Monday, December 30, 2019

Best of the Best 2019

Monday, December 30, 2019  ,  No comments

Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? At the end of 2019, 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. Ristrot Guivol, Turin, Italy
  8. Weinstube Baldreit, Baden-Baden, Germany 
  9. Plachutta, Vienna, Austria 
  10. Humuhumunukunuku'apua, Maui Hawaii 
  11. La Foret, San Jose, CA (Michelin Rated)
  12. Bouchon, Napa, CA  (Michelin Rated)
  13. Eataly, WTC, New York City (and Munich)
  14. Araxi, Whistler, BC
  15. Cucina Rustica, Sedona, Arizona

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, and Japan. So far, our favorite pizza restaurant is Pizzeria Scugnizzo in Turin, Italy. We also had fantastic pizza in Japan - at Pizzeria Mar-de Napoli in Tokyo. Also, an excellent, small pizza restaurant had the most incredible 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. Pizzeria Scugnizzo, Turin, Italy
  2. Waikiki Pizza Restaurant, Bardonecchia, Italy
  3. Bricks Restaurant Pizza, Turin, Italy
  4. Keste Pizza, Greenwich Village, New York City (Keste #1)
  5. Eataly, World Trade Center, New York City ("Capricciosa" pizza)
  6. Eataly Lingotto, Turin, Italy
  7. Pizzeria Mar-de Napoli, Tokyo, Japan ("DLC winner" pizza)
  8. Juliana's Pizza, Brooklyn, New York City (#1 Special)
  9. 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 Gelateria, Turin, Italy
  5. Grom Gelateria, New York City (also in Florence and Siena) 
  6. Kamakura Gelato, Kamakura, Japan
  7. Eataly, New York City (and Munich)
  8. Gelateria La Romana, Turin, Italy
  9. Lappert's Ice Cream, Maui, Hawaii

Spas

Our favorite spas have been in Baden-Baden, Germany, but we've also heard about 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. Scandinave Spa, Whistler, Canada 
  7. Tabacon, Costa Rica 
  8. Spa LaQua, Tokyo, Japan
  9. Spa World, Osaka, Japan
  10. Solage, Calistoga, CA 
  11. Indian Springs, Calistoga, CA 
Books (2019)
  1. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
  2. Sophie's Choice by William Styron
  3. Napoleon: A Life, by Andrew Roberts
  4. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
  5. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
  6. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
  7. How to Be a Conservative by Roger Scruton
  8. The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray
  9. In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown by Nathaniel Philbrick
  10. Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
  11. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
  12. Chicago: A Novel, by David Mamet
  13. A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre
  14. Folks, This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin
  15. Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Bret Baier, 
    16. Catherine Whitney
  16. When Einstein Walked with Gödel: Excursions to the Edge of Thought by Jim Holt
  17. Permanent Record by Edward Snowden
  18. Call Sign Chaos by Jim Mattis
  19. The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
  20. The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester
Rock/Blues/Jazz Albums (2019)

There were not many rock albums I liked in 2019, but here are my favorites.
  1. The Christmas Present by Robbie Williams
  2. From the Fires by Greta Van Fleet
  3. Cause and Effect by Keane
  4. Look Up Child by Lauren Daigle
  5. Further by Richard Hawley
  6. In Search of Mona Lisa by Santana
  7. Chip Tooth Smile by Rob Thomas
  8. Jazz Age Thirst Trap by Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
  9. NFR! by Lana Del Ray
  10. Threads by Sheryl Crow

Movies (all-time)
  1. The Godfather (1972)
  2. Schindler's List (1993)
  3. Casablanca (1942)
  4. Gone with the Wind (1939)
  5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  6. Dead Poet's Society (1989)
  7. High Noon (1952)
  8. 12 Angry Men (1957)
  9. The Lord of the Rings (2001)
  10. Seven Samurai (1954)
  11. The Matrix (1999)
  12. Sophie's Choice (1982)
  13. Goodfellas (1990)
  14. Amadeus (1984)
  15. Aliens (1986)
  16. All Quiet on the Western Front (1939)
  17. Good Morning Vietnam! (1987)
  18. Modern Times (1936)
  19. Das Boot (1981)
  20. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
  21. The Godfather, Part II (1974)
  22. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
  23. Unforgiven (1992)
  24. Point Break (1991)
  25. Double Indemnity (1944)
  26. Some Like It Hot (1959)
  27. Scarface (1983)
  28. Judgment at Nurenburg (1961)
  29. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
  30. Before Sunrise (1995)

Movies (2019)
  1. Downton Abbey (2019)
  2. Richard Jewell (2019)
  3. 1917 (2019)
  4. The Irishman (2019)
  5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
  6. Midway (2019)
  7. Tolkien (2019)
  8. Ford v. Ferrari (2019)
  9. Parasite (2019)
  10. Rocketman (2019)
Miniseries (all-time)
  1. The Winds of War (1983)
  2. War and Remembrance  (1988)
  3. Band of Brothers (2001)
  4. The Pacific
  5. Pride & Prejudice (1995)
  6. Shogun (1980)
  7. Masada (1981)
  8. The Thorn Birds (1983)
  9. North & South (2004)
  10. Black Mirror (2011)


