Sunday, December 31, 2017

Best of the Best 2017

Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? At the end of 2017, I am rating the following (in order of best to worst) based on my personal experience.



Restaurants

Even though Michelin has not rated it, Mama's Fish House on Maui is our favorite restaurant worldwide. Mama's Fish House combines an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere with exceptional cooking and a magnificent tropical setting (overlooking Maui's North Shore, near the famous Ho'okipa Beach) to create an unforgettable dining experience using only the freshest fish caught on Maui.
  1. Mama's Fish House, Maui, Hawaii 
  2. The Plumed Horse, Saratoga, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  3. Lagoon Restaurant by Jean Georges, St. Regis, Bora-Bora, French Polynesia 
  4. Manresa, Los Gatos, CA (3 Michelin Stars)
  5. Solbar, Calistoga, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  6. Gary Danko, San Francisco, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  7. Weinstube Baldreit, Baden-Baden, Germany 
  8. Plachutta, Vienna, Austria 
  9. Humuhumunukunuku'apua, Maui Hawaii 
  10. La Foret, San Jose, CA (Michelin Rated)
  11. Bouchon, Napa, CA  (Michelin Rated)
  12. Eataly, WTC, New York City (and Munich)
  13. Araxi, Whistler, BC

Dishes

Pizzeria

We have had pizza everywhere in the United States (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, etc.), France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, etc. So far, our favorite pizza restaurant is Keste Pizza in Greenwich Village and Eataly in New York City. An excellent, small pizza restaurant had the most fantastic pizza in Paris - but I cannot recall its name. I heard that the absolute world's best pizza is to be found in Naples, Italy - but I have not been there yet.
  1. Keste Pizza, Greenwich Village, New York City (Keste #1)
  2. Eataly, WTC, New York City ("Capricciosa" pizza)
  3. Juliana's Pizza, Brooklyn, New York City (#1 Special)
  4. Pizza My Heart, Los Gatos, CA (especially "Manresa" only available on Sundays)
Gelato and Ice Cream

Our favorite gelateria was in Bologna, Italy. We also tried many exceptional gelaterias in Florence, Siena, Lake Como, Venice, and Lucca.
  1. Gelato in Bologna, Italy (near Piazza Maggiore)
  2. Gelato in Florence, Siena, Lake Como, Venice, Lucca (Italy) 
  3. Bella Gelateria, Vancouver, BC 
  4. Grom, New York City (also in Florence and Siena) 
  5. Eataly, New York City (and Munich)
  6. Lappert's Ice Cream, Maui, Hawaii

Spas

Our favorite spas have been in Baden-Baden, Germany, but we've also heard of exceptional spas in Austria (which we have not tried yet).
  1. Aquadome, Langenfeld, Austria
  2. Friedrichsbad Therme, Baden-Baden, Germany 
  3. Caracalla Therme, Baden-Baden, Germany
  4. Alpentherme Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Austria 
  5. Miri-Miri Spa by Clarens, St. Regis, Bora-Bora 
  6. Solage, Calistoga, CA 
  7. Scandinave Spa, Whistler, Canada 
  8. Tabacon, Costa Rica 
  9. Indian Springs, Calistoga, CA 
Books (2017)

My favorite book for 2017 is "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles. Finishing this book, I had to read his other book - "Rules of Civility" but "A Gentleman in Moscow" was far superior.
  1. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  2. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  3. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
  4. The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer
  5. The Godfather by Mario Puzzo
  6. The Boys: The Untold Story of 732 Young Concentration Camp Survivors by Martin Gilbert
  7. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
  8. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
  9. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Rock Albums (2017)

There were not that many rock albums that I really liked in 2017.
  1. "Louie Louie Louie" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  2. "Windy City" by Alison Krauss
  3. "Live in Amsterdam" by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa
  4. "All The Light Above It Too" by Jack Johnson
  5. "Southern Blood" by Gregg Allman
  6. "Fire on the Floor" by Beth Hart
  7. "Lust for Life" by Lana Del Ray
Rock Concerts

