Raffles Boston
August 4, 2026
It’s not Singapore, of course, but there really is a Raffles in Boston. Last time we were in town for David Byrne, we stopped in for a very crowded drink at the upstairs speakeasy.
Of course, we know all about the real Raffles…and the Singapore Sling. It’s pretty hilarious to see this transplanted to Boston. But why not?! Can you say “wicked Sling???”
We are in 1007. This, they tell us, is an upgrade from our requested suite. We’re all for that kind of thing. Thanks y’all.
Extra bathroom.
Not one iota of plastic, of course. And shower pressure that will blow your hair plugs right out of your scalp…assuming you have some.
So how goes it Raffles? It goes, as Sammy would say, pretty not bad. The space is excellent and the staff is top notch. But there are some things that could use some attention and maybe refactoring.
1007 could use some closet space. And engineering needs to fix the drapery. The real problem is inscrutable electronic controls. How do you set the AC to anything less than hurricane? Who knows? And lights? Just press buttons randomly until something happens. About the only other place with these kinds of UI electricity challenges is the College Hotel in Amsterdam.
Greeted with a personal note and a cocktail. Very nice touch. And the Butler thing is actually great. Our man Thomas was hugely helpful and made our visit noticeably better.
Bottom line? Excellent staff (and attention to staff development as well—which we witnessed while working in the libary) but some physical plant work required.
FWIW, the spa is apparently great. Go do that. Ask for Paula. (Side note: if you would like to buy some house perfume and then fly. LOL. Good luck with that. Hotel? Travel size for flyers is pretty much mandatory.)
Oh, and the Long Bar space? Lets upgrade that breakfast menu. Great bar, though. And excellent staff. (The menu could use a dose of the rest of the world…see the Chicago Peninsula.)
Blind Duck was empty and nice when we showed up at opening time. They served this sweet blue thing…
On rainy Monday, we spent some retail therapy time in Copley, the Pru, and then—when it cleared up—Newbury. Then we went to dinner at a very crowded and touristy Saltie Girl (recommended by the concierge/front desk). It’s overly Newbury. If you like being surrounded by people from out of town, this restaurant is for you!
Tuesday was La Padrona (where their computer texts you in Italian but does not like or even understand Italian answers). Delicious food—first time for pistachio lasagna. In the end, really quite poor space layout (our table was in a bizarre booth over in the margins) and staff that needs to be trained (they seem to forget who is paying). This is really more of a Boston issue than a La Padrona issue. Boston’s high end restaurant scene is no longer anywhere near the top edge in our experience. Time to get out of the little pond and see what the big fish are doing out there in the rest of the world, Boston.
Charlie’s is still a dive, but they raised their prices to make some margin. THey have grits!
The neighborhood (and exact apartment) of yore.
Five showerheads and some wicked new hairplugs for Raffles Boston (assuming you used to have those). We’ll be back.
Mimi’s in London: Soho in Ship Shape
August 4, 2026
NPS found Mimi‘s accidentally when in London seeking a Soho cocktail at Henson’s bar. We found great cocktails and also an incredible pile of art. So we figured we would try out Mimi’s on the next London run.
It’s ship shape. Literally. rooms the same size as a cabin on a 42 foot Beneteau. LOL. Lets just say that my partner in crime was not amused. Fortunately it was a quick hit with only a few quick changes.
But we’re not exaggerating about the art. See for yourself.
And it’s a good bar too.
But that was not ENOUGH art. So we went to see some Escher.
We tried to shoot a movie, but the talent was not cooperating.
How do you say “Action!” in Italian?
Faraday seems to be trapped in some kind of cage.
The American bar…take one.
Varvatos has become a regular stop.
The Connaught…though michael has moved to Zurich. Alas for Jacob.
This sign says it all.
Wait…are you SERIOUSLY trying to wear shorts into Duke’s past the woman in the drapery?! Impossible.
The American Bar does not care.
And then a captivating and stimulating version of Arcadia (one of Stoppard’s masterpieces).
So nice to spend time with Noelie and Lisa and Jacob. Romey and I are lucky to have you all.
“The ordinary-sized stuff which is our lives, the things people write poetry about—clouds—daffodils—waterfalls—what happens in a cup of coffee when the cream goes in—these things are full of mystery, as mysterious to us as the heavens were to the Greeks.”
