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Pacifica Del Mar - Seafood Restaurant with Beachfront Dining in San Diego

Even as a little girl, I had an extremely well developed palate. I ate escargot when I was four, having learned to enjoy the delicate flesh of a lobster the year before. My nanny once told me that lobsters were once considered worthless and fed to prisoners. She thought it was silly that people giving lobsters to the poor—like they would understand how to appreciate such fine cuisine.

She then had the gall to tell me that lobsters are essentially giant sea-dwelling cockroaches. Well, I never could see a Lobster Newberg again without thinking of that horrible time I took a wrong turn off 5^th Avenue while shopping and found myself in some ghastly neighborhood, staring down enormous cockroaches and rats the size of my poodle. That definitely put me off any type of sea delicacies for a while. My mother tried to trick me into eating beluga caviar once, but at the age of ten, even the slightest whiff of the sea sent me into paroxysms of horror.

Anyway, my hypnotherapist only recently helped me overcome my fear of all things sea-related, so I can finally pretend to enjoy all those clambakes my boyfriend keeps insisting I attend (like I’d get my feet dirty in the sand. That’s laughable.).

So after a tiring first day at the Del Mar races (where I wore a fabulous new Philip Treacy creation), the girls and I were looking for a little something to nibble on while toasting the sunset. Pacifica Del Mar’s name came up as having a magnificent view and solid wine list, and was clearly one of the better seafood options in San Diego County.

Wine room at Pacifica Del Mar in San Diego

Well, the wine list was so very solid, that we polished off a bottle of 2009 Napa Valley Caymus and started on the magnum of Silver Oak before we even remembered we were there for the sunset. Luckily, one the girls had ordered food.

This place was a block from the ocean, so no surprise that most of the options were seafood. This was my first time attempting sea creatures after the dog-sized cockroach incident, so I nervous to be sure. However, the food was prepared beautifully. The tuna tartare (gateway dish to all things sea) was fresh and slightly sweet from the bits of mango, and the scallops were cooked perfectly and dusted with prosciutto.

Seafood Options at San Diego's Pacifica Del Mar include Scallops

Now, with my palate re-educated, I’m no longer terrified of all things sea; there’s a whole list of seafood restaurants that I frequent. My editor tells me all the San Diego has a surprising number of options, which I’ll sample during my next trip for the art convention.

Best,

Eva

Editor’s Note: TravelwithCarnet.com features magazines with more articles various culinary and cultural adventures.

Pacifica Del Mar

1555 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014

(858) 792-0476

http://www.pacificadelmar.com/

XS at Encore in Las Vegas

I love the spotlight.  My mother loves telling the story about when I was a wee lass, and wandered onto the stage, interrupting a musician’s set, insisting that I perform.  Luckily, he was a friend of the family’s, so it didn’t matter that I basically stopped the show.  It set a precedent, though.  I knew then, as I know now, that I am a star.

Occasionally though, after a harrowing fashion week or, ahem, awards season, I feel the need to escape into obscurity—and go where the playing field is leveled and even the average person can be a star.

Las Vegas is perfect for that.  Swarms of tourists, wandering around in their khaki trousers and polo shirts and atrocious footwear, with their mouths agape, are blinded by the glitter of Vegas, so it’s eas(ier) to pull a David Copperfield and disappear in plain sight.

The best places to melt into the crowd are in the clubs of Vegas.  Everyone dons their sexiest outfits (my daily ensemble) and pretends to be more fabulous than they are.  So if you’re already ah-may-zing, it’ll be one of the best things to do in Vegas.

Dimly lit, jam-packed, and oozing of desperation and alcohol, Vegas clubs are fantastic for those “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” type events.  This past trip was no exception (though what happens to me in Vegas, somehow or another always ends up on Page Six or TMZ).  Needless to say, I hit up the two hottest clubs in Vegas right now.  If you want to blend in, you gotta do what the people do.

XS, inside Steve Wynn’s Encore, often has celeb DJs like Tiesto, Steve Aoki, and Deadmau5.  I have no idea who was spinning that night because I was too busy sipping Dom at this lovely man’s table (call me!).  I was told that they have this “Ono” cocktail which includes sterling silver cufflinks for men or an 18k white gold and black pearl pendant for women for $10,000—not that I would go for that, because obviously I’m not buying my jewelry from a club. Named hottest club in the world by Conde Nast Traveler (that is if you listen to the Nast-ies), it was hopping that night, with the floor beyond packed.

