus

I have managed to make it to Cygnus 27 for two days in a row - first for the restaurant's famous Sunday Brunch and for last evening's very special "Konbanwa GR" dinner hosted by the Grand Rapids Sister Cities International and their respective Omihachiman committee members. A wonderful crowd of Sister Cities supporters, city power brokers and

Seasonal Sunday Brunch at Cygnus 27

I love breakfast! Don’t get me wrong. I get excited about a perfect BLT or the finest cut of prime beef like everyone else. But there is something about getting up early for a nice piece of crispy bacon or Filipino corned beef topped with fried eggs that make waking up worthwhile for this night owl. Once in awhile, my family craves a nice brunch on Sunday instead of our usual Sunday ritual of korma, jalfrezie and naan.  On the occasion of my birthday,

Avec: Chicago's Meatpacking Delight

If you could grade restaurants on flavors per square foot, then Avec gets my vote. - hands down! This 1,500 square foot destination is another collaboration between Blackbird restauranteur Donnie Madia, Chef Paul Kahan and designer Thomas Schlesser. So far, this gourmet triumvirate has carefully managed their establishments growth to sheer

Restaurant Week Grand Rapids: A $20.10 Success

First Course - Fall Beet Salad: pickled & roasted beets . endive . smoked walnut .
concord grape vinaigrette

Grand Rapids is buzzing again but this time everything is "thumbs up" for the 50 restaurants who are participating in the inaugural Restaurant Week GR hosted by Experience Grand Rapids. For a meager $20.10, diners could enjoy a three-course meal at the city's amazing restaurants. Can you imagine spending only $20.10 at the AAA Five-Diamond 1913 Room? How about a Bistec con Pimienta at San Chez plus two additional courses? This is the best opportunity for

CVI.CHE 105 - The Best South American Cuisine in Miami

Peruvian Minimalist in White - the interior of CVI.CHE 105 exudes the clean flavors in
every dish. 

When my friend and foodie confidant, Ryan Schmied, described this amazing "hole-in-the-wall" Peruvian restaurant in downtown Miami, he didn't have to dig too deep into the menu because he had me at ceviche. I am going to be bold in saying this but the Argentinean's and Brazillian's better watch out because Peruvian food is the real deal. And CVI.CHE 105 exemplifies what I believe is an extraordinary restaurant experience. I enjoy the best fine dining restaurant

JW Marriott Marquis Miami: A Star Studded Opening

The opening of the JW Marriott Marquis Miami was a star-studded event fitting the brands very first Marquis designation. Just like any media event, it gives the hotel an opportunity to showcase the amenities while allowing mere mortals like myself the opportunity to brush with celebrities. The buzz was electrifying in the lobby as each celebrity is ushered through the red carpet. Brooke Shields, A-Rod, Angie Harmon, Anna Kournikova, Venus Williams, Tim

Forget the heat. Here's Miami's coolest place to chill.

My arrival in a yellow mini van taxi from the Miami airport was not exactly the grand entrance I had planned upon seeing all the Bentley's and Ferrari's lined up in the motor lobby of the hotel. Bienvendo a Miami! On this night, the Miami Heat was hosting its opening party with the same circus of reporters and photographers during LeBron

Ann Arbor's Best Little Noodle Bar

The Spicy Seafood Ramen with Spicy Chili Broth ($9). Beware, this bowl is hot by Asian standards!

My son and I have this tradition of hitting the local college town's Indian restaurant after a football game. So when in Ann Arbor, our choice is Shalimar right on Main street. However, the line at Shalimar was a long as the lines at M Den before each Wolverine game. So our second choice is always Asian. 

On this visit to AA, we were joined by my friend, Jimmy Le, a huge Wolverine fan, and my father-in-law, Greg Hoelscher, a Buckeye fan who donned a Michigan hat for the game. Jules and I, are of course, Iowa Hawkeye fans. And on this night, the Hawkeyes were walking a bit taller after handing Michigan its second loss in-a-row in conference play. 

Greg was out-voted 3 to 1by the Asians. Jimmy, Jules and I were in favor of the noodle bar versus a sports bar for burgers and fries. To my delight, Tomukun Noodle Bar looked very inviting and American-friendly when it came to its

One last look: Chihuly's A New Eden

West Michigan bids farewell to Dale Chihuly's amazing installation, A New Eden, at the Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park this past weekend. I took one last peak at the best show to date at the famed outdoor garden. I previously had the opportunity to experience about half of the glass works which included installations at the Meijer Gardens waterfalls and pond (click here to see my post). This last trip gave me a sense of closure with the hopes that