― Tom Stoppard, Arcadia
Five very very small stars for Mimi’s
Welp, Hilton has somehow taken over the best boutique hotel in the city
just like it did in Dublin. Sadly that means the Haven hotel is not really up to NPS standards. Alas.
On the other hand, Rotterdam is well worth a visit. Take a water taxi or seven.
Even if you let a Hilton know exactly when you will be arriving early, they will still NEVER be prepared.
Our room had a view…a long long view.
But even a suite here has such a bad layout that you can’t really nest. I mean, who puts a hot tub directly in the room? Or a sauna just across from the shower?
The sauna was actually fun to use.
And the bed was very comfortable.
But the “suite” was not.
Anyway, we were in Rotterdam, so that was a thing. Lots of amazing food: Zeezout was excellent, River Bar was delicious but not as welcoming. We also scoped out a bunch of little street places with mixed results.
The water is a main attraction.
We had a boat tour of the harbor since it was mandatory. It is a great way to experience the architecture.
The felix is definitely worth a visit.
Sunset at the NY hotel is worth a cocktail visit.
Rotterdam has a door to nowhere.
This is an ice cream cone. LOL.
Four showerheads for the Haven. Not our demographic. We will stay elsewhere when we return to Rotterdam.
Sometimes we do things at NPS so you don’t have to. Like stay at an interstate hotel to get a leg up on the beach run.
Candlewood Suites Hopewell – Fort Gregg Adams?? Yeah, no. The family caravan complete with two little kids and two dogs made it halfway.
It’s newly renovated but it still has that prison vibe. Our Diamond Elite status at IHG (the proud ruin-er of Kimpton). But our dogs were welcome!
Baby Leiden did enjoy his dinner.
One plastic showerhead and a knowing smile.
San Francisco: The Huntington Hotel Rides Again
June 4, 2026
The Huntington Hotel has some history…including time you did not want to stay there. But it’s back, and swanker than ever.
We were assigned a king corner suite room (number 404) which was spacious and nice, but could use a better design eye when it comes to furnishings.
The bathroom is marble and glass and just a smidge impersonal.
Downstairs, breakfast is superb.
We had some fun with Uncle Jim.
After breakfast we visited the Minnesota Street gallery for some art.
We also visited the David Ireland House.
After a dinner with Cade at Amber India, there was a crazy mixology stop with Jacques to open Bar Esper at Hotel Spiro. That was really fun, but hanging out with bartenders is not something to do lightly.
The Chartreuse Swizzle invented in 2003 by American bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos.
1 1⁄2 oz Green Chartreuse (or alternative herbal liqueur)
1⁄2 oz Falernum liqueur
1 1⁄2 oz Pineapple juice
3⁄4 fl oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
Pre-chill a COLLINS GLASS. Prepare garnish of pineapple wedge speared with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and grated nutmeg. POUR all ingredients into chilled glass and two-thirds fill with crushed ice. SWIZZLE and then fill the glass with more crushed ice. Add more crushed ice to fill glass and SWIZZLE some more.
Somehow things ended up at Rye.
Anyway, everyone lived and it was off to Sonoma in the morning for more.
Five showerheads and less ridiculous AI for the Huntington. We’ll be back.
A San Diego Gem: The Orli Hotel
June 4, 2026
is an absolute gem. Of course, being situated in La Jolla is no detriment to the property.
Flying in to San Diego brings back lots of memories.
The weather is still on that same VHS tape loop from the 1970s. “Tomorrow, the weather will be perfect.”
I was assigned the Irving Gill Penthouse. Two stories with a balcony overlooking the Pacific.
The garden area is comfortable and pretty.
Glass shower? Yes, in the now famous death star design.
Upstairs is a small bar.
Sunset balcony.
On the first night, Alex and I headed to the Realm of the 52 Remedies for some craft cocktails. Excellent.
A visit to the QPS summit is always a blast. Five showerheads for the Orli and hope for a timely return with my spouse.
Alexandria Hotel AKA
April 27, 2026
My friend Steph Vogel is at it again, rebooing a hotel. This time the crufty old Holiday Inn is getting repurposed as an AKA. We are not really the right demographic here as we are completely allergic to hamster cages. But lots of people getting married are the right demographic.
