California Is Calling Your Name

Weather's grand. Why aren't you here?

Dirt Roll

Visitors to Marin County, once they get past the spectacle of the insanely beautiful surroundings, will often be just as stunned by the bikes they'll see. Mountain bikes. Really expensive, really amazing, custom mountain bikes.

In some locales that are known for their rich and famous residents (Mill Valley, I'm looking at you), the bikes resting in the town center are an attraction in and of themselves. In a village where folks casually park their Masseratis on the street, the mountainbikes are quite often an exercise in expense.

On the other end of the scale, there's Fairfax. Often referred to as Mayberry-on-acid, Fairfax is known for being the hub of activity for younger Marinites and has no shortage of incredible bikes and famous riders. After all, they started out here. This is the birthplace of the mountain bike.

Events in Fairfax almost always include a mountain biking show, full of tricks from the masters.

If you've ever wanted to ride the very trails the mountain-biking pioneers first flew down on their handmade bikes, you don't have to go it alone.

Next Sunday, Super Bowl Sunday, Dirt Roll will bring riders famous and not-so-famous together for a fundraiser that ends with a barbeque just in time for the Super Bowl Game.

The ride starts in San Geronimo Valley at the golf course.

20 miles, 3500 feet of climbing. Mindboggling speed on the drop. And rubbing elbows with a few of the mountainbiking greats.

All before the game starts.

Rainy Weekend

Stay safe, stay warm, eat cookies.

Works in reverse, too.

Get Shaking

Just 3 weeks until the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco.

If there's ever been a festival that will shake those winter blues away, this is the one.

Come on out and welcome in The Year of the Rabbit. If the smiles alone aren't enough, just think of all the new foods you'll try.

After all, the Year 4709 won't come along again. You really don't want to miss it.

Bittersweet Harvest

If you're heading to Cloverdale for the Fiddle Festival this weekend, you won't want to miss the current exhibit at the Sonoma County Museum.

This bilingual exhibit from the Smithsonian chronicles what became the largest guest worker program in US history: the Braceros Program.

Stunning photographs give insight into family life and daily work of the Mexican-American workers who participated in Braceros from 1942-1964.

The exhibit's last day in Santa Rosa is Sunday.

Toe Tappin' Good

Out here in the West, we're not all wine and yoga and karma. Okay, we're into wine and yoga and karma. No denying the truth. Hippies are us out here, even though the hot-tubbing days of old are long gone.

But things aren't always so clear cut here on the Western fringe. We're all about merging different cultural priorities. We not only like fusion cuisine, we like fusion culture. Fusion is us.

I'll admit, for instance, that given a choice between the opening gala of the San Francisco Ballet and, well, just about anything else, I'll be at the Opera House faster than you can shake your fiddle bow.

But we also have our fair share of cowboys and cowgirls out here in the wild wild west. And where there are cowboys and cowgirls, you're bound to find some masters of the fiddle.

So the annual Fiddle Festival is a must-do January event in Cloverdale, smack dab in the middle of wine country.

At only $20 for both days, or $12.50 for one full day of fiddling, it's a real bargain. My toes are tapping already.

And just to show that the gods do smile upon me from time to time, the Ballet opens tonight in the city so doing both is no problem at all.

Just have to remind those toes when to tap and the rest of me when to quietly watch in awe and wonder at the magic of it all. I think I can do that. I've been practicing my yoga, after all.

Half Price Does Move Things Along

It's begun.

Regular readers will remember that I predicted that many of the bargain properties out there would be snapped up early this year, foreclosure or bank-owned status be damned.

After all, when it's half-price, well, folks will take a chance.

And sure enough, two bargain-basement-priced properties on the Mendocino coast were snagged in the past few weeks.

More sales like that to come? Oh yeah, you can put money on that one.

Half-price bargains are still out there but they'll be in the bag before long.

What does this mean for full-priced properties with good numbers? They'll start moving this year, too. But slowly. Very very slowly. Good numbers be damned.

It's going to be one very interesting year.

You Would Gloat Too

If it happened to you.