My favorite rock concert was Elton John's Made in England Tour at Tacoma Dome. It was my first Rock concert and a truly fantastic experience. I have been to his other concerts, i.e., the Red Piano in Las Vegas, but they did not have the same atmosphere and intensity.
  1. Elton John's Made in England Tour, Tacoma Dome, Washington on 9/9/1995 
  2. Leonard Cohen, HP Pavilion, San Jose, 11/7/2012. 
  3. The History of the Eagles, HP Pavilion, San Jose, 1/29/2013 
  4. Postmodern Jukebox, The Warfield, San Francisco, 12/13/2015 
  5. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Harrah's Hotel and Casino, 5/30/2015 
  6. The Gipsy Kings, Mountain Winery, 8/27/2014. 
  7. Carlos Santana, Shoreline Amphitheater, 2002
Opera

My favorite opera is Carmen by Georges Bizet, due to the fantastic music and dramatic story. I am also partial to Puccini, especially Madame Butterfly.
  1. Carmen, Houston Grand Opera
  2. Madame Butterfly, Houston Grand Opera, 1993
  3. Marriage of Figaro, San Francisco Opera, 6/21/15
  4. Barber of Seville, San Francisco Opera, 11/23/13
  5. La Traviata, Houston Grand Opera
  6. Don Giovanni, San Francisco Opera
  7. La Boheme, San Francisco Opera,  11/22/14
  8. The Magic Flute, San Francisco Opera
  9. Lucia de Lammermoor, Houston Grand Opera
  10. Elektra, Houston Grand Opera
  11. Salome, Houston Grand Opera

Musical Theater

My favorite musical is Chicago (most recently seen at Ambassador Theater on Broadway), but I am a massive fan of Kander & Ebb musicals (including Cabaret). I also like Cole Porter's musicals (Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate!) and George Gershwin (Crazy for You) the most.
  1. Chicago, Ambassador Theater, Broadway, New York City 12/18/2016. 
  2. Fiddler on the Roof, Broadway Theater, New York City, 12/23/2016 
  3. Cabaret, Orpheum Theater, San Francisco 
  4. Anything Goes, Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, 1/19/2013 
  5. Grease, Orpheum Theater, San Francisco 
  6. Monty Python's Spamalot, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  7. Kiss Me Kate, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  8. Saturday Night Fever, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  9. Showboat, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 6/13/2014 
  10. 42nd Street, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, 7/15/2017
  11. Mary Poppins, Orpheum, San Francisco, 5/12/2013 
  12. Mamma Mia, Orpheum, San Francisco
  13. Phantom of the Opera, Orpheum, San Francisco, 8/21/2015
  14. The Book of Mormon, San Francisco, 1/7/2014 
  15. Cats, Neil Simon Theater, New York City, 12/24/2016 
  16. The Lion King, Orpheum, San Francisco
  17. Les Miserables, Orpheum, San Francisco
  18. Hello Dolly!, Orpheum, San Francisco
  19. Mathilda, Orpheum, San Francisco, 7/23/2015 
  20. Fosse, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  21. Annie, Portland, Oregon

Theater (Drama & Comedy)

I am incredibly partial to William Shakespeare's dramas, especially Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. Having seen them long ago, I don't have any exposure to more recent productions.
  1. Emma, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 12/4/2015 
  2. Les Liaisons Dangereuses, New York City, 12/22/2016 
  3. Disgraced, Berkeley Rep, Berkeley, 12/12/2015 
  4. Cyrano, TheatreWorks, Mountain View, 4/24/2016 
  5. Outside Mullingar, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 10/7/2016 
  6. The Hard Problem, Geary Theater, San Francisco, 10/19/2016 
  7. Daddy Longs Legs, Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto, 12/3/2016 
  8. Oleanna, Houston, 1992