Marquee at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas

Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, one of the newer clubs in the scene has a “strict” guest list policy (see below).  I saw groups of men hovering forlornly by the door, practically begging ladies to bring them in.  Once in, there are at least two (three? I can’t remember) floors.  The lower level, a small, cramped space with the bar and DJ situated right by the entrance, played a version of hip-hop, with most of the songs remixed into house beats.  The main floor, with the outdoor patio, is where the real action is.  Lots of tables surround the smallish dance floor, with famous house/trance DJs spinning and scantily clad dancers gyrating. The people were definitely younger and prettier than those at XS.

A few quick notes regarding clubbing in Vegas: gentlemen, get a table if you want to get in (or be a high-roller).  Of course, you could always show up with a bevvy of beautiful ladies, but you’d have to be lucky enough to garner an all-female clique in the first place.

Ladies, if you’re like me, show up looking amazing (though leave taste at the door) and in your highest heels—you’ll have no problem getting in.  If you’re less than comfortable with that, I suggest you find some good-looking girlfriends to go with.

Fun times for all to be had by all, for the fabulous and the not-so-fab.  The driving beat, the glittering surroundings, the fact that it’s VEGAS makes stars of us all on the dance floor.

Toodles,

Eva

Editor’s Note: TravelwithCarnet.com features magazines with more articles like this (though with a lot less, um, panache).

Beverly Hills, my home away from home.  Glitterati as far as the eye can see, easy to walk shopping paths, and indulgent pampering that I escape to in the luxurious spas that line the palm-lined streets.

With all the posh shopping boutiques and celeb-studded wheeling and dealing you’d think that there’d be a plethora of lunchtime options.  Waist-friendly, luxurious, set in an idyllic setting, private (or not, if you’re trying to publicize your latest movie, venture, or relationship) options should abound by the tenfold.  Yet, Beverly Hills can be something of a wasteland when it comes to fine dining during the lunch hour.  I’m not exactly one to eat on the run at a sandwich shop, or wait in line with the tourists for a cupcake.

Bouchon in Beverly Hills

Enter Thomas Keller’s Bouchon to the rescue.  Serving contemporary American cuisine, Bouchon has designed a lovely prix fixe menu that changes daily, and each course offers items not listed on the regular menu—so if you go as frequently as I do, the ever-changing lunch options keep you from getting bored. In a city of habitual dieters and chains, there’s only so many times you can see the same entrees, salads, and appetizers and not be exasperated.

Recently, I had a divine blood orange sorbet as part of the three-course meal.  Slightly bitter, slightly creamy (though dairy-free), it was the best part of the meal.  The salmon tartar appetizer and beet with goat cheese tart was palatable—the obviously pre-prepared tartar was still carried the sting of refrigeration and the goat cheese crème fraiche overwhelmed the tart.  I had to scrape off the excess—I’m not about to consume unnecessary extra calories, especially when it was as overwhelmingly salty as that.

Bouchon's salmon tartare appetizer, one course in a three-course prix fixe lunch

Still, I can’t complain—too much. Service is solid, the seafood bar always pleases, and the habitué are California chic. Not one to drop names or anything, but it didn’t hurt that I was sharing the brasserie inspired dining room with Beck (call me!) and Jermaine Jones from American Idol, all seemingly preoccupied with the execs they were dining with. And the enormous floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow us to bathe in the gorgeous California light, giving all of us patrons a little bit of the Hollywood glow. There is also a sun-kissed terrace if you don’t believe in self-tanner.

The adorable patisserie is tucked in under the stairs to the main dining room, convenient for a high tea back in your hotel room.  Macarons, crème-filled cookies, and other darling confections dot the glass case, tempting me to forget my nutritionist’s expensive advice.

But with so much shopping to do, and so many dresses to try, I resist.  (I did buy a little foie gras treat for my patient pup though.  He’s such a good boy!)

Editor’s note: Be sure to try “Le Burger Bouchon”, generally considered one of the best gourmet burgers in Los Angeles, its not on the menu.  The Bouchon Bakery also carries quiches and sandwiches for lunching on-the-go, or for your picnic basket to the Hollywood Bowl. Check out more articles on fine dining here.

Bouchon Bistro

235 North Canon Drive

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 271-9910

http://www.bouchonbistro.com/

Street view of Harrods in London

You’d think that Kate Middleton was the only woman to have successfully shopped London, given all the press on her sense of style. I’d like it known for the record that I was already mixing High Street labels with designer pieces when she was still a Middleton and not a yet a princess.

