Is Chicago Is not Chicago
January 25, 2016
A man drives a plane
Into the Chrysler building
A man drives a plane
Into the Chrysler building
Saskatoon is in the room
Poulsbo is in the room
Bennetsville is in the room
Palmyra is in the room
Is Chicago
Is not Chicago
Is Chicago
Is not Chicago
A man cuts in half
Just like he snaps a pencil
A man cuts in half
Just like he snaps a pencil
Khartoum is in the room
Phnom Penh is in the room
Pyongyang is in the room
Cairo is in the room
Is Chicago
Is not Chicago
Is Chicago
Is not Chicago
A man drives a plane
Into the Chrysler building
A man drives a plane
Into the Chrysler building
Into the, into the, into the, into the

Mailbox in Virginia

Art at the MCA
Architecture for a game

up

down
Mostly we were here for the astounding Eighth Blackbird. Sometimes when I perform my body has the same emotional response. But never when I watch. This is the future.
This is the future.
Excellent birds.
Oh, and the Palomar moved us down ten floors. Still a sweet suite.

no plastic showers

sit

stay
Also of note, Bottlefork is a great place for brunch and Three Dots and a Dash is a nice place for a banana daiquiri. Yeah, I know.
The Westin in the Chicago Hinterlands Up North Somewhere
January 21, 2016
Yeah. No.
Ever wonder how the other half lives? We find ourselves up in Chicago just in front of a major blizzard doing some business. We’re traveling with all of the C-people: CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, LMNOP. Frankly, these guys just don’t travel much. So it has been an interesting trip.
First off, the United experience (first of 2016) was outstanding. Upgrade? Check (first time in two years). Wifi? Check. Actual ceramic cup of tea? Check. Friendly crew? Check. Personal thank you with a look in the eye? Check. On time? Early even!

OK fine, it’s business class, but this cup is REAL
United, you did well. Keep it up. That blue mood lighting in the 737-900 is outstanding!
Is it the C-level posse that caused that? LOL. More likely, it was the upcoming blizzard. Nobody with an “out” is traveling away from home today. But business calls, so here we are! Thanks mr. blizzard.
Back to our story. So just how does the other half live? Poorly, it turns out.
You see, there is the generic hotel situation. Westin North Shore? Not so much. This hotel has a nice lobby and a set of just awful hamster cage style rooms. You could spit and hit the interstate from here. We are in concierge level service. Well, at least I am (due to a bunch of starwood points?! go figure that). But no no no. This is not it.
Lets explore through pictures, shall we?