Hiking Trails

Half-Dome was the longest, most challenging hike I have done. It has fantastic overlooks of Yosemite Valley. However, the other hikes in Silver Falls State Park in Oregon are also great.
  1. Half-Dome, Yosemite, CA 
  2. Silver Falls State Park, Oregon 
  3. Dipsea Trail, Sausalito, CA 
  4. Big Basin Redwoods, Boulder Creek, CA 
  5. Castle Rock State Park, CA 
  6. Mt. Shasta, CA 
  7. Point Lobos Natural Reserve, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 
  8. Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, CA 
  9. Huddart County Park, Woodside, CA

Ski Resorts

My favorite place to ski and snowboard is Whistler, near Vancouver, British Columbia. Whistler usually has great snow with minimal elevation gain, excellent, inexpensive restaurants, and a tremendous youthful vibe (with many other nearby activities such as tubing, ice skating, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, & snowmobiling). It's also has a fabulous Scandinave Spa!
  1. Whistler/Blackcomb, BC, Canada (best resort) 
  2. Mount Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood, Oregon 
  3. Mt. Bachelor, Oregon 
  4. Kirkwood, Lake Tahoe, CA (best local powder)
  5. Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe 
  6. Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, CA 
  7. Mt. Rose, East Lake Tahoe, NV 
  8. Sierra-at-Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, CA
  9. Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, CA (closest resort) 

Saturday, December 23, 2017

San Diego Zoo

On Saturday, December 23, we decided to see the famous birds and animals at the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

We enjoyed our stroll through the zoo, but Inna could not really enjoy it due to her mother's fall and transfer to the hospital.

The Pink Flamingoes were the first colorful birds we saw, and Inna could not resist the urge to take a couple of photos.



There are many varieties of monkeys: Orangutans, Gorillas, Bonobos, Marmosets, and Mandrills.


The Orangutans and Gorillas looked and behaved quite similarly to humans.





One of Inna's favorite birds - a Toucan - was there in all its glory.






The Red Panda was very cute, hiding in the trees. It was hard to take a good photo of this adorable bear.



There were two Chinese Pandas, and we got some excellent close-up photos of the Pandas eating bamboo.



Thursday, December 21, 2017

Visiting San Diego

For a nice, relaxing, and relatively inexpensive trip during the Christmas holidays, we decided to revisit the city of San Diego. We last visited San Diego in June 2008, so we were eager to review our main attractions. Inna found inexpensive, direct flights on Southwest Airlines from San Jose to San Diego, so we booked the trip.

Our initial plan was to fly out on Thursday, December 21, at 8:15 a.m. on Southwest Flight #6225 and return to San Jose on Thursday, December 28, on Southwest Flight #5085. We planned to visit Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, the USS Midway Museum, the Air & Space Museum, and the Maritime Museum.

I initially booked a rental car with Budget Car Rental using Costco.com, but the price was too high for the week of Christmas - almost $500 - so my wife suggested we try Turo instead. Turo is like Airbnb for cars; individual owners rent out their private vehicles. I selected a 2010 Audi A5 from Elijah, and it cost me less than half of the Budget (with a much easier pick-up/drop-off at the airport) and at half the price! The car was clean and well-maintained and fun to drive, too!


After getting up early on Thursday morning, we used Uber to drop us off at the San Jose airport. Our Southwest flight was on time, and we landed in San Diego around 9:35 a.m. We quickly picked up our Turo Audi A5 and drove to downtown San Diego to explore the downtown. It was pretty empty, but we were hungry, so we decided to stop by for breakfast/brunch at the Werewolf restaurant and pub.


The menu was interesting, with some Mexican dishes I did not immediately recognize. I selected the "Chilaquiles Roja" - a spic Mexican dish with eggs and avocado. It was delicious but very spicy!
Inna chose the "Pork Belly Benedict," which she greatly liked.


After breakfast, we briefly explored the downtown Gaslight district, home to hundreds of restaurants. Surprisingly, the downtown was mostly empty.


Everything was festively decorated for the holidays with a hint of Christmas in a sunny, snow-free place.


We enjoyed strolling downtown but decided to head to another section after a while - as parking was costly!


