Actively Seeking

Bloomberg has an article up about the loosening of lending for hotel properties, particularly in some urban areas like San Fran, DC, and New York.

The good news is that Wells and JP are "actively seeking" hospitality loans.

The bad news is that it's not really because the hotels are performing all that well. They're certainly not performing as well as had been hoped when those loans were originated.

It's just that they're not performing nearly as badly as other commercial real estate loans. The banks just want to improve those portfolios any way that they can. If it's lending to slightly less poorly performing properties, so be it.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that many hotels and small inns are now on the market for roughly half their value.

Still, even with the money loosening, investors are ever so shy this time around. After all, is there any reason to believe that whatever a property is selling for today that it won't be selling for significantly less in a year?

Lots of investors will just wait that out.

How will all of this impact small inns and B&Bs? It can't hurt.

Lending to B&Bs has been pretty much at a standstill for some time now and much of that is a perception problem with the banks. As their perception changes and they begin to see hospitality properties as if not a good investment at least a better investment than their other options, well, that loosening of money will spread.

And that my dear friends is good news for all of us.

Oysters, Oysters, and More Oysters

When a crisp chill hits the air, I hit the roadside tables out in front of the humble but perfect Marshall Store for oysters.

While the Marshall Store features more than just oysters, I stick to the same ole same ole just about every time. Sure, visitors enjoy the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl and the dungeness crab salad. They're all wonderful, so why not?

Well, the why not for me is simple. I'm there for the oysters. Oysters, oysters, and more oysters. After all, why mess with perfection?

That doesn't mean I don't go for a full 3-course meal. It just means I get 3 courses of oysters.

Raw to start. Yummmm.

Oysters Rockefeller for the main course. Too sublime for words. A little more garlic bread, please, to soak up those juices.

And every local's favorite to close up the meal: barbecued oysters.

Could there possibly be a better country store anywhere?

The Power of Collaboration

What can I say? In California, we know how to celebrate the holidays.

The good news? It's not too late to get out here for the Sausalito Yacht Club's annual Boat Parade and Fireworks Spectacular.

This year's event is coming up on Saturday, December 11th.

Holiday Lights

Starting to pop up in all the usual places.

And one thing that's really nice about all those twinkling holiday lights: they serve as a constant reminder that Dungeness crab season is OPEN!

Bring on the butter. And a little more sourdough, please. Did someone say something about a glass of Riesling?

Warm Winter Vichyssoise with Chanterelles

Truth be told, this soup is fabulous whether you serve it warm or chilled. The great thing about winter in California is that there are often, even in the middle of winter, days when a chilled soup is just the ticket.

Most often, though, when winter rolls around I want a warm soup that is thick, full-bodied and rich. If it's comfort food I'm looking for, Split Pea Soup does the trick.

If it's an impressive first course that delights with rich flavors, then it's got to be Winter Vichyssoise.

The Fabulous Frenchie swears that Vichyssoise is not a French invention. Since Julia Child always agreed with him on that, I'm inclined to believe him.

But we all agree that the simple soup of leeks, potatoes, stock, and cream was, indeed, a stroke of genius all the same.

Of all the many soups in my repertoire, none is more versatile. Few are as impressive.

In winter, I add a half-cup of wild mushrooms and serve the soup warm. Never fails to warm the heart as well as the body. Winter leeks are thicker and less mild in flavor than their spring counterparts, so one good sized leek imparts all the flavor that's needed to bring out the perfection of the chanterelles.

But don't take my word for it. Try it yourself:

Winter Vichyssoise with Chanterelles

1 large winter leek, chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes
3 cups chicken stock*
3/4 cup half & half
1/2 cup Chanterelles, chopped
2 TBS butter
salt and pepper to taste

Wilt leeks and onion in butter. Add mushrooms and cook until they sweat. Add sliced potatoes and stock. Cook 30 minutes or until tender. Add cream, simmer for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth.

Refrigerate overnight to allow full melding of flavors.

Serve warm, garnished with a pinch of fresh rubbed sage.


*For vegetarians, I substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock and it's really just as good. After Thanksgiving, turkey stock works just as well.

Chanterelles Beautiful Chanterelles

Sometimes called the Chicken of the Forest, Chanterelles are, when properly prepared, simply sublime.

They're fairly distinctive in appearance but here in Northern California it's easy to confuse them with non-edible Jack-O-Lanterns which grow in those very same forests. So, as always, exercise caution and, in the case of the false chanterelles, watch out for the telltale greenish glow.

