Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh: Kimpton at its Old Best
February 9, 2020
Hard to believe it has been five years since the last NPS visit to Pittsburgh! Dang. The great news is that the Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh is like stepping into a Kimpton time warp—in all the good ways.
The first good thing was discovering that our ancient Kimpton points of yore (which were transformed into some kind of mystery pointy prickly spire IHG points) were still valid and useful! Who knew?! So a quick cycle with GM Rob Mallinger hooked us up with our very favorite room at the favorable price of zero.
You may recall that 835 is the bomb. And the staff at this hotel is just awesome. In particular we want to give shouts out to Matt for an outstandingly personal welcome and to Annalisa for going above and beyond the call of duty to retrieve some data for us while we were out and about. Outstanding.
Welome to 835. Wine, cheese, a personal note. Yes, welcome indeed.
835 Living room
835 bed room
This shower is not at all plastic. Yays.
It snowed. Classic Pennsylvania. Arriving after 7, we found a sea of fundraising private school hipsters dressed to the nines. It was well nigh dinner time. Fortunately, Rob set us up at Union Standard where there were oysters, Negroni’s and other good eats. Sadly, by the time a leisurely dinner was consumed, the plan to hit up Butcher and the Rye had the kibosh put right on it. Who closes a good bourbon bar at 11 on a Saturday night? Well, apparently the James Beard winners do. Alas.
Union Standard
A dirty martini? On this blog?! WTF?!
So it was back to the commoner (found in the basement of the Monaco) for a nightcap. Though the clientele leaves a little something to be desired (Trump country assholes abound in the PA private school world), there was good Rye. Not to mention Gina, a delightful barkeep. (The bar itself was established by Kenny many years ago and then properly curated by Mike Ryan before he headed to Sable to build another gem.) The commoner bar is still world class.
At the commoner, Gina and some rye
So how do you recover from all that Rye? With some “Pittsburgh hash” at Pamela’s (a great greasy spoon diner for breakfast). Right next door, you’ll find some very interesting tiny ass doughnuts at Peace, Love, and Little Donuts (sic).
Pamela’s, a Pittsburgh tradition
Just like it says
The Warhol museum is a great place to visit in Pittsburgh. Excellent art properly curated. See pictures here.
Excellent Taiwanese comfort food can be found at Cafe 33.
And there is live music in Pittsburgh. Saw an intimate show of aging punks featuring John Doe. See lots of pictures and videos here.
john doe krisin hersh grant-lee phillips pittsburgh
Day two breakfast was just super good. Great espresso, tasty crepes and art. Make sure to go to Geppetto Cafe in Pittsburgh for breakfast.
Geppetto Cafe Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is hoppin.
This old school Kimpton thing going on at the Hotel Monaco is well worth five showerheads with a couple of plus signs tacked on for good measure. Wish there were more like this in the rest of the country!
Pullman Sydney Hyde Park
February 3, 2020
OK, so the Pullman Sydney is trying to update itself from the ’70s, but apparently this is all being done on a budget. Time to spend some money you guys. Here’s a list:
- HVAC that works when it is above 80 degrees outside
- Updated furniture for ALL guestrooms
- A place to shower on arrival from flying across the world (that is not associated with a swimming pool or a gym)
- Three working elevators
One of us staying here this visit got stuck in an elevator for 7 minutes. Another waited 29 minutes for an elevator down. A third ended up going up in a service elevator and walking down 21 stories to meet us in the lobby. Elevator tech? This is a solved problem. Spend some money.
While we’re at it, lets talk about having rooms of the right category properly assigned. The front desk, though super nice, was also super clueless and did not pay attention to instructions. As a result, night one was spent in 1515, the proper kind of room on a non-updated floor. No really, the decor needs work. Here is 1515.
Ye olde ’70s color scheme
A not very clean couch that is orange. Nope.
Purple
After a set of progressively silly room swaps and 24 hours, room 1915 (which had, you guessed it, broken HVAC) became available. The room category is right, and there is an updated much more hip color scheme.
Here is what 1915 looks like.
Brown
Much nicer
Some apology fruit was provided along with a note.
Apologies.
The shower in 1915 is still a hot tub based thing that is amusing. The one in 1915 is better than the one in 1515.
As far as NPS is concerned, the Pullman has worn out its pretty clear warnings. No more stays here. Ding. Finito. Basta.