We returned to our car and drove to the nearby Seaport Village, where we looked at some cute shops before heading to the USS Midway Museum. Alex and I were interested in the giant aircraft carrier full of military aircraft, while Inna wanted to explore the cutesy Seaport Village shops.


Alex and I spent a few hours on the USS Midway, looking at both the World War 2 era, the Vietnam era, and more modern military aircraft. Alex also got to try flying in a real aircraft simulator (which simulates all aspects of flight, including full rotation). He really enjoyed the experience.


In addition to sitting in many aircraft, Alex and I listened to the launching explanation on the desk, where a former officer explained all the intricacies of launching from an aircraft carrier using a steam-powered catapult. A lot of coordination was involved to allow one aircraft to launch every 45 seconds!


Alex liked the cockpits of some of the aircraft with hundreds of gauges and buttons.


Many impressive, last-generation jet fighters were on the flight deck, like the F/A-14 Tomcat. I would have liked to have flown this one!


After our visit, we met up with Inna and decided to grab a bite to eat at the well-rated Extraordinary Desserts nearby. So many delicious cakes and pastries were on display that we were lost in indecision - which one to try?


I selected the "Apple Crostata" - apple strudel, pictured below. It was delicious!


Inna selected the "Dolce Leche" cake. It was vibrant and decadent.


Alex tried the "Cocoa Coupe" - a delicious chocolate concoction. He really liked it!


We really enjoyed our desserts here and vowed to come back again! Extraordinary Desserts was the first U.S. bakery that compared favorably to my favorite, Cafe Demel, in Vienna, Austria. I hope to come back here many more times!

On the way back to our car, we stopped by the shore.


It was starting to get chilly on our walk back, but there were many beautiful buildings to enjoy.


The walk back was filled with stops at some cutesy shops to look at the touristy merchandise like kites and t-shirts.


We drove to our hotel - Inn by the Sea at La Jolla. Inna secured a very advantageous price for our trip to San Diego, but I did not like our room there. It was always too cold/drafty or too hot.

As Alex was not hungry, we decided to go out to dinner, but the two of us. We selected Puesta Mexican Artist Kitchen in downtown La Jolla based on Yelp reviews.


I ordered a margarita - but it was too spicy for me! I prefer a little less Jalapeno in my Margaritas!
The chips were fresh, and the salsa was hot! Come to think of it, many of the traditional Mexican dishes were much spicier in San Diego than in the San Francisco Bay area.


We shared a couple of spicy taco dishes, which were well prepared.


The guacamole was really delicious, too!


Although we had a fantastic first day, we were exhausted. We returned back to our Inn by the Sea for some needed rest.



Tuesday, December 12, 2017

"A Night of Jazz" at Bellarmine College Prep

Today, I saw "A Night of Jazz" at Bellarmine College Prep - a concert of the Jazz Band classics.


The music program included several compositions I never heard of and a few I recognized (as Jazz Standards). "Cottontail" - a famous Duke Ellington tune - was a highlight for me, along with "Charade" by Henry Mancini.



Music Program
  1. Perfidia
  2. Strollin' with Sammy
  3. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
  4. Blue Bossa
  5. Blues in the Closet
  6. Honeybuns
  7. I'll Take Less
  8. Charade
  9. Cottontail
  10. La Almeja Pequena
  11. Joy to the World
Here is a video recording of the Cottontail performance:





Sunday, December 10, 2017

Review: Postmodern Jukebox at Warfield

I last saw Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox live at Warfield, San Francisco, on December 13, 2015. At that time, the line-up included Arianna Savalis, Haley Reinhart, and Sara Niemietz.


Two years later - on December 10, 2017 - my wife and I saw another show with many different singers and musicians. Unfortunately, neither Hailey nor Arianna were present this time (nor Scott Bradlee himself).


On a side note, I dislike the seedy San Francisco location (and the acoustics of the Warfield theater). However, I really enjoyed the energy of LaVance Colley, Von Smith, and Robyn Adele Anderson - who were standouts at this performance.