Once, I was shopped all of Oxford Street and South Moulton Street in under four hours. Selfridges, Debenhams, and Browns done in one fell swoop with nary a paparazzi underfoot.

However, when I’m in London, Harrods is without a doubt the place to visit, see, shop, and basically live in. You’re probably thinking to yourself, Harrods? The department store?

Yes, that Harrods. Let me assure you, dear readers, this is no ordinary department store. For one thing, it boasts three hundred and thirty departments. Three hundred and thirty departments! Anything you need you can find in it in Harrods. Need a pair of unique cufflinks as a thank you gift for your solicitor? Or a lovely hand carved Donna Karan Lenox vase as a hostess gift for a dinner or housewarming party? A hamper of regional delectable treats to send home to your lovely staff? An adorable album set to congratulate your friend on her new baby? Or you just want the latest Alexander McQueen Skull Box clutch in the ocelot print for your night out on the town? Harrods will have it all. (And a fun little tip for my dear readers: if you send it back to the US, it’s tax-free.)

One-stop-shopping at its best, its perfect for a little exercise on days when it’s dreary out (and when is it not in London?).

Of course, there’s places for a little something to nibble on, should you partake in that sort of thing. My foodie friends tell me that that they have something like 32 restaurants, ranging from tapas to pub food to haute cuisine and everything in between. (Personally, I’m partial to the macarons at Ladurée—they’re not nearly as good as they are in Paris, but they’re much easier on the waistline then the clotted cream and scones that the Brits like to serve with high tea.)

And on days when your new Giuseppe Zanotti heels are killing you and you just don’t want to trek all over Harrods to find that perfect anniversary gift, they have a lovely personal shopping department that will do all the legwork for you, while you’re getting a foot massage and pedicure in their spa department, Urban Retreat, on the 5^th floor (there’s one for exclusively for the gentlemen as well—The Refinery on the lower ground floor). Now that’s what I call the royal treatment.

Cheerio,

Eva

Editor’s Note: London is chock-a-bock with fantastic places to shop for women’s, men’s, and kids’ fashions, as well as antiques and jewelry. You can read more articles on the London shopping scene here.

Harrods

87-135 Brompton Road

Knightsbridge

London, SW1X 7XL

United Kingdom

http://www.harrods.com

+44 (0) 20 7730 1234

Frequenting luxury spas and salons around the world, we like to ferret out interesting beauty secrets that are simple and easy to do. Our latest discovery: the conditioning properties of apricot!

During my last review of a nail salon in Geneva, I underwent the usual routine of having my nails cleaned and shaped to perfection. As the esthetician continued to massage my hands, she noted that they were a tad dry and my cuticles were a bit frayed. Then she surprised me by massaging apricot cream into my cuticles. The rich conditioning properties of apricot were instantly apparent. Even as she cleaned my nail beds one last time before applying polish, I noticed my cuticles looked better than ever. This cream was so nourishing and absorbed right into the skin.

I had to know more and here’s what she told me:

Apricot cream is renowned for its ability to promote nail growth and soften cuticles that easily become battered, ragged and dry during our journeys. Apricot oil is an easy way to fortify nails and cuticles. Simply massaging it into the cuticles and nail beds of your hands and feet at night can foster nail growth and improve nail strength. Then she gave me a great travel tip and showed me a product I had never seen before; Dior Crème Abricot (yes, with a b) Fortifying Cream for Nails.

Needless to say, with the amount I travel, the endless dry hotel rooms, arid airliners, not to mention the luggage toting—all that’s not easy on my hands. But armed with my new secret, I even impressed my favorite pedicurist during my next visit to Paris. I no longer have ragged dry skin around my cuticles, and my toes even look great without polish. (Men, take note.)

You can find a few different apricot cuticle creams out there, like Dior and Essie. For a more intensive treatment for nails and cuticles, try Manicure’s Best Friend by Bliss, a different approach with ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, green tea extract, and vitamins B5 and E.

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So, it’s Holiday season once again, but probably not as shiny as last year’s, recession oblige. Still, the unavoidable eggnog will be at every party. Don’t you find it bizarre how eggnog can bring out the worst in a host?

Here’s two schools of thought:

1. Grab the cardboard packaged eggnog at the local supermarket, add some bourbon to it, then poison your guests;

or

2. Go online, find the richest and most complicated recipe, work for hours, ruin your wife’s kitchen, have a fight with her, then poison your friends… too much cream, too many eggs, vulgar amounts of sugar.