You can tell Steph is in charge because the staff is excellent and friendly and fun. But honestly we don’t believe Steph exists. He has been replaced by an LLM.
We were in a king deluxe with a lil balcony overlooking the late night wedding reception. 200-something. But hey, things are just as super slick as they are very rectangular.
We were properly greeted with a nice note and some delicious chocolates.
No sign of plastic in the bathroom which is a fine design.
Anyway. We were here for Florence and the Machine. Early dinner at The Magestic was great. Their cocktail progrem is top notch.
Midnight in Manhattan
Saffron Spirit
The show was fun (lots of pics and vids here).
Breakfast at Milk and Honey was just fine but nothing to write home about.
Four showerheads (which for a property like this is as high as it gets) for the AKA in Alexandria. Time for Steph to take over a Penisula in Tokyo!
When In Bruges: Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel
March 4, 2026
Surely you’ve seen In Bruges?! Well we have, and we saw it again before the big birthday trip just for good measure. This is the very hotel featured in the movie.
In person, Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel is much more sedate and refined. No guns. No child murderers. No rooms full of crazy parties with cocaine and hookers. Darn.
We are actually on a scouting expedition for our return in July. Here’s what we learned.
Room 25 is the one we want. This time we were in 20, which is a very nice room that overlooks the canal but is a smidge small and has extremely limited closet space. So we looked at all the other rooms and 15 and 25 are the new targets.
Room 20 is the one on the right on the second floor where we stayed this time.
And what is that? Real klimt on the wall?? Yup. Lots of real pictures.
No wait really is that a Matisse?
Yes and in fact there is another on the wall in room 20.
We arrived so early that we simply dropped our bags and walked over to hop on a boat. We lulled Madou into a false sense of security by visting 5 previous times and never doing anything touristy. Bwahahaha!
This time he rode the boat.
We even made him climb the tower! But then he ran away, leaving us to explore on our own before returning with reinforcements for dinner.
What a view.
Euro-bathroom might kill you if you are a lawyer.
The breakfast room is very nice, but our quick hit did not include time for that. We were up way too early to take the direct train to Brussels airport (about 90 minutes and very easy) and fly home. The logistics of being in Bruge are excellent on that front.
Dinner at Republiek was great, especially with the entire gang. There was also mandatory ice cream.
All in all Bruges is very much a tourist town, smelling faintly of sugar and clogged up with lost people walking in circles. But it is worth a visit, if not just to drag Madou up the tower.
Four showerheads for Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel, a romantic little gem hidden among the droves.
Amsterdam Gem and Dining Haven: Hotel Okura
March 4, 2026
Usually Japanese five star hotels have something to teach the world about hospitality. Impeccable staffs. Modern design. Fine dining. The Okura has it all…almost. So close.
We were assigned room 2009, a junior suite (with an emphasis on junior). The room includes a beautiful canal view over the city, a closet that is slightly too small with too few hangers and that insists on closing itself, an HVAC system with a mind of its own, and a rectangular design familiar to hamsters everywhere. But the bathroom is nice. The shower is glass excellence. The toilet is properly complicated with its own remote control. The TV remains off. And the bed is comfortable.
When the couch and the bed are separated by a desk, you may apparently declare yourself a suite.
There was a personalized note.
The bathroom is very well appointed but architecturally stuck in hyatt mode. That beige is so HOA.
But the shower? Yes please.
Our check in was facilitated by a young woman who was in over her head. Could we arrange a boat ride? The public internet says no when she clicks a website or two. But then the concierge gets word of it and a private boat does indeed appear. Training training. I wonder if we might have scored an upgrade had someone else checked us in.
We stashed our stuff in the too small closet, phoning down for some hangers.
First some oysters. Our experience at Serre was marred by one loud talking Flemish businessman on his phone—the only other table in the restaurant. The staff, being utterly powerless to intervene, helped us switch tables. Why were we the ones to switch? Management would probably know, but there wasn’t any.
At 7pm we met our captain in the lobby for a boat ride just after dark. Absolutely excellent. We had champagne. We saw Amsterdam in a new light. The Okura has its own docking.