On the other hand, it is Sydney. So that’s good. That means aquariums and maritime museums. Art and cocktails. And great food. Sydney is a fun city to visit.
95 degrees is too hot for this poor hotel
There was a boat race.
A visit to the rocks and the MCA was a blast on a Sunday.
Lunar new year
El Presidente at Old Maid’s Place
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We’ll all have one please
Pisco sour
Dinner at Bibo was really delicious with great wine pairings and delightful company. An after dinner drink at Shady Pines? Not so much.
The Palisades is a very hip and fun place for dinner. Cocktails at Door Knock are top notch.
We’re demoting the Pullman from a low three showerheads to two showerheads. We believe that is below the threshold.
Bloomington Done Right: The Grant Street Inn
January 17, 2020
You know how we feel here at NPS when it comes to generic hotels. The good news is that this trip (off season and not on a game weekend) the Grant Street Inn had our favorite room available. Needless to say, this place beats the heck out of the Hyatt Place.
So here we are in room 31. Sadly the fireplace has been disconnected and no longer functions. In fact, there are a few things that could use sprucing up…like better furnishings, no ancient radio, no phone that plugs into the wall, and some outlets built into the bedside table. You can do it guys!!
The first trip of 2020 started out great with a last minute upgrade from United who seems to have changed their upgrade policy to make things more nail biting for Global Services members. Not sure how we feel about that.
And then there was the hilarious stretch limo that the car service used to get us from Indy to Bloomington.
While in Bloomington, visit the Irish Lion for a stiff drink. And have some food at Anyetsang’s Little Tibet Restaurant.
The Grant Street remains our favorite location to stay in Bloomington. Four showerheads.
The Lorien for Battery Recharge Through Cocktails, Art, and Conversation
December 16, 2019
Ah the Lorien, it has been a while! Since NPS last visited, IHG has done all it can to change the Kimpton chain it acquired into something we don’t recognize. The good news is that many excellent people remain, like Steph Vogel who we count as a friend.
We were assigned little nicely renovated rooms without plastic showers. Just right for this one night extravaganza. NPS was in 414.
arty bed
The shower is OK, not plastic, but who picked out that shower head?!
Thanks for the Negroni Steph!
Negroni with Watershed by Catoctin Creek
Chef prepared us dinner (we didn’t order, just reveled in what arrived). Delicious.
Must say that all of the cocktails are too sweet at the Lorien now.
We called in the usual set of favors to get the booth at the Colimbia Room. Perfect evening for talking, drinking and figuring out life.
Columbia Room menu
Breakfast the next morning was the highlight of the visit! Great to see Steph and catch up.
Then it was off to a day of art at the Hirshhorn, the Phillips, and the Renwick…oh yeah and Richard’;s house too! Just look.
Make sure to go back to the Hirshhorn. It is vastly improved
Lunch at Bistrôt du coin. Always French as all getout.
The Phillips is a favorite most anytime
Dinner with Richard was followed by an evening of conversation. Anytime.
All in all, an incredible visit. Life affirming on all counts.
Four showerheads for the Lorien. This IHG thing. Harumph.
Last Licks in Tokyo
November 30, 2019
One more day in Tokyo before flying home. NPS is back in the very same room at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo with the progeny for another night. After taking the Shinkansen back from Kyoto it was time for sushi with Rio.
Lots of sushi pictures and videos on apothecaryshed.
Then it was off to “the local” for a pre-game negroni (that is, the Tippler’s Arms).
The Tippler’s Arms will make you a cocktail
Then a local train to Kitazaswa to see the Dead Bambis. First a fuel stop before the show.
The Dead Bambis are very loud and very good. (Earplugs are a necessity at these shows!). See more pictures and videos of the show on apothecaryshed.
Then a visit to a new bar in Shinjuku bound to become a classic—Jeremiah. We met the owner K in Kyoto at Bees Knees and he told us about his new project in Tokyo. K then met us in Tokyo. Awesome.
Blue blazers, corpse revivers, extra fun shots. Just go!
Finally it was across the street to the LGBTQ neighborhood Hanazono Nishi for some people watching and dog patting.
Short, but fun last day in Tokyo!