We like chanterelles cooked in butter and shallots and served over green beans, chanterelles chopped and cooked in a creamy paprika sauce and served over hot buttered noodles, chanterelle omelettes, and my personal favorite: chanterelles added to a warm winter vichyssoise.

However you like your chanterelles, I hope you enjoy the gathering as much as we do. And mostly I hope their brilliant taste leaves you with a warm smile on a wintry day.

The Saga Continues

McPaper has an article up about the ongoing dispute between innkeepers and
TripAdvisor.

The article includes some useful tips for travelers in how to tell which reviews to trust and which to discount altogether.

Or, as longtime TripAdvisor user and Ringwood, N.J., resident Kevin Darling puts it: "You have to throw out the glowing and bad 'bride reports,' because they either were in love or mad that something small didn't work out. Californians often put down a property as unmaintained if it has even cracks in the sidewalk. Northerners are brusque and give bad reviews if they didn't get everything they wanted." Midwesterners? "Usually solid," says Darling.

Sadly, still no news on just what TripAdvisor will do itself to remove fake and malicious reviews.

Which sure does sound to an innkeeper like they're planning to do nothing at all.

Well, except rake in the dollars. That's a pesky detail they plan very well on watching.

Grateful Heart

Giving thanks today for the creatures who gave their lives for my table.

The proud turkey and the unsuspecting oysters. The abundance they add to my life today will provide lasting smiles to warm the winter ahead.

I'm deeply grateful for the cows at the Straus Dairy whose cream will lace those Tomales Bay oysters with an unmatched richness. Grateful, too, for their sweet butter that will make the simple bread cubes into a sinful indulgence that makes even a Fabulous Frenchie go all wow on me.

Gifts from the earth bring me to a state of daylong gladness with the fall aroma of the forest's chanterelles mixed with the farm's green beans and shallots to add the perfect balance to roasted sweet potatoes.

Later on I'm sure I'll be glad for the desserts, too, even if it will take hours and hours to find the room in my tummy to try one.

But right now, I am thankful for the many gifts right in front of my nose.

That's enough for me.

Looking For A Way Out

And really, who can blame him?

Because the truth is, the turkey who is closest to my oven on Thursday is getting steamed in wine and leeks.

Crispy and golden brown on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, he'll be served alongside scalloped oysters.

Nope, no way out.

More From The Land

Of Jeeze, ya think?

The money quote:

"With the foreclosure 'fraud' issue still out there, buyers are skeptical to purchase a REO. Until the fraud mess gets cleared up, most of our clients are second guessing their interest in REO properties," reported a Florida real estate agent responding in the latest survey.

Escape Planning

Gathering fragments of holiday memories past and future as we ready for our favorite holiday.

Hope you're doing the same and finding it filled with as much happiness as your heart can possibly hold.

All Hunkered Down

With a rainy weekend on the agenda we're all looking forward to catching a few rainbows and eating lots of cookies.

Hope your weekend is magical wherever you are.

Yowser

The good folks at the Center for American Progress released a report today detailing the losses to the state of Arizona as a result of its draconian immigration law.

The boycott has been shockingly effective in terms of keeping tourism dollars out of the state.

$141 million dollars is nothing to sneeze at in any economy. In today's world, it's a stunning loss.

And the thing is, those dollars can't be recovered.  Those conferences have gone elsewhere.

BTW, California thanks you very much for the business.

New TSA Enhanced Screening Explained

Why Is This Dude So Happy?

Because he just skipped checking his bags. And he skipped paying a carry on charge, too.

How? He's wearing everything he needs in his Carry On Coat.

Yes, Carry On Coat with 33 pockets to hold everything he needs.

Very cool.


H/T Arthur Frommer

Seasonably Perfect

Unseasonably warm this week.

If you're looking for an excuse to come to California, the perfect sunsets are reason enough.

More rain is on the horizon, though, and you know what that means?

Yes, more shrooms. And cascades.

Come on out. It really is just absolutely perfect here.

Big, Beautiful

"and oh so Affordable"

All true by the way. Especially true that The Girl and the Fig is extremely popular among locals because, well, it's pretty fabulous. Makes me hungry just thinking of it, in fact.

By the way, if you're planning a wedding in Sonoma County, The Fig caters and you'd be hardpressed to find anyone who does it better.

Weekend Magic

There's magic literally everywhere this weekend.

All you have to do is get outside, stretch your legs, and open your eyes to enjoy it.

What are you waiting for?

Veterans Day

Have a good one.

Shroom Hunting

Hoping, of course, to find some of the edible varieties.

In France, it's easy to know whether your shrooms are safe to eat or not. You just take them to the local pharmacy and they'll take a close look and tell you whether they're safe or not.

How cool is that?