On birthday morning, Romey put cards everywhere. One or two showed up only the next day! So sweet. Like a banana.
The excellent hosts at breakfast knew all about our birthday too. In fact, the breakfast staff (even the flummoxed one who we lied to on the last day) were all very good. We were greeted by name each morning. There was a cake (this became a theme of the trip with four cakes all told).
Then it was off with Noelie and Lisa for a walk through town. Followed by the BIG SURPRISE which somehow Noelie and I kept secret for several months (a new record for us)…Florence and the Machine at the Ziggo.
The show was excellent and was our real reason for being in Amsterdam.
Sadly on birthday night, after our delayed return from the Ziggo, we were turned away on 23 WELL BEFORE CLOSING by a persnickety French guy. We did not like this one bit. It was all papered over later by Markus Vennemann who got to the bottom of it all over email. But really. Do better Okura.
We went to a dive bar instead and had a great time teaching the young bartender how to make a Toronto and a General’s Orders (after we sent him to the back to dig out the Fernet). Much fun was had.
All in all, 23 was great. Paul remembered Noelie from 9 years earlier. And our server Jean-Paul who greeted Romey and me on the first evening before the boat ride was just outstanding.
We even had a reunion.
It was downstairs after several martinis to Yamazato—the Japanese restaurant still in very high regard (and one of Florence’s favorites from years gone by. We had so much fun that the wait staff was not quite sure what to do with us.
The next morning came quite early, this day slated for a visit to the Rijkmuseum (somehow we need to remember not to go here) and the excellent modern art at the Moca. (We were too late to pull the trigger for Van Gogh, but we will be back and it will still be there.)
Breakfast was once again delightful. But by far the most fun part of the day before dinner was removing the TikTok girls from posing on the window ledge bench. So much fun. “Zero friends, zero likes?! What the hell??”
A second highlight of the trip and one of the best meals of a lifetime happened next. The chef’s table at Ciel Bleu is an experience not to miss. Chef Arjan Speelman is a super genius. He is also a genuinely nice person.
A planned visit to Door 74 was postponed due to utter bliss.
The next day we drove to Lichtervelde with Madou at the wheel, refamiliarizing ourselves with the bleating of sheep.
All told the Okura was a very good base of operations for our Amsterdam birthday leg. We would issue five showerheads, but it’s almost closing time. So four stars and some training improvement requested by management. Is there management? We may return.
Ciel Bleu is Exceptional
March 3, 2026
(cross-posted on apothecaryshed)
Executive Chef Arjan Speelman at Ciel Bleu is a great guy. Not only is he running one of the best of 417 two star restaurants (in 26 countries), but his kitchen exhibits a relaxed intensity that only comes from years of practice and absolute top notch management skille. The restaurant is a machine. Not the kind of machine that grinds you up…the kind that nurtures you and teaches you and sets you up to make something out there like it. You can feel this when you are present. And, damn can you taste it.
Mastery of the highest order. Watch out waterside, here they come.
Anyway, we were just damn lucky enough to have my 60th birthday dinner of note with Chef Speelman. Not in the gorgeous dining room, but in the kitchen itself at the chef’s table. And not just drive by chef, but engaged and fun chef who plays along, talks to us about things, and even allows us to interject some Florence and the Machine into the soundtrack. An experience of a lifetime to be sure.
Every minute was a delight. Every bite was worth talking about. Even the butter was better. The people creating this experience were so genuine and so psyched that we were having so much fun.
Thank you chef.
Madou is hitting on my wife. He’s single you know.
The chef’s table is IN the kitchen at the cold station side.
Presentation in a tuna bone.
A wall of stars. We think three is in order.
Did someone forget to serve Madou his wine?
Butter delivery by our German hostess. This young woman was outstanding in all respects. Her repartee was unmatched and hilarious.
The uni mouse is exquisite. For a long time this was best in our book.
Red mullet with skin so delicious
OMG pidgeon has no picture but so amazing.
Roe buck.
Pre dessert
Cocoa nut husk delivery with dry ice. This was as delicious as it was ridiculous.
Sadly the women had to retreat, but we finished up without them.
Once again, thank you chef.
Hey wait, who is that??!
A fitting birthday celebration.
RSS - Posts