Welcome to hamster cage 1411 at the Westin

The bed pays homage to the TV

Enter the tiny bathroom

OH NO! A plastic shower

Obesity bar. Shower curtain over tub. Welcome to heck.
We pretty much do all we can to avoid this kind of experience on the road. But when in Rome, um, wear a toga? The other half puts up with this is what it is. Reality check.
The best part? The Westin (who BTW charges actual money for internet) defends their shower situation on social media. Fiesty!
We walked across the parking lot to dinner at Coopers Hawk Winery/Restaurant. They had cabernet! LOL. It was from “America” and we ordered the “lux” bottle. We believe it cost $29.95. The associated hardware for decanting was outstanding. Is it a winery really?? Skip it.
We pretended it was the CFO’s birthday.
On the positive side of this Westin, the restaurant Saranellos is very good. Delicious upscale Italian with a reasonable wine selection. Recommended.
Anyway, because of the hamster cage design, two tiny showerheads for the Westin. You guys have merged so much you are approaching the color of the universe—beige. We’re pretty sure the homeowners association would approve.
In the end, it turns out that the other half is more interested in getting some business done than in where they sleep.
Battle of the Palomars (San Francisco versus Chicago)
April 24, 2013
I’m back at the Palomar in San Francisco where I spent some time being spoiled in February. Fantastic as always.
It seems as if I am the “victim” of some kind of colosal contest between the Chicago Palomar and the San Francisco Palomar. It’s tit for tat. Chicago started it with this year’s first visit. And Chicago had the previous move just recently as well. I could not be luckier to be stuck in this battle of the titans!
I was greeted with flowers.
And a charcuterie plate that is simply outstanding. (Too bad it was sushi night at ozumo last night.)
The only thing seemingly missing is a cocktail invented just for the occasion. What, is Chicago pulling ahead? Surely not. (They don’t call me maestro for one thing.)
Room 802 is a well appointed suite.
The shower in 802 is not as cool as some showers at the Palomar in San Francisco, but it passes the noplasticshowers tests with flying colors.
Thanks to Kelsey Barthe and the entire staff for making me feel welcome. This is a great base of operations for the next few days. Too bad about the breakfast meeting in Sunnyvale!!
—
Good news, the Sunnyvale run is cancelled. Better news, the battle has been joined!
Just for the record, the Greenpoint is a delicious and well known concoction. Muchas gracias.
Now off to Perbacco for dinner. Perbacco remains serviceable and a nice place for a business dinner (get a table upstairs to avoid the noise).
Wandered into the Fifth Floor bar for a late nightcap with Matias after just a bit of wine and grappa at Perbacco (Rajiv brought in two bottles from his cellar to complement the Italian-heavy house list). Fifth floor was hopping for a Wednesday, but never really gets overly crowded from what I can tell. The service was attentive and fun (sometimes overly attentive, with some missed handoffs between servers, barkeeps, and filler inners who came to the party late).
Sadly, head barman Brian Means was off. (Everyone deserves a day off now and then.) We were served by his protege Sarah, who has some big shoes to fill when Brian is not in the building. Sarah is very good indeed. We had some very good cocktails, but nothing deserving particular note.
Upon a second visit, we tried out a number of the drinks on the bar menu (along with some “oysters five ways” from the restaurant menu). The list includes some superb and interesting drinks. There was no time to get the recipes as we had to head out to Saha for dinner. Sarah was kind enough to make us a house favorite Boris Karloff:
.75 gin
.75 St Germaine (eiderflower)
1 t confectioners sugar
1 egg white
shake, strain
grated lime zest and black pepper as a garnish on the (now) beaten egg white
I really shouldn’t admit it here, but the bar at Sable in Chicago is better than the bar at the Fifth Floor. Better space and a deeper staff. That may well even the score in the battle of the Palomars. In final analysis, both bars are absolutely top notch for hotel-associated enterprises. It is rare indeed to find any hotel that blows out all the noplasticshowers criteria, and both Palomars in the battle do. Hopefully they will spawn.
Five showerheads for San Francisco Palomar. Love it.
The Chicago Palomar Does It Again. Excellence.
April 17, 2013
My first trip in 2013 involved the Chicago Palomar. They were a superb way to start the year, setting the bar very high indeed. And they are still superb today. I look forward to many visits in the future as our Chicago office evolves! (Hopefully longer than half a day and one night!)
What’s good?
John Stanton’s outstanding barmanship. (He’s super delightful and happy to chat about mixing drinks.)
Sparkling water.
Delicious cheese at 1am left with a note from Adam Gurgiolo (asst GM).
Rooms that have interesting design.
The best shower in all Kimpton history. (Glass cube + great water pressure = perfection.)
Art.
Chicago.
Favors from front desk guy Jake Forbes who rescued my forgotten cell phone from my parked car and brought it to me at the bar. Thanks Jake.
And there’s more. The bar at Sable gets better and better. A new menu with 17 house-designed drinks, including:
Fence’s End
1.5 Bulleit rye
.5 Amaro Zucca
.5 Raspberry syrup
.75 Lime
2 slices of cucumber
Shake, tir, strain, float cucumber wheel.
The Sovreign
2 oz High West Rendezvous rye
.5 Ramazotti
.5 Green chartreuse
.5 Kalani
Stir, up, slight lemon peel express (discard)
And experimental beverages such as the one left in my room as a greeting with a note from John. (Love it!)
1.75 Weller’s Antique bourbon
.75 Dolin’s blanc
.5 Zucca amaro
.25 vanilla syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
Or this Liberal-esque thing that Mike sampled
1.75 Wild Turkey Rare Breed
.5 Dolin’s dry
.5 Amaro montenegro
.25 Amaro Ciocinro
1/16 vanilla bean syrup
2 dashes Reagan’s #6 orange bitters
How can you top this hotel? I’m not really sure. Five enthusiastic shower heads for the Chicago Palomar.
The Chicago Palomar Starts 2013 Right
January 9, 2013
All good things come to an end, including No Fly Noel and music mode. United is (miraculously) batting 100% on upgrades so far this year with one entire leg under my belt. We’ll keep an upgrade-ometer so you get some data about how it goes for 1.5M mile flyers. Sadly, the TSA-Pre thing failed this trip, so I had to remove my newly-polished shoes and my non-ferrous belt. (I am pretty sure that is United’s fault, but you never know who to blame for failure when a system is completely opaque).
So here I am in Chicago at the Palomar where I was greeted by name at the door and checked in to an upgraded room way earlier than should be possible. This time I am up two floors in 1627. And it’s a good thing I have this room, because I spent most of the afternoon working here at the desk on the net.
My welcome package arrived well after I did (not surprising given my timing this morning). Sadly, John Stanton the barkeep was not involved in the selection this time. So there is a bottle of Merlot and a nicely arranged plate of snacks. (Last trip out, the staff put together the best welcome package in Kimpton history.) Anyway, the personal note from Adam G-something whose signature is mostly unreadable was genuine and nice. (Adam, dude, if you want net props you have to leave a card or write legibly.)
Since the room is pretty much identical to 1427 and 1574 in layout, I’ll focus on one of the differences. This one has ferris wheels above the couch.
The bedroom is roomy and it has a bed.
As always, five showerheads and a huge glass cube to use them in for the Chicago Palomar. Dang am I spoiled.
We’ll start this evening downstairs at Sable saying hello to John Stanton at the bar. It’s always a pleasure to chat with an expert. Then dinner. I know there is a trip to the office in the makings tonight after dinner. Chicago is a mixology haven.
A brooklyn variation by John that we’ll call Brooklyn in Chicago
2 oz High West Rye
.5 oz Cocchi Americano
.5 Cynar
.25 (or less) Luxardo
dash of Reagan’s Orange bitters #6
Stir down. Express orange peel (discard).
The oysters at the office and the decor remain the best part in my opinion. The drinks tend to be on the sweet side and not that interesting. Also the bar people stay back in their corner and have an elitist vibe. Our server Ethan was very nice, but utterly clueless about cocktails. That is a disappointment. They do have a fantastic bourbon and rye card however.
Upgrade-ometer 50% [1/2] (no upgrade on the trip home). TSA-pre failed again as well.