Singer Line Up
  • Von Smith
  • LaVance Colley (MC'ing the show)
  • Robyn Adele Anderson
  • Joey Cook
  • Red Haired Woman?
The Music List included the following songs:
  • We Can't Stop (original by Miley Cyrus)
  • Chandelier (original by Sia)
  • Thrift Shop (original by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) - the song that put PMJ on the map
  • All About That Bass (original by Meghan Trainor)
  • What is Love (original by Haddaway)
  • Style (original by Taylor Swift)
  • Shake It Off (original by Taylor Swift)
  • Sweet Child O' Mine (original by Guns 'N' Roses)
  • Seven Nation Army (original by White Stripes)
Of the many songs sung, the highlights  (in my opinion) were "All About That Bass" and "Thrift Shop". I recorded a short video to show the excitement of "What Is Love" below:


The only disappointment was that some significant singers were not at the Sunday show. This included Scott Bradlee himself, Morgan James, Arianna Savalis, Haley Reinhart, Sara Niemietz, and many others.



Positives
  • LaVance was an excellent MC, energizing the crowd and crooning many songs with his fantastic voice and amusing antics.
  • Von Smith was singing excellent (as expected)
  • Many of the top PMJ hits were played. 
  • The tap-dancing girl was great!
Negatives
  • No Scott Bradlee (again!) - Does he ever come on tour?
  • No Morgan James, Arianna Savalis, Haley Reinhart, or Sara Niemietz like at the last show
  • PMJ does not advertise ahead of time who will perform at the concert (so you may get tickets for a subpar show)
  • The Warfield has terrible acoustics.
  • Warfield is located in a very seedy area of San Francisco (I wish PMJ chose a better venue) 
  • Lots of people arrived late at the show (blocking the view). Warfield should delay seating after the show started to occur between songs. 

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Dirt biking at Hollister Hills SVRA

On a chilly, 38 Fahrenheit December morning, I decided to practice my dirt biking skills at Hollister Hills SVRA.


After loading my Yamaha WR250F motorcycle and associated gear, I stopped by the nearby House of Bagels to pick up my croissant, Turkey Bagel, and chocolate muffin for lunch.

The drive to Hollister took about an hour, and I was surprised to arrive at around 9:10am with few people there. I parked at the Vintage Track parking lot, which was almost empty. The week before, Hollister Hills SVRA was highly crowded (with virtually no place to park).

I unloaded my Yamaha and put on my riding gear. At first, I decided to ride a few laps around the TT Track to warm up. Following the warm-up, I rode the Harmony Gate Road track. It was pleasant to depend alone on a fresh winter morning through the beautiful California wilderness.

After finishing the warm-up ride, I drank some water and continued riding to Rancho Road, which has beautiful overlooks over the Hollister Hills.

After this ride, I decided to continue with a ride to Old Ranch, Four Corners, Old Ranch (Windmill). It was a lovely ride with a few riders on the trail.

Here is the GoPro 4 Silver recording of my ride on Rancho Road.



I had a fantastic time at Hollister Hills SVRA and hope to return soon.

Friday, December 1, 2017

Review; "Around the World in 80 Days" at Lucie Stern Theater

Today, I saw the TheatreWorks production of "Around the World in 80 Days" at Lucie Stren Theater in Palo Alto.

Around the World in 80 Days by Laura Eason takes the classic work from Jules Verne and adapts it for the theater. It centers on the story of Phileas Fogg, who tackles the wager that he cannot cross the World in just 80 days. In Eason's adaptation, we see Fogg head out across the World, visiting distant ports in a tale full of excitement and intrigue. The adaptation is highly theatrical.



The play was enjoyable, and my wife and I had a great time.


Thursday, November 30, 2017

Bellarmine Winter Concert

Today, Alex played trumpet in his first Symphonic Band performance with the Bellarmine Symphonic Band in the Sobrato Mainstage Theater.


