Ok. So this isn't a French pop mixtape...but you'll love this mixtape by DJ Universe anyway- the world's most expensive DJ. Yeah..too true. He's put together this luxe mix of smooth South African deep house music to get you groovin. Dedicated to Mr. Nelson Mandela.
Listen to some tunes...wrap gifts and bake some Christmas goodies.
Here's to what really matters in life!
Discovered The Loft at Nylo on one of those wonderful staycations. Was looking for some New York-inspired lounge and The Loft at Nylo definitely fits the bill.
In the heart of Las Colinas, it's a well-known secret for "chic urban cuisine and sushi." My favorite summer drink is the Cucumber Cooler with cucumber vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime and fresh mint. Truffle fries, Polenta cakes, New York Strip with asparagus and Texas goat cheese are some fab dishes. You can't go wrong with any of the flatbreads.
Driven by there many times, but only now just have not managed to step into the Nylo's red brick walls. It's a favorite hotel for pilots and other airline folks laying over in Dallas. A jetsetter's dream.
Favorite hangouts: the pool area, the Library, the bar, the restaurant. The only thing missing is the NYC skyline.
- Denise
Ok, so I love airports. Yeah it's crazy. There's just something about the hustle and bustle of being at the airport that feels like home. I've been a traveler all my life it seems.
Had to drop off family at the airport, International Terminal D...and have to say as many times as I've been through the DFW Airport and Terminal D, I've never made my way up the escalators to the Hyatt.
Just remember this, if you get stranded at the airport, head to the Grand Hyatt. I LOVE it.
You head up the escalators and that brings you to the M Lounge and then it's the Grand Met Restaurant. It's chic and relaxing. The M Lounge mixes up some great cocktails - chill place to unwind. Wine bar is very complete. The Grand Met's food is definitely French with primarily an Asian twist but other global cuisines make their way into the menu. Favorites: White Asparagus Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Prime Beef Carpaccio. The snapper and chicken entrees are excellent. There's no excuse not to go - you get free valet parking at Terminal D or an airport exit pass.
Epicurean Studio/Cooking School: An interesting offering of the hotel is a cooking school with Chef Jean-Claude Pihon. You get hands-on-training on how to prepare their menu. You can stay the weekend - complimentary parking and get a half day of cooking plus a DVD and book of recipes. Or you can do the day package which runs from $95.00 and get your hands on training plus the extra goodies. This is a must for any foodie out there. To top it off, the hotel has a spa. Definitely makes for a fun girls weekend out
- Denise
Getting together with friends over coffee and drinks is always a favorite pastime. A few Saturdays ago, decided to meet my friend Raney at Rise No.1 for a little French brunch. What I loved the most is the atmosphere. Rise No.1 is a salon du souffle and wine bar. The piece de resistance of the restaurant is its glass chandelier, old book shelves. You're transported to a romantic, quaint farmhouse in the south of France.
The souffle is the quitessential French contribution to global cuisine. Be sure to try a savory one and a sweet one to get the full joy of this culinary experience. Raney had the Escargot Souffle. I kept it simple with the Jambon & Gruyere Souffle (Ham & Cheese). My favorite drink was the Chardonnay and Apricot Iced Tea. For dessert the Grand Marnier Souffle was the best - a little tinge of the liqeur with the sweetness and fluffiness of the souffle was lovely. Savor the dessert with a simple espresso like the French do after a meal.
If you love to cook and want to try your hand at making souffles - Rise has a recipe book called Rise to the Occassion: A French Food Experience.
- Denise
I've been aching to go back to this very cool little Moroccan place in Dallas' Victory Park. As a lover of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food of all kinds, I'm always on the lookout for my next foodie paradise.
I checked out this place on a very cold winter evening a few months ago. It was actually snowing, so you'd expect an empty restaurant. Not here, the place was packed and so we sat at the bar. The owner was hanging out, was super friendly and made some great recommendations.
To start off, my favorite traditional Moroccan dish is the very simple merguez lamb sausage. Medina's interpretation is to deliver the merguez on grilled brochettes (skewers). Loved it. My friend Raney tried the Andalusian Scallops brochettes. I'm not a huge fan of seafood, so I passed. But she loved it.