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. Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road SAP Center, San Jose, 10/19/2018
  5. Postmodern Jukebox, The Warfield, San Francisco, 12/13/2015 
  6. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Harrah's Hotel and Casino, 5/30/2015 
  7. Carlos Santana, Shoreline Amphitheater, 2002
  8. Elton John's Million Dollar Piano, The Colosseum, Las Vegas, 10/13/2011
  9. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Uptown Theatre, Napa, 2/23/2019
  10. The Gipsy Kings, Mountain Winery, 8/27/2014. 
  11. Lara Fabian 50, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 9/20/2019
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 di 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). However, I am a massive fan of Kander & Ebb musicals (including Cabaret, Liza with a Z, and Fosse). I also like Cole Porter's musicals (Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate!) and George Gershwin's (Crazy for You) most.
  1. Chicago, Ambassador Theater, Broadway, New York City 12/18/2016, 9/25/2018
  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. My Fair Lady, Vivian Beaumont Theater, New York City, 9/22/2018
  8. Kiss Me, Kate!, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  9. Saturday Night Fever, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  10. 42nd Street, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, 7/15/2017
  11. Mary Poppins, Orpheum, San Francisco, 5/12/2013 
  12. The Book of Mormon, San Francisco, 1/7/2014 
  13. Showboat, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 6/13/2014 
  14. Aladdin, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 4/17/19
  15. Mamma Mia, Orpheum, San Francisco
  16. Phantom of the Opera, Orpheum, San Francisco, 8/21/2015
  17. Cats, Neil Simon Theater, New York City, 12/24/2016 
  18. The Lion King, Orpheum, San Francisco
  19. Les Miserables, Orpheum, San Francisco
  20. Avenue Q, New World Stages, New York City, 9/24/2018
  21. Hello Dolly!, Orpheum, San Francisco
  22. Mathilda, Orpheum, San Francisco, 7/23/2015
  23. Wicked!, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 8/31/2019
  24. Fosse, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  25. Hamilton, Orpheum, San Francisco, 8/17/2019
  26. Miss Saigon, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 11/15/2019
  27. Evita, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  28. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  29. 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. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Geary Theater, San Francisco, 11/20/2019
  2. Emma, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 12/4/2015 
  3. Les Liaisons Dangereuses, New York City, 12/22/2016 
  4. Disgraced, Berkeley Rep, Berkeley, 12/12/2015 
  5. Cyrano, TheatreWorks, Mountain View, 4/24/2016 
  6. Outside Mullingar, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 10/7/2016 
  7. The Hard Problem, Geary Theater, San Francisco, 10/19/2016 
  8. Daddy Longs Legs, Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto, 12/3/2016 
  9. 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 excellent.
  1. Half-Dome, Yosemite, CA 
  2. Little Horse Trail to Chicken Point, Sedona, Arizona
  3. Silver Falls State Park, Oregon 
  4. Dipsea Trail, Sausalito, CA 
  5. Devil's Bridge, Sedona, Arizona
  6. Big Basin Redwoods, Boulder Creek, CA 
  7. Castle Rock State Park, CA 
  8. Mt. Shasta, CA 
  9. Point Lobos Natural Reserve, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 
  10. Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, CA 
  11. 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! However, I also enjoy the fantastic powder at our local Mammoth Mountain.
  1. Whistler/Blackcomb, BC, Canada (best resort) 
  2. Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, CA (best California powder)
  3. Verbier, Switzerland
  4. Kirkwood, Lake Tahoe, CA (best local powder)
  5. Alpine Meadows, Lake Tahoe, CA
  6. Mount Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood, Oregon 
  7. Mt. Bachelor, Bend, Oregon 
  8. Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe 
  9. Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, CA 
  10. Mt. Rose, East Lake Tahoe, NV 
  11. Sierra-at-Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, CA
  12. Bardonecchia, Turin, Italy (most delicious food of any resort)
  13. Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, CA (closest resort) 

Mountain Biking Trails
  1. John Nicholas Trail, Los Gatos, CA
  2. Almaden Quicksilver County Park, San Jose, CA
  3. Saratoga Gap & Long Ridge, Saratoga, CA
  4. Santa Teresa County Park, San Jose, CA
  5. Joseph D. Grant County Park
  6. Limekiln Trail, Los Gatos, CA
  7. Monte Bello OSP
  8. Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Off-Road Motorcycling Trails

My favorite place to ride off-road dirt bikes is in Hollister SVRA. I have taken classes with Brian Garrahan and have ridden multiple 4-stroke and 2-stroke motorcycles.
  1. Hollister Hills SVRA, Hollister, CA
  2. Carnegie SVRA, Tracy, CA
  3. Metcalf, San Jose, CA

Windsurfing Spots

My all-time favorite place for windsurfing is on the Northern shore of Maui at Spreckelville Beach. However, I also enjoyed windsurfing in the Columbia River Gorge ("The Gorge" near Hood River, Oregon) at Sherman Island in Rio Vista Coyote Point and Crissy Field in San Francisco.
  1. Spreckelsville, Maui, Hawaii
  2. Kanaha Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii
  3. Swell City, Hood River, Oregon
  4. Rowena, Hood River, Oregon
  5. Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz, California
  6. Sherman Island, Rio Vista, California
  7. Crissy Field, San Francisco, California
  8. Event Site, Hood River, Oregon
  9. Coyote Point, San Francisco, California

Surfing Spots
  1. Ala Moana State Park, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
  2. Surfer's Point at Seaside Park, Ventura
  3. "The Hook", Capitola
  4. Dolores Beach, Laniakea Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
  5. Pismo Beach Pier, Pismo Beach
  6. Pleasure Point, Capitola (great beginners spot)
  7. Steamer Lane, Capitola (experts only)
  8. Manresa State Beach, Capitola

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