Pontocho Misoguigawa: An Incredible Culinary Experience
November 29, 2019
Pontocho Misoguigawa in Kyoto is a legend. Incredible Japanese/French fusion food served Kaiseki (懐石) style. If you miss your milk, butter, and cream while in Japan, just pay a visit.
Chef (and owner) Inoué Téruo is a delight and a master. His annual trips to France show in his cuisine.
The Thousand Kyoto
November 28, 2019
Outside art at The Thousand
The brand spanking new hotel called The Thousand in Kyoto is a high design treat. Open, artful, tasteful, and gorgeous. We arrived via Shinkansen from Tokyo and walked the few hundred feet to the hotel. We had some tea.
Green Tea at The Thousand Tea Room
Yoshi meets the progeny
Kubota Ramen
Our first order of business was meeting Yoshi (@kemono4shikazu) who NPS met last time around in Kyoto. Yoshi is a delightful person. He took us to Kubota Ramen, a great way to start out a visit to Kyoto.
We stopped by Saredo coffee on the way back to check in.
Check out Yoshi’s super terrific band!
We booked an incredible Japanese style suite at The Thousand and were assigned 803. An amazing room indeed!
Leave your shoes in the anteroom
Pile your suitcases by the closet
Suite 803
The suite features a terrace overlooking the train station.
Of course the shower here is NPS approved.
The shower room includes a tub
And also of course, the toilet is complicated (and plugs in for power). Not sure what
Plug in your toilet
Not sure we even want to know what “pulsate” does.
After stashing our stuff and a short respite, we headed out to Nishiki market for some consumer spending.
Bees Knees Kyoto is a great bar
As it was cocktail hour, we stopped in at the incomparable Bees Knees bar. Great cocktails and super people. We had some Japanese renditions of classics (CR#2, Last Word, Aperol Spritz), and then it was
off to dinner.
We wandered into Steak and Wine Ginjiro for a very touristy meal of Kobe beef and bad wine. These kinds of restaurants pervade Nishi-kiyacho Ally and can probably be safely skipped. The food was good nonetheless.
Table art at Ginjiro
Never flown
Kobe
Our attempt to visit the French bar was thwarted by crowds of tourists so we had some ice cream and refactored our plan. Next we went to Nokishita711 for some gin. Simply put, Nokishita711 is a very strange place. NPS is not so sure whether that is good or bad. A “root of all evil” cocktail was interesting indeed. But the whole scene is just a little too too.
Nokishita711
Um, a cocktail?
And then for the last few cocktails and shots of the evening, it was back to Bees Knees. We had a few with the owner. Too many shots later, we somehow managed to make it home.
We bow to the owner of Bees Knees
Sazaracs
Sleeping in late was mandatory after the raging party at Bees Knees. It was all those extra shots all around that did it.
The good news is that there is no more perfect food to cure a hangover than ramen. In Japan, evemn commercial ramen is great.
A visit to Fushimi Inari in the late afternoon put us at the top in perfect time for sunset. Magical. See lots of pictures and videos on apothecaryshed.
Get a fried chicken dinner at Sugar Hill. Delicious.
The gym at The Thousand is pretty standard issue for a hotel. Seems bigger because of mirrors. Up early to work out is good.
Breakfast on day two Kyoto was at Kawa Cafe, a French/Japanese fusion place right on the river. Highly recommended (though it is rather strange that a cafe can’t make a macchiato!).
Kawa visitors
Deliciousness at the Kawa Cafe
The walk back down was beautiful.
Walking Kyoto
In fact, being in Kyoto for autumn is a thing. Do it!
Autumn in Kyoto is gorgeous
The obligatory trip to Arashiyama included the temple gardens. Should have done that last time!
Bamboo for you
Arishayama Shadow
Obu cafe is worth a visit.
Lunch in touristland
Excellent espresso in Japan can be found at Karusa Kyoto.
Best coffee in Kyoto?! Could well be.
The Straight bar makes an excellent Japanese Negroni.
A once (or twice) in a lifetime experience involves dinner at Pontocho Misoguigawa. Just wow.
Dinner at Pontocho Misoguigawa is not to be missed.
And to top off the evening, some jazz and a Gin Rickey at Hello Dolly.
Hello Dolly jazz
A gin rickey (DC’s signature drink) in Japan
Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen. See more on apothecaryshed.
Fuji
Kyoto, NPS will be back for sure!!
Five very impressive showerheads for The Thousand Kyoto