Okay, so now I'm officially gloating over our perfect weather. I know, I know. I'm burning up karma points and all that.

But when the weather is this unexpectedly and unseasonably perfect in January, well, sometimes you just gotta gloat.

Not To Gloat Or Anything

But we've got spring weather on tap for the rest of this month out here in California.

It's just crazy beautiful. Come on out and see for yourself.

Life Is Just Not Fair

For weeks now we've been hearing conflicting stories about what's been going on behind the scenes between Google and TripAdvisor.

It seemed to many that the real issue was one of competition.

And, what do you know, in attempting to find sympathy for their position, TripAdvisor has essentially laid it all out there.

They don't think it's fair.

Just not fair. In fact, according to TripAdvisor's Steve Kaufer:

“I don’t feel like it’s fair to force me to provide information to a site that’s trying to compete with me"

I'm no rocket scientist but it seems to me that when that competing site happens to be a search engine that is how folks find your site, you might want to rethink that position.

Some innkeepers - especially those who have spent countless hours trying to get TripAdvisor to remove unfair postings that caused lasting damage to their inns - are no doubt chuckling at the karmic justice in all of this. But I don't think most innkeepers will be chuckling for long.

Pathetic whining aside, TripAdvisor has leveled the playing field for many inns. With their reviews disappearing, reappearing, and disappearing all over again, that playing field is anything but level these days.

Life, it seems, is sometimes just not fair.

Sadly, that's not much of a starting position for any negotiations so grab your popcorn folks. The talks may have broken down but the drama has just begun.

Surf's Up

Officially there are two more months of winter but you'd never know it if you were in Northern California this week.

Fab weather on the horizon all weekend, too, so get out there and enjoy it.

I know I am.

Days of Wine and Dungeness

Winter is my favorite time on the coast of Northern California. Whale pods swimming by, gorgeous windswept beaches, and the sweet reward of Dungeness Crab at the end of a day of wine tasting.

And if it's January, it must be time for the ever so fabulous Mendocino Wine and Crab Days.

With so many opportunities to try the best dungeness crab on the coast, the only hard part is choosing which to do next.

Did someone say something about a crabcake cookoff in Fort Bragg? Who could pass that by?

Business As Usual

I must admit that some days I do long for the days when the good news about whose staying on to manage which property didn't involve any talk of litigation, foreclosure, or bankruptcy.

Or all three.

Sadly those days won't be returning in 2011.

Winter Brilliance

Folks tend to think of hiking Mt Tam on a clear day, when the view from the top is beyond compare.

But winter fog brings with it a special light that shouldn't be missed.

Not sure where to start? Not to worry. Great guided hikes are available every Saturday at bargain rates.

Isn't it time you experienced the joy of reaching the peak?

They Start 'em Out Young Over There

16 year old innkeeper, starting a new boutique hotel from scratch.

He'll either burn out before college or have a brilliant career as a creative hotelier.

I'm putting my money on the latter.

Find A Better Way Please

Regular readers know I'm in favor of the America's Cup coming to San Fran. It's a huge tourism boost, not just for a week but for a great deal of time leading up to the final race. Since tourists coming to San Fran often take a sidetrip to wine country or some other nearby spot, It's a boost for all of Northern California. Everyone will see a bump from this.

But displacing existing businesses doesn't seem like the right way to kick this off. In fact, when I think of the small businesses who would benefit from the Cup, it's folks like the pedicab company that I have in mind.

Many small service related businesses who almost exclusively serve tourists can really use exactly the kind of boost the Cup can bring. I don't think that many of the people who advocated for San Fran to court the Cup would want those companies to instead be kicked to the wayside.

Lots of smart people are involved in this. Surely they can find a better way.

Please.

Happy Birthday To You

Just love the new birthday bucks special at JDV: $100 off your birthday stay. Guests must book with the promo code in advance but it's good throughout 2012.

Very cool.

And to a certain regular reader of this blog: yes, West Virginia, those birthday bucks look almost EXACTLY like the promo bucks you've been giving your guests for some time now. What's a good idea for if not to copy?