In Northern Cal, we don't have a system like that. Some groups offer guided walks early in shroom hunting season and help folks learn good from bad.

How to tell the difference otherwise? It's tricky business and not one for the novice, truthfully. There are lookalikes here that can kill.

We take our best photos, compare them with what we find online, and carefully weed through the harvest to be sure ours are safe.

Hope you have a system that works, too. Better safe than sorry when it comes to these sometimes tasty sometimes quite toxic morsels. When in doubt, don't chance it.

Happy hunting!

Swing On By

A stunningly beautiful fall continues in Northern California. Splendid weather on the horizon.

The only way you're really going to get a taste of the rich colors of redwoods and green hills is to come on out.

You'll be so glad you did.

I Don't Think That Went As Planned

We've seen it here in the states and now it's going to Europe. The TripAdvisor roadshow designed to sell innkeepers on the benefits of their site. The masterclass.

Personally, I don't need convincing. I use TA as a traveler and have been pleased with my reviews as an innkeeper.

But that doesn't mean I don't see the problems that are driving some innkeepers to either rig the system themselves or to threaten suit.

In the UK, where litigation is already in the works, folks are rather heated in their opinions. Innkeepers are generally an opinionated lot as it is. Throw in some "unfair" reviews of their baby and, well, things can heat up quickly.

So the lunch to win owners over turned instead into a forum for complaints against TA.

What's the real beef?

Karen Plumb, commercial director of business listings for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, accepted that not everyone was "wholly delighted" with TripAdvisor. She said some people felt "powerless" that they were not in control of their online reputation.

I'd say that's a fair assessment of the situation, if an understated one.

But what's TA's solution?

Plumb said owners would now be able to contact the organisation via telephone - a common complaint is that they have to fill in a standard form on the site and receive generic responses – and she highlighted the "owner centre" that allows those dissatisfied with reviews to respond.

I'd say that's a good start. But only a start.

TA says it has a zero tolerance policy on malicious reviews. But don't try convincing innkeepers who've been burned that the policy is fairly enforced.

What has to happen? IMHO, TA needs to spend less time selling innkeepers on how to get the most out of its site and more time responding to their needs. In some cases, a management response is simply not enough. In too many cases, reviews that are doubtful at best are allowed to stay.

Sure the site is for travelers. But no one benefits if the reviews aren't trusted.

By both sides of the equation.

TripAdvisor knows they have a problem. How they're going to resolve it going forward will tell us everything about the respect they truly feel, as an organization, for travelers as well as those who attend to the needs of travelers.

Innkeepers can't be seen as the other side. They're front and center to the entire traveling experience.

It's about time the online review sites recognized them as crucial partners, not simply someone to sign up for paid links.

Can't Beat Free

National Parks are offering free entry on Thursday for Veteran's Day.

No, not just for vets. For anyone and everyone.

You just can't find a better excuse for going to Yosemite than that.

Well, unless you're hoping to run into Oprah and drive away with her pop-up camper. But I think it may be too late for that one.

Beach Day

Every now and then the weather is just so very perfect that finding a few hours to get to the beach is really the only sensible thing to do.

Yesterday was that day.

And who knows, if the forecast is correct, today might be, too.

I just love California. Especially on balmy November days.

On That Whole Anonymity Thing

Hmmmm.

Seems innkeepers who swap online reviews with their friends, don't like the idea of anyone saying they shouldn't do something that's clearly unethical.

It's always been my experience that folks who are ethically compromised just don't have the blinders on that essentially guide them away from self-destructive behaviors. So no surprises there.

But is it fraud, is it malice, or is it simply unethical to pretend to be something you're not with the motivation to game the system or to cause harm?

Well, it all depends on intent doesn't it? Intent is painfully difficult to prove but when there's a campaign of deceit, most folks will draw conclusions that, yes, malice may have played a role.

And yes, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but there is much deceit online. On the online review sites as well as on some of the innkeeper forums.

Think you know who you're talking to on that forum? I wouldn't be so sure. Seems all kinds of idjots out there think causing harm is A-okay as long as it's online.

It's not.

Sadly, it's gotten so bad out there that several BAR associations have begun warning their members not to do something they should already know not to do.

H/T Bill Singer

Everybody's Got An Opinion

Make sure yours counts: vote.

I know, I know. You've got all this stuff to do today and you really meant to save time for voting but things happen.

But here's the thing. All that stuff you have to do will still be there tomorrow. Your vote will be wasted unless you use it today.

One person, one vote. It only works if you exercise your most precious right and vote.

Ain't Life Grand?

Hope things are just fabulous in your neck of the woods, too.