The legend of bartenders is Harry MacElhone, the barman at Ciro’s Club in London until 1919, then the magician behind the bar of “Sank Roo Doe Noo” in Paris, the Mecca–if I dare say–of all barflies. Harry’s ABCs of mixing cocktails is a little red book, far more influential than Chairman Mao’s little Red Book. Its Egg Nog recipe is easy and perfect. Stick to it and your friends will bless you the morning after your Holiday Season Party …

Egg Nog Recipe
“1 egg, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 2 ounces of rum or 1 ounce of rum and 1 ounce of cognac (my favorite), cold milk (milk; not skim, not soy). Shake well, strain into medium-sized tumbler. Grate some nutmeg on top.”

Egg Nog Hot

“In a bowl: sugar to taste, 1 egg. Beat well with whisk, adding boiling milk, pour into tankard where 1 ounce of rum and 1 ounce of Cognac (rum means dark rum and cognac means cognac, not brandy) have been poured, grate some nutmeg.”

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Originally designed by Gustave Eiffel as a temporary structure for the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, France,� Eiffel Tower, at 1,056 feet, was once the world’s tallest building. Early critics protested against the lacy steel structure, claiming that it was industrial and reminiscent of a large chimney.� �

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Today, Parisians and visitors alike marvel at this beautiful masterpiece as it stands high above the 19th-century architecture of the 7th arrondissement. As you can imagine, climbing to the top provides sweeping views of the entire city of Paris. The nighttime view is ideal when the whole tower is lit up from the inside. Twenty thousand lights sparkle for 10 minutes an hour during the evening.�

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The Eiffel Tower offers views of Paris from three levels. The top level takes you to around 950 feet and on a good day you can see for 40 miles. The second level is at 400 feet and can be reached by the stairs or the elevators. During the summer months, the stairs are open until midnight. The first level is at 200 feet and is only worthwhile for visiting the small museum, which features a free film explaining the history of the tower.�

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The queues to the Eiffel Tower are anything but short. There are separate lines for tickets and entry, and then there are changeovers for the elevators on the way up and down. Getting there early in the morning, or visiting on a cloudy or rainy day might help a little. If you are savvy and follow our advice, however, you can enjoy the city views from the Eiffel Tower without the lines.� �

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CARNET TIP TO BEST VIEW FROM EIFFEL TOWER

The best views of Paris are actually experienced on the second floor. Dining on Alain Ducasse’s menu at Le Jules Verne, the restaurant on the second level, which has its own private elevator, is the way to do it right.� � �

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ALTERNATIVES

1. If you’re not interested in dining at� Le Jules Verne, take the second-floor stairs, which offer a nice view above the netting.
2. Hop on the Bateaux Parisiens, which is a nice alternative at sundown, as it passes right in front of the base of the Eiffel Tower
3. From a distance, the Place de Trocadéro, in the 16th arrondissement, is where you will get the best view of the Eiffel Tower

The cristallo chandelier is Murano, Italy’s equivalent to France’s crystal chandelier.

� � � � � � � � � � � � Anabel de la Grange

Venice, Italy is one of the first European cities that has a history of manufacturing glass—since the 12th century! But it’s believed that the origins of Murano glass date back to 9th century Rome, with significant Asian and Muslim influences as Venice was a major trading port. Multi-hued perle (beads) were used in trading with Asian, African and Muslim neighbors.

Venetian “cristallo,” invented by Angelo Barovier, is a clear, highly malleable, completely transparent colorless glass that can be blown into vessels with remarkably thin walls. The cristallo chandelier is Italy’s equivalent to France’s crystal chandelier.

Intricate designs from the mid to late 15th century can be found on Murano goblets, bottles and pitchers. They had ornate surfaces with gold leaf or sophisticated enamel designs, even Picasso-inspired sculptures and figurines, including enameling and gold leaf. It can also be found in the form of charming drinking glasses and, of course, the magnificent chandeliers.

The isolated northwest island of Murano is only a 20-minute Vaporetto ride from the main canals and was originally settled to protect the secrets of the glass artists who were sent there to perfect their craft.
In 1291, the Maggior Consiglio (Venetian government) decreed that all the glass furnaces had to be moved from the city of Venice proper onto the island of Murano because of the fire hazard that the glassmaking process posed to a city built of wood structures. Politically astute observers note that the consolidation of all glassblowers onto a small island allowed the government to better oversee and manage its monopoly on the profitable industry. The Republic further tightened its control by issuing an edict forbidding glassblowers to practice their craft in other countries.