H/T LA Times

Weekend

Hope yours is filled with wonder.

Talks Continue

When folks start using terms like blockade and embargo to refer to access to information on the internet, you know it's a power grab gone wild.

That said, it seems that Google is finding its own way around TripAdvisor's "blockade" and, I'm guessing, wondering just what they need to give up at this point.

Talks continue, as they say, but it's looking to a casual observer more and more like they have less and less to say to each other.

Secrets

When I hear "secret recipe", my ears always perk up.

When it involves bon-bons, not so much.

Unless, of course, those BonBons are the oh-so-fabulous Bacon BonBons from Gitane.

Just check out the ingredient list:

1 pound dried prunes, pitted
5 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup cream
1/2 pound smoked bacon slab
1 cup port wine
1/2 cup of veal demi-glace
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 star anise

Oh La La La La La La.

Now that's a bon bon.

Many many thanks to the good folks at 7X7 for cracking the code on this amazing delicacy.

Marmont East?

Andre Balazs has apparently been seen kicking the tires on the Chelsea.

No doubt he could work wonders. But 90 million is still an awful lot of change.

Time to Buy?

Jim Butler says 2011 is the year to buy hospitality properties. His feeling is that the bargains out there today may be swooped up tomorrow so this is no time for investors to be waiting on the sidelines.

He is right that there are real bargains out there. If price were the only factor, I'd agree with him wholeheartedly. When small inns are on the market for half their value and larger hotels are practically being given away, there is no doubt that the asking price on many is tempting.

And I do think we'll see some movement of properties this year. Investors are eager to do something and, as commercial properties go, hospitality loans look better to lenders than the rest.

Sadly, though, I can't agree with Jim that it's time to go full throttle just yet. At least not for small inns.

Many small inns, and B&Bs in particular, are holding conventional mortgages. Residential mortgages that were packaged and sold and resold and, well, we all know the rest of that story.

The problem, as regular readers know, is that huge blunders were made in packaging those mortgages. Local and state laws were ignored. Fees were not paid and guess what those cash-strapped cities and states want now? Their money. All of it.

Titles were not properly transferred and there is a mess of epic proportions out there in terms of not only transfer of ownership but ownership altogether.

While all of the rest of us are still reeling from the shocking events of the weekend, the banking world is reeling from their own shock. No one knows just yet what other states will do, but the ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Court does not bode well for any banker anywhere.

And guess what? It's retroactive. What does that mean, in practical terms for an innkeeper. Well, for starters if you bought a bank-owned property in Massachusetts, now would be a good time to find a really good attorney. Why? Your ownership is very likely in question.

The mess that is the real estate situation in America today is why, as much as I wish I could agree with Jim, I find myself urging caution instead.

Granted larger hotels have a different financing situation altogether. But with lawsuits flying there and investors forcing sales, the complications only multiply. If we're to believe that the same angels who packaged those residential securities so shoddily did better work on packaging commercial paper, well, there's always that oceanfront property in Arizona that is still available.

My honest opinion is that caution is warranted. Extreme caution.

Shepherd's Pie

One of the great things about having a roast leg of lamb on Christmas Eve is all that leftover meat.

After dinner, I cut all of the meat from the bone and begin to prepare it for the casseroles that will be interspersed between other holiday meals. The bone itself is then boiled with any residual rosemary leaves for the broth. I split the meat into two batches: cubes for curry and some to be minced for Shepherd's Pie. Both the curry and the seasoned minced lamb freeze well, so creating meals a few weeks later is a breeze.

Shepherd's Pie is one of my favorite winter comfort foods. In the states, we often think of the pub versions with loads of cheese.

I'm more of a traditionalist with those sorts of foods, though, so my version has no cheese in it and I instead sprinkle each serving with a small amount of grated cheese just after plating.



To me, there are three secrets to really good Shepherd's Pie.

The first, of course, is the seasoning. It should be quite rich in flavor but still impart a homey and simple taste. Starting out with a well-seasoned leg of lamb and flavorful roasted veggies helps get the whole thing started out right.