The Winter Concert Program was scheduled with the following performances:

Symphonic Band
  1. Synergies by Robert Sheldon
  2. Ghost Fleet by Robert Sheldon
  3. Instant Concert by Harold L. Walters
Performance Choir (with Notre Dame High School)
  1. Let It Snow
  2. Winter Wonderland
  3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
  4. I'll Be Home for Christmas
  5. Jingle Bell Rock
Wind Ensemble
  1. Kindred Spirits
  2. Trumpeter's Lullaby by Leroy Anderson (William Healzer on Trumpet)
  3. Crossing the Bosporus by Jukka Viitasaari
  4. Carol of the Bell, arranged by Sean O'Loughlin
Here is a video of the Symphonic Band playing "Synergies."



Here is a video of the Symphonic Band playing "Ghost Fleet."



The Performance Choir with the girls of Notre Dame singing Christmas Songs.


Here is the Wind Ensemble playing the final four pieces.


Sunday, October 22, 2017

Review: Jlab Epic 2 Bluetooth Earbuds

After trying many different earbuds, I recently purchased the Jlab Epic 2 Bluetooth Earbuds (and from the excellent review on Wirecutter). 

Wirecutter claimed that these were the best headphones for working out, and I wanted to replace my Klipsch S4i wired earbuds with a Bluetooth headset using an Apple iPhone 7 or an Apple Series 3 watch.

Since this Jlab Epic2 headset was quite expensive - $99 on Amazon.com or Best Buy - I scoured eBay and found an excellent deal for $60.



After using these earbuds in my Active Sports gym, I have identified the following positive and negative traits.

Positives:
  • Midrange and treble sound clean
  • Connects quickly to my iPhone 7S
  • Announces battery level when first turned on
  • Good battery life (12+ hours)
  • Stays on during a heavy Nike workout (which includes jumping)
  • Includes lots of different earplugs

Negatives:
  • The bass response is seriously lacking (in comparison to Klipsch S4i wired earbuds and AUKEY Latitude Earbuds
  • The price is a bit high at $99 (though I found a deal on eBay for $60)
  • While the bass response is acceptable with large tips, these tend to fall out during workouts; the other ear tips have a terrible bass response (but at least stay in)

Now that I have used the Jlab earbuds for a few weeks, I have found a few more issues. During workouts, the earbuds sometimes pop out. Also, the Bluetooth connection is not very strong - it frequently cuts out on mountain bike rides.



Review: Jabra Move Wireless Stereo Headset

I decided to purchase the Jabra Move wireless Bluetooth headphones on Amazon for my work (to block coworkers' noise and to use them on walks during lunchtime).

Although I initially liked them, I realized they were too bulky to be painful to wear for over 30 minutes. Here is my overall review.



Positives
  • Relatively inexpensive ($50)
  • Sound exceptional with excellent bass extension
  • Good Bluetooth range
  • It can work with a 3.5mm jack or with Bluetooth
  • Good battery life

Negatives
  • Does not fold
  • Significant pressure on the ears
  • When connecting to two Bluetooth devices, experience occasional noise

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Review: AUKEY Latitude Wireless Headphones

Wanting to retire my iPod Nano player with Klipsch S4i earbuds, I decided to use my iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 3 with wireless, Bluetooth earbuds.

I looked forward to avoiding long cord dangles and fully wireless operation during my workout sessions at Forma Gym and mountain biking rides.

Researching online, I saw that the AUKEY Latitude wireless headphones were highly recommended by the Wirecutter, and for $30 on Amazon, they were hard to resist.

I purchased them from Amazon and used them for about two weeks. Eventually, I returned them because they kept falling out of my ears during workout sessions. Otherwise, they performed very well.


Positives
  • Relatively Inexpensive ($30 on Amazon)
  • Paired quickly with my iPhone7 and Apple Watch Series 3
  • Nice bass response
  • The battery lasts 8 hours
  • Seemed durable
Negatives:
  • During workout sessions, they kept falling out of my ears. I tried various combinations of medium and large wings and sizes, but they did not stay in
  • Mids and highs are not as straightforward as my Jlab Epic 2 or Klipsch S4i