Then we made our way down the menu of the grilled brochettes. Tried the citrus marinated chicken and the tenderloin of beef filet. Added a little harissa to our dishes, which is a hot pepper relish for those who like alot of spice. The hummus was great. The cocktails were a mix of interesting flavors, which I like. I tried the Caramel Fig Martini. We topped off our cold winter evening with the orange blossom creme brulee which was to die for and some hot Moroccan mint tea.
On a side note, the serving sizes are on the smaller side, so that can be disappointing and annoying if you don't know that beforehand.
But it's a fun, cozy little place. It reminded me alot of the restaurants you find in San Francisco tucked away in some intimate nook. It's kind of weird, because the restaurant is packed but when you walk outside there's no one really around. That's the Victory Park neighborhood for ya. I have to make it back - for the food.
- Denise
On a special note: Dallas' Victory Park is a developer's Twilight Zone. What was supposed to be this swank new Times Square of Dallas has not turned out that way at all. The Dallas Observer had an excellent article on the weirdness of what I call Dallas' attempts at cool. At least the powers that be try. Check out the article!
Dallas Observer - Dallas Victory Park Struggles to Deliver a Win
Photos: Courtesy of Medina Oven & Bar
This holiday season I found myself addicted to eating tapas. On my to-do-list, meet friends for a "chi chi" dinner - so dropped by Chic from Barcelona. I'm normally not a big fan of Spanish cuisine, particularly Catalan cuisine with its heavy emphasis on seafood dishes of all kinds. But I love tapas. My favorites were the gazpacho (cold soup). It's a great choice if you like tomato basil. Aceitunas alinades, seasoned olives are addictive. Have an adventure and choose about 6 dishes from their tapas menu. I could not get enough of the patatas bravas - and had to find the recipe. My drink of choice is the sangria, which is a Spanish classic. Their signature dish is the rotisserie chicken with roasted apples and the paella. I'm partial to the vegetable paella.
The decor is bright and cheery - literally it's a loud bright yellow, just like a little chick. It's a happy place to be and a happy place to eat.
Tapas dishes make great party food. And so part of my New Year's resolution is to whip up some tapas dishes that are not seafood heavy and are easy to make. Dallas' Central Market has a Tapas Party on January 29 (there's a waiting list of course), but includes Spanish meatballs, fig tarts (hmmm?).
Found the recipe from Authentic Spanish Recipes.com for my favorite dish - patatas bravas. It's potatoes with a little spice and this delish mayo dipping sauce.
Websites
- Denise
Crisp Spiced potatoes
Patatas bravas is a basic, traditional tapa as popular in elegant big-city establishments as it is in the more modest village hostelries. As with most tapas, each bar and household will have its own recipe, naturally believed to the best! Savor this mildly tangy version of patatas bravas with a chilled white wine.
In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft. Turn off the heat, and add the paprika, Tabasco sauce, and thyme, stirring well. Transfer to a bowl and add the ketchup and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt and black pepper. In a large skilletfry the potatoes in 1 cup (8 fl. oz) olive oil until cooked through and golden-brown, stirring occasionally. (Take care when adding the potatoes to the saucepan because the oil will splatter due to the salt). Drain the potatoes on paper towels, check the seasoning, add more salt if necessary, and set it aside.
Mix the potatoes with the sauce inmediately before serving to ensure that the potatos retain their crispness. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
I love Dallas. It's a behemoth of a city that spreads out like a spider's web. There aren't any mountains or gorgeous natural vistas as Texans, at least in North Texas don't like trees. Anywhere there's a new development, down go the trees. I find it really irritating, because Texas really is beautiful. Think the Dixie Chicks song "Wide Open Spaces." That song just captures the soul of this place.
In the last decade, Dallas jumped on the bandwagon of downtown renaissance projects -the city's elite obsessed with competing against New York City as a cultural center. Texas does have this thing about bigger is better. The Capitol Building in Austin is bigger than the one in DC.
But for all the successes and very sad failures (They ruined Deep Ellum!), I think my favorite is the latest jewel to transform the Dallas skyline - and that's the new Winspear Opera House.
Continue reading "Jetsetter: Stopover at The Joule, Dallas" »
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