The second is to include just enough of the rich sauce to cover the meat and no more. A soupy casserole is no good. The meat layer should be dense and the potato layer should be light and fluffy.

The third is stiff mashed potatoes. So no cream or other liquid added at all to the potato mash, just enough butter to flavor and bind.

Once you know those tricks, making perfect Shepherd's Pie is a piece of cake.

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb lean minced lamb
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup peas (frozen are fine)
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 cup red wine
1 cup lamb stock
3-5 potatoes
2 tablespoons butter

Cook onion and carrot in olive oil until soft. Add minced lamb, cook until lamb is browned and pan begins to caramelize. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 3-4 more minutes.

Add tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. I have a particularly heavy hand when it comes to Worcestershire sauce in Shepherd's Pie. It is, in my opinion, a key ingredient and one that shouldn't be skimped.

Add stock, wine, and herbs. Cook until reduced by half. Add peas.

Meanwhile boil potatoes until soft. Drain and return to hot pot, tossing until dry. Add butter, salt and pepper, and mash lightly.

Assemble lamb mixture in casserole. Carefully spoon potatoes on top and spread evenly, sealing edges well. Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern then brush with melted butter.

Bake in 375' oven for 20 minutes or until slightly browned and edges are beginning to bubble.

Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Just bring to room temperature before cooking and add 10 minutes to cooking time.

Still Here

Still Here - Music Video from Rikke Otte on Vimeo.

The Race Is On

The 34th America's Cup race itself may be over 2 years away but events and publicity leading up to it will start in earnest in the summer of 2011.

Where's the best place to get information about what's being planned so that your inn can be ready to take full advantage?

From the Cup committee, themselves, of course.

Smart innkeepers will keep a watchful eye for the calendar, to be released in early 2011. I know I am.

They're Not Exactly Penny Pinchers Are They?

I have to admit I had no idea they were doing this.

The St Francis washes their pennies. Seriously. And nickles, dimes, and quarters, too. Washes them.

Have for quite some time, it seems.

Every inn tries to offer its own unique level of service but, even though they've been doing this for over 70 years, it's one amenity I've never heard of before.

Wonder if the guests even notice how clean those coins are?

It's a lovely testament to tradition, I suppose.

But 10 hours? Seriously?

Seriously.

Everyone Wants a Shot at the Cup

The America's Cup is coming to San Francisco in 2013. Folks, this is a very big deal for small inns and large hotels alike.

If you're in the Marina District or in Sausalito and you haven't started brainstorming on ways to capitalize on this tourism bonanza, you're not doing your job.

Get to work innkeepers. Show 'em your stuff and even if the cup goes to someone else, the real prize can be yours.

Who pulled the deal together, to get Larry Ellison to cough up the big bucks and work out an arrangement with the city? None other than Bo resident Mark Buell.

Thanks Mark, for showing us all that creativity and perseverance will always win the day.

Vote For Anywhere But Here

An open message to the folks at BudgetTravel:

You may think it's a badge of honor. And it would be, anywhere else. Anywhere besides Bo, that is.

But come on, guys. It's not really nice to nominate a town for coolest small town in America if that town doesn't want to be found.

Very uncool, indeed.

How likely is it that folks in Bo will organize a campaign to win votes? Think flying pigs.

How likely is it that folks in Bo will organize a campaign to vote for anywhere but here? That'll happen, for sure.

And by the way, trying to find Bo? Sorry, but I'm still not telling.

Battlelines Drawn

Of course, when I said the boutique wars would heat up this year, this is not what I had in mind.

It's never easy to know at a glance who is in the wrong in these situations. And we may never know as these things tend to be settled, in the end, in backrooms.

The battle of the press releases has begun in earnest, though, so until some sort of settlement is reached, we'll see accusations fly and rosy predictions being floated.

I expect that will continue for a good while. I also expect that we'll see a lot of litigation of this sort in 2011 as investors and hoteliers find themselves at crossed purposes.

Which is why it's always best to plan for every possibility at the earliest stage of every partnership discussion.

It's going to be an interesting year. With any luck, the best hotelier will win the day.