Eventually, some of the master glassblowers were lured to the Netherlands, Germany, France and Spain where they described their works as � la façon de Venise. By 1950, so many artists had left Murano in search of “brighter” horizons that many of the original workshops closed. Of course throughout Europe, the original designs were getting a new look, as artisans altered the styles to meet local tastes and available materials. This work soon came to take on the name Bohemian crystal, with characteristics such as being thicker, heavier and often engraved.

Paolo Venini led the resurgence of Murano glassblowing by developing up-and-coming artists and mentoring them and distributing their work under his company V.S.M. Cappellin Venini & Co.

Inside Venini’s workshop, a sculptor named Napoleone Martinuzzi invented a new technique using opaque glass. Pulegoso, a translucent glass identified by innumerable bubbles, was controversial as it opened the door to experimentation. After a long series of friendly mergers, family mergers and shifting of glassblowers, today the Toso family still runs Barovier & Toso Co.

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There is nothing that inspires the traveling girl inside of me like a well-fitted trench coat. From the anonymity that hides to the sophistication that it boasts, a consummate trench is not only good for rainy days, but also perfect for any girl’s travel wardrobe.

When I choose a trench, I have a few rules I abide by.

1. The shoulders seams should drop about one inch past your own shoulder.
2. The back should not pull when you lift your arms for a hug.
3. The waist should be perfectly altered to match your shape.

Make sure its length is at the knee, so you can wear it with bare legs and high heels without looking like the wrong kind of girl. Follow these guidelines for buying a trench coat and you’ll find that rainy days can be as happy as your travel excursions.

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For a gentleman, finding the right belt is much more difficult than it seems. He needs a minimum of four belts: a black dress belt, a brown dress belt, a black sports belt, and a brown sports belt.

Of course, there are variations that can increase that number. Pant belt loops often differ in size, and stylistically speaking, one is not going to wear the same belt with his jeans than with his khakis.

My belt world turned on a dime the Father’s Day that I received an 18-karat yellow gold Tiffany buckle. I was no longer in the belt-shopping market anymore, but now I was on a hunt for belt straps, or at least for those kinds of belts where I could take the buckle out and replace it with my 18-karat yellow gold Tiffany buckle.

Several years — and an 18-karat white gold Tiffany buckle and numerous silver and turquoise buckles — later, I can admit I have become quite the belt man. From calf leather to alligator, from cotton to chamois leather, if I do not have over 36 belts and belt straps, I do not have any.

So you can understand my dilemma when I go shopping for shirts or socks at Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, or even worst, abroad, and I stop at the belt carousel. I almost always find the right model but never the right size. The belts are never grouped sensibly as any 6-year-old who knows how to read would group them: size, style, color. And the salesperson acts blind the instant you reach the belt carousel. With so little selection at the shop, Miss Commission knows the odds of a sale are not in her favor. To complicate things further, every belt manufacturer uses its own size chart.

There’s only one way to search for that perfect belt: Try each and every model that could possibly be your size.

To try a belt on it usually means that I have to go through the trouble to take my overcoat off, then my jacket, and finally the belt that carries my 18-karat yellow gold Tiffany buckle, which I will usually hold between my teeth.

My most recent belt-hunting nightmare occurred during my last trip to Venice, when I discovered Mazzon—Le Borse (Mazzon—the Bag). This time, though, the trouble of undressing was well worth the reward.

I was walking from the San Toma vaporetto station to the San Polo Church to admire the Tiepolos and the Tintoretto. Then I noticed a small shop on the right as I was leaving the Campiello San Toma. It was almost hidden behind the awning of the piazza café next door.

Signora Mazzon is usually in the store with one assistant, while Signor Mazzon is stitching a last detail on a handbag. At Le Borse, you will find handbags, briefcases, and wallets in superb leather — not the artisan type but the designer-quality type you can only find in shops with famed brand names.

And the belts, of course, are the real draw, although my wife begs to differ and prefers the non-labeled leather handbags (with impeccably authentic details) that are often found in a certain store that was closed when Oprah visited Paris. Choose from among 20 or so belt models, with varying styles and colors. Choose a buckle style, or better still, bring your own to be sewn or clipped to the belt strap you choose. Signora Mazzon will delicately measure your waist, and ask you if you wear your trousers high or more on your hips, if you intend to lose a bit of weight, or if you intend to put some on. Then Signor Mazzon will cut and sew, and presto: All of that expertise and artisan craftsmanship for less than 100 euros, depending on the type of leather, of course.

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